Edward Lear's Diaries

Fine. Wrote to
James Edwards.
F.L.
Mrs. Husey Hunt.
Dickenson.
& Maclean {about the “Nonsense” &c. &c.
& C. Fortescue

Went out at 3. ― Walked to the Post ― C. Fortescues ― & then Belgrave Square. Lady Grey’s ― &c. &c. ― & Mrs. Stanley’s. Mary Stanley was there ― not Arthur ― & Mrs. E.S. ― but she had bad cold. Mary S. was very communicative, & amiable: told me how she & A.P.S. had gone to Cracow, the Danube, the Black Sea, & [unreadable] Sebastopol; ― whence she to Sebastopol, ― he in a Russian Steamer, (meeting Clark at the Dardanelles?) to Ρουσσκὸν,¹ so to Ξεροποτάμο, Σιμόπετρα, Διονύσιο, Γρεγώριο, & Παύλος, where Clark was ill: ― then they went to Καρυὲς και Λαύρα, Καρακάλλα, Φιλοθέο, Ιβήρον, Σταυρονικήτας, Παντοκράτορα & Κουτλουμούσι, ― and so to Βατοπαίδι, Ἐσφιγμένη & Χιλιάνδριον, ― whence Clark, ― being tied to time, went, & A. also, to Saloniki. After C. went home however, A.P.S. went again with consul, to Ζωγράφου, Κοσταμονίτης, Διοχιαρεῖον, Ξενοφόντος ―.² The 2 Arthur & M.S. ― meeting again at the Dardanelles, both went to Athens, & thence to all the Thebes, Lebadea, & Delphi North of Greece; returning by Corfû, Venice, & the Mt. Cenis. ―

These are certainly travelers.

At 5 I went to Fairbairn’s, where was only T. Woolner: Mrs. F. & the 3 children.

Every hour is pleasant with that family. T.F. is an extremely remarkable man.

They went off to Manchester at 8.30.

ἀλλ᾽Ἐγώ ἐπερπάτησα μονος εἰς τὴν οἰκειαν.³ ―

XX11

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

1. Nina Bouri writes: “I think he means Russian or Rossikon, the Agiou Panteleimonos monastery.” [↩]
2. Nina clarifies: “All these are monasteries on Mount Athos, (namely Xiropotamou, Simonos Petras, Dionysiou, Osiou Grigoriou, Agiou Pavlou, Great Lavra, Karakalou, Filotheou, Iviron, Stavronikita, Pantokratoros, Koutloumousiou, Vatopedi, Esphigmenou, Helandrariou, Zografou, Konstamonitou, Dochiariou, Xenophontos) except from Karyes which is the capital.” [↩]
3. But I walked home alone (NB). [↩]

Very fine all day. Dalzells man came ― & brought the last of the 112 prints of nonsense.

Cab to Rail ― Waterloo ― & so to Leatherhead, ― Sarah & Ellen, the last sisters, coming to meet me.

It is not so long ago, since dearest Ann, besides Harriett & Mary were there also.

The day was pleasant enough ― for I made them laugh, & talked constantly.

Mr. & Mrs. Waite came: she is very pretty & pleasant. At 5 Sarah walked part of the way with me. ―

Home by 7.

Letters from James Edwards, & F.L. ― the Husey Hunts, & Arthur P. Stanley had been.

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

Dull gray, but not wet.

Maclean came ― & seemed willing to give up all idea of the Nonsense book in future ― & also willing to undertake a Corfû book. Then T. Fairbairn, Mrs. F. & 2 boys: ― F. was greatly delighted with the pictures, & gave me a commission for a 150£ Florence. ―

A letter came this morning from the elder Edwards, asking me to postpone my visit to after the 16^th. ― As he had at first voluntarily [] the 1^st, I cannot understand this ― unless it may be that James & he are not on good terms enough to have a birthday gathering. So I wrote to him, & to James ― & Mrs. Scrivens.

I think now I should wholly give up the North, & get away if I can about the 7^th from town ― & the 9^th from England.

Later ― at 1 I took the Petraja & Thebes over to poor W.F. Beadon, who seemed dreadfully ill ― but always vividly bright in mond. ― Later, a Colonel St. Maur called ―: he said he had a View of Naples painted by me, ― “wh. he had got from Lord Ward.” ―――

Having packed somewhat ― I went at 3 to Daddy Hunt’s, & staid with him till 5.30 ― when he walked to Goucester Place with me, on his way to Friths. He & I agree about the Beauforts, & also on Palgrave. He, poor fellow, is most sadly tried by his heartless & ungrateful family. ―

Came home at 6.30.

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

Fine ― & always warm anyhow.

Letters from
R. Jameson
W.G. Clark
Mrs. G. Scrivens.
T. Baring ―
R. Sumner, ― (asking me to Addington ―)
& later
C. Fortescue ― from Florence.

At 10.30 came the 2 Miss Beauforts ― & were delighted with the Thebes particularly. Also with the Nile sketches ― wh. ― & Syria they looke over till 2. They are cleverish, educated women ― but unoriginal & cold=hard, ― spite of the written epanchement, Emily B. reminds me of Margaret Sermoneta in some things. ― Miss Goldsmid is worth 410 of them.

Robt. Martineau also came ― & at 3 I walked out with him. Went, thenceforth, to buy a map, & to Maclean’s, ― whom I saw, & to whom I proposed the new Corfû work of 12 drawings.

Home & dressed, & to poor dear W.F. Beadon’s ― taking him 4 pictures to show him ― & the new nonsenses. He grows weaker & worse ― yet enjoyed the Evening: ― a sad weary life of suffering! ― yet the end is not far off.

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

Bother. Very fine all day. But Dalzells’ people came, & Mr. Bergmann early: & later Woolner & Palgrave, & later Jessie Foy & Emily Jones ― which last staid a long time. Jessy must have been amazingly pretty ―. ――― ἀλλὰ¹ ―――

I painted very little, except that early Ι repainted Mr. Whitmore’s sky & Ducks, & reddened the hills.

I had no heart to go out ― so dined at home on cold beef.

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

1. But. [↩]

Fine up to 10 ― after wh. dark & wet mostly.

Worked somewhat at Statues of Thebes.

Came ― Elim Avigdor
Mrs. Beadon
Mr. Snow.
Mr. Whitmore.
G. Middleton. ―

At 4 Scratched out the Duck in Whitmore’s Thebes.

At 5 ― in cab ― pouring rain ― to Bergmanns. Mr. Philip B. & a Mr. Baker there only. Dinner good ― but not over pleasant. But I want toleration.

X10

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

Lighter. Worked somewhat at the last of the 1860 pictures, ― the 2 statues of Thebes. ―

Wrote to
F.L.
Lady Westbury.

No one came. So at 3.30 I went across the Park, & to Brompton, & called on the “Jones’s” ―― & there was

Jessie Foy ―

Jessie is wonderfully like her father & my Aunt & Father, but good-looking & very lively & nice: indeed rather charming.

Walked back ― & dined on cold beef alone. ―

Wrote to Bern S.

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

XX9

Wrote to
E. Avigdor
Lord Clermont
J. Edwards
Lady Goldsmid
H. Grenfell
B. Husey Hunt
Capt. Jameson
W. Nevill
E. Newsom
Adml. Robinson
Mr. Whitmore

Pitchy dark day.

Awful fog & darkness all through. Wrote or slept by fitz. At 4 called on “Miss Beauforts,” whom, however, after all, I scarcely saw ― it was so dark. They do impress me as other than very educated.

Next, called on Fairbairns’, ―― & drew for the children ― certainly most interesting all of them. Gordon ― Reginald, ― & Florence. Mrs. F. asked me to stay & dine ― & so I stayed. F. came in, with Daddy Hunt, & Bob Martineau. No one else: & certainly the dinner was as pleasant as good. ― The deaf & dumb children must be delightful. The stories of Dadd ― especially that of the folio of his friends all good likenesses, but all with their throats cut! ―― & his present picture of the end of the world!! ―

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

Fine & bright as yesterday. Finished Lord Clermonts Dead Sea, I believe ― & Jamesons Jannina.

At 2 Foords people came & framed in all but the 2 Statues of Thebes.

Did not go out all day.

Dined at home.

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

Fine: directly after breakfast went to Waterloo Station, where were Caroline Jones & two of her daughters, who went back when C. & I went to Leatherhead ― by 11.10 train.

(When last in England Mrs. Chalmers had called on her! ― It seems my cousing [sic] Emily C. is dead: also George C. ||Frederick C. has married Miss Marsh ― sister of Miss Marsh the well-known.) ― At Ellens ― after a walk across the fields ― very pleasant ― it was sad enough. Yet that most amiable Caroline sees only the bright side of all, & is an A. no. 1 Christian. She & I returned at 5.25, & I put her into an Omnibus at the Strand.

Walked home: supper.

X8

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