From Sara Sedgwick to H. E. Litchfield 6 June 1872

My dear Henrietta.

When I see your letter so full of feeling and think of your tender sympathy in our heavy sorrow I reproach myself for this long silence: but you have not misunderstood me I am sure. Your letter touched me very much and I was glad that you all knew how great our loss was and would ever keep happy memories of one who was so really worthy your admiration. The tie which bound me to my sister was so strong, so much the strongest that existed that in the breaking of it my life is greatly changed, and it is hard to believe that the present is in any way related to a past so full of joy. As you saw her at Keston so she was always—For M^r. Norton and the little children the loss is so very great that it seems almost wrong for me to think of myself at all. I have not yet heard whether they are coming home this autumn, but I have hopes of it. Theodore the youngest one of us all, who has been with Charles this winter, has just now returned to my great happiness, and we came here not long ago to visit some old friends. We were the more glad to do this since my brother is now settled here, and we shall only see him at long intervals— Your brothers will be interested to know that he has gone into journalism and is now Assistant Editor of the Evening Post, the only respectable daily paper in New York. We were sorry to learn that M^r. George Darwin had been ill and obliged to go to the Water Cure, but I hope he is long since recovered. This is, I fear, the first time I have written to you since you were so good as to send me your and M^r. Litchfields photographs. I thought yours was a most pleasant likeness & I value them both very much.

Please remember me very particularly to your Father and Mother, who I knew would so well understand and feel for our sorrow.

Believe me your faithful friend | Sara Sedgwick.