Supper didn’t agree with me. ― Rose late. ― Newspaper ―: the Austrians really seem to be about to go out of Italy altogether, Pavia, Lodi & Piacenza all evacuated! ― French landing near Trieste. ― Demonstration at Rome. ― Metternich dead.

W.H.E. off at 10 to fetch his boys. ― I & Mrs. Empson walked ― perhaps the most perfect deep=green ― lonely ― lany ― village scenes I ever saw ― oak & cornfields & distant woods. Call on a Mrs. Petty ― & later on to a great Oak tree & another Cottage.

Returning ― tales of the H.S. Stansfields ― who it seems are “talked of” ― about the 5 months’ child. All the odd things s’expliquent at once ― the leaving it there &c. &c. ― But my saying I saw it at once opens the eyes of the astute grandmother ― “what! see a 5 month ‘child’! what! in long clothes! ― why, a 7 months’ child is only put in cotton! ― what! wet nurse! Why they feed such children with a feather. ―” So, after all, [Pantaglini] is not so bad as one thought. Returned at 12 to find a photographer, whom we had sent for from Romsey ― but he doesn’t seem very clever. ―― However, he grew more astute, & φωτογραφεd all 3 pictures & the Vicarage &c.: ― Mrs. E. being always lively. ― At 5 W.E. returned, with his 2 boys: the elder, clever, & aff.t, but delicate. ― ―

Dinner ― broken & detached ― owing to photographer sitting. ― Talk. tea. music. ―

Paper of the day: the Austrians seem clearing out of Italy at once.

Sad idle wicked life here for 3 days!

X10 ―

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