21 April 1873 – 27 April 1873

Call at Royal Institution, 2.40 ; upstairs Miss E., Tyndall, Huxley, Emerson ; Huxley (looks ill), ' Indigestion — so depressing.' W. A. — 'Carlyle boasts of having had it continuously for fifty years — says it includes all the evils of life.' H. — ' I believe it does.' Tyndall opens book of Icebergs. ' Your toes are tingling to climb them.' ' Old love of mine. When at Tennyson's I climbed down a precipice at Freshwater — nearly sacrificed another guest. That was P., the publisher, a pity he escaped.' E., Miss E. and I in cab — past Garrick Club ; E. an honorary member ; Blue Coat Schoolboys at play ; Guildhall, Gog and Magog, New Free Library, splendid room, write names. Letter of Nelson from the Nile — * Britannia still rules the waves, and that she may ever do so is the sincere prayer of ... ' Emerson much amused at this. Out by back way and by desire to St. Giles's, Cripplegate ; Milton's tomb, slab in aisle — bust moved from pillar, and put under a foolish canopy against wall. E. — ' Do many persons come to look at Milton's grave } ' Sexton. — ' Americans, sir.' Crosby Hall, London Bridge, St. Saviour's ; Gower, Massinger. Monument to (Wm.) ' Emerson, who lived and died an honest man, 1695.' E. says he does not care for Massinger's writing ; there are some good lines of Gower. The Tabard looks very shabby and mean. (Missed the Bull and the Green Dragon) return in cab to Down St. I show E. my little green edition of his Eight Essays^ which I have long carried in my pocket ; he looks carefully at my pencil marks. His daughter says, ' that's just what Father likes to see, hints of real opinions, etc, ; in a letter, that which is omitted in sending is what he mostly wishes to see.' E. asks what my marks mean — ' what is + 500 .f* ' (Sin is but defeat). A. — 'That the statement is 500 times questionable.' After a short discussion E. said smiling, ' I agree with the author.' Talk till it is time for him to dress for dinner. (At Lady Airlie's) — Poetry — 'The Touchstone ' ; E. offers to make a selection of my poems for publication in America — Good-bye. Cold — hail, walk, Hyde Park.

Call at the Priory on Mr. and Mrs. Lewes — friendly reception. Mrs. Lewes had sent me her 'reproachful regards.' Carlyle, Emerson, Max Miiller on Language. Lewes agrees that language makes an impassable gulf between man and the lower animals, but this does not touch the Darwinian theory. Mrs. Lewes says ' Emerson would have liked to hear some of Browning's opinions. Have you ever heard any of Browning's opinions ^ '