Vol 3 Section 0438
Sam also wrote a postcard to John Y. MacAlister that he expected to be “‘fit’” in a day or two and would look in on him. “I can walk now, after a fashion” [MTP]. Note: Sam had suffered from gout in his left foot.
August 2 Thursday – At Dollis Hill in London, England, Sam wrote to William Archer (1856-1924), Scottish critic and author who helped establish the work of Henrik Ibsen.
“Your letter [not extant] has given me a great deal of pleasure & I cannot deny myself the added pleasure of saying so. I hope the books will not fall off, in your favor & your son’s, but will keep, in their holiday garb, the regard they won in their workaday clothes” [MTP]. Note: Archer’s most recent book was America To-day, Observations and Reflections (1900) and is discussed in Sam’s Aug. 8 to Archer.
Sam’s notebook: “Human Nature Illustrated from History. / Patriotism—Help the loudest howlers howl”
[NB 43 TS 23].
August 3 Friday – F.R. Fast, attorney at 100 Chambers St., N.Y. wrote to Sam to see if he wanted to be a publisher again, as he had a “very eminent scientist” who had “a remarkable manuscript” and had given him $32,000 of advance subscriptions [MTP].
August 4 Saturday
August 5 Sunday – In his Aug. 12 letter to Joe Twichell, Sam revealed a visit “a week ago” for tea by Daniel Willard Fiske, Brander Matthews, and Mr. and Mrs. Dean Sage, the latter visiting from Buffalo, N.Y. Katy Leary recalled a visit by the Matthews family at Dollis Hill [Lawton 191].
T. Douglas Murray wrote to Sam. His wife had found the “lecture MS” in a box and he had had a “good clear copy of your original made …which please accept from me” [MTP].
August 6 Monday – Sam’s notebook entry contains author, title, and publisher of: Pre-Historic America. by Jean Francois Albert du Pouget Nadaillac (1818-1904), Putnam (1884) [Gribben 497; NB 43 TS 23].
August 7 Tuesday – Ernest Hendrie (1859-1929), English actor and playwright, wrote from London to
Sam. “I have had an interview with Mr. Bigelow concerning Hadleyburg, of which he has doubtless apprised you.” Much of the note is on the edge of illegible [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote on the env. “Hendrie. Terms for Hadleyburg. Aug. /00”. See NB entry Aug. 9.
August 8 Wednesday – At Dollis Hill House in London, England Sam wrote to William Archer, praising his new book America To-day, Observations and Reflections.
We of this family are just delighted with that book; as a result, I have had chances at it in its unoccupied moments only, & those have been scattering. It is pleasant & encouraging to find a visitor who is more interested in the merits that in the demerits of our country, & who praises warmly & blames reluctantly. When a member of the human race goes out of his country he usually brings back nothing that makes him or his country the richer for his trip; yet he couldn’t go to any land under the sun without finding something, spiritual or material, worth importing.
Sam invited Archer to “run out some day next week” for tea [MTP]. Note: see Gribben 915.
SLC used mourning border for most letters from Susy’s death on, then from Livy’s death on.