[Boston—Monday, 15 April 1872]
April 15th Monday. Mr. Whittier came to breakfast at 8 o’clock. He had been in Providence to “yearly meeting” and had been visiting some cousins of his. The people were evidently very kind to him & he enjoyed his visit although his description of getting up in the morning to come away with a pain in his head from the fatigue of the night before & a hope in his heart that he could curl up in a corner of the car to say nothing to anybody and the numbers of friends on the contrary who seemed bent upon accompanying him to Boston was very amusing—“at last came that impossible Miss Nora Perry and then I knew it was all over.” Dear me! how frequently women do add the last ounce! It appears the more disagreeable in them too as a prior tact is supposed to be their gift.
He gave us a new poem still unfinished to read aloud to him. “Pastorius”. It was really very beautiful. “It’s too simple” he said several times “I am afraid there is not enough to it!” We read together before he went away and laughed & rejoiced over Emerson’s lines.
“A new commandant” said the smiling Muse. In the P.M. Mr. Emerson gave his first conversation etc. in this course which “J” has arranged for him. He will make upwards of $1400 by these readings. There was much new and excellent matter in the discourse and it was sown with felicitous quotations. He said gracefully that he regarded the company as a society of friends whom it was a great pleasure to him to meet. He talked of the value of literature and the superior value of thought if it can be evolved in other ways quoting that old saying of Catherine de Medici who remarked when she was told of one who could speak 20 languages—“That means that he has 20 words for one idea. I would rather have 20 ideas to one word.”
During the evening we decided, on a note from Mr. Bartol telling us the rent of his house will be $1000, to go back to the village in M. to live as being far more economical and more independent. We hope by this means to give some of the money we might have paid in rent to Captain Leach, now old, unfit for sea & poor.
