Letter from Charlotte Cushman to Helen Hunt Jackson, Nov 28, 1869
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Charlotte Cushman to Helen Hunt Jackson, Nov 28, 1869
Subject
Cushman, Charlotte Saunders, 1816-1876
Jackson, Helen Hunt
Social Events--Travels
Stebbins, Emma, 1815-1882
Description
Charlotte Cushman will be traveling to Nice, France, soon.
Transcripts courtesy of Nancy Knipe, Colorado College.
Transcripts courtesy of Nancy Knipe, Colorado College.
Creator
Cushman, Charlotte Saunders, 1816-1876
Source
Colorado College, Tutt Library, Helen Hunt Jackson Papers, Part 2, Ms 0156, Box 2, Folder 34, letters from Charlotte Cushman to HH, 1869-70. Transcribed by Nancy Knipe, 2005.
Date
1869-11-28
Type
Reference
Letter Item Type Metadata
Text
Darling
Your long note of Thursday 25" reached me this morning. How very glad I am to hear of you at one of my old resting places in Malvern, & Holywood house is the place where Sara Clarke used to live also, on her first visit to Malvern, and you have got your apartment so cheaply too. I think you must be a clever manager, more clever than I am, even, & I am allowing a good deal when I say this. Your account of your doings is splendid. I hope Dr. Sully will last out 'good.' He knows more than all the rest, if he can find time. I wrote to him about Miss Elliot & I think he will do all he can for her, but there is no such thing I should imagine [as?] making her whole. Patching up, however, will be something. You have entered into your work so bravely that you are sure to get good from it, and I would here use all my most loving influence to beg you to remain, & not think of going to America this winter at all. If you must go in the spring, go in the end of April, but it would be better if you remained even longer, & saw something of England before going home. Just [another?] story the [?] as owed you. You have so much to see & to write about, so much to inspire your muse, that I cannot but think you must not be suicidal to yourself by thinking of going back for what, after all, would disappoint you! It seems to me that your friend is in her best place, at present, she must not risk that by coming abroad in a winter voyage! If you could go home in the spring, sure of bringing her back for the summer to escape the heat of America I should think you would be safer of accomplishing your purpose. Though Malvern might be thought warm in July & Aug. by "ye English," it would be paradise to Americans. So think long before you go home to bring your friend who may not be able to come back with you, while you are better on this side, at least for a time. I must not say until I see you again, for fear my endeavors to prevent your going might seem interested, but my instincts for you are that you should stay on this side of the ocean for the present & immediate future! And "rest in the Lord! be patient unto him, & he shall give you then thy hearts desire." a Mendelesohn [sic] song says in its paraphrase… "Wait & trust" - "wait & labour on" "labour & wait" would be better, or as the children say "open your mouth & shut your eyes & see what the Lord will send you."
Yes, dear-you are right about the Roslyn House [plan?] but the "cotton wall" has been used as a convenient leaning place, between other & warmer resting places so long that it must be endured for its patience. It is a Unitarian clergyman's daughter, and an English Unitarian at that! Repression has been in the air she has breathed, until she was taken up out into comforts & luxuries by this gentlemanly person, and now, although she does not say much & seems [hay poli-y?], she keeps up a [devil?] of a thinking, & is capable of much devotion. Besides she fills up the [gaps?] when there is no opportunity for love making elsewhere. But dear, I do not love this frittering[?] person & therefore perhaps I am not quite just. This, for the fire!
Don't be afraid about the notes - they are all right for you & myself & will enable you later to see some amusing people .
Yes I have seen your friend & she is very very sweet: exactly like her picture only prettier-we talked much of you & me & every body, & I don't think she disliked me, for she came this morning to offer to take me to hear a French divine[?]! But I am not able yet to take any pleasure or "go to any hanging," or anything as yet. On [Monday?] night Dec. [1st?] at 7.15 we start for Nice & I could get a word from you there if you sent it to the care of Miss Adams Hotel de La Mediterranean. Nice. France, and it would be sweet to hear from you of your "being, doing, & suffering." Miss Rodick writes very despondingly[?] to Miss Stebbins of her state of health. I believe, says she has been compelled to give up [water treatment?], can this be so or is she working upon the [?pathic] of her "Ladie"? who thinks her a suffering perfection!
"So on with your [compress?], dear," you will get at Malvern , under this treatment what you will get nowhere else in the world, & see what a [paint?] refreshed & refreshing, you will be in the Spring. Miss Stebbins is up in her room writing or would send you her love, she admires you very much-who does not?
My bairnie's [?] are pretty well. Miss Cushman in the hands of the [Philistine?] Miss Maken, 'cussin God & [?] hourly! Commend me to the Elliotts most kindly. Love to the dear Dr. who holds me & mine in touch [?], & believe me Ever as I am, your loving friend
Charlotte C---
I enclose this to my brother to forward to you
Your long note of Thursday 25" reached me this morning. How very glad I am to hear of you at one of my old resting places in Malvern, & Holywood house is the place where Sara Clarke used to live also, on her first visit to Malvern, and you have got your apartment so cheaply too. I think you must be a clever manager, more clever than I am, even, & I am allowing a good deal when I say this. Your account of your doings is splendid. I hope Dr. Sully will last out 'good.' He knows more than all the rest, if he can find time. I wrote to him about Miss Elliot & I think he will do all he can for her, but there is no such thing I should imagine [as?] making her whole. Patching up, however, will be something. You have entered into your work so bravely that you are sure to get good from it, and I would here use all my most loving influence to beg you to remain, & not think of going to America this winter at all. If you must go in the spring, go in the end of April, but it would be better if you remained even longer, & saw something of England before going home. Just [another?] story the [?] as owed you. You have so much to see & to write about, so much to inspire your muse, that I cannot but think you must not be suicidal to yourself by thinking of going back for what, after all, would disappoint you! It seems to me that your friend is in her best place, at present, she must not risk that by coming abroad in a winter voyage! If you could go home in the spring, sure of bringing her back for the summer to escape the heat of America I should think you would be safer of accomplishing your purpose. Though Malvern might be thought warm in July & Aug. by "ye English," it would be paradise to Americans. So think long before you go home to bring your friend who may not be able to come back with you, while you are better on this side, at least for a time. I must not say until I see you again, for fear my endeavors to prevent your going might seem interested, but my instincts for you are that you should stay on this side of the ocean for the present & immediate future! And "rest in the Lord! be patient unto him, & he shall give you then thy hearts desire." a Mendelesohn [sic] song says in its paraphrase… "Wait & trust" - "wait & labour on" "labour & wait" would be better, or as the children say "open your mouth & shut your eyes & see what the Lord will send you."
Yes, dear-you are right about the Roslyn House [plan?] but the "cotton wall" has been used as a convenient leaning place, between other & warmer resting places so long that it must be endured for its patience. It is a Unitarian clergyman's daughter, and an English Unitarian at that! Repression has been in the air she has breathed, until she was taken up out into comforts & luxuries by this gentlemanly person, and now, although she does not say much & seems [hay poli-y?], she keeps up a [devil?] of a thinking, & is capable of much devotion. Besides she fills up the [gaps?] when there is no opportunity for love making elsewhere. But dear, I do not love this frittering[?] person & therefore perhaps I am not quite just. This, for the fire!
Don't be afraid about the notes - they are all right for you & myself & will enable you later to see some amusing people .
Yes I have seen your friend & she is very very sweet: exactly like her picture only prettier-we talked much of you & me & every body, & I don't think she disliked me, for she came this morning to offer to take me to hear a French divine[?]! But I am not able yet to take any pleasure or "go to any hanging," or anything as yet. On [Monday?] night Dec. [1st?] at 7.15 we start for Nice & I could get a word from you there if you sent it to the care of Miss Adams Hotel de La Mediterranean. Nice. France, and it would be sweet to hear from you of your "being, doing, & suffering." Miss Rodick writes very despondingly[?] to Miss Stebbins of her state of health. I believe, says she has been compelled to give up [water treatment?], can this be so or is she working upon the [?pathic] of her "Ladie"? who thinks her a suffering perfection!
"So on with your [compress?], dear," you will get at Malvern , under this treatment what you will get nowhere else in the world, & see what a [paint?] refreshed & refreshing, you will be in the Spring. Miss Stebbins is up in her room writing or would send you her love, she admires you very much-who does not?
My bairnie's [?] are pretty well. Miss Cushman in the hands of the [Philistine?] Miss Maken, 'cussin God & [?] hourly! Commend me to the Elliotts most kindly. Love to the dear Dr. who holds me & mine in touch [?], & believe me Ever as I am, your loving friend
Charlotte C---
I enclose this to my brother to forward to you
From
Cushman, Charlotte Saunders, 1816-1876
To
Jackson, Helen Hunt, 1830-1885
Location
Paris, France
Geocode (Latitude)
48.8566969
Geocode (Longitude)
2.3514616
Social Bookmarking
Geolocation
Collection
Citation
Cushman, Charlotte Saunders, 1816-1876, “Letter from Charlotte Cushman to Helen Hunt Jackson, Nov 28, 1869,” Archival Gossip Collection, accessed April 25, 2024, https://www.archivalgossip.com/collection/items/show/437.