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1 March 1891 — Ca’ Capello, Venice | |
Sunday. 1st March [1891]. Went to morning service with Ola & Nela. Good sermon by the Milan chaplain– There was a child’s hymn sung in memory of little Octavia Jameson—& the young ladies in the choir could hardly get thro’ it– They were all fond of the child. Had a note from Ninina Brandolin to say she had a very bad account of our dear friend Morelli at Milan. Her father arrived here last night & says the Dr does not expect Morelli to live long. Later abt lunch she sent me another note saying she had just got a telegram to say he was dead. It is a great grief to us– He died of heart complaint but had only been seriously ill the last 3 weeks—& wrote to Henry himself abt 10 days ago to tell him he was ill. It is a great loss to us & to the world of art. He being the greatest connoisseur of his day, & he was such a good man– His people were Protestants from Bergamo. He was a Senator & published a book on art under the name of Lermolieff which made a great stir in Germany as he attacked the Germans for their want of knowledge of art. At this moment he was publishing a large & important book on art wh I fear may not be finished. He writes in German with wh language he is as familiar as his own– Henry & he have been fast friends for many years—& had met at Sir James Hudsons at Turin. Went to church with Ola at 3.30 & then joined Henry & Nela at the Edens’ garden. The snow has not quite disappeared & it is the 1st time we have been able to walk there for 2 months– Spring flowers are beginning to show bud. On the way home I called on Css Brandolin & we talked of Morelli with her & her father. Ninina B. has lately returned from Milan—& said abt a fortnight ago she had visited Morelli hearing that he was ill– His breathing was so labored that he could not easily talk & the Dr had sent her word to discontinue her visits as it fatigued him too much– The last thing they had spoken of was the bust, being now erected, of Henry in the British Museum & how pleased he was that Henry’s merits should be at last publicly recognised. I went home to tea & then read aloud to Henry—Mme Adélaïde’s letters to Talleyrand wh are very interesting. Dined at 8. Played Halma with Ola. The weather today was splendid but the glass denotes a change. The last 2 days we have had our water pipes thawed. We have had them frozen for nearly 3 months. | |
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