In two profoundly emotional letters from the Bennet family collection, we delve into the universal sentiment of longing. William Baker Bennet's letter to Harriet poignantly expresses his sorrow over her inability to return his romantic feelings. Meanwhile, Samuel Stevens Bennet's nostalgic letter reveals his sentimental attachment to his childhood, family, and his memories shaped by his childhood home. Both men long for different things, one for the nostalgia of the past and the other for a future that remains out of reach.
W. B. (William Baker) Bennet writes to Harriet ("Hattie") L. Stevens after Hattie turns down his romantic advances. W.B. accepts her decision, and agrees to proceed as friends. He includes an original poem expressing his sorrow and his Christian faith. W. B.'s poem conveys acceptance but continued longing for a romantic relationship with Hattie.
Letter from Samuel Stevens Bennet to his nephew, Paul Hansell Bennet, and wife, May Beck (Mary Rebeca) who reside in Samuel's childhood home. It was his first visit in fifty years, leading him to reflect fondly on childhood memories shaped by that very house. His letter eloquently conveys a deep sense of longing for the past.
