5:30 P.M. W. down in the parlor. Had come there to escape intense heat. Raining—and rain had somewhat cooled things. He fanned himself. No coat or vest on, shirt very freely open.
Speaking of orators: "No—I never heard Rufus Choate, but I heard Webster—more than once. Ingersoll is greater than Webster as a rose you would go out in your garden or the woods and pick is greater than your artificial rose. All that and more—though even the artificial rose may have its part to perform, too."
Thought he would "possibly send the article on the poets to the Critic folks—if they wanted it"—of which he was "very doubtful."
Not out today—speaks of "all being well" with Dr. Bucke.