Monday, February 25, 1833

1833

February

Monday 25

6 3/4

11 40/..

F 46° at 7 inside and 35 1/2° outside at 8 – Hazy, soft, damp morning – Made and lighted my fire on getting up –

Had Charles Howarth with locks to choose out of for my book cupboard doors – From near 9 to near 10, reading De la Beche’s Geology.

Breakfast in the little room at 9 55/.. Afterwards talking to Marian and she mended my pelisse a little, then a minute or 2 with my aunt and came upstairs at 11 1/2 –

From 11 40/.. to 1 40/.., wrote 3 pages and ends to Mrs. Norcliffe, Langton hall, Malton’ and 2 1/2 pages to ‘Dr. Belcombe, Minster Yard, York’ and  sent off these 2 letters by Mrs. Hemingway at 2 1/2 –

Chit chat to Mrs. Norcliffe –

Had told Isabella to say I would write when my plans were fixed – Still unsettled, but impatient of being longer without writing, 'and could not bear the idea of their fancying what can never be true, that my memory is as idle towards you as my pen –

Determined to leave nothing to be settled in my absence – ‘More than reconciled to all this delay by my aunt’s being so wishful for me to stay over the winter’ – Must miss my friends in Rome, so not improbable that I may change my line of route, and not fix beyond Paris till I get there – ‘I talk of being here six weeks longer’ – Surely Isabella will be back from Croft by the middle of next month – Hope to spend a little while at Langton.

– Both my servants engaged from the 30th ultimo and now on board wages – Should be glad if Burnett knew of a place likely to suit ‘a very steady, well-intentioned, obliging girl of 18, but looking 1/2 dozen years older, who has lived a year as maid of all work, with a druggist in Halifax, and would be thankful for any sort of service in the kitchen or upstairs, in a gentle family’ – Mention her being sister ‘to the boy I sent to Scott’s, and would, I have no doubt, be as well conducted in her way, as he is in his’ –

Have heard Ellen Best was going to be married – if true, hope the match will please them all –

Ask after everybody – Ask Mrs. N- to write –

‘Ever, my dear Mrs. Norcliffe, very affectionately yours, AL-’

Excused myself to Dr. Belcombe for not writing a week ago when Miss Walker left here to go to her sister in the Highlands of Scotland –

She had a lingering thought of seeing him again and put off my writing to the last – ‘She laid much stress upon my writing, and saying when I saw you, everything that was proper, and that could prove how she had been pleased and obliged by the manner and kindness of the attention – You certainly got into her good books; and I do not think she will very rapidly have as much confidence in any other physician’ –

To consult Dr. Abercrombie in Edinburgh – ‘The poor girl’s spirits had been very low for the last 2 or 3 weeks – What a lesson of proof that every external blessing may be as nothing to ensure our happiness!’ Thank him for paying the druggists bill of £2.12.6 and enclose him a £10 bank of England bill § -- [§ Bank of England no. number No. Number 10364 dated London, 28 August 1832.]

Thanks on my own account for the wish to see me – Mean to go to Langton – Shall surely see them in the Minster Yard going or returning – But on this Mrs. H.S.B. to hear from me by letter or word of mouth as soon as my plans are fixed –

The Lawtons to be at Leamington as [of] today –

‘Love to you all, and believe me very faithfully yours, AL – ’

From 2 1/2 to 3 35/.. wrote 3 pages and ends to Breadalbane MacLean –

Thanks for her letter (received 2nd last month) and for all her kindness about the willow cuttings – Still hoped to receive some and that they would ‘find me here till after the middle of April’ –  A variety of circumstances had detained me –

Should have written some weeks ago but waited to tell my new plans ‘more especially as your so kind offer of introductory letters for Russia, struck me more forcibly than it would have done, had my Italian schemes remained unhalted’ – After leaving here 1 or 2 visits to pay, that shall not cross the water till about the end of May – Then too late for hotter countries -- ... ‘I have long wished to see the Northern Capitals, and promised the de Hagemans a visit at Copenhagen, so that for some time back I have literally been wavering whether to go so far north this summer or not – If therefore I should by and by seriously remind you of your kind offer, you will not be surprised’ –

From Vere’s last letter, their plans uncertain, but in concluding she thought we might meet in Paris in April and that they would be in London in May – In my answer I fancied we should meet in London.’ I merely added, that many more unlikely things had happened than my paying, ‘within the 12 month, my long promised visit to her sister Lady Harriet’ –

Then on the cold at Naples, and extraordinary mild winter here – Hear Mr. Stuart MacKenzie has let his place in Lewes and is going to take his family to France, where he may be nearer to London than if he staid at home – I suppose his place at the India board is worth fifteen hundred a year’ –

Glad the McLeans are all going on so well – “Poor dear Margaret! No wonder at her conquest – I have no remembrance of her but as one of the most interestingly pretty girls of her age I ever saw – I wish you had told me more about them all – How does Sibbella go on? I should see Coll-house and all its inmates again, with more pleasure than you think – I shall never forget my tour in the Highlands –

All is uncertain; but Deo volente, how pleased I should be to be able to tell you of your northern friend –

My very kind regards to you all, and believe me always very truly yours,

A Lister’ –

Wrote the last 19 lines, and out at 4 1/4 along the deep cutting in Trough of Bolland wood – Nobody working there – Nathan and 2 men [phaying] away for wall above upper side the new road – The wall against (up to) the turnpike house so out of proper inclination (batter as they call it), ordered no more to be done till they saw me again, saying I might perhaps have it taken down – 2 men trenching top of Godley field walled off to be planted –

John Bottomley came up – Asked me to look at his place since the colliers had filled up the pit and pulled down the sheds – He had bought the stones for 55/. – Went with him – There must be some walling up –

It seems Mr. Rawson was really the primum mobile of the job – John B-’s wife [said] they were obliged to get the pit filled by Saturday as it was in Mr. Rawson’s contract with Hinscliffe – as also to fill up the little narrow pit 23 yards deep they had sunk to the upper bed for a vent a little above the house –

So Hinscliffe had actually agreed with Mr. Rawson at the very time he saw me on Saturday, spite of his denying it – All this accounts for Mr. Rawson’s note of Friday – He thinks he has me beaten – Perhaps he will be disappointed – It occurred to me to take in all the waste near John Bottomley’s, and then I could sink a pit myself without much trouble and set Holt to manage getting coals for me so as to look after Mr. Rawson. 

Thought I, query? Is not that waste mine?  Minerals and all? Go quietly over to York and consult Jonathan Gray ­­– Get Washington to do plan of Willy or Brierley hill with adjoining waste, as also of Marsh farm and waste and consult Jonathan Gray about both places and take in waste at both –

Thought I would make up my mind to stay here as long as wanted and would stop all further going on with the new approach road – No moving of the old bridge from over the brook – Shall tell Pickels his mason not a sufficiently good workman – May send for Booth to straighten the wall – Thought for a moment of going to Holt’s again; determined to wait –

Went down the road and by Pearson’s to look at the old bridge – Then took a turn or 2 up and down my walk and came in at 6 1/4 – Dinner at 6 3/4 –

Had just done when James Greenwood, Junior who got married 2 or 3 days ago (prudent match) of the Conery came about the cottage at Godley – (I told Cordingley yesterday to mention it to him). Said I had said nothing to the people as yet but would get Washington to say I wanted the place for one of my own people, should say whom and beg them to suit themselves as soon as they could, and Greenwood should hear more in a few days – Amount of rent not named – He said I knew what the present tenant paid –

If I have to stay long here, shall I run over incognito to Paris, and settle all there, and pack up and bring over my books?

Read from page 101 to 112 before breakfast and from 112 to 126 now since dinner, De la Beche’s Geology, very attentively, with references to my maps for all the places mentioned –

Wrote the last 26 lines till near 10, my father and Marian gone to bed – Went in to my aunt at 9 55/.. , and came upstairs at 10 40/.. –

Damp morning and day, tho’ rather finer in the afternoon and evening – F 49 1/2° now at 11 p.m., but fine in my room now and all the day – 1 [str?] of acorns came from William Keighley junior this evening --

 

WYAS Finding Numbers SH:7/ML/E/16/0021 and SH:7/ML/E/16/0022