| Description | [Diary Transcription]
307
1828
May
Vc
Vc
and maintained that M- [Mariana] was a broken spirited woman, and so thought Charlotte — I said a little and positively denied
1 or 2 things I knew to be false, but Norcliffe said what could I know of him compared with those who had lived near Lawton
all their lives, and he was evidently getting into such a rage, that I thought it best to give in, and let him keep
as calm as possible — thought I to myself, is this madness? If I must live with Norcliffe or Charles give me the
latter out and out — well might poor Miss Wilbraham say at Rhode, he really frightened her — How little did
he guess even the milder comments of Mrs. Wilbraham whom however he could tire by his stories and incessant talking,
and astonish by his uncalled for account of the singularity of his sister IN- [Isabella Norcliffe] How vanity and self-sufficiency
do blind us to the impressions that we ourselves make on others! the 2 Bests really clever girls at heraldry
and blazoning, writing black letter versifying, drawing etc. Rose keeps a nice sort of journal, and was my favourite
of the 2 for perhaps the 1st time in her life — called at the Henry Stephen Belcombes' — not at home — then went to the Gilbert
Cromptons for Mrs. Duffin to invite Mr. Gilbert Crompton (left alone) to dinner tomorrow — Engaged as he afterwards came here
into Micklegate to tell us — then went to a shop or 2 — went to see Mrs. Cooke’s fashions — (Mrs. and Miss (Fanny)
Hale and Miss Jane Percival there) and got home at 4 3/4 — during the morning had called on me Mrs. and Miss Yorke,
Mrs. Anne and Miss Gage, Mrs. and Miss Swann, Mrs. and the Miss Prestons, formerly of Feasby — Dinner at 5 1/2 —
Mr. Duffin and I slept afterwards — Tea at 8 — came to my room at 10 1/2 having talked of my tour last summer’s
tour, and said to Mrs. Duffin in her own room that Mrs. Best had offhand said 'if she takes him abroad she will
kill him’, which seamed, at once, to put an end to all abroad-going plans — Fine but gloomyish
day —
Saturday 10
7
1
x
L
Vc
Vc
A tolerable motion incurred a [illegible] cross well last night wrote out the last 4 lines of Thursday and the
whole of yesterday, and down to breakfast at 9 50/60 — from 11 to 12 called and sat with Mrs. Anne and Miss Gage — Miss Percival came in —
poor girl! she wished sadly to talk to me about their going abroad, but still this 3rd time of coming, no opportunity —
at 12 went with Mr. and Mrs. Duffin to Grove cottage (Mrs. Barker’s) out of Monkbar to see poor Eliza
Raine — would not speak for a long time but would lie on the sofa — a melancholy sight — somehow, upset
by it, and left the room — this seemed to have some effect, for she then consented to walk about the garden
taking hold of Mr. Duffin and me — above 1/2 hour with her — got to Dr. Henry Stephen Belcombe’s at 1 3/4 — was to have been
there at 1 Mrs. Henry Stephen Belcombe saying she wished to talk to me about M- [Mariana], however, after luncheon with
Mrs. Belcombe and Anne, when we were alone, M- [Mariana] was not mentioned, and the conversation was about nothing
particular — perhaps my manner is very civilly rather reserved to them all — Ordered a common travelling
bonnet at Mrs. Cooke's and went to a shop or 2 — then called and sat 1/4 hour with Mrs. and the Misses Preston (late
of Feasby) on Bishophill, and got home at 4 50/60 — young Parsons immediately — dressed my hair in about 50
minutes as before — Mrs. and Miss Belcombe Dr. and Mrs. Henry Stephen Belcombe and Mr. Bilton dined with us — Dinner at 6 — Miss
and Miss Caroline Crompton came in the evening — the Duffins Mrs. Belcombe and her son played whist — the rest of us
talked — not all gone till 11 1/4 — talking to Mrs. Duffin (as every night more or less) in her room till 11 40/60 —
Long while combing out my false hair and putting my things by — fine day —
[margin text:] Letter this morning 3 pppages and the ends and 2 first ppages crossed from M- [Mariana] Lawton —
pretty good account of herself — Mrs. Milne and Lou at Croft —
while out Mrs. J G Salmond and Miss Salmond
and Mrs. Morris and Miss Woodward called —
Sunday 11
8
11 20/60
Vc
Down to breakfast at 9 50/60 — at 10 1/2 went to St. Martin’s — Mr. Montague Winyard did all the duty and preached
a very fair sermon in 16 minutes from Luke xii.15. Miserable letter from Mrs. Oxley to Mrs. Duffin begging to
borrow twenty pounds Called with Mrs. Duffin on Mrs. Swann and sat with her some time — then walked 1/2 hour with the Cromptons — went over the bridge with Mrs. Duffin and her niece — left
my card for Mrs. Morris and Miss Woodward — returned with Mrs. Duffin and got back at 2 1/4 Then wrote almost all the copy
of a letter to Mrs. Norcliffe — at 3 1/2 off to Dr. Henry Stephen Belcombe —went with Mrs. Henry Stephen Belcombe Miss Belcombe and Miss Sophia Greenup to the
minster to hear the anthem — returned along the manor shore, crossed the river and got home at 5 1/2 — dinner at 5 3/4 —
Mrs. Duffin shewed me her new shawl, chantilly, veil etc. then in 50 minutes wrote 3 hurried ppages to Mrs. Norcliffe
308
1828
May
L
§
Affectionate as if I had no idea of anything being wrong though π [Mariana] names it in her last
Tea at 8 3/4 — Thomas took to Major Norcliffe’s lodging my letter to 'Mrs. Norcliffe Langton Hall, Malton, favoured by Major Norcliffe' — to go
tomorrow morning — sat talking of Paris — said I never meant to make presents to any one — these 2
last times had bought several things, always sickened of them — never gave them as intended — left this and that at
Lawton, and would buy no more in this way — named the church lost in Switzerland — all the servants came in to prayers (for 10 minutes) at
9 3/4 — talking to Mrs. Duffin in her room (she would have me) from 10 20/60 to 10 40/60, and then came to my room —
dullish morning (light rain till 9) but fine day — from 10 40/60 to 11 20/60 wrote out the journals
of yesterday and today —
Monday 12
7 20/60
1 1/2
Vc
Vc
§§
L
Mrs. Duffin came to my room and staid talking some time — down to breakfast at 9 3/4 — at 11 5/60 went and called on the Cromptons
and walked with them as far as Dringhouses, and came home again at 12 3/4 — Sat talking to Mr. and Mrs. Duffin Mrs. Preston of
Moorby called — very civil — wished much to take me back with her, and would bring me back tomorrow — Mr. Preston
would be most happy — said I was sorry I was engaged out to dinner or would have gone — She had hoped to hear from me — said I had
promised to write her the Paris news — What means this uncommon civility has it can it have anything
to do with Joshua — Just before Mrs. Preston went, Mrs. and Miss Alice Wilson of Fulford called on Mrs. Duffin and Miss Sophia
Greenup, and on me — Stole out and went to Mrs. Anne and Miss Gage, and thus missed the party — Mrs. Duffin called for
me at the Gages', and we called and sat a little while with Mrs. and Miss Yorke — then came back for Miss Greenup —
all called on Mrs. Moseley, and at about 2 1/2 went over the bridge — Took and left the silver tea caddy I gave to the Duffins, at Cattle and Barber's,
to have a new lock — then went to Horner’s — gave him my aunt's teeth — to be sent, when done in 2 or 3 days, to Hammersley’s
and then forwarded to Paris — will write to Hammersley about it — called at Mrs. Cookes about my hat — went
to Fisher’s — gone to Langton — took place for Croft at the Tavern coach office — joined Mrs. Henry Stephen Belcombe at
Mrs. Young’s again choosing hat or cap — met Mrs. Best and Rose at Elliott’s — must go to Langton, if driven
there by force, said Mrs. Best — she had heard from her mother who said, I must go — got home at 4 1/2 — hot and thirsty —
The ladies took wine and I a glass of beer being to dine at seven — young Parsons from 5 to 5 50/60 dressing
my hair — at 6 20/60 Mrs. Duffin and I each off in a chair Mr. Duffin and Miss Greenup walked to Dr. Henry Stephen Belcombe’s to dinner — besides ourselves a Mr. and Mrs. Pugh, just
married Major Hewgill and Mr. John Swann — the Pughs — detained a fortnight here by her illness (he aetatis [age of] 24, asked her — had just been staying a few
days with the James Daltons at Croft — Miss Norcliffe singular but warm in her praise of Scotland and Mrs. Pugh liked
her for it) — on finding out all this, and that Mrs. Pugh was a MacLean, of the younger branch of Coll, and that she
was sister to the Mrs. Macloud MacLoud Miss MacLean mentioned in her last as wishing to come and live in
York, and that Mr. Pugh was brother to little Nora brought up at Croft we became well acquainted, and having sat together at dinner, sat together all the rest of
the evening at her desire, no one but myself having much chance of speaking to her — Cecil Dalton in town
I wrote 1 1/2 ppages to Mrs. James Dalton of which Mrs. Pugh Poore took charge to give to Cecil who is to be at home
tomorrow on Wednesday, and will deliver the letter — merely said how glad I was to be accidentally dining at the
Henry Stephen Belcombes’s with the Poores Pughes, and that if the Daltons could take me in I hoped to spend a couple of days with them —
indeed had not calculated on prevention and taking my place per diligence for 10 a.m. on Thursday and hoped
to be at Croft at 2 1/2 p.m. that day — Mr. Pugh H.P. from the 1st dragoons just come into York — a gentlemanly
young man — going to take his wife abroad for a year or 2 — may then settle in Yorkshire — she very pretty
but sadly disfigured by her hair which though turned up behind was hanging in long ringlets like a thick pendant
ivy bush all round her face down upon her neck — She is 'sister to the beautiful Miss Maclean' — and
some relation to the lady of the present Sir Joseph Radcliffe of Mills bridge — my being going to Croft brought me
|