July 15
Here we are at Sir George Higginson's beautiful country-seat, which he inherited.
The house is large and part of it was built in Queen Elizabeth's time.
First experience of the simple ways of English houses, but I do not like so much waiting upon. From this visit we returned to London.
July 17
Afternoon at Alma-Tadema's studio, a fascinating and picturesque house of which the studio is the centre; his wife has one also.
He is a rigorous Dutchman, cordial in his praise of American art as seen in La Farge's stained glass and Tiffany's glass-work.
Says America leads the world in these. In September Colonel Higginson wrote from Paris:
The best thing I have done is to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower, twice as high as any other building on earth.
There was a high wind when we got up and the building did not tremble.
It seemed to me as great a triumph of man in dealing with matter as were the Pyramids — perhaps greater.
Another great triumph of men (or women) over accidents is the cheerful and active life of a young [American] girl here . . . who was born without legs and with only one arm; she is full of activity, a capital traveller (on a little portable chair), speaks four languages, and has a fine voice for
