21 October 1889 – 27 October 1889

I resume writing here after a long interval. Du Maurier has visited me often in the evening, and given me a pleasant hour's talk. He is better read, I imagine, in French than in English literature. One night he read to me from Les Femmes Savantes. He thinks the scene of the two Poets, Trissotin and Vadius, the funniest thing in Moliere. He has nearly finished a story, one volume size. The hero acquires a power of regulating and continu- ing his dreams. In Dreamland he often meets a lady whom he has fallen in love with. He discovers that she has similar dreams, and meets him in her Dreamland. At length they find themselves able to communicate with each other in Dreamland. She dies : he dies in a lunatic asylum, leaving behind this narrative, ' Edited by G. du M.' I strongly advise him to intersperse plenty of sketches up and down the pages, and to offer it first, tentatively, to Harper. I have had visits also from Harvey Orrinsmith : William Herford and his niece, Evelyn Herford : F. G. Stephens and his wife : Mr. Clayton — very agreeable and sympathetic man, lover of poetry and art. He began by recalling the time, nearly forty years ago, when he used to meet me at the P.R.B. evenings. Says he readily recollects my features and voice. Stephens and Mrs. S. came the same Sunday evening, and we had an harmonious tea-table in the dining-room. I read to them ' The Spinster's Sweet'arts,' and when done found that du M. had slipt silently into the room during the reading.

Du M. came in about half-past six. We talked of his story. I cannot find that he himself has the least belief in the possibility, even the imagin- ative possibility, of the ground -motive of it. He regretted he could not now read Shakespeare, the time was past. Much-talked-of poets he looks into, as part of the social life of the day, and greatly admires Tennyson. He lives in an atmosphere of conventional London society and comic literature, mingled. Yet there is a deeper stratum in his mind than that which is amused and affected by these ; and he is an honourable fine- natured man, with various accomplishments — not speak- ing of his art genius — and great charm of manner. His descriptions of character, when it comes within his range, are keen and very neatly put.