Thursday, January 23, 1840

1840

January

Thursday 23

8 3/4

1 1/4

Fine morning; Réaumur 11 3/4 on the console and Réaumur 12 1/4° at my bedhead at 9 a.m.  Breakfast at 10 10/.. to 11 –

Just sitting down to accounts of yesterday when Countess Alexandra Panin called and brought the Casserole.  Very nice – Talked of their own family affairs and Sophie etc. and never thought of paying her for the Casserole – Very nice – She staid till 12 – To meet us tonight at princess Annette Galitzine’s –

Ann still in the tearful way, I suppose at my being so long away yesterday and going to Princess Radzivill today – Countess Alexandra Panin would have helped me to buy tea etc. etc. but understood my having supposed trop grande dame – Her brother ætatis 34 and she years older –

Out at 12 40/..George not come – Took Gross – En passant, he told Larue to come at 7 this evening – Ill in bed – To send his man –

Then to Princess Radzivill – Not up; had had the rubbing woman so late –

sat talking to old Princess Ocouloff till one of Princess Radzivill’s physicians came a little order-bespattered man – Took my leave, promising to go at 1 p.m. tomorrow or ecrire un petit mot to say I could not go –

Home at 1 50/.. – Then out with Ann at 2 to Lion’s for blank book – He did not keep that sort of thing – Bought a little (6 sheets = 1/.) fine letter paper and a little box of French gum-wafers = 1/50 and returned home –

Put on my walking far boots and Ann and I walked from 2 3/4 for 1 10 hour, 3 turns, and home at 3 55/.. Ann having been in the dumps, we never spoke, and after taking off my things I found her lain down saying she had a bad headache! I ought to take less notice of all these tempers.  I will try, and in the long run she may leave me if she likes, but I am resolved not to pother about her more than I can help –

It strikes me (thought of it in walking), it will perhaps be best to go from here to Odessa – Countess Alexandra Panin said ‘Begin by Tiflis – There is a new road from there to the black Sea, and whoever has not seen it….’ has seen nothing or some such meaning – Perhaps this road would be seen to greater advantage from there to Odessa – Would it not be well to send for Dr. Lan to Ann and ask if the eaux of the Caucasus be of service to her?

          Le Comte Chernicheff appointed ambassador from St. Petersburg to London , late minister of war, and made Comte by the present Emperor –

          Mr. Salamirsky, beau fils de Mr. Boulgakoff that we met on Tuesday at the Oroussoffs’ – he has des usines –

Wrote the last 21 lines and copied out note of last night till now 4 55/.. –

Had George and his bride, a nice-looking little person, ætatis 23 – She said she could do all – He behaved very well when I offered the usual wages 35/. (from 30/. to 40/. per month so took the middle) per month and nouriture, or 65/. without nouriture, he said they wished to be together – and he made no objection – But she not saying anything, I bade them think about it till tomorrow – George to be here at 10, and let me know their answer.  In the meantime, I would make no inquiries – But if she agreed to what I had offered, and I then found the inquiries I should make satisfactorily answered, then . . . . . i.e., here the matter left off in uncertainty – Well it did do so; for, on my immediately after they were gone, asking Ann what she thought of her, she said she always thought it a plan not likely to answer !  But it mattered not what she thought, for I was sure to do my own way, or the way of others –

On my gently saying how anxious I always was to do her way, but impossible, for when she would not tell me I was obliged to do some way, she took up a newspaper.  I said we could not both leave things undecided.  It was a choice of evils.  Something must be done.  What would she recommend?  Not one word would she utter, spite of all my entreaties, so I left her and came to my table.  Dinner announced almost immediately.  I just said something must be done.  There was one decision still open, to return home.  How terrible.  This not speaking I cannot bear.  She did so to the people at Halifax.  The same game will not work with me.  I never can stand it long.  What a temper.

Dinner at 6 in 18 minutes ! Then till now, 6 35/.. , wrote the last 20 lines – Then had Larue after Ann till 7 1/2.

Then sat reading the St. James’ Chronicle of from 29 to 31 October –

Page 4 column 1. Lieutenant General Sir John Keane’s dispatch to Lord Aucland, announcing the taking of Ghuznee on the 22nd July by our army of the Indies – Queen’s regents there (13th light infantry – 4th light Dragoons and 16th Lancers – Major General Willshire commanded the 42nd Infantry division (Bombay army), Major General Sir Willoughby Cotton (the Bengal army) commanded the 1st Infantry division 16th and 48th regents etc. ?.  Brigadier Sale commanded the Queen’s 13th Infantry – Captain Thomson of the Bengal Engineers had the credit of blowing open the Cabool gate into Ghuznee – Brigadier Stevenson commanded the artillery – The place taken in 2 hours –

“It is not only that the Afghan nation, and, I understand, Asia generally have looked upon as impregnable; but it is in reality a place of great strength, both by nature and art……I was surprised to find a high rampart in good repair, build on a scarped mound about 35 feet high, flanked by numerous towers, and surrounded by a fausse brayze and a wet ditch, whilst the height of the citadel covered the interior from the commanding fire of the hills from the north, rendering it nugatory. In addition to this screen walls had been built before the gates, the ditch was filled with water and unfordable, and an outwork built on the right bank of the river so as to command the bed of it.’ Garrisoned by 3500 of the Elite of the Afghan Troops –

Our troops left Candahar May 27, 28, and 29 and 3 June, and arrived 16 July at Mokeer 4 days’ march from Guzhnee – 20th July the army was concentrated at Nanee 12 miles from Ghuznee – The afghans lost 500 killed and 300 prisoners – We had 191 men put hors de comfort – We had sent one expedition against Sandpore and another against Kurnaul (vide page 2, column 2.)

Dost Mahomed has fled towards Bamian, page 4, column 4. and vide page column 3, Urghundee 24 miles and Midan 36 miles from Cabool – Jellahabad seems to be not far from the Khyber pass? Shah Soojah-ool-Moolk seems to be now seated (by us) on the Afghan throne and Dost Mahomed done for –

Vide from 2 to 5 November Death of the Right honorable (page 3 column 3) John Sullivan (on Friday last – Friday 1 November ?) at his seat Hichings Lodge, near Colnbrook, in his 91st year – was a Commissioner of the Board of Control 30 years and retired from office on the formation of Lord Melbourne’s ministry with a pension –

Had just written so far and read through the 2 papers above referred to now at 12 25/.. –

Small snow flying about this morning about noon and afterwards but fair while we walked.  Réaumur -1° dehors at 8 a.m.  Réaumur 13 1/4° on my table and 12 1/4° on the console now at 12 25/.. tonight –

Read till 8 1/4 tonight after having Larue – Then dressed and off to Princess Annette Galitzine’s that is princess Michel Galitzine in the Tverskaia street at 8 50/.. – Countess Alexandra Panin there and her daughter and very soon after came the nice interesting widow, the princess of Tcherkask who had desired to make an acquaintance and asked us to tea tomorrow evening – Countess Alexandra Panin went away 1/2 hour before us – Agreeable evening –

Home at 10 – Tea – Ann has just come to wish me good night, but I kissed her without speaking.  Speak very civilly and as usual when necessary, but more since her silence of this evening about George’s wife – How terrible.

WYAS Finding Numbers SH:7/ML/E/23/0186 and SH:7/ML/E/23/0187