August 4 Friday – Isabel Lyon’s journal:

Mr. & Mrs. Pumpelly dined here. It was a delight to hear Mr. Pumpelly talk, for his is a man of most gentle, strong birth, and has had experiences in many lands, and his reminiscences were charming. He and Mr. Clemens have known many of the same people, in this country and in Europe. Mr. Clemens was speaking of Canon Kingsley and said that one day when Kingsley was going to lecture in Boston and Mr. Clemens was going to introduce him, they were walking up crowded School St. together, and Kingsley quoted some sonorous lines from the Greek. Mr. Clemens said it sounded fine and probably was, but he didn’t know the Greek—he never could get it through his head. Kingsley answered, “That isn’t the end to put it in—a good strap in your schoolmaster’s hand is the thing” [MTP TS 84]. Note: Charles Kingsley (1819- 1875), Canon of Westminster.