Name/Title
Letter from Ebenezer Irving to William IrvingEntry/Object ID
HHV 003.169Description
Letter from Ebenezer Irving to William IrvingSubject
Uncle Washington on a tour in the Virginia mountains, carriage and horses, Katrina to visit Sunnyside for 3 to 4 weeks, send clothes etc., the author’s health has been bad, improved so he could go on his “jaunt” with Kennedy, anecdote about a night the author stayed at a hotel and used his name to get a better room and service, plans to visit Crystal Palace and Edgar and Pierre on hold until the author’s return, fare to Sunnyside is 70¢, to Pierre’s Fare is 12 ½ ¢, Whigs, democrats, “Hards” and “Softs”, the
“compromise”Subject Person/Organization
Ebenezer Irving (1776-1868), William Irving (1811-1854), Washington Irving (1783-1859), Katrina Van Tassel Irving Williams (1845-1915), John R. Kennedy, Sarah Irving (1817-1900), Harvey Baldwin, Edgar Irving (1808-1873), Pierre Paris Irving (1806-1878), Theodore Irving (1809-1880), Sarah Mann Irving (1824-1913)Subject Place
* Untyped Subject Place
Sunnyside, New York, Syracuse, NY, New Brighton, VirginiaCollection
Irving Manuscript CollectionTranscription
Transcription
Sunny Side Oct. 4. 1853.
My dear Willie
I have rec’d yours of 30th [inst] / your Uncle Wash’n left us on Monday on another / trip to the South with his friend John R. [Kenedy]/ he had rec’d a few days before a charming [??] / letter from Mr. K to join him on another jaunt _ / among the mountains of Virginia _ saying that / it was his intention to send on the carriage / and a couple of saddle horse and flattering / himself that they would have a fine tour / during the delightful October weather _ XX / [^ Your Uncle has] said nothing as to the duration of “little / Kate’s” visit to Sunny Side, and as he will / probably be absent three or four weeks / she will be an inmate with us for some / time at least: it will be as well to send / on the clothes and the school books without / delay, direct the parcel to Edgar. “Sample / Office, Custom house, 10 Broad Street New York”. / the Express will then know that it must / be deliv’d during office hours, drop Edgar a / line at the same time that he may be on / the look out for it. Tell him to pay the trans= / =portation (unless the express require pay in / advance) and I will repay him.
The little girl is in fine health and spirits, and / feels completely at home and is the pet of all / in the house. I sent you a letter from her a day / or two since. You are probably aware / that your uncle W’s health had not been very / good since his last trip to Saratoga, and his / ailings seem to have a depressing effect upon /
[END OF PAGE 1]
His spirits, but a change came over him / within the last fortnight and he is now / quite recovered and in good [time] to enjoy / his jaunt with Kennedy. Sarah received / a pleasant letter from him written at “Irving / House” N.Y, giving an occult of his first night. / On applying for a room, he was asked if he / had ladies with him, he replied that he wa alone, and apprehending that he might be / put in some out of the way room, when the / register was handed to him for his name, he / followed Sarah’s advice and wrote it in full / “Washington Irving from Sunny Side” the conse= / =quence was that he was ushered into a first / rate room and on the principal floor, with / bed room and bathing room adjoining - all / the “nigger” waiters were emulous to wait on / him, and the chamher maid bustled about / to put his rooms in first rate order. He / passed the evening at the Opera; on his way / to it he strolled into the new and splendid / establishment of the St Nicholas _ here he fell / in with xxx our nephew Harvey Baldwin of / Syracuse, who chaperoned him through the / building even into the magnificent “Bridal / Chambre” which, by the way, he learnt has as / yet been occupied but once and then “by a / California prince and his bride” _ Mr Baldwin / accompanied him to the Opera _ After enjoying / this he repaired rather late to his quarters at the / “Irving”, and found the proprietor waiting up to receive / him _ He had a good nights rest, and a fine /
[END OF PAGE 2]
Breakfast the next morning _ he broke open his / letter to Sarah which he had written before going / to bed, to add a P.S. saying that he had just / called at the office of the hotel to pay his bill / when the proprietor declined receiving any pay / begging that he might consider him as his guest / Your Uncle demurred to this and insisted / on paying but finally gave way telling the / landlord that this must be the only instance / or he should be very shy of the Establishment.
Your Uncle had always been averse to receiving / marked attention at inns, and therefore usually / wrote his name only “W. Irving” but when travelling last / summer with Kennedy the latter always wrote their / names in full, which insured them good fare _ / this Kennedy called “travelling on one’s capital”.
I have thus given you a good part of his / amusing letter.
I had intended passing a week or so with / Edgar and taking a good look into the “Crystal Palace” / and afterwards, a week or so at Pierre’s: but your / Uncle’s absence will cause me to defer those visits __
Theordore changed his quarters to day, leaving / Sunny Side for “New Brighton” _ he wishes to be nearer / to the City _ another consideration may be that the / fare to and from the latter Pierre’s by the way of the / Quarantine is but 12 ½ cents while to + from Sunnyside is 70 cts.!
Theo is still like Mr [Macamber?] hoping that “something / will turn up” but I believe he has no idea as to what / as yet. Edgar I learn has not been well since / his return form the Country, he has however made / out to get to his office daily.
There is much uncertainty as to the result of / our state election which takes place early in November /
[END OF PAGE 3]
Were the Whigs united I think they would / carry the State _ there is no likelihood of / a union between the “Hards” and “Softs” among / the democrats _ the latter to be sure have pro= / =fessed to have swallowed the compromises / “niggers” and all: lest the Hards have no faith / in them and rather think that the dose sits / so uneasily upon the stomach that they / will spue the whole up again.
With my true love to Sarah
I am think my dear Willie
Eben’r Irving
William Irving Esqr’
Census Office
Washington D.C.Transcriber
Kathryn AlexanderLanguage
EnglishNotes
Offensive language withinOther Names and Numbers
Other Numbers
Number Type
Former NumberOther Number
W 231
