The Henson Journals

[23]

Thursday, August 29th, 1901.

I wrote to Podge: & then went with Mrs Reichel to the Riddarholm Church, & the Riddar house. Both are more interesting than impressive. Then I went to the Collections in the ^[left blank]^ and looked at indifferent pictures and sculpture. There were some Rembrandts, & other Dutch Masters: & a few French pictures worth seeing: but the modern Swedes are great only in the area of their canvas. An immense collection of china, plate, furniture etc. might reward the toil of working through it with an adequate guide–book: in default of any guide–book I contented myself with little more than a walk through. After lunch we made an excursion on Lake Malaren to ^[left blank]^ where we looked at the king's Villa, with its beautiful gardens, & enjoyed ourselves in one of the most romantic scenes in the world. After dinner I wrote to Fedarb, & sent cards to the following:–

Canon Armitage Robinson

Amy Last.

Alec Beechey

Stanley Syms.

Charles Ramsey

Dulce Oman

Harold Atkins

Ernest Reynolds.

It is a harmless, if also a rather futile proceeding. Probably it gives some pleasure to those who receive cards: certainly it inflicts little loss on those who send them. The absence of books drives one to any resource, not patently mischievous, for filling up the vacant ends of hotel–residence. And in their absence, it must be confessed one seems even to love one's friends.

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