Entries from Anne Lister's Journals

No kiss Read prayers to Ann and had written the last 11 lines of last night at 8 20/60 a.m. at which hour F53 1/2 and fine but cold morning – the sun just out Went down to Charles Howarth at 8 20/60 – pulling up the wrong railing – had to reset it there round the top corner of the cidevant paddock – then with Wood + 3 at the pool they had made a road for the Northgate cart-way along the embankment where Robert had thrown up the soil to the top of the wall and destroyed the cart-way Breakfast at 9 1/2 in about an hour - gave Ann the 1st. volume of Echard’s Roman History to begin to read it and said 10 pages a day. She said her French as of late very common while I finish my breakfast Out again about 10 1/2 – sent Wood + 3 to Whiskum quarry to get stone – my own cart and the whole afternoon 4 loads, and then four Northgate soil carts each one time brought the stone down this afternoon – Samuel Booth and Jack Green digging out phaeton house cellar in the morning at the quarry in the after...

No kiss or washing  Ready in an hour Fahrenheit 54 at 8 3/4 and dull windy morning – it rained at 7 1/2 – fair about 8 – breakfast at 9 to 10. George asked me last night for a prayer book and small bible! – told him this morning that the bible was wanted before he gave warning – he begged pardon but assured me that it was after – very well! said I then I will not be less good than my word – you shall have a small bible and at the same time gave him 1 of Ann’s Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge small prayerbooks with their old verses of psalms in it. Said he had asked me last night if he might stay till he had got a place and I had said yes! – I must now explain that I meant for a reasonable time but he was not to remain here after I was gone – not to be here when I was away – I would give him till the 20th of next month and pay him wages till then but would not pay him any wages from any time not afterwards – the sooner he got a place the better – he might go any day if he c...

No kiss washing after cousin Ready in 55 minutes Fahrenheit 57 1/2 at 8 1/4 and the sun out – a little driving rain till 10 minutes or 1/4 hour ago – highish wind – out for 8 1/4 to 10 with Wood x 2, Richard and Benjamin, at the pool – took Sam Booth and Jack Green from puddling about the cave to sink the phaeton house for cellar and Frank to cart the stuff away to fill up about the cave Breakfast at 10 in about 3/4 hour. Took Ann out top pool but she soon went in again – I stayed with Wood and co till their dinner at 12 then sauntering and looking about and considering at the pool, 1/2 hour then with Ann 1/4 hour and took her out into the walk for 1/2 hour From then 1 1/4 to 5 50/60 kept Wood x 2 hard at work setting stone and puddling. Then sauntered about considering till came in at 6 1/4 Dinner at 6 1/2 – coffee – Dr Abraham Jubb came to the aunt for above 1/2 hour and then sat 1 5/60 hours with Ann and me till 9. Ann and I sat talking a little – then with my aunt at 9 1/2 to after...

No kiss washing after pretty much cousin yet Ready in 55 minutes – drizzling rainy morning F55 at 8 55/60 at which hour went out. Sam Booth and Jack Green and John Frier puddling about the cave and archway – and sighting and backing up with the few loads of scale from Listerwick wheel race brought yesterday. Robert Mann away – with Joseph Mann – measuring at Walker pit, Wood x 2, Richard and Benjamin had just got the stone down brought yesterday to the pool lodge. Stayed with them till 10 1/4 setting a couple of stones and ordering about the pool – left them to puddle up Breakfast at 10 20/60 to 11 going out but it rained smartishly. Much cousin locked myself in my study Ann would think me out changed my cousin paper From 11 1/4 to 2 1/4 wrote out all but the first 8 lines of Monday and the whole of Tuesday Wednesday Thursday and so far of today – began to rain heavily about 11 20/60 and continued almost without abatement till 2 when 2 or 3 flashes of lightning and as many peals of thu...

4 1/2 to 6 Elizabethpol to Kuraktchaiskii Redu           19 6 1/4 to 7 28/60 Kuraktchaiskii Redu to Kurulutchaiskii 20 the ferry over the Kour 13 versts from Post Tchemaklinskii 7 55/60 to 11 20/60 Kurulutchaiskii to Post Tchemaklinskii 33 1/7 11 53/60 to 1 20/60 Post Tchemaklinskii to Aranskii 18 1 35/60 to 3 12/60 Aranskii to Turiantchaiskoi           17 4 3/4 to 6 1/4 Turiantchaiskoi to Goktchaiskoi           21 6 3/4 to 8 50/60 Goktchaiskoi to Karamariamskoi           17                                         145 1/7 Reaumur 14 1/2 at 3 a.m. could not sleep for heat and fleas - these arched earth-covered rooms very close - 2 little windows about 24 x 18 inches pierce 2 or 3 feet thick walls (ours a co...

7 25/60 to 9 1/4 Astaphrinski Ridu           } versts      to Gassaiskii           } 12      cross the Astapha river 9 1/2 to 10 3/4 Gassaiskii to Prireska Taus 16 1/2 11 13/60 to 12 54/60 to Prireska Dzeagash 15 1/2 1 1/2 to 3 20/60 Prireska Dzeagash to Shasporsiais 28 1/2 4 5/60 to 6 25/60 Shasporsiaia to Elizabethpol 25 1/2                               98 Up when we ought to have been off - but George never calls us - had forgot his watch! lies to the last minute and we awake when we can Breakfast - our rice as at Tiflis - very fairly good room and good station house on an eminence as usual - fine views of the mountains and the 2 headed giant Kasbek peering above the rest towards the eastern extremity of the range in sight Off at 7 25/60 - Ann and I and George and...

9 35/60 to 12 50/60 Tiflis to Kodi.                          (25) 1 40/60 to 4 5/60 K- Kodi to Mutchanesh         (27) 4 3/4 to 6 27/60 M- Mutchanesh to Saiatchesi (22) 7 to 9 10/60 S- Saiatchesi to Astaphrinskii         (21)                                            95 Very fine morning Reaumur 12 1/2 at 6 1/2 - breakfast at 7 35/60 - to 8 1/4 with pother of letters again &c. had to write in Russian the name of each English person on each letter - not off till 9 35/60 Never tire of the picture of Tiflis, tho' there is not a tree to be seen except at and in the gardens about the town, all nearly in full leaf - stop at the Cossack barrack just out of the town, and take an escort of 4 well appointed soldiers like Cossacks -...

Very fine morning Reaumur 12 1/2 at 7 1/2 a.m. breakfast at 9 - I had put on my pelisse - took it off again - starved in it without the white upper petticoat underneath it is at home put on my merinos - breakfast soon over At accounts &c. till now 11 25/60 George not come in with the passports - till now 3 25/60 wrote my letter (6 line) to Mr. Parker at top of page 3 of Ann's letter to Mr. Adam and copied it - and wrote out accounts and long settling long talk with the master of the house to prove 30 days (from Sunday 12 April) not including today - count by nights - and to prove that 30 days at 2 1/2 = 75/- silver and that 24 wax lights at 1 abasse or 20 silver Kopecs + 1 abasse over = 5/- silver and that having paid 100/- assignat in account and in giving 5/- assignat now = 30/- + 50/- = 80/- silver he wanted 32 days - then said the agreement was made in assignats = 10/- per day - no! he came into my reckoning at last and agreed to take charge of all we left behind - he said ...

Rain in the night and the Place dirty this morning dampish foggy morning even till now 11 1/4 (breakfast at 9 55/60) the mountains quite covered Then copied into business letterbook the character given on leaving Moscow to Grotza, and that given to Gross at Astracan, and my letter from here to Mr. Marc - and then had Mademoiselle Kotzebue and then madame Latchinoff till 2 5/60 She had translated into French above 1/2 her account of her journey to Erivan and brought it and read it to me - prettily written - praised it very much - she will let me have the whole on Saturday night to take with me - and will leave for me (chez le General Braïko) her compilation of a sort of modern history or what of this country - she is writing a larger work, an historical work but in the form of a Roman - I questioned her as to why she did not take a higher line of authorship - she dreaded criticism - nothing to fear for a Roman, if her style and manner easy and good, it was all that would be required - s...

Fine morning beautifully clear - the short line of haycocky snowy mountains never so distinct - Kasbek one point of just seen from our windows peeping above the hills to the extreme right (north east) - Reaumur 11 1/2 now at 6 1/2 a.m. we really go to bed soon and get up soon - ready at 7 50/60 - sat down to write - dressed - breakfast over at 10 10/60 Then finished my letter to Countess Alexandra Panin then had Mr. Tolstoy for a few minutes - he was gone before 11 10/60 - note this morning just before breakfast from Madame Latchinoff - did not open it till I had written out the note written just before getting into bed last night - then added a P.S. - all this done by 11 1/4 - her note very civil begging me to correct the passage (at the end nearly) purporting that a battalion of Russian infantry was slaughtered at Etchmiadzin at the moment of watering their horses - wrote 'au moment ou le bataillon se desalteraient à une source, ayant mis bas les armes' - concluding with ...

Windy but finish morning Reaumur 11 3/ now at 8 55/60 a.m. breakfast Captain Tolstoy till 11 55/60 - (Mr. Chevostoff for a few minutes about passport about 11 1/4) when at 11 55/60, Madame Galovin's carriage (chariot and 4 horses) came to take us to make our p.p.c. [pour prendre congé] calls Off at 12 1/4 Ann and I for the 1st. time without our fur cloaks - to the Kotzebue's madame and mademoiselle the general's sister - mentioned my present idea of going to Baku and back and then to Koutaïs and then being ready for Mr. Obuvian and Ararat - but would let him know on our return - then to the Braikos - admitted - the general himself good man, and madame to her 2 daughters - very civil - then to Madame Vassilikofski - not at home - left cards - to the dames Georgiennes all at home - Madame Griboudief and Princess Dadian at the piano - pressed the latter to sing - she very shy and afraid but did sing a Russian with Georgian words by her father (prince Tchevchivadsoff) translate...

Finish morning Reaumur 10 1/4 at 10 a.m. about before breakfast at 10 1/4 to 11 Then had Mr. Besoc and then Captain Tolstoy who staid after Mr. Besoc and till after 1 I had just turned all my things out of my bag to begin packing before they came all the rest of the day packing and putting away my papers &c. (to be left behind) in the top of my Moscow portmanteau and put my own dresses and Ann's in the portmanteau to be left behind - about 8 went down to see about the Kibitka packing - tis now 9 and we have not dined or had tea Madame Latchinoff sent the translation of her voyage to Erivan by 10 this morning (before breakfast) - It seems, after all, that Mr. Tolstoy (not captain - only Lieutenant as yet) likes between reading them that of light travels &c. &c. his favourite work Mignard's French Revolution 4 volumes octavo and likes Hume & Gibbon & Robertson - the Black Sea said Besoc and Tolstoy very stormy from 1 September to 1 May - short hay-cocky waves ...

Fine warm morning Reaumur +2 = Fahrenheit 36 1/2 outside and Fahrenheit 66 on my bedroom table now at 9 40?/60 and breakfast from 9 40/60 in about 3/4 hour - then had the Russian girl 10 minutes - then Mrs. Howard and the shawl man till Mr. Camidge came about 11 1/2 and staid 2 hours Ann and I stood (and sat) and stood talking out at 3 1/4 she thinks Princess Radzivill deos [sic] not wish for us so often To the Kremlin palace - the upper walk full of snow - then walked 1/2 hour in the gardens at the foot of the walls - then took 2 turns on the Tverskoi boulevard and came in at 4 1/2 Reading Lord Royston - dressed - dinner at 6 - off at 7 to the to the young Countess Panin - drank tea with her - nobody but ourselves At 9 1/2 went down to the old Countess Panin - 1st visit - one Lady and the Governing General and several gentries there - the old Countess the gentries soon made 2 tables the governor general at one whist, and the old Lady at one Boston - the Countess and the Lady and Ann a...

Fine morning Fahrenheit 66 on my bedroom table at 9 3/4 and breakfast at 9 50/60 to 10 1/2 - then looking into Reiff's Russian Dictionary till 11 5/60 Out Ann and I to the boulevard and walked from 11 1/2 (she and I) 1 25/60 hour 9 or 10 half-turns, as far the great café à droite en descendant, the rest of the walk not being scraped and sanded - nice fine morning Reaumur -4 = about Fahrenheit 23 Then left our cards and inquiries chez la Comtesse Goudovich - between - gone out to make visits - then to a great Armenian shawl merchant - saw shawls, cachemire, from 1200/- to 4000/- and tomorrow might see some at 8000/- - cheaper, and better?, in London - saw a real Persian shawl-like stuff, of our Turkish douliettes are an imitation made here, at 10/- and 15/- per archine - very beautiful - repented having paid 5/50 per archine for our stuff - and thought to take out the linings for the real stuff, and line our imitations with something worse for ordinary wear - all these shawls &c...

Small snowy morning Fahrenheit 64 1/2 in my bedroom at 9 40/60 and breakfast at that hour to 10 - then cut open Russian (Reiff's) Dictionaries and looking into them till 11 1/2 Out at 11 3/4 and drove to make our 1st visit to Princess Barbe Orousoff - there in 20 minutes and sat with her near 25 minutes - she shewed us Chinese silks, and a white worked muslin dress 250/- and a couple of feather tippets - and one fur ditto she had to sell for somebody or other - was disappointed we said we could not make purchases - no room - difficulties at the custom houses - she then said we would take tickets for her lottery, and gave us four numbers 20, 23, 24, 27. 'Collier de Stras, boucles d'oreilles, et bague' - at 2/50 - therefore paid a 10/- pink note, and came away - she was sitting in a small hot room encumbered with screens, and with her the young Russian girl who dined with us yesterday and an elderly woman, and an English woman seeming like a respected upper nurse, who sai...

Incurred a cross last night thinking of Mariana Small snow falling Fahrenheit 63 on my bedroom table now at 9 1/2 - then had Grotza - breakfast at 10 At church a few minutes before 11? or, at least, waited about 10 minutes - Mr. Camidge preached 37 minutes from Isiah LXiii. 9. read the 5th. Sunday after the Epiphany and the 12th. day of the month Much snow fell last night and continues falling, small snow, today - all the day - at home at 1 5/60 - It occurred to me last night to give the old Prince Ourousoff today (his birthday) the little square box of lighters Jones's I brought from London - wrote on 1/4 sheet note Mrs. Lister and Miss Walker enclosed this little note with the little wish many happy returns of the day dark green morocco-covered box with to the Prince Orousoff -           lighters and pincers - from Jones, - Да сохранить вась Богь 'London Thursday 28 August 1834' as Moscow. Sunday 12/24 November 1839 writ...

Fine morning Fahrenheit 62 1/2 on my bedroom table at 9 5/60 breakfast at 9 1/4 And about 9 1/2 Mr. de Richter came and brought Ann the 19 nos. of Demidoff's work on South Russia for which paid him 15/- to pay Urbin - could not yet take anything for the 6 lessons he had given 3 Russian to me and 3 botanical to Ann and me - he proposed my subscribing, instead of giving to him, the money to the horticultural society here and becoming a member and having a diploma - to pay (subscribe) 100/- per annum - I fought off this on account of the difficulty of paying annual subscriptions - he mentioned a young Russian student who if he had not other views, would be at liberty the end of May next and might suit us as a compagnon de voyage - a natural history student æt 20 - speaks well French and English and a little German - I said he had best bring him here without saying anything to commit either party d'avance - Mr. de Richter staid till 10 3/4 I then finished breakfast and wrote the ab...

Fine morning Fahrenheit 57 1/2 on the table in my bedroom at 9 1/4 - breakfast Over before Mr. de Richter came at 9 55/60 - had brought nothing for botany - was obliged to go to the university - merely came to converse a little - and having brought the dictionary yesterday to be paid and to have our answer about the man servant - I said the latter would not suit us as he could neither speak English nor French - paid him 25/- for the dictionary and gave him back the 2 volumes belonging to the university - and asked him to get us the Voyage dans la Russie Meridionale by Demidoff and Co. - this he said was very cheap - only -/46 per number - he will perhaps bring the work tomorrow - and then we will give him back the university copy - It was evident he wished to back out of the botanical lessons - the Russian lessons have been done with a week or 2 ago - I said much obliged &c. &c. - could not possibly allow him to have so wasted his time for nothing - oh! no! he would not hear of...

Slept very comfortably - fine morning Fahrenheit 59 1/2 on my table (in my bedroom) at 9 1/2 a.m. - breakfast in about an hour Out (Ann staid at home) at 10 42/60 - at the boulevard in 3 minutes - walked slowly to avoid heating myself as yesterday - took 5 turns in 1 1/2 hour - measured the length of the walk by counting the low rails along the side - and think the length cannot fall many yards short of 1/2 an English mile - home in 3 minutes at 12 18/60 Mr. Camidge here - changed my dress as usual and came into the room at 12 1/2 and he staid till 2 1/2 having been (said Ann) 1/2 hour or at least 20 minutes before my coming in - he ended by asking the temperature of our rooms, Fahrenheit 62 1/2 = about R- Reaumur 13 1/4 he being quite starved - very civil - will send more newspapers, and perhaps a Quarterly Review - mentioned Mr. Evans again - apparently a clever, odd man - is tutor to General Michel Orloff's son - but has probably saved a competence - has a brother in some situat...

Fine frosty morning Fahrenheit 59 3/4 on my table at 10 1/2 and Reaumur -7 = Fahrenheit 16 1/2 - breakfast at 10 1/2 to 11 1/2 Had Mrs. Howard - and had a young man recommended thro' Mr. Alexandre de Richter by le Docteur Renard as valet de chambre - nice looking young man, but could not speak a word of French or English, said he spoke German and Italian, therefore dismissed him at once Out about 12 1/2 - walked 1 18/60 and took 5 turns and came in quite warm (à la nage) dressed - looking over map (Williams) of Germany - idea this morning of returning to St. Petersburg thence by Dorpat to Berlin and thro' Germany to Paris for the purpose of going home for a little making good arrangements as to travelling servants and pursuing our Russian travels - think of taking back Joseph Booth and keeping the Russian gir l - then till now 3 1/2 wrote the last 8 lines Mr. Camidge called while I was out and said he would call again - then at writing to Mariana stupid and  dressed till dinner...

Ann's cousin came tonight Ready in an hour and quarter fine morning Fahrenheit 61 1/2 on my table at 9 a.m., and Reaumur -7? difficult to see - and breakfast Mr. de Richter came at 9 1/2 quarter hour before we had before I had finished - he staid till 11 1/2 - Began with les véritables fougères - filices - and we ran thro' the plates of the volume of the Dictionnaire des Sciences Naturelles, Paris chez F. G. Levrault, rue de la Harpe no number 81. 1816 - 1829 - 60 volumes de texte + 12 ditto de planches, Les cryptogames - algaes, lichen, and mosses Poor Ann in tears again she cannot understand and can neither learn herself nor in fact let me learn the idea of her and my learning anything together is too absurd oh that I could be a little more to myself both of us would gain by it it is terrible I cannot be let stir without her I have not a moment to call really my own nor can I buy a book or a chiffon without her this cannot last Tis now 12 - out to the boulevard - walked 1 1/4...

Fine morning Fahrenheit 63 1/2 on my table now at 10 a.m. and Reamur -7 = Fahrenheit 16 1/2 breakfast till 11 Parcel from Monsieur le Professeur Fischer - very civil note with a printed copy of one of his Odes of Horace ad Postumum, ii. 14, and a manuscript copy (copied by himself) of his ode, ii. 10, Rectius vives, Licine and 2 compositions (German words) 'Der Abschied' and 'Gluck und Lieb' printed - and 4 little specimens of 'de la calaite ou turquoise brute, rares, de Visapour en Perse' and a Daguère picture to look, Singularly clever man - savant, aimable, bon enfant - ces cadeau de sa part me fait grand plaisir - ce serait des souvenirs des plus agréables de mon séjour à Moscou - Le génie du professeur - La beauté, - les graces de la belle Princesse Radzivill ............ had just written the above at 11 1/2 Out - to the boulevard - walked from 12 1/2 to 1 3/4 - Ann took 2 turns with me in 37 minutes and afterwards took 3 turns more - the Princess Radzivill...