[Boston—Friday, 7 August 1863]
August 7. Who should join us in a wood-land walk this morning but Mr Franklin Pierce formerly President of these United States. It seems he has taken rooms near us and I can’t help seeing how difficult it is for good Unionists to have any fellowship with this man whom they must regard as a traitor; nevertheless we have seen him enough to believe these opinion to be his sincere conviction; for this reason he is worthy of more charitable consideration. He is at least a most courteous gentleman and interesting man—kindly and intellectual.
Mr Bartol tells me that Mr Emerson said to him a few days ago that he felt disinclined to write. Formerly when he entered his study in the morning something was sure to come now it was at intervals and seldom. Mr E spoke also of the distance which grew up between himself and Hawthorne. They disagree utterly upon politics and every theory of life.
