25 May 1868 – 31 May 1868

Lavender Sweep. To evening party at Halle's. Mrs. Brookfield and her daughter, Mrs. and Miss Sartoris — Leighton, Aid6, etc. — Santley, Titiens, Trebelli (charming), Bettini, her husband, like a German. Strauss plays violin. I heard to-night some of the best music in London. Did it enchant or even delight me } No. A grand musical party is neither concert nor home-music ; and besides, few public singers know how to sing in a private room.

Lunch at Browning's. Talk runs chiefly on his forthcoming new Poem in many thousand lines. He takes me into his study, and shows me the original Book, a small brown quarto, printed account of the trial of Count Guido, with some original MS. letters, stitched in at the end pleading for his respite. B. bought it off a stall in Florence for a few pence. He has told the story over and over again to various friends ; offered it to A. Trollope to turn into a novel, but T, couldn't manage it ; then R. B. thought, ' why not take it myself.'' ' ' I began it in rhymed couplets, like Laurence Bloomfield^ but thought by and by I might as well have my fling, and so turned to blank verse.' At luncheon he went over the headings of the chapters or books into which this very long Poem is divided. ' And now ! can you advise me.'' I'm puzzled about how to publish it. I want people not to turn to the end, but to read through in proper order. Magazine, you'll say : but no, I don't like the notion of being sandwiched between Politics and Deer- Stalking, say. I think of bringing it out in four monthly volumes, giving people time to read and digest it, part by part, but not to forget what has gone before.'

Lavender Sweep ; very fine — 11.30 to Clapham Junction and take train to Epsom to see the Derby Race. Only one other person in my carriage, young man from Southport near Liverpool. Epsom, people on road, carriages crawling through clouds of dust. Gypsies, etc. Sit on grass at Totten- ham Corner and see first race without trouble. Then down course and stand at rails opposite Grand Stand. A pocket picked, dirty man accused, who says in candid matter-of-fact way, ' I ain't got it.' To Queen Square, to dine with Morris, and find, just alighting, Mrs. Ned in a gorgeous yellow gown : 'tis a full dress party ! and I in velveteen jacket. Morris, Ned J. (thin), D. G. R. (looking well), Boyce (' has been ill'), F. M. Brown (oldened), Webb, Howell, Mr. Wilfred Heeley, Publisher Ellis, and W. A. (ten men). Mrs. Morris, Miss Burden, Mrs. Ned (gay), Mrs. Howell, Mrs. Madox Brown (looks young with back to the window), Lucy Brown, Miss Faulkner (I between these), Mrs. Ellis, Miss Heeley (ten ladies). Banquet, — ' Earthly Paradise,' I suggest, and Ned writes this atop of the menu. A storm of talking. I away with D. G. R. about i ; walk first, then cab to Cheyne Walk, in and stay chatting and lounging till 3 in old fashion. ' Come to-morrow, and we'll go up together to my mother's.' I walk to Lavender Sweep in daylight, passing some revellers from Cremorne, and to bed about 4.