Friday, 13 September 1861
Cloudy ― then rain more or less all day: ― from 4 to 7 very hard. ― & stormy wind ― rough sea.
Worked at La Petraija ―trees & Cypresses till 3: ― rest of day ― at Athos, painting the sea from the window, & making fun with the little boy next door, who tries to look proper, but explodes at the pictures of my book of nonsense.
Letter from Gush.
Wrote to Dickenson.
Dined at 4 ― one sole: dinner lasted 20 minutes. At 7 walked, cloaked, on the beach, till 8.30.
But Ann, Ann, Ann, ― will never come again. O dream ― life! ―
I feel that 11th March more today than ever if possible. ― Yet the rest of life must be more, rather than less lonely ― one would think.
I begin to think a fortnight more will advance the 8 pictures sufficiently ― but I cannot decide what then as to plans.
[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]