[Boston—Thursday, 7 March 1867]

Thursday. Sleet & snow shutting me up delightfully. Yesterday I was out several hours, visiting, dressmaker, concert.

J. went to Longfellow’s in the evening but I was quite unwell at home, keeping poor Lissie company we both hid our heads early.

Agassiz came to L’s talked somewhat of Mr Paran Stevens of New York who has a palace there filled with works of art—Story’s Cleopatra among the rest. Mrs S. rails against Boston in wh. she is joined by T. Appleton. She is a woman of great culture & beauty in a drawing-room & her sister is one of the finest amateur singers in the world.

Talking of the impossibility of doing one day what you could another he said—now my wife will one day write a letter to my mother, a perfect french letter, another day she will write a letter she will call french but it will be english. Lowell was very keen and sharp. He said the reason he didn’t go to Mrs Stevens was because it was too dear they charged him 4.00 a day!! (referring to poor P’s hotel). They talked much as usual about the derivation of words. Lowell said “pet” and “pat” were the same he thought—then he recalled the patting of his father’s hand upon his head and his calling him pet.

Fierce storm all day. Perabo’s concert in the afternoon. He played wondrously and glorious music by Hummel & Schubert. In the evening Jamie went to Mr C.G. Loring’s to pass a vote to support dear Mr Bartol who has been set upon lately by those thievish radicals Towne, Weiss and others. He is radical enough but doesn’t wish to make such a fuss about it or join any league which may militate against Unitarianism as it exists. Mr L.’s wisdom is striking, an incomparable lawyer. He is 73 years old.


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