Monday, 16 April 1860
Sent boxes ― (2) to Macbean.
Finish, ― but showers. Why does Mr. Yarrell’s room, & kind Miss Yarrell also come to me now ― but that the first letters I wrote, “Finish,” ― were like his plain hand writing? Clues ― ― linx: ― remoat threds. Essays might be written.
Completed packing, & sent off G. with a letter to Macbean. Went to Macbean’s. … Sicilian tranquillity?
Returned, & began to work a water color’d drawing till 3 or 4 ― the rooms being now clean & nearly empty. And, supposing I may go in 2 weex ― I bought a N. Italy Murray, & am studying the Riviera, & Cornice. ― At 5 several cards & calls ― & at 5½ to Williams’s, & walked with him out of the P. Pia, where, for once, there were mountains to be seen.
Del Gallo ― Giulia
Primoli ―― Carlotta
Gabrielli ― Maria
Campello ― Augusta
Cambareres ― Bathilde
The beggars, & the slow walking & the cowardice, bullied me horridly: ― & I left P.W. in the V. Rasella to hasten home ― arriving in time to be ready for dinner, & C. Newton.
C.N. is so far uncomfortable that he eats & drinx nothing, & I much: but so far otherwise that he is so pleasant & kindly & educated as to make one forget his incapacity for edible sociality. Later, our conversation was interesting, especially of R. who was at C. Church, with N. ― After he had been around, N. says [gr.]
A very nice letter from Woolner to-day: but Emily Tennyson is very unwell. ―
[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]