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autographs and the pencilled notes of the men whose names were dear to me
from my love of their work。 Everywhere was some souvenir of the living
celebrities my hosts had met； and whom had they not met in that English
sojourn in days before England embittered herself to us during our civil
war？ Not Tennyson only； but Thackeray； but Dickens； but Charles Reade；
but Carlyle； but many a minor fame was in my ears from converse so recent
with them that it was as if I heard their voices in their echoed words。
I do not remember how long I stayed； I remember I was afraid of staying
too long； and so I am sure I did not stay as long as I should have liked。
But I have not the least notion how I got away； and I am not certain
where I spent the rest of a day that began in the clouds； but had to be
ended on the common earth。 I suppose I gave it mostly to wandering about
the city； and partly to recording my impressions of it for that newspaper
which never published them。 The summer weather in Boston； with its sunny
heat struck through and through with the coolness of the sea； and its
clear air untainted with a breath of smoke； I have always loved； but it
had then a zest unknown before； and I should have thought it enough
simply to be alive in it。 But everywhere I came upon something that fed
my famine for the old； the quaint； the picturesque； and however the day
passed it was a banquet； a festival。 I can only recall my breathless
first sight of the Public Library and of the Athenaeum Gallery： great
sights then； which the Vatican and the Pitti hardly afterwards eclipsed
for mere emotion。 In fact I did not see these elder treasuries of
literature and art between breakfasting with the Autocrat's publisher in
the morning； and taking tea with the Autocrat himself in the evening； and
that made a whole world's difference。
XII。
The tea of that simpler time is wholly inconceivable to this generation；
which knows the thing only as a mild form of afternoon reception； but I
suppose that in 1860 very few dined late in our whole pastoral republic。
Tea was the meal people asked people to when they wished to sit at long
leisure and large ease； it came at the end of the day； at six o'clock； or
seven； and one went to it in morning dress。 It had an unceremonied
domesticity in the abundance of its light dishes； and I fancy these did
not vary much from East to West； except that we had a Southern touch in
our fried chicken and corn bread； but at the Autocrat's tea table the
cheering cup had a flavor unknown to me before that day。 He asked me if
I knew it； and I said it was English breakfast tea； for I had drunk it at
the publisher's in the morning； and was willing not to seem strange to
it。 〃Ah； yes；〃 he said； 〃but this is the flower of the souchong； it is
the blossom； the poetry of tea；〃 and then he told me how it had been
given him by a friend； a merchant in the China trade； which used to
flourish in Boston； and was the poetry of commerce； as this delicate
beverage was of tea。 That commerce is long past； and I fancy that the
plant ceased to bloom when the traffic fell into decay。
The Autocrat's windows had the same outlook upon the Charles as the
publisher's； and after tea we went up into a back parlor of the same
orientation； and saw the sunset die over the water； and the westering
flats and hills。 Nowhere else in the world has the day a lovelier close；
and our talk took something of the mystic coloring that the heavens gave
those mantling expanses。 It was chiefly his talk； but I have always
found the best talkers are willing that you should talk if you like； and
a quick sympathy and a subtle sense met all that I had to say from him
and from the unbroken circle of kindred intelligences about him。 I saw
him then in the midst of his family； and perhaps never afterwards to
better advantage； or in a finer mood。 We spoke of the things that people
perhaps once liked to deal with more than they do now； of the intimations
of immortality； of the experiences of morbid youth； and of all those
messages from the tremulous nerves which we take for prophecies。 I was
not ashamed； before his tolerant wisdom； to acknowledge the effects that
had lingered so long with me in fancy and even in conduct； from a time of
broken health and troubled spirit； and I remember the exquisite tact in
him which recognized them as things common to all； however peculiar in
each； which left them mine for whatever obscure vanity I might have in
them； and yet gave me the companionship of the whole race in their
experience。 We spoke of forebodings and presentiments； we approached the
mystic confines of the world from which no traveller has yet returned
with a passport 'en regle' and properly 'vise'； and he held his light
course through these filmy impalpabilities with a charming sincerity；
with the scientific conscience that refuses either to deny the substance
of things unseen； or to affirm it。 In the gathering dusk； so weird did
my fortune of being there and listening to him seem； that I might well
have been a blessed ghost； for all the reality I felt in myself。
I tried to tell him how much I had read him from my boyhood； and with
what joy and gain； and he was patient of these futilities； and I have no
doubt imagined the love that inspired them； and accepted that instead of
the poor praise。 When the sunset passed； and the lamps were lighted； and
we all came back to our dear little firm…set earth； he began to question
me about my native region of it。 From many forgotten inquiries I recall
his asking me what was the fashionable religion in Columbus； or the
Church that socially corresponded to the Unitarian Church in Boston。
He had first to clarify my intelligence as to…what Unitarianism was； we
had Universalists but not Unitarians； but when I understood； I answered
from such vantage as my own wholly outside Swedenborgianism gave me； that
I thought most of the most respectable people with us were of the
Presbyterian Church； some were certainly Episcopalians； but upon the
whole the largest number were Presbyterians。 He found that very strange
indeed； and said that he did not believe there was a Presbyterian Church
in Boston； that the New England Calvinists were all of the Orthodox
Church。 He had to explain Oxthodoxy to me； and then I could confess to
one Congregational Church in Columbus。
Probably I failed to give the Autocrat any very clear image of our social
frame in the West； but the fault was altogether mine； if I did。 Such
lecturing tours as he had made had not taken him among us； as those of
Emerson and other New…Englanders had； and my report was positive rather
than comparative。 I was full of pride in journalism at that day； and I
dare say that I vaunted the brilliancy and power of our newspapers more
than they merited； I should not have been likely to wrong them otherwise。
It is strange that in all the talk I had with him and Lowell； or rather
heard from them； I can recall nothing said of political affairs； though
Lincoln had then been nominated by the Republicans； and the Civil War had
practically begun。 But we did not imagine such a thing in the North； we