Edward Lear's Diaries

Gray & fine ― but misty ― warm. No Rain.

Worked all day at a new (!) Philæ.

Driven mad at 2 or 3 by the insane people above, who all sang & jumped & howled. ― Moved my things into the next room & worked till nearly 6.

Called on Miss Goldsmid. All the place in a fuss, ― the President of the Parliament being newly elected ― the President ― (i.e. of the Senate) being Caruso.

Dined: & penned out till 10.45. ― ― beginning the very last ― (i.e. the St. Quaranto,) of the 1857 Albanian tour.

G. went out to see the illuminations & reports them “bella.”¹ To him, they beat St. Peter’s out & out.

Indigestion ― & little sleep[.]

XX1

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

1. Beautiful. [↩]

Gray ― all day. No rain.

After accounts &c. ―worked pretty hard at Grenfell’s Philæ till 5.

No steamer in.

Walk till 6.30: ― the greater round.

Dined at 7.

‘Maudes’ out: ἡσυχία.¹

Penned out ― (but fell asleep) till 10.30.

A placider day than usual.

Mr. Charteris came in at 1 P.M. with Παραμυθίοτι ― & I hope he will take these rooms.

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

1. Quiet (NB). [↩]

Rain till 12 ― then fine till 6. Rainy & finer after.

Wrote ― to Fanny Coombe, W. Nevill, Dickenson, & Mrs. Leakes.

At 1.30 ― called on the Bridges, & Sargents, & walked with Sir Charles ― a very pleasant easy fellow ― till 5.30.

Called on Miss Goldsmid. Patient weary life, they lead.

Walked, at 6.30, to the Casino. The Decies there only.

Dinner & evening pleasant.

Driven home by the Decies ― 10.30.

Ah! my dear Mrs. D.! Why do say such silly things? ―

Someone, saying that “the Jews are a clever race” ―― quo’ she ―

“On the contrary, the fact that they do not all turn Xtians seems to me to prove their stupidity.”

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

Fine ― but the N. wind bloweth not hard.

At 8 ― went out to see if Geoffs ship had gone ― & lo ― it has not moved. After breakfast drew 25£ from Taylor.

Painted flowers in foreground of Corfu A.

At 10.30 “Geoff’s” ship sailed ――― at 12 ― disappeared behind Vido.

Came Maude: ― saying ― he had wished for the 3^rd floor himself ― (the last he said of the house was, that he could not bear it ― stinx & ―― could not keep his dogs ― & would leave it anyhow!!! ―) but as I had taken it, ― could Sterling ― Mrs. M.’s brother ― have a room in my floor? ― as Mrs. M. was to be confined? ― ――― As well as I could ― I said ― no: ― but reserved letting &c. &c. &c. what silly want of tact & taste. The Forts are living overhead now ― till their steamer comes ― & altogether ― would they were gone. ―― Painted some skies of Philæ ― & got 2 papers & a letter from C.F. ― Lady W. is in London! ――― quiet no more: “Sta a ved’”¹ ― as old Giovannino, good creature ― used to say. ―

At 3.30 ― went to the Casino ― & sate a while with Major & Mrs. De V. ――――

5 ― Then walked to the Temple behind Ἀνάλειψις ― how lovely & quiet! Drew Arum leaves: & at 6 ― went up to the top ― & so to the one gun road ― returning by 7.

Dined.

Penned out ―: the 1857 Albanian tour draws to a close. ――

So the 4 “Winter months” are ‘gone.’

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

1. Wait and see. [↩]

There was no 29 February in 1862.

I have decided to keep the blog going at this URL until 12 May 2012, the day of the bicentenary, as promised. Thereafter, however, I will post only at the new site, so please update your RSS or mail subscriptions as soon as possible.

Bright & fine ― coldish. ― North Wind ― all day.

Worked (very little) at Grenfells Philæ.

Called on Mrs. Craven ― which her little boy would not leave me. It is odd how children like me.

At 1.30 came Geoff & off we set, to the 3^rd mile, & so to Nausicaa’s fountain ― & by the whole of the Acqueduct [sic] road ―― how beautiful! ― (& Geoff admiring every point,) & up to Gastouri by 4.20 ― & hard walking ― (16 minutes to every mile) ― down to line wall by 6. ―

There, goodbye to Geoff as we said ― in 1837.

His visit has done me good: all his mothers “continuations” do good to all: i.e. all she influenced, influence others.

Dined at 7. Penned out Tepelene. All is quiet ― for the Maudes go to Balls nightly now a days: tanto meglio.¹

Hutton called today ― & Lawson was in [joke] only about the “Butrinto.” So; it is clear I do not “dispoge” of anything here. More need of hard work & thought.

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

1. Much for the better. [↩]

Gray ― showery.

Unwell. ― Grenfell’s Philæ. Sad & weary.

Capt. & Mrs. Creyke, Mrs. Lyell & a Gk Gentleman came & looked at the “Galleria.”

At 3 came the Geoffrey Hornby ― who might walk about with all the swells here if he liked, but chooses to come to me. He sate an hour, ― & then we walked by Manducchio & the long round: losing “Jerry” to day at Kastrades, & regaining him at the Nicola steps on landing. ―

The “Carnival” here this year is noisier & fuller than I ever knew it:  I suppose διὰ the marinari.¹

Home by 6 & dined at 6.45. ―

Penned out till 10.30.

N. Wind ― all of a sudding.

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

1. Because of the sailors. [↩]

Pouring rain till 11 ― & very dark, then fine.

Too dark to paint. Outlined & arranged Grenfell’s Philæ & finished Mrs. Craven’s Alphabet.

Called on them at 3 ― & declined dining again.

Downstairs, and found Geoff & tiresome Capt. Clifford, with whom to the Casino: where Geoff & I called on Mrs. De Vere ― the 2 Decies there. They want me to dine on board tomorrow.

Geoff & I walked beyond Alipù ― & returned by 6.

I shall miss him dreadfully: he is so completely superior to the generality of men here.

[When I came back at]¹ 6 ― G. was out, & I had to wait till he came; when, saying ― “if you go out so, I had better take the key” ――― he replied sulkily & very loudly,

Si Signor, meglio.²

But this was the 3^rd time he had been out today ― & twice without asking or telling me.

Dined at 7 & immediately after ― G. said ― “Vado fuori.”³ ― Dove?⁴ Said I ― “Far un servizio, vado a Spiro.”⁵ ― & forth he went: & as yet ― past 10 ― (when I have done penning out [],) he cometh not. What’s in the wind?

It really will be highly of the absurdest, if, after taking the 3^rd floor here for a year ― I find that G. is going to leave me, & then, hardly caring about ˇ[trying] a new servant, ― that I should go altogether? ―

Not that it would signify a bit ― barring the bother of “packing” again.

Quiet abounds: the Maudes are out.

No sleep

XX8

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

1. Blotted. [↩]
2. Yes Sir, better. [↩]
3. I’m going out. [↩]
4. Where? [↩]
5. To do a service, I’m going to Spiro’s- [↩]

Gray all day ― & [mostly]¹ soppy rain ― misty.

Worked at Jánina. ― 9 to 2.30[.]

At 3 or 4 ― came Geoff ― & we walked to the One Gun, but always in the rainy mist. ―

Much laughter ― & talk of other days: Knowsley & Littlegreen.

At 6 ― called on Miss G. ― & Mrs. N. ― poor things, theirs is a dull life.

Dined at 7 ― μόνος ― & penned out 2 [Vioda] drawings till 10.15.

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

1. Blotted. [↩]

Gray all day: spitty rain at times.

Painted inertly & ill at Jánina.

― Always the fussy waiting for Post, bothers. But it didn’t come. ― ‘Fort’ came at 2, & said he & Mrs. F. were coming to see pictures: but they didn’t. Meanwhile, at 3 ― what was far far better ― Geoff did come. ― That child is a trumpy=brick. ― We two walked out, to Alipù. ― He is telegraphed to go on March 1 to [], ― & would I could go too! ――

But, δὲν εἶναι δύνατον.¹

How we talked. I perhaps ― πάρα πολὺ.²

We met the Prince who, riding with 3: ― after he passed, we heard ― (as they trotted on,)

Lear? ― “Yes Sir Lear.” ― “O ― I saw him at Rome” ―. ―― a very facile & expedite explanation. ―

At 6 ― when I returned, Craven asked me upstairs to dine: ― bother: I said ― No. ―

So I dined alone.

A letter from W. Nevill came ― very incoherent, & odd I fear. ―

Bed at 10.30.

Much sharp pain today ― in the old sprain: I do not know why.

X7

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

1. It is not possible (NB). [↩]
2. Too much (NB). [↩]