Letter from Charlotte Cushman to Mrs Creswick, Feb 7, 1841
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Charlotte Cushman to Mrs Creswick, Feb 7, 1841
Subject
Cushman, Charlotte Saunders, 1816-1876
Muspratt, Susan Cushman, 1822-1859
Actors and Actresses--US American
Finances
Illness
United States--Boston
Description
This is the second letter included in the correspondence between Harold Moulton and Jennie Lorenz.
In this letter from Charlotte Cushman to Mrs Creswick in Boston, Cushman voices her concern about various theatres which are struggling financially. Her salary has been reduced as well. Cushman is disappointed at the lack of rights that actors have. Susan is ill and confined to her room. Cushman also mentions an article from the New World.
In this letter from Charlotte Cushman to Mrs Creswick in Boston, Cushman voices her concern about various theatres which are struggling financially. Her salary has been reduced as well. Cushman is disappointed at the lack of rights that actors have. Susan is ill and confined to her room. Cushman also mentions an article from the New World.
Credit
Library of Congress, Charlotte Cushman Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.Creator
Cushman, Charlotte Saunders, 1816-1876
Source
LoC, JLP 5
Date
1841-02-07
Type
Reference
Letter Item Type Metadata
Text
[page 6] Philadelphia. Feb[9?] 1841
My dear Mrs Creswick. Having a holiday — I do not think I can employ it better than in writing to the mamma of my God. Son. bless his dear heart I hope he is in excellent health & improving to your hearts content: & that he may live to be a blessing & comfort to you. I have had him discribed [sic] to me so exactly by Mrs Martyn. that I can imagine precisely how he looks. I expect Mr C. will have him tacking blank verse. before he is three months old: at all events—There never was such a child born. in your opinion. I dare say—&what a happy thing it is. that. that feeling should possess every mothers [sic] heart towards her own. I can sure you will make him every thing that could be wished And now. What do you think of theatricals? Did you ever know any thing one half so deplorable. I dont [sic] know how we are going to exist. & every mail brings intelligence of [page 7] +++ one Theatre about to close. The National in New York. is doing wretchedly. The Park. worse. The Bowery. so. so. with the Horses. & The Chatham[?] respectably 'with the asses—I beg them pardons—it is such awful concerns as that. at a shilling ahead which has' curtailed our fair proportions! Mitchell. by holding the profession up to ridicule. is making a fortune I believe— but it is the Boys & +++! of the Gable. Here in Philadelphia things are worse than. bad: The Woods had a terrible row. +++ closed the theatre. it has been opened for two or three Benefits but it has been a failure—The Walnut—is making nothing but paying its way=at 1/. for head. The National. I blush to say is bad. bad. bad! for eleven weeks we have been upon two thirds. & for the last three weeks. No salary at all. last Saturday. Burton closed the season—&reduced the salaries of all who remained. I have withdrawn Susan altogether. from the Theatre. & remain myself under a very reduced salary—I have had to go to Law. to hold Burton to his contract. & find that he can keep one out of any money untill [sic] next September—So I have had to give it up as a bad job: I shall remain while[?] untill [inserted, sic] I can better myself. & then go: I have been most heartily [page 8] disappointed I am delighted to hear of Mr Creswicks [sic] success in Boston. I saw it in the 'Spirit of the Times.' &it was copied into a Phila paper. I sent you the paper. I hope he may be as successful every where. I am seriously in hopes that I shall be able to go to England in the spring: when do you think of going? what if we should go together? I think we should have a delightful frolic in crossing. What are you doing in Boston! I think you might let a +++ hear from +++ now & then. just to know if you are in the land of the living. Write! write!! write!!! (I like to be impressive) Power is playing with us for three nights. previous to commencing his farewell Engagement at The Park after him at the Park. they bring out Norma—after that Forrest— after that I believe The "Haiad Queen'. which we have been playing. Susan is very ill & confined to to her room: Something the matter with her head. Baby is very poorly—& I—I am as thin as 'Job's turkey.' Elegant simile! They all desire their best love to you. Mr C. & the Boy! & begging you to kiss him a thousand times for me. I am Dear Mrs C. Ever most truly Your attached friend Charlotte Cushman [page 9] If you or Mr[?] C. dont [sic] write very soon. & not spend all your time over that boy. I positively will cut your company! My love to M[?] C_ Remember me most kindly to Mr & Mrs Gilbert Your friend [sic] here are all well! Did you see an article of mine in the New World of three weeks ago, or two weeks ago. I dont [sic] know which? Mrs +++ Creswick 11 Franklin St 'Tremont Theatre.' Boston
My dear Mrs Creswick. Having a holiday — I do not think I can employ it better than in writing to the mamma of my God. Son. bless his dear heart I hope he is in excellent health & improving to your hearts content: & that he may live to be a blessing & comfort to you. I have had him discribed [sic] to me so exactly by Mrs Martyn. that I can imagine precisely how he looks. I expect Mr C. will have him tacking blank verse. before he is three months old: at all events—There never was such a child born. in your opinion. I dare say—&what a happy thing it is. that. that feeling should possess every mothers [sic] heart towards her own. I can sure you will make him every thing that could be wished And now. What do you think of theatricals? Did you ever know any thing one half so deplorable. I dont [sic] know how we are going to exist. & every mail brings intelligence of [page 7] +++ one Theatre about to close. The National in New York. is doing wretchedly. The Park. worse. The Bowery. so. so. with the Horses. & The Chatham[?] respectably 'with the asses—I beg them pardons—it is such awful concerns as that. at a shilling ahead which has' curtailed our fair proportions! Mitchell. by holding the profession up to ridicule. is making a fortune I believe— but it is the Boys & +++! of the Gable. Here in Philadelphia things are worse than. bad: The Woods had a terrible row. +++ closed the theatre. it has been opened for two or three Benefits but it has been a failure—The Walnut—is making nothing but paying its way=at 1/. for head. The National. I blush to say is bad. bad. bad! for eleven weeks we have been upon two thirds. & for the last three weeks. No salary at all. last Saturday. Burton closed the season—&reduced the salaries of all who remained. I have withdrawn Susan altogether. from the Theatre. & remain myself under a very reduced salary—I have had to go to Law. to hold Burton to his contract. & find that he can keep one out of any money untill [sic] next September—So I have had to give it up as a bad job: I shall remain while[?] untill [inserted, sic] I can better myself. & then go: I have been most heartily [page 8] disappointed I am delighted to hear of Mr Creswicks [sic] success in Boston. I saw it in the 'Spirit of the Times.' &it was copied into a Phila paper. I sent you the paper. I hope he may be as successful every where. I am seriously in hopes that I shall be able to go to England in the spring: when do you think of going? what if we should go together? I think we should have a delightful frolic in crossing. What are you doing in Boston! I think you might let a +++ hear from +++ now & then. just to know if you are in the land of the living. Write! write!! write!!! (I like to be impressive) Power is playing with us for three nights. previous to commencing his farewell Engagement at The Park after him at the Park. they bring out Norma—after that Forrest— after that I believe The "Haiad Queen'. which we have been playing. Susan is very ill & confined to to her room: Something the matter with her head. Baby is very poorly—& I—I am as thin as 'Job's turkey.' Elegant simile! They all desire their best love to you. Mr C. & the Boy! & begging you to kiss him a thousand times for me. I am Dear Mrs C. Ever most truly Your attached friend Charlotte Cushman [page 9] If you or Mr[?] C. dont [sic] write very soon. & not spend all your time over that boy. I positively will cut your company! My love to M[?] C_ Remember me most kindly to Mr & Mrs Gilbert Your friend [sic] here are all well! Did you see an article of mine in the New World of three weeks ago, or two weeks ago. I dont [sic] know which? Mrs +++ Creswick 11 Franklin St 'Tremont Theatre.' Boston
From
Cushman, Charlotte Saunders, 1816-1876
Location (Recipient)
501 West 122nd Street, NYC, NY
Geocode Recipient (Latitude)
40.8108573
Geocode Recipient (Longitude)
-73.9585037
Social Bookmarking
Collection
Citation
Cushman, Charlotte Saunders, 1816-1876, “Letter from Charlotte Cushman to Mrs Creswick, Feb 7, 1841,” Archival Gossip Collection, accessed April 27, 2024, https://www.archivalgossip.com/collection/items/show/1020.