Anne Lister's birthday diary entries
For Anne Lister's 229th birthday in April 2020, with Shibden closed, birthday celebrations postponed, and many people throughout the world remaining at home, we wanted to share her diary entries from her journals 1818 to 1840.
The pages were scanned by Townsweb Archives in 2018 in conjunction with West Yorkshire Archives who house them. The digitisation project and also conservation of the diaries was funded by Sally Wainwright. The diaries are currently being transcribed in a project led by West Yorkshire Archives.
In the interim, here are the extracts from Anne's birthdays, with transcriptions kindly provided by members of the #AnneListerCodeBreaker team. Thank you to @skgway for 1818-1823 and 1825-1827, @annelistershoe for 1824, @d_sirola for 1828 to 1833, 1835 and 1840, @woollymitts for 1834, @glasofmadeira for 1936-1837 and @ScepeDeanDays for 1838-1839.
As visible from the diary scans, (which will show to the right on computers, or below the transcripts if on a phone or tablet), Anne's writing is hard to read and she abbreviated words, so the transcriptions may not always be perfectly accurate. Sections have also had to be transcribed from Anne's private code- these are in italics.
The following entries have been edited to be written out in full for ease of reading. Square brackets are notes from the transcriber.
Friday 3 April 1818
Before breakfast read very attentively and did every example from page 110 to example 2 page 117 volume 1 Autton – Read from page 251 to 269 verse 2 Les Leçons de L’histoire – From verse 659 to 707 (having also read over again from verse 605 to 659) Ajax Flagellifera. From page 39 to 42 Adam’s Translation and Jones’s Chapter on quantity – (vide his Greek grammar) From 10 minutes past 1 to 10 ditto past 2 marking the quantity of Cicero’s 1st Epistle (Middleton’s edition) – Then took up Principia Hebraica § meaning to devote 1/2 hour to it every day – Having chosen this day to make a beginning because it is my birth-day – In the afternoon and evening making extracts from Webster’s Chemical and mechanical philosophy made a couple of extracts from Brande’s Outlines of Geology during supper. Just after dinner walked 1/2 hour on the terrace – Cold day – No sun – and briskish wind – Barometer 3/4 degree above fair – Fahrenheit 35º at 9 p.m. – § read the 1st 6 pages of the 1st part of the analysis, without attending to the sense of the words, but merely to the pronunciation, according to the advice given page 4 preface to the Hebraica principle.
Saturday 3 April 1819
Before breakfast did from page 77 to 36 (all the examples in duodecimals, the additional one given by Dowling, and several others) volume 1 Hut [?] – Filled the ends (of my paper to Isabella Norcliffe) to Miss Vallance close small writing – wrote 3 pages and the ends, small and close, to Mrs. Belcombe – In the afternoon sent my letter to Isabel (Dawlish near Exeter) by Betty at 4 35/60 set off to call at Cross-hills on Miss Ellen Greenwood from Burnley – Mrs. Greenwood opened the door for me – as I entered the little room, saw at least 1 of the young ladies making her escape down the stairs – after sitting a good while with the old lady tete a tete (she seemed to have dined and to clip the King’s English a little) Miss Greenwood and Miss Lusan made their appearance Miss Ellen and Miss Caroline were dressing for a party at Dr. Gervaise Alexander’s – they are a sad vulgar set, and heaven forgive me if I wrong the materfamilias, but I verily believe that when I have seen her, she has often been more diligent in the potion way then for her spirit’s sake was necessary – I really must shirk the whole squad somehow or other – Got home (after sitting 40 minutes with them) at 5 40/60 – In the evening making extracts from volume 1 Gibbon’s Miscellaneous works – Fine mild day – Barometer 2 degrees above changeable Fahrenheit 50º at 9 p.m.
Monday 3 April 1820
Good kiss but rather long last night talking about Miss Vallance etc. Mariana said very sweetly and with tears at the bare thought she could never bear me to do anything wrong with Miss Vallance] or anyone in my own rank of life she could bear it better with an inferior where the danger of her being supplanted could not be so great – but to get into any scrape would make her pane away she thought she could not bear it – I never before believed she loved me so dearly and fondly – she has more romance than I could have thought and I am satisfied – Mariana wrote a note to Mrs. Henry Priestly to say we will be with her at Haughend by 6 on Thursday – I read aloud to Mariana and my aunt the whole of the copy of my letter to Mr. Duffin about our excursion to Paris – Dinner at 4 – afterwards Mariana and I walked to Halifax to Whitley’s (whence brought home no. 4 Edinburgh Philosophical Journal and no. 1 (published in February) Retrospective Review) and thence my usual way up Royston road, round Westfield, down Callista Lane, put Mariana’s note to Mary Priestley into the post, came up the old bank, and got home at 7 1/2 – after tea Mariana and I won 2 rubbers and a game against the 1 game got by my uncle and aunt, and came upstairs at 11 1/4 – Very fine warm day – I thought of its being my birthday, but let it pass without notice – How time steals away! What will the next year bring to pass? May I improve it more than the last!
Tuesday 3 April 1821
Before breakfast from 8 to 9, did from example 9 page 243 to example 6 page 245 volume 1 Hut [?] (Looked at the method of doing example 4 page 224) – Came upstairs at 10 1/2 – Looking in vain for a no. 5 copy of the Lexicon Herodotus Reitzii which I think I must have burnt – From 11 1/4 to 1 3/4, and from 2 1/2 to 6, read 10 pp pages (that is the first 19 chapters) of the Clio of Herodotus and afterwards the first 22 pp pages of “The History of Herodotus, translated from the Greek with notes by the Reverend William Beloe. In 4 volumes. volume 1 London Printed for Leigh and Sotheby, York-street, Covent-Garden. 1791”. Printer not named 4 volumes 8 octavo volume 1 pp pages 434, volume 2 pp pages 489. volume 3 pp pages volume 4 pp pages 192 exclusive of pp pages 176 of index – 136/246 Finished Friday 14 September 1821 and vide Thursday 20 September 1821. At 1 3/4 Mrs. Stansfield Rawson, her daughter Catherine, and Miss Walker of Crownest called and staid 3/4 hour – In the evening read from page 313 to 353 end of Roberts’s Cambrian antiques, and made 3 or 4 extracts from the same – Rainy, stormy day – High wind all the day, but much higher towards night. Barometer 3 1/2 degrees below rain. Fahrenheit 39º at 9 p.m. Came upstairs at 10 40/60 – Looking at Herodotus.
Wednesday 3 April 1822
Letter from Marian (Low Grange, Market Weighton) Boirston (the man who has taken the Low Grange) sent some corn there on Monday and his family was expected there on Saturday – My father and Marian think of going to Skelfler, and will go on Monday next – The sale of their farming stock is to be on Thursday the 18th instant – Came upstairs at 11 1/4 – From then (in the course of the morning) till 3 1/4, read from chapter 70 to 76 (4 pages) libro 1 Herodotus – Cooper has sent three doses of physic for Percy – Went out to look after him, and see him walked out for 10 minutes in the calf croft, the 1st time of his being out since firing on Sunday – The physic looks and smells like grass-physic – I wonder if it is made after the formula Cooper mentioned to me – vide page 222. – Dawdled over 1 thing or other – Dinner at 4 3/4 – At 5 3/4 my aunt walked with me along the fields, as far as Mytholm, on my way to Lightcliffe – Meant to have spent the evening with the William Priestley’s but found Mrs. Priestley having so bad a cold and headache that I only sat 1/2 hour with her and got home at 7 25/60 – Then walked on the terrace 1/2 hour – Did nothing in the evening. Fine day – Barometer 3 1/2 degrees above changeable. Fahrenheit 48 1/2º at 9 1/4 p.m. E [three dots, treating venereal complaint] very little discharge today – Came upstairs at 11.
Thursday 3 April 1823
In the stable immediately for 1/4 hour – Copied the whole of my letter to Louisa Belcome – All ready to be off – Down to breakfast at 10 – A rough morning – Rain and wind – Much rain and very high wind during the night – Got into the gig at 11, and drove to Northgate – Meant to be off in the Highflier – Thinking it later, went to the White Lion – Fortunately enough; for as they could not take my luggage, determined to wait for the mail – Mrs. Haigh (of the causeway near the old church) was one of the inside passengers – She spoke to me (I fancied it must be Mrs. Bagnold – spoke to her as such) and probably she did not relish my mistake – Returned with my father to Northgate where Mr. Kershaw was waiting to speak to him about a road through my uncle’s fields – Read the literary intelligence in the last number (for much) of the European magazine – There is an advertisement among the new banks of a sort of Clavis to Thucydides that I think I ought to get – At about 1 1/4, took leave of my father and Marian, and went again to the White Lion – Then went down to Whitley’s to read away the 1/2 hour I had to wait – Reading the preface to a senior edition of a translation of the Decameron of Boccacio – He was nine years younger than his great friend Petrarch – He became an elegant scholar of the most learned of his day by copying the Latin and Greek classic authors – At 1 50/60 (by the day our clocks 1/2 hour too soon though only 1/4 before the old church) got into, or rather onto (the box with the coachman) the mail at Whitley’s door – It was the man who drove me from Manchester to Halifax when I last left Newcastle – Went outside as far as Leeds – He told me all the mails were built by one particular man in London and all repaired by him – If a wheel was bad it was put onto a London mail – The carriage part itself was never run out so far but that it would go to London – Springs, everything repainted in town – A mail would cost about the same as another coach from 120 to 140 guineas a very capital one for the latter price – Stopt 1/2 hour at Leeds, at the Rose and Crown – and dined there – There had been a little small rain the last 4 miles before we got to Leeds – From there took my own inside place – and got into York at 7 1/2 – Had my eyes shut all the way to Tadcaster – Then said a few words now and then to a youngish lady and gentleman (brother and sister) strangers in Yorkshire wishing to see the lions of York – And a very decent, respectable-looking sort of well-dressed woman in black – the Duffin’s and Miss Marsh received me very kindly – Had tea as soon as I arrived – Talked away the evening – A good deal about the Greenups – Comforted Miss Marsh with the idea of their going on again, and doing better than ever – Went upstairs at 10 40/60 Mrs. Duffin having sat up till 10 1/2 – Unpacking and putting away my things for about 1 3/4 hour – A little rain but not much after we left Tadcaster, and a fine night – On going upstairs at Leeds found my cousin come. It did not inconvenience me tho I never went upstairs again till I went to bed. But my linen was a good deal stained – George put into the post this morning my letter to “Miss Louisa Belcombe C. B. Lawton’s Esquire; Lawton-hall, Lawton, Cheshire” – E [one dot, treating venereal complaint]
Saturday 3 April 1824
Thinking of Miss Vallance made me incur the cross her last always excites me when I think of it - Did not see Hotspur - put his oat meal & water in his manger - out of doors at 8 5/60 - staid a few minutes with the workmen (all here today) then walked to Lightcliffe - waited 25 minutes before Mrs. William Priestley came down - she was bilious & not very well - fidgeted about the state of her husband's brother Mr. Edward Priestley whose death (at Kebroyde with his mother) she minutely expected hearing of - afraid her husband would not get back from York assizes in time to see him again alive - Staid talking till 2 - While she was out of the room read a few pages of one of the notes of the Percy anecdotes, & the first 30 or more pages volume 1 "Prose by a Poet," i.e. by Montgomery another of the wanderer in Switzerland, etc. very light reading - some good characteristic sketches of some of our modern poets, & the life of a flower (a violet) good - but Mrs. William Priestley thinks the work taken altogether a very poor one – at 2 came away, & Mrs. William Priestley put our things to walk a little of the way with me - we sauntered up & down ¾ hour then finding Mr. William Priestley's chaise at the door, I left her at their entrance gate & made the best of my way home - from about 3 20/60 to 5 50/60 staid out with the workmen, 1 or other of them, at home - my father & Marian drank tea with us - from 8 to 10 1/4 wrote out chapter 101, & then translated & wrote out the 2 following & last chapters liber ii. Thucydides - thus, as I had all along promised myself, I finished this 2nd book on my birth day - I am entirely or much better Grecian than I ever was before, and can really get on with Thucydides so far with ease & great pleasure - I have never yet found one line of him dull, nor one speech. § too long - my uncle's rheumatism no better today - Mrs. W P & I were never better friends - I told her the affair with Mrs. Saltmarshe - our whole conversation friendly & confidential she has often told me I could have no idea of her feelings her imagination she has sometimes great difficulty in distinguishing what is § § fanciful & what is real asked me if this was ever my case of course I softened it off perhaps not said I but it may be the case with any one she thought our reason hung on a slender thread I agreed still softening as much as possible poor sou [sic.] one of her sisters the oldest has been once deranged & all her family are odd I often think of this she often says what strange unaccountable ideas she has sometimes it seems they are about futurity & things as she says almost impossible to happen but she gives way to them as little & exerts herself & spirits as much as she can - she feels very much about poor Edwards but hides it as well as she can she § often thinks of his complaint almost with fear she asked me if I had ever any fear of this kind no said I don’t know that I have - Came up to bed at 10 20/60 at which time Barometer 2 1/4 degrees above changeable Fahrenheit 43 1/2º - Very fine day – hardish frost early in the morning - the sun out as I went along to Lightcliffe, & a beautiful morning - Having done no French I am now behind hand 55 pp. Anacharsis
Sunday 3 April 1825
Slept well – The French beds always comfortable – In paying the bill this morning of 21 francs 90 cents, inadvertently let them take it away, and forgot to ask for it again – But I think my rooms were charged 5 francs and my little coal in my salon from 2 to 4 1/4 yesterday and my wood fire in my room at night (a few sticks to light it) and 3 split buches brought up of which I only burnt 2) were charged 4 francs – My breakfasts “lait sucré du pain and du beurre” were charged 1 franc 90 cents each – My dinner (potatoes á la Julienne, a roast fowl, spinach, potatoes, and cauliflower – Dessert of prunes, apples, 2 sweet biscuits, and cheese) about 3 1/2 francs – But this Hotel de France tenu par Dambron (veuve), is but a very diligence second-rate house, and the charge was quite enough – The people were cleaner ‘these French people in general’ Cordingly said about their cooking – And they were civil – But another time try the Hotel de Londres, if not the hotel des bains – Breakfast this morning at 7 20/60 – On board the Britannia steam packet, Captain Bush, (the best and swiftest, they say, that crosses the channel) at 8 1/2 – Got under weigh at 9 1/4, having waited 20 minutes for a Mrs. Ledsham from the Isle of Thanet the Captain thought – Made the voyage in 3 1/4 hours – The sea quite smooth – Very cold air, and very cold – 27 miles from Boulogne to Dover and 24 from Calais to ditto – Said the Captain, much better to cross from Boulogne in the summer – Government knows this but they send the mail by Calais because it is better to go from Dover to Calais then from Dover to Boulogne, and they care not about the packets returning, for having landed the mail, it matters not whether they return an hour sooner or later – Sometimes in winter packets cannot get out of Boulogne – A North East wind prevents – But no danger of this in summer – Prince Esterhazy was at Boulogne last night – Generally sails from there, but his new courier persuaded him to go forward to Calais and he arrived here about an hour after us – The duke of Devonshire crossed by Calais on Friday night – Asked the Captain about hotels in Dover he said himself I should go to the Union – It was here where my aunt and I were 5 years ago, and here I am again – very comfortable – The people very civil – I like it better than the London hotel where my father and I came, or the Podevius where I slept 7 months ago, and shall come here the next time I go this road – Got here a little before 1 – went to the custom house in about 1/2 hour – Detained there perhaps 1/4 hour – The custom house officers very civil – took great pains in repacking the box of things for which I had to pay duty – The preserved oranges, greyhound, etc. and I promised them 1/2 a sovereign – 40 poor foreigners arrived yesterday and 20 or 30 today – Chifley Italians – Image makers – Come to get work or beg – Settled about my luggage by the coach – The general charge from here to London 12 shillings a hundredweight – mine the man said weighed near 300 lbs. however I agreed with him (gave him a douceur of 2 shillings – The man saying if I would give him a trifle for himself he would manage the matter) to have it taken for 10 shillings – Repacked my basket and writing desk and got down to dinner at 4 1/2 – settled with the commissioner about my things at the custom house (he paid all) gave him 5 shillings for his trouble – Wrote the 1st 22 lines of today, and off in the union coach for London at 6 – In passing the Paris hotel, took up one of the gentlemen who had come over with us from Boulogne – Got into conversation with him immediately – He had taken me to be Lady Forbes (there was a hat-box on board directed to her ladyship 9 Fitzroy square which I happened to have been near all the time) I undeceived him, saying this accounted perhaps for my being called my lady at the Inn – Speaking of Paris, he said he had left his 2 daughters then (aetatis 17 and I think 15) with Mr. Foster wife to our ambassador’s chaplin – they would cost £200 a year each, masters and everything included – Mrs. Foster he said drew (painted in oils) like an artist – she had at present 4 young ladies – she introduced them in society, but never, if she could and it let them know any of the garde du corps; for they were all fortune hunters – I merely observed the exception seemed hard, as I believed all to be alike in this respect all were glad of our English fortune – Speaking of the bad architecture of the Paris style of the Chamber du Deputes, and going on to speak of travel writers and my determination never to be one I found he had studied the subject a little and that he had written 2 books – Asked if I might be allowed to inquire the subjects of the and the authors name – One on the defence of Portugal had gone thro’ 3 editions immediately – The other on gunnery, the gunner’s manual, or some such title, no artillery officer could now do without – The author’s name Eliot Major in the artillery – Had a company of horse artillery – Lives somewhere near Bedford square (Fitzroy St?) expects to be sent to Ireland soon – Generally stay 4 years – The horse artillery not sent about like the foot artillery – Scotland and Ireland the utmost of their distance in time of peace – Found he had married a Miss Heywood, relations to the Liverpool banker, and to the Yorkshire (I suppose, Wakefield) Heywoods – I asked if any relation to the Major E– of the 6.. regiment, who married a Miss MacCrea – Yes! His elder brother – Said his wife’s sister Mrs. Barlow was an intimate friend of mine – He did not know her, nor that she was in Paris, yet seemed to know her daughter pronounced to be a pretty girl – Nor did he seem to know much how his brother was going on in Canada – We talked all the way to Chaltam – He got out to supper with the other man gentleman who had sat next to Cordingly and never uttered – I merely got out for a minute or 2 – On getting in again and setting off about 12 1/2 we all fell asleep – I pretended not to awake till we stopt to change coaches (had the trouble of changing all our luggage) at the Bricklayers arms about 2 miles from the White Bear Piccadilly where we finally quitted our coach – We had talked the whole of these 2 miles – Major E– is gentlemanly and has plenty to say for himself – seems fond of natural history and reading – He evidently thinks he can tell a story well – Probably this is his foible – Said he had had a most pleasant a journey for which he thanked me – He knows professor Coleman, because he gives veterinary lectures to the artillery at Woolwich every Tuesday (in the season I think he said) – He (the professor) is a man who has risen from low life, but is gentlemanly. Today very fine –
Monday 3 April 1826
Went into the stable – It is my birthday and have completed my thirty fifth year. I am my own master. What events have happened during the last twelve months. Maria does not write to me. My last went the twenty of February no answer. Mariana has been all but leaving Charles Lawton, and probably will leave him soon. My aunt and I are going abroad. Perhaps she will not live many years. I have much to reflect on. I am involving myself to buy part of Godley, and this last day or two have looked at my aunt. Thought I should be as bad as she if I staid here, and said to myself, ‘perhaps I should not live here much.’ But I will do what I can to make the grounds, without making myself poor by improvements. I will pay off for Godley as soon as I can and get into debt no more. This at least would please my uncle – Read over again from page 162 to 199 end of Tome iii vie due chevalier de faublas – Wrote the above of this morning all which took me till 7 55/60 – Then dipped into Tome IV and did not begin to dress till 8 1/4 – Went out at 9 10/60 – John Booth (for about an hour) helping James Sykes to lay on the stones and 2 loads of ashes William Green brought the other day – The walk finished all but the last 40 yards up to the flagging – afterwards James Sykes dressing up this end of the bank of the sunk fence – Then went to Halifax (to Throp’s) to order a thousand hollys – Walked up and down the walk in Lower brook Ing wood above an hour and came in at 10 40/60 – Kind letter 3 pages and one end and under the seal from Mrs. James Dalton (Croft Rectory) and the other end filled by her daughter Bell – Will be very glad to see me before we go abroad, but does not seem to have much hope that I can leave my aunt – Kind message to my aunt expressive of interest in her being better for change of climate – Slightly a letter of condolence – Breakfast at 11 – For 11 3/4 to 6 looking over the papers – Burning a great many – and siding the top part of my uncles bureau – It will take me at least another day to finish it – Dressed dinner at 6 20/60 – afterwards looking over and burning more papers – tea and coffee at 8 ½. Finish day – Coldish wind, and more windy towards night Barometer 2 1/3 degree above changeable Fahrenheit 49º at 10 1/2 p.m. At which hour my aunt went upstairs to have her 2nd bath (since Saturday) and then go to bed, and I sat down (in the little dining room) and wrote the last 10 lines of today – Wrote the rough draft of the index of the 16th and 17th ultimo and went up to bed at 10 10/60 – E [two dots, treating venereal complaint] O [one dot, marking discharge] I have to curl my own hair when my aunt bathes –
Tuesday 3 April 1827
My bowels as if still remembering the salts of yesterday – Two little loose motions – Finished dressing – Looking over Mrs. Starke’s advice to Travelers till 9 1/2 and also looking at Galignani’s Paris guide for the places in the country – Breakfast at 9 1/2 from then to 10 1/2 at breakfast and read thro’ the paper – Wrote the above 3 lines – and went out at 11 – Waited for Mrs. and Miss Barlow and off with them at 11 1/2 – Walked slowly on account of Jane – Went direct and got to the bridge of Neuilly at 1 – Loitered there some time sitting on the parapet enjoying the fine air and view – Measured the immense stone about the middle of the left hand parapet going from Paris – Marked 34 feet long – or about 12 yards English – About 3/4 the length of my umbrella (nearly 28 inches English) thick) and as much broad – What an enormous mass! Walked slowly along the river for a short distance till leaving it a little passed through the village of Puteaux and thence to that of Suresnes at the foot of Mt. Valerieu or Calvaire – At 2 stopped at a restaurant at Suresnes, and had a hot a hot veal standing pie (30 sols) very good – The addition of bread and knives and forks, and water, and a clean napkin for a tablecloth cost us six sols more – Not an expensive repast – off from Suresnes at 2 40/60 – Walked slowly up to Calvaire – Jane not well – The blood evidently much determined to her head – Her face and nose quite red – Got to the top of the hill at 3 1/4 – Looked about us for an hour – Very fine view from this the highest eminence near Paris – At our feet a fine sweep of river studded with white villages – Beyond Paris and Montmartin – The steeple of St. Denis in the distance – Looking toward the South a deep winding of the river and the villages of Nanterre and Ruel quite near – Beautiful valley towards St. Germain – Went into the chapel – A poor-looking one as yet, its plain plastered walls covered with pictures and prints like a common room – They seem to be laying out a good deal of money about the place – Several workmen employed digging the foundation for and building a wall round the top of the hill so as to enlarge the present precincts – Calvaire is to be removed – Too much exposed – To be put lower down – The cave is rough stone-work – A rough grotto-work of stones thrown together – A bedizened virgin stands on the tomb of our saviour – On the top outside, is our saviour large as life, on the cross between the 2 thieves – The convent fronts the East towards St. Cloud – A doric entrance colonnade is evidently only just done – The columns to be fluted one of them being 1/2 fluted and the remainder of the column being marked out for fluting – Several workmen in the interior of the building – Sauntered sometime in the cemetery small and which seems well filled already – A fashionable place of burial for the very pious and very Bourbon-proselytes of the day – A Mr. Henry Sheldon, of Warwickshire, interred there – At 4 1/4 descended the hill, and turned our steps towards St. Cloud which we reached at 5 40/60 across the country – All vines – The people, not many, chiefly women employed cutting the vines (like thin raspberry bushes) down to the ground and freshing up the earth round them – A mere county cart road that we went along – Jane obliged to sit down for a minute or 2 several times – The brown Bois de Boulogne looked like a barren heath – The banks of the river (where no village) with not a twig to break their uniformly, and like the sides of a brim-full canal – A vine country is at this season particularly unpicturesque – No green to relieve the eye – I wondered where the fodder came from for the cattle – So much light soil turned up looks at a distance arid and barren – Entered the shabby part of St. Could, by the rue de mont calvaire – Came out upon the place close to the great gate of the Chateau – Went to the bureau, Au Grand Cerf, close by, took 3 places (15 sols each) in the vélocifère, sat waiting under the viranda (a sort of cafe) of the house, and ourselves and 6 more (5 gents and a lady one of the party an old Englishman who would talk to Mrs. Barlow) filled the vehicle were off at 6 10/60 (6 by their clock), and got out at the end of the rue Royale at 7 50/60 – The old Englishman said the French excuse some very liberal who might give a glass of wine worth 2 sols gave the coachman nothing – 2 sols each would be enough – He had lived at “St. Clew’s” a year – No place like England – Should “bid good night to France next August” – His daughters had learnt French, Italian, and many languages – His “wife had gone back in lady Ranelagh’s carriage – so he was a private gentleman” and went back in the vélocifère – Dinner at Mrs. B– Barlow’s at 7 1/4 – thick pease soup, and vol-au-vent, and salad – Not much inclined for dinner (spoilt it at Suresne) but enjoyed the salad, and ate a great deal of it – Almonds and raisins for dessert – Tea afterwards – Sat talking all of us over the fire till George came at a little after 10 – Got home at 10 25/60 – O [one dot, marking discharge of venereal complaint] – Very pleasant day’s ramble– Sat up looking at the map of the environs of Paris, and reading Galignani’s Paris Guide – Think of going next to Montrouge and Arcueil – My birth day – But I did not think much about it – Fahrenheit 50º at 7 a.m. 54º at 10 1/2 – 53º 1/2 at 10 1/2 p.m. Fine mild morning – Very fine day – Not much sun, cool and pleasant.
Thursday 3 April 1828
From six and fifty minutes to getting up Mariana came to me and lay talking her cousin prevented a kiss she took the gold ring off my right third finger and put it on my left I had asked her to do so – Breakfast at 8 3/4 – at 9 1/4 went into Mariana’s sitting room – read article fistula and haemorrhoids Rees’s encyclopedia then sat finishing writing out the long list of subscribers to Miss Fanny Salmon’s quadrilles having written Mariana the copy of a letter on the subject to Mrs. Hesketh of Newton Chester and ditto of a note on ditto to Mrs. Wilbraham and wrote and sent 1 1/2 hurried pages to Marian Shibden to say I should be with them at Shibden next Monday evening – at 3 went out with Mariana Mr. Charles Lawton riding all along by our side – went along the Sandbach road 2 miles – got back and came in at 4 40/60 – one of Mr. Charles Lawton’s men would wall a common field wall-stone wall 4 feet high at 3/6 per rood, and would get and lead all the stones from a quarry supposed 1/4 mile off at 6/. per rood – Mr. Charles Lawton pays £1 for a common gate, deal with oak head and heel – the making separately might be 3/6 or 5/. – sat with Mariana – finished the subscription – dinner at 6 20/60 – at seven and fifty minutes came upstairs for half hour and had good kiss on my bed – sat talking with Mariana in her sitting room till 9, then the squire being still a little gouty went into the dining room to tea – came to my room at 10 50/60 – then wrote out all but the 1st 4 lines of Tuesday and the whole of yesterday and today which took me till 11 55/60 – fine day – no sun – coldish, but pleasant for walking – very fine evening – sat up reading from page 260 to 308 end of Volume 1 Italy in the 19th century –
Friday 3 April 1829
Breakfast at 10 1/2 – read the whole the morning post of this morning Miss Hobart came about 11 1/2 for about an hour – Miss MacLean in bed with her onion poultice while she changed it Vere and I left the room and were tete a tete some time on the subject of Miss MacLean’s money matters merely said she had only fifty pounds a year certain besides the interest of her five hundred pounds of which she had already taken one hundred and fifty and she would doubtless take fifty more I wished her to sink the remaining three hundred lest she should spend it and to improve her income for if she did spend it how could she do on fifty a year she must return home which I wished her to avoid in this last wish Vere agreed but said she understood nothing about sinking I said she would have two hundred and fifty per annum on her father’s death but he might live sever al years and what would she do in the meantime did not hint at Vere’s making her any allowance not feeling that I had a good opportunity – after Miss Hobart went (about 12 1/2) stood by Miss MacLean’s bedside talking till 3 10/60 then writing out journal till Miss Berry (the sick one) came at 3 3/4, and sat with me (Miss MacLean not up) 50 minutes – she must have been tolerably well satisfied with my society – then talking to Miss MacLean again, at her bedside, 35 minutes, and from 5 1/4 to 6, at my journal again, and had altogether written out last Monday and Tuesday. Dinner at 6 10/60 – Miss MacLean came to me at 7 – tea and coffee at 8 1/2 when Mr. Long came, and stood till 11 3/4 – people shoot in an angle of 45° – all wrong – he shoots in a straight line – could have no particular power over a sling – very little over a stone thrown in the common way, little over a small pocket pistol, more over a gun, and a great deal over a piece of ordinance – If a gun rebounds ever so much with other people, can make it not rebound with him. Would alter the construction of gun-barrels – the touch-hole should be close to the breech to prevent rebounding – all to be done by spirit – should want no other medicine than a keg of whisky for piles has had Miss MacLean with an ion poultice applied these last three nights and in bed with one on all today and gave her tonight a wine glass of whisky with three large lumps of sugar and a little blackcurrant jelly in a tumbler of boiling water just before he went away Vere for piles takes about a teaspoonful of sulphur electuary. Mr. Long talked of lecturing at the Royal Institution on anatomy – would take no notes of his subject – tell them all how it ought to be simplified etc. etc. advised him not to lecture but to keep to ‘shewing facts’ as he calls it, and say as little as possible – leave his audience to reason as they please – it really seemed to me but charity to give him this advice – he is a man of no education very unfit to lecture the punch got a little into her head she lay on the sofa leaning on my shoulder I said how thin she was she answered that I felt over three flannels untied her petticoat for me to put my hand under of course I then got gently under the rest and gradually got my hand down to her queer and the right middle finger about half way up evidently excited her for some two or three minutes she hid her face I took no notice and nothing was said on the subject by either of us – Miss MacLean left me 12 3/4 – then wrote the notes of today – Miss Hobart had mentioned this morning Lady Stuart de Rothesay wanting her to go to Paris with the Miss Berrys ‘the blue Berrys’ friends of the Hardwick family on the 15th instant – but she should be obliged to take a carriage to herself, and this would cost her £50, which she would rather spend some other way – she had before asked me if I had fixed my going and I had merely said no! but might go the beginning of the week after next – I told Miss MacLean I would take Vere, and go on the 15th if she (Vere) liked – very fine, frostyish day – went up to my room at 1 5/60 –
Saturday 3 April 1830
Up twenty minutes to pot and saying prayers then lay on the bed till eight Fahrenheit 56°at 8 a.m. Breakfast over at 9 1/2 – my thirty ninth year is complete today! made out rough draft of index from the 22nd ultimo to today – Monsieur Julliart came at 11 10/” and stood talking 1/2 hour – could not get anything for this morning, so no lesson – agree to commence chez moi rue du Jardin du roi on Monday week the 12th to have 3 lessons 3 days consecutively or more if required on a human head - the poor man at the hospital is recovering after having been sur le point de mourir – on en lui a rien fait que de donner des lavemens – Monsieur Julliart ventured to observe upon this, and say he should have bled the man, and the médecin threatened to report him for his interference! – before and after Monsieur Julliart’s coming reading from page 148 to 175 nodding over my book latterly till 12 50/” – then dressed – went out at 1 35/” – called on Mr. Hamilton – not at home – did not leave a card – went to no. 29 rue de la ville l’evesque to Mademoiselle Paulmier for Lady Stuart – not at home – then called and sat 25 minutes with Lady and Miss Poore – fixed to go to Bagatelle at 9 1/4 a.m. on Tuesday and to take Miss Poore to the conciergerie and marché aux fleurs on Saturday at 9 – then called on Miss Hall at Mrs. Bray’s rue de chaillot no. . . sat in the house or walked in the garden with Miss Hall 40 minutes – her 2 little nieces (Harveys) with her – perhaps aetatis 7 and eight – fine children – then called and sat 12 minutes with Mrs. Balfour and Mrs. and Miss Wilson – then to Laffitte’s – exchanged a £50 circular, exchange at 25/60 – drove to Lady Stuart’s banker Boulevard Poissonnière no. 17 – bank shut – then called at Amyot’s and bought Voltaire’s letters and sat an hour with Madame and les demoiselles Séné – they are going to England the end of next month – long talk about this – asked them to come to tea some evening before their going to Meudon – a Mrs. and Miss Stare or Byre called while I was there – some relation to Lord Cochrane or to Lord Dundonald’s present wife? – home at 6 – dressed – dinner at 6 1/2 read the paper – came to my room at 8 40/” wrote the last 10 lines – on coming home found the card of ‘Lady Isabella Blachford Hotel Bristol, Place Vendôme’, and ditto of ‘Mr. Willoughby Crewe Hotel de Douvres 21 Rue de la Paix’ – I had made up my mind Lady I.B. would not return my call I am satisfied that she has called I wonder what will come of it whether I shall know much more of her or not shall we ever travel together? Mademoiselle Paulmier came about 7 – paid her 202/. being the amount of Lady Stuart’s bill – coffee at 9 20/” – came to my room at 10 1/2 at which hour Fahrenheit 51° - fine day – coldish – threatening rain but it held off – till 11 20/” cutting open and reading the 22 pages introduction of Choix moral de Lettres. Voltaire. 4 volumes duodecimo Paris 1824.
Sunday 3 April 1831
Fahrenheit 45°at 9 and fine frosty morning this is my fortieth birthday – Looking a little at Le Temps – breakfast at 9 50/” – dressed – off took the de Hagemanns to the St. Simon church at 11 1/4 – no. 9 rue Taitbout – a theatre – 3 tiers of boxes 19 in a row – and pit, and raised platform with table cover with gold laced crimson velvet pall on covering – all the ladies together, and all the gentlemen ditto – waited above 3/4 hour – the St. Simonien livery is blue so about 20 gentlemen and 4 ladies that had regularly adopted the religion came all in blue – the preacher blue coat and yellow metal buttons and blue trowsers and white waistcoat – 2 gilded chairs behind the altar on which sat the 2 cardinals of the sect and in front 2 papes and 2 papesses and behind them the 2 other ladies in blue (silk or satin) – the man declaimed (service began at 12 1/4) near 20 minutes then rested 2 or 3 minutes then ditto and ditto so that he harangued more or less vehemently an hour – the audience clapped him 3 different times – the 2 first political, the 3rd metaphysical – the burden of his song equality – all hereditary advantages to be abolished – parents not to be obliged to leave this to their children – all to be in common for the good of the Simoniens – all rank to be done away with – impossible to believe in the god of the Christians but that there is a god of the St. Simonien kind, and we all immortal, and tho’ not subject to everlasting punishment in any case – shocking treason against all governments and blasphemy against [God] and insulting absurdity against all common sense – then took the de Hagemanns to Mr. Hoyters, rue de la ville L’evêque no. 40? to see Lady Stuart’s picture – then called on Madame de Bourke and stood about 3/4 hour – very civil – La Fayette’s aide de camp and his wife there – shot thro’ the ankle and lame – going therefore to Barège – saw the little apartment au seconde that Mr. Scarlett had – anteroom dining room, drawing room, 2 large bedrooms and 1 small ditto and a washing cabinet – 2 servants rooms and little kitchen upstairs, and a cave, no coachhouse – no porte cochère not room enough for my present carriage to get near enough the door? and bad entrance altogether – narrow staircase – merely decently furnished – 300/. a month said the portiere – just saw Madame de Bourke for a moment or 2 afterwards, then to Lady Stuart’s – there at 2 1/2 for 1/2 hour – Mr. and Miss Frisell there – Lady Mexborough and Lady Saval Savile ill – did not see them – then sat 1/4 hour with Mr. and Mrs. Barton and Miss Scott Hotel de la Terrasse rue de Rivoli – said I should be glad to see them some evening – Mrs. Barton had not called on lady Stuart not knowing whether her calling might be thought intrusion asked me whether she ought to call said yes lady Stuart would be glad to see her – then home at 3 3/4 – set down Madame de Hagemann – found the card of ‘Madame Holme p.p.c. [pour prendre congé]‘ and the card of ‘Mrs. Hamilton Hamilton’ took my aunt out at 4 as far as the barriere de l’Etoile, and back at 4 40/” – dressed – reading Le Temps – Mr. Henry Edwards fils came at 6 10/60 and Miss Rawson and Samuel Waterhouse at 6 25/” – dinner at 6 3/4 – left the dining room at 9 – tea at 9 1/2 – they all went away at 10 – the dinner was certainly better than usual on the whole – the volauvent à la financière at 5/. really good – they drank a bottle madeira and one of medoc and part of one of Roussillon glad it is over – wrote the above of today till 11 – very fine day – came to my room at 11 ¼ at which hour Fahrenheit 52° –
Tuesday 3 April 1832
Very fine sunny morning and Fahrenheit 60°at 7 20/” in my room and 53°at 8 1/2 in the balcony – out at 8 40/” ordered leg of lamb and shrimps for Miss Hobart walked to the 2 mile stone London road reading French vocabulary – in returning spoke to Day about having his pony carriage – 2 shillings an hour – asked if he knew of a little pony to sell for £9 or £10 at the utmost – he mentioned Powell the bookseller having one, he would inquire about – home at 10 1/2 – dressed – breakfast at 10 3/4 – came to my room at 11 55/” – Miss Hobart gave me little lock of her hair very good friend cheerful and proper she would not have me change very odd but should not like me otherwise now I never said it was my birthday – Miss Hobart had a letter from her friend Miss Drummond recommending an excellent Lady’s maid the object of whose life is to travel – lived 10 years with Miss Drummond’s cousin – sounds very tempting – but poor Cameron! I grieve for her disappointment should she have to have me – out with Miss Hobart – at 12 1/4 – walked to Days’ ordered the pony carriage off at 12 50/” drove to a little beyond Fairlight church and back at Day’s at 2 25/”, for which 1 35/” hour gave the man (the change in 2/. an hour) 4/. enjoyed our drive – very fine morning but rather thickish over the sea and in the vallées – very cheerful but proper told her this was my birthday and I was forty hers is the twenty fourth of January and she was twenty nine this year in walking home from Day’s joked and said I should have seven hundred a year from her and leave her three she thought four would be enough as much as she should cost me I turned it into joke but ‘tis probable this has been her idea she was I was so rich I took the opportunity and said no I was not you said once I had five thousand a year I made no reply as the child was dead (meaning my fancy of our living together) but I neither have nor shall have that sum and am not rich how can I be while my father and aunt are living she asked if my father’s death would make a thousand a year difference I said no not more than seven or eight hundred she said something of inquiry whether I had two or three thousand a year to which I somehow naturally and easily enough avoided giving any exact answer perhaps she now thinks I shall have about three thousand we met the Scotts on the parade they go tomorrow shook hands with both Lady Anne hoped to see Miss Hobart in London then on parting turned to me shook my hand rather cordially and said ‘if you ever come to London I hope our acquaintance our acquaintance /sic/ will not end here’ I answered ‘thank you you are very good’ then joked with Miss Hobart that our match would be off on account of pecuniary matters and we both laughed and called each other mercenary she afterwards laughed and said she would have all I had for her life well said I have no objection to leave all I have for one life to the person who may be with me she laughed and said oh that ought really to be known I see she knows quite as well what she is about as I do and will take as good care for herself much love on her part is not to be looked for tho’ she is getting conciliatory and gave me first one then the other cheek to kiss! mais le jeu vaut la chandelle I wish I could get Lady Anne Scott can this be what I may wish or ask from providence? at all rates keep love aloof with Miss Hobart for she does not forget self till 6 5/” reading in the last Quarterly the latter part of the article on the Melton Mowbray hunt, and the review of Miss Fanny Kemble’s Francis the 1st – having splendid beauties but not likely to succeed on the stage – dressed – dinner at 6 3/4 in 35 minutes – coffee at 8 ¼ - won 1 and lost 1 hit at backgammon – read from page 263 to end of page 307 end of chapter 61 volume xi. Gibbon – came to my room at 11 1/2 – she a minute in my room gave me her cheek to kiss joked about she should have nothing her own with me etc. all which she takes beautifully in fact I think she has it in her mind to have me but let me hold rather aloof she is not good tempered etc. etc. very fine day – Fahrenheit 63 1/2°now at 11 40/” in my room and 50 at 12 1/2 in the balcony –
Wednesday 3 April 1833
Damp wet small raining morning and Fahrenheit 53°at 6 3/4 and 42°at 7 3/4 outside my window this is my forty second birthday and I am more single than ever uncompanioned and alone well providence orders all for the best at least let me always gratefully acknowledge this and be thankful – I am rather straitened in money matters and obliged to borrow a few hundreds I repent my subscription of yesterday to the building the new museum I must be as thrifty and managing as I can spend nothing without thinking yet still I feel happier than this time last year I am more resigned and reconciled to all things more sensible of the many blessings that attend me and I trust more really grateful for them I have more enjoyment am in stronger health and vigour of mind again and again God be thanked – at my desk at 8 – at cash book accounts 3/4 hour – breakfast at 9 in an hour, talking to my father and Marian – my father has already made Pearson the allowance of £2 a year for land taken for the mill-dam, so that I have nothing to do with it – then had Cordingley an hour – from 11 10/” to 11 40/” at cash book accounts till heard Charles Howarth and then off with him – wet as it is putting in the hall chamber window light to open – from 11 40/” a.m. to 11 10/” p.m. (except dinner in 25 minutes at 7 5/”) in the library dusting and arranging books – put in the large Boydell’s Shakespeare, and unpacked and put in the British Essayists (40 volumes duodecimo) – rainy wet morning and day till after 2 – then rather better – fair in the afternoon – and evening – Fahrenheit 52 1/2° now at 11 1/4 p.m.
Thursday 3 April 1834
Same as last night. Well and comfortable enough bed. The room versus mine having used the large good room as my dressing room because the bed had not been slept in of 3 or 4 months – rain in the night had a little this morning getting up F 52° at 7.40 – breakfast at 8 - out at 9:15 - took a boy as a guide – walked by the house and home terrace, and across fields and down steep thick wood down by little river Rye, and walked along it the valley narrow and beautifully wooded in the Backfall [?] style, to the little village of Rivaulx, where we came rather suddenly but finely on the large beautiful remains of the old abbey at 11- ½ hour to there - Nave gone but choir and transepts remaining there court of the cloisters, and what is said to have been the refectory, kitchen, dormitory and prior’s rooms – very fine remains but Elgin cathedral finer if I remember it correctly – walked from the abbey up the steep cawse road to the far terrace from which you look down almost perpendicularly on the view yonder being a Grecian porticoed lodge at each end of the Terrace, as there is a Grecian temple at each end of the home terrace – inquired for the fine Cyprus so located (Mr. Henry Belcombe or Mr. Norcliffe), had told me they were yew - no such thing - 2 miles from the far lodge on the far terrace direct to Helmsley - had left the old abbey at 11:30 and started back to the Inn at Helmsley at 1:15 – Miss Walker not seeming tired paid all and off from there at 1:30 with 4 horses to Coxwold – very steep down wass-bank – alighted at 2.20 for 25 minutes at Coxwold church to see the monument to Belasyse Fauconberg family very neat small church - at Byland Abbey in ¼ hour from Coxwold at 3 – fine minster but nothing to compare with Rivaulx Abbey – belong to Mr Stapylton Martin of Myton who let some part fall in the other day from taking away some unfit stone - 5 or 6 minutes there and then walked to the little Innin the small village of Wass where the horses were gone to wait – Miss Walker lay down there being a bed in the room, but did not feel particularly tired - Wass belongs to Mr Martin Stapyleton - he is always in want of the rent the moment it is due – has nothing in Byland but the Abbey - the property at the Inn has 14 acres of land, good all grass but pay £56 per annum besides £3 a year tithe and 3 guineas for the licence and all the taxes, yet the place stands there at £80 per annum - 20 minutes there and off at 3.40. Drove through the village of Ampleforth and alighted at Roman Catholic college about was a mile beyond at 4.08 -14 monks Benedictine, and 40 boys students from the college - one of the biggest boys, who wou]d be called a philosopher, would cost, everything included except dancing and purchased music, £50 a year - two of the monks very civil , shewed us all over the house - good, airy, neatly kept rooms above stairs and below and whole thing very nice - nice garden – beautiful situation and view from the house – about an hour there and off at 5.05 through Hovingham, and not far from then passed at 6.05 Slingsby Castle not very ancient but fine looking ruin – rather houselike as 2 large Elizabethan windows - Alighted at Langton at 7.25 - Mrs Norcliffe thought late-Norcliffe there and Charlotte, both going to York tomorrow Isabella Norcliffe at Croft-dressed Went to Charlotte for a moment ‘What did I bring miss W for? They said “she was crazy”,’ and, she, Charlotte, believed it. I merely said ‘No, if I had thought her so should not have taken her there dressed-Tea about 8.45- Norcliffe went just before Miss Walker went to her room at 10.35 Mrs Norcliffe stayed an hour after and then she and CN and I went upstairs and CN stayed talking to me in my dressing room, just off the white room, from 11.35 till 01.05. Thank her much for what she had said, though she seemed ashamed of it. Explained and said I thought of settling with MW. CN thought I had better not determine too soon but take time to let it amalgamate gradually. I said it had already been amalgamated the last 18 months and I thought that long enough. And though I had made up my mind, but begged Charlotte not to name it. Nobody was so much in my confidence as she thanked me said she had no idea I knew Miss Walker so intimately or would not have said what she did she and Mrs Norcliffe and I had had a good deal of conversation about her before coming upstairs. They said she ought to visit and I know not what, which I combatted and said, if I could not manage York society comfortably for her, I could ask Lady Stewart Rothesay who, I was sure, would be all kindness. This seemed a surprise upon them Mrs N said I should make Miss W unhappy by so taking her out of her own line but they soon began to see I was no not to be talked out of it. Charlotte said she understood Miss W had fifteen hundred a year. ‘Yes’ said I calmly, ‘she has’. Found Miss W asleep, but she roused up and we had a long talk. Told her all I could. Very fine day.
Friday 3 April 1835
No kiss ready in 50 minutes – Rainy morning – at accounts till breakfast at 9 40/” in 1/2 hour – from 9 10/” to 12 read from page 163 to 272 Philip on the Vital Functions – Ann sat by me, downstairs, at her rent books – my aunt much better today – brought down into the drawing room – 1/2 hour with her and my father and Marian there till 12 3/4 at which hour Fahrenheit 58 1/2°- from 12 3/4 to near 4 at Colliery accounts – made out account of the total of expenses and the account with the 3 Manns Joseph John and Robert for sinking and driving – Had Joseph Mann for 1/4 hour till 4 10/” – paid him for the last fortnight’s driving and gave him back his book which I have brought down to today inclusive – he thinks the drift will be about 300 yards – will perhaps get through into Walker pit tomorrow – Mr. Stocks (nor father nor son) goes not into the pits himself – has bottom stewards – from 4 1/4 to after 5 1/4 looking over Pickells’s account etc. then Ann came (she had been downstairs all the day at her rent books) and we sat talking 1/2 hour – then while she was with my aunt I at accounts again – dinner at 6 1/2 coffee – from 8 to 9 3/4 read from 272 to 329 Philip on the Vital Functions – then Ann had letter from her sister – a civil put off – Captain and Mrs. Sutherland will come in July and see about the division – with my aunt from 9 55/” to 10 10/” very well today and in high spirits Rainy day Fahrenheit 51° now at 10 20/” p.m.
Sunday 3 April 1836
I had hardly been laid down 10 minutes when John Booth called me up – went to my father- breathing short – but no pain and quite composed – I thought he would continue till morning – Marian would not leave him – John Booth and Frank, too, sitting up with him – Ann low and nervous with me – went to lie down again soon after one – Ann who had been awakened when John Booth came fell asleep, and slept pretty comfortably – I, too, must have fallen asleep after much thinking for I counted into the hours and though I heard Frank come gently up the stairs and was up before he had time to tap at the door, yet, I think I was asleep before I heard him – it was just by the hall clock 4 40/60 when I got into my father’s room, and it was just 4 3/4 when all was over - death could not come more gently – more easily – tho at the bedside, I scarce knew that the last breath had passed away – Marian was more composed than might perhaps have been expected – I took her downstairs into the kitchen – got her a little brandy and water to rinse her mouth with and a little to drink and a biscuit which she ate and after talking about 1/4 hour – she seemed relieved and went to bed – I had given the necessary directions to Frank last night – he and John went to bed about 6 and so did I, and all was still – I slept for a few minutes when the servants getting up awoke me – I slept again for a short while till I perceived Ann was awake – we then both slumbered a little – then talked a little. Ann better than I expected – up about 7 3/4 reading prayers to Ann as I have done both night and morning since our return from York – She and I got out sheets etc. for Sharp, Matty Pollard having come about 8 1/2 breakfast at 9 – Mr Jubb came about 9 1/2 – Frank went to Halifax and had told him all was over – I wished him to see Marian medically and she consented and is to have some medication – but Mr Jubb thought her quite as well or better than he expected – her bowels a little out of order but her spirits very composed – Mr Jubb to come again about noon tomorrow – Oddy had told my aunt that my father was no more – I went to my aunt about 10 for a few minutes – she seemed composed and said she was thankful that there had been no suffering – Marian breakfasted in bed – Ann wrote a note to her aunt with my kind regards to say my father had breathed his last at 4 3/4 apparently without pain then or throughout his illness – Ann also wrote a note to her schoolmaster saying she could not go to the school tomorrow and giving directions accordingly – Marian having determined to employ Duncan as undertaker sent George off to Halifax about after 11 to order the bell to toll immediately after service, to go to Mr Jubb’s for Marian’s medicine and to tell Duncan to come here this evening – then on his return sent George off with Ann’s notes – in the meanwhile took Ann out into the walk for about 1/2 hour and came in at 11 50/: – the air revived me – Ann low on coming in – entreated her to bear up if possible, for my sake – she took 2 of Dr Belcombe’s pills last night, and I hope will be all the better for them – were I to give way, what would become of us ! God be thanked for all his mercies! I feel in some sort of feverishness of mental harass, but yet I feel as if I could think of everything – A heavy responsibility presses on me for Ann and for us all – but I hope that I shall be enabled to do that which is right – wrote all the above of today till 12 3/4 p.m. at which hour Fahrenheit 51° and fine day – but windy – cold wind, and coldish out of doors – at least, Ann complained of the cold – at 12 50/: Ann and I read prayers (lesson, psalm and collect and epistle and gospel and 2 or 3 prayers) to my aunt in 20 minutes. Ann read the service for I could not read except with difficulty – I have had cold on my chest and a little cough for some time and expectorate more in a morning than I ought to do – my aunt wishing me my health and many happy returns of my birthday – a melancholy birthday today! – Ann so low and in tears and her breath so bad for she would take no luncheon fancies she takes too much that sleeping with her is not very good for me really know not how it will end at this rate I must give up she is getting worse and I cannot go on long without some amendment – at my desk at 3 – wrote letters on broad black edged paper announcing the death of my father – 2 pages of 1/2 sheet to Lady Stuart de Rothesay – 1 1/2 pages to Lady Stuart – 1 1/2 page letter to Lady Vere Cameron – 1 page letter paper to Mariana and 1 page 1/2 sheet to Isabella Norcliffe sealed. Sent my letters by tonight’s bag – to ‘the Lady Stuart de Rothesay’ and the Honourable Lady Stuart’ under cover to ‘Lord Stuart de Rothesay 4 Carlton-house terrace, London’ – to ‘the Lady Vere Cameron Brafield-house Olney, Bucks’ to Mrs Lawton, Claremont-house, Leamington, Warwickshire’ and to Miss Norcliffe, Petergate, York’ – about an hour with Marian (in her bed) till Ann came for me to dinner at 6 1/2 - Had Mr Duncan the undertaker immediately after the dinner things were taken away – gave the necessary directions for the funeral, tomorrow week – the people to assemble here at 7 3/4 and the procession to leave the house at 10 a.m. – all to be in Miss Marian Lister’s name as sole executive of my father’s will – I had prevailed upon her to have no scarfs sent except to the clergy (the vicar 2 curates Lecterner of the old church and incumbent of St James’s, Marian renting a pew there) and the medical man the clerk of the church and the undertaker – offence was unintentionally given at my uncle’s death, and I wished that no such thing should occur again – Mr Duncan said the vicar preferred meeting the corpse at the church, and the medical men were glad to avoid attending funerals when they could – I therefore inclined to the vicar meeting the corpse at the church and not inviting Mr Jubb to attend but said I would let Mr Duncan know tomorrow evening and send him a list of tenants to be employed as bearers and mutes – and of those tenants and others to have gloves and biscuits – Mr Duncan’s manner intended no doubt to be respectful, and proper – would have seemed to me pompous and forward, had I not, by the dignified gravity of my own manner, kept his in check – A little while with Marian – took down her observations and additions to the rough draft of the letter I had written for her before dinner to Mr Robinson - coffee upstairs in the blue room – then Ann and I with my aunt about 1/2 hour till 9 1/2 – fine morning – snow showers in the afternoon - F34° at 9 3/4 p.m.
Monday 3 April 1837
Pretty good one last night much snow in the night - the ground all covered again pretty thickly not a speck of green to be seen and Fahrenheit 43° now at 9 40/: a.m. found cousin come gently and had all to prepare which has made me so long dressing - breakfast at 9 3/4 with Ann and with her afterwards – (wine currant cordial out of the hall cellar given to Robert Schofield - his wife poorly) and dawdled downstairs till 11 - from then to now 1 40/: read, (missing for the present the 40 next preceding pages) from page 88 to 136 Higgins on the Earth and look at maps and several references - then 1/2 hour with Ann - not going out this afternoon - began snowing (small snow) about 1 and now snowy and wintery afternoon - all around trees and ground groaning under their white covering - at 2 10/: at my desk - wrote 4 pages of 1/2 sheet and 1/2 page of another 1/2 sheet to Lady Vere Cameron then at four and thirty five minutes had Joseph Mann who came to pay me for the upper bed coal got in excavating the Long goit [?] during the last month (see Friday 3rd ultimo) up to the 1st instant - 65 loads at 6 + 167 loads at 7d = £6.9.4 received - Long talk about getting water at the top of the bank - Joseph now agrees we can get it - taking the Incline there direct will add 50 yards to the middle band water drift and 100 yards to the rag - water drift and £300 will get dirt-band water - if water in the rag yard will be got cheaply - 30 yards below the level of the Godley road - would be 60 yards to pump at the engine if set at the top of the bank - Joseph Mann thinks the Incline (from the yew tree in the garden as planned before) to the top of the new bank would not be 700 yards - and now talk again of having an endless chain - 700 x 2 = 1400 yards of double chain - the Incline to the Godley road = 500 and thence to the top of the bank double chain 250 x 2 = 500 + 500 = 1000 and even if there should be 400 yards more chain the saving of expense in gearing the engine will more than pay the difference of chain - and if £400 will get water and pay for the extra drift-driving I shall still save £400 at least in the non-sinking of the platform opening into the Godley road - Holt to come and talk all this over - then a little while in the stable - the 2 bays behaved very ill on Saturday carting clay in land near the meer - Frank thinks they will do no good - but did not tell me that till I had said if they would not do well I should sell them - a little while with - dressed – dinner at 6 35/: - coffee - Frank took the cart and went rather earlier to the post tonight and brought from Smith's warehouse 3 hampers containing the wine ordered the other day from Mr Oldfield - came upstairs immediately after coffee at 8 35/: for [an] hour and wrote all but the 1st 7 lines of today - spoke to Frank (just before dinner in the stable) about his son - what wages? 12/ a week for the summer and then go when I had nothing more for him to do - I agreed to this - but had hinted that perhaps he might do to stay and be under the gardener Joseph Booth's place not being a permanent one - no workmen here today - Frank and John Day took the 2 teams and went once to Hipperholme quarry this afternoon for exercise for the horses - making memoranda in the rough book till 9 3/4 at which hour F 31° - much snow on the ground but fair till about 1 p.m. afterwards snowy wintery afternoon but fair towards evening and fair in the evening - [in margin] wages for the summer of Frank’s son.
Tuesday 3 April 1838
Fine cold morn[in]g F[ahrenheit] 31°. at 7 5/” and 39°. at 9 – my fortyseventh birthday A [Ann] aright but who can tell how long she may continue so? my most joyless birthday – stood read[in]g Rhind’s elem[en]ts of groc[er]y n[ea]r an h[ou]r – br[eak]f[a]st at 9 in ab[ou]t 1/2 h[ou]r - th[e]n A- [Ann] h[a]d Bentley ab[ou]t the Landymere st[rata][?] till aft[e]r 12 – I h[a]d th[e]n h[a]d him ab[ou]t Sunwood quarry till 12 1/2 and th[e]n s[e]nt him to dine w[i]th the serv[an]ts and ab[ou]t 1 1/2 set off and walk[e]d w[i]th him to the Hipp[erholme] and Sunwood quar[rie]s – A-[Ann] ca[me] to us at at the latt[e]r for a few min[ute]s: - took B- [Bentley] b[a]ck w[i]th me to List[er]w[i]ck to sp[ea]k to Jos[e]ph Mann ab[ou]t [dredg[in]g] [panpoints] to be 5 1/2 in[ches] in the bed (for arch[in]g List[er]w[i]ck Lowmine, at Hipperh[olme] quary [quarry] – to set a [dredger] at work tomor[row] – at L.P. [Listerwick Pit] soon aft[e]r 3 – w[e]nt d[o]wn for 3/4 h[ou]r or 50 min[ute]s Bentley w[e]nt away on the go[in]g d[o]wn int[o] the pit – he durst n[o]t go d[o]wn – f[ou]nd John Oates in the bott[om] the tubbing b[u]t 4 planks in height – will be done on Thurs[day] – ho[me] bef[ore] 5 – th[e]n w[i]th Rob[er]t Mann and 4 levell[in]g in the flow[e]r gard[e]n – one h[a]d been fill[in]g [Stamps] boulder for th[ei]r own cart to bring to the house court – Pearson’s rubble beg[a]n th[i]s morn[in]g break[in]g rubble in the house court and Mark Hepw[ort]h’s cart, beg[a]n bring[in]g away the rubbish fr[om] N[orth]g[a]te – w[e]nt w[i]th Rob[er]t to set out the lane wall [Marginalia: + - Reading √ - Visit or social call] 128 1838 April 4 f[ee]t high ag[ain]st upp[e]r Con[er]y and 3 f[ee]t ag[ain]st the Ing in front of th[e]re (Meadow, plough[e]d up last y[ea]r and und[e]r plough at th[i]s mom[en]t) – John Bottomley to cart the st[ratum] at 6/6 p[e]r rood of each of the two walls – suppos[in]g him to bring one y[ar]d in length (tak[in]g the 2 walls togeth[e]r) at a ti[me] and to go 7 ti[me]s a day - ⸫ [therefore] cart[in]g 6/6 st[ratum?] (7 y[ar]ds at 6d.) 3/6 and wall[in]g 2/6 = 12/6 p[e]r rood – 80 y[ar]ds on the low side and perh[aps] 150 or 160 ag[ain]st the upp[e]r Conery = say 240 y[ar]ds = 34+ roods at 12/6 = £21.5.0 and ab[ou]t £2 for tak[in]g soil at 6d p[e]r y[ar]d fr[om] low side to throw ag[ain]st upp[e]r Con[er]y wall – the sum of wh[a]t Bentley s[ai]d to A- [Ann] th[i]s morn[in]g w[a]s th[a]t he w[oul]d br[in]g her his acc[oun]t when he h[a]d p[ai]d all up for the quar[ry] hole at Landymere b[u]t th[a]t the exp[ectations] were ab[ou]t £70 and he durst vent[ure] to gi[ve] ab[ou]t £39 for wh[a]t w[a]s on the Delf hill viz 30 roods wall st[rata] 1/2 and 1/2 (1/2 insides, 1/2 outsides) at 10/. = 15.0.0the bar[in]g h[a]d cost 7d. p[e]r y[ar]d – he th[ou]ght the fut[ure] baring w[oul]d be cart[e]d to ma[ke] the new r[oa]d at 9d. p[e]r y[ar]d and the baring th[a]t is to be shift[e]d w[oul]d be done at 3d. fill[in]g and 3d. cart[in]g = 6d. p[e]r y[ar]d - 300 y[ar]ds tooled flags at 1/5 ” ” ” ”= 21.5.0 60 y[ar]ds com[mo]n d[itt]o at 8d. ” ” ” ”= 2.0.0 Sund[rie]s ” ” ” ” ” ”= 1.0.0 39.5.0 A- [Ann] to see and settle ab[ou]t the r[oa]d etc. on Fri[day] – B- [Bentley] own[e]d the r[oa]d as plan[ne]d by S.W. [Samuel Washington?] w[oul]d be 3 or m[on]ths in doing – and I s[ai]d I th[ou]ght A-’s [Ann’s] r[oa]d w[oul]d n[o]t ta[ke] mo[re] th[a]n 6 w[eek]s longer in the mak[in]g – B-[Bentley] agreed th[a]t he w[oul]d gi[ve] 9d. p[e]r foot for the st[rata][?] – i.e. as it st[a]nds at just 9d. p[e]r f[oo]t for the 8 f[ee]t of good st[rata] and the 2 f[ee]t bel[ow] n[o]t worth so m[u]ch – it was n[o]t settled or ment[ione]d wh[a]t these 2 last nam[e]d f[ee]t of st[rata][?] were to be – I s[ai]d aft[er]w[a]rds to A- [Ann] suppo[se] 6d. (3d. each f[oo]t) ⸫ [therefore] 10 f[ee]t = 6/6 p[e]r y[ar]d – subj[ec]t to increase and decrease hereaft[e]r at the rate of 9d. p[e]r foot as the stratum of good st[uff] sh[oul]d vary in thick[ne]ss – Took B- [Bentley] to Sunwood quary [quarry] to val[ue] the Delf hill and gi[ve] me his opin[ion] wh[a]t I h[a]d best do – he s[ai]d Simeon Shaw h[a]d spok[e]n to him a day or 2 ago ab[ou]t taking the quary [quarry], say[in]g I h[a]d prom[ise]d him a r[oa]d – th[i]s I deni[e]d, I h[a]d talk[e]d of a r[oa]d – of mak[in]g one for th[ei]rs and hav[in]g no object[io]n to agree w[i]th anybod[y] else one ab[ou]t one (anybody[y] th[a]t I approv[e]d) suppos[in]g it c[oul]d do any good – b[u]t I h[a]d by no means prom[ise]d – whi[le] I walk[e]d off with A- [Ann] (and wait[e]d for B- [Bentley]) Hartley told him they h[a]d agreed w[i]th Booth at 3 1/2d p[e]r y[ar]d flags [gett[in]g] – th[i]s B- [Bentley] th[ou]ght too high – B- [Bentley] s[ai]d he [the] wall -st[rata] sh[oul]d be g[o]t at 3/. p[e]r y[ar]d and [dredg[e]d] at 4/6 and one horse w[oul]d cart 2 1/2 rows at a ti[me] 8 ti[me]s p[e]r day to List[er]w[i]ck E.P. [East Pit[?]] for the low mine = 2 1/2 x 8 = 2 1/2 roods p[e]r day at 5/. = 2/. per rood ⸫ 3/. + 4/. + 2/. = 9/6 p[e]r rood deliv[ere]d; and B- [Bentley] th[ou]ght the delf (at 2/. p[e]r y[ar]d for the Delf) w[oul]d pay – the cart[in]g w[oul]d be doub[le] fr[om] N[or]thow[ra]m – told B- [Bentley] I h[a]d made no agreem[en]t w[i]th Hartley, and Booth c[oul]d n[o]t agree w[i]thout lett[in]g me kno[w] – on the cont[rar]y I h[a]d s[ai]d on Sat[urday] I sh[oul]d ma[ke] an alternat[ive] – I w[oul]d n[o]t pay for sharpen[in]g, find tools, and pay a high pr[ice] besides – ask[e]d Bentley wh[a]t he w[oul]d manage the quarry for me for and keep the acc[oun]ts and sell wh[a]t I d[i]d n[o]t want – he s[ai]d he w[oul]d go 2 or 3 ti[me]s a week, and manage all for 5/. a week – b[u]t he w[oul]d let the delving – he w[oul]d find [Marginalia: wall[in]g ag[ain]st Con[er]y Ing etc. Took Bentley to Sunwood quarry] 129 1838 April who w[oul]d keep a daily acc[oun]t of wh[a]t was got and wh[a]t sold who c[oul]d do it for 6d. a w[ee]k extra – B- [Bentley] s[ai]d I sh[oul]d ha[ve] 300 roods of wall st[rata][?] out of the pres[en]t [baring] – s[ai]d I w[oul]d see Booth and let Bentley know the determinat[io]n b[u]t desir[e]d him to set a dredger at work immed[iatel]y at Hipperh[olme] quarry – Hartley sh[oul]d ha[ve] 1/2 pr[ice] p[ai]d for wall st[rata][?] – s[ai]d I c[oul]d ha[ve] them of Turner at 4d. p[e]r y[ar]d - ⸫ [therefore] H- [Hartley sh[oul]d ha[ve] 2d. – told Bentley I sh[oul]d get all I wante[d] fr[om] Sunwood quar[ry] by the end of Sept[ember] – he th[ou]ght I might a r[oa]d for 6d. p[e]r y[ar]d cube of stuff shift[e]d includ[in]g bur-wall[in]g ag[ain]st the bot[tom] wall to hold up the stuff – the men to pick out the stones and wall them – they w[oul]d on[l]y want throw[in]g togeth[e]r – Suppo[se] 100 cube y[ar]ds stuff to shift at 6d. = £2.10.0 – dress[e]d din[ner] at 7 1/4 – asleep on the sofa – Coff[ee] at 10. ca[me] upst[ai]rs at 10 1/4 and wr[ote] all b[u]t the 2 first lines of today till 11 1/4 – cold b[u]t finish day – F[ahrenheit] 41°. at 10 1/4 p.m. [Marginalia: Mr. and Mrs. Wilson ca[me] ov[e]r this morn[in]g ab[ou]t Ann’s school – we d[i]d n[o]t m[uch] like th[e]m]
Wednesday 3 April 1839
Letter this morning but far from right – gave Ann a salts who has had no motion since her physic on Saturday very cold white frosty windy morning Fahrenheit 34 1/2” inside and 31 1/2 outside at 9 a.m. and breakfast and sat talking – out between 10 and 11 to Robert Mann at the scale road down Charles Howarth’s field – he and Joseph going to their maternal uncles funeral this afternoon – then at Listerwick – the Lowmoor men bodding at the drum – wont do at all well yet – home about 11 1/2 - a little while with John Booth in the brew house (the pig killed yesterday) then with A- [Ann] she had only had one motion A- [Ann] had a basin of mutton broth – had Booth – about 2 – backwards and forwards with him – out with A- [Ann] walked in front of the house 35 minutes – she seemed rather better for it – then had Holt at 3 1/2 for minutes – the drum wont do at all – to write and tell the Engineer so by the men this afternoon and to see Mr. Hind this evening – up and down with Booth, and wrote as follows to M- [Mariana] ‘Shibden hall – Wednesday 3 April 1839 my dearest Mary – your letter is in my desk – I dare not turn ‘to it to see, nor dare I think how long it is since I received it – It is grievously on my heart and ‘conscience that I have not written to you long ago – I have thought of, intended, even sat down for the ‘purpose of, writing, several times – Some spell, not idleness nor carelessness, has prevented me – You have ‘thought, - if you have thought about it at all, - perhaps a thousand injures – I am resolved ‘to make no excuses – But, Mary, this is my birthday – what say you? Is forgiveness easier ‘on this day that you have hailed so often? Write and tell me so – you promised to come ‘and see us – At all rates, you will keep your promise – I have been in a whirl of ‘potheration ever since our return – But surely the end will be some time – I got up this morning ‘with the intention of writing you a few lines! pp [pages] – I have been interrupted till now, nearly ‘post-time – But you will pay postage this once – I write to nobody – I do assure you, ‘I am more than 1/2 pothered to death – we are sadly at sixes and sevens – But no more of this – ‘If you come, you can judge for yourself – When all has righted again, we may laugh over steam engines, water-bursts, etc. etc. etc. God bless you, my dearest Mary – always very affectionately yours AL - ’ began the above letter about 4, and short it is written it by bit and bit till 7 – dinner at 7 20/” – A- [Ann] read French – wrote all but the first two and a half lines had copied my letter just before sending it – Sent off at 7 1/4 my letter to ‘Mrs Lawton Lawton hall, Lawton, Cheshire’ – Note tonight from Mr. Parker saying he had stopped Mr Day till further orders – i.e. stopped him from beginning to plot out the Northgate ground for building – well enough to have stopped him till I know what he will charge – A- [Ann] sat in the room all this afternoon – only tolerable Edward Waddington and 2 lads here today – in the morning bodding trifling over 1 thing or other for Booth not here till about 2 p.m. then Sent Edward to chizel off the stone cornice of the North entrance door and Robert Norton (joiner) and Booth fixed the oak post under the great King post cut off in the great uncle Parson’s time to put in the present stone door-way – this one to the north end and the other to the South – Robert and Joseph, the joiners, began this afternoon boring the King post of the South east (or little breakfast room) gable against the South entrance door (this King post having given way a little this winter before the great wind 7 January) and which we laid bare yesterday – the wood sufficiently good to hold inch bolts – told B- [Booth] to order them the 1st. thing tomorrow morning at Ward’s – this job to be done and the passage flagged by Mr. Harper companies[?] – Robert joiner junior busy oak-coving in the top of my library passage armoire the wood stoothing finished by putting up ready for plastering, on Saturday and the floor laid on Monday – Michael the joiner at the gallery passage taken off the north chamber into the red room – he has been at this these ten days or more and Robert junior helped him with the framing at 1st. – wrote by tonight’s bag to ‘John Harper Esquire St. Leonards Place York – to ask him to come at whatever earliest time may suit his convenience, and to hurry the people to send the glass for the tower windows – and thanking him his 2 exceedingly beautiful coloured drawings of an Egyptian temple and the Pandroseum at Athens, and for the lithographs particularly those descriptive of buildings which add so largely to his professional reputation – Coffee at 9 3/4 – before and after till now 10 25/” wrote to so far of today – very cold, wild, windy, occasionally frozen – snow – showery day – Read aloud a few pages (to page 45) Volume 1. 4to [quarto] Mitfords Greece and came upstairs at 11 10/” at which hour Fahrenheit 35°. inside and 31 1/2° outside –
Thursday 3 April 1840
Slept very comfortably in our kibitka – best night I have had since Kisliar; and I feel rested and refreshed – Ann came at 6 to wish me many happy returns of my birthday – roused up – washed a little etc. in the kibitka – breakfast about 7 or after – then came the settling about départ – the loueur du chevaux not willing to go without escort – Monsieur Le commandateur who was here yesterday having been sent to, refuses the 2 Cossacks this morning – then came out the pith of the story had I given him something all would have been right – but he not the man – must send to the chef des Cossacks – our host will go with us – agreed that he and 3 more should go for 20/ each and I would pay the douceur for permission = 20/. gave an 1/2 gold Imperial = 18/02 + 60. Swedish Kroner = 2/10 and our host set off before 8 to arrange the matter – George had explained last night the courier’s sham illness – it seems, the man told our host, he was very foolish not to be ill and leave us at Astracan – he told George yesterday morning he should be ill, and had said this before – and he had arranged everything with the maître de post here, and would set off on Saturday? with the post therefore his journey will cost him nothing – nobody’s having any pity for him. s’explique facilement – ‘tis now 10 5/” – the money got the permission – the man returned about 11 – a funeral today of a Cossack officer therefore perhaps the delay – but too late to set off today – we could not arrive at a good sleeping place – to be off at 8 a.m. tomorrow – have given our host 1/2 in advance i.e. 40/. and have given our volni-man 50/. in account and the 5/. Yesterday = 55/. in account of 130/. – Domna terribly frightened – reassured her – the Scherkess treat women very ill – afraid of having her throat cut or the Lord knows what – said they would take good care of us; for I would racheter us all – ordered a little teleaga and pair of horses to drive out a little – It seems our courier can go when he pleases – has no need of his billet passport – the postmaster here sends him off with the post – and that is enough – not aware he could thus leave us so easily at any moment after Astracan – have just written the last 10 lines now at 11 55/” – fine day – what a pity the petit monde here has thus pothered us! Ann and I sat talking in the kibitka till the teleaga was ready – 3 horses – took Domna and George and off at 1 1/2 - we sitting on mattress on the hay, and they with the driver a hobbledehoy youth – drove direct to the fortress built by Potemkin in the time of Catherine II – a handsome triumphal sort of Ionic (brick) gateway and a largish-houselike line of building this must have been good barracks for a couple of thousand men? in their day – this end of the wall cracked – otherwise the spars of the roof still up, and the building if wanted repairable – but useless it seems – given to build a church – a sentinel close by over 2 or 3 mat-covered huts of farine for the soldiers – the soldiers hospital near a largish, low line, 1 story cottage-like building – also the decent small house of a surgeon or perhaps George meant by this Serjeant for he afterwards pointed out another decent house, good for these parts, occupied by a surgeon / serjeant of Cossacks – view of the mountains thro’ the mist then re-enter the wattled town – the fortress originally mounded and fossed round – enter a large open space where the ostrog a wood house with sentry box at the door – near, a neat wood house partly yellow-washed École, then a neat nice looking wood green roofed white house i.e. with projecting pediment in front of 2 stories of 4 columns each a common form of house in Russia, formerly inhabited by General... now by the colonel of the Cossacks who gave us for 20/. the permission – another neat white green-roofed house inhabited by another Cossack officer, and in fact all the tolerable houses inhabited by Cossacks of higher or lower rank – terrible mud – then straight along our Yaranskoi street (our house certainly the best of the mere cottages) and then along the market street – full as good as that at Kisliar – sawone or 2 little linen draper’s shops, a grocer’s ditto etc. etc., then turned left, and drove up near the Vladikavkaz gate, in the barn-door style as usual, and stood up in our teleaga at 2 1/2 – the bit of fast going trotting at 1st had covered us with mud and given us a proper jolting – Ann sketched 1/2 hour and I wrote little notes and sketched outline of mountains – Ann ditto and the good wood house, in the style of the one sketched but larger? 2 stories and 4 columns, pediment and good wings on each side formerly inhabited by a general but now used as a temporary depôt of prisoners – all the Tcherkess sent to Stavropol – fine wall of mountains stretching in a long line south of town, its pointed, jagged, dentelé, serrated, broken crête seen more or less above the thick amoncelés nuages – outline of Caucasus from the Vladykavkas gate at Ekaterinograde 105 versts off said our youth of a driver I should think 20 to 30 versts at most – wood willows? on the hill just below us down to the river where the bit of flat and the wide yellow reedy marais on the other side will be all covered with water a month hence – now the river near the marais seen from where we stood but went to the gate just above the river at the other end of the town afterwards – just before coming in – drove through the gate by which we entered on Tuesday – and past the Isba where Madame Grauert was after much trouble in hunting about for a place – she and femme de chambre and domestique and the Tcherkess and all the family in one room as we are, but much worse than ours – on the ground – mud floor and dirty – we are a few steps above ground, board floor, and clean people – they swept the floor this morning 3 times almost before we had well done breakfast – Mozdok is indeed a good town in these parts with its 3 churches – here but one – wood and tolerably large and good and towery and picturesque – but Kisliar is the city – In fact these places are long streets some tolerably wide some narrow of reed thatched wood white smeared Isbas with several at Kisliar, fewer at Mozdok and still fewer here of decent houses – Fevers prevalent here – well they may – so much marais – much fish – chiefly a red fish rare at Moscow – Inquired for it – none in the market – to get goudron and everything at Vladicavkas – have just written so far now at 4 50/” – then sat reading Schnitzler till now 6 35/” and A- Ann preparing hasty pudding and tea the former to celebrate my birthday – the woman of the house poorly sore throat and head ache since this morning but now making bread – yesterday morning early boiling water was poured on bran and let stand till evening – then the woman servant squeezed it through her hands and the result the farinaceous milky-looking liquid was put away and has stood till now where the woman makes a thick batter of it and then leaves it to stand all night in the oven mouth in a pot with a wood cover over it – to be baked in the morning – white bread – therefore bread making is an affair of 2 days and 2 nights before ready for baking – tea about 6 3/4 – and I then sat in the kibitka musing and 1/2 asleep – Ann came when all was ready for the night and she and I settled, and lay down to sleep about 9 50/” – George had shut us up 10 minutes before, but we had little matters to arrange afterwards – fine day –