Diary of Annie Adams Fields

Saturday. Jamie goes to town. Hot quiet day. Magnificent cloud scenery and showers. J. returned safely.

Monday August 16. Thick fog. Yesterday dear “J” and I enjoyed together to the full. In the morning by the umbrella tree—in the afternoon down in our own dell and in the piazza. This morning we can see nothing—we can only hear.

Tuesday. We expected company yesterday who did not come. This gave us time for work and for a drive to carry a message to Mrs Lodge and call at Mrs Cabot’s who is lame. Marvellous sky and moonlight. It is said to be hot in town and muggy. Here the fogs produce constant scenes of glory on the...

Wednesday the 18. Cloudy but glorious morning. On the beach it was cool as autumn, among the trees warm as midsummer.

Thursday. Everything drenched in mist. Reading Goethe’s Pandora. Am surprised that Taylor in his Epimetheus should be willing to follow so closely in his footsteps. Hope I shall be able to reconsider this harsh opinion. Longfellow is also writing a poem on the same subject which he writes us...

Friday another fog. Read J. my poem on the garden of fame last night which he liked much.

Saturday—All the gentlemen went to town leaving Imogen, Nelly and myself—A clear hot day—with a silent sea comparatively.

Sunday—Walked before breakfast. Dear J. tries to write and finds it difficult. This is the only drawback. The interruptions to work.

Monday August 23. How the days fly. Jamie goes to Portsmouth today. Reading the Pandora still. Finished Pandora and began again. Misses King from Beverly, Mrs Greeley Curtis and Miss Rogers came in the afternoon. Jamie returned late to find a pleasant fire burning and to get a good supper. He...

Tuesday. Cool weather. Talked over plans for visiting the poor with Miss Rogers yesterday. Drove to Beverly with dear J. to see Mrs Paine & Judge Thomas’s family. Mrs Lodge called.

Wednesday. A day of marvellous beauty.

Thursday August 26. Cool, beautiful. Finished second reading of Pandora. A wonderful poem.

Friday. Another perfect day. The sound of the sea is a constant companion. Louisa, Mr. Beal and little Boylston passed the day here.

Saturday. J. has gone to town—perfect weather.

Sunday. “J.” dined yesterday with the Saturday Club. We drove this morning to the old tree. Celestial weather. Mrs Lodge and Mrs Howe came in the afternoon. Studied Botany—read Chaucer.

Monday—still summer. Dear J. goes to town. Called at Mrs Walter Cabots and talked housekeeping. Find with all her money she is obliged for lack of a cook who can attend to her business to give an anxious daily supervision in order to have her family kept in food and have a decent cleanliness...

Tuesday. Exquisite day—walked as usual in the morning.

September 1st Wednesday. Imogen & Nelly left us. Met Mrs Hemenway at the Station, whose idea of having a children’s hymn at the Centennial she does not let slip. Drove the whole morning. Went to see the Goodwins’ beautiful home and called at the Bartols. The first is a real home which leaves...

Thursday. Fog—strange contrast to brilliant yesterday.

Friday. Heavy fog all night—warm & clearing. We are alone and go to dine today with the Kings of Beverly.

Saturday Sepr 4. Went to town on business. Rainy day. So it looked when I left but it became the warmest day of the year and ended in a great shower. Satisfactory conclusion to affairs in town—returned and stopped in Beverly hoping to meet mother and Lizzy but they had been alarmed by the rain...

Sunday. Arose before dawn. Such serenity & glory, such rest, such coolness after heat, such untold cloudlessness and color I never before saw. I sat more than an hour undressed to watch the scene.

Monday. Awakened by a thunderstorm. Day not stormy however.

Tuesday. Beautiful day but I was ill with feverish cold. Mr & Mrs Sawyer, Mr & Mrs. Inglis called.

Wednesday ditto—hardly went out of the house.