Page:The Homes of the New World- Vol. I.djvu/284

 look after me as if I were their sister; and they do everything so nicely and so well. I cannot be sufficiently grateful for these friends.

The Downings also—those amiable people and kind friends—are to me invaluable. They came to New York to see me, and brought me the most beautiful flowers. His dark eyes, and her gentle, bright blue ones, as blue as our Swedish violets, will accompany me on my journey—will remain in my heart.

March 16th.—But I do not know how rightly I am to get away, there is so much difficulty both as regards the vessels and——the captains. The captain, that is to say him of the sailing-vessel, when he learnt the name of the lady-passenger who wished to sail in his vessel—refused to receive her on board; and when Marcus insisted upon knowing his reason why, he replied that he did not wish to have any authors on board his ship who would laugh to scorn his accommodations, and who would put him in a book. Marcus laughed and wanted to persuade him to run the risk, assuring him that I was not dangerous, and so on. But the man was immoveable. He would not take me on board; and I have now to wait till the next steam-boat goes, which is eight days later. And for this I have to thank Mrs. Trollope and Dickens. But I am happy at Rose Cottage with my amiable friends, and this delay has afforded me the pleasure of hearing Emerson's lectures at various times, both here and in New York. It is a peculiar pleasure to hear that deep, sonorous voice uttering words which give the impression of jewels and real pearls as they fall from his lips. I heard him yesterday in his lecture on eloquence severely chastise the senseless exaggeration and inflation of expression made use of by some of his countrymen, and which he compared with the natural and poetically beautiful, yet destructive hyperbole of the East. He produced examples of both, and the assembly, in the best possible humour