Saturday 23 March 1839

Damp and driving rain and wind

Read from 7 3/4 to 9 and made notes from page 263 to 293 - Fahrenheit 45 inside and 47 outside at 9 a.m. and driving rain still - then read and made notes to page 301 and breakfast at 9 20/60

Ann had Benjamin Fletcher of Hill Top about the 2 flashes - she had before asked him £24 (11 Day Work and some perches) - he offered £20 I being with Ann this morning said I should be glad of Ann's agreeing with him - he was tenant already - we should rather have him than any of the applicants - I had prevailed upon Ann to say £22 - Fletcher said he could not go beyond £20 and talked about the land being poor - the water being to draw - I said the fields could not be so very poor - they were always pastured - very well to have water there at all - only 6 yards deep - and both fields opening upon the high road - Could not Fletcher give twenty guineas - no! perhaps Ann would think about it - or after thinking about it for a month might take £20 - no! said I, she had better keep them as they are (in her own hands) than that - observed that Fletcher was in a hurry - he was right to offer his price at once - Miss Walker had done all she could, and we wished him good morning and came away - there being an end of Fletcher - but tho' he said he could do with only one of the fields, I think he had some thought that his price maybe taken?

At my desk at 10 - wrote all but the 2 first lines of today - then read and made notes

Ann came for a moment about 11 Samuel Washington had called with paper from Houley as to poor law guardians - contested election -  Ann of her own opinion and mine declined voting (she has 5 votes) or having anything to do with it

She afterwards came to me soon after 1 for about an hour and rode off to Cliff hill about 2 1/2 in spite of the driving rain and wet wild afternoon

Then at my book again till 4 1/2 (except about 1/4 hour with Robert the joiner from 4 to 4 1/4) and read and many notes from page 301 to 404 end of volume iii. Wilkinson a very learned valuable and interesting work

Ann returned and I went out with her at 4 50/60 and walked 40 minutes with her in front of the house

Then went to Listerwick - the engine man Holt and Joseph Mann just trying the engine - at 5 3/4 it was going one pump going but the drum as was supposed wants alteration and some alteration wanted to the engine appurtenances on the Engine house

Home at 6 1/2 - dressed dinner at 7 5/60 - Ann read French - coffee - read Mitford's Greece first 20 pages volume 1 quarto and Ann read aloud a little of Lord Lindsays Holyland &c. came upstairs at 11

Rainy wild day till about three p.m. and afterwards fair - Fahrenheit 45 1/2 inside and 41 1/2 outside at 11 10/60 p.m.

WYAS: SH:7/ML/E/23/0007

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