Now receive a large, cordial embrace across the great ocean for mamma and you!
P.S. I must tell you that among my invitations is one to a wedding in the neighbourhood: I shall gladly accept it. I like to see brides and weddings.
In my next letter I shall speak of my plans and of my route for the future: at present they are not wholly decided; further than that, I wish to spend the winter in Boston—the American Athens—and there, as far as I can, come to a knowledge of the intellectual movements in the life of the New World. In the first place, it is a good thing for me to spend about three weeks with the Downings, and to make excursions with them to some of their friends on the Hudson,—“some of the best people in the country,” as they say. Among these is Washington Irving, who, together with Fenimore Cooper, was the first who made us in Sweden somewhat at home in America. Miss Sedgwick is expected here in a few days: I shall be glad to see her, and thank her for the pleasure we have had in her “Redwood” and “Hope Leslie.” If I could only have a little time for myself! The difficulty to me is to be able to receive all the kind people who hasten to me from far and near, from different states and towns. But although I can but imperfectly respond to their good-will, yet I am not the less heartily grateful for it; and never shall I forget how, on the very first day of my arrival in New York, more than half-a-dozen homes were opened to me, where I might have been received as guest and member of the family; and the number of these homes increase daily. I have even had invitations from Quakers. Would that I could have accepted one-fifth of these!
