1835

15 February Sunday: Read a second article on the same subject and lounged over other light reading during the morning. I walked down to Camberwell – called by the way on the Hays – My old friend Mrs. H: looking very old – the family otherwise seeming comfortable – The girls please me. Then at Manning’s on Grove Hill Camb: – A large party all relations – Two sensible men Messrs Bruce – one a barrister, my near neighbour – the other a merchant – They have travelled and are good Whigs – M’s family are growing up fast Walked back with the Bruce but turned to the London Bridge. Called late on the Aders – Young Longdale and Pfeffel – no conversation – Home late.

27 March: I sat at home my nephew being with me, great part of the morning – I merely called before dinner at Naylor’s – he is still an invalide and I fear his constitution is breaking – I met Tom in Colman Street where we dined and I then went with him to Sam: Robinson – he was very poorly but not uncivil – his faculties are gradually out very a slowly leaving him – indeed so slowly as to render the degrees scarcely perceptible – Then I walked to Hays’s My old friend Mary Hays is also declining but hers is a very different case or rather she is not so far advanced in her retrograde career She is only a little deaf and less lively in the expression of her opinions on which she is confident and obstinate as ever. After a not unpleasant chat I went late to the Aders where I staid till very late Mrs. A: coming home after 12 – We played whist – Appearances are not unfavourable there – they look chearful at least.

2 April Thursday: A call from Mr. Mather who wants me to speak with Miss Denman about transferring the £1000 stock into the names of trustees for the security of Mr. Mather after her death. This is what ought to be done unquestionably Prandi came (20) – He brought confident news about the new Ministry – but all depends on the vote of this evening. In the City – Took money of Baines, and left books at Mr. Hays Counting house –

16 April:  … At the Athen: where I dined and to which I returned – I would have gone to see Miss Hays but the night was bad and I went back to the Athen: to have a rubber in which I succeeded. Read at night by Paul Courier a beautiful translation of the Aneof Lucius – the original of the work in Greek paraphrased by Apuleius – A very pleasing morceau in spite of its grossness. [Distance from Athenaeum Club in Pall Mall to Camberwell Road is 3. 6 miles]

17 April: … At eight we came away and I then walked down to Mr. Hays with whom and his sister I had an agreeable chat. Early in bed. Read a very tolerable article Burkein the Gallery of Portraits.

9 July: … Then at the Athen where I dined, lounging over the papers etc – Then I walked down to Mr. Hayes’s and took tea with my old friend Miss Hayes or Mrs. Mary Hayes – chat on family matters and the old Unitarian liberalism to which Miss H: is as exclusively attached as ever. She continues to worship America and everything American as the model of all excellence – My acquaintance Dr Sprague would hardly displease her – By the bye he has sent a P.P.O. note to my great satisfaction – I shall see no more of him – A walk home – Early in bed reading Matthews Diary – The book delighted me, not by what it says, but by what it brings back to my memory.