Edward Lear's Diaries

The same gray gloom ever: ― no sun.

Better. Rose at 6½. ― Outlined Cedars.

Outlined 2 Nunehams ― packed & sent off things there.

Worked a little, but not badly, at Gibbs’s Cervara. J.B. Edwards came, with a friend ― one Hawker.

At 7.45 to Lady Farquhar’s ― “No party” said she in writing but

Dinner not unpleasant. I like Mrs. H.F. because she is so unconventional & has the sense to talk of her children of whom she knows most. ― Afterwards, talk with Clive: whom it is a pleasure to meet always. ― I wish they had not gone away. ―

X2

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

Hideous day. XXXX1

Too ill to speak or work.

Ann came.

At 6 J. Edwards ― & later W. Holman Hunt.

Could not go out Ugh!

Tea at 8.

Bed. ―

Horror & disgust.

Η χειροτερα ημερα δια τοσους χρονους.¹

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

1. The worst day for a long time (GT). [↩]

Rose, alas!, at 8, και ημισι αρροζος.¹ ―

Worked very hard at the 2 Nuneham outlines ― & at 11 or 12, took my Cedar=drawing ― &c. &c. in a cab to Hansens, ― this being over the second week I am daily expected ― & ever paying for the room. ― Of course, I find the room all upside down ― chimney sweepers & the devil knows what. They certainly are wrong in this ― for they had time enough ― before. ― Bounced I out in a gt. rage, & cab back to Stratford Pl. ― & then to Foords, & sent a van for the picture. ― Then I returned & saw Gush, who lets me have his back room. Mrs. H. ― & Hansen diversely came ―but I saw neither, for Morier & Burnet M. came too.

At 4 ― or 3½ ― went across the Parx to Daddy H.: he is still at work on the Cairo picture. Δεν εμπορω να γραψω δια αυτον.² ― ― Miss Martineau, & Miss Hunt there. ―― Walked back: ― & began the Cedar canvass ― by measuring & Squaring. J. Edwards had called, wh. I am sorry for. … Dined at 8.30. Chops & Ps. ―

Read. In Memoriam ― & other matters ―

If one works less, & improves less ― at least one suffers less than in last year.

I wonder how Γεωργιος Κοκαλι is, και τα παιδια του. Να τα φυλαξη ο Θεος!³

― XX13

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

1. And half []. [↩]
2. No dealer to write [by him]. [↩]
3. Giorgio Cocali … and his children. God spare them! (GT). [↩]

Rose at 6. Grey ― pleasant. Drew. At 9, drew at the Morning sketch till 10 being bright & [pretty].

Breakfast. ― Drew again afterwards & “packed.” ― At 1short walk with C. Braham ― & with C. Harcourt. Hurried lunch, και αλλα πραγματα.¹ ― At 1.40 off in Fly, with C.F. & C.B. to Cultham. ― Rail to town ― (C.B. fussy ― & lost his hat,) by 4. ― Cab home. Letters from,

Jane Hunt
Fanny Coombe
S.W. Clowes.
Mrs. G. Scrivens
E. Drummond.
Mrs. E. Drummond.
W. Nevill.
Lady Farquhar
Mrs. Shakespear &c. &c. &c.

One of the Drawing Cabinets [arrived]: ― worked at placing Drawings. F.W. Gibbs came. Wrote & worked till 7. ―

Cab, with Canvasses, to Foord’s, & then []² to Blue Posts ― with merry kindly Chichester Fortescue, & we dined together very happily. Home by 10. ―

XXX12

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

1. And other things (GT). [↩]
2. A blot makes the word unreadable, or perhaps Lear decided to cross it out. [↩]

Rose at 6. fine ― cloudy ― calm, fresh, green, quiet, birdy, flowery. O morning! ― Worked till 9 ― & a small walking. ― After breakfast church, ― not unagreable.

Poi with Lady W. & Mr. H. ― Drawing by fits, or reading.

Lunch. ― Afterwards ― storm & rain. Then wandered ― on each side the house, & into the Park, & down to the dock ― alone ― μονος εισαι;¹ said the man of [Χοροπισκοπος], & so it is. A heavy sadness. ― At 6 a walk with Canon C.H. ― & later with C.F. has asked me to bring a picture ― any picture* ― as long as I like [* & stay here] ― but this cannot be done for many reasons. ― Late, & hurry dress for dinner.

(C.F. speaks of the S. de R.’s complaints: I could tell a good deal of this, but it is better να σιωπω.)²

Dinner ― lively & pleasant. The Old Canon weds the little Miss M.; & much fun.

Sang a great deal afterwards ― & looked over some letters of George 3 to the then Lord Harcourt.

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

1. You are alone (GT). [↩]
2. To be silent (GT). [↩]

Rose at 5.30: ― & drew till 9 ― (Gethsemanes.) Very calm & pleasant. Walk with Sir J.J. ― Breakfast.

Peel & Morier went afterwards. ― Walk with Granville Vernon. C. Newton is to be married, to Miss Severn! ― ― I am extremely glad.

Later ― walk with Lady W. & G.V. ― & we fix on a print from a topography. Then came C. Fortescue.

Then Lunch. ― Then no end of storm & rain ― & cloud ― but I got to the “hint” with Mr. H., & also drew a good (sic) but by degrees. ― Sang to Lady J. & Mrs. M. ― At 6 ― walk with C.H. ― & Sir John J.

Dinner: much laughter & fun. Evening ― si cantava (― cioè ― io ― assai.[)]¹ ― Bed at 11½.

Lady W. wants a 2^nd picture ― but I do not see my way to that this year.

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

1. One sang (― that is ― I did ― quite a lot[)]. [↩]

Rose later. The days are gray & cool: not wet, but always about to be so. ―

Dickenson came. I worked at Bright’s Cervara ― & at 11.30 dear old Ann came ― placid, but, alas! older ― older. ―― We sate pleasantly enough, & lunched at 1. ― At 2 came a letter from C.F. saying I had been expected at Nuneham, & had agreed to come on the 26! ― So, all things considered, ― I wrote to Drummond, & prepared to go. Ann went at 3: ― & I ―soon after, to Chappell’s, where I took 3 songs to publish. ― Then to Mrs. Middleton, & Mrs. E. Drummond, & Mr. Morier. Poi και επειτα, to Gt. Western rail. Mr. Harcourt was in the carriage, ― but strangely behaved ― sullen? ― At Culham we got out, ― & he was the same ―: asking him if he were well, he said: “In body, yes.” ― & then driving across the Park, he told me his brother Leveson had died suddenly. Before dinner I saw B. Morier, & C. Braham. ―

δεν εμπορουσα να λαβω κανεν αρασι, δια τον Παπαδα Καρλον, ο οποιος δεν  ηθελει παρασει το συκαλιον.¹

Lady W. Wants me to paint her a picture here.

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

1. I did not receive any snatch from traders, by the priest Charles’s wife, who does not like [] performances. [↩]

Fine ― tolerably ― no sun, ― but no rain. ―

A day of bothers ― & going bax. ―

Rose at 5 ― 7 ― but unwell. ― Resolved to paint a small Cervara ― partly because, doing so, I could improve on Gibbs’s, & partly because, as I promised to do one for Bright, I can do it better now than otherwise, as the large Cervara is still here. So I set to work, outline, tracing, scraping &c. &c. ― & at 12 fell asleep. ― then X10 & slept again.

The brain & all the mind are sick (sic.)

All the afternoon worked partiklar hard, ― but Drummond didn’t come with Mrs. D. as he said.

No one else came, but a lad with a frame, which I sent back to Dickenson.

At 8 dined on cold beef & beer: & letters (alone).

Reading Churchill’s Lebanon¹ ―: I am wretched about all those places.

Saw Mr. Gush: who is going to America again, ― I envy him his energy. αλλα εγω δεν υχω τοσον τα φυσικα Χρειασθομενα.²

XXX11

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

1. Churchill, Colonel Charles Henry. Mount Lebanon. A Ten Years’ Residence from 1842 to 1852. 3 vols. London: Saunders and Otley, 1853. [↩]
2. But I did not [] both [Christendoms]. [↩]

Rose before 6 ― & excepting breakfast ― worked hard all day at Gibbs’ Cervara, only Hansen came. At 4.30, cab to Drummonds, & drew out 10£. Saw Edgar D.

Called on Gibbs, Evans, Percy, Farquhar, Clive, Grey, Blencowe, & Hornby ――― all out. Saw, [A.] Wilson, C. Monk, R. Curzon, Sir F. Baring, Malcolm, & lastly Edgar Drummond, who came home with me. ― At 8 to the Blue Posts, where I dined alone ― but too expensively. ― Abdel Kader is to be king of Syria it seems. Afterwards walked to Foords, to order frames for the Damascus, Interlaken, & Beirût, ― for if the weather is always uncertain, there is no use in waiting for the chances of outdoor working.

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

Rose at 6. Cold! ― Suddenly began to paint over the old Tyrana picture.

8½ breakfast. ― S. Vincent came: Thence I painted pretty hard at Gibbs’ Cervara ― till 4 ― when J.B. Edwards came: ― at 6 or 7 H. Farquhar & a Mr. Benett came. & at 7.30 I, & J.B.E. walked to Hansens, where the 2 large Canvasses are all ready ― & thence to the Blue Posts ― where we dined. E. is the same good lad as in 1856. ― Home by 10.30.

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