| Description | [Diary Transcription]
88
1824
September Monday 27
7 1/2
5 3/4
§
Breakfast at 9 20/60 — just before and afterwards wrote the 1st 46 1/2 lines of the journal of yesterday — then, at 11,
Mrs. Mackenzie came to say, it was so rainy, neither she nor her daughter would go to Notre Dame this morning
where the King (Charles X) after receiving the keys of the city at the barrier de l’Etoile, was with all his court to hear a mass for the prosperity
of his reign — I was persuaded not to care about going myself; for nobody could be admitted without a ticket and I was
uncertain that Laloy had been able to procure, and did not like taking a fiacre for nothing — It was the ex
pence I always think of it in such matters as these — Miss Mackenzie, then Mrs. Barlow, then Miss
Barlow, and I had Mrs and Miss MacKenzie till luncheon time — till after 1 — Confidential sort of conversation though
for my part I never say on these occasions what I should care to have repeated — While Mrs Mackenzie was alone with me
she asked if it was I who had seen the treadmill I at once said yes and explained read her my
journal on the subject and should have done what I had written to Tib [Isabella] but Miss Mackenzie came and I begged
Mrs Mackenzie not to mention to anyone that it was I she said she would not and that they had all in the
house wondered if it was I and thought it was I said I had been in a great sticle since I came
here about it for all my friends knew and it was a joke against me I should never hear the last of
Mrs Mackenzie said she did not think much of it it was nothing — Mrs. Barlow came in, and told me by all means
to go out, and see the King — I ought not to miss it — it was nearly fair — off therefore I was by myself at about 1 1/2 — hastened
through the Tuileries gardens over the pont royal and took my station mounted on a chair for which I paid ten sols,
at the Louvre end of the pont des arts — after waiting till about 3 1/2, at 1 time almost stunned with the
noise of the cannon fired from the platform of the pont neuf, the King and all his suit passed by on their return from Notre Dame —
They passed me quite close, and I had an excellent view — his majesty smiled and looked the picture of good humour —
and as if he was in excellent health — the Dauphin looked remarkably well on horseback, Ditto the Dukes of Bourbon
and Orleans — Troops the national guard lined the way on both sides as far as I could see, and, of course, all the way from the cathedral
to the Tuileries — it rained pretty smartly every now and then while I was on the pont des arts, and all the my way back
from there to the Tuileries (returned as I came by the pont royal — troops and people blocked the road along the Louvre —
and the other way the crowd was considerable — a moving shoal of umbrellas — pushed my way — seeing a crowd
waiting before the balcony of the Tuileries expecting the King to shew himself, I pushed in among the people, and
stood there 3/4 hour — 1/2 the time it continued raining — latterly it was pretty fair — but it being 4 55/60, I could wait no
longer and hurried home to dress for dinner — after all I was not very wet — the last fair gleam had dried me
a good deal — Dinner at 5 3/4 — sat 10 minutes with Mrs. Barlow just before going down — She came down to
dinner today the 1st time since her illness — staid a little while afterwards and then retired — we all played at hunting
the thimble for about an hour — Miss Pope at home tonight, the first time since she has been here since my arrival
Mr. Moore’s penchant for her or her 1600 a year is now evident to all our party — Mr. Moore returned today from
the country have made a short stay — he only went on Friday, and but for Miss Pope might perhaps have staid longer — I do not think
the lady objects — I laughed and talked to her today at dinner as usual, and advised her when she married to have the
settlements made her own way — She said I seemed to single her out and she was flattered by it she
likes me and fancies I like her I talk to her but how can I care for her she makes quotations to
me and it delights her because she fancies me pleased she gave me one even during dinner how litt
le she sees through me — Talked a little to 1st one then another, and came off to bed at 9 20/60 — then wrote the last 12 1/2 lines of
yesterday and all the above of today which took me till 11 1/2 — Rainy day, with a few short fair gleams — Fahrenheit 58°. at about noon, and 57°.
now at 11 1/2 p.m. — E..[above] o... — Made some zinc lotion I find I must begin with it again — Sat up writing 3 ppages very small
[margin text:] and close to Miss MacLean and not in bed till 5 3/4 in the morning —
89
1824
September Tuesday 28
10 5/60
12
Vc
§
§
I was scarcely dressed when (having agreed yesterday to join Mrs. Mackenzie in the purchase of some firewood)
the man brought me 13 francs worth of wood which completely filled the place on purpose for it under my window, and left
a little to be piled up in my door—way opening into Mrs. Middleton’s room, which I have hid with my Trunk and dressing table — breakfast
at 11 1/4 — Mrs and Miss Mackenzie just as I had finished my milk and bread, and sat with me till luncheon time after 1 —
Madame Galvani came at 1 40/60, and staid with me 1 50/60 hour — read aloud a couple of ppages of Molière, and talked all the rest of the
time — She likes me says I have more vivacity than any English person she ever met with she was at the age of puber
ty at eight and a half and was married at twelve and is now forty five the Italian women can bear children from ten or twelve till fifty — Madame Galvani is now 45 — admired her shawl
it is made by rue mont Blanc of cachemire—wool thread from Thibet; the French cannot spin this wool
without mixing silk with it, so that the French cachemire shawls have all a small mixture of silk, as you may
perceive on examining the fringe at the edges, and are therefore not so good as the real cachemires —
Monsieur de la Gorse makes shawls from 3 or 4 hundred to one thousand francs in value — Madame Galvani’s was 60 francs
an ell (per l’aune) and took 2 1/2 ells — but hers is quite plain, and has no border — ate pears and grapes for
1/2 hour — then wrote 1 3/4 ppages of a letter to my aunt which took me till 5 1/4 — Dinner at 5 3/4 — came upstairs at 8 for 3/4 hour and wrote
the above of today — By the way, Madame Galvani told me the wood I had got was not good — it was in too small blocks —
the other was dearer but burnt twice as long — I have promised to go and see her on Sunday, and will inquire more about
this — After tea played 3 rubbers at whist with Monsieur against Madame de Boyve and Mr. Frank, and won 10 points, i.e.
5 francs — The Messrs de St. Auban Sorteval and de Bellevue here also this evening — at dinner Madame de Boyve told me she was quite
jealous of my talking so much to others and so little to her, and wrote and sent me on 1/2 an almond at dessert vous [illegible]
ne m’aimez pas [you do not like me] — to which I replied on another 1/2 almond non! je ne vous aime parce que je
vous adore [no! I don’t like you because I adore you] — I really think she does like me — Talked a good deal at dinner, as usual, to Miss Pope — She and Mr. Moore
seem to go on swimmingly, much to the amusement of us all — They were met walking tête à tête this morning —
I suppose she knows nothing of him but what she has known of him here — Came up to bed at 10 1/2 — Broke my
watch glass this evening in my pocket, I know not how — They would not let me come upstairs directly after dinner
to have time to finish my letter to my aunt — Fine day — Fahrenheit 58 at noon today and 65°. now at 11 20/60 p.m.
E..[below] o...— Used two syringes of zinc lotion today morning and night —
Wednesday 29
7 1/2
2
L
Breakfast at 9 1/2 — before and afterwards — writing to my aunt — wrote the latter 1/4 of page 2 of my letter begun yesterday and page 3 and the ends and
under the seal small and close — nothing particular — a little news of the day, etc. etc. about the tread-mill, said I was not
surprised at my uncle and aunt’s surprise — was a little annoyed at first, but soon thought it foolish to be so, therefore
did not care about it — gave an account of what passed after the office was cleared in the same words I wrote last to IN Isabella Norcliffe
Madame de Boyve sent up a message to say I must have a black hat to go to the theatre in tonight, and sent a woman
with some black gros de naples for me to look at. Mrs. MacKenzie came to look at them (I would not take one at 28 francs when I could have bought a
better the other day at 15 francs) — Mrs. MacKenzie sat with some time — Had told my aunt I meant to send my letter by Mrs.
Middleton who was to have gone to England early this morning, but, finding she would not go till tomorrow, sent Cordingley
with at 12 40/60 to the post-office in the rue Jean Jacques Rousseau (to my aunt — Shibden) — at 2 Mrs. and Miss MacKenzie and Mr.
Frank and I set off to see the paintings at the Luxembourg — an hour going, 55 minutes returning — of all the pictures that
of the deluge struck me far the most and as being far the best — and Mr. Frank said it was considered the chef-d’auvre of the collection, —
certainly a fine one of the works of modern artists — saw the ante room, gallery, and another picture but no more of the palace —
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