[Boston—Friday, 31 March 1871]

Friday March 31. The last of “our Fridays” for this season. A most successful little series of parties where we have all had a “lovely time”. Last night Mr. Hunt played he was a mannakin [sic] figure of Napoleon at St. Helena—nothing could have been more absurd. He was also Mrs Smith, also a monkey feeding an elephant, also he and his wife sang delightfully together, always protesting they had forgotten both words & tune; Mr. Boott too sang one of Bret Harte’s poems Flynne of Virginia which he has set to music very dramatically and “I am weary of rowing.” Also a song of his own written by William Story. Miss Hale sang after the manner of some nameless great cantatrice “‘Coming thro’ the Rye” and “Mid pleasures & palaces”. We laughed immeasurably—and it was near midnight when we parted. Mr. Bartol dropped in: Mr. & Mrs Darrah, Miss Guild, J.F. Clarke & Lilian, Mr. Howells, Mr. Gay &c &c—less than 20 in all. Jamie read his own memory of seeing Dickens on his first arrival in ’42(?) in this country and his letters at that period to Mr. Felton.


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