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[woollyslisterblog]

1834 August Friday 8th

Lister and Ann trotting around the countryside make an interesting diversion for us stuck unable to go anywhere very far.

7:15

12:50

quiet night a good deal of cousin – Fine morning - F67° at 8:00 a.m. breakfast at 8:45 had our host - paid all (I made out the bill) and bought for 35/. his napkin fait a la plume - he said it cost him 50/. the gilt cadre being 20/ of it - off at 10 from l'hotel du cours chez Berne, Department de l’Isère, à Voisin - Voisin a good little flourishing town - the situation of our inn looking up on the promenade shaded with trees very good and picturesque and this part of the town airy and handsome – fine drive

- at 11:33 delayed 8 minutes went into a little farmhouse – Ann’s bowels disturbed there was neither pot nor necessary so Ann obliged to go behind barn - kidney or French beans growing in rows watered like peas in England, at least 10 foot high - hemp grown about Grenoble 10 feet high - very fine drive rich fine country - have slung our shaft underneath the carriage -, and had four horses, and two postillons, 1st time today -

beautiful view at 12:05 down into the wide valley or plain of Mt Foret - there at 12:21 - nice little town - fine open hilly liveable country - corn and hemp, and nicely wooded - the mountains of Echellrs or the Port St Laurent in sight (right) - at 1:08 tolerably good village turn (left) to Lyons - the poste au cheveaux at Saz merely are one good house and farmstead – La Tour du Pisà a nice enough little town - little chalet looks good - very neat clean exterior - so still possible there –

Bourgoin a goodish largest busy town – delayed 1/4 hour rearranging the shafts under the carriage – the postboys wanted 40 sols per poste – but I said I had given up giving more than 30 and they were civil enough – with 4 horses I have determined to give only 1/50 – fine rich plain bounded by hills and just near the town a few vine-coteaux – Verpillière shabbyish little town – St Laurent des mûres a long straggling village – the plain gradually increasing from Bourgoin is become very extensive at St Laurent des mûres – corn, potatoes, tufle, hemp (not very good) etc etc – merely the poste and 1 or 2 more houses at our relais at Bron – lovely evening – at 7:45 fine view down upon Lyons – had the tower upon the hill above the cathedral almost from leaving Bron –

alight at the hotel de l’Europe at 8 1/4 – very good handsome apartment au premier -salon and 2 chambres de maître (with 3 beds) a sort of ante room and servants rooms upstairs for 18/. a day – dinner 4/. a head breakfast 2/. ditto servants at 4/. day each – without any bargaining – seated at our good dinner at 8:45 to after 10 – very comfortable – wrote the at 12:15 tonight - above of today till 12:10 very fine day – very hot – F74°

#gentleman jack #anne lister's diary #anne lister #ann walker

[woollyslisterblog]

1834 August Thursday 7th

Gah, life, and with that PSA over, more Listeriana

Q 9:35 12:05 She came to me about 8:00 to warm her stomach still bowel complaint and it ended in a long good kissed to her and our lying till tolerably cool - on having my motion fancied cousin coming and so he did gently after breakfast but have not put anything on at all today - fine morning F 68° at 10:30 a.m. breakfast at 11 - made tea for Ann (1st time) in our Jones’s boiler - put the tea into boiling water and let it have 2 or 3 bubblings afterwards and it answered marvellously - Ann enjoyed it and ate a large plat of strawberries and has seemed better ever since - wrote out the first 50 lines of yesterday till 2:30 - then off in light calêche and 1 horse at 3 our host driving us, to pont St Laurent to see the new road from there here - at the tolerably good village of Saint Etienne in 50 minutes at 3:50 - all the women sitting their doors spinning there as here - in 8 or 10 minutes get to the narrow defile through the calcerous rock -

about 20 minutes passing through it - workman there - good road - at 4:35 at the little village of Ensivière not marked on Chaix’s map and at St Laurent du Pont at 5 - sat in the carriage 25 minutes while Ann ate her cold poulet and drank her brandy and water I got out and walked over the good wooden bridge, oak below and poplar above not to be so slippery - off back again at 5:30 - walked up the hill from 6:10 to 6:30 the last 1/4 hour through the fine defile -

met the engineer there - 40,000 francs already spent and would take 30,000 francs more to finish the road - could not be till 1836, as the supply refused for bridge next year but promised to be given the following - road departmental now - would by and by be a route royale - when made good, government would then take it -

at home at 7:30 - very fine view from the hill above Voison - right (going) large white good building, now the Chartreusine (female Chartreux) bought 10 years ago for this purpose - a Chateau just new bought near the town by a fraternity of monks - the priests and monks now as well off under Louis Philippe as under Charles X -

psome nice grass and farming land at the top of the hill worth 1000/. per journal of 600 toises carrés and lets for 100/. per journal - this the second quality of land - the 1st (about the town) worth 3000/. per journal lets for 300/. per ditto - and yet he said, in buying land, one had only 3% here - 2 large manufacturers built here lately by Lyon merchants in consequence of the union work at Lyon Voison has considerable commerce in linen cloth - the distance from Lyon to Echelles by Pont de Beauvoisine or Voison not half hour longer than by latter - dinner at 7:45 to 9 - and much better - wrote out all but the last 50 lines of yesterday and the whole of the day till 10:55 - very fine day - F 68° at 11:30 PM - being master of the poste here (Voison) worth 1500 francs a year -

#gentleman jack #anne lister's diary #anne lister #ann walker

[woollyslisterblog]

Updating to add that this fic made it impossible to read anything on ao3 since less than 100k due to lack of substance.

And its influence has been so significant that I’m sitting a music exam later this year (who in their late 40s sits exams designed for teens? but hey I am a slow learner) I have chosen the Bach Partita no2 in D minor allemande as the concluding piece for the test.

When I thought of the piece I had two thoughts: “I wanna baroque bow, and I should reread Soon”.

Sound 6a

I’m sure that a grand total of five or six people remember that this story is ongoing, but it is, and it continues to be the sequel to Soon. I had meant to write a short, vaguely cute Christmas-adjacent piece of it, to post during the holidays. Right. The thing is, too much history clustered around the circumstance I was going to use for that little piece, which was intended to be called “Pizzicato.” That still applies to this larger part, both for content and because it plucks certain idea-strings, but now it’s more definitively related to the larger work. You start realizing what actually lines up with what, and then you’re in it. Particularly if you’re writing about a kid who reads the New York Times every day in the 1960s, bless her weirdo little heart. I should note that, pursuant to the 1960s, part 6 will utilize some language that was more common then—but of course I’m not going to pretend history didn’t happen. Anyway, history happened in part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5a, part 5b, and part 5c.

Sound 6a

1963

Here’s domesticity, at seven in the evening on an unremarkable October Tuesday: dinner has been eaten, dishes have been washed, Christina has been stalling on starting her math homework, Helena has been moved to complain about what she is reading from that morning’s newspaper, and Myka has been sighing absently in response to those complaints as she tries to concentrate on pushing a red pen through a literature seminar’s worth of essays in response to chapters from Weidlé’s Russia: Absent and Present and Miller’s Russians as People. “But when do we get to read literature?” her students have been asking, as they always do—this is her third iteration of this seminar—and she has answered, in a voice that she is not conscious of having stolen from her grandfather, “So impatient.” Next week she’ll give them Pushkin’s “Queen of Spades” and they won’t know what to do with themselves…

The telephone rings, and Christina leaps for it, obviously hoping to put off multiplying those fractions just a moment longer.

Also, though, Christina just loves to answer the telephone. She does it with great enthusiasm. “Hello? … Hi! You sound like you’re underwater. …Wow. Really? … Just a moment, please; I’ll see.” She puts her hand over the receiver, then puts on a voice that’s apparently meant to mimic her interlocutor. “Hey, H.G.,” she says to her mother, emphasis on the aitch, pause, gee, and pitched slightly higher than her normal tone, “Phil Spector says he wants to talk to you. Are you here?”

Keep reading

#bering and wells #fanfic #warehouse 13 #apparitionism

[woollyslisterblog]

1834 August Wednesday 6th

I fear the enormity of this entry made for a transcribing pause. AL has now applied the new measurement unit of parasols to accacia trees. We and AL learn far more than is necessary about fruit farming, land measurement, holiday rentals and chimney top making. By the time AW objects to the flea ridden auberge both her and I have lost it. Make of this encyclopedic entry what you will. Frankly, I’d have barred the bedroom door after today’s info onslaught.

no kiss not with her at all - fine morning - F68 in my back room at 10:10 - breakfast at 9 - Ann still poorly her bowels no better - had our host M Bernard - he fancied the 11 minerals I had left out of the box = 20/. so I took only 4 for 6/. – quartz upon chaux carbouté 3/., cristaux de quartz 1/., spath pésante, bartye, d’annouay 1/., pierre ollaire 1/.

he calls set-e-ra is what our cocher called stèré – a setĕra = 900 toises carrés but they commonly go here by the journal (plural journaux) = 2/3 of a setĕra or 600 toises carrés - terre à chauvre is worth 3000 francs a setĕra - terre with vines and bled = from 2000/ 2400 francs a setĕra - tear de vigne = francs 1800 to 2000 francs a setĕra - the vine-hills (as at his own campagne) are what they call mi-côtes (i.e. demi côtes) - M Perrier has no land that he (M Pérard) knows of but at Vizille and none there but what belongs to the Chateau and may have from 60 to 80 seteras - but it is the Chateau which makes the land valuable - in buying land one has to consider where it is terre battie, or not; that is, terre with a good house on it, or not - where there is a very large quantity of land, the house is generally given in - where there is not much land, of the house is a consideration - the chateau at Vizelle valuable as being a large manufacturing - filature de coton and employing now 200 to 400 oeuviers - wheat is sold by the boisseau weighing 42 lb + or - according to the goodness of the wheat - it is now 4/50 per boisseau should be 6/. to enable the farmer to pay his way comfortably - M Perard gave 22,000 francs for his campagne (has 17 setĕras) and has laid out from 36,000 to 40,000 francs - wants 10,000 francs for all the trouble he has had the 28 months since he bought it, and asked 70,000 francs but his wife does not wish him to sell - he will assure the estate producing 100 louis = 2400/ per annum without making anything of the house - it is situate in what is called the Beauplan –

took a guide, and out, (left Ann although) at 11:50 to the chateau fort or Bastille on the high compact limestone rock north of the town - had got a considerable way above the engineer’s house when he himself came and I was obliged to turn back and ask leave of the commandant - vexed enough - but could not help it - went back the engineer with me - and shewed my passport - made my story good - the commandant very civil asked me to take bev[erage] en eau sucré and this the which I declined - went a good way up with me - gave me note to the lieutinent in command at the top, and asked me to stop at his and take something on my return and I promised to call - I counted above 350 steps and forgot to count those perhaps 20 or 30 to the very top, and the others lower down - besides all that traversing I certainly mounted 400 steps - very fine views of the town

about halfway and at the very top at 1:30 magnificent view of the valleys of the Isère and Drac - the former winds near the town in large folds - very beautiful - staid 10 minutes under the boiling sun enchanted with the view - the Graissivaudan valley at the apex of the angle stands Grenoble a very fine rich (deserving all of its praises – the fine high Savoy mountain snow-ridged on the east rather hid by clouds but the range hills of hills beautifully thrown together with pointed round elongated all shaped tops - everyone should go to the top of the chateau - from the higher mountain above it the town would be marked by the castle – heated as I was, I was well repaid –

down at the old tower, where lives the engineer and his wife, at 2:30 - very civil - hoped I should go and see them again - gave me a nice little nosegay from their flower pots on the top of the tower - he lost his right arm in Spain at the taking of Valentia (Valence) and - has 1500/. a year pay and 300/. gratification and lives, rent-free of course, in the tower – a taker of roads came in - said the new road to Marseille by Claix, Vizelle etc would be finished in 4 or 5 years as also the new road to Italy by Bourg d’Oisans, Grave, Madeleine, Lauzet etc to Oulx and Exilles and Souza would be done in 5 years - 10 leagues done - 30 more to do the road is done to beyond Bourg d’Oisans- 1/4 hour at the engineers ‘Mr de Matheis, Garde du Génie, Chevalier de la legion d’honneur, à Rabot’ – born at Turin - gave me his address written very well with his left hand –

and returning went to the marbrier, near the good stone bridge ‘Bernard fils Marbrier, rue du no.12, près le pont de Pierre, à Grenoble’ - 1 chimney piece very pretty dark coloured ground much veined with yellow - found in a ravine near Grenoble a - no quarry of it - called brêche de tez, la cheminée conte 150/. transport to Paris 12/. and 15/. to London perhaps 30/. would engage it at 50/. - but what would be the duty? - could furnish 10 or 11 specimens of Grenoble marbles, or marbres du pays of the Dauphiny alps 3 1/2 inches carrés 1/4 inch thick at 3/. each –

home a 3 1/2 - paid all and off from l’ hotel des Ambassadors, Grenoble, at 4:35 – A-[Ann]’s bowels indisposed all the time – the town too low, and near the river - so glad to be off - like the neighbouring hills exceeding for living on - not at all disappointed with town or country - the town a good provincial town, though not handsome - had no time to see the musée - beautiful drive along the river winding tolerably near for some distance - at 5:35 having driven a very high by-road alighted at Campagne of our horte of a vignoble about 1/4 mile from the road (right) - formerly belonging to the Chartreux - shewed us the cave and the great 2 or 3 fontres (casks that 30 men could stand in at once) they left there, and the wine press - still perfectly good (of oak) though a century or two old – rez de chausée a good salon with cabinet for two beds at one end, and two other pieces [rooms] (small) – au 1er distribution with kitchen above, a bel? to be let – the [fermin?] under the same roof and the kitchen and 2 or 3 pieces reserved for his wife’s father and mother - I asked if the tenant could have a garden - no! But M Pernard would give him half the produce of the garden - this rez de chausée 1er well furnished for 1000 francs a year – for la belle saison May to October exclusive – everything really very nicely arranged –

find 7 1/2 foot parasol (in English umbrella) accacias, planted last November looking beautiful - had them from Martin Burdin Chambéri, at 24 sols per tree - and all sorts of rose-bushes at 12 to 16 sols each - find large 7 1/2 ft blueberry trees at 10 sols each – would he sell them to me at that price – M Penard will get and send me off to England as many as I please at the price he himself paid - the leaves of a fine young well headed mulberry tree sell for 20 to 30/. for the season – manure (engrais) (horse manure) very dear - had just 6000 francs worth into his land – but vines a hot thing themselves and did not do with a hot manure - wanted a cold one – la laiche bauche the best - the coarse ready grass (vide line 6 p 128) - too much horse dung bad, too hot -shewed his pavilion with great pleasure - pretty painted in fresco -an Italian from Turin did it and him and two men 2 1/2 months doing it for 600 francs - Ann sadly tired of so much talking she did not understand - but liked the place very well –

off again at 7, and at Voreppe (fine beautiful drive as before) a shabby little town at 7 1/2 - in the rough road coming away had lost the shaft’s bolt or staple - the blacksmith having waited for me (I was bargaining with the woman of the Inn, but she was trop exigeant and 36 minutes were lost) - off from Voreppe at 8:06 sorry not to staid the night but Ann thought we should have fleas in such a looking auberge and I determined not to give the woman more than 21/. for the night and breakfast tomorrow as though had little to give us for dinner and wanted 25/. - a pity to have to drive in the dark - fine rocks high and perpendicular we passed close under soon after leaving Voreppe, then fine shaped-hills and wood were dimly seen - alighted at l'hotel des Cours, chex Bearne at Voisin, at 9:40 - very good large room with two cabinets à un lit, at the end of the room - very comfortable - the master of the house very civil and reasonable - would object to nothing - would have all to me - and take my price - nice little supper- very fine day at 11:40 till about 5:00 p.m. then a shower and afterwards a few drops F70°at 12:10 tonight Not with her tonight

#anne lister’s diaries #ann walker #gentleman jack #somedays Anne #really???!!!

[woollyslisterblog]

1834 August Tuesday 5th

heaven save us from AL on a fact finding mission. she has her parasol out again and is measuring. She seems to have spent most of the day discussing land farming management with the coachman leaving AW to her cold fowl. Yes, she discusses horse poo prices.

no kiss not at all with her Ann better this morning – preparing for cousin- breakfast at 8:30 -agree about carriage 15/. (everything bonne main and all compris) for the whole of the day - off at 10:20 Anne and I (and took George) in one horse calèche George and driver sitting in the front - in 1/4 hour at and crossed the handsome suspension bridge over the Drac - finished only six years ago - the wood bad - taking it up and laying it down fresh - kept close along the track (north) till after its junction with Isère - just there two boats - three pair of oxen to each, the animals one man to each pair, hauling in the midst of the water, above their middles in the deepest part, towards Grenoble –

at 11:05 turn left and about 10 minutes at the village of Sassenage- drive up the hill towards the quarries - very steep and bad got out at 11:25 and left the carriage waiting – Ann and I walked forwards - she tired an left her at 11:52 while I went to the top of the hill or monticule a little above the quarries for the sake of the view- - Miss Walker’s bowels not yet well - walked quickish considering the steep ascent and the stony road and great heat – (thought fine air latterly on the high ground) and in 1/4 hour at 12:02 at the top of the hill - very fine panoramic view of the junction of the Drac and Isère and of the latter almost to Voreppe, and a considerable length of the former - pity the clouds hid in great measure the great height of the mountain range to the eastward - the plain or valley of Grenoble Graissivandau very rich and beautiful - enjoyed the view for five minutes then down again to Ann at 1:10 –

She with one stone for a seat and another for a table ate her cold fowl and took her malaga légèrement trempe de l’eau in 20 minutes - we were soon back where we left the carriage, went down the bad road in it, and alighted at the hotel des Cuves at Sassenage at 1:20 - the landlord went with us as guide - this little expedition took us from 1:23 to 2:28 between then we went considerably above the cuves in the wood to where our guide the proprietor is making a zigzag walk and going to erect a pavilion from a nice point of view - he had bought the property 15 days ago, 400 toises of rock and wood for 370 francs - we had a steepish ascent - along with the high wall of rock (left) very pretty valley-cleft with a pretty cascade and stream utilisé for a mill – passed an insignificant hole or recess in the rock yellow hoary compact limestone then a few yards higher up on the cuve a handsome cavern mouth with two streams meeting in and forming in it a very pretty cascade - the stream to the left on entering runs along the channel we could have gone up for a long and unknown length of way had we chose and had there not been rather too much water – (no depth, but not like getting wet shod) - the man lighted his candle, but we declined wading - another recess in the rock a little higher up - the man talked of making a pavilion here too - said he would spoil the place – advised merely a bench and rustic table - from the intended site of the pavilion above looked over a pretty green vineyard on the opposite little high plain backed wood and the out-peeping old tower part masonry part rock of the ancient Chateau de Sassenage - was straight with this little propriété, and joked to Anne about buying it –

Sassenage a very good village - the famous cheese is made at the chalets on the pastures on the rocks above - can buy here (said our Grenoble landlord last night) at ./75 what 3 francs a lb in London - off on our return from Sassenage at 5:35 - drove close under the high almost perpendicular rocks - at 3 passed by (left) very rich land vines on frames and under them fine tall hemp - 1200 toises of this land that (said our intelligent cocher, the owner of the carriage and horse - keeps 12 horses) lets for 100 francs a year - at 3:05 alight at the Barmes rock de Fontaine, a village near - the carriage met us at the other end of our walk, along the wide double avenued road close under the barmes and perpendicular wall of rock 2 or 300 foot high? A pity the trees of our avenue to near, broke the rock and spoilt the view - elms poplars and willows - one of the poplars broken off about a yard from the bottom (blown down?) quite sound - measured from the ground to where the top was cut off, at about 3 inches diameter, 28 of my parasol's long ie about 28 yards or 84 feet! Was perhaps about near 2 foot diameter at the surface of the ground –

to buy the ground (line six from the bottom of the last page) let at 100/ one must pay 2000 francs per stèré and 1 stèré (as they pronounced it) = 900 toises carrés - this rich ground produces several crops of hemp for year after year de suite, but rests (is fallow, sometimes or grows wheat) and produces three crops in a year beet and other things - the coarse reedy grass we passed sometime afterwards (the coarse product of wet uncultivated land) called la laiche or perhaps better la banche required no manure, no care, is merely and made into percés (little round stacks or piplings with poles run through the middle and sticking out the top) and sells for 80 francs the stèrè for manure for the vines and (ingrais pour les vignes) is put about the young souches or suckers in much if the weather be fine enough –

Monsieur Perrier (a cotton manufacturer and calico printer in the Chateau of Vezille - 800 people employed but - lately only a filature of cotton there) the richest propriétaire here - had from 2 or 3000 stèrés - lately dead - his son married a Madamoiselle the Lafayette petite fille to the general - the farm on which grew the coarse reedy grass noticed consists of about 2000 stérés-

back at the pont de fer suspension bridge at 3:35 - the river track and the bridge 410 feet long by 20 feet 8 inches wide - the handsome straight stone pyramidal pillars at each end and 45 feet high from the surface of the bridge and the bridge about 14 feet above the present level of the water which is now 3 feet deep in the deepest part under the bridge – (said the workmen on the bridge laying down new timbers) - some distance on the right (east) side the Drac before getting in the great high road to la Croix haute, and shockingly we were jolted - it made Ann sick and poorly -our cocher said engrais was very dear - people let the engrais of their horses per annum the farmer taking it finding and bringing the straw - the dung of horse (on these terms averages not too dear) 25/. per annum – our cocher for his 12 horses has 300/. a year - the richest part of Dauphiné therefore called the rognon de Dauphiné is about 3 leagues du pays from here,

at and about Voiron famous for its cloth from 2:52 6 francs l’anne - on getting into the route royale our cocher said it rose 6 liens feu pied i.e. 1/2 an inch per foot - called La course from Grenoble a to Claix - it is a fine double avenue chiefly of elms, large leaved maple or small leaved sycamores, poplars - since the pont de Claix straight before us from the moment of getting into the great road - the pont is about the same level as the Chateau or Bastile here - a great deal of the land this way reclaimed from the devastating Drac only 8 or 10 years ago and much reclaiming now - the water is drained off into reservoirs, and suffered to deposit it sediment (like our road sand at home) which is spread thick over, the gravelly ground that is theirs made into good land - this good road to Claix is new and is to go direct to Marseille - but will not be finished for a few years - the road by Gap is 10 postes nearer than by Valence and this new road will be 10 poste, nearer than by Gap – they are working too at the road to Bourg d’ Oisans meaning to make a good carriage road this way to Briançau- good now to Bourg d’Oisans - but not beyond there – Our driver tried it 2 1/2 months ago - had the carriage to take in pieces to pass and so much damage done would not engage to go that way again –

36,000 ârmes in Grenoble - principle trade gauterie, but not so celebrated for it as formally - Claix a good little village - new - only two houses here 10 years ago - the valley (called Les isles) beyond the bridge not in cultivation till 30 years ago - ascend the hill (would be 5 or 10 minutes walking) and at the Pont de Claix there, or down the hill a minute or two beyond it, chez Fournier, restaurat[io]n, at 4:40 – Ann so sick and tired and afraid of flies in the house would not get out of the carriage - I went to see the bridge then went back and persuaded her to go - fine bold arch, from rock to rock, - not of very large stone and built with cement mortar, so did not strike me as being Roman architecture, though they say it is - the outside line (particularly the northern) of the arch is not quite straight - as if the arch might have been built from each end and made to join in the middle –

off back again at 5:15 and alighted at home at 6:20 Hay sells at 5/+ and some sols the quintalordinaire i.e. 50 kilos (the quintal métrique = 100 kilos or (kilogrammes of which 1 equals 2 lbs) - the quintal used to be from 2/50 to 3/ or 4/. wheat should sell 6/. the bushel, to pay for the farmer it now sells for only 4/50 - so bread cheaper than hay and give the horses sold[ie]rs bread - could perhaps 1/3 or 2/3 rye with the wheat = a horse has sometimes 6 lbs a day of this - can only go in a carriage about or not quite 1/2 way up to the Chateau or Bastille - dinner 6:30 to 7:45 - dawdling with Miss W[alker] her bowels grumbling and she wanted petting - from 9:45 to 11:45 wrote out today – very fine day F69° at 11:50 PM

#gentleman jack #anne lister's diary #anne lister #ann walker

[woollyslisterblog]

1834 August Monday 4th

some days I am nonethewiser as to why she puts some things in code and other in plain hand. Toenail cutting and biscuit eating taboo; contrast with bowel complaint transparency. Also interesting insight into how sometimes she doesn’t write contemporaneously and has to do catch ups.

Not at all with her last night -Ann not well an had a bowel complaint this morning and lay in bed - fine morning and F 68° at 8 - much rain in the night - cutting toenails that not ready till 8:30 then with Ann heating up her coffee etc etc till after 9 - breakfast at 9:30 to 10 in my own room - with Ann backwards and forwards - had George too say his lessons French wrote out Tuesday 8th instant till 12:45 - finished dressing -

took George and Ann and I out at 1:45 for about an hour - she tired, and we came in - she had a biscuit and brandy and water and lay on the sofa and was better wrote out to the first 41 lines of Wednesday the 9th instant till 4:45 – Ann and I out again at 5:10 went to M Fournier and of this street ‘Horologer, Rue Montorge près la place Grenette’- looked over his minerals - some goodish things but all in litter - mounted up to the very top of the house to see his cabinet - all mal-arrangér - then sauntered – M Fournier began minerality 10 years ago when aged 54 and seems very tolerably clever now - went into the church built by Louis 14 - dirty and plain- not handsome -

home and dinner at 6:30 - had the master of the house up - intelligent and civil - showed me 4 coloured views and plans of the grande Chartreuse - 5 lithographs of the views to be had at Leon - sent me up box of minerals left many years ago by an Italian traveller who had not paid his bill - looked them all over - had been turned over often before so tickets lost and nothing left worth much till 10:45 at the minerals - fine at F 68° at 10:45 pm Ann in bed before 10 and asleep when i went in -

#gentleman jack #anne lister's diary #anne lister #ann walker #AnneListerCodeBreaker

[woollyslisterblog]

1834 August Sunday 3rd

Double entry today. Did almost mistransribe a town in Isère as “Lunebin” google maps put me right

6 1/4 11:25

long very good kiss to her last night- Breakfast at 7:55 - F69° at 8:00 a.m.

- off from La Parfaite Union, Chamberí, at 9 – fine valley and very good road - at 9:57 turn right and leave the poplar-avenued road to Montméliau fine avenue of Italian poplars which begin at the last village and seemed to extend along way towards Montméliau - at 10:08 a village and first view of the Isére (left) and fine peep upon the Montméliau valley - fine rich wooded valley (1 league broad?) vines and no corn -

at 10:10 stop 4 minutes too vérifiér our passports by the carabiniers on the confines of Sardinia - at 10:22 shew passport at the Douane royale de France and off again in one minute! At 10:32 drive under large shed opposite the Corps de Garde des Douanes at Chapareilau - very civil - merely looking at the things in the front boot - changed horses (Chapareilau village?) And off again at 10:59 - it is here we enter the fine valley of Graiswaudau - at 12:29 shew passport to gendarme at the village of Touvet -

change horses at 1:15 at the village - town of Lumbin - wooded, rich, beautiful valley - green hill above hill charmingly grouped vines on trees (chiefly maples) or on frames, a bit low as in France in general - abundance of mulberries and walnut trees - a vineyard garden or orchard all along our road which runs along the talus of the mountains range of the western side of the valley while the beautifully winding runs near the foot of the mountain range of the eastern side –is the breadth but one or two leagues? This is perhaps the most beautiful valley I ever saw - low clouds rolling low along the mountainsides as we left Chapareilau, rain came on at 2:20 and continued all the rest of the way - the valley well peopled -

at 2:25 past one broad dry bed of mountain torrent and at 2:35 past the dry bed of another where they are laying strong handsome masonry bed a channel for it to run on under the road - at 3 shew passport at village of Montbonnet consisting of one longish poorish street - at 3:05 another small bed of mountain torrent - have only observed there three beds of mountain torrents in this valley since entering France - very pretty about the town -the hill, or talus, just above us (right) a perfect vineyard dotted over with neat white houses - at 3:30 the Isére close on our left, and about as large as the Ouse at York -

at 3:43 enter little gate into the town and shew passports - returned to us in two or three minutes passed through the shabbiest old looking streets and alight at the Hotel des Ambassadors at 3:50 - not a handsome looking hotel - but has two double bedrooms I've just had from (5:50 to 7) a good dinner and are very comfortable - have just written so far today at 7:35 - wrote out the last 20 lines of Sunday 6th and the whole of Monday 7th instant till 10:45 - fine day though threatening rain till after 2:00pm then rainy afternoon and evening of F72° now at 10:55

#gentleman jack #anne lister's diary #anne lister #ann walker

[woollyslisterblog]

1834 August Saturday 2nd

8 1025

no kiss tho[ugh] she came to me for about half hour at six this morning lay very quietly fine morning -F67° at 8:00 a.m. breakfast at 9 - very well satisfied till the bill came - and then I said the being charged 8/. night for one double bedded room and the two servants rooms was ridiculous - however the man said I had agreed to pay 19/. per day for all and everything and he had distributed the price so as to come to that - the fact is I have a good lesson I now see regarding to his valuation what dinners and breakfast ought to be in a little town like this –

off from les Echelles at 11:05 having previously agreed with the postmaster for the horses at 3/. at 1/50 and the 4th at /. per post, and paid him telling the postillon I should only give him 1/50 per post - alighted at the grotte on the other side of the tunnel, at 11:39 - walked down to the bottom of the old road got back in half hour - in descending the first natural cave on the left is of considerable extent - the curé a a little while ago during la grandes secheresse went on half hour into it - sometimes on hands and knees - into lake at the far end of the cavern - the large cavern just ? this side of the inscription of Charles Emmanuel and a little lower down (right) now the water course, was the original road along which the people made use of ladders to get up and down the inequalities and from which the neighbouring town was called les eschalles, on account of the ladders being left there the man at the grotte would have accompanied us, but he was not well , and we could not now go into the cavern on account of the late rain - but during secheresse one could go through the cavern and it is very interesting - off again in 33 minutes at 12:12 –

a few drops of rain as we drove along from the grotte on reaching St Thiebault de coux found there was a capital most picturesque new road just opened about two months ago direct from les Echelles by Goreppe where 2 good inns - 6 1/2 postes from there to Grenoble - 10 postes to ditto by Chambery - should save 2 postes by turning back - would have done so but for the torment of the little douane on entering France (vide yesterday) - this road just going to be entered in livre des postes - at present the postmaster charged the first stage post, but it was not in reality so much - at the cascade de coux , at 1:34 and alighted at La parfait union, Chambery, at 2:25 - tired had half hours nap in my chair - then and Anne and I out at 3 1/2 and put into the post office Ann’s and my letter to my aunt Shibden written last night and dated at les Eschelles - would be in Paris in three days and I paid 6 sols (francaise) – I put in the post office also my letter 2 1/2 pages to lady Duff Gordon, poste restante, a Munich, Bavine’ dated as to today at Chambery - paid 1/. - will be at Munich in 8 days - then went to the nursery garden so Frederick Burnier - went about with us very civilly told him to give the habitat and temps du florais[io]n where, and time, when gathered of each specimen – saunt[ere]d about the town - went to the Castle - saw the sad chappelle - fine painted glass windows - lofty groined roof entering handsome older gothic except modern Greek front to the castle yard - old mind empty ? square and partly round tower singular built picturesque –

home at 5:25 dinner very good one at 5:40 - had a laverat (salmo laveretus) is excellent the sort of fish the first the fisherman of Lake bourget Hautecomb asked us 4/ a piece for it- as large and therefore 1 lb weight - the first time I remember to have tasted this fish - melon brought with the veal steak cutlets - sat long over dessert - till 9:25 wrote all the above of today – a few drops of rain at the grotte and afterwards occasional showers during the rest of the day - F 69° now at 9:25 - the drops from Chambery to les Echelles is certainly very fine - Chambery a very nice town - but one must machandar with everybody - I ought to have done so with my garden botanist Mr Frederick Bernier, but I never thought of it at the time - he said they had 64 journals of ground in the nursery - a journal equals 4000 French feet carrés - sometime in the spring and autumn and now where much work to do 250 workpeople - have given up the establishment at Turin - but one at Leon and Grenoble , and latter newly established - with her twenty minutes before getting into my own bed

#gentleman jack #anne lister's diary #anne lister #ann walker

[woollyslisterblog]

1834 August Friday 1st

6:35 1 No kiss last night not with her at all - fine morning F70 at 7:30 am breakfast at 7:40 –

took George and Ann and I off at 9:10 in little charabanc to Pont Saint Laurent - at the bottom of street cross the river (Guiers vif- the Guier mort on our left 2/3 way from Pont-Saint Laurent to the great Chartreuse) and very soon after stop at the French Douane - the town of Echelle partly on one side and partly on the other - the south side French the north savoyard - they searched our charabanc and then told us to go to the women to have our persons examined - this was too much - went into the bureau - showed my passport and remonstrated and got off - well we had it - the master of our auberge had gone out and forgotten to give it and I had waited 10 minutes for it –

on right (west) the round topped verdant hill very pretty - left (east) that magnificent wall of white hoary calcerous- cross the Gruier Mort and almost immediately enter the little town of Pont Saint Laurent and stop at 9:55 in front of the L’auberge du Midi, chez Tartavel - a sort of cabriolet caleche diligence at the door - 35 minutes before we could get one not very comfortable - off at last at 10:30 - soon enter the magnificent défilé pass into the first archway and then pass an iron foundry - at 11:40 the valley closed by a magnificent natural high pyramidal rock and an archway under a mined building abutting against the rock on each side very soon after at the bottom of the hill crossed the river over high one arch unbattlemented bridge –

a peep at the Chartreuse when we were half hour off - seated on a green spot or plateau high under the mountain - very large pile of building - reached it at 1- no ladies allowed to enter the monastery Cistercian - habit of white cloth – confin[e]d buy white cord or leather belt a serge shirt - no linen allowed - the great entrance gate looks south - passed and went into a building at a little distance an old infirm monk and two women there in the large comfortless looking room on the left - the right formi à clef - so my request for a bed from Ann to lie down upon in vain - she ate her fowl, and then lay down upon the bench along table with chairs to prevent her falling off, and the coats and cloaks for a pillow - by this time about 1 3/4 it began to rain it had rained a little during the last half hour as we came and soon afterwards we had heavy rain with thunder and lightning which did not abate till just before we set off on our return –

I had amused myself spelling over a plan of the convent the terrific prints of a soul in purgatory surrounded with flames, and ditto in hell surrounded with flames with the addition of large green serpent gnawing the body - this amusement over I was cross to see poor Anne so comfortless - however she was better, and quite reconciled to hear that I should return rain or not –

Our garcon guide had kept out of the way and pothered me - at last he came and would have 43 sols for his dinner - I was astonished about but gave him the money - inquired of an Italian family in the room with us and of the waiter and got a note proving that the fellow had only paid 15 sols, and made him refund the rest to his shame and surprise - for the ostler charging only 16 sols for three mules, I could not think the dinner could cost so much –

off at 3:40 from the grande Chartreuse A's mule so stumbling soon put her onto mine - in 5 or 6 minutes found our guide lame- George led Anne's mule, and the guide mounted his – in 5 or 6 minutes more I tired out of the tumbling and mounted George’s mule, and let the guide have the stumbler, and made George mount behind Ann and thus we got on trotted when we could, he holding on on and holding her bridle too, and in 50 minutes we reached the pyramidal rock - and in 3 minutes under 2 hours we were at Port Saint Laurent (without a drop of rain ) and paid for the mules - would not give the guide one sol, nor would I listen to the master or the boy who owned the saddles and wanted me to pay for them extra, but was off in the charabanc that was in waiting at 5:40 and alighted at our inn at Echelles at 6:20 –

from Pont Saint Laurent to Chartreuse the road is good in comparison not dangerous - everywhere wide enough - nowhere less than eight or feet eight or nine feet even in those little bits just after passing the foundry and afterwards cut out of the rock - the only disagreeable was the mules loaded with four planks and spars which being four or five yards long but rather tremendous to pass - besides these we had mules laden with charcoal which though not so frightful, were not to be desired - except the Gorge d’Ortessa from Mount Perdu down to Torla, the gorge or défilé to the Chartreuse is the finest I ever saw - it is really magnificently fine - thickly wooded even to the tops of the high wall-like rocks - surely they must be in many places 12 or 1400 feet above the river - this wood is perhaps chiefly beech with fir nearer the Chartreuse intermixed and towards the top of the rocks - limestone strata highly inclined –

we should have seen the Chapel of Saint Bruno but it is quarter league from the monastery - would take us an hour to go and return and I was too much afraid of the rain - they wanted us to stay all night - but the Italian family who dined while we were there could only get soup, omelette and potatoes - and strawberries and this did not augur well - our guide wanted us to go to La parvisse an hour off, but this I declined - glad to be back aux Echell –

dinner at 6:33 good rice milk and strawberries (besides soup, fowl, and roast mutton) and comfortable - till 10 1/4 writing the journal today - Ann wrote 2 1/3 pages to my aunt and was in bed by 10 - no rain as we returned and fine evening and very fine in the morning till about 1 1/2 pm F 68° now at 10:15 pm till 12 1/2 wrote very small and close the latter 2/3 page 3 and the ends of Ann’s letter to my aunt and wrote 2 1/2 pages to Lady Gordon -

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[woollyslisterblog]

1834 July Thursday 31

Frisky AW is my jam. Another entry to launch a thousand fics.

Q

9 1/4

10:35

good kiss vide last night It rained all the night and this morning till afternoon or till 10 - no going to the grande Chartreuse - sent George to the poste at 6 to say so - the firm of the gardens M Burnin brought me some dried plants to look at, and left them - looked them over and got into bed again at 7 to warm myself - Miss Walker came to me at eight and ten minutes had shewed me her bosom and on my asking her took off her night things and stood naked so then got into bed and we had a kiss –

breakfast at 10 or beginning when Mr Burdin came for the plantes seches - would not take those but he stood about an hour, and ended by giving him an order for a complete collection of alpine plants to be sewed on white paper and bound and classed and ticketed in families and species according to the system of Linnaeus at 200 per thousand to be 5000 or thereabouts - none but alpine plants - to have no plants de serres - to be ready about this time next year - gave him my address at Shibden - but if I left home in the mean[while] would write to him what to do - would not have transport to pay - not account of the cost, but la peine et les désagrémes and les risques with the douaniers etc M Burdin will probably be in England about this time 12 months if so to bring the herbarium with him - or I may pick it up myself - the collection to be très soignée and complète a des alpes - then breakfast and finished dressing - wrote all but the first lines of this page etc till 1 3/4 - then just going out – (Ann rather sickish) when M Frederic Burdin came again awkwardly excusing himself for wanting an advance of 200 francs on the herbarium - if I should die he would have been at all the expense of courses to the mountains and binding the volumes and had the thing on his hands - he saw my astonishment hoped I would not blessée – no! said I but astonished at his coming now when he said nothing about it in the morning - he said I had mentioned I would rather advance money than have the collection manquée in anything - yes said I, and as you did not ask for another address then it is the more surprising you should come now - he blundered out something about their thinking it very odd I’d offer to be at so great expense for a servant’s son that in fact I think they talked him into being afraid I was not to be trusted - he however tried his utmost to fight off this, and seemed sorry for himself and his answer and - it ended in my paying him 200 francs and his giving me a receipt for the money after his having stayed talking and explaining and in excusing himself about an hour

this delayed us - not off until 3 5/60 from Chambery, - at 3:50 at the very pretty cascade de Choux, in the two storeys one considerably greater than the other - went almost up to it through a close almost grown up brushwood path, the spray like a shower - beautiful road all along the bottom of the wooded rock - ravine - the little river Yere tumbling over its precipitous bed, seldom seen - much prettier road than to Aix - at 4 8/60 La poste (single house) and change horses, of Saint Thiebault de Loux, the neat picturesque little village and nice new church a little beyond - the postillion wanted 1/50 for 4 horses instead of that for the 3 we had and 1/. for the other the maître de post said they could compel me to pay it, but as I had not paid it elsewhere, they wish to encourage travellers and he would not demand it – so I got off - the fact is, it is conventional, and I ought always to make the agreement

- fine, green-striped (with brushwood - much beech amongst it) white calcerous rock-ravine - at 5:35 sent the 3rd horse back - all rest of the way descent so came down with 3 horses - at 5:52 at La Grotte, and the fine tunnel through the rock - close by on the left, is the old road - it would have taken us 20 minutes to walk down it and return to the carriage; and, the clouds being very black, and drops or two of rain having already fallen, we durst not venture - well we did not, heavyish rain came on before we could have been back - the valley hidden in the mist - alighted at Les Echelles at the auberge de la poste (not the poste itself) at 6:23 - poorish looking place, but good honest people - dinner at 7 3/4 - good potage, 1 trout (trout 3/. lb) chicken, roast mutton, riz au lait and plenty of strawberries, and dined very well –

afterwards wrote the last 25 lines for today till 9 3/4 - very rainy morning till about 10 - then fine but heavy rain with thunder and lightning are few minutes before 6 and above 1/2 hour - then following fine evening - F72° at 9:50 - the opening of the tunnel into the valley upon Les Eschelles is very fine - the immense wall of rock separating this valley from that of Chambery is magnificent - besides the old road through a natural fissure in the rock, there seems to be another winding fissure to the south of it (left) as we came down -

#gentleman jack #anne lister's diary #anne lister #ann walker #wlw gardeners

[woollyslisterblog]

1834 July Wednesday 30th

no kiss too hot last night as before

Breakfast at 9 1/4 - looking over Maps and guide books - from 11 1/4 to 3:20 wrote out Sunday Monday and yesterday and inked over accounts - Ann writing her journal, and for the last hour or more lying down sick of writing and heat - finished dressing - meaning to go out, but a thunderstorm and rain came on at the writing out of the first 14 lines of Sunday the 6th instant and

then being fair took George and Anne and I went out at 5:20 - paid for books chez Puthod – Vie des Saints quarto to be had a Paris Chez JJ Blaise v. Feron, no. 24 rue pres St Sulpice - and Dictionary of geographie moderne chex H L Delloye, Place de la Bourse, no 13, who is editor of la France pittoresque et la France militaire - paid the maître de poste for carriage and yesterday etcetera and ordered caleche at 5:00 am tomorrow if fine to go to the grande Chartreuse –

and got into his charabanc and drove off to the nursery garden - about an hour there - afraid of the heat for the rose-trees and wanted to send them en caisse a month or more hence - did not like roses- got off taking them at all - saw M. Burdin himself - head of the establishment - will take John Booth next spring, summer, or autumn for three years, or 2 would have been enough had he been older - he would be very sufficiently well and comfortably boarded for 45 francs per month - and there would be no other expenses but his clothes - said I would see if I could get his own consent and his father and charged Mr Burdin to be very careful of the boy as to health and morals - said if he can, I should bring him myself –

Home at 7 just as it began to pour with rain and the thunder and lightning came on again and continued all the evening - dinner at 7:20 - F-74 1/2° at 9 – with her from 9:29 for 1/2 hour and had long good kiss -

[woollyslisterblog]

1834 July Tuesday 29th

No kiss Very fine morning - F71° at 8 breakfast at 8 1/2 - off in caleche taking both the servants at 9 3/4 - fine drive - the valley of Chambery enclosed by fine Salève-like but wooded mountains very fine - the Deut de Nivolet a bare hoary limestone head a striking object in its own right -

enter Aix at 11:10 - at the roadside near Gressy at 11:38 walked down a little way to the corn and rape oil mill in whose premises is the famous cascade - very little water - the limestone rock left bare so that we could well see the holes into which it is water worn - 10th June, 1813 there was merely a plank over the whole (14 feet deep) in which Madame la baronne de Broc was lost - now there is a good step ladder over it with a rail on each side, and no danger at all - merely a cottage near the roadside where we alighted and a swarm of children tormenting us with who should shew us to the cascade - the cliffs down which the waterfalls into a sort of basin below the mill very pretty now - must be very much so, and fine when the water is in abundant foaming and gushing in on all sides -

off from Gressy at 12 and at Port Puer on the lake der Bourget in 22 minutes – a boat just putting with a Lyons tradesman and his wife and child and bonne, so that we were embarked and off at 12:25 - in 36 minutes halfway and landed at Hautecombe at 1:53 - Lake 4 lieues by 1 - 466 feet deep about the middle over against St Innocent which belongs or did formerly to the Marquis de St Innocent the fisherman of all the towns on the lake take it of government at for 500 francs a year paid quarterly - 2 trout caught the other day weighing 25lbs each, were 5 francs a lb! The dead to be buried at Hautecombe are embarked at a village above St Innocent, at Brison a village of 26 houses - the lake shut in East and West by high calcerous, hoary, wooded mountains in the style of Annecy, and north by the castle topped conical mountain of Châtillon, and south by the distant snow-striped mountains of Montmélian and Dauphiné – Hautecombe about 2/3 up the lake on the west is a fine large building - on the same side seeming about midway between there and Aix is the vaunted dent du chat - the wind a little against in going but the water very smooth - Ann rather frightened but behaved very well - the water was smooth has glass both ways particularly in return - on landing wanted to buy some fish for one of the boats - Lavaret's (salmo Lavaratus, Linneus) weighing 1lb each asked 4 francs a piece and would only come down to 3/75 so did not buy any - the boatman said they would sell them at 3 each at Aix -

many strangers at the convent - 10 white monks of Saint Bernard or Benoit - went immediately to the church several people there – a monk explaining - found him very civil - the church will be done in November - all the sculpture done in pierre de Syssel (the quarry in France) part of the territory of Savoy said the monk and which looked so exactly as if it had been white-washed that we thought it was till convinced to the contrary - the fine fresco - painting - the church and Palace done by Vacca of Turin comma the sculpture very good by Caracciatori of Carrara - went into his atelier - said there were 60 ateliers in Carrara - they there had a good deal of sculpture there ready done - the natural size whole length figure 3000 francs each - the church very handsome -

the palace merely a good house but remarkable for its fine fresco plafonds by Vacca the view from one of the windows over the lake to the south very fine - beautiful lake the last five generations of the House of Savoy (excluding the Last King Charles Felix buys a special desire) buried in the Superga at Turin - about 25 of this house buried at Hautcombe - saw the little Chapel of St Andre with its modern thin octagonal second brick tower, to serve as a sort of pharos to the lake - the wind of this tower painted beautifully by the German artist of Berne in Switzerland - about 2 years ago some political letters or papers found in his possession that he was threatened with prison and went to Lyons having his brother behind him to fulfil his engagements as an artist - but the matter is now likely to be settled, and the artist to return to Berne he has still 3 windows to paint for the chapel –

at 4:35 went to the house of the concierge du palace and begged the favour of being to take our luncheon there- all the other people dined sur l’herbes - off to the Fountain at 4 1/4 and there in 7 minutes dragging Ann after me, though they said we should be 20 minutes in going - hardly any water - too little to shew the intermittent nature of the spring - but glad to have gone on account of the view of the head off the lake - by the canal from there to the Rhone said we could go to Lyon in three days - walked some little distance beyond the fountain and sauntered back in 1/4 hour - the Lyons people had waited 1/2 hour for us - re embarked and off at 4:47 - cooler - merely a nice breath of air - the beautiful blue lake so smooth as glass

landed at Port Puer at 5:49 single house merely an auberge, and little landing place - paid 3 per person for a voyage and off again in our caleche (the man had taken his horses and dined at Aix) for Aix at 5:58 alighted at the Chateau at 6:13 just in time - the forebed of the carriage was broken that another instead and the horses and fore wheels would have left us in the lurch - saw the handsome new salle de danse joined onto the chateau- and the library one wall of which is left in its old state to show the larger uncemented stones of the Roman temple of Diana - the adjoining building now converted into a Theatre was the temple - we went behind and underneath the scenes and saw the old Roman style of building - then not knowing what to do with ourselves turned into the court of the house of les demoiselles de Vernay, lent to several families - walked in the nice garden - should be very well there and living from a traiteur -

at last thought of the booksellers shop in the place - amused there looking at prince and books - bought two different Aix guides – off from Aix at 7 3/4 and home at 9 1/4 - dined at 9:50 - very fine day and evening F 73° at 11:00 pm

#gentleman jack #anne lister's diary #anne lister #ann walker

[woollyslisterblog]

1834 July Monday 28th

No kiss Fine morning F70° at 10:00 a.m. breakfast at 10:22 11 1/4 –

had ordered and waited for calêche - so old looking and dirty, would not have it, Anne and I went out on foot - peeped into the cathedral - the interior undergoing repair - not either very large or handsome building, and the interior painted in fresco imitation of gothic ornament - very bad taste - the deep blue roof with gold stars and fresco groining looked well enough –

then to a booksellers in the Place St Leger – fortunately stumbled upon the best, Puthod, above an hour there bought several works - particularly the first 5 nos at 3/. (15 more to come) off vùes de la Savoy … suivres d’un précis historique and discriptif published here by Courtois at Albert Lithographes - gave my address and desired the other nos to be sent to me aux soins de Messers Lafitte , Paris - whom I would direct to pay for them - the female person in the shop very civil - gave us directions what to see - sent her servant with us to la poste for a carriage - little charabanc 6/. a day, should only be 3/. for this afternoon - but the mâitre de poste asked 6/. for this afternoon and 18/. a day for a calêche and pair - at last bargained for the latter to take me to Aix and the charabanc for 22/. - saw the rooms - smelt strongly of new papering and plastering and beds at 3/. and noisy, bustling pace - very glad we were not there, and quite contented with La parfait union

from 2:10 to 4 walked to Les Charmettes at where Rousseau and Mme de Warens lived, and some time there - nothing about nonsense in the Livre de Estrangers, so declined writing even our names - went one way and returned another - we were near 1/2 hour going from La Poste – fine view of the town in returning - nice, clean, well-built, good looking town, not very large - in going had bought 18 good greengages for a sol –

came home for 1/2 hour for Ann to have her cold fowl, and off in the charabanc at 4 1/2 - passed through the little village of Aisse, and the paper manufactory au bout du monde at 5:10 - one of the workmen shewed us the cascade (50 to 100 yards at the back of the building) - not much water now, but still very picturesque and pretty - the water of the Doria falls from a fine cleft in the high limestone rock -on each side are little springs gushing from the rock which springs man said are cold in summer and heated in winter - the strata of the rock are here at the cascade and more particularly a little lower down and turning up along little river Aisse (now all but dry which falls into the Doria at the mill in time to swell the stream and turn the wheel) very singular - look exactly like a wall of stones about a foot long and six inches in the bed - and this stratification extends to some little way down the Doria -

the man shewed us, too, the process of paper making and we bought nice soft papier gris (at sol per lb) 64 sheets for 1 franc - the man said times were much better, le commerce allait beaucaisse mieux de temps des Français - now he, whose work begins at midnight for 11 hours every night, and always in water has 44 francs a month about 30 sols day, the wages of the best workmen - and the others had all them from 34 up to 44 a month - the woman had 12 sols a day - but they have each a room in the building that I suppose they live rent-free - the paper that sold du temps de Napoleon for 40/. and was no sooner made than sold, now hangs on hand and sells for 18/. or 20/. - asked if the King had been at Chambery yes! at the paper manufactory- I said he was très bon -bon enfant- no! said the man the manufactory had always given him something but he had never given anything in return - things could not go on in this way - an hour at the cascade and in the manufactory -

returned another way by Alby, but had unluckily left at home Mme Puthod’s paper so forgot to go St Saturnin en passant - the cocher, however, stopt, at the great nursery garden and we stood an hour there and ordered a collection of roses to take back with us! Thought this would be a nice place to send to little John to- spoke to the man about it - he seemed to have no objection - will see him again and have more information as to terms - the boy should be aged 14 - these people have an establishment at Lyon and Grenoble and Turin - are chiefly famous for roses dahlias and ----------- of which they have every variety - the young man makes excursions to the mountains - has a herbary of above 6000 plants - to go there and see this at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday - drove around the place, and promenade de Verny, and home at 8 1/4 - dinner at 8 1/2 - very fine day F71 1/2° at 11 1/4 p.m. - too much dinner - very hot - asleep in my chair after Eugenie left me till near 11 -

the nursery is also famous for peonies and camellias. Definitely much more of an ideal present to each other.

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[woollyslisterblog]

1834 July Sunday 27th

6

1

Very fine morning F 68 1/2 at 7:00 AM – sat writing with her in her room till 11 and not at all with her last night - reading ready at 7:00 this morning and looking at maps till 7 3/4 - breakfast at 7 ¾ - prayers (ourselves and George) from 8:50 to 9 ½ - Ann and I off in a little charabanc at 9:57 - very pretty drive along the lake shallow and reedy along the margin, and at the Duing or Douin at 11, a small village – little auberge and a few cottages and the chateau - at the foot of the mountain de Déré - agreed with cocher to take us to the head of the lake for 2 francs more ( 7 + 2 = 9 francs) –

there in 25 minutes at 11 1/2 - a sort of little port - a house and two or three stables and coal depot and flat-bottomed carriage boats to take to Annecy the coal (like anthracite) from the mountain d’Entreverne a little to the south of the head of the lake - and wood, and one of the boats was laden with a yellowish friable clay earth – 1/4 hour here walking about - the lake from Douin narrower and more confined, and prettier - the hoary green speckled, calcerous mountains very fine - back at Douin in 25 minutes at 12 1/4 - stopt 1/2 hour at the little auberge (belonging to the people who kept it) for Ann to eat her cold chicken - the woman had lived in service at the Chateau and volunteered going with us to see it - called a Chateauvieux built on a little premontory that seemed almost or quite too close the lake when seen from the other end of the lake - which was before the revolution of 1791 the property the Marquis de Sales whose son the present marquis is now anxious to buy it but the present proprietor M Berthé, who married a Genevese and spends his winters at Geneva, asked 100,000 francs and the Marquis only bids 90,000 francs the house and all about it, nice little gardens and terraces, are all mal entretenue- but nothing is done now that M and Mme Berthé have lost their only child a boy of six years old - before his death they kept a person here and the Chateau was full of people - among them many English - the chateau took us 40 minutes –

off again at 1:25 back at Annecy at 2:53 - few light drops of rain at 2 1/4 for about 10 minutes - very good road all the way, shaded with walnut trees – walked about Annecy - good and largish town - most of the streets arcaded as is common in Italy - went into the two principal churches, not handsome but full a lot of people - walked up to the castle - a barrack, so not allowed to enter the court without permission which not worthwhile to ask for - large pile of building - looking not very ancient perhaps about 12 or 13th century - off from the hotel de Genève (the only one to go to) Annecy at 3:33 – rain not heavy at 4:25 for about 20 minutes –

at Alby at 5:10 Alby beautiful! Situated at the edge of the plateau above the deep stream but at the foot of a cluster of green, wooded hills- glimpse of the old castle tower farish to the left - little church and town. and deep bedded stream, and handsome white stone bridge (one high arch) over it and ascend the hill by fine new road cut out of the rock - very fine, and beautiful, and picturesque there - well cultivated well wooded fine country - and fine mountain drive all the way from Annecy - still the white Salève-like steppy mountains, but more wooded - neat farm houses scattered though rather thinly all around - the Savoy valley is less populous than the Swiss –

Albens at 6, neat little town - here we get into the great high road from Geneva to Chambery which we left at St Julien - still the same fine, cultivated, wooded, rich, beautiful country and excellent road as before but rather wider – rained all today (as yesterday) almost everywhere lined with trees - willows, lombardy poplars (the tall, pyramidal) great many walnuts, and a few elms and apple trees -

at Aix at 7:25 - 1200 strangers – not a bed to be had - that maître de poste recommended my going to the post at Chambery – the commis we had from there to go about with us - said La parfait union was the best hotel - he went with us to see baths, the bains’ remains discovered about three years ago, in the garden of Mme Perrier, and the Roman arch near the pension of Mme Charpentier - this last house 10/. a day included board and lodging per person at 5/. for servants - chez Madame Perrier, and at La poste 7/. a day plus 3/5 for servants - tasted the water at the source - slightly sulphurous - not near so strong as at Harrogate - a very abundant spring - the swimming bath struck me as very small - not more than five or six yards square - what they called l’Enfer (the men's vapour bath) was hot and suffocating enough to deserve its name Ann could not even put her head into it - the thermes or bains romanes are very well worth seeing - perhaps the most perfect to be seen anywhere except at Rome - they say, there would be much more found if the garden was more searched into - the water, goits-corridors supported by 1 row of round and 1 of square pillars supplying communicating with the large square proscenium, are very perfect as are many of the square vapour tubes ( like fine brick) communicating with the vapour bath above - the Roman arch was never much ornamented and the ornaments there were all much worn and obliterated –

off from Aix at 8 grieved over being in the dark, but it could not be helped - alighted at La parfait union in the quiet streets little square en face de la cathedrale at Chambery at 10 - then at 11 - fine day in spite of the slight showers at 2 1/4 and 4:25 pm F 71 at 12:55 tonight -

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1834 July Saturday 26th

Much entertained by Anna Choma interview tonight which prompted me to get another daily post up. Did rather like her evidence AL of wearing/giving blue as signifying interest in the ladies. Perhaps this shade could be the modern day signifier? (Makes a change from the lavender ribbons of the nineties -showing my age again)

Q 6:50 11 ½

her bed stock’s creaked so that the people in the adjoining room being up, I put Miss W[alker]s bedding on the floor and we had a good long kiss about three quarters hour with her- packing - breakfast at 9 to after 10 - dressed -

Anne and I out at 11:40 - went to Dérogis bought Bardon’s antique costumes of the Greeks etc two volumes quarto Bailey's histoire de l’astronomie 4 volumes quarto all for 35/. and the Dusseldorf Gallery (fine old engravings) 30/. and the maps to Anacharsis 5/. and for Ann, Michelet’s abridgment of modern history (seems very good) 1 volume broché duodecimo printed at Bruxelles 4/. then little panorama of the lake 2/. and coloured print of Swiss costumes 8/. -

back at the hotel at 12 1/4 - as the carriage came to the door and off at 12:20 from the hotel des Berges - told the master of the house I was very well satisfied - then to the bank (Hentsch’s) sent up for the money for £50 two circulars exchange 25/ 25, and sat in the carriage while it was brought - got 32 napoleons the rest in silver having still Mount Blanc in my head - delayed 20 minutes - then took up the parcel of books and off from chez Dèsrogis at 12 3/4 - pass through the goodish Ville of Carouge till 1816 belonging to Savoy and capital of the district of the same name – given by the holy alliance to Geneva – at the nice enough little ville of St Julie, now capital of Carouge , at 1:40 and showed my passport to the Sardinian carabinieres who immediately and very civilly let us pass at 2:42 at Frabe said the Postillion and at Feigère according to the Douaniers and the map - the douaniers very civil - said they were obliged to examine something, but would not look into the carriage and only just peeped into one of the Imperials while we changed horses, and we were off in 12 minutes -

excellent road along the foot of the Salève, the high singular calcerous white steppy mountain we looked upon from our windows at the hotel de Berges - the Salève very fine - the Mount de Sion a French lower mountain and all green and cultivated joins the end of it and closes the ampitheatrical valley of Geneva - from the Mount de Sion very fine views of the town Hahe - out to 3:35 began the descent of Mount de Sion and turn left round the foot of the Salève, and fine view down into Savoy - everywhere shut in in the distance by high mountains - white calcerous - the hoary rugged tops of many of them white as if streaked or covered with snow - very picturesque drive -

at Cruiselles at 4:10 picturesque village at the bottom of the valley - no post horses kept here (we left the direct road too Aix and Chambery (right) just out of Saint Julien) but luckily the diligence had arrived a little while before and without stopping to bait the horses properly we were off with them in 18 minutes, driving 3 and letting the 4th follow - we could not have stopt comfortably at the auberge at Cruiselle's - from Cruiselles the white rocky mountains rather approach one and firmly back the green wooded and cultivated hills - very picturesque beautiful drive - narrow though good road - at 5:25 after crossing the little river Fier (probably in winter a large stream) over the new wooden bridge of la Caille, stopt a few minutes at the little village of la Caille to water the horses - fine white rugged mountains seemed at a little distance en face - at 5:50 to 6:00 and afterwards the fine white rugged mountains magnificent - finally standing out like mountain headlands at sea – 6:10 find beautiful magnificent descent up the hill strewed plain, and fine views of Annecy situated at the foot of Mount St Catherine qui fait partie de la chaîne des Bauges but the lake not in sight, but the Lake hid

- at 6:47 view (near) of the nice town of Annecy with its 3 or 4 churches and fine larger castle - at 6:47 first view of the picturesque little finally mountain-locked lake - at the hotel de Genève at Annecy at 7 - walked 1/4 hour along the handsome poplar and platinus shaded Ave along the shallow reedy top of the lake - finely surrounded by mountains -

dinner at 7:05 to 8 1/2 - the public salle le manger but nobody there at first and only two guests at last - man and girl (harp and she singing) came to us at dinner - sat writing in Ann’s room while she got into bed and fell asleep at 9 3/4 and wrote of yesterday and today till 11 - very fine day F 68° at 11:05 pm

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1834 July Friday 25th

AL starts this entry contradicting her previous day’s entry unless she means “with” as in “with with”

6 50/60 1 1/2

not with her at all last night -

Fine morning F 72° at 8 - reading Itiniere des Chamourni (Mount Blanc) - inking over accounts - breakfast at 9 3/4 - wrote out to the 4th instant and the 21st ditto and 1st 12 lines of the 22nd ditto and tell 11 1/2 - then finished dressing -

Ann and I out at 12 , and took George - at and in the theatre at 12 1/4 after a good deal of squeezing through the crowd at the door though the doors were only opened at 12 - took George, meaning to leave him to keep our places, but no doing that and no getting out again - lucky enough to get in front at the top of the pit with the staircase down to the first through the middle of the boxes to lean against - the house crowded by 12 1/2 - the concert did not begin till 2:10 - the Rossini Overture to William Tell - the 1st part over at t 1/3 - and the 2nd part lasted from 3:40 to 4:47 - the instrumental music good - the singing indifferent except Madame Drouet who sang well her husband’s composition to his flute - is very good and still better Druet’s flute solo - much in Der Freyschutz with variations - is playing very fine - tones beautiful and execution perfect - this worth the whole concert - though there had been a good solo on the clarinet - waited till the house was almost cleared (in 5 or 6 minutes)

and at the museum Rath at 5 - so called beyond founded by Rath Leutineut General in the Russian service, born at Geneva 16 March 1766 and died there 14th December 1819 - begged sisters to leave (at their death) something to the state, so they built this building done 8 years ago (handsome) for the things that their brother had given and for those given by others - not more than 3 or 4 old pictures but some good modern ones - the statuary consists merely of the street of Paris casts -

at 5 1/4 a shower which detained till 5 1/2 - Ann hungry and thirsty and obliged to take her to a cafe for bun and lemonade

- home at 6 - wrote out the whole of Tuesday except the first 6 lines, and the whole of Wednesday and yesterday - very fine day till the shower at 5 1/4 PM for about 1/4 hour - a few drops afterwards otherwise fine evening - F 71° at midnight - Mademoiselle Rath’s house close to the museum - a largish good looking building - she inhabits the 1st , and lets the 2nde etc the 2nde (ten pièces and servants rooms above - no coach-house or stables) 1200 francs a year unfurnished.

Presume most of you knew the Rossini thanks to a certain cowboy, but the other flute piece I reckon is probably by Jean-Louis Tulou which she critiques but I can’t find a recording of it.

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1834 July Thursday 24th

Q 7 3/4 11 long good kiss last night Very fine morning F 73° at 9:00 AM - breakfast at 9 1/4 to 10 1/4 - dressed

- had M Desrogis to pack the fine Mount Blanc cristal - then sat reading Chamouni Itineraire - ascent of Mount Blanc -

took Eugenie and George and Ann and I at the concert of the Helvetic victory of musee at the cathedral ( walked) at 1 20/60 - full - obliged to be in the North side aisle and could scarcely see the orchestra - a lady held out her hand to me from the outside of the autre seats - had not the least recollection of … Miss Merrienne now our queen’s reader at £100 per annum çidevent governess to the Rickett’s , at Dr Belcombe's - the performance began at 2 20/60 (advertised for 2) - the first part lasted an hour - then in half hour the second part began and it was over at 4 40/60 - said to be 300 performers - instrumental performance good - but the music (though a fine messe said to be composed for the occasion and hymns etc) worth not much to me and the singing very indifferent - our oratorios from Handel, Mozart, etc infinitely finer and better got up - waited till the crowd had gone out - and we ourselves were out at 4 50/60 - bought tickets for the concert tomorrow to be given in the Theatre -

went to M Gaudin, and scratched out Hawkins’ address and gave that of Messers Hammersley etc Bankers, London to whose care I desired the model to be sent - M Gaudin said it might perhaps be sent off in January - said he had an English gentleman about ordering a model for the same dimensions as mine - looking at prints at the shop opposite the toporama - and bought their map of the Tyrol to be mounted -

home at 6 - dinner at 7 - reading about Mount Blanc very fine day - F72° at 11:00 PM - Ann in bed at 10:50 - a few minutes with her in bed but said I could not give her a good kiss so left her

edited to add a little commentary on “cidevant”. Catty AL does not recall her, despite being an Marian/ana variantly named person because she was basically, as a former governess, staff. Clearly, other victim of AL charismatically holding forth at the Belcombe’s. The word cidevant has a derogatory edge to it that I can’t help thinking she is making use.

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