Monday morning letter from dear Mother, Henry grows weaker, a harassing cough has now come on him which if not stopped threatens soon to shake the life out [of] his rickety tenement for it, Mother's time & thoughts are all his now & she pursued her mission as a holy duty; Ned Thackray too is ill with lameness; Mother is anxious that Mary should return home now that no situation offers for her. Willy Needham was with me this (Monday) morning by 7 o'clock to take me to Mr N's for breakfast; Mr. & Mrs. N started for Manchester, L'pool & North Wales; Charley & I at Hilbournes in the evening; Mr. H "3 sheets in the wind" grew eloquent & sentimental in his respect, unbounded & without limit, for our Parents & me, & privately signified that if I liked his daughter he should be happy to meet me in my views; Poor drunken good fellow! what honor is not due to the family who with such a degraded head can pursue their way uprightly & conscientiously? Aunt Wilson down, talking to her about Mary, decided that she had better return; Wrote to Mother in evening, told her our conversation; about Henry also, my health, Mrs & Miss M & other matters, with the news of Harriet Mayfield's [confinement] of a son.

Tuesday morning a long letter from Lindsay of the old fraternal & confidential pattern; he is hurt that Charley Cox & Eliza do not seek his company as if lovers were not selfish always, living each only for the other; giving me a routine of his existence & its sorrows, small ones enough which his imagination magnifies alarmingly - & on one-sided love. Began a letter back to him in a corresponding spirit, quietly reproving him & showing like my own life, which with more to sorrow over than [he] is yet happier. Jane, Maria & Harry came down to tea in evening; talk, & cards, pleasant.

A letter from Mother on Wednesday morning announces the release by death of poor uncle Henry Mayfield ⁴⁹from his sufferings; he died at 1/2 past 4 on Tuesday afternoon. Mother being with him, & Father way at Selby; and so terminates his foresight & thrift & his worldliness fell from him in his latter days & showed as good a heart beneath as ever beat in the breast of man; conscientious & upright in all his dealings, he goes without a stain on his business character; for such faults as are contrary to the world's morality, God & him must settle; let no worldly carper throw his stone. God be with him; he & I were always friends, no harsh word even passed between us;- he has left me his executor cojointly with Father & I will see to his poor children; in his last hours he made no secret of his not having married to the mother of them, who has behaved always as affectionately as if she were his wife.- Up at Aunt Wilsons who had heard the sad news from Mary; inserted the death in the papers; wrote to Mr. John Mayfield at Hagley, his Uncle; to Mrs. Silvers & Mrs. Tringham; also to Mother with a few words of condolence; wrote to Uncle Cox as to Mr. Needham's calling on him & also to Mr. N. now at Manch. At Hilbourne's in evening; Jones down.

Thursday at Graingers bookshop ordered Lamartine's⁵⁰memoirs for M.A.M. & his "stone cutter" as advised by Lindsay. Added a page or two to Lindsays' letter on Emma Vokes, & Henry's death. In evening wrote to Ned Thackray to come over, & jointly with CG an interlinear rubbish letter to George.

Friday morning, no letters, at Graingers, ordered ordnance maps of Wiltshire & Worcestershire; finished a very long letter to Lindsay which I have been working on since Monday, wrote to Father as to Henry's affairs & for a copy of his Will⁵¹.- In evening, rummaging old papers over.

Saturday, busy day at office; attended market, had to discharge Evan Jones, with sorrow for drunkenness; a Mr. White arrived on a visit to Mrs. Jones, having met her in B'ham on her late journey; it is supposed he has come to explain his "intentions".

Sunday, a letter from Mr Needham, requesting me to call on Miss N to see how all were, which I did before breakfast; Richard Wilson came down with a letter Aunt had received from Mother, detailing poor Henry's sufferings, a post mortem examination has been made & his disease was cancer on the Kidneys, so that his sufferings must have been fearful; Father refused to have anything to do with the funeral arrangements & has been away, not even following his remains to their last home; I know the cause was his sensitive feelings; but regret deeply his want of usual courage which could allow him to leave all the incidental & painful arrangements to Mother. Wrote to Lilla, & to Mr. Needham. I & CG at Boughton in afternoon to tea; wrote at Jones' request letter to a Miss Sutcliffe; began letter home.

Monday morning; letter from Mother who still feels deeply the loss of poor Henry & Father's behaviour; letter from Father also Henry's widow(?)is to keep in the business, slightly reducing it; Father has curiously found a knife I lost in York last October; he saw it [in] a man's hand on the Cricket field & has offered him 5/ - to trade it; Charley and I playing chess in evening.

Tuesday, letter from Miss Sarah Anne Russell; lengthy and pleasant, her Father & her have been to London; details of trip etc. & promising to visit me before end of year. Letter from Miss Smith yesterday; at Boston Lodge yet, very busy.- Harry down in evening; looking Dresden fall is over; I finished it & this letter & wrote to Father also.

Wednesday a letter from Uncle Clepham to say he goes to London on Saturday & returns by way of B'ham & hopes to meet me there; wrote back to say he had [better] come over here for a Sunday, but if he won't I will meet him. Letter also from my great-Uncle Mr. Ino Mayfield of Hagley about Henry & inquiring after many old Mayfield's & with "Miss Powells" kind regard! Added PS to letter home wishing Mother to come over, sending on his letter etc. Wrote to W. Bellerby for loan or purchase of his collection of drawing copies. Jones called in evening. St. Johns Road.

Thursday began letter to Miss Smith. Wrote to Hicks; walk[ed] about town by moonlight in evening.

Friday finished letter to Miss Smith on Henry, on Mother, Miss M & other matters. Wrote also to Davis at the Wyche to have a bed ready for Saturday night for CG & I. Mr. Needham returned; I went to the Square to report proceedings during his fortnight's absence.- At Hilbournes, Adelaide & Agnes at Cheltenham.

Saturday very busy at office; nearly all the Griffin family ill from scarletina; Jones started for London in evening.

Sunday started about 10 from Droitwich with CG & went by the river to the Canal & along it; pleasant scenery, warm autumn day, back by the road, dusty & not so pleasant as going; up at Wilsons in evening; thinking of leaving lodgings for a week as 8 out of Griffins family of 10 are ill.

Monday morning sent John over to Bakers of Northwick for lodging & in evening drove over in Mr N's carriage; I went to Mrs. Pardoe's⁵² (a sister of Mrs Griffins) & Charley to Barkers, curious feeling in fresh lodgings & apart.

Tuesday up soon after 6, breakfast by 7 & down to office; walk through the chill, cold morning air; novel. The Griffins keep ill. Had dinner there as usual; agreed with Mrs. Barker to meal there.

Today pleasant weather; breakfasted at Charley's & walked down together; no letters.- Wrote home to Father as to Mothers going to Scarbro instead of coming over to Worcester; Uncle Chas. having told CG that Miss M. had gone to Scarbro with her mother & mine, wish to know if it is correct; & on our new lodgings.- Wrote up to Jane to know how all goes on at Boughton. Yorkshireman announces death of Mrs. Richardson formerly of L'pool and York, in New York.

Much hurt this afternoon by Charley taking a jesting word of mine seriously & misinterpreting it.- Drawing in evening. CG had been poorly then. Foggy walk; early. Wrote to Jane to let her know where we are staying, promising to see her on Sunday. Charley begins to like the change a little better but feels that we shall come back with a relish to Lowesmoor Place again; it is unpleasant in the mornings, for me in especial-sleeping at one place, breakfast at another, dining at another; & also more expensive.

Charley and I walked round by the Hop Market to see the opening of the Fair this morning; great quantity of Hops coming in; this is also a large cheese & toy fair. Letter from Jones from London who is enjoying himself he says, tho I don't know how, seeing he has [not] been to any of the sights.- At Graingers, got Dumas "Disputed Inheritance" out to read. In the evening CG & I called at Hilbournes & tried to persuade Agnes & Adelaide to walk out, but they wouldn't so we stayed there & Mrs. H. made us a comfortable tea, & after a walk thro the fair, a very noisy one, we made off to Northwick.

Quiet Saturday, nothing bought at the Corn Market; no business whatever transacted; farmers groaning piteously & offering wheat at any price almost; strange that God's bounty causes man's complaints. Going home this evg, met Agnes & Adelaide who were rather cool to us.

Long letter from dear Mother this morning; approving of the change of lodgings during the illness in Lowesmoor Place; informing me too that Miss M. suffers from a very sad hereditary scorbutic complaint, & with true motherly instinct she wishes me to consider this; I shall do so, remembering that it is Miss M's misfortune & no fault & deserves my deep sympathy; a long a/c of her journey to Scarbro. CG went to College, I wrote a long letter on the same subjects, & others.- CG & I walked by the river to the Bridge & up to Boughton after dinner & had tea & supper there.

Charley has decided to stay a week longer at Northwick & I to return to Lowesmoor Place as all the Griffins being nigh well again.- In the evening Chas Cale came up to Mrs. Pardoes for my chattels & removed them again to Lowesmoor Place I stayed & had tea with Charley at his lodgings at Northwick; settling with Mrs. Barker etc. Had walk about the town after leaving CG, Sansome Walk etc. Dark stormy night, very fine.

Feel more at ease now that I am at my old lodgings under Mrs. Jones careful attention. Wrote to Jane & sent her Miss Miles' address, news from York & making general enquiries.- Sent Harry samples of Paper for the new MSS mag Pens, Ink & Paper; I began an article on Amateur Theatricals but have but little time to give to it & can't get on with it.

At Graingers took him Dumas' "Disputed Inheritance" back - a strange but readable book; got 2nd book of Cumming's Hunting in South Africa which is a wonderful book in its way, giving evidence of the existence of the old hunting spirit of Minrod in its pristine vigour; Minrod never dreamt of the slaughter one man could make among the mighty monsters of Africa as Cumming's does. Wrote to Jones at London.- Received letter from Miss Miles this afternoon; she begins by accounting for not replying earlier to my letter as she had left the friends I had addressed it to & had gone further up the country; without answering my enquiry as to her health she passes on, & in reply to my question as to whether it was agreeable to her to receive the newspapers, says she is obliged to me but does not wish me to continue sending them thinking I may be depriving "some other of my friends". She then says I am extending my letters to too great a length especially as I think myself too young to correspond with a gentleman." & so she remains, ever respectfully M.A.M. and so perish all the fair creations my imagination had led me to hope might, in time, be realised. Had she said that her Father & Mother did not wish her to correspond with anyone, I could have judged kindly & appreciated her resolve, but in reply to a simply enquiry after her health broaching no other topics but those we had been engaged in London, as she give me so very cool a reply & is so very respectful, it crushes all my hopes.- I have been unlucky in all my attempts to give her pleasure, & it will be to her pleasure to see me leave her, so I wrote & told her how I had not attached any other motive to my letter than the one I had given, that I will withdraw my papers as she requests, though I should scarcely have thought them capable of offending, & regretting that I have so often unwittingly given her annoyance & promising it shall not occur again. And so Amen- God Bless her.

On Thursday morning a paper from Emma Vokes! I recognized it by the initial seal; about three weeks ago I sent her a London News to Sawley and got Jones to address it to me on the inside & so she thus acknowledges me, which is pleasing, seeing how many years have passed since we were companions, unknown to each other.- Letter on Thursday also, from Uncle Clepham at London saying he shall transact the business in London which he expected would bring him to B'ham, so I shall not see him.

On Friday morning letter from Miss Smith, whose mistress is dangerously ill; general affectionate tenor.- Aunt Wilson sent down to gain my opinion as to Mary's return with Mrs. Goff as she wishes to stay, so I sent word she had much better come home.

And on Sat. evening she came home, & was met at the Station by a party of us who accompanied her home; looked very well; brought presents from York; letter from Ned Thackray who is better.

On Sunday had long letter from dear Mother as to Mary's returning & approving the course I had adopted, Aunt & Uncle Cox had arrived in York on a visit to Uncle Charles who was in London; wrote a long one in reply on the same topics.- Richard came down with York food; up with him to see Mary again, who will soon, I fear, fall in her old slovenly train of habits.

CG came & up to Northwick to dinner with him after which we made cross country & the river to Mr. Barnesley, he when spending last Thursday evening with me, asked us over; had tea and spent evening with him, at Mr. Arrowsmiths then to Boughton, Eliza, & Mary there, saw them home & then came to lodgings & read a highly pleasing & beautifully expressed letter from Miss Jane Anne Riley to me in reply to one I had enclosed in Jane's to her apologizing for not calling on her during my late visit; she absolves me in a manner which make one sign to be always at the confessional, remarks on London which agrees with her, & other matters, all treated in that good-humoured, but kind- deep hearted manner, the characteristic of her conversation also she thought that Jane had been telling me too much of her letters so I made this a dull excuse for writing again to her; & fervently pray this first edition may soon become a second; sent the letter for enclosure to Jane on Monday.

Letter Tuesday morning from Uncle Clepham who is coming to B'ham but will only have an hour or so there which will prevent his coming here or my going there.- Indoors on Tuesday evening; Mary & Eliza called; finished Cummings Hunting Book. Jones returned from London on Monday, not having gone beyond there; finding it so agreeable.-

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