Thursday, 30 June 1864

Sent letter to George Cocali.

Boyd ― Mrs. Boyd ― Charley
Miss North. Miss Ewart. Miss Hall.
Mr. Alfred Morrison.
Mr. Egerton.

All of which allowed but little time for penning out ― so I worked on ― (sleeping a little ―) till 6.45 ― when I dressed for dinner. ― Che vita di prigione![1]

Nevertheless, thank God, I “keep my health.”

On my way to 61 Eaton Place ― left a note & my Photograph at 11. Berkeley Square. Evelyn Baring goes tomorrow to New York. ―

Evening very pleasant. Mrs. Maxwell’s mother was a Corfiote. Col. Maxwell told me that Mr. Hay of Ἀπυθούλος died 6 months ago. Yet those poor people have not heard of it, ― at least had not in May 18. ― Came away at 11.

Great crowd about Duke of Buccleuchs ― a ball: what a whirl is the London life!

X

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[1]What a prison life!

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

Wednesday, 29 June 1864

Rose before 6 ― & penned till 8. ―& again till 1 ―― when Sir Walter & Lady James came.

At 4 ― made calls ― Lady Waterford, Lady Grey ― Mr. Dodson, Lady Duncraile, & Mrs. Percy ― but it came on, as last night ― hard rain.

The Trunk has got to Moorgate ― but Thomas had not enough tin to pay for it, so it has not yet been sent.

Just as I was dressing to dine ― lo!

The Trunk came!! ― untouched & just as it was inside & out!!!!!! A mystery & a pleasure.

Company intelligent & jovial. Room hot & detestable. Singing ―

& came away at 11.30. Home by 12[.]

X

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

Tuesday, 28 June 1964

The morning went in arranging accounts ― writing orders to Drummond ― for

Gush ―      17-10-0
Jones ―      31-0-0
Foord ―     26-0-0
Self ―         10
――――――――――
£84-10-0

in all. No news of the Truck except that it has arrived at Folkestone. ― W. Lushington came ― & at 4 as I was going out, Evelyn Baring ― who goes to N. York on Friday!!! ― Walked with him to Pall Mall ― called on Miss Dennett ― Dean of Westminster, & Mrs. Walter Evans.

At 7.35 to 45 Portland Place.

A most pleasant party & wondrously good dinner. all A No. 1.

I wish I knew George was safe home.

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

Monday, 27 June 1864

Rose at 6. Bright & lovely. A little walk to the great trees & over to broadgreen ―― & so breakfast ― & ponychaise to Basingstoke.

Stratford Place by 10.30. Letters from Fanny Coombe. Arthur Empson ― dear Mrs. Empson is dead: ― she died on the 21. May. ― O! kind friend! O days gone by!! ――――

From Mrs. Boyd ― who is in England &c. &c. Answered letters & penned out till 3. Then I went out & called on Clay, Lady Elizth. Drummond, °Lady Hunter, Lady Somers, Hodgson, °Mrs. Norman, Fainbairn, Dss. St. Albans, Miss Stanley, Mrs. Buxton Mrs. Hanmmond, H.J. Holland, ― °Mrs. Cave, ― Duke St. Albans, ˇ[Brassay]. Those marked ° I saw ― leastwise Mrs. Cameron: ― who really seemed to me supremely mad.

Home by 7 to dress. (saw the Prescotts & Mrs. Decie. Χθές Evelyn ― & T.G. Baring had called, C.E. Luard & others ― but so great is the hustle here I can not give 10 minutes thought to anyone person or thing. O! O! O! for a quiet hour! ― a luncheon in Crete! ― Ineed I really think of going off altogether, tho’ I could arrange to pay more, & have more comfort, I might make more money & consequently have more quiet months abroad.[)]

Dinner at the Wynnes, very unusually good & well arranged: & in all respects “successful.[”]

Home by 11.30

X

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

Sunday, 26 June 1864

Rose at 6 or 7 ― but it is very cold. Gray & grand the Elmtrees stand ― no sun ― no light of cheerfulness: ― summut like life now a days. ― Half an hour before breakfast, walked across that broad lawn, to the vast trees & into the grove, ― past the fountain, & along the walk into the tall ivy grown beech ― … still ― calm: ― few of such moments now seem ― nor can there be many. I went back to breakfast ― cheery enough. After, ― they all went to church: ― I to my room, where I wrote to Emma Parkyns ― & “penned out” till 1. Going down, found Slingsby, & we all talked till Lunch. Afterwards, they discussed their yacht plans: & at 3 ― S., W., & I walked out, by the Park & long gleamy woods ― (for now there was sun,) to Basing ― picturesque village, ― where we went into the church to see the Tablet her “sons & daughters” have put up to dear Lady Westbury’s memory. ― They all love her ― as needs was. ― Then we went to a good Capt. Booths ― inspecting  talon & gold Pheasants, rats, &c. &c. & the river Loddon with its Fount. Hence, home ― pleasantly: ― & then a walk on the Lawn with her: ― how sadly she yet feels her mother’s death! ― ―― At 6.45. Slingsby went. ―

Dinner

Afterwards, Florence B. began to talk nonsense of Mr. Hume ― which I rudely stopped. And later ― sang a good deal.

O dear me ― what a load of folly & sadness & bother encumbers my life. ―

Bed at 10.30

Tore a corn (below my foot) badly last night ― & suffer all day & now therefrom.

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

Saturday, 25 June 1864

The usual “penning out” ― Cretan sketches. Sent T. Cooper, who is recovering fast ― to the city about my Trunk ― it has not come, & they say “next week.” Captn. & Mrs. Jameson called. At 3 ― came to Waterloo Station. ― poor W. Nevill was there, going 2^nd Class. ― alas.

Also, Colonel Hornby, & Windham.

Travelled alone ― barring a marvelous Baby=Paton.

At Basingstoke, carriage with Gussie, & Florence Bethell poor woman ―― what is her life! ― But the L.C. don’t come ― acause of the Cabinet sitting.

Walk with Wally in the woods ―.

Afterwards ― a good fire ― for it is cold here: ― & I sang a good deal.

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

Friday, 24 June 1864

Rose before 6. ―Penned out.

Alfred & Lady Elizabeth Drummond came. ― Lady E. is a kindly pleasant Lady. After which I penned out, ― slept, ― wrote, ― lunched, ― slept ― slept again & so all turnatly. A prison at best. ―

About 4.30 or 5 ― Mrs. Robinson & Miss Louis came ― always a pleasure: they have so much natural taste & discrimination as to portrait=landscape. It pleases me even when they don’t like a painting.

Did not go out till 6.30. when I went to 29. Welbeck St. carrying a drawing for T. Woolner’s intended. The dinner was very cheerful-pleasant rustical: Soles ―good lamb & pease & pudding ― & cheese. Sherry ― & surprising Burgundy & olives ἔπειτα. The Bard was cheerful & pleasant.

Afterwards, he went μοναχός to smoke. T.W. & I talked ― of Daddy & other matters. Woolner has an extreme originality. When AT came again, I hoped to hear the “Enoch”: but a visitor came, & lo! it was “Johnny Waller” of Tabley memories!!! ― & that addition was becoming pleasant when, lo again ――― Palgrave, ― who of all men is the most frightfully antipatico[1] to me. His voice, & eternal assumption & gross vanity are sickening.

At 11 ― I came home.

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[1]Obnoxious.

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

Thursday, 23 June 1864

Rose at 5.30 ― & penned out till 8. Had a cup of tea, & walked to the station. W. Harcourt & H. Grenfell came up when the train started, & we were in town by 10.30 ― Stratford Place. 11. a whole day goes in such a visit ― & the visit itself is misery.

Lunch at 12. ― violent indigestion ―― X

Slept a long while, after penning out till 2. ― Then Col. Hornby came ― Older & so shrunken ― but so kindly & joyous, that he seemed years younger. He staid nearly an hour, & I showed him photographs & drawings, & many memories of old days arose. ――――――――――

At 5 I went out, & called at the S. Bethells ― out ―: then on Kate Lushington: & coming thence, metS. & Caroline Bethell, & went home with them ― where was Ellen Abraham. “Tom” came in as I went out. Walked home, dressed, & walked to 18 St. James’s St.

Home by 12.

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

Wednesday, 22 June 1864

Rose before 6 ― & penned out till 8.

Cooper is better. No tidings of Trunk. Penned out at intevels ― sleeping now & then, ― & lunching at 1 ― till 4, when I came to Waterloo Station. ― & so to Twickenham ditto, & by cab to Strawberry Hill. No one was there but Edwards? Vernon: very communicative & tiresome.

The afternoon was cloudy ― & rain began to fall. C.F. came ― but without the least kindly enquiry about my trunk ― or what I was doing in any way ― that I had written about W. Nevill & others: (indeed he laughed amain about the trunk.) Taking me to his room ― (where the pictures are all shockingly placed ―) he talk[ed a wh]ile about Storks ― Woolff &c. ― but in 5 minutes he lef[t to f]ind the increasing party ―quite right & his duty ― only [][1] bore to come here nondimeno. Dinner immense & tiresome except that I sate next to good Grenfell. ― My next neighbor, Lady Hislop, half killed me with crinoline & wine.

O what a bore!

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[1]A large blot covers part of the page.

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

Tuesday, 21 June 1864

Very lovely weather always. Rose at 6.30 ―

Fuss about the new Lodger’s servant & [illegible]. The Cooper’s won’t stay I fear, & Mrs. C. tells me how matters stand. I go to Gush ― & he promises et cetera. I also offer to take the lower rooms if Mr. Dos Santos will go to No. 17. What else to do I cannot tell. Letter from Mr. Edwards ― & wrote to him. Daddy Hunt came: he like the Argostoli: proposes that I should sign a paper about “suppression of all Street music” which I do notsign. Mrs. Clive came, & Mrs. Mildmay, & we look over Campagna sketches. Later, good boy Wade-Browne. After which, having lunched, I fell asleep, & woke at 5 ― to pen out again, ― Crete sketches. Lo!! ― AT ― / most amiable ―: & I walked with him to Woolner’s ― who was out at first, but came in afterwardly. Read 2 poems of AT’s new lot: ― one, I knew, ― the valley “32 years ago.” ― Another, the “Voyage.” Very beautiful.

At 7.30 ― walked to Berkeley Square: & saw Sybella some 15 minutes before anyone came.

Marochetti seemed to me very commonplace & self sufficient, but yet with a sort of servility, Mrs. P. Butler is a bore rather ― aye ― much. ―

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