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Hawthorne was named among other authors； probably by Fields； whose house
had just published his 〃Marble Faun；〃 and who had recently come home on
the same steamer with him。 Doctor Holmes asked if I had met Hawthorne
yet； and when I confessed that I had hardly yet even hoped for such a
thing； he smiled his winning smile； and said： 〃Ah； well！ I don't know
that you will ever feel you have really met him。 He is like a dim room
with a little taper of personality burning on the corner of the mantel。〃
They all spoke of Hawthorne； and with the same affection； but the same
sense of something mystical and remote in him； and every word was
priceless to me。 But these masters of the craft I was 'prentice to
probably could not have said anything that I should not have found wise
and well； and I am sure now I should have been the loser if the talk had
shunned any of the phases of human nature which it touched。 It is best
to find that all men are of the same make； and that there are certain
universal things which interest them as much as the supernal things； and
amuse them even more。 There was a saying of Lowell's which he was fond
of repeating at the menace of any form of the transcendental； and he
liked to warn himself and others with his homely； 〃Remember the
dinner…bell。〃 What I recall of the whole effect of a time so happy for
me is that in all that was said； however high； however fine； we were
never out of hearing of the dinner…bell； and perhaps this is the best
effect I can leave with the reader。 It was the first dinner served in
courses that I had sat down to； and I felt that this service gave it a
romantic importance which the older fashion of the West still wanted。
Even at Governor Chase's table in Columbus the Governor carved； I knew of
the dinner 'a la Russe'； as it was then called； only from books； and it
was a sort of literary flavor that I tasted in the successive dishes。
When it came to the black coffee； and then to the 'petits verres' of
cognac； with lumps of sugar set fire to atop； it was something that so
far transcended my home…kept experience that it began to seem altogether
visionary。
Neither Fields nor Doctor Holmes smoked； and I had to confess that I did
not； but Lowell smoked enough for all three； and the spark of his cigar
began to show in the waning light before we rose from the table。 The
time that never had； nor can ever have； its fellow for me； had to come to
an end； as all times must； and when I shook hands with Lowell in parting；
he overwhelmed me by saying that if I thought of going to Concord he
would send me a letter to Hawthorne。 I was not to see Lowell again
during my stay in Boston； but Doctor Holmes asked me to tea for the next
evening； and Fields said I must come to breakfast with him in the
morning。
XI。
I recall with the affection due to his friendly nature； and to the
kindness afterwards to pass between us for many years； the whole aspect
of the publisher when I first saw him。 His abundant hair； and his full
〃beard as broad as ony spade；〃 that flowed from his throat in Homeric
curls； were touched with the first frost。 He had a fine color； and his
eyes； as keen as they were kind； twinkled restlessly above the wholesome
russet…red of his cheeks。 His portly frame was clad in those Scotch
tweeds which had not yet displaced the traditional broadcloth with us in
the West； though I had sent to New York for a rough suit； and so felt
myself not quite unworthy to meet a man fresh from the hands of the
London tailor。
Otherwise I stood as much in awe of him as his jovial soul would let me；
and if I might I should like to suggest to the literary youth of this day
some notion of the importance of his name to the literary youth of my
day。 He gave aesthetic character to the house of Ticknor & Fields； but
he was by no means a silent partner on the economic side。 No one can
forecast the fortune of a new book； but he knew as well as any publisher
can know not only whether a book was good； but whether the reader would
think so； and I suppose that his house made as few bad guesses； along
with their good ones； as any house that ever tried the uncertain temper
of the public with its ventures。 In the minds of all who loved the plain
brown cloth and tasteful print of its issues he was more or less
intimately associated with their literature； and those who were not
mistaken in thinking De Quincey one of the delightfulest authors in the
world； were especially grateful to the man who first edited his writings
in book form； and proud that this edition was the effect of American
sympathy with them。 At that day； I believed authorship the noblest
calling in the world； and I should still be at a loss to name any nobler。
The great authors I had met were to me the sum of greatness； and if I
could not rank their publisher with them by virtue of equal achievement；
I handsomely brevetted him worthy of their friendship； and honored him in
the visible measure of it。
In his house beside the Charles； and in the close neighborhood of Doctor
Holmes； I found an odor and an air of books such as I fancied might
belong to the famous literary houses of London。 It is still there； that
friendly home of lettered refinement； and the gracious spirit which knew
how to welcome me； and make the least of my shyness and strangeness； and
the most of the little else there was in me； illumines it still； though
my host of that rapturous moment has many years been of those who are
only with us unseen and unheard。 I remember his burlesque pretence that
morning of an inextinguishable grief when I owned that I had never eaten
blueberry cake before； and how he kept returning to the pathos of the
fact that there should be a region of the earth where blueberry cake was
unknown。 We breakfasted in the pretty room whose windows look out
through leaves and flowers upon the river's coming and going tides； and
whose walls were covered with the faces and the autographs of all the
contemporary poets and novelists。 The Fieldses had spent some days with
Tennyson in their recent English sojourn； and Mrs。 Fields had much to
tell of him； how he looked； how he smoked； how he read aloud； and how he
said； when he asked her to go with him to the tower of his house； 〃Come
up and see the sad English sunset！〃 which had an instant value to me such
as some rich verse of his might have had。 I was very new to it all； how
new I could not very well say； but I flattered myself that I breathed in
that atmosphere as if in the return from life…long exile。 Still I
patriotically bragged of the West a little； and I told them proudly that
in Columbus no book since Uncle Tom's Cabin had sold so well as 'The
Marble Faun'。 This made the effect that I wished； but whether it was
true or not； Heaven knows； I only know that I heard it from our leading
bookseller； and I made no question of it myself。
After breakfast； Fields went away to the office； and I lingered； while
Mrs。 Fields showed me from shelf to shelf in the library； and dazzled me
with the sight of authors' copies； and volumes invaluable with the
autographs and the pencilled notes of the men whose names were