Rose at 6. Better health. A little Plato, ― Republica. Dark gray morning… Began to work hard on Musters’ Lebanon. ……

At 8½ breakfast down stairs: ― very good.

Room not done ― talk with Ingine Ossifer ―: & to Mr. Lyle himself ― who is really good natured. ― To Hewitson’s, whose room, house, & grounds, are a very exquisite specimen of taste. Hewitson has no imagination, but great taste & tact, & good breeding, & it is impossible not to recall days when these qualities so allured me, who then had little chance of such society. The great Cedars were glorious: ― but by this ― 11 A.M. ― it began to rain, & thenceforth, rained on in utter gloom till 5 P.M.

Meanwhile, I worked on, hard, ― & cheerfully ― all day. ― At 5, walked to “the Temple” again ―― no canvass yet. ― Returned, & Table d’hôte at 6¾. ― Sate next a clever medical man, who, talking of John Leech, went on to speak of the Greeks understanding Anatomy ― which he declared they didn’t, & I nearly agreed with him eventually. ―

At 9.30 came upstairs & shall now draw for an hour ― piuttosto1 ― “pen-out.” ―

Embassy at 10 from “Ladies” below for me to play & sing: no go.

Sewed on a button.

X11

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

  1. Or rather. [↩]