Diary of Annie Adams Fields

July 2d The days wear on without incident.

July 3d Very very warm. The morning was dewy clear and of Seraphic beauty. We read (see Byron and common sense) Milton before breakfast, that passage where Virtue is called upon as light in herself to guide the sweet lost maiden.

July 4th Hot, hot, at the Willey Farm still. The trees stand motionless, while grass and clover grow apace. We have had unrivalled cloud scenery. J. could do nothing yesterday afternoon but watch the sky.

Sunday at Plymouth with cool breezes flowing. What a refreshing change. The heat of yesterday and of the three days past will be long remembered. People have been very warm here. Thermometer ranging from 90 to 100 degrees in the shade.

Monday. Left Plymouth, went by train to Meredith Village, drove 4 miles to Centre Harbor—delicious drive—passed the morning in the bay reading Thackeray’s letters, dined there, took boat for Alton bay and train to Portland, arriving at 9 o’clock. At supper we met Henry James, en route...

Tuesday walked about Portland and read in Elsie Venner with some amusement Dr. Holmes prophecy regarding this city when it should have a modern hotel. Left by train in the afternoon for Rye Beach the weather proving unsuitable for Mt. Desert.

Wednesday morning. Rose early for breakfast at 7—dinner at 12, tea at ½ past 5. Then dear J. said “Come to the barn.” I went, but the air was so cool and fragrant and we were seduced into a walk of 2 hours & a half further.

Thursday. Louisa & the children arrived—the mist was silvery white, little rain.

Friday. Real sea shore weather. We sit all day in sound of the sea, among the voices of the birds and bees and all country things. How refreshing to the spirit and the flesh the lovely place is. We are alone in our little cottage which seems to have grown up by the roadside like the roses which...

Saturday. Mother & Sarah arrived, weather warm.

Sunday. Heat excessive—passed under trees.

Monday. How the days fade! We return home on Wednesday D.V.

Thursday July 16th We did return home yesterday and here we are. The heat of yesterday was the greatest in my experience. The thermometer seldom exceeds º100 anywhere and as much as º110 in some situations in the shade. We left Rye at five oclock and then we caught a fresh breeze from the sea...

Friday. Last Evening Dr. Holmes came in fresh from the Phi Beta dinner at Cambridge. He said he could not “stay a minute, Mrs. Holmes was alone and he noticed she looked a good deal pulled down by the heat; beside, Motley dined with us yesterday—Mrs Holmes feels the heat very much, it...

Saturday morning July 18th We drove yesterday afternoon out of town, in dust, deep and fine as flour well heaped upon a bread board to see Mrs Baker who has lately returned from a two years stay in Europe. Dear H.S. was there with her and the place wore the same sunshiny look as of old. The wide...

Sunday. Heat,—but the water washes on the stones at the end of the lawn, the bells chime and ring sweetly in the soft air, & the day is full of calm.

July 21. We live with Dickens for days after his long letters come for he succeeds in telling more of himself (when he tries and less when he descries it) than anybody I ever knew of. He is in difficulties for his son “Charley.”

July 23. Already we turn towards the sea & shore. Yet these days at home with books & work are most delightful. The country is politically agitated & we are disgusted to find Anthony Trollope putting his finger into the pie of our affairs, democratically. Surely some evil genius possesses that...

July 24. Been re-reading Charlotte Bronte’s life. How inexpressibly dark the way was for her poor child! And yet the light of the Spirit, in her, was great. We must thank God for that as she did.

July 25. Weather muggy and unattractive in town. Hoped to go to the sea-side but it rained heavily & was J.’s Club day.

Sunday. Weather exquisite—low soft mist over the river. J. who hates tobacco bitterly was so be-smoked yesterday at the Club as to get a “good imitation of” a headache and was obliged to retire early after his return. It was a pleasant meeting about 16 members present. Motley, Parkman,...

Monday July 27. Drove into the country yesterday after church, finishing C.B.’s life, & a visit from Howells.

Wednesday. Went to Manchester today. We met Mr. & Mrs. Fenn in the cars in search of us,—they have been with us two or three days, living out of doors, sketching, reading & enjoying.

Thursday 30th. At length the long drought has ended, and we prepare for rain—then, may be, after ward we shall have those long long days of beauty which belong to this world of ours during the next few months and yet these too have been lovely but the others are of unspeakable beauty and we...