[Boston—Monday, 7 December 1868]
Monday Dec. 7th Walked to Roxbury yesterday on the fresh light snow with Dear J. and heard Dr. Putnam give one of his clear strong pleas for the right. He seemed as plain as Paul or Dante. Surely no one else that we know of living has such power; his style is simplicity itself. Read Hawthorne’s Note-Book in the afternoon. What a picture of disaster laid bare such a book is! Such impatience under the discipline of days! He lacked the Jove-compelling power to drive his genius, so he was driven thereby. But there is great truthfulness in passages and the man himself rises up as I read and sits again by our fireside.
