The Letters of the Duke of Wellington to Miss J. 1834-1851 Part 7

"The Duke's next letter expresses concern at my illness, dated Dec.

21, 1835.

"The Duke's next letter of the 24th of Dec. implies my account of my health was not satisfactory--which I suppose must have been justifiable as I was then so seriously ill.

"Another letter dated the 26th of December kindly expresses anxiety concerning my health also one of the 31st of December.

"Letters received from the Duke during the year 1835, SEVENTY-EIGHT."

"1836.--The first letter of this year is dated Jan. 2nd wherein the Duke writes 'The Duke is very sensible of the kindness which induces Miss J. to write to him. He would have wished to receive from her some account of Her Health as well as her opinion upon other matters, however important. The Duke will certainly request Miss J.'s permission to pay His Respects to her when he will return to Town.'

"The Duke's next letter is dated Jan. 19th, in which he writes--'On his pa.s.sage through London he has received her letter of the 11th Inst. He sincerely rejoices at and congratulates Miss J. upon the progress which she has made in the recovery of her health.'

"I see this is a mistake as the Duke's next letter is dated Jan.

7th in which he thanks me for my account of my health and the next is dated Jan 13th wherein he writes thus; 'He will wait upon her after having notified His intention and received her permission when he will be in London. He rejoices at the improved state of Miss J.'s health.'

"'Feb. 3rd he regrets much to learn that she has been again indisposed.'

"In the Duke's letter of Feb. 19th he writes; 'He returns his thanks for her note of the 17th received this morning and the printed Enclosures.' What these printed enclosures were I do not now remember but presume they were a tract and handbills.

"In his next dated the 25th of February he writes; 'He returns his thanks for her letter, and he is very happy to hear that Miss J. is sufficiently recovered to be able to quit her room and go down stairs.'

"In the Duke's next letter dated March 9th 1836, he writes--'The Duke has been out of Town for some time so therefore he did not receive her first note till last night, and this day the second which Miss J. has written to him, enclosing printed tracts; and the latter some Ma.n.u.script Lines. The Duke begs leave to return his thanks.'

"Again on the 12th of March the Duke writes 'He has received her note and the Tract on one leaf; for which he returns his thanks.'

Again on the 19th of March the Duke writes--'The Duke of Wellington presents his Compliments to Miss J. and returns his thanks for the Tract and other papers received from her.'

"The Duke's next letter likewise acknowledges--'His thanks for her letter of the 20th and its Enclosures.' To which he adds--'The Duke is happy to learn that Miss J. is sufficiently recovered to be able to walk out.'

"In the Duke's next letter dated, March 25th he writes 'The Duke of Wellington presents his Compliments to Miss J. and returns thanks for her Note and the Tract which she enclosed to him.'

"Again London, March the 29th, the Duke writes--He 'returns his thanks for her letter of Sunday and the enclosures.'

"The next letter from His Grace is dated April 2nd, 1836, thanking me for two letters, one received on Good Friday and the other written on Good Friday,--which last, of course, treated on our Lord's Sufferings for us sinners, as usual on such occasions.

"On the 11th of April the Duke again writes 'He has received her Note with some Tracts.'

"The next letter from the Duke is dated April 12th, 1836, in which he returns me, as requested, a letter I had sent for his perusal and consideration, addressed to a Minister of the Gospel by my dear friend Mrs. L.

"The Duke's next letter is written on and dated June 18th, 1836.

'The Duke of Wellington presents his regards to Miss J. and returns thanks for her letter and its enclosure. The Duke is happy to learn that Miss J. is in good Health. He was apprehensive that she was unwell, and had gone out of Town, as so much time had elapsed since she had written to the Duke.' I need scarcely remark that this was the day on which the Duke gave his yearly Banquet--yet The great Lord of Lords compelled him to find time thereon to write to me, thus verifying His own Divine declaration, 'Them that honor ME I will honor.'"

One wonders where the busy statesman could have found time to read not only the letters, but the hymns and tracts Miss J. constantly showered upon him. There seems a tone of resignation, if not actual despair, in the notes wherein he acknowledges the receipt of this flood of pious literature.

"In the Duke's next letter of June 21st he writes--'The Duke of Wellington presents his Compliments to Miss J. and he acknowledges the receipt of, and thanks her for her letter of the 19th inst. and enclosures. Miss J. does not advert to the state of her health, but as she says that she walks in the Park, the Duke hopes that she is entirely recovered.'

"His Grace's letter of June 23rd returns his thanks, adding: 'When Miss J. mentions her walks in the park The Duke concludes that she means in what is called the Regent's Park, in the neighborhood of the Street in which she lives.' Which was the case yet of which beautiful Park I knew nothing until dearest Mrs. L. took me into it for the benefit of the air, after the illness herein alluded to.

"The next letter from the Duke is dated June 27th, 1836, in which he writes--'Miss J. complains of the change of the style of the Duke's letters; although she does not express a wish that the former style should be renewed.'

"I certainly had a great objection to the formality attending the Duke's letters when written in the third person, feeling restrained in replying to such in like manner."

CHAPTER VI.

COMPARATIVE CALM.

The next letter is copied from the original:

LONDON, June 28, 1836.

The Duke of Wellington presents his Comp^s to Miss J. The Duke has this morning received her very kind Letter of yesterday for which he returns His thanks. The Duke begs leave again to a.s.sure Miss J. that whatever may be the form in which he writes to her; the motive in doing so is the same as ever; and that he is ever sensible of and grateful for her kindness.

The Duke will with the greatest pleasure go to see her whenever it may suit Miss J. to receive him.

The Duke did not say anything upon the Letter which Miss J. had written to the Gentleman in question because he was unwilling to obtrude His opinion upon a matter which Miss J. considers one of Duty; in which the Duke is so unfortunate as to differ in opinion with her.

Prudence and Discretion would appear to require that Miss J.

should not rebuke a Gentleman for words spoken not to Her; not even in Her Presence; but to Her Landlady in the relation of a Lodger in the House.

The Duke may be wrong. But he considers the exercise of Prudence and discretion virtues; not unbecoming to any Character however exalted.

The Diary continues:--

"Judging by the contents of the Duke's next letter dated June 29th, 1836, I presume I had felt from circ.u.mstances under the necessity of putting aside his proposed visit adverted to in his last, as follows 'The Duke will with the greatest pleasure go to see her whenever it may suit Miss J. to receive him'--for in this of the 29th he writes--'I cannot but concur in your decision to postpone to receive my visit. Nothing would distress me more than to give you any pain. I sincerely hope that your journey to the Country will reestablish your health and spirits.'

"I perceive by this that the Duke had again commenced addressing me in the first person.

"It would appear by the Duke's next, dated July 1st, 1836, that I had changed my intention concerning receiving him, as he wrote--'Since I wrote you this morning I have had a fall by which I have bruised my knee so that Leaches have been applied. I am not otherwise hurt but it is quite obvious that I shall not be able to wait upon you to-morrow. I hope to be able to do so however at the same hour on Monday.' That such was not the will of the Lord of lords I now perfectly recollect proving to the Duke that 'The way of man is not in himself; it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps,' a divine lesson which I was so anxious from time to time, as circ.u.mstances permitted, to impress on his mind."

The Duke probably had a vivid realization of this truth just at this juncture, although possibly not in the sense intended by Miss J. She seems to have been devoid of any sense of humor, and saw nothing but the spiritual application of this one of her favorite quotations.

"In the Duke's next, of the 4th of July, he writes; 'I am much recovered from the accident under which I suffered on Friday--but I am afraid that I shall not be allowed to quit my House this day.

Indeed I am convinced that I could not do so without increasing the risk of being confined to my house for weeks or months. I lament this particularly as you are going out of Town early to morrow. I am very sensible of your Confidence in attending to my opinion in sending your letter to Mr. B.'

"This was a letter written by me to a Minister of the Gospel whose worldliness was justifiably condemned. It is still I believe in my possession among my papers, the Duke having received it for perusal and at my request returned with advice not to forward it.

"In the letter dated the 5th the Duke acknowledges a packet from me to which he adds 'I continue to improve and hope to go out tomorrow or next day.'

"I presume this was a very thick letter. In that of the 9th of July, the Duke writes; 'I am better and I am in hopes that on tomorrow I shall be able to put my foot to the ground.'

"The Duke's next letter is I see directed to me at Hastings, in which he writes on July 11th, 1836--'I am so much better that I am going to the House of Lords and I hope soon to be able to go about without inconvenience' to which the Duke again refers in his next thus; 'I continue to recover from the effects of the Accident and I hope to be able to go out in a day or two. I am happy to find that you are settled at Hastings to your satisfaction.'

"The next of the 13th of July refers to my letters being overweight--apparently, but judging by the letter of the 28th I must have been mistaken, as the Duke writes;