Wednesday, August 1, 1821

1821

August

Wednesday 1

8 1/2

1 3/4

M- [Mariana] sent over one of the labourer’s wives with her writing box for me (She gave it me the other day) with a black silk handkerchief and a note – Also a white net habit shirt – An unfavourable account of Mr. C. L [Charles Lawton] – they go to Buxton next week –

Wrote 3 pages (the 1st. page and half crypt) to Mariana and sent them by the woman, who waited an hour –

Steph went to Stone before dinner, not to return till tomorrow –

In the morning and evening, read aloud to Harriet (all but the 50 or 60 last pages) from page 258 to 453, end of Volume 1, Galiffe, and then read, partly to myself and partly aloud, 85 pages, volume 2. Galiffe –

I like the work exceedingly and think his remarks on the origin of Rome, and his derivation of the Latin language from Russian very ingenious –

Late in the evening, Harriet and I got talking about disposition and rather bordering on sentimentality – Mr. Bagshaw was a literary, gentlemanly, highminded man, quite above all his family.  If Harriet had not married before four and twenty, she thinks she would not have married at all.  She was once warm but not now.  I ventured to doubt that she knew herself and said that perhaps I knew her better than anyone else did, to which she consented.  I felt we were on tender ground.  She thinks Steph has not warm feeling, but is rather cold.  I see they might have been better suited.  I don’t believe he is an ardent husband, nor might he have chosen Harriet if she had had less money.  I could please her better – She thinks not well informed in history – I think she liked me tonight.  Mr. Bagshaw was a good Grecian.  Used to instruct and read to her every evening.  Query, does she sometimes make comparisons in his favour –

Rainy day, till between 4, and 5. p.m.  Fair afterwards, though thick clouds hanging around –

Came upstairs at 11 20/60 – wrote out the journals of Monday, Tuesday, and today –

Marginal note: Vide Galiffe Volume 2, page 204, incidental mention of a coincidence between the Neapolitan dialect and the Russian language.

 

WYAS Finding Number SH:7/ML/E/5/0048