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18 September 1881 — Ca’ Capello, Venice | |
Sunday. 18th September [1881]. We breakfasted at 9 & directly after Henry, Mrs Burr & the Bruces went off to St Mark’s church to hear the mass & to see the Ducal Palace. I & Giovanni spent the morning in putting carpets & hangings out of the windows of the upper floor & we hardly got it done by 12 o’cl. We had the Squire carried into the studio that he might see the regatta. We breakfasted at ¼ to 1 & then Henry & the Bruces went to take a passaggieta in the Canal before the race– There were a great many fine bissoni; we had a very pretty one from our Stabilimento– The rowers were all in Venetian costumes from Carpaccio’s pictures—& as they passed under our house the men took off their caps to us forgetting that their light haired long wigs were attached to them—so they lifted hat wig & all! At abt 2 Mr & Mrs Henry Doyle came to see the regatta here & the others returned to see the procession, the King & Queen with gala liveries & surrounded by all the bissoni & accompanied by a lot of smart gondolas. They went up the Grand Canal & came back in the same order to the Foscari Palace where the Prizes were to be given & the race began & ended. The space about there was kept open by jets of water which was kept perpetually playing– Then came the race which was neither very exciting nor very well rowed & after that we got into our gondolas & went for a passeggiata taking the Doyles with us. We went up to the station & back & then came in to tea. Mr & Mrs Greville Nugent, Mr Ashmead Bartlett & Mrs R. Cust came to tea & we saw from our windows the grand passeggiata of the K & Q & the bissonis. When it was all over I & Lord Aberdare went out together in the gondola to leave some cards and we had a very pleasant row. The evening was cool & Lord Aberdare was very agreeable & not striving to shine & tell clever stories but merely talking quietly was to me much more agreeable. He talked a great deal abt the Pagets & about their unpopularity in Rome. He also spoke of the Riaños & went on to speak of the Ripons—about Lord R’s having changed his religion—having been a great friend he knew all about it, & he told me that having been in the habit of taking long walks together & Lord Aberdare was puzzled at his suddenly giving up these walks. He says that he believes what suddenly made Lord R. think of it was the early death of both his brothers in law—one who was captured & murdered by brigands at Athens—the other who died of consumption. On writing to announce the change to his great friend Lord Aberdare he begged him not to argue with him as it would only trouble him & having taken 2 years to consider & study he was quite decided. Lord Aberdare said that Lord Ripon had been naturally anxious to convert Ly Ripon & when at Rome he had begged her to see Monsigr Dupanloup which she consented to do– Lady Ripon told Lord A. that the arguments Monsigr D. used were astonishingly unconvincing & after a long talk he said he had made no impression but he left Lady R. several books begging her to read them wh she promised to do with the same result—after wh her conversion was abandoned. While we talked we rowed up & down the canal & enjoyed the fresh evening air. The canal being gay with flags & hangings and a pleasant bit of colour reminding me of Canaletto & Guardi’s pictures. At dinner time we found that Lord Aberdare was suddenly taken unwell & had to remain in his room. We sent him down some dinner but Giovanni said he had been very sick & had not touched any food– Henry took the Bruces out to the Piazza in the eveng to see the illuminations with gas– I remained with Mrs Burr and we went & played cribbage with the Squire in his room. At 10 I went to bed. | |
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