Wednesday, March 17,1830

1830

March

Wednesday 17

7

12 25/..

Fahrenheit 46° at 7 1/2 a.m..  Finish morning – Streets rather wet –

At my desk at 8 10/.. Reading first 50 lines, Satire 2, Juvenal – Then dozing – How is it I am so perpetually sleepy?  Is my little study too small, too close? or (which I think is the case) does my hair want cutting – The turn up and the comb too heavy –

Breakfast at 9 25/.. in 25 minutes –

M. Julliart came at 9 50/.. Staid till 1 35/.. – Brought his case of trepanning instruments – Had brought up from the kitchen the bone of a leg of mutton, which we trepanned –

Then speaking of écrouelles (Scrofula) cest l’état étiolé des hommes, said I after listening to his description – yes! Exactly that. 

Then spoke of the case of my aunt Lister – The shortening of 1 thigh – Shewed me how there was luxation (and then the condyle was slipt behind the socket, so as to be shortened 2 or 3 inches –

Then unluckily got on the subject of politics – I standing up for bonne foi for governments as well as individuals – He for finesse in governments – The French government too often the dupe of the English government – Had been lately so in the war with Spain and in Greece now – 

His politics I cannot endure – Told him that when all France thought as he did, we must of necessity have war – Surely this is the last time that we shall ever talk politics – Surely come what may, I will not have this subject any more – But in spite of all he said, I never felt cooler in my life, and said to myself as I quietly posed him a little now and then, Well! I am learning something – learning how to be cool in argument – to say little myself and let my adversary run on till he himself is made in some sort to confute himself –

Wrote all but the 1st 3 lines of today – Raining when Mr. J- Julliart came and still raining a little now at 1 55/.. – Dressed –

Out at 2 1/2 – Drove to the embassy – Lady Stuart de Rothesay not at home, gone out – Left my card – Lady Vavasour out – left my card –

Then went to the Halls’ – Captain and Mrs. Hall in the street – Came to the carriage door to speak to me – Shook hands with  them – they said Miss Hall was at home – went up and sat 3/4 hour with her – She stays to see her nieces (the little Harveys) for the time and goes to Mrs. Bray’s school, No. 66 rue de Chaillot, where the children are to be placed – Captain and Mrs. H- Hall are to leave Paris on Saturday, week of 27th –

It does not seem that Captain and Mrs. Hall have got much French society after all – He does not like Paris – Never was so little made of here, and it would seem feels himself not scientific enough for the savans here – This elicited by my remark that one might be very clever at home, but coming here, soon find the all one thought oneself to know, very little  –

Miss Hall asked me to take her to see the gravures at the bibliothèque du roi – On learning that she went about with Captain and Mrs. Hall, said I would not think of her till she was at Mrs. Bray’s –

Speaking of Lady Scott Douglas’s going to Cuvier’s (she had brought a letter, but must wait, said the Halls, for an invitation), said I should go on Saturday – Miss Hall begged I would speak to Lady Scott Douglas if she was there – Their house is close to Floors, the duke of Roxburghe’s at Kelso –

Then drove to Madame Galvani’s – Got there at 4 – Would not return till 4 1/2 –

Drove to Bechet’s, No. 4 place de l’École de Médecine –staid there some time.  Lamarck’s and Decandolle’s Flore de France, 6 very large thick octavo volumes, Paris 1815, published at 45/.  Would let me have them at 42/., making the accustomed abatement.  Then came down to 40/. – Would  let me have a copy that was cut, but quite clean for 38/. – Richerand’s 2 octavo volumes Physiology for 11/., Paris, 1825,  and bought Magendie’s 2 octavo volumes Physiology, Paris 1825 (published at 15/.) for 13/. –

Then went back to Madame Galvani’s.  There at 4 40/.. – she came in just after my arrival – Sat talking till very near 6 –

Home at 6 1/4 – M. de Noé mal à la cour i.e. had no interest there – Prince Polignac put Mr. de  Noé’s oldest son’s name down for some post, and the king himself struck it off the list.  Mr. de Noé has prostitues on credit in behalf of persons who had no claim and has thus lost all influence.  This accounts for Miss de Noé telling me the other day her father – did not like to apply to Madame Gontant (duchesse de – gouvernante to Mademoiselle de Berri) for permission to see Bagatelle, for, now she had no need of him, she was shy, though courted him enough when he could do anything for her –

I do not believe either that they are half particular enough about society.  I was right, no French ladies would visit Catalani save those who eat her bread, and there are many whom she literally keeps.  Mrs. Catalani an excellent person – So charitable – So good to her compatriotes, and to all –

Home at 6 1/4 – Dressed – Dinner at 6 35/.. – Read the paper – Came to my room at 8 1/2 – Wrote the last 25 1/2 lines – Coffee at 9 25/.. –

Came to my room at 10 1/2 p.m., at which hour, Fahrenheit51° – Damp, rainy sort of day – damp but fair and mild now at 10 1/2 p.m. –

From 10 3/4 to 11 40/.. reading the preface and first 10 pages, Volume 1, Magendie’s Physiology and studying his tables at the end of this volume 1 – I see Magendie will interest me exceedingly – ’Tis just the book for me –

WYAS Finding Number SH:7/ML/E/13/0013