Identifier: bostondayscityof02whit (find matches)
Title: Boston days, the city of beautiful ideals; Concord, and its famous authors; the golden age of genius; dawn of the twentieth century
Year: 1902 (1900s)
Authors: Whiting, Lilian, 1847-1942
Subjects: American literature
Publisher: Boston, Little, Brown and Company
Contributing Library: Boston Public Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Boston Public Library

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s there a less conscious woman; but she had justreturned from Europe, where every one, from thecrowned heads and the duchesses to the untitled, wasanxious to meet her, and the impression remained onher mind. The Boston of those days dined at two oclockand had tea at night. There was a leisure and,indeed, one must concede an elegance, too, of sociallife that had its choice quality. The reminiscences ofthe Boston whose social festivities were enriched by thepresence and participation of Longfellow, Lowell, Emer-son, Professor Peirce, Motley, Starr King, and a host ofothers of gifts and rare quality are more and moreinteresting as they recede into a very definite past. Dr. Holmes was perhaps less apt to be found in purelysocial meetings than in the semi-ceremonial gatherings,and a note of his runs thus: — 296 Beacon St., November 15.My dear Mrs. Whipple, — It was very kind in you toask Mrs. Holmes and myself, but we are both very shyabout going out evenings. I hope you had a pleasant
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Mrs. Edwin P. Whipple THE GOLDEN AGE OF GENIUS 221 time, and know that you and Mr. Whipple can never failto find good company, as you will be sure to make it.Faithfully yours, Oliver Wendell Holmes. Prof. Benjamin Peirce was one of the most inti-mate of the choice circle that gathered around theWhipples. The great astronomer and scientist wasidentified with the Harvard Observatory over a longperiod of years, and he was not only a great scientist,but a great man; one whose exaltation of nature madehim one of the most important leaders in the advance-ment and elevation of human progress. His life stood,not only for achievement, but for the radiation of influ-ence. The quality of his genius was so lofty that onewho comes now to approach him through his writingsalone is amazed to find how incommensurate with hisgreatness is the general recognition. Professor Peirce was one of that remarkable galaxyof brilliant men born in New England during the firstquarter of the century. His father, the

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