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31 March 1884 — 3 Savile Row | |
Monday. 31st March [1884]. I wrote notes putting off our dinner engagements. Henry went to breakfast with Ivor & Cornelia & returned abt 11. Cornelia came to see me to talk over the sad news. Fred & Ida came to luncheon– Also Blanche came in & Maria & Alice & Constance & Arthur. Only Alice stayed to lunch & the others all went off. Maria returned at 3 and we went out shopping together. Mr Burton came to ask to speak to Henry on a very painful subject & as soon as they had got into a room alone Mr Burton disclosed that Gladstone had offered him a knighthood! & he wanted Henry’s advice especially as he felt himself bound to refuse!! Whereupon he pulled out of his pocket a letter declining in polite terms– Henry remonstrated with him & begged him to reconsider his decision saying all the Trustees had long desired he shd be knighted– To Henrys amusement Burton then pulls out of his pocket another letter accepting!!! which he had written in case of need—in wh he said he did so merely for the sake of the trustees. Henry persuaded him to write a fresh letter merely accepting & he settled to do so. At 3 Maria & I went out first to Lady Somers to consult her as to the proper mourning we should put on for Mr Schreiber as Cornelia was of opinion we need not wear crèpe. Lady Somers decided the contrary on which Maria & I went off & ordered our gowns at Marshall & Snelgrove. We then went home & had tea. Mr Ball came to tea & Mrs W. Hanson. Afterwards Maria & I went to the Burlington Arcade & ordered our bonnets then I returned home & found Mr Rate with Henry. Blanche dined with us. Edward came at 11 to fetch her. The Speaker being ill he had had to remain with Mrs Peel to dinner as she had expected Gladstone to dinner. Gladstone had come up from Coombe much better. He had moved her note of condolence to the Queen & then Andrew Clark his Dr had carried him off home. There was very near being no House today as Sir Arthur Otway was also ill—but he got out of bed to take the Speaker’s place. | |
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