
A friend of yours in Boston sends through me a little New Years gift. It comes from a
good fellow. I wish I could duplicate it. I went over to Boston to the Holmes
breakfast & had a pleasant time, I saw Emerson & spoke with him. He seemed
to grope about in his mind for some clew as to who I was, but I hardly
think he placed me, though I told him the names of my books. There seems to be a
fearful chasm in his mind & he is hardly able to bridge it over, in conversation.
He does not remember the name of his own State. Whittier was standing by him &
hearing my name, said to Emerson, "oh! thee knows him" with much emphasis. I
then spoke to Whittier: he seemed to know me well & said he had read all I had
published & was complimentary. Emerson is thin & sharp & his hair is
about gone. He seemed to eat well & to enjoy the
fun. He wears the same look as of
old. Holmes greeted me very heartily & said many pleasant things to me. Fields
was very cordial & wanted me to stay at his house, a Mrs Fairchilds asked to be
introduced to me to tell me how much she admired you & your poems &c. I went
out to Arlington & saw Trowbridge He is well & made many inquiries about
you. He has several children by his second wife, & they have a pleasant home.—I
am making trips to N.Y. now adays nowadays
to be treated for my arm & hand. The Doctor says it is
Neuritis, inflammation of the nerves of
the arm. He cauterizes my back &
arm with a red hot piece of platinum. I go again in the morning & shall stay
down several days. The rest are all well here. I send the baby's picture taken in
October. He runs all about now & begins to talk; Smith & his family are
well. Mother mends a little. We have had a touch of winter here, & the river is
frozen over, but to-day it is thawing again. Write, I hope you are coming East
soon.