Edward Lear's Diaries

Cloudy till 12 ― fine after, but cooler.

I still take medicine, & don’t know when to leave it off.

Rose at 5. Penned out the V. Petraija drawings till 10. Letters from Fanny Coombe, & Edwd Clive.

At 11 went to Lever’s ― sate till 11.45. Home by 12, & dined.

At 2 carriage to Petraja, where ― (fortunately it was fine ―) I really did all that was required for Lady W.’s picture. And drove back again by 8.15.

What graceful & beautiful creatures all the village women are hereabouts! Even when not handsome, they have a gt. [charm] of [directness] of expression, & delicacy.

I have given up the 3 Monastery journey: the weather is not settled enough, & the jolting of the bad roads might upset me again. So I go to Lucca on Monday ― & alone to Leghorn to see Macbean ― returning to Lucca, to go to the Bagni, Pietra Santa, Saravezza,¹ Massa, Carrara, Sarzana & Spezzia.

Sometimes ― something brings back the gentle voice & sweetness of Ann: oftener & oftener: & I seem to start on knowing at once that really I can never hear it more ――― at least here. ― Few ― none indeed ― know how hourly I have this enduring pain, yet hide it.

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

1. Seravezza. [↩]

Cloudy ― & rain at times.

Worked ― (from 6 to 11) at a drawing of La Petraja.

Letters from T. Cooper, Miss Beaufort! ― (very charming,) & Mrs. Clive.

Paid bills. Dined at 12. Slept.

At 2.30 ― to V. San Firenze ― & drew Cypresses between showers of rain. From 6 the evening was fine, & G. & I walked to Tor del Gallo, & to Galileo’s villa (V. Goiello,) ― returning by Poggio Imperiale.

Le 4 solite gelate¹ & bed at 9.

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

1. The four usual ice creams (but the Italian is not correct, it should be “I 4 soliti gelati”). [↩]

Cloudy. Dark at 11. 12. Storm, thunder & rain. Evening, fine.

No medicine, & consequently bowels ceasing to act again.

Penned out till 11. No letters.

No going out.

Went to bed ― XX

What folly & misery!

Walked out at 5 or 6 with G.: paid a bill & bought some boox. ―

Came home at 6.30 ― & went to Lever’s, pleasant evening. But, the Somervilles are going to Spezia, not to the Hotel d’Odessa. ―

Later, Mr. Walton of Carrara came in.

Lord Campbell is dead: so, Sir R. Bethell will be a peer at last.

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

Same weather. Worked hard at penning out the yesterday’s work from 5 till 10.30.

Letters from W. Nevill ― very nice. C. Fortescue, hurried & not satisfactory. Later one from J. Macbean: my boxes have arrived at Leghorn.

Dined at 12. At 2.15 to Petraija.

It is doubtless a lonely place ― & the terrace above all. Walked back with Giorgio ― home by 8.30.

Sultan Abdul Mejid is dead.

Which brings back the Bosphoros days to me.

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

Hotter, if possible.

Rose before 5. Half=strength medicine.

Penned out La Petraja.

Letters from J. Senior.
F. Lushington
Mrs. G. Scrivens
& Ellen, ―― about poor dear Mary’s last hours.

Went ˇ[at 11] out to see about the Medicine Receipt, & to buy Photographs: very hot.

Home by 12, dinner.

No sleep for there was just time to square out the Petraija sketch for large outlines.

At 2.30 to Petraija: high wind: & could not draw well, irritated ― & nervous.

Came away at 6.40 ― sad & silent walk home in the dust.

This Petraija affair is a trying one. ―

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

Same weather.

Slept pretty well: one bad fit of cramp only.

Rose at 5, medicine. ― worked at Bridge view. Wrote to Bern? Hunts. Mrs. Empson. C.F. & Mrs. Francillon.

Sent letters to
Mrs. G. Clive
Mrs. Empson.
C. Fortescue
Mrs. Francillon
W. Holman Hunt
B. Husey Hunt
J. Macbean.

C. Lever ˇ[wrote &] asked me to dine at 4 ― to meet O. Meredith Lytton ― but I declined.

Dined at 12, health better ― thank God.

Slept till 2. 2.15 carriage to Petraija ― very lovely ― & drew till nearly 7: then walked back with George K. ― by the dusty road ―: pretty cheerful people. ― Gt. crowds at Florence ― anniversary of Solferino.

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

Ho[tter] than before ˇ[or] since ― ὡσάν τὴν άπεθαμένη θάλασσα.¹

Did not go out ― but took fresh medicine.

Very nice letter from Mrs. Clive. Wrote to her & J. Macbean, & Daddy Hunt, but did not send the letters.

Dined at 12 ― native beer. ―

At 4 went with G.K. to above the Badia dell’Uliveto, to the V. Niccolini: view expansive but undrawable. Then to the Boboli Gardens, wh. were very full, & a beautiful sight: the children are such beauties, & the women all pretty.

Home by 8. Called to see if the Levers were at home ― οχι.² Ate 2 ices at Doney’s ― & home by 9 ― for the solito 3 ice ουχ³ wafer supper.

Feel better rather.

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

1. Like the Dead Sea (NB). [↩]
2. No. [↩]
3. Not. [↩]

Same weather.

Rose at 6. Took no medicine ― fearing to overdo it.

No letters.

Wrote to
F. Lushington
Drummond’s
E. Drummond.
A. Boyd.
Dickenson.
Spiro Kokali.
T. Cooper.
Bickers & Bush.

Better in the morning, but not quite so well after dinner.

At 2.30 to V. Firenze & drew from 3 to 7.30: ― finishing ˇ[the last of] all the 4 large detail drawings.

Walked to S. Miniato afterwards & home by 8.45. It is vastly hot.

Now, next comes the Villa Petraija in earnest: & after that, 6 days for the 3 sanctuaries.

At one time today I thought of going on to Arezzo Cortona & possibly Thrasymene & Assissi [sic], ― & of returning to Chiusi, Monte Pulciano, & Sienna [sic], S. Geminiano & Certaldo: ― but I think it is too hot, & time would be better employed in Switzerland. ―

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

Same weather.

Not quite so well: weak.

Letters from F.L. & Robt. Francillon. One also from Boyd. Sent ˇ[a] letter to F.L.

Drew at 7 ― 8 ― on Ponte Vecchio, & then showed George the Piazza Gran Ducale ― the Duomo, Campanile &c.: wh. he was greatly pleased with.

Dined at 12. Dinner is no comfort now a days.

At 2 in a carriage to V.S. Firenze: & drew from 2.30, to 7. G. amusing me with ἱζορικὰ Κερκυρας.¹

At 7 we walked down, & I drew on P. delle Grazie, & Ponte Vecchio. The people here are inimitably dolce² & well bred. ― To British Pharmacy, & home by 8.30. ―

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

1. “Historical anecdotes of Corfu” (ιστορικά in place of ἱζορικὰ, NB). [↩]
2. Sweet, kind. [↩]

Same clear hot fine weather.

Rose at 5. 3^rd dose of new medicine, wh. is decidedly a good one.

Penned out all that remains to be penned.

No letters ― nor papers.

At 11 Walked to Levers: pleasant people: I sleepy. L., is, I have little doubt a decided ‘reactionist:’ does not at all believe in “l’Unità d’Italia” as possible: & is, altogether very Tory. It is a sad question tho’, really. Home by 12.

Dinner late ― nearly 2, very angry.

At 3 ― no coach.

Came up in a rage. Fit of passion & ‘fury’ ―

X

X6. So easily one falls off ― even after such regularity. So I lay down & slept a while.

At 6.30 I went to the Rail ― for last Thursday the train only came at 7.10. To night it had already come ― but no George. So it is plain to me that he will not come at all. Nevertheless I went back for the 8 train ― but that did not come: & at 9 I heard there had been some accident near Pisa, & it could not come before 10.

I have pretty well resolved to write to George at once, bidding him now not to come: & as these broken plans & cross purposes do not suit, I must give up the good fellow’s services ― giving him wages for 6 months on. ― After all, Ann is gone, & having lost her, I lost all. Bed at 10 & slept, when lo! at 11.15 ――― George Kokali ― ! just as if he [continues at the bottom of the next page] had never been away! ― (the train had come to grief at Pisa, ― & he had hurt his face.[)]

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