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25 January 1881 — Rome | |
Tuesday. 25th January [1881]. The weather was worse than ever & there was snow & sleet– I nevertheless went to the studio & worked till past 12—& got back home to luncheon– I was thawing over the fire when in came Sir George Bowen with an offer to go with him to S. Paulo fuori le mura to hear Vespers. He had been told by Dr Smith that it would be the finest music in Rome– I took a rug & hot water for my feet & Henry & I went with him & 2 of his daughters. It poured & of course very few people were there. We found Dr Smith one of the Canons of this church & as it was too early for vespers he showed us the church & tried our sérieux very much by declaiming with uplifted arms & pointing finger—You see that statue! that is acknowledged to be the finest statue of the 19th century.” This phrase served for every picture, column, mosaic &c that he pointed out. He showed us a little bit of rusty chain in a reliquary on an altar wh were the chains of St Paul & are only to be seen on this the Fete day of the Conversion of St Paul. The marbles used in this church are wonderful but the edifice does not inspire one with reverence. Dr Smith is very proud of the church but he talked a lot of nonsense & displayed much ignorance. At last the time for vespers came & Dr S. placed a bench for us at the end of the choir where happily we had some carpet under our feet. He also rose in the middle of the service to bring me his prayer book to follow the Psalms wh were being sung. We did not stay very long as Sir G. Bowen was anxious to get back as Lady Bowen wanted the carriage to go to a musical party at the Embassy at 5. We were not sorry to get in as it was so wet & cold out. After dinner we went to Duke & Dss of Sermoneta’s for an hour. Met there a Mme von Keffenbrink a German married to a Dane. She is young & might have been good looking before one side of her face had been disfigured by vitriol falling on it. It is said that a servant dropped a bottle of vitriol he was reaching from a shelf & that it fell on her– Met also Sigr Vitelleschi & a Profr whose name I dont remember a great Oriental scholar. We did not remain late. | |
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