Edward Lear's Diaries

Rose at 8.30, & did Greek till 10.30. Fretted till 11, ― no C.F. ― no Cholmondeley ― but R.C. came at 11.5 & we breakfasted, “pleasantly enough.[”] Note from C.F. that he was not well.

At 1 walked out. Call on Col. Hornby ― out. Met F.W. Gibbs, & went to his rooms ―: the Cervara is one of my best=coloured works.

Called on the A. de V. Beauclerks¹ ― nice good-natured folks. ― on C.F. ― on R. & Mrs. Curzon. ― then to G. Clives: ― across the park, (where was queer preaching ―) to the Manby’s ― & lastly to Mrs. Leake. Hard work this walking by the Pilot stars. ―

Apropos of the Essays & Reviews² ― “What is to become of us if you do away with miracles?” ― said Lord S. of A[y].³ to C.F. ― there is no faith ― no nothing. “And how rash of Jowett! He might have been Bp.!” ―― Poor fool Lords of A[y]! How little you can understand the love of truth, which don’t dwell in such meagre buzzins as your’n.

So I went to Dr. Lushington’s at 7 but Miss Carr was away, & the Doctor unwell; & Vernon away, & Godfrey lame, & as G. said it was an anarchical dinner. Remained, Miss L., & Miss Alice, William & Godfrey ― Frank L. ― Mrs. A. Court, & Barwell a doctor ˇ[& Vaughan Johnson]. ― The evening was really very pleasant.

Later I sang a good deal ― & they were good & quiet enough. ―

V. Johnson, F.L. & I walked away at 10.30. V.J. left at Park Lane. I went on with F.L. ― but found I bored him & cut away. How different is the social character of the Doctor’s family to that of the Park House lot: ― ―

However, it is best as it is. For a fanatical=frantic caring overmuch for those who care little for us, is a miserable folly. And after all ordinary natural pride revolts at selfish coldness . ―

X

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

1. Aubrey de Vere Beauclerk; see Letter to C. Fortescue of 24 January 1859: “All my smaller painting’s here have been bought ― 3 by a dear delightful chap ― one Aubrey de Vere Beauclerk, who lives somewhere near Belfast.” [↩]
2. The 1860 volume of Essays and Reviews (reprinted London: Longman, Green, Longman, and Roberts, 1861) contained studies on the interpretation of the Scriptures; a notice at the beginning states: “The Volume, it is hoped, will be received as an attempt to illustrate the advantage derivable to the cause of religious and moral truth, from a free handling, in a becoming spirit, of subjects peculiarly liable to suffer by the repetition of conventional language, and from traditional methods of treatment.” The seven essays in the volume discussed points in which the traditional theological positions had been rendered untenable by modern research, for example Baden-Powell’s paper attacked the belief in miracles. [↩]
3. Lord Stanley of Alderley, perhaps. [↩]

Damascus.

Lighter. Painted more or less all day. ―

At 12 ― David Urquhart came, ― (he is very sufficiently mad ――) with a “disciple.” ――

At 4.30 called on Mrs. Cosway ― “with whom” was Isabella Clark: ― & a Mrs. Kenneth Macaulay.

At 7¼ to C. Buxton’s: very pleasant evening, tho’ at first, al solito,¹ I was “miserable”

In the evening came Mary Stanley & Mrs. Charles S.: ― Mrs. C.S. tells me Lady Denison is going to Madras first, & then home with 4 children. ―

Talk of the Miss Beauforts. ― Also Harry Holland, & the 2^nd Mrs. H.H. ― ……

Walked to a cab ― & RC & F.L. came up as I passed by.

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

1. As usual. [↩]

Damascus.

Not quite so dark, but beastly enough.

W.F. Beadon ― poor fellow, & Mr. Clarke the Architect called. And Terrick Hamilton, whose age is so well & gracefully borne ― he never seems ˇ[to grow] much older.

Worked at Damascus pretty hard. C. Massingbeard came at 4 ― & I had intended to go to the Crakes, but I walked out with him until it was too late ― so I came back to dine on frigid beef at home.

X

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

Bethlehem. done.

Another dark day ― tho’ not quite so bad. ―

Gaëta is befished. ―

Mr. Parker, Jones’s partner came ― to measure for a great mat ―: his son is a painter, & he professes painting Landseer, Ansdell, Poole & to wit! ! ! !

Then came poor dear W.F. Beadon, sad ― sad ― sad. ―

Worked at Bethlehem.

Fanny Catt & one boy ― & Maria Coombe came. ―

Κανὲν ἃλλος ὁλ’ ἡμέραν.¹ ――

At 4 arranged drawings.

At 6½ ― to Beadon’s, where I passed a really pleasant evening.

Home by 10.

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

1. Nobody else all day (NB). [↩]

(Didn’t know it was [Ash Wednesday]¹ until I saw salt fish.)

A very brutal day. Riz ― to find a coat of snow over all things. After which, a deadly thick fog ― so dark that all work was nonplussed. ― So I drew Nonsenses ― till tired, ― at 2 or 3 ― fell asleep.

Awoke by F.L. who came ― 3.30 ― or 4 ― but odiously ― that good very fooliz Genl. Rawdon also, the Lord help him ― he is a great Ass! ―

Frank however ― outstaid him.

And later, came J. Edwards: ― I prevent all talk of Miss L. as far as I can: conscious that a straight-a-head line of life for the present, is best for J.E. without future dreams.

At 7½ at E. Drummond’s. Only Mrs. D. there: ― sweet sad faced ― natural & charming mannered, ― & good altogether is that little Lady. They are both really kindly nice people. ―

Raw, horrid cold. ―

A dark & do-nothing day.

Letter from C. Church; W.F. Gibbs: ― & others.

X

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

1. Lear has drawn a box around the printed words at the top of the page and connected it to this point. [↩]

A hard frost again ― bright & cold!

Letters from Mr. Edwards, & C. Church. C.F. is engaged to be married. Ἐτελιῶθῃ εἰς ἐκείνον ταῦτα τὰ φλυαρία.¹ ― ˇ[Drummond came] Mr. Nicolas came, ― whom paid. Then Vincent. ― Then Dalzell ― about the “Nonsense.” ―

After wh.  in despair & hurry rushed out, but at [] Square found I had a cap on only, so came back. Fell in with Jameson ― & he came up with me. Set out again, & went to Col. Hornby’s ― out: ― (I hear Geoff has a ship.) ― Then to B. Institution: poi, Jones, ordering a gt. coat ― ἔπειτα² Martin, 2 pr. shoes: (διὰ ποῖον χώριον νὰ εἶναι μεταχειρισμένα, ταῦτα τὰ παπούζια?³ ) Then, Lady Waldegrave’s ― blooming, natural & kindly: ― then H.T. Phillipps ― where “Lock” was sitting ― a remarkably nice fellow. Home. ― Then to Daddy Hunt’s, for the day was too far gone to do any work ― & returned at 5 by the park, & to Crakes. Good old Mr. C. fading, fading still. ― They are always kindly & good-natured. ― εἰς τὸ σπῖτι.⁴ ―

At 7 to Cosways. ― Mrs. C. near her confinement ― much altered. ― Party at dinner

Dinner nice. Wine particularly good. ― Converse pleasant. ― Evening ― I sang a good deal ― & better nor usual ― Κανὲν ἂλλο (ἡ ἂλλη) ἐτραγούδησε.⁵ ― Walked to Piccadilly.

Letter from Ann.

X

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

1. No more talking from him (NB). [↩]
2. Then. [↩]
3. Which place have these shoes been used for? (NB). [↩]
4. At the house (NB). [↩]
5. No one else (man or woman) sang (NB). [↩]

Interlaken

Fine early ― but then dark, & at 10 ― snow. Also a ‘favourable’ notice of ‘Masada’ in the Times,¹ but which of these occasioned the other ― the snow or the critique, I am at a loss to say. Wrote to Sir R. Bethell. ― C.F. & Mrs. Davidson.

Painted for some hours at the foreground of Interlaken. Alfred Tennyson came ―; he was particularly nice & friendly, ― & I was wholly wrong in thinking he had got into Pattledom ― since he & the Welds went about in a cab yesterday to all sorts of Strafford, & Stafford places & streets!! ―

Soon after he went came Dr. & Mrs. Gray & Mrs. Stokes: ― I had my Egyptian drawings out ― & after a time they became interested in them. Then came William Lushington. ― ― All went at 4.30 ― except W.L. who & I, walked down to Whitehall Gardens. Sir Walter, good slow Sir dreamy Walter! ― & kindly & almost perfect Lady James! ― fancy ― their daughter is 17!!

Walked with W.L. as far as Belgravia, & then returned, to dine at St. James’s Hall. ―

Home by 7.30.

Wrote to Mrs. Empson.

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

1. “… for truth and conscientious work,, perhaps the most noticeable thing in these rooms, is Mr. Lear’s large picture of the ‘Rock Fortress of Masada, on the Dead Sea’ (349). The time is early morning; from a foreground of arid cliff rise  the yellow sandstone buttresses, on the very top of which stand perched the scanty ruins of the stronghold of Eleazar, overlooking the deep slaty blue of the plain that stretches to the Dead Sea, whose steely waters are  backed by the wall-like mountains of Moab. Overhead is a limpid, gray sky, with a few wreaths of cloud.” “Exhibition of the British Institution.” The Times, 11 February 1861, 10. For more reviews, see Blog of Bosh. [↩]

Very fine & bright. ― “We are going back again,” I fear. ―

Howbeit, at 10.30 ― came 40scue ― & we had a very pleasant 2 & a half hours together ― he went at 1. ― His society is always ― I think invariably, a grat comfort to me: ― & even my boreable & fastidious worry can hardly ever find any vexation therefrom, which, I think, is what I cannot say of ˇ[that of] any other living man. ―

Read Fergusson’s Jerusalem till 3:¹ ― & then, as it really appears that AT is not coming, tho’ he said he should “directly after church time,[”] ― I think of going out: ― a bore ― all the fine early day wasted ― from 1 to 3 ― when one might have found people in.

Ἔπειτα ἐπεριπάτησα:² dry & coldish ― East wind. ― Calls on Mr. Warren, Lady De Tabley, Mrs. H.J. Bruce ― Mrs. Clive ― Countess Dowager Grey, & Sir John Louis. ― Then returned home by 6.

Dined at the St. James’s House: Vincent there.

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

1. Fergusson, James. An Essayon the Ancient Topography of Jerusalem. London, 1847. [↩]
2. Then I took a walk (NB). [↩]

Drew 60£ from Drummonds

Very dark. ― Could not work. Looked out 48 drawings to mount.

W.F. Beadon came. ―― Pouring rain.

At 1 went to Drummond’s, & paid Jones & Roberson. Called on the Welds ― AT there: & asked to dine.

Awful slush & pouring rain.

Home… at 5.30 ― to Burlington House.

Little Agnes is a nice child. ― Mrs. Weld bores me always, by want of tact; ― “incense” ― & perpetual appeal to an Egotism I don’t possess. I suppose it is owing to their being constantly among people who require this unction. ― At dinner ― things were more tolerable: ― I fear though, I said more than was wise as to my feelings about Lebanon etc. ― After dinner, some fine views of the Himalaya were shown. ― Then came a Mrs. Májendie [Lady Franklin’s sister],¹ a sharp bittery old dame. Ποῖ, singing ――― & while trying to arrange the notes on a horrible piano, ― saith the old dame ― “I thought I was to hear singing ― what is all this prelude about? ―”

I sang 2 or 3 things, & I must say AT was very nice & unusually placid, which I am happy to see. ― But the “sphere” was not “convenient.” ―

Ach! Ach! Ach!

Καὶ ἡ μόνη ζωή μοῦ λείψε! καμμία γύνη!!²

It is of no use to think of Λούσιξλον: αὐτὸς ἀπέθανε διὰ ἐμέ:³ ―

XXX

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

1. At the bottom of the page, a line connecting the phrase to the name. [↩]
2. And I have missed the lone life! no woman! (NB). [↩]
3. Lusixlon [whom I suspect to be Lushington, MG]: he died for me (NB). [↩]

Interlaken

Day ― darkish ― cool ― but respectable.

Orders given ― not at home to everybody ― so, nobody came..

Ann & Sarah arrived at 11 ― & dined with me ― & left at 4.30. The day was very pleasant, only that dear Ann’s encreasing weakness & age ― saddens all. Sarah’s discourse on returning to New Z. is very reasonable. For it seems H. Salter left nothing to his widow, so that on her children coming of age, they have only F.S.’s salary, £170 to live on: & already 250 have been offered in [] to C.S. for his own appointment. ―― Wrote ˇ[posted letter] to the Times!!!! about the American split.

Worked at Interlaken. At 5 walked to 1 Dartmouth St. but no one was there. Returned, & at 7 dined with poor Beadon ― who is most sadly. Captn & Mrs. D’Arcy there ― she a Cockburn. ― Evening pleasant.

Mrs. B. sang wonderfully ― ἀλλὰ ― ὅλα πράγματα μαραίνονται!¹

XX

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

1. But ― everything wilts (NB). [↩]