1 Possibly George Smith (1824–1901), who in 1846 succeeded his father as head of the London publishing firm of Smith, Elder and Company, and who founded the Cornhill Magazine and the Pall Mall Gazette. Smith had published two works by George MacDonald (see the next note), and was also a personal friend of his (Raeper, 165, 178).

2 On 10 July Louisa MacDonald wrote to Olivia, urging the Clemenses to attend a garden party on 16 July (a Wednesday) at her home, the Retreat, in Hammersmith. At this event, which she called her “July Jumble,” the MacDonald family planned to enact a play, and the Jubilee Singers were to perform (CU-MARK; 29 Sept 73 to MacDonald [1st], n. 1). George MacDonald (1824–1905) was born in Scotland and educated at King’s College, Aberdeen, and at the theological college at Highbury, outside London. In 1853 he resigned his formal ministry to devote himself to literature, publishing his first book—a poetic tragedy—two years later. In addition to verse he wrote fiction treating mystical and religious themes and depicting humble Scottish life, as well as immensely popular stories for children. (Clemens had derided one of MacDonald’s novels, Robert Falconer, to Mary Mason Fairbanks in September 1870: see L4, 187–89.) Throughout his life he was an unorthodox but eloquent lay preacher. In 1872–73 MacDonald—accompanied by his wife and one son—made a successful lecture tour in the United States, managed by Redpath and Fall. In late December 1872, and again in late January 1873, the MacDonalds stayed at Mrs. Langdon’s home in Elmira, both occasions when the Clemenses were in Hartford (Raeper, 295; “George MacDonald,” Elmira Advertiser, 27 Jan 73, 4). According to Harriet Lewis, however, the MacDonalds were house guests of the Clemenses’ during her own visit to Hartford in March and April 1873: