Gloomy ― sunless, damp day. Wrote to R.D. Drewitt, & others. Breakfast. Work all day at Bethlehem ― & better than usual. At 4.45 went to see Ann: ― poor dear ― her face is very sad: ― & so is her loneliness at the dark end of life. ― I soon made her laugh by talking of her not studying the Bible properly ― yet it seems to me  more sad this year than in any yet. I wish Sarah was come. Mr. Cortazzi wrote this morning ― nothing particular. At 6.30 ― Madox Brown, William Rossetti ― Woolner, Egg, & Martineau came to dinner. Afterwards, smoking, & I penning out: ― then they boxed downstairs ― which to me was a bore. Then tea, & they looking at my drawings, tho’ the “Sphere” was not in harmony. At 12 they went. Holman Hunt’s good humour is at least as remarkable as his talent & moral & physical energy.

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