#best sketch of Hardwicke yet

[blueintime]

Granada Watson scribbles for Watson Wednesday. Id in alt.

[awhilesince]

Thursday, 11 February 1830

9 3/4

1 1/4

Dr Tupper called as he often does on my aunt at this time of morning – went in to thank him for his book – at 10 3/4 – He had just been telling my aunt that it was in the papers this morning that Lord Graves had cut his throat – my aunt shocked – said I had never mentioned the thing to her at all – should have been if it could have been hushed up – there were private circumstances which aggravated the case – Poor Lord G– (Graves)! at the time he was so ably but quietly advocating the duke’s cause to me at Aix la Chapelle and Brussels, the duke was heaping on him the deadliest injury! – But as Dr T– (Tupper) observed this will only make him more unpopular than ever – said it was odd I had not heard from Mrs Barlow – It seems she wrote to Mr Delisle from Nice – hoped to see Dr T– (Tupper) – some evening soon, saying he knew Captain and Mrs Droz – must ask them all – 

breakfast over at 11 20/60  – wrote the above of today – read over my letter written last night to IN (Isabella Norcliffe) – chit chat – mentioned having received at Laffittes 287/. for her stays earrings and Mrs James Dalton’s veil – speak handsomely of the Poore’s – think him 

“very gentlemanly and does not give me at all the idea of being guilty of intentional rudeness to anyone – there must have been some mistake about his not speaking to you in Bath – I certainly did happen to meet them at our ambassador’s; but as it happened to be at the ball, and not at one of the more private soirées, to all of which however, Lady S– (Stuart) de R– (Rothesay) had been good enough to invite me, I cannot fancy there was to be attributed to the men local of our meeting any such influence as you imagine – I think Lady P– (Poore) a very nice person –

she had been remarkably civil to me even tho I have not yet told her she was inquired about in a letter I had the other day from a person whose remembrance  tho slight she would probably not dislike   I mean Miss Hobart Miss MacLeans niece  Lord Buckinghamshires ssister  there is all the finery that I have written conclude with love to all 

“and tell them I am determined that, by hook or by crook, I will not be forgotten” – …. good night my dearest Sibbella – Ever very faithfully and affectionately yours AL– Anne Lister”

speak of Mrs James Dalton 3 times and always in the letter as aunt Maria – at 12 5/60 off to Captain Hall’s – the honourable Captain de Rous there RN– (Royal Navy) and his friend Captain commander R.N. (Royal Navy), Langford – the former had been buying, Quai Voltaire he said between the Pont des Arts, and neuf, some little etchings which he believed to be Rembrandt’s – has 6 of them – had given 2 francs for one of them – they were worth 10/. a piece – he is collector – quite understands Rembrandt’s etchings – a thickish 8vo (octavo) published describing them all – both the 2 RN–s (Royal Navys) gentlemanly – they went away about 1 1/2  – I unluckily asked Captain H– (Hall) to sketch me as he had done Captain L– (Langford) sat 3 times without intermission from 1 40/60 to 2 1/2 for 3 miserable attempts no more like me than like Captain H– (Hall) himself – of course, I said all I could for them – that there was the character of myself etc. etc. tired of death of so wasting my time, but said it with good grace; for after the 1st attempt, he said he got quite into the thing and wished me to sit again – 

home at 2 3/4 – wrote the last 8 lines – said I thought I should not go to the ball   in fact I have no one to go with would not ask the Halls to go with them   they would rather be entoures by Lady Hislop etc. than me and I should never think of the Halls but in dire necessity – I care not for the ball but shall be glad to have a companion by and by – 1/4 hour nap in my chair till 4 – my day, how wasted! Dressing – dawdling over 1 thing or other – Forest to have come at 4 3/4 – not come at 5, so sent for the coiffeur that live’s  Monsieur Senés house place neuve de la Madeleine no 2 – 

got to the Pringles (Hotel du Mont Blanc rue de la paix no 25) at 6 – a Mrs Alexander and Miss Hill there – by and by came the 2 Misses Pringle, then the bride and bridegroom Mr and Mrs P– Pringle – sat down and dinner (12) at 6 50/60 – 3 silver covered dishes each – only one soup I think, and at the bottom – this removed and soles top and a large “truite saumonée” salmon trout at the bottom – these were removed and nothing replaced them – the side dishes which had waited all this time were of course quite cold – there were petits patés, and lamb cotelettes, and a large standing pie like, looking paté called a volauvent, and a piled up in steps dish like a hash of calve’s head the large pieces of tongue forming a prominent part, and a mould of something like savoury jelly or brawn, and I did not see the other thing – Bordeaux, Sauterne, and champagne white and red – waited a long time after the fish was removed – the host and hostess not asking anybody to have anything and the servants not handing things round – at these was a partial attempt at the latter and Mr P– (Pringle) invited all to have volauvent the dish that was misplaced and brought to him to serve – waited for the 2nd course – Dindon aux Truffes top, a large dish full (6 or 8, woodcocks bottom – 2 jellies (reddish) and yellow à l’ordinaire) each side middle and all 4 corners vegetables – stewed celery, Brussels sprouts, Epinards, and something else – pommes de terre à la maître d’hotel for they were handing round and Mr P– (Pringle) ate them with his woodcock – at Dessert the 2 jellies removed – a cream top and ice bottom (but somehow before the ice came Mr P– (Pringle) had a Charlotte Russe of which I ate – not good –) – and apples and sweet biscuits and gateaux etc. for dessert – an expensive, cold, not good dinner – but everbody talked and played the agreeable and all went off well – Mrs P– (Pringle) tho’ sat inanimate – seeming to make no play neither as to conversation nor anything else – a fine woman with lately a heat in her face that appears to spoil beauty – she seems quiet, and amiable, but not to have much in her – it was about 9 when we left table – Mr and Mrs and the 2 Misses P– (Pringle), Captain and Mrs and Miss Hall, Mrs Alexander, Miss Hill and Lord St. Clare or Sinclair, and Mr Ogelvie Sir something Ogelvie’s son obliged to come home on leave of absence from India on account of his health and myself = 12 – a soirée after dinner – ladies to the amount of 24 or 25 and a few gentlemen altogether about 30 – filled the salon sufficiently – the P–s (Pringles) going tomorrow morning at 11 –expressed all civil regrets – talked to a Mrs Gowan, and Lord Sinclair, and the Halls, and much to Mr P– (Pringle) and his sister – their mother 2nd cousin to Lady Hardwick, and young Mrs P– (Pringle) cousin of some sort to Lady S– (Stuart) de R– (Rothesay) Mr P–‘s (Pringle’s) father that I used to know at Mr Duffin’s died in 1827 – his place 5 miles from Selkirk, 4 miles from Abbotsford and Sir Walter Scott – Mr P– (Pringle) hoped to see me there – would shew me all the lions – the Misses P– (Pringle) and their mother have bought a house 46 Charlotte square Edinborough and hope to see me – beg me to consider it a home they fancied me quite an old acquaintance – talked a little to Mrs P– Pringle at the end of the evening – seemingly a very quiet, good person – all the party came away about the same time – home at 11 – 

note of invitation to dine at the embassy tomorrow – the servant who brought the note wanted an immediate answer, but impossible as I was gone out to dinner – wrote and sent George immediately with the following 

“Miss Lister se fera l’honneur de diner chez l’ambassadeur d’angleterre et Lady Stuart de Rothesay vendredi prochain 12 Fevrier à six heures et demie”

directed “the Lady Stuart de Rothesay” – 

sat talking to my aunt 1/2 hour and came to my room at 11 40/60 – spoke to Cameron about its being indispensable for me to have someone to dress my hair – should be glad if she could manage it and suit me – if not it would be no fault on her part as I was quite sure she always did the best she could –, and I was with Mrs Lawton and Mrs Belcombe and her family do the best I could to get her a place – the man thus waiting said she would require perhaps 15 less at 3/. each and 25 or 30 sols for a person of whose to make a block for practising on – she must consider whether she would be at this expense – of course, I could not pay for her learning her business, but would raise her wages if she could dress my hair, and suit me better –

thinking much of being asked to dine at the embassy thankful to god for all his blessings and praying that I might never on any occasion forget my gratitude to the author of all good   my first impression was to kneel down and be thankful    oh that I may always think first to thank god for all his blessings – 

while dressing this afternoon came note from Mr Lindley enclosing letter 2 3/4 pages from Miss MacLean to introduce this Mr Lindley (Augustus Frederick) 

“a very particular friend of my aunt Machan’s who has requested me to introduce Mr Lindley to you – he is grandson of the Lady Elizabeth Murray who was daughter to the duke of Athole, so that he is cousin to the present duke – my aunt mentions that he is intimately acquainted with president Polignac – and perhaps you can tell him the best mode of introduction to Lord and Lady Stuart de Rothesay but as my aunt also says he is going to Paris expressively to visit the Royal family – I should think his introduction sufficient – he will tell you how I look – I have not the pleasure of his acquaintance yesterday being the 1st day I ever saw him” 

…..!!! I immediately wrote a note back by his servant to say I was sorry I was not at home yesterday but should be at home any time between 12 and 2 today and should be glad to see him – he said in his note he should be glad to call any Time I would appoint – his note dated “Hotel de Lille et d’Albion“ – after undressing sat musing a little – Dr T– (Tupper) said this morning Fahrenheit had been at 31° Fahrenheit out my window at 36 at 10 a.m. and about 31° I think on coming to my room tonight –

left margin: Miss MacL–‘s (Maclean’s) letter Saturday the 3rd instant ”Mrs Lawton sat for some time with me on Monday – I never saw her looking so well, so fat, and rosy – and the picture of happiness so cheerful – she talks of paying you a visit soon” !!!

(SH:7/ML/E/12/0162) (SH:7/ML/E/12/0163)