Wednesday, July 22, 1829

1829 July 

Wednesday 22

(Got up at) 6 3/4 / (Went to bed at) 11 1/2

Stood quite undressed (had only washed my teeth), reading over what was my uncle John’s German Grammar.  Much better, more clear, than that Mr. Marsh gave me. 

Stood reading till 9 40/60, when Henry brought a kind little note from Miss Hobart, returning the 10 francs I lent her yesterday and asking me to call tomorrow or Friday ‘to finally arrange our Rambling hours and perhaps to elicit a little more about Stuttgard. Ever yours, Vere Hobart Aunt is very poorly now with a bad cold’ she had written a line or 2 two before ‘I am going to Saint Germains today (this is a miracle) without you! Serait il possible?

Wrote back, ‘Dear Miss Hobart, Going to Saint Germain without me!  I myself scarce know what to make of it.  Will you think of me, and will you make up your mind to let me have the journal on Saturday?  How punctual – paying debts of Monday!  Are there not other sorts of debts – and may I not try to make it out that you owe me the hearing of the journal? I am very sorry Lady Stuart’s cold is worse.  I will call on Friday.  Very truly yours, A.L.’

The wine merchant, Louet, came at 10 1/2.  Paid him.  He said there were 294 bottles of wine including 3 or 4 bottles of  dregs in the pièce just got in for the servants.  George counted them yesterday to only 281 bottles.

Breakfast at 10 50/60.  Dressed.  At the Jardin des Plantes (in 32 minutes from my own door) at 12 13/60.  21st lecture on the mammifères on the organes générateurs des animaux marsupiaux. 

Fiacre as far as the Palais Royal.  Went to Berthellemot’s and bought 1/2 lb. pound pâte de jujubes for Lady Stuart.  Then above an hour at Amyot’s Rue de la Paix buying guide books.  Bought Richards Guide en France et en Belgique, an abrigé of Guide en Allemagne by ditto, Schreiber’s Guide Along the Rhine and Panorama des bords du Rhin, and Guide du Voyageur aux environs de Paris by Richard et Saint-Hilaire.  Then ordered one pair escarpins and one pair shoes, leather, in the rue des Capucines, and got home at 3 3/4.

All the afternoon reading over my new guide books. 

Dressed.  Dinner at 6.  Afterwards after 8 Henry came.  George asked if Cameron might go out Yes! It seemed Henry had come to walk with them.  Desired him to let me know when he returned; I had a note to send to Miss Hobart.  It turned out that Cameron only went to walk. Thought I, would Miss Hobart let her maid go out under such circumstances? I must ask her.

Wrote and sent by Henry to ‘Miss Hobart’ about 9 1/2 as follows:  ‘Wednesday evening. Dear Miss Hobart, I am going to do a very impertinent thing, but it is only to you, and I almost fancy you would forgive me much?  I have an excellent old friend, not a bishop, but a parson whom I always supply with Berthellemot’s pâte de jujubes for his colds and coughs.  I thought of Lady Stuart this morning as I came from the lecture, and could not resist the jujubes.  Now do take it all upon yourself – do not say a word about me, and put a few pieces on Lady Stuart’s dressing table tonight, and recommend her trying them – let them dissolve away gradually in the mouth and they are adoucissant as well as bain de guimauve (mallow althoea officinalis), on the merits of which, as it happened, Monsieur Desfontaines expatiated yesterday.  I hope you have had a pleasant day at Saint Germain.  By the way, the jujube-tree is supposed to be the lotus-tree mentioned by Homer – you have read in Pope’s translation of the lotophagi, or lotus-eaters.  Affectionately yours, A. L.’

Coffee at 9.  My aunt’s legs much swelled as ever though she has left off fruit for these last 3 or 4 days.  Alas! It is nothing she takes that will do her now much good or harm.  She is getting decidedly dropsical, anasarcous, and suffers much pain.  Often complains that all her flesh is sore; has the sensation of scalding water trickling down it.

Came to my room at 10 1/2 – very fine day.  Though the sun out, and hot, yet cool, refreshing air and pleasant walking as I returned from the Jardin des Plantes today along the shady side of the Boulevard.  F 69° in my cool bedroom at 4 p.m.

George left me today to go to the coachmakers about some little thing doing at the carriage.  He was 3 35/60 hours away, and had evidently got a little too much, but I pretended not to notice it – but at dinner asked if he was ill.  In the evening when he came into my room with my candle, he clipped a little.  Asked again if he was ill.  No! But I had spoken rather sharply to him this morning.  No! No!  I said, I had not intended to do that, but that in fact I could not have him give himself so much trouble to seek the man another time.  If not at home, he must come away, and I would write by the post.  But said were it anyone but you, I should say he clipped English.  George sidled out, probably a little ashamed.  The fact is, I shall probably not wish to keep him should anything happen to my aunt, and I may then have the excuse enough for getting rid of him and need not notice these things now.

[Marginal note – Gave out wine]

 

WYAS Finding Number SH:7/ML/E/12/0060