Thursday, May 7, 1829

1829

May

Thursday 7

5 35/60

1 3/4

Breakfast in 10 minutes –

Off at 6 3/4 and got to the lecture room (Jardin des Plantes) in 50 minutes – just in time, our clocks being 5 minutes too soon – The lecture began at 7 1/2 and lasted till 8 40/60 by the lecture room clock – Repetition of yesterday’s lecture, or of the principal heads of it, because many persons today not there on Tuesday – Then proceeded to explain the tige or stem, and we got no farther –

Walked about – Shewed George the fiacre stand in the street behind the musée d’histoire naturelle, and looked at the beans till 9 10/60 –

Then to the chemical – M. Laugier 5 minutes later than the time.  Did not begin till 9 20/60 by the lecture room clock, and over at 10 3/4 – Though nearer than on Tuesday, still behind and could not hear well – Well I had his cours de chimie générale leçon 8, or I should have been little better for his lecturing – Must contrive to get quite near to him on Saturday –

In returning, went to Bachelier’s, and got the annuaire almanac of this year – Asked what botanical work to get as a help to M. Desfontaine’s lectures – to get Éléments de Botanique par F. V. Mérat, sixième edition, 1829, chez Crochard Cloître Saint-Benoît No. 16, and rue de Sorbonne, No. 3 – Went there and got the book, 1 volume, pages 408, price 4 francs, small octavo –

Then went straight along the quays over the Pont Royal through the gardens to No. 4, rue de Ponthieu.  A premier – Captain Collier has not much room for himself, his wife, 4 or 5 children. Wonder how they can have managed – Small, pottering place – Not half big enough for us – 1400 francs a year, and no coachhouse –

Went to No. 12, same street – Narrow stair case and little doors, and small rooms, but plenty of them and pretty enough looking on a garden, a seconde, 1400 francs but 1800 francs with coachhouse and stable – Too great an addition of rent on this account –

Got to Mrs. Barlow’s at 1 1/4 – saw Madame Galvani there just before coming away, and asked her to look at the apartment au seconde, No. 11 rue Saint Florentin, and asked her to come to me every Thursday at 3 1/2 – She is to have Miss Hobart at 1 1/2 on Thursdays and I know not how much after – She only spoke 5 words to Madame Galvani and 3 of them were wrong –

Had before sat in Mrs. Barlow’s room with my head on her knee while she picked out a heap of grey hairs.  Jane was there till Mrs. Galvani came.

Got home at 3 1/4 – Sent off George to pay Madame Hautcœur’s bill and Madame DeCante’s, which came this morning while I was out – Then wrote the first 12 1/2 lines Journal of today –

At 4 1/2 Miss Hobart stopt the carriage and sent up to speak to George!  

Wrote the following to ‘Mr. Hinton, Publisher, Warwick Square’

“Paris. Thursday 7 May 1829.

Sir –

After my seeing you, and speaking to you on the subject about three weeks ago in London, I trust, I need not fear your not being good as remember to send me your sketch of Shibden hall, near Halifax, in Yorkshire, before giving it to the engraver –

I shall write by this post to my bookseller at Halifax, to desire him to order the future numbers of my quarto copy of your Yorkshire to be forwarded to Mr. Sowerby, bookseller, Regent Street – Will you be good enough to direct to me, Mrs. Lister, Place Neuve de la Madeleine No. 2, Paris.

I am, sir, etc. etc.

A Lister’ –

Then wrote the following note to ‘Miss Hobart’ –

‘Dear Miss Hobart,

I am sorry George happened to be out of the way when you wanted to speak to him – I therefore hasten to send him, and shall desire him to wait, that you may have an opportunity of seeing him, or not –

Will you be so good as take charge of my letter to Sibbella, and, also, of that to Mr. Hinton, the publisher –

My best thanks for ‘the cream of your anecdotes’ – They are excellent; and I shall certainly keep them as they are – Any interference of mine, as to hand-writing, would be worse than putting old wine into new bottles –

Never mind about the money – It is really of no consequence –

No! Not ‘extraordinary’ that I had not one glimpse of you on the 30th – You are nearsighted, and I, though never liking to own myself so, cannot, without using my glass, recognise anyone anywhere, at even a short distance, particularly in a ballroom –

I have often thought of your journal, and, when rather vapourish, would give worlds for it –

I have sent you the Eau de Cologne which you promised should be your remedy – I only hope you have had no need of it –

Ever very truly yours

AL–’

‘2 Place Neuve de la Madeleine Thursday 7 May 1829’ –

At 5 40/60 sent off George with the above to Miss Hobart in an envelope with my letter to ‘Miss Maclean of Coll, 17 Duke Street, Portland Place’ and my letter (vide line 4 from the bottom last page) to Mr. Hinton –

Mrs. and Miss Barlow were with  my aunt – Went in to them and staid talking till 6 1/2 –

George brought back a little note from Miss Hobart, and one of the bottles of Eau de Cologne

‘Dear Miss Lister,

A thousand thanks for the Eau de Cologne. I will not rob you of more than one bottle, which was what you promised me, and I send by George the sac, that you may not be tied down to come on Saturday if you are better employed.  I have a master at 1/2 past one that day, so come up with me after church on Sunday if you prefer it – Pray do – I will send your letters, tomorrow is the day.

Ever yours truly,

V Hobart’

George also brought up a packet that Miss Hobart had left at the porter’s (the portière had, according to orders a day or 2 ago, said I was not at home), having written in pencil on the outside ‘I do not dare leave the bag, dear Miss Lister.  Will you come and see me Saturday before one?  Tomorrow I am engaged’ In this packet was a little note dated ‘Paris 6th of May’

‘My dear Miss Lister,

 Here comes at last with many apologies my tardy liquidation. Totally forgetting the size and weight of French money, I had furnished myself with what I thought a genteel conveyance for the sum, but which is very inadequate to the purpose for which it was intended, but pray take the will for the deed, and the deed for the will, and the pocketbook for both, and for my sake – and believe me

Most truly yours,

V Hobart’

The pocketbook en ivoire, Souvenir written on the back in steel points – This is prettily done – Surely she did not see me at the ball, or if she did, what a finished worldling she must be.  Yet if she did not see me, she is more nearsighted than I fancied.  Perhaps I have been too touchy and suspicious of her, but I have kept it well to myself –

Dinner at 6 1/2 – Talking about going to Shibden, and, at all rates, parting with Cameron, my aunt convinced she is not at all the person I want – She and George behave much better, but she is too low a person – McDonald would not have noticed, had she met her anywhere –

Came to my room at 8 1/4 – Nap on my sofa –

Coffee at 9 1/4 – Again talk of my aunt’s going to Shibden – She fixes to go – Marian to have the kitchen chamber done up for her – To offer fifty a year for my aunt and twenty five for every servant and a pound a week for myself when there,

I to travel with the honourable Frances Mackenzie? Want blood and rank more than money.  She has three or four hundred a year.  Would rather have her than Miss Prevost with a thousand or Miss Wynn of Norstall with three thousand.  If none of these can be made to suit me, will quietly go with Miss Barlow and Jane.

Came to my room at 10 35/60 – Wrote notes of today – Cut open Merat’s Éléments de Botanique – Then taking up the School for Scandal, could not resist translating a little into French for Madame Galvani on Thursday, and sat up doing it, unable as it were, to leave it –

Very fine day –

WYAS Finding Numbers SH:7/ML/E/12/0017 and SH:7/ML/E/12/0018