Diary of Annie Adams Fields

Wednesday the 30th really came before we were aware. During the morning we took a woodland walk and Mr Reade showed us huge beds of blue wild-flowers, far bluer and more plentiful than any I had seen elsewhere. We returned home laden with good wishes and hawthorne blossoms. We came in just in...

Thursday 31st Misses Cushman and Stebbins came to see us today and returned to dinner. How glad we were to find them once more. Went to the Opera & saw Grisi & Mario in Trovatore.

Friday June 1st Preparing for departure. Called at the Wards and had a delightful hour in the studio. Writing farewell notes far into the night.

Saturday June 2d It stormed and we were not able to go to Greenwich. A great disappointment all round. Mr Bennett came in to read his sonnets. Packing to be done. Dined at home.

Sunday 3d of June. At home all day. 9 friends we made together at dinner in our dismantled apartment—Miss Cushman and Miss S. Mr Bennoch and the Crowe party.

Monday 4th Left London at eleven o’clk. Mrs Effingham seemed really sorry and Eliza the maid did not hesitate to say “I do hope ma’am we shall have anybody ’alf so pleasant ma’am w’en you are gone.” Kind Mr Jones came in to say a few last words & bid us good-bye. There never was a...

Tuesday 5th Walked through the park, all over Sir Joseph Paxton’s hot houses, over Chatsworth and gardens returned to inn, lunched, took fly to Haddon Hall, pic-nic there in the banqueting hall—we enjoyed it as stealthy spectators—returned and drove 14 miles through exquisite country to...

Wednesday 6th Dull cold morning in York, notwithstanding the weather we attended Divine Service in the Cathedral and passed the larger half of the forenoon in and about the noble pile; about 2 P.M. we took the train for Kelso where we arrived upon the edge of evening and slept. Quaint old town...

Thursday 7th We feel ourselves truly now in the country Scott has made so famous. Fishers abound just now and help to give these picturesque streams a vitality of interest. Took the early train for Melrose. A heavy thunder-shower was falling and rendering our prospects for the day decidedly...

Friday 8th At the Waterloo Hotel with a glimpse of Arthur’s Seat and several fine monuments from the windows. Soon after 12 we started in an open carriage for Lasswade to see the De Quinceys. Miss Emily and Mrs Florence Smith were already expecting us as it seemed and the former ran quickly...

Saturday 9th Warm and pleasant. We strolled admiringly about the streets of Edinburgh never tiring of Castle hill with its green slopes or of the beautiful monuments. We called upon Sir John Watson Gordon the painter and companion of many great men. He was a relative of Sir Walter Scott and has...

Sunday 10th Went to Dr Guthrie’s church. Heard Dr Hannay preach about the literal fire which would surely bye and bye devour the world just as a spiritual fire devoured the souls of the wicked. Without being in the least conscious thereof the poor man launched himself into a sea of the dullest...

Monday 11th Left Edina for Stirling. Saw the castle and the seat upon the walls from which poor Queen Mary gazed down upon her forbidden domains. From thence to Callander and from Callander by stage in the midst of the pouring rain past the Brigg o’Turk to the Tros[s]ach’s Hotel to pass the...

Tuesday 12th Were disappointed to find it cold and blowing hard, not at all the weather for the lakes therefore we returned to Callander and went thence to Glasgow, saw the fine Cathedral and afterward on to Carlisle for the night. Raining still but the hotel is connected with the station and is...

Wednesday 13th Raining and cold. Went to Penrith thence by coach to Pooley through lovely country. Edenhall (where the goblet, called the Luck of Edenhall may still be seen) lay in our path also Lord Brougham’s place. From Pooley took the boat to steam the length of Ullswater to Patterdale. It...

Thursday 14th Quiet day in Liverpool. Received 42 letters for the two, answered the necessary ones. Took a long walk with J. and Una Hawthorne after dinner.

Friday. 15th Preparing for departure. Exactly a year from the day we left Liverpool for London we entered it again. I have hard work to believe we are really going home. The weather is still cold and stormy. Today we dine with Mrs Warren at Grove Park. Hawthorne is here, looking a melancholy...

Saturday 16th Left good Mrs Blodgets at ½ past 7 for the steamer. As were we bidding old England and our friends good-bye (nor was this done with a strange mixture of regrets and longings) I saw Mrs Stowe and her family on the boat. They were looking sad but I could not have divined what Hattie...

Sunday 17th Came to Queenstown. The weather has been perfect thus far. The day was so pleasant we were tempted to go ashore. The Hawthornes went with us and hiring two jaunting cars as soon as we left the steamer we took a delicious drive round the island gathering flowers as we went.

Monday 18th Fairly under weigh [sic], weather clear. We are both feeling slightly uncomfortable. Jamie suffers from dyspepsia abominably as usual.

Tuesday 19th We make only 9 and ½ knots an hour thus far.

Wednesday 20th Our evenings are delightful. We read all day fearing to bore one another too much but in the evening while the sun is setting, Mrs Hawthorne and I have had delicious long talks cheating the hours of their fancied power. The twilights are very long. We can almost read at eleven...

Thursday 21st Still fine, with head winds.

Friday 22d Wind more favorable. We make 11 knots.

Saturday 23d See something of Mrs Stowe and learn to love her.