18 May 1868 – 24 May 1868

To 16 Onslow Gardens to accept Miss Thackeray's invitation. Find her with John Leech's daughter Ada, thirteen, in black, very tall and slender, with large eyes, long hair, full lips, looking sad : (Miss T. as usual the Samaritan). Miss T. with proofs of a story. ' Give it a name,' she says : ' Balm of Gilead ' suggested. Invited to Mrs. Barnard's for this evening. ' I don't want to go,' says Miss T., and we all sit on in a dim light, talking peacefully.

18 Neville St. To 16 Onslow Gardens. Breakfast 9.30, Miss T., Mrs. Stephen ; warm day. With Leslie S. to Mrs. Brookfield's ; children's party. Magdalen B., large fair girl of seventeen ; second Miss Halle in blue, merry ; younger, Hke a Vandyck ; May Sartoris ; Margery and Annie T., shy, I carry N Annie ; Enter Miss Thackeray, Mrs. Marshall. Mrs. Brookfield asks me to stay, and a merry joyous feast it is, seven lively girls, the children at a long table — a picnic indoors. Upstairs and dance Sir Roger, May S. and I ; then a reel. She is going to a Ball to-night, this is merely a w^het. Back to Neville Street, and with Miss Thackeray and Mrs. Stephen to Mrs. Procter's. Mrs. P., daughter Edith. Old Barry Cornvs^all, an indistinct and almost mute figure, sitting on the landing ; Robert Browning (who asks me for Friday) and his sister ; Samuel Laurence, Leighton, etc. Box of cab — 16 Onslow Gardens. 'Do have something! but O, everything is locked up by Justine, and she's gone to bed ! So Good-night.'

18 Neville St. Cab to Albe- marle St. and breakfast with Lecky. Books on Witch- craft, etc., and on Ireland. Rooms very quiet, no look- out, has them from year to year : Christianity — morals, pagan and mediaeval. Meet Palgrave, ' choosing a picture' ; civil, walk with him to York Gate : ' stay and dine ^ ' yes. To Prince's Gate, Mr. Huth, Mrs. and Miss H., various guests, including Miss Thackeray and her sister. Library, gorgeous and rare books ; all the early editions of Shakespeare. Mr. H. unlocks and lets me handle some. To Mrs. Barnard's, South Eaton Place. Madame Sainton-Dolby, Miss Ingelow. Little Miss Parr, who writes novels as ' Holme Lee,' looked nice in a high dress of lavender silk, like a quiet little old-maidish governess. Miss Thackeray accosted her, and so did I ; we spoke of the Isle of Wight, New Forest, etc. ' London fatigues me,' she said : ' going to Dulwich to-morrow.' As we drove home Miss Thackeray exclaimed of one of the guests ; ' Horrid woman ! she said to me, " I have been much pleased with some of your efforts," and, *' You must have felt leaving that nice house in Palace Gardens ! " but little Holme Lee's a duck.'