Letter from Charlotte Cushman to Helen Hunt Jackson, Aug 23, 1869
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Charlotte Cushman to Helen Hunt Jackson, Aug 23, 1869
Subject
Cushman, Charlotte Saunders, 1816-1876
Jackson, Helen Hunt
Stebbins, Emma, 1815-1882
Illness
Social Events--Travels
Friendship
England--London
Description
Charlotte Cushman's operation, which she calls her "trial," is scheduled for August 26, 1869.
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
1869-08-23
Type
Reference
Letter Item Type Metadata
Text
Dear,
When you see from whence my note is dated, you will not wonder that you have not sooner heard from me. I have been much torn by "conflictings" since I wrote, and since I read your sweet long interesting letter of the 5 "& 9" with its lovely enclosures - I have not been able to write to you. Dr. Sully had gone away & I hoped for his return before I left Malvern that I might be able to tell you something from him directly about what you could do with regard to him. I went and saw a nice sweet little lodging wh (which, abbreviated?) I made up my mind would be quieter & cheaper than even the boarding house of which I will write you whenever you are ready to come - but the dear good Dr. was kept away until circumstances forced me to leave without seeing him again, but when you are able to come you shall let me know -- & I will have some thing arranged for you beautifully! But, oh but -- I saw in an American paper last night this slip which I enclose, by which I see that your friend has as Carlyle says, "done quite other!" That is to say, she is about as far west of New York almost as you are far from it East, so that I do not think you can count upon her for awhile. Do not fear that whenever you can come Dr. Sully will let you do all you must do in the way of work. I have written every day there, as much & as long as you would require to write & he has never said a word to me about it. So don't say anything to him about it & he won't bother you. Our good friend to the contrary notwithstanding. I met her in the street one day, with Miss Cleveland, & I know she has her Foley with her! Somehow I have a feeling that you won't get to Malvern this summer - whenever you do go, I will prepare the way for you. Your note was from Bad Gastein - you had left Bechtengarten [? Berchtesgaden] & dear nice Annie Gordon -- & her worldly husband who is not "a patch to her" - as the Yorkshire people say - and then, what a wonderful change had come over the spirit of your dreams, in the way of living & where are you now? I hope it has not been too cold up there among the mountains & the waterfalls & the strange quaint people among whom you had been thrown - how strange & how nice it has been for you to thrown among just such people - you ought to get a wilderness of material out of them - and I can say you have. You will let me hear will you not?
You will see, dear, that I have taken the last step but one to being relieved of my care! I came here last Monday, have had to be here a week to be prepared by that good & wise man Sir James Simpson, for the trial which is before me fixed for Thursday morning 26", when I trust in God's [?] goodness, I may be eternally released of the cause for anxiety. I am to be in my bed from 10 to 12 days & then get up & out into my sitting room. I know not how long I may be kept here, until the wound has healed, or is in such perfect way to it that I can be safe to move - then I shall get to the seaside somewhere for a week or so - then to Harrogate for a week, & then to London to put things in the way of getting to the Continent. You will see how all this has changed all my plans, and this next winter I am to be kept quiet, & to be rested & to do nothing in the way of society, so much the better, for I am "a' weary she said."
When you write to me as you will do dear friend, send to the care of JW [?] Cushman Law Fire Office, Chancery Lane, London, & he will forward it on, as soon as all is well over & I am progressing I will get Miss Stebbins (who will be nothing [both?]) to write & let you know . You see, dear, I have faith that all is going well with me, I don't think my work is done, & until it is, the Lord will leave me here to do it! And as soon as I can make a plan for any movement to the continent you shall hear what that plan may be.
Now good bye & God bless you, dear. I can never tell you half how lovely I think your poems are - or half how sweet I think you are for sending them to me "Give me more" & believe me ever faithfully your loving friend
Charlotte Cushman
When you see from whence my note is dated, you will not wonder that you have not sooner heard from me. I have been much torn by "conflictings" since I wrote, and since I read your sweet long interesting letter of the 5 "& 9" with its lovely enclosures - I have not been able to write to you. Dr. Sully had gone away & I hoped for his return before I left Malvern that I might be able to tell you something from him directly about what you could do with regard to him. I went and saw a nice sweet little lodging wh (which, abbreviated?) I made up my mind would be quieter & cheaper than even the boarding house of which I will write you whenever you are ready to come - but the dear good Dr. was kept away until circumstances forced me to leave without seeing him again, but when you are able to come you shall let me know -- & I will have some thing arranged for you beautifully! But, oh but -- I saw in an American paper last night this slip which I enclose, by which I see that your friend has as Carlyle says, "done quite other!" That is to say, she is about as far west of New York almost as you are far from it East, so that I do not think you can count upon her for awhile. Do not fear that whenever you can come Dr. Sully will let you do all you must do in the way of work. I have written every day there, as much & as long as you would require to write & he has never said a word to me about it. So don't say anything to him about it & he won't bother you. Our good friend to the contrary notwithstanding. I met her in the street one day, with Miss Cleveland, & I know she has her Foley with her! Somehow I have a feeling that you won't get to Malvern this summer - whenever you do go, I will prepare the way for you. Your note was from Bad Gastein - you had left Bechtengarten [? Berchtesgaden] & dear nice Annie Gordon -- & her worldly husband who is not "a patch to her" - as the Yorkshire people say - and then, what a wonderful change had come over the spirit of your dreams, in the way of living & where are you now? I hope it has not been too cold up there among the mountains & the waterfalls & the strange quaint people among whom you had been thrown - how strange & how nice it has been for you to thrown among just such people - you ought to get a wilderness of material out of them - and I can say you have. You will let me hear will you not?
You will see, dear, that I have taken the last step but one to being relieved of my care! I came here last Monday, have had to be here a week to be prepared by that good & wise man Sir James Simpson, for the trial which is before me fixed for Thursday morning 26", when I trust in God's [?] goodness, I may be eternally released of the cause for anxiety. I am to be in my bed from 10 to 12 days & then get up & out into my sitting room. I know not how long I may be kept here, until the wound has healed, or is in such perfect way to it that I can be safe to move - then I shall get to the seaside somewhere for a week or so - then to Harrogate for a week, & then to London to put things in the way of getting to the Continent. You will see how all this has changed all my plans, and this next winter I am to be kept quiet, & to be rested & to do nothing in the way of society, so much the better, for I am "a' weary she said."
When you write to me as you will do dear friend, send to the care of JW [?] Cushman Law Fire Office, Chancery Lane, London, & he will forward it on, as soon as all is well over & I am progressing I will get Miss Stebbins (who will be nothing [both?]) to write & let you know . You see, dear, I have faith that all is going well with me, I don't think my work is done, & until it is, the Lord will leave me here to do it! And as soon as I can make a plan for any movement to the continent you shall hear what that plan may be.
Now good bye & God bless you, dear. I can never tell you half how lovely I think your poems are - or half how sweet I think you are for sending them to me "Give me more" & believe me ever faithfully your loving friend
Charlotte Cushman
From
Cushman, Charlotte Saunders, 1816-1876
To
Jackson, Helen Hunt, 1830-1885
Location
Clarendon House, Edinburgh, UK
Geocode (Latitude)
55.9533456
Geocode (Longitude)
-3.1883749
Social Bookmarking
Geolocation
Collection
Citation
Cushman, Charlotte Saunders, 1816-1876, “Letter from Charlotte Cushman to Helen Hunt Jackson, Aug 23, 1869,” Archival Gossip Collection, accessed April 18, 2024, https://archivalgossip.com/collection/items/show/432.