Viewing page 104 of 607

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

91
Thursday June 12" 1884. Mary Calvert and I went to the Academy to see the Exhibition of the American Artists. It is a curious collection. The ignoring of all grace and beauty seems the actuating idea in the work of the pictures. The landscapes to me are simply idiotic generally and the work of the collection is entirely foreign to all my ideas of art, poor in color, in conception and exhibiting the utmost poverty of invention. I do not think such art can ever have any real hold upon serious people. Of course there are exceptions, notably a portrait by Alexander, one by Porter who is An Academician however. From there I went with Mary to the (Metropolis) Branch to introduce Mary who wishes to open an account there, then to my studio where I had a carriage and drove up to the West Shore station at 42" St and came home by the 11.30 train. reaching here 2.35. Many people going to the mountains. The West Shore road went into the hands of a receiver yesterday. The next thing I fear it will go into Vanderbilts hands. Cousin Rachel had been lonely enough. I unpacked my trunk and spent the afternoon putting my things away. I had a letter from Booth while in New York telling me not to trouble about my account with him but he had written to Bowyer, and wished me to give him his address. His letter related to business. Fuller sent his bill at my request and it all comes out to about $500. About twice as much as I expected. However I have no fault to find. 
Friday 13. It has been a thoughtful day for me and I have had all I could do to continue against the saddest of thoughts. This morning the wind blew from the North and it has been so cool all day that my father has had a fire in the dining room. I worked about at various things feeling the loneliness of the house. I went over to the cemetery to see how the flowers were getting on. It is a year tonight since poor Maurice came home the last time and just such a melancholy wind is blowing as blew that night when Sara was alone here with him and my mother. I can't help thinking how he suffered there alone if he were conscious which it is a comfort to think he was not entirely. He has been in my thoughts all day as well as the others who have gone from us. I have thought too of dear Gertrude as indeed I do many times every day. Of the always satisfying charm of her mere presence and I almost wonder that life has any thing left for me. What a lovely woman! How rare and sweet a character and disposition. I love to think of her and to know that my life has been ruled by so lovely and admirable an influence as she was and always will be to me. The wind has made it a melancholy day and so at dinner I proposed a ride to my father and cousin Rachel, and invited Girards wife to go with us. We drove out by the Roa-tina and out to Marys mothers by the river road, stopped there a few minutes and then went on until we reached the Flatbush road and so home by the Roa-tina. It proved a most charming ride and it did us all good. This evening Sara came home by the Powell and went down for her. Cousin Rachel is going down to Georges tomorrow to our great regret. I wish she could stay here. Sara and my father are going to Oneida Co. next week but Mary is coming up on Wednesday. I wrote to Fuller and invited him to come up for Sunday. Wrote to Mrs. Lydia Ely about my two pic- 

Transcription Notes:
---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-04-26 18:39:23 ---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-04-26 20:34:14 ---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-04-27 08:38:39 ---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-04-27 18:45:19