Memories of a Hostess: A Chronicle of Eminent Friendships Drawn Chiefly from the Diaries of Mrs. James T. Fields

Jamie returned about 12 o’clock. There had been a gorgeous dinner. The guests were Caleb Cushing, Carl Schurz, Perley Poore, Mr. Hill, J. T. F. The service was worthy of the hou...

_Saturday, October 11, 1873._—Helen and Alice Towne have come to pass Sunday with us. Charles Sumner, Longfellow, Greene, Dr. Holmes came to dine. Mr. Sumner seemed less strong...

_April 8._—In spite of a deluge of rain last night there was a large audience to hear Dickens, and Longfellow came as usual. He read with more vigor than the night before and se...

He spoke of the fineness of his Parisian audience:—“the most delicately appreciative of all audiences.” He also gave a most ludicrous account of a seasick curate trying to read...

At five, the hour appointed for dinner, I returned to the drawing-room where our host lay at full length on the floor with his head on cushions in the bay-window, reading, and t...

_Tuesday, September 5, 1871._—J. went to Boston. I wrote in the pastures and walked all the morning. Coming home, after dinner, came a telegram for me to meet J. and Bret Harte...

_Tuesday morning, February 25._—Somewhat fatigued. The “Marigold” went off brilliantly. He never read better nor was more universally applauded. Mr. Emerson came down to go, and...

_Thursday, July 18, 1867._—Arose at five and worked in my garden until breakfast. Then it was time to dress for Phi Beta at Cambridge. We drove out, leaving home at nine o’clock...

A portion of the notes relating to Charlotte Cushman will be the better understood for a preliminary remark upon a Boston event of huge local moment in the autumn of 1863. This...

_Tuesday, March 18, 1872._—Left Boston for a short trip to New York. Jefferson the actor, famous throughout the world for his impersonation of “Rip Van Winkle,” was on the train...

_July 25, 1868._—J. went out to see Lowell last night. As he passed Longfellow’s door, “Trap,” the dog, was half-asleep apparently on the lawn, but hearing a foot-step he leaped...

_Monday, March 28._—Mr. Hawthorne came down to take this as his first station on his journey for health. He shocked us by his invalid appearance. He has become quite deaf, too....

_Tuesday, September 23, 1872._—Longfellow came to town to see Jamie, in one of his loveliest moods. The day was so warm and fine, such a day of dreams, that he proposed to him e...

I do not hear the words you speak, Nor touch your hands, nor see your eyes: Yet, far away the flowers may grow From whence to me the fragrance flies;

_July 28._—George William Curtis has done at least one great good work. He has by a gentle but continuously brave pressure transformed the “Harper’s Weekly,” which was semi-Sece...

_Tuesday._—I find it very difficult today to write at all. Mr. Dickens is on his bed and has been unable to rise, in spite of efforts all day long.... Mr. Norton has been here a...

_October 6, 1867._—Mr. Henry James and his daughter came to call. We chanced to ask him about Dr. G—— of New York, a physician of wide reputation in the diagnosis of disease. He...

We soon went down again after leaving our hats, to find a young gentleman, Mr. McAlpine, who is Mr. James’s secretary, with him, awaiting us. This young man is just the person t...

_Friday morning._—Professor Holmes and Adjutant General Read of New York (a young man despite his title) breakfasted here at eight o’clock. They were both here punctually at qua...

American Bookmen (1898) Phillips Brooks (in “Beacon Biographies,” 1899) Life and Letters of George Bancroft (1908) Life and Labors of Bishop Hare (1911) Letters of Charles Eliot...

Fields, Annie, disposition of her papers, 3; her Journals, 4, 12; H. James quoted on, 5; marriage, 11; her neighbors, 11; and Leigh Hunt, 15, 16; letter of Holmes to, on her mem...