May 9, 1851 - Saw the bride and congratulated her

Friday 9th (May)

A most Beautiful day, and when I gaze out upon Nature how beautiful did every thing appear. Truely God is in every thing, Even when the gentle breeze this morning seemed slightly to ruffle the tender leaf, me think I could see impr.?. thereon the name of God. I did not go to school as I was not very well in the morning. In the afternoon, I walked down with Mr Printiss and such a walk, and such a talk. I got to school quite early, talked a while when the bell rang. I was not prepared with my Rhetoric lesson for which I was very sorry. Went up to get a library book and then after a chat with the girls returned home. After tea Cousin C[aroline] and I took a walk around the square, after we came to our door we met Thomas H[unt], who with Libby took a walk up past Sallie Sterritts, she came down with us, had a pleasant walk, but was quite fatigued. Caroline is now sleeping. Saw the bride and congratulated her.

Serena does not describe the library books that she reads. There is a concern at this time that young women and girls are too fond of novels and light reading, and that this may lead to “female depravity” (Calhoun 73). Serena’s teachers would probably have looked askance at Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre and Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights, published in 1847, and even at Jane Austen’s books, published before 1817.

Is the bride Fannie B.? I have not been able to identify her.