Abbot McClure to his cousin Georgiana Bowditch, 30 March 1924

[From Abbot McClure in Florence, Italy, to his cousin Georgiana Bowditch in Morganton, North Carolina. He talks about the cold winter they've had in Italy; says he enjoys living with the Carreres, and that he and Mr. Carrere share a studio in town; says he's made friends with some of the English, who he names, as well as Italians, and that he plans to stay in Florence for some time; reminisces about when he visited Georgiana's family in Micaville with his father; and mentions various family members.

This letter was in an envelope addressed to "Miss Georgiana Bowditch, Hotel Morgan, Morganton, North Carolina, State Unite d'America," and postmarked "Firenze, Ferrovia, 17-18, 31 III 1924."]

Florence, March 30th. [1924]

Dear Georgiana,

Your nice letter came some days ago and with all good intention it is only now that I am answering it. With your letter came one from Miss Norris1 telling me she had heard from you and that you were writing me very soon.

I wonder if you have had the miserable long winter we have had here in sunny Italy? The six years I have lived here I do not remember such a long drawn out one and so severe. It began in November and with bitter cold at Christmas time it has hung on and now when it should be well into spring the sky is overcast and a mean chilly rain falls and has been for nearly two weeks. The gardens look well, and many of the flowers are out in their beauty and three weeks ago the fruit trees were all in flower, but in spite of that the days still have a wintry chill. Florence is surrounded by hills and mountains and I noticed from my window this morning the Vallombrosa chain were white with snow, so until that melts I rather think the winds will be somewhat chilly.

I am enjoying living with my friends Mr. & Mrs. Carrere2 in their charming villa Le Tenozze situated at S. Domenico at the foot of Fiesoli.3 They are delightful people and have a dear little boy4 two years old whom I dearly love. I have a studio with Mr. Carrere in town and there do designing of lamps and shades, many going into villas and apartments that he is building or remodelling. Mr. Carrere is the nephew of John Carrere5 of New York, the well known architect who died some years ago. I go to Florence every day some times by train and by motor, and lunch in town every other day as the ride back and forth takes about two valuable hours out of my days work.

I have made some delightful friends both among the English speaking colony and the Italians, so my regrets at leaving dear old Rome have, in a way, been lessened. I think as far as I can now say that I shall be here for some time, but of course one can never tell so far ahead in these changing times.

I have met the two Miss Brooks6 of Boston, the nieces of Phillips Brooks,7 and find them charming ladies. There is also in Florence a Mrs. Winslow of Boston who was Alice Thorndike,8 daughter of Augustus Thorndike.9 I shall call on her one day this week. Do you remember any of these people?

When did you leave Boston? It must have been years ago. I can not realize that your dear mother10 would be 103 years old if she had lived. Do you remember the time I visited you at Micaville with my father,11 that seems ages and ages ago. Time goes by so quickly that it is difficult to put your finger on any one incident and feel really satisfied. Don't you find it so?

I am so very glad your eyes are quite all right once more and do hope you will have no more trouble with them.

I hear quite frequently from the Milwaukee cousins, but the Boston ones are terribly silent. I did have a letter the other day from Rachel's12 niece, Miss Elizabeth Thackara,13 and she spoke of Anna14 being ill with the mumps. Miss Brooks told me that Paul15 was pretty well broken down but in just what way she did not say. Have you heard anything about him lately?

I am so glad you are so comfortable and only hope you will continue so. I often wonder when I shall return to America for a visit for I feel that is all it will be as the life over here suits me and I love Italy.

I must not ramble on as it is a late hour and I must be up and in the studio by nine thirty, a very early hour over here.

With ever so much love,

Yours affectionably,

Abbot

  1. Katherine Townsend Norris (1842-1927)
  2. Robert Bruce Maxwell Cochran Carrere (1893-1959) and Ann Parke (1892-1964)
  3. The Dominican Convent of San Domenico was founded in 1406 in Fiesole, Italy, in the hills about five miles northeast of Florence. See Convent of San Domenico, Fiesole and Fiesole
  4. Robin Carrere (1921-2009)
  5. John Merven Carrere (1858-1911). A well-known architect, and co-founder of the firm of Carrère and Hastings in New York City. He was killed when his taxi was hit by a streetcar on 12 February 1911. The driver of the taxi was arrested for homicide, and was said to be driving recklessly and to have disregarded a warning to stop to avoid the streetcar. Carrere lingered until March, never regaining full consciousness. Probable cause of death was a brain infection from trephination performed right after the accident. His body laid in state at the New York Public Library, which he designed, and 2000 attended the funeral. See Carrère and Hastings.
  6. Agnes Brooks (1870-1940) and Gertrude Brooks (1873-1939)
  7. Phillips Brooks (1835-1893). He was an Episcopal clergyman, Bishop of Massachusetts 1891-1893; wrote the lyrics to "O Little Town of Bethlehem"; and introduced Helen Keller to Christianity and to Anne Sullivan. See Phillips Brooks.
  8. Alice Cornelia Thorndike (1895-1964)
  9. Augustus Thorndike (1863-1940)
  10. Elizabeth Blanchard Abbot (1821-1902), Georgiana's mother, Abbot's aunt
  11. Johnson McClure (1837-1898), Abbot's father, husband of Elizabeth (Abbot) Bowditch's sister Ellen. The visit Abbot refers to was about 1891, and is mentioned in Elizabeth (Abbot) Bowditch's 29 December 1891 letter to Hannah Rantoul.
  12. Rachel Ewing Sherman (1861-1919), wife of Abbot and Georgiana's cousin Paul Thorndike
  13. Mary Elizabeth Thackara (1881-1958), daughter of Rachel (Sherman) Thorndike's sister Eleanor (Sherman) Thackara
  14. Anna Thorndike (1896-1961), Rachel (Sherman) Thorndike's sister
  15. Paul Thorndike (1863-1939), Abbot and Georgiana's cousin