XX5 Ugh! ― [||] Moderately fine ― but cold. Wrote somewhat & heard George read: ― [επειτα εκκλησια].1 ― By some draught of wind, I grew absolutely deaf on one ear ― but yet the sermon ― “Gal: “I bear in my body” ― pleased me. ―

Walked over Pincian: met Clark, who is not unlike a Chinese.

Called on Stansfeld, could not walk: on P.W. ditto. Returned to find Giorgio, but he was out. Called on Macbeans. ―

To St. Peters ―: a place I can never like, as I never did: ― a vulgar, blaring, artificially devotional spot. ― Not finding George, I went back towards the Campidoglio, but lost my way often, ― then to the Coliseum, (I thought the Forum fine from the bend of the Hill below the Capitol ―) ― & there I saw what I never did before ― a Cardinal bearing a huge Cross ― heading a long procession of monx ― going round to all the shrines. Somehow, even C.F. could hardly bid me be tolerant here, I think. ― thence, to the Lateran & its view. R.A.H. to wit. ― O Winwick!

Poi ― back by S.M. Maggiore, but I blistered my foot, & was lame. Saw Sigr. Tommaso Dessoulany ― very odd & unsatisfactory. & so ― home. ― Dressed, & to the Stansfelds. Dinner & wine singularly bad. ― But they are vexatiously interesting. ― & there is something very sad in what has past.

Whereby I came home ― at 10½. ―

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

  1. Then church (GT, i.e. Google Translator and me; Translator does not accepted accented characters, so I won’t be using them either until someone has checked the transcript). [↩]