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I will go. All he asks me to do is to button his collar and help him a little each way as he cannot lift his arms up so high. I was obliged to decline, but he says he will see me later and perhaps I will find I can go. Mrs. Church was down in a carriage and I went down and saw her for a moment. Mary, Lucy, Sedgwick, Bowyer, Agnes and I went to see Booth and Barrett in Julius Caesar and occupied his private box - I could see but little. The play did not seem to me as well acted as Othello, although Booth and Barrett in the quarrel scene particularly wer admirable, but some of the lesser characters seemed awkward and there was no enthusiasm in the house. I wrote a note to Booth this morning asking him to let his man come to the box at any time when he could see me, but he did not come. He may not have got my note. When one sees Booth act one feels the short comings of other tragedians - J.T. is probably in town. Lucy had a note from him with something from Gertrude, in which he says he left the box at the door personally - on Saturday (while Lucy was away was going up to the Cove for Sunday and would be at his hotel Monday and Tuesday and in Boston at Youngs Hotel on such a day where any thing would reach him, evidently determined she shall know where to find him.

Wednesday 12" Dec. 1888 Very cold. The wind blew a gale in the night. I went directly after breakfast to settle about Lucys route to Chicago, and then to the Academy for a rapid glance at the pictures. It seemed a very good collection. I came to my room and drew in Mr. Willis' picture and laid it in which took me until after 4 o'clock when I dressed and went up to Mrs Eastman Johnsons and Ethels reception, where I was to meet Mary at 5 oclock. The street was full of carriages and after struggling into the hall and seeing the house was crowded to suffocation I was about turning to retreat when I saw Mary struggling to get out. She told me not to try to go in as it was so crowded it would be impossible, so I deposited my card and we came away. How utterly ridiculous all this seems to me and particularly to artistic people. I wont attempt another such a foolish performance. Lucy went up to Rondout by the 4 o'clock train, sorrowful enough at parting with Sedgwick who went over and saw her off. She starts for Fort Bridger on Saturday night. Sedgwick is going to Rondout on Friday and I on Saturday to see Lucy off. I am sorry to lose her but there are reasons why she ought to be there and we do not urge her to stay. I wonder how it will be with us the next time she sees us.- There was a regularly quarterly meeting of the Academicians tonight to transact important business. There was a quorum. Perry introduced a resolution prohibiting the use of glass over oil pictures in all Academy exhibitions which after a little discussion was carried. I came away a little after 9.

Thursday 13. Very cold. I went to see the Verestcchagin [[Verestchagin]] pictures this morning and found them extremely interesting, rather to my surprise, as I confess there seemed an atmosphere of clap trap surrounding them. They show great power, great facility and great industry. The canvases are enormous. To me the most finely painted of all of them was the great portico of a white marble mosque. Some of the smaller pictures were excellent but he is strongest on his big canvases. Have put in a boat and figures

Transcription Notes:
5/21 - 3 [[?]]s - too many to be marked for review but all transcribed All questions resolved. Also transcribed complete word at end of page in place of partial word. ---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-05-21 22:27:34