Diary of Annie Adams Fields

Sunday 24th Mrs Stowe came to talk with me this afternoon and show me some of her treasures. She is full of kindness and seems striving continually for the highest. She is a strong thinker and a brave woman.

Monday 25. Lovely weather. Made Cape Race last night. How near home does seem.

Tuesday 26th The water has been beyond conception blue and beautiful during our trip. I could sit hours looking out upon it. I do think the worst part of the voyage is there is no private place in which to hide oneself and forget ones discomforts in concentrated thought upon some thing or other....

Arrived at our dear home Thursday morning June 28th after a passage of great beauty and little discomfort and after a journey full of the highest luxury and innumerable blessings. How unspeakably happy we were to return to it and how blessed in every way. The house was looking prettier than ever...

July 26. 1863. In this warm summer weather one would think all things might rest or gently wave themselves like the boughs up and down to feel the newly arisen breezes. Yet what an active season of literary labor it often proves. Yesterday Mr F. brought home an article just completed by Henry...

July 27. I have left Mr F. to look over an article the last of the series called “The Sam. Adams Regiment in Boston” (he fears there may be poison lurking in it because the author is a fierce democrat) while I enjoy myself privately in jotting down the strange things which have occurred...

July 28th George William Curtis has done at least one great good work. He has by a gentle but continuously brave pressure transformed the Harper’s Weekly which was semi-Secession into an anti-slavery and Republican journal. The last issue is covered with pictures as well as words which tend to...

July 31st Mr F. has been much occupied with an article upon De Quincey written with great ability, in which De Q. is called more erudite than Dr Johnson. This he thinks it will scarcely do to say although doubtless De Q. was acquainted with many things entirely unknown to Dr Johnson. The article...

August 2. An article upon “Roebuck” has just been received from an English gentleman Mr Austin travelling in this country. It is sharp and clever but Mr F has touched it up finely and made it much more pungent striking out the commonplace. I love England too well not to be thankful for the...

August 3. Yesterday we drove out in the afternoon hoping to find the house of Mr Kirke in Dorchester. This gentleman was formerly secretary to Mr Prescott and Thackeray said of him one day to J.T.F. “he is a devilish sight more clever than Prescott ever was.” He was indispensable to Mr...

August 4. James Murdock the actor called to see Mr F. he says he is occupied constantly in public speaking in Ohio. Vallandigham, whom he thinks very able, will begin next week to “stump” that state. Mr Murdock has pitted himself against the traitor. If it requires all the goodly fortune he...

August 5. Received Mrs Frémont’s card saying she is happy to sign herself our friend and fellow citizen. She has taken a cottage at Nahant. We shall miss seeing her, being ourselves on the way to Pigeon Cove. Have made a parting call upon Mr George Sumner who appears better. He is at the...

August 6. The public thanksgiving appointed by the president. We seized the occasion of the holiday to install ourselves in our accustomed summer home at Pigeon Cove. We found the little place as quiet as usual. Mr and Mrs Bartol and daughter and Miss Mary and niece chiefly constituting the...

August 7. Who should join us in a wood-land walk this morning but Mr Franklin Pierce formerly President of these United States. It seems he has taken rooms near us and I can’t help seeing how difficult it is for good Unionists to have any fellowship with this man whom they must regard as a...

August 14. Macmillan’s magazine has arrived with one half page by Carlyle upon American affairs. A silly squib which he belittles the American Iliad. Mr Bartol wishes Mr Emerson to condemn his friend publicly and has just written to ask him to do something of the kind. Mr F. has written an...

August 15. Yesterday James F. Clarke dined with us. We had much fun at table over an article recently published in the North American Review and written by the Rev. Alger entitled “Titan” a critique or laudation of Richter. The author uses the epithets “sky-kicking-mirth” “resilient...

September 1. A cold storm shut in the horizon at Pigeon Cove but Mr F. arrived at night saying he had passed an afternoon of exquisite pleasure. Mr Longfellow, Mr J.S. Dwight, Mr Paine (the organist) and himself went to hear Walcker touch the new organ for the first time since its erection here....

Sep. 12. Charles Sumner has just delivered his superb oration upon our foreign relations and now while his fame is on every body’s lips death looks in upon his brother. J.T.F. passed last evening at George Sumner’s bedside. He does not speak of his death, makes plans for life rather and...

Sep 14. Drove out in the afternoon and met Professor Holmes with his wife and son who were on their way to their old family place in Cambridge. They asked us to go there with them; it was only a few steps from where we were. At once the Professor went to the low side door and knocked with a fine...

Saturday. Sep. 19. 1863. We had asked to an early dinner at three o’clock Mr Longfellow, Mr Greene who is passing a few days with his friend in order to be with George Sumner oftener (now very low at the Mass. Gen. Hospital), Mr Charles Sumner and Mr Dempster the singer. They were to attempt...

The Sunday morning following after a wakeful night because of the vision of our suffering friend which would not be put to sleep, we walked to Roxbury and heard Dr Putnam upon “Contentment.” The discourse was less inspiring than usual but not without beautiful points. “We can be compressed...

September. 1863. This autumn J.T.F. will publish one of the most attractive list of books it has ever been his good fortune to bring together. Browning, Tennyson, Richter, Hawthorne, Ticknor, these names alone fill the ear with pleasure and quicken the desire. Nor must Longfellow be forgotten...

Sep. 23. Received a visit at Newport from Henry James. Genial and polite. His son was badly wounded in two places at Gettysburg. He spoke of the reviews of his book among other topics. Who wrote the review in the Examiner asked Mr F. “Oh! that was merely Freeman Clarke” he replied; “he is...

Sep. 25. Emerson says Hawthorne’s book is “pellucid but not deep.” He has cut out the dedication & letter, as have others done.

Saturday Evening. Charlotte Cushman played “Lady Macbeth” for the benefit of the Sanitary Commission to a large audience. Her reading of the letter when she first appears is one of her finest points. She moves her feet execrably and succeeds in developing all the devilish nature in the part...