Letter from Grace Greenwood to James Fields, Apr 13, 1852

Credit

[page 1] Dear James. (you will let me so address you over the water. will you not?)— your delightful, cordial, spicy, spirited characteristic note of March 8th reached me about a week ago with the single exception of a line by the +++, the first word. I have received from you since I left England. Well, no matter. I do not believe that you have forgotten me. and I know. I have not forgotten you.— You make me hail [?] wild with joy at the hope you hold out that you may meet me in England in the early summer. I am hoping to be there by the last of June. I leave Rome on the 15th for Naples, with Mr. and Mrs. Hills, of New York and Miss Wood, a daughter of

[page 2] George Wood, the lawyer. a very pleasant party to whose affectionate kindness I have been much indebted this winter. Mr. & Mrs Hills are elderly people, but still very charming and fresh.— he asked They travel with a courier if I shall have no trouble at all.— Miss Cushman will not leave here before May. I shall go from Naples to Florence with the Hills, and farther, if they take the route I wish. but beyond Florence nothing is as yet, deffinitely [sic] decided.— As for money matters I hope I have funds enough to take me home. but I do not know. During the past winter my expenses have been considerably greater than I anticipated but it has been a matter beyond my control. More economy than I have exercised, has been out of the question, situated as I have been

[page 3] one of a large party, all having longer means than I possess!—Although I have made very few and no unnecessary purchases I have constantly spent more than I calculated. Upon the last remittance of Mr. Ticknor to the Barings. of seventy-five pounds I must begin to draw upon after leaving Rome. I shall try to reach London with fifty pounds. but lest some accident should happen. some unavoidable detention through illness. perhaps you had better empower me to draw [?] for an additional 25 or 50 pounds taking my word that I will only draw in extremity. I would write home for such promises the sum [last two words inserted] I mention if I thought it certain that I should need it. but if I overdraw on you beyond my credit. beyond what +++

[page 4] -able hopes of the success of the volume of travels will justify. I will see that you are repaid soon after my return home. in July. By a late [?] engagement with Saturday Evening Post of Phila’a of which I have written to Mr. Ticknor, I have already +++ letters to write before I can set foot in America. which in the midst of summer traveling will be very hard work. The Bennochs write to me very kindly and charmingly. +++ seems strong in the faith of seeing you at Blackheath lest [?] the time I reach that friendly [?] little Paradise.— Dont [sic] disappoint us for heaven's sake. Mrs. Lanier writes that she is indebted to you for a copy of Barny Cornwalls [sic] essays. She begs me to remember her & the Director to you and to say that they will be

[page 5] rejoiced to see you in London again. Your friends here often speak of you with a great deal of kindly interest. Give my warmest love to Mr. Ticknor, and tell him that I shall surely sail for Boston, and will leave him to say by what steamer. I am rejoiced to hear that books are selling well and hope for your sake Even more than for my own that the prospects for the next volume are fair. Remember me most kindly to the Whipples to Mr. Parker and Giles. I hope to Heaven [?] you are all well.— My own heath [sic] has been rather running down this spring. I am just now suffering from a terrified influenza. but feel confident that I shall be better at once after I begin to journey again in the open air. May God bless you.
Ever affectionately. Grace.

[page 5] I sweeten my letter with a spring of wall-flower from the Baths of Caracalla. plucked during my last visit to that delicious Paradise of +++