[Boston—Sunday, 20 September 1863]
The Sunday morning following after a wakeful night because of the vision of our suffering friend which would not be put to sleep, we walked to Roxbury and heard Dr Putnam upon “Contentment.” The discourse was less inspiring than usual but not without beautiful points. “We can be compressed laterally” he said “but our prison is always open at the top. Sadness may surround us but can never roof us in. There is nothing like a study of averages to produce contentment with our worldly goods. Our true riches are the riches of the affections.”
In the evening Charlotte Cushman and her niece, Dr Dewey and Miss McGregor, Miss Mears and Mr W.R. Emerson passed a few hours with us. Charlotte, always of athletic but prejudiced mind talked busily of people and events. She is a Seward-ite in politics and called Dr Howe and Judge Conway “ass-sy” because they said Charles Sumner had prevented thus far a war with England. She has made money during the war but believes apparently not at all in the patriotism of the people. She is to give one performance for the Sanitary in each of the four northern sea coast cities, also for fun and fame. She can’t endure to give up the stage. She is a woman of effects. She lives for effect. And yet doing always good things and possessed of most admirable qualities.
She has warm friends. Mrs Carlyle is extremely fond of her—gives her rich presents and says flattering things to her. “Cleverer than her husband” says Miss Cushman. I put this quietly into my German pipe and puff peacefully.
Poor old Dr Dewey is in his dotage—alas! for popular preachers! What a sad childish old age is often theirs. Miss McGregor is ready enough. When I said to her, women should wear jewels appropriate to themselves and only those, she replied, “I think many would then be obliged to wear “Soap””
Mr Emerson is soon to be married and it pleased us to hear the happy picture he gave us of his cottage home, which is to be. Of the large wood fire, the evening lamp and the country luxuries they are to enjoy.
