Friday 25th July 1834
Ann Walker’s Entry
Anne Lister’s Entry
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
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