Borrowed Plumes

CONTENTS. PAGE I. THE TWO ELIZABETHS ... I II. JOHN OLIVER HOBBES MRS. CRAIGIE . . . . 15 III. MISS ELLEN THORNEYCROFT FOWLER 28 iv. AN ENGLISHWOMANS LOVE-LETTERS 38 V. MR. HALL CAINE .... 52 VI. MISS MARIE CORELLI ... 72 VII. MR. DOOLEY ..... 78 VIII. MR. HENRY HARLAND ... 83 IX. MR. MAURICE HEWLETT Q2 X. MR. GEORGE MEREDITH . . . IOI XI. SIR JOHN LUBBOCK LORD AVEBURY IOQ XII. MRS. HUMPHRY WARD . . . 115 XIII. MR. W. E. HENLEY . . . .126 XIV. MR. HENRY JAMES . . . 33 viii CONTENTS. PAGE XV. M. MAURICE MAETERLINCK . . 150 xvi. MR. G. PERNARD SHAW . . .156 XVII. MR. STEPHEN PHILLIPS . . . 165 XVIII. MR. HENRY SETON MERRIMAN . l68 XIX. MR. ANDREW LANG.... 171 XX. MR. GEORGE MOORE . . -173 XXI. MRS. MEYNELL . . . . 176 XXII. MR. WILLIAM WATSON . . .178 BORROWED PLUMES. i. THE TWO ELIZABETHS. With acknowledgments to the respective Authors of those popular works, Elizabeth and her German Garden and The Visits of Elizabeth. It will be seen that extracts from theformersDiaryandfrom the latters Letters are given alternately, the younger Elizabeth being supposed to arrive on a visit to the elder Elizabeth about the jth of the month. MARCH IST. I am writing this in mydear with thethermometer at fifteen below garden zero Centigrade. A tumultuous North-wind, with a kiss of East in it, is blowing straight off the Baltic, bringing up faint delicious odours of sea-icicles and frozen Finn. I like these better than the smell of hyacinths, which seems to me too assertive. I often ask myself what order of mind it is that prefers new spring dresses and a town-flat to precious solitude and communion with a botanical dictionary. I open my treasure at random and read Galanthus, Gale, Galeob- dolon, Galeopsis, Galingale, Gardenia, Garlic, Gastridium. I shall send forwhole trucks of these and have them planted in masses all over the carriage-drive. I wish I were less ignorant about their symptoms, but I cannot trust to the gardener, whose imagination does not rise above artichokes, which he talks of training up the sun-dial. What a lovely solitary February it has been, with the virgin snow up to the bedroomwindows and the crocuses waiting their time, all snug and warm under their eiderdown quilt. As I look back to the daywhen I married the Man of War, with a cheerful carelessnessof consequences, andno guarantee of a garden at all, and the prospect of his constant company, I wonder at my temerity. But it has worked out admirably and surely there are few women who can enjoy their husbands absence with such pure delight, and yet tolerate his presence with such equanimity. And nowEleanor Lovelace must needs ask for her girl Elizabeth to pay me a visit for the sake of her German. I do hope she will not be too exacting and want society and tea-parties. The only rule of hospitality which I really understand is the one about speeding the parting guest. However, I hear she is very innocent and ingnue, and so she ought to be fond of flowers. She may even have a soul, and be able to talk about the easier poets. Mamma, . Chateau Chasse - Beb. Dearest I leave here to-morrow. I wish I hadnt got to stay with Grafin Elizabeth...