4 September 1876 – 10 September 1876

We came back from Margate on Saturday. I called at Carlyle's on Sunday, and again on Tuesday about three, but he was gone out both times. To-day, about half past two, he and Mary called here ; they went into the parlour. C. looking well and very neatly dressed — a long dark frock-coat and a straw hat dyed black. Says he is rather better than he was. Goes out every day about two, takes an omnibus to the top of Regent Street, walks along Port- land Place and back again southward, and takes a Brompton omnibus back again. To-day he wished to walk with me. We went through S. K. station and up through Brompton Churchyard to Hyde Park, and by his favourite road, that between the Ride and the Serpentine, sitting down a while on a free bench. He has not been at the sea this year. ' Mary found a lodging at Littlehampton which she thought would do, but I dreaded noise. Have suffered dreadfully from sleeplessness lately.' We talked of the mischievousness and cruelty of many human beings. ' Many children are taught no kind of feeling for others, and they come to care nothing about seeing or doing hurt ; it amuses them. When I was in the habit of riding about the suburbs of London, I found the populace looked upon me as a kind of strange unfortu- nate being, and the object they proposed to themselves for the moment was to make me as much more uncom- fortable as possible. One evening a crowd of idlers did their best to make my horse jump over the parapet of a small bridge. They didn't want me to be killed or smashed, I suppose — didn't think about it, only wanted some " fun." I rode through them, keeping my whip ready — I may very likely have administered a lash or two, I don't remember. Can you lend me some books ? I am much at a loss for a g-ood book. I took to Marlowe the other day, having heard much praise of him. He's utterly absurd and intolerable. Yes, his language is fine sometimes, but generally inflated beyond all measure.' I quoted Ancient Pistol — And hollow pamper'd jades of Asia, Which cannot go but thirty miles a day ! a quiz on Marlowe, and C. laughed. Faustus — scene with the devils. * He's in terrible fear of the devils, and yet he doesn't believe in any devils.' W. A. — ' The Old Dramatists in general are very disappointing.' C. — ' Very, and Marlowe's the worst I have come across — entirely illogical and unreasonable. In fact not one but Shakespeare is worth anything. Well, Ben is sensible and able — rather prosaic'