Dark

Wet. Daddy Hunt to breakfast ― & staid till 12. ˆ[Daddy’s life is not as happy as I could wish.]

Sorted letters till 2.30.

At 3 went out: it did not rain, but was black=blanket gloom & filth. First, I went thro’ Grosvenor Square ― & staid awhile seeing No. 23 levelled: ― o! the happy days I have passed there! ――

Then I called on Col. Hornby ― tho’ I did not expect him to be in town. He is sadly older & wearier; ― whatever he says of Lord Derby, adds to my disgust of all one ever hears of Knowsley. Lady Denison returns to Madras tomorrow. ― I suppose now, I shall hardly go to L. Green.

Walking from 12 Chapel St. I met Terrick Hamilton in Park St., ― who amiably turned back with me as far as Holford House, & then I walked back again with him: ― as always he is bright & pleasant.

Col. H. met me thus returning, but I overtook him soon, ― & again left him to call at Fairbairns’s 17 Park Lane. They were out, so I overtook the Col. Again before he got out of Park Lane. Whereon the poor old gent’s politeness gave way, & he [sided] with Down Street ― pretending a call, ― tho’ I saw he came out almost immediately & continued to padder down Piccadilly. Was he disgusted at walking with a “hartiss” ― or simply bored? After this I called on Lacäita ― (the foolish woman said he was at Count Lansdowne’s ― & made a deal of fuss about “Sir James.”) & on C. Knight: out also. & then ― at 4.30 ― walked to Brompton, where I found Mrs. Coombe, Percy, & Sidney at home. The latter is ill, tho’ I do not know of what, & is going away to [Dering] for the winter. Percy is a good lad. ―

I walked back at 7 ― & dined on cold Surrenden Dering Pheasant.

XX3

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