Norris: Diary, July - September, 1904

August Tuesday 16 (continued) 1904

are certainly far ahead of us in this line. The second part of the performance as usual was taken up by a ballet. I think probably the best I ever saw. The scene layed in an English country house during the holidays with the Xmas pantomime given by the servants. All very clever, artistic and amuseing. Everything over here is decidedly pro. Japanese music hall songs about them, particularly one song entitled "The Little Brown Man from Japan" which is greatly applauded?. Walked home and went to bed.

Wednesday 17th

Weather about as yesterday. Day spent in shopping - a very busy day. B & I liked Simpson's so well that we dined there again. The dinner was as good as the previous one. He went back to hotel to work on something and I went alone to The "Alhambra" - a music hall in the same style as the Empire. The show was not as good but still far above our American ones. Then I went home and sat up in the room with Butler until 2 o'clock going over accounts and discussing our plans and work.

August Tuesday 16 1904

Weather about as previous day.

Shopped practically all day. All experiences detailed & common place.

Lunched with Mr. John Lamb & B. at Grand Hotel. Wrote in afternoon after shopping. Mr. L. is a man we met on steamer Teutonic - about our age and a buyer for some house in Boston. He took us to a large wholesale house - Allen & Solley #115 Moor Lane - for underwear. They had a very large stock of the finest underwear I ever saw at prices about 1/4 those of America. Bought some.

Mr. L. & B. & I went to Simpsons, #100 Strand for dinner. This place should be "double starred" as it is one of the finest eating places I have ever seen, and I thought I had seen about the best in the world. We had an English Sole - a whole one apiece, and not enough at that - perfectly cooked & absolutely fresh - then a Grouse, the season for them opens Aug 12th, the finest I ever ate, in cooking, hot service and quality, with of course the two kinds of sauce - bread & stock, and some Irish potatoes plainly boiled but done perfectly with that fine potatoes flavor so hard to get. Then a salad - Romaine with a French dressing made by the head waiter and delicious. We also had a bottle of claret for 5s as good as a $3.00 claret in N.Y. I have purposely given this experience much space because it was so extraordinarly Fine.

Then we went to the Empire Music Hall and saw one of the best variety shows I have ever seen. The English

August Thursday 18 1904

Weather about as yesterday but less wind - still cool.

Spent day shopping - Called on Mr. Beach at Maltine Mfg. Co. 25 Hart St. Had a pleasant chat with him.

Dined with B. at Grand Hotel - who ate a very light meal as he had a dinner engagement at 9 o'clock. I went back to the Empire to see again that wonderful Ballet. Sat in a draught for about one? house? and so came out and took two drinks of Whiskey and 6 grains of quinine and went to bed.

August Friday 19th (continued) 1904

independent, all luxuries, no responsibilities & life becomes neutral, in fact does so anyway as one becomes older but still it comes earlier when a batchellor. Same old proposition over again viz: - Pain and pleasure matters of comparison only. Must have one to have the other, and one is never happy if self-centered or self conscious. Work for other things outside of yourself either material or personal, preferably the latter, and when you are absorbed in them & have entirely forgotten yourself you are the happiest. All this applies of course to only the ordinary every-day man. Extraordinay men such as geniuses, originators, religious fanatics philanthropists, inspired lovers etc. etc. have greater happiness - & greater pain. Women also have, that is true women that are mothers. Alas! How little I put all this into practice! I must be very weak.

Saturday 20th.

Weather about the same.

Took a cab and went to about 5 or 6 places. Accomplished quite a little detail work. Finished about 3 o'clock and lunched at "Simpon's?". Talked business with B in afternoon. Dined with B. & Brownlee at Simpson's. B. went home to work. Browlee & I went for a walk, & returned to Savoy. Went from there it "Cecil". Met about 7 men all Americans - good fellows. Went from Cecil to some club near Regent St. Then home about 4 A.M. It was getting light. Fine evening with good company.

P. S. Met Mr. Stephen B. Palmer, his son, and Prof. Wyckoff of Princeton in "Carleton" about noon.

August Friday 19 1904

Weather still about the same but no rain. A very find day - for London.

Apparently did not add to my cold last night. It has taken the usual course and is now on my lungs but nothing serious.

Called on Dr. Wm Arthur Brailey 11 Burlington St. W. recommended to me by Cary the optician as being one of the greatest eye specialists in London. Wanted to obtain from him some information for Dr. Horker about eye diseases in Syria. Sent in my card and obtained an audience in about three minutes. Stated my case and much to my surprise he invited me to dine with him this evening at 7:15. I accepted. Spent the day shopping. Called on Park, Davis Co to obtain supply of drugs for Dr. Horker. Was treated royally by gentlemen who appeared to be heads of the firm. Ushered into fine private office and every attention given me.

Dinner. Those present Mrs. Brailey, Dr. B. his youngest son a man of 27 and house physician in some large London hospital, Dr. -- & his daughter Miss -- did not catch the name. Took Miss -- into dinner, pretty, attractive girl. Good dinner typically English Salmon, Mutton, Chicken, cheese omelet, jelly fruit, fruit, coffee and then the inevitable Port Wine and after diner talk with the ladies having retired - conversation general - religious, political, Financial. Dr. Bailey expanded on his theory of life put in the anachronism "In order to be happy you must be miserable", giving as example married men with large families miserable but still after all happy. Bachellors