File:Thomas Butler Gunn Diaries- Volume 2, page 138, July 18, 1851.jpg

Transcription:

for his [Mr. Paterson’s] dinner, and left marginal notes to an “animal” back on his native country Ireland in which he denounced Leith Ritchie as “a liar,” a “mean man” & the like whenever he penned anything not eulogistic. But it also appears from Testimony of Brooks and Fagan, defunct Paterson was sometimes drunk for a fortnight together. Verily the Evil that men do lives utter them. White’s a good fellow & sensible. Robinsons a red headed & brusque, abrupt-speaking dry-goods man — a good business man I suppose. Keating’s an information-sprinkled snob. Fagan [words crossed out] says “warnish” for varnish. For the others I see little of them.

How I should be hated if folks knew what I scored down in this book about ‘em! And yet in Heaven’s name were all to avow what they really thought of those they meet in daily life, how surprised each other-body would be to find that he had been put in scales, as well as a weigher himself. The world would never tolerate truth however in daily inter course; besides t’would be unpleasant, — we’d all look like devils to one another! And any unfortunate Diarist who was detected in surreptiously swigging at the waters from Truths well — ([words crossed out]) would be universally ostracised. Everybody would have an interest in stoning him. A dangerous varlet to go about with torch, lighting up foul corners and dirty holes in the souls of good folks. Faith were no not content to take the conventional-masks bestowed on mankind for the real faces, each twenty four hours would be a crusade, or a day in the pillary. / Let me see now, amongst those who will come in mind at present, what would be the result of their knowing my thoughts and scribblings about em. [words crossed out] Barth wouldn’t hate me, though his vanity would be touched. But he has a warm heart & quick feelings. Alf Waud would think kindly of me. I would he could feel the friendship for me I could for him. I admire him, he’s such a manly fellow. Dear friends should we have been had he known me earlier. Charley Brown — poch! He’d be astonished; — perhaps chuckle to think he had [unclear word] me into a false estimate of his character. But he’d be wild at knowing the talk held of him in his absence. [William] Boutcher’s shrewdness would mark the contradictions and swayings to and fro of my narration.