My best remembrances to your daughters, whom I have twice seen, once as little girls, and again a year or so back.—Yours ever,
A. Tennyson.
Afterwards Bayard Taylor found his way to Farringford, and he has written a happy account of the visit.[26]
I hardly know whether or not to give the record of a meeting which I myself remember. Once after a long visit to Freshwater I returned home to Palace Green, and hearing that Alfred Tennyson had come up soon after to stay for a few days at Little Holland House close by, I told my Father, and together we planned a visit, to which I eagerly looked forward, with much pride and youthful excitement. It was not far to walk, the high road leads straight to Holland House, in the grounds of which Little Holland House then stood among the trees. Mr. and Mrs. Prinsep were living there and Mr. Watts. When we reached the House and were let in, we saw Mr. Watts in his studio; he seemed to hesitate to admit us; then came the ladies. Mr. Tennyson was upstairs, we were told, not well. He had hurt his shin. “He did not wish for visitors, nevertheless certainly we were to go up,” they said, and we mounted into a side wing by some narrow staircase and came to a door, by which cans of water were standing in a row. As we entered, a man-servant came out of the little room.
Tennyson was sitting in a chair with his leg up, evidently ill and out of spirits.
“I am sorry to find you laid up,” said my Father.
“They insisted upon my seeing the doctor for my leg,” said Alfred, “and he prescribed cold water dressing.”
“Yes,” said my Father, “there’s nothing like it, I have tried it myself.”