Page:The life and letters of Sir John Henniker Heaton bt. (IA lifelettersofsi00port).pdf/162

 come out with him and see some of the newest exhibitions of pictures in London: H. H. did not often buy pictures, as his great hobby lay in collecting valuable old books. He possessed some extremely tare editions among the three thousand books in his library in Eaton Square. His Australian books were most interesting, and those which dealt with nature especially so, as many of them contained life-size illustrations of birds and flowers of the Antipodes.

H. H. was always delighted to take his daughters to any interesting social function, and in his popular company they could scarcely fail to enjoy themselves. Since no picture of contemporary social life is complete without an anecdote of the brilliant American ambassador, Mr Joseph Choate, a somewhat unsatisfactory little story may be forgiven. At the Royal Garden party His Excellency, after chatting with H. H., turned to his daughters and paid them the prettiest compliment that has perhaps ever been paid to debutantes. The elder girl turned to her sister and said, "We will never forget that as long as we live"—but from that moment to this neither of them has ever been able to recall what Mr Choate said!

It is but a melancholy satisfaction for them to feel that they were once the recipients of a yet more exquisite compliment than Sheridan's famous speech to a charming young lady: "Will you come into my garden, I would like my roses to see you."

For the greater part of his life H. H. enjoyed the best of health, but his ceaseless activity imposed too heavy a strain upon his constitution, and in 1912 he had a serious breakdown. A stroke of paralysis, due to overwork, gave cause for the gravest anxiety. Sir Lauder Brunton was called in, and gave warning that