Edward Lear's Diaries

Tolerable fine. Rose at 7 & packed most of the remaining things. I am more & more inclined to leave here in 15 days or so, & walk along the Cornice (& Riviera) from Pisa, taking G. with me to Genoa, sending him thence to Marseilles & home. ― It cannot be right for me to keep him away from those he ought to be with, even if he wished it; ― & poor fellow he is often pulled both ways. ― And ― respecting the walk, ― altho’ I leave much of my work unfinished, yet I gain more variety of subject for future illustration ― tanto piu¹ if I write a journal. ― The sending my cumbersome boxes to England will be a great expense doubtless ― 2ndly & this house for a year to come, ― & much more ―― but all this has been inevitable for a long while past ― & in no mode could Rome be possible for me. ― ――― Tomorrow & Tuesday come models: ― later in the week I hope to sketch at Cervara, ― & as far as I can advance Musters’ drawings. ――― At 10½ to church; many there, but mostly new persons. Burgon less fooly than usual ― & happily only 32 minutes of folly. ― Walking home ― Mr. & Mrs. Fetherstonehaugh.

Came home, packed, & read. … At 5 Cheales called, & I walked with him to the Corso, wh. was all red & tapestry for a procession of S. Giuseppe de’ Falegnami. ― I, wishing C. good-bye ― he goes tomorrow ― went on to the Capitol, & the crowds of people were considerable. ― At 6 went to Sermoneta Pal. & waited till 7 when they came. The Lovatellis only, & D. Onorato at dinner ― which was pleasant enough. ― M.G. is always the same ― very much an angel. ― The Brother ― “Pippo” only is odious.

St. Peter’s illuminated. ― home by 10½.

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

1. Especially. [↩]

Rose urlier. Very damp & gray. ― Packed.

Model came: 9 to 11.

Macbean’s ― pouring rain.

Reillys, ― & saw his Portuguese friend’s painting. (da Silva.)

Returned ― & put up 2 drawings for Isabella K. ―― & actually made a third: which I sent. ―

Jamieson came: & after that G. & I went on packing always. ― At 5 I went to Macbean’s ― & gave them 2 boox. ― At 6 to the K.s, where were Isabella & Helen, the 2 B.M.’s & Mrs. C. ―

At 7¼ to the Jamiesons ― very good & pleasant dinner ― Cheales, Barker, Lord Rendlesham. ― Afterwards Brassey, Major Oldfield, & various Kennedys.

Singing: came late away ― but found υπομονετικες Γεώργιος¹ up. ―

Lord Rendlesham wants me to make 2 drawings ― Philæ from the rocks  ― & one[-]tree Dead Sea.

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

1. The patient Giorgio (GT). [↩]

A bad month.

Fine day though. ― Began to pack furibondiously.

Went to Macbeans. ――― Then searched for moddles, ― & meeting Newton, walked home with him. Then engaged 3 modular moddles & went home & “packed” again.

At 1 Moddle came ― nasty brutes μου φαινεται παντοτε.¹

At 3½ he went, & I packed, more or less till 6, when, going out to call on Cholmondeley, lo!  ― “Margaret Sermoneta” & the Duke below. Kind good M. Knight! ― She had bought me 2 wrist studs in gold ― so pretty! as a ricordo:² ― & happily I could receive them with a conscience, as I had put out a drawing of Másada, for Isabella, with 2 others of the Dead Sea & S. Sabbas. ――― The poor Duke seemed very sad & low.

Then I went to the Borghese ― but meeting Cholmondeley loitered & talked with him, whom I like more & more.

Returned to dine alone: but young Reilly came in later: a very nice youth: gentlemanlike & intelligent.

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

1. I always think (GT). [↩]
2. Keepsake. [↩]

Dear me! what queer nasty days these are. ―

Cloudy as usual ― but not raining. ― Went to Macbeans.

Lamoricière’s address ――――.

Gloom & bother. ― Back, & worked at “Beirût,[”] more or less all day, till 4½. … Then I called on Newton, ― (out), ― & on R. Cholmondeley, & on poor Coleman. …

afterwards, walked with Cholmondeley on the Pincian: ― I find that R.C.’s visit here, is on account of his brother, & that he himself is no-wise pervert or pervertable.

Ἔπειτα,¹ walked in the Borghese, solo: the wind has changed, & it is fine, & they say St. P.r is to be illuminated.

Dined alone at 7. ― G. Very sulky poor fellow. ―

But when I found that the street & Pincian were all illuminated, & spoke to him, he was particular cross & savage: & he ought not to be so.

Later, R. Cholmondeley came, & told me much of his poor brother: & I am now sorry I did not see more of R.C. before. ― It seems to me, one had better pack up & go home. ―

A very hateful place.

XX6

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

1. Then. [↩]

Drew 25 scudi from Macbeans. Sent letter to Ann. Letter from Mr. W. Sandbach.

Rain & filth again. ― To Macbeans. ― There are no news from Sicily except “perfect tranquillity” ― & all the “Steamers (Neapolitan[)] taken for troops” ― which are quite consistent.

Pouring rain ― & unbearable closeness & dullness. O God! can any lousy place of lice & shit be like unto this pig-stye of impostors? (Excuse angry himpulses.) ―― So I came back, & packed up a good deal. ― Nice letter from Mr. W. Sandbach: ― & I wrote a longish letter to Ann, Lord Dunglass called ― a very unaffected nice youth, as I at first thought him, March 1858. ―
Later, came Jameson, who sate some time, & I worked a bit at the Beirût. At 5½ went out, paid bills, & made calls in pouring rain: & sate a bit with P. Williams ― who cares for nothing much beyond his study. ― At 6½ I got a minũte walk on the Pincian, & then came home, & dined alone.

Read D’Israeli’s “Amenities of Literature,” greatly to my delight. Heard, (from Jameson) about the P. & D. of S――a ― as to the “enemies of the faith” frequenting his house.

X5

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

Sent letter to Dickenson. Letters from Ann, Lady Bethell, T. Potter, & Mrs. G. Clive.

Finer ― but very gray & muggy. ― To Macbeans ― & to [Sir] Macdonald’s.

Home ― & worked more or less at packing, or painting Beirût. ―

Sent off large package to Macbeans, containing the 12 unfinished pictures & other things.

E. Wilson came to say good[-]bye.

At 6½ to P. Williams ― my 4 letters unread ― & with him to Nazzari’s ― where I dined very agreably & well with him.

2 turns “in the Piazza.”

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

Even in such bad weather, one feels some benefit from going out of Rome. ― Screwed down all 7 boxes of pictures; ― went to Macbeans ― & saw Jervoise & Macan. ― … Very close & dull ― & rain now & then.

There seem to be [] εις τον Παλερμον.¹ ― Returned, to pack the case finally, wh. contained 12 paintings, more or less complete, ― a folio of sketches on paper, ― F.L.’s pistol, 5 canvasses, 10 books, a capote, 2 of Χτο’s olive bookslides, ―― & various other matters. At 5 I grew παραπολυ κουρασμενος² & went to P. Williams’s ― he ever hard at work, on his singularly interminable repetitions. Yet, ― so long has he resided in view of Rome & its scenery, that his representations of the Campagna always attract me, ― painfully mannered as is his mode of painting those. ―― He walked with me, unwillingly ― a little way out of P. Pia: “hard task for those” who are sick of walls: ― however, one must live & let live. ―― But, so truly do I loathe Rome, that I could well give up 300£ tomorrow so I were out of it for ever!

Dined alone.

XXX4

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

1. [] in the Palermo. [↩]
2. Extremely tired (GT). [↩]

High wind, & black sky. ― Breakfast at 8. Walk to the Lake with G. ― & along the gallery ― but pouring rain began, & forced us to stand up. Ceasing a little, we went on to C. Gandolfo. Innumerable large toads suddenly crawling up left[-]hand wall of the Galleria. ―― Returned to Albano ― Thenceforth ― Torrinx of reign all day. ― Had some lunch, wrote & read by degrees or slept. ― At 4½ we just hit the vettura going to the  Rail ― the amiable Camerieri having declared it stood “fisso” for a quarter of an hour ˇ[from 5]. ― At the rail by 5.10. Wait till 5.40. Off at 5.55. ― Ciampino, 6.15 ― Roma 6.40. Omnibus to M. Citorio: ― carriage home. Dinner from Spillman’s & so ends this wet Easter. ―

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

Rose at 7 weary & sleepless. A high wind, but scirocco ― yet a semblance of a finer day. Sent off a man with our 2 bits of luggage to Albano for 5 pauli: & after breakfast paid account (3 scudi 1 pl. & servants?) & set off with G. who is more lively. But the wind became a hurricane, & “exceeded.” ― We however, slowly wound up to R. de Papa¹ ― that filthy little village, where, preparatory to the end of the Mass ― they were already firing off guns. Annibale camp next, & the long path up round the M. Cavo: ― the flowers delighted G. if they didn’t me: ― a nature[-]loving simple chap. ― The old bit of stone & trees with the Madonna! ― All distance nearly blotted out: yet we persisted to the Monastery,² & both were struck by remembering Ζιτζα: ― No monx were seen ― so, we rested ½ or ¾ of an hour, & began to descend to Nemi, ― only losing our way once. ― Close to the lake a splendid hoopoe ― “ιδα η ορνις του δικαζου”!³ said G. ― flew before us. There ― were the Braschi palace, ―  the chesnuts [sic] & the [ash], & great rocks, & quiet lake Genzano ― all as when  W. Marstrand & I used to be always together!! ―― It seems indeed but a week ago ― yet it was in 1839!! & 1840!! ― As G. says ―― [“]forse, ισος να ιδου μεν όλους τους φίλους ακομε.”⁴ ― We passed then the town ― I have never been there since 1845 with Mr. & Mrs. J. Hornby ― & came around the lake: the same steady dull scirocco ― yet there is a sort of calm about Nemi never to be spoiled ― one would think. ― Genzano next ― & worse wind & dust: & we rested here & there ― but Ariccia is spoiled picturesquely ― by a vast new bridge ― leading to the “New Jerusalem & city of the apostles” so says Pio IX. ― Anyhow there was the devil of a wind on it ― & we got, half blown to bits, to Albano, by 5. ― To the Post ― but I remembered too late, it’s a dirty & dear Inn: & my dinner, & the ways of a waiter shew it is so. ― The wind is tremendous, & at times rain. ― But this outgoing will do G. good, & perhaps me also. ―

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

1. Rocca di Papa. [↩]
2. Probably the Santuario Madonna del Tufo. [↩]
3. Behold, the fowl of the Forum! (GT). [↩]
4. “Perhaps” (Italian), then what sounds like a proverb in Greek, meaning something like “all places are the same, when you are with friends.” [↩]

Rose a little earlier, determined, if possible, to take G. out for 2 or 3 days ― but it looked very threatening & black. Benouville & one Bellet came to look at the paintings. As the weather cleared, we went off at 9½ in a carriage ― & waited at the Frascati Railroad till 10.40, when we were off: & at the post of the hill in some 17 or 20 minutes ― & an omnibus took us up. At the gates, I found Wilson was there. I & G. went to the Inn & got rooms, & then to the V. Conti & its fountains, & frogs. Met Wilson, who seemed to think it odd I could not join his party: he is potius aper. Then, had some lunch, ― & G. & I set out about 1 upwards, by rather a giro¹ of roads ― (for I missed the way) to Toscolo: where we found violets, & ruins ― far more than in my time, ― & finally the theatre, which pleased poor G. ― & he began to get more allegro.² It was windy ― & a dull [rainy] day ― but he saw a small ship on the sea beyond Pratica. Then by the Camaldoli, & V. Falconieri ― & Taverna, & Mondragone ―― the whole of many years seeming to come back again.By 6½ at Frascati, & now, 7 ― ελπιζα να γευματισω.³

XX3

τα αδονατα, ― δεν ητον
δυνατον να κοιμη δη τις
εξαιτιας των σκηληων ―
(η απω τα σκηλα.) ― και τα λοιπα⁴

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

1. Round. [↩]
2. Cheerful. [↩]
3. I hope to have lunch (GT). [↩]
4. The general sense of the sententence is that it was impossibile to sleep because of some reason. ήταν αδύνατο να κοιμηθεί εξαιτίας της is “it was impossible to sleep because of”. [↩]