14 February 1876 – 20 February 1876

We walk to Hyde Park. C. helps a blind beggar-man over a wide crossing. We meet Leighton, old King Cole/ and the Hon. and Rev. Byng. Sit on bench in Park, where a man speaks to us, but none of us know anything of him. C. has had a letter from Mr. Norton (Mass.), ' turn- ing much on Emerson, describing him as cheerful and hopeful ; but E. says he has lately been affected with a disease called Old Age (smiles). His memory for names is defective. He is not inclined to write more ; Emerson's last book, like the rest, full of fine airy sayings. I * Browning's Inn Album is the worst of all he has \ given us ; and he has been growing worse and worse — I with the exception of his Greek translations. The Ring I and the Book — what a thing it is ! Browning has a * great quantity of miscellaneous reading about him, but Ino solid basis of knowledge in anything. Tennyson's later things are better than B.'s. But Browning js a man of great abilities.'

Helen, Miss Edith Mar- tineau and I walking along Chelsea Embankment, meet Carlyle with Mary. I ask C.'s leave aside to introduce Miss E. M. to him. ' The sister of theologic Martineau ^ ' he inquires. ' Daughter ' — on which he speaks to Edith : ' How is your Father ^ I used to go to your house in Liverpool.' Asks after Harriet Martineau, now about seventy-three. E. asks if her father may come and see Carlyle. ' O yes, I shall be delighted to see him and hear what he has to say of things.' To Helen : ' Take care of your little son.'

Rev. James Martineau called on me. Tyndall, Haeckel, and modern materialism in general. We went together to 5 Cheyne Row and were shown into the parlour, where, after a few minutes, enter Carlyle. He had already two waiting to walk with him, and we walked slowly along the Embank- ment eastward, and nearly as far as Vauxhall Bridge, a body of five — Carlyle, Martineau, Froude, Lecky and W, A, — too many for hearing well what C. said. Froude and he turned back ; M., L. and I went on to Westminster. Spoke of Newton's Principia. M, thought he saw faults in the logic, e.g. ' Gravitation in proportion to Mass ' — now, mass is weight, and weight is gravitation.