Letter from William Henry Seward to Frances Miller Seward, May 25, 1859

  • Posted on: 8 December 2021
  • By: admin
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Letter from William Henry Seward to Frances Miller Seward, May 25, 1859
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transcriber

Transcriber:spp:cnk

student editor

Transcriber:spp:sts

Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive

Institution:University of Rochester

Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections

Date:1859-05-25

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Letter from William Henry Seward to Frances Miller Seward, May 25, 1859

action: sent

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

location: London, England, UK

receiver: Frances Seward
Birth: 1805-09-24  Death: 1865-06-21

location: Auburn, NY

transcription: cnk 

revision: jxw 2021-09-05

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Editorial Note

William Henry Seward’s series of travel letters in 1859 are organized and listed by the date of each entry.
1
London May 25. 1859.
Of the Chrystal Palace what can be said ex-
cept that it is the most complete embodiment
of the beautiful in Architecture – In elegance
grace and adaptation equally, in extant
magnitude and various adaptations, surpass-
ing the Suspension Bridge at Niagara Falls.
Of the Botanical Gardens and
the Floral exhibition there nothing can
be said that will give an adequate
idea –
Sir Charles Napier
Birth: 1786-03-06 Death: 1860-11-06
, is an impersona-
tion of the English Admiral as the character is
drawn by the classical essayists of Queen Anne’s
Birth: 1665-02-06 Death: 1714-08-01

time. According to him the British Navy is no
sufficient or ornamental thing but an every day
necessary and effective police – He has his
ideas about reform, but in elections and can-
vasses, but the chief reforms that he troubles
himself about are reforms of the navy.
He is a hearty, bluff, old sailor – I am
curious to hear him debate in the House
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2
Lord Lyndhurst
Birth: 1772-05-21 Death: 1863-10-12
, is now eighty seven years
old, but apparently unabated in force a peer of
England – You would know him to ^have^ been a lawyer
and an active one, in a moment’s conversation.
When I entered his room alone and only announced
by my card, I found him sitting before a table
He drew a ch Without rising he drew a
chair and asked me to said, "Come sit down
here by me. I want to talk with you." Such a
talk I never had before. He courteously asked "
question after question about things in America,
each question intelligible, pertinent, and admitting
a direct answer. In three quarters of an
hour I had received and imparted more
information than one is often able to do
in a conversation continued through many hours.
He is physically and intellectually organized
on the model of our late Chief Justice
Spencer
Birth: 1765-12-13 Death: 1848-03-13
– or that of the late Chief Justice
Gibson
Birth: 1780-11-08 Death: 1853-05-02
of Pennsylvania. I cannot be mistaken
in thinking that he resembles the latter in
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features and expression.