The Letters of the Duke of Wellington to Miss J. 1834-1851 Part 4

You would practice neither. You would not sit _patiently_ and hear the stupid Irreligion of the Talker; you would reply to Him; and this occasioned much of the Annoyance which occurred.

I find that I am again taking your part, instead of my own. I do so in my own satisfaction. If you are not satisfied with my observations, you will at least perceive that I had read, nay more reflected upon your Letter and the account you gave of yourself.

But why should you torment yourself by thinking that I did not read, and did not care for what you represented that you suffered. You must be aware that you are mistaken! Believe me Ever Yours most sincerely

W.

"I presume from the Duke's next letter that I had given him a description of my interview and acquaintance with Major and Mrs. P.

as he therein writes--'I am very happy that you have again seen Major and Mrs. P. I don't wonder that they should have been desirous of finding you.'

"In his next, dated the 4th, he writes--'I hope, indeed I am certain that you will not cease to write to me what you feel and that you will excuse me if I sometimes venture to act your part although not exactly in your department. I came down to the house of Lords directly after the Post arrived and I am writing to you from thence.' Judging by the next letter, dated August 6th, I had made some enquiry concerning Major P. as the Duke replies thus, 'I don't recollect Major P. But as nearly every officer in the Army who has served has served with me I don't doubt that he has. Ask him in what regiment he served.'"

LONDON, August 7, 1835.

MY DEAR MISS J.,--I beg pardon again for having omitted to notice the personal Inconvenience you suffered in your Journey to and your arrival in Harrowgate. I should have thought the impertinent Blasphemy of the Travellers in the Stage Coach would have annoyed you more than any personal inconvenience.

I see no chance of my quitting London; or of having one moment's respite from Business. I pa.s.sed twelve Hours yesterday; and I am going to pa.s.s twelve Hours this day in the House of Peers. I hope therefore that I shall see you even though your stay in Harrowgate should be prolonged more than you expect.

Believe me Ever Yours most sincerely

W.

This, with the other letters given entire, is copied from the original MS. in the Duke's handwriting. Miss J. quotes only a line from the above, and goes on to one written the next day:--

"In that dated the 8th of August the Duke writes 'I don't consider with you that it is necessary to enter into a disputation with every wandering Blasphemer--much must depend upon the circ.u.mstances. But I must say that the Meekness of the Christian is better displayed by silence on such an occasion, and more good is done by contempt than by any disputation. However I may be wrong and you right and I only suggest my own opinion.'

"In the Duke's letter dated August 8th he alludes kindly to my health, adding 'I am very much flattered by your letters but I hope that you will not think it necessary to write when it will produce pain or uneasiness to make such an exertion. As long as your silence will not be attributed to your being offended at anything I may have done or written, or may have omitted I shall regret it as it will prove to me that you are indisposed but I shall not feel that you are displeased.' By the Duke's next letter, dated August 12th, I presume I had referred to his time being so much occupied as he in reply writes 'It is true that I am very much occupied, and cannot tell when I shall be less so. But I am at all times happy to hear from you and to write you an answer in return.'

"In the Duke's little lecturing letter of the 13th of August he writes; 'I beg you not to hesitate about writing to me whenever it can be agreeable to you. I am not capable of answering you and quoting Chapter and verse in support of my answer but I take from your own letter a word which I think supports my opinion, "Charity beareth all things." You will quote much to show that you ought to enter the lists upon every occasion that offers or rather that is intruded upon you, etc, etc, etc. You see that I am fast taking your part from you.'

"O that you could! for it was my desire that the Duke should become a Paul in his generation, sitting at his feet accordingly.

"In the Duke's letter of the 14th of August he writes--'My attendance in the House of Lords is not at this moment so constant as it was some days ago. Yet its business occupies much of my time in the morning but I have some for other purposes.'

"By the Duke's letter of the 17th I must have a.s.sured him of my intention to return to Town--for he writes--'I shall not have left London when you will return and I will certainly call upon you as soon as I shall have heard where you will be. I shall still be as I am now, much occupied with the Business of Parliament but I don't doubt that I shall be able to find a moment to call upon you either in the morning or the evening.'

"In the Duke's letter of the 18th he kindly advises me not to travel at night fearing it may prove injurious adding 'I have more experience than most persons in travelling.'

"In the Duke's letter of August 19th he writes as follows--'I write to you constantly in return for your letters and I find time to do so without inconvenience, but I am afraid that I shall not be able to go to see you with so much fidelity. A visit takes time, to write a letter is an affair of a few minutes. I am never in Town excepting during the sitting of Parliament and then only when there is much business to be transacted which occupies my whole time.'

"By the Duke's of the 20th I must have complained of the worldliness, etc. around me for he writes after remarking thereon; 'But if you should recover your health there you must not mind the annoyance of the irregularities of what is called the Company.' The Duke kindly says in his next, dated August 21st, 'I hope you are not coming away sooner than is good for you.'

"In the Duke's next letter of the 22nd of August he writes--'I shall expect to hear from you when you will arrive and will be settled in London and I will pay you a visit as soon afterwards as it will be in my power.'

"The next letter from the Duke is dated August 26th, implying he proposed calling when in his power, but adds 'You arrive at a moment in which I am much occupied. You are at some distance from hence; and I don't think that from nine in the morning till 12 at night I could easily find half an hour which I can call my own and at my disposition.'

"In the Duke's letter of the 27th he writes; 'I will endeavor to call upon you this day before three. I cannot afterwards. If I should call when you don't expect me I will send up that I am the Gentleman to whom you wrote; unless I should previously hear from you that I may mention my Name.'

"Which of course I did not allow, as it was not my desire to be noticed in the neighborhood, shrinking from it then, as I do now, when it can be avoided. I recollect the Duke's visit well for he had to wait until I was dressed by dear Mrs. L. who was in the house at the time, as usual, for I think he came earlier than I had expected. Consequently in his next of the 29th he writes; 'I don't see why you are to take the trouble of dressing to receive me. But that is your own affair. If you should do so I can wait with Patience.'

"This was very pretty in His Grace, but as my dress was always very simple, it did not require any great exercise of that virtue.

"By the Duke's next letter of Sept. 1st I fear another letter is missing as he writes therein 'Mine of yesterday morning will have informed you that I was obliged to attend the King at Windsor on Sat.u.r.day and a part of His family at Kew on Sunday.--I did not say that _all_ my time was pa.s.sed in the House of Lords. Much of it is certainly pa.s.sed out of the House, but a great part of it is pa.s.sed in receiving and talking to the Hundreds, I may say, of the persons who have business in the House and come to converse on the business with me.'

"In the Duke's next letter of Sept. 4th he writes; 'I received this morning your letter of yesterday, but have not received the Tract that you mention. It is possibly too heavy for the 2nd Post.'

"Perhaps this was the case, as I do not recollect hearing any more of it. The next letter from His Grace is dated the same, Sept. 4th, Noon, in which he writes; 'I will endeavor to fix and let you know the time in which I can wait upon you again.'

"The Duke's next is dated Sept. 5th, in which he writes; 'I was in the House of Lords from 5 in the evening till two this morning. I am much obliged to you for the Tract which I will return as soon as I shall have perused it.' I presume this must have been a little book ent.i.tled The Joy of Israel as I only _lent_ that to people, its having been a Gift, for it is still in my possession. In the Duke's next, dated Sept. 7th, the Duke writes--'I have received your letter written on Sat.u.r.day for which I return you many thanks.

I am very sorry that I am so much occupied as to be unable to make my acknowledgments in person.'

"The Duke's next letter of Sept. 9th acknowledges one from me wherein I presume I have shown submission to the Divine will concerning the difficulty attending his visits for he writes;

"'This could not be otherwise. In the mean time be a.s.sured that I am anxious to have the pleasure and benefit of conversing with you as often as it may be in my power to see you.'"

A few pa.s.sages taken from Miss J.'s Diary at this time are interesting as displaying the intimate friendship that at this period existed between her and the Duke. On the 6th of September she writes:--

"I have been here (in London,) nearly a fortnight, yet have seen the Duke only twice, but receive letters daily,--and last night a particularly kind one. I have been expecting him, but he comes not, being so occupied with his Parliamentary business. What can I say to such things but this,--'Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?' and, 'Has HE not a right to do what HE will with His own?'

"_September 10th._ I wrote to the Duke to-day and hope the Lord will permit him to receive and answer it kindly. The Subject on which I addressed him was on Christ becoming sin for us and bearing the wrath of the Father. O Lord, I pray Thee, have mercy upon his precious soul!

"_September 14th._ I shall have been here three weeks to morrow, during which I have seen the Duke four times, and will just allude to the subjects introduced during each visit.

"The first brought with it remarks on TRUE n.o.bility, obliging me to declare it is to be found only in _Christ_ and _His Righteousness_ in man. I mentioned what St. Paul said when contrasting the Bereans with the Thessalonians, namely, 'These were more n.o.bLE than those _in Thessalonica in that they received the word with all readiness_ of mind, and _searched the Scriptures_ DAILY, _whether these things were so_.'

"During the second visit, I read to him the 49th Psalm and particularly called his attention to the last verse thereof thus written--'Man that is in honour and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish,' reminding him they were G.o.d'S _Words_.

"During his third visit I told him I should like to be hated of all men for Christ's sake! and during his fourth and last that he did not believe Christ to be The Son of G.o.d! since which I have written to him daily and the first reply I receive is one calculated to produce another check to my feelings, all of which I give up entirely to the Lord, imploring Him to govern and actuate them just as HE sees His own honor and glory require, causing me to make nothing a consideration in comparison therewith."

One can hardly imagine the Iron Duke, the conqueror of Napoleon, the representative of the nation in foreign councils, the ex-Prime Minister, the man upon whom his country delighted to heap honors, hearkening meekly to these homilies from pretty lips upon what const.i.tuted true n.o.bility. It is impossible to believe that his secret feelings were not those of amus.e.m.e.nt, however respectful his outward semblance. Nor is there much room for question as to whether he would have listened with as commendable patience had his lecturer been a man or a plain-faced woman advanced in years.

CHAPTER V.

FRESH DIFFICULTIES.

In spite of the harmonious relations existing between this curious pair of friends, another storm was brewing. The basis of this was a ridiculously slight matter. Miss J. was a stickler for all forms of deference, and carried this weakness to the verge of absurdity. Upon this was founded the quarrel. On the same day with the last entries given from her Diary one finds the following:--

"This morning I received the first letter from the Duke since his departure from Town,--and felt surprised at the alteration in the Seal,--_being plain!_ and unlike any other before received, which I consequently acknowledged with the feeling that a want of apparent respect where the _deepest_ is merited ought to call forth ... My feelings were I not afraid of offending G.o.d would incline me to seal up all the Duke's letters and return them, conscious that I merit an increase rather than a diminution of respect. Except such is bestowed the Duke need not be surprised at any step The Lord may incline me to take."

One may be pardoned for the suspicion that the feelings attributed to the Lord were in fact derived from quite another source. The next day she continues to harp on the same subject:--

"_September 15th._ I rose this morning with the determination to write to the Duke, and did so before breakfast, when I took it to the Post Office myself, leaving the result with Him Who doeth all things well and leaveth nothing after Him."