Diary of Annie Adams Fields

Tuesday hearing mother say last night she could only stay until tomorrow, I jumped up early and told my servants they must stay till Wednesday, then gathered my thoughts together for the day. After a little business in the morning we all four separated until afternoon when we expected Louisa &...

Wednesday. Went to help L. unpack. They have brought so many dry goods that their journey seems to have been chiefly a shopping excursion except for Switzerland and the tower of London. But they have done, according to their insight, well.

Thursday. A perfect day of sunshine & gold October. J. & I were both almost ill with severe colds. Two new servants—stayed at home house-keeping.

Friday. Easterly rain—at home housekeeping—and writing up this for a week.

Sunday October 19th [sic]. These ten active days have slipped by and I have scarcely taken a pen in my hands. In the meantime I have been obliged to send off my waitress who proved dull-witted and incompetent, though clean & a girl of excellent intentions wh. made it rather a sad thing to be...

Wednesday Oct. 23. We have had almost July warmth and exceeding beauty of foliage until today when the wind has gone north and the skies are brilliant and cold.

October 29. A grand easterly rain—for a wonder. I have had no walk today but have finished the Life of Josiah Quincy instead, more than a compensation. It is a book every patriot must delight to read.

November 1st Governor Andrew is dead! Perhaps after the death of President Lincoln the loss of no one man will be so deeply deplored as that of Mr Andrew. To us as neighbors the loss is double for he failed in none of the hospitalities of daily life. He was benevolent and accessible always and...

November 2d The funeral of this great good man! I met Horatio Woodman on my way home yesterday who has been the person to arrange everything for the suffering family. He told me he was coming at Mrs Andrew’s request to say we were expected at the house at ten minutes before eleven today. We...

Monday Nov. 4. Great meeting of merchants to consolidate the fund as a memorial of Gov. Andrew. J. put down one thousand dollars at once for Ticknor & Fields. It was an eloquent and deeply enthousiastic occasion. The hearts of men burned within them.

Friday Nov. 8th Tuesday went to Cambridge with Prof. & Mrs Stowe. Saw the Industrial School for Freed-people getting on famously under Miss Lowell’s indefatigable care—returning home Dr Holmes made us a call & Lord & Lady Amberley. Mrs Stowe tried to tell Dr Holmes about his story the...

Sunday. Mr Dickens probably left England yesterday and the excitement with regard to his readings rises on this side of the water.

Nov. 14th Winter has set in—night before last Una Hawthorne, who has been passing 3 or 4 days here and I went to see Ristori in Marie Antoinette. It was a bit of realism too terrible for endurance. I was seized with a convulsive weeping at the horrible suffering of the unhappy family of Louis...

November 15th Our wedding Day. Jamie gave me the French Academy dictionary wh. I wanted. Dr Hayes breakfasted with us.

Nov. 18. I look at this meager journal with dismay. The days pass and the few facts, often the most unimportant, are all that I find time to jot down. If I only had the strength to be up very very early as I can do in the country but the candle resists being burned at both ends.

Nov. 19. Mr Dickens reached Boston yesterday. J.T.F. went down the harbor to meet him. He was in grand health & spirits; the sight was lustrous and impressed him by the sublime clean[n]ess & beauty.

Thursday Nov. 21st Mr Dickens dined here. Agassiz, Emerson, Judge Hoar, Prof. Holmes, Norton, Greene, dear Longfellow, last not least, came to welcome him. Dickens sat on my right, Agassiz at my left. I never saw Agassiz so full of fun. He happened to remember in the course of the dinner a...

Sunday Nov. 24. Went to the School Ship in the afternoon with Mr Dickens & party. Judge Russell spoke to the children and told them the story of the Paradise & the Peri in good simple prose and with such earnestness that I could not help thinking his version might do more good than the poem has...

Wednesday Nov. 27. What a pity that these days have flown while I have been unable to make any record of them. J. has been to walk each day with Dickens, and has come home full of wonderful things he has said. His variety is so inexhaustible that one can only listen in wonder.

Thursday 28th Thanksgiving Day. J. took Dickens to see the Aldrich’s house. He was very much amused by what he saw there and has written out a full account to his daughter Mrs Collins. He appears often troubled by the lack of energy his children show and has even allowed J. to see how deep his...

Friday Nov. 29. J. dined with Mr Dickens & they sat at table together 4 hours alone. At times the tide of laughter ran so high they could only lay their heads down & laugh it out. J. drew his picture of Scarlett the chimney-sweep and Dickens in his turn gave Old Rogers to the life & Lady...

Saturday. Georgie Fields was buried at Mt. Auburn. We drove for Dr. Peabody and he returned with us also. It is J.’s evening at the Saturday Club. His guests are old Mr Dana, Mr Dickens, Mr Bigelow & I believe Governor Musgrave. He has never stayed so late before—the dinner begins at ½ past...

Sunday Clarence Cook—reporter for Tribune on Mr Dickens’ first appearance—came to breakfast. I left early as usual to arrange the flowers at church—found the air brisk and clear full of electricity & took a long walk.

Monday night—the first great reading! How we listened till we seemed turned into one eye-ball! How we all loved him! How we longed to tell him all kinds of confidences. How Jamie & he did hug in the anti-room afterward! What a teacher he seemed to us of humanity as he read out his own words...

Tuesday came Miss Dodge & Mrs Hawthorne, Julian & Rose—the reading was quite as remarkable tho’ more quiet than that of the night before. As usual we went to speak to him at his request after it was over. Found him in the best of spirits but very tired. “You can’t think,” he said,...