Catharine Maria Sedgwick Online Letters

NewYork Wednesday 1825 -- 1My dearest Charles

I followed every step of your progress till I fancied you screaming among your fellows and with Charley keeping such a Saturday night as the Revd Johnn Edwards 2 never anticipated for any of his Descendants -- -- But you home till Sunday night -- -- On the whole for the first time in my life glad that you didnot prolong your stay -- You just used up all the mild weather -- If I ever felt grateful for weather it was that it was so auspicious to your pilgrimage of love -- There was something in your coming down with me my dear Charles that went to my very heart's core -- I am perhaps too dependent on your affection, and I watch every indication of it as a parent watches the pulse of a child on whose existence his life depends -- -- I am bound to you and yours my dear Brother -- and I have suffered so much in coming away this time that I feel as if I couldnot encounter it 1 2 again -- -- I have many thoughts thereabouts but perhaps they are best in my own bosom --

Was not you provoked with me about the key -- ? -- I am afraid you suffered for the want of your socks -- -- Mr Watts has promised you -- -- I mean to send too -- --

We had a most excellent sermon on Sunday -- upon the view the Christian ought to take of life -- -- and I tho't how much you would have liked -- still I was glad you was off -- Sunday Eve'g we had Dr Follen here -- the gentleman who was expelled from the Univeristy of Basle -- -- He came to the office, presented his credentials and requested to be introduced to me -- -- He said Redwood was the first English book he ever read, and he now speaks English very well -- He is appointed Teacher of German at Cambridge University 3 and means to Lecture on the Civil law on which he was the Lecturer at Jena -- He does not hold his hat with both hands -- He is not afraid of wetting his feet 3 and he is a very intelligent -- good humored unassuming little gentleman -- It would done Brother Theodore's heart good to have seen his enthusiasm about the diffussion of Newspapers in this Country which he considers a most important source of improvement of the people -- He has rather a impression of affairs in his own Country he thinks they must be free before a great while -- He says liberal opinions are pretty much confined to the young men and the peasantry -- the latter from their natural good sense, and the former from their having imbibed during their College life free notions -- -- He says he knows between 2 & 300 young men who now in durance from the jealousy of the allied powers -- -- --

I find Russel's travels 4very entertaining -- (not from any thing very superior in the author -- but they relate to an interesting Country 4 about which we (I) are not well informed & they contain a great many interesting details -- I shall send them up as soon as we have read them --

Jeanie said a smart thing last night -- and true to my Aunt-ship I love record smart things -- She was boasting how much her Aunt Speakman knew -- Her Father asked her if she knew as much as her Mother -- "Yes -- more" -- "As much as your Aunt C"? "Yes -- more" -- "As much as I"? After a slight hesitation she said "yes" -- and then added stammering -- "but Father what you know is what I cant understand" -- -- This must be illegible to Kate's definition of generosity -- I hope to have a today -- What is the matter of Lizy? Eliza writes me she not been well -- My best love to her -- and to Susan who hope sometimes sends a kind thought towards me when she "takes her walks abroad" -- -- --

I trust the Saussages will arrive safely -- They had best be kept in the coldest place you can Half of them are Mammy 'Yates' make -- the rest I was obliged to get at Market

Yrs truly dearest Charles --

I enquired of Jane where she bot her cheap flowers -- and she at once brought me her bunch and insisted on sending it -- --

Lizy Jane & Fan -- H better