“April 16, 1884.
“On Friday I lunched at St. Mark’s Vicarage, Surbiton, with Archdeacon Burney, lineal descendant of the famous musical Dr. Burney, friend of Johnson, Burke, Garrick, etc., and father of Frances, author of ‘Evelina,’ and ‘Diary of Madame D’Arblay,’ the fashionable authoress of the day, on whom Macaulay afterwards conferred immortality in his essay. Do you know her diary? It is so minute that as one reads it one is transported into another age, and moves among the great men and women of the 18th century. I can never forget the delight with which I read it, in my twentieth year, just as it was published.
“Archdeacon Burney’s walls are covered with family portraits, heirlooms, Sir Joshua’s well-known Dr. Burney, and Garrick; Gainsborough’s portrait of Paul Sanday and his lady-love; of Dr. Johnson, from the Thrale collection; of Madame D’Arblay (Fanny Burney), and the next generation of Burneys by Romney and Laurence.
“And there are some lovely Turners, and also a fine collection of autographs.... The visit was very interesting.... And then there is an invalid daughter, with a most lovely face and spiritual expression. She can only be moved from her couch to bed and back, and yet is full of brightness and good works.
“There has been a discussion lately as to the author of the lines ‘To love her was a liberal education,’ either by Steele or Congreve. Well, to see the invalid Miss Burney is a Christian education! How wonderful it is! Our heavenly Father seems to lift some weak ones of earth into a supernatural strength that makes them more powerful from their sick couch than the strong and healthy.”
“Feb. 21, 1885.
“I was in Cambridge yesterday ... it is not nearly so dear to me as when I had a beloved boy there! But still it is always delightful. Girton has been very gay—a ball, some theatricals (the ‘Ladies’ Battle’), and last night the inter-collegiate debate on Hero-worship; seventy Newnham girls were going to Girton, to lead in favour. Girton was to oppose by pointing out how it injured worshipped and worshipper.
“I spent the morning at Newnham, called at King’s, to see Mr. C. Ashbee’s new rooms; lunched at Girton, and had afternoon tea there, and went to ‘Potts,’ to see Willie B. He asked O. Ashbee to meet me.”
“Feb. 15, 1885.
“On Friday I went to a meeting at the Mansion House about the Parkes Museum, and then to the Vicarage. Mother, who was expecting Prof. Stuart, M.P., made me stay and dine with them. He is very bright, and I liked him. Besides, he is a Cambridge man, and that is a passport to me. He told us some stories of exam. mistakes, etc.”