Monday, January 4, 1836

1836

January

Monday 4

8 1/2

11 1/2

No kiss.

Ann better this morning but her blister place so sore, cannot bear her stays on – But breakfast downstairs –

Rainy, stormy, windy night and morning.  F 47° now at 9 40/.. a.m., at which hour, made breakfast –

Mr. Washington came at 9 3/4 before Ann had come down – Left her with him while I had Robert Mann, then Joseph Mann about Whiskum bar till after 10 –

Then breakfast till about 10 1/2 – Then 1/2 hour with my father and Marian –

Then Had Dobson with his note in full up to 10 December inclusive = £25.6.0 three shillings to take off from preceding note for carting 18 loads stones, therefore agreed to pay Dobson £25 in full of all demands he has against me – To be settled at the rent day on Wednesday – Dobson to furnish good sets(delivered) for the farmyard at 18/. per rood –

Long talk about what stones and what he could deliver them at, would be wanted to lag and bolder my new approach road – He said a two-horse cartload would lay 3 square yards – But to do the job well, say 2 two-horse cartloads would do 1 yard in length of road 5 yards wide – He reckoned the stone per load 1/6                    say per yard in length of road

carting ditto ditto   2/6                        2 loads stone at 4/.                                  8.0

Rubble ditto ditto 3 1/2d                     2 ditto rubble at 2/9 1/2 =                       5.7             

Carting --              2/6                        Breaking rubble             

                                                          would be 7d a load on                    at 9d =1.6  

                                                          the high road        

16/4 per 7 yards in length                   (10d enough?) Lagging (too much)         1.0

          or 16/4 per rood                       making bed                                                0.3

          exclusive of Dross           __________________                     __________                           

          will never do         =             £5.14.0 per rood                                           16.4

 

Some time with Ann.  Wrote copy of note for her to Mrs. Dyson.  Wrote to ‘the Gentlemen of the Yorkshire District Bank, Halifax, enclosing a £40 Bank of England bill (Ann’s, vide Business letter book) asking for 1 £20, 1 £10, and 2 £5 Bank of England notes and sending my banking book begging my account to be made up as soon as convenient.

George off between 1 & 2 p.m. and took my note to the  Bank and Ann’s note to Mrs. Dyson, and was to give compliments and inquiries from the family at Pye Nest and Willowfield and Haryland after Mrs. Henry Priestley, who had been of smallpox –

At my accounts and wrote the above of today till 2 55/.., just before which time, Captain Parker, the Distributor of Captain Ross’s work called and left me (I did not see him, but sent him down the 35/.) the appendix to the 2nd volume of the work –

Out at 3 1/4 – at Whiskum quarry – Back by the Lodge at the Lower Fish pond – Took several turns in the walk and lastly up and down the terrace in the garden and came in at 5 35/.. – Dressed in 1/2 hour – Came in as moistly hot as if it had been summer –

Dinner at 6 1/4.  Ann dined downstairs and sat till 7 25/.. – Then 25 minutes with my father – Marian away – Drinking tea at Halifax –

Coffee with Ann in the blue room at 7 50/.. to 8 1/2 –

George brought back this afternoon Letter, 3 pages and ends, from Mariana (Lawton) – dated New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day – Her last thoughts in the old year and first in the new, so long given to me, would not could not but keep up the custom -- . . . . .

‘You ask, dear Fred, how it is that I have been so given to despond and you  to hope? Our natures are different, our organs of sight are different, I cannot penetrate a cloud and fancy a little sunshine peeping through it, but when I feel its warmth no one enjoys it more or feels more thankful, but a dark gloomy day always depresses me, yet I force myself into occupation, and work both mind and body at no merciful rate. I think this cold weather agrees with me, for I am better than when I wrote to you last, though even you cannot ‘prove’ that my statement as to the future was to a mauvais calcul’ – But we shall see, as things now are so will they go on, with one of the party – At 65, the Rubicon is passed, at 46 it begins to be in sight and that there is a risque you will not deny. However it is well to be ready for all things, and at all events so long as I am here the assurance of my unchanging regard shall not be wanting to your comfort’ –

Ann was better, but wanting to know if she would really pay our living and stable account and if we had better let all go on as it does, but offer Marian some advance. Ann began crying and said I seemed to think she caused all the expense, wished I had told her before, etc. etc.  I had put stable expenses including Carsland to be taken, and Frank and George’s wages etc. etc. at about (over rather than under the reality, I said) two hundred and fifty a year.  She said she thought I had reckoned fifty pounds per horse.  Yes, said I, but that did not include servants’ wages, etc.  I said calmly and gently everything that was kind and conciliatory, that if she paid five hundred a year her expenses would not exceed what she spent at Lidgate, that my father always kept me when I was here and I really had so much on my hands now I was at all I could do.  However, all I said and entreated, no answer could I get.  So I quietly came away.  I had at first of her paying for one manservant and I for one.  She said the excise would not allow that I must pay for two as they wore my livery. Oh, oh, thought I, she wants to sport her own livery.  I quietly said, but your livery is the same as mine.  She answered, but not the button.  I merely said the excise would not interfere.  The truth is,  she wants to take care of her money and to be important.  Nous verrons. Time will tell the event –

Had George near 1/2 hour till 9 1/4 – Told him to teach Frank to groom thoroughly well and to clean carriages, hinting to George, that if he would like to be in the house again (Yes! he would like it very much) I would take him back to his place the very first time there might be an opportunity –

Had written all but the first 4 1/2 lines of the last page and so far of this at 9 25/.., when went to my aunt and sat with her till 10 5/.. She had a sleepless painful night last night and did not get up till 5 p.m., but seemed and talked very cheerfully and well this evening –

Rainy day till between 11 and 12 and boisterous wind all the day – Higher towards night – But fair in the afternoon and evening.  F 47 1/2° now at 10 25/.. p.m.

Have been 1/4 hour looking into my old Edition of Withering’s Botany.

 

WYAS Finding Numbers SH:7/ML/E/18/0154 and SH:7/ML/E/18/0155