| Description | [Diary Transcription]
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January
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a fair sample price’ — my father, it seems, ‘got Washington’s opinion on the subject and he considered 5/6 , or
even 5/. per yard would be a fair price’ — what can Mitchell have been about, and Briggs so to be of his opinion
and even to fear we could not get even as much as his valuation! — Just looked at the paper — sat talking
to Madame de Rosny till 12 40/60 — then changed my dress, expecting my aunt in the carriage at to take an airing at 1 —
she did not arrive till 1 50/60 — went to the Bois de Boulogne to the end of the allée de Longchamp — in returning went to
rue Rochefaucauld No. [Number] 1 to call on Lady Vavasour of Melbourne — Madame de Rosny had met her at court —
been interpreter for her to the King, and promised to call — I therefore took her, and left my own name with hers
written on a sheet of paper given us by the porter, neither of us having cards — got back here at 4, leaving
my aunt to go home by herself — she really looked very well this morning, and said Marian’s letter of good news had acted
as a diuretic, and she was better — Dinner at 5 3/4 — sat talking to Madame de Rosny before and after till about 7 when
Monsieur de Béral came to take to Madame ....... gentlemanly enough — I told her I had thought her a pretty little wom
an the first time I saw her and haved even then formed the project of coming to her said I had ne
ver forgotten her but had not mentioned it to Mrs Barlow nor to anyone and Mrs Barlow might be fache if she knew
I had had had such a thought and not named it to her but named it to Madame de Rosny — She said she woul
d not name it ah said I do not like secrets but Mrs Barlow might be fachee we then somehow got upon the venereal disorder how it was mistaken in women for fleurs blanches etc. and caused all sorts of maladies ~ Madame de Rosny went out with
Monsieur de Béral at 7 3/4 and I came to my room — wrote all but the 2 first of yesterday and wrote the whole of today — at 9 20/60 wrote the
rough draft of my letter to Mr. Parker which I will consider further about in the morning — then wrote 3 ppages and wafered directed my
letter to IN- [Isabella Norcliffe] say she amazed me — I myself paid for M-’s [Mariana] gowns a day or 2 after IN- [Isabella Norcliffe] left us — the bill and
receipt were given her as she must surely recollect merely to be presented if necessary at the custom house —
and do as she liked about sending me a ten pound note in April but she herself must write to countermand the order
I gave at her request — this backwards and forwards work does not do at Laffitte’s — ...... I shall tell Madame Huchez
if IN- [Isabella Norcliffe] so determines, that she must wait for the money till I receive it from England in April — said not a word of
my being with Madame de Rosny said Marian had been dangerously ill but was recovered — the news had shaken my aunt’s nerves
and she had not been so well since, but seemed now getting better — said we had been at Longchamp this morning —
wrote the last 8 lines — all which took me till 11 1/2 —
[margin text:] Fahrenheit 46° in my room at 8 20/60 a.m.
finish day —
Tuesday 8
7 40/60
12 10/60
LL
Vc
Bowels right — went out at 8 3/4 — to the bois de Boulogne [illegible] 1 3/60 hour in the wood — to the end of the allée de Longchamp —
small hail all the time I was out, or rather small rain that froze in falling and quite stiffened my umbrella — mused upon what
I should write to Mr. Parker — got back at 11 10/60 — Changed my dress — wrote to Mr. Parker not a word of what I wrote last night — to say it
was our determination to 8/. per yard but in consequence of his observation would say 7/. or we would take 6/. on condition of having
the best pew in the church and a servants pew free of expense and according to our own choice — George waited, and, at 12 10/60
took to the post my letter written last night to IN- [Isabella Norcliffe] Langton my letter to Robert Parker Esquire Solicitor, Halifax, Yorkshire,
Angleterre (port payé)’ — at 12 10/60 breakfast — Monsieur de Béral called for 1/4 hour to do some commission for Madame de
Rosny — she and I sat talking — at 2 Lady Vavasour and Miss de Capel Brooke called and sat 3/4 hour —
Lady seemed to remember me quite well, and shook hands on going away — But she is not distinguée, and this
Madame de Rosny acknowledged — she wore a shabby old tumbled black embroidered gown at court, and watched
to see how others did as a rule for what she should do herself — Elle n’ètait pas du tout bien mise — très
mal coiffée — mais tout le monde dit, elle est Anglaise [She was not at all well dressed — very bad hair — but everyone says she's English] — Madame de Rosny and I then sat talking till dinner at
5 1/2 and afterwards till 10 [illegible] She had her feet in warm water before me we had talked of her bowels
being obstinate her having sometimes the whites for two or three days together and of her sometime
s feeling the want of a man but thinks if by magic one could be near her she should not take him fears
disease and her principles are severe the history of Baron de Vincent the Austrian ambassad
ors aid to be her amant not at all so the Dauphine had been told of and sternly contradicted it
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How she had made money through him by sending embroidered gowns etc. to Vienna for the court and contra
band things to England has ssix thousand francs a year certain and a pension of twelve hundred two thousand fr
om the King the Duchess de Berri has amants the history of Madame de Rosnys interview with Napoleon
mention of his confining the Marquis de Sade for his pernicious principles he was not to be allo
wed to write but got leaves and thus wrote another work worse than the first ~ Madame de Rosny has
the first in two small volumes read a little of it shockingly blasphemous and obscene ~ went to see
[illegible] her in bed she has a bad cold and came to my room at ten and a quarter she evidently likes my soc
iety and she is amusing enough and I hope I shall get to speak French by and by ~ Lady Vavasour does not speak very
well — and Miss Brooke scarcely at all — I got on marvelously — Damp disagreeable cold day — Fahrenheit 42° now at 10 50/60
in spite of the fire in my room — have just written all the above of today —
Wednesday 9
7 3/4
12 40/60
§
Vc
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§
Bowels right went out at 9 — to the bois de Boulogne an hour in the wood — along the allée Royale as far as the allée de Bouflers
6 or 7 minutes farther than I walked before — hard frost — Fahrenheit 41° in my bedroom — got back at 11 10/60 — breakfast at 11 1/2 — sat talking
to Madame de Rosny all the morning — She told me the history of her quarrel with the Baron Vincent and all about her smuggling
Miss Gauntlet having offered to manage things in London and take half the profits I said how I was ssurprised for
Miss Gauntlet must know how lightly we should esteem the character of smuggler in England let alone all the awkwardness that
might occur advised Madame de Rosny to give up this way of making money as ssoon as she could she said she did not
do much now her name had never appeared it was a continual source of anxiety and she had meant to give
it up had never reflected on the subject but seemed struck with what I said and just as I was going out
came and smilingly said she would give it up ~ George brought the paper at 3 — sat talking till Madame de Rosny’s
attorney (notaire) came to her on business — then came to my room and went out at 4 — called on Mrs. Barlow not at home — then went
to my aunt — she said she was rather better — her dinner perhaps did her good — but she looks poorly — read her what I had written to
Mr. Parker — she was well satisfied — went for 10 minutes to Madame Séné my aunt fearing that her never going there
might seem uncivil — Dinner at 5 3/4 — sat talking to my aunt till 8 — then off to Mrs. Barlow sat with her and Jane till 9 1/4
and got home (back to Madame de Rosny’s) at 9 25/60 — I saw Mrs Barlow would have been fachee but she could not for shame and luck
ily we were not alone talked her into seeming amused expressed myself quite comfortable here
and satisfied with Madame de Rosny but said nothing to awaken jealousy she asked if I liked Madame
ah said I if I could not endure her I should declare I adwhored her at which she laughed so it had the
desired effect her jealousy and folly would distract me if I was obliged to be always with her ~
wrote the above of today which took me till 9 55/60 — hard frost all the day — everyone exclaims, the coldest day we have had —
Thursday 10
7 55/60
11 5/60
§
§
Bowels right five minutes or more with Madame de Rosny — went out at 9 1/4 — to the Bois de Boulogne — 27 minutes in the wood —
almost to the end of the allée Dauphine — got back at 10 55/60 having stopt a minute or 2 to order gaufers at the Dutch
café étoile des Champs Elysées — breakfast at 11 1/4 — made the coffee in my own cafetière (1st time here) and with vanille —
sat talking all the day — about 2, 1/2 hour roasting my coffee — Dinner at 5 3/4 — had the fire made in my room and came here
at 8 — sat talking till 9 3/4 When she went to bed saw her for a minute or two in bed ~ sat with her hand
in mine gave her the little scissars I bought as we passed through Birmingham on leaving Shibden
or she said she was ssuperstitious sso made her give me a sol for them told her this morning a li
ttle about Madame de Boyve and shewed my journal book decidedly flirt with her — George brought the paper
this morning, and came again this evening to know if he was to get a new lock or simply a new key for the cellar door, he
having lost the key this morning — I was afraid my aunt was ill — but she is quite as well as usual — wrote the above of today
which took me from 10 10/60 to 10 25/60 — very hard frost this morning, and thickish — rainy afternoon — very rainy evening —
I feel sleepy, and must go to bed — She told me this morning of a woman making her husband ill from hav
ing the whites and of her own falling down stairs which brought on a small cup full of white discharge
[margin text:] she could not marry on account
of her health alwayss bled afte
having her husband after her confinement
though he gave her no pain
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