Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-03-22
GEORGE MACDONALD.
nome.Lire Of the Novelist and His Larse
Family.


Family.
Private letter in the Hartford Courant.l
BoRDIGHERA, ITALY, February Is.
The great attraction of Bordighera IS
without doubt George Macdonald.
Three or four years ago few friends
built him house. here-a tremendous
house-capable of accommodating his
own large family and adopted children
and old friends. Perhaps you may not
know that, his large heart not being salts
fled with eleven children, he adopted a
bov. son of a laundress, and two little
girls along with their mother who had
been deserted by her French husband.
lie is very dclicate--scarcely ever stirs
out even in this genial cline in winter
and all his family are more or less so. ]
believe three have died of consump-
ton. but they are all gifted with
an energy and power Of will which
are enough to make ordinary people
gasp. Every Wednesday Casa Corag-
gio well named) is thrown open to
all English visitors, and Mr.. Macdonald,
if well enough, gives an hours reading
from one Of the poets, after which tea
is served and the company move about
and talk. If there is no reading there
is music, as at an ordinary at-home.
There is an immense room capable OF
seating 900. which is the general family
living room part Of it can be screened
off by heavy curtains and form the sale
Il manager; also the stage when they act,
which is very often, as the young peo-
pie are much given to getting up ina
prOmptu charades.
Last Friday evening | saw them act
one which they had only arranged a,
luncheon. 1t was very clever, and far
more like drawing-rOom play than a
charade. Mr.. Macdonald entered most
heartily into all the fun, and cordially
assented when | said that considered
as a benefactor any one who made me
laugh. This large room is wonderfully
Manufactured oak, china, pictures,
shelves. pyramids of oranges. curtains.
rugs, everything that is artistic and out
of the cOmmOn-the whole blending
most tremendously. All til. wall-de-
corations have been painted by mem
beers of the family. Last WedneS-
day afternoon AIr. Macdonald read
Browning's - Easter Day" to an audi
encc of between thirty and forty. He
paused frequently to offer explanations
Of the more obscure passages. and At
the close he said he did not think that
those who were not familiar with the
poem would have understood it. a. it
required real study. 1t was certainly
right a. far as we were concerned, hut
it was real pleasure TO watch TIE
changing expression OF his face As he
read. for he entered so thoroughly into
the spirit of the poem that at times he
had to stop and recover himself and
dash the tears from his eyes.
On Sunday evenings. when able,
he holds a short service, which is an
nouuced as "lecture." was very
curious to know what sort of address
we might look for, so last Sunday was
glad to form. one of party who went.
Proceedings began with an anthem sung
by the family; then Nr. Macdonald,
sitting in his armchair by the fire with
a black-velvet skull-cap on, read two of
George Herbert poems, "Sinne y and
Affection" commenting as he read ;
then the twenty Psalm. after
which he prayed, not iiuently nor in
conventional phrase. but it was the ut
terance of soul thinking out each
petition. and yet was such as each
could follow and appropriate. Then
Mr.. Macdonald began his address sit
ting, but as soon aS his soul grew
stirred within him he threw aside hi,
cap and rose. He spoke for nearly hal
an hour. | cannot give YOU an idea d
what he said. for already my letter i,
exceeding proper limits. He is full Of
movement. never still. the beautiful
hands folding and unfolding, the broad
shoulders hea,ing. the head thrown
back. and the mobile face reflect
Ing each emotion. lie impressed
me a. II man of deep conviction
and a faith which has known couiiic
and come out Of it so strongly fixed il
the Triune Jehovah that no storm OF
tempest could ever shake it more. a,
| listened to him speaking Of the Mar
Christ Jesus a. the one fact which be
came ever clearer and ever dearer t.
him in all its manifold meanings
could not help thinking of Georg'
Eliot, who. in one of her letters, says
in reference to that Divine Life, that tn
evidence of it will not bear examina
ton, or words to that effect. La thes'
days of doubt man like George Mac