Entries from Anne Lister's Journals

Very fine sunny morning Fahrenheit 61 1/4 now at 12 10/60 Just after breakfast having had Drawing master with Mr. de Richter about 9 1/2 - the former brought 4 pieces the Emperor and a female figure 1/2 lengths large miniatures in frames, and a fruit piece and flower ditto same size - 10/- a lesson - the style not at all what we want - civilly explained this - took leave of our artist and gave up the thought of looking for another drawing master here Mr. de Richter was to have prepared a botanical lesson for us on the Cryptogamia, but had been prevented and begged to pass the hour in conversation - talked over the voyage de Siberia - mademoiselle could not supporter la froid - we ought to partir in March with the dernier trainage pour se rendre à Barnaoule for botany - no difference between European and Asiatic botany till Bernaoule and here begins the flora of the Altai mountains and Asia - at Irkoutsk, of course, still greater difference here the flora is quite different from that of

Fine sunny morning - Mr. de Richter at 9 25/60 to 10 3/4 - chiefly conversation - he mentioned a drawing master - to bring him with him tomorrow morning Count Goudovich marés- -chal de la noblesse here - il est élu (elected) to this post which makes him rank high - next I should suppose to the governor - property here divided equally among all the sons, the widow taking 1/7 and this seventh suffices also for the widow and for the daughter if she has one - if more daughters is this seventh still all that the law accords? - one can have a good house here for 3,000/- per annum - Prince Serge Galitzia very rich - the richest noble here? no? that must be Sheremetieff? merchants here, who wear their beards, who have des millions - millions of roubles per annum - 30,000/- a good income - +5,000/- given by the emperor + governor's salary + palace of a house and probably various other allowances Breakfast at 10 3/4 to 11 40/60 and wrote the above of today till now 11 55/60 Then had Count Pa

Small snowy morning Fahrenheit 60 1/2 on my table at 8 3/4 a.m.  Dawdling over 1 thing or other looking for boots in boot box &c. &c. dressed - breakfast at 9 10/60 to 9 50/60 out about 10 1/4 Chez Sichler, and Ledebourg, and lastly _ _ _ _ for a coiffure for today Back about 12 1/2 expecting Mr. Marc at one - and the Princess Radzivill at 2 - tried on her Greek douliette - busy over 1 thing or other - message - sorry - she is too poorly to leave her room today - no Mr. Marc till now 2 1/2 - wrote note to leave with Gross to be given to him (Mr Marc) if he comes this evening while we are away Dressed - had the coiffeur who coiffed Ann very and put on my sort of cap with 2 marabous very well - It was 4, or a few minutes past, taking my watch at 16 minutes too late, before we were off - 2 or 3 or 4 minutes in arriving - everybody arrived - I fear it must have been nearly 4 1/2 by their clock when we arrived for it seemed that my watch was 25 minutes instead of ten en retard Princ

Fine but dull morning Fahrenheit 59 3/4 on my table now at 8 57/60 and then had Grotza till 9 25/60 = 28 minutes therefore dressing = 1 23/60 hour! too much by 23 minutes - at the grammar in Reiff's dictionary till breakfast at 9 40/60 to 10 35/60 = 55 minutes at breakfast! times like distances are long here Letter from Mr. Parker dated 21 October containing copy of Booth's manquée, of 10 August - Just read the letter over with Ann before breakfast and talked it over afterwards doing little else till now 12 50/60 Had a man about an hour ago with silks, Maikoff - sent by the princess Radzivill, - Persiennes at 2/50 l'aschine, and 5/50 for sarsinets narrowish = 20 archines for a dress - and white satins, also made about 20 versts from Moscow, at 15/- per archine - the man said 15 archines of satin for a dress - as princess Radzivill said last night cannot go to a fête in black or grey - (mourning and 1/2 ditto) - must go in colours - the 1st. balle des nobles here will be 6 D

Fine morning - a little more snow in the night? Mr. de Richter from 9 3/4 to 10 50/60 - to begin with him in botany on Saturday - breakfast at 11 5/60 Professor Fischer called at 11 20/60 and staid near an hour 55 minutes very agreeable - told us he had read in the Moscow paper that Prince Albert of Saxe Coburg is in London - to marry our queen and that parliament is about to be applied to - gave an interesting account of the campaign of 1812 - a balloon sent up as said to reconnoitre the scenery - but in reality to fire the city with congreve rockets &c. - it would seem that the Russians set fire to the town? - an interesting account too, at his (Fischer's) reception as Deputy for Mayarba? by Napoleon when 1st. consul - unfitness of Chaptal for his place as minister, for foreign affairs? After Fischer went finished breakfast in 20 minutes and Ann read her 10 pages of Karamsin - then wrote all but the 1st. line and 1/2 of today till now 12 50/60 then had Mr. Thal - then Mr. Cam

Fine but dullish morning Fahrenheit 61 1/2 now at 9 20/60 on my table lay awake this morning in bed looking into Russian grammar rubbing left great toe this the worst but the other too shewing symptoms of enlargement of the great joint for the last six months or more Breakfast at 10 1/4 to 11 5/60 - then 5 minutes talking to Ann who says vocabulary and read generally 10 pages volume 1 Karamsin's History of Russia translated into French - Looking over Journal of June last just before leaving home on the 10th of that month, in order to write home (Ann and myself) and talking to Ann till now 2 50/60 Time to go out if we go at all - Ann sadly low how difficult for me to know what to do she promises to exert herself she has promised hundreds of times before Out at 3 5/60 - at the boulevard (Tverskoi) the as usual - there in 2 1/2 minutes - took 4 turns in 1 12/60 hour and then in 20 minutes drove round the boulevard, opposite direction to that we went in yesterday, to the Rue du Pont de

More snow in the night? apparently a little more on the roofs - fine but dull morning Fahrenheit 62 1/2 now at 9 1/2 on my table and Reaumur +1 = about Fahrenheit 34 1/2 At English Russian grammar till breakfast at 9 3/4 to 10 40/60 At church in 5 minutes 3 minutes before 11 - waited 10 minutes - Mr. Camidge preached 1/2 hour from 1 Philippians 3 to 6 - goodish sermon - just returned home and put on our cloaks and then to the boulevard to walk - Ann and I took 4 turns from 12 57/60 to 1 14/60 - I then to a turn by myself in 6 minutes - then along the 2 other boulevards down to the Kremlin and home at 2 Dressed for dinner and wrote the last 5 lines till now 3 40/60 - the Countess Alexandra Panin had called just after we went out to walk - at 3 40/60 had the Russian girl 52 minutes till 4 32/60 and then Ann had her - at Russian grammar till dinner at 6 in about 3/4 hour Mrs Howard came up just before to say the Princess Radziville would be glad to make our acquaintance and as she was an

But went to Ann for quarter hour Very fine sunny morning Fahrenheit 61 1/2 now at 9 1/2 a.m. wrote note to 'à monsieur le baron Bode &c. &c. &c.' complimens et le prie de vouloir bien m'accordance une permission de voir la grande salle de palais des Tzars, et les tableaux paints par Cannalettè - breakfast at 9 3/4 Then had the fur merchant who brought a tailor with him who could not stay here to do the cloak-lining but wanted to take the cloaks home - therefore sent for another man who came himself for a little while and sent 3 girls - of whom sent away one and kept 2 who with Grotza are doing what is wanted paid the man 470/- i.e. 210/- for Ann's Siberian fox cloak lining and mine and 50/- for the 2 collars - then had Mrs. Howard for some time - then talking to Ann respecting money matters - she thought we had spent more than we really have Had just written so far at 1 40/60 - beautiful sunny day - out at a minute or 2 before 2 - alighted at the boulevard a

Fine winter's morning dullish Fahrenheit 62 1/2 at 7 3/4 on my table and the same now at 8 50/60 Read till 9 1/2 when Mr. de Richter came 1st time and staid till near 11 - many apologies fearing he should not be capable of teaching me - fearing I should lose my time - I reassured him - Begin with Dialogue 1 page 96 Heard's Russian Grammar - only did the 2 first sentences and of these the verbs свезц transporter моzу pouvoir bzлм prendre looking for them in the dictionary and grammar and talking over the irregularities, and the insufficiency of my English grammar and the want of order of my French one - Heard wrong (page 212) in saying that all monosyllabical verbs, including 8 that he names, are irregular - De Richter to inquire for a Russian grammar that is more clear The Polish M.D. Mr. Fischer's son-in-law is professor of chemistry at the university Mr. Fischer retraite (pension) 1500/- per annum - very liberal on the part of the emperor De Richter to come at 9 a.m. ever

Very fine morning - arborescence (frost) on the windows - wrote the last 11 lines of last page and so far of this Fahrenheit 61 3/4 now at 9 10/60 and breakfast till 9 55/60 - Read and made some little notes from the 1st 18 pages Voyage dans l'Oural par Kupffer till 11 Out at about 11 35/60 or 11 1/2 - had had a measuring of cloaks &c. &c. respecting which should be the one to be lined with the fur - called on Madame Fischer - received - 50 minutes there from 11 50/60 to 12 40/60 - very civil - gave as a general invitation for Sunday evenings - the calling here from 12 to 2 - I saw that they would rather call here in the morning than in the evening therefore said we did not in general go out before 12 - talked about going to Siberia in January or to Orenberg and Astracan as might be better - Mr. Fischer brought out maps, and read book bound up with an almanac - 2300 + versts to Tobolsk 1700 versts to Ekaterinberg - Mr. Fischer asked age and our de naissance and to write our

Fine morning Fahrenheit 66 1/2 at 9 1/4 a.m. all ready for being off and breakfast at 9 3/4 - afterwards at accounts till now 10 3/4 Ann and I out at 11 - just peeped in the church of St. Dominic neat small good modern style church, arcaded - style of St. Paul's London, - then to the musée d' histoire naturelle - nothing particular but among the 'Silicium' 2 quartz hyalin crystals tournés en tire-bouchon - about 7 inches long - a solid corkscrew so regular, could scarce believe the man who persisted in it they were natural - the grasshoppers (Sauterelles) merely hopped about - made no noise - Les cigales made the noise (a sort of beetle with large wings?) - the musée several rooms d'histoire naturelle above The musée des antiquité below it - one room then at the latter 1/2 hour till 12 1/4 - nothing very particular - old Roman cippi in abundance and bits of frieze and cornices, corinthian, - one cippus with little conical column in the middle of the little pediment

Heavy rain at 7 55/60 for 1/4 hour Fahrenheit 66 1/2 at 8 1/2 a.m. Looking at post map - breakfast at 9 3/4 - heavy rain between 10 and 11 again - nice light carriage (sort of Calêche) closed and I and our valet de Place Pierre out at 11 40/60 - to the Post Office got 5 or 6 Galignani's Messengers - then to the bank, bank of Bordeaux by mistake, began to rain again - then to chez Guetrier banquer et négociant, 1 of the 1st. wine merchants here, and get Letter from Messrs. Hammersleys and Co. enclosing £250 in circulars and letter of credit for £500 - the power of attorney of no use because only one witness! - yet Mr. Parker had it all his own way! Ann had letter from her sister - cashed circular no. 1072 = £50 exchange at 25/40 = franc 1270 - Monsieur Guetrier very civil - asked for small - with difficulty gave me 30 francs worth - and find one must go to a money Changer for small money as well as gold At the bank 1/2 hour till 12 1/2 - then to the Bourse - centre part an oblong ab

Rained all and very rainy morning Fahrenheit 66 at 7 1/2 a.m. - breakfast at 8 3/4 Still rain and off in the rain from the Hotel de France, quite an auberge but good eating and good beds and good sort of people and civil servants, Barberzieux at 9 1/2 - not one peep of the old castle we sketched with so much pleasure in 1830 - too dark to see it last night - turned into a barrack 2 or 3 years ago - Barberzieux as we drove off in the rain this morning seemed a poor little place, but in a fine well wooded country - corn, and Indian ditto, and vines, and potatoes - have seen very little wheat - the best, and some good, on the high ground just out of Barberzieux and fine as before, Spanish chestnut trees parkwise Reignac, little church little village - overheard the maitre de poste observe of my carriage 'Il y a bien peu de berlines à present' - I do not remember to have seen one on the road all the way from Paris - Changed horses in 3 minutes, and off again at 10 3/4 at which time

Fine morning Fahrenheit 67 3/4 at 7 a.m. Ann up before 6 - went to sketch the church till after 9 - breakfast about 9 1/4 down stairs in the nice salle à manger - quite alone - our 2 rooms open into each other here au 1er. - very comfortable - but would rath[er] be farther out of Ann's hearing but she is in her best way this morning Ann off again to Sketch the church at 10 1/2 and from 10 35/60 to 1 I wrote out the latter 1/2 of Monday the whole of yesterday and so far of today - had just inked over a little of accounts when Ann returned - had made a very nice little sketch of the church - best she has done so far Off from Ruffec at 1 1/2 - our postillon à la basque, with his blue berret and crimson sash and shirt sleeves - (1st time) - rather hilly - charming drive to Nègres, single house - horses standing ready at the door - off in minutes - 1st time of being so quick since our landing this time on the continent - charming wooded country - hedges here and there - Ann thinks it li

Fine morning Fahrenheit 67 1/2 - our Hotel de France very good - the best we have been at yet since Paris Off from Poitiers at 7 5/60 - thro' narrow but better streets then last right, and pretty level - passed the grille barrier gate at 7 10/60 - fine extensive plane all around Poitiers - one might very-well make headquarters à l'hotel de France à Poitiers for a week or 10 days, if one had so much time at disposal - (good morning à Ruffec, 27 June 1838) and see the old Roman aqueduct 1/4 lieue South près d'une maison nominée l'Armitage - and at 1/4 de lieue North Pierre levée monument celtique - and 1 lieue distance between old abbey of Noaillé and village of Beauvoir le Champ de Maupertuis où se donna la bataille de Maupertuis ou de Poitiers 1356 at which John King of France was taken prisoner - another Pierre levée near the village of Bellefaye sur l'ancien chemin de Poitiers à Mirebeau - See also at 8 lieue from Poitiers Montmorillon, and curious mass of old mas

Fair but rain threatening morning Fahrenheit 58 1/2 at 5 40/60 off from Tours at 6 1/2 - at 6 3/4 cross the Cher good stone bridge good river - Montbazon, 1 street poor little town - nothing there like an Inn - Sorigny a farm house and 1 or 2 little cottages - from there to Ste. Maure hilly, fine country - stopt à la Poste at 9 12/60 - no Inn - I had been asleep or should have seen this - the horses put to again, and drove to the other end of the Faubourg to the Cheval Blanc at 9 20/60 A neat looking small hotel or auberge where we found ourselves très bien - Marshal Soult and his wife here 3 weeks last Xmas - he taken ill in the night, erisipelas in his face - he had sent them a great many people - the woman of the house talkative and civil - her husband faisait la cuisine when it was worthwhile - for the marshal, and would for us if we staid there, had learnt at Tours he was renommé for his cooking - we had excellent café and milk and butter just made very, good - not quite ready whe

Very fine morning up at 6 40/60 for 20 minutes then went to bed again till 7 25/60 - Fahrenheit 69 and very fine morning at 8 1/2 - writing out journal till breakfast at 10 Josephine went to mass - Ann and I said prayers, at 11 had George up, in 1/2 hour - then left Ann to write in the salon, and I came to my room, and wrote till 5 having written up my journal down to 3/4 of Friday - dinner at 5 to 6 Ann and I out at 6 1/2 to see the cathedral - sauntered thro' the old church , the nave still fine and perfect, now the hotel de St Julien, and thence direct to the cathedral looked about us a little and just got into the cathedral before the rain and thunder and lightning came - in the cathedral from 7 to 8 - several people taking shelter there besides ourselves - the lightning illuminated the church - very heavy rain - abated a little and came home in 10 minutes during this rather abated rain and did not get wet - (parasols and shawls kept the wet off) - had hardly got in before the

Fine morning Fahrenheit 67 1/2 at 7 1/2 a.m. wrote till breakfast at 9 25/60 and out at 11 to 1 1/4 Took the servants with us to see the old Chateau, now a barrack - the 28th. regiment there - the woman concierge shewed us over the Chateau - the old spiral Louis 12 and Francis first staircases - the room where the States General met - the little spiral staircase where the duke of Guise was assassinated - could not shew us the Oubliettes - some rubbish had lately fallen and choked up the entrance - shewed us Catherine de Medici's observatory from which a fine view - reornamented poutres in the time of Francis the 1st. - was squared to 18 inches - the joists was squared to 6 or 8 inches the interstices being = to the breadth of the joist - enormous projecting chimney pieces the chimney being set off from the chimney or mantel-piece - we had not been able to learn anything at the hotels of the aqueduct a work of the Romans - but the woman at the chateau said it was near the church of