Marbled Monday

It's a mishandled Marbled Monday with this copy of The O'Donoghue: A Tale of Ireland Fifty Years Ago by Irish novelist and raconteur Charles Lever, Esq (1806-1872). The book was published in 1845 in Dublin by William Curry, Jun. and Company with illustrations by H.K. Browne (Hablot Knight Browne, 1815-1882), an English artist and illustrator also known by his pen name, Phiz. The first illustration in particular caught my eye—it's a guy (and his gun) being thrown out a window with the caption "The Reckoning." And what a reckoning, indeed!

The marbling is a pattern called Spanish Wave that also features brightly colored veining in red, yellow, and a darker blue. I called it a "mishandled Marbled Monday" because of the abrasions to the front and back covers of the book and the library accoutrement attached to the front inside covers. Certainly not how we would treat a book in our collection these days, though this one was recently transferred to our collection from the library's general stacks.

The bookplate that doesn't have a library pocket glued over it is that of the Earl of Mexborough, though which one we aren't sure. It is likely that it was owned by John Charles George Savile, 4th Earl of Mexborough, as he was alive from 1810-1899 and this book was published in 1845. The bookplate features the arms of the Savile family, with three owls on a diagonal stripe, a lion on either side in chains, and an owl atop a knight's helmet at the top. It includes the family motto: "Be fast."

View more Marbled Monday posts.

-- Alice, Special Collections Department Manager

Friday 11 August 1837

7 35

12 40

  [kiss]                                        last night she had pain in her stomach gave her a tablespoonful of sheer brandy she turned to me and had a goodish kiss  I heard her crying afterwards  I feigned sleep and talked said distinctly ‘the receipt you see is of no use to him’ (Mr. William Priestley against her aunt) this caught her attention and I think helped to stop the hysteric tears and she fell asleep – fine but dullish morning and F59° now at 8 ½ - out about (A- off to Cliff Hill rode to the top of the turnpike hill and George walked by the side) till breakfast with Mr. Gray at 9 ¼ in about ¾ hour – proposed his publishing – he mentioned Hogarth’s print illustrating false perspective and said he had some sketches of his shewing the common faults in composition – E.G. a sundial – a lady sitting – a little dove-cote set on a pillar – so placed that looking from a window the lady sitting with her feet on the sundial, and the dove-cote to be resting on the ladys’ shoulders! a few spirited sketches of this sort with a well-written humorous text nicely got up in 4to. would take, and pay? out with G- at 10 – busy planning terrace tower stair – 19ft. 7in. of descent – want an ou-vouz-savez and a small garden tool house opening upon this little staircase then planning about the troughs in the carriage court – the larger set this afternoon – the little field trough brought down this evening and left ready for setting tomorrow and G- and I after Hainsworth busy ordering about stone (one long one) to form the archey architrave of the pillars to support the carriage court rain water cistern – Mr.Hainsworth came at 9 this morning but with Booth till who checked and signed his bill for stones for Shibden hall the garden etc – settled with Hainsworth – paid him in full for the wheel-race ashler 47.15.11+ £130 paid in a/c = £177.15.11 and paid his bill from 30 April to 4th instant for stones =£56.9.0 ½ - his last ½ years’ upper Place quarry rent = £28.2.6 – then sat talking politics – H- all for my association system – he himself can influence – can count upon – (he made?) 20 votes – Mr. Holroyde the attorney their present active secretary to the conservative association of which Mr. John Edwards Dyson is chairman – all application to be made to, and information given to Mr. Holroyde – but Hainsworth himself could give a great deal of information – he and Messrs. JE.D- and Mr. Holroyde would be glad to come here, and talk things over – said I should be glad to see them – Mrs. Prescott (Hainsworth’s landlady) would lay nothing out – for £40 might have made another vote and H- would have paid her £3 a year more rent – no! but he had laid the money out himself on a condition in the lease to be paid or take the buildings away on his leaving the farm (Folly) – lastly mentioned the cattle market (Hainsworth knew of 12 masters who would act with him in politics if not afraid – if sure of being borne out) – I saw H- was not much for it – knew nothing about it – the town had a field for the purpose in Pellon lane – but owned at last that people would not take their cattle there, so cold and out of the way – I said I was indifferent about the market being in my ground – why not be in Mr. Pollards on the other side of North parade – but if the market did not extend below a certain limit, I could make it derange my plans so little that I should make no objection if the town and I could agreed as to terms – I could only let them have about 6300 yards – but the horses might be shewn, in the north parade road which would give about 1000 yards more room = 7300 yards but they wanted 3DW. or 9000+ yards – in a fortnight or 3 weeks should have  a birds’ eye view of my idea of laying out the ground – mentioned my idea of an exchange that might be if wanted – (a circle of 20 yards diameter) and if not a circle of small shops – but something must pay – H- asked if I had many applications for the hotel or if it was let I forget which – I said I thought I had let it sometime ago but that it was not yet exactly settled – I thought however it would not stand long empty after it was finished – but it was so planned that it would easily turn into shops and private dwellings – something must pay – said I had began my platform and hoped to have my colliery complete in 2 years – should loose 112 acres of coal of my own – did not .:. want to buy any – and when the 112 acres were got I had a still further loose, and all was arranged accordingly – H- here from 11 to 2 – then out again at 2 20 all the afternoon till came in at 7 25 ((vid. line 14 of last p.) in the carriage court and about – at six went with G- to the Lodge. Mawsons’ 6 men just going away – then to the platform – and at the back Lodge – stood sometime talking to the gardener about [?] Hemingway’s son aetatis 17 coming on trial – the father came to me between 2 and 3 pm to ask me for work himself or to take his son – at any wages I liked so long as they would keep him and leave something for shoes etc.  said I dared not give him any hope but would think about it – the gardener would keep (board lodge and wash and sew for him for 7/. a week) and 2/. more would be enough to give him – the gardener himself had but 6/. a week at Mrs. Cunliffe’s – paid a shilling a week to an old woman for sewing and cooking for him had but 5/. a week to feed and clothe himself and slept in the garden shed – came in at 7 25 dinner at 7 35 – coffee – A- came upstairs at 10 and I about 10 25 – having stood talking to G- about the 2 letters applications for the hotel to Mr. Lever (Charles, Esquire) 10 Kings’ Road, Bedford Row, London and forwarded by him to Messrs. Parker and Adam, and received per post in blank envelope from Mr. Parker tonight – one applicant late of St. Leonards’ hotel Hastings asking many questions in a very neat good hand – the other from the Adelphi Liverpool – George Bacon – asking if the proprietor would object ‘to put a young man in the hotel to manage it on his own account’ (i.e. the proprietors’) ‘for the 1st year then after that time if he finds the young man goes on according to his satisfaction he will let him have the hotel at a certain rent and take the stock at a valuation’ – G- thinks well of this and would answer it soon – but I need not do so of ten days – G- would ask the young man’s prospects etc – Mr. Charles P- coming at 10am tomorrow to hear what he says – A- and Messrs. G- and Harper think CP- will not take it – I think he will – to open the conversation tomorrow by asking his advice about the tap – and I shall ask him if he knows anything about Mr. George Barker of the Adelphi – A- in bed when I came upstairs at 10 25 at which hour F57° - fine day – ¼ hour looking about me in the west tower and about its staircase then till 11 40 wrote all the above of today – Mark Hepworth and 3 carts carrying terrace-stuff from opposite tower to front of house embankment and Mawson’s men sod-walling with platform sods from Back Lodge downwards – Edward and John (Waddington and Sharpe) doing the red room passage top and window and doorway into tower – and Firth the glazier and his 2?man at the leading that is to cover the passage – Parkinson and his men at the terrace walls, and Nelsons 2 or 3 men at terrace tower

Hemingway had been at Rotterdam in June 36 hours going 29 hours returning Steamer starts every Wednesday night £2.10.0 cabin fare. 15/. steerage