[Manchester—Tuesday, 25 August 1874]
Tuesday 25. Dear J. went to town—first to the dentist who performed a severe job 2 hours long—then home where Mrs Bell & Mr. & Mrs Pratt came by appointment to hear his address on Choate and tell him if he had made lapses or should make omissions.
Whittier came here at 4 o’clock. He was very lovely of course. Sorry not to see dear J. but promised to stay all night. He talked tenderly of Beecher though not without recognition of his weakness nevertheless with such recognition of his strength, his genius and of his ultimate purity that the blame brought its blessing. We walked as far as our hill where he told me that he could never altogether forgive himself when he had been blamed by others—there always seemed to be some weakness in him although perhaps not to that degree or even altogether in the direction in wh. he had been blamed. So he thought it might be with Beecher, possibly in his heart he might somewhat blame himself for sentimental weaknesses!
