| Description | [Diary Transcription]
123
1819
June
In proof of the man’s abilities I shammed Abraham for a week – he never found
it out; but thought me quite ill enough to have abundance of physic –
Mrs Milne said at Langton that I had brought about Marianas match –
Between 12 and 3 wrote from Saturday 15 May page 42 to the end of page 43 of my journal In the
afternoon, at 4, took Isabel down the o. b. [Old Bank] with me to the library – Staid till 5 –
Tibs manners there fidgetty and a little impatient would try to kiss me she shall not go with
me often again – Looking over the catalogue, and skimming over the no. [number] of the Annals
of Philosophy for this month – Miss M. [Maria] Browne was going away as we went in – asked
when her sister would return – In a fortnight – Called and staid 1/2 hour at Northgate, and got home
at 6 1/4 – Dawdled away the evening – Fine day – Barometer 3° below Changeable Fahrenheit 56⁰ at 9 p.m. –
No letter today from M- [Mariana]
Sunday 27
8 3/4
12
@
L
kiss last night this mark @ stands for it I have used it to denote the same
in my journal written at Lawton in 1816 – all went to morning church – Mr K- [Knight] preached
39 minutes from the 3 last vverses of the last chapter of St. Mathew – In the afternoon my
aunt and I read prayers and I.N. [Isabella Norcliffe] the psalms – James went to the P.O. [Post Office] and brought Isabel a
letter from Miss Vallance (Sittingbourne) ends of which addressed to me, and brought
me a letter from M- [Mariana] (Lawton) She could not write on Thursday unhinged by a
letter from York telling her Isabella was to be here on that day cannot bear
the thought of her being here this looks like jealousy and as if she loved me –
In the evening read aloud sermon 7 volume 2. Young – Rainy afternoon and evening – Barometer 2 3/4 degrees
below changeable – Fahrenheit 57⁰ at 9 p.m. – just before getting into bed talking
of Miss Vallance of having a maid or getting someone eelse in Tibs place while
she was away mentioned Louisa Belcombe to whom Tib consented but said she take your
aunt I dare say she would like it what said I twice as old and my own aunt
horrible idea why said Tib has she not feelings like other people let her
have Miss Ellen Hoyle then or someone of her own age Tib was ssurprised to see me
so shocked thought I should only have laughed she shews shucch [such] grossness and want
of principle I cannot endure it her ideas on religious ssubjects are
far too lax I know not what to think of Miss Vallance I know what she is capable of –
tho Tib denies it I suspect and her manner her seeming so very low almost or quite
in tear when I have hinted my suspicion makes me think more of it – my opinion of
girls is not high —
124
1819
June
Monday 28
8 40/60
12 3/4
@.
@ with a dot after it means a good kiss last night – Isabel sat with me in my
room all the morning – wrote ppages 44 and 45 (almost) of my journal book – In th
12 ¾
afternoon at 4 35/60 down the n.b. [New Bank] to speak to a washer woman for I.N. [Isabella Norcliffe], a Mrs Tiffany
in Pellan lane – up Savile row lane and Royston road to King X [King Cross] – returned down Callista
lane and got home at 6 – Dawdled away the evening in conversation – Mrs Burgan, resident
at Saint Petersburgh, the wife of a Russian merchant, and a friend of Mrs Best’s, told her how
much a good English governess was prized at Saint P- [Saint Petersburgh] She could ensure her £200 a year or almost
anything she asked, 2 servants to wait on her, and a suite of rooms to herself – besides
the certainty she had of marrying well – The N-s [Norcliffe] found travelling in Switzerland very expensive –
There are no public conveyances any more than in Italy – you must take veturino horses
and pay them after the same rate for returning as going, tho’ you do not return with them –
Nothing could exceed what they felt from the summer’s heat of Italy – tho’ sitting quite still, the
perspiration stood on their foreheads – and, Isabel who so seldom perspires, had her keys
quite rusted in her pocket – they suffered, too, very much from the vermin – were bit
by 4 different sorts, bugs, fleas, moschettos [mosquitos], and hardbacks – Fine day – fine cool
air – showery in the morning and rain between 9 and 10 – Barometer 1 3/4 degrees below changeable Fahrenheit 58 o at 9 p.m. –
Tuesday 29
8 25/60
12
@
very good kiss indeed – Isabel sat with me all the morning and wrote to her mother to announce
her safe arrival here – I added a line or 2 on one of the ends – wrote in my journal
book (copied very nearly verbatim) pp. 46, 47, and 1/4 of 48 – In the afternoon at 4 35/60 down the
o.b. [old bank] to the library – Reading the gent’s magazine for last February – mention of a very old
Hebrew copy of the bible – of an original picture by Raphael, and that the poems of Ossian,
now publishing in Paris, were carried to France in 1715, before the time they were brought forward
in England by McPherson – Beavers not mentioned by Ossian and that they were formerly
indigenous to Scotland vide (article 33) a paper by Neil in the 1st no. [number] of the Edinburgh philosophical
journal p. 177 – Looked at the Bookseller’s catalogue of new books for last month – Squire’s
exercises on Greek verse 7shillings, advertised – Met and spoke to Miss M- [Maria] Browne in my usual way to King
X [King Cross] – met the children from Pye-nest who said the giant and giantess were worth seeing – returned down King X lane [King Cross Lane] and got home at 6 10/60 – after
tea at 7 20/60 took my aunt and Isabel down the n.b. [new bank] to see the giant and giantess – he
from Norfolk, aged 18 and 7 feet. 5 inches. high, she from Northampton aged 16 and 6 feet. 5 inches. high –
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