LETTER: ALS, "Celia Thaxter," no salutation, July 22nd, 1884.
ALS, "Celia Thaxter," no salutation, July 22nd, 1884.
8vo.; two leaves, two pages.
A surprisingly moving letter which merits quoting in full:
“If you knew what real trouble of mind your letter give me, though meant in all possible kindness, I am sure you would desist from pressing your request. Nothing would distress me more than to answer your question, knowing that the information given you would be published, & I thank you with the most sincere gratitude that you give me the opportunity of choice in the matter. I have suffered so much at the hands of newspaper & other writers, in having my most secret family affairs talked of in print in the most reckless and mistaken fashion that I have been led to wish I had never been born. It is a dreadful thing to me to have them talked of at all.
“Knowing this I am sure you will be content with what I have been willing to give in my work on the [ ]. Quite enough for all intents & purposes. I throw myself on your sense of honor, knowing how I feel about it, to spare me & make me very gratefully yours, Celia Thaxter.”
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