Catharine Maria Sedgwick to Henry Dwight Sedgwick Transcribed by Catherine TunneyTranscribed on Primary Source Cooperative2024

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Available under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-SA Attribution--NonCommercial--ShareAlike. CMSOLPatricia Kalayjian, Lucinda Damon-Bach, Deborah Gussman 18 Oct 1824sedgwick-catharine sedgwick-henry Catharine Maria Sedgwick to Henry Dwight Sedgwick Massachusetts Historical Society Catharine Maria Sedgwick Papers III

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Stockbridge October 18' 1824 --

I sent you a hasty line my dear Harry written in the grey of the Morn'g just as I was going off to Nhampton and had no time to add some notices which I wished to go with the volumes -- -- But in the first place my dear brother I know you are so zealous about my fame that I am afraid you will for the name of it publish a second edition -- Now I have always been sincere in my declaration that I didnot write for fame -- The book 1 has had much more praise and celebrity than I expected -- I have not weakness nor affectation enough to pretend that I have not been gratified with it, but I am not stimulated to incur the expense of a second edition -- If B & W. 2 should think proper to take upon themselves the second edition at any rate you should think proper I should be quite content --

I didnot decide not to illegible make the alteration you suggested from indolence but I found that every body to whom I mentioned 2 it, agreed with me that it was not best -- and you my dear Harry I look upon as not in this matter the best judge, as all your particularity runs in this channel -- -- As you have doubtless taken as you deserve all the praise of correctness in the Somerset Magazine 3 I supposed if you put the thing to press again you will look over the two volumes -- You will see that I have taken off the obnoxious 'broadbrimmed hats' page 28, 2d vol -- -- -- At page 40 2d vol -- you inserted a parah beginning "Now that the first fervors" &c -- This the shaker notes object to particularly as unfounded & I beleive they are right, & think you had better subtract it -- --

Should the epithet 'insane' page 44, be changed if the Sisters' letter is published and what will you substitute -- I wrote a parah to rectify the error in the description of the burial ground but am not sure I put it in the book, if I didnot let me know and I will send it --

I want you to curtail Debby's 4 height one inch -- -- And now I beleive that I am through this tiresome subject -- We went to Northampton and Springfield and got home to dine on Saturday -- We paid our devotions 3 to the mountain and of course had time but for a glimpse at our friends -- They were all well and as kind and agreeable as possible -- We met M Appleton at Northn and are in momentary expectation of her arrival here to dine with us today -- She gave me a very pressing invitation from her husband and herself to return with her, and I have thought a little of it, but I have led such a dissipated life this summer that I think I had best go my old track down the North River --

It is more than a week since I have heard from any of you -- I am in debt to all I very well know -- I have felt quite anxious about 'the Bessing' as she was not well when Robert last wrote -- I hope to hear from you all soon -- I hear that your Review is in the last NA 5, but I have not seen it -- Love to all --

Yrs as ever --CMS. 4

Is not this nice paper? -- a present from Mrs illegible --

Letter

Massachusetts Historical Society

Catharine Maria Sedgwick Papers III

Wax blot; the PS is written in the left margin of page 3.

Henry D Sedgwick Esqre/Cedar Street/NewYork --

1824 is written in the upper right corner of page 1.

Sedgwick published her second novel, Redwood, in 1824.

American publishers Elam Bliss and Elihu White.

Likely Somerset House Magazine, published in London.

Debby is a character from Redwood.

North American Review.
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