Yours,
G.
_From the Diary of Godfrey Mellor_
_Sunday, March_ 29_th. Hôtel St Romain, Rue St Roch, Paris_
Went to a concert at the _Cirque d'Été_ this afternoon, not a very
interesting programme. A great deal of Wagner, and _L'Après-midi d'un
Faune_.
Dined by myself at a Duval. Start for Florence to-morrow morning.
_Tuesday, March_ 30_th. Villa Fersen, Florence_
Arrived this morning before luncheon after an exhausting journey
second-class. In the carriage there was a soldier belonging to the
_Garde Républicaine_. He said he was on duty at the Opera and had he
known I was passing through Paris he could have given me a _billet de
faveur_.
The Housmans' villa is at the top of a hill on the Bellosguardo side. It
is rather a large house, covered with wistaria, with high windows with
iron bars. It has a large empty _salon_ with a piano. A fine room for
sound. The garden is beautiful.
_Wednesday, March_ 31_st_.
I walked down into Florence very early in the morning. I reached the
town before anything was open and met a party of men in shorts and
flannels running back to a hotel. They were Eton masters taking
exercise. I didn't go to any picture galleries, but I walked about the
streets and went into the Duomo, an ugly building inside. I got back for
luncheon.
Housman said that they must leave cards in the afternoon and take a
drive in the Cascine. They went out in a carriage and pair. I went for a
walk to the Boboli Gardens. At dinner Housman said they had met several
friends, and he is giving a dinner-party on Sunday.
_Thursday, April_ 1_st_.
The Housmans took me to luncheon with a banker called Baron Strong. What
the explanation of this title is I do not know. They live in the modern
part of the town. He was a genial host, portly, with long white
whiskers. His wife, the Baroness, an Italian, a distinguished lady.
There were present a Marchese whose real name I was told was
Goldschmidt, and his wife, a retired and talkative English diplomatist,
a Russian lady, an Italian, who talked English, French and Russian with
ease, called Scalchi, Professor Johnston-Wright, who is spending his
holiday here, and a Frenchman. When the latter heard Scalchi talk every
language successively he said to him: "Vous êtes une petite tour de
Babel."
In the afternoon we left cards at several houses and villas and then
went for a drive in the Cascine. Some people called at tea-time, but I
escaped. After dinner Mrs Housman sang some Schumann, _Frühlingsnacht_,
and the _Dichterliebe._ These songs, she said, suit Florence.
_Friday, April_ 2_nd_.
I had a talk with the Italian gardener as far as my Italian permitted me
to. I pointed out a plant, a mauve-coloured plant, I don't know its
name, that seemed to grow in great profusion. He said: "Fiorisce come il
pensiere dell' uomo." More calls in the afternoon, and another drive in
the Cascine.
Housman has bought a large modern statue representing _The Triumph of
Truth,_ a female figure carrying a torch, with a serpent at her feet.
She is triumphing, I suppose, over the snake.
_Saturday, April_ 3_rd_.
We went to see the Easter Saturday ceremony at the Duomo, and then to
luncheon at the Villa Michael Angelo. It belongs to a rich American
called Fisk. There were present besides Mr and Mrs Fisk an English
authoress, a picture connoisseur, Scalchi, an American archæologist, an
Italian man of letters, and a Miss Sinclair, also an archæologist.
Housman said afterwards this was the cream of intellectual Florence.
I sat between two archæologists. I found their conversation difficult to
follow.
After luncheon we called on the British Consul's wife, whose day it was.
Then after a drive in the Cascine we went home.
_Easter Sunday, April_ 4_th._
Mrs Housman went to Mass early. Went for a walk with Housman. On the
Ponte Vecchio we met Ayton and his sister, Mrs Campion. Mrs Campion, he
said, had insisted on him taking her to Florence.
Housman asked them to dinner to-night; they accepted. A great many
people came to tea.
The dinner-party to-night was quite a large one. Baron and Baroness
Strong, Lord Ayton, Mrs Campion, Mr and Mrs Fisk, Scalchi and the
Marchese and his wife, whom we met lately. I sat between Mrs Campion and
Baron Strong. After dinner Mrs Fisk played Chopin with astonishing
facility, but without any expression.
A. intends to stay here another fortnight.
Housman said he received a telegram which will necessitate his meeting
his partner at Genoa. His partner is on the way to the Riviera. He may
have to go to Paris too, but he hopes not, and intends to be back in a
few days if possible.
_Monday, April_ 5_th._
Housman left to-day for Genoa. I went with Mrs Housman to San Marco and
the Accademia in the morning. In the afternoon to the Certosa with Mrs
Housman, A. and Mrs Campion.
_Tuesday, April_ 6_th._
Mrs Campion and A. came to luncheon. Mrs Campion, who is an expert
gardener, told me the names of all the flowers in the garden. They have
not remained in my mind.
_Wednesday, April_ 7_th_.
We all spent a morning sight-seeing and had luncheon at a restaurant. In
the afternoon we drove to Fiesole.
_Thursday, April_ 8_th._
Housman is not coming back. He is obliged to go to Paris and he will go
straight to London from there.
We drove to Fiesole in the morning. Had luncheon with some Italian
friends of Mrs Campion, Count and Countess Alberti. Nobody there except
the host and hostess and their three children. A fine villa and no
garden. Countess Alberti said it was no use having a garden if one lived
here in summer, as everything dried up. She is a charming woman, natural
and unpretentious, and talks English like an Englishwoman.
She asked A if he had met many people, and A. said he was a tourist and
had no time for visits. Countess Alberti said he was quite right and
that she knew nothing in the world more--_seccante_ was the word she
used, than Florentine society.
She asked us all to come again next week. I am leaving on Sunday, and
A. and Mrs Campion are going to Paris on Monday. Mrs Housman remains
here another week.
_Friday, April_ 9_th._
Mrs Housman had a headache and did not come down. I went to the town and
did some shopping and went over the Bargello. Mrs Housman came down to
dinner and sang afterwards, Schubert, Schumann and Brahms. I had never
heard her sing _O Versenk o versenk dein Leid mein Kind, in die See_
before.
_Saturday, April_ 10_th._
We went to a great many churches in the morning and saw a number of
frescoes. Mrs Housman received a great many invitations, but refused
them all. A. and Mrs Campion and the Albertis came to dinner. Countess
Alberti persuaded Mrs Housman to sing. She sang some English songs:
_Passing By, Lord Randall_, etc., Gounod's _Chanson de Mai_, and some
Lully. Countess Alberti said it was a comfort to hear singing of which
you could hear every word. A. liked _Passing By_ best, and he made her
sing it twice. He asked me who the words were by. The tune is Edward
Purcell's. The words, although generally attributed to Herrick by
musical publishers, are by an anonymous poet, and occur in Thomas Ford's
_Music of Sundry Kinds_, 1607. They are as follows:--
There is a ladye sweet and kind,
Was never face so pleas'd my mind,
I did but see her passing by,
And yet I love her till I die.
Her gestures, motions, and her smile,
Her wit, her voice my heart beguile,
Beguile my heart, I know not why;
And yet I love her till I die.
There is also a third stanza.
_Letters from Guy Cunninghame to Mrs Caryl_
VILLA BEAU SITE,
MENTONE,
_Thursday, April_ 8_th_.