August 7th, 1851.—Thursday
Ownest Phoebe,
I rec'd thy letter yesterday. I will be in Pittsfield on Thursday next (a week from to-day) and will escort thee home.
I have written quite a small volume of Julian's daily life and mine; so that, on thy return, thou wilt know everything that we have done and suffered;—as to enjoyment, I don't remember to have had any, during thy absence. It has been all doing and suffering.
Thou sayest nothing whatever of Una.
Unless I receive further notice from thee I shall consider Thursday the day. I shall go at any rate, I think, rain or shine; but of course, thou wilt not start in a settled rain. In that case, I shall come again to Pittsfield, the next day. But, if fair weather, I hope nothing will detain thee; or if it necessarily must, and thou has[t] previous knowledge of it, thou canst write me.
Julian is perfectly well. We both, according to our respective capacities, long for thee.
Thinest,
N. H.
TO MRS. HAWTHORNE
Lenox, August 8th, 1851
Ownest Phoebe,
I wrote thee a note yesterday, and sent it to the village by Cornelius; but as he may have neglected to put it in, I write again. If thou wilt start from West Newton on Thursday next, I will meet thee at Pittsfield, which will answer the same purpose as if I came all the way.
Mrs. Tappan requests that thou wilt bring ten pounds of ground rice for her; or a less quantity, if thou hast not room for so much.
Julian is very well, and keeps himself happy from morning till night. I hope Una does the same. Give my love to her.
I shall be most gladdest to see thee.
Thine,
N. H.
August 9th.—Saturday.—I recd. yesterday thy note, in which thou speakest of deferring thy return some days longer. Stay by all means as long as may be needful. Julian gets along perfectly well; and I am eager for thy coming only because it is unpleasant to remain torn asunder. Thou wilt write to tell me finally what day thou decidest upon;—but unless I hear from thee, I shall go to Pittsfield on Saturday, a week from to-day. But if thou seest reason for staying longer do so, that nothing may be left at loose ends.
Julian and I had a fine ride yesterday with Herman Melville and two other gentlemen.
Mrs. Peters is perfectly angelic.
Thinest,
N. H.
TO MRS. HAWTHORNE
West Newton, Septr. 19th, 1851
Dearest Phoebe,
Here I am as thou seest; and if not here, I know not where I could be; for Boston is so full that the Mayor has issued proclamation for the inhabitants to throw open their doors. The President is there.
They all appear to be well here; and thy mother, if Horace and Georgia say truly, walked three miles yesterday. I went with Mary to see her, last evening, and found her much better than I ever hoped.
Talking with Mary, last night, I explained our troubles to her, and our wish to get away from Lenox, and she renewed the old proposition about our taking this house for the winter. The great objection to it, when first talked of, was, that we, or I, did not wish to have the care and responsibility of your father and mother. That is now removed. It strikes me as one of those unexpected, but easy and natural solutions wherewith Providence occasionally unknots a seemingly inextricable difficulty. If you agree with me, you had better notify Mr. or Mrs. Sedgwick that we shall not want the Kemble house. We can remain in the red house till we come here.
We shall pay a rent, but I know not as yet precisely what. But we shall probably only remain half the time Mr. and Mrs. Mann are in Washington.
Mary will write.
I shall probably go to Salem on Saturday. Kiss and spank the children.
Thine ownest in haste,
N. H.
Mrs. Sophia A. Hawthorne,
Lenox, Massachusetts.
TO MRS. HAWTHORNE
Salem, Sept. 23d, 1851
Dearest,
I have just received thy two letters; they having been forwarded hither by Ticknor & Co. I wish thou hadst not had the head-ache; it gives me the heart-ache.
In regard to the rent, it is much to pay; but thou art to remember that we take the house only till we can get another; and that we shall not probably have to pay more than half, at most, of the $350. It does seem to me better to go; for we shall never be comfortable in Lenox again. Ticknor & Co. promise the most liberal advances of money, should we need it, towards buying the house.
I will tell thee my adventures when I come. I am to return to Boston to-night, and fully intend to be in Lenox by Saturday night.
In hugest haste,
Thine Ownest.
Mrs. Sophia A. Hawthorne,
Lenox, Massachusetts.
TO MRS. HAWTHORNE
Portsmouth, Sept. 3d, 1852
Ownest Phoebe,
I left Brunswick Wednesday night, and arrived here yesterday, with Pierce. My adventures thou shalt know when I return, and how I was celebrated by orators and poets—and how, by the grace of Divine Providence, I was not present, to be put to the blush. All my contemporaries have grown the funniest old men in the world. Am I a funny old man?
I am going to cross over to the Isle of Shoals, this forenoon, and intend to spend several days there, until I get saturated with sea-breezes.
I love thee very much-est;—likewise, the children are very pleasant to think of. Kiss Una—Kiss Julian—Kiss Rosebud—for me! Kiss thyself, if thou canst—and I wish thou wouldst kiss me.
A boat passes between Portsmouth and the Isle of Shoals, every forenoon; and a letter, I presume, would reach me in case of necessity.
I long to see thee. It is breakfast time.
Thine ownest
N. Hawthorne.
Mrs. Sophia A. Hawthorne,
Concord, Massachusetts.
TO MRS. HAWTHORNE
New York, Sunday morng., April 17th, 1853
Dearest,
