302 ELIZABETH GARY AGASSIZ 



why do I trouble you with all this now, when I am 

 hoping so soon to see you back? We hear that you 

 mean to come home the end of August; perhaps you 

 will lengthen your stay a little later, but we shall 

 have you next winter. I say we, but I really mean /. 

 How we did miss you at Commencement! We tried 

 in every way to do what you would like and as you 

 would like it; and I shall always regret that you 

 did not see Sanders Theatre filled with friends on 

 that first occasion, when we had hoped for not more 

 than a few. It was all so cordial and sympathetic — 

 every one will tell you that. . . . 



Ever your attached 



Agnes Irwin 



The first Radcliffe Commencement in Sanders Theatre, 

 held there by invitation of the President and Fellows of 

 Harvard College, to which Miss Irwin refers in the above 

 letter, was an event of great importance in Mrs. Agassiz's 

 eyes. To the uninitiated it may seem strange that she 

 should have felt such deep emotion at this step as the fol- 

 lowing letter indicates, but it was intended as a public 

 demonstration of the more intimate relations now estab- 

 lished between the two institutions and as such was signifi- 

 cant. 



TO MISS SARAH G. GARY 



Casa Biondettiy Venice, July 8, 1895 

 . . . Today comes a letter from Lily Cleveland, 

 bringing me such a pleasant surprise, with full 

 accounts, both her own and newspaper reports also, 



