[Manchester—Thursday, 7 September 1865]
Sepr 7. Prof. Nichol of Glasgow brought a letter of introduction. His [sic] is professor of English Literature in the university of that city and the son of a distinguished man. He has sympathized with our Cause through the whole war. He seems thoroughly conversant with American literature and interested J.T.F. much by his intelligent criticism. He said he had met with a very clever book by a young man who was given too much to punning however (although he might out-grow that bad habit), called the “Aristocrat of the Breakfast Table”! He knows Matthew Arnold well and appreciates him but thinks him at times a little flippant in criticism as for instance when he fails to accord high praise to Tennyson’s Translations from Homer.
Prof. Nichol recognizes Longfellow’s greatness as a translator. Has seen the published cantos of the Dante and accords them very high praise.
Forceythe Willson came in. He said the man was not yet born who could write a poem about John Brown. It is his aspiration to do this but he fears indeed feels his power to be entirely inadequate to the grandeur of the subject. He brought in a paper written by the wife of J.R. Gilmore who has just returned from the Insane Asylum where she has been confined a year. He did not take it out of his pocket until he had told J.T.F. how remarkable he thought this account was and of what service to other sufferers when J. said “I wish I could see the paper, have you it in your pocket?” Yes he said I have but I made up my mind I would not take it out unless you should ask, indeed insist, upon seeing it!
He spoke of the lovely effect Mr Bartol’s character had upon him and said, he should prefer the spiritual elevation and repose of that nature to the highest pinnacle of earth’s greatness!
His likeness to Tennyson, although rough, is very strong. We like him much.
