Transcription
Wednesday evening April 29th
I have just [indited?] a little note to Mama Dear Alex, telling / her all about our goings + comings + also that I was going / to write [^ to] you which fact I knew would give her more / pleasure than all the rest, for she is constantly asking / us all round if we are not writing to her poor boy upon / which we all shout at her that we hardly think he / comes under that head, as we would any of us he / glad to take his place for a short time at least _ / but as she writes so seldom herself she is anxious least / you should be neglected - that would indeed he un - / kind + ungrateful after the proofs of disinterested love / + generosity that you have shown us for which dear / brother receive my warmest thanks, I regret however / that you should put yourself to the necessity of restraining / any of your wishes while there as your stay will not / be [^ very] long + I fear you will not [^ again] have so good an opportunity / of picking up little things which would be valuable to you / all the rest of your life above all I begrudge as the / common people say) that spanish picture perhaps when you / hear of the mutual safety + any other monied arrangements / that papa may make, you will think proper to with - / hold enough for that purpose _ Oh that you could have / been in my shoes this morning _ by the fair Angelica’s side / all the way from 58 Varick to University Place, mounting / up stoops and running into stores to avoid the temperance rabble + then the evening before at the Hosack’s on one of / the divans by her side. how those moments would have / been improved that were wasted upon insensible me / she is looking very sweetly though to your eye she might / [?oft–?] changed, she is constantly on the go /
[END OF PAGE 1]
At the theatre if nothing else offers, Mrs. [Okey?] sang for us very / sweetly last evening + Mr. Harvey read two of his Irish stories / one quite amusing. Bey mustered out, but her poor husband / could [^ not] be induced to go, he is now becoming as fond if his / home + his comforts as he was before regardless of them it / will result of course in her shutting herself up; we are all / very anxious that she should accept these first invitations as / the people are very civil in urging her to come, on Friday / we are all invited to Sally’s who has made several efforts / to have us but something has always interfered, either on / her part or ours, I hope Mr. + Mrs. P. Hamilton will make their / appearance there, but I must say I doubt it, as he is be - / ginning already to make wry faces. If you have not already / answered her letter I pray you do so by the first opportunity as / she has been looking for your reply for some time; she has made / a conquest of your friend Quincy Morton, + he of her, she is / delighted with his “warm romantic nature” as she says. He / has written two pieces under the signature of Decatur upon / McKensies [sic] case I have not seen them, but your friend the / American complimented him upon them; I met for the / first time last evening J. Blunt ; who seems to feel in stout / heart about the unfortunate wig [sic?] cause that may be how - / ever in consequence of his determination to take an active / part in the [^ next] elections, Aunt, Uncle, Molly, + [Mrs. Gavers?], (the dutch / chargé) have just gone up to Mrs Ray’s who receives every / Wednesday morning + evening _ Ma + Pa went up to Nevis for / good last Saturday week - They drove down to Fordham last Saturday she staid there + he came in to [dr—?] / he is very well + in excellent spirits; what do you say to / our intended visit to Mrs. Miller’s, she has been very kind / to us ever since her marriage, + this winter has made / such a point of our visit that Ma + pa both think / that it is best for us to go, we think of going the 8th or /
[END OF PAGE 2]
10th of April if it were not for Voracious I should look / forward to it with pleasure her [^ Mrs. Miller’s] piano has just arrived /the establishment is perfect, + the situation will be delight - / ful when warm weather comes, today gives us a promise / of spring but until to day we have had more winter / than in january _ you will see the accounts in the paper of / the storms + snows which have been very uncommon by the / was I hope you will see the correspondence between Cass / + Webster, we have only seen the two first letters in which / it seems to me Cass is devoured; but they say the second / is even more severe _ We saw Fanny [Hine/Stine?] as she passed / through the city on her way home. A day or two since the / most excited + crazy girl with delight I ever saw, she has / no doubt been a great belle; + she disca[nt?]s upon it in / full as you can so well imagine, Baltimore, Wash / + Phil’ia is each more delightful than the other as e- [page torn] / in turn is the subject of discussion, banquets, beaux, / attentions in abundance, LOng Island will present some who-[page torn] / of a contrast to all that. Julia Livingston has taken / a small two story house in the street leading to university / place, + Mama to Louis’ unspeakable delight stays / with Mrs. Ray. I never saw him appear so animated + / pleased, + when he announced the joyful news to [Molly/Mary?] / I cannot tell you how difficult it is for me to realize that / she has made up her mind to live for ever with the / most stupid of men; + I am sure nothing but the separation / from Mrs. Ray would ever have brought that matter to / so speedy a conclusion. John L. Stephens’ book has made / its’ debut to day, pretty hard times for such [^ an] expensive / works. I fear that his expectations will not be realized + / judging from a glance this moring I should [^ think} it must be / somewhat of a repetition of the first, which according /
[END OF PAGE 3]
[BOTTOM OF PAGE 4]
To your Angel of Leonard streets account was so stupid / that she could not get through it _ the city has been a / good deal interested of late in the Comet which made / its appearance about three or four weeks ago. I doubt wether / you in that part of the world were permitted to have a / look at his majesty, it was indeed splendid the learned / say one of the most superb that has ever made its /
[TOP OF PAGE 4]
Appearance. We all went down + took a look through the / glass at the college which set Bow to reading it is well / poor fellow that he takes an interest in the heavenly bodies / for certainly he has nothing that he can enjoy much on / earth, as he sat singing the other evening at Aunt / Schuyler’s, we determined he looked as if he had / completed his hundredth year, sad + solemn. He / enjoys your letters + I doubt not repays you in kind
[END OF PAGE 4]
For he certainly has a most happy faculty / of writing. The last date from you is my letter / of 18th Feb’y which was received in a / month from its date. The account you give of / the napoleon mistake is very drole _ I [saw?] / that others say so, we all see the likeness do / let me know if my supposition is correct that he / this time you have [mom–?eted?] moustach. I should / like you to try them, You have heard doubtless the / [horrible?,minute?] details of the Paulding affair. It is certain / ly the most unfortunate finale that could have been / imagined. They are both now in town; he looks / blacker than ever, + she more thin + miserable _ / what does Uncle say to all / this
[END OF CROSSED PAGE 1]
[CROSSED PAGE 2]
George Schuyler is expected home to morrow from / Boston. He left Monday with Mary Lee in a / storm + they were obliged to make a / harbour at New Haven _ good night dear Alex /
The carriage is just returned + I must to bed
March 331st an other disagreeable day. George L / has just got back from Boston - tired + /
I doubt wether you will hear from him / this time we are all well; Mary + I are / going to dine at the Millers + then going on / to Sally [O’Key/Kings?] at pass the evening _ how / I wish you could be by my side all day / at the dinner + en tout and / I doubt wether Mrs. Scott gives you / more pleasure than you used to receive / from Lizzy [Linsy?] _. Please write as often / as you can _ if Brevoort comes / we will try to get hold of him _
Molly’s love + my best / wishes _ Angelica
[ADDRESS]
Alexander Hamilton Esq.〜
Secretary of Legation
Madrid
Care of
John Miller Esq.
U.S. despatch Agent /
13 Henrietta Street
Covent Garden
London
[POSTARK - red ink]
NEW YORK
MAR 31
[POSTMARK 2 - red ink]
PAID
[POSTMARK 3 - red ink]
J
16AP13
1843
[POSTMARK BY HAND - blue ink & black ink, illegible]
[REVERSE OF ADDRESS]
From Angel.
March 31st 1843
Rec’d April 25thTranscriber
Kathryn AlexanderLanguage
English
