Edward Lear's Diaries

Morning light ― worked at the Jánnina.

Wrote to
Ralph Nevill.
Ellen Newsom
Marstrand
James Edwards ―
Mrs. G. Clive.

A day nearly light throughout!!!!!!!!!!!

So that I did more work at the Jannina, Thebes, & Athos & the Dead Sea in 3 hours, than for days past.

At 2.30 W.N. came ―――――――――― ?

At 3.15 walked out ― to Maclean’s ― (out,) (meeting Col. Hornby.) ― & so across to Adml. Robinson, ― not in town yet: ― & then back to Fairbairns & T. Hamiltons ― all also out ― & then ditto at the Sayres. ―Returning thence, met Ponsonby ― the A.D.C. in Corfu of other days: ― a kindly good fellow. ―

Home by 6 & Percy E. Coombe dined with me: a truly good lad; but oh! the sad depression of this “religious” clique!

Day rather impious: yet that is not it, but, blind & wholly stupid are they.

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

Dark ― fog. ― No letters.

Worked a little at the Thebes ― & put in the Duck. After which, a frightful fit of indigestion, & blackness, followed by (XX7) ―sleep & total eclipse. ――

But, apart from health, how is it possible to sit to work in a dark room?

At 5 I walked to Brompton & dined with the G.A.C. family, tired ill & sleepy.

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

Fine overhead, but fog below.

(Letter from Mrs. G. Clive.)

After breakfast ― to Gt. Western. Roëd & Heléna R. ― Post boy & ticket=taker. Off to Windsor ― thick fog! nothing, not even the Castle visible!! ―

“Going over the Castle” ― the anti, Vandyke & other rooms; & the odious hustle. From the Terrace ― nothing of any kind visible. ―― The Chapel: ― & a partial walk in the “longwalk” but absolutely the Castle was invisible altogether even at 5 minutes’ distance from it! ―― So we came back ― I fear me, ― ˇ[Roed & Miss R.] considering I had exaggerated the beauties of Widsor. But, after a lunch at the Confectioner’s, we went down to the bridge, & just saw the Castle then! ― Rail at 2.30 ― but H.R. was tired: & by 4.15 we were at John’s woods.

The dinner was pleasant, albeit under various difficulties of lingo. But Fearon was there, & “came out” as a reflecting & broad-minded man ― which I had never known him to be.

At 10.30 He & I walked to Stratford Place. ―

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

Very fien all day.

Letter from Mr. Edwards ―

wrote to him,
Ellen,
Caroline Jones
& Bickers & Bush.
Mrs. G. Scrivens
& Daddy Hunt.

Dickenson sent & placed Petraija, Matterhorn, & Schloss Elz in their frames.

Good Roëd & his daughter came.

After that worked ― not over well, at Athos, & Thebes.

At 4.30 ― called at Mrs. Leake’s & J. Godley’s ― out.

At 7 dined at Digby Wyatt’s ― Mrs. D.W.’s brother, & Waring: all very pleasant. Sang after.

Home by 11.45.

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

Fine all day. Wrote early to Roëd cum Boothwick, about the Windsor excursion.

Then at 11.30 ― to Omnibus, & the Angel ― walking thence to Highbury Woodberry.

Only W.N. Miss Head, & Ralph N. there, the last of whom is a very nice humanity ― &, for all I can see yet, by a long chalk the best as to talent  & disposition ― of all my old friend’s boys.

It seems they really leave Woodberry: ― and I think this day is the last I shall see of its green lawn, its scarlet geranium beds ― its canal & meadows, & its far pleasant views: &, inside ― its hospitable table ― its dim greeny-lighted drawing room, & its many=interest=filled library.

So I came away at 7 ― & Ralph walked with me to Highbury. Thence alone by a frightful crowd, to the Angel ― thence bus home.

―――――――――――――――――

··· ― Oct. 13 ― 1862. Just a year has passed: ― & I don’t see ― (tho’ I wish that I could see,,) my prophecy is “borne out” as true by subsqueakiant events.

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

Fine rather, i.e. ― not unfine. ―

Ay me! an unhappy life! Yet it is difficult to look back on the first sorrows of 43 years ago, which certainly caused these tortures.

Letters from Ellen, enclosing one from Fanny Boyd. ― & from Mrs. Musters ― about poor Philip Hammond’s death. Lina Musters is a treasure in her way.

Then I ? finished ? Petraija, ― & Matterhorn. ―― ? ― & Mr. Gush came up: & then at 2, I went out & walked across the park, to Daddy Hunts. What a pretty girl there was in her Egyptian dress! ― Thence to Eggs, & I saw poor Egg, who is cheerful, but I think (judging from his breathing ―) worse. ― Next, across the new world of building ― to Caroline Jones ― where I saw her, Mr. Jones, ― & 2 daughters. All the “females” are  very lady-like & intelligent. I fixed to go with Caroline to Leatherhead on Friday, 18^th. After this I went to the Coombes; ― Laura & Maria & Mrs. C. ―

Leaving them, I met Sydney, & afterwards, Percy: who is a truly good lad: ―

Then I walked home & dined alone at 7 on cold beef.

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

Fine early. Very nice letters from F.L. ― E.T. & C.F. ―

Wrote to F.L.
E.T.
Mrs. H. Hunt
& Mr. Edwards.
& to Mrs. G. Scrivens’s dog.

Worked at the Petraja but ill. At 12 came James B. Edwards, & asked me to dine at 7.30. We proposed going to the Z. Gardens. He grew angry at something I said of Miss L. as he was going there ― which I am sorry to hear. However, we went to the Z. Gardens, & walked about till it rained hard: when we lunched, & admired bears &c. At 4.30 he left for Hampstead: I for Baywater, ― where I found the Friths at dinner, ― he & Mrs. F. just starting for Leamington. Mrs. F. is vastly vulgar & flippant now a days ― e non mi và al genio.¹ At 5.30 ― or 6 walked home. Beastly dirty streets.

7.30 dined at J.U.S. Club with J.B. Edwards. ― He ― as may be supposed, ― was “gloomy & distract,” as he had seen Miss L.  at Hampstead. I, however, repelled all attempts to talk of her. It was only after dinner, that, weary with his disgust of all things, (& knowing ˇ[as I did] how far love or ambition had to do with his failings) I talked a little  ‘moral’ ― & somewhat caused him to cease moaning, ― τουλάκιζον² to me. ―

So, we left at 10.30 ― & I home. ―

I do not feel sure of going out to Oatlands, yet if I could do the lad any good I would. ― Rather I hate that Miss Lister for the present particularly.

Found a short dull note from W.N. ― who seems to me ill, or ill at ease.

X6

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

1. And I don’t like her. [↩]
2. At least (NB). [↩]

Very dark & foggy early.

Letters from Ellen, Sarah, E. Drummond & J.B. Edwards.

Wrote to W.N. ― J.B. Edwards, ― Ellen, Drummond, ― Mrs. G. Coombe, & Mrs. Musters, ― to the latter, because I saw Philip Hammond’s death in the Times.

Worked at Oleander in the Petraija picture.

Just as I was going out at 1 came Caroline (Chesmer) Jones! ― & 2 daughters: ― a sweet kind creature is my cousin Caroline ― with those wonderful Eyes so long known. ―

They went at 1.30 & I went out. At 39 Upper Grosvenor St. I found both Alfred & Mrs. Symons ― & lunched there: ― then to the Fairbairns, where I saw Mrs. F. ― ἔπειτα¹ ― to Drummonds where I drew out 25. & then by 3.30 ― to John Senior. Here I “made my will” ―― leaving all things not exceptionally mentioned to C.H. & F. Street ― barring legacies to F. Lear, & P.E. Coombe. ― Also I asked J. Senior about Maclean’s Book of Nonsense affair, & we decided that “pauca verba” is best. (Afterwards I ‘intentioned’ suggesting a Corfû work to Maclean ―― he to lithograph some 10 or 12 drawings, & pay me so much for their use: ― conditionally on his giving up all right in the Nonsense[)].― Returning ― got a Windsor Castle ticket, & oddly enough fell in with Roëd & his daughter, with whom walked to Oxford Street & whom put in Omnibus.

By this it was 6; & at 6.30 I dined at poor dear W.F. Beadon’s, where was also Henry Bruce. This meeting was sad, for poor W.F.B. was dreadfully weak & ill. Only Mrs. B.’s courage & sweetness made one at all happy.

After she left us, ― H.B. & I discussed & talked ―― at times violently of Williams of Lampeter & others. However, we did not quarrel. ― His view of C.S.F. is vexatious: ― of the De G.s ― flattering & perhaps not judicious. ――― So I came home: after walking with him at bit, ― at 10.30.

(X5)

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

1. Then. [↩]

Arranged & packed. At 12 came Dalziel, to whom I paid 50£ for woodcuts. Currie of Lewes & his brother in law also came, ― but they are not interesting folks so far as sharing drawings go. ― Then Dickenson, who returned & took away all packages ― 21 in all to go to Corfu.

At 4.30 ― walked slowly up to St. John’s Wood ― & was met by George Roëd, ― who although 20 years older, is precisely the same truthful plain kind-hearted creature as ever. ― At Mr. Boothwick’s was the host himself, a portly & prepossessing Scotchman: a Mr. Wheeler ― of Manchester, & Roëds daughter, a sprightly intelligent sweet & extremely pretty girl, who speaks English well. ―(Fearon, whom Boothwick knows, did not come, καὶ δὲν μὲ [].¹ ― The Danish Painters certainly  seem to be a happy set: all, Marstrand, Roed, Hansen, Sonne, & Bissen, are together in Denmark as of old in Rome, ― Kuchler only is a monk in the latter place! ―

Miss Roed played beautifully: & at 10.30 I came away ― finding a cab by fortune turning her wheel that way.

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

1. And he did not [unreadable] me (NB). [↩]

(X4)

Packed hard all day. Letters from Ellen, & wrote to J. Edwards.

Walked to Foord’s, Bickers, Roberson, ― met J. Gould, ― & Digby Wyatt, whom I met, & agreed to dine with, & so gradually back. ―

Mr. Blackstone, of Turin memory ― called: a nice sort of fellow. ― see July 23. After all, his ‘advices’ about Courmayeur were not so “boshy” as I fancied them.

At 6 to D. Wyatt’s ―where I enjoyed a quiet dinner immensely ― & talk with him afterwards. ―

Roëds friend, Boothwick, asks me to dine tomorrow ― millions of miles off ――― but I suppose I must do so: tho’ I dread it.

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