Wednesday, 19 June 1861
Hot & clear.
Rose at 4.30. ― The new medicine.
Penned out till 10. No letter or papers.
Dined at 1.
At 2.30 to V. Firenze ― (in a carriage nowadays,) Drew till 7 ― then to S. Miniato: 2 nice English people were there, very nice. ―
Home by 8.30. 3 Ices for supper.
Will George come tomorrow?
[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]
Tuesday, 18 June 1861
Brighter & bluer. But ever a breeze.
Rose at 5 & took Levers new medicine ―wh. [operated] at 9 ― & without pain, the first instance since my hurt. Penned out till 10. Letter from J. Senior: the whole will affair is done, which is very kind of Bern. ―
Sent letters to
1 Mrs. Bell
2 J. Hutchinson.
3 C. Church.
4 J. Edwards.
5 John Senior.
6 S.W. Clowes
Dined at 1.
At 2.30 went to Villa S. Firenze, & drew till 7.30. Walked home.
2 Ices for supper. Less pain in inside.
X5
Newspapers came.
[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]
Monday, 17 June 1861
Same clear lovely weather.
Slept well, thank God.
Rose at 6. Coffee & a small bit of bread. The dead weary thinking of Ann, & now of Mary, every now & then seems to exhaust all nature within me, & force me to sleep. ――― Penned out till 10. ― read a little. Wrote to Hutchinson & Mrs. Bell. ― Just before 1 Mr. Lever called: he is really a nice fellow.
Dined ― 1.30 ― and at 2.30 went to Villa S. Firenze, where I drew from 3 to 7.30. ―
Called at the Φαρμακερὸς Doctor to get some medicine, for the constipation is returning.
Home by 8.15. ―
Ices & wafers, & b.dy & water & bed at 10.
[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]
Sunday, 16 June 1861
Hot & fine.
Scarcely any sleep all night, ˇ[& violent cramps in the legs] whether from the pill, or the heat, or the internal injury, I know not.
Towards morning slept. Rose at 6, coffee. Penned out some of yesterday’s work.
At 10 letter from Sarah.
Poor dear Mary also is gone! ―
She died on April 24 ―― on her passage home in the Chili! ―
O life of sorrow! Have she & dearest Ann met? ―
I feel ill & sad: yet I can feel nothing much now.
Wrote letters to,
Sarah.
Ellen.
John Senior.
Mrs. Bergmann.
T. Cooper.
W. Holman Hunt.
C. Fortescue.
Mrs. Husey Hunt.
Mrs. G. Clive.
Mrs. Coombe.
F. Lushington.
W. Nevill.
Mrs. G. Scrivens.
Mrs. AT
Dined at 1.
Medicine operates twice.
At 7 or 7.30 walked to the end of the Cascine; the latter part of it quiet enough ― but the first one a bore, owing to the immense throng of people ― however totally quiet & well behaved they were.
At 9.30 had 2 ices & some wafers & certainly feel somewhat better.
Newspaper came.
[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]
Saturday, 15 June 1861
Distinctly hot: not so clear or bright, but muggier.
Rose at 6. Cafè nero & bread. Worked at squaring & outlining 4 divisions for the S. Firenze view.
At 11 to the post: letter from dear old Daddy which I answered & sent to post. Called on Marchesa Stufa. & home by 12. ― Dined at 1 very simply. No boles however, in spite of the pill.
At 2.30 in a carriage to V.S. Firenze ― & drew hard from 3 to 7.30. ― Walked home, & found Permesso for drawing in the Villa Petraija, from Marchesa Stufa. ―
Took some tea & bread & butter. Feel better, & less feverish than yesterday ― yet my boles are a bore.
I must take another pill.
[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]
Friday, 14 June 1861
Clear, hot & fine, but always airy.
Rose about 6. The strain still painful. Drew a little at the bridge scene. Ate as little as possible for breakfast, To post, & after that, Pitti Palace: very gorgeous sumptuous rooms! But how could I ever have looked with delight on Gaspar Poussin or S. Rosa? ― I can understand & admire Titian, Holbein, & heaps of old portraits ― but those things are odious. ― Called on Mr. Lever, & sate with him: he is a remarkable man in many ways. ― Went to call on Spence, but saw him going out to the Lemonade shop, & followed him there. He is not A. N. 1 ― his manner are those of a nouveau riche ― or a German Student ― or both: his looks ― half Irish of background, half demented democrat.
Read C. O’Malley till 1. Then dined on a plate of soup & a small biled fool. ― Yet my pain goes on aching. The least food seems to bring it on again.
Read till 3. At 3.30 went to Villa S. Firenze, & drew all the rest of the day ― i.e. ― from 4.20 ― at the great view: the Vannini family “amuse” me, & are good humble quiet cheerful people. Crowds are in the streets at 8 o’clock. Had some supper of salad bread & butter & wine ― but brought it all up again.. Nothing will through me the right way. So I took a pill ― & slept finally.
[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]
Thursday, 13 June 1861
X4
Unwell all day ― boles shut up. ― Ate next to nothing & at 9 P.M. became better, tho’ the strain is at times painful.
Drew a little at times all day ― out of the window, & penning out. Slept: moaned. ― The past is the past ― the present seems nonsense, & the future darkness.
At 4.30 table d’hôte. Major Stover of Corfu days next me.
At 6 went to the Railroad & wasted till 7 The past is the past ― the present seems nonsense, & the future darkness. when the Leghorn train came in ―― no George.
Waited on till the last train at 8 ― No George.
All this is vexatious ― but not as of old. I hope he is well, & Spiro better. But I think there is so much uncertainty in these far away meetings, that I incline to arranging with poor George to quit my service.
Meanwhile, I must work on at the S. Firenze view: but, a city life is always odious to me.
[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]
Wednesday, 12 June 1861
Slept well: good bed.
Fine all day, but mostly gray, with beautiful streaky clouds. Worked at the window=outlines till 8.30. Breakfast. Post: letter from T. Cooper, with cards of visitors. ― Went on to the Sta. Croce. Funeral mass for Count Cavour: a very wonderfully beautiful as well as sad sight. Vast crowds ― & all feeling & well-behaved. Talked with many. Came away at 11 or 12. All the city is hung with “Italian” flags. ――
At 2 (having slept, & read Charles O’Malley,)1 ― called on the Levers. Mrs. L.’s account of the Somervilles ― Lady C. Fleming, Lady Walpole &c. &c. is refreshing.
Drew on bridges here & there. Table d’hôte ˇ[4.30]. Very vulgar English. ― At 5.30 went to S. Miniato, (or rather, S. Salvador.) but found I could get into the Villa S. Firenze, the real view of Turner.
It is very glorious, & I shall set to work at it thoroughly. Little half-blind boy ― Alessandro ― one of ten children, father dead. Mother & uncle, very nice people. ― Came home by 8.30 ― supper at 9.
Boles always troublesome. I doubt my ever getting well again ― quite well. But, as dearest Ann said, ― all is right ― whichever way it pleases God. ―
[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]
- Charles James Lever’s Charles O’Malley: The Irish Dragoon (1841). [↩]
Tuesday, 11 June 1861
Very lovely day all through. ― “Packed” again. breakfast at the New York: then walked to Post, S. Croce, ― & all sorts of places. At 10 saw a very large room at the Hotel de Ville, & took it: it is delightful: this & one for G. if the poor fellow comes ― 5 fr. if I stay over 2 weex. ― Moved my luggage there ― all of it, after I had seen the half of the Capponi house next to the Levers. Arranged my things, & at 3, to Spence’s at Pal. Giugni. ― Madame Schmidt his sister ― Marchesa Stufa his daughter [Spences own son]1 ― her husband, & 2 brothers: Gonfaloniere of Florence, ― another Mr. Spence, ― & 3 other people.
Laborious work at dinner, but got on pretty well ― the dinner also bad, but they were in a transition stage. Spence is a good-natured man, but hustly & odd. ― Left at 5.45 & was taken ― will I nill I, to his house by the other Mr. Spence, to see a view from the top. He seemed surprised I would not stay & go to see him always & continual.
Came to my new room ― & then really drew a bit at the bridges. Evening most gorgeous. ―
[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]
- Two lines below, but connected to this point. [↩]
Monday, 10 June 1861
X3. ― Breakfast at 8. Clouds, & rain.
At 10 called on Mr. Lever: but could not see the other part of the Palazzo yet. ― So, leaving heavy luggage with Landlord, took a carriage (& little blk dog,) to V. Mozzi. Lo, arriving there, Mr. Spence seemed to have been oblivious, & had gone out for the whole day ― leaving no orders for room or dinner: so, of course I could not stay ― but sending my things back by coach, set out to walk back: ― & reached Florence by 2. ―
Found my old room let, & none other to be had but one four floors up: so, was obliged to take a very low small room in the “Succursale.”1 ― All this is a gt. bore. Growled & tried to sleep ― but this room will not do.
Dined at table d’hôte. ― Walked to S. Miniato ― & came back hastily, boles=compelled. ― Mr. Spence invites me to dine at 3 tomorrow.
Later ― went to Mr. Levers ― a married (fast) daughter, & a little one. They are all full of fun to a wonderful degree, & very likeable.
Speaking of the Brownings who are here, Lady [Normandy] being told little B. wrote poetry also ˇ[as well as Mrs. B.] ― said ―― “then there are 3 incomprehensibles not one &c. &c.”
Levers anecdotes are voluminous & all good. I did not know I would laugh so much again.
[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]
- Adjunct building. [↩]