Friday Sept 30th.
Oh that party at the Bartons. “Ahi dolente parti— … ta!”[1] I must go to it, so I may as well make up my mind gracefully as ungracefully. The Peytons! The Biddulphs!!—
I wont go out of the house before six, at any rate. The drive there, & the talking there, will be exercise enough for one day—so let me get on with Iphigenia.
No! I did not get on much with her. I read a great deal of St Luke instead, & examined the 53d. of Isaiah for πολλοι[2] according to Mr. Boyd’s desire expressed in a note from Mrs. Boyd. I wrote to her, with her & Miss Gibbons’s bonnets which I thought it best to send; and she, in her reply, speaks of Miss Bordman’s return, & of her own agitation in consequence of a letter received from Mr. Biscoe. What can that letter say? She does not say.
The carriage went backwards & forwards with our party to the Bartons; therefore I of course made a point of going in the last carriage-full. Arabel & Sam & I, were lightened upon in the hollow way—which frightened me nearly as much as the sight of the tremendous assembly in the Barton Court drawing room, of Biddulphs, Brights,[3] Cliffes[,] Peytons! I talked a little to two or three people, of whom little Fanny Petyon[4] was by far the most agreable. I wish Berry had not gone to bed--or I wish I had gone there with her!— What a pity it is that some people shd. take more pains about covering their intellects than their shoulders!-- Got home tired, & unanimous in every part of me, body mind & heart, that what is called “going out” should be called “the greatest bore in the world”.
There was a letter from my dearest Papa today! & to me! He speaks of having heard of, not from, poor Sam, who describes himself in a letter to some Captain as being “low in body & mind”. Somebody however, who has seen him, assures Papa that he is looking, tho’ thin, better than cd. be expected. Her ought to have written to Papa!— Papa, dear Papa, seems in good spirits, & writes most affectionately— May God bless him.
1. “Oh rueful party!”
2. The word occurs in Isaiah lii.14, but not in Isaiah liii.
3. The Bright family from Brand Lodge.
4. Frances Maria (1820–1900), the 2nd daughter and 4th child of the Peytons.
