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9 February 1882 — 3 Savile Row | |
Thursday. 9th February [1882]. I worked in the morning at covering my chair in the drawing room & what with gossipping with Monty the time slipt away. We lunched at one & to our surprise Blanche came to ask for lunch just as we had finished. She had been at a wedding & slipt away before the breakfast. At 2 Mr Hambro came to fetch me & we joined Susan & Nety at the Haymarket Theatre & we saw “She stoops to Conquer” with Mrs Langtry as Miss Hardcastle. Miss Larkin acted admirably the part of Mrs Hardcastle & Mr Blunt the Lover. Mrs Langtry was most gorgeously got up in the first scene in a yellow satin with a damask back to it—but altho she acted well for an amateur & one who had had but little practice she was not very attractive. Her face has no real expression. Her eyes are large but say nothing—her mouth is large—but she has lovely teeth. The scene she acted best was the flirtation with her lover which is probably what she has long been accustomed to. I enjoyed the piece very much & laughed a great deal. We got out very easily altho’ Mr Hambro had left us & I got in at 6.30 & had time to finish my chair cover before dinner. We had Mr & Mrs Oliphant, Sir Arthur Otway, Mr Bourke & Genl. Crealock & had a pleasant evening. Monty also dined at home. After dinner Mrs Oliphant had a long talk in the drawing room while the gentlemen discuss politics over their wine. She told me a great deal about the colony in California which she & Mr Oliphant had joined. She spoke a great deal of Mr Harris who had so much influence in founding it. She said he had a special gift very rare indeed in directing the moral part of ones life—that for some months before she had met him she had corresponded with him & invariably found that he understood ones feelings & how to show one what was right to be done. She said that people joined the colony from many different motives & people of all religions. They had their property in common & supported all alike & that the great object was to so eradicate the natural selfishness of human nature that it became a joy & blessing to be able to please others & lend to their happiness– She said they had farms which were cultivated for the general good & money was not wanting to them. She spoke with earnestness & impressively & her large black eyes in her pale clear complexion seemed to be looking at something beyond human vision as she spoke– At the same time she spoke of her friends—of going to the Drawing Room & did not seem to despise things of the world & to aim at seeming eccentric. Luff arrived by 10.30 train & slept here. | |
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