Edward Lear's Diaries

Fine early. Up by 5.30. ― Walk before breakfast with G.S. ― after which it rained ― pouring all day.

Drew Gethsemanes till 2. ― Rail, by Tunbridge to London Bridge ― by 5.15. ― Dined with Mr. Bell. & J. Salter only. … Cab home by 11.30. Pouring rain.

Letter from Mrs. Leake & Photograph of Col. L.

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

Rose at 6 & worked at 2 Gethsemanes till 8.45. ― Walked on the Parade, & again with G.S. ― … Breakfast: ― & drawing & talk.

Rain. ― At 2 G.S. & I walked ― standing up now & then from violent rain ― to V. Crakes. Crawling children ― persecuted dog. ― Then we walked at the back of Hastings, ― rain, again, ― & so to old Mrs. S.’s ― who is now 84. ―― At 6 dinner ― Mrs. W.S. also. Evening very tolerable.

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

C.F. had been obliged to wait in the H. of C. to “answer questions.”

The Evans’s did not come as I expected, (― but Vincent did.)

Mrs. Gisborne is ill. ― I worked at Gibbs’s Cervara till 2 ― then ― too hastily ― Χαρις κεφαλισμος ― ! ― rushed to London Bridge, & arrived by 3 ― which o’clock train I took ― spite of advice alas! ― & got to Brighton just as the Hastings train had left. Obliged to wait till 6.45 ― & reached Hastings by 7.30 or later, just as George & Mrs. G. Scrivens had done dinner. They are always kind & hospitable.

Talk, και πολυ κρασι ― αλλα καλο ― εως αργα.¹ ―

This run down here is expensive ―but I thought it better for health than staying in town. But I doubt if I could live here now: the recollections of 1852-3-4 ― & of the last summer lonely life, would bore me.

Meanwhile, [gr.];²

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

1. And lots of wine ― but good ― until late (GT). [↩]
2. A longish passage of Greek, in which Lear meditates on the possibility of living in London, and concludes Τι πρέπει να κάνω (what should I do). [↩]

After breakfast ― began to work on Gibbs Cervara again ― hard. ―

Outlined Cedars: not yet decided on the other large one. ―

Ann came, & no-one else, happily ― & she passed a very pleasant day, I think.

Later ― 5 ― I made calls ― C.F. & the Norths &c. ― Miss North’s tame Salamander escaped & found its or his way to their maid’s room. ―

Returned by 7. ―

At 7.45 ― went to Blue Posts ― where C.F. was to join me at 8: ― he said he could hardly be later, for he should have to go back to the House at 10. ― But I waited & waited: & at 9.10 could wait no longer, but ordered up the dinner, which I ate solo. Meanwhile it poured torrinx of raign, & altogether it does seem always winter here. ― Home by 10.30.

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

Rose before 6. Heavy rain. 7 breakfast; vastly orderly all.

Rev. Llewellyn Griffith (Γρίφιθ) with me, & at 7.35 we went off. Rev. L.G. is a curious man, Kingsley fashion; ― & enthusiastic, with a wife & 4 children, at a curacy in Oxfordsh. We talked amain, & he came to 15 Stratford Pl. & away with a book for his child. ― Letters from Taylor, Baring, Farquhar, Bell, & others. Wrote till 12. Slept. Finished Potter’s Palermo!!!!! ― & Jameson’s Campagna!! ― But declined doing more to H. Farquhar’s Parnassus ― a horrid bore to me. Accounts from the East, terrible. ―

Later, worked at outlines of Masada & Cedars.

Then went to Soho Square about Mrs. Edwards’s Hobbima. ― At 6 dressed & J. Edwards came. ―

6.40 ― to Friths. Rain, all of a sudden.

Alack. Τι εμπορω να ει πω;¹ ― the Belgian singer next me was fun, so far as lingo talking makes fun.

The Monsr. her uncle ― opposite ― talking of mediums & ghosts & murders & horrors ― & “all the land was dark.”

Poor Mrs. F. ―――! little Willie not improved: ― Cecil ― who never was improvable. ― And good faithful Susan, ― I asked after her, ― is dead: 2 years ago: ― she died of tumour, & after a long time in hospital, at her mother’s. ― She was a good girl. ― Poor Mrs. F. is very true & downright, & does her best. The talk of Egg’s marriage is doleful: also from J. Philip ― a stolid Scotchman. ― The Belgian sang, & Rozier played. ― I got home by 12.

X9

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

1. What marketing [] (GT). [↩]

I’m writing this on my iPhone, a hard task, as my dsl connection melted last Friday while I was uploading and marking new entries. As you may have noticed there were no links in today’s post and I’m afraid it will be the same tomorrow, at least. As some readers have written to say that the links are a distraction, take this as an experiment and let me know what you prefer.

Very lovely early: ― actually rose at 5½, & worked till 8 at 2 Gethsemane drawings. ― Walked a little in the garden: ― reflections on the seldomness of morning quiet now-a-days. At 8.45 ― awful long prayers εις την εκκλησιαν: Ο Αρχιρευς¹ expounding. Mrs. Moncrieff ― πως ειναι μεγαλε!² ― getting out of the pew.

After breakfast showed a box of drawings to the company: mostly ordinarily intelligent ― Mrs. T. least so. ― Drew again for half an hour ― then lunch. ― After that, at 1.45 ― Eclipse nearly total ― & certainly interesting. Then a long walk, with the good old Archbp. All about the Park wh. is singularly beautiful. And at 5 ― 6 ― a lesser walk with Thomas & a Mr. Hammond ― the view lovely ― & to C. Palace fountains.

“Packed up.”

Miss S. is much aged

R. Sumner ― queer unpleasant as of old

Mrs. T. enraged me by asking most insolent & silly questions about AT: & similar remarx of J. Hutchinson.

Florence T. is very nice. T. père ― always kind & nice & friendly. Evening. I sang some 3 songs ― but was not pleased, though pleasing others. Incident of Archbp. sleeping, & upsetting whole cup of tea in Apron.

Good night all. Kindly as these good people are, I am very glad to go away.

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

1. In the Church: the Pontiff [priest = ιερεύς, Lear clearly means the Archbishop] (GT). [↩]
2. That is great! (GT). [↩]

Fine, but afterwards darkish. & fuss of letters to reply to ― & no time to work. At 11 Ann & Sarah came, & I sate them down to drawings &c. ― while I began 2 Gethsemanes. Just as dinner was ready ― to my disgust, Mrs. Smith=Barry, & Anna Duncan came: whom I wished elsewhere, tho’ they were, in their way, pleasant. Dinner: R. Martineau also came, but I sent him away: ― there is no moment for peace & quiet! Nor were the last moments of dear Ann & S. pleasant either, for I was hurried ― (they went at 3) & only just got to Croydon in time by a minute.

Fly to Addington: expensive “pleasures.”

Park pretty. The good old Archbp. ― 80 now, but clear & lively. ―― Dinner, Lanes, Moncrieffs ― Thomas’s ― & many unbeknown others.

Later ― singing: & tolerable comfort: ― εις καλα και δεν ειμαι ευτυχης διολου.¹ ―

Τα πραγματα της ανατολης ― πως ειναι τρομερα! Και ποιος εξευρει εαν εθελει ωθησαν ακομης;²

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

1. It’s not good and I am far (GT). [↩]
2. The things of the East ― that is terrible! [And who knows whether volunteers are stil being sent] (GT). [↩]

Rose at 5.30. There is no sunrise in these lands, as of old in 1851, at Lydford. ―

Miss L. was up & gave us breakfast at ˇ[before] 7 & I Godfrey L. & Vincent, were off in a close fly to the Station. At Waterloo by 9: ― had to walk a long way ― no flies. ― Dark fog. At Stratford Pl. had to light lamp. ― Finding no work could be done, went in bus to Daddy Hunts ― who doesn’t look well, poor dear boy.* Then to Foords ― & pouring rain, wh. went on all day. And to Hansens, taking his back room, & deciding on the Cedars. ― to Colonial Office, to Robersons about the Canvass, & to C.F.’s ― C.F. was at home, but could not dine to day. So I went to Foords again, & came back, very dead alone: & dined on  cold beef, & much beer.

*To Eggs. Egg is Married. ― He is a good & honest fellow. Sad stories of F. ― W.P.F.

X8

V. Lushington’s story of Sir R.B.: ― some attorneys ― having got his opinion on a difficult case, did not conceive he had given a just one, & returned to him at Stone Buildings, respectfully beseeching him to look the matter over ― & saying they had “turned the matter over in their mind,” & ventured to differ from him. ― His answer was this. “Attend to me.” “We are all attentive Sir Richard.[”] “Then, go away, ― & turn this matter over a second time in what you are pleased to call your minds; after that, you can, if you please, return to these chambers, ―― but I shall not be here.” ―

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

Cloudy early: fine & gray ― a ¼ of an hour’s sun. ―

(But I ought to be at Mrs. Howards. ― Confused near future: ― the farther on I don’t look at.)

Very short walk in Gardens ― “inexplicable calm” undisturbed, before various folk came: yet I seem to feel now that any prevention of morbid reflection is a blessing. ― Breakfast pleasant: walked afterwards with V., W., & G.L. & Vincent. Church at 11, quiet & goodly.

Walk again, & Lunch. ― Afterwards at 2 V.L. ― Smith, Vincent, & myself set out to walk, across heaths & very pretty woods ― to Paine’s Hill, where after a time we got in. Great & fine Cedars ― 1 ― valley of other Cedars ― & walk by mill: ― & home ― with much fun ― pun ― laughter & talk of all sorts.

Dinner pleasant also: only V.L. & G.L. are rather bores. ― Dr. L. is a most wonderfully fine cheerful good learned fine old man. ―

Lord Cranworth also is very pleasant.

In the evening I sang a good deal: but not easily at first.

I ought not to have come here.

Miss L.’s account of Πρινσεσ Ελενας ιζορια¹ of the βασιλισσα² meeting the footman with all the plates under his chin, & saying ― []³ my china ουτως; ― & then the υπηρέτης⁴ letting all the plates fall. ― how the Β. Sent them out to their father: ― how he sent them to the nurse. ―&c. &c. ― were funny enough.

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

1. Princess Helena’s congeniality (GT). [↩]
2. Queen (GT). [↩]
3. Lear appears to have written the Greek here above the English version, making both unreadable. [↩]
4. Footman. [↩]