Edward Lear's Diaries

to Courmayeur

Off in a car at 7.15 having decided to go to Courmayeur while fine weather lasts. At 7.50 Sarre. ― ˇ[8.30] Villeneuve. ― 9.10 Arvier, 9.10 Ivrogne ― at 9.15 Mt. Blanc visible ― very ― huge, gigantic, domelike. Ascent, walk. Down again at the Bridge of “Derby” ― at 10.30. ― At 10.50 pass below Salle, at 11.10 Morgex ― whence, as the Carboy says he must wait an hour, G. & I walk on. G. is in one of his sulky fits to day, & I should be enraged, did I not remember my dearest Ann’s charity & ever unchanging patience. ― At 12.30 we are far above S. Didier.¹ Mt. B. has spread itself into a wonderful Crescent of enormous dimensions. ― At Courmayeur by 1.30. The view from the pass above Ivrogne, is certainly very grand, & so all the way to Morgex: but I shake [the] dust off my feet at this monotonous crescent! It is however very grand & vast, but destitute of all but immensity ― graceless. Hotel Palais Royal. Dined, plague of flies. 2 nice English women. At 3, & to 6.30 ― drew variously, & walked. The people are here in crowds, ― perhaps 50 at this hotel, & 120 at the other Inn, wh. is mainly Italian. A man goes about  with a sky blue Piano ― & there are organs & monkeys.

No quiet in [Levityahead], ― & no approximation to harmony with the scenery in any way.

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

1. Pré-Saint-Didier. [↩]

Cloudy. Rose at 4.30. Coffee & out to draw by 5.30. ― But all the mountains are clouded. ―

At 9 it rained & we returned. 10 to 11.30 wrote to Daddy Hunt, F.L. ― C.F. & T. Cooper. Fine again.

Dined at 12. Talk with 3 Englishmen. ―

At 3 went out with G. ― quite fine. Drew by the bridge, horrid Cretins & Monsters.

Towards 5 ― drew above the city, & so on till 7. Supped & talked with various. ― The bore of joining Swiss-English-travellers, is, that all speak of “Passes & Peaks” & noughtelse.

At 10 looked out of window: the gloom-world below ― the vast star-sown canopy above, & silence ― except the far river flow. ―

The constantest & fearfullest characteristic of my life now-a-days is that there is no time for thinking. Yet, at some moments, , the thoughts of a life return.

‘O where is some ……
‘O somewhere!’ ―――¹

My last thought in life will be one of curiosity & intense expectation.

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

1. O somewhere, meek unconscious dove,
   That sittest ranging golden hair;
   And glad to find thyself so fair,
   Poor child, that waitest for the love.
   Tennyson, In Memoriam, VI. [↩]

Rose at 4. Always fine. G. & I walked to S. Vincenzo, where I drew twice. Superb valley ― walnuts & chesnut! ― Bath taking promenades: cretins, & goîtreux. Excessively glorious valley view, but its detail is impossible in a limited time. Unwell ― inactive boles. Walked back by 8 ― & took 3 doses of medicine ― ‘in vain, in vain.’ Great pain. At 1 rather better. ― Col. Evans here: also Sigr. Arena, who talked a good deal of the Piaga d’Italia. He declares a considerable under=current of Valdesi a primitive reform exists in all the valley: & I found the landlord sends his son to ˇ[a] Valdesi school at Pinerolo. Hired carriagte for Aosta. Physic acts. Off at 2.30. At 3 Chambave. 3.15 Dremont?. ― torrent path. ― Then Nuz,¹ & Castle of Fenis at 3.45, wonderful walnut trees, & serene fine scenes are “far from agreable” to me. The cretins are absolutely most horrible. At 2.40 Villefranche ― & then Aôsta, where I got a large double room to be quiet in tomorrow.

Aôsta is grandly situated, ― but all mountain vallies ― as a rule, ― are hateful. ―

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

1. Nus. [↩]

Off at 5.20. Magnificent Velley scenery ― opening of V. Aôsta. Peasants, red-capped. Cultivation ― hemp, grasses, I. corn. 5.45 Montalto ?¹ & castle. 6.5 Borgo Franco.² Jolting village streets. 6.40 Settimo Vittone. 6.50 Carema. ― Valley narrow. 7.30 S. Martino,³ gigantic & picturesque ― yet over-mountanous & stupenjous.

At 7.50 Donnaz⁴ ― close in by rox. Foundries, ― grand & awful rox. 8.10 Fat Bard, & J. Uwins‘ view. Drew till 8.45 tho’ little inclined. Send on carriage, & walk by Bard ― drawing again till 10. Bard is a vastly grand scene. 10.25 pass. Arnato?⁵ ― destroyed by torrent in 1857 or 8. ― At 11 Verrex⁶ ― before wh. I slept from uneasiness & monotony. Stop to bait: shady inn. 3 Piemontesi, dispute if I am Tuscan or Roman or Neapolitan. 11.30 to 12 “Collation.”⁷

“Out of the day & night” ―――― but even if that were not so, there is a gloom about these Alpine valleys, I can’t abide. I doubt my staying anywhere long, till I get to Lake Leman ― unless indeed Curmayeur [sic] is more pleasant & lively. The wonderful wealth of vegetation or cultivation here is indeed undeniable, but the sense of never being able to get out-ness is paramount with me. Yet it would be happy for me I if this Swiss visit were again as those in 1837, or 1854. There is a drawing by Brockedon ― of the father of the Innkeeper here ― John Garda. (“Sketch by W.B. as a little acknowledgment of the civility & attention of J.G. of Chatillon, who conducted the artist & his friend during the voyage of a month in Piedmont & Savoy ― Sept. 16. 1824.”)⁸ ― 12.30. Left Verrex. Narrow gloomy valley. ― 1.15 Mont Jovetto⁹ ― horrid & gloomy indeed! Walk the cut pass in the rox. At 2.30 St. Vincenzo¹⁰ ― where the valley opens & is really very beautiful. Could get no place at any Inn ― so on, Vetturino not complacent ― to Chatillon ― by 3. Amazing row with said driver, who is a great blackguard. G. & I walked out ― but much gloom & some rain prevents drawing ― nor is it possible to draw these scenes of million details of rock & wood without months of study, which I can’t (& would not if I could,) give here.

So I supped & to bed at 9.

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

1. Montalto Dora. [↩]
2. Borgofranco d’Ivrea. [↩]
3. Pont-Saint-Martin; Lear has now entered Valle d’Aosta. [↩]
4. Donnas. [↩]
5. Arnad. [↩]
6. Verrès. [↩]
7. Perhaps a form of “colazione,” breakfast. [↩]
8. Jean Guarda (or, once, Garda) is mentioned several times in William Brockedon’s 1833 Excursions in the Alps: The Pennine, Graian, Cottian, Rhetian, Lepontian, and Bernese. London: James Duncan, 1833. [↩]
9. Montjovet. [↩]
10. Saint-Vincent. [↩]

Rose at 5. packed. 7. Cathedral. Post at 8. letter from F. Coombe ˇ[& Observer].

Off to Milan Railway. But Ivrea trains didn’t go till 1.30 instead of 8.40. ― disgust. Came to shady trees, & sat till 11, reading Observer. Troops exercising. Views of Turin from the tree-bordered walks are very pleasant. Pale-purple Alpi ― across the G. Turco¹ fields ― poplars & trees beyond ― all seen between trunx of trees ― delightful enough.

11.7. Railway café ― very good dinner: pilaf of rice, mango & pomidoro, bread & grissini, Gorgonzola, Asti wine & ice & coffee. All for 5fr. For 2. ―― 12.30 got places. ―

Dinner for 2  ―           2.80
Asti wine ―                 2.00
Coffee ―                            20
______________________
Fr.                                   5.00

Off at 1.30. 2 sets of English ― (one, to G.’s dismay sits on my box.) wait at Chivasso, 2.15 on to Ivrea. Horrid fat goiter, flourishing stick;  ἡ διάδησες του,² says G. Near Caluso very lovely ― wooded mountains & a long Moab-like line going into the plain, & a little Lake. At Ivrea by 3.30. surprisingly splendid & beautiful ― all towers & churches ― a river, & no end of mountains. Hustle & bustle at station, & disgusting row. First bus full, so we had to come by a 2^nd. Hotel Europa, where I got a decent little room. 4.15 G. & I went to a Vigna wh. I had “spotted” as I came in, ― & drew till 6.30 in a vy hot sun. ― Rox I sate on ― picturesque ― small abundant cacti, rosy pinx, & a queer larva animal in a house of moss. Much pleased with the beauty of this view, & the long Moabite woody hill. 6.30 to the town, & military school, & a green ground of exercising troops. Beer-shop ― a beer for 6 soldi. Facile Landlady with the young ossifers. Returned 7.30. very hot day. ―

Supper. ― Sent G. to see after carriage ― & we finally got one for fr. 35 ― to stop where I please, & go to S. Vincenzo or Chatillon.

The Inn people asked 40: & wouldn’t stop anywhere. ―

Bed at 10.

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

1. “Granturco,” i.e. Indian corn, maize. [↩]
2. Its passage (NB). [↩]

Perfectly clear. G. called me at 3.45. ― Up at the Monte at 4.45. Finished drawings there, & on bridge.

Wrote to C.F. ― Ellen Newsom, & Mrs. G. Scrivens: ― & agreed to take the Hastings Lodgings.

Dined at 12. ―

Green environs of Turin!

Walked along the river.

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

Rose at 4.30. ― at 5.30 was with G. at the Monte ― but clouds soon came ― & destroyed all the view.

Sent letters to
F.L.
Mr. Edwards
Mr. Fairbairn
W. Langton
Dickenson
T. Cooper.

Bought Photographs & boox.

Vastly hot day.

Dined at 12.

Letters from: C. Fortescue
T. Cooper.
Dickenson
Mrs. Bergmann.
Mrs. Evans.
James B. Edwards.
C. Church’s wedding card.

5.30 clouds & a strom, & rain.

6 ― went out with G. ― posted letters, & then beyond the Po, to a walk of plane trees. We came back at 8.

Supper. One, Mr. Blackstone, an agreable fellow, & member of the Alpine Club: ― advices about Courmayeur &c. [which was all Bosh. Sept., 12.1861]¹

Bed at 9.30.

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

1. Added as a note at the end of the entry. [↩]

[Lear wrote no entry for this day.]

Rose at 6. Coffee 7. G. awful sulky. Saw Etienne Negrin, a guide, who asks 5fr. a day, & 4 for an ass. Walk alone about village, & find Cemetery at 8. Ill kept, weedy, sad. Tomb-tablets ― alder & willow trees greatest number of graves ― turf mounds, nettles & wild flowers [over there]: name of Combe ― 1799-1833 &c. Peyran, Malan. Some inscriptions very good ― simple ― affecting: one, by his 3 daughters, to Ct. Waldberg Truchsess.¹ ――

Horrid old cretin woman. 8. funeral. Slight coffin ― face open ― & flowers on the body. Pastor read service well in French, but it is not so impressive as ours. “Dust to dust” &c. is left out. Genl. Beckwith² there. & I saw G. also ― who had said yesterday ― “mi piace andar, e me vado sempre ai funerali dei poveri chi vanno senz’amici; Dico mi, ― chi sa, se sentono ˇ[gli morti]? e se sentono, non mi piacerebbe a mi d’aver nessuno a seguitarmi dopo morte, ― cosi vado mi.” ――³

5^th August. 1862
saw in the Times of to day
that General Beckwith is dead.

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

1. For a contemporary view of the Waldense religion see “The Vaudois and Religion in Italy.” The North British Review. Vol. 22, no. 94, February 1855, 376-400. On Count Waldburg-Truchsess in particular p. 392. [↩]
2. See Meille, Jean Pierre. General Beckwith: His Life and Labours among the Waldenses of Piedmont. London: T. Nelson and Sons, 1873. 1789-1862. [↩]
3. I like going, and I always go to the funerals of poor people who have no friends; ― I say to myself ― who knows if the dead can feel? And if they can, I would not like to have nobody to follow me after I am dead, ― so I go. [↩]

Rose at 4. Monte by 5. Clouds. back to Hotel at 8, packed. Posted letters to F.L. & Mrs. G. Clive. Breakfast at 10. 11. Railway. Off by 12. At Pinerolo ― 1.15. apparently beautiful scenery, but all cloudy. Agreable gentn. in carriage. G. goes for car, I wait in market place. 1.40 off in a car, one hour, rickety. Day cloudy, road pleasant, oxen carts & people ― hills thickly wooded: summits hidden. Bichiarasco.¹ long straight road to Torre.² Inn of Lion d’Or ― wh. driver & waiter persist in saying is the Bear.

At the Orso ³ at last, clean country inn & nice people. Walked out, to draw, but it rained. The fresh green is lovely. Dinner at 6.30.

Borrow history of Valdesi from Minister.

English Lady died today, is to be buried tomorrow ― & they seem to think I ought to go.

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

1. Perhaps Bricherasio, near Turin. [↩]
2. Torre Pellice, presumably; an important Waldensian centre. [↩]
3. Bear. [↩]