Friday 25th July 1834

Finished letter to my Aunt, told her we should return home end of August  at 12 went to performance in Theatre, which did not commence till 2 oclock – even at that hour, got in with considerable difficulty, took the last bench in pit, Theatre very prettily decorated, 3 tiers of boxes, being covered with white calico, & wreaths of roses & leaves round the top & bottom of each tier, in the first tier the arms of the 24 cantons of Swissland displayed – singing better than at Church – Monsieur Drouet’s performance on flute in Overture to Der Freischutz, perfect. a complete beau sat before us, his hair curled in ringlets at the back – when over, went to Museum – founded by Monsieur Rath – born & died at Geneva but a general in Russian service born 1768 – died 1819 – he gave most of the pictures, & his daughters built the mansion, & gave it to the town – statuary all plaster of Paris. a painting of two children lost in the snow at St. Bernard – rain came on, had to wait there till nearly fair – dined at 6.30 Took a drawing of Screen & sofa.

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale WYC:1525/7/1/5/1/19

[up at] 6 50/..

[in bed at] 1 1/2

not with her at all last night – fine morning Fahrenheit 72° at 8 – reading Itinéraire de Chamouni (Mont Blanc) – inking over accounts – breakfast at 9 3/4 – wrote out the 4th instant and the 21st ditto and first 12 lines of the 22nd ditto, till 11 1/2 – then finished dressing – Adney and I out at 12, and took George – at and in the theatre at 12 1/4 after a good deal of squeezing thro’ the crowd at the door, tho’ the doors were only opened at 12 – took George meaning to leave him to keep our places, but no doing that and no getting out again – lucky enough to get in front at the top of the pit with the stair-case down to the pit thro’ the middle of the boxes to lean against – the house crowded by 12 1/2 – the concert did not begin till 2 10/.. – with Rossinis overture to William Tell – the 1st part over at 3 1/2 – and the 2nd part lasted from 3 40/.. to 4 47/.. – the instrumental music good – the singing indifferent except Madame Drouet who sang well her husband’s composition to his flute – this very good, and still better Drouet’s flute solo – much in Der Freyschutz with variations – his playing very fine – tones beautiful and execution perfect – this worth the whole concert – tho’ there had been a good solo on the clarionet – waited till the house was almost cleared (in 5 or 6 minutes) and at the musée Rath at 5, – so called beyond founded by Rath Lieutenant General in the Russian service, born at Geneva 16 March 1766 and died there 14th December 1819 – begged his sisters to leave (at their death) something to the state, so they built this building done 8 years ago (handsome) for the things their brother had given and for those given by others – not more than 3 or 4 old pictures but some good modern ones – the statuary consists merely of plaster of Paris casts – At 5 1/4 a shower which detained [us] till 5 1/2 – Adney hungry and thirsty and obliged to take her to a café for bun and lemonade – home at 6 20/.. to 8 – wrote out the whole of Tuesday except the 1st 6 lines, and the whole of Wednesday and yesterday – very fine day till the shower at 5 1/4 p.m. for about 1/4 hour – a few drops afterwards otherwise fine evening – Fahrenheit 71° at midnight – Mademoiselle Rath’s house close to the musée – a largeish, good looking building – she inhabits the 1er, and lets the 2de etc. – the 2nde (10 pièces, and servants rooms above – no coach-house or stables) 1200 francs a year unfurnished –

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale SH:7/ML/E/17/0063