Page:The life and letters of Sir John Henniker Heaton bt. (IA lifelettersofsi00port).pdf/181

 Excuse this egotistical letter in my sunset days, I have no vanity, no desire for fame.

A letter from Lord Blyth to H. H. in Australia, dated September 25th, 1913:

After the way I have neglected you as regards writing I am now half ashamed to communicate with you again. I console myself with the thought that a letter could not possibly have reached you before your departure from Australia

Before Sir George Reid left for Australia and before My departure for Carlsbad, I had the honour of being one of a very distinguished party of 14 who dined with Sir George at the United Service Club to meet Mr Elihu Root, the well-known United States Senator, where I met Lord Haldane, Lord Morley, and Mr Bonar Law, next to whom I sat, and we had a most convivial evening. You will no doubt have seen that the Foundation Stone of the Australian Commonwealth Building in the Strand was laid by King George. Nothing could have been better arranged by Sir George for the distinguished company that there assembled. I met Lord Stamfordham at a dinner at the Athenaeum Club a day or two afterwards when he told me that the King was delighted at the splendid way Sir George had managed matters, and really I think he has shown himself quite a hero of this season, and has done more than most men for the salvation of the Empire. I hope we shall soon see him back again here and that I may often meet him with you

I should tell you that under promise made some time previously I went last week to Holker Hall in Lancashire to stay with Lord Richard Cavendish,