Tuesday. Nov: 2nd. [sic, for 1 November.]

Intended to be off to Malvern at seven. On being awakened at seven, “Ye Gods & little fishes” wd. have been an appropriate enough interjection—for the sky was full of clouds, & the clouds letting down rain “sans intermission”!— Ann & Arabel questioned or seemed to question the integrity of my brains, in still thinking of going to Malvern. Out & in bed I jumped, in my O’connellization about it! I must go, if I can—so I will dress!— Dressed, breakfasted. It only sprinkled: & I set out!—sprinkled all the way to the wells, where it stopped—, & I[1] soon stopped. Everybody in bed, except Mr. Boyd who had done breakfast, & to whom I went.— He seemed—oh he was—glad to see me! How could I ever doubt his regard for me! We read 158 lines from the 2d. oration against Julian.[2] Very very very happy today!—

We were smoked out of Mr. Boyd’s room two or three times, & were both of us, glad to get in again everytime!— Annie’s fondness for me has quite returned! It stopped raining too—but began again before night. De te (Annie!) fabula narratur![3]—tho’ the weather is rather steadier—of the two!!— She proposed a subscription for a scrap book,—& I was desired to take the paper home.

Dined at four. I was supplicated by Annie & Mrs. Boyd & everybody to stay. What was harder to resist, was Mr. Boyd’s request on the same subject! But I did resist—to the eternal praise of my philosophy, be it spoken!—& came away after promising to sleep there another night. Dear Mr. Boyd asked me again & again: is it not wonderful that he shd. have asked once in vain?— But I thought it was better not to run the risk of making Bummy displeased—& so soon after my last aberration!-- Went away at five—& got home in the dark. Nobody was angry. Bummy only said that I required more looking after than my squirrel, & that I ought to have a cage made for me!— What a happy day I have had today!— No letter from Papa. A note of invitation from Mrs. Peyton for Thursday, which was agreed to in my absence—bore-ibile dictu, again!— By the bye, I was determined that Mr. Boyd shd. know that the book which he wished for, did not remain in Mr. Bohn’s shop when I had it in my power to buy it. I told him that it was bought. Therefore he must know about my having enquired—at least!— He asked no questions. That he might ask none, I put off my information till the last moment!—

1. Underscored twice.

2. This exposes an error in the marginalia in WG, where she recorded on p. 126: “Read with Mr. Boyd Novr. 2d. 1831 158 lines”. Presumably when she apparently discovered that she had misdated several entries in the Diary, through thinking October had only 30 days, she forgot to alter the note in her Gregory.

3. “The tale is told of you.” (Horace, “Satires,” I.i, lines 69–70, LCL-HO/S, pp. 8–11: “why laugh? Change but the name, and the tale is told of you.”)


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