11 July 1864 – 17 July 1864

Dined at Tom Taylor's ; Mr. Story (American Sculptor, who lives in Italy), wife and daughter, Mr. E. M. Ward ; I next Miss Story, who is chatty. Joke about the Bishop of Oxford, who told a lady he had had himself weighed, just as he came out of his bath, and was exactly naming the weight. ' With or without soap^ Bishop ? ' asked the lady. Mrs. Taylor plays. Miss S. sings. Mrs. Story asks me to call on them at 61 South Audley St.

Dine and sleep at Macmillan's, Balham. M. says he and his brother Daniel and his sister used to have better conversations together on literature than he ever heard since ' from Tennyson and all the rest of them.' He gave his opinion of Goethe, which was not high. A pleasant German lady played the piano well ; we talked of Freiligrath, etc.

Hot. Browning having written a note about me to Arthur Sullivan the composer, I visited the latter to-day. He lives at 27 Claverton Terrace, Pimlico, and is organist at some church — perhaps in that neighbourhood. A. S. is short and tight, with dark complexion and thick curly black hair parted in the middle. Perhaps partly Jew ^ — a suspicion confirmed by his Mother's appearance, who is stout and dark. His Father, a South of Ireland man, is, I believe, dead. We talked of Operas and Songs : some notion floating among us that I might furnish him with words to set. He thinks Faust the best possible subject for an Opera, and wishes it had fallen to his lot to set it. Asks me if I can come to Covent Garden Theatre on Tuesday evening : he plays the organ in the Cathedral scene in Faust. I tell the traditionary story of the origin of the name SulHvan, which seems to interest him. An Irish Chieftain, famous for generosity, had one day at his board a Stranger-Guest — no unusual thing there. After the banquet this man, who was in truth a bitter enemy, cried aloud, ' A boon, O Chief! ' < Ask for what thou wilt,' said the Chief, ' it shall be given thee.' ' Give me thy right eye,' said the other. And sooner than break his word the Chief plucked out his eye and ordered it to be given to that evil guest. Henceforward the generous man was called Suil aon^ the One Eyed. By steamer to London Bridge and rail to Plumstead ; after some wandering, find the Red House at last in its rose-garden, and William Morris, and his queenly wife crowned with her own black hair.