MUSTERS

Fine calm gray morning. 8½ to 9½ ― walked on the Terrace & about the grounds. A very delightful place! ― Breakfast Mr. Elwes (Frank.) ― Mr. & 2 Miss Dashwoods ― all very lively & pleasant. In the dining room are 2 portraits of Mr. & Mrs. Musters of Colnwick ― she a Miss Heywood. Their son married “Mary Chaworth” ― & united the estates. These two lived mostly at ――― in the Vale of Belvoir ― also a Chaworth property. There he died ― (the first of Chaworth=Musters,) but how? ― She, “Mary Chaworth” died aged 40 or so: of decline: one of her lungs was wholly gone ― one year after the Riots at Nottingham ― & not of fright. Her son ― (had she any other children?) married a Miss Hammond of Norfolk, & died at 25 ― when his youngest boy was a baby: her daughter in law (Hammond) survived 2 years: leaving John C.M. ― the present man: Miss C.M. & the baby ― now a Middy in the Marlborough. ― All this was told me by Mrs. C.M. in the “antique Oratory.” ― After breakfast the  Dashwoods & Elwes went away. ― M. out to hunting. Mrs. C.M. shewed me rooms &c.: a sweeter & more natural person I have not met with. (The door, with pistol shots of Lord B. still  stands.)
||The husband of Mary Chaworth survived till 1850 ― being far over 70: ― he left ˇ[2] other sons ― & I think a daughter ―.|| ― Played & read till 1½. Lunch then ― with Mrs. M. only ― who is certainly one of the most perfect little women. (She is niece of Mrs. R. Alexander ― also the Frebecks of Chailey live near here.) Then I sang to her: & then she drove me with 2 ponies to Newstead. Cold ― but [sole] ― gray. We did not of course go in ― but I am much struck & pleased with what I saw, ― & certainly wish I could have staid longer. Drove back another way, very fine wide country. ― Talked till M. came in. So sensible a woman for 17 I have hardly seen. ― (Miss Francklin is one of 4 children: mother died 10 years ago, when she was 8. Brother, now possessing the property ― only 14 & 2 others younger. ― Father died lately, being ill. Miss F. neglected ― & only over at a school for a year. || ―― Dinner: ― no one but we three. Afterwards M. asked about the Bassae ― & actually wished to buy it ― but I vetoed that. He would however have drawings. ――

Played & sang ― but we did not sit ˇ[up] later than 11.

X7

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