Sent letter to W.H. Hunt.

Rose earlier. Rain & dark. Cleared at 9, & I had 2 photograph portraits taken of myself. ― Looked over an Album of Bonaparte portraits. ― Macbeans.

Letter from W.H. Hunt: the picture finished. ― Wrote to him: ― that is the really finest composition of a MAN ― body & soul. ― I have ever met with.

My day went in buying various small things ― G. says ― “[] Αγιον Ορος.”1 ― & paying bills.

(Why are the little birds melancholy at sunrise? Because their little bills are all over dew? due?)

About 4½ I went to Cholmondeley’s ― & saw Nanna the Modelless: what wonderful hair! ― C.’s painting struck me as careful, but faint, yet, so unfinished I could not tell. Feebleness & care is a better mixture than boldness & contempt. ― Went to the K.s, & saw H. & poor Isabella, who is a little better. The Kennedys were there; & Miss K. said ― “the weather is so bad that Mr. Burgon has begun to day to pray for fine weather.”!

O Priests!

Afterwards, walked with Cholmondeley. 1860-05-012 ― “all about” ― & I was very merry: ― into & out of streets ―& sat by when he had his hair cut: ― afterwards, dined at the Φαλκώνε & returned by 9. ―

I do nothing in these days, but uprooting oneself takes it out of one, more or less.

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

  1. [] Mount Athos. [↩]
  2. Part of the page is surrounded by symbols like this one, evidently a monogram for Cholmondeley. In the posts to come this will be indicated by RC. [↩]