Ashley MS 394, 2819 (1)-(4)

Five Diaries of Clara Mary Jane Clairmont; 14 Aug. - 9 Nov. 1814, 19 Jan. - 22 April 1818, 7 March 1819 - 1 Aug. 1820, 5 Aug. 1820 - 20 Sept. 1822, 24 May 1825 - 2 Jan. 1826. The diaries cover the period of P. B. Shelley's and Mary Godwin's elopement, accompanied by Claire, as she called herself, their residence in London, their departure for Italy, and residence there. Unfortunately there is a gap covering the period of Shelley's death. There are many references to Byron. The latest diary was kept during her service as a governess in Russia. On ff. 103b-106b of 394 (i.e. the first five pages of the book before Claire started her diary at the other end) are five pages of notes by Percy Bysshe Shelley, including a piece of amatory Latin prose, Dante's account of the love of Paolo and Francesca (Inferno, Canto v, ll. 125-138) and 17 lines of verse. On f. 1 are two pencil sketches by Shelley (cf. Ashley MS. 4086, ff. 1, 2). Preserved with 2819 (1)-(4) is a letter from Mrs Geoffrey Mander to the Keeper of MSS., 20 Dec. 1937, mentioning the existence of other journals in Vienna and in the library of Carl Pforzheimer, New York. Ashley Library Catalogue, i, pp. 186-187; xi, p. 111.