Identifier: memoriesofhostes02howe (find matches)
Title: Memories of a hostess : a chronicle of eminent friendships, drawn chiefly from the diaries of Mrs. James T. Fields
Year: 1922 (1920s)
Authors: Howe, M. A. De Wolfe (Mark Antony De Wolfe), 1864-1960 Roy J. Friedman Mark Twain Collection (Library of Congress) DLC Fields, Annie, 1834-1915
Subjects: Fields, Annie, 1834-1915 Dickens, Charles, 1812-1870 Women -- Massachusetts Boston Diaries Friendship -- Massachusetts Boston Authors, American -- 19th century Biography Actors -- United States Biography Boston (Mass.) -- Intellectual life
Publisher: Boston : Atlantic Monthly Press
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: Sloan Foundation

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breakfasted here at eight oclock. They were bothhere punctually at quarter past eight, which was earlyfor the season, especially as the General was late out, ata ball, last night. He was only too glad of the chance,however, to meet Dr. Holmes, and would have made afar greater effort to accomplish it. The talk at one timeturned upon Dickens. Dr. Holmes said he thoughthim a greater genius than Thackeray and was neversatisfied with admiring his wondrous powers of observa-tion and fertility of reproduction; his queer knack atmaking scenes, too, was noticeable, but especially thepower of beginning from the smallest externals anddescribing a man to the life though he might get nofarther than the shirt-button, for he always failed inprofound analysis. Hawthorne, beginning from within,was his contrast and counterpart. But the two qualitieswhich Dickens possesses and which the world seems totake small account of, but which mark his peculiargreatness, are the minuteness of his observations and
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-MRS. FIELDSFrom, a crayon portrait modi by Rowse in 18(33 DR. HOLMES, FRIEND AND NEIGHBOR 33 his endless variety. Thackeray had sharp corners inhim, something which led you to see he could turnround short, upon you some day, although sadness wasan impressive element in his character — perhaps asadness belonging to genius. Hawthornes sadness wasa part of his genius — tenderness and sadness. On Monday, February 25, 1867, Mrs. Fields madenote of the Saturday Club dinner of two days before, atwhich the guests were George William Curtis, Petro-leum V. Nasby, and Dr. Hayes of Arctic fame, ofwhom Mrs. Fields had written a few days before: Hewears a corrugated face, and his slender spirited figureshows him the man for such resolves and expeditions.We were carried away like the hearers of an Arabiantale with his vivid pictures of Arctic life. But appar-ently he was not the chief talker at the Saturday Clubmeeting, for Mrs. Fields wrote of it: Dr. Holmes wasin great mood for talk, but Lowe

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