31 Hertford Street,
November 19, 1860.
My Dearest Mother:
Your kind letter of 22d October reached me a few days ago, and gave me, as your
letters always do, very great pleasure. As to the governor, he seems to grow
younger every day, and I am sure that I should not have been up to dancing all
night till five o'clock, and then getting to breakfast in the country by 8:30.
The Prince of Wales has returned, after a passage of
twenty-eight days, safe and sound. I met him at dinner at Oxford just before he
sailed, as I think I mentioned to you. I am told that the queen is much pleased
with the enthusiasm created in America by his visit. I am sure that she has
reason to be, and all good Englishmen rejoice in it. It was certainly a
magnificent demonstration of the genuine and hearty good feeling that exists
between the two great branches of the Anglo-Saxon race, and I read the long
accounts given in the “Times” by the special correspondent of his reception in
New York and Boston with the greatest pleasure.
I am very sorry that I cannot exchange congratulations with
the governor on the subject of the Presidential election.1 The
account has this instant reached us by telegraph, and although I have felt
little doubt as to the result for months past, and Tom will tell you that I
said so at Keir, yet, as I was so intensely anxious for the success of the
Republican cause, I was on tenterhooks till I actually knew the result. I
rejoice in the triumph at last of freedom over slavery more than I can express.
Thank God, it can no longer be said, after the great verdict just pronounced,
that the common law of my country is slavery, and that the American flag
carries slavery with it wherever it goes. . . . To change the subject, you will be
pleased to hear that Mr. Murray had his annual trade-sale dinner last Thursday
(15th). This is given by him in the City to the principal London booksellers,
and after a three-o'clock dinner he offers them his new publications. You will be
glad to know that my volumes2 quite took the lead, and that he
disposed at once of about 3000 copies. As he only intended to publish 2000, you
may suppose that he was agreeably disappointed. He has now increased his
edition to 4000, and expects to sell the whole. After that he will sell a
smaller and cheaper edition. The work is, however, not yet published, nor will
it be for several weeks. I am very glad to hear that you are pleased with the
opening pages. The volumes have cost me quite as much labor as the other work;
but alas! I have no William of Orange for a hero. I hope the governor will be
pleased with them.
Ever most
affectionately your son,
J. L. M.
_______________
1 The first election of Lincoln.
2 The first two volumes of the “History of the
United Netherlands.”
SOURCE: George William Curtis, editor, The
Correspondence of John Lothrop Motley in Two Volumes, Library Edition,
Volume 2, p. 106-7
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