Miranda to Mrs. Durrant.
Lord Aberdare is Chairman of the Royal Commission on Pensions for the Aged Poor, before which Octavia gave evidence last week. He had been abroad, and so was not present when she gave evidence; but he said playfully he hoped they had treated her properly in his absence, and said that Chamberlain had “acknowledged himself vanquished.” Octavia had to answer some rather catchy questions from him; but her clear, cool head enabled her to come out with triumph. One of the Commissioners afterwards laughed and said to her privately, “How well you tackled Joe!” and “You did stand up to Joe!” with great wonder and glee. Octavia said to Lord Aberdare that the Commissioners had made long statements of their views, and had asked her whether she agreed with these, and that it was rather difficult to follow and to reply.
November 22nd, 1893.
Octavia to Sydney Cockerell.
I am returning, with many thanks, “Ruskin’s Life.” It is, even to me, wonderful reading, when one gets a sort of living impression of the whole, by reading it thro’. One or two of the apparent failures brought tears to my eyes, and the memory of the words,—
LIFE OF RUSKIN
“If he strained too wide,
It was not to take honour, but give help;
The gesture was heroic. If his hand
Accomplishing nothing ... (well it is proved)