Saturday, 31 January 1863

X8.

Same Paradise weather.

Worked at 11, 12 & 13 ― all of which I finished: but No. 11 is a long & tiresome affair ― Spezzia with forground vines. ― So ― January is nearly gone ― & I must say I have never passed one so serenely for many many years.

Something is to be put down to the better climate ― somewhat to the better health: ― somewhat to the less anxiety about beastly money: ― somewhat to a reaction from the sorrow for dear Ann’s going: ― but I believe most of all to the better state of the “demon” ― or rather to his greater absence.

I also nearly finished No. 14 ― so there are but 16 ― & a bittock to get through: a bouncing lot of energy it has needed to do these.

At 5 ― I walked by the Fort Abraham road ― (meeting Sir H.S. ― who stopped & spoke of C.F.. “I hope it may turn out as happily as his friends wish.” ― quo’ he of the marriage. Then I returned by the S. Decca road. The glory & beauty of the moon & sunset were not to be described. Greek till 7. Dinner. ― Out came George with his woe ― concerning ὁ ὑιὸς Νικόλα,[1] whose master shuts up his school continually, & N. only goes & plays with other boys, & don’t go home. My good Suliote, I should think is not a manager of παιδιὰ[2] ― but I dare say Nick is a pickle. G. is gone to Καστραδες ― & says N. is to come to a school here. ― I shall pay somewhat more of his schooling ―for attention to the life of a child of that age is all: all.

(O bother the cats! also the mice!)

How quiet is this house! what a contrast to the misery of last year.

And so ends January 1863.

 

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[1] The son Nicola (NB).

[2] Children (NB)

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

Friday, 30 January 1863

Same lovely weather.

Finished No. 11 ― & nearly No. 12. of the larger 30 tyrants. But worked ill & interruptedly ― expecting letters by the mail.

Came letters from 5 ―

C. Fortescue ― married on the 20^th. ――――
S.W. Clowes ― very nice letter ― not having had [nicer].
T. Cooper ― Bright Smith is recovering!
Holman Hunt. ―
& Dickenson ― no frames on their way out yet.

What with reading C.F.’s ― Daddys ― & Sam’s letters ― & thinking thereon ― I could not work well any more ― & at 4.30. walked out ― by the Potamo cross road S. Decca ― giro ― returned by 6.15. The moonlight & calm were certainly amazingly lovely.

Stefanizzi ― 6.15 ― to 7.15. But I am aweary. G. was out until just before I came back ― & his manner was “vastly uncivil.” ― He has some bother I do not know of, & goes againt to Kastrades. Meanwhile I penned out from 8.15 to 11.15. When he returned ― but very sulky & queer ― & I saw him a good deal altered, poor man, in many ways.

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

Thursday, 29 January 1863

Paradise weather. The geese go their rounds. The million gulls round the men of war are like silver myriads of butterflies.

Worked till 4 ― at Nos. 9 ― & 10 ― & finished both ― among the best of all this lot.

Walked by the Parga road ― the new short cut by the Λατινικὸν cemetery ― bright opals & crimsons & moons & what not.

Greek ― 6.15 to 7.

Major Buchanan came & dined with me ― evening most pleasant.

Penned out 2 drawings ― of 1856.

Bed at 12.40.

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

Wednesday, 28 January 1863

Calm ― & brightish ― all day long.

To me, this whole winter seems Paradise ― yet Sargent & Straham persist in saying ― “it is the worst winter they ever knew” ― !!!

Anyhow ― rising at 7 ― & breakfasting before 8 ― I worked from 8.30 ― to 4.30. ― interrupted, oftener than might be ― to look at oil casks floating ― geese &c. &c. opening now & then the windows. I always keep 2 fires going ― & don’t know how to manage otherwise just now.

Finished No. 6. 7 ― & 8 ― & worked at No. 9 of the larger 30 Tyrants: slow work ― still they advance.

At 4.30 ― walked by Manducchio & the Parga ridge ― to a path leading, ridiculous to relate, to the Potamò road in 2 minutes! ― Thence home /moonlight now,) by 6. At 6.15 ― Stefanizzi. ―

Stefanizzi is sottosopra[1] about the Islands ― & says “per vendicarsi delle ingiurie dette da 40 o 50 demagogi [sic] ― il Governo Inglese abbandona gli Isole ― e subito, in faccia di Epiro ― passan migliaia de Albanesi, ci mangeranno tutto!”[2]

Dined at 7.20. ―― G. went home from 8.40 to 10.20. I penned out, from 8.20 ― to 11.30. ― & finished the Nifès drawing.

 

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[1] Upset.

[2] In order to revenge themselves of the insults uttered by 40 or 50 demagogues ― the English Government leaves the Islands ― and suddenly, opposite Epirus ― march thousands of Albanians, they are going to rob us of everything.

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

Tuesday, 27 January 1863

Perfectly calm & bright & lovely all day.

Finished Nos. 2 ― 3 ― 4 & 5 of the larger 30 Tyrants ― & also worked at No. 6.

& at 4 ― went out ― up the Parga lane ― how beautiful the harbor, Vido & Nemertska! & so gradually round to the Potamo road ― going up to a lone church ― Ἄγιος Ιωάννης.[1] Ἐγὼ εἶμαι ὁ ἐφημέριος[2] ―― said the priest.

Home by 6.20. Greek till 7.15[.]

Dined. ―

At 8.10. ― Penned out ˇ[part of] the Monastery Nifes sketch, June 23./56.

What quiet in this house now! I should not like to leave it.

 

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[1] St. John.

[2] I am the parish priest (NB).

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

Monday, 26 January 1863

A gray day: no rain. S.W. wind at sunset.

Completed No. 28 ― & 29 of the smaller 30 Tyrants, & now they are all done.

Also finished No. 1 of the larger 30 ― & I believe 2 & 3 also.

Letter from F.L. ―

At 4 ― went to Ascension, & far into the cliff overhung rounds beyond.

Stefanizzi 5¾ ― to 6¾.

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

Sunday, 25 January 1863

X7

Very perfect lovely weather. Unwell & took medicine. Wrote to Mrs. Roberson & Mrs. Scrivens.

At 1.30 went to the De Veres & lunched there: they are nice good people.

Returned at 3 home, & then at 3.45. walked by the half Potamó round & back by Condi Lane & Manducchio ― sauntering by Kastrades till 6. ―

At 7.30 ― Palace ―

Dinner good & pleasant ― but I was shy & queer ― by degrees better, & the evening was on the whole pleasant. Talked a good deal with Evelyn Baring.

What a lovely night.

Bloo vos the waters: bloo the sky ―
[Seemed] like a notionung an eye.[1]

 

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[1] Parodying Byron’s The Siege of Corinth, XI: “Blue roll the waters, blue the sky / Spreads like an ocean hung on high.” See 27 December 1862 and note.

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

Saturday, 24 January 1863

Paradise weather ― all day ― i.e. ― perfect calm & clearness.

‘Heaps’ of steamers. 3 Austrian, 1. Italian, 1 Turk, 1. English, 1. Greek.

The Austrian brought only 1. paper ― no letters; whereat disgust.

Worked at Nos. 26 ― 27 ― (which I finished,) ― & No. 28 ― almost ditto. ―

So that all of the smaller 30 Tyrants left to complete, are Philœ ― No. 29 ― & what is left to do of Berât, ˇ[No.] 28. ―

I was to dine at Captn. Wilkinson’s ―― but he wrote, saying a nephew was dead.

Came also an invitation for tomorrow to the Palace.

At 4.30. walking ― down the prison road ―― but that walk don’t pay ― sun being in eyes[.]

Met  [Mme. Fonblanque]: ― & returned solo ― going thro’ Kastrades so late that I thought I should get a quiet walk ― but I met Clarks, Sir H.J. Storks, ― Woolff, & Sir C. Sargent ― all potius apers.

Walked alone: the glory of the clear new moon, & the amber orange, [illegible word] rays, ― over the Lake: really, I wish that beautiful scene could always be enjoyed in quiet! ― instead of its being the Hyde Park of Corfu. ―

Returned by 6.15. ― Greek till 7. Dined ― & G. has gone to Καστράδες. ― Penned out, completing Gardiki,, till 10.30. ―

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

Friday, 23 January 1863

N.W. wind ― cold ― & bright all day. ―

Read papers. Worked ― but not satisfactorily, at Nos. 24 ˇ[& 25] ― (which I finished ― 25 ― & 26 of the smaller 30 Tyrants: they bore me to death.

Sir C. Sargent came about 2 ― & asked me to walk. He bored me still more, being full of endless questions, & turning over my 25 poor drawings in about 5 minutes: ― a contrast to Majr. Bethune & the De Veres.

Unsettled ― but worked till 4; when I walked out ― cold & bright ― by Manducchio & over the Condi road ― back by the Potamó ditto.

6 to 7 ―Stephanizzi.

7.30. dined.

8. to 10. penned out. (Γαρδίκι)

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

Thursday, 22 January 1863

Windy all day ― not fine. N.W. wind, cold.

Worked at Nos. 23, 24 ― & 25 of the smaller 30 Tyrants ― 23 & 25 finished.

At 4.30. walked ― “all about” ― Potamo road &c. &c. Mountains wonderful: sea deep grass green.

Greek ― 6 to 7.

Craven came to dine: & nothing could be nicer & pleasanter.

Dr. Roberts also came in for a half hour. Craven has much that is really fine in his character ― & many pleasant qualities.

He went at 11. G. having laid down, I told him that he had forgotten the Cistern plug ―whereby he was arrabiose,[1] καὶ, ἐθυμόνησε.[2] Natural enough ― perhaps, but he must be pulled up. ―

Penned out (the A. Procopius ―) till 12. ―

The sea is not so noisy, but quite sufficiently so[.]

No 21^st Steamer came in today only at noon. brought 3 papers ― no letters.

 

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[1] I suppose Lear meant “arrabbiato,” “angry.”

[2] He got angry (NB).

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