[Boston—Friday, 14 December 1866]

Friday. A busy week as far as visiting goes.

Tuesday night was Mr Emerson’s lecture and party at Dr C.T. Jackson’s. The lecture was full of what we need to know—the necessity of beautiful behavior to servants in order to evolve beauty out of every relation. He quoted “the starry Galileo and his woes” said “the more piano the less wolf” and other odd as well as helpful things. He was disappointed in it himself, the lights were poor, the manuscript disarranged and the delivery a failure in part.

Wednesday Bayard Taylor dined with us and introduced “Mr Lags.” Who? Why Mr Superfluous Lags—the veteran—on the stage.

He is tired of lecturing but gave one full of practicalities which the audience liked hugely. Jamie went with him; we stayed at home and read Measure for Measure.

Thursday. Dora Clark came to consult me about her manuscript of hospital sketches—they are full of touching incident but require writing out well. I could do little but cut out irrelevant matter and reduce the thing to magazine size. It is full of tearful truths.

Went out to tea with Mrs Lowell Putnam. Mr J.F. Clarke was there and his daughter Lillian, Miss Putnam and Robert Lowell’s little son Charles who is a lovely boy of 12.

In spite of the intense sadness which surrounds the little household you are not overwhelmed by it—you feel it a privilege to enter and “a liberal education” to be near such women. I hardly know another house so pervaded by the sanctification of sorrow or so hallowed and refined by grief.

Jamie went late to his Club where Prof. Horsford described the Chicago tunnel having been an eye witness. Prof. Rogers spoke on Meteorlites [sic], Mr Whipple delivered an essay on Interpreting, Dr Hayes a eulogy on Dr Gould.

Friday afternoon. Harriet Spofford has just left me. She tells me she expects to be a mother in February. She is happy and well now and said she had learned patience.


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