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13 August 1891 — Blackmoor, nr. Liss, Hampshire | |
Thursday. 13th August [1891]. I sat with Sophie Palmer in her boudoir writing & talking to her occasionally. We lunched at one. Lord Selborne did not appear till lunch time. We had prayers at 7.15 & then breakfast. After lunch Lord Selborne, Sophie, Henry & I drove to Blackdown to see Lord & Lady Tennyson. It was 11 or 12 miles off thro’ a lovely country—moors & picturesque lanes—& splendid views over the country in all directions. Hallam Tennyson met us at the door & took us in to his mother in the drawing room. She lay on her sofa covered with a soft duvet. Dressed in grey with a soft shetland shawl tied round her head. She is terribly thin & her eyes are deep set in her head. Her hands long the knuckles pronounced. She sat up & folded me to her arms & kissed me on both cheeks. We made out we had not met for 8 years. Lord Selborne & I sat talking with her while Henry & Sophie went up to see the Laureate—& presently Henry fetched me to go to him & Lord Selborne. I went up & found him sitting on his sofa & we had a pleasant talk. He said he was getting feeble being now in his 83rd year. He has grown thin. His face has elongated. But his sparse long hair seemed still black. He seemed pleased to see me again. We went down to tea after a bit & he came down also & we sat round the table comfortably. Mrs Hallam Tennyson being away Sophie presided. I took my cup into the next room & drank my tea by Lady Tennyson’s sofa & there we had a pleasant little chat—& talked of politics & the many changes wh had taken place. She said she had 5 grandsons & there were no girls in the family. After tea we went out into the garden– The lawn comes quite up to the house & at the end of the lawn is a terrace looking over a splendid view. There we sat Lord Selborne & Tennyson & I on the bench & Henry stood by. Lord Selborne & the poet discussed latin pronunciation & every now & then he turned to me & we talked of Freshwater & the “Do you remember” came in often. I reminded him how when we were girls we helped him to water the plants in the garden—& how strong Constance was & how she carried the water pots. He spoke of Mrs Cameron & her “clamour” & said her clamouring had cost him a year’s illness– For she came clamouring to him to be vaccinated & in order to stop it he had said Yes—anything you like. I will be vaccinated & he had had a long illness in consequence. He stopped me once while I was talking & reproved me for my bad grammar when I said “like a” without the use of “when.” I said I remembered he used to try & cure of us of that bad trick in old days at Freshwater. All this while there were light showers passing & the sunshine now & then obscured by passing clouds wh made the scenery very pretty—& the rain was not eno’ to wet us. But it was getting late—towards 7 & we had to think of going. But he was bent on showing me some Himalaya poppies & took us round the garden to see it—& then we started home. I had taken my autograph book with me & Hallam got him to sign his name in it. It rained as we drove back to Blackmoor & we had to close the landeau & we got in at 8.30 & found Mr Waldegrave & the servants getting uneasy at our being so late. We dressed quickly—dined, Halma—& whist. | |
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