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Monday, October 8. I must tell you that among my invitations is one to a wedding in the neighborhood. I shall gladly accept it. I like brides and weddings.
In my next letter I shall speak of my future plans and itinerary: at present they are not definitely fixed, further than that I wish to spend the Winter in Boston, the American Athens, and there, as far as I can, acquire a knowledge of the intellectual movements in the New World. In the first place, it will be a good thing for me to spend about three weeks with the Downings, and to make excursions with them to some of the friends on the Hudson — "some of the best people in the country," as they say. Among these is Washington Irving, who, together with Fennimore Cooper, was the first to make us in Sweden somewhat at home in America. Miss [Catherine] Sedgwick is expected here in a few days. I shall be glad to see her and thank her for the pleasure we have received from her Redwood and Hope Leslie. If I could only have a little time to myself! My difficulty is to be able to receive all the kind people hastening to me from far and near, from different states and towns. But although I can but imperfectly respond to their good will, I am not the less grateful for it; and I shall never forget how, on the very first day of my arrival in New York, more
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