Wednesday, 30 January 1861
Dull ― damp ― dark.
Worked only till 1 P.M. at the Bethlehem.
Then out. Called on Mrs. Somers Cocks, who was very vaticinative. Then across the Park to Daddy Hunt, who was fortunately alone: ― sate with him till 4: very pleasant.
Then ― call on G. Middleton ― out.
Poi, walked home by Kensington, intending to make other calls ― but durst not cross the dazzly dirty dimmy slippery streets. Home before 6. Θουκυδίδης εὥς τὰς ἐπτὰ. ―1
Cab to J. Edwards’ Club, dining with him.
This youth vexes me at times ― & I can’t see his way clear.
Home by 10.30.
[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]
- Thucydides until 7 (NB). [↩]
One truth comes through strongly from reading these diary notes concerning his London sojourns. Lear was highly sociable.
From simply reading his travel diaries, we would have thought the contrary and that he spent most of his life exchanging monosyllables with his manservants. And only some of his socializing in England had to do with selling his work.