Diary by E.B.B.

Dearest Sam’s birthday.[2] God bless him!— Henrietta & Arabel went out to ride with Eliza Cliffe, thro’ Cradley woods,[3] & I dont know where. H has made an engagement with E to ride there again on the 28th of next July. Will that engagement be kept?— Sent to Mr. Deane’s for any...

The 1st. of April!— How time does pass away,—& joy with it!— But the beginning of next month will be more painful to me—perhaps it will—than the beginning of this. They went to church,—but I did not. I do not feel at all well, tho’ better than I felt yesterday. Reading St. John’s...

Mr. Curzon asked me yesterday before Papa, when I was going to Malvern. Answer—some time this week. Out walking with B & Arabel. B out of spirits, & not in a talking mood by any means. I out of spirits too.

To Malvern with Henrietta & Maddox. Met Mr. Boyd walking with Miss H M, a little past the turnpike. Not very far from the place where I met him first. How much has been felt & unfelt since then! He did not ask me to get out of the carriage & walk with him, or I would have done so; but he turned...

I read yesterday in Mr. Joseph Clarke’s Sacred Literature, that Nonnus is an author whom few can read, & fewer admire.[1] So that my opinion is nothing outrageous. I do not feel well; & look like a ghost. Mrs. Martin called, & thought so too!—

Dear B & H off at 20 minutes to twelve. They mean to spend one day with Miss Price,[1] & to return here on Tuesday certainly. Mr. Curzon left us between two & three. Not at all well, is the description of me today. In the evening I lost a game at chess to Papa.

How extraordinary it is, that Papa shd. take no part in the Church missionary society today. But I am glad of it; for last year, what a scene there was in consequence of his doing otherwise. I believe he has sent his subscription. His not going, & Bummy’s going, make me feel confident that...

What did I do today? Not write in my diary.[1]

A & I did not go to church. I finished St. John’s Gospel in Greek: not in Nonnus’s Greek. E Cliffe came.

Finished not only the whole of Synesius’s poems, but four odes of Gregory, contained in the same little volume.[1] And yet I really read nothing superficially. There is a great deal in Synesius which is very fine. He stands on a much higher step than Gregory does, as a poet; tho’ occasional...

How the days are wearing away. I translated some passages from Synesius,[1] which Mr. Boyd had translated before me—pour m’amuser—& try a variety of versification. I was in the midst of the

Dearest Occyta’s birthday,[1] & I have not kissed

…> past the 2d. reading which it did yesterday morng. by a majority of nine,[1] she delivered to me Mr. Boyd’s message on the same subject.

Rain!! and no going to Malvern. I am very sorry. But we might have gone on the clearing-up, if Mrs. Cliffe had not been afraid of trusting her horse on the heavy roads. So Eliza explained in a note, which prorogued our journey until Wednesday. I am not half inclined to go on Wednesday. Began to...

I always think on Tuesday—“there may be some letter, some decisive letter to Papa”. But none comes—nothing comes!--

Mrs. Cliffe & Eliza took Arabel & me to Malvern; & it began to rain before we arrived at our gate, & rained all the way. Annie met us at the door of Ruby Cottage. She is going tomorrow, if Mr. Roberts[1] comes tonight—which he wont do—or on Saturday. Went into the dining room. I felt so...

Wrote to Mr. Boyd about the parallel passage in Synesius & Anacreon,[1]—& nearly went thro’ the whole of the first & Second pythian odes.[2] The first is very very fine,—& there are splendid things too in the second. B spoke rather not very harshly today; & I could not help crying for...

Good Friday.

I am not well ..

All at church except me. I am not at all well, tho’ better since the morning. B made me promise to sit down stairs while they were absent, on account of my room being voted close. The closeness of my room, never never injured me. Mrs. C & Eliza came,—& we walked down to the gate. I fancied...

Walked down to the gate with B H & A to meet the Peytons’ carriage. The sky looked lowering & B portended a rainy day. Never mind!—we got off. The rain came on as portended; & they left me in a cataract at R C. Mrs. Boyd sate with me for a moment in the drawing room & then I was dismissed to...