Edward Lear's Diaries

Gray ― cold early: fine ― after 1 or 2 P.M.

Awful cold mist. Went early from the Hotel, & placing cloax in the Railway carriage, walked about Calais. Off at 12. In a good deal of pain from the strain ― & a bad headache & tired, & finally resolved not to go on tonight by the Maçon train, as that involved another day’s travel.

Paris at 6 ― good train. Immense courtesy of Douane officials: nothing touched, though opened. Hotel Louvre. Dined at 7.30. Walked a little. Bed at 9.30.

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

Cold, & high wind, N.E.

Somehow there is a kind mockery  about ˇ[the Pavilion Hotel of] Folkestone: it is neither English nor French. He curseth him who comes & him who goes. My trunk did not come & I had to go to the Goods & Junction station, & learned that it ˇ[had] gone in a Van, “all over the place,” & might be delivered in the “evening” ― wh. seeing it was sent off on Saturday ― is proper & pleasant! Insomma,¹ the boat went off ― & no trunk. Not a little rage: & at 1, when it did come, I set off at once to Dover, ― the only consolation being that the sea was awfully rough. At the Lord Warden Hotel: bitter cold rain & high wind! ―so I went up the “Shaft” & saw old Major Daniel, who, except being older & thinner, is the same kndly gentlemanly old man as in Corfu. He spoke very kindly of J. Edwards. ― At 4 I came back & was about to dine, ― when talking with a man I did not know ― (Dorien Magens) lo! Miss Laura Money & Miss Cyfritt!!! ― With them therefrom I sate a while, & upstairs ― & finally resolved to go ― the wind having calmed down. So, on board at 10. Great crowd. ― Sydney man & little boy, Billy. Broker & others. ― I sate on deck, & kept up by hard effort for an hour ― then was awfully sick & ill, the sickness straining the abdomen afresh. So when we reached Calais after 2 hours frightful torment, I was too ill to go on, & was glad to totter to a Hotel (Meurice,) & fall on a bed with my clothes on.

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

1. In conclusion. [↩]

Very fine & warm. At 11 (having written 10 more letters,) left the good H. Hunts, & came to the Hastings train. (I am to write to John Senior before I go.) Railroad very shaking, & 2 darling little children, ˇ[who with a nurse] were in the carriage, were, not frightened, but  half ill. So I took the boy ― 4 years old, on my knee, & the girl in my arms, & told them my long name & all kinds of nonsense ― till they forgot the shaking bother. At last, after telling them my long name “4 or 5 times, one said, “My name is Robt. George Winsor Clive.” & the other, ― “& my name is Mary Agnes W. Clive.” ― & they were really Robt. Clive’s children!! ― Whereon much talk with the nurse ― they were going to Scotney. I never saw 2 sweeter & more intelligent children than those 2: & I longed to keep them both. At Hastings, bubble busting. And I to the G. Scrivens. The W.S. also there. Great amount of talk, & most pleasant visit. G.S. went with me to the 5.15 train. 6.3 at Ashford. 7.5 at Φώξτον: ― “changed” & supped.

But O! the dreary terror of this day! so unlike all other England leavings ―― no dear Ann!

Cold bitter wind, & rain.

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

Fine ― middling warm.

Spoke about the “Will” to Bern: who is always good & kind, &, fussed & filled up as he is every hour, has not thought of winding up all affairs. However, he promises to do all next week, & then John Senior is to be my future “legal adviser.” ― While they went to Ch: ― I wrote 2 letters.

After lunch, the Garden: & at 2.30 ― a walk on the downs with B.H.H. sunny & pleasant; sitting lying ˇ[down], talking. Mrs. H.H. & Ellen [Costa] met us on the hill.

A funny shop girl, that. Dinner & evening pleasant till a point. You play ― & find they are all sleeping or sleepy ― reading ― a crackling newspaper. So best, so bed. Packed till late.

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

Fine. Drew 75£ from Drummonds, & gave cheques for

11.15.0
15..0.0

Rose early. Packed. Cab to Drummond’s & various places. Dalziell called. Took leave of poor Beadon.

At 1. To L. Bridge ― & by 2 off to Lewes ― there by 4.

Pleasant evening ― but I wish the “Wills” affairs were settled: & somewhat I fuss & fret because they are not.

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

Very fine & warm all day. Letters from F.L. & one very nice from J.B. Edwards. “Packed.” At 10.30 walked to Waterloo Station ― & Rail to Leatherhead 11.10=12. At poor Ellens, by 12.30 ― where I lunched. She does not, & never will get over good William N.’s death. Mary’s last letter is more decided & strong, but very sad. A letter from Boswell is odious enough. ―― I found some scrap books (& an old drawing book of mine,) of dear Ann’s ― who is gone away somewhere. ― I do not know where, but believe I shall see her ― again. I do believe that.

I left poor Ellen at 2 ― & was in town by 3. 4 shillingsworth of cabs on various errands, & returned home by 5. Wrote to Mrs. Stanley & James B. Edwards. ― Lo! ― Franklin & Edmund Lushington. Edmund L. is not much altered ― nor ever will be: I saw him last in 1855 I think!

At 8 I went & dined alone at the Blue Posts. The Bethells, Crakes, Wyatts, & Blencowes were all “to the fore” ―― but I had no heart for any one of them.

I had rather be going off straight to Folkestone now, than to stay at B.H. Hunts, & G. Scrivens’s.

Τὶ θαύμαζον πρᾶγμα εἶναι αὒτη ἡ ζωή μας!¹

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

1. What a wonderful thing our life is! (NB). [↩]

Very fine & warm.

Went early in a Hansom ― to Mrs. Woollett ―

Mr. Rose ―
Miss Peale.
Miss Giles.¹

Highgate Cemetery ― where dearest Ann’s grave is finished then back to Stratford Pl. Then to

Fanny Coombes
Holman Hunts
Mrs. Straham’s
& Mrs. Cabusai’s, ―
& lastly to see poor dear W.F. Beadon. ―

At 7.30 to the W. Duckworth’s ― a very delightful evening & party.

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

1. The doctor who cured Ann in her final illness and, presumably, two friends of hers. [↩]

Rose at 7. ― Fine. ― Called on Woodthorpe’s ― out.

Came home by 11.

Maclean.
Blencowe ― ||||

Went out to Foord’s, Robersons, John Senior’s, &c. ― & back: rainy showers. I wanted to go to Daddy Hunt but gave it up.

Mrs. ˇ[Spenser] Robinson
Mrs. ˇ[Spenser] Montagu
very nice pleasant women: ― Mrs. M. a cousin of C.R. Flint’s.

Then went out again to try to go to Hunts, but I was too unwell & gave it up ― returned

& found

Archibald Peel
Sir David Baird
& Miss Baird ―― the nice girl on Monday

after which, I dined, by myself. ―

Letter from F.L.: Robert Hay is dead.

I wrote later to F.L. & to Giuseppe Posictóni.

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

Fine all day … Weary. Went to J. Senior’s in a cab ― out.

Packed & arranged. Slept.

At 5 cab to Woodberry. W.N. only.

XXX

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

Very fine & bright, & not cold.

Good lack! shall we ever be free?

Arranged clothes & colors &c. all the morning. A message from the Duc d’Aumâle to say he is coming to day. ― Lunch at 2. At 3-4 Mrs. Robinson & Miss [Lowes].

At 5 Duc d’Aumâle, & a Secretary, certainly a very pleasant visit. The Duke staid an hour. ― Arranged mounted drawings of 1838. At 6.30 came Archie Peel ― & Hon. ? Ashley. ― At 7.45 to Sir Roger Palmer’s. (Then Knights’ house ― 56 Portland Pl.) ― room half full ― no one to receive. Continual arrivals. Sir Roger Palmer ― quaint old man, whom A. Peel’s brother had told me “always punned.” A very nice elderly lady & her daughter were most pleasant in the ˇ[dry] wilderness of waiting & stupidity. After 8.15 or 8.20 we went to dinner.

Vast gonfiato¹ servant &c.: total want of good cooking & general taste. Was badly placed, & [took me] a very [madcock] old lady.

Mrs. Peel sang very well.

Walked afterwards with A. Seymour pleasantly.

All I said to Sir R. was, on his asking, “Do you like music? ―” “Yes, & especially when the words are so well pronounced, & the notes so distinct:” ― Sir R. “Yes a bad word is worse in a lady’s mouth than elsewhere, & they should be careful in uttering notes, which are costly.”

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

1. Inflated. [↩]