Bright early ― but cold. Cough & cold prevented my going to church. Arranged studio for the remaining days. G.’s lessons ― good progress. ― Wrote to Gibbs ― A. Seymour, & Ann… At 3½ went to St. Peters, Cloudy ― cold: & then to Borghese Gardens ― very cold. ― Dressed, & at 6½ to Miss Cushmans. ― This dinner & evening was most extremely pleasant. Only Miss Stebbins & Miss C. were of the house: besides, ― R. Browning, C. Newton, ― Odo Russell. This last I thought as really good a specimen of modern Diplomat as possible, ― so kindly without shame, & so clear without sharpness. ― Browning was all fun ― pun ― foaming with spirit; ― his anecdote of Carlyle ― (wh. he hesitated ere giving,) ― how he & C. went to Boulogne, C. for the first time abroad: ― when, on seeing the first Crucifix ― C. calmly & feelingly said ― ――― “Ah! poor fellow! ― I thought we had done with him! ˆ[had had enough of him] Great mirth & roaring. Dinner especially good ― oysters & peaches from America. Champagne & all things very excellent, but all in perfect taste. Miss C. with her plain broad kindly heartedness & good strong common sense,  cultivated & refined taste, is assuredly a very [A.] N° 1 woman.

After dinner (“I don’t put down private anecdotes” said ――; ―― as there would be many) we had drawings ― & Φotograφs ― & the Fields came: & altogether the evening was splendidophoropherostiphongious.

But it poured with rain when I, & Newton, came out homeward. ― G. up, writing.

[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]