Through colonial doorways . y sounding the heavy brass knocker,and inviting the reader to enter with usthrough the broad doorways of some Colo-nial homes into the hospitable life within,have these pages been written. For original material placed at my dis-posal, in the form of letters and manuscripts,I am indebted to numerous friends, amongthese to Mrs. Oliver Hopkinson, the MissesSharpies, Miss Anna E. Peale, Miss F. , Mrs. Edward Wetherill, Mr. C. , and Mr. Edward Shippen. To the Editors of the Atlantic Monthly,the Lippincotfs Magazine, and the Phila-delphia Ledger and Time
Through colonial doorways . y sounding the heavy brass knocker,and inviting the reader to enter with usthrough the broad doorways of some Colo-nial homes into the hospitable life within,have these pages been written. For original material placed at my dis-posal, in the form of letters and manuscripts,I am indebted to numerous friends, amongthese to Mrs. Oliver Hopkinson, the MissesSharpies, Miss Anna E. Peale, Miss F. , Mrs. Edward Wetherill, Mr. C. , and Mr. Edward Shippen. To the Editors of the Atlantic Monthly,the Lippincotfs Magazine, and the Phila-delphia Ledger and Times, I wish to ex-press my appreciation of their courtesy inallowing me to use in some of these chap-ters material to which they first gave placein their columns. A. H. W. Philadelphia, March, 1893. CONTENTS. THROUGH COLONIAL DOORWAYS 7 THE MESCHIANZA 23 NEW YORK BALLS AND RECEPTIONS 65 THE AMERICAN PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY ... 97 THE WISTAR PARTIES 147 A BUNDLE OF OLD LOVE LETTERS 177 THE PHILADELPHIA DANCING ASSEMBLIES ... I97. TteE historian of the past has, as a rule,/ been pleased to treat with dignifiedsilence the lighter side of Colonial life,allowing the procession of noble men andfair women to sweep on, grand, stately,and imposing, but lacking the softer touchesthat belong to social and domestic much has been written and said of thestern virtues of the fathers and mothersof the Republic, and of their sacrifices,privations, and heroism, that we of thisgeneration would be in danger of regard-ing them as types of excellence to be placedupon pedestals, rather than as men andwomen to be loved with human affection,were it not for some old letter, or diary, oranecdoce that floats down to us from thepast, revealing the touch of nature thatmakes them our kinsfolk by the bond of 7 8 THROUGH COLONIAL DOORWAYS. sympathy and interest, of taste and habit,as well as by that of blood. The dignified Washington becomes tous a more approachable personality when,in a letter written by
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