DOI chapter:
Chapter III: Genius
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.62482#0082
26
REMINISCENCES OF G. F. WATTS
guest of Lord and Lady Holland.1 He told me that his
long visit to them of four years came about in this wise.
He had been given a letter of introduction to Lord Holland,
then our Minister at Florence, but being absorbed in the
wonders of art in the beautiful city, he had not thought of
it till the day before he intended leaving Florence. An
acquaintance told him that the person who gave the letter
might think it ungrateful if he did not use it, so Watts left it
with his card at the Legation. Lord Holland asked him to
dinner, and this resulted in his remaining as Lord Holland’s
guest for four years. He became as one of the family ;
nevertheless, he described to me how his two chief objects
during that time had been to continue his serious studies
with unabated zeal, and at the same time to prove his
gratitude to his host and hostess by in no slightest way
presuming on their kindness. There was in Watts a per-
sonal refinement and a very scrupulous sensitiveness
which put him easily on a friendly footing with those of
gentle breeding. He would say he felt at home and com-
fortable with the aristocratic and with the peasant classes,
1 Lord Holland was related to my husband—his grandfather, the fifth Viscount
Barrington, having been first cousin to the celebrated Lady Holland. My father-
in-law and others ot his family described to us many interesting matters concern-
ing Holland House in the old days, and especially with regard to their cousin,
Lady Holland. Curiously enough my husband’s maternal grandfather, Lord
Chichester, was one of the famous party of whom Lady Holland (then Lady
Webster) and the beautiful Duchess of Devonshire were the other members,
when the tour to Italy was made, Lady Webster writing the Diary, and “Tom
Pelham ” (afterwards Lord Chichester) painting the scenes of travel in water-
colour. These sketches are now in Holland House, with the exception of two
which were given to my mother-in-law, Lady Catherine Barrington, by Lady
Holland when she was very old, saying at the time she gave them that she had
always considered “Tom Pelham had been the angel of her life.” His advice,
however, as to conduct, she did not follow! Lord Holland took Watts once to
dine with his mother at Holland House, but from his description it must have
been a very uncomfortable evening. Evidently neither did Lady Holland take
to Watts nor Watts to Lady Holland.
REMINISCENCES OF G. F. WATTS
guest of Lord and Lady Holland.1 He told me that his
long visit to them of four years came about in this wise.
He had been given a letter of introduction to Lord Holland,
then our Minister at Florence, but being absorbed in the
wonders of art in the beautiful city, he had not thought of
it till the day before he intended leaving Florence. An
acquaintance told him that the person who gave the letter
might think it ungrateful if he did not use it, so Watts left it
with his card at the Legation. Lord Holland asked him to
dinner, and this resulted in his remaining as Lord Holland’s
guest for four years. He became as one of the family ;
nevertheless, he described to me how his two chief objects
during that time had been to continue his serious studies
with unabated zeal, and at the same time to prove his
gratitude to his host and hostess by in no slightest way
presuming on their kindness. There was in Watts a per-
sonal refinement and a very scrupulous sensitiveness
which put him easily on a friendly footing with those of
gentle breeding. He would say he felt at home and com-
fortable with the aristocratic and with the peasant classes,
1 Lord Holland was related to my husband—his grandfather, the fifth Viscount
Barrington, having been first cousin to the celebrated Lady Holland. My father-
in-law and others ot his family described to us many interesting matters concern-
ing Holland House in the old days, and especially with regard to their cousin,
Lady Holland. Curiously enough my husband’s maternal grandfather, Lord
Chichester, was one of the famous party of whom Lady Holland (then Lady
Webster) and the beautiful Duchess of Devonshire were the other members,
when the tour to Italy was made, Lady Webster writing the Diary, and “Tom
Pelham ” (afterwards Lord Chichester) painting the scenes of travel in water-
colour. These sketches are now in Holland House, with the exception of two
which were given to my mother-in-law, Lady Catherine Barrington, by Lady
Holland when she was very old, saying at the time she gave them that she had
always considered “Tom Pelham had been the angel of her life.” His advice,
however, as to conduct, she did not follow! Lord Holland took Watts once to
dine with his mother at Holland House, but from his description it must have
been a very uncomfortable evening. Evidently neither did Lady Holland take
to Watts nor Watts to Lady Holland.