Emma (Wedgwood) Darwin, who was Darwin's cousin and wife, kept a diary from the time she was 16 years old, throughout her marriage and until the last year of her life. These 60 pocket books have events recorded in them such as appointments, family visits and illnesses. Previously acessible only to scholars, these diaries have been scanned and are accessible on the internet.
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Orwell is a hero of mine, and of many. This news at the BBC caught my eyes.
Like Sauron creeping into Dol Guldur, Quantum Diaries has returned to darken the blogosphere once more, driving Tommaso Dorigo before it--
Cool! She died too soon to enter the "50 most influential science fiction" debate, but we do have:
Vol II., [page] 275
Emma Darwin to her daughter Henrietta Litchfield.
THE GROVE, 1886.
Reading novels was another favourite relaxation. She was especially devoted to Jane Austen's novels and almost knew them by heart. In an examination paper set on them, she answered the question: "What is Mr Woodhouse's Christian name?" without an instant's thought. His name, it must be explained, is only known by inference as it is never actually given. Scott was also a perennial favourite, especially The Antiquary. Mrs Gaskell's novels she read over and over again; Dickens and Thackeray she cared for less. But novels were an immense refreshment to her when tired or uncomfortable. In her old age she wrote (1894): "I am rather ashamed to find I use up rather more than a volume a day of novels." In her later years, at any rate, she read very little poetry.
http://darwin-online.org.uk/content/frameset?itemID=F1553.2&viewtype=te…
In the first entries I found, "Horrid little Langeley's come." Emma, you rock!