Diary of Annie Adams Fields

August 6. Manchester. Wonderfully beautiful weather.

August 9. Marvellous moonrise over the sea. In the evening Jamie read us Brownell’s great poem marking him forever to be remembered “Abraham Lincoln.”

August 10. Carried Mr Griggs of Chicago over this exquisite spot. He told us wonderful tales of his great city. He himself started with $2800 from the little village of Hamilton N.Y. & is now one of the largest dispensing agents for books in the world.

Sunday August 13. One of the perfected days. Dana woods.

Monday August 14. Jamie dined yesterday in town with Bayard Taylor & his wife and came back to us at night like one who had traveled in far countries he was so laden with new pictures. B.T. in the last 5 years has printed [deleted number] vols, lectured 360 times, been twice to Europe,...

August 21. The first rain-storm since the fifteenth of July. East wind—the sea looking like a man in grey robes.

August 22. Seraphic morning.

August 26. Went to “Rafe’s Crack.”

August 27. Sunday. Mild, clouded, barberries & rose-berries, read.

August 31. Forceythe Willson passed the day and gave me a poem as he departed, saying “it is not possible to well express one’s gratitude for pleasure received fitly in speech but the artist could give his picture, the poet his poem & the rhymer his rhymes and so I give you mine” “L’...

Friday. Excessive heat and hot still mist like a dream over everything. Jamie suffered much in town.

Saturday warm & Sunday. Jamie recalled at table much to Mr George Bartol’s amusement the old story of Mr Stetson of Medford, who when Theodore Parker asked him about his circumstances replied that at present I am in a state of impecuniosity chronic and progressive.

Monday Sep 4. Jamie’s first day at his new store. The papers blew a loud trumpet about it and about him.

Tuesday. Dr & Mrs Hedge passed the day. Mrs Hedge said she overheard Mr Emerson speak at a political meeting in Cambridgeport against Daniel Webster. He was hissed and as he stood before the angry crowd unable to proceed she could think of nothing but dogs baying at the moon. He was as serene as...

Wednesday September 6. Rain at length and excessive heat. Mr Emerson went to see Mr Fields. “There are fine lines in Lowell’s Ode” he said. Yes answered J.T.F. it is a fine poem. I have found fine lines in it replied the seer. I told Lowell once he continued that his humorous poems gave me...

Sepr 7. Prof. Nichol of Glasgow brought a letter of introduction. His [sic] is professor of English Literature in the university of that city and the son of a distinguished man. He has sympathized with our Cause through the whole war. He seems thoroughly conversant with American literature and...

Sep. 8. Richard H. Dana called to see J.T.F. who recalled to his memory an interview he Mr Dana had years ago unwittingly with John Brown and asked him to write it out for the “Atlantic.” He seems pleased with the idea and says he will do so. (It was in the woods in Vermont where he was...

Sep 9. Jamie had occasion to go to Prof. Ticknor’s house today and while there the Professor told him he should be happy to allow him to have his portrait of Sir Walter Scott by Leslie, photographed if we desired it—of course it is a great privilege and it will be done immediately. Sir...

Sepr 11th Dr Hedge came in early with a letter & expressing much sorrow. Things are sure to come straight.

Sepr 13. Cool & fair—still no rain, fruit destroyed by drought. Little baby in the next house, buried.

Sepr 15. Weather still excessively warm and dry. Returned to town.

Saturday Sepr 16. Henry James came to see Jamie. He has not reviewed Montalembert’s pamphlet as he said he would do being a friend,—does not like it well enough to say anything about it. Was disappointed because we disliked his son’s story. The young man will re-write the conclusion.

Sep 18. Kate Dewey & Una Hawthorne have been to see me both young women of exquisite sensibility and pure sentiment for life and high aspiration—but the devout energy is wanting! They do nothing—cannot even keep their spirits alive for lack of energy—poor children.

Sep 20. Weather exquisite—the after summer.

Sep. 21. Sumner came in. J. is always entertained by his lack of humorous perception.