Notting Hill Gate
London W.
Dear Miss Walbridge,
Your last letter was received while I was at home, but I thought I would wait until I arrived in London before answering it. I have been here nearly a month so far and I have my Aunt and Cousin with me. We came per S.S. Tunisian and enjoyed the trip very much except two or three days. None of us were very seasick.I was the worst but kept it off by lying still and did not have a bad time of it. We met some people on the way whose destination was the same as ours and as they had children with them they were not successful in finding a boarding place so they took a house and rent us rooms. The day after we arrived my cousin Mr. H.H. Cubley of 718 Eastlake Ave S-1 and myself presented ourselves at the Royal College of Music, and I had an examination the next day. As I was not up very well in rudiments etc they put me in Dr. Read's class, and I have Mr. Franklin Taylor for piano, one whom Mr. Cornish told me to try and get under. Before I was put in Dr. Read's class I had a paper of ques. to answer and as I never made use of chrotchets (I do not know how to spell it), greavers, minims etc. I did not know the simplest thing on the paper, but have got used to them now. Both of my teachers are very nice and I have a lesson of Mr. Taylor every Wed. + Sat. at 5 pm and from Dr. Read at 2 pm Wednesdays. I have had some of Bach's Inventions in three parts, Figs. in Sequence by different authors, and a book called Primer of Pianoforte Playing by my teacher, and some Czerny, until I get my fingers in better order. Technic here is different from that in Canada. Mr. Taylor makes me keep all my fingers up, in readiness for striking, and strike hard. There are concerts every Sunday afternoon at 3:30 in the large Albert Hall and I enjoy them immensely. There is a gallery in the hall for standing-room which is free and there are seats for 3d, 6d, 13 + 23. There is a very fine band of 80 pieces called the Royal Artillery Band and the next largest organ in the world with 5 manuals and 111 stops. They also have a gentleman and lady singer every Sunday, and a different organist also. We all paid a visit to Westminster Abbey two weeks ago to-day. On Mondays the different chapels are open and free to the public while on other days they charge to see them. We saw the tombs of all the English Royalty, the old Coronation Chair etc. You cannot walk anywhere in the Abbey scarcely, without standing on somebody's grave, and it is just full of monuments etc. On nearly every stone of the floor is carved somebody's name. They were digging Mrs. Gladstone's grave the day we were there and I would have gone to the funeral if I could, which was there next day. As we were there a long while there were two services and we heard the organ and choir. The organ is a very nice one. The cases are very rich as they were given In Memoriam. Padereweski played in Queen's Hall not long ago, but only one piece which was composed expressly for him. They give away quite a number of tickets for concerts at the College and I have been to some of them. My piano is a very good one I think. I am renting it of the landlord, and he had me go and choose it before it was put in here. It is made by Geo. Culverwell. They have Broadwood grand pianos in the College in every classroom and that is the make here I suppose. Well I must close this letter. I hope you will write soon to Yours Sincerely
W. Lynnwood Farnam
July 2nd, 1900
