Friday, October 12, 1832

1832

October

Friday 12

6 55/..

11 55/..

Finish morning, F 62 1/2° at 7 1/4 a.m.  

Read over last night’s Courier – Breakfast with my father at 8 40/.. in an hour, for stood reading the Nos. 1 and 2 of the ‘Extraordinary Gazette,’ a foolish quiz on the late public breakfast and dinner given by the Whigs to the candidates, Messers Wood and Rawdon Briggs –

Very high wind – Out at 9 3/4 – Went down to the weaning and took off Pickles and Dick at 10 5/.. to 12 1/4 to remove more stuff from behind the hut – So rainy they could not go on –

I fell asleep in the hut and sat and lay sleeping or dozing there till 2 1/4, then sauntered home thro’ the rain and came in at 2 3/4 – At my desk at 3 – From 3 20/.. to 5 wrote 3 pages and ends to Mrs. James Dalton – Kind letter of anxiety on the occasion of her accident (falling over a footstool in the drawing room and dislocating her ankle, as mentioned by Mrs. Norcliffe) – Beg that some of them will write and tell me how she goes on – Congratulations on the subject of Esther’s marriage – ‘as I know the dear girl would take no step so important as the one she is speedily about to take, without the entire approbation of her parents, I congratulate you all, and hope very earnestly that the best of earthly blessings will abundantly attend her choice’ – Then say I have only seen Dr. Travis once and but for a few minutes, but say how highly Mrs. Norcliffe speaks of him, from whose (Mrs. N-’s) affectionate and steady kindness, I am quite persuaded, the happy pair will receive much pleasure and advantage – Do pray give my love and  congratulations to Esther – I shall not write to her, because it would be mere form to do so, after sending all my good wishes thro’ you’ – Should be glad to hear her son John was comfortably fixed – Have heard of nothing at [all] likely to suit him – Had meant to be at Rome next Easter, but begin to doubt these plans altogether on account of my aunt,  Better than she was ten days ago, but ‘has suffered a great deal of late, and is evidently pulled down by it’ – ‘My love to you all – I am anxious to hear of your going on well, and always affectionately yours, A L –’

From 5 5/.. to 6 20/.., wrote 3 pages and long ends and under the seal to Lady Stuart – Affectionate chit chat letter – Mention being in treaty about Eugénie, wages, age, with whom she lived – Native of Rouen – Recommended by Mrs. Lawton, who, however, had not seen Eugénie herself, but only her ‘sister, a respectable, well-mannered teacher in a school at Brighton’ – If likely to engage Eugénie, and if she likely to come up from Brighton to London, and if Lady S- would take the trouble of seeing her, should be better satisfied with that than with seeing her myself.  ‘I wish I could have got a nice English woman who would have staid with me all my life’ – Beg Lady S- not to be very long in writing – Always anxious about her – Ask when the Stuart de Rothesays are expected back – Don’t expect to hear often from Vere while she is so engrossed with traveling and novelties of all kinds – Know not what to think of politics – Think we shall want the Duke of Wellington by and by.  ‘Things seem going on very queerly’ . . . . . war perhaps will come upon us by and by –

Wrote the last 24 lines till 6 3/4 – Dinner at 7 – Sat reading from page 203 to 358, end of ‘Sketches of India,’ written by an officer for Fireside Travelers at Home, 2nd edition, with additions, London, printed for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green, Paternoster Row, 1824.’ 1 volume octavo, pages 358, printed by A and R Spottswoode, New Street Square’ –  Speaks of the fine Tomb of Acbar under Agra, and also near there the Taaje Mahal, the Crown of Edifices, the mausoleum of Shah Jehan (father of Aurungzebe) and favorite Begum. ‘They tell you, and they tell you truly, that it is the most superb mausoleum in the world.’ 238/358. The delicacy and freshness of the preservation of the ornaments and mosaic may be guessed by the expression of the Italian artist Zophani, ‘that it wanted nothing but a glass case of sufficient magnitude to cover and protect it.’ 239/358.  The Tomb of Ameer Bereed near Beeder, not far from Hyderabad, one of the most beautiful he (Captain Skinner) had seen in India. 323/358. 

Went into the little room at 9 5/.. – Read over the Courier –

Came to my room at 10 10/.. – Wrote the last 11 1/2 lines – Finish morning till between 10 and 11, and from 11 thoroughly rainy day till fair before 6, and finish evening for some time, then more rain –

Letter tonight from Mademoiselle Pierre, 89 Marine Parade, Brighton, giving the address of the honorable Mrs. Herbert, 84 London Road, Brighton, where she is going to stay 5 or 6 days – Eugénie not likely to be in London, that I fear Lady Stuart will have no chance of seeing her for me – Sent off by John this evening my Letter as above to ‘Mrs. James Dalton, Croft Rectory, Darlington, Durham’ – F 61° at 11 1/4 p.m.

WYAS Finding Number SH:7/ML/E/15/0131