Letter from Emma Stebbins to Anne Whitney, Jan 8, 1879

Letter from Emma Stebbins to Anne Whitney, Jan 8, 1879

Actors and Actresses--US American

Artists--Sculptors--US American

Arts--Exhibits

Cushman, Charlotte Saunders, 1816-1876

Death

Friendship

Hosmer, Harriet Goodhue, 1830-1908

Lippincott, Sara Jane (pseudonym: Grace Greenwood), 1832-1904

Illness

Relationships-- Intimate--Same-sex

Social Events--Studio Visits

Stebbins, Emma, 1815-1882

Whitney, Anne, 1821-1915

Rumors

Emma Stebbins writes about grieving and some rumors in the papers, among which Hosmer confronts some libel.

Credit

Wellesley College Archives, Papers of Anne Whitney (MSS.4)

Stebbins, Emma, 1815-1882

1879-01-08

Reference

Thanks dear friend for your kindly  New Year greeting – it is good to be remembered at these times, and also to remember – as I do. Through this year I have not been able to express it anniversaries were  always sad to me and ours have been growing more and more so for many years. This one seems to have been the culmination of sadness, for are invalid closed[?] his long and weary struggle on the 22^nd Dec and a funeral left in +++ +++ +++ as days! The necessity for so using the day, did not seem to us - so strange as it doubtless did to the many who felt only the gladness of the hallowed and gracious time". These events however long anticipated and apparently realized come always nevertheless like a  blow, and paralyze [p. 2] for the time. A powerful and vigorous personality cannot be extinguished, without leaving an ‘aching void’ which only time can fill up! Sister has come up under it with her +++ heroic fortitude– and I am still looking in the +++ which has so long filled me with anxiety[?] for her - But she is sustained by something +++ of herself. And the angels find no difficulty in getting near her, so akin in her atmosphere to theirs. – I am ashamed to say I find myself weaker under the influences of this event than she does – I am weak & helpless where emotional excitements are concerned – and all the +++ sympathizers and succumbs to them -  This is grievous and disappointing to me – because I hoped You see dear, your suggestion of “pleasant distractions” in this big pandemonium does not yet come into my programme. I confess I have had such vicious and +++ and then a +++ ghost of +++  in that direction gives a fairest[?] +++  to my thoughts but  so faint that it surprises me by its strangeness reminding me only of a previous time never giving much assurance of better times to come. I am glad to hear what Mrs. Chapman says about the book it is much if she found[?] only truth[?] in it. She seems a strong nature who could not in her herself be content with to little. Did you know that her part in Miss +++ life has been bitterly resented in Eng^d . This I have from private sources. I was grateful to her for the glimpse she gives us of of a great personality which Miss +++ herself failed to do but to my mind she could have left much else out, and the book would have spoken better for itself. I am glad you are [inserted] doing this statue. I feel that it can be trusted with you – I only could wish it were Charlotte Cushman instead – perhaps you could[?] not echo that wish. – No- you never told me what it – I saw it first in the N.Y. Tribune -I should like to know how you are treating it and that reminds me to ask you if you have not got a photo of Samuel Adams to give me? And also to beg you to remember me ++++  have me taken[?] of the present +++ perhaps you have one[?] of the sketch. Tell me how you like Balls[?] Sumner and also what you think of this affair of H. Hosmer. Miss Clarke [Grace Greenwood??] +++ ++++ been able to tell,  +++
[diagonally] something about it I know ++++  +++  than I see in
[p. 1, diagonally] the papers - this far it looks to me +++ +++ I hope she may be able to clear her skirts. I don’t like the +++ to make+++  of themselves, all the best wishes for the new year for you and your Adeline –

Stebbins, Emma, 1815-1882

Whitney, Anne, 1821-1915

42 West 19th Str., NYC, NY, US

40.7395902

-73.9927921

Stebbins, Emma and Wellesley College Archives, "Letter from Emma Stebbins, New York City, New York, to Anne Whitney, 1879
January 8" (1879). Papers of Anne Whitney (MSS.4): Correspondence. 2014.
https://repository.wellesley.edu/whitney_correspondence/2014