Sunday, 27 November 1859
A very fine but colder day. ―
Breakfast at 9. Letter from Foord. No Bassæ yet. Walked to Church. Dreary preacher ― one Macgrattan ― on prophecy & the W. of Babylon. Ach! It lasted 42 minutes!
Dinner at 2. ― After wh. shewed the Colonel the Palestine drawings. ― At 4 ― Tea ― & now I have been writing from 6 to 8. ― there certainly is a deep dulness [sic] in this house. ―
Supper & ditto.
X10
[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]
This entry stands out from others because of its refreshing candor–as expressed by the impatience Lear feels toward the “dreary” Macgrattan. What a life! There is almost certainly more pleasure and wisdom in one Lear limerick than in those 42 minutes on “prophecy and the west of Babylon”! “Ach” indeed!