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

[158] Latin lessons. While at Mr. Emerson's¹ school, Macready played in Boston; and I shall never cease to be grateful to my brother Charles for the intense delight he gave me then,—taking me night after night to see him. It introduced me to a new world of delight, for it was the first very fine acting I had seen; and it opened my mind to the wonderful beauties of Shakspeare. The great pleasure I received then has extended through my life. I enclose a copy of the little note my brother sent me one day at school. It was when I was wild with excitement and delight over Macready's acting, and very anxious lest we should not have the right seats, or be there early enough. Mr. Emerson and family were to share the same box with us that evening to see “MacBETHeth.”

I remember well how popular Charles was in social life,—how much attention was bestowed upon him. He was, so far as I can remember, on the top wave of social favor. He often went to Cambridge to spend Sunday with Mr. Longfellow or Mr. Felton, or to South Boston to visit Dr. Howe. Sometimes he would bring home a manuscript poem of Mr. Longfellow, and read it to us. He read poetry very finely. His reading awoke me to the beauty of Tennyson's poems, then becoming popular. . . . I remember the enthusiastic admiration which Charles and his group of intimates felt for the Misses Ward, of New York.

. . . My brother always went to the Anti-slavery Fairs at Christmas time, and brought home many pretty little things, much to the delight of my sister and myself. There was a world of love and tenderness within him,— often hidden under a cold exterior, or apparently crusted over with a chilling coat of reserve.

To his brother George in Europe he wrote long letters, telling him what a brother would wish to know of family life, society, and politics.

The political canvass of 1840, with Harrison as the Whig and Van Buren as the Democratic candidate for the Presidency, filled the six months which followed his return home. He expressed disgust at its noise and ribaldry, its rallying cries of ‘hard cider’ and ‘log-cabin.’ He took no interest in the distinctive measures of the Whig party, and had no sentimental regard for it; but he thought well of its two conspicuous chiefs, Clay and Webster. On the other hand, he was repelled by the low tone of the Democratic leaders, among whom Amos Kendall and Isaac Hill were then prominent. He is supposed to have voted for General Harrison.

On two important questions he thus early entertained positive convictions. He strongly disapproved the pernicious system to