Page:Recollections of Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1904).djvu/32

 walls, so that whichever way I gazed I saw myself looking at myself. What space remained was occupied by pictures, chiefly old, and all of an interesting character. The mantelpiece was a most original compound of Chinese black-laquered panels, bearing designs of birds, animals, flowers and fruit in gold relief, which had a very good effect, and on either side of the grate a series of old blue Dutch tiles, mostly displaying Biblical subjects treated in the serio-comic fashion that existed at the period, were inlaid. The fire-grate itself was a beautifully-wrought example of eighteenth century design and workmanship in brass, and had fire-irons and fender to match. And in one corner of the room stood an old English china cupboard, inside of which was displayed a quantity of Spode ware. I sat down on a cosy little sofa, with landscapes and figures of the Cipriani period painted on the panels,11 and whilst admiring this curious collection of things the door opened behind me, and, turning round, I found myself face to face with Dante Gabriel Rossetti.

It was in the month of June, 1863,12 that this, my first meeting with Rossetti, took place. He must have been then about 35 years of age.13 His face conveyed to me the existence of underlying currents of strong passions impregnated with melancholy.14 His eyes were dark grey, and deeply set; the eyebrows dark, thick, and well arched; the forehead large and well rounded, and the strongly-formed brows produced a remarkable fulness