Sunday, July 10, 1831

 

1831 July

Sunday 10

(Got up at) 9 /  (Went to bed at) 12 40/..

F 69° at 9 1/4. Had been rain between 6 and 7, Cameron said.  Down at 10 1/4.  Nobody there till Mrs. Norcliffe came, in 5 or 10 minutes. 

All went to church at 11.  Mr. Simpson did all the duty – preached 29 minutes dully and provincially, as usual, from Revelations ii, 12. 

Home at 1, just as it began to rain gently and more or less for about an hour or 2.  Came to my room.  By three, had written rough draft of letter to Lady Gordon.  (From 3 to 4 1/2, Tib with me above 1/2 hour of the time).  

Wrote 3 pages and the end to Lady Gordon.  Very kind letter –

‘Your letter reached me on Thursday and I am grieving over it with all the sincerity of one who is really interested in your welfare.  But make no apology for having trusted to my discretion, which is always flattering, nor ever regret having given me pain, if the assurance of my cordial sympathy in your distresses can afford you for a moment the smallest pleasure.’ 

Really sorry not to have found her in London . . . . . ‘You much overrate my ‘business head,’ but however little it might have been in my power to be of the least use, you might possibly have felt it some comfort to say all you cared to say in perfect security and to one whose honest-heartedness might have almost superseded the want of any other claim on your regard’ 

‘I dare not say much on the step you are taking’. . . . . . She has interest – can she not get Cosmo out to India? Get him into some regiment of the line now there and let him exchange?  Perhaps she may not be able to let her house immediately and the going to Brighton may be delayed, and may still see her in London. My plans unfixed, and will be till I know what is to be done about Miss Hobart.  Change of climate appears to me absolutely necessary.’ ‘I am quite unhappy about her.’ Long for Lady Stuart de Rothesay’s opinion – she the only person to manage it.  

‘I really do feel for poor dear Lady Stuart and shall not dare say much.  The parting will be terrible, but I see no safety in avoiding or delaying it beyond the autumn; and my heart dies within me at the thought of how uncertain it is.  This will hasten the return to London as much as possible, but uncertain whether I can be there by the end of next month or not, having some troublesome though not losing concerns on my hands.  

‘But let me hear from you again whenever you feel inclined.  Be assured that I shall be really interested in all you tell me, and, if you have any agreeable remembrance of our perfect amity along the Rhine, do not take any pains to convince yourself or me that our second meeting on the continent is impossible.  

‘My stay here and elsewhere is so uncertain, you had best direct to me at Shibden.  

‘Believe me always very truly yours, 

‘A Lister.’

Sent off my letter (to Malton by George at 5) to ‘Lady Duff Gordon, 34 Hertford Street, London.’

Dressed.  Dinner at 5 1/2.  Came to my room at 7 and wrote the last 8 lines of yesterday and so far of today.  Burnett brought me up my coffee. Just done the above at 8, at which hour F 70° and very fine evening writing close to my open window.   Then half hour writing rough draft of letter to Vere.  

Went downstairs – a little sacred music, and then took down the Parisienne and Marsellaise.  Talking of French priests and savans; religious opinions. Named the Citateur.

Came to my room at 11, Charlotte with me 50 minutes.  Reckoning up my traveling companions, principals including Mrs. Norcliffe, my aunt, Tib, Mariana, Miss MacLean, Mrs. Barlow etc. On slurring over the name of Lady Gordon, Charlotte said that['s] the first time we have heard that.  Who is she, Sir Robert Gordon? No, a cousin of the Duke of Gordon’s.

Fine day, but rain between 6 and 7 and from about 1 to 3 – F 71° now at 12 25/.. tonight.

 

WYAS Finding Number SH:7/ML/E/14/0086