I was too disgustingly slack to write any more last night and not much seems to have happened today. I am much delighted with Augustine Birrell as a writer (not as a Cabinet Minister!!). He has a most quaint and pleasing way of putting things. Such remarks as this, when he was talking about the how Pope polished his work ‘unlike’ he says I quote from memory ‘authors of the present day who are continually emptying the slops of their minds over people’s heads without so much as a ‘heads below’!!
Barrington-Ward tells me that the German, Chinese and Austrian Ambassadors (and The Speaker) regret that they are unable to come to the Play (perhaps, thinking of the Epilogue, the former is as well!). Lord Crewe hopes to be able to come and the Italian Ambassador is delighted, ‘may he bring a friend Mr Somebody, who like himself is deeply interested in Literary history and in your historic play?’ Sir John Fisher is also coming besides other Knights and Baronets. I suggested Lord Lansdowne might come if he were asked, as his Father and Grandfather were at Westminster, Ward said he would send him a special invitation as ex-ministers are not asked officially…
It was a most unfortunate toss for Hobson on Monday about taking Prep because there was a play rehearsal this evening and Father didn’t come down until about 5 minutes to nine! I sitting snug in Inner all the time. I wrote 7 postcards and two letters this evening, one to ÔÇ£The AdmiralÔÇØ asking him to the play and one to one Jesson, a son of Thomas Jesson who was up Grants 1823-8. This is but a poor comparison to B-Ward who had 64 letters this morning.