Diary of Annie Adams Fields

Monday October 4th London. I have left this poor little book too long and now can hardly remember to put down what I should most like—the best and highest are always most difficult to grasp if not to hold.

London. October 5. Saw Robertson’s play of School last night; one of the prettiest things ever put upon the stage. We were all charmed but when I saw the theatre so crammed with an admiring audience and remembered what an old play it already was having been running I should say a year or two...

Wednesday. At Crystal Palace and Dulwich.

Thursday Evening. Dined at Mr. Motley’s. He gave us a description of D’Israeli. They were visiting together last week at the same country house. He fails in one quality seldom lacking in the English gentleman. He is not simpatico. With the strongest desire to be kind & amiable he does not...

Friday. Kew & Richmond Park with dear Laura and her family.

Saturday. Went to Gad’s Hill. Mr. Dickens met us at the station (Charing Cross) changing the very aspect of the day as Jamie said afterward beautiful as that was, by the brightness of his presence. So cheery and kindly. We saw him first looking about for us. “Have you forgotten to speak...

Sunday morning—a soft white haze and the yellow sun burning through. The birds were singing and everything was beautiful and calm. Mamie & Miss Hogarth went to church, Jamie & I to our room, Mr. Dickens to his study. After an hour he sent Jamie a queer little note inviting him to go down to...

The next day Mr. Dickens came about noon to go with us to see John Forster (author of the Life of Goldsmith) and to see his library. We walked up through the Park, slowly moving among sunshine & green leaves. The day was perfect and we were all three happy I think. I am sure we were, to be so...

Friday up very early having slept but little, our whole thoughts absorbed in the farewell which was yet to come. Found C.D. at the station where we walked and talked until the last. He in his cheery way making us look at and think of other things until the signal came. A crowd had collected to...

Saturday morning a glorious one in Liverpool. Got off by eight oclock and before night were wretched enough all of us, dear Mabel first and worst.

Wednesday. Clear lovely weather, everybody but ourselves on deck. We do not know how to be sufficiently thankful for this. The ship is so overcrowded it is impossible to find shelter in the cabins if the weather be bad.

Sunday October 24. Bowling along most wonderfully. Mr. Parker has a philosophic turn of mind, pretends even to like sea-life and what with his really agreeable Society and a perfect day yesterday and the sight of land like a gleam of the future before us we have been really thankful and happy.

Sunday. Nover 7th Cold autumn weather glorious, home like, inspiring. Walked to Roxbury to church.

Sunday Nov 14th Tomorrow is the anniversary of our wedding day—15 years!!

Sunday. 27 [sic]. A crisis in public affairs! What will be the result of the proposed return to Specie payments! Of course no one can predict but every business man must be anxious.

Monday. Louisa etc. dined here.

Wednesday, a lunch party for English friends of Sam. Ward & Dana. Went to Mr. Longfellows. Thursday and Friday he came here, a quiet sit-down with him by the fire. He looked like a god, but he is very absent much of the time and talk doesn’t flow with him. I am frequently reminded of what dear...

December 7th Jamie very sad—he is too too young for this—but

Dec. 16. Celia Thaxter passed the mid day full of “sweetness and light” a much abused expression but most true in all simplicity it applied to her. She has had an experience at her island this year. A girl in consumption was brought there by her parents in the month of March, that month...

Dec. 26. Sunday. Yesterday (Christmas) appears already far behind. Time moves so swiftly with us away from anniversaries. Sad to come and swift to go! yet so much can be done to make Christmas beautiful to others that it can never be wholly sad to any one who can command the smallest power of...

Monday 27th—a call from Mr. Emerson. He talked of Lowell’s “joyous genius.” He said “when I saw the extracts from his new poem in the Advertiser I said no, no! He must not do this! But I have read what he has done, with great interest and am sorry I have been so slow as not to have...

Last day of this year. Mother and Sarah here—Jamie ill yesterday, out today—Childrens party (small).

Jany. 12. During Mother’s & Sarah’s visit here the latter told me an odd incident with regard to one of the small hospitals for children. The large number of them are at once adopted but occasionally one comes too deformed or homely to hope for such good fortune. A short time since a child...

Tuesday Jany 18. Attended yesterday a meeting of what is called the Radical Club.

Monday. Jany 31st. Lucy Larcom dined here and we talked of Suffrage, benevolent schemes etc.