W. SANDBACH

Fine & cold. Letters from Lady Waldegrave, & E.T. ― ―

On the whole the past month has been in some ways an improvement. ― Breakfast with E. who is so odd, that not one time I half thought he was going to shirk paying the rest. ― Afterwards he said, “110£” ― & asked where to pay it. But he is beyond compare the queerest man I ever had to do with. Then about the hanging of the pictures!! ― what a fuss. ― And then he talked ½ an hour ― advice not to trust ― what I gained or lost &c. &c.: much more I chose to bear rather than quarrel. ― He went, & I wrote: & soon came in dear little Mrs. Ferrier. From her I learned how great a brute E. is to his wife & all: ― & I have no doubt worse than mere tyranny. Poor people! ― Then I walked with Mrs. F. to see their new house ―: what natural & perfect manners, & good taste! ― After lunch, I left the poor dear kind Mrs. E. ― & Mrs. F. chose, little beauty, to see me as far as the W. Sandbachs. A more distinctly charming creature one don’t [sic] see. ――

― At the Cottage ― where I well remembered the round rooms, was a nephew of Mrs. W.S. & soon, W.S. & we walked out to call on the widow, ― Mrs. S.S. ― & so a longer walk till 6½. Then, returning, we found the 2nd Mrs. S. ―― alas! Margaret S.!! ―― & I shewed the Palestine drawings ― Mrs. W.S. also there ― always good & hearty. Later, came in H.J.S. much altered ― a beard, ― fatter, ― & an impress of being linked to less mind. Tinneys & Parkers also. ― Dinner pleasant, W.S. always lively. ― Afterwards, I shewed drawings again ― not pleasantly, for foolish questions. “Do the ˇ[celebrated] Cedars of Lebanon grow close to Jerusalem?” ― & “What religion are the Arabs? ―” are really painful questions to endure. ― Gilbert S. also & Mrs. S.J.S. ― G.S. ― about the best & most intelligent of the audience, for even H.S. said of Jaffa, ― “is the sea quite close [under] to the walls of Jerusalem?” ―― Mrs. S. (N°. 2) I thought a sad sad falling off from N°. 1 ― alas! ― W.S. said he would subscribe to the Bassæ ― but I half repent I asked H.S. ― So I came to bed at 11. ― & to morrow I have to hang the pictures ― & to get to Derby by dinner! ―― & not see dear old Miss Hornby, which vexes me.

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