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Harriet Beecher Stowe's life
Mar. 31st, 2010 07:21 pmI'm rereading a biography of Harriet Beecher Stowe. Comment on her might come later.
Right now I'd like to give a shout out to her mother, Roxana Beecher who wrote to her sister-in-law:
'Would now write you a long letter, if it were not for several vexing circumstances, such as the weather extremely cold, storm violent, and no wood cut; Mr Beecher gone; and Sabbath day, with company - a clergyman, a stranger; Catharine sick; George almost so; Rachel's finger cut and she crying and groaning with pain. Mr Beecher is gone to preach at New Hartfield, and did not provide us wood enough to last, seeing the weather has grown so exceeding cold... As for reading, I average perhaps one page a week, besides what I do on Sundays. I expect to be obliged to be contented (if I can) with the stock of knowledge I already possess, except what I can glean from the conversation of others... Mary has, I suppose, told you of the discovery that the fixed alkalies are metallic oxyds. I first saw the notice in the *Christian Observer*. I have since seen it in an *Edinborough Review*. The former mentioned that the metals have been obtained by means of the galvanic batteryl the latter mentions another, and, they say, better mode. I think this is all the knowledge I have obtained in the whole circle of the arts and sciences of late; if you have been more fortunate, pray let me reap the benefit.'
What was this woman doing that she could not manage learn?
Merely keeping house for nine children (Henry and Harriet Beecher were seventh and eighth of thirteen children - and suffered from classic middle-child over-performance to get attention).
She did have two female servants helping her, but still there was also her husband, an orphan cousin, and up to eleven boarders. Plus an aunt and uncle who visited regularly and for long periods. And a string of visiting clergy who used their house as a boarding house.
Right now I'd like to give a shout out to her mother, Roxana Beecher who wrote to her sister-in-law:
'Would now write you a long letter, if it were not for several vexing circumstances, such as the weather extremely cold, storm violent, and no wood cut; Mr Beecher gone; and Sabbath day, with company - a clergyman, a stranger; Catharine sick; George almost so; Rachel's finger cut and she crying and groaning with pain. Mr Beecher is gone to preach at New Hartfield, and did not provide us wood enough to last, seeing the weather has grown so exceeding cold... As for reading, I average perhaps one page a week, besides what I do on Sundays. I expect to be obliged to be contented (if I can) with the stock of knowledge I already possess, except what I can glean from the conversation of others... Mary has, I suppose, told you of the discovery that the fixed alkalies are metallic oxyds. I first saw the notice in the *Christian Observer*. I have since seen it in an *Edinborough Review*. The former mentioned that the metals have been obtained by means of the galvanic batteryl the latter mentions another, and, they say, better mode. I think this is all the knowledge I have obtained in the whole circle of the arts and sciences of late; if you have been more fortunate, pray let me reap the benefit.'
What was this woman doing that she could not manage learn?
Merely keeping house for nine children (Henry and Harriet Beecher were seventh and eighth of thirteen children - and suffered from classic middle-child over-performance to get attention).
She did have two female servants helping her, but still there was also her husband, an orphan cousin, and up to eleven boarders. Plus an aunt and uncle who visited regularly and for long periods. And a string of visiting clergy who used their house as a boarding house.
