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27 January 1888 — San Remo | |
Friday. 27th January [1888]. Henry & Ola went off to Mentone to see Lord Hammond. I took a walk with Morelli & went to an antiquary shop with him. Met Princess Victoria going there with her little niece Princess Charlotte’s daughter. They joined us & we walked back to the hotel with them. Morelli & I lunched at the Hotel table d’hôte—afterwards went to the Villa where they had just finished lunch & Lord Hastington had just arrived. He had been expected there to lunch but only came after– Went for a drive with the Crown Princess & Lord Hastington to Taggia. There was a slight thunderstorm & some rain just before we started & rain looked threatening. The Princess tried to make Lord H. talk politics—but his quiet indifferent manner was very difficult to penetrate. He spoke once of Gladstone—regretted that people shd be so violent in their abuse of him—as he believed him really conscientious in his way he said “he has the faculty of only seeing a thing on one side & of believing that firmly. I on the other hand generally see both sides of a case wh is unfortunate.” He spoke most highly of Goschen who he said had been of the greatest service to the Conservatives & when ever the Govt had been in any difficulty he had been invariably put forward to fight the battle. He attributed no importance to Randolph Churchill’s visit to Russia & said he had intended going to Spain but had found that the climate was trying in winter. He said that Gladstone had never been so disappointed at the results of the last Genl Election as he had been certain of a large majority. He spoke of Ireland & said that he thought the new Bill for Municipal Reform about to be brought in by the Govt in England would show the Irish that they would have the same in Ireland which ought to be sufficient. We got out of the carriage at Taggia & walked about the place as far as the picturesque long bridge which spans the torrent & valley. It is a most picturesque place with its old walks & towers—but the houses were very much shaken by the earthquake last year & a great many people were still living in wooden huts. We drove back to San Remo by about 5 & the 3 Princesses came to tea again with us & then we went up with them to the Villa to take leave of them all. Morelli left this evening for Milan. Mlle Perpigna dined with us at the table d’hôte & left at abt 9.30. There was an eclipse of the moon wh we saw very well. | |
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