. . . . He is very simple and agreeable in his
manners; a little shy, yet perfectly frank, and easy to meet on real
grounds. . . . . He said that his wife had proposed to come with him, and
had, indeed, accompanied him to town, but was kept away. . . . . We were
very sorry for this, because Mr. Patmore seems to acknowledge her as the
real "Angel in the House," although he says she herself ignores all
connection with the poem. It is well for her to do so, and for her
husband to feel that the character is her real portrait; and both, I
suppose, are right. It is a most beautiful and original poem,--a poem
for happy married people to read together, and to understand by the light
of their own past and present life; but I doubt whether the generality of
English people are capable of appreciating it. I told Mr. Patmore that I
thought his popularity in America would be greater than at home, and he
said that it was already so; and he appeared to estimate highly his
American fame, and also our general gift of quicker and more subtle
recognition of genius than the English public. . . . . We mutually
gratified each other by expressing high admiration of one another's
works, and Mr. Patmore regretted that in the few days of our further stay
here we should not have time to visit him at his home. It would really
give me pleasure to do so. . . . . I expressed a hope of seeing him in
Italy during our residence there, and he seemed to think it possible, as
his friend, and our countryman, Thomas Buchanan Read, had asked him to
come thither and be his guest.
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