Vienna February 14^th 1850
My dear Mrs Seward
We have been here now about ten
days and I think / the Senate permitting / we
might pass three years very comfortably here. I
enjoyed the journey here very much although the
weather was intensely cold. There was so much to be
seen that was entirely new to us. It took about seven
days of actual travelling of about ten hours a day
to get here from Ostend. We were nearly two
weeks as we stopped one day at Cologne and
five at Dresden. The Cathedral at Cologne is justly
celebrated and no engraving can give an idea of the
beauty of old part of the building. I do not like the
Cathedrals on the Continent as well as those in
England. The artificial flowers and the tawdry look
figures representing the Virgin Mary make all the
interiors look very badly. There is a galler ^e^ y of original
pictures at Dresden which gratified us more
than anything which we had seen. I only wish we

could have remained there long enough to have
seen them often. I like Vienna better than any
city I have seen since we left home except
Dresden. London we found exceedingly disagreeable.
The weather was so damp that we had colds the whole
time we were there, and besides it is very depressing
not to ^see^ the sun. The climate here is bright and
cheerful, and the Prater is a very ^pleasant^ place for driving
and walking. There is not so much show here now
as there was before the revolution. Those who lived
under the old regime say that every thing is very
much returned. I can long for it for there is so
much republican simplicity to be seen at home
that I should like to have seen a little display. We
have seen nothing as yet of the Viennese society, but
it is said to be pleasant. We have not so much diffi-
culty as I expected with the language. Nearly every
body speaks either English or French. Mrs Schwarz the
wife of our consul here speaks English very well and
we have found her a very pleasant acquaintance,
I do not think travelling will spoil either Louise
or myself for home and although it would of
course be rather a mortification to have Father
rejected by the Senate, we would be very glad to

see our friends again. If I look at this as a christian
should I cannot but see that our religious feelings
will be but little improved by a residence here
There is a great deal of gaity during the season and
nothing to balance it but a single service on
Sunday morning at the English Ambassadors. The
kindness of Gov Seward during the late debates will
never be forgotten by any of the family. If you are
not too much occupied with household affairs
and the cares of an establishment in Washington we
should be very glad to hear from you. Give my love
to Fanny and remember me to Governor Seward.
Believe me dear Mrs Seward
yours most sincerely
Helen Matilda Webb
e