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13 January 1881 — Naples | |
Thursday. 13th January [1881]. Henry & I went to lunch with Lady Holland after Henry had been to see the opening of the course of Diplomatic lectures at the academy delivered by Errera—at the University. Herr G. Bunsen went with him. There was only the Bülows at luncheon besides ourselves at Ly Holland’s– We went directly after luncheon to the Duke de Martina’s to see his collection of fine things. Lady H. sent us & the Bülows in her carriage. The Duke lives at the Sangro Palace—a fine old one in the old part of Naples– We entered a dirty court yard smelling of stables & went up a dirtier staircase. When the door of the Duke’s appartment opened we saw heaps of old china &c & then in the drawing room we found the Duke waiting for us. He is a tall gentlemanlike man—abt 40 with a most melancholy expression—a slight cast in his eye & a feeble voice. He showed us his 340 snuff boxes wh are arrayed in tiers in cases all along the wall of one room. In every room there were cases full of things china silver, enamel glass in tremendous quantities—every room—every hole & corner was full. At the last Mme de Bülow told the Duke she had heard of his having a cup that had belonged to Marie Antoinette. At first he said he had not got it—then at last he pulled out a china basin on a tripod of china & he showed us it was in the form of a woman’s breast. He said that was the coupe & that she had had 12. He said he had seen that cup sold 3 times & had at last brought it rather dear. To me it did not look authentic. From the Dukes we went for a little drive & went to the small tortoiseshell shop to buy a comb etc– Then we went back to the hotel. Dined at table d’hôte. | |
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