Volume 1

The Farington diary / edited by James Greig.

  • Joseph Farington
Date:
[1922?-1928]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The Farington diary / edited by James Greig. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Lady Jersey [wife of the fourth Earl of Jersey] has at last accomplished her ardent wish to be admitted to the Queens parties at Windsor.—The Princess Royal told Lady Beverley before the last en¬ tertainment given at Windsor, that the wish of Lady Jersey was known at Court, but that it would not be complied with.—When Lady B. went there she was surprised to see Lady Jersey in conversation with the Prince of Wales. [See later entries.' Sir Peter Burrell [ist Lord Gwydyr] has abt. .£18,000 a year, yet is dissatisfied. His table is supposed to be the best and most expensive of any mans in town. Lord Cholmondeley has abt. .£8,000 a year. Lady C. had .£30,000. He offered to her abt. 6 or 8 years before she accepted him. Lady Beverley has written to Lady B. [Beaumont] and mentioned that Pitt is very angry abt. the contribution levied by Sir C. Grey & Sir John Jervais, on the Islands [Martinique and Guadeloupe]. He has ordered them to be stopped, and the two Commanders are to return home. [Bad health is elsewhere given as the cause of their return.] The Command was offered to General Lake who declined it. September 15.—Lady B. [Beaumont] reed, a letter to-day from Mrs Carter, who expresses herself in a very strong manner in favor of the “ Mysteries of Udolfiho ” and of the talents of Mrs. Radcliffe, the author.* September 16.—A passenger from Ipswich told me Sir John D’Oyley had expended in electioneering there more than .£20,000,—that his interest now was not so strong as that of Mr Cricket who carried the Bailif election, and it is very probable Sir John will not succeed at the next election. Mr Middleton is expected to stand again.—There are about 700 voters for Ipswich,—Sons of Freemen and Apprentices of Freemen, —become Freemen. Mr Middleton and Mr Cricket lost their popularity at Ipswich for a time, by voting for the repeal of the Test act. Combe told me Mrs Cosway is certainly returning to England. Cosway, R.A., is to give a person 130 guineas for bringing her from Genoa. She declared her resolution to live quite private and to make the education of her child Her sole object.t September 18.—Alderman Boydell mentioned to me at the Shakespeare Gallery his intention of having a picture painted for the Common Council Room to illustrate the happy effects of industry,— * The “ Mysteries of Udolpho,” which was published in 1794 and brought her £500, is the best of Mrs. Radcliffe’s romances. They were highly popular in her day. Haynes Bayley wrote : O Radcliffe ! Thou once wert the charmer Of girls, who sat reading all night : Thy heroes were striplings in armour, Thy heroines damsels in white. But past are thy terrible touches. And Sir Walter Scott said that she “ has the most decided claim to take her place among the favoured few who have been distinguished as the founders of a class or school.” She was born in 1764 and died in 1823. t It was said that she ran away from her husband, Cosway the miniature painter. On one occasion she certainly did travel on the Continent accompanied by Signor Luigi Marchesi, the celebrated Italian tenor.