22nd, Sunday.--Up at half-past eight--bath. Worked well all day at the _Lady of Saturday_: finished the drapery, and began spoiling the heads. 23rd.--Up at half-past nine--no bath--to work at the _Ladye_. Found part of the drapery bad, rubbed it out, heightened the seat she sits on, mended the heads again; did a great deal, but not finished yet. Any one might be surprised to read how I work whole days on an old drawing done many years since, and which I have twice worked over since it was rejected from the Royal Academy in ’47, and now under promise of sale to White for £20. But I cannot help it. When I see a work going out of my hands, it is but natural, if I see some little defect, that I should try to mend it, and what follows is out of my power to direct: if I give one touch to a head, I give myself three days’ work, and spoil it half-a-dozen times over. This is invariable. Is it so with every one? Alas!... 24th.--Bought colours, vehicles, etc. Called on divers beings--out. Came home in the rain--spoiled my clothes to save eighteen pence.... 29th.--To dine with the Rossettis, to meet Woolner; found him very strangely altered.... 2nd December.--To-day no work. Woolner dined here last night, and this morning Rossetti took a walk with him and me, and then went into London with him. I walked out with Emma; and then over to Hendon, to arrange with Smart our grocer about not paying him and getting credit. Yesterday I worked on the tarpaulin over the Lady’s knees in _The Last of England_. _Three hours._ Woolner, who ought to know, likes it well; also the subject for which I painted the background at Hampstead--called _Work_. Since the 12th [November] Gabriel has still been here, and I have omitted filling up in consequence, not choosing he should know of this. To the best of my recollection, I have worked as follows: 26th [November].--Began painting the tarpaulin out in the back yard, having arranged bars to the chair in which the lay figure sits like a Guy (four hours).... 30th.--Beautiful day. Worked well at the shawl in the open air. Now that the pattern is all drawn and covered with a tint, I put-in the outdoor effect. To have painted it all out of doors would have taken six weeks of intense cold and suffering, and perhaps have failed.... 3rd December.--After dinner tried to think of ways towards means; could not think of anything else--fell asleep. No decision as yet: £8 left (two and a half hours). 4th.--Up late--to work about one till four at shawl. Went to the farm with Emma to see Rossetti’s calf.... 5th.--Up at half-past eight.... National Gallery: absurd old pictures bought by Dyce.[93] An Albert Durer,[94] however, very fine, though not painted, rather _mapped_; a Masaccio[95] with fine in it. Bad Rembrandts, and a worse Wilkie--_The Beadle_.[96] Altogether it goes from weak to foolish; faults of last year corrected by faults of this....