Thursday, 2 May 1861
Fine, dry ―
Cedars
James Edwards.
Mr. Brocklesbank.
Mr. Francillon.
Edith Francillon
Mrs. Francillon
Charles Dixon.
Mr. Gush.
Mrs. Gush.
S.W. Clowes
George Clowes
Mr. S. Gurney
Mrs. S. Gurney
Mrs. Prideaux
Miss Prideaux
Mrs. Bouverie
3 small Bouveries
Miss Seymour
Mr. Fry
Mrs. Buxton
Miss Hammond. 20
Worked very little, at Cedars ― comfortless & dreary.
And what a hustle of people!
The kindly dear good true Emily Francillon was of the nicest. And also C. Dixon, whom I now remember well at Sass’s ―― always a gentlemanlike youth ― or boy ― they called him the Creole. ― He staid some time, & really seemed a thoroughly nice fellow.
The Gush visit was what B.H.H. would call ――― painful. ―― So was that of the 2 Clowes: ― S.W.C. always seems the brightest & best of that lot, had his wife but lived!
The Bouverie party were ― slow: yet not so much so as of old: & there is a dear little girl very bright. Mrs. Buxton was pleasant ― but the room was crowded ― & it must be said of the S. Gurneys ― she is “profoundly uninteresting” ― & he is a very frightful bore. “All kinds” of people also came ― & I was so glad when they all went away! ―
At 7 dined alone.
Wrote to Foord, to make a new frame for Masada.
[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]