Letter from Benjamin Jennings Seward to Louisa Cornelia Seward Canfield, February 23, 1821
xml:
Letter from Benjamin Jennings Seward to Louisa Cornelia Seward Canfield, February 23, 1821
transcriber
Transcriber:spp:crb
student editorTranscriber:spp:sss
Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1821-02-23
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Letter from Benjamin Jennings Seward to Louisa Cornelia Seward Canfield, February 23, 1821
action: sent
sender: Benjamin Seward
Birth: 1793-08-23
Death: 1841-02-24
location: Florida, NY
receiver: Louisa Canfield
Birth: 1805
Death: 1839-01-04
location: Bethlehem, PA
transcription: crb
revision: ekk 2016-03-17
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Page
1
Dear Sister. You have no doubt been looking for a letter
from me for several weeks. Business & close application to
visiting must be my apology. . . I found our friends all
enjoying health, and much pleased to see me. Indeed, I
never before felt so sensibly, the sincerity of friendship.
Harry
imparted to him, has been the result of a want of time to
write you. . not merely the time to make a letter, but the
necessary time to sit down, reflect , & make a letter to
suit himself as well as you, for you must know that he
wishes not only to write you letters but, good letters.
It seems by your last letter to him that you have taken
up several erroneous opinions, from what I said to you
in regard of our family. At least I suspect so from
the [ maner ]
Alternate Text: manner of your expressions. It was not my intention
to intimate
of its members — you know that we should love our par-
ents, our brothers, and connexions, every one — Peace
harmony and happiness at home, and [ thir ]
Alternate Text: their good repu-
tations abroad, should be objects dear to us all — As
I shall not be here, you will please answer this letter
and direct it ^to^ Papa
of the conversation we had when I was there.—
I have had three letters from home since I came
away - Augustus
grown fat— Poor little fellow how I do wish to see
him. He talks many pretty little stories, no doubt about
his papa & can by this time, I expect point the way he
has gone - but he gets no teeth yet. —
Mama
The sleighing has been very good this winter and she has
improved it in a number of little rides, but you know
that Bethlehem would be almost too long a ride
for her in the winter — the summer would suit her
much better, and Papa has been forced away on
business quite to Onondaga, so that he seemed to get
a plenty of sleighing in this way— .. You shall hear
from me again when I get home— It is doubtful whether
I shall return your way. Adieu. B.J Seward
Feb 23. 1821. Florida
Page
2
Dear Sister. You have no doubt been looking for a letter
from me for several weeks. Business & close application to
visiting must be my apology. . . I found our friends all
enjoying health, and much pleased to see me. Indeed, I
never before felt so sensibly, the sincerity of friendship.
Harry
Birth: 1793-04-15 Death: 1871-08-27
tells me that any neglect you may have felt andimparted to him, has been the result of a want of time to
write you. . not merely the time to make a letter, but the
necessary time to sit down, reflect , & make a letter to
suit himself as well as you, for you must know that he
wishes not only to write you letters but, good letters.
It seems by your last letter to him that you have taken
up several erroneous opinions, from what I said to you
in regard of our family. At least I suspect so from
the [ maner ]
Alternate Text
to intimate
Inmost; inward • Near; close • Close in friendship or acquaintance • One to whom the thoughts of another are shared without reserve • To share together • To hint; to suggest obscurely; to give slight notice of •
any thing that should reflect upon any oneof its members — you know that we should love our par-
ents, our brothers, and connexions, every one — Peace
harmony and happiness at home, and [ thir ]
Alternate Text
tations abroad, should be objects dear to us all — As
I shall not be here, you will please answer this letter
and direct it ^to^ Papa
Birth: 1768-12-05 Death: 1849-08-24
, and give him an explicit accountof the conversation we had when I was there.—
I have had three letters from home since I came
away - Augustus
Birth: 1820-05-18 Death: 1889-05-08
has entirely recovered his illness and grown fat— Poor little fellow how I do wish to see
him. He talks many pretty little stories, no doubt about
his papa & can by this time, I expect point the way he
has gone - but he gets no teeth yet. —
Mama
Birth: 1794-07-23 Death: 1839-10-25
enjoys her health pretty well this winter. The sleighing has been very good this winter and she has
improved it in a number of little rides, but you know
that Bethlehem would be almost too long a ride
for her in the winter — the summer would suit her
much better, and Papa has been forced away on
business quite to Onondaga, so that he seemed to get
a plenty of sleighing in this way— .. You shall hear
from me again when I get home— It is doubtful whether
I shall return your way. Adieu. B.J Seward
Feb 23. 1821. Florida