Wednesday Nov 29^th e
My dear Henry,
I received your Thursday's letter on Monday
should have written yesterday but the mild weather
tempted me to go out. I think by this time you
must be heartily weary of Whig celebrations. The
toasts given at the supper here were said some of
them to be highly complimentary to you but if they
are published I have seen nothing of them.
You are certainly unpleasantly situated with regard
to Granger but cannot your material friend Weed
arrange all this? I was sorry to hear of Tracy's
ingenerous, unmanly conduct but I do not know
that it ought to surprise me. Granger I see
made his speech at the New York celebration[ . ]
I often think of what he once said to us about
being conspicuous, that he would prefer being
distinguished as a stage driver to living in obscurity.
I do not understand [ whig ] he cannot again be the
candidate for the W P—ye, but I am a poor
politician. Lazette says Warren has written
to Worden to enquire who is to be the next Candidate
for Governor. I wonder if he does not think himself
the most suitable person. What a dreadful
termination of the festivities at Buffalo, we had
rumours of the inundation last Monday but have
received no correct information until to day by the
Albany papers. I think you must have felt
the gale at Westfield. The bell is tolling
for the funeral of Mrs Groat who died Monday[ . ]

I have not seen the poetry you mention. I wish very
much to write to Cornelia and your Mother but
the days are so short that I can accomplish very
little with my weak eyes, a letter to Lazette
once a week and one or two to yourself are about
the amount of my labours in this way, it is not
now quite four and yet it is so dark that I
must leave this letter unfinished until tomorrow
morning, but I do not feel disposed to complain
of my eyes, I am altogether so much better in
health than I was a year ago that I have great
cause for thankfulness. Clara and I called yesterday
on Eliza Andrews, she looked very pretty and seemed
very happy to see us but I cannot say much in
praise of her housekeeping, adieu for to night
dearest. Thursday morning. This is Thanksgiving
day. I will finish my letter before I go to Church,
the little boys have no school to day. They have been wonderfully
engaged the past week in reading the Lady of the Lake
I selected ten or twelve lines from the first canto for
them to transcribe and read aloud a few pages to give
them an idea of the subject, they were so delighted
that they both commenced the perusal of the book as
soon as they were released from school. Gus had it in
bed with him the next morning. Fred could not
wait to hear the conclusion but turned to the last
canto to see whether Ellens father was really alive.
I explained the plot so that they comprehended it fully.
Fred is still so pleased with the poetry that he is
every day committing a stanza or so. Do you think
Fred will read too much, he has a book in his hand

continually. I can with difficulty persuade him to take
the exercise which is necessary for his health, he is
sitting now at nine oclock, like a Turk, on the sofa
busily engaged with the Lady of the Lake. Augustus
and I got along tolerably with the Latin, though we
are occasionally obliged to put by a sentence for your
instruction where the accusative is put nominative to
the verb &c &c. Augustus is more engaged about
this than any of this other studies he devotes an
hour to it, voluntarily, almost every evening. I
visited Mrs Miller last week. She is in a state of great
despondency about Isaack's going to Albany this winter,
does not know how to get along without his assistance
Martha seems rather pleased, which Maria considers
very singular. Thomas is home & thinks of remaining with
his mother. Lazette has had another ill turn but
was better the last time she wrote, she says I must
give her love to you and say she intends writing soon.
It is very muddy but warm. I see no prospect of making
my visit to Canandaigua. The Sibleys have completed
their fussing and gone. Serene & Birdsall were to leave
last Monday I presume went on the Canal.
I have been looking over all the papers in the little trunk but do
not find the note you mention, shall I ask Pa to look
for it? The bell is ringing for Church so I must say
good bye. Do not forget to ask Jennings for those letters
of Berdans I am very desirous to have them for the boys
as well as ourselves. I suppose there is now no prospect of
their being published. My love to our friends.
your own Frances.

William H. Seward
Westfield
Chautaque County
AUBURN
Nov
30
N.Y.
18 /2
hFrances A. Seward
Nov. 29. 1837.