[Paris—Thursday, 22 December 1859]
Thursday 22. Have finished Carlyle’s Frederick but can’t make up my mind to part with it. It is so large a book. He makes Frederick read lessons to us all.
O Carlyle, you and your Frederick are great geniuses who will live, together thinking more upon your deeds than on your laurels!
Mr Huntingdon and Mr Greene passed the evening with us. Mr Greene told us of his life in Florida when he went a Lieutenant under General Taylor to fight the Indians. We all agreed we never listened to anything more strikingly narrated. How it was his duty to follow Alec. Teskanuggy 20 miles up the country when the moon was on the increase and 20 down when the moon was on the decrease to prevent the negro traffic and how myriads of difficulties and dangers beset his path, none but he can tell.
Lissie came at midnight and we were thankful enough to get her here. She brought me a beautiful present of a cashmere shawl.