Sunday, January 23, 2011

02Jul1877, Garden Party with Poor People

ST. GEORGE'S HILL, July 2nd-8th, 1877.
—Wednesday, 4th. Smart Chiswick garden-party, went off beautifully, but the garden, alas ! doesn't look half as pretty with all the vistas crowded up as with just 100 poor people. Had to arrive late, as P.D.S. [FN: Public Day School.] meeting came off at 4, whereat I made a neat speech ! ! quite 4 minutes long. To Speaker's drum after dinner.

—Thurs., 5th. Another batch of Hospital nurses had a day out at the Barclays' at Woodford: thundery showers. Last P.M.W. meeting this season....

—Saturday, 7th. Went to see Ld. Stratford de Redcliffe, who was sitting in a warm dressing-gown in his arm-chair, with a fine tabby-cat to keep him company; he was very cheerful and clear-headed; hardly even deaf, at 90. Lateish we went off to Brocket; joined at the station by Ly. Ripon and finding Mr. Leveson here. Intensely still place, looking like a clearing in an old forest; too much betreed, but with some glades stretching away, with bracken and rabbits. Rested deliciously, mooning over Palgrave's pretty little volume of Herrick's poems.

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