29th.--Got up past nine, worse and worse; it is horrible to reflect. Finished the cape about one. Went out to see Thomas and my aunt; came back, and began arranging the hood for Alice Perrers, old Edward’s mistress: found the hair of the lay figure wanted curling--put it in paper, and made a fire to heat the tongs, and curled it; then oiled it. Alas! did nothing afterwards. Went for a walk with Thomas.... 4th October.--Got up late; felt low and dejected, never feel happy. Got to work about twelve. Arranged the white capuchon for the lady with her back to you; nearly finished it.... 5th.--... Went to Thomas to make a sketch of some vine-leaves--found him at work on his designs of the _Penseroso_ for the Art-Union, but out of sorts and dejected. About three left off, and went to the cemetery at Highgate. 6th.--... Went out to see after stuffs, and a portrait of Chaucer published by C. Knight; could get nothing; tired and dejected.... 7th.--... Dined too late to begin anything; went to sleep. Thomas came in, and we had a walk. He thinks of going to Cambridge, to become wise and learned in all matters. I am a brute and a sleepy beast. 8th.--... Began, and painted the white-silk head-cushion with copal varnish and drying-oil in equal parts; find it dries quick, and does not sink in on retouching. Went and drank tea with Lucy: engaged Miss Chamberlayne for Tuesday. Began making a green velvet hat of the time of Edward III. 9th.--... Have been suffering eight or ten days from indigestion; live upon mutton-chops and tea and coffee, quite a teetotaler.... 12th.--Finished the furred cap; went and bought stuff for a blind, to have two lights if necessary, to give the appearance, to those figures which are not in sunlight, of being in the open air.[16] Lawrence did not come to put it up. 13th.--Finished the green hat. Wrote four letters, and called on Thomas to see some sketches of his; some fine ideas; one in particular, a scramble for laurels--grandly satirical. Came back to the studio, and put up the blind with Lawrence. Afterwards walked half over London in quest of draperies; bought some crimson cotton-velvet. 14th.--Got up at half-past seven. Miss Chamberlayne came. Worked till four, in spite of her talking propensities. Made outlines of the nude of the two figures of Muses of impassioned and satirical poetry,[17] and several other central figures. Dined, and called on my Aunt Brown. Walked down Holborn in quest of stuffs, and found some German velvet a bargain, 10¾d. a yard: took six yards of it for the gown of Chaucer. Came back, and am now writing this.... 16th.--... With Thomas to the Princess’s Theatre, to see Miss Cushman and Cooper in _The Stranger_, both nature to the life; and _She Stoops to Conquer_, a fine _fine_ play. Went and supped with Thomas, and stopped till half-past one.... 19th.--Got up at half-past five; went to Gravesend to see my sweet child; found her quite well. Came back, and went to bed....