[Lydia Maria Child] ALS to Anna [Loring], July 1, 1871

Wayland, July 1'st, 1871.

Dearest Anna,

I was more than commonly glad to receive
your letter from Carlsbad; for I had begun to feel a little
anxious lest ill-health prevented your writing; and I had fixed
upon tomorrow as the latest date that I would put off writing to
you. Never apologize about letting yourself out concerning
the children. I love to hear all and everything about the
little darlings. I will keep your maternal outpourings
mainly to myself; but when they say anything very funny, or
very astute, I cannot help repeating it to a few appreciative
ears. Miss Osgood rolls up her eyes, and says, in her measured
way, "They must be wonderful children, Mrs. Child."

You give such a lively picture of Carlsbad, that I
feel as if I had been there. Blessings on the good old lady, who
sells the roses of St. Elizabeth, and makes them turn to bread
again! She enjoys her miracle more than was possible to that
ascetic, priest-ridden, but charming Royal Saint. I want
to go and help that good old lady change roses in to bread,
but then I check the desire by remembering that miracles
can be performed here also. I have seen the
name of Fanny Lewald mentioned among the European
advocates of "Women's Rights," but I have never seen any of
her writings. You ask what I think concerning the
political enfranchisement of women. I have for many years
been decidedly in favor of it. I dont feel interested in it as
a right to be claimed, but as the most efficient means of
helping the human race onward to the highest and best state
of society. A really harmonious structure of society re-
quires complete, unqualified companionship between
the sexes. Homes will be nobler, and capable of higher
and fuller happiness, when the mothers, wives, and sisters,
in families, have an understanding sympathy in the investi-
gations of science, the designs of artists, the experiments of the
agriculturist, the enterprises of the merchant, the inventions
of the machinist, the labors of the mechanic, the theories of