Letter from Geraldine Jewsbury to Charlotte Cushman, n.d.
Dublin Core
Title
Subject
Description
The letter is excerpted in Emma Stebbins' biography of Cushman (p. 74), and dated there to be from 1846.
Credit
Library of Congress, Charlotte Cushman Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Creator
Source
Date
Type
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Text
[3435]
my dear love– how are you this morning?
What a wrethced day it is for yr journey
to Chester! – I found Frank & Dilberoglue
quite set on going over. Why they cd
not go to L-pool [Liverpool], is as mysterious as
why the Leopard sits on ohe last spot
of
its tail – I had to wait there quarters of an
hour at the Railway having of course
missed the Train we aimed at - it only
waited twenty minutes to six, as I came up
+++ Ford Road & when I got home. I had only five
minutes to dress. I never looked at myself
in the glass but put on my velvet gown
just as it wd go. (left my hair to the care
of Providence who left it I fancy like a
disturbed hay stack) & was actually seated
in Mrs [Schunel's] drawing room before
half the people were arrived! you cd.
have done no more, so don't be +++-
at dinner I did not get next the +++
laid out for me. Who was in Italian
[3435 reverse] but[?] next a good Englishman. to whom
I had the comfort of talking about you
He had hever seen you, He for many
years has given up going to Theatres
as he is faithful to the memory of Mrs
Siddons & all that generation & has
even preserved the play [Mills!] but
he talked very well & most enthusiastically
& listened to all I said with great
faith & the next time you come
here or he has an opportunity he
is fully purposed to go - we were settling
you the whole dinner time . I cd hardly help
laughing to see how people instinctively find
their points of sympathy – he had not been to see
you act but he felt a sympathy with you
for what you had done for yr family - he said
he had heard of that. & it happens that all his family
were thrown on him. & he behaved in a most
worthy way - he was intended for the Church
& had a decided inclination for it. but while
he was at college his father died in embarrassed
cicumstances. he had a large retail business
& this man was obliged to leave college & go
[3436] behind the counter, & to drudge years & years
& retrieve affairs & to being the rest of the
family, hating it [crossed out] business [inserted] of like the Devil. but he
did it - & has adopted two of his sister's children
beside. finally made his fortune & retired
& is extremely respected as he deserves to be
& there was yr point of interest to him, he
knew what it was you had done & cd appreciate
it. There were heaps of people but Mariotti was
evidently the person do you know him? I did
not take to +++ he had such a diabolically good
+++ +++ humour & face! good humoured
from shere want of feeling, with a great
broad forehead wh made him look clever
& devilish & insencere looking teeth - I go a great
deal by teeth, – Youre[sic] teeth for instance struck me
first thing. & when I told Mrs Paulet first about
you I remember telling her I liked them tho'
I little guessed then how much I was to get to
care for you – I found a very long letter from Mrs
C. She has been taking real trouble. to get me
a contributor to "Fraser" (wh is a +++ ambition
of mine) She is one of those sort of women who
have +++ all the "social problems"
for +++ years & never been fairly solved
yet! & Never will be I fancy the the day of
judgment of her it is eminently time that speech[?]
of Eoisthe's[?] = You no sooner begin to speak than you begin
[3436 reverse] to mistate" I have sat quitely down over it &
will at least hold my tongue for seven years
I send you a letter to little Hole[?]. You will find him
really a good little fellow & useful beyond every thing
but mind you see +++ – (I really want you
to see him I got real good that has lasted me
till now in the talk I had with him – I love
you my darling let me see you again
as soon as you can & for as long (as you
can. - The thought of you is always +++ in my heart
you said a very cruel thing yesterday to me. you shd
not do so, for I believe every word that comes out of yr
mouth & you have the power to torment me in a way[?]
I wd. be sorry for you to know the length & breadth of - [&]
these the fault always seems in myself & I fancy I have
vexed you. - I love you however, no matter whether you
are here or whether you are there, & I'll never vex you
if I can help it - God bless you my
darling to send you better. Write
to me as soon as you can to say
how you are & love me as much as you
can - faithfully yrs. G.E.J
