Cloudy till 12 ― fine after, but cooler.

I still take medicine, & don’t know when to leave it off.

Rose at 5. Penned out the V. Petraija drawings till 10. Letters from Fanny Coombe, & Edwd Clive.

At 11 went to Lever’s ― sate till 11.45. Home by 12, & dined.

At 2 carriage to Petraja, where ― (fortunately it was fine ―) I really did all that was required for Lady W.’s picture. And drove back again by 8.15.

What graceful & beautiful creatures all the village women are hereabouts! Even when not handsome, they have a gt. [charm] of [directness] of expression, & delicacy.

I have given up the 3 Monastery journey: the weather is not settled enough, & the jolting of the bad roads might upset me again. So I go to Lucca on Monday ― & alone to Leghorn to see Macbean ― returning to Lucca, to go to the Bagni, Pietra Santa, Saravezza,1 Massa, Carrara, Sarzana & Spezzia.

Sometimes ― something brings back the gentle voice & sweetness of Ann: oftener & oftener: & I seem to start on knowing at once that really I can never hear it more ――― at least here. ― Few ― none indeed ― know how hourly I have this enduring pain, yet hide it.

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

  1. Seravezza. [↩]