Tuesday, December 20, 1831

 

1831 December

Tuesday 20

8 20/..

3 3/4

Fine, wild morning. F 60° in my room at 8 3/4 and 43 1/2° now at 9 1/2, at which hour down to breakfast.  1/2 hour reading the newspaper –

Miss Hobart came at 10, then breakfast and talking to her about the letter she had just had from her brother Lord Buckinghamshire in a much more temperate strain than before, proposing she should take four percent etc. etc.  Rather, on the whole, a thing to be well-managed for himself. Did not say very much, but advised her writing a kind answer but saying nothing decisive herself, as she meant to leave all that to her attorney –

Came upstairs at 11 – Dawdling over 1 thing or other – Out with Miss H- at 11 50/.. – In passing, Miss H- left a note for Lady Ann Scott (to ask the address of the clergyman of the parish that he may sign her pension certificate) and her own card and mine – Then Miss H- got post bills changed at the bank and ordered a German noun test at Mr. Wooll’s, and we staid talking to him some time about the literary and scientific Society they are wishing to institute here – 32 subscribers already at 1 1/2 guinea a year – £15 down makes a subscriber for life – not in the hands of the higher order – may fall thro’–

Then walked up towards Fairlight, and turned right along the houses and down the hill to All Saints Church.  Very slippery, rather difficult walk – rained a little – a sad pother to Miss H- – obliged to take my hand down the bad parts of the path – Met Miss Miller and 1 of the Miss Percivals in returning, to whom smiled and nodded but did not stop to speak – I happened to be just behind Miss H- and said nothing about it to her.  

Home at 1 1/4 – read my letters I had had this morning before breakfast –

3 pages and ends and the 1st page almost all crossed from Mariana, Lawton. Sent off on Friday.  She is glad to be at Lawton – ‘I am ten per cent better than when I last came here’ – Impossible for Charles to pay Mr. J. Lawton’s debts (he has already paid £1300 and it is as nothing) – He had borrowed money in all directions – C- is applying to chancery to get the £400 a year settled on the children to be allowed towards their maintenance and education – Eustace is at Leamington with Mariana’s other books – if I can wait till she goes there, may have the work – The Lawtons have their house full of company or are visiting about – They met W. C. [Willoughby Crewe] at the Wilbrahams, who seemed to enjoy himself, and they are going to him at Warmingham –

Letter also 3 pages and the ends and under seal and written across the top of the 1st page from Mrs. Norcliffe, dated Friday 16th instante mense – Long, kind letter – country news – beginning ‘ I must write to you to see if I cannot interest you for my poor friend, Mr. John Wilson, who has not proved successful this year in the natural Benevolent Institution, so that all our interest must be exerted for the next’-- . . . .and the old story of my being able to interest myself with Lady Stuart de Rothesay and Lady Hardwicke and anybody else I know. Poor soul, how little she knows the real state of the case and how small the exertion I can make for her – What with Burkings, incendiaries, cholera, and reform, Mrs. N- has made up her mind not to go to Bath, but stay at home this winter – Scott sends her word that the boy (Joseph Booth) is arrived and goes on well –

Had dressed and written all the above of today at 2 3/4 – Had Miss H- for some time to read the civil note from Lady Ann Scott, talk about writing to the clergyman about signing her certificate, and pay her for the last fortnight’s housekeeping and six weeks house rent.

Then till 5 10/.., wrote 3 pages and ends and under the seal to  Mariana.  Glad to hear of her being 10 percent better.  Should have been in despair had she been no better than when I saw her in London – ‘I suspect, Mary, you were far from having any idea of the anxiety and unhappiness your looks then caused me – Thank God! you are better both in mind and body’ –

Conclude with (saying it would have been cruel to the poor people not to have been at home at Christmas) ‘I shall think of you, Mary, and give you my blessing to mingle with that of those around you – May it be a happy season to you!  and so it will; – for doing good is happiness – Tell me that you have thought of me too – that you have had time to ‘bless me also’ . . . . . . . I am much more at ease since hearing that you yourself were so much better and happier – Always remember how you rise in the comparison when you think of the 3 lords of [?] whom we talked of in our way to Holland – God bless you!  Ever, my dearest Mary, very especially and entirely yours, AL’ –

Had before said, glad she was not here, sure it would not have agreed with her ‘I myself feel very lethargic, and seldom sit long without falling asleep – I seem, too, to be getting fatter – However I am not more bilious than you have seen me at Shibden, and may be said to be very well – Miss H- gives me lessons in German – we are great players at backgammon, and I generally read aloud a little in an evening – I am out almost all the morning – somehow or other I get nothing done – Our gaieties cannot rival yours – Scotts and Constenays are the only families we know – tho’ I should have said the Miss Percivals of Acomb are our next door neighbors – but this is a recent discovery; and, as Miss H-’s health prevents our giving parties, it will not be in my power to shew them any valuable attention –

On the subject of my plans for next year, say she cannot be more ignorant of hers than I of mine – Shall not give myself the trouble of thinking of them till nearer the time of leaving here when I shall be quite ready for a little bracing air somewhere’ –

Till 5 35/.., wrote the last 21 lines – Then began a letter to Mrs. James Dalton – At 5 50/.. Miss H- Hobart came to ask me to go down to see the clergyman coming to sign her certificate – Did so – a respectable gentlemanly enough person – the one who reads prayers on a Sunday – He staid but a few minutes – Sent off at 6 1/4 my letter to Mrs. Lawton, Lawton hall, Lawton Cheshire, and then came to my room again – wrote 2 1/4 pages to Mrs. James Dalton.

Dinner at 7 10/.. in 50 minutes or less – Very little music – Coffee at 8 1/2 – Miss H- still not quite well this evening – her bowels not quite right – felt a little faintish just after coffee and lay on the sofa, till from 10 to 10 55/.., read aloud from page 394 to 443, end of Chapter 26, volume iv., Gibbon –

Very good friends. I attentive while she seemed unwell, but properly so.  Could I think her capable either of so much feeling of care for me, I should have fancied she had been crying last night and that she had thought over my altered conduct, my beau milieu, with some regret. However, I seemed not as if, and she could not possibly tell that such a thought had ever occurred to me. Her saying that is beau milieu had been once or twice quietly mentioned. After a pause, I said perhaps I may do something sentimental (thinking of what I had said at dinner that perhaps after all a living in a pretty cottage in a good climate alone with as few servants as possible might not be disagreeable). But that, said she, will not be for me.  I made no answer but after a pause said I think I must ask you to give me back one of my sayings.  Don’t you remember my promising to give you ten days notice if I could before my doing anything particular? Yes, said she, that was a month ago.  I don't like that.  There can but be one motive for that.  You will do in a hurry what you ought not. No no, I don't mean that. I hope you think the motive good. I have had time to see the inconvenience of the promise. I might not be able to keep it. Well, said she in a very low voice, then I must give it back.  And we came upstairs.

Came to my room at 11 1/2 – Till 12 25/.., wrote the last 17 lines – Fine morning – showers while we were out – then fair and finish till between 6 and 7, after which high wind and rainy stormy evening, and night – F 59 1/2 in my room at 11 1/2 and 45° in the balcony at 11 50/.. tonight – till 3 1/4 writing letter for Miss H- to her attorney.

 

WYAS Finding Number  SH:7/ML/E/14/0166