1825: Heard the Nightingale for the first time this season in Royce wood

their praise

them then he does he will readily return the M.S.S. - but he throws a river in the way for me to cross by saying that tho none of their distrust can do no good it may do harm - now if it can do harm to find fault with actions that deserve no commendation I am sure it can do no good to speak in...

1825: Recievd a letter from Taylor in answer to mine to Hessey of last Sunday - He is very pettish respecting my anxiety & irritation & says that if my friends who gave me the advice & cautions &c respecting the neglect & mystery of booksellers or myself can find a Publisher who can do better by...

1825: The Swallows have made their appearance I saw one today & I heard by a cowboy that they were come three days ago

1825: Resumd my letters on Natural History in good earnest & intend to get them finished with this year if I can get out into the fields for I will insert nothing but what has come under my notice

am always very loath to write but I coud keep my patience no longer

finish some for a future publication & correct others - [4 lines scored out and indecipherable] I have never as yet had a settling - Recievd a letter from Dr Darling - no proofs yet - saw a solitary Fieldfare in Oxey wood I never observed one so late before - wrote to Hessey in a manner that I...

1825: I have waited 3 weeks for a new proof of the Shepherds Calendar & nothing has come which was to be in 3 days - I have sent for some rough copys of Poems which I sent up to Taylor when the 'Village Minstrel' was in the press & I have not got them yet & never shall I expect - I want them to...

my life - what terrifying rascals these woodkeepers & game-keepers are they make a prison of the forrests & are its gaolers

1825: Took a walk in the field a birds nesting & botanizing & had like to have been taken up as a poacher in Hillywood by a meddlesome consieted keeper belonging to Sir John Trollop he swore that he had seen me in act more than once of shooting game when I never shot even so much as a sparrow in...

undecipherable]

1825: Recievd a letter from Lord Radstock in which his Lordship says that Vandyk is going out of town for a while this is the man that was to get my new book thro the press in 6 weeks & with the assistance of Taylor & Hessey has been a month about one proof of it [2 lines scored out and...

Harebell in flower the Primrose Violet & Bedlam Cowslip fading out of flower

1825: My mother is 67 years old this day she has been afflicted with a dropsy for this 20 years & has for all that outlived a large family of brothers & sisters & remains 'the last of the flock' the Snakehead or frittillary in flower also the light-blue pink & white Hyacinths - Bluebell or...

1825: The blackthorn showing flower

1825: Found a branch of whitethorn in Porters Snow close knotted & nearly in flower it is considerd very early if a branch of May as it is calld can be found on the first of new May

1825: Recievd a letter from Lord Radstock & one from Mrs Emmerson with an offer that Mr Clutterbuck the Attorney will draw up my will if I chuse which oppertunity I shall certainly take hold of

on the head with - I told him that I read Wordsworth oftener than I did Byron & he seemd to express his supprise at it by observing that he coud not read Wordsworth at all

1825: Two gentlemen came to see me from Milton one of them appeared to be a sensible & well informed man he talkd much of the poets but did not like Wordsworth & when I told him I did he instantly asked me wether I did not like Byron better I don't like these comparisons to knock your opinions...

- on cleaning out the interior of the tree some years since a 7 Ib cannon ball was discovered which no doubt had been fired into it; it was cut out from the solid part of the tree' Stamford Mercury

1825: 'The Lingfield & Crowhurst choir sung several select pieces from Handel in the Cavity of a Yew tree in the church yard of the latter place The tree is 36 feet in Circumference & is now in a growing state - the hollow was filled up like a room & sufficiently large to contain the performers...

1825: My Sister Sophy is 27 year old today Recievd from Wilson Vyse's 'Tutor's Guide' 2 Vols

1825: Artis & Henderson came to see me & we went to see the Roman Station agen Oxey wood which he says is plainly roman - he told me that he went three times & sent oftener for the M.S.S. which they did not send at last - [3 lines scored out and undecipherable]

1825: Recievd a letter from Vandyk which proves all my suspicions are well founded I suspected that he had not seen those M.S.S. which I considered my best poems & he says in his letter that he has not [4 lines scored out and undecipherable]

1825: This is Palm Sunday - I went to the woods to seek some branches of the sallow palm for the childer calld by them 'geese & goslings' & 'Cats & Kittens' - Susan Simpson & her brother came to see me - lent her the 2 Vols of Walladmor.

1825: Recievd a letter from Lord Radstock with a packet of Newspapers from Mrs Emmerson

concludes a theme on a dead schoolmaster with a very pathetic & sublime wish as he fancys perhaps 'wishing that the tear he leaves on his grave may grow up a marble monument to his memory' - This is the first crop of tears I have ever heard of sown with an intention to grow

1825: Recievd a parcel from Holbeach with a Letter & the Scientific Receptacle from J. Savage - they have inserted my poems & have been lavish with branding every corner with 'J. Clares' - How absurd are the serious meant images or attempts at fine writing in these young writers one of them...

1825: A cold wintry day