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wasalwaysagreatpickle · 4 years

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Thursday 4 February 1830

8 35/..

Fahrenheit 11˚ at 8 3/4 – read a few pp. Captain Hall’s America – Madame Contart’s woman came about black Chantilly veils for Mrs James Dalton – breakfast at 10 1/2 in 25 minutes – wrote civil little note to Miss Poore Rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré, 35 ‘to ask her to lend me one of her silver earrings for a couple of hours that I might get a pair like them for Isabella Norcliffe hoped to hear better accounts of Miss Poore –

Off at 11 1/2 – left fan to be mended at Privat’s got to Captain Basil Hall’s about 11 3/4 – sent away the carriage ordered it to be back in 1 1/4 hour – Captain Hall immediately arranged the camera lucida – at 1st seemed as if I could manage tolerably but afterwards could never once see both object and pencil at the same time, and could do nothing – it was a difficulty Captain Hall had never met with before and therefore could not help me –

I repented having sent away the carriage I saw they wanted to write etc. I looked at the pendule said I expected the carriage soon oh said Mr Hall you are very welcome to stay here in fact I am glad enough to get anything out of them I find them rather too second rate for me they all gaping after getting into society and I doubt whether they can succeed as they wish – I will not go to the ball with them

On leaving the Halls about 1 1/2 (while there George took my note to Miss Poore – see line 2 of today) found in the carriage very civil note that George had brought back from Lady Poore to say that as Miss Poore was out she Lady Poore had opened my note that Miss Poore was quite well – it was she Lady Poore who was the invalid, ‘but I should have been most happy to see you yesterday but the servants are so tiresome and I cannot get them to discriminate between a lady friend and a young Dandy – I have no doubt but Nora will call on you between 2 and 3’ ……

On this drive to the Poore’s – at home – all very civil – Sir Edward and Lady Poore and a young man, apparently very intimate with them all – found Miss Poore just sending off a very nice note which I brought away to say she was sorry she could not call today having appointed to take a young French girl home at that hour to the other side of the water rue Vaugirard, but had sent me the earring – It seems she called on me last tuesday ‘and we really see no more of each other, than if you were not in Paris’ –

Had the veils brought up – we all agreed to like the plain one best, but that the one ouvragé at 192/. would be best to send Mrs James Dalton – Mrs Ashton (and Miss Ashton?) who spoke to me last Thursday at the embassy came in – not introduced – sat about 20 minutes and then (about 2 10/60) called on Mrs Hamilton – at home – confined to the house with a bad cold – sat talking very cozily – not to be a bal costumé or masqué – and not a thing de [rigeur] to go –

Lady Stuart de Rothesay had nothing to do with it as having nothing to do with the English – would have me go in in white but yes! I might go in black – if I did not dress handsomely, no! but I wore so much handsome blonde which made it dress – had a very pretty gown – made it out it must be my mock blonde ball dress – said I always wore black – had done so for many many years – the royal family to be there – and the kings and the duke of Orleans’s servants to wait – said I should give myself no further trouble – if anybody found fault with my black, I should say I had high authority for it – had the veils brought up, and agreed to send the ouvragé one – then speaking of the great fuss about getting invited to the embassy as a passport to French society which few get into after all – a Mrs Fitzwilliam received the most French (she had nothing very attractive about her) but she was one of those who had determined upon it, and somehow these people succeeded – did I know the Halls? they too had got into a good deal of French society, but he was one of those determined people –

and let nothing stop him and was sometimes troublesome asked people to introduce him to others who were present and had no means of refusing this was bad taste asked if they knew much of Lord Lady Stuart she said he had know the latter before when on his return from loochoo he was a sort of lion

Speaking of Captain Hall’s America, Mrs Hamilton was a year in Canada – many of Captain Hall’s opinions very good – but a pity he had let there be so many trivialities in his book – but he was vain – though certainly clever, he did not shew it by putting many of the little things in his book which appeared there –

It seems he is too pushing –

Spoke of the camera lucida – Mrs Hamilton wanted to see the principle of it – held it up – promised to give her all the instructions I got myself – sat about an hour with Mrs Hamilton and then drove to the embassy – never dreamt of being admitted – found the 2 Misses Bury there on their lesson – going away – stood some time talking to 1st one then the other of them – till came Madame de Noailles, and we all stood till the Misses Bury went and I offered to go too, but Lady Stuart would not let me – by and by made another attempt but Lady Stuart said she had not seen me of a long time and I must not go – so staid, though at last uncomfortably enough for Madame de Noailles whispered and had evidently something to say she did not wish me to hear – however [stayed] her out and Lady Stuart uncomfortably civil and kind and literally kept me talking till my visit lasted just 2 hours – talked over old Lady Stuart the charity ball Madame de Flahaut, reclamations i.e. fuss about getting invited to the embassy parties – on receiving Lady Buckinghamshire etc. etc.

Mentioned my fear at Brussels of Lady Stuart’s head having an apoplectic her eating too much the strong cordials drams doctor maton gave her I said she was evidently breaking now I knew she wished Lady Stuart de Rothesay to receive Lady Buckinghamshire Lady Stuart de Rothesay’s reasons against it I said I quite agreed with her but knew Lady Stuart’s wish agreed with Lady Stuart de Rothesay there was no parallel between her and Lady Rancliffe the latter had always kept the support of some good female society and was now supported by her husbands family Madame de Polignac etc. this was not so with the other whom Lady Stuart de Rothesay must bring out as it were entirely I agreed to all Lady Stuart de Rothesay said complimented her and Lord Stuart delicately on the manner in which all was conducted on their popularity etc. etc. all which seemed to go down well –

Some hint at a ball for the English poor – said I really wished to ask Lady Stuart de Rothesay what she had done – I had done nothing as yet, and should be happy to be called on by her in any way she liked – had she had any tickets to get rid of for this French charity ball should certainly have had my name on her list etc. etc. at last, talking of invitations made a civil speech about being invited so often – hearing that there are about 300 people connected with the diplomacy and about 200 the Stuarts wish to invite and then come all the rest who must be ménagés as well as they can – complimented Lady Stuart on her management – just hinted about sending the invitations per petite poste – good reasons against this for the only invitation lately some sent had failed (been missent)? and mistakes seldom really occurred at present, but there might be instances where it might be convenient for mistakes to be supposed – then a few words on Mrs Lisle Follet (who was first Lisle Pawlet)

But Follet was not the man for whom she left her husband Pawlet and then said but Lady Aldcorough was the person the French wondered most to see received yes but said Lady Stuart de Rothesay she was never touched by the law and she had wordly wisdom never asked to be introduced to anyone I alluded to her folly in being so unguarded in conversation what about her grand daughter no that was natural it was about as to never having had her wishes satisfied and what might probably do it explained no further said some husbands were more communicative at home than others and some ladies said much to their particular friends or I could not have heard what was much too bad to repeat but said I had named it too Lady Stuart it was now five and a quarter and I came away

Left Lady Stuart de Rothesay at about 5 1/4 – knew Mrs Hamilton was expecting her – the carriage was at the door – yet she had certainly kept me – why? surely she did not find me very disagreeable – then to Michel’s for biscuits – then to the Palais Royal ordered 4 dozen large buttons and 2 ditto small chez Maurisset – bought silver earrings for Isabella Norcliffe chez Chauffert no. 65 Palais Royal – then went to Madame Contart’s – left the carton of black lace veils – bought one chosen and got ho[me] at 6 1/4 –

Dressed – dinner at 7 1/4 – came to my room at 8 1/4 – wrote another note to ‘Miss Poore’ with her earrings and the pair I bought for Isabella Norcliffe for Miss Poore to look at – read my letter from Mariana London, Friday 29 January – the 2 first pp. filled by Mrs Miller ([cidevent] Eliza Raine written at Leamington 19 ultimo) really very proper good letter – better than I expected from Eliza – I smiled at the following ‘I will add that I think matrimony a very comfortable sort of state, not withstanding that there are so many queer things attending it’ !!!

Mariana wrote the last page and the ends and under the seal, and crosses the 1st page and 6 lines of crossing on the 2nd – went to town in an open carriage to the cold and hurry laid her up in a bilious attack, then she had toothache – then Charles had a bilious attack, and she had to nurse him – had called but not seen Miss Maclean who goes out at 12 and does not return till 5 – a pretty fair spell with Mr Long and his doctoring –

‘The letters amuse, instruct, and interest my best feelings, I know not what I should do without them – they seem all now that connects me with the world, for even at Leamington I see little more than I do at Lawton’ - …. I often think upon and anticipate with no common feeling the hope of being able to visit Paris for 2 or 3 months some of these days – if Charles could get to move about pretty comfortably I might manage this, but though the thought pleases and keeps me alive, yet it is too much of a chance to be allowed to interfere for an instant with your plans in fact were Charles well enough for me to go, the time could easily be made to suit you, for to me all times and seasons are alike, and even were it otherwise I should be well prepared for any disappointment on my part which was balanced by a gain on yours therefore never let me cross your thoughts to interfere with your wishes let me be a comfort to you when I can, when this ceases think of me no more. You do indeed seem gay, and it appears you [need] lack acquaintances if so it pleases you to make them Miss Prevost would not have suited you at all. She is too ‘little worldly’ - ‘I knew not that this was Miss Maclean’s failing, it amuses me to read you can think anybody too little so, Fred, there was a time when you thought some people too much so, but I still contend this was never the case’ –

Coffee at 9 1/4 – came to my room at 10 1/2 – talked to my aunt of Mariana’s letter – thought it might answer and perhaps be probable to have Miss McKenzie next winter – Fine, hard frosty very cold day – Fahrenheit 11˚ at 8 3/4 a.m. - 16˚ at 11 1/2 a.m. 16˚ at 9 1/4 p.m. and 15˚ at midnight –

Came to my room at 10 1/2 and wrote all the above of today which with hair curling took me till 12 1/2 – By the way George brought back the earrings (sent at 8 3/4 to Miss Poore) with a little note to say she admired them very much – ditto Sir Edward who seems to be thought a first rate judge – wrote 2 pp. to Mariana till 2 –

#anne lister #anne lister code breaker #mariana lawton #1830

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vapaus-ystavyys-tasaarvo · 5 years

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Fantine at Saint-Cloud

I finally finished the companion piece to the Cosette picture from earlier!

Based on this description: (where Hugo’s being kinda creepy but whatever)

Her splendid teeth had evidently received an office from God,--laughter. She preferred to carry her little hat of sewed straw, with its long white strings, in her hand rather than on her head. Her thick blond hair, which was inclined to wave, and which easily uncoiled, and which it was necessary to fasten up incessantly, seemed made for the flight of Galatea under the willows. Her rosy lips babbled enchantingly. The corners of her mouth voluptuously turned up, as in the antique masks of Erigone, had an air of encouraging the audacious; but her long, shadowy lashes drooped discreetly over the jollity of the lower part of the face as though to call a halt. There was something indescribably harmonious and striking about her entire dress. She wore a gown of mauve barège, little reddish brown buskins, whose ribbons traced an X on her fine, white, open-worked stockings, and that sort of muslin spencer, a Marseilles invention, whose name, canezou, a corruption of the words quinze août, pronounced after the fashion of the Canebière, signifies fine weather, heat, and midday. The three others, less timid, as we have already said, wore low-necked dresses without disguise, which in summer, beneath flower-adorned hats, are very graceful and enticing; but by the side of these audacious outfits, blond Fantine's canezou, with its transparencies, its indiscretion, and its reticence, concealing and displaying at one and the same time, seemed an alluring godsend of decency, and the famous Court of Love, presided over by the Vicomtesse de Cette, with the sea-green eyes, would, perhaps, have awarded the prize for coquetry to this canezou, in the contest for the prize of modesty. The most ingenious is, at times, the wisest. This does happen.

Shoutouts to @combeferre and @elliotenjolras who helped me figure out what a “canezou” actually was in 1817 (turns out it means a different kind of piece of clothing in the 1830′s because of course we can’t have things making sense) and also what it would have looked like. (I mean I hope it looks right, idek. 99% of the time I put into this drawing went into redrawing the clothes a hundred times because I have no idea how period clothing even works.)

Oh and also what he meant by “mauve”, because mauve dye did not even exist yet in 1817. Although in the end I just went with artistic license on this one, AKA the colour that looked cutest to me. (Although I did consider going with something more purplish for a bit.)

I don’t think I need to explain the colour scheme too much otherwise? Fantine’s colours are mainly gold and white but occasionally also blue. And I think this is the only outfit of hers that’s described in this much detail.

#fantine #fanart #les mis #les misérables #Reetalle: M täällä!

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hippothebrave · 7 years

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Concept: A crossover between Les Mis and A Picture of Dorian Gray...

...in which Enjolras is Dorian, and things go a bit differently.

From a conversation with @robininthelabyrinth in which we noted the remarkable similarities between fandom!Grantaire and Basil Hallward, and then things spiraled out from there.

More under the cut:

Enjolras is painted by Grantaire, and is like, “Wow--if only I could be as young as that painting forever, so I can continue doing REVOLUTION”--only when his wish comes true, he does indeed just continue doing REVOLUTION. I mean, he IS Enjolras, after all.

It becomes a series of portraits, all with the same youth-extending properties, but Enjolras keeps on getting each painting killed as he risks his life in the name of revolution almost as soon as R can draw them. Grantaire is in only one painting, the first, but as such does not grow old or die from alcohol poisoning.

In the Brick, Enjolras is often described as looking as if he belonged to a past age, as one of the great men of ‘89. This is because he does, and was.

That’s right. In this AU, he was literally Saint-Just.

This also explains all the weirdness about what Enjolras’ age is--every age he gives is a lie anyway, so sometimes he slips up and doesn’t get his story straight. 20? 22? 26? What’s the difference?

Over the years, Grantaire becomes ever more cynical, as every step forward is met by a step back. Enjolras sees humanity inch forward despite that, and wholly trusts that he will live to see the ideal in reality.

Their extended lifespans allow R to know every single restaurant in the entirety of Paris and to have such in-depth knowledge of history and classics as to reference huge amounts of extremely obscure pieces of information while drunk, and for Enjolras to ignore the spring which he has seen so many times before and all other aspects of normal life; he never put much stock in it anyway, and trusts he’ll go back to it eventually, after the Cause™ has been achieved.

The paintings remain young even as the years pass because (a) they made better bargains, @Dorian and (b) their consciences/souls don’t degrade--in The Picture of Dorian Gray, Dorian’s painting only has blood on his hands after Dorian feels the guilt of personally murdering his friend Basil, despite being the direct cause of many other deaths, such as Sybil Vane, James Vane, Adam Campbell, the countless other young men he threw over, etc., because he didn’t see those deaths as being his own fault (even though they were).

Enjolras scorns Grantaire because he has the same lengthy life, yet acts as a spectator, not an actor. However, he still considers him a friend, or a companion at any rate, and that’s why R can stay at the ABC despite being so unhelpful he isn’t even considered for the Barriere du Maine.

By the time of Les Mis, Grantaire’s depression has led him to stop painting for the most part, and they have run down to only one painting, and therefore only one life: the first. Thus, their arcs and sacrifice is still the same--faith learning to love and love learning to believe, the ideal meeting the real, the revolution and Paris, Orestes Fasting and Pylades Drunk.

However, an unfinished group painting R happened to do of the entire ABC--and of some random gamin and his sister who happened to be in the window at the time--turned out to have the same properties of R’s other paintings. On June 4th, 1832, Grantaire sadly added his signature as a ‘final touch,’ knowing there was only one painting left for the both of them after Enjolras’ latest death in 1830, skeptical that the barricade would work, hoping that they could “all stay this way forever.”

June 6th, 1832, the first painting of Enjolras, the one which had never changed at all, suddenly has a smile.

Grantaire goes back to painting post-Barricade Day, with new motivation from his friends’ miraculous survival and his improved relationship with Enjolras, and ends up teaching a couple of almost certainly innocuous tricks to a student--only one, some sad, blond-pedestalizing, dark-haired English painter fellow named Basil, who Grantaire likes for no apparent reason, shut up Joly and Bossuet no one asked you.

Basil promises to come back to Paris at some point. He even buys a ticket, readies for the journey, and goes to tie up some loose ends regarding his friends back home before he leaves.

He does not come back to Paris.

At some point, Dorian Gray gets punched in the face repeatedly. It must happen.

As shown below:

#les mis #the picture of dorian gray #enjolras #grantaire #les amis #the hippo roars

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