Letter May 20 1864 Ambrose Dudley Mann to Francis Nicholson Ogden

LETTER (From Ambrose Dudley Mann to Fannie’s mother Francis Nicholson Ogden)

Brussels, May 20 , 1864.

Dear Mrs. Ogden:

All unwillingness to intrude upon the sanctity of your sorrow, has hitherto ver____d me from offering you my heartfelt condolences on the recent agonizing event. I even now hesitate to write lest I shall afresh the wounds of anguish, from which you have probably suffered as much as mortal can well bear.

I cannot adequately describe to you how much she endeared herself to me: but you may imagine the extent of my affection when I assure you that I could not have loved her more had she been my own daughter. If poor humanity ever attained perfection on earth it was exemplified in majestic simplicity in her beautiful character. She was indeed. “one in whoever there was no guile.” Too pure for earth Heaven claimed her as its own and called her away.- perhaps to enter ____ the performance of some of its subliment ministries. I really believe so and as(?) this belief I am corralled and encouraged to ______ myself for as _____ bode with her “on that house not made with hands” “those whom the God’s love die young.” So too, thought the ancients, and accordingly, the funeral rites of such were always performed at morning twilight. Aurora it was believed had lent them to earth for a purpose and that purpose having been accomplished had called them back to herself.

I was a delighted witness of the ardent and unalloyed bliss of Fannie and Willie. In their nature it may be truthfully said that two souls inhabited one heart. They had not a thought on which there was not ____ ,undying devotion.

Willie has written you detailed accounts. I need not add anything to them.; His own health I fear is very precarious. I never saw him looking so badly. He is the mere wreck of what he was a year ago.

Permit me to assure you that I shall always take the loveliest interest in each of your children, and shall be prepared to render them at all time, any service that you or they will consider useful. They are dear to me by the ties of memory and the consecrations of regret. Such a link of connecting attachment as was Angelic Fannie can never be severed. - Do tell me what I can do to increase the happiness of you all!

The war I now think, is almost ended. But I may not speculate upon the subject
here.

Devotedly your Friend -