Friday, March 12, 1830

1830

March

Friday 12

7 5/..

12

At my desk at 8 5/.. – Fahrenheit 51° at 8 3/4 a.m., just after having written the whole of the above of this page – then wrote page 3 the ends and under the seal and finished my letter to Mariana, and wrote 1/2 sheet letter  to Miss MacLean –

Breakfast at 11 40/.. in 20 minutes –

Told Mariana of having written to Miss MacKenzie (Seaforth) by the Vicomte de Noé, a civil letter of regret at not being at home when she was in Paris last October –

My 1/2 sheet to Miss MacLean to tell her to send my aunt’s gown to Esley’s Bookseller’s 69 New Bond Street.  Directed to Mrs. Lawton to wait her orders –

Desired Miss MacLean not to hurry off in March – would give her not only till the 15th next month but longer if necessary – Would do anything for her good – Bade her not trouble herself about scalpels and such sort of things; my aunt’s physician going to London in 3 or 4 weeks and he would manage this matter for me –

Had sent off a little note at 10 1/4 by George to ‘Mademoiselle de Noé’ to say I would call for her at 1 1/4 – Going to take Miss Poore to the Musée Charles X –

At 12 1/4, dressed – Off at 12 50/.. to the Poores’ and took up Miss Poore.  In passing, had put into the post office my letter to ‘Mrs. Lawton,16 South Parade, Leamington, Warwickshire, Angleterre’ (vide yesterday) –

Took up Mademoiselle de Noé – Drove to the Musée Charles X – 1 3/4 hour there – A rock crystal vase valued at 5000/. – The whole contents of the Musée Charles X valued at 9 millions of francs – Many Egyptian antiques and mummies and remains, vases, etc., etc. from Herculaneum and Pompeii – But could not make much of the catalogue – and nobody allowed to explain things – The musée not finished and would not be for 2 or 3 years to come –

Set down Mademoiselle de Noé at home, and went up and sat 10 minutes or 1/4 hour with Madame de Noé – Question about their going to Madame Catalani’s ball on Monday – I thought it could hardly be according to French etiquette to go –

Miss Poore and I drove off to Catalani’s, No. 49 rue de Clichy – Received – sat 20 minutes or more with Madame Catalani.  She asked us to her great ball on Monday – She said all the world wished and asked to go – She really had not room for all – Thought I, how is this?  She asked the de Noés through one of the young de Noés that she knows (the Vicomte?), and why do this if everybody was longing to go – Why fill her rooms in this sort of way? –

Wants to sell her hotel – Said how much it had cost her – Never mentioned her husband – Asked 300,000 francs or £12,000 for it – Very civil to us – I mentioned Lady Elizabeth Thackeray, which seemed to gain me much – She shewed us her receiving rooms –

Talked and laughed much, I laughed out of compliment, saying I had not laughed so much for long – She speaks broad Italian French and incorrect French, and I thought her not particularly dignified or bon ton – she talked of pride fierté being nonsense – Traveling wore all this away and made us all mix more together – On coming away, I said she was charmante and all that kind of thing – Miss Poore much pleased with her –

Both said we had an engagement for Monday, but would go if we could – I shall see if the de Noés go – I would rather not have called.  Nous verrons – Another time I will not carry my complaisance to people (did it on account of Miss Poore) so far –

Then drove to Montmartre – Stopped to admire the view – In returning, sent George to the Embassy with my letter in envelope to ‘Miss Maclean, 12 New Street, Dorset Square’, set down Miss Poore, and got home at 5 40/.. –

Miss P had said they did not like the Halls much, she disagreeable, he so pushing.  He is cousin to Lady Poore.  In fact, they are not people I see to do for, that is, suit me –

Dressed – Dinner at 6 1/4 – Read, partly aloud, the newspaper – Tired, as I always am of sight seeing, and slept after dinner.  My aunt read 1/2 hour –

Came to my room at 8 40/.. – wrote all but the 2 first lines of today, and coffee at 9 40/.. – Came to my room at 10 3/4, at which hour,  Fahrenheit 51 1/2° –

Damp, occasionally rather rainy day – rather hazy but tolerable view from Montmartre, merely observed that there was a slight cloud as if of coal smoke hanging over the tops of the houses –

Settling accounts etc. till 11 20/.. –

WYAS Finding Numbers SH:7/ML/E/13/0010 and SH:7/ML/E/13/0011