Rose at 6 ― grayish fine till 5 or 6 P.M. when al solito ― rain. ― Worked at colouring penned drawings. ― “Painted up” skies of the 2 Nuneham views. At 1.30 Archibald & Mrs. Peel came: A.P. was always a nice fellow. ― Afterwards, Jameson ― who wants me to do another small picture.

Heard of C.A. Knight being here ― & at 5 (― coming back again with Augustus Egg,) went to find him: ― out: then to Foords ― & home in a cab.

At 7 W.F. Beadons ― no one else. ― Evening quiet & pleasant, & I hope he seems better. Later he told one or two of his exquisitely funny magisterial “experiences” ― only his imitations are they lost. Once, a very respectable looking woman came for a summons against a neighbor for abuse. How ― & what &c. &c.? ― O! She could not tell! too bad! &c. &c. ― “Then ― there could be no summer-time valuable &c. &c. ― So ― after much difficulty, she came out with great force ― “Sir! she called me the most appropriate names ― W­­―― & b――h ―” Whereon the court roared & she rushed out. ― 2nd case ― Woman ˇ[cook] came to sear child to young footman ― serious Chaplain family. “Much religious preface ― backsliding &c. seductive unprincipled man &c. &c. too much for her at last sat. ―

Footman stands hands hanging down ― speechless. Housemaid witness afainst him ― constant attention ― &c. pious life &c. &c. ――― Have you anything to say? ――――― Footman brushes up & attitudes ―― “Well Sir, do you think that once against the stump of a tree on Clapham Corner could have got a child out of such an old creature as that?” ―――― Magistrate. “Possibly: ― so I must &c. &c.” Moral. Clapham Piety &c. &c.

What I hear of Catherine Vaughan & even of A.P. Stanley is terrible.

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