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and I went to the meeting of the Nineteenth Century Club, at the American Art Galleries. There was a crowd but we were lucky enough to get good seats. Rabbi Gotthert read the paper on the rights of women. It was most interesting and delivered with much grace and a perfect command of the language, but it was so long that by the help of the bad ventilation he tired every one out and had to omit a part of it. He was followed by Julia Ward Howe who spoke briefly but well. She made a most earnest allusion to Wm Loyd Garrison, Wendell Philips and Henry Ward Beecher who died this morning. Elihu Root closed in opposition with a brilliant address. There were no refreshments, to the disappointment of everyone and but little opportunity to see the Stuart pictures as it was late when the speaking ended. I went around to the Century and quenched my thirst with a bottle of beer.

Wednesday March 9 1887 Whittridges pictures were sold this evening. He had had excellent notices in the papers, the pictures were mostly of small size and exceptionally fine and as I thought would appeal to the popular taste. There was a fine audience besides, but they hesitated to bid and evidently came to buy cheaply. One of his finest pictures of a larger size went for $400. The collection 75 pictures brought $12,000 with which he was entirely satisfied. After the sale I went around to the club with Fuller. I expressed myself freely to him regarding the discouraging tone of the art notices written by Hitchcock in the Tribune and I hope he will tell him what I said.

Thursday 10 Rain this morning clearing in the middle of the day. Emma Brace came to see me and while she was her Mr. Cranch called. He and his family have come to town for a month. My picture is not effective and I am working continuously to see what it lacks. Wrote to Sara this morning. Went to the club and spent the evening talking with Edgar Ward on Academy affairs. Marbury who was a classmate of Busher told me he had been over to Brooklyn to look upon his dead face. He said there were throngs of people waiting to take a last look at the great preacher. There was a most dastardly editorial on him in the Sun today. This shameless sheet falters on just such vile food and we are obliged to meet one of its editors at the Century.

Friday 11 Spent the morning arranging a new copy of the constitution for an Artists Mutual Aid society which Bowyer is to print. It is a cold, bright, windy day and the twilight most exquisite in purity of tone. I painted on my picture in the afternoon and made it more interesting. I think I have discovered what it needs. I have determined on the composition but am hampered for the lack of a study of foreground rock & waves which is up at Rondout. A Baltimore paper was sent me today with this announcement of George Coales death. He was a friend of nearly thirty years covering mainly my whole artistic career. He used always to enjoy coming to see Gifford and me when he came to New York and was very constant and loyal in his friendship. We used to quarrel always when we met during the war for he was an Union man with Southern, not sympathies but palliation, that we kept our regard for each other and his death was a shock to me as the ending of an old friendship. I went around to see Mrs. Stoddard in the evening. She looks very old and seemed saddened when I told her of Coales death. I saw Dick for a moment. He had seen Oscar with Lamont Thompson and spoke of it as the "blind leading the blind". Poor Oscar! How anxious dear Gertrude always was on his account. I wish I could help him for he had once many generous traits. Went to the club and looked over the architectural magazines with much interest.

Saturday Cold and windy. I wore my heavy Ulster over to breakfast and found it most comfortable. Worked on my picture and greatly improved it

[[left margin]] Death of George B. Coale on Saturday last [[/left margin]]

Transcription Notes:
Jervis McEntee was a Hudson River School landscape artist who was born in 1828 in the Village of Rondout PALLIATION: the act of mitigating or concealing the gravity of an offense by excuses, apologies, etc.