Edward Lear’s Diaries

Sent letter to Dickenson.

Slept always, & well!! ― & rose very late.

Nonostante,¹ cross ― & crosser that George had done no lessons, ― the fact in itself not vexatious, but his reason for so doing ― “mi c’entrava la testa, ch’era la Domenica, e stavo meglio far niente.”² ― as his best writing [evenings] had been ever Sundays ― this was absurd. Eyes bad, & could not work.

To Macbean’s but it was a fêsta:³ however I got some tin.

Returned, & worked very very little.

Mr. Parish came. Letter from V. Crake ―

And 6 papers ― sent from Dickenson, very obliging. ―

At 4½ or 5 called on P.W. ― & walked with him till 6½.

Dined alone.

And now to bed.

What a solitary, bad, foolish, unwholesome life!

[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]

1. Notwithstanding which. [↩]
2. It entered my head that it was a Sunday, and I was better off doing nothing. [↩]
3. Holiday. [↩]

Very clear & fine. ― Rose late.

Church. Burgon is intolerable ― Lazarus & Dives,¹ ˆ[arguing that it was certain we should have all our members ― vide “the tip of my tongue.”]
Calls on Miss Cushman, & Macbeans.

Walked with Jameson to Tor di Schiavi.

Dined at the Bertie Mathews: ― very pleasant. ―

[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]

1. Dives (the rich man who will be damned) and Lazarus (the poor man that is saved) were common figures in fifteenth- and sixteenth-century moralities and interludes. [↩]

I suspect the night was bad.

Gray, cold, damp day.

To Macbeans, after working at the small Palermo.

Worked again at the little brute till 4½.

Then walked with P. Williams till 6½.

Dined alone. ―

Ομιλ ισα με τον Γεοργιον, δια τα πραγματα του Κορφου. ―¹

X8

[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]

1. But I speak to Giorgio about the things of Corfu (GT). [↩]

X6

Cloudy all day, & after 3 wet.

Rose late. ―

Worked at small Palermo.

Cross, ill, & altogether odious.

To Macbean’s. ―

(Gave the porter 8 pauls ― he going away.)

Mr. & Mrs. Foster came, & I gave her a good little drawing of the Dead Sea ― much on account of her kind Aunt, & my recollection of her the year S.H. was married.

Worked on ―: ― ill & unhinged.

X7

Slept.

Rose & worked again till 5.

P. Williams came.

At 6 went to the Knights, & saw Helen & the Duchess. ― C. is gone to England.

Rain.

Dined alone. ― Read Bulwer’s life of Byron ― the best I have ever read: ― & thought a good deal on Annesley, & my old 1824 thoughts.

[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]

Wrote letter to F.L. Drew 50£ from Drummonds.

Rose later, i.e. 7½. ―

Gray, finish, cloudy day.

Worked at the Appian Way picture ― only going at 11 to Macbeans. J. Gibson called.

Again working to 5½ ― then calling on Newton, who was busy with his boox ― & forming himself naturally into Roman Consular life.

Home by 6½.

Dined alone. & read Adam Bede, the most singular book one has read since Mrs. Gaskells, & C. Brontë’s. ―

G. vexes me by saying, one … [Pangroti], Corfioti, has told him so & so, at the “Collegio.” ――― whereas I thought he had “no friends” ― (as Lady C. Smith said) in the paese.¹

[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]

1. Country. [↩]

Sent letters to Ann, & Spiro Kokali.

Aperiently very fine. Rejolved to go to V. Appia, for the details of one of my “20 pictures.” So, first Macbeans, & then, at 11½, to the Coliseum, where G. was waiting for me. ― Then we walked out of the P. Sebastiana, & to the ruin I had to draw, by wh. time clouds had riz, & it began to rain & hail cats & dogs. So we had to shelter in a half tomb. ― G. talking of his wife said, dispiacque a mia madre che fosse Parguinota, e non Suliota.¹ Their eldest brother was killed by the Turx at Prevera in 1846 aged 31. The Mother has never ceased to “rammentar”² the fact. ― The Mother is & has always been a strictest disciplinarian: “ne Io, ne Spiro abbiam toccate donne prima di sposar.”³ ― But Χριζὺς is to be less spoken of: ― he, tho’ living with the rest, spends time on dissolute vimin. ― It ceased to rain at 2 ― & I got what outline I wanted: ― then wandered all along by the quarries, (by far the most beautiful bits of Roman Environs,) to the hills above Grotto Egeria, & so on, by the lane to the S. Gio. L. road, ― & wearily to V. Condotti by 6 or 6¼. Had a dinner from Spillman’s. Not well all day.

3 letters ― Ann, who has seen Sarah: ― it is a great pleasure that these sisters have met again, tho’ I share but little in the matter. ― R. Fowler ― D. still in England. & F.L. whose letter is very kind & nice. But the wretched Bassæ is still unhoused: the V. Chancellor having declared he can’t accept it without a “Competent voucher.” ― So, one does not know if even it will be hung at all.

Which fully accounts for my being half asleep. ―

Reading Adam Bede.⁴

X5 ?

[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]

1. My mother was sorry she was a Parguinote and not a Suliot. [↩]
2. Remember. [↩]
3. Neither Spiro nor I ever touched a woman before getting married. [↩]
4. George Eliot’s first novel, published in 1859. [↩]

X4.

Truth is truth.

Gray fine cold day.

Suddenly, resolved to cover the 2nd canvass, & outlined (painfully,) a S. Sabbas, & worked at it till 12. Macbeans ― no papers.

Letters from Mrs. G. Clive ― as always, nice, & from Ann ―

Sarah has arrived! 7 years away! ― for it was in 1852 ― Feby ― that I went down to Gravesend to see her off.

Worked again till nearly 5 & very well.

Walked alone to ½ mile on the P. Pia road.

Dined alone. ― Wrote alone. Drew alone ― at Musters S. Sabbas. ―

All things are alone. ―

[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]

Sent letters to Gibbs, & A. Seymour.

Rose before 7 ― gray ― cleary ― finy.

G.’s lessons, how this diligent man, at 38 has learned to write & read!!!

Worked at the Janina Mosque.

At 12 went to Macbeans ―. ―

At 1 worked till 4 ― at the Jannina, & other paintings.

Then went to Newton, & walked with him to Storys, who, with us, went to the P. Pia road: we had a good deal of pleasant & “profane” conversation. S.’s account of the wood carving at Chartres ― (subject the M.ˇ[lous] conception,) was very amazing & amusing.

Newton is the most interesting fellow ― but his life here is sad to think of ― onward. He is 45.

Returned at 6½ dined alone.

Worked for 2 hours at Musters’s S. Sabbas.

[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]

Bright early ― but cold. Cough & cold prevented my going to church. Arranged studio for the remaining days. G.’s lessons ― good progress. ― Wrote to Gibbs ― A. Seymour, & Ann… At 3½ went to St. Peters, Cloudy ― cold: & then to Borghese Gardens ― very cold. ― Dressed, & at 6½ to Miss Cushmans. ― This dinner & evening was most extremely pleasant. Only Miss Stebbins & Miss C. were of the house: besides, ― R. Browning, C. Newton, ― Odo Russell. This last I thought as really good a specimen of modern Diplomat as possible, ― so kindly without shame, & so clear without sharpness. ― Browning was all fun ― pun ― foaming with spirit; ― his anecdote of Carlyle ― (wh. he hesitated ere giving,) ― how he & C. went to Boulogne, C. for the first time abroad: ― when, on seeing the first Crucifix ― C. calmly & feelingly said ― ――― “Ah! poor fellow! ― I thought we had done with him! ˆ[had had enough of him] Great mirth & roaring. Dinner especially good ― oysters & peaches from America. Champagne & all things very excellent, but all in perfect taste. Miss C. with her plain broad kindly heartedness & good strong common sense,  cultivated & refined taste, is assuredly a very [A.] N° 1 woman.

After dinner (“I don’t put down private anecdotes” said ――; ―― as there would be many) we had drawings ― & Φotograφs ― & the Fields came: & altogether the evening was splendidophoropherostiphongious.

But it poured with rain when I, & Newton, came out homeward. ― G. up, writing.

[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]

X3

Less cold at times ― yet very cold later. Rose late. Cough still bad. ―

Worked ill & restlessly at 2nd Cervara.

To Macbeans ― (for I get no papers now, & go there daily,) & back: & worked till 4. Maj.r Reynolds called. To P. Williams, with him to the Coliseum, & S.J. Laterano, & back. O! beggars! ―― & o! generally what a life is this of Rome! ― Poor George is at times vexed at getting no letters, tho’ he says ― Τὶ θὰ κάμε:¹ He is a truly good simple[-]hearted man, & it will be sad to me to lose him.

Dined alone. Worked at Church’s Damascus. ―

How little progress is made in my pictures! ―

[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]

1. Lear probably meant τι θα κάνουμε, “what shall we do?” according to Google Translator. [↩]