The Henson Journals

[20]

Monday, August 26th, 1901.

The morning disappointed happily the dark promise of the night. It was brilliant. I breakfasted in the café adjoining the Hôtel, & then went in search of a barber. I found one (not feminine) after a long wandering. The Swedes do not hang out the accustomed symbols to guide the unshorn alien. Then to the post but found no letter. We visited the Royal Library, where the Librarian, to whom Reichel had a letter of introduction, showed us much courtesy. We saw the 'Devil's Bible', an immense 13th century codex written on the skins of 32 asses, & adorned with a large & lurid figure of Satan. It was brought from Prague in 1648. At lunch we were struck by the unusual height of two soldiers who, with a shorter comrade, were dining at the next table. The waiter afterwards informed us that the taller of the two was Prince Karl: & that his father, King Oscar, was 'a little longer'. We spent the afternoon in a steamboat excursion to Saltsjobaden – rather more than an hour on the water. The views are most beautiful. After dinner we went to the Opera, & witnessed a rather inferior performance of the 'Huguenots'. I wrote to Gore, making some criticisms on his articles in the 'Pilot' anent the new Criticism.