Saturday, 27 October 1860
Fine all day. The 3 AT songs=proofs, came. ― Worked at Musters Interlaken, & finished it at 1 ― or 2 P.M. Took it to Foords, & sent for the men to place the Nunehams in their case, ― wh. was done, & at 4 I took them to the Rail. 5.30 at Strawberry ― Lady W. very much pleased with them. Only C.F. & Sir H. Willoughby guests. ― All to dine ― o! botheration ― at Orleans House ― so at 8 we went there. Dinner party ― the Duke & Duchess ― & young Prince de Condé: ― Lady of honour, Tutor, Marquis de Somebody & son. Dinner good, but an awful bore to me ― who can’t bear royalty life. Queer enough that I should dine with the Princess of Salerno’s daughter, remembering the days of John Wynn ― & J. Battersby. It has an odd effect to sit among people so removed in history & feeling from one’s own place of life ― & to feel that all the most remarkable points of the French past are linked with them: ― Enghien, Guise, ― Condés ― & all Bourbonisms. They do not forego royal ways ― nondimeno.1 Afterwards saw some very valuable miniatures, from Francis 1st downwards. Louis 14 ― 15 &c. & Louis Philippe at 12: ― with the Prince of Salerno as a naked Cupid of 3! DelaRoche’s murder of the Duc de Guise ― & Gerome’s Duel ― & a Lumi are striking pictures, with Scheffer’s last work, The Queen of the French’s portrait. But I grew “very weary” ― & was too glad to talk to Sir H. Willoughby ― [&]2 came away at 10.30.
C.F. sate with me afterwards, till 11.15.
[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]
Odd that Lear can’t bear ‘royalty life’, yet so obviously craves upper class society.
More on the “French Princedom” on the new Blog of Bosh.
The toughest thing to know on the globe could be the taxes.
Carpe per diem – seize the check.