Saturday, 30 June 1860

Finer; ― gray ― & only a shower or two.

Dickenson came & took away the last of those Parnassuses incubi, Lord Clermont’s. ― Mr. Gush & his daughter came also. ― Later W. Nevill junior ― & then Henry Hetcher, who has travelled everywhere, & is (still) a really nice fellow. ― After Willie N. went, came F.L. ― It seems, Dicky B. is not going with him as Sec. J. ― Began to work at the “Dead Sea” ― & then came Major R. & Miss Yates ― & after that Philip Bouverie & his 2 little girls.

Did not go out: but at 7.45 ― cab to Kenneth Macaulays ―

Reg. Cholmondeley should have come.

This dinner was pleasant: ― & G.S. Venables extremely kindly & nice ― & far more softened than I could have expected. The anecdotical portion of the dinner was very funny: ― Spedding ever very beautiful=real. ―

Evening also pleasant. ―

V. Spedding & Thompson, & F.L. & I behind, walked on. Midnight. ― I came home allein, μόνος, solo, seul, alone. ― But it don’t vex me now as heretofore. ―

[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]

Friday, 29 June 1860

11XXX

Queer mechanical work, ― this journal writing.

At 6 fine ― [but slept]. ((Lear wrote “stepl.”))

At 8 rain. 10 cloudy. 12 dark.

& thence to 5 frightful outpouring rain. J. Gibbs, & Capt. Gibbs came. ― & ― I think, no one else, till Mrs. George Clive & Ansibilla ― who staid a long time 4 to 6. ― & are a comfort, ― being kindly, & reasoning, & well-informed, & well-bred, & feminine, ― besides well-looking. ―

At 6.30 I called on 2 or 3 or 4 places ― but came back at 8 ― & dined on cold beef & beer.

Wet nearly all day. ―

(X12)

[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]

Thursday, 28 June 1860

Dull gray: ― dark: ― pouring rain from 2 to 7 ― storms.

Worked but little, but really got off Farquhar’s, & Bruce’s Parnassuses ― & Miss Yates’s Jánina. ― The many details* of visits one can hardly record at this hour, 11.30 P.M. Ogle is a singular fellow. ― Beauclerk is kindly & pleasant. ―

* Dickenson
R. Bright, Mrs. B. & Nephew
Mary Anne, & Catherine North.
S.W. Clowes.
Willie Nevill.
Charles Wynne.
Ogle ―――
Beauclerk

At 7.45 to H. Farquhars. (Bulfinch in Swiss cottage cage.[)]

Dinner remarkably good. Wines super good, and plentiful. Objects around pleasant & rememberable.

Mrs. S. very dull ― but I talked a great deal: ― next neighbor, Whitbread, pleasant.

[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]

Wednesday, 27 June 1860

Damp ― dark ― raining at times.

Incessant fuss. Carpenter setting up Folio stands.

Mrs. S. Gurney & 2 friends: C. Braham: F. North. ― Foster: ― Dickenson. ―

Worked a little at the last of the Parnassusses. ― & slept.

Whereon came George Middleton ― much talk of Col. Leake: ― & B. Husey Hunt, which was refreshing.

At 7½ to Philip Bouverie’s ― dinner.

P.B.’s dinners are always of the nicest dressed & looking people ― couples ― all, or single. ― There were

Mr. Dudley & Lady ―― Fortescue.
Mr. & Mrs. Watson Taylor
Mr. & Mrs. Somebody Somebody
Capt. Somebody
Miss Seymour.
P. & his ― oh so slow! Wife ― but good.
& Mr. Someone.
12 & E.L. ……

A kind of weariness pervades me after these monotonies: though of good will there is much.

[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]

Tuesday, 26 June 1860

Cloudy: not wet.

Rose before 8. ― Worked at a Parnassus. ―

Woolner came. And poor dear Ann: ― & young Willie N. ― Then Mrs. & Alfred Seymour. Ann ― & W.N. lunched. ― Ann went at 4.

Ann seems older to-day than I have seen her, but I hope that is from the close & hot air of the day. Regarding Sarah & Ellen she is clear & well-judging in all she says: ― but she seems to look forward to leaving all more certainly & distinctly. This, I trust, so long as we can keep her happy & quiet, will not be for many many years; ― & her new lodging ― with her old friends Miss Randall, & Miss Peel, seems to me more desirable than any I have known of her late abodes.

At 7.30 to Col. Clowes. Col. C. Miss C. 3 Arkwrights & George C. ―――― A “mixed society” truly.

[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]

Monday, 25 June 1860

X10

Wet all day.

Ach. Worked but little; slept much, at one Parnassus. ―

Henry Bruce came & staid some time. Dined at Lady Farquhars.

Harrie F.
Mrs. ―― F.
Dowgr. Lady Wenlock.
Lady W. Russell.
Arthur Russell.
Douglas Kinnaird.
Sir Rob.t Alexander.
Duke of Cleveland
Earl Grey
Countess Grey.
Baron Marochetti
& one or 2 more.

[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]

Sunday, 24 June 1860

Gray. No rain: & a shimmering of sun.

All the morning, looked over, & destroyed letters.

At 1.30 called on the Percys ― out, Brights ― where was Ogle. Grenfell, & Chapman, ― seeing R. Cholmondeley & Gibbs: ― Lady James, seeing Sir Walter; ― then home. Poi, Mrs. Leake, out: ― Cockerells, seeing the old gentleman & Fred: ― Miss C. to be Mrs. Benson. Then Mrs. Martineau: ― after all which I returned by 5.30 to Stratford Place.

At 6½ to Lady Bethell’s ― (Sir R. away at Hackwood. ―) Wally there, apparently gentle & gentlemanly. ― I say, apparently for I tremble for his youth. ― And, Gussie, ― always the same, good & real. ― Then came “Baptiste Metaξà ―” & 2 sons ― & it is not possible to say what a disgusting slaverer this man is: how lying, ― false, ― vulgar, ― odious. ― Nothing would be more irritating. ― But the disclosures made by poor Lady B. about Dick, the blackguard, ― were frightful. ― I do not put them down ― but keep them to shudder at. ―

[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]

Saturday, 23 June 1860

XXX[9]

Gray ― but not wet day.

πιν το μεσημερι, δεν εμπωρουσα να καρει τιποτε. ((Then at midday, nothing at the frame shop” (GT).))

Afterwards, worked at one Parnassus pretty well.

No one came. Review day.

Mr. Terrick Hamilton only ― at 5. ―

Dined at T. Wyatt’s ― Manbys & Digby W.s only there: pleasant as always.

Sang a great deal.

[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]

Friday, 22 June 1860

Slept, or “didn’t sleep” ― particularly ill. ― Rose before 8 ― all energy about rising here is folly. ― Took some tea, & penned out Porto Venere till 10½ ― when Bright came. ― At 11 C. Fortescue, when we two breakfasted: C.F. is always unchangeably good & gentle. ― At 12 he went. ― Then I penned out again more or less. F.L. coming in, & a second time at 3½. At 4 ― Bus to city ― but feeling unwell: went to see 2 pictures of Jerusalem by [Selders] ― horrors. ― Then to Temple, & F.’s rooms; having first seen his Volunteer Corps Manœvering. His rooms, ― wh. I had never been in ― strangely recalled past years: ― the same objects & similarly placed. ― At 6¼, he, I, & Benj. Grey went to L. Bridge ― & meeting K. Macaulay there ― all to Greenwich. The others at the dinner, wh. was Chapman’s, were W.G. Clark, & W. Lushington. Dinner very oppressive to me ― & the evening dull outside ― with rain. Rejoiced to go away. ― Rail at 11 to town.

Bus to Stratford Place. ―

Τα καλα πραγματα της ζωης μας ολα, βεβαια, ετελειωθη σαν. Και δεν εμπορου πουν θα επι ζεψουν πωλε! ((More or less, according to Google Translator: “the good things of life have, of course, all been accomplished (ετελειωθη, from James 2.22). And no merchant would say to sell [].”))

[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]

Thursday, 21 June 1860

Aperiently, finer.

Worked at the Cambridge Bassæ letters, & got all sealed. Began

Edward Sayres & his wife called & staid some time ― & with that visit I was greatly pleased. Then Mr. Morier, who never grows old. ― Finished Miss Yates’s Jánina. Later came Edward Wilson: & then Col. Hornby: who is much aged. ―

At 4 I went out & made many calls: Col. Clowes only at home. Talk ― nolens volens ― about S.W.C.

― Across the Park: storm: home in time. Dined on cold beef. ―

[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]