Letter from M. Carey Thomas to Mary Elizabeth Garrett, August 23, 1891

Dearest Mary, Your letter which you very strong-headedly directed to RodickGÇÖs reached me fortunately on Saturday as I had just written the day before to have letters forwarded, otherwise it might have lain there for months and I not have known how Parcival first affected you. So it was splendid, was it? As splendid as you thought it would be, and I wonder how Tristram compared with it. I am so delighted you were carried away, I cannot tell you how glad I am. It is so much worthwhile to be carried away and you know the twice I have heard Tristram, the nearest in time to Parcival, I have been utterly lost to everything else. Hearing so much Wagner all together you will be able to judge whether the effect en mass tends to submerge all oneGÇÖs landmarks and horizons. I think I should be capable of anything mad and impulsive after a week of Tristram and there would be the rest of oneGÇÖs life unlit with Wagner to repent in. Tell me what the sum total of impressions was. Do you know talking of impressions I have been humiliated by a book I have read lately. Geo. MooreGÇÖs GÇ£confessions of a young manGÇ¥. He went through so many of the same phases I went through - the same books, not to speak of the same authors, effected [sic] us. Both of us Shelley (and Browning too one sees by his life) waked to things spiritual and for both of us GautierGÇÖs Mlle de Maupen made the higher life seem a dream of splendor, a shadow beside the reality of the senses and of beauty with only its earthly side turned out. And so in even to PaterGÇÖs Rennaissance [sic]. It is mortifying. But as he put all her theories into practice in Paris, and I did not, I hope in the long run to have the advantage over him. His GÇ£MummerGÇÖs WifeGÇ¥ however is not to be unenvied. How did you like my Felicia? Did you not receive it? It is a book I should not have been ashamed to write. Say what you think of it. And to do as I would be done by. I have read the Bondsmen and liked it much especially the first half and the Jonas part of the last. He has caught the saga swing and it has a fresh sea air about it. I have been working hard every morning from 9 to 1 on correspondence and some graduate courses we are getting out a pamphlet on and every afternoon and often evenings too, there is some climb or excursion, so I have not done more than read a few books none very exciting. The air here suits me and the weather has been perfect. We entirely escaped the heat. Frank is in clover lots of girls and boys and Nell too enjoying herself only she has had a constant headache here and on her account we shall leave on Thursday lest it Mr. and Mrs. Low are unutterably common and commonplace, no distinction, no elevation, no scholarship. Mr. and Mrs. Gilman you know - they spend their time in going about on hords [sic]. They have 22 relations as Northeast (Ben Gilman and his betrothed among them) and seem to go on everything they are invited to. Alice Gilman and I were together on one seat for 1 hour on the one hideous brickboard moonlight supper excursion I was decoyed on by Louise Dawson who said she had asked no one else and she had asked 18 and she is half-witted. There is no shadow of doubt of it her ideas have a connection [illegible]. Susan Coolidge was on our sail and has paid us a long visit, she is far better than Mrs. Gilman, more intelligent and of course tells stories exceedingly well but that is all. Mr. Fischer, prof. of Yale, is unutterably stupid and tiresome and spends his time like the Ancient Mariner telling story after story to whoever will listen. He sits on the perch of the Kimball and goes on every excursion to which he is asked. He wears a red cravat with white spots one day and an entirely red cravat the next - that is the only change in him. Your Storeys I have seen and we are going on an all day picnic with them and the Gilmans and the Godkins (a pic-nic of 8) Wednesday our last day. We could not get out of it. She seems to me pleasant but commonplace and very southern in spite of her 20 years of Boston life. I spotted her accent at once. Him I have not talked to yet. The fashion here is for everyone, and especially men, to tell stories one after the other. It is like capping verses and prevents any kind of conversation. When they got out of their own stories they tell other peoples. Mr. GodkinGÇÖs store is inexhaustible. He does not really talk at all. Gilman shows off very badly. He does not appear intelligent like I noticed that when he dined at our house with Stedman. He is telling everyone he does not approve of the same instruction in the Med. Sch. I declare Mary that thing must be put through, or we shall have done more harm than good. Mrs. Hobson, the wretch, is a snake in the grass. She draws out Mr. GilmanGÇÖs views and then tells us how he feels etc. She tosses her apple of discord hither and tither with people opposed. She pretends to disapprove and with those in favour to approve. We now admit frankly that Mr. Gilman is certainly nervous about it. Then they want to know whither the date of your 100,000 will be postponed - whether you did not know the time was too short etc. On this of course that is the first part of it. I have nothing to say. But [illegible] I believe to defeat Daniel you will have at the last to permit an extension of time. He will no more allow Mr. Pratt or anyone else to give money before the 1st of Feb!! That is his whole policy. His last is that professors that are successful in teaching men part in teaching women and he seriously states this is a fact and an objection. The Godkins whom we have seen every day almost must wait of over and so must the chapters of accidents with Kate McLane. Yes I too liked Nurenberg immensely. It was the 4th foreign town we saw. Antwerp Cologne Stuttgart and Nurenberg and its effect was overwhelming. I am - to change the subject - dreadfully afraid a Boston lawyer, Mr. Wakefield, has fallen in love with Nellie. He is 35 at least and behaves as no man ought to to a girl of 19 unless he is in earnest. I have not yet succeeded in finding out anything about him. Fortunately he has left but he has already written to her and has sent her a book and asked permission to come and see her at College. In great haste to catch the mail Lovingly yours Minnie C Th