[London—Friday, 24 June 1859]
Came home a little ill and stayed in bed and in our rooms all day Friday thereby losing a nice dinner with Thackeray at Greenwich. It is, the result of mere excitement, and amounts to entire exhaustion physically and mentally.
I read during the evening and looked over some lovely books Mr Trübner kindly sent. Jamie came home early only a few minutes after 11. He sat next to Stanfield the famous marine painter also on the other hand sat a daughter of Professor Ferrier & grand-daughter of Christopher North. There were about 30 persons in all. Lord Taylor the Misses Thackeray &c &c were present. Thackeray had been writing hard all day finishing the Virginians and not knowing what in the world to do with any of the characters as he told us the day before. His daughters were copying for him all day also. He arrived late at dinner, all the company were waiting and he was in undress. He politely lamented the absence of Madame. Jamie enjoyed Stanfield exceedingly. He also went to the Greenwich Hospital on the way which he likes & says I must see. An old pensioner with one leg told him his leg was shot off but the most remarkable thing about it was that it couldn’t be buried, that he had discovered it in the Portsmouth Museum & hoped to make another visit to it before his death.
