Diary of Annie Adams Fields

Saturday. 5th Mr Bennett breakfasted with us and Parker called as he so often does directly after. Busy writing notes all the morning, out with Jamie all the afternoon, making visits. We saw no one however but Mr Durham who has given us the cast of Caxton the printer. He seemed older than he was...

Sunday 6th Went to a Scotch church in the neighbourhood and heard excellent preaching on “What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” T’was a queer old-fashioned church and queerer and more old-fashioned customs. The preacher dropped out his words as if they were screwed out by a...

Monday 7th Breakfasted with Charles Reade. We think him more and more an eccentric every time we see him. He has some remarkable pictures particularly one by Millais full of exquisite delineation of character and pure truthfulness to life. C. R. told Jamie he wished he would write a story with...

Tuesday 8th Started as early as possible for the “Royal Academy.” There we found heaps of nice pictures but heaps of people too so we found it rather difficult to see all we wished. Had a pleasant little chat there with Annie Thackeray. Everybody thinks Millais has not done all he might with...

Wednesday 9th Heard Louis Blanc lecture on Love. I was disappointed when I knew what the subject was to be but his genius served to make it most interesting. He succeeded in giving us a vivid picture of conjugal life at the period just preceding the French Revolution.

Thursday 10th Called on the Flowers and went down to the Jesse’s to dine where we met Mr and Mrs Briggs and Miss Dunlap. Mr Briggs was 84 years old and had known Nelson. Miss Dunlap told her experiences in Brittany coming home. She had visited the forest of Brocel[i]ande and the haunts of...

Friday 11th Met Mr Jesse at the British Museum at 1 o’clk. He was able to show us many things we could not otherwise have a obtained a view of particularly our view not only of Professor Owen’s collection but of the man himself.

Saturday 12th Breakfasted with Mr Jones and met Lady Harington, Sir John, and Mr Massingbird . A very musical party but interested in everything and very kind to us. Called on Mrs Bensusan and Mrs Procter who is helping Adelaide’s new volume out being “the business member of the house” as...

Sunday 13th Mr Flower and Edgar came in just after breakfast to chat an hour and later in the day Jamie left me at home with a hoarse cold while he went to Twickenham to dine with Mr Bohn leaving my excuses to fulfil the engagement for both.

Monday 14th Very rainy. Took a brougham and called on Maria Cummins to ask her to go out with me, disappointed in this I called for Mrs Mayse Reid took her out for a short time and then went to pay a few visits. Had such a pleasant little chat with Annie Thackeray. Went to hear Mason Jones...

Tuesday 15th Out sight-seeing and when night came Jamie went alone to tea with Mr Miles, the reverend Pliny. He had such a merry time he was obliged to wake me up to tell me of the three old maiden sisters in black who waited in the little drawing-room below to hear the singing and of Pliny’s...

Wednesday 16th Went into a magnificent uptown church calling itself Protestant with all the Catholic ceremonies going on. Had a short call upon Mrs S.C. Hall. She was most affectionately attentive to us and we find we can’t help liking her extremely. Went to hear a fine concert where there was...

Thursday 17th Hawthorne, Fields, Talfourd, Durham and Mr Bennett breakfasted with us. We had a pleasant chatty time. Hawthorne has a great deal of wit of his own kind in his talk. We all enjoyed seeing him once more. During breakfast an album comes in for him to inscribe his name therein, and...

Friday 18th At ½ past ten we went to Macmillan’s rooms where we had the pleasure of seeing dear Mrs Macmillan once more, the nice boys and Mulock. Miss Mulock has a dread of the ocean or I fancy we might possibly see her in America. She is a very genuine true womanly nature with clear...

Saturday 19th Went at ¼ past 12 to see Captain McClintock receive the freedom of the city in a gold box costing 50 Guineas lined with British-heart of oak. It was an enthousiastic meeting. Wanted to go to the Opera but a box wd cost us 5 guineas we found, so we wisely refrained. Jamie passed...

Sunday 20th Went to St. James’s church Piccadilly only to hear the same “vain repetitions.” Nevertheless the atmosphere of the church was rest after our busy week and I was glad to be there.

Monday 21st Writing during the day. Started at 4 with Mr and Mrs Dallas for the House of Lords where I literally passed the night. Dear Jamie could not come he was too busy but the Honorable Arthur Kinnaird put us into the best places and Jamie knew we were well cared for. Lord Lyndhurst was one...

Tuesday 22d Went to the Chrystal Palace with Mr and Mrs Bennett. Two or three hours faded before we were aware among the lovely flowers, the music and fascinating wares of all descriptions best suited to attract unwary strangers. The day was warm as July and the green grass and blossoms never...

Wednesday 23d A little tired, but it was the great Derby day, the English holiday of the year, and early the streets were in a bustle. Jamie was up to see the fittings out and Mr Cooke came round at eleven to see if we could not make up our minds to go, nevertheless we held firmly to our...

Thursday 24th Musical matineé at Lady Harington’s beautiful singing and fashionable audience. We should like much to have stayed but we found it was time to dress for our dinner at the Wards. It did seem so strange to meet the Taylors here again of all places. I sat next him and opposite Mrs...

Friday 25th Mr and Mrs Jesse lunched with us and bade us good-bye. Mrs Crosland passed an hour during the afternoon here and at eight o’clk we dined at Sir John Harington’s. Thackeray and his daughter, Richmond the artist, the Russells, Mr Jones and ourselves were the only guests at dinner...

Saturday 26th To the Kensington Museum in the evening.

Sunday 27th Mr Bennett came to breakfast. He passed the entire morning, talking charmingly about books &c &c. I hardly know a more kindly generous nature than his.

Monday 28th Past at Windsor. The Crowes and Miss Whitwell accompanied and Mr Daville (whom we met at Mr Ward’s) obtained entrance for us.

Tuesday 29th Went to Dogmore End to the Reade’s. Charles and his nephew met us at the station and drove us about the whole day among most lovely country. He carried us to see a tiny church where some old crusaders are buried and bye and bye to Ipston [sic, for Ipsden] House where Charles was...