[Boston—Thursday, 2 November 1865]
Thursday Nov. 2. Miss Dodge, Miss Palfrey, Mr Quincy, & Mr & Mrs James dined with us. It was agreeable for the company was well assorted. Afterward in speaking of Miss Palfrey, Mr James said “What a perfect Art her conversation is. I never heard anything like it! I hated her at first but I admired her before I left. It is exquisite, the perfection of Art—why “Gail” is like a clump of daisies by her side!”
Mr James has been deeply impressed by Stirling’s book called “the Secret of Hegel.” “There is no man like Stirling! He is head and shoulders above Hegel, Kant and the rest although he does not give a true idea of Hegel. He makes him a member of the Orthodox (!!) church!!” He asked for the book and read a few passages which were indeed very clear and strong leading us even with our partial knowledge to believe what Mr James had said about Stirling being a leading man, a foremost man. Mr James said he hated metaphysics and he supposed no one ever sat down in cold blood to read such books but if a man attacked your religion as you had defined it and said that Kant overthrew all such nonsense the only way was to read Kant and overthrow him or allow yourself to be conquered.
Mr Quincy talked with M.A.D. about Dr Bayley’s life which he thinks of writing. He speaks plainly about Mrs Bayley’s character. The latter has evidently swindled her out of any pay for her service as governness during a year or two. He told me also of a pleasant visit they have had of late to Marshfield where a company was invited by Mrs Fletcher Webster, to wreath the tombs in the cemetery and afterward to have a dance!!!!!!!!!!!!
O shade of Daniel Webster.
T.B. Aldrich passed the evening and amused us with a tale respecting the difficulties of language having heard somebody who was supposed to know talk of Difthong. He talked of Bierstadt’s failings as an artist, of Eastman Johnson success &c &c. and described to me with a real poet’s feeling a four weeks visit he had made in Portsmouth to his mother with his “ladye-love.” “We strolled to the wharfs in pleasant afternoons and played checkers when it was raining and had a joyous time of it altogether” he said.
He wishes to be one of the company of Ticknor & Fields.
