Letter from Ann. Sarah is coming. Mary going to Melbourne. Charles to Dunedin.

Then came the papers ― with Peace of Zurich.

Wrote to
Ann
Mrs. Empson
Mr. Potter
B. Hunt.
&
Mrs. Wagner
W. Scrivens
V. Crake
Mr. St. Quentin.

Tried to work, but all these things added to the loveliness of the day, & the passiveness arising from yesterdays bad ― make me incapable of painting. So I shall go up to Fairlight.

So I walked out ― how strangely cold!! ― Called at Wagners ― Crakes ― St. Quentins, ― & Wm. Legge of Ashtead. Old Townsend is married again! (To a Miss Kennedy.) ― Whereon I walked to Fairlight. Daddy Hunt & R.M. finishing their pictures. ― Daddy came away at 6. (The M.’s are truly & actiosly kind people.) R.M. partly ― I all the way to the Rail, where Daddy Hunt went on to London ― much as we did 7 years ago. Daddy’s story of the boy who had opened his letter ― & then had opened a second in wh. H. suspecting the first felony & foreboding the 2nd, had placed written all kinds of anathemas & [dodges] ― was immensely funny. ―

At home found letters from C.F. ― J.H.B. both extremely nice.

But it is awfully cold!!! ―

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