Widowers' Houses & Selected Correspondence Relating to the Play. Bernard Shaw

& Design in Music.

      H. Heathcote Statham. 10/5/– 31/5/–

      The Beethoven—Cramer Studies,

      J. S. Shedlock, ed. The World 27/2/–?

      Voice Training Primer,

      Mrs Behuke & D.C.W. Pearce. 3/6/–

      INTRODUCTIONS

      To Miss [Nellie] Erichsen by Bertha Newcombe at Joubert’s Studio. 24th April.

      To [Henry Jackson Wells] Dam by Ernest Parke, Express Dairy, Fleet St. 3 June.

      Mrs Francis Adams, by the Salts [Henry Stephens Salt and Mrs Salt née Catherine Kate Joynes], Hygeian Restaurant. 20th September.

      HEALTH

      On the 21st January I got a headache in the afternoon that was almost a sick headache. Had the remains of it in the morning; but it passed off.

      On the 23rd April had a slight headache in the evening.

      During the week ending the 14th May I had a cold of a tolerably pronounced sort. It left me with a nervous cough; but when I spoke in the open air on the Sunday evening I thought I was rid of it. On the night of Monday the 15th, however, I was very feverish and the next night was almost as bad. I interpreted my condition as due to the return of the influenza.

      On the 5th June I felt very much out of sorts, as if I had caught cold in my inside. For the first time in my life I found although I could pass urine without any difficulty, yet at the end of the operation came a severe pang. This frightened and disconcerted me a good deal. Evidently a cystitis. It lasted about a fortnight. All through this period I was extremely weak physically, well as far as appearance went, but very easily fatigued and not very far above prostration point. I attributed all this to the fact of the influenza. About the last week of June I began to recover a good deal.

      In August and September I got some change and holiday at Zurich and with the Webbs [Sidney and Beatrice Webb] in the Valley of the Wye. I came home to town in rougher and coarser health than I have enjoyed for a long time. But on the 28th September I caught cold by sitting in FE [Florence Emery]’s rooms with no fire and the window open at the top behind me, producing the sort of draught which always gives me colds.

      40/ Bernard Shaw’s diary entry for 4th January 1893

      Be at Downey’s the photographers, Ebury St., at 12 to sit for portrait for Cassell’s Cabinet Portrait Gallery. Put off to Saturday by the fog. Call on Sidney Webb in the afternoon and bring him MS of Fortnightly article. Arnold Dolmetsch’s lecture on Viol and Lute music, with concert, at the Midland Grand Hotel. 15.

      When I got into town I found a fog there. It was impossible for Downey to photograph me; so I arranged to go again on Saturday. I walked home and got my letters. Wrote a couple of letters, especially one to [Pakenham Thomas] Beatty. At the Webbs’ I met a man named [Sidney] Ball. [Henry William] Massingham was there also. I came back by the 19.22 train and called on FE, returning her volume of Browning. Then back to the Terrace where I had something to eat and immediately started off to the skating ground, which I did not reach until 21.50. I skated until 22, having the lake to myself most of the time. When I got back I wrote a few postcards and pasted a notice or two into the Widowers’ Houses scrapbook, besides writing up this diary.

      Train Ravenscourt Pk to Victoria 6d Star d Dinner at the café opposite Portland Rd 1/8 Train Kings + to Finchley Rd 7d Finchley Rd to Hammersmith (L. & N. W.) 8d Skating, Grove Park, 6d

      41/ Bernard Shaw’s diary entry for 5th January 1893

      Stayed at Hammersmith all day working at the appendix to Widowers’ Houses. Got the draft finished at about 16 in the afternoon. Went up to the workroom and played for an hour and a half or so; and then went off and had tea with FE, who brought me to the skating ground at Grove Park—not the one I have hitherto gone to. She left me after five minutes walk of it and turned back to go to the theatre. I skated from 20 to 22 and came back here. Wrote up this diary and read over the appendix.

      Skating—Tappington’s pond 6d

      42/ Bernard Shaw’s diary entry for 10th January 1893

      Finished the revision of the play [Widowers’ Houses]. Quite forgot to dine in the middle of the day. [Graham] Wallas called in the afternoon. Went into the City to buy some woolen things and to arrange about exchanging my typewriter for a new one. Went back for a while to the Square and wrote to Henry and Co. about the terms of agreement for the play [Widowers’ Houses]. Then went to FE and stayed there until near midnight. Came back to Hammersmith Terrace to sleep. Began reading [Robert] Buchanan’s Wandering Jew, a copy of which arrived from him in the evening.

      Telegram to Lincoln 6d Train to Moorgate (return not used) 5d Paid Barlock Co for new typewriter to exchange against my old one £8/17/6 Shirt & pants at Lutz’s 13/4 Train Mansion House to Charing + 22d Dinner at Orange Grove 2/– Star d Pick Me Up 1d Train Portland Rd to Shepherds Bush 6d

      43/ Bernard Shaw’s diary entry for 19th January 1893

      London Symphony Concert. St. James’s Hall. 20. Lyric Theatre, first night of The Magic Opal [a libretto by Arthur Law, composed by Senor Albeniz].

      Began World article and made a large hole in it. After dinner went to the Stores to make some further purchases. Just after coming out met Archer and turned back with him to Waterloo, where he was going to catch the 17.25 train. I walked back and corrected and sent off the Fortnightly proof, besides writing to Frank Harris about it. Sent off MS of Widowers’ Houses to Henry and Co. Got to the theatre rather late. After the first act I went over to St. James’s Hall and heard Brahms’s Symphony in F and Mrs [Katherine] Fiske’s solo. Then returned to the theatre. Wrote up this diary on my return, and wrote a couple of postcards, but did not go out to post them.

      Star d Dinner at Hygeian 1/8 12 inch rule 5d Condy’s Fluid 1/6 Postage of MS to Henry & Co 3d Registration 2d

      44/ Bernard Shaw’s diary entry for 23rd January 1893

      Fabian Central Group Meeting. 32 Great Ormond St. R.W. Reynolds on “Rousseau’s Ghost in Modern Politics.” 20. Meeting at 276 Strand between 7 Fabian delegates and the “Olive Branch” Committee of the Hammersmith Socialist Society, to discuss possibility of a Socialist Alliance. Tobias Matthay’s pianoforte recital (his own compositions). Royal Academy of Music. 20.

      Suddenly remembered that I had forgotten to correct the World proof; so started for town early, but called on FE on the way and so did not get here until 13. Corrected proof and sent it off by express postal messenger. After dinner met [Eduard] Bernstein in Oxford St. and walked about Bloomsbury with him for a long time arguing about [August] Bebel and [Paul] Singer’s treatment of the Fabian, and about [Karl] Marx. Walter [Gurly] called a little after I got home but did not stay long. I worked at the postscript to Widowers’ Houses until 19, when I went off to the Fabian.

      Papers 1d Train Shepherds Bush to Portland Rd 6d Express postal messenger for World proof 6d

      Dinner at Hygeian 1/– Telegram to Bertha Newcombe 6d

      45/ Bernard Shaw’s diary entry for 24th January 1893

      Arnold Dolmetsch’s Viol concert. Barnard’s Inn. 20. First of the [Theodor] Plowitz concerts. Prince’s Hall. 20. Call on Bertha Newcombe in the afternoon.

      Began preface for Widowers’ Houses and worked at it until 15. Met [James Mackey] Glover on my way to dinner. He asked me to go to see his ballet and I promised to do so tomorrow. I sat with Bertha Newcombe until near 19 when [Bertha’s mother] Mrs Newcombe joined us. Parted from them outside the studio. Went to Baker St. by mistake thinking that the concert was at Steinway Hall instead of in Piccadilly.

      Star