Saturday, November 20, 2010

29Apr1874, Sir Ch. Trevelyan Remembers

LONDON, Wednesday, April 29th, 1874.
—Visited Aunt Caroline, and Mrs. Dugdale, who seems to be keeping house for poor widowed Sir Ch. Trevelyan. He was there, and enjoyed our visit, and showing off a beautiful Dugdale baby. Went off into reminiscences of his youth, a propos of the great increase of religious earnestness: said he used to be sent as a boy to see the "promenade" in the Park on Sundays of all the beauty and fashion driving and gossiping. Those who didn't were called Saints. And he said he remembered boys at school going up for Confirmation again and again for the sake of the day's outing!! Likewise, he remembers seeing a wretched boy tossed at a bull-baiting.

25Mar1874, The Lion: Sir Garnet Wolseley

LONDON, Wednesday, March 25th, 1874.
—Dined at No. 11, meeting no less a lion than Sir Garnet Wolseley [FN: Afterwards Viscount Wolseley. He had just returned from the Ashantee War.] with all his laurels fresh. A little, spare, brown man, only 40, with nothing about him to show his power except his very bright steady eyes. His wife pretty and nice, and proud of him. He was quite simple in manner, and told one straightforwardly all one wanted to know.

23Mar1874, As Jolly as a Sand-boy

LONDON, Monday, March 23rd, 1874.
—Eastward! Dear Miss Lilley turned up at the Hospital, having been to see a sick Limehouse body (who arose up in bed and kissed her!). At 5.30 tea turned up Uncle W., as jolly as a sand-boy at having shirked the House; and made himself highly agreeable to Lady Ripon who also turned up.

21Mar1874, Beautiful Quartet Fiddling

LONDON, Saturday, March 21st, 1874.
—After dinner had the great treat of beautiful quartet fiddling at Mr. Balfour's, along with a select circle almost entirely composed of Lytteltons and Gladstones.

19Mar1874, Gladstone House To Let

LONDON, Thursday, March 19th, 1874.
—Poor old Auntie more composed and cheery, tho' hating the thought of No. 11 [FN: The Gladstones' house in Carlton House Terrace] being let for the season. To the great relief of all his unfortunate party, Uncle W. has consented to lead when he is wanted! and sure enough yesterday he spoke very well upon the Address, and to-day as brilliantly as ever in explanation of his late course, demolishing the impertinent "Harry Chaplin," who thought fit to give him a blowing-up for his past Irish policy.

08Mar1874, Yonge's Life of Bishop Patteson

HOLKER, Sunday, March 8th, 1874.
—Finished this evening a book that has taken great hold upon me, and that one ought to thank God for, Miss Yonge's Life of Bishop Patteson. It is a glorious shining proof from beginning to end of what our own dear Church can bring forth. His life was given in single-minded, pure devotion to God's work in the Melanesian Islands; and without sensational results though it might be, the seed sown went deep down and he lived to see it take root downward and bear fruit upward. Oh, what it is to see the Divine Life and Power as fresh and prevailing as ever, when once the Love of Christ is shining! What but that could produce in the heathen converts the blessed gifts of joy and hope and true penitence: their very words the same as of old, speaking of "all things being made new" to them. And then the Bishop's own shining character! Thro' toil and anxiety and loss of home and friends, loneliness, and, latterly, weakness and suffering, what blessedness and peace! what humility, faith, and love!

07Mar8174, Gladstone: No Active Lead in House

HOLKER, Saturday, March 7th, 1874.
—Grim news of Uncle W.'s determination, on deliberate grounds of what he thinks right, to take no active lead in the House this year. It will have to be Cavendish.