[Boston—Saturday, 16 February 1867]
Saturday. Small supper party. 7 guests Mrs Dorr with her family & Mabel Lowell, Dr Hayes of Arctic fame & Winwoode Reade from Africa & Richard H. Dana Jr. Quite a brilliant evening. Dr Hayes described life at the pole & Mr Reade compared it with life in Africa, told the story of the humbug Du Chaillu, gave him credit for his clever deceit, then talked of life in London & told some amusing stories. Mr Dana spoke of the common thing it is to find good speakers in America. Men got up from a western committee one after another, each one making a speech about as good as the man before him all of them showing something very like eloquence so like indeed as to throw one into despair and excite wonder as to wherein the difference lies between that and the real article.
He himself has made a fine speech lately on the interest question & he never he says worked over anything more. It made “a strike” in the house but the papers have had absolutely nothing to say about it, which disturbs his equanimity a little not from vanity but because the subject is important.
