File:Caroline Frances Appleton to Fanny Appleton, 12 November 1834 (0cb20359-897d-4acf-8a94-6cb9e02a2b58).jpg

Manuscript letter

Archives Number: 1011/002.002-002#009

C.F.A.
Miss F. E. Appleton
Care of Hon. N. Appleton. / Boston / Mass
[postmark] LOWELL NOV 15 Mas.
[squiggle]
Lowell November 12th 1834
Dear Fanny,
I made my triumphal entry into this delightful town, in a whirlwind of native sand, and amid the [martial?] music of an advancing caravan! dropped the passengers by degrees and dove up “solus cum solum” to my final destination! Many alterations have taken place since my departure, buildings have gone up and men injured in all sorts of ways, broken arms, skulls, &c in abundance! I have been suffering most dreadfully since my arrival, with quite an unsentimental complaint, viz, the toothacke, [sic] which has certainly aided to render this home arrival still more delightful. I left behind me as usual, a pair of new prunella shoes, perhaps Mary has put them away with yours, you will please send them up when you send the other little bundle, I hope you have not forgot William Tell, Mother admired the Hunchback, and was quite amused at my indefatigable patience. I suppose your brother has arrived by this time I saw his arrival at New York in the papers, I give you joy at his return! Mr & Mrs [A?] Lawrence are here now and the Miss [Turnwhells?], quite delighted to see them. According to promise I send you the piece of poetry addressed to you by myself [page 2] I hope you have not raised your expectations, for I am afraid you will be dissapointed, [sic] pray do not look at it with the eyes of a critic, but with those of a cousin.
To. Fanny.
Spirits of ether of sunshine, and flowers.
We trace your way by our summer bowers,
The treasures of earth at your touch appear, --
And yet do ye tell us of clouds and of tears!
Ye pass o’er the earth with a laughing eye
And fain would you tell us your light never dies,
But scarce has the [heath?] of your spring but fled,
Ere your smiles all fade, and your flowers are dead!
Thus spirit of happiness is it with thee!
Like the sun as it plays o’er the dark blue sea.
Now lighted in sunshine, now darkened in shade, —
We scare see thy bliss, till in sorrow it fades.
But this is the happiness born of the earth,
They who cling to it trusting, will find but a curse,
It comes with the sunshine, & fades with the flowers,
And leaves naught behind it but [crossed out: sunshine] ^ darkness and showers!
But there is a happiness pure from the heavens
That only to mortals of virtue is given
It flows from a fountain of mercy and love,
And leads us to endless possessions above!
When clouds are around us, and bliss here a dream,
It flows with a purer and heavenlier stream
They shadow it surface, but reach not its source,
[page 3]And changless it flows in its calm, holy course,
Lady that [?] will lose its bloom,
And quenched that eye in the dark still tomb,
The spring time of youth will soon be o’er
And thy soul must mount to another shore!
Then seek there that stream in thy early age,
And drink of its gentle and lifegiving wave,
‘Twill sheet o’er thy soul such a radiance divine,
That peace then ‘It possess thee’ ‘all regimes of time
Sept 24. 1834.
Is not[paper ripped] that morilizing [sic] enough, can you believe such sentiment th[paper ripped]
pureed from the ideas of the giddy girl who has just left you[paper ripped] I can find nothing in the
world to spin out this paper with, if you can find time to answer it I shall be happy if not, - for the
present I shall excuse you. Give my love to Mary, tell her Mother was very much pleased with her books, & obliged to her for them. Remember me to the rest of your family.
Your ever affectionate cousin
Caroline.

• Keywords: correspondence; frances elizabeth (appleton) longfellow; manuscript; document; appleton family; long archives; frances e. a. longfellow papers (long 20257); Correspondence (1011/002); (LONG-SeriesName); Letters to Frances Longfellow (1011/002.002); (LONG-SubseriesName); J.W. Andrews - C.F. Appleton (1011/002.002-002); (LONG-FileUnitName)