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26 November 1900 — Ca’ Capello, Venice | |
Monday. 26th [November 1900]. Anniversary of my father’s death 48 years ago! Lovely day. Modelled all morning, with interval of a visit from Mr Christie. Mrs Eden called after lunch & also M. & Mme Revel of the Vaudois church. In the midst of my work this morning a card was brought up to me of Brigadier Cribborn of the Ersaruto della Salvezza d’Italia– Having some vague notion that it was someone of the Italian officials of the fire engines I went down to see him. My surprise and discomfiture was great when I beheld a man & a woman in the hideous repulsive garb of the Salvation army! They followed me into the drawing room & I motioned them to seats & the man began to harangue me. He said I had doubtless heard of the work in Italy of the Salvation army. I briefly said I had not & had no sympathy with the movement. He went on to say that this was their “week of denial” in which they went about collecting funds. I answered I regretted I could give them nothing as I was Church of England. He said the Archbishop of Canterbury had tried to get Genl Booth to form part of the Church & when the Genl did not see his way to do so, he had formed an Army of his own. I retorted that the Archbishop had his views & I mine– All this time the hideous wild looking female in her comic bonnet & with a band with gold embroidered letters round her throat was glaring at me in such a way that twice I felt bound to return her gaze & to make her drop her eyes– It was like a serpent’s glare—quite uncanny. The man said this is Captain so & so—an Italian convert from Milan—& asked if he might send me the periodicals of his sect. I then rose & said I thought he was wasting his time & mine & that there was an end of the matter. On leaving he again asked to be allowed to send me printed matter on the subject & I assured him it was quite useless & I had rather not receive it & bowed out the pair. It is revolting to me that such people should go about the world in such a form under the name of religion. If this Englishman chose to do it in his own country it might have an excuse but to come here in a foreign country & thus bring religion into disrepute is to be dreadful– Hilda Montalba came to tea & her brother came afterwards. Did not receive tonight owing to the bad news of Maria. | |
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