May 29th
Executive Mansion.
My Dear Mrs Sprigg:
Your very welcome letter was received
two weeks since, and my sadness & ill health have alone prevented my
replying to it. We have met with so overwhelming an affliction in the death of
our beloved Willie a being too precious for earth, that I am so completely
unnerved, that I can scarcely command myself to write – What would give to see
you & talk to you in our crushing bereavement, if any one's presence could
afford comfort – it would be yours. You were always a good friend & dearly
have I loved you. All that human skill could do was done for our sainted boy, I
fully believe the severe illness, he passed through, now, almost two years
since, was but a warning to us that one so pure, was not to remain long here
and at the same time, he was lent us a little longer – to try us & wean us
from our world, whose chains were fastening around us & when the blow came
it found us unprepared to meet it. Our home is very beautiful, the grounds
around us are enchanting the world still smiles & pays homage, yet the
charm is dispelled – everything appears a mockery, the idolized one is not with
us, he has fulfilled his mission and we are left desolate. When I think over
his short but happy childhood, how much comfort he always was to me, and how
fearfully I always found my hopes concentrating on so good a boy as he was –
when I can bring myself to realize that he has indeed passed away my question
to myself is 'can life be endured?' Dear little Taddie who was so devoted to
his darling Brother, although is deeply afflicted as ourselves, bears up and
teaches us a lesson, in enduring the stroke, to which we must submit. Robert
will be home from Cambridge in about six weeks and will spend his vacation with
us. He has grown & improved more than any one you ever saw. Well we ever
meet & talk together as we have done. Time how many sad changes it brings.
The 1st of July we go out to the 'Soldier's Home', a very charming place 2 ½
miles from the city, several hundred feet above our present situation, to pass
the summer. I dread that it will be a greater resort than here if possible,
when we are in sorrow quiet is very necessary to us. Mr. Dubois, I suppose has
reached home, ere this. I see by the papers that Mr. Burch is married - We have
some pieces of furniture still remaining at his house, may I ask a favor of
you. It is this. If Mr. Black can have room for them, can they be moved to any
place above his store, where he may have room for them. The sofa, at Mr.
Burch's, was new. A few months before we left. May I also ask you to speak to
Mr. Black, and see if the 8 boxes we left with him are all there. I fear we
have been troublesome friends. I send you a list of the articles sent me by Mr.
B. If you feel the least delicacy about this - I will not wish you to do it.
Whenever you have leisure, I hope you will write me. With love to you all, I remain
ever your attached friend
Mary Lincoln.
SOURCES: Published
in The New York Times, January 16, 1882, p. 2; The letter was offered
for sale at Heritage
Auctions, accessed January 3, 2014; Library of Congress, Voices of the Civil War:
Our
Crushing Berievement, accessed January 3, 2014; Library of Congress Blog: A Grief Like No
Other, accessed January 3, 2014;
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