William Godwin's Diary

Diary entry for 1836

FormattingPeoplePlacesMealsMeetingsReadingWritingTopicsEvents
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January

1836, Jan. 1. F.Cerceau, p. 267, fin. Snow. 50 / 56

2. Sa.Robertson, America, p. 29. Two Rhubarb Pills, au soire. 44 ½ / 51

Dep. e.227, fol. 38v
[fol. 38v]

Jan. 3. Su.Robertson, p. 72. Write to M W S. Peak calls. Deorsum, 2 dayse.45 / 51 ½

4. M.Robertson, p. 127. Green, surgeon, & Scudamore call: Hudson, au soir. 47 / 55

5. Tu.Bright. Write to M W S. Robertson, p. 156. N G calls: Percy dines. Essays, to-morrow.) Renovated, soir. 51 / 59 ½

6. W.Robertson, p. 194. Call on Macronen. 56 / 62

7. Th.Robertson, p. 220. Scharf & son call. Notes. 51 / 59

8. F.Robertson, p. 276. Emily calls. 53 ½ / 60 ½

9. Sa.Robertson, p. 357; Vol. II, p. 14. 53 / 60

Dep. e.227, fol. 39r
[fol. 39r]

Jan. 10. Su.Robertson, p. 125. Percy & Edw. Williams dine. 46 / 55

11. M.Robertson, p. 222. Emily calls: Wilson sups. Snow. 48 ½ / 54 ½

12. Tu.Robertson, p. 351. 48 ½ / 54 ½

13. W.Write to Prof. White & Warden of Wadham. Robertson, p. 403. Nelson & Morrison call: call on miss Northcotena. 48 / 54

14. Th.Belief, p. 2. Theatre, Bronze Horsee. 49 / 56 ½

15. F.Belief, p. 5. Robertson, Vol. III, p. 44. Call on mrs Nortonnit: F R seekse: sup at Reynolds’s, w. F & R. Notes for Conclusion. 52 ½ / 61

16. Sa.Belief, p. 7/2; Notes. Robertson, p. 69. 51 / 59

Dep. e.227, fol. 39v
[fol. 39v]

Jan. 17. Su.Pretensions, p. 2. Hacket, çala. Call on Booth; adv. Charles. 49 / 58

18. M.Pretensions, p. 4/2. Robertson, p. 100. M W S calls: Kenney & Wilson sup. 50 / 48 / 57

19. Tu.Pretensions, 4 lines. Robertson, p. 165. 51 ½ / 59

20. W.Hazy. Robertson, p. 188, fin; do, India, p. 56: Power, America, p. 48. S Gent dines: A Evans, soir. 5 ½ / 59

21. Th.Pretensions, p. 5. Power, p. 165. Scudamore calls: Kenney’s, w. Mortons, Colliers, Sharps & Lane. 52 / 58 ½

22. F.Power, p. 324. M W S dines. 50 / 59

23. Sa.M W S breakfasts. Power, p. 356; Vol. II, p. 94. 54 / 59 ½

Dep. e.227, fol. 40r
[fol. 40r]

Jan. 24. Su.Pretensions, p. 7. Power, p. 277. 55 / 61

25. M.America, p. 2/2. Power, p. 355, fin. Call on miss Nothcotena. 52 / 60

26. Tu.America, 8 lines. Aldis calls. 49 / 59 ½

27. W.America, p. 3/2. S Gent dines.o52 ½ / 58

28. Th.Duration of C R, p. 3. Robertson, India, p. 100. 53 ½ / 60

29. F.Newspaper. Robertson, p. 168. Meet Hayward. 53 ½ / 59

30. Sa.Duration, p. 4. Robertson, p. 203. Mrs Martineau tea. 51 ½ / 59

Dep. e.227, fol. 40v
[fol. 40v]

Jan. 31. Su.Constipe. Duration, 4 lines; notes. Mutability, C. I: Cordila, &c. 52 / 58 ½

February

Feb. 1. M.Duration, p. 5. Mutability, C. II: Robertson, p. 258, fin. 51 / 58

2. Tu.Hazy: Rain. Ralegh, çala. Theatre, Quasimodoe. 52 ½ / 58

3. W.Duration, p. 7. Ralegh, çala. Meet Rogers. 52 / 59

4. Th.Rain. Duration, p. 8. Ralegh, çala. Parliament meetse.52 / 58

5. F.Newspaper. Raleigh, çala. N G calls. 51 ½ / 57 ½

6. Sa.Duration, p. 11/2. Ralegh, çala. 51 ½ / 58 ½

Dep. e.227, fol. 41r
[fol. 41r]

Feb. 7. Su.Duration, p. 14/2. Ralegh, çala. Call on Pickens. 53 / 59

8. M.Constipe. Duration, p. 15, fin. Campbel sups. 52 / 58 ½

9. Tu.Murky. Ralegh, çala. Call on La. Blessington, & Rogersn. o55 ½ / 63

10. W.Ralegh, çala. Theatre, Provost of Bruges; adv. Talfourd (& Linc. Stanhope)e58 / 63

11. Th.Ralegh, çala. Rogers calls: Wilson sups. 56 ½ / 62 ½

12. F.Morality, p. 2. Ralegh, çala. Gaskel calls. 54 ½ / 61

13. Sa.Morality, p. 3/2, & 1/2 page. Ralegh, çala. 52 ½ / 61 ½

Dep. e.227, fol. 41v
[fol. 41v]

Feb. 14. Su.Constipe. Ralegh, çala. Dine at Rogers’s, w. Turner R A, Kenney, McKenzie, Cary, & mdsJo Rogers &55 / 61 ½

15. M.Morality, p. 4. Call on Car. Nortonn: Caunters at tea; adv. Emily. 54 / 61 ½

16. Tu.Mal de têtee. Deorsume. Oronooko (Behn), pp. 100. Mazed, 3 days.54 ½ / 52 ½ / 59 ½

17. W.Betrothed, p. 127. Horseman calls: Wilson dines. Notes. 53 ½ / 58

18. Th.Betrothed, p. 288. Lamb, accountant, calls. Notes. 52 / 57

19. F.Esoteric, p. 2/2. Betrothed, p. 348. Mrs Kinchant & Jones sup. 51 / 57 ½

20. Sa.Lilly, Carpenter. Betrothed, p. 390. Scudamore calls: Gaskels at tea. Finish Cousin, on Education in Prussia. 49 ½ / 57

Dep. e.227, fol. 42r
[fol. 42r]

Feb. 21. Su.Betrothed, Vol. II, p. 132. Hudsons call. 49 / 55

22. M.Betrothed, p. 210. Arnot calls: Physicians ( abps Cant & York, Melbournes, Lansdown) Aldises, Parris, Green & Uwins. Dendy. 48 / 57

23. Tu.Betrothed, p. 346.Orange Societies proscribed, D C, nce.49 ½ / 57

24. W.Betrothed, p. 397; Vol. III, p. 38. Arnot calls: dine at Caunter’s, w. Diroms, G Caunter, & M J; adv. C Landseer & soeur. 51 / 58

25. Th.Write to T T. Betrothed, p. 70. Theatre, Separation; adv. Spencere. 50 ½ / 58

26. F.Rain. Betrothed, p. 296. Cumberland concedese.49 / 59

27. Sa.Rain. Betrothed, p. 347, fin. Robertson, Charles V, p. 31. 50 / 58 ½

Dep. e.227, fol. 42v
[fol. 42v]

Feb. 28. Su.Promisee. Numbnesse. Constipe. Robertson, p. 51. Arnot calls: Wilson sups. 50 ½ / 56 ½

29. M.Constipe. Robertson, p. 78: Ravenscroft, p. 63. 50 / 57 ½

March

Mar. 1. Tu.Nervouse. V Hugo (London Rev): Ravenscroft, p. 155. 51 / 58

2. W.Constipe. London Review. o52 ½ / 61

3. Th.Ravenscroft, p. 177. Campbel calls na: mrs Gaskel, au soir. 54 / 59

4. F.Ravenscroft, p. 212. Mrs Rickman & miss Winter call: Esdaile’s. 55 ½ / 62

5. Sa.Constipe. Ravenscroft, p. 267: N G calls: dine at Campbel’s, w. Czartoriski, Am ryyot, Mackenzie & St John jr; adv. Williams. 56 / 62 ½

Dep. e.227, fol. 43r
[fol. 43r]

Mar. 6. Su.Ravenscroft, p. 315; Vol. II, p. 92. 56 / 61

7. M.Ravenscroft, p. 315. M J fr. miss Northcotee. 55 ½ / 62

8. Tu.Ravenscroft, Vol. III, p. 221. Rain. Irish Corporation Bill, to proceed, after 2nd reading, 307 to 243e.54 ½ / 59 ½

9. W.Constipe. Newspaper. Ravenscroft, p. 360, fin. Mrs Brookes (Evans) calls: dine at Kenney’s, w. Serle. 54 / 61 ½

10. Th.Imbecile. Caunter, India, çala. 53 ½ / 59

11. F.Constipe. Caunter, India, çala. Caunters at tea. 55 / 59 ½

12. Sa.Biene. Windy. Constipe. Notes. Caunter, & Pencillings, çala. 55 / 62

Dep. e.227, fol. 43v
[fol. 43v]

Mar. 13. Su.Motto, çala. Pencillings, çala. Arnot calls. 55 ½ / 61 ½

14. M.Pencillings, çala. Tea Gaskel’s, w. M J. Carpenter, 2 dayse.55 / 60

15. Tu.Pencillings, çala. Motto, çala. 55 / 60 ½

16. W.Pencillings, çala. Nelson calls. 53 ½ / 59

17. Th.Pencillings, çala. Wilson sups. Gloomy weather.53 ½ / 59 ½

18, F.Constipe. Pencillings, çala. Rookwood, p. 130. Emily sups. Warm.57 / 64 ½

19. Sa.Constipe. Rookwood, p. 277. Suffolk Str, Rogers, Wilkie, Martin, Haydon, E & S Prentis, Batty, Hofland, Uwinses, Blanchards, mrs L S (Beckford): theatre, Henriquez. e60 / 65&Cha. Burney, Sci Clint

Dep. e.227, fol. 44r
[fol. 44r]

Mar. 20. Su. Esoteric, p. 3/2. Rookwood, p. 324. Call on Ayrton: dine at Gaskel’s, w. Fox, mr & mrs Bakewel, & Morgan. 60 ½ / 68 ½

21. M.Esoteric, p. 3. Rookwood, Vol. II, p. 131. Hudson at tea. 60 ½ / 66

22. Tu.Constipe. Rookwood, p. 306. Gaskels au soir. 60 ½ / 65

23. W.Esoteric, çala. Rookwood, p. 364; Vol. III, p. 135. M W S & Percy dine. 58 ½ / 65 ½

24. Th. Pix . Esoteric, p çala. Rookwood, p. 300. Theatre, Zampae. 59 / 64

25. F.Malfy, act 1: Rookwood, p. 464, fin. 56 / 61 ½

26. Sa.Constipe. Malfy, fin. Call on Hudson: Trelawney calls n. Coughe.Snow. 52 / 60

Dep. e.227, fol. 38v
[fol. 38v]
Dep. e.227, fol. 45r
[fol. 45r]

Aug. 21, 1834 With what facility have I marked these that pages with the stamp of rolling weeks & months & years—all uniform, all blank! What a strange power is this! It sees through a long vista of time, & it sees nothing. All this at present is mere abstraction, symbols, not realities. Nothing is actually seen: the whole is ciphers, conventional marks, imaginary boundaries of unimagined things. Here is neither joy, nor sorrow, nor pleasure, nor pain. Yet, when the time shall truly come, & the revolving year shall bring the day, what portentous events may stamp the page! what anguish! what horror! or, by possibility, what joy, what godlike elevation of soul! Here are fevers & excruciating pains “in their sacred secundine asleep.” Here may be the saddest reverses, destitution &

Dep. e.227, fol. 45v
[fol. 45v]

despair, detrusion & hunger & nakedness, without a place wherein to lay our head, wearisome days & endless nights, in dark & unendurable monotony, variety of wretchedness, yet all of one gloomy hue, slumbers without sleep, waking without excitation, dreams all heterogeneous & pl perplexed, with nothing distinct & defined, distracted, without the occasional burst & energy of distraction. And these pages look now all fair, innocent & uniform. I have put down eighty years & fourteenninetwenty-three days; & I might put down one hundred & sixty years. But in which of these pages shall the pen, which purposes to record, drop from my hand for ever, never again to be resumed? I shall set down the memoranda of one day, with the full expectation of resuming my task on the d next, or my fingers

Dep. e.227, fol. 46r
[fol. 46r] may refuse their functions in the act of forming a letter, & leave the word never by the writer to be completed. Every thing under the sun is uncertain. No provision can be a sufficient security against adverse & unexpected fortune: least of all, to him who has not a stipulated income bound to him by the forms & ordinances of society. This, as age & feebleness of body & mind advances, is an appalling consideration. “A man cannot tell what shall be,a” to what straits he may be driven, what trials & privations & destitution & struggles & griefs may be reserved for him.

a Hamlet, act iv, scene 5.

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