Chapter 13:
- Visit to Washington. -- letters to Mr. Milman, Prince John, Sir E. Head, Sir C. Lyell, F. Wolf, D. Webster, E. Everett, G. T. Curtis, and C. S. Daveis. -- New books.-passing events. -- Spanish literary subjects. -- slavery. -- international copyright.
In the spring of the year 1850 Mr. Ticknor went to Washington for the first time since 1828, taking his eldest daughter with him, and the fortnight he passed there was very animated, owing to the presence in the society of the capital that season, of a number of persons with whom he could not fail to have interesting and agreeable intercourse. Mr. Webster was in Washington as Senator; so was Mr. Clay, who occupied rooms near Mr. Ticknor's in the hotel, and frequently came in as a friendly neighbor; Mr. Calderon was Spanish Minister; Mr. R. C. Winthrop was member of the House of Representatives from Boston; and many other friends and acquaintances were there, officially or for pleasure. Sir Henry Bulwer, as English Minister, was a brilliant acquisition to the society of the place; the Chevalier Hulsemann, Austrian Charge d'affaires, recollected seeing Mr. Ticknor once in the riding-school in Gottingen, thirty-five years before, and remembered his appearance so well, he said he should have recognized him; a son of that Marquis de Sta. Cruz who had so often been his host in Madrid was a member of the Spanish Legation; and, finally, the White House, as presided over by good General Taylor and his attractive daughter, Mrs. Bliss, was, socially, more agreeable than usual. The constant dinner-parties at which this circle met were uncommonly bright with clever conversation, and the mornings passed with Mr. Webster, or in the Houses of Congress and the Supreme Court, were interesting. Unfortunately Mr. Ticknor
