 | Lady Layard’s Journal Go to a Date Search the Journal |
|
Previous Entry
|
Following Entry
| |
27 March 1882 — 3 Savile Row | |
Monday. 27th [March 1882]. Wrote letters. Constance came to see me & Mrs Martin of Ham Court the latter to ask me for lace & fans to show at a Worcester Exhibition in the summer– Mr Burton (of National Gallery) came to see Henry at lunch time abt the picture bought of Castellani wh he wants to get back having no right to have sold it. At 3 Blanche’s carriage called for me & I joined her at Hamilton House & went in to see Cornelia. She & Ivor start for Spain tomorrow & she said she wanted us to give her letters & that she wd come at 11 this evening for them. B & I went on to Gorringes to have my work made up for Merthyr’s child—to Mason to order a dressing gown & we were home by 5. I arranged Henry’s books a little until Mr Henry Reeve came to tea & then Mr Ffrench—the latter remaining a long time. We dined at Kent House with Louisa Lady Ashburton & met, Mr Froude, Dr & Mrs Vaughan, Miss Hosmer, Ld Fortescue, Lady Taunton, Sir Harry Verney &c. When we sat down there were found to be several places too few & when at last all was settled we were very squeezed. A Mr Russell an incipient savant took me to dinner. I had great trouble to find out his “luce” & tho’ I fished indefatigably at the beginning of dinner I gave it up in despair. He was a little man—weak looking—black hair—young & with an infantine moustache. It was only after dinner that I was told of his scientific proclivities. On the other side of me was Ld Fortescue who was very agreeable & told me many amusing stories– He said he had once met the Empss of Austria at Madeira & was charmed with her. He gave an amusing acct of the Empresses journey to Madeira on our Queen’s yacht– When HIM desired to get up & dress she called for her handmaidens & was quieted with an assurance they shd be fetched. Now it happened that the ladies of her suite were sick & the maids all still more sick. So a council was held among the officers & it was at last decided that the Dr on board should be deputed to offer to go & do her hair “as he was used to putting on bandages”! Her hair is most beautiful & falls to her feet– He also told me that his grandfather Lord was English Minister at Naples & that once when King Ferdinand had occasion to fight, Lord urged him to put himself at the head of troops– His answer was “Non posso che paura e quando ho poura me fa male to stomacco” & then H.M. went on to describe the result upon his stomacco– This Lord Fortescue said, the King said to my grandfather who told it to me. Before the end of dinner Lady Ashburton was taken ill & had to leave the table. But we found her in the drawing room when we went up– We looked at the pictures a little & were interested to find amongst them a picture of a Saint by Zurbaran of wh we have a print & wh we could never trace as it had disappeared from Madrid. Lady Ashburton told us that when an ancestor of the family left Madrid the King begged him to choose & take 3 pictures & this was one of the 3. We came home in a hurry by 11 as Cornelia had arranged to come & see us but they sent word they cd not come till tomorrow. | |
|
Previous Entry
|
Following Entry
| |