[The rest of the first half of the year is not eventful. As illustrating the sort of communications which constantly came to him, I quote from a letter to Sir J. Donnelly, of January 11:—]
I had a letter from a fellow yesterday morning who must be a lunatic, to the effect that he had been reading my essays, thought I was just the man to spend a month with, and was coming down by the five o'clock train, attended by his seven children and his MOTHER-IN-LAW!
Frost being over, there was lots of boiling water ready for him, but he did not turn up!
Wife and servants expected nothing less than assassination.
[Later he notes with dismay an invitation as a Privy Councillor to a
State evening party:—]
It is at 10.30 P.M., just the time this poor old septuagenarian goes to bed!
My swellness is an awful burden, for as it is I am going to dine with the Prime Minister on Saturday.
[The banquet with the Prime Minister here alluded to was the occasion of a brief note of apology to Lord Rosebery for having unintentionally kept him waiting:—]
Hodeslea, Eastbourne, May 28, 1894.
Dear Lord Rosebery,