An Autobiography of an Ancient Athlete & Antiquarian

88 AUTOBIOGRAPHY On the 17th I bought the Smith Norfolk Collection of Prints (about 7,000 items), &c., which I afterwards gave to the Norwich Public Library. Soon after I had a touch of rheumatic gout, very pain– ful, but cured it by droppiug meat for a while. My sisters were thinking of buying a house at Hemel Hempstead and I went over to SP.e it. They afterwards bought it and called it " Baconsthorpe." Early in April I went to Norwich as to the Cawston Estate. I rode over the estate with Moxon after having had lunch with Purdy at Aylsham. ''A poor Tombland Fair, only 9,000 sheep." This was thought very bad then, but now nowadays, since Lynn has taken away the trade it would be thought very good. On the 4th I had occasion to go to North Repps to inspect the register. The Rev. Dr. Cresswell (since deceased) was very bitter about the Gurneys, whom he accused of all sorts of crimes '' except arson," but after a little persuasion on my part he admitted remembering some suspicious fires in the neighbourhood, which might be attributed to tlrem ! I fancied myself as a good bater, but felt a perfect lamb by his side. Evening to East Dereham. On Easter Monday I took a dog cart to \,Vroxham, but our boat was not out of water yet. On to Stalham, having a picnic lunch at Lynes'. On 21st was our concert at Consumption Hospital. Clarke sang, Sachs conjured, and M. Wilson recited, all very well. Ou the 25th, with Macfarlane to Alton and Selborne. Orchids out sparingly, weather fine, but wet coming back. On May Day to Woodrow's, dinner at the Guildhall, General Purposes Committee. I ·sat between W. W. Ball and Harry Furness, who drew an amusing sketch on my menu card, which I still cherish. To Norwich about the Marsham Exchange from 2nd to 4th, and drove over with Baldry to Rackheath and Wroxham, but found the boat had still not been touched! On the 15th I heard that the garden next to me at Hampstead had been let for the erection of flats. I told the buyer Elsden, a builder, that I should block any lights he might open, and offered to take the ground off his hands, but he defied me.