[Boston—Saturday, 3 June 1871]
Saturday June 3. Excessive heat 95 & 97 degrees. In spite of which Alice Longfellow, a young friend, her noble and dearly beloved father and ourselves went to see Faust together in the afternoon.
Longfellow & “J.” had an exquisite day together at Portsmouth this week. They went over several of the finest old houses whose doors & windows flew open with a very passion of hospitality to meet the poet. The Wentworth house especially delighted L. as he told me yesterday. He last week wrote a lovely poem after hearing “J.” rehearse the story of Gov. Wentworth & Martha Hilton. It touched his fancy and he has made a lovely thing out of it. Jamie’s mind is a very birds’ nest for the poet.
