Saturday 30 July 1836
No kiss
Much rain in the night and raining till 8 or after but fine now and Fahrenheit 58 at 8 1/2
In the new cellar with Wood till breakfast at 9 1/4 had Turner just before and paid his 2 little bills
Out again about 10 1/4 with Wood and Jack sighting up and then setting end stone into the hill and then finishing out the lowmost line of rock – Matthew and Sam Booth and Richard and Benjamin at manure spreading till near 11 – then at the west-tower cellar stuff taking out and barrowing to below the cowhouse against the lime tree – John brought the lead cistern at 12
Came in at 12 1/2 – with Ann till 1 3/4
Robert Schofield and Joseph Sharpe spreading manure yesterday and this morning? all of it well done today
From 1 50/60 to after 5 wrote a 1/2 sheet full and 1 page and 1 end envelope to Lady Stuart de Rothesay – and 3 page and under the seal of 1/2 sheet to Lady Stuart – wrote with rapidity and ease (smallish and closeish) and never wrote better letter to the former? very much obliged for the trouble she had taken about my courier – from Galitzins note very satisfactory of the 3 Italians 1 German and from Galitzin’s Swiss, I inclined to the latter – ‘I want a man who will be useful and not too difficult to manage – more or less difficult all these people are, till they clearly understand who is to be master – may I ask you to do me a very great favour? I sigh over asking you to take so much trouble – but I hope that your journey may have an interest in it, and that you and dear Louisa may somehow benefit – will you look at the man? and if you would take him supposing you in want of such a servant, I am sure I should – and then he had best write and let me know what wages he asks, and if it will suit him to be engaged from the 1st of November’ – would not take the courier that was with Mrs Frankland Lewis after what Lady Gordon says of him – ‘tho’ perhaps it is possible that Lady Gordon might have been better served had she held the reins of government a little tighter?’ mention having had a proper sort of letter from a German of the name of Fischer now with the Duchess of St. Albans – will be at liberty in 6 weeks – his letter franked by the Duke of Buccleugh with whom he had travelled twice – perhaps he may be too great a man – mentioned to me by the Dover Wright’s hotel commissionaire Mr. Birmingham. ‘Alas! the want of a courier is not all. I am looking out for a Mrs. Barker – a widow (Mrs. Fowles) 10 Princes Street Cavendish Square, professes to know everything- asks 40 guineas a year, and lived last with a Mrs. Pulteney of 30 Grosvenor Place, and Northerwood Park Hants. If your admirable Mrs. Barker would see her, she would do me a great service, and I should be satisfied whether it was worthwhile to inquire Mrs Fowles’s character, or not. I am sure I have written you a very tiresome letter. My aunt seems to rally again. Poor dear Lady Stuart! I trust she does not suffer a tenth part as much. I long to set all in order, and shall be thankful to be able to arrange some plan for the winter. Could you take rest, and could Louisa withstand the admiration and gaieties of London for one Semestre divided as you please between Rome and Naples? – you would be pleased with Rotterdam, and comfortable at the Hotel du Pays Bas, and might see all that is worth seeing of Holland, and the Rhine Scenery, without being bankrupt in time or money – the Scotch travellers will be delighted with their tour. But I own the charm of ‘something more uncommon’ will Louis Philippe reign 5 years longer? Is it possible that we may see a deputation from Paris offer the crown to the Duc de Bordeaux at Gratz? would there be anything more extraordinary in this, than in the glories of the trois jours? Adieu dear Lady Stuart, and believe me always very truly yours A Lister’
Wrote on one of the ends ‘Perhaps you will be so good as allow Mrs. Barker to let Mrs. Fowles know at what hour she had best call to be looked at, and questioned as to her abilities in cookery and confectionery – the Swiss lived with a Mrs Letitia Stuart who travelled about to see her royal friends at 17 Courts – Lady Stuart de R- Rothesay did not mean to draw any parallel between us – I amused –‘I do not aspire to parallelism. Immersed amid them the old walls, and hid amid the high hills and dark shades of Shibden, the sun of royalty can hardly shine on me’
My letter to Lady Stuart the same in substance – selfish to grieve she had returned to her beautiful Lodge – or should have asked to look at the Swiss, and to have adviced me about Mrs. Fowles – my aunt better – persuaded the dampness of an atmosphere not good for her. She would go abroad again but impossible to move her – think I shall not be kept here much beyond Christmas – no objection to engage a courier from the 1st of November. Shall be delighted to see Lady Stuart – count upon see Vere in passing.
Mr. Husband came about 5 1/2 about the Hipperholme quarry – told him to see Mrs. Wadsworth’s steward Mr. Matthew Naylor and ask him if he thought I might venture to begin getting the stone – Booth says Richard and Benjamin not fit for getting stone – Booth and Mr. Husband to manage the business better
Then – out till 6 1/2 – then sealed and put into the bag my letters to ‘the Lady Stuart de Rothesay’ and to the honorable Lady Stuart under cover and to Lord Stuart de Rothesay – 4 Carlton House Terrace London wrote also and sent letter to Mrs. Fowles (note) to say I had received her letter last night and written to a friend in London respecting her before determining to apply to Mrs. Pulteney – to ‘Mrs. Fowles 10 Princes Street Cavendish Square London Postage Paid’
Dinner at 7 5/60 – coffee – Ann and I out in the walk, from 8 40/60 for 40 minutes – then Ann did her French – 20 minutes with my aunt till 10 5/60 – then read ye paper and upstairs wrote all but the 1st 7 lines of today till 11 35/60
Some heavyish showers during the morning and till about 2 – afterwards fine – Fahrenheit 48 now at 11 35/60 p.m.
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