William Allingham’s diary, 1877

With Carlyle — Christianity — age fifteen, spoke to his mother — her horror. ' Did God Almighty come down and make wheelbarrows in a shop ? ' She lay awake at night…

To Carlyle about 10 in the evening — very friendly and sympathetic about Fraser — says he cannot at all understand Fr.'s conduct. * It may prove to be a good thing…

To C. about 2.30. Mary and Madame Venturi in parlour. Portrait of De Quincy — 'untruthful man; story of girl in Opium Eater all untrue.' At the top of Oakley Street…

Carlyle and Mary call : sorry about H.

C. and I in Brompton and Islington omnibus ; rain begins, and turns to a heavy pour : so not alighting at Oxford Circus we go on and on, to the Angel at last, and…

Modern Atheism — CHfford, etc. C. said, * I know nothing whatever of God except what I find within myself — a feeling of the eternal difference between right and…

Carlyle is going through Gibbon's Decline and Fall (not read since his youth). ' I find it entirely below my expectations, the style is laboriously anti- thetical—…

To C. about 4. C. and I to King's Road. Chelsea omnibus to Charing Cross. We walk down the Embankment as far as Somerset House, ' one of the most dignified…

Ask Tollman at new bridge, * Seen Mr. Carlyle ? ' ' Yes, gone round other bridge, with two gentlemen.' I over and meet them in Battersea Park. Carlyle, Sir James…

^Carlyle is very weary and depressed — 'unwilling to live longer — but must be patient. Mary is planning a horse and carriage. Omnibus has advantages and is…

C.'s about 3.20 — dressing. Enter Mary : ' Flowers for Birthday yesterday, and letters, ' Mme. Venturi came at \ past 1 1 at night — couldn't let her up ; we…

To Carlyle's. Louis Napoleon — ' Met him at dinner — he made up to me rather, understanding me to be a writer, who might perhaps be of help to him somehow. His talk…