Letter from William Henry Seward to Frances Miller Seward, January 1831
xml:
Letter from William Henry Seward to Frances Miller Seward, January 1831
transcriber
Transcriber:spp:mhr
student editorTranscriber:spp:sss
Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1831-01
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Letter from William Henry Seward to Frances Miller Seward, January 1831
action: sent
sender: William Seward
Birth: 1801-05-16
Death: 1872-10-10
location: Unknown
receiver: Frances Seward
Birth: 1805-09-24
Death: 1865-06-21
location: UnknownUnknown
transcription: mhr
revision: ekk 2015-09-08
<>
Page
1
Monday. e
Letter transcribed for WHS autobiography by AWS
and edited by FWS in pencil. Original not in Seward Papers, UR.
Last evening Weed
to know how far I was correct in my estimate
of Granger
him that part of the foregoing page. He
made me read it twice and made his
Page
2
comments upon it and told me to make
the following alteration. "Granger is not
aristocratic; the manner which some times
makes him appear so is the result of
education at Washington. But he is a
Democrat in all his thoughts and feelings."
I think Weed correct, so you have the
two characters. I anticipate you may be
disappointed in both. Nevertheless very
few men have fewer faults than either
of them – I mean of course political great
men. Although I have heard so
much and so long of the necessary
dissipation of members of the Legislature
I have thus far escaped it. I have been
twice to the theatre. It must be some
great novelty or a desire to oblige some
particular friend which should induce me
to go there again. At dinner a glass
of wine constitutes all the pleasures of
that kind in which I indulge. I have
eaten but one supper in a week. I spend
one, two or three hours in visits every day
and this is about the extent of my
dissipation. Yet little as is the indulgence
I fear the effect of it upon my business
habits at home. You know I never did
like my profession, although the desire to
have comfort and independence for you
Page
3
and Fred
has made me its slave. That necessity
will now be increased. I would not
encourage a distaste for professional
pursuits – but I will hope that separating
myself for a period from business
connections I may be able to renew them
again. Is it not passing strange that
for four year past I have not had
to my own use so much time which I
might devote daily to domestic enjoyments
as I now occupy in writing a page for
your perusal. And the time which I
have had has been almost always
swatched with a feverish excitement
from perplexities and cares which dis-
colored most of the hours that might
otherwise have been so happy. Well!
after all perhaps I ought to have learned
that it is the lot of no man to have
more happiness.
Monday. e
Editorial Note
Last evening Weed
Birth: 1797-11-15 Death: 1882-11-22
came in and was anxiousto know how far I was correct in my estimate
of Granger
Birth: 1792-12-01 Death: 1868-08-31Certainty: Probable
. I could not resist reading to him that part of the foregoing page. He
made me read it twice and made his
comments upon it and told me to make
the following alteration. "Granger is not
aristocratic; the manner which some times
makes him appear so is the result of
education at Washington. But he is a
Democrat in all his thoughts and feelings."
I think Weed correct, so you have the
two characters. I anticipate you may be
disappointed in both. Nevertheless very
few men have fewer faults than either
of them – I mean of course political great
men. Although I have heard so
much and so long of the necessary
dissipation of members of the Legislature
I have thus far escaped it. I have been
twice to the theatre. It must be some
great novelty or a desire to oblige some
particular friend which should induce me
to go there again. At dinner a glass
of wine constitutes all the pleasures of
that kind in which I indulge. I have
eaten but one supper in a week. I spend
one, two or three hours in visits every day
and this is about the extent of my
dissipation. Yet little as is the indulgence
I fear the effect of it upon my business
habits at home. You know I never did
like my profession, although the desire to
have comfort and independence for you
and Fred
Birth: 1830-07-08 Death: 1915-04-25
and Augustus
Birth: 1826-10-01 Death: 1876-09-11
and myself has made me its slave. That necessity
will now be increased. I would not
encourage a distaste for professional
pursuits – but I will hope that separating
myself for a period from business
connections I may be able to renew them
again. Is it not passing strange that
for four year past I have not had
to my own use so much time which I
might devote daily to domestic enjoyments
as I now occupy in writing a page for
your perusal. And the time which I
have had has been almost always
swatched with a feverish excitement
from perplexities and cares which dis-
colored most of the hours that might
otherwise have been so happy. Well!
after all perhaps I ought to have learned
that it is the lot of no man to have
more happiness.