Letter from Charlotte Cushman to Helen Hunt, Feb 23, 1874
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Charlotte Cushman to Helen Hunt, Feb 23, 1874
Subject
Cushman, Charlotte Saunders, 1816-1876
Cushman, Emma Crow, 1839-1920
Stebbins, Emma, 1815-1882
Jackson, Helen Hunt
Social Events--Travels
Criticism
Frustration
United States--Boston
United States--Boston
Description
Charlotte Cushman discusses her readings in New York and complains about the press, in particular, the critics.
Transcripts courtesy of Nancy Knipe, Colorado College.
Transcripts courtesy of Nancy Knipe, Colorado College.
Creator
Cushman, Charlotte Saunders, 1816-1876
Date
1874-02-23
Type
Reference
Letter Item Type Metadata
Text
Carina,
It is so long since I rec’d your last letter of 14’ oct[?] that I hardly dare send to Colorado Springs, & yet if not there – where? For I have the moment before me, to write you, which I have not had since I rec’d it: where I am convalescing from an illness, all the letters which have been put in a file to answer as soon as possible, are brought to light from the depths of our [spring?] boxes (as the English say) & become as things of the present moment. I am so worked[?] & traveled[?] at other times, that my friends have to be contented with their places in my heart & wait, for the moment to arrive, when time is to a certain extent forced upon me by painful circumstances! Ever since my illness of last Jany & Feby (73) I have had recurrences more & more frequently of these miserable attacks, chilliness & fever (consuming me for days.) generally they have been indication of the formation of matter [underlined] somewhere about my afflicted side. This time, I had been staying in a hothouse [underlined] in Boston, during that long snow & frost snap of 3d week Jany. Then I had anxieties for Miss Stebbins who became miserably ill then, so ill that I had to send for Misschaft[?]. Then came a nervous fear on her part that she would not be able to get away to New York with me when I had to go for a course of readings, this added to the excitement attendant upon my Boston readings, & the anxiety about my New York readings, made me ill, & my first reading in NY, I was in a congestive chill and fever during the whole evening, the only thing I remember of the Evening was the constantly recurring picture of myself as falling forward upon my reading table from – what, I knew not—but [dreaded?]! But they say, I never read as mighty[?] as on that night, so dear, it is evidently not I, C.C. who read, but something through & above me. Suffice it my greatest triumph of my life. I consider this conquest of a New York public, from conviction, not fashion, not fame[?], nor fame elsewhere, but just something, in spite of themselves, for, notwithstanding all this, they are not a public for readings by home made readers. Your friend Winter[?], gave a long version of my reading of Hamlet, failing to see all I intended, saying it was not new [underlined], now if there is anything in the world I have a vanity upon & about, it is the fact that I do read the character of Hamlet very differently from any person I ever heard, especially the scene with Ophelia, which entreats [underlined] her to a nunnery, not drives her, with a loud voice & contemptuous manner, nor do I offer other bullying – Embark & embrace her!!!! This Mr. Winter[?] failed to see, or note if he did see which failure is as bad as not seeing. Then tell it not on Earth[?], he spoke so unworthily[?] of me, through my reading ‘As you like it,’ that I was fair[?] to present the question to my manager as to who was our Mr. Winters comparing the second [underlined] time, if the same person as the first reading, was he[?] – mean nature, it was not the same person. I draw my inference, & the “critic” (by courtesy) falls to the level of all such in our land. We lack education refinement social culture, good breeding [last two words underlined], & therefore we have not a real critic [underlined] on any journal. This much fra noi (between us.) I have no desire to measure swords[?] but with my equals! Am I too conceited! --I left New York for Baltimore on the 5’ to read on the 6’ – another [?] took me in the car, between Phil & Beh’, & for ten days & nights from that night I lay at the Hotel [Carrolton Ball’] – my dear Dr Lippi came over to me. I had a major[?] abscess under my arm, which has caused me great suffering & consequent weakness. Here I have been since the 16’ lying upon the bed, with an Exturponical[?] desk upon my knees, whenever I could sit up, to keep[?] up some of my pleasurable duties, among which this comes. Miss Cushman came on & met me here, with little nino[?] -- & has been a comfort. Miss Stebbins has been very poorly at Villa Garland. I hope she may be able to join me here next week – where I shall remain until the middle of March. Then wander again. I have had to give up my second course of readings in Boston, proposed for the end of March [crossed out: this month] It expect to be in Washington the week of the 6th of April. When are you coming home? & what are you going to do this summer? Have you ever sojourned at Lennox, at any time, & do you know the peculiarity of that air? Your descriptions of Colorado charm me & all. I cannot come this [underlined] season, but if you will go again next season, I will go [ast three words underlined] if I live & am able. Oh my dear friend, I met a few such treasures of people in New York—Mrs Dodge & Mrs [Gratorex?], especially charmed me. Now Goodbye, never mind what I said, I can’t remember now. The flat contradiction from yourself & the flat answer of Mrs Celia Burleigh, that she knows the author & “you are not she” [last four words underlined] go far to convince people [underlined]. Do you believe it will convince her [underlined]? Not if I know her at all.
God bless you let me hear from you at your best leisure & believe me Ever, your faithfully C.C.
It is so long since I rec’d your last letter of 14’ oct[?] that I hardly dare send to Colorado Springs, & yet if not there – where? For I have the moment before me, to write you, which I have not had since I rec’d it: where I am convalescing from an illness, all the letters which have been put in a file to answer as soon as possible, are brought to light from the depths of our [spring?] boxes (as the English say) & become as things of the present moment. I am so worked[?] & traveled[?] at other times, that my friends have to be contented with their places in my heart & wait, for the moment to arrive, when time is to a certain extent forced upon me by painful circumstances! Ever since my illness of last Jany & Feby (73) I have had recurrences more & more frequently of these miserable attacks, chilliness & fever (consuming me for days.) generally they have been indication of the formation of matter [underlined] somewhere about my afflicted side. This time, I had been staying in a hothouse [underlined] in Boston, during that long snow & frost snap of 3d week Jany. Then I had anxieties for Miss Stebbins who became miserably ill then, so ill that I had to send for Misschaft[?]. Then came a nervous fear on her part that she would not be able to get away to New York with me when I had to go for a course of readings, this added to the excitement attendant upon my Boston readings, & the anxiety about my New York readings, made me ill, & my first reading in NY, I was in a congestive chill and fever during the whole evening, the only thing I remember of the Evening was the constantly recurring picture of myself as falling forward upon my reading table from – what, I knew not—but [dreaded?]! But they say, I never read as mighty[?] as on that night, so dear, it is evidently not I, C.C. who read, but something through & above me. Suffice it my greatest triumph of my life. I consider this conquest of a New York public, from conviction, not fashion, not fame[?], nor fame elsewhere, but just something, in spite of themselves, for, notwithstanding all this, they are not a public for readings by home made readers. Your friend Winter[?], gave a long version of my reading of Hamlet, failing to see all I intended, saying it was not new [underlined], now if there is anything in the world I have a vanity upon & about, it is the fact that I do read the character of Hamlet very differently from any person I ever heard, especially the scene with Ophelia, which entreats [underlined] her to a nunnery, not drives her, with a loud voice & contemptuous manner, nor do I offer other bullying – Embark & embrace her!!!! This Mr. Winter[?] failed to see, or note if he did see which failure is as bad as not seeing. Then tell it not on Earth[?], he spoke so unworthily[?] of me, through my reading ‘As you like it,’ that I was fair[?] to present the question to my manager as to who was our Mr. Winters comparing the second [underlined] time, if the same person as the first reading, was he[?] – mean nature, it was not the same person. I draw my inference, & the “critic” (by courtesy) falls to the level of all such in our land. We lack education refinement social culture, good breeding [last two words underlined], & therefore we have not a real critic [underlined] on any journal. This much fra noi (between us.) I have no desire to measure swords[?] but with my equals! Am I too conceited! --I left New York for Baltimore on the 5’ to read on the 6’ – another [?] took me in the car, between Phil & Beh’, & for ten days & nights from that night I lay at the Hotel [Carrolton Ball’] – my dear Dr Lippi came over to me. I had a major[?] abscess under my arm, which has caused me great suffering & consequent weakness. Here I have been since the 16’ lying upon the bed, with an Exturponical[?] desk upon my knees, whenever I could sit up, to keep[?] up some of my pleasurable duties, among which this comes. Miss Cushman came on & met me here, with little nino[?] -- & has been a comfort. Miss Stebbins has been very poorly at Villa Garland. I hope she may be able to join me here next week – where I shall remain until the middle of March. Then wander again. I have had to give up my second course of readings in Boston, proposed for the end of March [crossed out: this month] It expect to be in Washington the week of the 6th of April. When are you coming home? & what are you going to do this summer? Have you ever sojourned at Lennox, at any time, & do you know the peculiarity of that air? Your descriptions of Colorado charm me & all. I cannot come this [underlined] season, but if you will go again next season, I will go [ast three words underlined] if I live & am able. Oh my dear friend, I met a few such treasures of people in New York—Mrs Dodge & Mrs [Gratorex?], especially charmed me. Now Goodbye, never mind what I said, I can’t remember now. The flat contradiction from yourself & the flat answer of Mrs Celia Burleigh, that she knows the author & “you are not she” [last four words underlined] go far to convince people [underlined]. Do you believe it will convince her [underlined]? Not if I know her at all.
God bless you let me hear from you at your best leisure & believe me Ever, your faithfully C.C.
From
Cushman, Charlotte Saunders, 1816-1876
To
Jackson, Helen Hunt, 1830-1885
Location
La Pierre[?] House
Philadelphia, PA, US
Philadelphia, PA, US
Geocode (Latitude)
39.9527237
Geocode (Longitude)
-75.1635262
Provenance
Helen Hunt Jackson Papers, Part 2, Ms 0156, Box 1, Folder 17, letters from Charlotte Cushman to HH, 1871-75. Transcribed by Nancy Knipe, 2007, https://libraryweb.coloradocollege.edu/library/specialcollections/Manuscript/HHJ2-1-17.html. Accessed 30 March, 2020
Social Bookmarking
Geolocation
Collection
Citation
Cushman, Charlotte Saunders, 1816-1876, “Letter from Charlotte Cushman to Helen Hunt, Feb 23, 1874,” Archival Gossip Collection, accessed April 18, 2024, https://www.archivalgossip.com/collection/items/show/267.