| Description | [Diary Transcription]
250
1834
December
L
well! said she, you may have had one and no more — she really behaved very fairly —
I assured her, I would do her no harm — had catechised Mr. Long as much and ended by
saying I had no objection to M-’s [Mariana] trying her medicines (which M- [Mariana] told her was a ‘great compliment)
and said I should be lastingly obliged if she (Mrs. Lambe) did my friend any good — Told M- [Mariana]
afterwards I thought the woman as much a quack as the rest of such people but she might try her medicines
as I now hoped they would do her no harm, and might perhaps do good — she might try them,
too, with Martha who is likely enough to have worms — and the woman has certainly caused
many to be voided at Middlewich — Took a hurried leave of M- [Mariana] left her in
good hope and spirits — had talked much of her friend, and the boys as we came along — and how they might
study at Göttingen — would turn to my journal of the time and see if I could find any useful hint
there — Off from Middlewich at 2 21/.. — At Altrincham at 4 1/2 — long in getting
horses — obliged to take forward the Middlewich postboy who was a stranger in Manchester
and having stopt twice from Middlewich and twice from Altrincham sat less steadily at last than at 1st —
glad to reach Manchester at 5 59/.. — Off again at 6 9/.. at Rochdale at 7 48/.. — took 4
horses — off again at 8 and at Shibden at 10 55/.. — all gone to bed but Cordingley — and
John, expecting me, had come down — A- [Ann] jumped up — and came to me in her dressing gown
and cloak, delighted to see me back again — had given me up in despair — had tea — the
1st thing we did was to laugh aloud at her droll figure and the bustle I had made — explained
sat talking Told her I myself was astonished how little I had thought of π [Mariana] either
going or returning very glad to be back again mentioned how I had offered her the
use of Shibden in the event of L’s [Charles Lawton] death etc. etc. found waiting my arrival (came yesterday) a very kind letter
2 1/2 ppages from Mrs. Norcliffe (Langton) giving a very indifferent account of herself — ‘I am quite grieved that you
‘could for a moment doubt my friendship — I do not make many friends but when once I
‘do, I am no changeling, but I can in some measure account for it — From mistake in dates, when
‘I reached London I was told that you had been in town some time, this I knew you could not be, as
‘when I past through York I heard of your having been there only a day or 2 before and the fact was
‘you reached London the very day we did and to seek a person in London is an endless task
‘without a clue, as I found when seeking you so you must allow for others
‘I knew you were in town — you must however allow for poor Charlotte who was in low spirits
‘and then she always sees things in the most disagreeable light — It is not strange you should not know when
‘I was in town as no one knew till my arrival in town where I was to be, I meant to have
‘been in Cavendish square but they had no room — if they asked there, they could not have told without
‘the master of the house was at home for my nephew Charles asked there on the Saturday and they did not know
‘so pray think no more about it’ — I am glad of this — it would have grieved me to have had any nonsense
251
1834
December
with Mrs. Norcliffe for whom I really feel much gratitude and regard — vide page 249. on mentioning
to Mrs. Lambe the astringency of my bowels parting only with little buttons She recommended
the following 2 oz. flowers of sulphur, 2 oz. Glaubers salts
1/4 oz. Saltpetre 1 oz. Seville orange peel or gentian root
add to the above, gradually, two quarts of boiling water — then let it stand
in an open vessel (covered over) or in any bottle large enough to hold
the whole of the ingredients, - at least 12 hours — but better to stand a week
or a fortnight — take of this mixture a teacupful once or twice
a day as may be required — M-’s [Mariana] medicines (2 pint bottles pills and powders) and advice
had cost 20/. and the medicine for each servant 12/. so I gave the woman 10/. with which she seemed
much pleased —
Saturday 27
@
9 40/..
11 5/..
One very good kiss soon after getting into bed and not long after this another not quite so
good but very fair ~ very fine morning — frostyish — Fahrenheit 44 1/2° at 10 1/2 at which hour breakfast to 11 1/2 having had Washington
almost all the time — saw my father and Marian, and then a little while with my aunt who looks poorly
but had had a tolerable night and was better — went out on to the flags for a little while about noon, but the
sun that had been out before, went in on her appearance and she had no benefit of it — I went out
at 12 1/2 — in the low and upper land — had the 2 Manns, pit-sinkers, about the drift to be driven
to carry off the water from the pit — the level will come out (from the coal band which is 8 feet below the dirt band
pit now 49 yards deep) a little above the fish pond — I want the stuff from the drift laying up against
the road wall on the Conery side — then had better come out into the hollow near the bridge and be
taken from the drift up alongside the wall — this would make the drift about 300 yards long — had
asked Holt 4/6 a yard for it — but he would say nothing till my return — a great pity — the drift
should have been begun at the same time as the pit which would now have to stand till it, the drift, was
done and could not be done in less than 3 months working night and day — Came in at 1 1/2 to pay the men
the last fortnight’s pit-sinking — found Mr. Sunderland just come — he says the place on my aunt’s leg is getting
larger — but her pulse was much as usual — my father very well — all well for Mr. Wortley and his
election spite of the reports set afloat by the Whigs of his drinking and singing at public houses —
Had Mr Sunderland into the drawing to consult him about A’s [Ann] letting Grievess farm
named the three offers Sunderlands at first for Warburton Beattie out of the question said if Warburton
had any chance for Hipperholme school he had better not have the farm Sunderlands agreed and let
out as a great secret seeing me interested for Warburton that he had a good chance of the
school seven trustees it seems? two Sunderlands and Mr Dearden will vote for him and I said one of the
others might be gained in spite of Mr William Priestley I said one might do much for
fair words but did not like things crammed down ones throat Sunderlands seemed pleased to find A [Ann] and I
of his way of thinking and I really think Mr William Priestley will be beaten as he was about the choice of an organist
[margin text:] Drift from the coal-pit
Mr Warburton and the school
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