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and I should like to give you the supper here。〃 When I had agreed to
this suggestion with due gravity； he would inquire our engagements； and
then say； as if a great load were off his mind； 〃Well； then； I will send
up a few oysters to…morrow；〃 or whatever day we had fixed on； and after a
little more talk to take the strangeness out of the affair； would go his
way。 On the day appointed the fish…man would come with several gallons
of oysters； which he reported Mr。 Holmes had asked him to bring； and in
the evening the giver of the feast would reappear； with a lank oil…cloth
bag； sagged by some bottles of wine。 There was always a bottle of red
wine； and sometimes a bottle of champagne； and he had taken the
precaution to send some crackers beforehand； so that the supper should be
as entirely of his own giving as possible。 He was forced to let us do
the cooking and to supply the cold…slaw； and perhaps he indemnified
himself for putting us to these charges and for the use of our linen and
silver； by the vast superfluity of his oysters； with which we remained
inundated for days。 He did not care to eat many himself； but seemed
content to fancy doing us a pleasure； and I have known few greater ones
in life； than in the hospitality that so oddly played the host to us at
our own table。
It must have seemed incomprehensible to such a Cantabrigian that we
should ever have been willing to leave Cambridge； and in fact I do not
well understand it myself。 But if he resented it； he never showed his
resentment。 As often as I happened to meet him after our defection he
used me with unabated kindness； and sparkled into some gaiety too
ethereal for remembrance。 The last time I met him was at Lowell's
funeral； when I drove home with him and Curtis and Child； and in the
revulsion from the stress of that saddest event； had our laugh； as people
do in the presence of death； at something droll we remembered of the
friend we mourned。
My nearest literary neighbor； when we lived in Sacramento Street； was the
Rev。 Dr。 John G。 Palfrey； the historian of New England； whose chimney…
tops amid the pine…tops I could see from my study window when the leaves
were off the little grove of oaks between us。 He was one of the first of
my acquaintances； not suffering the great disparity of our ages to count
against me； but tactfully and sweetly adjusting himself to my youth in
the friendly intercourse which he invited。 He was a most gentle and
kindly old man； with still an interest in liberal things which lasted
till the infirmities of age secluded him from the world and all its
interests。 As is known； he had been in his prime one of the foremost of
the New England anti…slavery men； and he had fought the good fight with a
heavy heart for a brother long settled in Louisiana who sided with the
South； and who after the civil war found himself disfranchised。 In this
temporary disability he came North to visit Doctor Palfrey upon the
doctor's insistence； though at first he would have nothing to do with
him； and refused even to answer his letters。 〃Of course；〃 the doctor
said； 〃I was not going to stand that from my mother's son； and I simply
kept on writing。〃 So he prevailed； but the fiery old gentleman from
Louisiana was reconciled to nothing in the North but his brother； and
when he came to return my visit； he quickly touched upon his cause of
quarrel with us。 〃I can't vote；〃 he declared； 〃but my coachman can； and
I don't know how I'm to get the suffrage； unless my physician paints me
all over with the iodine he's using for my rheumatic side。〃
Doctor Palfrey was most distinctly of the Brahminical caste and was long
an eminent Unitarian minister； but at the time I began to know him he had
long quitted the pulpit。 He was so far of civic or public character as
to be postmaster at Boston； when we were first neighbors； but this
officiality was probably so little in keeping with his nature that it was
like a return to his truer self when he ceased to hold the place； and
gave his time altogether to his history。 It is a work which will hardly
be superseded in the interest of those who value thorough research and
temperate expression。 It is very just； and without endeavor for picture
or drama it is to me very attractive。 Much that has to be recorded of
New England lacks charm； but he gave form and dignity and presence to the
memories of the past； and the finer moments of that great story； he gave
with the simplicity that was their best setting。 It seems to me such an
apology （in the old sense） as New England might have written for herself；
and in fact Doctor Palfrey was a personification of New England in one of
the best and truest kinds。 He was refined in the essential gentleness of
his heart without being refined away； he kept the faith of her Puritan
tradition though he no longer kept the Puritan faith； and his defence of
the Puritan severity with the witches and Quakers was as impartial as it
was efficient in positing the Puritans as of their time； and rather
better and not worse than other people of the same time。 He was himself
a most tolerant man； and his tolerance was never weak or fond； it stopped
well short of condoning error； which he condemned when he preferred to
leave it to its own punishment。 Personally he was without any flavor of
harshness； his mind was as gentle as his manner； which was one of the
gentlest I have ever known。
Of as gentle make but of more pensive temper； with unexpected bursts of
lyrical gaiety； was Christopher Pearse Cranch； the poet； whom I had known
in New York long before he came to live in Cambridge。 He could not only
play and sing most amusing songs； but he wrote very good poems and
painted pictures perhaps not so good。 I always liked his Venetian
pictures； for their poetic； unsentimentalized veracity； and I printed as
well as liked many of his poems。 During the time that I knew him more
than his due share of troubles and sorrows accumulated themselves on his
fine head； which the years had whitened； and gave a droop to the
beautiful； white…bearded face。 But he had the artist soul and the poet
heart； and no doubt he could take refuge in these from the cares that
shadowed his visage。 My acquaintance with him in Cambridge renewed
itself upon the very terms of its beginning in New York。 We met at
Longfellow's table； where he lifted up his voice in the Yankee folk…song；
〃On Springfield Mountain there did dwell；〃 which he gave with a perfectly
killing mock…gravity。
XI。
At Cambridge the best society was better； it seems to me； than even that
of the neighboring capital。 It would be rather hard to prove this； and I
must ask the reader to take my word for it； if he wishes to believe it。
The great interests in that pleasant world； which I think does not
present itself to my memory in a false iridiscence； were the intellectual
interests； and all other interests were lost in these to such as did not
seek them too insistently。
People held themselves high； they held themselves personally aloof from
people not duly assayed； their civilization was still Puritan though
their belief had long ceased to be so。 They had w