Memoir and Letters of Francis W. Newman by Giberne Sieveking
page 134 of 413 (32%)
page 134 of 413 (32%)
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cook has made a new vegetarian dish for my lunch to-day, and I requested
her to make some for you, as I am quite sure it will suit you." The dish turned out to be delicious--one of those which his wonderful vegetarian cook was so constantly inventing. [Footnote: The parlourmaid, on being reprimanded for not showing Newman into the drawing-room, said she thought she was only to show "gentlemen" into the drawing-room!] Newman had a theory that plants feel pain, and that we should treat all vegetable life as if it were sentient, and care for it accordingly. The Professor was always ready to respond to any appeals for the advancement of the Woman's Suffrage movement. At that time it was very unpopular, but whenever we had meetings in favour of it at our house he was always the moving spirit. At Weston-super-Mare Newman lived a life of great seclusion, and I believe I was the only young girl who visited him constantly--indeed, ours was the only house to which he came almost daily. Once when he was very ill, I think I was the only visitor admitted; and as Hannah, his old servant, ushered me in with a smile of pleasure, I heard a curious sound. On looking back to the hall door I saw a huge netting hanging from where the letter-box should be, trailing along the floor like a huge sausage, crammed full of letters of enquiry for the Professor. Hannah told me "the master had not been able to attend to them." I had long possessed a great wish to devote my time to the study of modelling, and my father's great wish was that I should devote myself to Art. In 1885 I gained the distinction of a silver medal at Taunton Exhibition for modelling some flowers in clay on vases, with low relief panels. This pleased the Professor very much; and when, one day, I told |
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