Edward Lear's Diaries

Gray

Rose before 7. Painted skies of Dead Seas.

Very warm soppy-looking gray scirocco, but no wind.

Painted ― at the small, & larger Dead Sea, & Olympus: having now pretty well decided to take ― or send ― all the paintings ― 25 or 26 ― to England ― unfinished: & to get the majority of those ready to pack as soon as  may be.

Misspent much time today ― yet worked some in the great number of rooms: ― the quiet of this floor is  anyhow refreshing.

At 4 ― to Miss G.s: who would pay me £25 of her picture. ― It was very rainy, & only Mrs. N. went with me to the Ghetto ― when it poured with rain & we had to stand in a doorway. Found Politi’s shop ― (who sent respects to “that respectable man” F.L. ―) & told him to call on Miss G. on Sunday. ― After seeing Mrs. N. home, I went out to Mrs. Woolffs: ― poor Mrs. W. ― Ευ. Κυρκυμέλλι there ―. Very pouring rain, ― & golden sunset afterwards.

Returned at 7.15 ― to dine ― & penned out till 10.30.

Last night there was an Earthquake at 3 A.M. ― but I did not feel it.

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

Dull gray ―

Horribly nervous all night ― no sleep till 5 A.M. ― Causelessly wretched ― but no lack of shaking it off as far as possible. ―

Worked a little ― very little, at the small Dead Sea.

At 12 ― Miss G. & Mrs. N. came & staid a long while. I shall miss them horridly.

At 4.30 ― walked to Ascension ― most gloomy ― horrid dark, with violent South wind & threatening rain, yet no rain. A great sea all day ― from all quarters of the compass in turn.

C.E. Luard came at 7.20 to dinner: ― a pleasant evening.

Bed at 11.

Slept better.

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

Clear & beautiful early ― then heavy scirocco.

No letters by the regular Mail.

Very warm & depressing. Unpacked & arranged ― & called on Miss G. ― Then, meeting De Veres, Miss Bolland & Luard & the Decies ― went on board their Yacht ― a perfectly calm [morning] ―― & so to the Steamer. C.E. Luard had returned.

Took leave of the 2 good Decies ― & came on Shore with Mrs. D.V. Majr. D.V. & Miss B.

Home, & unpacked &c. &c. ― till 6.30 ― but whether it was the weather, or the Yacht, or seeing the last of people ― ‘or what’ I don’t know, but my nerves were frightfully irritated & upset.

Dined at Miss G.’s. Not so agreable ― especially Mrs. N.

Wind North part of the night, & sea noisy.

No sleep

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

Very fine all day.

Endeavored vainly to get my things upstairs early ― but the Cravens began to move at 10, & did not get out till 3 ――― a great bore. ― Then, I, & George, & the Muto, & 2 Ἑβραίοι rushed up & down violently & got every thing in by 5 ― & by 6 I had dressed, & was walking with Decie to the De Veres.

(It was not very bright when we met the Herberts & another lady, whom I, thinking her to be Miss Bolland ― shook warmly by the hand, & lo! it was Lady Inglis, whom I had never seen!)

Dinner & evening pleasant. Mrs. [Dollen] returned from Malta: the Decies & Luard only. We all drove back together ―: the Decies go tomorrow.

Letter from C.F. ― by the Ancona boat, containing one from Lord Clarendon, saying that Woolner should not be overlooked.

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

Clearer. ― but a painful scirocco all day[.]

Neither the Ancona boat due yesterday ― nor the Alexandrian are in yet ― 11 A.M. ―

Wrote to F.L. but was upset by noise & bother. ―

At 3 went to Miss Goldsmids, & with her & Mrs. N. to Ἀνάλειψις & Πταμῶ.

I walked back thence.

Dined at Sir C. Sargents ― only Major Peel there. Evening not very unpleasant. ―

Delightful letters from

W. Nevill &
Mrs. Geoff Hornby.

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

Scirocco ― & misty ― but finer.

X.  What an incessant nuisance.

Did not go out all day, but penned out the Ἀνάλειψις drawings.

Captn. Balfour, ― & Majr. Buchanan called.

At 4.30 ― a small σεισμὸς ― all the bells rang.

At 7 to Miss Goldsmid’s ― pleasant dinner & evening. She wants pictures of

Corfu
Jerusalem
Amalfi
& Constantinople.

Home by 10.30.

Another Earthquake at [at 2, & again at] 2.30 A.M.: ――― small also. ―

Very depressing oppression day all through [sic].

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

Very warm ― & cloudy ― scirocco.

Packed. At 10.30, came Sir H.J. Storks & Straham & derniered the pixurs. Afterwards, Miss Julia G. & her maid.

At 2.30 ― to 3.30. 2 Ἑβραίοι¹ came & moved 25 objects ― [tables], boxes, &c., upstairs. At 3.40 ― went out.

Walked the long round ― slowly: a dreary [stark] scirocco, & wind, & some rain.

Called to know how the Kokalini were ― all going on well.

At 7 to the Decies; they are packing up ― & we dined roughly in the small room of the Bolland’s, ― but the evening was very pleasant.

As the painters are in all the rooms but the west one, G.’s, & the kitchen, ― I am not over comfortable ― but on Monday hope to be straight.

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

1. Jews. [↩]

Fine ― but gray ― An Earthquake at 4.45 A.M. ― not that I felt it ― but then as did, did.

Penned out a very little: notes to Sir H.J. Storks, Decies, & Miss G. ― G. Paramythiotti came: Greece he says, [wuss]; ― Cravens, he wishes to go ― having engaged the rooms to Italian Consul by the 1^st ― I go to Mrs. Craven ― & am to get their Landlord’s to let them stay till Monday. Meanwhile I move everything into my bedroom & the passages ― & clear all the rest, barring the picture room. And, at 4 ― go out to Casa Candoni.

There were Mrs. W. ― & her little boy ― Fizzy ――: & Miss Ευφροσύνη Κυρκυμέλλο ― & A.D.C. Straham.

Walked back by 6.30.

Dined at the Palace.

These 3 were young men ― unbeknown to me. ― I vow, dining with Gov[rs]. is not easy: if one is silent ― one is dummy: if talking ― trenching on disastrous freedom. However, the dinner was pleasantish. ―

Talk of the Lushingtons with Sir H.J. who was at school at Hanwell ― with Dr. Morgan ― father of Mrs. F.L. & lo! Mrs. M. was supposed to be Frank’s father’s daughter ― whereby Kate M. is his niece!!!!!!!!!! ―――― I remained

X9¹

as stolid as possible under this ― yet must have shown interest. Returning ― could not get in ― G. out, but he soon returned. ― Met Bruce today ― a bore.

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

1. The rest of the passage is written on the previous page, for 26 March. [↩]

Fine ― al solito.

X8

Rose at 6.30 ― & resolved to begin a new system ― café at 7. Painted a little at Joánnina, but Gio. Παραμυθιόττι coming, & telling me that he hoped to get this floor ready by the 1^st ― induced me to leave off work ― & pack up all my drawings &c.

Dined at 12.30.

At 3 went up & saw Mrs. Maude ― poor good little woman. ―

A curiously weary day, this ―

I walked to Ascension at 3 ― drawing at 2 or 3 places till 6.15 ― then returning slowly & by a round, ― & home by near 8 ― when I had an ommellette ommelette ― & a bottle of beer. But this 12 o’clock dinner arrangement didn’t do.

A wonderful beauty in Ἀνάλειψις.

X

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

Perfect calm & brightness all day.

Slept. (wh. is something.)

Painted ― at Jánina, ― till 12 ― when ― Mrs. & Miss Ragnanean, good Mrs. Boyd, & their friends came, & later Boyd: they are persons it is a pleasure to shew pictures to.

Not well all day.

At 3.30 ― went to Ascension, & drew till 5.50, or 6. Then, with Capt. Balfour, walked back ― by 6.45.

Ah! The surprising=endless beauty of Ἀνάλειψις!

Upstairs to Cravens. ― Mrs. C. ― & he ― & I. Along of Nurses ― well & good ― & babies, καλὰ.¹ ― But later, when it came to personal scandal, Lady S―― to wit. I blazed up, & said I would not hear it. But we “ended friendly.” ― But what a life of matrimony! ―

O criki! ―

“Let us alone.”

(Col. B.’s opinion of AT. ―

“No poet & a drunkard ―”

Why ― this is worse than Lord Westbury’s! ―)

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

1. Good (NB). [↩]