Cloudy early: fine & gray ― a ¼ of an hour’s sun. ―

(But I ought to be at Mrs. Howards. ― Confused near future: ― the farther on I don’t look at.)

Very short walk in Gardens ― “inexplicable calm” undisturbed, before various folk came: yet I seem to feel now that any prevention of morbid reflection is a blessing. ― Breakfast pleasant: walked afterwards with V., W., & G.L. & Vincent. Church at 11, quiet & goodly.

Walk again, & Lunch. ― Afterwards at 2 V.L. ― Smith, Vincent, & myself set out to walk, across heaths & very pretty woods ― to Paine’s Hill, where after a time we got in. Great & fine Cedars ― 1 ― valley of other Cedars ― & walk by mill: ― & home ― with much fun ― pun ― laughter & talk of all sorts.

Dinner pleasant also: only V.L. & G.L. are rather bores. ― Dr. L. is a most wonderfully fine cheerful good learned fine old man. ―

Lord Cranworth also is very pleasant.

In the evening I sang a good deal: but not easily at first.

I ought not to have come here.

Miss L.’s account of Πρινσεσ Ελενας ιζορια1 of the βασιλισσα2 meeting the footman with all the plates under his chin, & saying ― []3 my china ουτως; ― & then the υπηρέτης4 letting all the plates fall. ― how the Β. Sent them out to their father: ― how he sent them to the nurse. ―&c. &c. ― were funny enough.

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

  1. Princess Helena’s congeniality (GT). [↩]
  2. Queen (GT). [↩]
  3. Lear appears to have written the Greek here above the English version, making both unreadable. [↩]
  4. Footman. [↩]