Sunday July 11th
Sunday July 11th …. As there is no English service performed here we read prayers at home; my brothers then took a ride to a Waterfall two miles off but as the day proved rainy we did not accompany them and as it continued so until late in the evening we amused ourselves indoors the whole day…..
OBSERVATIONS & COMMENTS:
Passing the time indoors: Lucy amused herself by opening her sketchbook and drawing a “Cottage near Tan y bwlch” as captioned on the opposite blank page and dated, July 11th 1819.
11 July 1819, Cottage near Tan y bwlch, by Lucy Copland, from her sketchbook
Whether she sketched this from the Inn (as she did on a number of occasions in her sketchbook) or ventured out when the weather cleared we do not know, but she and her mother are likely have spent their time drawing, or reading. We know that her mother was an accomplished harpist, so she may also have spent some time in music.
In Geri Walton’s How Regency People Passed Their Time she writes that “when not spending time in a public way, there were private amusements that could be enjoyed at home or at the homes of friends. One person described the benefits of private amusements stating that they “deceive the cares, sweeten the toils, and smooth the ruggedness of life.” Private amusements included board games, cards, conversation, dancing, drawing, music, parlor games, and reading….”
Of these, “Drawing.. was considered a “polite” accomplishment and all young people of both sexes were advised to take up drawing. It was claimed to be particularly enjoyable for travelers as they could spend many hours “celebrating the landscape.” It was also said to aid Regency minds scientifically when “complicated machines, engines, &c. [were drawn] with accuracy.”
“Of all the amusements, reading was claimed to be the most valuable because it encouraged mental stimulation and allowed for people to reflect on important subjects.”
https://www.geriwalton.com/how-regency-people-passed-their-time/
Can you help us?
Old Regency Prints, Pictures an Coaching maps: Do you have access to any prints or pictures showing what town and country would have looked like when Lucy travelled through? Any illustrations of what she would have seen in 1819 will enliven our research.
New Pictures: Do you have any modern pictures of the streets, buildings, gardens and views that would enable us to see the changes that two centuries have wrought?