| Description | [Diary Transcription]
62
1826
December
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‘rain all the morning, the 1st time we have had the least appearance of snow in its smallest shape — one might have hitherto
‘walked, and sat out in the Tuileries gardens every day excepting 1 or 2 rainy days — and one might, indeed, have walked there well enough this afternoon —
‘I was not aware of having given you to understand that, in the event of anything happening to my aunt, I should positively and
‘immediately return to England — She has desired to be interred here; and this might, or might not, according to circumstances,
‘make some little difference — Be this as it might, you would probably see me soon — at present, however, I have not,
‘as before, this to muse upon; for my aunt, though very infirm, appears in no sort of danger — It is extraordinary that
‘my 2 letters should give such opposite accounts — but such is the fact, a fact certainly beyond my calculation when I wrote to
‘you last — ‘I am happy Macdohald Donald still pleases’ — this sentence struck me at the time, and strikes me now —
‘were we on terms more formal, I should still be cautious what I replied to this, grateful always for the trouble you
‘took for us; but, as it is, I shall write exactly what I think at present — It was difficult to find such a person as
‘we wanted, without some fault or other, or if not a fault, some failing in what we wished for — I begrudge
‘spending much paper on such a subject, especially as, on the whole, we go on pretty well — my aunt sometimes complains
‘of carelessness on the part of MacDonald, and that she seems as if she did not always know what she was about — there
‘are 2 things I have never named to my aunt, Miss Reed’s last letter (on her return from Bath), and a circumstance that
‘occurred at Shibden — I have more than once spoken seriously to MacDonald — I abominate what looks like prevarication —
‘and, since a talkation last Monday, I have had less confidence in her than ever — Her head is certainly not clear at all times —
‘whether she has anything on her mind, or anything in her blood to confuse it, I know not — She is always very
‘obliging, and cooks for us very nicely, and can do quite well for my aunt — Had she never the appearance of being
‘so oddly confused, she might be invaluable — I shall probably speak to her no more — She is not in my province —
‘Enough — It is probable you do not give me much credit for knowing how to manage women servants — Mrs. Lawton could no
‘more understand her, than myself — Perhaps, if you were here, you might excuse us both — But breathe not a
‘word of all this — we shall go on as we do, — well enough — and you shall give me a practical lesson
‘1 of these days in housekeeping, which, by the way, pothers me not a little just now’ — ..... Breakfast at
10 20/60, read about 1/2 the paper, and had done all the above of today at 11 1/4 — ‘How do you and Mr. Lawton agree?
‘I thought you did not at all like him’ there was a time when we did not agree; but we both thought better of it,
‘and agreed to agree in future — He does not like York, so never goes there’ — Say we shall change our apartment —
on account of ‘a kitchen 2 stories above us — [illegible] bells that the servants cannot hear, etc. etc.’ — altogether a very long, kind
letter — sent it off at 11 1/2 to ‘Miss Maclean of Coll, Tobermory, North Britain Ecosse’ — settled my accounts —
dawdling over 1 thing or other — took George and went out at 1 3/4 — went to the pot shop rue St. Honoré no. [number] 357. ask 5/. for
exactly the same sort of dish my woman in rue du marché St. Honoré would let me have for 2/90 — then bought a knife-
basket panier aux couteaux rue du marché St. Honoré No. [Number] 42. the woman asked George 3/. for it the other day — asked me 1/50, and I could get it
for no less, but could have had the same sort for 1/25 at another shop nearer the rue neuve des petits champs where I bought the large vegetable
basket some time since — thence to Bertrand rue neuve des petits champs No. [Number] 33 — nice little pot of marmalade des
abricots very good à 1/50, but did not buy it — Roquefort cheese 2/. a lb. very good — fromage de
Parma (Parmesan) 2/40 a lb. — thence to Berthellemot Palais royal for bonbons — Chinois etc. 6/. a lb.
all things of this kind 6/. a lb. — said I had paid only 5/. — they declared it could not be — bonbons 6, 8, 10, 12/. a
lb. — they said at last ‘nous arrangerons’, but I walked off determined to try elsewhere — bonbons 8, 10 and 12/ in the
rue de Richelieu — just before coming to St. Roch very nice figs in a little box at 2/. a lb. might have the
box for 3/. allowing 2 oz. for the weight of the box — stopt at no. [number] 334. and bought the plaqué tea-pot (vide
line 7 page 60) for 29/. then got a little porcelaine sucrier à l’Anglais made me 1/75 though she had only asked me 1/50 in the morning and another blue finger glass at the cheating pot-shop
No. [Number] 357 (rue St. Honoré) and then some oranges and marons, no. [number] 353, and sent George home — I called at Mellerios about the
plate, and bought some bonbons à 8/. à la Belle Angelique No. [Number] 25 Boulevard des Italiens — the boy followed me home with
them — came upstairs at 4 — Dawdling over 1 thing or other (seeing that my money was right) till 4 20/60 then through the gardens to the
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1826
December
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Faubourg St. Germain to order wine chez Meunier No. [Number] 21 rue des petits pères — went up the rue des Augustins almost to
the end of the street then turned back and got right — ordered 2 dozen Macon for the servants at 1/05, and 1 dozen for ourselves (red Beaune)
and 1 bottle white Beaune à 2/. a bottle and 1 bottle Champaigne à 4/. and 1 ditto Bordeaux Lafitte à 4/. to come tomorrow
morning — Got home (through the place du Carrousel) at 5 1/4 — Dawdling over 1 thing or other till dinner exactly at 6 — shewed
the tea pot etc. — she hoped I could afford it — on telling the cost she was satisfied — On speaking afterwards of the
dessert she said it was all for Mrs Barlow I said I would have as much every day for only myself with my own consent
and if π [Mariana] came and I hoped she would manage it so we might have nine plates of dessert without costing
very much my aunt only hoped that whatever I did [illegible] I should manage to have a few franks for her
to go out airing in the summer I said this sstruck me exceedingly she should always have as many franks
for this purpose as she chose I would order no more about the table I had meant to agree for her to ha
ve the carriage three ti twice a week it was she who prevented me she saw she hat [had] touched a tender cord and began
to lament her always ssaying what she thought it was all for my sake and she was crying but I told
her what she had said she would know must strike me if she thought about it a minute I would
rather go without dessert all my life than abridge her of the carriage or anything else I would rath
er be hundreds more in debt she dried up her tears and we talked of MacDonald our now frequent subj
ect thought I to myself well no more thought beyond what is absolutely necessary I will save
my money said I would not interfere about the table I see I had best make up my mind to a li
ttle more hugger mugger than necessary to enter into society is out of the question remember
save my money and do not fidget my aunt by attention to desserts and appearances of this
ssort I had thought of getting better teacups I shall give it up and will spend as little
as I can begged my aunt to order the carriage whenever she liked — but we were very harmonious af
terwards — at Michel’s this morning as my eye casually glanced over the order book I saw an order for the
Tasburghs rue Royal No. [Number] 13 — from 9 1/4 to 10 wrote the last 38 lines — wrote a little note this morning to Mrs. Barlow
to ask her to order more charcoal for us — George took the note after leaving me — the charbonier chanced to call this
evening to inquire if we wanted any — ordered it for tomorrow — we consume a sack i.e. 12 boisseaus in 3 weeks —
charcoal 9/. charbonier for bringing 14 or 15 sols — made minutes of what I have to do tomorrow no time to settle my accounts
tonight — go to my room at 10 1/2 very fine day — o.. Extraordinary my cousin does not come ought t
o have been with me Wednesday week —
Saturday 23
7 25/60
10 40/60
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my bowels quite right this morning As good or a better motion than yesterday after the magnesia yesterday and
Thursday I had my new lace of 3 ells, and my stays quite loose, and had not that heavy pain at the pit of my stomach —
I put on a tight ceinture yesterday to go out and felt a little of the pain — took it off when I came in at 4, and felt quite
relieved — I am now almost convinced that all this disorder, this obstinacy in my bowels and pain at the pit of
my stomach has been solely caused by my being too tight, though other people would have thought my things quite loose —
I cannot bear any tight ligature round me — Query. Had all Norcliffe suffered from obstinacy in his bowels originated
in too tight dressing — many of our dandies and many ladies have surely [suffered] exceedingly from this cause? Can it be now
the case with M- [Mariana] for she, too, complains, and, though she looks better may not feel better in her French stays? Finished
dressing (came to my room at 8 25/60) dawdling over 1 thing or other till 9 3/4 Weighing currants raisins etc. musing on what
my aunt said last night well I had said it to myself as [illegible] on getting up providence orders best
but I think it would alarm me more to be persuaded my aunt would live a dozen years than that she should
be ill now I can never get out of hugger mugger during her life and at least for the present I will be con
tented to save my money by it it shall not be for nothing no more thinking to get nice little things nothing
but what is necessary unless my aunt asks for it herself remember all this — the 4 Coquillard pears I have
just sent to my aunt to be stewed weigh 2 lb. 10 oz. — wrote the above of this morning and had just done it at 10 1/4 — Breakfast at 10 1/4 —
[margin text:] rainy morning
Fahrenheit 42° at 8 1/2 a.m.
42°—— 2 ——
44°—— 6 ——
—— —— 10 1/4 ——
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