[Concord—Friday, 19 January 1872]
At half past six the next morning I was aroused by the brushing out of the front entry and numerous noisy preparations for the coming day so we both awakened and J. told me still more of their talk of the night before how eager Emerson was to hear more and more of Tennyson and how strong and cheerful and unwearied he appeared after his long journey. “I would not discourage this young acolyte” he said laughing early in the evening “by showing any sense of discomfort”.
When at length I arose the sun was just rising over the level fields of snow. The air was fresh, the sky cloudless, the glory of the scene indescribable. I seemed to feel a weight and weariness lifted,—the holiness of the scene and the sense of the lofty nature who reigned humanly in the narrow circle inside of these walls, the knowledge that he had drawn inspiration from these very sights, all made the morning beautiful with a brightness not all its own.
Coming to the breakfast room at 8 o’clock we found the sage already there, as if nothing had happened so serious as absence of sleep; Ellen too was there and tea was made as well as coffee and an apple-pie for breakfast with hot biscuit and eggs.
Mr. Emerson laughed about the pie, after the attack of the night before and asked Ellen if in consideration of their guests they might not have beef-steak for breakfast. Ellen thought not and the subject was at once cheerfully dropped. A warm yellow sunbeam streamed across the breakfast-room as we lingered talking until the last moment. Much talk was done first and last upon the subject of lack of education in English literature among our young people. Mr. E. said a Boston man who usually appeared sufficiently well informed asked him if he had ever known Spinoza. He talked of Walt Whitman too who he said had made no advance—Coventry Patmore’s new poem which seemed unreadable—asked the last news of Allingham. He was warming up to a delightful endless flow of conversation when the carryall came obligingly to the door and our visit to Concord was ended.
Arriving home Thursday [sic, for Friday] morning received visits from Bessie Johnson, Dr (Miss) Thompson of Chicago and Celia Thaxter.
Then dressed and went to the Music Hall to hear some music. At first I was too tired to hear. Soon however it crept in upon my senses and I began to forget and to be lifted up and to listen.
Went to dine at Mrs Charles Dorr’s—expected to meet two plain people. There were 14 at dinner.
Walked out the next morning and arranged everything for our first tea party. We were 18—Jamie read a paper on Tennyson which seemed to please everybody. President Andrew White of Cornell, Saml Longfellow, Mrs Hunt, Anne Whitney, etc. etc. were here.
