| Description | [Diary Transcription]
26
1833
February
wrote out the last 2 1/2 lines of Tuesday and the whole of Wednesday Thursday yesterday and today, and went downstairs at 9 3/4 — Came up
again at 10 25/.. — rainy, windy, wild morning — tolerably fair between 12 and 1 and afterwards from about 2 p.m.
quite fair for the rest of the day — Fahrenheit 46 1/2 now at 10 1/2 p.m. — Took two teaspoonfuls of Epsom salts
having had no proper motion and hardly any at all but two or three dark green little knobs ssince Tuesday morning
Sunday 17
9
2 5/..
+
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one loose largeish motion all deep dark green downstairs at 10 to speak to Booth the mason — can
hardly tell what Parkfarm house end will take to build it up new, but will take it down and then make
an estimate or do the job and have it valued afterwards — breakfast with my aunt at 10 1/4 — came to my room at 11 1/2
Cut my nails read from page 164 to 173 volume 2 Lyell’s Geology — prayers from 11 55/.. to 12 3/4 and read sermon 31 Mr.
Knight — rain came on about 12 1/2 — came to my room at 1 1/4, and read till 3 3/4 from page 173. to 234. volume ii Lyell’s Geology — Miss Walker
sent my tartan cloak with a slip of paper containing merely ‘I hope to see you at dinner at 5 o’clock Ann Walker’ —
off to Lidgate at 4 20/.. and there in 1/2 hour — found Mrs. and Mr. Jeremiah Dyson and Mr. Parker there — the Dysons soon
went away but Mr. Parker staid dinner — saw him on business for a few minutes before dinner — said I would give 4
per cent for the £2000 trust money but no more — very sorry to keep it all — might as a charity give
Miss Bolland something more or the £500 made over to her but this should be a separate thing and always optional and the money should be considered at 4 per cent like
ǁ the rest — Mr. Jeremiah Rawson had been blustering at Mr. Parker’s Said he never saw such a lease
ǁ (the coal-lease) would never sign it — what had I to do with their upper bed works — the fact is, they
ǁ are stealing my upper bed coal, and do not like to be looked after — told Mr. Parker to write a
ǁ civil note to Mr. Rawson (Christopher) and ask whether he meant to sign the lease or not — Dinner
about 6 — Captain Sutherland professed his love of sitting over his wine after dinner and kept Mr. Parker
till about 9 1/2 when they came in to tea and coffee and Mr. Parker went away about 10 — Captain Sutherland
read prayers — and very soon afterwards we all went upstairs at 11 1/4 — I had been very sorry for myself in such company Mrs. Sutherland vulgar
which would have been sooner and more easily perceived had she been less quiet she had dirty nails
Captain goodhearted and well enough but evidently not a highbred highlander Mr. Parker
the best but he on going away held out his hand and of course I shook hands thought I well poor
girl what a set she is getting amongst Rainy afternoon and evening from about 1 1/2 p.m. the morning till
then fine and mild —
Monday 18
9 10/..
11 1/4
Grubbled her last night she on the amoroso and wanted to be nearer to me that is have my drawers
off but I thought it better not she would sleep in my arms and snored so shockingly I could scarce
bear it gooded myself with the thought of its being the last night she seemed as if she was going
to leave all she liked best and could scarce have enough of me poor girl she could hardly leave
me in the morning and this made us sso late she was a little on the amoroso again I touched and hand
led her and grubbled a little but would not do much ~ Miss Walker and I down to breakfast at 9 3/4 — found Captain and Mrs Sutherland had begun breakfast — She had given me last night the little bible (Society for promoting Xtn [Christian] Knowledge) promised me some time ago — having
written on the fly leaf next the title page ‘February 18th 1833. Psalms 91.11’ and on the back (at the end) AW to AL.’
I did not see this till tonight when I turned to the reference ‘For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in
all thy ways’ and the sight of this affected me poor girl what a pity she has not more mind to be happy
herself and make others sso she seemed to the last thinking of being back before I was off and of going with
me she said she should never let me leave England without her and once let slip that she must hear
[margin text:] Captain Sutherland recommends P. Lawson and Sons, Seedsmen, Edinburgh — they told him they received cuttings from America stuck in a potato and Captain was thus taking some rose cuttings back with him to the Highlands —
27
1833
February
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of me or she should write to me herself I said I would tell Mrs. Sutherland all I knew of my plans
when I wrote should not be here longer than till the end of June at farthest but should be off as much
sooner as I could ~ Miss Walker and Captain Sutherland went to Cliff hill (for 20 minutes there) just after breakfast — Mrs. Sutherland
and I sat chatting She said yesterday she supposed Miss Walker had fifteen hundred a year now she rated her at two
thousand and asked me but I said I did not exactly know her income but it was as good as her sister’s she ask
ed if any love affair was on her mind no if she thought of Sir Alexander MacKenzie (Mrs. Sutherland’s nephew)
no I knew she did not like him it came out he had offered to her on a three days acquaintance and thought
at first he had reason to hope but she changed her mind I said he must have mistaken her
civility for something else she was always civil Mrs. Sutherland ssaid she refused him on the plea of having a
nother attachment he meant her to have paid his large debts he had not a sixpence and be
sides had his mother and her family to keep I said I thought Miss Walker would not marry to pay anyone’s
debts nor ought she surely Captain would take care that proper settlements were made ~
she looked as if not expecting this poor girl they want her for some of the kin if they can get her
Miss Walker busy over 1 thing or other but seemed very low at going — said she would rather go with me — knew
she should be miserable there as she was before felt as if she should never come back yet smiled
and rallied when I joked her about running after me she seemed quietly bent on being back be
fore June when she thinks I am to be off ~ Miss Walker gave me the little bronze taper-stick she constantly
used and which I had asked for some time since but had now forgot — At last I saw them off at 1 1/4 — Miss Walker
and Mrs. Sutherland inside and Captain Sutherland and James (McKenzie, Miss Walker’s man servant) in the rumble behind Heaven be
praised said I to myself as I walked homewards that they are off and that I have got rid of her and am once
more free ~ called at Washington’s and left with Mrs. Washington a sovereign for Mrs. Armitage which Miss Walker had forgot to give her
on the account of the Missionary Society and a message to Washington to tell him to pay for 2 children at a little school — returned along
my walk — home at 2 10/.. — Mrs. Henry Priestley and Mrs. Dyson of Willow field and Miss Edwards of Pye nest here —
went into the drawing room to them for 20 minutes — very civil to all particularly Mrs. Henry Priestley then from 2 35/.. all
the afternoon with Charles and James Howarth in the library fitting the wainscot doors to the 2 large book cupboards till dinner at 6 1/4 —
afterwards read the 1st 62 ppages Latrobe’s ‘Alpenstock’ or Travels on foot in Switzerland — asleep some time — went into
the little room at 9 1/2 and came upstairs at 10 1/2 — Rainy, windy, wild sort of day and evening and very high wind
now at 11 p.m. at which hour Fahrenheit 47° — found on my desk, on coming home, Kind letter from Lady Stuart but I did not
open it determined to leave it till I could answer it tomorrow — Hare this afternoon from Miss Norcliffe
Langton — directed by Charlotte Norcliffe — Sent by John tonight to the post the 2 letters Mrs. Sutherland gave into my charge to ‘James Sutherland Esquire Waterloo Estate, St. Vincent, West Indies’ and to ‘Mrs. Alexander Macleod Tourama Estate St. Vincent West Indies’
[margin text:] Sent my kind regards to Mrs. Sutherland and begged to tell how Miss Walker was on her arrival at Inverness
as I thought it better not to write to Miss Walker it would only be a harass to her the Captain looked said
nothing but seemed surprisess [surprised] Mrs. Sutherland senior to tell me how Miss Walker bore her journey to Edinburgh —
Tuesday 19
6 3/4
N
finish though dampish morning — Fahrenheit 47° at 6 3/4 (fine afterwards) and 36° at 8 a.m. outside my window — breakfast with my
father at 8 — Charles Howarth wanted me, so out in 25 minutes at 8 25/.. — with Pickels — then in my walk — home at
11 just as Washington came about the names of the fields for the plan — he thought the cart road and ashes partway above John Bottomley’s and along Far Bairstow
would be done for a guinea a rood — i.e. Digging and forming (there would be 30 yards of stuff to shift) (per rood), 10/.
ǁ Stoning 9 feet wide and 9 inches thick (would take one 2 horse cart load per square yard) 2/4. Carting 5/. Breaking stones (to
ǁ be very well done equally well done at bottom as top) 3/6. footway to be left one foot high above the road and what was
ǁ thus saved in digging would pay for the ashing — altogether = 20/10 — if walled on the low side, the walling must be a yard
ǁ broad and would be 12/. per rood a yard high — Mr. Carter of Giles house sent over note to say he found his son had actually sold the
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