[Cheltenham—Wednesday, 27 July 1859]
Wednesday 27th Went to Lord Northwick’s to see the pictures he collected which are selling every day at auction. Alas! Alas! Such a picture as we saw by David! I can never forget it. Surely it is one of the finest we ever saw. The blind Belisarius at the gates of Carthage begging. This is the subject but treated with a simplicity and pathos inexpressible except by what men call genius. Captain Robertson came in, in the evening and asked us to drive and dine with him the next day.
