Wrote to
1 Maclean
2 R. Boswell ― with 2nd half of 10£ note
3 W. Nevill.
4 Jessy Foy
5 Taylor
6 G. Kokali
7 Lady Goldsmid
8 Lady G. Grey.

[Ver]y fine & bright day. It certainly has been a lovely autumn.

No letters: ― wrote 8.

Dickens came. ― At 11 to Rouledge’s & saw Mr. R. who won’t buy the Nonsense, but offers to purchase 1000.

Then to Mrs. Leakes ―― poor Lady! After telling me about some friends in Corfû ― we went into Lunch, during which she consulted me about dear Col Leakes Epitaph: ― & I suggested an insertion relation  to his Archæological works ―

Her words stood.

An accomplished scholar
He was distinguished for his search after truth.
He preserved the ˇ[ancient] History of Greece from obscurity,
& the modern from misrepresentation ――

Mine ―――

An accomplished Scholar,
He was distinguished no less by his search after truth,
Than by his assiduity in communicating it to others:
And, through his many Archæological & Topographical publications, he rescued &c. &c.

I went at 2 ― & taking leave of her, she surprised me greatly by offering me a note ― saying in the sweetest & kindest way, yet greatly affected ― that she wished to give me some memorial of her husband, who had taken such interest in me & my works ―: the note contained Fifty pounds!! ―――――――――

Ἀς ἐυχαριξουμεν τὸν Θέον!1

Home, & to Drummonds, where I drew 30£ then to J. Senior’s, where I read & signed my will, ― & received the Probates of my grandmother’s & dear Ann’s. ― Bern came in for a minute.

Home again ― no Clowes, ― so I took 2 Pheasants of Surrenden=Dering, ― & a book, & 2 mosaics, & walked to Brompton, where I dined with the poor Coombes ― who are naturally sad ― as that old [Prater], dying with over 100,000£ ― has left them nothing ― & worse, ― withdraws by his death an annual 20£! ―――― Walked back.

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

  1. Let us thank God! (NB). [↩]