Friday. July 15.
Wrote to Mr. Boyd. Glad of it—for I received afterwards a note from him announcing the arrival of Wolf’s Homer! and desiring me to go for it. He seems disappointed about the paper, & about there being in this edition only 6 books. In the envelope Mrs. Boyd advises me to come soon. If the book had been a fine one she says, I might have appeared to come on account of the book: but as it is not, I shall appear to go, on account of the giver. Ah! if it were on account only of the book!— —. I will go tomorrow, if I can. Mr. Boyd’s note is not — — what his note would have been 3 years ago. He certainly does not care much for me! not as I care for him!
Read the second volume of Destiny, & a little of the Alcestis.
Mrs. Cliffe & Eliza drank tea with us; & so did Mr. Martin; & so did Reynolds & Tom Peyton[1] who had been invited to cricket. Agreed—that B H A Bro & Sam shd. dine tomorrow at Mr. Martins, & drink tea at Mrs. Cliffes. I rescued my expedition to Malvern, with difficulty: at least it was rescued for me,—for I urged them to take the carriage & let me prorogue until Monday. We drove to Mrs. Martin’s this morning, & sate there more than an hour—until Mrs. Hanford[2] & my patience had gone away. Mrs. Martin is an intelligent & feeling woman; but I dont know how it is. She & I dont amalgamate.
No letter form Papa today!— Whenever I hear “there is no letter”, I take breath. It is a respite.
Mrs. Biddulph & Mrs. Phillips[3] & Miss Biddulph called here. I caught in the hall, when I was going up stairs to put on respectable shoes without ventilators. But I dare say they care as little about my feet, as I do about their heads.
1. Reynolds Peyton (1815–61) and Thomas Griffith Peyton (1816–87), the two eldest of the Peyton boys.
2. Of Woolashill Hall, about 14 miles east of Hope End.
3. Mrs. Biddulph’s sister-in-law.