Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Part 5

His first aim was Sweden, but he spent a few weeks in London, where he met, among others, Carlyle. So little has. .h.i.therto been recorded of this part of Longfellow's life or of his early married life in any way, that I am glad to be able to describe it from the original letters of the young wife, which are now in my possession, and are addressed mainly to Mrs. Longfellow, her mother-in-law. She seems to have enjoyed her travelling experiences very thoroughly, and writes in one case, "We are generally taken for French ... and I am always believed to be Henry's sister. They say to me, 'What a resemblance between your brother and self!'"

Sunday afternoon, May 31, 1835.

MY DEAR MOTHER,--I wrote you a very few lines, in great haste, in Henry's letter to his Father, acknowledging the receipt of your kind letter. I hope that you will write us as often as your many cares will permit, & be a.s.sured that even a few lines will always be welcomed with delight by your absent children. We have pa.s.sed our time very delightfully in London. The only difficulty is--there is so much to be seen & so little time to see it in. We have, however, seen many of the princ.i.p.al points. Last Monday we pa.s.sed very delightfully at s.h.i.+rley Park, near the little village of Croydon.

The ride is through a very beautiful country. We pa.s.sed several gipsy encampments, in the most picturesque situations. s.h.i.+rley Park is a truly delightful place. The house, which is a very fine one, is placed on a beautiful spot, & there are fine views from all sides of it. Mrs. Skinner, the lady of the place, is a very agreeable amiable lady--She took us all over the grounds in her carriage, & was very kind & attentive to us. Her house is thronged with visitors, the great, the fas.h.i.+onable, & the _literati_ all pay their court to her.

She is a great admirer of Willis's, & thinks his writings _superior to Irving's_!--On Wednesday we visited the National Gallery, the finest collection of old paintings in the city. We saw while we were there, the Queen pa.s.s into the city, attended by the horse-guards in their beautiful uniforms. Five or six carriages pa.s.sed with a coachman & two footmen to each, lost almost in the quant.i.ty of gold lace which covered them. Last of all came her Majesty's carriage with two coachmen & four footmen in the same magnificent livery.

Thursday was the king's birth day. The drawing room was the most splendid one that had ever been seen--so Willis says. In the eve'g there was a grand illumination. About ten Henry and Mr. Frazer went out to see it. The crowd was so immense, that it was with the greatest difficulty they made their way home. Four women from St.

Giles's armed with large clubs pointed with iron, pa.s.sed through the crowd striking in all directions. We took a carriage & drove to see the illuminations. It was after eleven & the crowd had nearly dispersed. There were brilliant crowns & a variety of pretty devices formed with coloured lamps & some very fine gas ones. I suspect however there was very little true rejoicing in all this show & splendour. The Queen is very unpopular among the people. Friday morn'g--Willis called. He had been to breakfast with the beautiful Mrs. Wadsworth, & was on his way, to breakfast at 3 in the aft. with the d.u.c.h.ess of St. Albans. Mrs. Wadsworth, from Genesseo, was a Philadelphia lady & has been greatly admired on the continent & here. She returns in a few days to America. Yesterday morning Mr.

Barnard a young lawyer from Connecticut called upon me. He arrived but a month before us, & takes much the same route as we do, though a more extensive one. He will be in Stockholm in the course of the summer. Mr. Carlyle of Craigenputtock was soon after announced, & pa.s.sed an half hour with us much to our delight. He has very unpolished manners, & broad Scottish accent, but such fine language & beautiful thoughts that it is truly delightful to listen to him.

Perhaps you have read some of his articles in the Edinburgh Review.

He invited us to take tea with him at Chelsea, where they now reside. We were as much charmed with Mrs. C[arlyle] as with her husband. She is a lovely woman with very simple & pleasing manners.

She is also very talented & accomplished, & how delightful it is to see such modesty combined with such power to please. On Tuesday we visit Chantrey's study with them. This morning Mr. Bentham, a nephew of Jeremy's, called, & invited us to dine with them on Wednesday--We may see the great potentate appear. Henry is pet.i.tioning for room to write, & saying that I must retire, but I must tell you my dreams. A few nights since I heard Samuel [Longfellow] preach for Dr. Nichols.

Last night I dreamt I was with my father & sisters, telling them of all I had seen. I only went to America to make a call & tell you all we had safely arrived, & was to return immediately. You will give very much love to all for me. They must all write me, & their letters shall be answered as speedily as possible. We leave here the last of this week. I shall leave letters to be sent by the first opportunity. George & Ann must not forget us.

Your ever affectionate

MARY.

The Carlyles are again mentioned in a letter written while crossing the German Ocean.

STEAM s.h.i.+P, GERMAN OCEAN, Thursday, June 11 [1835].

... We have some very pleasant pa.s.sengers. A German lady with her father and little girl. What a strange idea foreigners have of America! This lady who appears very intelligent asked us if _America_ was anything like _London_!! Then we have a German Prince with huge mustachios; Clara played whist with him last evening! Oh dear! I do not know as I shall be able to speak to you when I return, I see so many lords and ladies! but in reality these lords and ladies are not half as agreeable people as some of Henry's literary friends. Mr. and Mrs. Carlyle have more genuine worth and talent than half of the n.o.bility in London. Mr. Carlyle's literary fame is very high, and she is a very talented woman--but they are people after my own heart--not the least pretension about them. Mrs.

Carlyle has a pin with Goethe's head upon it, which that great author sent her himself. She is very proud of it I a.s.sure you. They live very retired, not wis.h.i.+ng to mix with fas.h.i.+onable society, which they regard in its true light; still they have some friends among the n.o.bility who know how to value them.

STOCKHOLM, August 5, 1835.

MY DEAR MOTHER,--I hope you have received my letter to you from London ere this. We sent letters home from here July 21st by Capt.

Symons directly to Boston--it was as soon as possible after our arrival; among them Henry sent a letter to his father, & I to Mary, Sam & Anne. I was quite delighted to receive a letter from Mary & Sam--hope they will write me often. Since our last letters we have removed our lodgings to "No. 5. Clara Sodra Kyko Gatan." We have more rooms but not as good ones as in the Droteninggatan. We have made some very pleasant acquaintances here. July 15th we dined at Mr. Arfwedson's--the father of the gentleman who married an American lady. Mr. A---- resides at Liston Hill in the Park--he has a little English cottage, built by Sir Robert Liston, formerly English minister to this court. It is a sweet spot--the Maler flows almost directly beneath the windows of the cottage--a little flower garden is upon its banks, & a fine grove of trees in the rear of the cottage. Mr. Arfwedson is a fine old man--his wife has been dead several years. The only ladies present were our countrywoman Mrs.

A---- & the eldest daughter of Mr. Arfwedson--the wife of Baron S----. She is a very delicate and graceful lady, was dressed very tastefully & altogether unlike the Swedish ladies we had before seen. Mr. A's second daughter is just married to a brother of her sister's husband who is also a Baron. They went immediately to Copenhagen, we have not therefore seen her, but have heard much of her great beauty. There were a number of gentlemen present at dinner, several of which were English. The dinner table was by far the prettiest we have seen in Sweden.... The dessert plates were very beautiful, white china--upon each of which was a different flower elegantly painted. After coffee the gentleman proposed a drive to Rosendale, a little palace in the park. It is the favorite spot of king Bernadotte. We first went to the splendid porphyry vase, which stands in the centre of the flower garden back of the palace. The top of this celebrated & immense vase is cut from a single block of porphyry. Sweden is very celebrated for its fine porphyry. The lower rooms of the palace are handsomely furnished, but the upper ones are quite splendid. All the rooms were carpeted with beautiful carpets--the walls were hung with silk damask--each room a different color, with curtains, sofas & chairs to correspond.

One room was hung with white damask, & the chairs & sofa were covered with beautiful embroidery--the ground of which was white, wrought by the Queen & her maids of honor. There was a great profusion of this beautiful embroidery--fire screens, ottomans, &c.--The chandeliers, mirrors & candelabras were very elegant. In one room was a portrait of the king, which was very like him. In another that of the Queen--much flattered. She was a daughter of a merchant of Ma.r.s.eilles. There are no bed-chambers in this palace.

The king very rarely sleeps out of his palace in town. We returned to Mr. Arfwedson's & took tea. Mrs. A---- is very accomplished, she speaks nearly all the modern languages. She invited us to dine with them on the next Sabbath.

July 16th. We dined at Mr. Stockoe's, a partner of Mr. Erskine's. We met quite a large & pleasant party there. The Stockoe's are excellent, kind-hearted people. They have paid us every attention.

Mrs. S---- sends us presents of fruits & flowers, & all those little attentions which it is so agreeable to receive.--I was quite unwell on Sunday, on account of a very long walk the evening previous. I did not therefore go to young Arfwedson's. Clara & H---- went & had a very pleasant visit. They met there Baron Stackelberg, who was Swedish minister in America fourteen years. He returned but two years since. He has called upon us several times since, & is a jovial old man with perfectly _white_ hair & whiskers. July 22nd.

The Stockoe's invited us to drive out to Haga with them. We went out at six in the evening. This palace is about two English miles from town. It was built by Gustavus the 3rd, & was his favorite residence. The furniture was very old, but there is one fine room _lined_ with mirrors. In the drawing room is a centre table with a deep top & pots of flowers placed in it. This top was covered entirely with moss, this had a very pretty effect, especially as there were a variety of flowers all in bloom. The table was on castors & could be placed in any position.... We were shown three very small chambers, where Gustavus the 4th was imprisoned after he was dethroned. His queen lived with him there. In another building, a pavilion, were some rooms furnished in more modern style. The Queen sleeps in these rooms when she comes to Haga, [but] the royal family rarely visit this palace. The grounds are very beautiful. We walked round the Park to the famous palace which Gustavus 3d commenced building after his return from Italy. Here he expended two millions, & the foundations were but laid & the stones in readiness for the walls when he was a.s.sa.s.sinated. The work was then immediately stopped as the people were much opposed to the undertaking. We saw the model of this building which was to have been a very extensive one. A row of columns all around it, to have been built in the Italian style. The model was more like a temple than a palace. We took tea at a little inn in Hagalund & returned home late in the evening--The king has a great number of palaces round Stockholm, there are seven or eight, & as many it is said in every province.

We have a very pleasant little family of our own, & have fine times together. Mr. Hughes says "for one lady it would have been intolerable, for two very unpleasant; but for three quite agreeable." Henry has been much disappointed not to receive a letter from his father. We are now expecting letters every day from home, & when Wm. G.o.ddard arrives next month we hope to have many--

Please to give my love to Aunt Lucia & say to her I shall write her very soon. Be so kind as to give much love to all the family for me, & accept much love & respect for yourself & Mr Longfellow from

Your ever affectionate

MARY ----

MY DEAREST MOTHER,--As a little blank s.p.a.ce is left, I will fill it with a postscript.--We have just returned--that is to say, day before yesterday,--from a visit to the University of Upsala, and the Iron mines of Dannemora;--of which Mary will give you a description all in good time. We already begin to think of leaving Stockholm--and shall probably take the steamboat to Gothenburg in about three weeks.--For my own part, I should like to go sooner if we could. I am disappointed in Sweden. The climate is too cold and unpleasant. I want a little warm suns.h.i.+ne. Something that I can feel, as well as see. From Gothenburg we shall go to Copenhagen, and after pa.s.sing a month there, take steamboat to Stettin, and so to Berlin. We shall not return to the _North_ again but pa.s.s the next summer in Germany and France.

Much love to all. Very affectionately your Son

H. W. LONGFELLOW

MRS. STEPHEN LONGFELLOW, Care of Hon. Stephen Longfellow, Portland, Maine, U. S. of America.

[TO] HON. STEPHEN LONGFELLOW, PORTLAND, MAINE, U. S. OF AMERICA.

COPENHAGEN, September 21, 1835.

MY DEAR SIR,--Henry has consented that I should copy a few pages of his journal for you; but I could not prevail on him to grant this, till I promised again & again for you, that you would not on any condition, allow it to go out of your house. The _children_ can read it there; & I will ask of you the same favor for my father and my sisters, for I know they will take much interest in it.

If it cheers a lonely winter's evening, or cheats you of a few melancholy hours, I shall feel most amply repaid for the trouble I have taken.

We have regretted much to hear of your feeble health, but hope that your journey has quite renovated you. I [was] delighted to receive a second letter from Mrs. L[ongfellow], in a p[ackage] of letters which reached us a few days since. She is very kind to write me, & I shall not fail to write her, as often as possible, while absent.

With this you will receive a letter for Aunt Lucia. I shall answer Mrs. L's letter very soon.

Henry has become quite learned in the Swedish, & can already translate Danish. He is studying Icelandic also, as I presume he has told you. He is in fine health & spirits.

With many wishes for your health & my Mother's, & with much respect & affection for you both--I am as ever

Your affectionate

MARY ----

[On outside of letter.] September 28. I have written by the same s.h.i.+p that brings you this. H. W. L. Also a letter to George.

[_Endors.e.m.e.nt._]

Mary P. Longfellow to S. Longfellow, containing a Copy of Henry's Journal _Sept. 21, 1835._{33}

COPENHAGEN, September 22, 1835.

MY DEAR AUNT LUCIA,--Pray do not be alarmed on receiving this letter for fear that you must answer it. I have not hoped such a favor, but am content, however much I should be delighted to hear from you, to write you occasionally without the hopes of an answer, thinking & knowing you would be as happy to receive a letter from me as any of my dear friends. I received a very entertaining letter from Anne a few days since. Henry says "Anne's letters have some _pith_ to them." Pray urge her to write us often, & I shall take just as much interest in hearing about her family affairs as if I was in Brunswick.

And so you have made a visit in Boston, & have been upon railroads, to balloon ascensions, theatres & I know not what. After such a quiet life as you have pa.s.sed for several years, it must be quite a pleasant little incident, & I know that you must have enjoyed your visit much. But, after all, do you not think that the pleasure of travelling is greatest when it has been all pa.s.sed, & you are seated once more in your quiet home,--& retrace in imagination your wanderings? It must be so--I think--then you remember only what is agreeable, & the thousand little inconveniences, one must suffer in travelling, are forgotten.

I cannot tell you how delighted we all are that we are out of Sweden. Henry scolds not a little that a summer _in Europe_ should have been pa.s.sed there.

You have heard before this, by our letters from Gothenburg, that we were detained there a week, much against our will. We pa.s.sed the time, however, very pleasantly. H[enry] delivered a letter from my Uncle Robert [Storer] to Mr. Wijk of that place, & he was very attentive & kind to us. On Sunday the 6th of September we dined with him, & had the pleasure of being introduced to his celebrated lady.

She appears as his daughter, being more than thirty years younger than her husband. We had heard of her great beauty in America. I cannot say that she is beautiful, but she is extremely pretty with very interesting manners. They have travelled much on the continent & in England. The dinner was much more American than any we had seen in Sweden. In the centre of the table was a high gla.s.s dish filled with a musk-melon & surrounded with flowers. The remainder of the dessert was not placed upon the table, but came on after meat, &c., as in our country. After soup, fish & meat, we had a _nice_ baked apple pudding; & after this, the cloth was removed from the nicely polished round table, & the dessert of cake, apples, pears, preserves, nuts & raisins was placed upon it. Captain Condry from Newburyport dined there, a very pleasant and gentlemanly man. Mrs.

Wijk urged us to remain to tea, but we left them soon after dinner.

Monday. 7. In the aft' walked around Gothenburg, a pleasant town, & much preferable as an abiding place to Stockholm, in my opinion. On returning home found Mr. and Mrs. Wijk. She looked sweetly & was dressed elegantly. They called to invite us to pa.s.s the morrow with them, at their country seat.--Tuesday. 8. At eleven in the morning, took a carriage to Mr. Wijk's. A long & tedious ride, one & a quarter Swedish mile from town. We arrived there at one, found Mr.

W[ijk] & his lady waiting to receive us. We took a walk round the grounds before dinner. The house built in a very pretty style & the grounds something like an English Park. An English gentleman, a brother-in-law of Mr. Wijk's dined with us. He has a country seat adjoining. After dinner, we walked to this gentleman's grounds. They are quite delighted with a fine lake near the house. We then visited the factories, which the owner, a man of great mechanical genius, has erected upon his grounds. We saw all the different stages the flax went through before weaving & lastly the weaving itself. We returned home & took tea with Mrs. Wijk & then bade adieu. Found on our return home Mr. Appleton had arrived from Stockholm. He goes to Copenhagen with us.