Mid-19th Century New York City Archive By A Recent Immigrant To The City

Archive. 4 pieces. 1850. New York City. A set of four autograph letters written by Henry G. Bell, a recent transplant to then-upcoming New York City. Bell moved from Kennebunk, Maine to the city at the beginning of 1850. He writes to his friend Ed about his experiences. Frequent topics include missing home, being too busy to write more, and the events hes attended. Together, they show a slice of mid-19th century New York City. All the letters are in good condition.a)ALS. 3pgs. January 21, 1850. New York. An autograph letter signed Henry G Bell. Shortly after moving away from home (Kennebunk, Maine), Bell details his railroad trip to settle in New York City. I suppose I must give you a short description of my journey here, although to tell the truth I have written to so many that same description that I should, had I thought that I should have had to write it so many times, have had it stereotype of in the beginning. To commence, I left K with a rather solemn choly feeling I assure you that after reading for some time in the cars I gradually got the better of it so that on making my debut in Boston I was almost myself again. Oh Ed this leaving all, friends, connections, old associations, everything, behind is as if breaking apart the heart strings. I thought when I last conversed with you that I should not be so childish as some, to shed tears when leaving home. But how little does a person know his own heart until the time of trial comes. You will perhaps say that I am homesick. In that you will be mistaken. Tis true I would give a good deal to be in Kennebunk for only one short hour, but the feeling of homesickness I can confidently assert is not upon me. I called on Emmy in South Boston but was not able to stay with her only about an hour as I was obliged to leave in 4 PM train for Springfield. I was very glad to see her as it seemed independent of the pleasure of seeing her, as a connecting link with home. After leaving Boston I arrived in Springfield at about 8 PM & immediately took the Cars for Ireland Depot & had the pleasure on my arrival there of seeing Mrin the Depot. He recognized me as soon as I stepped out of the cars & we proceeded to his office. It is very eligibly situated in the corner of a brick Block on what will probably be the principal street in the place. The Dam which we sent to see in the morning is a fine work but I was disappointed in it, inasmuch as I had from reading accounts in the Newspapers raised my expectations to a very high state. I expected to see something grand if I may so term it instead of which the river rolls on, over the dam without near so much noise as at KI had heard that it had even jarred the ground as far as Hartford instead of which the house in which we supped though very near was not jarred in the least. We went on to the Large Factory of 18000 spindles also into the machine shop which when finished could be the largest of the kind in the States. At 11 AM I went back to S, & took the cars for New York. We arrived here at about 8 PM without any trouble. The letter is in good condition with folds and a few spots.b)ALS. 3pgs. March 23, 1850. New York. An autograph letter signed Henry GB. Bell thanks his friend for advice and gives some of his own. He reports on a series of events he attended, including medical lectures, an art exhibition, and a religious lecture. I attended about 3 weeks since, a course of Lectures, on Anatomy & Physiology by Dr Neting. Maphap you have heard of him. His course embraced 5 Lectures, which were put at the (for the city) unprecedented low price of 12 CIs a very interesting interspersing his remarks with spicy stories & racy anecdotes so that to hear him apart from information is worth the shilling for the Laughs sake. He spoke particularly with regard to ventilation, so forcibly indeed, that I have adopted his plans of sleeping with the window open & must say that its a great improvementHe also spoke on regard to daily ablutions said that more than half of the diseases are attributable to an unhealthy state of the skin. Following his advice bought me a flesh brush & scour all over every day. I tell you I can do a great deal more work, for itWent the other day to see the Panorama of the River Rhone. Tis a very fine painting, but ala for me, I had formed altogether too Exalted an opinion of it. The painting looks compared to what I before thought of it, extremely tame & spiritless. The letter is in good condition with some folds.c)ALS. 4pgs. May 12, 1850. Brooklyn, New York. An autograph letter signed Henry G Bell. Bell write to his friend back home after Bell has lived in New York City for about find months. He speaks primarily of homesickness and family news. When in a few weeks after a six months stay from home, I shall be reveling not in the Halls of Montezuma, but in places far more dear to me rendered thus by the recollections of the golden scenes of Childhood the presence of kind friends. I can even now, in imagination see myself with you going towards the plains, in anxious haste to deal destruction & death upon the poor Pigeons. Well for me that I look no farther & see myself returning weary & dispirited with one solitary bird the sole proof of my days labor. I had the great pleasure of meeting your Father here a few days since, but unfortunately for me could see him but very little as his stay was limited, & we were if anything more busy than usual. However, the little I saw of him was very gratifying to me, as he was the first Kennebunker whom I had seen since my departure. Tell him if hell come on some time in the fall I will try to treat him a little more civilly for as I am obliged to do all the shopping I cannot, as in doing almost any thing else stop for a moment, as the goods must go but just such a time or not at allSo Uncle Hack is soon to give, or has given, his hand & heart to the sweet Pauline. Well blessings rest on the loving pair & may their union be followed by a fruitful increase & may Jack rejoice at last in the low lipped name of Pa. I suppose you have not had an invitation as you are not one of the family. Were Jack wishing to devise some means whereTo give his wife a dowry without adstracting from his well filled coffers, he might issue tickets for the wedding at a Dollar Each & all Kennebunkers would attend to witness so strange a sceneAnything in regard to the young ladies interest me much of course & I really wish that I could hear that Mary or Amanda had made a selection. As silence gives consent I may take it for granted that Lizzy is wellHow is the weather down east it is extremely awkward here To day is as cold as Greenland & we need a fire in much almost as in winter. Still, the trees are leaved out & peach pair & cherry trees are almost out of bloom. Lilies Dalilias &c are in blossom & now & then a day comes that is worth a degree of down east ones at this time of year. Well it is about meeting time so I must stop for the present. But will leave a place to report the sermon so that I may not be accused of writing a wholly secular letter on the Sabbath. The letter is in good condition with folds.d)ALS. 4pgs. November 15, 1850. New York. An autograph letter signed Henry G Bell. Bell talks about his friends new home and Bells recent trips to the theatre. I believe you have never received my Congratulations upon your change of residence. I do congratulate you most heartily, for I know that you cannot fail to enjoy life better where you are, than at home. To be sure, home & friends are magic words, yet they, I think you will acknowledge, are scarcely compensate for the many advantages & pleasures to be obtained in a cityI have recently attended the Theatre a four times more from the solicitation of my friends than any wish I may have to go myself, for although pleasant at the time there can be nothing more profitless. I enjoy comedies but dislike tragedies. The one I think does me good was much as a certain physician has said that a good laugh is as good as the whole pharmacopeia (dont know how to spell it of medicine) the other fills the mind with gloomy pictures & unwelcome thoughts. The actions of the tragedians are often so over wrought as to fill the mind of an unsophisticated tough with disquiet. Did you ever see a pantomime? I went tothe other Evening & one was there enacted called the Green Monster. It was great, I assure you. The dresses were gorgeously magnifique & the actions so perfectly ludicrous that I came back with some ribs aching head & throbbing heart. In good condition with some discoloration and folds.