1890 LIFE IN LONDON 149 



He also made acquaintance for the first time with a 

 good many well-known novels, read to him during a 

 temporary illness at Florence — the precursor, alas, of 

 many such times of novel-reading. He shared Mr. 

 Darwin's tastes for simple, pure, love stories, and 

 one of the party at Florence well remembers how 

 * The Heir of Eedclyffe ' brought tears to his eyes. 

 For this and ' The Chaplet of Pearls,' read to him 

 some years later, he had a great admiration. 



Journal, March 28, 1883.— Mr. F. Paget's wedding 

 in St. Paul's, a special anthem by Stainer. The 

 Warden of Keble and Dr. Liddon married them, and 

 the whole service was very impressive. 



June. — Mr. Spottiswoode's death has been a ter- 

 rible blow. Service at the Abbey. We put ofi our 

 party on June '27th ; it seemed improper to have a 

 party, mainly composed of scientific people, the very 

 day after the death of the President of the Koyal 

 Society. 



12th. — Dinner at the Pagets'. Met Browning,^ 

 who is entirely on Carlyle's side a propos of Fronde's 

 recent revelations. 



15^7/. — Went to Professor and Mrs. AHman, at 

 Parkston. He is a most fascinating naturahst of the 

 old type, caring for birds, and beasts, and flowers. 



Met Mr. E. Clodd the other night, who alluded to 

 ' Physicus ' - and the tone of depression in the book. 

 (' Candid Examination of Theism.') 



' Mr. Browning told the same story of the Carlyles at this party which 

 Mrs. Bitchie narrates in Tennyson, SiisltJi, and Browning, pp. 198, 199. 



"^ The nom de plume adopted in writing Candid Examination of 

 TJieism. 



