Mrs. Watts Hughes writes the following notes relating to those years of the 'seventies:-- I remember the incident you refer to at Eton College. The _Orfeo_ performance was given by the Eton boys, who had formed a society among themselves with the view of making acquaintance with the music of the great masters. I took the part of _Orfeo_, and a niece of Darwin's, Miss Wedgwood, who is now Lady Farrer, sang Euridice's part. I believe Lord Leighton sang in some of the quartettes and choruses. I often met Lord Leighton at Mrs. Sartoris' musical gatherings at her house in Park Place, St. James', when he would sing very heartily the tenor parts of the old madrigals, in which also Mrs. Douglas Freshfield, Miss Ritchie, and others took part with Mrs. Sartoris, who on some occasions would sing one of her great operatic _Arias_ which brought her so much fame in her former years. In 1877 Leighton began to build the famous Arab Hall.[55] The following letters from Sir Richard Burton refer to the collecting and sending of one instalment of the precious tiles:-- DAMASCUS, _March 22, 1871_. DEAR MR. LEIGHTON,--I have just returned from a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, or yours of April 14th, 1871, would not have remained so long unanswered. And now to business. I am quite as willing to have a house pulled down for you now as when at Vichy,[56] but the difficulty is to find a house with tiles. The _bric-à-brac_ sellers have quite learned their value, and demand extravagant sums for poor articles. Of course you want good old specimens, and these are waxing very rare. My friends, Drake and Palmer, were lucky enough, when at Jerusalem, to nobble a score or so from the so-called Mosque of Omar. Large stores are there found, but unhappily under charge of the Wakf, and I fancy that long payments would be required. However, I shall send your letter to my colleague, Moore, who will do what he can for you. The fact is, it is a work of patience. My wife and I will keep a sharp look-out for you, and buy up as many as we can find which seem to answer your description. If native inscriptions--white or blue, for instance--are to be had, I shall secure them, but not if imperfect. Some clearing away of rubbish is expected at Damascus; the Englishman who superintends is a friend of mine, and I shall not neglect to get from him as much as possible.