Diary of Annie Adams Fields

Thursday July 7th Writing letters in the morning. P.J. Bailey came to lunch. He needs the money and would like to come to America but is too modest. Glorious forehead and head that man has, finer than art could show. He is full of learning and what is far better full of wisdom. He is a student...

Friday. Prepared letters for the steamer and answered notes of invitation during the morning. George Russell came in much disappointed to say that Thackeray was ill and Jones obliged to go away with his mother so we should make a very quiet party of 4 at Richmond. I was truly sorry for the cause...

We passed the night in Richmond most delightfully and breakfasted looking again over that unrivalled valley. Early we took a fly and drove past Pope’s Villa (such architecture) to Strawberry Hill and on again through the great chestnut trees of Bushy Park to Hampton Court. Here we passed...

Sunday July 10th In Cambridge. We passed the day quietly just as we both like best with the good Macmillans. I hardly ever knew a better family. The very union of two families each of 4 children under 8 years of age is at once a proof of self-government in the rulers. The two brothers were...

Monday. Warm and clear. Began early to look about the colleges and grounds. We were promised a slip from Milton’s mulberry tree under which we sat enjoying always in our rambles the pleasant under current of talk by our friends. The most interesting thing we saw today was the mask of Milton at...

Left the kind Macmillans early Tuesday morning overwhelmed with the kindest hospitalities. We shall not soon forget the Christian spirit which pervades that house-hold. Great self-government in the rulers of it being the root of order and comfort for the whole. Tennyson’s new poem arrived just...

Wednesday July 13th Mr Field Talfourd breakfasted with us and brought two photographs of his pictures of Mr & Mrs Browning. They seemed to me wonderful. It pleased the artist to think I liked them and he gave them to us. Jamie gave him a letter to Mc’Clure hoping he may like to carry them to...

Thursday July 14th Took a fly at 10 a.m. and drove 16 miles between perpetual hedges to Plumbly’s Hotel where we had already engaged rooms. The drive was delicious, cool and beautiful we were both so happy feeling the cup of life and love brimmed--

Friday July 15th At Tennyson’s. Ill in the morning Mrs Tennyson sent breakfast to me and Jamie went for a walk. The children came to ask a morning kiss, Hallam and Lionel, and I sat writing in my room. Presently Mrs Tennyson came so kindly and warmly to ask what she could send me, she had had...

Saturday morning. We both arose well to find another lovely day breezy and cool to hear the birds chirping about the window and the rose tapping on the pane. We were down stairs before 9 o’clock hoping we might arrive in season for service which Jamie had heard her read the day before. She was...

Sunday the 17th Went to the little church below the hotel. Walked towards evening into the tiny chapel where Dr Adams the author of the Shadow of the Cross &c. used to preach. The grave-yard is singularly impressive, so quiet here, so flowery, yet on the very borders of the deep blue sea where...

Monday 18th Wrote letters—clambered over the pretty garden walks built on the steep cliff side above the hotel, and drove to Ventnor in the afternoon. Such repose, and beauty, and health as we enjoy here is indescribable.

Tuesday the 19th Took a delicious ramble on the sea-shore to see the land-slips. Noticed the peculiar formation of the rocks upon the shore and remembered that Tennyson said the geology of the island was inexhaustible in interest. The shore is strewn with stones resembling the bones of the dead...

Wednesday 20th of July. Roved over the cliff side gathering wild flowers, always surprised by their delicious fragrance in which they much surpass ours and talking still of Tennyson. We read a little from Ruskin’s delightful new book “The Two Poets” sitting on the cliff side. Yesterday Mr...

Thursday 21st Called upon good Mr Peel. Such a tasteful house! And such a garden! We had a nice chat about the plants, English life &c. Reaching home for an early dinner we started for Blackgang Chine at 3 P.M. It is quite impossible to describe the loveliness we saw. A showery sky only made the...

Friday 22d Received a note from Dr Mackay in which he urged us to drive to Gad’s Hill saying, “it is the prettiest village in England & if you go you will bless me for the hint.” So at once we started though it was a warm day. The Dr was right, we wandered about the old church, studying...

Saturday 23d Packed and at 12 started in a comfortable carriage for Ryde. The drive was superb. The finest trees hedges and atmosphere in the world almost, with the sea thrown in. Think of it! Yes, we shall, but we cannot describe it or him as Tennyson would say. The myrtles of Mr Southouse were...

Sunday 24th Walked early to the shrine. It is truly worth coming any distance to see but having come I would say to all lovers of architecture stay; stay before it at least until the beauty of the whole flashes over, and floods the soul with light, for it can do all this and more, it gives both...

Monday. 25th Saw the Cathedral again. They are restoring the Chapter House but it is almost more lovely in its decay could it be preserved. We are never tired of the sight and the wondrous suggestiveness of the whole, nor its peaceful beauty but the hour sounds,—it is almost a knell when we...

Tuesday 26th Fortified by a good night’s rest at the Beaufort Arms we drove early to Tintern Abbey. We passed the morning there lingering over its beauties that they should grow ineffaceably into our hearts. The old man gave me some Ivy roots to take home. In the afternoon came to “the...

Wednesday 27th Went to Lord Northwick’s to see the pictures he collected which are selling every day at auction. Alas! Alas! Such a picture as we saw by David! I can never forget it. Surely it is one of the finest we ever saw. The blind Belisarius at the gates of Carthage begging. This is the...

Thursday 28th Capt. Robertson came in early. The most lovely and remarkable old gentleman we have ever known. We are strangely drawn to him at once because the simplicity of childhood has returned with his years, if he ever lost it. We drove to see the 7 sources of the Thames. Captain bottled...

Friday 29th Mr Dobell sent yesterday to ask us to join an expedition to Bird-lip. As we were engaged we said we would drive out and pass today.

Saturday 30th Morning cool and refreshing as English mornings so often are after a shower. Went with Jamie and Mr Dobell to Sudeley Castle, built before the time of Henry the VIIIth I was only too sorry to leave Mrs Dobell at home but she was so cheerful about it, it was hard to realize her many...

Sunday 31st Lovely day. Drove to Stratford before church. All the way we talked of Shakspeare and thought of nothing else during the day or night. We stood over the tomb, studied the bust and read his sonnets to each other all the evening.