Newberry Library - DeWitt, Elizabeth Anna Rich (half-sister), to Isaac Stevens Metcalf, Isaac Stevens Metcalf family papers, 1842-1851

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Open book DeWitt, Elizabeth Anna Rich (half-sister), to Isaac Stevens Metcalf, Isaac Stevens Metcalf family papers, 1842-1851

Title DeWitt, Elizabeth Anna Rich (half-sister), to Isaac Stevens Metcalf, Isaac Stevens Metcalf family papers, 1842-1851

Creator Metcalf, Isaac Stevens, 1822-1898

Date 1842-1851

Place United States

Subjects Bowdoin College, Brothers and sisters, DuQuoin Coal Company, Illinois Central Railroad Company

Format Business records, Correspondence, Diaries, Genealogies, Invoices, Manuscripts, Personal narratives, Records

User-Contributed Transcription April 1st 1848Dear BrotherA fortnight ago Eliab brought me yourinteresting and most welcome letter, it contains much that I should like to talk over with you O: how much - but it isnot so easy to convey the thoughts in writing just as they existin the mind. The glance of the eye - the kindling of the countenance,gives the soul to words, - gives almost intuitively,the precise shade of thought intended, while in writing, somevery trivial misapprehension may give a little toneor colouring to the sentence, so as to make a slight differencein the expression conveyed. This train of thought I have been led into by your answer to my remarks about Joseph, which, Iwrote down as they came into my head, just as I shouldhave talked on if I had been conversing with you upon the samesubject, in which case we should probably think about alike.I lay very little stress, comparatively, upon what maybe termed, the drawing room accomplishments of a gentleman, - and the same my probably be said of my sexgenerally, - and manly easy and a simple naturalness ofmanner, is a thousand times more acceptable to women,than the 'bowing and surfacing 'politeness, - exquisite etiquette,of even an elegant nicety of appearance, However different it maybe, and no doubt is, with the other sex, I believe it to be true,that women are not the most attracted by beauty or mereexternal advantages; we feel in our nature, or desire ofsuperiority, of something to lean upon, to look up to, to respect:it is talents, manly good sense, strength of characterand a good degree of estimation among his fellow men, thatwins the heart of women. It is perfectly natural that it should notbe so with your sex, the same want is not felt and here lies the reasonI suppose why men so often seek a fine face, form, or showyappearance merely, without so much reference to mind andcharacter.[upside down at top] Write soon will you not.[left-hand side]April 19th'48Northfield I feel very desirous you should be here before the 13th May as I expect to go up that day & if you are here we can all go together: so make your calculations to come then if possible and at any rate let me know if you can fix upon a time & when or sooner as you can-----[right corner] Miss E. Anne Rich Bangor April 16th 1848

Transcription Status Needs review

Transcription Note This document was transcribed by volunteers as part of the Newberry Transcribe crowdsourcing initiative.

Archival Collection Title Isaac Stevens Metcalf papers, Midwest Manuscript Collection

Link to Catalog View finding aid | View record

Call Number Midwest MS Metcalf Box 1 Folder 14

BibID 821787

Rights Status No Copyright - United States

Contributing Institution Newberry Library

Newberry Open Access Policy The Newberry makes its collections available for any lawful purpose, commercial or non-commercial, without licensing or permission fees to the library, subject to these terms and conditions.

IIIF Resource Type Canvas

Size 3194px × 3899px 71.29 MB

Filename 998217878805867_mms_metcalf_box_01_fl_14_002_001.tif

Unique Identifier NL11FDMY

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