Edward Lear's Diaries

Interlaken 4

Rose late. High wind, bright, cold.

Cold in head odious.

Worked badly at Interlaken.

To Macbeans ― . ― Yesterday ― Mr. Holland, riding out with C.K. fell, & broke his jaw. ― Williams dined yesterday at a Miss Whites ―: after dinner, some dispute arose between their servant, a Tuscan, & the people of the house, ― who stabbed him badly. ― Last night at 5 P.M. an American was stopped at the end of the Condotti, & his watch stolen. And 3 men have been stabbed by those who won’t have cigars smoked.¹ ― Quite enough “movement” for one day!

I had the remaining boxes downstairs.

Worked a little at the other Cerbaras. Reilly came, & I went with him to his studio.

Later, walked with P.W.

Dined alone, & worked at Musters Lebanon.

Little sleep all night ―

X2

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

1. The prohibition of smoking cigars was a form of protest against foreign occupation during the Italian Risorgimento. [↩]

Sent letters to W.H. Hunt, & Lady Bethell.

Interlaken. 3.

Unwell more or less all day.

Letters from E.T. ― AT does not come. ―

And from Fanny Coombe.

Worked at Interlaken.

Went to Macbeans. ― Mr. Fields called.

Cold wind, & cloudy.

Called on Williams at 5, & on the Knights.

Dined alone. Bed early.

Cold bad.

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

Very fine ― tramontana ― quite clear. Wrote to Lady Bethell.

To church ― wh. was fuller than usual, ―: 8 or 10 F. soldiers, “Προτεζᾶντ.”¹ But Mr. Burgon’s sermon, on Isaac, Jacob, & Rebekah, bored me awfully ― being vastly foolish & colloquial; ― & afterwards he gave a “personal address” ― in what seemed to me at best very questionable taste. ― But, coming out, Macbean greatly differed with me: ― home ― & then called on Miss Cushman ― out. Home again & wrote to A. Seymour. ― Capt. Jameson came, & with him I walked to P. Salara, & over Antennæ, & back by the Tiber, & in the Borghese. A good hearty fellow. ――

Dressed, ― (Giorgio late ― having lost his way.) & to the Knights. Isabella very poorly ― ill: & Helen not much better. ― E.B. Mathew also there. Dinner, silent, se non per me.² Afterwards, livelier. Talk of the Colchester House, ˇ[Mannock?] Hall lived in by the L.K.s ― very queer: secret passages: poison &c. Came away at 10½.

Note from Miss Cushman ― very kind.

Giorgio ― “che volete, ― che abbia da scrivere sempre?”³ & his idleness after a long walk: ― wery like a schoolboy.

XXX1

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

1. Protestant. [↩]
2. Except for me. [↩]
3. Well, and would you want me to be writing all the time? [↩]

Interlaken 2

Throat better, cold somewhat also. Gray ― but finish.

Worked insanely hard at Interlaken, from 9 to 1.

Went to Macbeans. ― Dined at 3. ―

Worked till 5. ― Walked in Borghese.

6½ to 8 wrote to Homan Hunt.

8½ went to Newtons ― a great many people there: ― of all the nicest, were a Mr. & Mrs. Fields ― who had been to Faringford! ― Their talk of A.T. was charming.

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

Interlaken. 1

Gray fine ― very little sun ― but warmer.

Rose at 8 still extremely unwell.

Worked very hard at another outline of the 2nd & 3rd Cervara ― & partly of an Interlaken! ―

Then Major Reynolds & Miss Yates came ― & staid some time. ― She is a curious little woman.

At 5½ I rushed out & got a small περίπατον¹ in the Borghese & Pincian.

Queer life, very.

Dined alone. Worked at Masters’s Baalbek. ―― Nice notes from Mrs. Macbean ― & H. Knight.

Ὧ Γυναίκες, παρασμέναι! ―
ὡσὰν ἄλλαι ἐλωίδες! ―²

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

1. Walk (GT). [↩]
2. Google Translator proposes: “O women, in spite of me! / But as if hope!” [↩]

Very fine & not cold. Cold & cough dreadfully bad. Unable to work. Went to Macbeans, & to Benouvilles. Letter from Daddy Hunt*

Worked from 12 to 2. ― Called on Williams. Walked to Pal. Caffarelli, & heard a really good lecture on the Mausoleum of H ἀλικαρνάσσος¹ by Newton. Many folk there.

Walked out of P. Pia, & met P. Williams, with whom home back. ―

Dined alone.

Penned out Worked at Musters’s S. Sabbas.

Fire in bedroom.

* Daddy has done his picture ― dear old lad.

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

1. Halikarnassos. [↩]

Sent letters to Dickenson & R. Fowler.

Very fine ― & !!!!!!!! warm!!!! ―

But I was thoroughly cold & very unwell: throat & chest bad.

Worked at Gibbs’s Cervara all day ― 9 to 5, but extremely unable to sit.

At 4½ Wilson came, but Asthma prevented my speaking much. Apropos of Rome, he told McPherson that I thought Miss Ironside had better study nature & not Titian!! ―― Walked alone to S. Agnese ― the mountains very lovely  . ―

But unwell. ― Dined alone. Worked on Musters Philæ.

Sent letters to R. Fowles, ― & to Dickenson ― ordering a paper to be sent somehow ― for I can get none here.

It is not easy to think HOW I can get through 2 more whole months in this very odious place.

Throat bad ― & cold worse. Had a fire lit in my bedroom.

X11

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

Sent letter to Musters.

No sleep ― frightful tempest of wind: I had to rise & wake Giorgio, to shut all the shutters.

Rose late: cold & cough bad, very unwell all day.

X10

Letter from Lady Bethell.

Worked pretty hard at times,: (at others slept,) at the Cerbara.

Dined alone ― not going out at all.

Worked at Church’s Dead Sea afterwards.

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

Again horrible weather: pitch dark at times, then cold rain & high wind (for Rome ―) & general filth. ― “Non z’e rimedio”¹ as G. says: who is more cheerful, & gets on with his writing & accounts.

Sat to work at Gibbs’s Cerbara, & worked hard, tho’ often leaving off from want of light. At 3 E. Wilson came & at 3½ we went to Gibson. The statues of Venus & Pandora are the most ludicrously shocking!

― Then to Dessoulany ― who was in: & very happy: & his Campagna paintings are the best after all. ―

Then P. Williams, who was kindly: pleasant as always. Then to Miss Ironside ― a Sydney artist: odd & interesting ― but I could see nothing original in her work. ―
Then to Coleman, who poor fellow was ill, but cheery: his Campagna, ― all but colour, ― is perfect, in representing actual rural life. ― Mrs. C. is very nice always ― & wonderfully beautiful still. ―

Edward Wilson is a highly interesting man,  I shall be very sorry when he goes. ―

Came home before 6 ― after a walk on the Pincian: ― gray dark howling dismal. ― dined alone. ―

και ήρθε κανείς² ― Throat & cold bad.

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

1. There’s nothing to do. [↩]
2. And nobody came (GT). [↩]

Slept better; cold somewhat better. ― Fine, & cold. Sent G. early with a note to Mrs. Story. ―

More people at church. Mr. Burgon the ˇ[new] Chaplain: 6 French Protestants soldiers. ― Called on Cheales ― ill in bed. Lord. R. & the Oxford Militia man ―.―

At 1½ to Wilsons, & with him in carratella to Doria Pamphili Gardens. ― but the sun had clouded & day was cold. Yet the gardens are ever interesting to me from many causes besides the elegant Villa & gardens & swans & pines.

Returned by Acqua Paolina. ― Dressed, & by 6 to Macbeans. ― Mr. Bilton, Newton, Dr. O’Brien & myself, guests. Dinner superexcellent: discussion on art ― sculpture especially ― & N. came out well I thought: only, at his saying ― “take for example Shakespeare, ― yet do not ask are there any Lears & Hamlets walking now in real life” ―― when, Col. G. saying quietly ― “here is Lear.” ― everyone laughed & the whole subject blew up. ― In the drawing room the conversation was always agreable, & certainly Mrs. M. is a very nice woman in all ways. ― Letter from Thackeray &c. ― Talk of the state of things here. They actually did send the public executioner on to the P. Pia in the Carnival, & he narrowly escaped with life. Goyon¹ has had a process verbal of this. In other ways, they do all to compel the people to revolt & row.

― Went at 10½ to Cheales, but he was better & out. Saw Lord R.: who is [ετζι κ ετζι] μου φαινεται.²

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

1. Count de Goyon was the head of the French occupation army in Rome. [↩]
2. So so [Lear probably meant έτσι ώστε] it seems to me (GT). [↩]