[Manchester—Friday, 10 August 1866]
Friday. Exquisite weather which changed early. Drove our guests to Beverly to see Lucy Larcom. We found her arranging flowers in her small antique study and preparing for a quiet day of work—so far she had been clearing away dust and doing the hand labor necessary that her fine headwork might not be made impossible by the slovenliness of her surroundings. She has taught herself how to paint flowers with true feeling and is actually giving lessons in the art.
In the afternoon I went with Mr Howells over the Dana beach and through the woods. He is not a person of true poetic temperment and I grieved to see how slight was the impression which many things with meaning far “too deep for tears” produced upon him.
In the evening we talked of literature etc.
