Telegram-herald., 1889-10-20
TaE PaE-RAPAAsLlTES
A Charming EssEing ~ish London Lit
srars zad Artists I1xon<
n.


lSpeclal CorrespoLaAsols.
LosDOS. Oct. T.-Ons hears les of the
Fre-Raphaeiits society q London than
formerly. yet she society. made up of
the best literary and artistic circles. still
exists Ia London, and holds It's meetings
As heretofore. Among them there sre
several persons whose names are house
hold words Ia America and many
more who are famous IN many walks q
hfe which Do not bring them into such
prominence IN America To gain an en-
trance into the charmed circle Of liter
AIRY and artistic London one needs 70 be
of the guild, but once IN while il does
happen that al outsider, Ike myself,
who only pretends u sing little, gets a
peep al the lions
Recently / was invited 70 delightful
home Ia a suburb Of London, not far
from "Amstead 'Eath. as our cab driver
called IL, and there was 80 fortunate as
70 meet among a number OF artists, play
wrights ana literary people generally,
Jean lngelOw, the sweetest poet who
ever wrote about children, and Christina
Rosetti, the almost inspired woman who
writes poems which are Ike sacramental
wine and bread, and that dear white
haired old lady, Mrs Trollope, besides
Lady Mary Duftus- Hardy and her daugh-
ter LA were there There were a mum
Der OF famous men present, but / only
learned the names Of Or. Egmont Hake
and Nr Watts. DR.. Hako is tall and
slender. but so gentle and kind that
every one loves him, and his silvery hair
is an attraction 10 every one OF the wO-
men, although, perhaps, his beautiful
poems had first made them his friends,
for they are pure and sweet and elevat-
ing.
Mrs. Trollope has grown out Of the
fretful invalid state, where, shaking with
chills and fever and suffering from a
multitude Of ills, she wrote that savage
book about America as il was in the wild
west fifty years ago, and now, if sne
could write of this country, il would be
with pen dipped in honey, for she is
ripe and full of all the tenderness that
many years and much wisdom bring.
Many Americans know Lady Hardy,
for she has always been the friend Of
Americans in London, and she has also
travelled very extensively in our coun-
try. She has written. perhaps, twenty
novels, all three-volume, cloth bound,
and a book of her travels in America,
where she went with her daughter after
the death of her husband, the late Sir
Thomas DufTus Hardy.
Lady Hardy is a large woman, with a
fine figure and genial, good face. sur
mounted by a crown of snow white hair
Her daughter is very slender and tall,
with large blue eyes and very long, thick
hair. She was considered one of the most
beautiful girls in England few years
ago, but, was told, sorrow of some
kind fell upon her and she has changed
greatly, but nothing can ever take from
her that touching grace of face ana man
ner, though it is somewhat melancholy.
She also has written many novels, some
of which are very sweet and interesting.
Their home 1T North Bank, Regents
park, is embowered in trees, and is most
charming in its truly English type, and
is the resort of all the best and brightest
minds in London.
began by speaking of sweet Jean
Ingelow, that lovely. lovable little old
maid who writes tho beautiful mother
poems. She is tiny body, with almost
infantile hands and feet and soft gray
eyes. Her face is one marked by genius,
yet she has a timid, quiet manner and
such sweet, low voice. She wore a
gray surah dress, made with q surplice
waist and a plain full skirt and leg o
mutton sleeves, with muslin cuffs and a
tulle tucker around her neck, and this
was fastened with a little oval pin with
lock Of hair in it. Her hair is gray,
but thick and wavy, and gathered into a
knot at the back Of the neck.
Christina Rosetta is dark, but her skin
is clear and pure, like ivory. Her hair
is abundant and wavy, and her forehead
low and broad, over pair of eyes like
those we are so familiar with in the pic
ture of "Evangeline'-deep, dark, pa
tient and steadfast, seeing things above
and beyond us. She is slow Of speech
and chary of words, and somehow makes
you think she is always listening to an
gel voices. She is slight and fragile, and
dresses in soft heavy black silk, with a
little rare lace at tho neck and for cuffs,
and lets her pretty, blue veined hands
lie utterly idle in her lap. Her smile is
slower than that of Jean Ingelow and
not so taking.
l had meant 10 say much moro Of our
evening. but shall be obliged 70 defer
the rest 10 another time.
BLANCHE SOxFRs.