Auburn, Nov Dec 2^d
My Dear Henry, I recieved your first letter on
Teusday after giving myself considerable unnecessary
trouble about your welfare. I am glad to hear you
are safely settled at Westfield. I was sure you would
write from Batavia because you said you would
I supposed that you would detained there some
time and did not anticipate hearing so soon from
you at Westfield. Winter has come bringing with
him frost — snow — cold fingers — cold noses and sleigh bells
I am glad you have the hall stove it will add
much to your comfort. I am glad Mr Carey had his
own way and his own way of having it though I
cannot say that I do think the white china,
oval, dining set at all pretty — the only recommen-
dation that it has is that of making the housemaid
particular & this quality though it might be very
essential here under Mary ann's administration is
not at all necessary to answer Harriets, neatness. You
used great dispatch in making your purchases
at Buffalo. I hope all came safe and that you have
enjoyed the ham and chocolate beside the the
more unsubstantial good things before this. I would
give much for one peep at you and dear Gus
eating your breakfast one of these cold mornings.
I have little variation in the monotony of my life
but that little is as much as I can well endure in
the present weak state of my nervous system.
Dear Henry I am positively afraid sometimes that I shall
one of these days become a candidate for the Lunatic
Asylum — the least excitement does produce such
strange feelings, my brain seems to wheel so I my

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Person

Name: William Seward Birth: 1801-05-16 Death: 1872-10-10

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FA Seward
Dec 2, 1836

recollection deserts me and there are times when I cannot
think of the most familiar names. How often I have
wished I could once more ask dear Grandma if she
had ever experienced such feelings. I am afraid you
will think this all very silly I am sure I should
have thought so once but I find that my nerves
are not so easily controulled as I once fancied
and that I might as well undertake to reason
myself out of a fit of the ague as to attempt to
compose my nerves while the excitation continues.
Sat — Mrs Throop called yesterday and Lazette came over
to spend the afternoon so I could not finish my
letter. Mrs T spent the time of her visit in recapit-
ulating the faults of her children. She says Montgomery
is smart but never will make a "polished gentleman"
(like his father I suppose) that Eliza the only daughter
a proficient in the graces of manner but does
not know any thing and never will — is not this
rather a singular display of maternal fondness —
Dear Gandma always taught me that there was no
greater proof of affection than concealing the
faults of those we love. There has been a
large party at Mrs H. Hills — Ms Conkling
flourished in black velvet and an opera hat
with seven enormous black ostrich feathers — no
one excelled her in magnitude the judge was dignified
and the daughter affected — so says Mrs Beardsley.
They seem to be the people most talked of at present
Mrs Hills and the 3 Misses Hills figured in gay
silks all of different colours — I suppose Horace the
elder was permitted to appear but I heard
nothing of him. Did Worden say any thing to you
about coming at out Lazette is uncomfortable at Mrs Chase's but I think will stay there all winter — she
must have a stove if she does Gaston says they burn as
much wood on one fire as he does on three — the room is cold and
uncomfortable after all — Your own Frances