Edward Lear's Diaries

Morning very lovely  & quite clear. Wrote a letter to C.F. & packed: & at 12 paid bill, & came on board the Austrian Lloyd Steamer, Europa. ― good berth. ―

Passengers ― Greek Consul at Salonica (K. Naum)
Baron Alten ― Hanoverian, going (rather a day late) to congratulate K. Otto on his 25^th wedding day.
3 Frankfort merchants ― going on a tour to the East.
a Prussian Graf von Henkel ― just like an Englishman & rather like F.L. speaking English & having travelled in America ― going to Corfû for health.
And several other anonymi ― [(]a Gk. lady [], whose parting from her children was antique a demonstration ―)

& so we left Trieste till 2.

Dined at 4 ― & all merry.

But at 5 came a violent S. wind & it was the Devil!

Oh! Oh! Oh!

night of torture!

XXXX5

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

It was daylight by 7 ― & the long Trieste Gulf: ― at 7.20 we reached the Railway, & I was glad of a bath, & a breakfast. After which, I took a place to Corfû ― for 6£ ― whatever be the weather, it is better to risk it than stay here. ― But the irritation of a long rail journey is not to be got over ― so I had to sleep & X.

At 2 wrote this & posted letters to Ellen & Dickenson.

Then walked out ― along the Quays ― & by the sea, where F.L. & I walked in 1855. ― But, thank God, I am happier now. Returned, ― & went into Greek Church, & talked a little with the Priests, after Service ―: they have ˇ[2] good pictures, ― & when I said in reply to ― ἀπὸ ποῖον τόπον εἶναι ἡ εὐγενεῖα σας; ― “Εἴμαι Ἄγγλος”¹ ―― they were (or seemed ―) pleased. ―

Dined at 6 very well indeed: & at 7½ think of bed ― for I am tired.

The day was very lovely after 12 ― & the sun set brightly: ― there is an expanse & breadth about Trieste, atoning for want of beauty=detail.

That autobiography of mine dwelled in my head a good bit,  to day & yesterday: to do it, at least, would “amuse” me[.]

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

1. “Which place is your grace from?” “I am an Englishman.” (NB). [↩]

Railway ―

Rose at 6 resolved to be early enough. This Herzog Karl house is very attentive & good: ― tho’ all Wien Hotels seem to me stuffy & cramped ― as needs must be. ― At 7 went off with the “luggage” ――― what hideous worlds of gt. domino houses are they building all round Vienna! ―― to Rail: & after a long waiting, got ticket & luggage=ticket, & at 8.30 off. ― All day long I was alone quite ― yet happily happier than in 1855 or 1857 ― wh. then I could not have believed I could be. ― A mist at first, it became fine at Gloggnitz ― (how they do bow to the train all along!) ― at 11.25 & so up the terrible beautiful Semmering ― by 1 P.M. & to Murchslusslag¹ by 1.40. They allow next to no time on the way, & only by force there could one snatch a glass of beer & bolt a piece of meat, ere the bell rang. Ravines & growing darkness ― & Gratz when it was dark ― at 5.30 I think ― but all through they were exactly punctual ― stopping at every station; wearying enough, but that I was so well. ― Later ― about 11 ― there was a tremendous Gorge=railway & “still waters between walls of Gleaming Granite in a Moonlight pass”² ――― & so I became dead tired by Sasbach, at 1 P.M. ― & only waked up [thoroughly]³ about 5 ― as we came to Nabresina⁴ ― & ran down the long slope to Trieste. 23 Hours of rail since Vienna ― by this 2^nd sort of train: yet I bore it pretty well, having room to stretch & walk about, wh. is a reason for travelling 1^st class.

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

1. Mürzzuschlag. [↩]
2. From the first stanza of the “Choric Song” of Tennyson’s “The Lotos-Eaters:”There is still music here that softer falls
   Than petals from blown roses on the grass,
   Or night-dews on still waters between walls
   Of shadowy granite, in a gleaming pass. [↩]
3. Blotted. [↩]
4. Nabrežina. [↩]

Vienna

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

Munich

XX4

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

to Munich.

X3.

O dear! what a bore! But boles & stomach are wholly uncontrollable when one is travelling. So I rose at 6 ― (Mem. I do not go to the ‘Maison Rouge’ any more.) At 7 to Station: ― (nice family ― leave-takings ―) off at 7.40.

By 8 ― (my time) at Kehl ― where to my infinite surprise & delight ― nothing was opened; all 4 [Gezäcker]¹ being sent on to Salzburg ― if not Vienna. At 8.30 off again: agreable lady only passenger ― even & pleasant rail. Line of Badenhills quite beautiful ― ditto weather. Oos, Rastadt ― & Carlsruhe at 10.30 or 11. ― The cultivated aspic of the country delightful, & the [Ortim] tintz abundiant [sic] & lovely. Elderly lady turns out charming, & is mother of Count Wimpffen. Bruchsal ― 11.40 11.10.

Baddish lunch, yet agreable, with the old Lady. Walked afterwards & at 2 off again. Servian Countess & uproarious little boy came to our carriage ― a bore. Valley of Neckar pretty ― odd stripy dotty villages. Ludwigsburg, & at 3 ― (3) Stuttgard ― ˇ[wh.] seems a highly picturesque place. After 5 grew dark ― but we “talked away,[”] & at Augsburg ― grew sleepy. By 10 we were at Munich. I was sorry to part with the Viennese French lady ― who [in] winning [in]² manner, clear & well informed mind ― excels most one meets. She has made the day a white one.

Came to the Baierischer Hof & supped.

It is cold.

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

1. That is what I read; Lear probably meant “Gepäcke,” suitcases. [↩]
2. Lear has blotted this “in” and inserted one before “winning.” [↩]

to Strasbourg.

X2. Rose at 6. Carriage to Rail at 7. Registered all baggage to Vienna. Off ― 8.30. Only 3 men in the Carriage, & 2 of those got out at Epernay. Weather damp, cold, gray. 3^rd passenger uninteresting old gent as he would not talk & was quite right not. ― 6.45. Strasbourg, where I stopped for the night, as by going on, one only stops at Kehl. Utterly disgusted at hearing that all the luggage is to be opened there ― so the “enregistrement” saves me no trouble. I work myself up also to suppose it is to be opened in every German village. ―― Came to the Hotel “Maison Rouge ―” ― but am unwell & cross: & going to sup ― a stupid fille de chambre! ― no bell: ― no nothing: a very collapsed Hotel if it was ever good. ―

Boles out of order again ― so my supper did me no good. ― Another old Gent the only guest, but this one is interesting, ― a colonel who has been in Spain, Algiers &c. ― & has seen much of life. “Ah! quand on est jeune tout est beau! ¹ ―” said he speaking of the ugliness of Berlin. ― Somehow I can’t speak French at all tonight: perhaps the shaking all day. & Rather than go through all the Douanes I half wish to try back to Dijon & Marseille & Malta. At 9.30 it required great vigour & energy to get  my room “done” ― & after all what a bed! short sheets & narrow & this detestable Omelette Soufflee above! ― & then came a gt. row ― possibly a husband beating his wife ― & all the guard & people rushing out to help ― “a scene of the middle ages” ― as one saw it in the Strasbourg Platz. ― Altogether Maison Rouge sojourning delights me not with Strasbourg.

Yet tomorrow may be still more disagreable, tho’ I do not know how to recede now.

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

1. When you are young everything is beautiful” [↩]

Paris.

Rose at 9. Breakfast 9.30. Afterwards ― lo! ― Tom Wyatt! so we “combinavamo”¹ for a day. Walked out, & called at the Bristol, where I saw C. Fortescue, who seemed to me unwell still & too much excited. (Ward B. was there.) I did not go to see Lady W. but returned to Hotel, & went to see the Bourse with T.W. ― a very curious scene of gambling row! ― a noble building ― but is Mammon a God, or not? Later went to the Louvre with T.W. & saw the Napoleon Museum, immensely interesting! ― then the pictures in many rooms, (Titian, Giorgione, P. Veronese &c. &c.[)] What galleries!

The day was lovely. (Ivy borders the grass.) At 4.30 we went home, where I wrote a note to Lady W. & left it.

Returning ― found C.F. had called. ― At 6, to the Cafe Anglais with T.W. ― where he & I dined expatiatively for 15fr. Each: very celestial. W.’s anecdotes of Sidney Herbert are remarkably nice: ― also of L. Philippe & others. ― Apres, Cafè. ― then to Hotel ― & addio² to Wyatt who is a delightful fellow. ― Note from Lady W. ― Bed at 11.

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

1. Literally, the Italian means “arranged,” Lear obviously means “we passed the day together.” [↩]
2. Farewell. [↩]

to Paris

Slept well. Day very fine & calm. Wrote notes from [8].30 till 12. Registered luggage ― & at 2, off in Folkestone boat. Wonderful old Lord Brougham aboard. Lord Harrowby, ― & a nice fellow & his wife, friends of the Crakes, & Penrhyns: ― Plumer ― having a letter from Mrs. Parker Whitten to Lady Denison! ―

Passage ― motionless & pleasant, tho’ cold: Plumer’s 2 little children a blessing to me. The Plumers are on their way to India, with Mrs. Hamilton Crake. ――

Boulogne ― 4.15. No bother. Omnibus to “Gare.” Lord B. in his old coat & bad hat known to all, it seems to me, by the attention & respect shown him. He walked all about the Restaurant, & examined the tables &c. Found the Plumers, who did not speak a word of French, & managed to get all together. The French are immensely amiable & pains taking to oblige us ― but it must be owned it is a difficult hustle. We all passed a pleasant Evening ― tho’ I suffer always after that passage. The 2 children were like angels. Train late. Paris at 11.40. Washing. No luggage opened of mine, except the Railway bag for form’s sake.

Pouring rain. Hotel Louvre ― by 1.30. After luggage came upstairs ― to bed by 2. ―

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

Drew 30£ from Drummonds. To Folxton

Rose at 7 ― packed: finalities. At 10 to 40scue, but he is unwell in Paris & has not arrived. So I breakfasted wth H.J. Gfell ― very agreably ― the more so that he gave me commissions for 2 pictures ― a Philœ ― (I shall see &c.) & a pendant in Beachy Head, or Hastings.

To Drummonds & drew 30£. Arranged about Insurance, & home. ― At 1.30 ― to poor dear W.F. Beadon’s, whom I left ―― I think ― for the last time. poor Mrs. B. feels the coming chill of death ― but expresses as little as she can. At 3 called on Dents for a Watch-Key ― & to London Bridge Rail by 4.30. Folkstone at 5.50. Dined at Pa[villion]¹ & wrote immense lots of notes: bed at 10.30.²

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

1. Blotted, there was a Pavillion Hotel in Folkestone in 1870. [↩]
2. This page also contains part of the entry for 19 November. [↩]