Edward Lear's Diaries

Rose at 4.30. Cloudy.

G. & I were at the Cappuccini by 9.15 ― & I drew till 8.

Bought maps, & hunted for books ― & Hotel by 9.

Penned out hard all day ― barring dining at 12. At 4 ― to Monte again. Letters from F.L. J.H.B. & Mrs. G. Scrivens.

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

Fine, but cloudy till 10 or 11 ― & the mountains never clear, Monte Viso indeed was only visible at sunrise, & then a gleaming from high above cloud ― looking more like a set of stars than anything mundane. Rose at 4 ― the careful Giorgio calling me: ― we got some coffee at a cafè, & were up at the Cappuccini by 5.5. But the mountains, alas! were undrawable. Yet I got a good del of insane work done ― & did not get back till 8.45. Then I penned out hard till 12 ― & then dined: not feeling well tho’, & having taken the Levers medicine again, as the stoppage threatens to return. After dinner, Graham called & shewed me photographs: & I penned & slept by turns till 4.30, when G. & I again went along the long street to the Cappuccini, & I drew till 7.30. We went into the Cap: garden, the Portinaro shewing me his bedroom, full=hung with small quadri¹ ― “tutti regali!”² ― he, a Swiss from Lugano.

The Garden ruins are very lovely ― & I hardly know any convent more finely placed for a city Panoramic lookout. At the Hotel by 8.30. Supped on cold fowl & beer: ― & to bed at 9.15. ― The 3 stories here, & the twice=a-day to the Cappuccini are fatiguing, but I am better than I was, & am thankful for being so.

X

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

1. Paintings. [↩]
2. All of them presents! [↩]

Rose before 5 ― & went alone to the Cappuccini.

Uncertain if to change Hotel or not: this is not a nice one. Drew till 8, & returned. Called on Sir J. Hudson, who told me the whole of the Nice cession affair ― relating to Cavour: & wh. I could, I believe, write down ― but there aint time. Clearly, if Sir J.H.’s account be exact, C. was not to blame. ― Took a room on 3^rd Floor at Trombetta’s, & went back & packed “entirely.” ―

Dined at 12 & left the 3 Corone; & came to the Europa, where my 3^rd floor is at least quiet & clean & cheerful. Squared off & pencilled 40 drawings of Turin ― till 4.30 ― besides writing to Mr. Boult of Liverpool: ― & at 5 went up with G. to the Cappuccini, & drew hard till 7.30. The plain, & loft[y] Monte Viso are very grand, & the colour vastly rich. Some nice people ― 2 young men, ― from Messina, talked to me. Came back, (trying to draw on the bridge, but it is not very possible,) leaving G. to see some tumbler dancers ―: but he soon joined me, for they didn’t perform ― “forse apposto”¹ as he said. ― Washed, & supped on excellent “beef & beer” ― read papers, & to bed at 9.45.

Odo Russell was here last night: ― the Combes (of Oxford) were actually in the ’D’Italia at Genoa: & Graham of Jerusalem at Spezzia which I also was there!!

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

1. Perhaps on purpose.” [↩]

The night was: smooth & calm, but cloud & wind came before sunrise. Off Genoa by 4.30. Mr. Graham, Daddy Hunt’s friend. To Albergo Italia, ― & here washing & breakfast & at 9 came away.

Rail to Turin at 10. G. & I ― 2^nd Class: ― arrive at 2.10. Hotel 3 corone ― bad room. ――

Dined at 4. Letters from
Spiro Kokali.
[] Bethell
W. Holman Hunt
Mr. Boult.
J. Hutchinson
Mrs. G. Scrivens.

Very tired.

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

Rose at 5. Off with G. at 5.30. &, just above Marolla,¹ drew views till 8.30. Non posso più.²

Doubtless, La Spezia is perfectly lovely.

Slept till 12. Dined nastily with flies.

Wrote to W. Nevill & sent letters to him &
Lady Waldegrave.

It is a bore, Martha S. being here. Made up my mind after some time, on my way to draw ― to go tonight by the Steamer,, an irresolution which made G. laugh, being so unusual. ― So, I came back; packed all, ― & then went to take leave of the Levers. & Mr. & Julia L. walked back with me at 6. ― (Met the Martins; )

Took 2 places ― & left, at 7, coming on board. The sense of loneliness was most terrible: & it was strangely forced on me: No Ann now. O God be thanked that my memories of her last hour are such bright & happy ones! ― Mary S. in the Hotel, & even then saying good-bye to Julia Lever was dreary. ―

I sate some time on deck ― more or less till 11: ― Porto Venere passed ― & G. & I made out the 5 terre of last year.

After leaving Levanto I lay down below.

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

1. Marola. [↩]
2. “I can’t any more,” but I suppose Lear meant “non ne posso più,” which is “I am exhausted.” [↩]

Rose 4.30. Off by 5. Dim cloud on all hills ― so nothing seen but vines & abeles. Bridge of 13 arches over the Magra, so that Stanfields picture ― not a whit of the hills on either side of the river being visible, ― is invisible too. Picturesque town, about 6: & before 7 came to la Spezzia, & got a good room in the Villa d’Odessa. ― 7 to 9 ― putting out clothes &c. ― & cleaning. 9 breakfast. Wrote to Lady Waldegrave. ― Paid Andrea the Vetturino, a good fellow. ― Walked with G. to the Lever’s: all there, & made me stop  & dine. Miss L. is a really warm-hearted nice girl: & even at my age I should not think myself safe if I saw much of her.

Played & sang. The little dog Leila. A little Russian girl ― Narishkin. Scandal of Florence, Jervis’s ― Miss Albano &c. &c. Dinner at 3.30. (Lever in his boat, & swimming.) ― Talk with Julia L. ― Little old man singing to a Guitar ― Il Barbiere. Walk with Mr. & Miss L.: what a heavenly place is this gulf! ― Back to tea, & sang again. Kindly people. Left at 9.30. Met the Suliot near S. Vito: ― at V. D’Odessa at 10.

The steamers only go it seems, Mondays & Fridays to Genoa: ― & carriage progress seems expensive & difficult.

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

Pretty clear. Off by 5 in carriage to Avenza. ― Very dusty roads: olives & vines: cattle with Thessalian wheeled carts: ducks: & multitudinous calves seen a staple of Carrara ― besides Marble, which breaks out in vases, busts ― steps, window edges & ledges & all kinds of way. ― At Avenza drew a big Machicolated tower till 8. A very deady nasty slow village: yet the people were quiet & well bred, & nobody begged. ― Returning, went up to a villa, but drew not.

Back at 8.30, & write this at 9, hoping to be at La Spezia tomorrow. Beyond Lerici, Mt. Blanc seems my great point, whether from Val d’Aosta, Chamouni, or above Geneva. And I somewhat think of going to Genoa by road, in order to draw the Rapallo & [Recco]¹ views.

Slept, & finished Vol. 1 of Tom Burke. I wish there were 20. Dined at 12 ― though literally I could eat nothing. At 3.15 came away with G. leaving the things with Andrea, & directions to be at the Consulate at 5. Meanwhile clouds came, & I made a baddish mess of my 2^nd Carrara drawing. At 5 ― no carriage; yet we were told it had gone on, so we walked, & a mile on found the silly Andrea, who had fancied he was to go till he saw us. ―

Passed Lavenza, & by straight olive vine festooned roads ― till a sharp shower came on, ― the pretties[t] country, with village or town crowned hills, & the Spezia range beyond. Avenue before reaching Sarzana: decent [rain] walk in town. Supper at 8: beer bad. ―

The chipping & hammering of Carrara is a bore. ―

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

1. Blotted. [↩]

As yesterday ― perfectly clear, & cool, tho’ hot ― so to speak ― Rose at 4.30.

Coffee & off at 5. Very lovely among the Chesnuts a=top of the Foce.

Drew both ways, & by 8 ― came to the town & called on Mr. Walton, who gave me a hearty reception. Mr. Scott was there, & a nephew, & I breakfasted with them. Poingdestre’s picture is good. At 9.30 ― (Mr. Walton & Mr. S. were just going to Leghorn:) went with G. to a hill & drew till nearly 11. Returned to Mr. Waltons, & he went with me to see Rauch’s statue of Fredk. The Great.But I really could not see any more than that ― for that was worth seeing. ― Left good Mr. W. & came to the town ― seeing the Duomo, & returning by 12, when I dined. I should not like to live in Carrara apart from the fact of the mountain grandeur being all torn up continually & artificialized, ― everything is one great click click rap tap hammer clammer, chippchipping of marble. It is a Marbellous place, & business-like, & for a mountain paese,¹ clearly.

The “Hotel” people are very stupid ― awful. The dinner, at 12, as bad as might be ― barring a few potatoes & beer. ― Slept till 3.30 ― but it had unluckily clouded ― & tho’ I went up with Andrea & G. to the Foce & drew till 7.20: yet it was not satisfactory. A foolish supper of hot water & pasta, with leather omelette. Bed at 9.

“Tom Burke.”²

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

1. Small village. [↩]
2. Tom Burke of Ours (1843) by Charles Lever; Lear, probably having been given them by the author, is reading Lever’s novels in the order they were published. [↩]

Crystal clear. Rose at 4. At 5 went with G. to the Garden at the Rocca, & drew Santa Pietra as well as I could: but it is a singularly undrawable place. ― At 7. Off, in Andrea’s carriage, who goes for a frank a mile, & is no bother. The road is a wonderfully lovely one ― along of the olives, in woods & slopes, & vine-festooned.

Also the mountains peep out now & then, but the characteristic of the drive is immense fertility. At 8.15 reached Massa, a very ἐπεδαμένη¹ place indeed. How Elisa Bacciocchi² ever lived in it I don’t know. The town is very ἒτσι κ´ ἒτσι,³ & as I had once seen that more than a day here would be troppo, I did not have the luggage moved, & shall go on to Carrara τήν νύκτα.⁴ Meanwhile G. & I took an indaginous⁵ ramble, but little turned up worth drawing. The town is dirty ― compared with others in these parts, & the only thing to be remarked is the fertility of orange, olive, & oleander, near the place;  ― & the gt. olive-wooded sides of the mountain beyond. But no individuality of landscape. So, at 9.45 I came home & wrote this. Slept & read, & queer enough it is to be so compulsorily idle for a day. At 12 ― a rather nasty dinner, but good beer.

Slept again X X ― o! bother! ― & at 3.30 went with G. to an isolated chesnut-&-pine covered hill & drew till 5.30. Oranges frequent[.] Massa is a hindrance. ― At 6 paid & quit, with Andrea, who seems to go on with me. The fact is, comfortable progress is something, & can’t be got on a saddle in small Italian towns: so perhaps, “a bird [on] the hand &c.”⁶ ― Road onwards ever characterized by immense richness ― & then in Foce or Mountain pass ― every rise of which shewed Massa, in its true  character ― tho’ ever becoming less. The Castle & palace & town come out like spots of gold from the green plain, seems as far as V. Reggio, Leghorn, & M. Nero. At the Top ― Carrara was in sight, very interesting & finely surrounded by mountains. Marbles is cheap, as the doors & windows shew. A “sort of Inn,” ― but not promising: very provincial. G. & I walked from 7 to 7.40. Buildings good & tasteful.

Supper at 9 ― & bed as soon as may be.

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

1. Dead (NB). [↩]
2. Marie Anne Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi Levoy, Princesse Française, Duchess of Lucca and Princess of Piombino, Grand Duchess of Tuscany, Countess of Compignano. [↩]
3. So and so (NB). [↩]
4. At night (NB). [↩]
5. A portmanteau word mixing “idigenous” and the Italian “indagine:” survey, investigation. [↩]
6. “A bird in/on the hand is worth two in the bush.” Partially blotted. [↩]

Lo! quite unbespected, it is perfectly clear. “I had thought that it would have rained.” Medicine, & result. Paid & off by 5.35 & vast churn about Lucchese life ― so industrious & respectable are these peasants ― so neat & quiet: oxen carts ― large whity gray beasts with red bell-rope-tassels anti-fly about their eyes: ― barrows of pine cones: brook & no end of washing; endless hemp, wh. tho’ lovely to the eye, is disgusting to the nose: ― women with plain [triangle] white or coloured shawls. All the Bagni di L. hills are in heavy cloud. Cross Serchio. Ponte S. Pietro & village: pyramids of wooden billets? Poplars & vines & I. corn, hemp, green & soft as a [parrot’s] plumage, ― tiled  sides of hay lofts or fienili; what convolvuli & [red] mallows. Vines across ditch . Hill of chesnut groves, & walk a bit 6^th mile, great hill of Chiesa, & walk down it. Far off view of plain & V. Reggio, & corner of Lake Massaciuccoli. (G.’s father being ill once in the Citadel, they gave him porter, which he believed to be Catrame ― tar.) Carriage at foot of hill, & lo! the same road as on Monday! Parties threshing into flails. 7.5. Mondr’amito, 8.15 ― 13^th mile. Most lovely drive! What vines! From high abeles & willows, & cross=wise, triple & quadruple festoons: reeds-canes. Mulberries: tall stray groves of olives,¹ chesnut, acacia, abele, cypress, willow, ― more enchanting fertility it is impossible to see, with the great slopes of Olive hills, above, higher & higher. At 9 ― 18^th mile ― Pietra Santa ― a long straight street ― Tuscan paved: & the Bertolani Inn just beyond the walls. Got a middling room, & went out with G. ― round the town walls outside. (Fat man would show me the railway ― & asked me to buy a pamphlet against tyranny.) Went thro’ the town again, & up to a Rocca or Castle ― & saw Palmaria, but could get no real views. Down again, & bought some apples, & then walked up olive hills ― talking of the “Ζία,” ― but finding a hope of a view ― back to Inn at 11. Dined at 12. 2 intelligent men; Cameriere married an English woman, ― had been at Hastings & Malvern &c.: & talked very sensibly. 2.30 took the Vetturino to Saravezza: close valley ― mean houses ―: but the high chesnut trees ― what marble rox ― & high gray peaks made it pretty ― tho’ I drew it very badly. At 7 came away. Supped at 8. The waiter’s talk of the coming schism wh. he predicts: & his odium of the priests.

The Comet. ― Resolved to go to Massa tomorrow.

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

1. A line appears to be intended to change the order of these words to “groves of tall stray olves.” [↩]