Diary of Annie Adams Fields

Thursday. Aunt left at ten o’clock. Warm day. Anna talks of leaving but she is slow to do so.

Friday—still warm, everything touched with gold. Reading and translating Pandora.

Saturday. Delicious rain! The first for two weeks and a half. The sea sings.

Sunday. September 3d 1876. A gorgeous day cool, blue, brilliant, soft, what can I say more, a day to be remembered. Dear “J” had a sore attack of pain in his limbs from taking cold probably, which he bore well, but it is rather a blow to him to find this ancient enemy of his family attacking...

Monday. Anna Hellrigl left after a stay of more than two months. Jamie went to town, I remained alone. At night came Mr. Craik and Mr William Black, the author of The Princess of Thule and other charming tales. Mr. Craik, himself, the husband of Dinah Mulock Craik is as lovely a human being as I...

Wednesday Sepr 6. We were all at breakfast again at half past seven o’clock. Governor Bagley gave us a detailed account of his school in the cottage plan for the children formerly shut up in poor houses and public institutions. He says it is a kind of purgatory between the hell of the...

Thursday 7th For the first time since June we are quite alone. I am tired and rejoice in the silence. A lovely day. Prof. Weir and Mr. Batchelder, Mrs Dix and Isabella & Mary Curtis, Mrs Caleb Curtis & daughter came to call.

Saturday 9. Jamie read Mirain’s life—and finds it pleasant!!! After all the work I have put in it this is indeed damning with faint praise! Doubtless it is all it deserves and on the whole I thank God! Success I fear would make me unbearable. Failure with its endless striving, endless...

Sunday. Perfect beauty—William Hunt came with his van bringing Mr. & Mrs W.R. Emerson, Mr. & Mrs Schlesinger, Count Portalis, and a Mr. Boyden in the afternoon. Heard an excellent sermon by Mr. George Bartol—walked home from church. Evening by ourselves.

Monday. Jamie went to town. Brought Mrs Baker and Mr. Connelly back with him—visits from Miss Towne & her aunt—called at Mr. Sturgis’s, and Clarkes in the P.M. Connelly is a man of singular ability. He looks very young too.

Tuesday. Quietly together finishing Daniel Deronda and writing.

Wednesday. Drove the whole afternoon going to a village reform picnic. Connelly has a very clear mind. He gave us a good picture of the court of law where he was attacked by Mr. Healy and defended himself. Mr. Ball was brought up as one of the witnesses against him, but Connelly said he had some...

Thursday. Wonderfully beautiful weather. Made calls in Beverly in the afternoon.

Friday. Still the finest weather possible. The most exquisite cloud-scenery. It seems impossible to stay in-doors. Went to the Cranberry patch in the afternoon. All was silent, deserted, lovely.

Saturday. A stormy sky and cold wind. Took tea at Mrs Towne’s. Saw the exquisite photographs belonging to Mr. Hunt from pictures and drawings by Millet.

Sep 17th Sunday. At home all day. The first this season. The September gale. John Gilbert sat with “J” a large part of the day. I finished “Mirain’s Life” and he an article for the Youth’s Companion. Then we read Guinivere and Mirain aloud in the evening. A day for us to remember. It...

Friday. We have had five days of rain and storm. Today is a perfect jewel—such atmosphere and light, such waves were seldom seen before even by the oldest inhabitant. Mr. J.P. Quincy and Hill Smith, the artist, came down for the day and night. Mrs Towne having broken her rib during the week we...

Saturday. A dull morning. Mr. Quincy left. Yesterday was too brilliant to be more than a memory. Hill Smith remained until 2. At 4 came Miss Phelps, at six came Mrs Livermore.

Sunday 25 [sic] after a cheerful breakfast together Mrs Livermore retired to her room until dinner to prepare the afternoon service. Miss Phelps and I walked to the beach and I did a trifle of writing. Soon after a pleasant lunch, although the sky was grey, we drove without rain to the town...

Monday Sep 26 [sic]. Mrs Livermore went to town in the early train with J.T.F. Lily Phelps and I went to Mrs Townes. She was better and I sat with her up stairs for half an hour—After dinner came a company of women from the Village—20—to talk over plans for our evening school. The meeting...

Tuesday 27 [sic]. Miss Phelps went away; a lowering and at last a very rainy day and night—soon after midnight Jamie looked out and said to me “there is a perfect storm of stars”!

Wednesday 28 [sic]. A gorgeous morning; wondrous in its beauty and clearness. The day proved wild with high flying clouds, drifts of rain and at length a magnificent rainbow, one of the most vivid I have ever seen. Took a long walk about the village to gather in boys for the school and catch an...

Thursday to town, to the Art Museum etc. Jamie lectured in Chelsea.

Friday. Returned to Manchester, called at Mrs Townes, went to the meeting of the Women’s Union.

Saturday. Divine morning, warm and glorious—sat on the beach. Mrs Weld, Louisa & Willy came to dine.