Diary of Annie Adams Fields

Tuesday. A perfect autumn day. We can’t escape the fact; it is autumn again. Next month Dickens begins to read again. Gay the artist went to Norman’s Woe with us where we passed nearly the whole day. Such a marvellous surging sea I had never before seen there. It was Divine Power evidenced...

Wednesday. Rain. Went to Swampscot to dine with Charlotte Cushman and Emma Stebbins. Waves high, cleared at night.

Thursday cold very—frost,—passed in town, found cook, chambermaid, saw Mrs Bartol, the Dr. having just sailed. Two boys born to Aldrich.

Sunday. September 20th Tomorrow we leave. Eight weeks have gone in perfect health and enjoyment! Can we be sufficiently grateful.

Monday, home, housekeeping.

Tuesday out of door business—without stopping either, day until night.

Wednesday rain—passed in doors with curtains & vanities. A few days of this industriously followed and I shall see order break at length—then for books and avocations.

Friday. Rain all the week. Grateful to be at home; for the little house was to be ordered, so the sooner the better. Busy teaching new maids. No exciting events. Jamie and I had one bohemian evening of wandering and came home singing Shakspear’s song “Fear no more the heat of the sun” all...

Sunday rained all day—we happily at home until evening reading a new story by T.W. Higginson, a tale of distinguished merit called “Malbone”—at night went to Louisa’s. Ole Bull & Alexander came in the evening.

Monday weather clearing. Seamstress a failure & going. Miss Brown dressmaker here—cook’s sister sick and she gone out of town—furnace tried for the first time and smells—boiler smokes. Ann washing and Sarah at her post.

Tuesday out, from eleven until 4—walking and driving. Such fatal busy idleness it seems when I turn to my books; and yet what a happy thing it is to share the toils and perils of humanity—to know something of their ills and occupations.

Thursday. Took tea at the William Greene’s last night. Saw their two wonderful cats Elizabeth Barrett & H.B. Stowe. Unhappily W.G. being a Seymour advocate was suddenly called away to make a speech. How sorrowful that disappointment should so coax a man away from the right—and this a Colonel...

Thursday. Oct 7 [sic]. A week gone. Where?

Thursday Oct 15. Leslie Stephen and his darling wife have finished their journey and departed. Today we fulfilled a long standing promise to dine with Mrs Silsbee in Milton.

Oct 17th. Snow storm—and bright cold sunset.

Oct 19. The weeks spin away so fast I have no time for records and yet last Sunday & Monday we had two pleasant parties, especially Monday after Mr. Emerson’s first lecture. We were 14 at supper—Mrs Putnam and Miss Oakey among the guests, but the Emersons who are always pleased and always...

Oct. 20. Last night Mr Emerson gave his second lecture. It was full of touches of light which dropped from him to us, his listeners, and made us burn as with a kind of sudden inspiration of truth. He was beautiful both to hear & see. He spoke of Poetry and Criticism.

Thursday Oct 22d Getting occupied day by day in apathy which I mean to come out of it as soon as possible. Dentist & market and dresses—and so runs the day away—but I will come out of it—soon too. “Keep these cares without thee” God help me. Took gas made from ammonia and knew nothing...

Saturday. We have had dark cold weather but today is bright and wintry. Reading Burns. J. says I shall never do a better thing than the Ode on the Organ. It will certainly depend upon circumstances what I may do but I feel I can do something far more sustained and as truly lyrical—but not...

Tuesday Oct. 27. Jamie has had quite an interesting day. Dr. Bellows of New York was waiting to see him when he went to his office this morning. He is proposed as President of Harvard University and wanted to sound about the subject—said there would be little reason for his taking the...

October 28. Yesterday Jamie had a terrible day—for five mortal hours confronting a man found in adultery—the cause of ruin to two women besides the wreck of his wife’s happiness & that of his mother. The vanity and shallowness of the man’s character came out startlingly & after the long...

Octer 29th Ticknor & Fields no longer exists. “Fields, Osgood and Co.” is the firm, and most unfamiliar does it sound to the ears of the public who for so many years have seen the above imprint. Jamie has been deeply excited by the events of the passed few days—during which for 6, 8, & 10...

November 2d & 3d Last night Mr. Emerson’s 4th letter [sic, for lecture] was on the Doctrine of Leasts & Mosts one of the wittiest and most closely packed discourses ever listened to; profoundly bent upon hearing every word, it was one of the most agreeable of audiences, a picked multitude, if...

Nov. 4th Just heard of the Election. Our country is saved! Let us be grateful!

Saturday Nov. 7th Mr. Whittier breakfasted here today. He told us an interesting incident connected with his younger days, when he, and Mr Staunton (I think he said Henry M.) were travelling in Pennsylvania and helping a good many slaves, as well as speaking to the people. At last they ran...