| Description | My Dear Signor
You may like to have a word about dear old Browning's funeral. I had another ticket for the choir, but finding very many friends among the 'Reserved' places I joined them with your ticket & walked in the procession with [-] & the Wentworths. Hallam I am glad to say was there with Leighton, Theodore Martin, Sir Fitz Stephen & others as pall bearers, and an immense gathering of notabilities in all arts & all grades in literature & society. It was a very solemn & impressive scene, the abbey lighted up as if at night & the music very tender & beautiful. Bridge's anthem 'So He Giveth His Beloved Sleep' was very touching & beautifully sung. A very great [-] of famous people came to do honour to the great man and he could hardly have had a more dignified obsequies. It was a very dark morning but brightened towards noon & I hoped you were having sunshine. It may [-] you for such weather as you have had that this is now the fourth consecutive day of black fog here. Yesterday it was absolute night all day long.
We are mediataing a descent on you next Thursday ev'ing & a stay over Friday. So you haven't quite shaken us off yet!
I hope you are none the worse for our rather noisy Christmas. You & Mary largely contributed to making it the pleasantest I can remember. So also said Lady Lilian!
Yours affec'ly
[Andrew?] Hichens |