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Wednesday 13th of December we left dear Brighton at ½ past 11 o’clock - by railroad we did not set of for the terminus till 11 [minutes] before which time we had a delightful walk on the parade for it was a lovely morning tho below the pier rather foggy & going to be such a lovely afternoon. We saw Mr Raikes & his father & some of the Pitre’s but not a glimpse of Bossind tho several of the riding masters were out & about. We had the carriage all to ourselves excepting one plain middle aged gentleman who was very civil & went all the way to London.
 
Last day of a visit to Brighton.
After passing the Downs the weather was misty & the country looked very damp & threadbare - We arrived quite safe in London & found the vehicle & James waiting for us. The town looked ….. dirty & smokey & ….. one so ugly & dirty. We went to Miss Savages in Holles Street to order our ball dresses & agreed to come Saturday & try them on.
We arrived at home between 3 & 4 o'clock found dear Lu quite well - Papa with a bad cold he caught the other night when wonderful to say he went to hear the new opera. The house we found quite to jolly tiring the curtains not hung up any where & the floor partly up in the sitting room - Our things did not arrive from the railroad till late on Friday.
 
 
Back home in Ravenscourt (near Hammersmith).
On Thursday morning we were quite in confusion, first in one room & then in another & Mama very busy arranging everything. Lu H & me went out to see Stoemama & Grannie. We found the former pretty well, the latter not quite so well as ideal - not Aunt Anna who is however better than she has been.
Aunt Towgood & Kate where both looking sound & fully well - Kate particularly. They did not give a very good account of the party at home. Ellen's eye is not better - In the afternoon H & I stayed in Mama, & Lu went out again.		  
Friday. The things not having yet arrived there was nothing to be done but practice - at least for Tanny for I had not any music however I played scales. After lunch ….. ….. was going to town in Stoey’s carriage, I went with her ….. ….. ….. ….. & had a very nice ride.
I forgot to say yesterday Mama wrote to Marianne proposing Monday for us to go to Down & I wrote to Blanch asking her to come to us Saturday. 		 
On Monday - As ….. drove down Dean St who should we meet but the young lady with Mr Stickland. We went on to Soho Square & after I had a few minutes in the Bazaar while Lu was at Grundy. Dear Blanch appeared again to my no small delight. We had 3 minutes chat - she arranged to come to us. Shopping around Soho Square.
Monday.
Saturday. We (Mama H & me) went to town to Miss Savages to try on stays & frocks & ages we were at it. Then we had several more shoppings to do, we were rather hurried as no turkey was found from Brighton at any railroad office so Mama bought one in Kensington & she almost feared it would not be cooked in time for dinner. - Sally Waring dined with us. She looks very well. Granmama, Aunt Anna Aunt Towgood Kate & Mick Joseph came in the evening & H & I had a charming chat with dear Kitty.		  
Sunday. We went to church ….. & heard 2 excellent sermons from Mr Parrin but the church looked lamentably empty & neglected. After St George's we called at St Peter’s Terrace [Sarah Gibson's house] & Stoemamas after church. I thought the latter looked very well.
Going to church in the afternoon we met Mrs Cooke & Elise & Riccarde coming out of Mr Clarke’s who has been laid up with a bad foot. Elise looked extremely nice in a new & very becoming bonnet & a very handsome black watered silk polonaise. They told us Mr Black is married again & Caroline is still with them in Dublin exceedingly gay having been bridesmaid to her new aunt They seem to think nothing of the riots there that we hear such shocking accounts of & the number of military in Dublin makes it extremely gay. 		 
Monday.
We were very busy packing up to go to Down - practicing our music etc. About 11 [o’clock] dear Blanch arrived looking so well & pretty escorted by Alick who also looked uncommonly well. - Blanch has got such a darling new bonnet just perfect
By about ½ [past] I2 we were all there seated in the carriage with Martha on the way out to Down. We had a pleasant journey tho t’was not very fine, rather dull & misty. My favourite view on the heath by the telegraph looked particularly interesting & desolate, the roads were heavy & we did not come very quick but we chattered almost unceasingly & were very merry - we found all the dear things quite well.
 
Visiting sister, Marianne at her house in Down, near Guildford.
 
Down.
Tuesday. Not a very fine day. We played & sang after breakfast & worked a little & talked a deal. We went to see the new plantations & walks which are progressing famously - came in & lunched. I then wrote to dear Mummy. It seems quite strange to be away from her & dear Lu after being so much together at Brighton. Just as I finished dear G [Georgiana] arrived having come to spend the day here while Albert was gone to the Archdeacons meeting. She looks very well - not quite so well as at Brighton.
Soon after her arrival Blanch H & me took a nice walk on the hay with little Lu & amused ourselves with telling stories 10 minutes each being the allowance. Came in soon after dressed for dinner.
Marianne gave G [Georgiana] a specimen of her powers of hairdressing doing each of our plaits in a different style - dear Georgiana gave me another lesson in crochet work. We were a very merry party. In the evening Blanch played at draughts with Mr Mills! In order that we might not be so late again as this morning Blanch agreed to sleep with us & awake us in the morning - our bed seems made to hold 3 & accordingly she did so - we sat up by the talking till I2 o'clock very much against my conscience.		  
Wednesday Dec 20th - This morning we were a little earlier & at least we rose a ¼ before 9 having made a tremendous noise & tried to smother one another before we got up. - after breakfast the kittens came into the drawing room & the children & us had some games at play. I drew a group of the kittens, Blanch the two boys & little Lu. Frederick has written to Alexander to ask him to the ball.
In the afternoon we drove out in the carriage to Guildford & did some shopping & called on Mrs Major White at Braboeuf. We saw the whole family - Mr Major & the two children, the youngest is a pretty little fellow.
In the evening we played & sang. Fred did not come home to dinner. Blanch slept again with us & we talked & made a shocking noise before we went to sleep.
December 20th
 
Thursday. In the morning we stayed in copying music etc. Freddy had a sick headache & most of the party felt bilious - I began to fear they were poisoned but they have maybe all happily recovered by the aid of proper medicaments. Marianne had meant to go to Beech Hill after lunch but Frederick sent word that he wanted the carriage & horses to bring him & the gentleman from the railroad. We meant to have taken a walk instead but the drizzling rain prevented us, so after lunch we danced reels in the hall & played with the children. I am sorry we missed seeing dear Georgiana & that Blanch will not see Beech Hill.
In the afternoon our frocks arrived they are beautiful. 3 skirts of tulle over white satin quite plain & ….. ….. & 2 pink roses in the bosom & a wreath of roses for the back hair.
In the morning Bl [Blanch] heard from William enclosing the Little Back Parlour which will not do at all to act. A little before dinner Fred arrived we were very anxious to know who accompanied him & found to our horror only Captain Vernon - none of the others having been heard of. Blanch can not imagine the cause of Alexander’s defection - Captain V. is an old bachelor: seems goodhearted & is said to be able to dance. Fred looked so particularly well & in good spirits. He was so kind as to ask me to ride with him the next day which I should very much have liked but the horse I was to have has not been ridden by a Lady & Marianne did not wish me to, altho Fred says it is extremely quiet however.		 Page 14
Today Friday is so drizzling that we can’t go out anyway, mores the pity - I fear I shall look horridly frowzy after staying in two days.
We enjoyed our ball very much tho I don't think the company was quite so good or so numerous as last year. Blanch looked particularly well I never saw her to such advantage at a dance. Marianne also looked very nice & was so good as to stay till the very last. The music was from Julliens & Koenig led & played exquisitely & at the end played God save the Queen solo on the cornet. I never danced to such excellent music they played the waltz so very well.
All the Onslow's were there including a Mr & Mrs Pitcairn. L looked very nice. Our dresses our beautiful but dear Tanny tho she looked very nice did not look so well as I have seen her nor did she seem quite as spry as usual. We got to bed about 20 mins past 5 & set off home 12 (o’clock) the same day having much enjoyed ourselves & from then to now I have written no journal not having had much time more from being unsettled than from much to do. Now we have got formally into our own sitting room. Blanch returned home on Sunday.
 
The Ball in Guildford.
 
Return home to Ravenscourt.
Monday being Xmas day Christmas
On Wednesday Mary Tudor came to stay with us & we had on the same a visitation from the rest of that family. dear baby is sweet looking & grows so like her Mama.  
On the Sunday after we stayed to the communion.  
1844
On the Wednesday January 3 Mary Tudor left & Sally Waring arrived & stayed till Friday.		 3 January 1844
Page 20
8th January. Papa's birthday we had a dinner party & a very pleasant little dance in the evening. We & our friends played. Blanch, Alix & Wills came. Also Sally & Mary Waldo, Blanch, Alexander & W. slept here & we rehearsed "Bluebeard". Her father's birthday and a dinner party.
18th January the Kensington Ball where we met many people we knew & would have been very pleasant but for the immense crowd. Papa went with us! & actually stayed till near 3. In the morning I finished the likeness I had been taking of Francis Nichols. The Kensington Ball.
19th Mary W. & Sally dined here. Ellen Towgood came to stay with us.  
20th Went to dear Linden Grove found Mr M [William Mulready] not very well has been very ill with an attack on the chest. He liked what we had done tho we seemed to think it very little. We had an excellent lesson. Art lesson with William Mulready at 1 Linden Grove, Bayswater.
Wednesday January 24th
Today I was down in time. Practiced & then walked down Hammersmith with Lu [Lucy] & H [Hannah]. Came home lunched - put things by & wrote journal. Dear Ellen seems very poorly & her medicines don't agree with her.
Just been visited by Mr & Mrs Horne. She is going tonight like the whole neighbourhood to the Nichols. I believe it will be a delightful dance & Blanch will be there, but we have been engaged an age to Mr T Walford's in Clarges Street & there accordingly we go tho we much prefer the other. I must now draw. 		 
The party went off pleasantly. The only people we knew there were Mary & Caroline Griffiths (besides the various branches of Walford's). M. & C. looked particularly nice, they are very nice girls & we had a pleasant chat with them. There was a Mrs Gaskoyne there, a very ladylike pleasing girl & so nicely dressed & appointed.
My best partner was a young man Mr T Walford said was a barrister but I could not find out his name. There was something very quaint & interesting in his appearance & I should think he could afford much more entertaining conversation than I extracted from him. I had the felicity of waltzing with & being taken to supper by Mr Boe incipient man the most talkative of prosers. We got home about 2. Papa went with us again, there were cards for the older men.		 Party at the Walford's
Thursday 25th - Today we are expecting a visit from dear Blanch. She came before Tanny had breakfasted & almost simultaneously arrived the Nichols (Anne & Frank & a Mrs Morgan) they stayed a little while talking after they went we had a charming chat with Blanch. What a merry delightful party she had at the N's [Nichols] She looked much better, she said J Hay was so sorry not to be able to come to the ball. We walked down the avenue to her Aunts garden gate with her about 10 o’clock & then H & I took a walk on the road & went to Stoemamas. Came home lunched, & were visited by the Surtees. I sat & read sometime afterwards. In the evening after a little music we went on reading Kohl's "Austria".  
Friday - Wrote to Charlotte. Practiced. Heard from Harriet Wilding, a very affectionate & nice letter thanking me for the drawing I sent her which seems to have pleased her very much, I hope we may meet her again. Went down Hammersmith with Mama. Drew very little.  
Saturday - Practiced. Wrote a note to Alice. Drew. Went to Mrs Cooke's with Mama & Tanny, no one at home, called on Stoemama. Drew again, read.  
Sunday - Had no Mr Whitfield to our joy either morning or afternoon. Lu & I stayed to the sacrament. Ellen still looks very poorly her eye pains her & she is thinner than she was.  
Monday - Wrote to Alice. Mama is going this morning to Stoemamas to cut out. Lu has heard from G [Georgiana] this morning, she gives an affecting account of poor Mrs Bowles whom they have been to take leave of as her death is hourly expected & Mr B [Bowles] is so ill they don't think he can survive her long.  
This afternoon Mama, Lu & Ellen are going to town in Stoemamas Carriage. However one of the unhappy fat horses being lame they only went to Kensington i.e. only Lu & Ellen.
In the morning I drew, & again after lunch. H [Hannah] & I took a short walk with Lu after her return they went to see Annie Ross, Alice's school fellow who was delighted to see her. Ellen has got the Christmas Carol …... to her tis amusing & some of it very good especially the pictures & being so appropriate to the time of year but it is rather book …...to read aloud at least.
 
 
Tuesday. Dawdled about, drew & about I2 went out walking down Hammersmith H, Lu & me. We left Lu half way & went & called on the Nichols, met Harriet [Nichols] at the Broadway who turned back a little way with us. Were shown into the library, I had not been there before, a charmingly untidy comfortable sort of room. Isabelle looked so very well, so elegant & almost handsome. We saw Mr N [Nichols] & Mama. Anna, Isabel, & Mrs Morgan walked with us as far as the Broadway when we went away. Page 29
Met Alexander in Hammersmith. His last day from coll [college], had been to call on his Aunts. Methinks he might have come here. We came home & lunched after which I drew till 3. & then set of & walked to meet Mama who went before to Grand Mama's & we walked to Turnham Green. We met Col. Goodman who walked some of the way with us. Saw Uncle Gibson in bed but wonderfully better. I wrote my name very badly in a round robin of Fanny's.
We then walked home & met a young woman with a baby in her arms in the avenue who had she said been all over the place to get an order for the hospital for her husband who was ill of a rheumatic fever & had been up to the house where they told her it was too late to see Mr Scott. Mama gave her something & she walked back with us to see if Papa could give her the order but he was out.
 
 
They meet a young woman and baby. She needs an order from her father so her husband can go to hospital.
Wednesday - Drew & wrote to Alice, played duets lunched dawdled drew a little Practised a little. Madam Moutot & Louise & Mrs Hamilton dined here. had some music. In the evening Louise sang a little song particularly well & sweetly.  
Thursday Feb 1st
After breakfast drew till l2, then got ready to go town. H, Mama & me meaning to go & see the Queen go to parliament. The coachman said that we should not be allowed to stand in Parliament St or Whitehall however if we did not see her majesty we meant to go & see the Ojibbeway Indians which as Louise said last night she much wished to see. We went & fetched her & she was very happy to go. 		February 1st
The police would not let us go down Parliament St so we turned back to the Duke of Yorks column. I never saw London, especially the lower classes so gay & the day was so lovely, sunny, dry & frosty & the bells rang so noisily it was quite effecting.
We got out at the column & stood on the steps going down into the park t’was a pretty sight even at that distance & very touching always. Surely do wish the people had cheered more, those near the carriage did a little & threw up their hats & handkerchiefs but not half enough. Every man present ought to have shouted himself hoarse. We couldn't see the Queen well at all there was such a mist on the carriage windows. There was a great crowd.
We then went to the National Gallery as we thought it too late for the Ojibbeway Indians. There we stayed sometime & left it a perfect crowd with all the holiday makers. As we came home too the streets still swarmed with foot passengers. The wood pavement was very slippery in some places, there were 2 horses down in Piccadilly. We called at the T Walford's & found them not at home, we had also been to the Wilsons & the Swans & then came home 1st leaving Louise at her house about 4 o'clock.
They went to see the Queen who was on her way to Parliament.
 
 
Slippery roads, two horses down in Piccadilly.
Friday February 2nd
This morning I wrote to Mrs Turquand & then worked at ½ past 11 dear Lou & Papa set of in the fly for the railroad for Down this bitter cold snowy day.
H & I could not get out but played at Battledore & Shuttlecock. To our surprise Papa came back in the afternoon as the weather was so bad he left Lu at the station & returned. I heard from Charlotte in morning with an entertaining account of the Duke of Devonshire's introduction to Miss Knowlton's honourable relative.		  
On Saturday. I drew as much as I could but yet did not finish my drawing. Mama & us went to Stoemamas & Granmamas. Aunt Mary & Uncle Joseph are come back from Dr Morris in Rutlandshire where they have been staying the latter looks the better for his trip.  
Sunday. Snowing again I was the only one who ventured to church the others being more or less coldified & it certainly was not cutting walking tho’ not bad as rain. We none of us went in the afternoon the weather was worse thawing & raining.
Mama heard from Costa saying that he gives lessons at his house & written in very curious french. I heard from Blanch, a very amusing letter enclosing an acrostic.		 February 4th, snowing.
Monday. This morning Mama heard from Lu, she had a much pleasant journey than she anticipated as Mr George Molyneux & some friends were in the same carriage with her & the snow was so well cleared away from the railroad that they went near so fast as usual. G [Georgiana] has got a bad cold & was in bed.  
Saturday. In the morning I practised singing & music & then drew. After luncheon H & I went out 1st to Stoemama’s to read Lu's letter & then down Hammersmith for Mama, came in, drew. after dinner played, sung, worked & read aloud the “conquest of Yucatan" in Stephens Central America.
Prince Albert has just lost his father very suddenly. The news arrived on Saturday and the Queen, Prince & the R. [Royal] family set of the same evening to Windsor …..		  
6th Tuesday. This morning Tanny received a parcel from Masons at Brighton containing the engraving of Miss Craven & Lady E Villiers she had ordered there. The latter is very pretty the other so so. Wrote to Lu - wasted a deal of time. Drew. After lunch drew again & began a likeness of Ellen. Mama went to Stoemamas to finish cutting out.  
Wednesday. Wrote out Robert’s part in the Princely Bride. After lunch walked out with Mama to GranMama's etc - came in & drew a little.  
Thursday. Wrote to Alice including Robert’s [Towgood] part. Uncle Joseph [Gibson] called - bringing an acrostic on the Princess Charlotte very pretty which he had copied for me & another on the Queen. Mama, H & I then went out down Hammersmith to Filbys. As we were returning we met Blanch & her Mama in a fly - they stopped & spoke to us. They were returning from the Mall where they had been breakfasting with Miss A. we were very glad to have this little peep of them.  
Came back & drew till luncheon: Wasted some time talking with Tanny after it & then drew a little but was soon summoned down stairs to see Louise who called & also John Waring by the time I came down not only they but Fanny Gibson & Miss Keep were there after paying my respects to the ladies I turned to shake hands with John & lo & behold! in addition to his usual very queer exterior he had mounted a tuft & a pair of moustaches! & altogether had a so singular an appearance & I burst out laughing in his face & as soon as I could speak cried out Oh John how fierce you look! which seemed to give him extreme satisfaction. I could hardly keep from laughing for sometime. When Tanny came in she looked very quietly surprised at him & blushed & sat down by Miss Keep & looked so exquisitely pretty I wished there had been a room full to see her.
But a shade of disappointment passed over J. W. [John Waring] face at his quiet reception of his notable moustache which by the bye are greyish sandy & his greyish black hair looks so much darker than usual I couldn’t help thinking he has called in art to his assistance. He is just returned from Servia [Serbia] & given us very amusing accounts of the folks there.
We had quite a levée Mrs Taylor & Mrs Arbuthnot came & the 2 little girls but John outstayed them all & ended up by a chat with Papa who came in at last. I then went to my drawing but the twilight obliged me to leave off. Dressed for dinner. In the evening Mama received a parcel from old Mrs Giles inclosing a number of knitted .... she had worked for us five, Mama & Aunt Anna. Very pretty & a very nice note with them in her beautiful handwriting.
 
 
 
 
 
Friday February 9th
Drew pretty diligently till lunch. Mrs Gordon & her two boys came a little before lunch & spent the day here, Harry is at X’s hospital for Papas presentation & a very nice boy. H & me took then a walk to see the suspension bridge & came home thro’ Hammersmith stopping at Mrs Hombridge for the valentines & at a shop where we got some famous coloured pictures for the boys & came home. At tea when Papa came in he gave them each some pocket money which much delighted them.		 Page46
Saturday. Answered the Gee's at home in the affirmative. Began a note to Charlotte & then dressed & Mama, H & me set of in the .... carriage for 7I Albany street the abode of Michael Costa where we took our singing lessons from him. He is not near so awful personage as Lu’s pictures make him out but quite the contrary. He appears to teach well but with perfect indifference, his room was very smartly furnished & as the back room having the blind down & where the piano was was rather dark we sang, by the light of two candles.
He gave us a pretty long hour & then we went & called on the Weston's & lunched there. Blanch looked very well & we had a delightful chat with her. Mrs Weston looked very well & Mr W. they said was as much as usual. She (i.e. B) showed us her bohemian headdress & her beautiful dacca scarf & the trophies of a tiger, the two last, presents from India. Also we saw 2 of her drawings looking beautiful in frames of Montague C's making.
On our way home we called on the Gee's found them at home & then came home. Drew till dinner & have since written to Charlotte.
Ellen looks a little better today, she has heard from home, Aunt Towgood is better & talks of coming here the beginning of next week. I forgot to say yesterday we heard from Lu, G’s [Georgiana’s] cold is better & good Mrs Bowls as Lu truly says is dead.		 First singing lesson with Michael Costa.
Sunday. A very cold day. I stayed with Stoemama between the services, she seemed pretty well. The Dr preached morning & afternoon. Ellen had a visit today from her brother Frederick.  
Monday. I was dreadfully late this morning. Wrote to Blanch with the valentines enclosed. Drew a little, practised singing & walked to Mrs Bolton's.  
Tuesday. Wrote to Aunt Mary (etc). Drew a little practised singing etc. The day was so cold & foggy none of us went out but Tanny who went to Stoemamas. Ellen heard from Lu. I wrote to Lu.  
Wednesday. At 11 we set off for Costa’s - not quite so cold as I expected from the frosty appearance of things. Costa was very amiable & took much pains.
We then went to ….. & got some ribbons. What lovely things they have there & the people so civil.
Then to Fortnum’s & more beautiful bobbins than ever - We met William Scott [cousin] he gave a very good account of the Romans, a very bad one of Poor George who has just reached Bombay. He said if we would take the trouble of calling at Bolton St. there where 2 broaches for Tanny & me, if we would except them which we condescended to do with much pleasure. They are cameos very pretty & beautiful set.
The day cleared up & we had quite a pleasant ride, we went to J Waring's, all out. Then to Aunt W's & found them at home, Aunt looked very well Sally has a wretched cold. Came home about 3 or 4 found Nelly with a letter from Aunt Towgood who has once more changed her plans & now thinks of coming up Friday. Poor Nelly would she were better in mind & body.
I have not drawn a thing today - I must be more industrious. Tonight we go to a dance at the Bowling's which turned out an extremely pleasant party.
Marianne, Isabelle & Anna Nichols were there & we had a great deal of fun with them. They looked extremely well as also did Elise Crokes who went with us. She looked so very ladylike & interesting and was more chatty & at her ease than I ever knew her. Our pink beige gowns looked very lovely. Mr Birch, Mr Richards, Dudley Wadsworth & Mr Griffith were the only men there we knew anything of. H & I played one set of quadrille. There was a Mrs Natusch there whom with a brother we met long since at Gen. Taylor's. …. danced a great deal & came away at past 2. There was a famous supper & excellent ices.
 
 
 
 
Party at the Bowling's
Thursday. Very late, wrote to William I wrote to thank him for the brooches. Drew. Anna & Isabelle Nichols called. Lay down & read, dressed & went with Papa, Mama & H to Mr Bowerbanks to dinner.
The Party besides us & Mr B. were; his brother & sister-in-law, Miss Hamilton, Mr & Mrs Horne, Col. Goodman, Mr Dewsnap & Mr & Mrs Jenkins the church of Turnham Green. He is an agreeable little man, she is not prepossessing. We had a pleasant party enough, heard of the death of Mr George Onslow!		  
Friday. Drew, heard from Alice, the dear creature is coming here next Monday with Aunt. Wrote to Alice. Had a visit from Madam Moutot & Louise. Madam Moutot looks wretchedly ill & both in low spirits.
Went after lunch with H & called on Grannie, the day was lovely, found she & Stoemama were gone out together in the carriage but she came in while we were talking with Aunt Anna.
Came in practised singing. Had some laughing with Mama about the valentine we sent her. In the evening the songs that Costa was to chose for us arrived " ….. ….. …..", among them a respectable antiquity.		  
Saturday. This morning Ellen [Towgood] left at ½ past nine & went to Woburn Square, H & I were very late & didn't see her! At ½ past II or midday we went to Linden Grove. Found dear Mr M looking so much better. He was as kind & amiable as possible & gave us a very nice lesson, tho we each of us only brought 2 things. Tannys "Garden of Eden" was very much admired & he liked the other things too. He is painting a little picture most beautifully, the colouring & hands are quite lovely the heads are not finished I do not know the subject.
We then went to Savages to have my gown altered, to Gundreys the bazaar & called at the Braids & at Rayners on our way home. H & I walked home from R’s & found cards on the table from John Hay Francis Nichols & Harriet & a note from Blanch which we devoured.		  
Sunday - I stayed with Stoemama between services. We had Mr Whitfield in the morning & the Dr in the afternoon.  
Monday. Set to at a charcoal of the group at Mrs Spongs cottage, rather difficult. After lunch went walking & to Grannies. Mama heard from Ellen to say she is not coming back here now & that Aunt T [Towgood] will come here on Tuesday. Page 60
Tuesday.
Alice & Aunt T. arrived to our great delight since which time I have not written my journal & have been most shockingly idle in every way.
The same evening they came, Mama, H & me went to the Gee's party it proved a much larger one than we expected tho not so crowded quiet & more select than last year’s. It was particularly pleasant & a great many nice looking people there the Whites - Mrs Dodd, her sister who looked extremely well, Also Mr Vuke - Volks - Voke or something like one of those names two remarkably tall young men & one of them very handsome. The least handsome waltzed with Tanny & the others wanted to very much but we went away.
I thought Alice looked not at all well when she came & her throat worse than ever, but she improved in her looks a little. In the first fortnight of her stay we went to Brahams concert (whither we took Louise Moutot) & were very much pleased & amused tho the only singers were Braham & his two sons: to see the cartoons again which Alice liked very much: & to see the Ojibbeway Indians which are very curious & interesting indeed.		 Party at the Gee's.
On the 5th of March Lu [Lucy] returned & G & Albert brought her. The day after they came Alice left to fulfil her visit to Miss Ross her old schoolfellow at Camden Hill.
Dear Alice is so much improved she is really a sweet girl. She had her harp with her & played really beautifully on it.		 March 5th
On the Saturday following dear G & Albert left & Louisa Towgood arrived. She only stayed with us till the following Wednesday & then joined Alice at the Ross’s.  
The Friday after we rehearsed the play without Robert. Blanch came here & slept & we took her home the following day.
Just about this time poor Madam Moutot was in great trouble about her affairs. Louise was terribly out of spirits tho she kept up wonderfully. She determined to set of for Paris directly & sold her furniture. Mama called on her the day before they left for Ramsgate, & how desolate the house looked! She opened the door herself for they had only one maid left & Louise had gone to town with her. After a little conversation she took Mama into another room & told her her history, which Mama told afterwards to Tanny & me.
She is very sad. Lucy knew it before she went to Beech hill. Soon after we came home Louise came up here to wish us good-bye. I sure it was very good of her to make the exertion for she looks dreadfully tired & harassed. I gave her one of my drawings as a remembrance. I am so very sorry they are gone & in so melancholy a way too. She promised to write to us - but I much fear they will not.		 Madam Moutot and daughter are in debt and leave for Paris.
The Tuesday in the week after we went to Mr Mulreadys, I bringing Mrs Spong & another only .... He gave us an excellent lesson & was very kind as usual. He told us Miss Lukie is going to be married to a Mr Stone.  
The next day Wednesday, Alice & Louisa [Towgood] came back. We had a dinner party of men. A & Louisa stayed another Fortnight with us, a very pleasant one & then the dear creatures left us on Tuesday the 2d of April. In all this time I have not ..…. our lesson with Costa which continued. We also had another rehearsal which Bob was present. (Alice was to go to Ilkley with Ellen, Aunt Towgood & some of the party yesterday (10th) to try the water cure I am sorry to say for Ellen! The last accounts of her were rather better). April 2nd
The Saturday after they left Miss Giesewell arrived quite suddenly from ……  
The day after Easter Monday we all stayed to the sacrament. Easter
On Easter Monday Marianne arrived with Freddy & baby having brought them to town for advice. She is very busy flourishing herself & Freddy does not seem much of an invalid but baby & his Papa do not look well.  
Wednesday We had a hard day of it, went to Costas & then to Montague St saw B’s [Blanches] dresses, nothing particular, went to ever so many shops, came home late & had Uncle Chas. & Col. Goodman Mr Schaekel & Mr Dewsnap dined. N. B [Blanche] called on the Borwises Cinderella.  
Thursday. This morning dear Polly & company left carrying off dear Lu with them tho she is so good as to promise to come back Wednesday next to see the Play.  
Friday. Wrote to Blanch, wrote out play bills. We had a visit from Lady Bedingfield, a pleasant old lady. Tried on dresses for the play, quite beautiful practised singing.
Fanny Brande & Miss Macey called. Was in a horrid temper half the day. In the evening went on with work, Conquest of Mexico & ....... Dorothea.		  
Saturday. Very cross again! practised for ½ an hour or so, read a little, wrote to Put off Costa & to Blanch. H heard from ……. yesterday who is not coming to the Play. Walked with Mama & H to Stoemamas.  
Sunday. Stayed with Stoey between services. She is looking extremely well & in good spirits. Page 71
Monday. Today we expect dear Blanch & in the evening is to be the last rehearsal. Poor dear Mama has got a terrible coId & cough. She has arranged everything for us to do beautifully & has made us such lovely garlands. In the morning saw after our dresses. Finished the 2nd vol. of Mexico.  
After lunch H & I went to call on the Atwood’s to ask Lucy A. to come Wednesday. But she is not well enough to come out. As we came home we saw the ….. carriage returning from town & ran & met it just at our lodge where they stopped & left some things.
Blanch however wanted to write a note for her Aunt about the ball & so we agreed to come round & meet her at the Mall. So we went to Filby's to get some things for the play & then went to ye Mall where we found B [Blanch] had been writing a note to Mrs Masterton to ask them & Mr Ferrier to the Ball which Miss A had forgot to do. With many thanks for bringing us Blanch & asking the Masterton's & exhortations in return to be carful not to tire & excite ourselves we carried off the dear girl home.
She was not looking well & said she had been suffering from low spirits. We were very happy showing our dresses to her & talking all the afternoon & by dinner time Alex & William came & Robert. Francis Nichols came in the middle of dinner & little D. Dewsnap came at desert.
Soon after dinner we went up to dress but unfortunately Blanches things were sent by the errand cart & were not forthcoming. However Tanny & I dressed as did the gentlemen tho’ our attire was rather unfinished. We had a great deal of merriment at seeing one another's dresses & were extremely busy all evening & enjoyed it very much. I was so enchanted to find Tanny & Blanch do their parts so beautifully & the Major better than I expected. We rehearsed in the sitting room, Mama was so kind as to prompt us & the maid came to look on Francis N. [Nichols] was very carré & disproved of Tannys pretty dress saying it made her look old!
It was most picturesque concern altogether & would have made a pretty picture, those who were not acting fell into such pretty groups of which Tanny made a lovely centre.
About the middle of the piece Blanch's dress arrived & she "flew to change it" & came down looking so elegant & princess like & graceful, I was enchanted. It looked so infinitely better by candle light & put on properly & the firestones & diamonds had a most brilliant effect. However Francis could not quite approve of anything & as he could find no other fault with it said it did not fit well.
At last we came to the end of the piece & felt very well satisfied with the success of the rehearsal & after a little tea coffee & chatting went merrily to our roosts.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Trying on their costumes for their play they are going to hold at Ravenscourt.
 
 
The first day we passed partly in looking after our dresses & ….. & getting nosegays & walking part the way to the Mall with Blanch who went there before lunch & stayed with her Aunts as she was to go to the ball with them in the evening.
We had expected quite a dinner party but Uncle Charles & Aunt Mary disappointed us shamefully just at the last minute, & Miss Geisewell came too tired for dinner, & Mr Kennedy was not able to leave town in time so we had only Bob & the Campbells & I never saw no one completely enjoy eating as Mr Se. C. & it was a particularly good spread. 		Dinner party at Ravenscourt.
We got to the ball a little after 9 (very early!) & found them already dancing. Miss Giesewell accompanied us & Mr Kennedy joined us at the rooms. Really the coup d‘oeil on entering was very pretty, the room was well lighted the ladies very nicely dressed & the …… looked very graceful tho not very full. H & wore our Guildford ball dresses & looked very nice.
Blanch soon arrived & looked charming in her Guildford. There was a band from …… who played very spiritedly but almost to loud for the room & not always in time: however it was altogether very well & we enjoyed it immensely.
Dear little Miss Cooke tho I am sure she must have been terribly tired looked very nice: She had taken so much pains about the arrangements: for the stewards quite washed their hands of everything except serving wine for the refreshments. The Nichols Jarvis's …… Stephen's everybody about here that we know was there.
Emma Nichols danced nearly the whole evening with Mr Griffith whose acknowledged bride she is after some delay & much …… we were quite pleased to see them so happy. She looked nearly as handsome as formerly & so happy & brightened up & he so quietly satisfied & attentive. We danced incessantly the whole evening be tho the waltzes were very lame owing the extreme unslipperiness of the boards which was beyond everything.		 Going to a Ball (unknown location).
The next morning we felt rather rakish & began wishing the play & the ball had not come so close but we grew gradually brighter as the time drew near. Blanch soon carne to us in the morning & we had many last touches to give to our dresses. The men (or boys?) went to town all day.
H & I got two sheets & painted with blue & yellow distemper, a desert for Bluebeard, a mighty ….. concern! In the afternoon dearest Lucy & little Lu arrived having come all the way from Down on purpose to see us act & then the Eyles came in to build the theatre in the dinning room & great was the joy & consultation thereon. 		Props painted and theatre built in the dining room.
We dinned a little earlier than usual in the library and just as we had finished the boys returned dancing in displaying their daggers & scimitars they had bought from town. We then repaired to the theatre which was just finished & jumped about merrily & then began arranging the seats & scenery which was only the two great folding screens & a change or two of the chairs for different apartments. Little as it was it took some time to settle it right & I & Lu stayed doing this till it was absolutely necessary that I should dress & she undertook to finish it for us.  
The dressing was a hurry & a bother as it is always more or less but the results were most successful.
Tanny was in white muslin with 2 large flowers, ruffled sleeves black mittens as well as the dress trimmed with cherry coloured satin ribbon, frizzed front a little black hat & feather at top a knot of ribbons behind, below the hat the same as in her gown & a black velvet ribbon round her neck fastened by a broach.
Blanch wore a dress that had belonged to her granmama, a quilted blue satin petticoat, over it an open gown of white silk brocaded with flowers. She wore a beautiful necklace of firestones & diamonds & three little clasps of the same down her bosom; bracelets. Her hair was powdered a white hat & feather & a knot of blue ribbons behind.
My dress was a dark green silk over a salmon colour satin petticoat with a lace stomacher & handkerchief & splendid ruffles, my hair was also powdered & I had a white cap & lappets of Mama's concoction, it was a very becoming dress. I have thought my powder etc would have been more becoming to Tanny & Blanch, instead of which tho’ their dresses looked extremely pretty & they looked very nice yet I think they both better with their natural hair. With me I think it proved contrariwise. 		Page83
Dressing up for the play, Ravenscourt.
We had such fun acting & enjoyed ourselves so very much behind the scenes. Mr Griffith offered magnanimously to be prompter tho E Nichols was among the spectators. Robert Towgood was certainly the best dressed of the men & performed his part perfectly well. William W. got into a most unbecoming way & was altogether better in rehearsals. Francis N. was not ill dressed & performed very naturally but was too undesigningly Alex W was as well as I ever dared to hope but not so good as the last rehearsal.
He & William wore modern uniforms which were rather at variance with their powdered wigs. W Dewsnap looked the picture of a valet in his brilliant costume but unfortunately didn't quite know his part.
The ladies I must say for outdid the gentlemen. Tanny acted beautifully beyond my highest hopes particularly her scenes with the prince & ….. …... her soliloquies & Blanch was most amiable & pristine & princess like. I did my part pretty well but made rather a ….. once or twice but I don't think very visibly - the fact was I could not keep my countenance which was very difficult to do as I couldn't loose myself in the character as there was none.
Tanny & Blanch knew their parts so perfectly well, Mr Griffith had quite a ….. with them towards the end when I was not wanted I slipped in amongst the spectators & looked on. It looked so pretty, I was quite pleased: We had a most indulgent audience - only the relatives of the actors excepting the Cookes & Mrs Hamilton. I don't think there were 30. We made a smash of the "shouts of the populace" and "Bells heard in the distance" which ended miserably & the same afterwards in Bluebeard it was found impossible to get a noise when wanted - it always came ten minutes before or after. 		The first play (unknown title).
How delightful it was to dress for Bluebeard which seemed to come so delightfully easy after the P. Bride tho there was some tremendous long stoppages between the scenes. William Weston acted famously & so did Blanch & Tanny & looked quite lovely in her costume & I did all very well & knew my part in this.
Alexander had a very good dress & acted like a walking poker and died in particular very ill which was what he had managed in rehearsals.
Tanny & I wore white satin petticoats rather short with white muslin trousers & white ….. shoes & hanging white muslin sleeves. Tanny wore over her petticoat a tunic body of rose pink satin her stomacher was composed of necklaces bracelets & anything of jewellery we could get & looked very brilliant. Her turban was gold coloured satin painted with flowers & edged with pearls & a bird of paradise feather. She had a great many rows of pearl beads round her neck - some enormous ones & 2 large tassels of pearl bands hung over each ear & bracelets.
My tunic was yellow gotha muslin all over in a Turkish pattern, my stomacher was silver ribbon with a bunch of roses in the middle my turban was blue & white muslin with a paradise feather & edged with silver & I had smaller earrings of pearl beads & necklace. We came in first without turbans & with shawls over our shoulders till Fadlallah says - “go put on the dresses we sent you this morning" then we mounted the turbans, discard our shawls & appear in all our finery.
Williams dress was excellent purple trimmed all fur, an enormous white turban white beard & long white moustaches & made a capital old Turk . As the sheikh he wore a shining crested helmet shaggy black hair & moustaches bare arms & a quantity of yellow calico - pour ….. parure - wrapped about his person in an extraordinary manner.
Blanch made a charming ….. & she looked quite handsome - the dress was so becoming - a green & white turban - green waistcoat ….. dress & pantaloons turned up, with yellow scarlet stockings & yellow Turkish slippers & to crown all a pair of delicate black moustaches. The dress was particularly well made & very becoming.
There were a few failures & smashes in our performance but on the whole it went of very well & seemed to give much satisfaction & I'm sure the actors enjoyed it thoroughly & were not the least bit tired after it, not nearly so tired the next morning as after the ball. The day after the play dear Lu & little Lu left & Bob & Sidney & William & Alexander dear Blanch stayed with us till Saturday following.		 The second play, Bluebeard.
The Wednesday after April 24th we went with the A Walford's to a party at Mr Biggs a pleasant party enough. Tanny looked charming. Nothing hardly but lawyers & a few clients. Met Mr Wyble & that horrid Capt. M’Donald. Saw the beautiful Miss Bolton of Lee a very striking & elegant person. I saw at a glance she was “a beauty". Blanch tells me she is very amiable & her parents are not at all nice folk & never go to church so she has not much advantage in them, but she & her sister always go regularly on every Sunday. April 24th


Party at the Biggs.
The Saturday following we went to dear Mr M’s he gave me a very good lesson but begged me to try & do more & finish.  
The next day we stayed to the sacrament. Page 94
Monday was the first day of our new carriage, 'tis a Clarence & very neat.  
May
This was quite a gay month with us at least there seemed always something going on & not a note of journal did I write. First the Westons gave us tickets for the ancient concert where Caradori Allan sang exquisitely & ….. very well: otherwise the selection not as good as usual. But we saw the dear Prince the cambridges the Duke very well & our good Bishop sat just opposite to us. 		May

Concert where Caradori Allan sang
Then we had a dinner party & on the 4th Sat. H & I went to the ….. house & stayed with Uncle Chas & my Aunt till Monday. We enjoyed ourselves so much & went to hear Archdeacon Wilberforce preach I never heard him before & liked him extremely. It was a most excellent sermon preached for the benefit of a female asylum and penitentiary.
In the afternoon we went to St Saviour's & after the service had a look thro the railings at the beautiful Lady Chapel coming home we went to see St Stephens, Walbrook one of Xopher Wrens finest churches. I forgot to say on the Saturday we went to see Crosby Hall a most interesting old place. On the Monday before we left Uncle Chas took us to see Guildhall which we had never seen before. We came home quite delighted with the City, on the way home we stopped at [Madame] Oury's & took a lesson.
In the evening we went to the Bowling's for rehearsal, their concert being the next night. It was very good fun but rather awful.
The concert itself the night after went off admirably & Tanny & I got through our piece (a divertissement of Bertims from La fille du Regiment) totally well. We wore our pink ….. & wreaths of roses round our back hair. The whole concert was extremely well arranged & their room exactly suits that sort of thing. The performers were: Miss M Bowling, Mr Griffith, Mr Mountain, Mr Birch, Miss Watkins (a little girl who played extremely well) ourselves & Miss Thompson.
Her sister was to have been Prima Donna but she has a dreadful cold & entirely lost her voice & could not preform & Miss Cooke who looked so darling & played so nicely on the harp. Miss Thompson was really the best amateur pianist I ever heard. After the concert they cleared the room & we danced merrily the Nichols were all there.

May 4th Dinner party at Ravenscout

They hear Archdeacon Wilberforce preach.

A visit to Guildhall.

Piano lesson with Madame Oury.

A concert at the Bowling's.

On the 9th Papa went to Down [near Guildford]. Mama & us with Miss Giesewell & Aunt Anna went to the Lyceum - where the Walford's had given us a box. We were extremely well entertained, we saw 3 wives of Madrid - The Lovebirds - Polkamania & Open Sesame.
Miss Fortescue is a charming actress, the Kelby's have the management which is a great improvement. Somewhere Miss Giesewell left. 		Page 98

A box in the Lyceum.
The 11th Papa returned also Lucy & little Lu, little Lu has grown a dear little thing.  
Then on the 16th G [Georgiana] & Albert came & Mr Molynew & there was a dinner party. Dinner party at Ravenscourt.
The next day was my birthday & dear G & Albert & Lu gave me such beautiful books. Lu gave me Lady Willoughby's memoirs which is quite beautiful & G - Pilgrims Progress & Albert, Eucharistice & Tanny - & I went to see Blanch & had a chat with her. Jessy's birthday.
Next day was the Fete at Chiswick - not a handful attendance the day was raining & bitter cold. G. Pope his wife & Mr M. Pope & the Miss W Braides Uncle Chas. & Mr Kennedy accompanied us. Considering the weather we enjoyed it very well. Fete at Chiswick.
The next week was one of sightseeing. Mr Rose took us over the Reform church (especially the kitchen ….. ….. presided over by Monsieur ….. the most amiable & accomplished of chiefs). We went to the Suffolk St Academy Exhibition - We had a visit from Miss Souper who stayed 1 night here, Do[ditto] from Mr Onslow, went to the ….. saw the giraffes at Chiswick & had a dinner party on Friday. Saw the giraffes at Chiswick.
Sat. G [Georgiana] & Albert left. The week after had our last lesson of Costa & went to a matinee at Oury's. Hulbury played beautifully. Lady Essex ….. etc was there.  
Thursday - Had a lesson of dear Mr M I bought two finished ones this time. He liked them very well especially the first (Ellen reading a letter) the inconvenience of Freddy sitting on Blanche’s knee shocked him a little in the other & he made me alter it & also correct the drawing which was bad. He showed us some beautiful etched sketching he has been doing, quite beautiful one was for a frontispiece to a childs primer He said I was beginning to get over my difficulties in colouring.  
The next day Miss ….. dined with us. She is looking very well & is going to Down Farm to teach little Lu during the boys holidays. I forgot to say Lukins returned home with G [Georgiana] & Albert.  
June
Saturday June 1st We had a visit from Oury who brought with her Lady Capel.		 June
Trinity Sunday A most extraordinary sermon from Mr Whitfield, all about ghosts sprites and goblins. I received my 2nd letter from Louise [Moutot].  
Monday 3rd Went to tea at Uncle Gibson's to entertain him with music however the old gentleman would only listen from his bedroom. Passed a chatty evening with Tanny & Miss Laing, her sister-in-law elect.  
The next day went to an evening party at the Cookes very agreeable & well arranged as their parties always are. Heard Mr ….. play the guitar most beautifully, also a Polish lady who played well on the piano. Met then a Mr Da Costa, a queer little individual who Mama invited to our dance on the 19th.
All the talk just now was of the Russian Emperor [Nicholas I] - his sudden arrival, his active life, his beauty, his courtesy, & his magnificence. Tanny would I believe have gone miles to see him & I should much have liked to. We waited one day at H [Hyde] Park corner to see him pass & really believed the glimpse of a stout gentleman we had was of him, may even ….. his likeness to the portraits & to Alexander. Afterwards found it was the good King of ….. !		 Party at the Cookes
The day after Mr C's party we went to town to meet Blanch & Mary Buchanan at Madame Michan's & have our first Polka lesson. First Polka lesson.
Madame M. was not in when we arrived so we rested some time very happily chatting together & watching Madame Adelaid (Miss ….. ) give a lesson to a young lady & gentleman who danced it very nicely. It is the prettiest dance in the world & the most charming but, very often danced in a stupid manner & without changes. The fact is no very stupid man can do it (for the man has the regulation of the figure) & it requires some changes & a good deal of presence of mind to dance it properly. We got on pretty well for a first attempt, but were dreadfully heated & tired. Page 105
Papa & Mama went to Down & Lu, H, & I went to Beech Hill, making the railroad journey by ourselves. G [Georgiana] & Albert met us at the Woking station looking very well.
The weather was perfect & very warm & we enjoyed the clear quiet country to our hearts content & were extremely happy. We went to see the hospital at Guildford an extremely interesting old place. We went on expeditions with ….. (whom I drove to admiration several times) sketching & getting wild flowers.
One day we dined at Down Farm & another day was a dinner party & Miss Gladstone came in the evening. She is much improved in her manners & a very pleasing girl. 		Travels to Woking by train to say with sister Georgiana.
On Wednesday 12th we returned home, Papa & Mama returned the day before all the better for their trip which they seemed to enjoy very much.  
The next day we went to Mr Richard’s concert which was not at all bad only far too long however we did not stay much more than half.
….. Gras sang thrice & perfectly enchanted me. She is much improved in voice & looks etc & I think it is really the perfection of singing for French music. She sang an air from Robert le diable exquisitely afterwards.
I thought she was the least hoarse. She has grown really almost pretty & ….. & pleasing at least & was beautifully dressed. She & E Birch were the only well dressed women who sung. The latter is improved very much & less nervous. There were several good voices but Madame D. G. was the only ….. singer there & next to her Eliza Birch, though I think she was the youngest there. ….. sang in a very pretty Italian duet & sang well. I never heard her to so much an advantage. 		Concert at Mr Richard’s house.
The next day we went to our 1st Polka academy where we met again Blanch - the Buchanans were very merry together, but H & I did not quite succeed with our Polka it was agreed that us 2 must have one more private lesson the next day.  
Saturday 15th we went to the Horticulture fete. The day was perfect, neither to hot nor to cold & we enjoyed it very much - Papa went with us & Mr & Mrs John Waring - Poor dear Lu had I fear a very stupid day - for she went with them & never found us or anyone else she knew all day and John dragged them about the kitchen gardens hothouses etc etc all according to his own family.
We met Miss ….. & the Westons & the ….. left us with them till 5 o'clock & we had a great deal of laughing & talking. We had a glimpse of Mr Mulready, the crowd was almost too great to be pleasant. 		June 15th

Horticulture fete.
Tuesday 18th Tanny and I had a very good Polka lesson at Michans & learnt a great deal. Elise was the only person there when we came. She taught us the double step etc & then Jeramy & his brother came in & they & Elise taught us & danced with us until Madame Michan herself arrived. We had a very good lesson & danced a good deal.  
Wednesday 19th All the morning Mama was very busy arranging everything for the evening & Lu helping her. She got a quantity of flowers which H & I set out. There is such a quantity of flowers this year the house was very well ornamented with them especially roses & Miss Anderson sent us a large bouquet of her beautiful geraniums. Tanny & I helped a little & then in the afternoon we made our own bouquets & rested ourselves.
We wore at the dance our Guildford-ball dresses & wreaths. It was altogether one of the most successful of our dances tho a few less guests would have been perfection. Miss Anderson brought quite a large party, besides the Westons & Mr Sam Devenish, Miss Buchanan & Mr Masterson & his friend Mr Ferriar.
The latter is a very singular looking man, deadly pale - rather dark brown hair - no whiskers but a beard & his hair too grows in a particular way glassy blue eyes not bad features tho square & rather jewish & not a bad figure rather short than tall. His dancing is perfection especially the polka which it is quite delightful to dance with him & he changes the figure so often & so well. Blanch danced 5 times with him. I prefer Mr M. to him but was not much struck with either. He (Mr M.) is very short with little bright eyes, a small turned up nose, a very complacent little mouth & a little round head: a queer little creature altogether, but a gentlemanly way of speaking. 		Party at Ravenscourt
Mr Da Costa who we met at the Cooke’s came, he was more languishing than ever. I did not dance with him nor Blanch but H nearly killed us with mimicking him the next day. She had got his drawling voice & his half cockney, half foreign idiom & accent exactly. He left very early to go to a party somewhere else. Tanny had just danced with him & asked him to stay a little bit longer (she wanted B. to dance with him) he said he had been very Appy in the lush Granville, so H said she would introduce him to a lady who should make him very happy for the last, but no he said he would go away with the last impressions etc. etc.
The Surtees came. Lambton has grown into a middle aged man almost. I like him tho he is so English & gentleman like. Mrs J. looked quite the picture of an old lady.
John Waring brought a Mr Dousy with him, a very nice looking person. Mr Rennie came with the Cooke's & there were several men I don't know the names of to this hour but altogether a particularly nice lot: superior to our usual men. The Braids did not look quite so well as usual; they were tired having been out I believe the night before. Jane & Augusta looked very tired.
Fanny has hardly got up her looks after her illness tho she looked me thought very pretty & interesting. Ellen Hay was one the better, I never saw her look so well & Mary [Hay] also, they were so nicely dressed. Mr Hay senior accompanied them! as well as their brothers.
Mr & Mrs Jenkins brought two Miss J's with them, his sisters. One of them was very portly, fair & ladylike. Miss Cooke did not look well she was extremely tired. Tanny looked very pretty & certainly danced better than anyone else. Lucy ….. was much admired & looked very nice. I think we never enjoyed a dance so much.
The polkas were so delightful & kept up with so much spirit. Alexander & William do it terribly well & many others knew it. We went to bed humming the polka. Tanny & I were so little tired we sat up talking over the ball & watched the sun rise which was a very good one & reminded us exactly of some of Martin's pictures. We went to bed & dreamed of the polka & when I woke up the tune was so in my ears & feet, it was quite unpleasant. 		Party at Ravenscourt continued.
In the morning Blanch & Mary Buchanan came up & we chatted at a great rate & danced the polka till Miss ….. came to take Polly away to town. Blanch stayed with us to our great joy. The day before we had an invite to go to Mr Carpine to a cold dinner after the fancy fair at Lords cricket ground. So after lunch we set off.
The afternoon was very fine & pleasant & the fair was very well arranged & a very pretty sight. Then we met John Hay who was to be our ….. or rather Tanny’s for he attached himself entirely to her. I’ve made various purchases & after staying some time (during which we met several friends & acquaintances)
We repaired to the Carpines. How much one enjoys an impromptu piece of greeting! I don't know when I've been so merry. I really fear we 3 were quite outrageous & the Carpines are such clever worthy at home-y old souls, & everything was so well arranged.
There was a very good cold collation & after it we went up to the drawing-room & were introduced to an Indian Prince, the Nawab of Surat a very fine young man.
There was as many people at dinner as ever the room could hold, ever more. Then we had music & singing. Miss Carpine sings beautifully & Blanch & I got told of a book all which we were much amused. There were cards for the elders & at last dancing for Y [young?] persons. O' how we longed, but in vain for a polka however we got on à merveillewithout it. - We did not stay very late.

Fancy fair at Lords cricket ground.

Dinner at the Carpine's.

Introduced to an Indian Prince, the Nawab of Surat.
The next morning
Friday 21st we were surprised by a visit from Aubrey Scott (the 2d since his return from Rome) & we soon began teaching him the polka, in the drawing-room where the Carpet was not yet laid down. Aubrey is very much improved & has now very good manners without being so stiff as formerly. We were very merry together for sometime dancing & laughing at the extraordinary attempts he made. We were all going to the Nichol’s after lunch to see the regatta (this being the 2d day of it) & as Aubrey wished to see it we asked him to come with us.
There was a large party at the Nichols & Mr Berkeley & Mr Griffith of course among them. Mr G looked so extremely happy with Emma, he was quite jocose. Alexander W came for a little while: there was also the Jarvis's & many more. The afternoon was delightful & we enjoyed it extremely. The river was covered in boats & looked very gay - pretty. - Francis Nichols was so enchanted when the Oxford boat won I thought he would have thrown himself into the river. 		June 21st
Saturday. We went to the polka practise had a pleasant dance with them Mary B. & finally left dear Blanch in the hands of her brother & went home.  
The next Monday however we met her & Alexander again at Westminster Street where they agreed to come as Mr Rowe had offered to show us the new Houses of Parliament.
They are very fine certainly especially as seen from the river but I was surprised to find the carving so coarse & the doorways so poor. I quite agree with F. N. that it is too much in the grand front style.
The inner & back courts & fronts are very naked looking. Papa went with us & we were all much pleased. Mr Rowe makes an excellent cicerone I was so pleased with the numerous workshops that surrounded the building at present, it reminds one of some of ….. outlines.		 Tour of the Houses of Parliament.
The Wednesday after this we went to dear Mr M’s [Mulready]. He gave us a very good lesson & showed us a great many drawings. Some beautiful Varleys some were the best I ever saw. These were to show Tanny the right way to colour her trees (she bought her first colour things this time). He also showed us different examples of different ways of making studies & sketches from nature i.e. a little book full of beautiful little sketches of his own - subjects for pictures - done in outline in sepia beautifully done.
Also several coloured studies of rocks, water moss etc by Mr Swinburne extremely well done & he also showed us studies of a lime tree he has done this year - most wonderfully accurate & beautiful & including various memoranda very neatly written concerning the characteristics etc of the tree etc etc.
Then drawings of a separate branch of those which grow lowest down with each separate leaf & memoranda of the manner of their growth. There were also drawings of tiny buds & twigs that sprout out of the stem of a lime & some of the natural size (the complete branch was drawn by a scale) these were all very finely etched in ink on thin blue writing paper.
he himself having the time he was not talking to us & was employed in drawing on zinc one of his own designs, a frontispiece of a child's primer - it is a beautiful design but the drawing it on zinc seemed very tiring to the eyes. I quite regretted Mama or Lu had not been with us we saw so many beautiful things.		 Page125

Artist William Mulready shows them various sketches of rocks, branches etc.
The next Friday we had a dinner of Middx [Middlesex] Magistrates Mr Atwood & Mr Bowerbank were invited to meet them the 2 latter were very entertaining & Mr Bowerbanks nearly killed us with laughing at the way which he talked of rival magistrates. The rest of the company reminded one of a set of Bunbury's caricatures what they wanted in wit they made up in absurdity & altogether we found the party much more amusing than we expected. Dinner at Ravenscourt for Middlesex Magistrates.
Saturday our last polka academy, the Buchanans there not Blanch.  
Sunday Stayed to the sacrament.  
Monday July 1st Went with Miss Anderson (or rather we took her) to Madame Ourys Matinee Musical at the D[Duke] of St Albans in Piccadilly.
The program was very unpromising but tho’ the performances were not celebrated they did their best & as the room was not large it did very well. The music was all good. a ….. of ….. particularly pleased us & Madame O [Oury] played the piano part beautifully. I sat just opposite to a beautiful portrait of a Duke of St Albans, quite a lad, a most beautiful & noble countenance. Coming home we came in for a tremendous thunder storm & pouring rain.		 July 1st

Madame Ourys Musical Matinee at the Duke of St Albans in Piccadilly.
July 2. had a lesson from Oury [Madame Oury].  
Saturday July 6. went again to the exhibition had a very hurried view liked liked it better than ever.  
Tuesday. Another music lesson.  
Wednesday Went to hear the band in Kensington gardens. Met there Oury with Lady Capel. A great many people there. Saw Clement Berkley. The band played a march or a gallop that exactly imitated the noise of a railroad, & with that combining a tune.  
Friday 12th Dear Marianne & all the children arrived. They are all most flourishing except baby who is very delicate. Totty grows so pretty. The rest of the day was the Horticultural Fete and in the midst of the fine weather before and after was a pouring day.
Mr & Mrs Pope came as invited. She is a particularly pleasing & ladylike person & he much improved. Mr Kennedy also came. It was so bad we hesitated whether to go or not, but however go we did & when we reached there it poured as hard as ever. We ran about under umbrellas, met several of our friends, saw some flowers & as it at length held up a little, paddled to the Duke of D’s [Devonshire's] grounds.
How beautiful they are tho’ the weather of course gave it every disadvantage. We met there Mr Mulready who spoke to us & also to the dear children who were with us & enjoyed themselves pretty well in spite of the rain.
Thought Mr Kennedy particularly stupid. Fred & Andrew Stirling did not arrive till past midnight when all of us were in bed. S [Andrew] was to have gone with us to the gardens but was prevented. The Popes went home from the gardens, Mr Kennedy stayed & as the night was so bad slept here.		 Sister Marianne arrives with all her 5 children.

Horticultural Fete.
Sunday Morning. saw Andrew Stirling at breakfast, he had been four years away in the Indies. It seems only the other day he was here quite a little boy & full of mischief & with a monkey like face & manner. Now he is a very quiet gentlemanly lad with a good countenance & picturesque appearance.
Mr Kennedy left after church. In the evening we had a great merriment in the garden with the dear children, Totty ls quite charming.		  
Monday morning Andrew left very early.  
Tuesday. I was just dressing to go to the dinner party at the Jarmen’s (deadly lively work) it being my turn to go out. When Fred came from town with the news that he had a box given him at the Opera for this very night!!! To hold four dear Lu took my place at the "insipid pleasure" of the dinner party & Fred Polly, H & I repaired to the opera. I was only sorry Mama could not go ….. is no ….. either Lu or Papa.
The box was an excellent one both for seeing & hearing. Sir W. Fremantle one of the pit boxes. It was Don Carlos Costa’s new opera: it was such fun to see our nonchalant maestro conducting so energetically. He is an admirable conductor. The opera is very good & clever, music almost entirely dènuè of airs & melodies but beautifully got up & performed.
The libretto remarkably stupid. Labache's [Luigi Lablache, Italian opera singer] part (that of Phillip IV who was even more savage in ….. opera than in …..) seemed quite unnatural to him tho’ he cannot do otherwise than sing beautifully & he was strangely disguised with a yellow wig, beard & eye-brows.
Mario was a little husky some part of the night but he is very much improved in his singing & acted very well & gracefully. He was magnificently dressed. ….. we liked as little as ever. Grisi was splendid singing & looking better than ever. We enjoyed it exceedingly.
The choruses were beautifully performed. ….. the 2 last acts was a divertissement in which Cerito & St Leon performed. She is very charming but I have seen her to more advantage in prettier dances. The ballet was Giselle the sweetest possible ballet & the music too - (tho alas this was most slovenly performed). Fanny Elssler dancing & still more her expression acting & ….. ….. are exquisite - beyond description - quite affecting. The corps de ballet was very mediocre & the getting up generally showed traces of it being only a revival But still the thing itself & the idea is so charming
I was quite sorry it should come to an end. Fanny Elssler is past perfect.		 Going to the Opera
The next day we had our last lesson from Oury - poor thing she looked very ill.  
The following Saturday we all went to Hampton Court meaning to hear the band play which it did not - the master being sick as the sentinel told us. However we enjoyed ourselves extremely with the dear children & rushed about everywhere. The day was delightful & the dear old place looked perfectly lovely. Visiting Hampton Court.
The Monday following dear Marianne & all the party left & on the Wednesday Tanny & I went to dear Mr M’s for the last time before leaving home he was very kind (when is he not) & gave us a very good lesson. He is not looking well I fear has been working too hard. He has had a great many designs for Peveril of the Peak since we last saw him.
He liked Tannys things very much & tho they are still a little green he said he didn't mind that it would soon go off. I had done very little, he says however I am getting over my difficulties in colouring.
Mama came in when we had just finished & Tanny asked him to show her the drawing for the Prince he showed her a proof impression of it & gave it to her. It is so pretty. He also showed a beautiful little drawing from Peveril [of the Peak]: Alice Bridgeworth brought to her father after her health is recovered, by Lady Peveril's care.		 Page 140

Marianne and family leave.
The rest of the week was bustle, packing & leavetaking till Friday when we set of for the rail road terminus of the Birmingham line. Papa Mama Lu Tanny & I. Martha & James being the whole party. We set off at 3 min past 11 for the terminus, the road was not very interesting till we approached Derby here we rested & refreshed for an hour - the day had been showery but it now cleared up & we had a most favourable introduction to Derbyshire.
We were not long reaching Ambergate our last station, it is a very pretty one newly built in the Elizabethan style & in a lovely situation. We reached it about ½ 6. We found a carriage waiting to take us to Matlock. It is a beautiful drive & we were quite delighted with Matlock & the situation of our hotel. We did not feel tired & went out for a walk. 		Holidaying in Derbyshire
The next morning we climbed the Heights of Abraham Lu H & I got quite to the top & I & H took a sketch we then descended & went with Mama into the Rutland Cavern. In the evening we went to see the Petrifying Well & Lu & H & me crossed the water and walked on the other side where Tanny took another sketch. Old Bath Hotel Matlock
Sunday was another lovely day & we were quite delighted with the way the service was performed in the little church which stands at the end of the garden of our hotel. It is extremely pretty, plain and in good taste within & without & happens to be newly erected. It was the opening of a new organ & a remarkably good one & well played.
The singing was excellent & we had two very good sermons from the clergyman to a very full & attentive congregation after both morning & evening services was a collection towards defraying the expenses of the new organ.
Between the services we walked to Mr ….. ground which are in a romantic situation & arranged without a particle of taste.
It rained a little Sunday evening & we feared very for the next day when we were to see the Rookery & its dear inhabitants.		  
Monday July 28th To our great joy the day was quite lovely & a cloudy picturesque day to boot. The air here feels quite keen after the warm weather we left behind us in the south. We bade adieu to pretty Matlock at ½ past 11. The road was beautiful & we travelled in an open carriage. We stopped on our way to see Haddon Hall, a most interesting old place but very desolate, to much so almost.
Thence we proceeded to Ashford. The Rookery is lovely - far prettier than I imagined - most romantic without & comfortable within & the kind welcome we received would have made one happy anywhere.
Dear Charlotte and William both looking very well - the former particularly so ….. Mrs Giles & Miss Galley are staying with them, they are extremely amiable. Mrs G. particularly is a delightful person. We had a most hospitable lunch & after that walked in the garden & went to see the church which is being done up & very much improved. Charlotte played on her organ for us. We were very happy together but at about 3 we took [leave] of them & proceeded to Buxton.
As we drew near B. the road was very wild & bleak & greatly to my taste. The Crescent is a fine building & the terraces & walks etc seem very well kept up.		 July 28th
The Rookery, Ashford
Tuesday a rainy morning, it held up in the afternoon & we went out for more than an hour, the place seems empty & the contrary of lively. St Anne’s Hotel, Buxton Crescent.
Wednesday in the morning wrote letters etc & worked. It rained nearly all day. We went to see the Shrubbery which are nicely laid out & would be charming in hot weather.
In the afternoon Lu & Tanny took a warm bath. Yesterday & today we dined en table d’hôte. The president is an agreeable Irish man. A Miss Cole looks agreeable & ladylike but is not near enough to us to speak.		  
Thursday August 1st. Today we were to have gone to Castleton there to meet Ashford party. But alas it poured unceasingly all day. This house tho large & well built & otherwise comfortable is full of drafts & we are very glad of a fire this cold day, Mama has written home for our warm dresses.
This morning I rose very late having a cold in my head - worked at the blue and silver bag, wrote journal, lunched. Lu brought some Les Graces [The game of Graces] played at that a little time.
At dinner our company was joined by a Mr Duffy & his daughter very Irish. At tea we talked to them & found her in particular so agreeable that after tea us 3 fetched our work & sat in the drawing room. Mr Duffy is an amusing old gentleman.		  
August 2d Friday. A fine morning. My cold worse therefore I stayed at home while the rest of the party went to Castleton to see the wonders of the Peak taking Miss Duffy along with them who hardly knew what to do between the pleasure of going & the fear of taking my place.
After they were gone I sent for Miss Edgeworth's Belinda & read the three volumes without scarcely stirring. Some of it is very good - especially the character of Lady Delacour & what concerns her tho her history she tells to Belinda is rather tiresome. The episode of Virginia is so very romantic and improbable tho the details are I think well done. Altogether it is one of the least well concocted of Miss E's works I have read, yet there are many good parts in it.
During the afternoon the band played before our windows, they played well & all the cripples came out to hear & gave the melancholy terraces quite a serio comic air.
The explorers returned before dinner very hungry rather muddy - but very much pleased with what they had seen with Miss Duffy who is a lively unaffected girl.
At dinner Lu sat by Miss Cole who is not so agreeable as she expected.
At tea we saw Mr & Miss Lockhart, who had dined with us but not near our end of the table. He is a fine old man & she a dark-eyed girl not exactly pretty, a good sort of girl I daresay (before dinner & tea we walked out & met Mr & Mrs D. & walked with them.)
After tea we went to the rooms - or promenade as it is called tho everyone sits still. There was not many people in a large room that was meant for dancing & the band played so well Tanny & I could hardly sit still.
They played admirably & very pretty waltz & quadrille & pieces on the harp: accompanied.
Nearly all the audience were lame! They left of about ten & then we went home & to bed - I forgot to say they did not meet the Ashford folks at Castleton, they were not able to come.		 August 2nd
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Saturday - Read over again Lady Delacours history of herself in Belinda thought it very good this time, the best thing in the book - almost. Finished Sir Henry Wotton's life: not so interesting as either Donne or Hooker.
It rained nearly all day, stayed in & were all very ennuyé [bored].
I [In] the evening Miss Duffy & Miss Lockhart sang & Mr Stuart accompanied them on the flute t'was a curious scene & we had abundance of laughter. Mr S. was too modest to play in the public room! & so we all including Miss Woodcock adjourned to our sitting room & there they sang & played.
Miss Duffy has a sweet clear voice & sings in a unaffected manner. Miss Lockhart has a fine voice, a contralto & sings very well a fact I imagine she is perfectly aware of. The contrast between her & Miss D. is most amusing. Tanny also sang but not being in the habit of performing without an accompaniment she could not remember much & Mr Stuart did not know the same airs she did so she had not his assistance. However she sang Di pescatore ignobile very nicely. Papa meantime had a rubber at whist.		  
Sunday 4th A fine day! We went to church. I was never so little edified in my life my cold quite stupefied me. Tis a frightful church & the whole service performed in a very inferior manner to Matlock, tho they sang tolerably well too. Miss Cole appeared very nicely dressed in a transparent black bonnet with three great white roses on it.
It was sacrament Sunday & after the "Order for the morning prayer" we departed without a blessing, there being no sermon. They sang the responses between the commandments, a thing that I particularly dislike, I had far rather they should sing those in the Litany - went home. All but me went for a walk.
Stayed at home & felt very wretched. ….. walked out on the terrace with Tanny, came home. Laid down & nearly went to sleep, dined, came up into our room, went to tea. Chatted after tea with Misses Woodcock Duffy & Lockhart till bed time. Mr & Mrs Duffy leave on Monday for which I am sorry: they are so good natured lively & Irish.		  
Monday. Contrary to Miss Lockhart's prognosis a lovely day. In the morning Mama Lu H & I went a very pleasant walk to Poole's Hole - we did not go in, it being impossible in after damp weather.
Mama & Lu took sketches from there, the view over Buxton is very good. Tanny another a little lower down. Lu finished hers & went to another lower still & went yet lower & had a view of the old church & town of Buxton. I had not time to it properly. I like this country very much & the people are so different from the southerners & so amusing. Tanny & Lu went home Mama waited till I had finished my sketch.
Coming home Mama & I saw Mr Lockhart & some of the others setting of in a Car Miss L. accompanied them on the pony.
After lunch Papa hired a car & we all set of to Edgemoor a place belonging to the former clergyman here a Mr Spencer who left it to become Bishop of Madras where he now is. It is very pretty & the garden had a good many flowers in it tho not very well kept up. He must have had much taste it is so prettily laid out & suits so well with the surrounding scenery. It is a comfortable house well suited for a clergyman's abode with many busts prints pictures etc. & some beautiful carved furniture he sent from India. We were much please with our visit & our ride. On our way there we met Lady C Greville in her wheelchair & Miss Cole on a donkey returning from the same expedition. Altogether I never liked Buxton so well as this day.
At dinner were 3 new people, an elderly lady & a young one ladylike looking - accompanied by a youth of snobbish appearance - however they sat out of our reach & appeared not at tea.
The Duffys had left early before we came down. Miss Lockhart went with us to hear the band at the rooms. She improves on acquaintance & appears to have good sense & good nature. Tanny & I got out of all patience at the people’s stupidity at not dancing to such good music at last after Miss L. tried in vain to get some of her acquaintance to dance. Tanny & I had a few turns of a waltz together in our bonnets & shawls just for the pleasure of the exercise. - It is not unlikely we may see the L's at Ravenscourt, we gave them a card & asked them to come when they come up from town. 		Page158
Tuesday morning - we all except for Papa & James set of in a fly for the Rookery. The day was tolerably fine tho cold. Papa was to set of later for Sheffield, a place he wished to see.
We had a pleasant drive I like the wild bleak hills here so much - almost better than the pretty valleys. We found all well at the Rookery. Mr Giles & Miss Galley had only left that morning. We lunched & then went out for a walk.
We went first to the Marble works & saw some beautiful inlaid works - we saw also the men at work & the polishing machine tho there was not time to explain it nor do I now precisely how it is done. We then went to a marble quarry a cavern which William told extended a considerable length under the hill behind the Rookery. William showed us where some people hid bacon & other things they had stolen from there neighbours for some time till they were discovered 2 or 3 years ago. We could not go far it was so damp & sticky. 		Back at the Rookery, Ashford.
Then we went to see some stocking looms at Mrs Barley’s of their poor parishioners. There were her 2 sons & her daughter at work. It is very curious - I shouLd like to know how it is done. Mrs Barley herself was baking oatmeal cakes & we stayed to see one baked. She was also washing & using a Dolly Tub which is common here. There was also a sofa in the room which is also usual in the poor cottages here & a general air of comfort more than in the south. The children are also more lively & intelligent looking.
We then went to look in at the church & then to Charlotte girls school & heard them sing. They have good voices & sing in good time. We were pretty tired when we came in & then we dined. In the evening some music & then prayers & to bed.
Slept with Mama & Tanny with Lu. A man with the maids I believe.
This morning at 50 min after 7 the Queen was delivered of a boy. But heard not of it till 2 days after. Page166
Wednesday 7th August. This morning I began a long letter to Blanch. - At ½ past 11 got ready & about I2 we set of for Chatsworth. Mama Tanny & I in a fly & Ch: Lu & William & Mam in their little open carriage. The ride is very pretty in some parts particularly as we drew near Chatsworth.
O how beautiful that was, when we reached it! The situation is so beautiful & the park & the woods & the magnificent house contrast so well with the hills & the barren moors in the distance. I & Tanny & Mama & Lou were quite charmed with it - I had never expected every thing so completely beautiful. The whole is in such perfect keeping & good taste.
The entrance I liked particularly with the great weeping ash by the house & the stone the house is built of is so very handsome. The gilt window frames in the original part of the house give it a finished & comfortable appearance. Indeed the whole facade of this part especially from the Italian garden is remarkable for its beauty & elegance.
We waited some little time in the porters lodge while William went to ask admittance from the housekeeper who joined us in the hall. She has not been long here & C & W had not seen her before. A nice looking woman goodnatured & good looking & very well dressed. 		7th August
Chatsworth House
We went first into the state apartments which are most beautiful the carvings by Gibbon especially & the great marble doorway by which you enter & have the whole suite.
The hangings too - of china silk, leather or tapestry - the chairs to match in the latter one - are most beautiful & the view from the windows (that one hardly could believe were glazed) looking over he beautiful garden & country. I cannot remember nor mention half the beautiful things that made the whole so finished & complete. The only thing I could think of as wanting was a great picture here in the blank ovals over the chimney pieces etc, which seemed to have been meant to hold something of the sort.		 Page 170
Chatsworth - apartments.
The last of this suite opens upon the gallery of the private chapel. I never saw more comfortable arrangement for devotion than here. The fitting up of this apartment are very handsome tho less appropriately elegant than the rest of the state rooms - In one of the forgoing ones are the Coronation chairs of George IV & in another those of either his father or grandfather. The more ancienter far the most elegant. The modern ones being (tho handsome precisely in the ….. style of Buckingham Palace.  
We went thro the beautiful collection of sketches (how I longed to have a good look at them) nearly as quick through the picture gallery which less deserved our attention - Stopped a little longer in the billiard room where are some good portraits by Lawrence & Reynolds - one of Lady C. Greville (our convive at Buxton) & one of her sister by the former very pretty, the sister the most handsome & spirited tho perhaps less delicate & pleasingly alive than the other. Landseer’s Bolton Abbey in the olden time, how beautiful it is but we fancied the colour was already slightly changed. There are also 2 other or 3 modern pictures. Chatsworth - picture gallery.
I think after this we came down stairs & were shown the drawing rooms he the Duke usually uses when he has company in the house. They are very beautiful the ceilings are white with different mouldings & centres of gold - one with ….. white flowers intermixed with gold. The hangings of gold coloured damask satin except one which is blue & white. There were 2 tables (designed I believe by Lady Burlington) very beautiful the marble top supported by 3 white swans intermixed with golden lilies. The carpets were axminister a white ground all over wreaths & chains of pink roses without any leaves. These rooms were all under the state apartments but the view - being the lower down was not so beautiful. The corner drawing room had pictures - (full length portraits) set into the walls - I thought their frames a little to heavy & uniform - too much like Buckingham Palace. Chatsworth - drawing rooms.
A statue copy of Venus de Medici stood in the room opposite the door entering the library - the long - comfortable magnificent library - or rather the several rooms containing the library & then we came to the dining room with its great pictures & beautiful chimney pieces, about here Miss Bicknell (the house keeper) caused all the doors to be thrown open & the shutter of the window behind the Venus to be unclosed & thus we had a beautiful vista terminating at one end & the orangery & at the other with the Venus shown off by the light behind & the green view thro the window - From the dining room we came into the statue gallery - which is full of beauties - extremely well arranged. Those that pleased me most in this short view were The Hebe - the Spinning girl & the Mother of Napoleon.  
This opens upon the orangery & then we went a long way round & up a many steps to the ballroom, which is not very large, not very pretty - but very pleasant to dance in I have no doubt. The ceiling is very handsome and was regilt in 4 days for the Queen’s visit. Supplementary pages.
Page178
Then we again descended to the Orangery & took leave of the amiable housekeeper & proceeded to the gardens which are quite lovely & full of views which are pictures in themselves, quite poems too & with the house & the gardens & the woods & the hills & the moors & the fine trees are quite a paradise & it looks a sort of place were a whole concourse of young & beautiful creatures should dwell & come out & wander through the grounds or form parties by the sides of the fountains & have music & happiness everywhere - !!!  
Everything is in such good taste & so well kept up. We passed through a grove where they are making a wilderness of rocks - that can hardly be called artificial: they are moved from their natural home on the moors in pieces & joined together again in their former shapes. There is to be a cascade through rocks in the imitation of the Strid at Bolton. Chatsworth - gardens
We then went to the conservatory which is on the same magnificent scale as the rest - it is (I think) 300ft long & full of the most beautiful trees & plants growing most luxuriantly - I liked best the part where the aquatic plants and rock work are placed it is so well arranged.
We ascended to the gallery which runs all round the inside of the building & where we had a very good view of the whole. The surrounding pasture is well laid out & the way in which it leads into the gigantic rock work very well managed & so that the 2 very different styles of pleasure ground are not seen at once. 		 
Then we went round towards the front of the house where the garden is in such perfect taste in the Italian style & where the house & the surrounding park & country & every thing combine to make such beautiful pictures as I can't describe but which perfectly enraptures us. The Italian garden in front (7 acres) particularly enchanted me. It was designed by Mr J Wyattville & added by the present Duke - before the park came up nearly close to the house and this must be a great improvement.  
We finished by visiting the hot wall where fuchsias ….. & many half hardy climbers flourished in summer otherwise unknown in the High Peak & not exceeded in our southern country. The journal ends at Chatsworth House.