Diary of Annie Adams Fields

Tuesday. Col. W.B. Greene & his family took tea with us. He has organised a Society of Working Women. Mrs Julia Ward Howe came before them like a whirlwind the other night declaring she had been spoken of disrespectfully there, bringing her little narrow personality with a meeting occupied with...

Wednesday. Feby 2. Longfellow, Holmes & Bayard Taylor dined here. They all talked easily and pleasantly and as if they were at home. Mr. Longfellow put all round the idea that the English from the insularity of their temperaments were incapable of making a perfect translation. Americans, French...

February 7th Saw Mrs Diaz—a grown woman with the ways of a child and the heart of a child & the mind of a child. I mean in the best sense for she has also put away childish things but the perfect simplicity, not knowing itself is beautiful as it is rare.

February 24. Mr. Beecher called here early this morning. He had much to say about the blissful gift of temperament and how more and more heaven meant rest to us: life in thought, but above all rest.

Friday 25. Mr. Fechter came to lunch with Mr. Longfellow, Mr. Appleton, Mr & Mrs Dorr. He talked freely about his Hamlet, so different from all other impersonations. His audience here he finds wonderfully good, better than any other, fine points which have never been applauded before bring out a...

Saturday March 5th—A dull snowy day. What with the weather and the fact that everybody I know -- almost, has gone to the theatre to see Fechter this afternoon. I have been left to take comfort in my books which is delightful after such a busy week. One day at the soldiers fair, one day at a...

March 10. Interrupted below. Mrs Diaz & Lucy Larcom came to see us last week otherwise we have been without company and we have been but indifferent society for each other. I have found a good deal of occupation out of the house, but when I read in Pepys’ that at the age of 27 when he must...

March 30th Last week was one of much company. A dinner Wednesday Evening. Genl Quincy, E.E. Hale, E.P. Whipple, the Justin McCarthys (4). I had asked also Mr. Godkin of N.Y. & the Rockwells & Mr. & Mrs Josiah Quincy. The latter had a family dinner of their own that day, the former were engaged....

Sunday April 10. Spring is here again and we near the anniversary of our departure for England last year—now—now—life somehow has changed.

Monday April 18. Mr. Longfellow came to dine again this week with Profr Greene. Mabel was here also. Longfellow talked a great deal. He said he sent all his early pieces to a Cambridge editor whose only payment was sending the newspaper he edited for three years. Afterward he sent his poems to...

Sunday 24. Miss E.C. Putnam & her brother, Amelia H., Mabel, Miss Boott, Mr. Gay, were here at tea.

Friday April 28 [sic]. Mr. Longfellow's account of Jules Janin during his last visit was very curious and interesting. He has grown excessively fat so he could scarcely move and did not rise from his chair when L. entered but simply motioned him instead to a seat by his side. Talking of Victor...

May 12. We have had a long rain with east wind—so like the weather in London at this time last year that every scene, every look, every touch of that wonderful time seemed to be freshly unveiled to us. We have the grass freshly mown too in our little “pelouse” and early blossoms...

May 23. Went to Howells’ lecture on the Italian poets (modern) and to a festival in memory of Margaret Fuller at the Woman’s Club. It was touching to hear the friends bringing their testimonies of love and friendship together after so many years. James Freeman Clarke, Dr Hedge, Mr....

May 24. Georgie Lightly, my little English waif, was taken to his new home in St. Johns. The lady, Mrs Jewett, who took him was one of those lovely, simple, delicate, angelic natures which seemed to be raised up for this purpose. It was awful to see the hand of God so near and I felt as the...

May. 25. Call from Robert Collyer of Chicago in the morning. Mr. C.P. Cranch came to lunch and we took tea at Richard Dana’s.

26. Quiet morning with, as Mr. Choate remarks in my darlings story “a couple of headaches aboard.”

June 10 Friday—our dear friend Charles Dickens died last night.

June 13th We cannot think of other things, his memory and the thought of those who loved him is never absent. We passed Sunday at Nahant in Louisa’s new house, it being quite possibly the last chance we shall have to see her before her confinement, but we cannot keep away from Gad’s Hill....

June 14. Fechter has been here plunged in grief for the loss of his friend. He was pathetic and interesting, far more than I had known. We scarcely spoke of anything else but our sorrow and Miss Hogarth.

June 15. Yesterday while we were talking of him the body was brought to Westminster Abbey.

June 16. Letters came from all parts of the country to us in sympathy for our loss. Poor J. really is most harassed by the soul-less talk which goes on about him. Mr. Beal has proved himself a beautiful exception. Fechter said yesterday he reminded him of the Duc de Nemours.

Sunday June 19. A Telegram came yesterday from Chapman (Mr. Dickens’s publisher) saying that all the works of art of Charles Dickens were to be sold early in July. Fechter says it means a great deal. He hopes to go over. We hope from our hearts that he will, and that Miss Hogarth will come...

Monday 20. Mabel. Dear Mabel came in for the first time; she had believed us to be in the country. “It must lighten their grief somewhat she said, to know there are so many to help them bear it”.

Tuesday June 21st A fresh glorious day; almost the first real June day we have had this season, that is perfectly fresh and cool with all the glory of sunshine and the fullness of summer.