Wednesday 17 March 2010

A Most Elegant Soirée

MrsM and her companion, Lucille,
have invitations to the most select of soirées.
They have come to hear
the Celebrated Authoress, Amanda Vickery,
talk about her new book in the elegant surroundings
of Sir John Soane's house in Lincoln's Inn Fields.

Firstly, there are drinks in the Yellow Drawing Room
MrsM and Lucille cannot help admiring their fellow guests
and commenting on the charming young man
in the rainbow-coloured patchwork leather suit.

Next, they must sit on exquisite red chairs with gold legs
in the Library with walls of Pompeiian Red
and listen to Amanda Vickery,
incandescent in flamboyant red drapery.
She is the most vivacious and confident of performers
with teasing extracts from her research
including mentions of Anthony Trollope
who was apparently directionless as a young man.
How fortunate we are that he left such a detailed journal
to inform our knowledge of the life of a Georgian bachelor.

Afterwards, MrsM and Lucille explore the house
which is illuminated with hundreds of candles,
reflecting off mirrors and polished wood
and flickering in the most enchanting manner
around the myriad sculptures.

Such a magical evening.

MrsM smiles all the way home,
thinking of the pleasure of meeting Lucille for the first time
and clutching her autographed copy of
Behind Closed Doors.

15 comments:

  1. What a lovely evening you had. I visited the house last week to see Mrs Delany's lovely embroideries (wouldn't you just love auriculas and cornflowers on your skirt!). But it wasn't as atmospheric as seeing it all by candlelight. I did wonder if Lady Soane was itching to have a good clear-out and a thorough dusting.

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  2. Great night. So "English". I like that.

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  3. I'm so jealous - it sounds like such a fantastic evening.

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  4. I find myself desperately wanting a yellow drawing room.

    I sounds like a rather perfect evening.

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  5. Sophistication personified.

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  6. I'm such a heathen I just keep thinking about the dust.

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  7. I know you would enjoy a meal with me at the burger joint, lit by bare bulbs, and wrapped in brown paper too, though, yes?

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  8. I'm jealous. really. you know I dont like the color yellow very much but the yellow-room just looks fantastic.
    I would have loved to see it myself so thanks very much for sharing the pics ;)

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  9. a soiree? I don't think I've ever had one of those...

    especially a magical one attended by a gentleman in a rainbow/leather patchwork suit.

    sigh.

    I'm filling insurance forms... not quite the same level.

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  10. It seems the perfect location for such a fancy evening!

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  11. Some of those pots in the library were dreadfully dusty when I saw them in daylight - candlelight must hide a multitude of sins. I suppose you'd need scaffolding to get high enough to dust them!

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  12. This is one of my favourite places. I love to take visitors to London either to here or the Geffrye Museum - both of them places that aren't on the general tourist route.

    Oh and my kitchen is the same yellow. I wonder if old JS would ever have suspected he would inspire lilltle ole me.

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  13. All that and you don't mention that Sir John Soane's musuem is a Designated Collection!

    (though on a serious note I'm glad you had such a lovely evening - it sounds truly marvellous)

    x

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  14. Did you get to open the doors there?
    (Physical not metaphorical)
    OH MY GOODNEES MRS M!
    You'll never guess what the word today is for verification....Oh pardon me..I read it wrong..phew..

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