Edward Lear's Diaries

Rose at 4½. ― Fine. At 5.30, G. & I went to the Quay ― observing old women picking bits of wood from the loads. ― After a time ― at 6.30 ― the boats came from the steamers, & R. Cholmondeley & Waterton were there. ― At 8, we all breakfasted together, very pleasantly. ― Poi they to my room. Επειτα¹― packed. ――― At 12 paid G. his 26 Napoleoni ― & gave him his ticket ― & a letter to Shakespear.

Μοι φαινεται “αφυσικον πραγμα” ― το με να εχω αυτον πλεον ομου με εμε ― και οικια τον αφισω!²

Good George. ― ―――― May you reach your mother & wife & children well!
At 1 Lunched with Waterton & C. much fun. W. φέρε τινά  πραγματα εις την Γαλλια.³ At 2 C. & I saw Waterton off in a boat.

At 3.20 saw dear good George Kokali to a boat: he said one “Grazie”⁴ in his own quiet way that was worth a heap of words. I have tried to do as well for him as I could, & trust he has gained by coming to me. ― A better human being I have not known.

At 4.30 ― walked out with RC to the Acqua Sola, & to the [Conca dei Cafè], where we had ices &c. ― That street is assuredly beautiful. ― then downwards, till at the [P.] Doria, RC went back. I went on alone, beyond the Lighthouse: so splendid a city hardly exists as Genoa! ―

Returning, by the lower street, saw the Malta Steamer, with many boats round ― just going off: ― & by my glass I could see G. at the bowsprit, standing, calmly enough, & perobbably smoking.

At the Hotel by 7.30 & dinner with RC at 8 ― pleasant enough. ―

πολλα πραγματα δεν εγραφ δη σαν.⁵ ―

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

1. Then. [↩]
2. With the help of Google Translator, I have come to the conclusion that Lear meant: “It seems to me a ‘freak thing’ to have him with me ― let him go home.” [↩]
3. Brings [all] sort of things to France (GT). [↩]
4. Thank you. [↩]
5. Many things I did not write about (GT). [↩]

God bless the Queen:¹ & may she live heaps of years. ― Slept well. Cloudy morning. News of Garibaldi good so far as one can see or believe. Breakfast at 9. ― At 10½ go with G. to take ticket but find that the passport won’t do without visé of English Consulate ― which I got, & then [procure] ticket for Malta in the Quirinale, wh. I am glad G. is to go in.

[επειτα, επαρη πατησαμεν ολογυρα ολα το τσιχη, και δια τους Κηπους “Ακουα=σολα,” ― και κουθα ς την θαλασσην, εως το Ξενοδοξειον ― που εφθασα μεν εις δοδεκα τεταρτον].² ― ― ― Partly slept, or read, or dawdled: read papers, & heard G. read. ― And walked a bit alone. ― At 5 table d’hôte, some 30 or 40. Η τρομερα αντι μου³ ― & very queer & formidable she is. Her son is not overpromising to see: & she puts elbows on table ― twirls knives & forx, & does all kinds of maniac faccende ― having arranged her cap & dress at table. Two very toady[-]like persons came to her before dinner was ended ― as yesterday.

Επειτα  ― walked out with G., but he seemed queer & absent, so I let him go home soon, wh. he seemed glad to do. ―

Back by 8¼.

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

1. Queen Victoria was born on 24 May 1819. [↩]
2. On the basis of Google Translator I guess Lear is describing a walk: “Then I walked a bit around the [] and through the Gardens of Aqua=sola and [] the sea [] I arrived at 12¼.” [↩]
3. The awesome (i.e. Mme Bonaparte) in front of me. [↩]

Very lovely morning. Inn dear & bad. Off in a ramshackle with G. at 5.45. Rapallo pretty from the west. Very lovely essence of cultivation all the way, & long coast lines to Levanto. ― St. Lorenzo della Costa, & then La Ruta ―: chesnuts & great hills. Tunnel, & a lovely view of Genoa, & thence always ― in & out, up & down, by Recco, Soli,¹ (where the hill had nearly crushed the town 3 months ago ―) & Boliastro,² ― (?) & Nervi, (where we nearly crushed a child,) & Quinto,³ & Quarto⁴ ― (where I [minded me] of Isabella Spinola ―) & so by San Martino ― & the Hotel Feder at 10. ― The views of Portofino from this side are beautiful, but one must stay at La Ruta Hotel to do any good. ― Breakfast. ― & arranging boxes till 1 or 2 &c. &c. ―

At 3 inquired about place for G. to Malta. At 5, dined at Table d’hôte & sate next M.me “Buonaparte / Wise.”  I recognized her by the likeness to D. Giuseppe ― & Giulia B. ― never having seen her before. ειναι βεφαιως γυνη τρομερα.⁵ A kind of Pole or Italian Frenchman sate opposite & talked incessantly to her: ― when she spoke of the “Campells” & others I could not resist chiming in, (to her intense surprise,) as I knew the name of all from the days of [Merignano]. She said all that estate is sold to Torlonia, but when I asked her if D. Giuseppe still was called Prince of Corsica her contempt was extreme, “Comment donc? quand il est Prince de la famille Imperiale?” ([ειχα με αστην ενας νεος της ηλικιας ισως δεκα εξ και εφ αινη δη ου υ εος δης]. ―) A bouncing & tremenjus fat little female is this Lady, but bears marks of great beauty ― tho’ the expression is not exactly likeable.

After dinner walked out with G.K. ― & returned to bed at 9.30.

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

1. Sori. [↩]
2. Probably Bogliasco. [↩]
3. Quinto al Mare. [↩]
4. Now Quarto dei Mille. [↩]
5. [] woman is terrible (GT). [↩]

Very clear & fine. Rose 4.30. Send baggage on to Rapallo, ― & was off with G. by 5. The Hotel & people are good. Finished drawing of last night ― walked in shade, great rox: near Cavi di Lavagna ― of which & distant Lavagna made a sketch. Stationary steamer towing [a] Marine σκαν Γόχειρις. 6.30 ― Walk on, Cavi di Lavagna: hot dry road, aloe-edged ― Sicilian to see. Lavagna at 7.30, fine church: ― bustling place: painted houses: chairs made: cane hedges: lots of [Shadoofs] ― & gt. cultivation. ― At Chiavari by 8, large town ― fine buildings ― (first pass the river, with trees & washerwomen.[)] City, pleasant & sparkling ― gay with color: hills round, beautifully dotted, villas, olive, & pine. Mountains beyond. Stones by roadside: hurt my knee. Prison=like edifiss. We leave the sea, & go to the Feenix hotel, town, narrow, paved streets, arches. Appearance at the Fenice slow & bad, but breakfast really good. Young girl of statistic but erroneous views, says there are 15000 animi¹  here. 9.15 prepare to go, bill 5 francs. “[gr.].”² says G. of the landlady, [who] hath a beard. ― 9.30, set off , immensely rich gardens ― lemons [melograms], medlars, olives, & a palm or two. ― 10 ― going up a severe hill, view of Chiavari fine: drew till 11.15. Long ascent, lower olives, ― pinewood, ― blkbirds. Highest point of road, 12.10. Cabbage growing on a wall ― “ἁφυσκιὸν.”³ ― Below ever the mirror calm fretted blue sea! & these odorous sighing pines! ― 12.30, Descent always ― infinite olives & figs, a close-grained tapestry from hill side to hill side: ― red, & w., & yellow houses enlivening the land up. G.’s detestation of false windows. ― 1, Storm in the hills. Zoagli: very pretty ― & fine steeple. Drew till 2, very beautiful & Italian. A little rain. Intensely lovely hills of olive wood, with thickly strewn houses. Long circles of coast to reach Rapallo, & no drawing. At 3.20 reach Rapallo, dirty & dull place. Poste Hotel ― ill-tempered hostess: particularly filthy room & nasty house. Ordered dinner, & went out with G. ― but it rained, & I could hardly do anything. Bay of Rapallo dead, & shut up. Women make lace. All is a contrast to the Spezzia province. Dinner not very bad. Ἔπειτα, insisted on, & got a better room ― & came to bed at 8. No sleep; fleas, bugs, gnats, ants; noisy geese: ― fidgety sea: lightening all night, crying child: & all sorts of sturbi.⁴
XXXX9

Read Œdipus Coloneus.

I fancy I have done well anyhow to make this Giro,⁵ intermediate between Rome & London, it would never have done to sit down to hard work on the memories of V. Condotti. At least now there is the Gulf of Spezzia & the Carrara hills to think of as nearer facts. ―I find the Portofino promontory can’t be walked round ― so I have ordered a car for tomorrow.

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

1. Souls, i.e. people. [↩]
2. A large ink blot makes reading the greek and some words from the lines below difficult. [↩]
3. Unnatural (GT). [↩]
4. Disturbances. [↩]
5. Tour. [↩]

Fine.

Slept amain, ― 12 hours nearly, heels sore from mended hose, ― otherwise, well. Coffee, ― & at 6½, G. & I off. Beach, very fishy & netty, not clean: far ruins beautiful. To the home & Gardens of Marchese Chiuma ˇ[Chiuma] of Genoa, ― which latter are really most exquisite. I do not remember ever to have seen such a mass of beautiful pines together, except perhaps near Thebes in Greece. ― And the opposite coast, tho’ the lines of hill are not beautiful as at Spezzia, are lovely from their colour, like Vesuvius, with infinite dots of villas. ― I drew a good deal here, tho’ G. said, “meglio se si tagliava questi e vi metteva degl’olivi.”¹ ― Afterwards I went up to the Capuchin church, & drew again, but it is not very desirable thence. ― Έπειτα,² came to breakfast at the Hotel Europa (which stands in a garding, & is dilapidacious to see, with many stuffy rooms ―) at 10-10½.

X8

Slept ― 11 to 12. ―

The brightness, & the blueness, & the greeness, & the freshness, & the flies.

In the afternoon, drew on the beach, ― very hot, & little to draw. Tired: & dined at 6. ― Heaps of purple came ― ˇ[“& the sun fell] ― & all the Fun was full.”³ ― Drew, again till dark. Walked with a young Engineer Civil ― & to bed at 9.

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

1. It would have been better to cut these down to plant olives here. [↩]
2. Then. [↩]
3. A parody of Tennyson’s recurring line “And the sun fell, and all the land was dark” from “Dora.” [↩]

Wet all day.

Awoke at 4. The caged blackbird. Rose at 5 & was all ready to follow destiny. At cafè, paid Fernando Gallina 10 francs, which he well deserved, & with wh. he was content. Walked with G. about the town. people ugly. ― rain commencing. Resolved to go to Sestri, & hired a carriage for 15 fr. ― paid Oste who said, (“sono poco ― non so scrivere.”¹ )  & at 7.30 off in a small vehicle drawn by a black “ponlekòs.” The driver did not take my fancy, being violent, just out of the town a white ass was brought & tied on with ropes, ― but zigzagged more than my head could bear, considering the precipitous sides of the road. So I got out & walked ― & walked on to the end of the day, G. being in the car. There were more picturesque passes down to Bonasola,² but soon afterwards a thick mist came on , & rain at times, ― so beyond dark & deep precipices, I saw nothing till at 10 we reached the top of the pass, & the ass returned. (A man overtook us here, sent by the Oste for my name.) G. to Costella then went on, ― I walked still ― & got [wetted], arriving at the high Genoa road at a single home called La Baracca at 11. Here we had some eggs & wine, & staid one hour. Then I set off walking again ― all mist however, ― & nothing visible. 12.30 car passes me: road broad, its stone-fringed edges only seen in mist, all else blotted out. ― 1 walking on ― rain always: mist clearing off somewhat, & gleams of dim large mountain sublimities, opened, & shut 1.15. Chesnuts; descent: nightingales. 1 Beggar. 1 Cuckoo. ― 1.30 the view below clears, & shows a pretty village ― Moneglia. The name I learn from a postillion, dressed in trousers of yellow deer skin, given him by a ‘corriere di famiglia’!³ ― He also said “So bene che voi fate per la strada ferrata, e non vi voglio altro che bene: ma intanto sei di quei che fanno piangere noi altri postiglioni, e ci prendon via nostro pane.”⁴ ― Another large village above the last , a man told me was Lerniccio. This man, unlike folk hereabouts ― says ― “Inglese? oui? I speek English; was twenty, yes, ten months in Birmingham, oui, in all your land toujours, and sounded one organ. Good-bye!” 1.50 ― pass through Bracco: several Campanili hereabouts are beautiful. 2.30 one beggar: mountain pass [always]: came in sight of the other side ― plain of Sestri, & Portofino. ― 3.15 [below: am able, but not willing to perceive the long straight road leading straight to Sestri.] From 3.30, a long & dirty road, led me at 4.30 to Sestri, where at the Hotel d’Europa I found G. ― Washed, & at 5.30 dined.
At 6.30 utterly sleepy, & went to bed.

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

1. This may either mean “[the money] is too little ― I cannot write,” or perhaps “I am not worth much ― I cannot write.” [↩]
2. Bonassola. [↩]
3. Family courier (?). [↩]
4. I know very well that you are one of those who take the railway, and I do like you: however, you are one of those who make us postillions cry, and take away our bread. [↩]

The weather was cloudy all day. At 4.50 left Spezzia, luggage being carried by an obese strong lad, Fernando Gallina.

Passing up the vine-covered hills behind S. Francesco, we reached Biassa. 6¼ ― 6½  village. Kindly people. Women carrying stones. Chesnuts, alders, mills. Fernando facetious with the females. 7.15 reach top: great mist: sea ― meet Priest; says R. Maggiore makes 40,000 soma of wine: 1 soma is 80 litri. Vast expanse of sea: hills wholly covered with Terrace walls & vines. Sanctuary of Madonna di Monte Negro at one end, Mescolo at the other: the 5 terre at intervals between, ― a queer, but undrawable scene. 8, at the church, where I drew a line, ― crags & cliff land, ― all over millions of vine terraces. 8.50 down a sheer [] steep staircase to Rio Maggiore, a narrow town of one street, wholly ugly. ― Women carrying immense slates. Town is a hole: costume of short waists. “Non hanno ne cape ne petto ― sono ombre”¹ says G. ― Ascend another tremendous staircase, like the side of a house, & rest at 9¼ : then, more ascent, & come to bits not 8 inches broad, over the sea, so hideous that I funked ― all the more that a steamer bumped below my feet. ― By 10 reached Manarola the 2nd town ― nearly as unpicturesque, & at the very bottom of a stair. Here we had some eggs & wine & bread in the house of a pleasant contadino² ― everyone of the people being charming in manner. But I foresaw it was not possible for me to do “worse” bits over the sea, so I resolved to give up the road, & take the one higher up, which is to pass by the Madonna di Sovviòre, & then lead either to M. Rosso, or Levanto. So at 11 we start afresh horrible ugliness of walls & monstrous vines, pass village of Groppo, ― at 11.40 another village Vuàstro,³ & always going up, walking on to tops of terrace walls 20 feet high ― without parapets, with certain bits of difficulty, & all hideous to see. At 12.45 reached Porciana, where Fernando was servant for 5 years: here his old master gave us some good wine. Shortly after, at 1.30, off & up again, when coming to the end of all cultivation onto a base hill side vastly high up, & looking down on Coneglia. F. Gallina is a queer animal, not bad though. About 2¼ we rested 15 minutes, & at 3, again at “luogo nominato “chapónne” with a vast look down there awful gulph, between inconceivably huge hills, to Venazza,⁴ the fourth village: most painful & [from this point Lear writes in long lines spanning the two pages for 18 and 19 May] unproductive walk! Venazza looks like a small heap of dominoes against the sea, & all the landscape is gloomy & unpleasant. It would have been quite impossible to visit all 5 towns, owing to the time taken up by crossing the steep abysses between. Long long steep paths succeeded, always around hill sides: great views of the Modena Mountains, & RoMagna &c. At 3.40 we are at a point ‘nominato⁵ Bocca di Malpertusa,[’]⁶ where is a merry old woman with goats ― a flower behind her ear. The pines of the M. del Sovione are in sight. F. Gallina sorely tried by heavy baggage. 4.50 hideous narrow gravelly paths or slides on the mountain side, & at one time I slipped & fell, but caught a chesnut tree some 60 feet down happily. No hose beyond stairs: G. & F.G. helped me up ― but it was a good shock: [below: Quo’ George ― “Signore, voglio dirvi una cosa vera. ― Non bisogna che vadi più in tali luoghi, ― perché siete già troppo grasso, e troppo vecchio!”⁷] 5 repose again: bad bits of path. 5.30 reached pine wood, & are above the 5th town, M. Rosso ― more picturesque than the others. ― Bad road ceases. At 6 reach this Sanctuary: but decide, as there is a good road, to go on to Levanto, so we go on by good road in a pine wood, & at 6.15 reach the west side of the hills, & see a closely shut-in valley, green, & chock full of villages & [cultivations], & churches, & beautifully wooded. 6.50 a long way down, many chesnuts ― reposing; then, after a long river course & much narrow lane & pergola, reach Levanto at 7.50. Cleanish Osteria ― [with room] ―. Francesco della Sposa, Hotel dell’Universo. Civil, & decently clean. Sent Fernando to food & bed. At 9 G. & I supped & then went to bed. Prints of prodigal son, modern. ― Blackbird in cage. ― Most fatiguing day.

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

1. They have neither head nor breast, they are shadows. [↩]
2. Farmer. [↩]
3. Volastra, presumably. [↩]
4. Vernazza. [↩]
5. Called. [↩]
6. “Malpertugio” meaning in archaic Italian a difficult passage. [↩]
7. Sir, I want to tell you the truth. ― You must never go again to such places, ― because you are too fat, and too old! [↩]

Particular hot. Walked eastward, but mists on the hills made my journey useless. Saw Featherstonehaugh, & Mrs. F. ― at the Hotel Croce di Malta, which is more frequented nor ours.

Military, (cavalry) going to Bologna. ― Fine troops. Chaplain rode next the band. Breakfast at 9. ― Sturbi¹ everywhere. Bought some paper. ― Went again alone to East sketch & finished it. Toads. ― Returned. ― Slept (XX7), a bore. ― Day lovely, but not clear.

At 5 went up with G. to Foce, & drew, not badly. ― The ˇ[gray] olives, & dark ilexes, ― & the hanging vines are delightful. As we came down, the SOCIAL Character of their purple was very observable. Sent G. on before, ― & going on to shops, bought him Nailbrushes & a portasapone:² poor G. is sadly behind in some things.

Dined alone al solito.³ ― Simone the waiter is very amusing & instructive: ―

We are to go off tomorrow at 4. ―

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

1. “Rebellions,” if Lear means “disturbi,” i.e. “disturbances.” [↩]
2. Travel soap box. [↩]
3. As usual. [↩]

Rose at daylight ― ――――― … all very lovely & bright. G. & I set off at 6: along the road: ― I, drawing from time to time, anxious to secure mountains. It is not possible to imagine any more “Italian” hours, & scenes, than these. All the women going to mass ― quiet & respectable: the soft=loud bells sounding over the clear calmness, ― the endless brightness of foliage, brusque original independent fig, ― dependent vine, ― tremulous olive. Drew incessantly ― the mountains being ωσὰν¹ glass. It became hot, but we went on. One snake. Υπομονητικος² was quiet & good. ― On, by 12 to the rocks beyond of Porto Grazie, where I finished my yesterday sketch, & then we went to a sort of Osteria near the shore. Στραβὸς³ was the eye of the landlady: στραβὰ, all the ὄγματα of the children. Here we staid till 2 ― with a litrε of  wine, & the lunch of the Inn. And it must be said, G. is in these cases always really a good companion: ― he speaks little by nature, ― but never says anything foolish, complimentary, or ill-natured. ― On going,, I pocketed all the change, ― but the good-natured landlady only seemed vexed that I should be annoyed. Nicer people than these, ― where? At 2¼ we began to move homeward, but, by the Chesnut trees of Porto Fezzano, we thought phit to sit down, & finially [sic] to fall asleep: nor did we move till 4. The sailors, & many people passing were “allegria,”  ― & ever a pleasure to see so many merry good folk. ― Afterwards we wandered on: some abstract fishing took G.’s attention, & I drew a spot like Ἀνάλυψις in Corfu. Ὀλίγον Ὀλίγον, we came to Fezzano, Marolla,⁴ & S. Vito, ― & so into the Hotel. ――― Cavalry passing officers ― & an “old Admiral” but neither appeared. ―

Dinner bad. ――

επαναζασις⁵ to Naples. ―

Bright, & breezy lovely day.

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

1. Like. [↩]
2. Patient. [↩]
3. Squint. [↩]
4. Marola. [↩]
5. Rebellion. [↩]

Rose early. Clouds ― but calm. At 6½ in Gallina’s boat ― & at 8 landed at Mr. Smith’s in Palmaria. A curious little snuggery, but shown by the most obliging & kindly master. ― After I had drawn 3 scraps ― (Byron’s house is annually lived in now by a Capt. Cross, who resides at Pisa ―) we left the good man, ― & went up the new broad road: I not over well, ― & George, poor fellow, very gloomy. At the top of the Island, about 11, we sate down to draw & lunch. I found that G. had taken a lot of onions out of Mr. S.’s garden, & as far as I could, I shewed him how that was wrong. But I could not in any way convince him it was so, ― & he was so irritable & glum I thought it right to say no more. ― A little later he set a lot of dry grass on fire with “matches,” & I thought all the hill would be alight. ―― By this, 12½  ― A thunderstorm had given warning, & we came to the shore, & hailed a boat, & crossed to the other side by 1. ― Walking slowly, & drawing at times, brought us to Porto della Grazia ― where (X6) ― & I grew angry at the Clouds preventing my drawing. What beautiful girls & children are there here! & what constant delightful manners & countenances. ― By degrees we went on ― but a most violent storm rose over Lerici, & obliged us to halt in a small cottage where was the master a sea captain, & his family all preternaturally proper & kind. G.’s ways with the children are very nice. He was evidently thinking of his girl all the morning, for he burst out about Καζοάτες later. ― We were nearly wet through in one of the showers afterwards, but got home dry.

The mountains came out more gloriously, with rainbows & all kinds of wonderments. Dinner is never good here. Garibaldi it seems has reached Marsala.

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