Friday 22 July 1836
No kiss
Fair but dull and Fahrenheit 60 at 9 10/60 at which hour breakfast – wrote out before breakfast the last 39 lines of yesterday – breakfast at 9 20/60.
Sent off George with my letters written last night – will be in London at 7 a.m. tomorrow by the new mail, to ‘the honorable Lady Stuart’ to ‘the Lady Stuart de Rothesay’ and to ‘Lady Gordon 34 Herford Street’ should have been Lady Duff Gordon vide last night.
Ann did her French – we set out at 10 10/60 to the Conery – left Ann with Matty to try to make puff-paste – made a gooseberry tart, Matty having bought butter that the experiment might not be known at home. I with Wood + 4 at the cave-embankment the Northgate carts today and Mark Hepworth partly with Wood and Company till Ann’s return about 11 1/2 then walked with her in the garden till after 12.
Some gentle rain all the while till about 12 10/60 when we came in from the heavy rain which lasted till about 1 1/2 – sat till then with Ann in the blue room hearing her read chapter 3 volume 1 Echard’s Rome then wrote the above of today
And from about 1 3/4 to 3 wrote 3 pages and ends to Mariana Lawton, - thanks for her letter received last night – sorry to hear she had been such a sufferer from inflammation of the Trachea – have felt a tendency to it myself – have only kept it off by great care – wearing a piece of flannel and 2 double silk handkerchiefs round my throat all the winter, and a smaller piece of flannel and 1 double silk handkerchief now – tell Mariana change of air will do her good -Wisbaden or similar little place – she may go there early, and take her sister Ann not be ruined – has only to write to the secretary of the Rotterdam Steam packet office Hull to inquire the times of starting prices &c. &c. and desire a proper passport and to be forwarded to Wisbaden. Say what I can on the subject of the Sweatenhams spending next winter in Paris or Versailles – the latter perhaps 1/3 or 1/2 cheaper house rent and housekeeping – the court not there – the sort of difference this makes is intelligible – the Elite of society in Paris as in London fastidious the same credentials required in both places – connexions, rank, wealth, or beauty – or talent if agreeable and if it be of right sort that mixes well with fashionable life. I had as soon hope to prescribe successfully for hydrophobia as for to get into society. Know nothing of masters – Madame Galvarin has for sometime been above the necessity of teaching. Not certain that she is in Paris. Living at an hotel as Mariana knows is not the cheapest or commonest place for a family. Should advise going to Paris in good time – to get a stock of wood, wine, &c. – to go in October as early in the month as convenient – ask Mariana to write again to Mrs Bull for cook-housekeeper, housemaid, footman and married gardener – give Ann’s Kind regards and say we shall be thankful to have as soon as possible: the ‘good sort of body’ Mariana recommends and who can stay till April (going afterwards to Mrs Crewe) if Mrs Bull does not provide us before that time – mention George going – say we have just returned that we cannot get off from here much before Christmas but assign no reason
Ann copied my letter while I out at 3 till 6 20/60 at the Low fish pond with Wood sodding and puddling about the cave – the flat face-stone and the 2 lumpy stones put up this morning so as to finish the bit of rock-work about the cistern – in the walk – at the Cave again till came in at 6 20/30
Wrote and sent tonight my letter to Mrs Thompson, opposite the George hotel, Coney Street York Postage Paid and sent off my letter to ‘Mrs Lawton Lawtonhall, Lawton Cheshire’
Dinner at 6 3/4 – coffee – sat talking to Ann parcel for Messrs Parker and Adam containing copy of William Ferguson’s will and letter for Mr Netherwood and copy of his account with Mrs Ferguson and claiming payment of interest as usual – short note from Mr Adam merely an invoice of the contents of the parcel – read the will as I sat with my aunt from 9 to 10 - £1200 left to the older daughter Mary and £800 to the younger Ellen – the older recommended to pay funeral and just debts – let her settle with Mr Netherwood I had nothing to do with him – wrote rough draft of note to Messrs Parker and Adam to this effect, to go tomorrow
Till 10 35/60 in the drawing room, wrote all but the first 10 1/2 lines of today – fair but dull till about 11 a.m. afterwards all the rest of the day and evening perpetual showers very heavy rain from about 12 10/60 to 1 1/2 – Fahrenheit 48 and fair at 11 10/60 p.m. after having written note to Mr Gibb inclosing £20 for my aunt and Ann and myself, having written note to Messrs Parker and Adam both notes to go by John Booth in the morning.
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