Edward Lear's Diaries

Very hard frost ― bright & very cold. Rose at 7½ ― & packed.

Left Oatlands at 10.30 ― to be absent for a week ― the 6 unfinished pictures left behind. Took the 7 small ones with me. At Foords by 12 ― & then to 15 Stratford Pl.

Letters from C.F. & F.L. both very nice.

Pleasant banker’s balance.

Wrote to C.F. ― F.L. Ann, S.W.C.

Foords people came to put in the small pictures.

London is truly dreadful to me ― yet the place is at least quiet. From 5 Greek till 6.15.

Dined at the W. Beadons’. W.F.B. rather better. ἡ Κυρία, παχεία.¹ ― Willie at home.

Mrs. Sneyd, (Mother of late Mrs. Cecil Beadon) ― Rev. ― Edwards, & a Mr. Beecher.

Η Ἑσπέρα, μάλλον βαρεία.²

Cold.

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

1. The Lady, fat (NB). [↩]
2. The evening, rather gloomy (NB). [↩]

Hardish frost ― bright ― dry.

Suddingly ― worked all over the Interlaken, Beirût, & Damascus: & screwed them up ― moving them into the bedroom. Shaved the Cedar sky.

At 3 T. Wyatt came ― & bought the Philates!

Then a letter from Worrington ― ditto the Tiber?

Letter from Edwards Père ― also ― very θαυμαζὸν.¹ ― There is only Ζαγόρι now for sale. ―

A little walk to Weybridge & round by L. Philippe his tomb ―. “Packed.” ― Dined. ―

Called on & sate with Capt. & Mrs. Huish: ― ― Ἐκεῖνος ἀγαπᾶ τὰ χρήματα.² Nevertheless they are good people.

Then, Mr. & Mrs. Hardman, & Miss Howard came & looked at the paintings till 11. ―

Ἒπειτα, pace up ὃλα πράγματα ἐῶς τὰς δώδεκα ὣρας.³ ―

X8

Nice letters from Littlegreen also

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

1. Wonderful (NB). [↩]
2. He loves money (NB). [↩]
3. Then, packed up all my things till midnight (NB). [↩]

Colder ― & no sun.

Finished ― μοῖ δοκεῖ,¹ ― Brights little Cerbara.

Capt. Huish called & bought both Philœ & S. Sabbas.

Prepared partly to go to town on Wednesday.

Not very well.

Four to 5 ― walked.

Dined at 6. a Mr.? & Mrs. Hardman.

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

1. I think (NB). [↩]

Ojous headache. & cold.

Cold grey day.

Wrote to Georgio ― & Taylor & Drummonds ― (10£.)
Ann
Dickenson
Edwards

(A dreadful headache all day from some particular ale ― of which I only drank one glass yesterday.)

At 3 Mrs. Davidson ― her son ― a very prepossessing intelligent youth ―& her daughters Father in law ― one Mr. Coen ― τὶ ὅμματα εἶχε!¹ ― came & looked at the Cedars. At 4 I walked out ― a round by Weybridge & back. Gloomy day ― but not frightfully disgusting ― windless & rainless τουλάχιστον.² Wrote Greek a good deal ― lee-way of Thucydides.

Dinner. Evening ―

Wrote to Mrs. Musters: & Greek.

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

1. What eyes he had! (NB). [↩]
2. At least (NB). [↩]

Brighter lighter whiter ― tighter.

Sunshine ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Letters from Ann, W.N. ― Constance Wyatt. ― afternoon ― from J.B. Edwards ― & John Harford ˇ[very nice].

Painted at Bright’s Cerbara.

But at 3 ˆ[2.30] W. Lushington came: ― & so I did little more: & walked with him about the roads ― &c. &c. a pleasant visit.

Capt. Huish seems as tho’ he could buy Philœ & S. Sabbas too. ―

Dined at 6 alone. ― Ὅ Κωκαῖν¹ is an inimitable ass.

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

1. Cockayne. [↩]

XX7.

Ἄσχεμαι ἡμέραι¹

Horrible day! dark, cold ― damp ― filthy.

painted at Brights Campagna but badly. ―

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

1. Bad days (NB). [↩]

A day of blank. F. Cockerell went at 9. ― But I began to work on Thucydides ― in a new book ― & hated painting. Suddenly I did a little finish to the Philœ ― & then packed the Zagori & Philates ― now if ever, done. Then I packed the Philœ ― but broke the glass by doing so. Worried in many ways. Uncertainty & bother.

Captn. Huish came ― & I suppose he will have the S. Sabbas. Καλὰ.¹ But all the rest ahead is blank ― not to say dark.

At 3.30 walked out ― dark ― coldish dry. Dogs ― of which there are heaps in these parts ― bully me. ―

Alquanto εἶμαι δυστυχής² ― but that may be probably from having so gone back to alternate crosses. ―

Returned by 5 or 5.10.

Dined, μόνος, ᾽ς τὰς ἕξ.³ ― Reading Urquhart, which is dreary & queer. ―

Ahead ― all is doubtful.

Penned out ― nil: but rewrote out my Θουκυδίδες ― in the newly bound [] edition.

Quiet & calm this place ― which is blessing. But after all ― τί πράγματα είναι blessings?⁴

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

1. Good (NB). [↩]
2. I am un happy (NB). [↩]
3. Alone, at six (NB). [↩]
4. What are ‘blessings’ (NB). [↩]

X6 ― δὲν δυνάμεθα νἀ φεύγωμεν ἀπὸ ταῦτα τά κακιά;¹

Ill all the morning.

Ἀλλὰ — ἐπιζιλὴ ἀπὸ τὸν Γεώργιον:² ― as usual simple & straight.

As to going out, as yet I see no clear way. ― If not, something definite must be arranged about G.

If yes ― I do not know when ― or rather, how.

Worked at the Tiber picture: but could not after 1.30. At 2 walked to Chertsey & all about, ― & back by 5.

Captn. & Mrs. Huish came: μερικὰ φλυαρία.³ ― At 6.30 F. Cockerell. Ἡμέρα⁴ rather pleasant than not.

Shall I stop the large pictures ― pay debts ― & take out enough from “earnings” for a year’s Orientalism?

Or work out these ― & leave them for sale?

Or this? or that? or which? or what? ― or none?

Εἰς τὸ κρεββάτι ᾽ς τἀς ἔνδεκα: ὁλίγον κουρασμένος ἐγὼ.⁵

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

1. Can’t we be able to avoid this ugliness? (NB). [↩]
2. “But — letter from Giorgio.” Nina writes: “Not very sure about ἐπιζιλὴ. I suppose he was going for επιστολη but I could be wrong.” [↩]
3. Some prattling (NB). [↩]
4. Day (NB). [↩]
5. In bed at eleven: I was a bit tired (NB). [↩]

Slept better. A dark wholly gray day. Time driveth onward fast.

Aperiently finished Ζαγόρι & Φιλάτες.

Τὶ νὰ κάμωμεν;¹

Εἶδα, εἰς τὴν ἐφημερίδην [οτι] Σιρ Ζ. Ζόνγ πηγαίνει εἰς τάς Αὐζραλίας. — νὲα πρὰγματα εἰς ἐμὲ δὲν εἶναι, διότι τὰ ἥξευρα καλὰ πρῶτον.²

Also aperiently finished Philœ ― whereat, about 2.30 I became lively, & walked out beyond Walton towards Moulsey.³ Ἀλλ’ ἤτον κρύον!⁴

Found 2 letters, from S.W.C. Col. C. better, & dear Lady Hornby.

καὶ ἐπί πόσα ἐνθυμούμαι!⁵

Dinner. Penned out, & some Greek till 10.30.

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

1. What to do? (NB). [↩]
2. I saw in the newspaper [that] Sir J. John (?) is going to Australia ― this is not news to me, because I knew it well from the beginning (NB). [↩]
3. Molesey. [↩]
4. But it was cold! (NB). [↩]
5. And how many I remember! (NB). [↩]

XX5.

Back again ― dreary work.

A bright day ― throughout.

Worked at S. Sabbas all day.

At 4½ walked on the Terrace.

A Mr. Garnett here ― friend of the Crakes.

Penned out a little after dinner.

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