My First Visit to New England, and Others (from Literary Friends and Acquaintance)

A lively recollection of youthful literary circles, this memoir transports listeners to an era when lectures were the talk of the town and famous writers drifted into modest homes like bright, fleeting comets. The narrator recalls shy, awe‑filled evenings spent in the company of Emerson, Bayard Taylor, and other celebrated voices, describing the mix of music, games, and earnest conversation that filled those gatherings. Through humor and humility, he shares the nervous thrill of meeting a literary idol, the unspoken desire to be heard, and the quiet pride of seeing his own poems appear in the periodicals of the day.

The second part follows a chance encounter in a Canadian hotel, where a brief introduction sparks a lasting friendship with a young New York lawyer. The episode captures the excitement of early recognition and the sense of belonging that comes from being part of a vibrant, trans‑Atlantic literary community. Listeners will feel the pulse of ambition, camaraderie, and the nostalgic charm of a bygone literary world.