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28 February 1884 — 3 Savile Row | |
Thursday. 28th February [1884]. Mrs Austin & Connie came to lunch. After lunch Henry & I walked round to the National Gallery; in our doorstep we met Frederic Layard & he walked there with us. It was bitterly cold & a few flakes of snow fell. Mr Burton met us at the Gallery & took me to see all the latest purchases. I saw for the first time the “Velasquez” given by Sir John Savile Lumley & it seems to me far more like a Zurbaran. At 4 I went off to a party at Mr Hamilton Aidé’s who lives in Q. Anne Mansions. I saw there the celebrated Miss Anderson the actress but I was not éblouié with her beauty which I had expected to be. I met Genl. & Lady Dickson, Leighton, Walls, Dolly Tenant, Lady (L) Ashburton, Lady Lindsay &c. There was some singing & reciting & playing the piano. At 5 Constance came & fetched me & we went to the House of Commons & had a very nice evening. We heard speeches & questions by all the principal Conservatives. Harcourt read an account of the boxes of dynamite discovered at 2 railway stations. The House went into Committee & voted the late Speaker’s pension—& then Gladstone made his speech introducing the new Reform Bill. I left him speaking & returned home to dress for dinner & we dined with Mr & Mrs Henry Reeve. Sir Robert Collier took me to dinner & we met the Higford Burrs, Blumenthals, Lady Lindsay &c. Sir Robert C. told me his wife had got up theatricals for next Friday & he hoped we would go to them. After dinner he brought her up & made her invite me—& she said in her absurd way “Oh yes– We can manage you on Friday & can get you in on that day as well as any other.” I thanked her & said I was not sure we were not engaged. On comparing notes with Henry I found the same thing had happened to him & that he had answered—“Oh pray don’t trouble, I dont like private theatricals myself & I am thinking of going to hear Salvini that night.” I dont think she meant to be so rude but she is a real goose– | |
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