Lady Dorothy Nevill

“{{cite web|title=Portrait of Lady Dorothy Nevill|website=artwarefineart|url=https://www.artwarefineart.com/gallery/portrait-lady-dorothy-nevill-1826-1913-writer-hostess-horticulturist-plant-collector}}”

“{{wikisource-inline|Author:Dorothy Fanny Nevill}}”

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“Lady Dorothy Nevill is the most interesting of all known and recognized nonagenarians. The very title of her new book indicates the long backward reach of her memory. She was a little girl when {{w|George IV|George IV.}} died. She has lived to see the accession of {{w|George V|George V.}} She loves the old days, but she is no bigoted admirer of the old ways. She recognizes that, on the whole, the march of progress has uplifted classes and masses alike, though at some temporary loss, among the first, in charm and distinction of manner, and, among the second, in color and atmosphere.”

“During my childhood at Islington the vicar of Puddletown was of the fox-hunting sort, quite different to the modern conception of a clergyman. He was popular enough with his parishioners, though I suspect he never saw half of them till they came up to be buried.”

“Not very far from {{w|Islington}} is the quaint old town of {{w|Puddletown}}, which, I believe, took its name from the de Pydeles, one of those Norman families which came into England with the Conqueror. The church is particularly interesting, being one of the very few unrestored ones in {{w|Dorset|Dorsetshire}}—a county which has suffered terribly at the hands of the {{w|Conservator-restorer|restorer}}. ...If only because Puddletown Church is the church of Mr. Hardy's {{w|Far from the Madding Crowd}}, it should be left untouched.”

“Amongst other pictures which I remember in {{w|Wolterton Hall|our old home}} was the famous {{w|The Rainbow Landscape (1636)|'Rainbow Rubens,'}} now in the {{w|Wallace Collection}}, as well as a fine portrait of {{w|André-Hercule de Fleury|Cardinal Fleury}} and another of {{w|Alexander Pope|Pop}}e—both presents from the Cardinal and the poet to {{w|Robert Walpole|Lord Walpole}}.”

“Among the political squibs in my scrap-book there is one directed against the over-taxation which in long-past days certainly did press heavily upon the people of England. Exceedingly well written, it is, I believe, an extract from an article by Sydney Smith, published in the {{w|Edinburgh Review}} about 1820.”

“My learned and accomplished friend, {{w|Augustus Jessopp|Dr. Jessopp}}, has written a most interesting history, entitled One Generation of a Norfolk House. It is more or less the history of the {{w|Walpole family}} in early times.”