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Saturday 6th November 1824

2 ½

Breakfast at 9 20/60 from 9 ¾ to 10 ¾ (3/4 hour translating the Italian and the other ¼ turning into French) about a page of Jacopo Ortis – Mrs Heath then came to call on me and staid ¾ hour – she talked to me unreservedly of herself – she seems amiable and good tempered and I really like her. She spoke of her great affliction in losing her husband the ruin of all her fair prospects, and the envy she could not help feeling of the prosperity, she had left home because instead of rejoicing at her sisters happiness who was just returned from India. She could not bear to see it, it made her miserable and she sought to hide herself among strangers, she knew what virtue was and nobody admired it more but she could not help these bad envious passions. She spoke with a degree of candor and simplicity that pleased. I told her I had never met with anyone so candid, many were like her but would not own it, there was a proverb, misery likes companions and it was true of all the world –

Just before Mrs Heath went Mrs Barlow came and sat with me till 3 20/60 all the while Mme Galvani was here who came at 1 40/60 and staid till 3 ¼ - I changed her this morning to oblige Young de Boyve spent all the time in conversation – said I had translated too little and would shew it another time - Mme Galvani had expressly for me gained permission for me to visit the Catacombs – nobody allowed to see them now but I might go with the inspector general of the public works – asked for Mrs Barlow to go – that she would accomplish - saying Mrs Barlow was my Castor and I her Pollux – She would get me [abs] billets tickets to see the Fusco paintings at the Pantheon (Ste.Genervieve) the column in our Place Vendȏme, &c &c. I like Mme Galvani

She may have been galante, Mrs Barlow told me she had made out from her conversation she had had three amants [lovers] but I care not for this, she is an Italian – flirting and lovemaking to Mrs Barlow but nothing particular save that she said she was not fond of kissing, never let her friends do it, it was not like her to let me do so. Wondered why she did, could not quite excuse herself I said it was all my fault but she knew not the pleasure it gave me to kiss her, it could do no harm and was kind of her to indulge me. I liked not the thing in general nor liked seeing ladies kiss each other but I myself had different feelings and only did it when I felt them interested. She certainly resists me less and less I put my arms round her waist and she said nothing but stood quietly, my thigh touching hers all its length –

Mrs Barlow went to her daughter who arrived from school at 3 20/60 at 3 40/60 we went out – bought gloves in the rue de la parix, took the round of the Tuileries gardens and came in at 4 40/60 – Looked at the books M.Cologue lent me the other day – Cuvier’s Mammalia, Temminck’s birds, and another work on birds – Sat down to dinner at 5 40/60 – Sat all the eveing close to Mrs Barlow (near the fire and latterly apart from all the rest) talking only to her – M.Le Viconte de Nappe (mad as the winds to all appearances, singing and playing a thousand pranks – he had been in confinement and M. Dacier and M. de Billevue came – they played at secretaire all sitting round the table and before that they party has assembled round the table and Miss Harvey read aloud to them – still I sat talking to Mrs Barlow –

At first mere badinage then somehow or other told her the Blackstone Edge business with Pi [Mariana] last September, said I had promised to forget it but could not. Pi [Mariana] had mentioned it to and consulted one of her friends who said Pi [Mariana] was wrong but I took it too seriously. I asked what Mrs B [Barlow] thought, she said she could tell me better if she knew whether Mrs L [Lawton] had given me the rings, and why should I tell her first one thing then another what could it signify whether she did or not fearing to make a mystery of it. I said Pi [Mariana] did give them, said they were binding so far as this (Mrs Barlow had before desired me to look at them) if Pi [Mariana] was a widow our living together would be judicious and convenient to all parties and in a foolish moment as one often does, we had so agreed but it was mere friendship, and if I met with anything beyond this of course it was a different thing and was at liberty to take, but it would seem necessary to give some explanation and to tell Pi [Mariana] the nature of the circumstance, which might be awkward and disagreeable.

Mrs Barlow said and seemed to think and feel yes but said it would never pass farther but Mrs Barlow said she thought Pi [Mariana] liked me, ah said I significantly, if she liked me as well as you do I should (but she acted properly she was married and it would not be right now -) be satisfied and perhaps, she answered she likes you better, no no said the circumstance I have just told you [Blackstone Edge] is proof against that. Yes, said Mrs Barlow, if there had been love in it she would not have consulted a third person but she added she would suit you best for many things, I am too old for you and she will have a good fortune to add to yours, what will she have. Oh, said I, perhaps a thousand a year but she must have five hundred and I never like to think of the most and therefore only calculate on the latter sum. This led me to ask what will be your income should your daughter marry, said she, that depends upon myself and I have not calculated them, said I, would it be three hundred a year or tell me what is your income now, I would answer you any question you asked me here. We were interrupted but I do not think she liked or meant to give me a direct answer.

She had said in the morning she thought Pi [Mariana] liked me, I declared not and said besides that I had no inclination I always went on as I had begun I had begun with friendship to Pi [Mariana] and should end with it. I was too much accustomed to her, the charm the witchery of something dearer was destroyed forever, but I have begun differently with Mrs Barlow and be my fate what it may, I must end with her too as I have begun. I asked if she understood me, she said yes. I had before told her I preferred the society of married ladies, single old ladies who had not been married had not so much tact, one could take more liberties with them, their conversation was more lax &c. We agreed, said I spoke from one or two instances, hinted Anne Belcombe and Miss V [Vallance] but almost wholly at the former. I had begun by disliking but her assiduity had worn this off, she used to come to my room, had staid till three in the morning and I should have been tired if I could not have amused myself. I said ladies sometimes made curious presents, said no more but hinted at the hair of their privy parts.

Told her when she asked me I should be thirty two the third of April next – she said tonight after I had told her the Blackstone Edge business she had often told me, before Mrs Mackenzie she was, I had been in love she was sure I could love deeply she knew it from the distinction made tho only in joke but perhaps after this (told her it happened last September), did I not like Pi [Mariana] well now as before – said I thought she, Mrs Barlow, would not have done so in such a case she thought perhaps, but said she, you know I am very romantic, too much so yet I would not part with it – In coming away with Mrs Barlow, Madame de Boyve wished me goodnight saying she had not seen a great deal of me I gravely said I was sorry I had seen nothing at all of her she asked me to go with them to the Oratoire tomorrow and then to call on Madame Galvani. I said I was sorry I had promised to accompany Mrs Barlow and Miss de Sans and M. Dacier to M Denons at two and could not – she seemed disappointed and is deadly jealous I will make up to her a little on Monday – Mrs Barlow certainly enjoys the attention I pay herself – Came upstairs at 11 10/60 – parted with Mrs Barlow at her room door – very fine day –from 11 55/60 to 1 ½ writing all this journal of today – Fahrenheit 58 at 1 1/2 p.m E… O.. –

[Left Margin: ✓ - Social Call]

Fun Fact: Secretaire - is apparently a French parlor game ‘in which players try to communicate in sentences reduced to their initial letters.’

(Diary reference: SH7MLE80072 & SH7MLE80073)

#1824 #November #paris #place vendome #blackstone edge #maria barlow #mariana #castor and pollux #Secretaire #gentleman jack

Blackstone Edge

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Blackstone Edge and Low House Moor, Greater Manchester

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This was supposed to be done for Halloween but Inktober was ending, so it got postponed. Just a jab at the scene of Blackstone Edge (another one 😁) with a horror twist, curtesy of @angiemagz ❤

#gentlemanjack #anne lister #mariana lawton #mariana belcombe #blackstone edge #gentleman jack