Edward L. Pierce, Memoir and letters of Charles Sumner: volume 2

[165] the world are his superiors. The testiness of character I pardon to the exile. We cannot have people with intellects and characters of unmixed goodness, free from all human frailties. . . . On Monday I received a beautiful letter from my friend Ingham. I have in my mind the kind, cordial, affectionate reception I received there, and the invitation to make that a home if I ever returned to England. I wrote by the “Britannia” only half-a-dozen letters. How it made me start to see the smoke puffing from her funnel, which was only to cease when she touched the English pier!

To Hillard again, Aug. 11:—

I have just returned from an excursion in the country with Felton, to see his wife. Saturday, in a gig, we went to Lancaster. En routeto Cambridge, dined with Ralph Emerson,¹ whom we found very agreeable and sensible. He did not lead out his winged griffins, to take us into the empyrean; so we went along as with mortal beasts. Perhaps he thought we should not be very docile. He had just received a very characteristic letter from Carlyle, over whom the fancy to come to America had again driven. He will not come. Emerson has two delightful children,—a girl and boy. The girl he calls his “honeycomb.” Come back staunch and strong and full of hope and courage.

To Abraham Hayward, London.

Boston, U. S. Of America, Aug. 31, 1840.

dear Hayward,—This poor sheet and its pictures² will go by the ‘Acadia,’ which sails to-morrow from this port for Liverpool. What can I write that will not be utterly dull to you of London? If you still persevere in your intention of giving an article on American eloquence,³ let me ask you to read a paper in the last North American Review (July) on Guizot's ‘Washington.’ You will find there some six or eight pages, which present a neat and concise view of partiesin the United States from the adoption of the Federal Constitution down to a comparatively recent period. The author is Mr. Edward Everett, recently Governor of Massachusetts, and now in Europe, where he purposes passing two or more years. He will be in England before he returns here; if so, I hope he may see you. He is, perhaps, the most accomplished man of my country.

Our politics are shabby enough. The Whigs, constituting the opposition, have nominated for the Presidency the person whose head adorns a corner of this sheet. He has in his favor his good conduct during the war of 1812, and an alleged victory at Tippecanoe; and the vulgar appeal is made, grounded on military success. This has made him a more