[Boston—Friday, 8 November 1867]
Friday Nov. 8th Tuesday went to Cambridge with Prof. & Mrs Stowe. Saw the Industrial School for Freed-people getting on famously under Miss Lowell’s indefatigable care—returning home Dr Holmes made us a call & Lord & Lady Amberley. Mrs Stowe tried to tell Dr Holmes about his story the “Guardian Angel.” She does not think his idea as well worked out as he could have done it, was inclined to think it somewhat narrow & coarse (alas! that we should use these words about our dear professor) and so wished to be out-spoken with him. Her admiration of Elsie Venner is so large & sincere that in some respects she was the person of the world to speak to him about this last but he was so humble and listened with such regard to what she said until they were interrupted that she did not give him all, nor the best of what she intended to say. I was grieved for I think she left him with the feeling that his book was a bit of a failure partly because he was ten years older wh. was his construction upon what she said, not her idea nor do we either of us tolerate that idea. Lord Amberley was amiable and intelligent, she, sprightly talkative with a good knowledge of politics and some acquaintance with a few interesting people from whom we were glad to hear.
I asked them to pass the next night with us, as he was to dine with the Dante festival company on that evening. They accepted with pleasure.
The next morning we went about seeing the beautiful shops and housekeeping until lunch which we were invited to have at the Aldrich’s. Mrs Stowe talked a little with them about Booth whose life of suffering and endurance against temptation always calls out her liveliest sympathy. The “little workbox” as we call their house pleased her exceedingly.
We passed the afternoon with E.E. Hale & his wife talking much of Gov. Andrew. They had many new anecdotes.
Came home just in season to prepare for our guests.
In spite of preparations as so often happens everywhere they did not remain all night for J. had seen Mr Forbes in the meantime and asked him to the Dante festival so he carried his guests home in the carriage with him. However we had an agreeable tea-table talk & evening together, we three ladies, and sent a beautiful wreath to Mr Longfellow wh. was called “quite the feature of the evening.” The dinner was given by T. & F. in honor of the completion of the translation of Dante by H.W.L.
Thursday morning Mr Emerson joined us at breakfast and Mary Dodge came in before we had finished. Then Mary, Mrs Stowe & I trotted about shopping all the morning, lunched at T. & F’s until I went to the station with Mrs Stowe & bade the dear woman good-bye.
I should really like a long bit of time to put down here all or even some of the good things I heard said during the morning. Mr Emerson was very genial and talked of Elizabeth Hoar somewhat to Mrs Stowe as one of the rare people to know. He seemed pleased too with Lady Amberley & her interest in religion. Nothing made me laugh more heartily however than when as Mrs Stowe gave her full name to the shop-man where we had been buying silk, Mary Dodge said, “Dear me I should be ashamed to give that name. I should as soon think of giving A.G. Gabriel.”
The weather grows cooler & cooler & summer seems fading away at last. Ah me! It was like snow last night.
