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Ex  Libris 
Z.  K.  OGDEN 

----^-1      ----^ih   A.^.^ 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


THE    PAGET   BROTHERS 


THE     RIGHT    HON.     SIR    ARTHUR    PAGET,    G.C.B. 


LFrontispieoe 


THE 

PAGET   BROTHERS 

1790—1840 


EDITED   BY   LORD   HYLTON 


WITH    ILLUSTRATIONS 


LONDON 
JOHN   MURRAY,   ALBEMARLE   STREET,   W. 

1918 


All  Rights  Reserved 


DA 


PREFACE 

When  the  late  Sir  Augustus  Paget  published  in  the  year 
1896  two  volumes  containing  the  important  political  and 
diplomatic  correspondence  of  his  father,  Sir  Arthur,  many 
letters  of  a  domestic  character  rather  than  of  public  interest 
were  omitted.  A  selection  from  these  is  now  printed, 
chiefly  written  by  persons  who  either  themselves  helped 
to  make  history  during  critical  periods  at  home  and  abroad, 
or  who  received  their  information  from  first-rate  sources. 

I  cannot  pubhsh  this  little  book  without  recalling  the 
memory  of  Sir  Augustus  Paget,  to  whom  the  preservation 
of  its  materials  is  due.  His  long  and  distinguished  career, 
culminating  in  his  embassies  at  Rome  and  Vienna,  formed 
a  worthy  sequel  to  those  of  his  father,  and  of  his  well-known 
uncles,  Field-Marshal  Lord  Anglesey,  General  Sir  Edward, 
and  Vice-Admiral  Sir  Charles  Paget — but  apart  from  his 
public  services.  Sir  Augustus  had  a  natural  gift  of  attracting 
and  retaining  throughout  his  life  the  respect  and  affection 
of  all  with  whom  he  came  in  contact.  Few  more  warm- 
hearted, straightforward,  generous,  and  hospitable  English- 
men can  have  ever  existed. 

I  must  also  express  to  Walburga,  Lady  Paget,  the  present 
owner  of  the  MSS.,  my  sincere  thanks  for  her  kindness 
in  having  entrusted  them  to  me,  and  my  hope  that  the 
task  of  selection  has  been  carried  out  to  her  satisfaction 

Hylton. 
1917. 


tr\r~\UK.i  *~^ . 


INTRODUCTION 

On  November  17th,  1769,  died  Henry,  2nd  Earl  of  Uxbridge 
(of  the  creation  of  1714),  8th  Baron  Paget,  and  last  male 
descendant  of  that  William  Paget  whose  services  to  the 
Tudor  sovereigns  had  been  rewarded  by  a  peerage,  and 
by  substantial  grants  of  broad  acres,  partly  spoils  of  the 
dissolved  monastery  of  Burton-on-Trent.  This  second 
Lord  Uxbridge,  a  man  of  no  note,  had  suffered  the  great 
mansion,  built  by  his  ancestor  at  West  Drayton,  Middlesex, 
to  fall  in  ruin,  but  Beau  Desert,  his  stately  home  in 
Staffordshire,  with  other  very  considerable  property,  was 
still  intact  at  the  time  of  his  death.  He  was  unmar- 
ried, no  will  was  found,  and  his  estates  therefore  passed 
to  his  heirs-at-law.  Lord  Boston  took  a  share  in  right 
of  his  mother,  Dorothy,  sister  of  Brigadier-General  Thomas 
Paget,  whilst  Beau  Desert  and  West  Drayton  fell  to  Henry 
Bayly,  a  young  man  of  five-and-twenty,  eldest  son  of  a 
Welsh  baronet.  Sir  Nicholas  Bayly,  by  his  first  wife, 
Caroline,  daughter  of  the  Brigadier-General  and  great- 
granddaughter  of  William,  5th  Lord  Paget.  The  earldom 
of  Uxbridge  had  become  extinct,  but  the  barony  of  Paget 
being  heritable  through  females,  Henry  Bayly  was  sum- 
moned to  the  House  of  Peers  early  in  1770,  assuming  at 
the  same  time  the  surname  and  arms  of  Paget  in  lieu  of 
his  patronymic.  This  accession  of  rank  and  wealth  must 
have  been  unexpected,  but  it  was  shortly  followed  by  a 
still  more  striking  gift  of  fortune  to  the  same  lucky  in- 
dividual. In  order  to  explain  the  history  of  this  second 
great  inheritance,  one  must  go  back  to  the  early  years  of 
the  eighteenth  century,  when  Peter  Walter,  a  crafty  at- 
torney and  steward  for  various  grandees,  including  the 
Duke  of  Chandos,  had  steadily  amassed  riches  by  means 
which  appeared  to  his  contemporaries — among  whom  was 
the  poet  Pope — of  a  shady  character.  Provision  was 
made  in  the  usurer's  will  that  in  the  event  of  the  failure 

vii 


viii  INTRODUCTION 

of  his  own  male  descendants,  all  his  manors  and  lands 
in  Dorset  and  Somerset  should  devolve  on  the  younger 
sons  of  Sir  Edward  Bayly  of  Plas  Newydd,  though  Walter's 
reason  for  thus  benefiting  the  Baylys  remains  obscure,  no 
connection  being  traceable  between  his  and  their  families. 
The  remainder  in  favour  of  the  Baylys  actually  took  effect 
on  the  death  of  Edward  Walter,  Peter's  grandson,  in  the 
year  1780.  The  property  in  question ,  then  passed  to  Sir 
Nicholas,  eldest  son  of  Sir  Edward  Bayly  (whose  younger 
sons  had  predeceased),  and  when  Sir  Nicholas  departed 
this  life,  four  years  later,  at  the  age  of  seventy-five,  his 
successor,  Henry,  Lord  Paget,  found  himself  one  of  the 
largest  land-owners  in  the  kingdom,  whilst  his  parlia- 
mentary influence  enabled  him  to  return  at  least  three  or 
four  members  to  the  House  of  Commons,  as  representatives 
of  Anglesea,  Carnarvon,  and  the  small  borough  of  Milbome- 
Port  in  Somerset.  The  earldom  of  Uxbridge  was  revived 
in  Lord  Paget's  favour  in  the  year  of  his  father's  death. 

It  is  difficult  at  this  distance  of  time,  and  without  further 
materials  than  those  which  I  possess,  to  realize  very  exactly 
what  manner  of  man  the  new  Lord  Uxbridge  really  was. 
Such  memoirs  of  the  period  as  I  have  read  almost  ignore 
his  name,  and  some  verses  by  Peter  Pindar,  entitled  "  Tears 
of  St.  Margaret,"  published  in  1792,  containing  a  couplet. 

And  he  who  lours  as  if  he  meant  to  bite 
Is  Earl  of  Uxbridge  with  his  face  of  night, 

referring  presumably  to  his  dark  complexion,  are  nearly 
the  only  contemporary  record  which  I  have  been  able  to 
find.  Perhaps  no  injustice  will  be  done  to  his  memory  by 
picturing  him  as  a  good-natured,  easy-going  personage — 
if  prone  to  self-indulgence  and  liable  to  caprice  * — at  the 
same  time  generous  in  the  extreme  to  his  children  and 
entourage.  For  his  second  son,  Arthur,  in  particular  it 
appears  from  these  letters  that  he  once  contemplated 
making  "  a  great  provision,"  though  that  intention  was 
never  fulfilled.  Lord  Uxbridge  must  have  been  singularly 
void  of  personal  ambition,  never  holding  any  public  posi- 
tions beyond  those  of  a  lord-lieutenant  and  colonel  of 
the  Staffordshire  Militia,  although  he  lived  in  an  age  when 
his     territorial    influence    might    have    naturally    received 

1  "  Lord  Uxbridge's  natural  caprice,"  Lord  G.  L.-Gower's  Correspond- 
tnct,  i.  85. 


INTRODUCTION  ix 

recognition  by  some  dignified  office  either  in  the  Ministry 
or  about  the  Court.  He  may  have  been  satisfied  with 
witnessing  the  rapid  promotion  of  his  sons  in  their  respec- 
tive branches  of  the  pubHc  service,  earned  though  such 
undoubtedly  was  by  their  individual  merits.  In  the 
course  of  the  weary  war  against  France,  when  this  country 
was  practically  denuded  of  regular  troops,  it  chanced  that 
his  Staffordshire  regiment  of  militia  was  long  quartered 
at  Windsor,  which  circumstance  may  account  for  the 
peculiar  degree  of  intimacy  with  which  the  Uxbridges  were 
favoured  by  George  III,  whilst  the  earl's  taste  for  music 
was  another  bond  of  sympathy  with  his  sovereign,  and  his 
steady  parliamentary  support  of  Pitt,  backed  by  the  votes 
of  sons  and  sons-in-law,  further  endeared  him  to  the  King. 

Lady  Uxbridge,  moreover,  was  a  person  after  Queen 
Charlotte's  own  heart,  these  letters  testifying  throughout 
to  her  unbounded  devotion  to  her  husband  and  children, 
as  well  as  to  her  loyalty  to  "  the  dear  King."  At  the  age 
of  twenty-three  Henry  Bayly,  as  he  then  was,  had  been 
fortunate  enough  to  marry  Jane  Champagne,^  the  charming 
daughter  of  an  Irish  dean  who  owed  his  foreign  name 
to  his  French  grandfather,  a  well-born  Huguenot  refugee. 
I  suspect  that  the  successful  careers  of  their  sons  were 
in  the  main  due  to  the  example  and  training  of  this  pious 
and  excellent  mother,  though  their  many  perils  by  land 
and  sea,  campaigns,  wounds,  and  adventures  of  all  sorts 
were  destined  to  keep  good  Lady  Uxbridge  in  a  perpetual 
state  of  anxiety  and  "  bustle." 

At  the  end  of  the  eighteenth  century,  soon  after  this 
correspondence  begins.  Lord  and  Lady  Uxbridge  were 
middle-aged  people,  heads  of  a  large  family  of  sons  and 
daughters,  and  their  grandchildren  were  becoming  numerous. 

Their  eldest  son,  Lord  Paget,  was  already  acquiring 
distinction  as  a  cavalry  officer.     Allusion  to  his  brilliant 

1  Lord  Uxbridge's  sister  Dorothy  married,  in  1759,  George,  Lord  Forbes, 
afterwards  5th  Earl  of  Granard,  while  Dean  Champagne's  mother  having 
been  the  daughter  of  a  previous  Lord  Granard,  Lord  Uxbridge's  own 
marriage  must  have  pretty  obviously  com^e  about  through  this  connexion, 
and  it  was  in  fact  solemnized  at  Castle  iWbes,  the  Granard  seat.  Lady 
Paget's  MSS.  contain  a  curious  account  dra^v©  up  by  Marie  de  la  Roche- 
foucault,  wife  of  Josias  de  Robillard  de  Champagne,  of  the  family's  flight 
from  France  to  escape  rehgious  persecution  after  the  repeal  of  the  Edict 
of  Nantes.  The  younger  children  were  smuggled  to  England,  hidden 
away  in  an  empty  wine  barrel,  on  board  a  boat  of  18  tons.  The  youngest 
son  of  Josias  entered  the  service  of  William  III,  and  settled  in  Ireland 
after  the  Battle  of  the  Boyne. 


X  INTRODUCTION 

service  in  the  Peninsula,  to  his  command  of  the  cavalry 
at  Waterloo,  to  his  creation  as  Marquis  of  Anglesey,  and 
to  his  viceroyalty  of  Ireland,  will  be  found  in  these  letters. 
His  character  may  be  learned  from  the  words  used  after  his 
death  by  the  diarist,  Charles  Greville — "  a  more  gallant 
spirit,  a  finer  gentleman,  a  more  honourable  and  kind- 
hearted  man  never  existed,  ...  he  had  a  generous  dis- 
position "  ;  whilst  the  Annual  Register  of  1854  says  that 
Lord  Anglesey's  "  character  might  be  read  off  at  sight, 
the  express  image  of  chivalry  as  he  was."  The  only  blot 
upon  his  'scutcheon  was  his  conduct  to  his  first  wife.  Lady 
Caroline  Villiers,  daughter  of  the  4th  Earl  of  Jersey,  whom 
he  married  in  1795.  Though  a  beautiful  and  blameless 
woman,  their  union  ultimately  proved  most  unhappy,  her 
husband's  own  family  admitted  that  he  treated  her  very 
badly,  and  in  181  o  she  was  driven  to  obtain  a  divorce. 
Lord  Paget  then  married  Lady  Charlotte  Wellesley,  and 
Lady  Paget  afterwards  gave  her  hand  to  the  Duke  of  Argyll, 
Gronow's  Reminiscences  recording  her  as  still  "lovely" 
after  her  second  marriage. 

William,  second  son  of  Lord  and  Lady  Uxbridge,  joined 
the  Navy,  and  is  described  in  the  Correspondence  of  Lord 
Granville  Leveson-Gower  as,  in  the  year  1790,  "  a  very  hand- 
some manly-looking  young  man.  It  is  not  common  to 
see  three  such  handsome  young  men  in  one  family,  and 
the  two  eldest  are  so  attentive,  so  attached  to  their  parents, 
that  it  is  a  pleasure  to  see  them  together.  Everybody 
likes  them."  William  died  at  sea  when  a  captain  R.N., 
and  was  buried  at  Gibraltar  in  1794. 

The  diplomatic  career  of  Arthur,  the  third  son,  has 
been  fully  described  in  the  Paget  Papers.  His  niece,  the 
late  Lady  Sydney,  wrote  of  him :  "  Whether  he  was  attired 
in  his  white  neckcloth  and  Red  Ribbon  in  London,  or 
as  a  Boatman  rowing  his  own  Dinghy  at  Hamble,  he  was 
every  inch  a  '  Grand  Seigneur.'  Sydney  was  immensely 
struck  with  him  when  he  first  saw  him  on  his  coming  up 
to  London  for  my  marriage  in  the  year  '32."  Sir  Arthur 
Paget  married  Lady  Augusta  Fane,  daughter  of  the  loth 
Earl  of  Westmorland,  and  died  in  1840. 

Edward  Paget,  the  fourth  son,  after  a  lifetime  of  active 
service  in  nearly  every  quarter  of  the  globe,  died  a  General, 
G.C.B.,  and  Governor  of  Chelsea  Hospital,  in  1849.  He 
was  a  great  soldier  and  held  worthy  by  many  to  succeed 


INTRODUCTION  xi 

Lord  Hill  as  Commander-in-Chief  of  the  Army.^  A  simple, 
upright  man,  he  was  of  a  more  reserved  disposition  than 
his  other  brothers.  He  married,  first,  Hon.  Frances 
Bagot;  secondly,  Lady  Harriet  Legge. 

Charles,  the  fifth  son,  became  a  sailor  like  his  elder 
brother  William,  and  as  Vice-Admiral  Sir  Charles  Paget, 
G.C.H.,  died  of  yeUow  fever  when  Commander-in-Chief 
on  the  West  Indian  Station  in  1839.  He  married  Eliza- 
beth, daughter  of  Henry  and  Lady  Elizabeth  Monck, 

Berkeley,  the  sixth  and  youngest  son  (called  Bartolo 
or  the  "  Villain  "  by  his  brothers  and  sisters),  joined  the  7th 
Hussars  as  a  youngster,  became  A.D.C.  to  the  Duke  of 
York,  served  in  the  Peninsula  and  was  afterwards  for  many 
years  M.P.  for  Anglesea,  a  Lord  of  the  Treasury,  and  finally 
Commissioner  of  Excise.  He  died  suddenly  in  1842, 
having  married  in  1804  Sophia  Grimston,  only  child  of 
Hon.  WiUiam  (Grimston)  Bucknall. 

The  "  brotherhood "  remained  through  life  on  terms 
of  great  affection — Beau  Desert  and  Uxbridge  House  were 
open  to  one  and  all,  and  Lord  Anglesey's  interest  and 
influence  were  always  ready  to  promote  the  welfare  of  any 
of  his  kindred. 

Besides  their  six  tall  sons,  the  Uxbridges  had  five 
daughters,  of  whom  the  eldest,  Caroline,  married  in  1792 
Hon.  John  Thomas  Capel,  half-brother  of  the  5th  Earl  of 
Essex,  and  had  a  large  family. 

Jane,  the  second  daughter,  became  in  1797  the  wife 
of  Lord  Garlies,  afterwards  8th  Earl  of  Galloway,  an  able 
and  agreeable  man,  who  had  seen  considerable  service 
in  the  Navy,  being  badly  wounded  at  the  capture  of  Guade- 
loupe, and  who  later  rose  to  the  rank  of  Admiral.  Lady 
GaUoway  "  had  the  proper  spirit  of  the  [Paget]  family, 
...  a  sound  head  and  perfectly  feeling  heart,  and  few 
people's  actions  and  thoughts  will  bear  stricter  scrutiny, 
even  upon  the  most  liberal  principles."'  Next  came 
Louisa  ;  her  courtship  by  Colonel  Erskine  of  Torrie,  a 
younger  son,  was  not  sanctioned  by  her  parents,  and  in 
the  season  of  1799  Lady  Uxbridge,  "  whilst  Col.  Erskine 
remains  in  Town,"  would  not  take  Louisa  out;  but,  as  in 
many  such  cases  before  and  since,  opposition  by  the  elders 

1  An  interesting  Memoir  of  Sir  Edward  Paget  has  been  published  by 
his  grandson,  Mr.  Eden  Paget, 

2  Lord  Galloway's  letters. 


xil  INTRODUCTION 

failed  in  face  of  the  determination  of  the  young  people, 
and  Lady  Louisa  married  her  "  Jemmie  "  in  1801.  Fiery 
denunciations  of  the  "  Monster,"  Napoleon  Bonaparte,  in 
her  letters  show  that  Louisa  had  a  lively  temperament. 
Then  followed  Charlotte,  whose  marriage  in  1805  to  the  2nd 
Earl  of  Enniskillen,  "  so  amiable  and  excellent  a  creature," 
gratified  every  member  of  the  family  ;  she  died  a  few 
months  before  her  mother,  in  1817.  The  youngest  daughter, 
"  Little  Mary,"  married  in  1803  the  2nd  Lord  Graves. 

The  eleven  brothers  and  sisters  passed  a  happy  child- 
hood at  Beau  Desert,  to  which  they  all  referred  in  later 
years  as  that  "  dear  old  place,"  where  they  had  once  formed 
a  joyous  band.  Long  afterwards  one  wrote  that  a  visit 
there  always  felt  like  going  home,  and  another  that  no 
venison  ever  tasted  so  good  as  the  Beau  Desert  venison  in 
old  days. 

Lord  and  Lady  Uxbridge's  latter  years  were,  however, 
chiefly  divided  between  Plas  Newydd  on  the  Menai  Strait 
in  Anglesea — the  original  Bayly  possession,  where  he  had 
entirely  reconstructed  the  former  house,  and  greatly 
enjoyed  its  facilities  for  his  favourite  amusement  of  sailing 
— and  Uxbridge  House  in  Burlington  Gardens  (now  the 
Western  branch  of  the  Bank  of  England)  which  he  built 
soon  after  his  elevation  to  an  earldom.  They  also  occasion- 
ally occupied  a  villa  at  Surbiton,  which  became  Lady 
Uxbridge's  dower-house  during  her  widowhood.  Beau 
Desert  was  handed  over  to  Lord  Paget  before  the  year 
1808,  and  the  very  fine  house  at  Stalbridge  Park  ^  in 
Dorsetshire  was  allowed  to  go  to  rack  and  ruin,  as  Drayton 
had  been  in  the  previous  generation. 

Few  persons  now  living  are  likely  to  remember  any  of 
the  generation,  whose  letters  are  here  printed.  Lord 
Anglesey,  who  died  in  1854,  having  then  reached  his  eighty- 
sixth  I  year,  being  himself  the  last  survivor  of  all  these 
brothers  and  sisters.  To  the  end  he  preserved  an  almost  boyish 
activity  of  mind  and  body.  During  his  last  tenure  of 
office  as  Master-General  of  the  Ordnance,  1846-1852, 
after  having  passed  his  eightieth  year  he  transacted 
all  affairs  "  with  the  most  scrupulous  zeal  for  the 
interests  of  the  humblest  person  concerned.  He  never 
allowed    the   loss    of    his   leg    (for  which  he  refused    the 

2  The  Stalbridge  estate  was  sold  by   the   ist  Lord  Anglesey  to  the 
Marquis  of  Westminster. 


INTRODUCTION  xiii 

large  pension  offered)  to  interfere  with  business  or  pleasure, 
shooting  from  the  back  of  a  pony  and  yachting  as  keenly 
as  of  yore."  I  have  heard  that  no  figure  was  better 
known  in  the  streets  of  London,  where  to  the  last  he 
drove  his  curricle,  a  vehicle  unknown  to  the  present 
age,  through  the  Park,  or  cantered  along  the  Row,  whilst 
Lady  Anglesey  used  to  drive  out  in  a  carriage  and  four, 
preceded  by  outriders.  At  Uxbridge  House  a  slate  was 
kept  in  the  hall,  on  which  members  of  the  family  and 
intimate  friends  wrote  their  names,  if  they  felt  inclined  to 
join  the  evening  dinner-party.  The  veteran's  word  was 
law,  and  one  of  his  grandsons,  a  comet  in  the  Blues  (of 
which  the  Field-Marshal  was  Colonel),  having  had  the 
"  cheek  "  one  day  to  pass  his  lordship  without  saluting 
him,  was  placed  under  arrest,  receiving  the  message,  "  You 
may  cut  your  grandfather  when  you  like,  but  by  G — d 
you  shall  salute  your  Colonel."  The  story  of  ready  wit 
with  which  he  met  a  London  mob  during  Queen  Caroline's 
trial  has  been  often  told.  The  crowd,  which  was  strongly 
in  favour  of  the  Queen,  had  stopped  his  horse  and  refused 
to  allow  him  to  proceed,  until  he  cheered  for  her.  "  The 
Queen,  then,"  shouted  the  peer,  "  and  may  aU  your  wives 
be  like  her  !  "  and  he  was  at  once  allowed  to  pass  on  by 
the  discomfited  throng.  He  had  perhaps  inherited  the  dry 
humour  of  his  father,  who  once  dispatched  a  groom  to 
summon  back  to  Beau  Desert  one  of  the  sons  of  the  house, 
who  had  just  bade  farewell  to  his  parents  on  starting  for 
London.  The  reeking  messenger  caught  up  the  youth  when 
some  miles  already  on  the  road.  Hastily  returning,  the 
son  hurried  into  his  father's  presence  expecting  that  some 
urgent  business  awaited  him,  but  Lord  Uxbridge  only 
remarked,  "  Oh,  my  boy,  you  forgot  to  shut  my  door." 
The  Life  of  the  ist  Lord  Anglesey  remains,  however, 
to  be  written. 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER   I 

1790-1808 

Arthur  Paget,  fresh  from  Westminster  and  Christ  Church,  goes  abroad — 
Employed  at  Petersburg,  Berlin,  Munich,  Palermo,  and  Vienna — 
Marriages  of  his  brothers  and  sister — Death  of  Nelson — Charles 
Paget  in  command  of  the  Egyptienne  and  Cambrian — Copenhagen 
capitulates — Sir  Arthur's  unsuccessful  mission  to  Turkey  —  His 
three  brothers  in  the  Peninsula — Charles  appointed  to  the  Revenge 
— Sir  Arthur  retires  from  the  public  service — Lord  Paget's  suc- 
cesses against  the  French       .....  pp.  i — 106 


CHAPTER   II 

1809-10 

Sir  Arthur  and  Lady  Augusta  settle  at  West  Lodge  in  Cranborne  Chase 
— Charles  cruising  in  the  Revenge — Edward  at  the  passage  of  the 
Douro — Berkeley  appointed  Lord  of  the  Treasury — Establishment 
of  the  Regency       .......      pp.  107 — 152 


CHAPTER   III 
1811 

Letters  from  Sir  Harry  Fetherstone — Charles  Paget  at  home  on  half-pay 
— The  Grand  Fete  at  Carlton  House — Lord  Uxbridge's  failing  health 
— Financial  apprehensions — Pohtical  problems  .      pp.153 — 231 

XV 


xvi  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER   IV 

1812-17 

Death  of  Lord  Uxbridge — Edward  Paget  captured  by  the  French — Sir 
Arthur  moves  to  Cowesfield — Charles  in  command  of  the  Superb — 
Mr.  Illingworth's  letters  from  Italy — The  Battle  of  Waterloo — 
Death  of  Lady  Uxbridge — Charles  commands  the  royal  yacht 

pp.  232 — 297 

CHAPTER  V 

1818-40 

Sir  Arthur's  last  years  at  Hamble — Brummell's  debts — Lady  Jersey's 
poUtics — Lord  Holland's  verses — Lord  Anglesey  in  Italy  pp.  298 — 338 

APPENDIX 

Extracts  from  Letters  and  Journal  of  Hon.  Berkeley  Paget 

pp.  339—353 

INDEX PP- 355— 364 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

The  Right  Hon.  Sir  Arthur  Paget,  G.C.B.         Frontispiece 

From  a  drawing  by  Sir  G.  Hayter,  by  permission  of  Sir  Ealph  Paget. 

TACraO  PAOB 

Henry,  ist  Earl  of  Uxbridge 46 

From  a  water-colour  drawing  by  R.  Dighton,  1803,  the  property  of  I,ord 
Hylton. 

Jane,  Countess  of  Uxbridge 134 

From  a  drawing  dated  1778,  belonging  to  I»ord  Hylton. 

Major  Hon.  Berkeley  Paget 204 

From  a  drawing  by  Edridge,  the  property  of  I,ord  Hylton. 

Henry  William,  ist  Marquis  of  Anglesey,  K.G.      .     282 
As  High  Steward  at  George  IV's  Coronation. 


XTll 


THE    PAGET    BROTHERS 

1790—1840 

CHAPTER   I 

1790-1808 
Lord  Henry  FitzGerald  ' 

Chapel  St.,  Park  Lane,  10  Dec,  1790. 
I  HAVE  wrote  you,  my  dear  Arthur,  an  angry  letter,  a 
drunken  letter,  and  now  I  will  sit  down  to  write  you  what 
you  call  a  gentlemanlike  letter.  In  the  first  place  let  me 
acknowledge  with  many  thanks  (you  deserve  them  all  for 
thinking  of  me  at  such  a  Time)  the  receipt  of  yr  last  few 
lines.  Bruxelles  must  have  been  in  great  confusion  at  the 
time  you  wrote  and  to  a  Stranger  interesting  to  the  highest 
degree,  by  comparing  Dates  yr  letter  to  me  was  wrote 
4  days  before  the  Imperial  Eagle  resumed  its  Flight  at 
Bruxelles,  and  as  I  heard  by  a  Letter  you  wrote  Ly  Ux- 
bridge  that  you  were  detained  there,  consequently  you 
must  have  been  in  the  midst  of  a  Scene  very  uncommon 
and  extraordinary.     As  I  know  you  pique  yourself  upon 

1  Lord  Henry  FitzGerald,  born  July  30th,  1761,  fourth  son  of  the 
ist  Duke  of  Leinster,  at  one  time  an  officer  in  the  Guards,  and  so  excellent 
an  amateur  actor  that  the  fastidious  Horace  Walpole  called  him  "  a  prodigy, 
a  perfection,"  married  August  4th,  1791,  Charlotte  Boyle,  only  child  of 
Hon.  Robert  Boyle-Walsingham,  an  artistic  heiress  in  whose  favour  the 
abeyance  of  the  Barony  de  Ros  was  determined  in  1806.  Lord  Henry 
played  for  some  years  a  conspicuous  part  at  the  forlorn  Court  at  Kensing- 
ton Palace  as  the  best  friend  and  adviser  whom  poor  Carohne,  Princess 
of  Wales,  ever  possessed,  "  but  his  lady- wife  interfered  and  prevented 
his  continuing  to  be  intimate  with  the  Princess,  and  then  perhaps  Lord 
H.  himself  took  fright  and  was  glad  to  retire  before  he  burnt  his  fingers 
by  taking  any  part  in  H.R.H.'s  affairs.  .  .  .  Lord  Henry  was  such  an 
agreeable  and  gentlemanlike  person  and  he  never  for  one  moment  forgot 
the  respect  due  to  H.R.H.  or  presumed  on  her  partiality  for  himself" 
(Diary  of  a  Lady  in  Waiting,  by  Lady  Charlotte  Bury,  ii.  p.  221).  He  died 
in  1829. 


2  "  THE  CAPTAIN-GENERAL "  [ch.  i 

being  the  first  Sailor  in  the  World,  whatever  the  reality 
may  be,  I  suppose  you  now  in  the  same  degree  consider 
yourself  as  the  first  General.  Indeed  I  observe  that  you 
are  fond  of  being  Captain-General  wherever  you  are.  By 
the  by  I  am  obliged  to  yr  Papa  for  this  observation.  I 
breakfasted  the  other  morning  with  him  and  Paget  and  told 
him  how  angry  I  was  with  you  for  yr  wild  Project  of  going 
over  to  Calais  in  yr  famous  Skiff  that  you  talk'd  so  much 
of.  He  said,  "  Oh !  Arthur  must  be  Captain-General 
wherever  he  is."  I  owe  him  so  much  for  this  good  saying 
that  I  don't  know  that  I  shall  ever  be  able  to  repay  him. 
You  know,  Arthur,  that's  true — ain't  it  now,  my  Captain- 
General  ? 

1  must  tell  you  that  I  am  very  sorry  we  have  lost  yr 
Brother  William  for  a  time.  He  is  gone,  or  going  im- 
mediately, with  Despatches  to  Lord  Dunmore  at  the 
Bahama  Islands  tho'  individually  he  is  a  Gainer  having 
been  made  Master  and  Commander  of  a  fine  Sloop,  yet 
Society,  at  least  our  Society  considerably  loses  for  he  is  a 
most  excellent  Fellow.  .  .  .  Paget  is  constantly  in  Leicester- 
shire, indeed  that  County  for  that  matter  is  become  London, 
for  the  whole  Town  seem  to  be  hunting  there.  However 
business  in  the  House  of  Commons  will  bring  them  up  all 
on  Monday  for  which  I  pity  them,  as  I  know  nothing  equal 
to  hunting  when  one  can  afford  fine  horses,  but  'tis  too 
ruinous  for  younger  Brothers — I  was  presented  in  form 
to  Lady  Uxbridge  and  was  to  have  dined  there  next  day, 
but  a  stupid  Guard  prevented  me.  There  has  been  only 
one  tearing  rowing  party  at  the  Dss  of  Gordon's  ^  where 
all  the  world  was,  since  the  Town  began  what's  called  full 
and  damnable.  .  .  .  There  have  been  several  late  days  in 
the  House  of  Commons  lately  relative  to  producing  papers, 
the  Convention  with  Spain,  Hastings'  *  Trial,  &c.  I  have 
mostly  attended  and  have  been  much  pleased  with  Pitt 
and  Fox'  speaking,  the  former  as  usual  carried  everything 
with  a  high  hand.  .  .  . 

24  Dec,  1790. 

...  I  dined  yesterday  at  a  grand  convert  at  Uxbridge 

^  Jane,  daughter  of  Sir  William  Maxwell,  wife  of  Alexander,  4th  Duke 
of  Gordon,  called  by  Horace  Walpole  an  "  empress  of  fashion,"  relentless 
in  pursuit  of  husbands  for  her  five  daughters,  three  of  whom  married 
dukes. 

2  The  State  trial  of  Warren  Hastings. 


1790-1808]  HATFIELD   HOUSE  3 

House,  where  Master  and  Mistress,  Brothers  and  Sisters 
were  all  perfect  in  my  eyes.  I  must  not  leave  out  that 
we  had  the  best  Dinner  in  the  World.  Paget  set  off  at 
9  o'c.  to  go  and  hunt  the  Lord  knows  where.  ...  I  think 
he  seems  to  flirt  with  the  beautiful  Dss  of  Rutland.^  We 
all  go  a  party  to  Hatfield  next  Monday.  There  is  nothing 
like  a  Country  House  for  forwarding  these  matters.  ...  I 
met  your  Sisters  at  the  Duchess  of  Gordon's  Ball,  it  was  a 
good  one,  I  asked  Lady  Caroline  to  dance  but  she  took 
me  for  a  Frenchman  and  refused,  upon  which  I  took  up 
with  one  of  yr  Friends,  the  Lady  Levesons — the  mistake 
occasioned  as  you  may  suppose  some  laughing. 

Lord  Henry  FitzGerald 

January  the  3d,  1791. 

...  I  am  told  I  dress  the  Character  well  of  a  Man  of 
Pleasure.  The  Scenery  Part  I  know  I  go  thro'  with  great 
Dexterity  and  appear  as  busy  a  Performer  as  the  best 
of  them  but  the  Truth  is  I  am  more  stupid  than  I  can 
describe.  I  retum'd  a  few  days  ago  from  Hatfield  where 
there  was  a  large  Party.  It  was  altogether  tolerably 
pleasant.  The  Dss  of  R[utland]  cut  no  small  figure  as 
you  may  suppose.  She  and  Paget  were  hard  at  it  the  whole 
Time  ding  dong,  but  ou  nous  en  sommes  I  cannot  make  out 
.  .  .  each  one  somehow  or  other  seemed  afraid  of  being 
jilted  by  the  other,  this  I  say  is  foolish,  for  both  being  of 
the  same  mind,  a  proper  understanding  ought  to  ensue. 
The  Party  consisted  of  22  People  whose  Names  it  cannot 
be  very  interesting  to  you  to  know,  it  is  therefore  sufficient 
to  acknowledge  that  some  were  pleasant,  others  dull  and 
stupid,  I  must  confess  for  one  that  altho'  Miss  Boyle ' 
to  whom  the  Town  have  married  me  was  there,  I  grew 
most  excessively  tired  before  three  Days  were  over,  and 
had  it  not  been  for  the  Country  Sports  of  Battledore  and 
Shuttlecock,  the  Trou-Madame  Table,  with  the  Assistance 
of  the  Norway  Toy,  a  powerful  Auxiliary,  I  don't  know 
how  I  should  have  survived  my  Excursion.  Notwithstand- 
ing all  this  I  am  actually  this  day  setting  out  with  the  Beau 
for  Ld  Essex'  at  Cashiobury.     I  am  in  hopes  that  this  will 

1  Mary  Isabella,  daughter  of  Charles,  4th  Duke  of  Beaufort,  and  widow 
since  1787  of  Charles,  4th  Duke  of  Rutland. 

'  Miss  Boyle,  whom  Lord  Henry  married  the  following  August. 


4  FITZGERALDS  ALL  ODD  [ch.  i 

be  a  pleasanter  business  than  the  other  and  more  in  a 
Country  Style,  for  there  will  be  some  quiet  and  a  great 
deal  of  Comfort,  which  is  better  than  Splendour  and  Mag- 
nificence which  is  sure  to  surfeit.  After  a  little  the  Evenings 
at  Hatfield  were  like  grand  London  Assemblies,  no  difference 
that  I  saw,  the  Dinners  and  Suppers  like  things  at  Almacks. 
,  .  .  This  Town  is  very  empty  at  present,  all  good  Britons 
making  the  jolly  in  the  Country.  The  night  before  last  I 
was  at  a  new  English  Opera,  call'd  the  Siege  of  Belgrade 
...  it  succeeded  amazingly  well  for  all  Europe  contributed 
something,  there  were  Christians,  Turks,  Cossacks,  Battles, 
Sieges,  Storming  of  Forts,  whole  Seraglios  taken  and 
ravish'd.  Camps  pillaged  and  burnt,  in  short  a  little  of 
everything  that  could  either  produce  interest,  situation, 
or  effect.  ...  I  wish  you  joy  of  your  Friend  Villiers'  ^ 
approaching  Nuptials  with  his  Cousin,  Miss  Forbes.  Tis 
a  Union  approved  by  all  parties.  Only  think  what  Paget 
has  done  without  my  knowledge  upon  my  merely  mention- 
ing en  passant  that  I  should  like  to  be  of  Whites,  he  has 
proposed  me  and  oh  !  horrible  to  tell,  I  am  actually  to  be 
ballotted  for.  .  .  . 

Leinster  House,  Dublin,  5  Feb.,  1791. 
This  Town  is  what  is  called  pleasant,  there  is  a  great 
deal  going  on  of  one  sort  or  other,  but  somehow  I  don't 
take  to  it.  ...  I  don't  know  well  what  I  should  like.  You 
know  We  are  all  odd,  you  never  said  a  truer  Word.  ...  I 
like  any  Folly  but  that  of  being  wise.  Edward  *  and  I 
have  this  great  Hotel,  which  used  to  furnish  you  with  Eggs 
when  you  were  in  Ireland,  to  ourselves  none  of  the  Family 
being  in  Town.  We  are  very  snug  but  trisfe  enough  at 
times.  .  .  . 

Chapel  St.,  May,  1791. 
.   .   .  Black  Charlotte  Bertie '    and  ChoLmondeley  have 
brought  Matters  to  bear. . . .  Worcester  *  and  Lady  Charlotte 

1  John  Charles  Villiers,  afterwards  3rd  Earl  of  Clarendon,  married 
January  3rd,  1791,  Maria  Eleanor,  daughter  of  Admiral  Hon.  John  Forbes. 

2  His  brother,  Lord  Edward  FitzGerald,  who  met  with  a  miserable 
death  in  1798,  after  having  joined  the  Irish  Rebels. 

2  George,  4th  Earl  of  Cholmondeley,  married  April  25th,  1791,  Lady 
Georgiana  Charlotte  Bertie,  daughter  of  the  Duke  of  Ancaster. 

*  Henry,  Lord  Worcester,  afterwards  6th  Duke  of  Beaufort,  married 
May  i6th,  1791,  Lady  Charlotte  Leveson-Gower,  daughter  of  the  ist 
Marquis  of  Stafford. 


1790-1808]  LOVES  OF  TWO  KINDS  5 

Leveson  are  going  to  be  married,  was  she  not  an  old  Love 
of  yours  ?  Lady  Elizabeth  Waldegrave  ^  and  old  Lord 
Cardigan  are  shortly  or  I  rather  believe  have  made  one — 
two  oaks  might  as  well  be  twin'd  and  twisted  together  as 
such  old  Casks  of  [  ?  ]  coupling  to  be  happy  ;  one  should 
marry  young  for  this,  then  the  Plants  would  cling  lovingly 
and  thro'  Life  thrive  together.  Strathaven  *  and  Miss 
Cope  may  expect  some  comfort.  ...  I  believe  I  must  begin 
to  think  of  marrying  too  before  it  is  too  late.  .  .  .  Edward 
goes  on  in  the  old  Beat  running  Risks  from  Morning  to 
Night.  I  live  in  constant  Alarm.  .  .  .  Paget  and  the  Dss 
of  Rd  go  on,  I  hear,  as  usual.  .  .  .  My  good  Colonel'  sets 
out  in  a  day  or  two  for  Germany,  I  believe  strait  for  Berlin. 
He  is  one  of  yr  true  good  Fellows  ;  I  have  reason  for  me 
to  say  so,  he  has  always  been  friendly  and  kind  to  me, 
as  such  I  regret  his  going,  tho'  I  believe  'tis  one  of  the 
best  and  wisest  things  he  can  do.  .  .  Jack  St  Leger  is 
the  only  Person  that  accompanies  him,  if  they  are  really 
the  Friends  they  think  they  are,  I  think  their  Excursion  to 
be  envied. 

London,  June  igih,  1791 
.  .  .  Paget  and  the  Dss  go  on  as  usual.  Lome  and  Ly 
Mex.,  Edward  and  Mrs.  Sheridan  *  are  among  the  unlawful 
Loves,  while  among  the  Lawful  ones  are  myself  and  Miss 
B.,  Lambton  •  and  Lady  Anne  Villiers,  Jack  Smith  and 
Miss  Fagniani*  and  a  few  others  of  no  great  note.  Capel 
and  your  Sister  seem  to  have  quite  cut.  I  believe  he  suffered 
a  good  deal  at  first  but  he  seems  to  have  got  the  better  of 
it.  All  yr  family  are  well,  yr  Father  gone  down  to  Ports- 
mouth with  your  Brother  William,  I  believe  to  take  a 
sail  in  the  Grand  Fleet,  it  consists  of  35  Sail,  all  ready  to 
sail  if  you  would  but  tell  us  what  to  do.  .  .  . 

1  James,  Earl  of  Cardigan,  married  April  28th,  1791,  Lady  Elizabeth 
Waldegrave. 

3  George,  Lord  Strathaven,  afterwards  gth  Marquis  of  Huntly,  married 
April,  1 791,  Catherine,  daughter  of  Sir  Charles  Cope. 

3  Frederick,  Duke  of  York,  second  son  of  George  III,  went  to  Germany 
this  summer,  where  he  married  the  King  of  Prussia's  eldest  daughter 
Frederica. 

*  The  beautiful  first  wife  of  Richard  Brinsley  Sheridan ;  she  died  the 
following  year. 

*  Wilham  Henry  Lambton  married  June  19th,  1791,  Lady  Anne 
ViUiers,  daughter  of  the  4th  Earl  of  Jersey. 

*  •  Miss  Fagniani  married  in  1798  Lord  Beauchamp,  afterwards  3rd 
Marquis  of  Hertford. 


6  LORD  CHICHESTER  [ch.  i 

July  x^tb,  1 791. 

,  .  .  This  Town  begins  to  thin  and  I  really  do  not  think 
there  is  the  slightest  difference  in  this  Month  and  about 
the  same  time  last  year  excepting  that  you  are  not  here  to 
make  Love  to  Lady  Mex.,  which  Lome  does  for  you.  He, 
Damley,  Charles  Greviile,  and  my  Brother  Edward  have 
cut  off  their  hair,  and  are  I  think  Grigs,  they  mean  it  should 
be  the  Fashion  but  I  don't  think  they  will  succeed  in 
making  everybody  Parsons.  All  yr  Family  are  gone  to 
Beau  Desert  last  Tuesday.  Capel  is  in  black  Despair  and 
I  see  still  greatly  in  Love  with  Lady  Caroline  tho'  they 
have  not  spoken  for  a  long  Time — poor  fellow,  I  pity  him. 
Cecilia,^  my  Sister,  and  Chichester's  *  Match  is  quite  off. 
He  neglected  her  much  of  late,  upon  which  she  wrote  him 
a  very  modest  quiet  letter  putting  him  off.  Edward  de- 
livered this  Letter  to  Chichester  and  was  to  get  back  her 
Picture  which  the  noble  Lord  requested  to  keep,  adding 
he  wished  to  see  Cecilia  first  upon  which  Edward  told  him 
he  must  never  think  of  her  again,  as  it  would  be  adding 
Insult  to  the  rest  of  his  Conduct  to  mention  marrying  her 
after  the  way  he  had  been  going  on.  Edward  had  a  Friend 
with  him  to  hear  all  that  passed  that  the  World  might 
know  it  and  very  lucky  it  was,  for  he  got  into  a  Passion 
which  probably  might  have  prompted  him  to  violence, 
as  it  was  he  only  told  Lord  C.  that  if  he  had  not  been  without 
a  Friend  in  the  Room,  he  would  have  caned  him  round  it. 
Lord  Chichester  made  no  Answer  but  made  a  low  Bow. 
Edward  has  expected  to  be  called  out  these  last  2  days 
but  he  has  not  yet  heard.  So  I  suppose  the  Gentleman  is 
satisfied.  Did  you  ever  know  of  such  a  little  Rascal  ? 
...  I  have  had  some  pleasant  little  Suppers  lately,  all  5n- 
Friends  were  at  them  and  they  went  off  merrily  enough, 
with  all  this  I  do  assure  you  I  am  tired  of  the  World  in 
general  and  always  wish  to  go  to  Bed  at  12  o'clock  if  I 
could.  I  hope  yet  you  and  I  may  have  many  pleasant 
suppers  in  our  old  blackguard  Place  in  Covent  Garden. 
How  we  have  laughed,  chatted,  and  made  the  agreeable  in 
our  time.  .  .  . 

1  She  was  his  half-sister,  a  daughter  of  the  Duchess  of  Leinster  by  her 
second  marriage  to  \\'^illiam  Ogilvy. 

*  George  Augustus,  Viscount  Chichester,  afterwards  2nd  Marquis  of 
Donegal,  who  seems  to  have  cut  so  poor  a  figure  on  this  occasion,  married 
in  1795  Anna,  daughter  of  Sir  Edw.  May. 


1790-1808J  DUKE  OF  RUTLAND  7 

[Aug.]  1791. 
...   I  long  to  show  you  this  Villa.'     I  hope  we  shall 
spend  many  pleasant  days  at  it  together.     You  will  like 
Lady  Henry's  good  sense  ;    like  you  I  am  sure  she  will, 
for  she  loves  everything  I  like.  .  .  . 

Paris,  Dec.  9,  1791. 
...  a  stupid  quiet  Life  is  all  I  desire  and  look  forward 
to,  between  you  and  I  I  believe  I  shall  soon  quit  my  Pro- 
fession, you  will  cry  out  at  this  but  my  answer  is  that  I 
have  no  Ambition.  ...  I  am  here  for  a  short  time  not  to 
amuse  myself  but  to  show  the  World  d  la  meilleure  des 
personnes  who  never  having  been  out  of  England  had 
contracted  Prejudices  that  a  Woman  of  Sense  should  be 
unacquainted  with.  A  Person  may  love  their  own  Country 
but  they  will  be  unhappy  when  married  to  a  Traveller 
which  I  mean  to  be,  if  they  found  nothing  tolerable  out 
of  it.  .  .  ,  The  Duchess  and  the  Lord  of  P[aget]  go  on  still 
but  they  contrive  to  make  each  other  wretched  instead  of 
happy.  This  I  told  you  once  before  but  you  wd  not  believe 
me.  .  .  . 

H.  F. 

Duke  of  Rutland  * 

Trin.  Coll.  [Cambridge],  May  10th,  1796. 

"  It  rains,  it  haUs,  it  blows. 
We  can't  go  out  to-day." 

"  It  is  an  ill  wind,"  my  dear  Arthur,  "  that  blows  nobody 
any  good,"  is  a  very  old  saying.  And  yet  it  would  be 
the  height  of  presumption  to  attach  any,  the  least  value 
to  a  letter  from  me,  when  I  am  obliged  to  preamble  my 
epistle  by  saying  I  have  nothing  to  say  !  !  But  next  to 
Imowing  nothing  myself  is  ye  satisfaction  of  knowing  that 
nobody  knows  more,  in  this  stupid  place  at  least.  The 
principal  object  of  my  letter  is  to  assure  you  of  the  many 
obligations  I  owe  you  for  the  very  friendly  &  entertaining 
letter  you  sent  me  a  few  days  ago.  It  should  have  been 
answered  ere  this,  but  I  had  not  a  single  subject  on  which 

1  Boyle  Farm,  Thames  Ditton. 

'  The  three  following  boyish  letters  were  written  by  John  Henry,  5th 
Duke  of  Rutland,  born  January  4th,  1778,  who  succeeded  his  father 
October  24th,  1787. 


8  "THE  LITTLE  COUNTESS"  [ch.  i 

to  address  you,  &  you  know  ex  nihilo  nihil  fit.  You  astonish 
me  by  your  account  of  the  gaieties  going  forward  in  London. 
I  shall  return  thither  about  the  beginning  of  June  for 
about  a  fortnight,  and  take  another  peep  at  the  fair  ladies 
of  yr  metropolis,  whose  society  I  shall  have  missed  so 
long,  &  looked  forward  to  so  impatiently. 

I  have  fresh  accounts  daily  of  the  good  looks  of  ye  little 
Countess.  The  baronet  is  I  hear  more  agreeable  than 
ever,  &  is  to  give  a  grand  dinner  to  her  to-day.  You 
must  have  great  discernment  to  see  any  amour  propre 
rising  in  my  breast  on  his  account,  I  cannot  say  I  feel  it 
myself,  nor  is  he  the  man  of  all  others,  who  would  give 
me  a  moment's  uneasiness  on  that  score.  I  certainly  think 
her  a  charming  little  woman,  but  as  for  love,  c'est  un  petit 
diahle  dont  je  me  moque  !  Prince  William  ^  left  this  place 
to-day  after  having  been  here  since  Saturday.  He  took 
ye  degree  of  LL.D.  yesterday,  in  order  it  is  said  that  should 
an  opportunity  offer,  he  may  be  elected  vice-chancellor,  I 
was  obliged  to  act  ye  courtier  which  was  quite  a  new  character 
for  me  to  appear  in,  &  I  am  afraid  I  was  not  quite  au  fait 
in  my  part.  I  was  in  his  company  yesterday  (excepting 
a  single  half-hour  in  ye  middle  of  ye  day)  from  eleven 
in  the  morning  till  twelve  at  night,  which  was  I  think  a 
pretty  tolerable  dose  of  his  royal  highness'  company. 
Is  it  true  that  Templetown '  is  going  to  marry  Ly  Mary 
Montague  ?  In  a  short  time  I  suppose  matches  and 
marriages,  the  produce  of  ye  season,  will  be  budding  very 
fast.  Our  affairs  in  Italy  are  I  am  afraid  at  a  very  low 
ebb.  What  can  prevent  ye  French  from  overrunning  all 
that  fertile  country  I  cannot  imagine.  I  trust  some  diver- 
sion will  be  made  on  ye  Rhine,  or  I  shall  not  know  what 
to  say  to  our  prospect.  But  though  it  rains  at  Cambridge, 
ye  sun  may  still  shine  in  London,  &  you  may  wish  to  go 
out,  I  will  therefore  release  you  from  any  farther  trouble 
by  only  adding  that  I  remain  with  ye  greatest  sincerity 
&  truth — Yours  etc. 

Rutland. 

Remember   me    to   all   my   friends,    not    forgetting    ye 
Countess. 

1  Prince  William  (afterwards  2nd  and  last  Duke)  of  Gloucester,  nicknamed 
"  Silly  Billy." 

2  The    ist    Viscount    Templetown   married,   August   7th,    1796,    Lady 
Mary  Montagu,  daughter  of  John,  5th  Earl  of  Sandwich. 


1790-1808]  A  RUSSIAN  SHIP  9 

Duke  of  Rutland 

Lincoln,  July  25th,  '96. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — My  mother  ^  communicated  to  me 
before  my  departure  from  London  the  obHging  and  flattering 
request  you  desired  she  would  transmit  to  me — that  I 
would  write  to  you  now  and  then  while  on  my  tour.  .  .  . 
As  yet  we  have  been  pottering  about  in  the  flats  of  Norfolk, 
and  have  scarcely  commenced  the  interesting  parts  of  our 
tour.  Culling  Smith  has  his  curricle,  and  I  take  a  post- 
chaise,  and  my  own  saddle-horses,  so  that  we  are  never 
in  want  of  a  conveyance.  The  day  after  to-morrow  we 
intend  to  reach  Hull,  where  we  expect  to  be  joined  by 
a  fourth  person,  who  will  continue  with  us  during  the 
rest  of  the  time.  From  Hull  we  shall  proceed  to  Scar- 
borough (where  I  am  to  have  a  little  to  do  with  the  corpora- 
tion) and  from  thence  through  Durham  etc.  to  Edinburgh. 
Our  plan  is  to  make  the  short  tour  of  the  Highlands,  and 
come  down  from  Inverary  (where  I  shall  probably  see 
Lome)  to  Glasgow.  We  shall  return  by  the  lakes  to 
Lancaster,  and  cross  over  to  York  and  Leeds,  where  I 
shall  take  a  peep  at  Methley,  and  its  valuable  little  contents. 
This  is  briefly  the  outline  of  our  expedition  ;  to  delineate 
it  accurately  in  a  letter  would  be  an  impossibility  ;  you 
may  however  depend  upon  hearing  from  me,  provided 
you  do  not  repent  of  your  request  already.  We  were  very 
much  gratified  at  Yarmouth  by  finding  all  Macbride's 
squadron  at  anchor.  We  went  on  board  a  Russian  ship 
of  the  line  (taken  from  the  Swedes  last  war),  and  com- 
manded by  a  Son  of  the  famous  Admiral  Tchzittigoff.  It 
was  a  remarkably  fine  ship,  and  full  of  very  fine  fellows  ; 
they  had  lately  taken  a  prize  worth  £16,000,  and  were 
going  on  another  cruize.  Indeed  before  we  got  on  shore 
again,  the  Admiral  gave  the  signal  for  unmooring,  and 
the  fleet  was  preparing  to  sail  when  we  came  away.  A 
small  French  privateer  had  ventured  close  in  to  the  shore 
at  Lowestoft  and  captured  a  small  sloop.  An  armed  brig 
was  immediately  sent  after  them,  and  might  easily  have 
retaken  the  sloop  but  chusing  to  chase  the  privateer  she 

1  The  Duchess  Mary  Isabella,  whom  at  one  time  Lord  Paget,  and  at 
another,  his  brother.  Sir  Arthur,  were  each  said  to  be  anxious  to  marry. 
Horace  Walpole  says  that  Lord  Uxbridge  forbade  his  eldest  son  to  marry 
her. 


10  LORD   HOLLAND  DISGUISED  [ch.  i 

lost  them  both.  You  must  have  seen  in  the  papers  an 
account  of  TroUope's  brilliant  action,  it  would  be  only  a 
repetition  of  the  same  news  were  I  to  say  anything  about 
it.  We  are  now  just  arrived  at  Lincoln,  and  to-morrow 
morning  intend  to  mount  the  cathedral  steeple  in  order  to 
get  a  view  at  Belvoir,  which  I  understand  is  possible.  I 
trust  we  shall  all  meet  again  next  winter  there,  and  have 
as  pleasant  a  party.  As  I  was  coming  along  to-day,  I 
heard  of  Ld  Holland,^  and  Ly  Webster,  who  are  at  present 
in  disguise  at  Peterborough,  They  have  changed  their 
names,  and  scarcely  ever  appear.  However  I  saw  a  person 
who  discovered  them.  We  spent  a  pleasant  day  at  Mr. 
Coke's  in  Norfolk,  which  is  a  very  fine  place.  Ld  and 
Ly  Andover,'  the  newly  married  couple,  were  there,  and 
seemingly  have  played  their  part  d  merveille.  ...  I  am 
your  faithful  and  affte  friend, 

Rutland. 

Duke  of  Rutland 

Litchfield,  Octr.  26,  '96. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — Your  agreeable  and  extremely 
acceptable  letter  would  most  certainly  have  received  an 
earlier  answer,  but  owing  to  a  strange  and  unexpected 
delay  in  our  reaching  Carlisle,  it  did  not  catch  me  till  the 
week  before  last  when  I  thought  it  best  to  defer  answering 
it  till  I  had  seen  the  little  Countess.'  She  is  so  uncom- 
monly pleasant,  attentive  and  entertaining  when  mattresse 
de  ceremonies  in  her  own  house  that  during  my  stay  there 
I  found  it  impossible  to  gain  a  spare  moment  and  this 
must  account  for  the  length  of  time  that  has  elapsed  since 
you  wrote  your  letter.  Believe  me  however  your  goodness 
has  not  been  lost  upon  me,  and  the  kind  and  friendly 
manner  in  which  you  wrote  enhances  the  value  of  your 
acquaintance,  and  with  my  whole  soul  I  return  you  my 
sincerest  thanks  for  your  expressions  of  friendship.  It 
was  not  till  last  Friday  that  we  reached  Methley  at  dinner. 
We  found  there  the  Dowager  Ly  Mexbro',*  her  two  sons, 

1  Henry,  3rd  Lord  Holland,  married  July  2nd,  1 797,  Elizabeth,  daughter 
of  Richard  Vassall,  the  divorced  wife  of  Sir  Godfrey  Webster. 

2  Charles,  Viscount  And  over,  married  June  21st,  1796,  Mr.  Coke's 
daughter  Jane. 

3  EUzabeth,  wife  of  John,  2nd  Earl  of  Mexborough. 
*  Sarah,  widow  of  the  ist  Earl. 


1790-1808]  PARTY  AT   METHLEY  11 

Harpur,  and  a  Mr  Casamajor.  The  house  is  a  most  capital 
one  and  the  drawing  and  dining  rooms  the  two  largest 
and  best  rooms  I  ever  saw.  On  Saturday  the  little  woman 
rode  over  with  us  to  Temple  Newsam  ^  and  shewed  us  the 
lions  there,  and  on  Sunday  Smith  drove  her  over  to  Mrs 
Bland's  (about  6  miles)  in  his  curricle,  and  after  staying 
there  three  hours,  I  insisted  upon  supplanting  him  and 
taking  the  whip  hand.  I  own  myself  in  the  wrong  in  this 
particular,  as,  for  the  selfish  wish  of  enjoying  her  company, 
I  hazarded  her  neck  and  safety.  The  road  was  beyond 
aU  description  or  imagination  bad,  and  I  had  never  driven 
a  curricle  above  once  before.  She  took  the  reins  herself 
after  I  had  steered  through  the  bad  road  and  drove  the 
rest  of  the  way.  Never  did  I  see  a  more  interesting  little 
figure  than  she  was  on  that  day,  or  a  more  pleasant  and 
lively  companion.  In  short,  had  it  been  possible,  I  could 
have  almost  worshipped  her.  On  Sunday  evening  late 
Sir  Henry  Vane  arrived,  which  addition  of  course  made  a 
great  bustle  throughout.  He  has  lately  been  in  a  most 
terrible  row  at  Doncaster,  where  he  was  concerned  in 
beating  a  man  of  the  name  of  Baker,  and  treating  him 
very  ill.  The  particulars  I  will  tell  you  when  we  meet, 
but  though  he  certainly  has  been  to  blame  I  do  not  however 
think  him  so  very  bad  as  most  people  do  in  this  affair. 
He  set  off  again  on  Monday  morning,  and  about  an  hour 
after  we  all  started,  the  Countess  riding  with  us  as  far  as 
Wakefield.  She  would  have  rode  twelve  miles  farther, 
but  was  forced  to  be  early  at  dinner.  She  desired  me  to 
tell  you  that  if  you  will  come  to  Methley  she  will  refuse 
you  nothing  you  can  ask,  and  that  you  shall  have  as  large 

a  wineglass  as  you  like it  would  be  needless  to  attempt 

an  account  of  all  our  proceedings  since  my  last.  Our 
intention  is  to  be  at  Southampton  on  Tuesday  at  latest, 
and  I  hope  very  much  that  you  will  contrive  to  come 
down  while  I  am  there,  as  really  and  truly  I  have  reckoned 
so  much  on  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you,  that  I  do  not  know 
with  what  face  I  shall  bear  a  disappointment — the  kind- 
ness and  hospitality  of  the  people  of  Scotland  has  been 
the  cause  of  our  protraction  in  the  tour,  but  we  have  now 
given  over  sight-seeing,  and  are  as  anxious  to  be  again 
quiet,  as  we  were  three  months  ago  to  be  in  motion.     Smith 

^  Then  the  seat  of  the  Marchioness  of  Hertford,  co-heir  of  Viscount 
Irwin. 


12  FRENCH  DIRECTORY  [ch.  i 

left  us  this  morning,  and  another  of  the  party  leaves  us 
to-morrow.     All  my  horses  I  sent  from  Methley  to  Cheveley 
either  blind  or  lame,  but  I  have  ordered  the  little  brown 
hack  I  bought  of   your  brother  to   go   to  Southampton. 
As  you  say  I  should  not  conceive  a  visit  to  the  court  of 
Spain  at  this  moment  would  be  very  agreable,  nor  do  I 
think  it  extraordinary  in  you  to  wish  to  avoid  it.     The 
present  juncture  of  affairs  is  extremely  important.     We 
all  look  most  anxiously  to  the  event  of  Ld  Malmesbury's  ^ 
mission,  but  I  confess  I  should  bet  on  its  failure.     Of  the 
five  leading  men  on  the  Directory  in  Paris,  three  are  for 
war,  and  two  for  peace.     The  latter  will  therefore  of  course 
be  overruled  by  the  former.     A  change  of  them  is  to  take 
place  in  March  next  and  others  will  most  probably  have 
the  lead  in  their  stead,  who  will  then  conclude  a  peace 
agreably  to  the  wishes  of  the  Parisians.     Should  an  attack 
be   meditated  on   this  country,    (which  however   I  think 
will  scarcely  happen   after  the  glorious  successes  of  the 
Austrians)  I  should  hope  that  every  nerve  will  be  stretched. 
Britons  on  their  own  ground  will  I  am  sure  fight  like  inspired 
dragons,  nor  have  I  the  least  fear — the  intention  you  have 
of  not  coming  into  Leicestershire  is  I  trust  wholly  ground- 
less.    As  for  horses  I  have  as  yet  not  one  myself  but  I 
intend  to  procure  some  previous  to  that  period.     We  will 
be  very  jolly  at  Belvoir,  and  I  will  be  bound  to  show  you 
some    sport,    barring    bad    weather.     The    little    luminary 
of  Methley  has  promised  to  come  to  [  ?  Grantham]  Hotel. 
Most  probably  shall  see  her  flying  over  the  post  and  rails 
in  the  vale  of  Belvoir.     The  vale  is.  only  66  miles  from 
Methley  so  that  she  is  with  us  in  a  very  few  hours.     Most 
truly  and  faithfully  yours, 

Rutland. 

Mr.  W.  Garthshore  * 

Wimbledon,  26  Oct.,  1798. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — .  .  .  The  defeat  of  the  Brest 
fleet  has  of  course  given  a  new  spirit  to  ministers — indeed 
to  say  the  truth,  our  situation  is  now  really  proud — &  we 

1  Lord  Malmesbury  was  sent  to  discuss  terms  of  peace  with  the  French 
Directory,  but  the  negotiations  failed. 

2  WilUara  Garthshore,  M.P.  for  Weymouth  and  in  1801  one  of  the 
Lords  of  the  Admiralty,  was  one  of  the  habituSs  of  Uxbridge  House,  and 
a  great  ally  of  the  Paget  brothers,  whom  he  called  "  you  varlets." 


1790-1808J  LORD  UXBRIDGE  DOUBTS  13 

shall,  I  presume,  hold  a  very  high  language  in  both  Houses 
of  Parliament.  Darnley  moves  the  address  and  I  hope 
will  do  it  well.  Charles  has  (as  you  will  have  heard)  at 
last  got  the  Brilliant.  I  mention  it  only  to  mark  the 
singularity  of  your  father.  He  came  down  here  to  me 
to  show  me  the  Letter,  as  kind  a  one  as  I  ever  saw,  from 
Ld  Spencer,^  who  said  he  was  happy  in  an  arrangement 
which  enabled  him  to  procure  a  permanent  situation  for 
Capt.  Paget.  And  would  you  believe  that  upon  that 
unfortunate  word  yr  father  had  tortured  his  imagination 
till  he  had  ahnost  persuaded  himself  that  Ld  Spencer  meant 
by  permanent  that  Charles  should  always  remain  in  the 
Brilliant  and  never  have  any  other  ship — by  the  by  if  it 
were  so  I  do  not  see  the  great  hardship — but  I  think  it  is 
upon  the  whole  the  best  interpretation  I  ever  yet  met  with 
by  any  Commentator,  antient  or  modern.  I  hope  none  of 
yr  Dispatches  will  be  submitted  to  such  an  investigation — 
he  would  have  made  an  able  negotiator,  the  devil  a  word 
wd  have  slipped  by  him — this  is  all  entre  nous  remember, 
we  sometimes  talk  treason.  I  shall  finish  as  to  him  by 
telling  you  he  is  now  determined  not  to  quit  Wales  which 
he  had  intended — from  some  political  cloud. 

Everybody  is  full  of  the  idea  of  a  Union  with  Ireland,' 
which  will  not  however  I  suspect,  be  brought  on  in  so 
vast  a  hurry  as  people  seem  to  think  here  ;  the  Chancellor 
of  Ireland  is  violent  for  it  but  even  he  does  not  I  believe 
think  that  it  ought  to  be  carried  through  immediately. 

I  hope  you  hold  your  head  very  high  with  the  Tedescos ' 
upon  our  late  brilliant  actions — why  the  devil  were  not 
you  and  I  Captains  of  Frigates  ?  Do  not  forget  if  you 
love  me  to  send  me  a  Gotha  Almanack. 

W.  G. 

Mr.  Garthshore 

Man.  Square,  March  8,  1799. 

...  I  dined  at  Uxbridge  House  yesterday — indeed  I 
am  there  very  frequently — they  are  all  weU — your  Sister 
Louisa  is  condemned  to  the  country,  as  you  know  probably, 
d  cause  du  Colonel  Erskine — at  least  I  apprehend  she  wiU 

^  George  John,  2nd  Earl  Spencer,  then  ist  Lord  of  the  Admiralty. 
'  The  Union  was  effected  within  two  years. 

3  Arthur  Paget  was  appointed  Minister  to  the  Elector  of  Bavaria  in 
1798,  transferred  to  Palermo  in  iSoo,  and  to  Vienna  in  1801. 


14  PRINCE'S   ILLNESS  [ch.  i 

not  be  much  in  Town,  while  he  remains — d — n  that  love 
— how  it  deranges  everything.  .  .  . 

W.  G. 
Sir  J.  McMahon 

Saturday  night,  i  o'clock  [?  1803]. 

Confidential. 

I  am  but  this  instant  returned  home,  when  I  found  your 
note.  Knowing  as  I  do,  my  dear  Sir,  your  sincere  attach- 
ment to  the  Prince  I  can  have  no  secrets  from  you.  Be 
assured  he  is  himself  again  ;  but  most  certainly  he  has 
escaped  one  of  the  most  severe  illnesses  that  ever  yet  visited 
him,  for  he  was  in  a  state  of  extreme  doubt,  not  danger, 
for  two  days.  He  had  not  been  well  for  some  days  before 
the  fete  he  gave  at  Brighton  '  on  the  Queen's  birthday, 
and  an  unlucky  attempt  at  conquest  over  the  D.  of  Norfolk 
ripened  his  indisposition.  He  was  bled  four  times,  and 
had  copious  evacuations.  These  with  profuse  perspirations 
reduced,  thank  Heaven,  his  fever,  and  has  positively  sub- 
dued the  malady,  for  his  pulse  was  brought  to  the  degree 
precisely  that  you  could  wish,  and  excepting  the  weakness 
that  you  will  readily  suppose  might  arise  from  severe 
medical  discipline,  he  is  actually  better  than  he  has  been 
for  months,  nay  years.  This,  believe  me,  is  the  actual 
truth.  Being  on  this  subject,  I  have  one  thing  to  submit 
to  you  with  unfeigned  sincerity.  I  know  the  Prince  has 
always  loved,  and  thought  affectionately  of  you.  Illness 
has  in  a  degree  at  this  moment  subdued  him,  and  I  would, 
with  love  for  him,  and  friendship  towards  you,  venture  to 
suggest  (what  I  have  no  doubt  your  mind  may  have  already 
anticipated)  how  happy  and  consoling  it  would  be  to  his 
feelings  to  receive  a  few  lines  of  tenderness,  and  regard 
from  you  on  his  recovery,  for  I  am  positive  his  heart  beats 
with  unalterable  feeling  for  you.  I  could  have  heartily 
wished  to  speak  to  you  on  this  subject,  but  as  I  presume 
you  are  on  the  eve  of  departure,*  I  may  not  have  that 
satisfaction,  therefore  I  will  only  add  that  no  man  can 
wish  you  more  happiness  than,  my  dear  Sir,  yours  most 
sincerely, 

J.  McMahon.' 

1  See    Creevey's  Correspondence  for  H.R.H.'s  excessive   hospitality  at 
the  Brighton  Pavilion  at  this  period. 

■  Arthur  Paget  was  in  England  on  leave  in  the  autumn  of  1803. 

•  Sir  J.  McMahon  was  many  years  private  secretary  to  the  Prince 


1790-1808]  OATLANDS  15 

Capt.  Hon.  Berkeley  Paget 

Oatlands,  Sunday  {Autumn  of  1803]. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — The  Dutchess  of  York  *  has  desired 
me  to  invite  you  to  Oatlands  next  Sunday.  I  prythee 
come,  good  Horatio,  and  deign  to  partake  of  the  cheer. 
The  revelry  now  hath  begun.  Her  R.H.,  thinking  you  was 
at  Windsor,  had  desired  me  to  send  to  you  to  come  here 
to-day,  but  I  told  her  you  was  going  into  Sussex'  and 
would  do  no  such  thing.  .  .  .  Pretty  blow  up  if  you  had 
come  here,  Caroline  in  arms,  and  perhaps  two  or  three 
Children  in  her  arms  blowing  up  Oatlands.  "  I'll  blow 
up,  Old  Day."  .  .  .  Commend  me  to  my  kindred  at  Holm 
Bush.  I  could  say  how  very  sorry  I  am  not  to  be  there 
but  Caroline  would  not  believe  me,  she  never  does.  If  I 
can  go  from  hence  to  H.  B.  on  Tuesday,  I  will.  Fare  thee 
well,  good  Horatio  !    Thine  for  ever, 

Hamlet. 

One  had  one's  Music  here  last  night  tiU  three  o'clock  this 
morning. 

George  BrummeW 

SOUTHALL,    14  Sept.  [1803]. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  must  beg  to  remind  you  of  your 
promise  to  go  to  Oatlands  on  Saturday  next.  Arthur 
Upton,  Berkeley,  Bill  Northey,  and  self — Fetherstone  is 
to  be  in  Town  Friday,  and  I  will  insist  upon  his  addition 
to  the  party. 

of  Wales  (George  IV),  whilst  Sir  Arthur,  as  well  as  all  the  other  Paget 
brothers,  belonged  to  the  "  Carlton  House  set  "  at  this  time  ;  see  The 
Paget  Papers  for  the  prince's  assurances  of  undying  affection  for  Sir 
Arthur  Paget.  McMahon  left  Court  in  1817,  and  died  the  following 
year.  Mr.  Knighton,  his  executor,  then  handed  over  to  the  Regent 
McMahon's  papers,  which  H.R.H.  was  anxious  to  suppress,  and  Knighton's 
subsequent  ascendency  dating  from  this  event  lasted  until  the  death  of 
George  IV. 

1  Berkeley  Paget  was  now  one  of  the  aides-de-camp  to  the  Duke  of 
York,  Commander-in-Chief. 

2  To  visit  Mr.  and  Lady  Carohne  Capel  at  Holm  Bush. 

3  The  once  notorious  Beau  Brummell,  whose  father,  having  been 
private  secretary  to  Lord  North,  the  Prime  Minister,  was  able  to  bequeath 
a  fair  fortune  to  each  of  his  children.  George,  after  an  education  at 
Eton,  was  appointed  a  cornet  in  the  loth  Hussars,  the  regiment  com- 
manded by  the  Prince  of  Wales,  who  was  soon  taken  with  the  good  looks, 
the  inimitable  clothes,  and  the  ineffable  manners  of  the  Beau,  to  be  in 


X6  BRUMMELL  AT  MACBETH  [ch.  i 

I  cannot  resist  just  mentioning  the  excellence  of  Kemble 
and  Mrs  Siddons  in  Macbeth  Monday  last — I  really  never 
saw  them  act  so  well.  He  was  only  a  minute  and  1/2 
shaking  his  bloody  hands,  and  getting  out  "  this  is  a  sorry 
sight."  Box  entirely  to  myself — snuff  and  legs  upon  chair. 
Bad  way  of  enjoying  Play,  especially  as  the  whole  House 
was  groaning  with  heat  and  want  of  room  ?  It  would  be 
paying  but  a  poor  compliment  to  those  perfect  people, 
who  are  with  you,  to  suppose  that  you  would  come  to 
Town  on  Friday,  dine  at  5,  and  be  with  Isabella  at  1/2 
past  six  (Mrs  Siddons  I  mean,  not  the  Old  Dss.).^  Perhaps 
indeed  you  may  have  a  little  more  business  to  transact 
in  Town  ;  if  so,  pray  let  it  be  done  on  Friday  morning, 
and  we  may  then  dedicate  the  Evening  to  Play,  and  pro- 
ceed together  to  Oatlands  on  the  following  day.  Let  me 
know  in  short  whether  you  really  intend  going  there  Satur- 
day. 

I  am  this  moment  for  Lincoln's  Inn  and  shall  on  my 
return  take  a  survey  of  all  the  Old  Shops  for  a  bit  of  good 
Japan  for  you.     Yours  ever  most  sincerely, 

\  I  George  Brummell. 

Not  a  syllable  of  news  to-day  excepting  a  revolution  at 
Botany  Bay. 

Lady  Paget 

Wretham,2  1803  [?]. 

Many  thanks  to  you,  my  dearest  Arthur,  for  both  yr 
letters.  ...  I  am  glad  to  hear  that  you  and  the  Prince  have 
made  up  your  Quarrels  for  his  sake  and  if  he  had  a  few 
more  such  gentlemanly  friends  it  would  be  better  for  him. 
I  hope  he  will  tell  you  what  he  means  to  do  with  Maria ' 
and  I  desire  I  may  know.  I  must  also  ask  you  a  little 
family  news,   is  what   I  see  in   the   Papers  true  that  Ld 

favour  with  whom  "  was  alone  enough  to  make  a  man  of  fashion  at  that 
time,"  as  Lord  Byron  told  Captain  Medwin.  For  a  few  years  the  Prince 
and  he  lived  on  terms  of  great  intimacy,  but  Brummell  being  suspected 
after  a  time  of  laughing  at  H.R.H.,  the  latter  dropped  him,  the  Beau  fell 
on  evil  days,  and  debt  compelled  him  to  fly  from  England.  Sir  Arthur 
Paget  was  among  the  few  old  friends  who  remained  faithful  to  Brummell 
in  adversity. 

1  Mary  Isabella,  Duchess  of  Rutland. 

»  A  place  in  Suffolk  rented  by  Lord  Paget  during  his  command  of  a 
Brigade  at  Ipswich.  3  Mrs.  Fitzherbert. 


1790-1808]  PAGET  AS   PEACE- MAKER  17 

Lorn  ^  is  going  to  be  married- — what  will  become  of  us  all 
if  it  is  ?  Anne '  keeps  her  Affairs  very  secret,  for  she  never 
tells  me  one  word  of  her  dinners  and  suppers  or  who  she 
ever  sees.  .  .  .     Your  affecte 

Car. 

Countess  of  Uxbridge 

London,  Fehry.  28th,  1804. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — My  dependence  on  your  receiving 
long  and  pleasant  letters  from  Spring  Gardens^  makes 
me  the  less  annoyed  at  the  shortness  and  stupidity  of 
mine.  Lord  Malmesbury  tells  me  I  must  make  up  my 
Mind  to  not  hearing  from  you  for  ten  days  more.  .  .  . 

The  King,  thank  God,  mends  progressively.*  A  speedy 
recovery  must  not  be  expected  but  the  faculty  are  perfectly 
satisfied.  Something  was  said  upon  the  Subject  in  the 
house  of  Commons  last  night,  when  Pitt,  I  understand, 
moved  for  an  Adjournment,  they  were  left  sitting  at  2 
o'clock  this  Morning,  and  as  I  am  going  to  Holtham,  I 
shall  not  have  an  Opportunity  of  sending  you  any  par- 
ticulars. You  will  be  happy  to  hear  Paget  has  brought 
about  a  complete  reconciliation  ^  between  the  P.  [Prince 
of  Wales]  and  the  D.  of  Y.  [York]  and  they  both  thanked 
him  most  cordially  for  having  effected  it.  .  .  . 


Countess  of  Uxbridge 

London,  March  10th,  1804. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — Mr  Stuart's  Servant  having 
call'd  to  say  he  sets  out  for  Vienna  to  morrow,  I  cannot  let 

1  George  William,  6th  Duke  of  Argyll,  born  1768,  a  friend  from  boy- 
hood of  the  Pagets  and  Villiers,  but  a  man  with  nothing  in  his  favour 
except  remarkably  good  looks,  selfish  and  extravagant.  He  was  Lord 
Steward,  1 833-1 839,  dying  in  the  latter  year,  leaving  a  deeply  encumbered 
estate  to  his  successor. 

2  Lady  Anne  VilUers,  second  daughter  of  the  4th  Earl  of  Jersey,  married, 
first,  WilUam  Henry  Lambton,  who  died  1797;  and  secondly,  in  1801, 
Hon.  Charles  Wyndham,  brother  of  the  Earl  of  Egremont. 

3  I.e.  from  Lady  Catherine  Harris,  eldest  daughter  of  the  ist  Earl  of 
Malmesbury  ;  there  was  a  kind  of  engagement  between  her  and  Arthur 
Paget,  but  it  was  broken  off  and  she  married  a  Colonel  Bell. 

*  The  King's  mind  had  been  affected  since  the  month  of  January. 

'  "  The  breach  of  harmony  between  them  was  patched  up  .  .  .  by  Lord 
Paget,  who  mediated  between  them  with  great  good  sense." — Diaries  of 
the  1st  Earl  of  Malmesbury,  iv.  292. 


i8  CAPEL'S  DEBTS  [ch.  i 

such  an  opportunity  pass  without  writmg  you  a  few  lines. 
I  wish  they  could  be  more  cheerful  ones,  but  I  have  not 
the  talent  of  concealing  my  feelings,  and  must  fairly  own 
to  you  my  heart  is  almost  broke  upon  a  subject  that  you 
are  no  Stranger  to,  tho'  you  are  to  the  Extent,  and  dreadful 
Consequences  that  must  ensue.  You  had  not  left  this 
Country  many  days  before  I  was  made  acquainted  by 
Lady  Essex  and  her  Lawyer  of  the  Magnitude  of  the  debt,' 
amounting  (I  tremble  to  name  it)  to  £20,000.  Neither  Ways 
or  Means  to  be  found  to  discharge  craving  Creditors  &c. 
Lord  E.  offers  something  upon  conditions  of  his  own,  that 
at  present  Caroline  won't  listen  to.  In  short  nothing 
can  be  more  dreadful.  According  to  my  opinion  no  body 
has  a  right  to  persuade  and  dictate  plans,  that  has  been  the 
sole  cause  of  all  the  misery  entailed  upon  himself  and 
innocent  family  :  forgive  me,  my  dear  Arthur,  for  so  long 
dwelling  upon  this  painful  subject,  but  it  is  nearest  my 
heart,  I  wdll  make  you  amends  for  it  by  assuring  you 
that  our  beloved  King  is  daily  gaining  health  &  strength  ; 
he  might  have  gone  out  two  days  ago,  but  his  game  of 
Chess  occupied  him  till  it  was  too  late.  The  Queen  & 
Princesses  (the  elder  ones)  have  been  an  airing  to  day, 
this  is  another  &  the  best  proof  of  the  King's  amendment. 
Poor  Princesses  Sophia  &  Amelia  have  been  extremely 
ill.  I  own  I  tremble  for  the  fate  of  the  latter,  whose  health 
appears  daily  to  decline,  and  the  poor  dear  Queen  and 
in  short  all  of  them  have  been  very  iU.  I  have  been  out 
but  once  except  to  Lord  Malmesbury's,  so  know  nothing 
that  is  passing  in  the  World,  except  the  reports  from  Paris  ; 
it  is  dreadful  to  think  of  Moreau's  ^  being  taken,  and  great 
apprehensions  are  felt  on  account  of  Pichegru  but  of  course 
you  know  more  of  all  these  things  than  I  do.  I  grow  most 
anxious  to  hear  of  you  again.  The  weather  has  been  so 
Moderate  here  that  we  have  reason  to  hope  the  remainder 
of  your  Voyage  has  been  prosperous.  We  have  just  heard 
from  Charles,  off  Ferrol  March  3d  all  well,  but  had  taken 
no  Prizes,  he  is  longing  for  a  Spanish  war,  I  hope  he  will 
come  in  first  to  refit,  for  he  is  stiU  without  his  Top  Masts 
&c.  Lord  Malmesbury  went  to  Park  Place  yesterday, 
&  on  Monday  goes  to  Cirencester,  &  returns  here  the  Friday 
following  with  dear  Lady  Catherine.     Your  departure  has 

1  The  debts  of  Hon.  John  Capel,  husband  of  her  daughter  Caroline. 
*  In  connection  with  a  plot  to  restore  the  Bourbons. 


1790-1808]  FAMILY  AILMENTS  19 

made  people  cease  talking,  &  the  Papers  assure  us  there 
is  no  truth  in  the  report.  Your  Father  is  at  Ipswich  with 
Paget,  he  will  be  very  sorry  to  lose  this  opportunity  of 
writing  to  you.  I  hope  somebody  does  so  besides 
myself  for  your  sake.  When  Lady  Catherine  comes  you 
shall  be  saved  the  trouble  of  my  stupid  letters,  and  I 
will  give  my  eyes  rest;  they  are  terribly  painful  now, 
owing  to  bad  nights,  Nerves,  &c.  Charlotte  lost  Mrs 
Robinson's  pleasant  Ball  by  a  bad  cold,  and  I  by  bad 
spirits.  Your  Father  to  the  surprise  of  every  body 
attended  it.  It  was  to  shew  his  attention  to  the  family. 
Lady  Paget,  Charlotte,  George  &  Berkeley  send  you  their 
kindest  love.  Lord  Camelford  is  still  alive.  God  bless 
you.  I  am.  My  dearest  Arthur,  your  most  truly  Affec- 
tionate Mother, 

J.    UXBRIDGE. 

Lady  Louisa  Erskine  to  Countess  of  Uxbridge 

Mallow,  18  March,  1804. 

A  thousand  thousand  thanks,  my  dearest  Mama,  for  your 
dear  letter  which  is  indeed  most  sweet  &  has  made  us  all 
perfectly  happy  about  the  dear,  dear.  King.  I  long  to 
hear  that  you  have  seen  the  Queen  &  Princesses.  One 
shudders  to  think  of  what  they  have  gone  through.  It 
will  be  a  great  satisfaction  to  hear  from  you  that  they  have 
not  suffered  in  their  health  by  it. 

.  .  .  Independent  of  your  desire,  my  dear  Mama,  I  shd 
have  sent  your  letter  to  Edward.  I  see  you  are  not  aware 
of  their  value  &  of  the  very  great  delight  we  take  in  them. 
I  assure  you  that  whichever  of  us  has  the  happiness  of 
receiving  one  immediately  dispatches  a  Special  Messenger 
off  with  it  for  the  perusal  of  the  other.  Since  you  desire 
to  know  truly  how  I  do,  my  dearest  Mama,  I  shall  give  you 
a  Journal,  not  only  of  myself  but  of  others.  .  .  .  For  myself 
I  have  not  been  a  day  well  these  two  months  and  have 
only  been  twice  out  in  three  weeks  having  had  a  dreadful 
Cold  with  pain  on  my  breast  &  so  much  pain  in  my  eyes 
that  I  was  quite  alarmed  as  it  is  very  common  here  to 
lose  one  of  your  eyes  after  such  a  Cold.  Thank  God  my 
dearest  Jamie  has  hitherto  escaped  but  not  so  poor  Edward, 
who  has  never  been  without  a  sore  Throat  since  the  first 
week  of  his  arrival.  .  .  .  This  certainly  is  a  most  extra- 


20  LOUISA'S  GRIEVANCES  [ch.  i 

ordinary  Climate.  I  beg  as  a  favour  whoever  writes  him 
will  upon  no  account  say  a  word  of  his  Throat,  or  I  shall 
get  into  a  scrape,  for  he  does  not  like  enquiries.  We  none 
of  us  wish  to  move  except  to  go  to  England.  .  .  .  Herbert 
&  Mrs  Stepney  are  coming  to  us  soon  for  a  Day  or  two 
&  I  am  in  hopes  my  Aunt  Charlotte  &  Major  Armstrong 
will  meet  them. 

I  expect  poor  little  Loui  will  come  down  one  morning 
without  a  Nose.  She  had  a  Mouse  in  her  bed  last  night 
&  they  run  over  our  Bed  every  night,  the  House  tho'  quite 
new  swarms  with  them.  Everything  we  eat  smells  of 
them.  They  not  only  eat  our  food  but  devour  my  Gowns 
&c  also  &  what  has  annoyed  Jamie  beyond  description 
is  their  having  gnawed  away  part  of  the  Comb  you  gave 
him.  This  is  a  sad  grievance.  .  .  .  We  write  in  duty  & 
affection  to  my  dearest  Papa  &  your  own  dear  self.  Ever 
your  most  devoted  &  truly  affecte  Daughter, 

Louisa  Erskine. 


Earl  of  Uxbridge 

London,  March  20th,  1804, 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  am  extremely  obliged  to  you  for 
your  very  interesting,  but  dreadful,  account  of  your  voyage 
to  Heligoland.  I  am  not  surprised  that  you  abhor  the 
sea,  you  have  hitherto  been  so  unfortunate  in  your  trips 
— for  some  days  we  have  been  in  a  very  anxious  worrying 
state,  but  your  letter  has  relieved  us — what  has  happened, 
I  hope,  will  be  a  useful  lesson,  and  discourage  you  in  future 
from  defying  the  elements.  Poor  dear  Lady  Catherine 
was  dreadfully  low  till  your  letter  relieved  her.  I  saw  her 
for  only  a  moment  yesterday,  looking  very  well,  but  very 
interesting — she  is  a  charming  creature. 

The  Duke  of  Roxburgh  &  Lord  Alvanley  died  within 
these  few  days.  The  King  was  so  partially  attached  to 
the  Duke,  that  it  will  hurt  him,  when  he  comes  to  hear  it ; 
Lord  A.  was  a  very  well-known  character. 

Our  dear  and  best  of  King's  health  is  daily  improving, 
and  I  trust  in  God  we  shall  see  him  at  Windsor  again  ere 
long.  To-day's  bulletin  I  have  not  seen,  but  that  of 
yesterday  rvms  thus  ;  "  His  Majesty  is  materially  better, 
and  is  far  advanced  in  recovery." 


1790-1808]  LADY  CATHERINE  HARRIS  21 

Somebody  of  course  has  told  you  of  Jane  having  another 
daughter,  and  I  have  just  heard  that  she  is  going  on  as  well 
as  possible.  Mary  comes  next ;  she  is  so  well,  and  in 
such  spirits,  that  I  should  think  she  will  make  short  work 
of  it.  Lady  Paget  returns  to  Wretham  to-morrow,  where 
Paget  is  to  meet  her.     I  have  paid  my  visit  at  Ipswich. 

This  morning,  on  a  consultation  with  Mr.  Knight,  the 
Surgeon,  Capt.  Berkeley  Paget  is  declared  to  have  as 
fine  a  shining  fit  of  the  gout  as  possible,  and  I  am  going 
to  the  Duke  of  York  to  report  him  unfit  for  duty.  I  saw 
the  Prince  and  Duke  of  Cambridge  at  the  Opera  last  Satur- 
day ;  this  would  not  have  been  the  case,  if  the  King  had 
not  been  materially  better. 

Your  mother  sends  her  best  love. 

I  am,  my  dear  Arthur,  more  affectionately  yours  than 
you  think  I  am, 

UXBRIDGE. 


Countess  of  Uxbndge 

London,  April  2nd,  1804. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — It  is  some  time  since  I  had  the 
pleasure  of  writing  to  you,  but  you  are  ever  in  my  thoughts, 
and    the    prospect   of   your   approaching   happiness   gives 
me  very  different  sensations  from  what  I  have  been  accus- 
tomed to  feel  about  you  ;  the  more  I  see  of  that  dear  soul,^ 
the  more  I  am  enchanted  with  her.     Lord  Garlics  met  her 
at  dinner  here  the  other  day,  his  Observation  was  that  she 
is  the  Choice  of  a  sensible  Man,  he  thinks  her  quite  delight- 
ful.    She  is  recovering  her  looks,  and  is  sitting  for  her 
Picture,  which  I  hope  Mrs.  Mee  will  do  justice  to  and  give 
her  own  expression  of  countenance,  and  not  her  fantastic 
one,  .  .  .  she  has  just  finished  a  picture  of  Mary,'  so  lan- 
guishing and  dying,  that  I  cannot  bear  it.     How  constantly, 
my  dear  Arthur,  your  ill  luck  pursues  you  at  sea  !  no  body 
but  yourself,    I   believe,   had   ever   such   an   unpropitious 
passage  from  Heligoland  to  Husum.     I  hope  in  another 
week  we  shall  hear  of  your  safe  arrival  at  Vienna.     It  is 
very  extraordinary  that  there  are  no  accounts  whatever 
from  Paris,  I  tremble  for  the  fate  of  the  poor  people  there. 
I  have  not  had  courage  to   send  to  poor  Baron  de  Rolle 

1  Lady   Catherine   Harris.  2  Lady  Graves. 


22  HENRY  PIERREPONT  [cH.  I 

to  come  here,  he  is  so  wretchedly  out  of  spirits.  This 
certainly  is  not  a  good  reason,  nor  do  I  plead  it  as  such, 
the  truth  is  my  own  are  so  bad,  that  I  have  been  very 
deficient  to  my  friends  lately.  One  of  my  former  letters 
to  you  has  too  fully  explained  the  Cause.  Charlotte  is  gone 
for  ten  days  to  make  poor  dear  Caroline  a  Visit,  and  your 
Father  and  I  go  to  Windsor  to  Morrow.  Berkeley  is 
released  from  his  confinement.  As  every  thing  that  relates 
to  little  Louisa  must  be  interesting  to  you,  I  send  under 
another  Cover  a  letter  I  received  from  Mallow  a  few  days 
ago.  The  Duke  of  York  confirms  the  report  of  Genl 
Erskine's  soon  coming  to  England,  so  I  hope  you  will  find 
that  charming  little  Creature  here  when  you  return.  .  .  . 
Jane  and  her  Daughter  are  going  on  well.  Lady  Paget 
is  returned  to  Wretham.  I  hope  when  you  have  a  Daughter, 
you  will  not  Christen  it  Agnes. ^  Jane  intends  to  call  hers 
Helen,  which  is  almost  as  bad.  .  .  . 


Hon.  Henry  Pierrepont  * 

Berlin,  8  May,  1804. 
My  Dear  Arthur, — .  .  .  Everything  seemed  to  conspire 
at  once  against  the  Govt  and  I  confess  I  came  away  with 
the  opinion,  which  was  indeed  the  universal  one  that 
prevailed,  that  the  next  day  might  produce  a  change  which 
must  I  think  have  been  effected  by  this  time.  Ld  Hawkes- 
bury  seemed  quite  beat  &  so  in  truth  did  the  Doctor  whom 
I  saw  the  day  I  left  London,  the  former  told  me  he  expected 
the  Minority  would  divide  80  in  the  Hse  of  Lords.  The 
general  idea  was  that  Fox  would  come  in  as  Secy  of  State, 
to  Pitt  as  Minister,  but  how  will  they  then  provide  for  their 
numerous  adherents  as  well  as  satisfy  the  Grenvilles  and 

1  The  youngest  daughter  of  Lord  and  Lady  Paget,  who  married  in 
1829  Captain  George  Stevens  Byng,  afterwards  2nd  Earl  of  Strafford. 

*  Hon.  Henry  Manvers  Pierrepont,  born  1780  (younger  son  of  ist 
Earl  Manvers),  a  diplomatist.  His  information  of  the  state  of  affairs 
at  home,  as  detailed  in  this  letter,  was  wonderfully  accurate  (see  Tomline's 
Life  of  Pitt,  iii.  1G5).  Addington,  "  the  Doctor,"  resigned  April  29th. 
Pitt,  though  anxious  to  include  Fox  and  the  Grenvilles  in  his  new  Cabinet, 
was  compelled  out  of  consideration  for  the  King,  who  had  really  not 
recovered  from  his  mental  attack,  to  withdraw  Fox's  name  when  His 
Majesty  refused  his  assent.  Thereupon  the  Grenvilles  decUned  to  co- 
operate, Pitt  was  obliged  to  take  six  of  Addington's  ministers  into  the 
Cabinet,  instead  of  forming  a  National  Government — and  at  the  end 
of  the  year  Addington  himself,  created  Viscount  Sidmouth,  rejoined  the 
Ministry  as  President  of  the  Council. 


1790-1808]  STATE  OF  THE  KING  23 

their  friends  is  more  than  I  can  conceive  possible,  or  indeed 
is  it  probable  that  any  coalition  between  two  persons 
coming  in  upon  such  opposite  principles  as  Pitt  &  Fox 
shd  last  a  year,  but  this  event  if  it  takes  place  will  probably 
tend  to  remove  every  single  member  of  the  present  Govt. 
The  next  question  then  is  the  state  of  the  poor  King,  who 
depend  upon  it,  although  able  to  converse  rationally  &  to 
sign  a  very  few  papers,  is  so  much  reduced  by  his  late  illness 
&  is  so  completely  debilitated  that  his  recovery  is  very 
doubtful  &  his  situation  very  inadequate  to  support  the 
shock  of  so  general  a  change  of  Govt,  he  wd  probably 
therefore  relapse  into  his  former  unhappy  state  &  a  Regency 
would  be  the  natural  consequence  &  would  equally  tend 
to  produce  a  change  of  Govt.  All  this  may  be  materially 
changed  since  the  25th  of  last  month  but  at  that  time 
things  were  as  I  state  them,  &  I  believe  you  know  me  well 
enough  to  be  aware  that  I  do  not  write  you  the  mere 
nonsense  of  the  day,  but  that  I  had  an  opportunity  of 
enquiring  pretty  minutely  into  the  accuracy  of  my  state- 
ments. To  corroborate  what  I  have  said  of  the  poor  King 
it  is  only  necessary  to  inform  you  that  Simmonds  ^  and 
his  people  have  never  quitted  Buckm  House.  .  .  . 

So  much  for  our  internal  concerns.  I  will  now  tell  you 
the  little  I  have  to  state  previous  to  my  leaving  London 
of  what  was  going  on  in  the  v/orld — the  town  began  to  fill 
&  was  become  most  extremely  pleasant  which  added  to 
the  circumstances  I  have  just  stated  made  me  perfectly 
uninclined  to  quit  it  as  you  may  well  imagine.  One's  Stafford, 
one's  Chas  :  Greville,  one's  Beaufort  &  one's  Bath,  Binnies, 
bad  dinners  &  bad  operas  contrived  to  make  the  time  glide 
away.  The  night  before  I  left  London  Villiers '  announced 
his  marriage  to  me  in  confidence  &  two  days  afterwards 
it   was   publicly   announced.     What   will   surprize   you   a 

1  Dr.  Symonds  was  called  in  to  attend  the  King  about  the  middle 
of  February,  His  Majesty  having  conceived  a  strong  dislike  to  the  Willises, 
under  whose  care  he  had  recovered  three  years  before.  Lady  Uxbridge, 
whose  intimacy  with  the  Queen  and  Princesses  gave  her  good  opportunity 
of  learning  the  truth,  told  Lord  Malmesbury  that  Symonds  was  "  an 
unfit  man  "  and  the  Willises  far  superior  in  their  management  of  the  King. 
Lord  Uxbridge  confirmed  this  view. — Diaries  of  isi  Earl  of  Malmesbury, 
iv.  318-320. 

•  Viscount  ViUiers,  afterwards  5th  Earl  of  Jersey,  married.  May  23rd, 
1804,  Lady  Sarah  Sophia  Fane,  heiress  of  her  grandfather  Robert  Child, 
the  banker.  Lord  Granville  Leveson-Gower  had  been  courting  her  (see 
bis  Correspondence,  i.  454). 


24  COMMISSIONS  [ch.  i 

little  is  that  although  he  had  some  reason  to  expect  it  for 
a  short  time  before,  he  was  not  told  of  it  till  the  whole 
thing  was  arranged,  the  clothes  of  the  lady  in  some  measure 
bought  &  the  settlements  put  in  a  state  of  arrangement. 
Is  this  a  handsome  manner  of  treating  a  man  after  three 
years  of  slavery  ?  .  .  . 

Henry  Pierrepont. 

Earl  of  Uxbridge 

Plas  Newydd,  6th  Nov.,  1804. 

My  Dear  Arthur, —  .  .  .  You  have  made  your  Mother 
and  Charlotte  a  handsome  present  each,  but  you  seem  to 
have  forgot  that  I  gave  you  a  commission  for  some  china. 
If  you  will  undertake  to  send  me  the  handsomest  possible 
veil  or  two,  a  Gown,  and  some  fans  you  will  lay  me  under 
a  considerable  obligation.  You  may  draw  upon  Drum- 
mond  for  the  Damage,  and  they  shall  have  previous  orders 
to  honor  your  Draft.  As  I  mean  to  return  to  Windsor 
before  New  Year's  day,  I  hope  to  hear  of  their  arrival 
at  Ux.  House  by  the  25th  Deer. 

Your  little  Lou  ^  is  the  most  engaging,  sensible,  and 
beautiful  baby  I  ever  saw ;  she  and  the  Erskines  are 
now  with  us.  I  believe  I  like  her  the  more  for  being  so 
very  like  you.  You  must  take  care  of  yourself,  or  you 
may  be  served  as  Sir  Thomas  [sic]  Rumbold^  has.  I  am 
full  of  Admiration,  or  rather  astonishment  at  Bonaparte's 
Effrontery.  As  long  as  Europe  will  endure  it,  he  is  right 
to  play  his  Game — fie  for  Shame  !  I  know  your  Mother 
writes  to  you,  so  I  say  nothing  of  her  or  Charlotte.  Yours 
most  affectly, 

Uxbridge. 

I  wish  you  could  engage  me  a  thorough  good  what  is 
call'd  a  double-tongued  Trumpeter.^  I  will  go  as  far  as 
4  or  5s.  a  day,  if  he  will  enlist  for  7  yrs. 

Capt.  Hon.  Berkeley  Paget 

London,  loth  December,  1804. 

My   Dear  Arthur, — Many  many   thanks   for  a   most 

1  This  child,  a  natural  daughter  of  Sir  A.  P.,  was  adopted  and  brought 
up  by  his  sister.  Lady  Louisa  Erskine. 

2  Sir  George  Rumbold,  British  Minister  at  Hamburg,  had  been  kid- 
napped by  French  troops  and  carried  to  Paris ;    he  was  released  later. 

3  Probably  for  his  regiment  of  Staffordshire  Militia 


1790-1808]  MATRIMONY  25 

comical  epistle,  for  which  I  return  this,  but  not  a  very 
comical  one,  I  should  imagine.  With  regard  to  the  com- 
missions you  appointed  me  to  execute,  I  have  to  remark 
that  I  am  afraid  that  I  have  not  succeeded  as  I  could  wish. 
The  office-seal  you  will  get,  but  as  to  the  other,  which  I 
ordered,  I  doubt  its  being  finished.  Upon  inspection,  a 
most  minute  one,  I  only  found  one  pair  of  shoes,  which  I 
thought  would  answer  your  purpose.  Paul  ^  was  a  spectator, 
and  has  the  pair  in  question.  With  regard  to  myself,  be  it 
known,  I  entered  into  the  holy  state  of  matrimony  about 
a  fortnight  ago;'  unless  it  is  premature  for  this  opinion 
so  soon  after  the  experiment  I  would  say  that  I  like  it 
well.  Paul  invites  me  to  take  a  trip  to  Vienna  ^  on  the 
occasion.  I  introduced  him  to  Mrs.  B.P.  and  he,  I  think, 
approves  of  my  choice.  He  told  her  she  was  very  pretty  : 
but  may  happen,  'twas  in  comparison  to  his  own  face, 
which  I  do  not  think  improves  by  absence,  or  indeed  by 
stay  in  London,  for  he  has  been  confined  for  two  days  to 
his  bed,  which  slight  indisposition  has  not  added  to  his 
accustomed  brilliancy. 

Edward  is  the  accepted  lover  at  Blithfield,  to  which 
abode  of  love  he  set  out  about  a  week  ago.  I  believe  he 
has  absence  from  his  brigade  for  a  month,  however  it  is 
the  wish  of  the  family  (hers  at  least)  that  they  should 
not  come  to  the  point  until  he  is  Major-General,*  which 
if  the  brevet  takes  place  as  expected,  will  not,  I  suppose, 
long  retard  the  ceremony.  How  it  was  brought  about,  I 
know  not ;  for  these  sort  of  communications  in  our  family 
are  but  rare. 

Charles*  is  staunch — the  young  lady  has  him  in  hand 
and  he  is  immovable — my  father's  vexation  you  may 
imagine.  He  is  cruising,  I  believe,  between  Ferrol  and 
Vigo.     I  hope  he'  may  chop  on  a  Spaniard.     Two  frigates 

1  Prince  Paul  Esterhazy,  of  the  Austrian  Embassy. 

2  Berkeley  Paget's  marriage  to  Sophia  Askell  Grimston  took  place 
November  22nd,  1804. 

3  Where  Sir  A.  P.  was  then  Minister;  he  had  received  the  Order  of 
the  Bath,  then  hmited  to  one  class,  in  June,  1S04. 

*  Colonel  Edward  Paget  was  promoted  Major-General,  January  ist, 
1805,  and  married,  May  22nd  following,  Hon.  Frances  Bagot. 

^  Charles  Paget  was  at  this  time  engaged  to  Miss  Monck.  Her  mother. 
Lady  Ehzabeth  Monck,  daughter  of  the  2nd  Earl  of  Arran,  born  1764, 
"  the  Lady  Elizabeth  Mugg  "  of  Rejected  Addresses,  belonged  to  the 
rather  rapid  set  at  Devonshire  House,  hence  the  Uxbridges'  objection  to 
this  match. 


26  "  THE  YOUNG  ROSCIUS  "  [ch.  i 

laden  with  riches,  are  expected  in  Spanish  ports,  and  for 
these  the  squadron  are  keeping  a  sharp  look-out.  They 
will  do  well  for  Charles,  and  Garlies,^  who  is  also  in  that 
squadron  in  the  Ajax. 

I  have  remembered  you,  as  you  desired,  to  the  souls  you 
named  in  your  letter.  I  go  for  a  week  or  so  to  Wretham 
to-morrow.  No  pheasants  or  hares !  I  write  this  at 
White's  as  well  as  I  can  for  the  confusion,  and  the  only 
thing  I  hear,  to  which  any  credit  seems  to  be  attached,  is 
that  the  yellow  fever  has  made  its  appearance  at  Liverpool. 
Pleasant ! 

Oh  !  there  be  players — but  none  like  a  boy,'  that  has 
made  his  appearance  within  this  fortnight.  I  have  seen 
him  (only  thirteen),  and  he  beats  anything  I  yet  beheld. 
His  expression,  attitudes,  ease,  perfect  conception  of  the 
character,  surpass  anything  that  was  ever  known.  Though 
a  boy,  you  can't  but  be  interested  in  the  strongest  manner  ; 
more  so  than  by  any  person  I  ever  saw.  Kemble,  who  takes 
care  of  him,  thinks  him  quite  perfect. 

Everybody  I  see  that  you  are  acquainted  with  desire 
their  kindest  remembrance.  Watkin,  I  hear,  is  going  to 
be  married,  but  we  don't  know  her.  Could  you  get  me  ? 
I  have  given  Paul  a  memorandum  to  order  me  two  pair 
of  white  leather  pantaloons  similar  to  those  you  sent  Paget 
two  or  three  years  ago.  But  as  I  am  more  bulky  than 
he,  they  should  be  proportionately  larger.  Perhaps  you 
will  see  this  executed. 

This  is  a  tedious  long  scrawl,  nevertheless  I  shall  endeavour 
to  add  to  it  to-morrow,  whilst  I  am  cooling  my  heels  at 

the  Horse  Guards. 

B.  Paget. 

Capt.  Hon.  Berkeley  Paget 

Horse  Guards,  nth  Deer.,  [1804]. 
I  don't  think  I  can  add  much  to  my  letter  of  yesterday. 
They  talk  of  expeditions.  But  I  suppose  you  know  more 
of  this  than  what  I  hear;  for  the  Dispatch  from  Govern- 
ment to  you  will,  I  take  it  for  granted,  mention  it.  I  do 
not,  however,  hear  of  the  7th  [Hussars]  as  a  party  con- 
cerned. 

1  Lord  Garlics,  afterwards  Earl  of  Galloway,  the  writer's  brother-in-law. 
a  The  celebrated  Master  Betty,  the  "  Young  Roscius," 


1790-1808]  BERKELEY  DISLODGED  27 

It  may  be  as  well  to  let  you  know  that  our  Uncle,  Paget 
Bayly,^  died  about  3  weeks  ago.  If  you  are  disposed  to 
mourn  on  the  Occasion,  as  we  are  now  doing,  it  is  usual  to 
appear  in  sables  for  six  weeks.  "  Nay,  then,  let  the  Devil 
wea.T  black"  etc.     Snaboo — Hamlet!     Keis. 

You,  I  conclude,  have  heard  of  what  is  usually  here  termed 
the  Reconciliation  ^  between  H.M.  and  H.R.H.  the  P.  of  W. 
But  what  of  that  ?  The  latter,  they  say,  is  flying  off  again. 
Lord  Moira  sent  for  again  from  Scotland  on  the  occasion. 
In  short  it  won't  do,  I  dare  say. 

I  have  lately  had  a  very  handsome  thing  done  to  me. 
Lord  Dartmouth,  who  is  Lord  Chamberlain,  lent  me  his 
apartments  at  Kensington  Palace.  I  had  sent  everything 
on  earth  I  possessed  to  them,  and  had  been  very  comfortably 
settled  there  for  two  days  ;  when  I  received  Litimation  that 
I  must  move  Bag  and  Baggage  in  a  few  days,  as  the  King 
had  desired  that  the  Apartments  were  to  be  prepared 
immediately  for  the  Reception  of  the  Duke  of  Sussex. 
Pleasant  in  an  idle  Hour !  I  think  you  like  being  turned 
out  of  your  House. 

Really  this  is  too  hard  upon  you.  To  write  an  infernally 
stupid  letter  yesterday,  and  then  bother  you  with  another 
today.  But  I  pray  thee  have  me  excused,  sweet  Bas- 
sanio.  Why,  how  now  ?  Mrs.  B.P.  desires  to  be  presented 
to  you,  so  fare  thee  well. 

By  the  bye,  since  I  have  been  turned  out  of  my  Apart- 
ments, I  have  written  to  the  King  to  let  me  Windsor  Castle 
for  a  year  or  two.  He  has  not  answered  my  letter,  which 
is  not  polite.  God  bless  you.  Believe  me.  Ever  yr  most 
affecte  Brother, 

Berkeley  Paget. 


Countess  of  Uxbridge 

Plas  Newydd,  J  any.  zyrd,  1805. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — I  have  postponed  writing  to 
you  from  day  to  day  with  the  hope  of  having  a  letter  to 
acknowledge,  as  I  have  not  had  that  happiness  since  the 
3d  of  Deer.,  which  appears  an  age  to  me,  so  interested  am 

1  Younger  brother  of  Lord  Uxbridge. 

2  The  King  and  Prince  met  on  November  20th  "  for  the  first  time  for 
nearly  a  year,  that  for  one  day  it  went  off  very  well,  but  it  did  not  last." — 
Diaries  of  isi  Earl  of  Malmeshiiry,  iv.  336. 


28  FAMILY   OCCURRENCES  [ch.  i 

I  about  you.  The  Newspapers  have  been  silent  on  the 
subject  of  Vienna,  so  that  I  conclude  no  Messenger  has 
arrived  from  thence.  I  am  the  more  anxious,  as  your  last 
letter  did  not  give  me  a  very  good  account  of  your  health. 
You  have  had  sufficient  both  of  a  public  and  private  Nature 
to  disturb  it.  It  would  be  fortunate  for  your  peace  of 
Mind  if  you  felt  less,  and  for  mine  also,  my  dear  Arthur. 
I  do  declare  I  don't  seek  occasion  to  disquiet  myself,  but 
with  my  numerous  family  Occurences  must  happen  of  this 
sort.  .  .  . 

Your  Father  is  now  at  Windsor,  and  gives  me  a  most 
comfortable  account  of  our  beloved  King,  who  notwith- 
standing all  his  Vexations  is  perfectly  well.  He  never 
deliver'd  a  Speech  better,  and  I  trust  the  tenor  of  it  will 
produce  the  happiest  effects :  the  Country  never  was 
more  unanimous.  The  reconciliation  between  Mr.  Pitt 
and  Addington  has  of  course  caused  much  ill  humour.  I 
confess  the  event  rejoices  me,  as  it  was  a  favourite  Object 
of  the  King's.  As  to  another  subject  of  greater  import- 
ance, I  am  afraid  of  saying  any  thing,  as  this  will  most 
likely  find  its  way  to  you  by  the  common  post.  Charles 
is  gone  on  a  Cruise  to  the  Westward,  which  is  thought  a 
very  eligible  one,  but  Admiral  Cochrane's  Squadron  have 
not  had  the  advantage  of  some  others,  for  they  did  not 
receive  their  orders  to  capture  Spanish  Ships  till  the  first 
of  this  Month,  and  now  few  are  on  the  Seas.  I  hear  a 
very  indifferent  account  of  Lord  Garlics'  health,  and  I  hope 
he  will  soon  get  leave  to  come  home  to  recruit  it :  the 
constant  Storms  this  winter  must  make  the  Service  very 
severe,  we  feel  them  here  in  their  full  force,  and  I  have 
many  sleepless  Nights  on  account  of  them,  yet  still  I 
persevere  in  staying  on  till  March.  .  .  . 

Paget  and  his  family  are  well ;  he  has  had  some  famous 
sport  lately,  but  can  only  be  a  few  days  at  a  time  at  Wre- 
tham.  Edward  has  just  joined  his  Brigade,  having 
pass'd  six  of  the  happiest  weeks  of  his  life  at  Blithfield  ;  '■ 
he  has  got  the  rank  of  Major-Genl.  Berkeley  and  Mrs. 
B.P.  are  established  in  their  house  in  Portugal  Street. 
I  dare  say  they  will  be  very  domestic,  and  I  hope  prudent. 
She  has  been  brought  up  with  Economy,  and  on  her  I 
depend.     It's   a    tremendous    thing    keeping   house    on    a 

^  Blithfield  in  Staffordshire  was  Lord  Bagot's,  whose  daughter,  Frances, 
was  about  to  become  Edward  Paget's  first  wife. 


1790-1808]  CHARLES'   PRIZES  29 

small  income  in  London.  How  do  you  like  the  new  changes 
in  administration,  and  the  disposal  of  the  blue  Ribbons  ? 
One  of  the  latter  I  should  have  opposed,  if  I  had  the  order- 
ing of  things,  as  I  particularly  dislike  his  character.  Are 
you  not  surprised  at  Lord  Cornwallis'  going  to  India  ?  It's 
a  great  undertaking  at  his  time  of  life,  but  he  will  be  very 
popular  there.  Lord  Wellesley  I  hear  is  to  be  secretary 
of  State  for  the  foreign  department,  but  of  course  you 
have  correspondents  in  London  that  will  tell  you  more 
than  I  can  possibly  know  here.  All  the  party  unite  in 
love  to  you,  and  I  am.  My  Dearest  Arthur,  your  most 
truly  affecte  Mother, 

J.   UXBRIDGE. 

Since  writing  the  above  I  have  reed  a  letter  from  Charles 
off  the  Coast  of  Portugal  Jany  ist ;  he  writes  that,  tho' 
good  fortune  seems  to  have  deserted  the  Endymion,  he  is 
likely  thro'  another  source  to  profit  by  the  Cruize,  as  he 
shares  with  the  Capn  of  the  Diamond  for  the  capture  of 
a  Spanish  ship,  who  assured  him  he  might  expect  seven 
thousand  pounds.     If  it  is  five,  it's  a  good  beginning.  Addio. 

Lady  Charlotte  Paget 

UxBRiDGE  House,  16  Apr.  1805, 

My  Very  Dearest  Arthur, — .  .  .  Charles  and  Mrs 
Charles  ^  are  now  in  this  house  which  I  think  is  the  strongest 
proof  I  can  give  you  of  the  happy  footing  they  are  upon 
with  Papa  and  Mama,  they  are  all  kindness  to  her  and 
what  they  have  seen  they  like  very  much,  she  is  at 
her  ease  with  Papa,  indeed  a  great  deal  more  than  any  of 
us  which  is  what  he  likes  so  ;  I  think  her  a  most  pleasant 
amiable  creature  and  certainly  devoted  to  Charles  and  I 
daresay  we  shall  all  have  reason  to  rejoice  instead  of  lament 
at  the  marriage.  .  .  .  Louisa  comes  to  the  Installation  which 
is  to  take  place  on  the  23rd.  Our  house  at  Windsor  will 
be  exactly  like  a  Beehive  for  Mama  intends  to  lodge  Graves 

1  Lady  Paget  wrote  to  Sir  A.  P.  that  Mrs.  Charles  was  "  perfectly 
beautiful."  "  Lady  E.  ]\Ionck  is  returned  from  Bognor  in  high  good 
looks  ;  a  reconciUation  has  taken  place  between  her  and  her  son-in-law's 
family.  They  all  dined  in  B[urhngton]  Street  the  day  before  yesterday. 
Lord  Uxbridge  says  she  is  beautiful  and  that  he  should  have  preferred 
the  Mother  to  the  Daughter  had  he  been  Charles." — Lord  G.  L.-Gower's 
Correspondence,  ii.  289. 


30  LORD   MELVILLE  [ch.  i 

and  Mary,  Berkeley  and  Sophia.  The  King  takes  care 
of  the  Erskines  and  my  good  Uncle^  of  the  Garlies.  Won- 
derful to  say  the  day  after  the  Installation  is  to  be  a  day 
of  rest  and  on  the  25th  there  is  to  be  a  Ball  at  Frogmore 
in  honour  of  Princess  Mary's  Birthday,  poor  dear  thing, 
she  is  not  looking  at  all  well  which  I  am  not  surprized  at, 
doating  as  we  know  she  does  upon  that  most  perfect  of 
human  beings  that  we  all  love  so. 

Charlotte  Paget. 

Countess  of  Uxbridge 

Windsor,  April  i-jth,  1805. 
My  Dearest  Arthur, — Just  as  we  were  stepping  into 
our  Carriage  to  come  here  two  days  ago,  your  Messenger 
arrived,  and  truly  happy  he  made  me  by  your  very  dear 
letter,  and  the  account  he  gave  me  of  you.  You  are  much 
too  kind  in  sending  so  many  beautiful  pieces  of  silk,  but 
unless  you  will  tell  me  what  I  am  in  your  debt,  I  can  give 
you  no  more  commissions.  .  .  .  The  News-Papers  will  inform 
you  what  has  been  doing  in  the  House  of  Commons,  the 
whole  Country  is  in  a  ferment,  and  vow  vengence  against 
Lord  M.* — I  believe  it  is  quite  a  party  business  with  a 
View  to  distress  our  best  of  Kings,  and  turn  out  Mr.  Pitt, 
but  they  will,  I  trust,  be  defeated  in  both.  Thank  God, 
I  have  not  seen  His  Majesty  so  well  for  many  years  as  he 
is  at  present,  and  I  am  happy  to  say  all  that  belong  to  me 
support  Mr.  Pitt,  but  not  so  a  friend  of  yours,  and  the 
most  Zealous  one  once  the  Minister  ever  had.  I  cannot 
bring  myself  to  name  him,  you  will  probably  guess.  This 
may  be  all  old  News  when  you  get  my  letter,  but  I  write 
for  the  chance  of  an  opportunity,  and  also  as  sometimes 
the  Notice  is  so  short.  It  must  be  very  inconvenient  to 
you  to  have  two  servants  absent,  particularly  your  con- 
fectioner. I  shall  avail  myself  of  your  kind  offer,  if  there 
should   be   occasion    for   it.    The   preparations   here    are 

1  Rev.  George  Champagne,  one  of  Lady  Uxbridge's  brothers,  was  a 
Canon  of  Windsor. 

a  Lord  Melville,  ist  Lord  of  the  Admiralty,  was  impeached  for  mis- 
appropriation of  pubUc  funds  when  Treasurer  of  the  Navy.  He  was 
Pitt's  most  intimate  friend,  and  the  attack  on  him  was  really  made  in 
order  to  worry  the  Prime  Minister.  A  resolution  condemning  Melville's 
laxity,  though  not  imputing  corruption,  was  carried  in  the  House  of 
Commons  by  the  casting  vote  of  the  Speaker  on  April  8th.  The  tears 
were  seen  to  trickle  down  Mr.  Pitt's  face. 


1790-1808]         THE  DAUGHTERS-IN-LAW  31 

immense  for  the  Installation,  whenever  a  difficulty  occurs 
either  as  to  Etiquette,  or  on  any  other  subject,  the  King 
in  the  clearest  Manner  sets  them  all  right.  Oh  !  my 
dear  Arthur,  how  I  do  long  to  tell  you  a  hundred  things 
that  would  most  particularly  interest  you,  but  prudence 
makes  me  forbear.  A  week  should  never  elapse  without 
my  writing,  if  my  eyes  would  let  me,  for  I  know  enough  of 
your  dear  self  to  be  convinced  that  every  thing  interests 
you  respecting  your  family  and  friends.  I  am  happy  to 
tell  you  Charles  is  to  have  an  acting  Captain  for  the  Endy- 
mion's  next  Cruize,  for  he  is  very  unequal  to  it  at  present, 
owing  to  the  Cause  I  mentioned  in  my  last.  She  ^  is  a 
pretty  little  pleasant  Creature,  and  if  I  mistake  not,  she 
will  be  the  favorite  of  all  your  Father's  daughters-in-Law, 
at  least  there  will  be  a  hard  run  between  her  and  dear 
little  Fanny, ^  but  it's  tantalizing  you  to  talk  of  such  things 
circumstanced  as  you  are.  If  my  wishes  could  prevail 
you  should  not  have  an  annoyance  in  the  World.  It's 
reported  that  Lord  Grantham  is  to  marry  Miss  Pole,  and 
the  Dean  of  Windsor  Lady  Mary  Bentinck,''  but  I  don't 
vouch  for  the  truth  of  either.  Charles  has  received  for  his 
Share  of  the  Dollars  six  and  twenty  thousand  pounds, 
twelve  of  which  is  lodged  in  the  Funds  on  account  of  part 
of  her  Settlement ;  her  family  have  been  very  shabby, 
considering  that  they  gave  out  last  year  that  she  was  a 
large  fortune,  which  they  have  now  frittered  down  to  seven 
thousand  five  hundred  pounds  ;  the  remaining  fourteen 
thousand  of  the  above  your  Father  has  borrow'd.  We 
are  going  down  hill  very  fast,  and  unless  we  can  seU  Ux. 
House,  I  don't  know  what  will  become  of  us.  One  of 
the  Mines  we  have  ceased  working  as  it  did  not  pay  the 
Expense,  and  the  other  is  not  so  prosperous  as  it  has  been. 
Col.  Sneyd  has  quitted  the  Stafford,  on  account  of  his  dis- 
approbation of  the  present  Measure  respecting  the  Militia, 
and  Major  St.  Leger  goes  out  from  want  of  health.  Mr. 
John  Talbot  is  to  be  the  new  Major,  and  Major  Newdegate 
to  be  second.  Lieut.-Col.  George  is  got  into  a  much  better 
house  than  he  had  when  you  was  here,  and  gave  us  an 

1  Charles  Paget's  bride,  Elizabeth  Monck.  He  had  arrived  in  England 
in  February  "  full  of  Love  and  [Prize]  Money." — Lord  G.  L.-Gower's  Corre- 
spondence,  iii,  24. 

>  Mrs.  Edward  Paget, 

'  Neither  of  these  marriages  took  place. 


32  EXPENSIVE  CHINA  [ch.  i 

excellent  dinner  yesterday.  It  [is]  said  Lord  Hawkesbury 
is  to  be  first  Lord  of  the  Admiralty,  others  say  Mr.  Yorke, 
and  that  he  is  to  be  created  a  Peer.  The  worst  of  sending 
reports  is  that  I  may  have  them  all  to  contradict,  before  I 
close  my  letter.  You  saw  in  the  Papers  that  I  was  at 
the  Magnificent  FSte  here,  whereas  I  was  very  quietly 
in  Wales,  and  sent  my  Excuse.  Everybody  is  to  be  as 
splendid  as  possible  on  the  present  occasion,^  and  the 
King  is  fitting  up  according  to  report  three  hundred  rooms 
for  the  reception  of  his  friends,  of  which  the  Erskines  are 
to  partake,  so  I  shall  see  your  beautiful  little  Louisa,  and 
in  my  next  will  give  you  a  full  account  of  her.  I  go  to 
Caroline  the  week  after  next.  The  China  Fawkener  brought 
cost  eight  pounds  duty  &c  at  the  Custom  house,  so  your 
Father  is  rather  nervous  about  having  any  more  sent.  I 
thought  before  this  that  a  Minister  had  a  right  to  send 
such  things  free  from  charge.  I  heartily  wish  you  could 
be  the  bearer  of  the  Dejeuner.  He  is  so  low  in  Cash  at 
present,  that  he  has  not  courage  to  give  you  a  Commission 
about  Veils.  You  must  be  so  tired  of  me  and  my  stupid 
letter  that  I  will  not  add  to  it  by  apologies  but  assure 
you,  my  dearest  Arthur,  that  I  am  more  than  words  can 
express  your  Most  affectionate  Mother  and  Friend, 

J.   UXBRIDGE. 

London,  April  2gth.—Yom  Servant  has  just  call'd  to 
say  he  is  to  be  sent  off  tomorrow,  a  great  loss  to  us,  as 
the  Prince  of  Wales,  the  French  Princes  &c  dine  here  the 
day  after,  and  he  was  to  have  given  us  a  Specimen  of  his 
Confectionery.  Little  Lou  did  not  come  with  the  Erskines, 
they  thought  it  better  for  her  to  be  left  with  Caroline,  and 
I  am  to  bring  her  up  ;  they  have  set  their  hearts  so  much 
on  her  bearing  their  Name,  that  I  think  you  had  better 
acquiesce.  Garlics  is  to  be  the  new  Lord  of  the  Admiralty 
I  was  told  last  night ;  the  Catholic  question  is  given  up. 
Opposition  found  it  so  unpopular,  that  they  had  nothing 
else  for  it.  Your  Brothers  came  up  for  an  interesting 
debate  and  expect  to  be  in  the  House  all  Night;  they 
both  say  they  will  write  to  you  by  this  Opportunity.  There 
has  been  a  serious  Misunderstanding  amongst  the  Minis- 

»  An  instaUation  of  Knights  of  the  Garter,  the  first  since  1771,  was 
conducted  at  Windsor  Castle  this  month  "  on  a  scale  of  great  magni- 
ficence."— Tomline's  Pitt,  iii.  289. 


1790-1808]       "YOUR  POOR  DEAR  FATHER"  33 

ters,  but  I  am  in  hopes  it  was  made  up  today.  P[itt]  is 
sadly  harass'd,  but  he  will  be  triumphant,  I  trust.  The 
Papers  will  give  you  a  fuller  account  of  the  Installation 
than  I  can  ;  it,  and  the  fete  at  Frogmore,  were  superb.  I 
rejoice  to  hear  that  you  are  to  receive  seven  thousand 
six  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  from  Government.  May  I 
not  flatter  myself  that  this  will  nearly  clear  you  of  debt  ? 
the  comfort  of  which,  I  am  sure,  will  keep  you  out  of  it 
in  future.  I  wish  your  poor  dear  Father  had  such  bright 
prospects,  but  I  see  no  end  to  his  difficulties.  I  was  in 
an  Error  when  I  said  one  of  the  Mines  had  ceased  working, 
it  is  however  pretty  nearly  the  same,  it  has  ceased  to  be 
productive.  I  send  all  your  things  by  your  servant,  and 
grieved  I  am  that  he  should  go  without  any  little  token  of 
my  remembrance,  but  you  know  how  I  am  situated.  The 
Pagets  are  in  Town.  I  suppose  they  will  see  Mrs.  C.  Paget 
to-morrow,  Charles  and  she  are  in  this  house.  I  cannot 
bear  the  thoughts  of  the  little  prospect  I  have  of  seeing 
you  soon,  in  short  I  hate  and  detest  the  line  you  are  in, 
and  can  never  be  happy  till  you  are  established  here.  Your 
Father  sends  you  his  kindest  love.  Believe  me,  my  very 
dearest  Arthur,  Most  cordially  yrs, 

J.  U. 

Lord  Graves 
Queen  St.,  May  Faie,  18/A  May,  1805. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  cannot  let  Le  Prince  de  Biron  go 
from  home  to  Vienna  without  giving  him  a  line  for  you, 
as  he  says  he  has  the  pleasure  of  knowing  you.  The  world 
goes  on  as  usual,  and  London  is  as  gay,  and  extravagant, 
and  dissipated  as  ever.  I  would  attempt  to  give  you 
some  News,  or  at  least  that  which  is  not  generally  convey 'd 
in  a  Newspaper,  but  you  must  have  so  many  Correspondents 
so  much  more  able  than  myself,  that  I  will  avoid  boring 
you  with  a  repetition  of  what  you  must  have  already 
heard.  Charles  Paget  has  at  last  secur'd  Elizabeth  Monck, 
and  is  now  at  Coolhurst  ^  as  happy  as  it  is  possible  to  be. 
Lord  Ux.  has  behav'd  in  the  kindest  and  most  affectionate 
manner  to  her,  and  she  is  certainly  one  of  his  most  par- 
ticular favourites.  Caroline  has  just  produc'd  another  girl, 
at  Beau  Desert,  much  to  the  mortification  of  Capel  and 

1  Coolhurst  in  Sussex  was  a  place  rented  by  Lord  Garlies. 


34  A  MASQUERADE  [ch.  i 

herself.  .  .  .  Jemmie's  exertions  are  fruitless  still,  but  Louisa 
is  looking  wonderfully  well  and  grown  very  fat.  You 
know  of  course  that  Garlies  is  one  of  the  minor  Lords  of 
the  Admiralty.  Jane  promises  to  make  him  a  present 
of  another  Bambino  in  a  few  months,  so  that,  if  they  all 
go  on  in  this  way,  with  the  addition  of  Lady  Paget,  your 
nephews  and  nieces  will  be  innumerable. 

Had  you  been  in  England  you  would  have  been  tir'd  to 
death  with  Committees  and  all  their  plagues  this  Session 
in  Parliament.  You  are  no  doubt  tir'd  with  the  abuse 
and  spite  against  Lord  Melville,  who  is  a  sad  sinner,  but 
I  think,  if  the  Opposition  had  been  more  moderate,  they 
would  have  done  much  better.  The  Catholic  question  is 
lost,  no  longer  to  be  agitated  during  this  good  old  King's 
reign.  I  think  nothing  could  be  worse  than  Grattan's 
speaking,  his  action  was  quite  grotesque,  and  at  times 
his  voice  was  so  low,  that  you  could  not  hear  him,  and 
again  mounting  up  to  quite  a  scream. 

Charles  means  to  get  the  Endymion,  if  he  can,  this  Sum- 
mer to  Weymouth.  Mrs.  C.  Paget  goes  down  with  us  into 
the  Country,  where  she  will  remain  till  Charles  comes 
back  from  sea.  We  were  all  very  gay  at  Mrs  Dupre's 
Masquerade  the  night  before  last,  and  your  Father  went 
so  disguised  that  nobody  could  find  him  out.  Berkeley 
was  a  famous  mask  as  an  old  English  Baron.  It  was  the 
best  thing  given  this  year  by  far ;  Jane  lost  a  pair  of 
diamond  ear-rings  (probably  some  of  the  treasures  of  the 
Galloway  house)  and  a  Cross,  and  had  the  good  fortune  to 
get  them  the  next  morning.  I  beg  ten  thousand  pardons 
for  writing  such  stuff  to  a  grave  Ambassador,  but  at  such 
a  distance  as  you  are  the  most  trivial  things  in  England 
are  not  uninteresting.  George  Brummell  has  a  delightful 
house,  fitted  up  in  the  most  elegant  manner,  and  full  of 
clocks,  Card-Tables,  and  fine  China,  at  the  moment  he 
has  hardly  a  shilling  in  the  world  he  has  thought  of  fitting 
up  a  house.  His  spirits  are  the  same  and  as  entertaining 
as  ever.  Poor  fellow,  I  am  afraid  another  winter  will 
finish  his  last  hundred  pounds.  Should  you  wish  any 
Commissions  to  be  done  for  you  in  London,  I  beg  you  will 
employ  me,  as  I  am  an  idle  fellow  without  any  occupation, 
and  shall  be  too  happy  of  an  opportunity  of  doing  any 
thing  for  you,  and  if  you  do  not  vote  this  letter  a  bore,  I 
will  write  to  you  once  a  month  every  thing  I  can  pick  up. 


1790-1808]  UXBRIDGE   HOUSE  35 

My  dear  little  wife  desires  her  kindest  and  most  affect, 
love.  Our  boy  is  grown  a  very  good-looking  little  fellow, 
and  runs  about  famously.  Adieu,  ray  dear  Arthur,  your 
most  affect. 

Graves. 

Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

UxBRiDGE  House,  June  -first,  1805. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — Morand,  who  arrived  a  few  days 
ago,  brought  me  your  kind  letter,  and  as  I  am  informed 
it  is  not  improbable  but  that  he  may  be  shipped  off  again 
any  day,  I  am  very  desirous  to  have  a  letter  ready  for 
him.  I  have  been  living  so  entirely  in  the  Country  (at 
Coolhurst),  that  I  shall  not  pretend  to  furnish  you  with 
any  news,  but  merely  write  whatever  comes  uppermost. 
I  returned  from  thence  yesterday,  and  found  a  party  at 
dinner  at  Uxbridge  House,  at  which,  my  dearest  fellow,  I 
most  sincerely  wished  you  could  have  assisted  ;  it  con- 
sisted of  my  father  and  mother,  Jane,  Louisa,  Fanny, 
Charlotte,  Berkeley  and  his  wife,  myself  and  mine,  and 
tho'  last  not  least,  old  Mother  Windsor,  who  is  in  high 
force,  and  who  delighted  me  by  telling  me  that  j^ou  had 
written  to  her  to  say  that,  as  you  never  heard  from  anybody 
else,  you  wished  she  would  pocket  all  old  grievances,  and 
write  to  you  again.  You  will  have  heard,  I  conclude,  that 
Edward  is  spliced,  it  took  place  about  a  week  ago.  He 
and  Fanny  are  at  this  moment  at  Windsor,  but  I  believe 
in  a  very  few  days  he  sets  off  for  Eastbourne,  where  the 
Duke  has  lately  appointed  him  to  a  very  eligible  brigade 
of  the  Line,  which  must  be  very  good  fun  after  command- 
ing the  [illegible]  and  those  sort  of  troops, 

Paget,  Lady  Paget,  and  little  Car  were  in  town  lately, 
I  made  a  point  of  coming  up  to  meet  them,  and  his  kindness 
and  affection  to  m3^self,  and  attention  to  Elizabeth  in 
every  occasion,  commanded  my  warmest  gratitude.  This, 
I  know,  you  will  be  glad  to  hear ;  I  forget  whether  or  not 
I  told  you  in  my  last  that  an  acting  Captain  for  the  Cruize 
is  appointed  to  the  Endymion,  but  the  probability  is  that 
she  will  be  at  Weymouth,  in  which  case  I  shall  have  to 
join  her  in  about  a  month,  as  it  is  expected  about  that 
time  the  Royal  family  will  be  there.  I  cannot  sufficiently 
express  my  feelings  to  you  for  the  interest  you  take  in 


36  LADY  ELIZABETH  MONCK  [ch.  i 

regard  to  Elizabeth.  You  may  rely  upon  it,  my  dearest 
fellow,  that  when  I  go  to  sea,  she  will  constantly  be  with 
my  mother,  or  some  one  of  my  sisters.  I  did  not  think  it 
possible  that  connections  would  in  so  short  a  time  be 
completely  broken  off  as  those  have,  which  from  being 
Lady  Elizabeth  Monck's  daughter  had  been  formed  pre- 
vious to  her  knowledge  of  me,  and  so  outrageous  are  they 
at  what  is  called  the  height  of  ingratitude  in  her,  that  the 
whole  throng  of  Devonshires,  Bessboroughs,  Abercoms,^ 
&  Hamiltons,  have  completely  cut  her.  Mr.  Monck  has 
been  ever  since  we  were  married  in  Ireland,  and  has  behaved 
in  so  infamous  and  so  unprovoked  a  manner  towards  her 
in,  I  understand,  completely  erasing  her  name  from  his 
will,  that  I  never  shall  speak  to  the  Blackguard  again. 
I  am  on  very  good  terms  with  her  [mother].  Lady  E. 
Elizabeth  begs  always  her  very  best  love  to  you.  We 
are  come  to  town  to  go  to  the  Birthday  on  Tuesday,  she 
not  having  been  to  Court  since  we  were  married,  the  business 
of  presentation  we  got  over  privately  at  Windsor.  This 
was  an  act  of  my  father's  in  order  not  to  have  Lady  E.  in 
the  train,  which  she  was  determined  upon,  had  it  taken 
place  at  the  Drawing-room.  As  you  probably  will  hear 
from  my  Mother,  you  will  soon  discover  the  bustle  and 
confusion  (which  you  know  she  is  never  out  of),  but  which 
she  is  now  particularly  troubled  with  owing  to  the  King 
having  intimated  his  intention  of  visiting  Beau  Desert,' 
so  that  there  never  was  such  work.  My  Mother  and  Char- 
lotte, I  believe,  go  there  in  the  course  of  ten  days,  and  I 
fancy  the  preparations  have  already  begun  for  their  recep- 
tion. 

My  father  told  me  yesterday  he  was  going  to  clear  out 
at  Cheltenham,  and  that  he  should  start  next  Wednesday  ; 
he  proposes  of  course  being  at  Beau  Desert  at  the  time 
the  Royal  family  visit  it.  As  Caroline  is  the  only  one  of 
the  family  Elizabeth  is  still  unacquainted  with,  I  have  some 
intention  of  going  down  there  the  latter  end  of  next  week. 

I  have  now,  my  dearest  Arthur,  filled  six  sides  of  Paper, 
and  considering  the  sort  of  matter,  you  will  probably  think 
with  me  that  it  is  time  to  release  you.  I  beseech  you,  my 
dearest  fellow,  to  write  to  me  whenever  you  have  a  spare 

1  The  Marchioness  of  Abercorn  was  Lady  EUzabeth  Monck's  sister. 

2  This  visit  never  took  place,  owing  to  the  growing  bUndness  of  the 
King. 


1790-1808]  FACET'S  PANTALOONS  37 

moment,  and  always  to  believe  me  your  most  devoted 
much  attached  and  affec.  Brother, 

Charles  Paget. 


Lord  Paget 

Ipswich,  June  ^d.,  1805, 

My  Dear  Arthur, — Your  supplies  are  most  bountiful. 
I  have  just  received  the  saddle,  which  is  a  very  pleasant 
one,  and  is  fitted  up  d,  la  Houssarde  but  the  tree  of  which 
is  d  VAnglaise.  I  fear  by  your  letter  that  you  do  not 
receive  all  mine.  I  wrote  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of 
4  pair  of  perfect  'loons  and  of  the  beautiful  little  pipe. 
Indeed  I  believe  that  the  thanks  on  account  of  these  articles 
were  the  principal  subject  of  3  different  letters.  So  very 
easy  and  well  cut  are  the  pantaloons,  that  I  cannot  wear 
any  others,  and  I  must  beg  of  you  to  send  me  2  pair  of 
white  leather,  not  embroidered,  for  rough  work.  In  short 
it  would  save  you  much  trouble  were  I  to  enter  into  direct 
correspondence  with  the  man,  for  I  cannot  go  on  without 
him.  Whilst  about  it,  he  may  as  well  make  me  a  3d. 
pair  of  the  buff  leather  for  shooting.  We  are  only  in  want 
of  the  sashes.  If  contraband,  how  shall  we  manage  to 
get  them  over  ?  Pray  let  me  know  what  I  am  in  your 
debt  for  these,  and  the  extensive  wardrobe  that  I  have  had 
from  you  ? 

I  wish  I  could  execute  your  commissions  as  well  as  you 
do  mine.  I  have  made  no  progress  since  I  last  wrote,  and 
the  Grey  is  the  only  horse  I  have  yet  got  for  you,  but  he  is 
an  host  in  himself.  Ld  Charles  Fitzroy,  who  is  particularly 
fond  of  riding  safe,  never  sees  him  that  he  does  not  try  to 
get  him  from  you.  Your  Groom  is  also  with  me  waiting 
for  orders.  If  I  do  not  succeed  in  buying  another  good 
horse  for  you  and  2  for  your  Groom,  I  will  let  you  have 
one  out  of  the  Regt,  which  will  do  for  the  latter  purpose, 
and  he  and  the  Grey  might  go  over  together  and  I  think 
the  Groom  wd  find  his  way  to  you  without  your  sending 
any  one  to  meet  him.  You  must  explain  yourself  fully 
upon  this  subject. 

I  have  lately  been  at  Wretham  and  the  gamq  is  likely  to 
be  most  abundant.  '  I  wish  you  cd  enjoy  it  with  me  this 
year.  I  am  in  hopes  that  some  arrangement  will  soon 
be  made  respecting  that  place. 


38  VOLUNTEER  REVIEWS  [ch.  i 

You  ask  me  to  take  Charles  by  the  hand  again,  I  assure 
you  that  has  been  done  most  cordially  long  ago.  Poor 
fellow,  he  looks  very  ill.  Lady  Paget  says  she  must  finish 
this  letter  so  adieu.    Affecy  yrs, 

P. 

Hon.  Berkeley  Paget 

London,  June  7,  1805. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — .  .  .  I  am  perfectly  sick  of  staying 
in  London.  There  are  so  many  Reviews  of  Volunteers 
that  I  am  fairly  beat — cursed,  awkward,  impudent,  useless 
Rascals  !  So  I  am  going  in  the  course  of  a  w^eek  or  so  to 
join  the  7th  at  Ipswich,  where  I  shall  stay  tiU  the  Field- 
days  are  pretty  nearly  concluded.  I  shaU  then  resume 
my  station  at  the  Horse  Guards,  for  the  Duke  has  been  so 
kind  as  to  say  that  he  means  to  keep  me  with  him  not- 
withstanding my  Promotion,  with  Leave  to  go  to  my  Regi- 
ment for  a  certain  time  during  the  year  when  I  like,  so  I 
mean  to  stay  at  Ipswich  about  4  months. 

Edward  is  a  lucky  Dog  and  got  a  delightful  Command 
at  Eastbourne  of  3  or  4  Regiments  of  the  Line  instead  of 
MUitia  which  he  has  had  hitherto.  Things  are  going  on 
very  smoothly  in  our  Family — my  father  is,  I  think,  in 
high  force  and  preservation,  an  interval  now  and  then  of 
Blue  DevUs.  I  wish  I  could  give  a  good  account  of  Charles. 
He  is  certainly  very  ill,  pains  in  his  chest,  giddiness  in  his 
head,  excessively  weak,  totters  in  his  walk.  With  all 
this  he  defies  Sir  Walter's  advice,  goes  to  all  the  Balls  more 
dead  than  alive  and  in  short  is  doing  all  he  can  to  make 
himself  worse.  Sir  Walter  says  he  is  seriously  ill  and  I 
believe  wishes  him  at  sea  again. 

Edward  was  spliced  about  three  weeks  ago  and  seems 
to  like  it  much.  Garlics  is  very  comfortable  as  one  of  the 
Lords  of  the  Admiralty  and  works  pretty  hard.  Graves 
is  as  great  a  Treat  as  ever. 

Since  these  Reviews  have  commenced  the  innumerable 
applications  I  receive  to  get  a  "  good  place  to  see  the 
Review  "  are  incredible.  "  Sir,  Sir,  could  you  ?  !  A  good 
place"— i^c/ 

I  suppose  you  still  receive  Cobbett,  he  is  pretty  good 
about  Lord  Melville.  A  rare  blow-up  to  be  sure — I  don't 
think  he'll  get  a  good  place. 


1790-1808]  ADMIRAL  CALDER  39 

The  King  is  in  prodigious  force  and  I  am  happy  to  see 
the  Prince  come  to  most  of  the  Reviews  where  he  and  the 
Duke  get  together.  I  do  not  mean  to  say  that  the  thing 
appears  to  go  on  with  all  the  cordiality  we  could  wish  but 
after  all  that  has  passed  one  is  glad  to  see  it  at  all,  especially 
in  public. 

Faith,  I  am  nearly  exhausted  and  so  is  the  time.  .  .  . 
By  the  bye  my  father  tells  me  I  am  to  have  the  honour 
of  succeeding  you  for  Anglesea — I  hope  it  will  not  be 
long  before  I  am  to  resign  in  your  favour  which  I  shall 
at  all  times  be  ready  to  do,  for  I  want  to  see  you  established 
among  us  in  England  with  a  good  place,  I  think  you  are 
pretty  well  entitled  to  it. 

B.  P. 

This  is  written  at  White's  which  was  full  of  your  acquaint- 
ance— I  heard  from  all  sides  "  Pray,  remember  me  to 
Arthur."  i  |  1 

II? 

Lady  Louisa  Erskine 

Beau  Desert,  Aug.  28,  1805. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — .  .  .  We  are  all  just  now  raving 
mad  at  Sir  R.  Calder  for  allowing  the  Combined  fleets  to 
escape — Oh,  that  Ld  Nelson  had  come  up  with  them — the 
story  would  then  have  been  a  very  different  one.  I  could 
have  done  better  myself  than  Admiral  Calder,  or  at  least 
I  could  not  have  done  worse.  Charles  says  he  ought  to 
have  been  hanged  long  ago.  To  let  such  an  opportunity 
slip — oh  mercy,  mercy  !  There  is  at  present  a  great  idea 
that  the  long  threatened  invasion  is  immediately  about  to 
take  place.  Selon  moi  if  that  wretch  of  all  wretches  ^  ever 
means  it,  now  is  his  time,  for  I  begin  to  think  your  Emperor 
is  going  to  behave  as  he  ought  and  then  he  will  be  afraid 
to  send  all  the  troops  requisite  for  such  an  expedition 
out  of  the  country.  But  he  has  been  afraid  all  along,  or 
he  would  have  made  his  attempt  before.  Orders  have 
been  issued  for  officers  not  to  be  absent  from  their  post 
even  for  a  night,  in  spite  of  which  Paget  (who  is  excessively 
lungeous  at  the  Monster  for  always  beginning  his  threats 
in  the  shooting  season)  proposes  (if  he  can  possibly  get 
leave)  coming  down  here  for  a  little  black  game  shooting. 
We  are  in  daily  expectation  of  his  and  Car's  arrival,     Buxton 

1  The  Emperor  Napoleon. 


40  CHARLOTTE'S  MARRIAGE  [CH.  i 

being  recommended  to  me,  we  intended  being  there  at  this 
time,  but  as  Paget  wishes  us  to  be  here  while  he  is,  we 
shall,  and  then  go  there  when  they  return  to  Ipswich, 
after  which  if  things  remain  as  they  are  I  believe  we  shall 
go  into  Wales  for  a  short  time,  where  they  will  have  a  large 
party — Capel,  Caroline  and  all  the  little  ones,  and  Charles 
and  his  wife.  .  .  .  finally  that  you  may  know  the  exact 
state  of  your  family  I  must  inform  you  that  Jane,  Mary 
and  Sophia  will  before  long  present  you  with  some  more 
little  nephews  and  nieces.  I  hope  you  were  glad  to  hear 
of  dear  Charlotte's  marriage,  I  own  it  quite  delights  me. 
He  is  a  most  amiable  excellent  creature  and  we  all  like 
him  exceedingly.  She  deserves  to  be  happy  and  if  one 
may  judge  from  appearances  has  every  chance  of  being 
completely  so.  They  will,  I  believe,  be  married  at  Plas, 
perhaps  in  October  or  before,  but  at  present  he  is  in  Ireland 
and  cannot  get  leave  of  absence,  since  these  new  Orders 
have  been  issued. 

I  see  by  this  day's  papers  that  the  Combined  Fleets  are 
certainly  at  sea  and  oh,  woe  is  me,  Ld  Nelson  in  London. 
Oh  dear !  Oh  dear !  if  he  could  but  encounter  them  I  should 
have  every  hope  of  success.  .  .  .  Your  most  attached  and 
very  affectionate  sister, 

Lou. 

Lord  Graves 
Bishops  Court,  near  Exeter,' S«/j/.  12th,  1805. 
My  Dear  Arthur, — I  have  to  make  many  excuses  for 
not  fulfilling  my  promise  of  writing  to  you  more  punctually, 
and  indeed  I  have  no  other  excuse  than  the  constant  occupa- 
tion and  worry  of  a  Camp  in  this  neighbourhood,  to  which 
our  Regiment  of  Militia  belongs,  and  which  has  almost 
totally  taken  up  my  time  this  Summer.  Charles  Lennox  * 
is  our  General,  and  you  may  suppose  we  are  very  jolly 
and  happy  under  his  command.  He  has  been  here  several 
times,  fortunately  for  him  and  for  us  Lady  Charlotte  has 
thought  proper  to  remain  away  from  him  during  the 
Summer,  which  we  think  he  does  not  at  all  regret.  Boring- 
don  and  his  wife  have  also  been  here  a  great  deal,  and 
have  had  a  house  at  Exmouth,  which  is  not  far  from  home, 

1  Charles  Lennox  succeeded  his  uncle  as  4th  Duke  of  Richmond  in 
1806,  married  Lady  Charlotte  Gordon,  daughter  of  the  4th  Duke  of 
Gordon. 


1790-1808]  FAMILY   MOVEMENTS  41 

and  Osborne,  whom  you  so  well  know,  commands  the 
Bedford  Militia,  which  composes  a  part  of  our  Camp. 
We  have  won  some  of  his  Money  at  whist,  but  not  much. 
Boringdon  is  just  gone  to  Saltram,  where  are  also  Lord 
and  Lady  Bath,^  Charles  and  Lady  Charlotte  Greville,' 
Charles  Bentinck,*  and  the  Villiers's.  There  was  a  report 
here,  which  I  fancy  found  its  way  from  Longleat,  that  you 
had  fought  a  Duel  at  Vienna  with  some  man  who  had 
insulted  you,  and  that  you  had  been  wounded.  This  story 
affected  poor  little  Mary  excessively  till  we  found  it  to 
be  a  lie.  On  my  writing  to  Berkeley  about  it,  he  answered, 
if  it  was  a  Frenchman  Arthur  fought,  it  is  to  be  hoped  he 
shot  him.  It  is  confidently  said  that  Lord  Paget  is  to 
command  the  Cavalry  on  the  intended  Expedition.  No  one 
is  more  capable  or  more  proper  for  such  an  enterprise, 
and  I  think  he  will  trim  Les  Chasseurs  d  Cheval,  Dragons 
Legers,  et  Houssards  of  those  Rascals,  the  French.  The 
Prince  has  been  at  Weymouth,  it  is  supposed  he  wishes  his 
debts  to  be  again  paid.  Old  Nobbs*  leaves  that  place  about 
the  middle  of  this  Month,  and  they  say  he  is  perfectly  well, 
and  possessing  completely  all  his  faculties.  It  is  supposed 
Parliament  will  be  dissolved,  which  will  annoy  not  a  little 
some  of  them,  but  probably  get  me  a  Seat  in  Parliament. 
Charlotte  is  not  yet  married,  but  the  ceremony  will  very 
shortly  take  place,  as  Enniskillen  is  returned  from  Ireland, 
and  I  presume  very  impatient.  Poor  Charles  is  somewhat 
better  but  still  very  unwell,  we  are  in  hopes  of  seeing  him 
and  Elizabeth  here  in  October.  It  is  said  his  complaint 
is  an  attack  of  the  Liver,  he  rubs  in  Mercury  to  a  very 
enormous  degree.  Berkeley  is  with  the  Seventh  at  Ipswich, 
and  Edward  at  Eastbourne.  I  suppose  of  course  he  will 
go  with  Genl  Moore.  I  am  glad  to  find  you  have  at  length 
got  the  Court  of  Vienna  to  act  decidedly  against  the  French, 
and  before  this  reaches  you  I  suppose  a  battle  will  have 
been  fought,  and  I  hope  Buonaparte's  Scoundrels  most 
infernally  lick'd.  Lord  and  Lady  Uxbridge  are  now  at 
Plas  Newydd,  and  the  Capels  with  them.  I  only  write 
these  particulars,  as  you  say  you  do  not  often  receive 

1  Thomas,  2nd  Marquis  of  Bath,  married  Isabella,  daughter  of  4th 
Viscount  Torrington. 

>  Charles  Greville  married  Lady  Charlotte  Bentinck,  daughter  of 
3rd  Duke  of  Portland. 

'  Younger  son  of  3rd  Duke  of  Portland.  *  The  King. 


42  EDWARD  EMBARKS  [ch.  i 

letters  from  them,  or  I  should  not  bore  you  with  so  long  a 
detail. 

There  must  have  been  uncommon  good  shooting  this 
year  at  Wretham,  as  Partridges  were  never  known  to  be 
so  plenty,  and  I  had  upon  my  small  Manor  upwards  of  three 
hundred  brace.  Should  you  ever  give  Mary  and  myself 
the  very  great  pleasure  of  seeing  you  here,  I  think  I  rould 
shew  you  as  pretty  a  pack  of  Harriers  as  any  in  England. 

We  have  no  news  from  the  Fleets,  the  Brest  fleet  have 
retir'd  into  Brest  Water,  and  the  French  and  Spanish  com- 
bin'd  squadrons  are  safe  at  Cadiz.  Old  Nelson  is  now  off 
that  harbour  with  two  and  thirty  British  Men  of  War, 
which  I  should  think  is  enough  to  defeat  all  the  Navy  of 
Europe  united.  I  cannot  help  being  inclined  to  think  that 
all  these  preparations  will  end  in  peace,  notwithstanding 
the  many  millions  of  dollars  which  have  been  already 
shipped  from  Portsmouth  to  subsidise  Sweden,  Russia,  and 
Austria. 

The  history  of  the  Duel,  which  came  from  Longleat,  is 
not  the  only  fabrication  that  came  from  there  respecting 
you.  .  .  . 

Earl  of  Uxbridge 

Plas  Newydd,  26th  Oct.,  1805. 
My  Dear  Arthur, —  ...  Be  it  known  to  you  yesterday's 
Post  brought  me  a  letter  from  Edwd,  by  this  time  actually 
embark'd  for  the  Continent.  His  Brigade  consists  of  the 
4th,  14th,  and  23d  Regts,  all  famous  fighting  Regts,  and 
5  Companies  of  Rifle  Men,  Finch  and  3  Regts  of  Guards, 
and  the  Hanoverian  Legion,  all  under  the  command  of 
Genl  Don  going  to  the  Continent,^  but  as  yet  we  do  not 
know  where,  but  we  suppose  Hanover,  or  to  join  the  Russian 
Army.  This  is  a  sad  blow  to  his  (Ed.'s)  poor  little  Wife, 
but  he  teUs  me  she  has  behaved  with  uncommon  fortitude 
on  the  Occasion.  We  were  to  have  seen  Ed.  here  just 
about  this  time,  but  the  Corsican  Rascal  will  allow  none 
of  us  to  be  at  rest.  He,  however,  seems  to  have  got  himself 
into  a  compleat  scrape,  and  if  we  can  contrive  to  make  the 
Prussians  feel  like  Men,  he  must  be  crushed.  Of  course 
you  know  of  Charlotte's  Wedding,  your  Mother  hopes  you 
got  a  letter  from  her.     She  wrote  in  a  Violent  hurry  to  you 

*  They  were  dispatched  on  an  abortive  expedition  to  Bremen,  returning 
to  England  in  the  following  February. 


1790-1808]  TRAFALGAR  43 

to  announce  it,  they  will  go  soon  to  Ireland  for  a  short  time, 
Enniskillen  is  the  best  of  fellows;  you  must  know  him,  I 
think. 

Since  writing  the  above  a  letter  is  brought  me  from  you 
which  gives  a  sad  account  of  your  health.  I  hope  you 
will  take  great  care  of  yourself.  I  much  fear  you  have 
led  too  sedentary  a  life,  and  with  good  living  makes  you 
liable  to  the  disorder  you  complain  of.  We  shall  all  be 
most  anxious  for  your  next  letter,  and  pray  for  your  speedy 
re-establishment.  The  Newspapers  had  made  you  attending 
the  Emperor  to  his  army,  which  I  did  not  think  unlikely, 
so  that  your  illness  is  quite  a  surprise  upon  us. 

The  Papers  likewise  make  the  French  very  active  in 
surrounding  the  Austrians,  and  driving  them  in  all  direc- 
tions, I  hope  it  is  not  so  and  that  we  shall  hear  better 
accounts  soon.  Charles  is  leaving  us  this  morning  with  his 
little  Wife,  and  going  to  Town,  he  is  better  but  not  quite 
well  yet.  Your  Mother  wou'd  have  wrote,  but  had  not 
time  to  do  so  this  Post.  She,  Car,  Chare,  and  Eiiniskillen 
and  all  here  join  in  most  affect,  love  to  you.  God  bless 
you,  my  very  dear  Arthur.  I  am  most  truly  and  affectly 
yours, 

UXBRIDGE. 

Countess  of  Uxbndge 

Plas  Newydd,  10  Nov.,  1805. 

My  very  Dearest  Arthur, —  .  .  .  Never  shall  I  forget 
yesterday  ^  as  long  as  Memory  lasts.  Oh  !  my  beloved 
Son,  think  what  a  day  it  was  to  us,  the  account  of  your 
illness,  of  the  fall  of  that  great  Man,  Lord  Nelson,  and  his 
brilliant  Victory,  and  the  total  defeat  of  the  Austrians 
(if  we  may  credit  the  French  account  the  total  annihilation 
of  them)  all  came  together  :  it  was  too  much  and  we  were 
sunk  to  the  lowest  ebb.  .  .  .  dear  Fanny  gives  proof  of  her 
mind  being  as  great  as  it  was  always  good,  she  is  gone 
to  Blithfield,  the  Erskines  to  their  house  in  Warwickshire, 
and  she  [Louisa  Erskine]  in  the  greatest  possible  rage 
because  this  new  brevet  stops  within  five  of  Jemmie.  Don't 
you  think  you  see  her  ?  but  this  is  nothing  to  her  indignation 
at  a  certain  Austrian  General,  she  would  like  to  put  him  to 
death  herself  by  making  a  Pincushion  of  him  and  then 

1  Collingwood's  Dispatches  announcing  the  result  of  the  Battle  of 
Trafalgar  on  October  21st  reached   London  on  November  7th, 


44  DEATH  OF  NELSON  [ch.  i 

sticking  hot  burning  pins  and  needles  into  him.     Perhaps 
you  may  be  of  her  opinion.     Yr  ever  affecte  and  devoted 

J-  u. 

Lady  Caroline  Capel 

Plas  Newydd,  io  Nov.,  1805. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, —  .  .  .  Your  having  written  is  felt 
as  it  ought  by  dear  Papa  and  Mama.  .  .  .  We  are  in  the 
Effervescence  of  our  admiration  and  regret  for  the  loss  of 
that  Great  Man,  the  Brave  and  Gallant  Nelson.  The 
glorious  and  astonishing  Victory  he  by  the  goodness  of 
Providence  was  permitted  to  Atchieve  is  felt  as  you  may 
readily  believe  by  all  ranks  of  People  with  that  Gratitude 
and  Enthusiasm  it  so  truly  merits,  I  think  the  Manner  of 
his  death  so  glorious  and  his  last  moments  so  magnanimous 
that  I  can  only  lament  as  a  Public  Calamity.  He  was 
above  Pity  !  He  died  as  he  had  always  wished  to  do  in 
the  arms  of  Victory  and  after  having  driven  our  Foes  by 
the  bare  sound  of  his  name  from  the  farthest  parts  of  the 
Earth  back  to  their  own  Ports — then  to  complete  his  too 
short  career  draws  them  out  by  the  most  able  Manoeuvres 
and  defeats  them  in  the  most  glorious  style  that  is  to  be 
met  with  either  in  our  own  time  or  in  the  Annals  of  History. 
.  .  .  This  is  a  period  of  time  so  replete  with  Events  of  the 
most  astonishing  and  interesting  nature  that  everyone  must 
take  a  part  in  them  and  well  or  ill  nous  raisonnons  tous.  I 
wish  you  could  put  a  little  of  your  vigour  of  mind  into 
your  Princes  and  Generals.  How  enraged  you  must  have 
felt  lately  !  But  still  I  hope  we  may  live  to  see  that  Monster 
humbled  in  the  Dust.  This  Glorious  Victory  of  Trafalgar 
could  not  have  occurred  at  a  happier  moment.  Had  but 
that  magnanimous  Hero  survived,  the  joy  would  have 
been  too  complete.  But  we  ought  and  must  be  grateful 
to  the  great  Disposer  of  Events  and  try  to  be  convinced 
that  everything  that  is,  is  best.  Your  most  affecte  and 
devoted 

Car  :  Capel. 

Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

Hanwell,  Nov.  i6th,  1805. 

My  Dearest  Good  Arthur, — You  may  easily  conceive 
loving  you  as  I  do  how  much  uneasiness  and  solicitude  I 


1790-1808]  COMMENTS   ON   NELSON  45 

have  felt  from  the  first  moment  I  heard  of  your  ilhiess — • 
which  (thank  God  by  the  letter  I  received  from  you  four 
days  ago,  and  by  the  Messenger  who  arrived  in  Town  this 
morning)  I  am  most  happy  to  hear  you  are  recovered 
from.  It  is  a  cruel  visitation  upon  you,  and  I  most  sincerely 
and  cordially  trust  you  may  never  suffer  again  a  moment's 
pain  or  illness  from  it  or  anything  else. 

The  Gazettes  and  papers  which  you  will  of  course  receive 
relative  to  the  glorious  affair  of  Trafalgar  wiU  render  it 
unnecessary  for  me  to  give  you  any  further  accounts.  I 
cannot  however  resist  offering  my  congratulations  on  the 
most  briUiant  occasion  in  which  the  British  fleet  ever  had 
an  opportunity  of  shewing  its  superiority.  Poor  dear 
glorious  Nelson  is  the  only  drawback,  but  the  words  of  old 
Handel  in  Samson  we  must  keep  in  our  Mouths  to  console 
ourselves  and   commemorate  him. 

Come,  come,  no  time  for  lamentation  now. 
No  cause  for  grief ;    Samson  like  Samson  fell. 
Both  life  and  death  heroic,  to  his  foes 
Ruin  is  left ;   to  him  eternal  fame. 

The  subsequent  action  of  Strachan  ^  in  which  he  took 
the  whole  of  the  French  Squadron  with  exactly  a  similar 
force  of  British  makes  the  smash  complete.  All  we  want 
is  better  prospects  from  the  continent.  Nothing  is  con- 
fessed to  the  Public  in  respect  to  Prussia,  but  we  are  all 
told  she  is  to  do  wonders,  if  a  hearty  assistance  to  our 
cause  is  not  speedily  adopted  on  the  part  of  Prussia,  I 
shall  (even  hating  the  French  as  I  do)  sincerely  hope,  that 
if  the  Austrians  and  Russians  are  overpowered,  that  Bony 
wiU  march  direct  to  Berlin  and  settle  them. 

Elizabeth  has  been  very  anxious  about  you  and  always 
sends  her  very  best  love.  We  are  living  at  a  House  I  have 
taken  for  two  years,  very  snug  and  pretty  and  comfortable, 
about  nine  miles  from  London.  I  am  so  perfectly  recover'd 
that  I  must  shortly  embark  again,  tho'  Nelson  etc.  have 
left  so  little  to  be  done  that  Garlies  told  me  he  thought, 
as  the  Opposition  would  be  infernally  strong,  I  should  be 
of  more  service  with  my  vote  in  the  House  than  in  the 
Endymion,  at  least  till  the  Spring. 

I  am  going  with  Elizabeth  to  Wretham  tomorrow  for  a 
fortnight's   shooting.     Pray,   my   dearest   Arthur,   let   me 

1  Sir  Richard  Strachan,  who  took  charge  of  the  blockade  after  Nelson's 
death. 


46  LORD   UXBRIDGE  ON   MACK  [ch.  i 

hear  from  you  often  if  it  is  but  a  line,  and  whenever  you 
can  reconcile  to  yourself  coming  home — do  so,  and  set 
your  excellent  self  up  again.  God  bless  you,  my  dearest 
fellow.  Ever  your  most  thoroughly  devoted  and  affect. 
Brother, 

Charles  Paget. 

Earl  of  Uxbridge 

Plas  Newydd,  igth  Novr,  1805. 

My  Dear  Arthur, —  .  .  .  We  are  most  happy  to  hear 
you  are  so  much  recover'd,  but  still  we  fear  you  are  hardly 
equal  to  taking  the  field,  we  shaU  be  most  anxious  for 
your  next  letter,  and  pray  let  us  hear  that  you  have  made 
a  proper  example  of  Mack.^ 

I  believe  there  never  was  a  happier  creature  than  Char- 
lotte,' she  is  delighted  with  Florence  Court.  I  believe 
Capel  is  going  next  week  to  see  her,  there  was  a  time  I 
should  have  caught  at  such  an  excuse  for  crossing  the 
water,  but  alas  times  are  changed  !  I  hear  the  best  Cock 
shooting  in  Ireland  is  at  F.C. 

If  you  can  but  get  the  Prussians  to  come  forward  hand- 
somely, what  with  Russians  and  the  Armies  of  other  powers 
they  surely  might  surround  that  vilest  of  Men,  Buonaparte, 
and  take  him  and  his  whole  army  prisoners  or  destroy 
them — something  of  this  sort  ought  to  be  attempted.  Yr 
Mother  and  Caroline  send  you  their  best  love.  I  am,  my 
dear  Arthur,  Most  affectly  yours, 

Uxbridge. 

Hon.  Henry  Pierrepont^ 

Stralsund,  Novr  20th,  1805. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  have  only  a  few  moments  before 
the  departure  of  General  Armfelt  to  send  you  a  few  lines, 
an  opportunity  of  which  I  avail  myself  with  pleasure  for 
the  purpose  of  renewing  the  little  intercourse  which  subsists 
between  us,  as  well  as  for  the  sake  of  complying  with  a 
request  which  he  has  made  me  to  beg  the  favor  of  you  to 
be  of  any  use  to  him  in  your  power,  in  case  he  should  find 

1  The  Austrian  General,  Mack,    on  Oct.   i8th  surrendered  Ulm  with 
30,000  men  to  the  French  who  entered  Vienna  on  November  13th. 
*  Lady  Enniskillen. 
3  British  Minister  to  the  Court  of  Sweden. 


HENRY,     1ST    EARL    OF    UXBRIDGE. 


46] 


1790-1808]  KING  OF  SWEDEN  47 

himself  in  need  of  your  assistance  after  his  arrival  at  Brunn. 
Of  the  motive  of  his  departure  and  the  object  of  his  journey, 
which  does. him  great  credit,  he  will  himself  inform  you 
and  he  will  tell  you  probably  too,  what  an  honourable  part 
his  Master  has  been,  and  is,  acting  upon  the  present  occa- 
sion. After  having  given  more  trouble  in  negotiation  for 
10,000  men  than  all  the  Powers  of  the  Continent  for  their 
united  force,  the  King  of  Sweden  has  now  found  out  that 
his  honour  (mark  the  word)  prevents  his  marching  forward 
in  support  of  the  Russian  troops  which  are  under  his  com- 
mand, till  he  has  obtained  some  assurance  that  he  shall 
not  be  attacked  by  Prussia,  who  is  allied  to  the  common 
cause  and  has  not  a  soldier  within  a  week's  march  of  his 
paltry  province,  and  whom  he  has  insulted  in  the  most 
gross  manner.  Under  these  circumstances  I  have  been 
obliged  to  transmit  him  a  trimmer  and  have  another  in  my 
pocket  ready  for  the  same  purpose,  at  all  events  I  shall 
take  particular  care  if  things  don't  change  to  stop  the 
payment  of  the  subsidy,  and  fortunately  we  are  behind- 
hand with  it  already,  and  then  he  may  have  the  satisfaction 
of  seeing  his  troops  starve,  which  wd  be  the  case.  It 
would  be  a  pity  as  they  are  uncommonly  fine  and  very  well 
officered,  and  if  properly  joined  according  to  my  intention 
with  the  Russian  force  might  have  been  extremely  useful. 
You  may  easily  imagine  the  effect  that  was  produced 
here  by  the  news  which  we  received  this  morning  of  the 
capture  of  Vienna,  but  I  can  hardly  form  to  myself  any 
idea  of  the  confusion  that  must  have  taken  place  in  yr 
removal.  For  God's  sake  keep  them  strict,  for  if  we  have 
peace  now,  we  are  ruined.  What  do  you  think,  my  good 
fellow,  of  an  occasional  estafette  ?  I  will  tell  you  what 
our  combined  army  does  not  do,  if  you  will  let  me  know 
what  yours  does  do.  God  bless  you,  my  good  Arthur, 
ever  and  invariably  yours, 

Henry  Pierrepont. 

The  Countess  of  Uxbridge 

Plas  Newydd,  Novr  20th,  1805. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — You  have  given  your  Father  and 
me  the  most  flattering  proof  of  your  Affection  by  writing 
to  us  so  frequently  when  your  Mind  must  be  harrassed 
to  death.    Never  in  your  Political  line  have  you  known 

5 


48  ^  CALAMITOUS  EVENTS  [ch.  i 

so   cruel  a   Moment  as  the  present.     Your  letter  of  the 
24th   of   Octr,   tho'   it   contained   a   melancholy  detail  of 
the  Army,  kept  up  my  Spirits  from  what  followed,  but 
that  of  the  3d  instant,  reed  yesterday,  has  oppressed  me 
with  grief.     Is  there  no  hope  left,  may  not  the  Prussians 
save  that  unfortunate  Country  ?     We  are  told  here  that 
they  are  at  length  come  forward.     God  grant  that  it  may 
not  be  too  late.      I  am   thankful  that  these  Calamitous 
Events  did  not  take  place   a  month  earlier.     I  shudder 
to  think  of  what  your  situation  would  then  have  been, 
left  behind  at  Vienna  to  the  fury  of  that  merciless  reptile. 
Indeed,  Arthur,  this  is  the  only  subject  on  which  I  cannot 
command  my  temper ;    he  is  a  Scourge  to  all  Mankind, 
and,  as  you  observe,  yours  is  not  a  bed  of  Roses.     I  cannot 
conceive   anybody's  having  more   upon   their  mind   than 
you  have  at  present ;    but  you  have  a  head  that  will  ever 
enable  you  to  get  thro'  difficulties,  if  it's  possible,  and  this 
is  a  great  source  of  Consolation  to  me  in  all  my  reflections 
about  your  dear  self.     What  can  I  say  upon  another  subject  ? 
Nothing  that  you  tell  me  leads  to  certainty  one  way  or 
other,  therefore  I  can  only  assure  you  in  general  that  it  is 
very  near  my  heart,  as  every  Circumstance  in  which  your 
happiness  is  concerned  must  be.     A  friend  of  yours  here 
is  very  much  attached  to  an  amiable  person,  but  meets 
with  the  strongest  Opposition  from  her  family.     She  how- 
ever is  steady,  it  is  therefore  thought  by  all  his  friends 
that  he  will  succeed  in  time.     Why  may  I  not  have  this 
hope  concerning  you  ?     Our  beloved   King  cannot  Alas  ! 
read  your,  or  any  other  Dispatches,  for  his  Eyes  are  not 
better.     If  they  don't  grow  worse,  I  shall  be   thankful  ; 
his  health,  which  is  a  great  blessing,  is  perfect,  and  he 
never   complains,    on   the   Contrary   does   every   thing   to 
mitigate  the  Sufferings  of  his  family  for  him.     They  are 
going  soon  to  have  a  sad  loss,  by  the  departure  of  the 
Duke  of  Cambridge  for  Hanover ;   he  is  such  a  Comfort  to 
them,  and  his  attention  to  the  King  is  so  unparalleled,  that 
I  lament  extremely  the  necessity  of  his  going.     I  have  not 
said  anything  to  you  of  Princess  Mary,  because  I  am  ignorant 
on  the  subject,  but  this  I  can  say,  that  whoever  gets  her, 
will  possess  a  Prize  of  Inestimable  Value.     What  a  cruel 
situation  has  our  Princess-Royal  ^  been  reduced  to,  it  is 
enough   to   discourage   our   dear   Princesses   from   leaving 

1  Charlotte-Augusta,  the  wife  of  the  Duke  of  Wiirttemberg. 


1790-1808]  "DON'T   MAKE  PEACE"  49 

their  own  Country,  certainly  the  happiest  one  in  the  Uni- 
verse, and  one  that  I  wish  my  dearest  Arthur  was  returned 
to,  never  again  to  quit.  Your  Father  won't  despond  as  I 
do,  and  will  not  allow  of  the  possibility  of  the  French  getting 
to  Vienna,  as  a  proof  of  which  he  has  just  desired  me  to 
commission  you  to  send  him  two  of  the  most  beautiful 
silks  that  can  be  purchased  there,  one  of  course  for  Princess 
Mary.  I  told  him  I  could  not  write  about  such  things  at 
so  serious  a  time  as  the  present,  but  he  insisted  upon  it  ; 
he  complains  that  you  have  not  drawn  upon  him  for  the 
amount  of  the  China  &c.  If  you  don't  receive  this  by 
one  of  the  two  messengers  lately  arrived,  it  will  be  my 
misfortune  and  not  my  fault,  for  this  is  the  first  time  I 
have  been  able  to  hold  my  pen  for  more  than  a  week,  as 
your  Father  told  you.  We  shall  remain  in  the  most  cruel 
suspense  till  we  hear  again  from  you,  and  most  ardently 
hope  for  better  News,  and  to  hear  of  the  perfect  re-estab- 
lishment of  your  health.  All  the  Keises  [sic]  join  in  love. 
Goodbye,  my  dearest  Arthur,  believe  me  ever  your  most 
affecte  Mother, 

J.   UXBRIDGE. 

Lord  Paget 

Wrexham,  Novr  izd,  1805. 
...  I  will  endeavour  to  send  them  (the  horses)  off  at  once 
to  Berlin,  where  I  hope  some  one  will  arrive  to  conduct 
them  to  Vienna  and  I  will  order  the  person  who  proceeds 
with  them  to  address  himself  to  our  Ambassador  there,  in 
order  that  your  person  may  know  where    to  find  them. 
No  !    That  wd  not  do,  for  who  knows  where  the  Court 
may  be  by  the  time  this  reaches  you.     For  Godsake  dont 
make   peace  ^    on   any   terms.     Retire   into    Hungary,    do 
any  thing  but  make  Peace.     Believe  me  there  can  be  no 
Peace  but  by  beating  these  Vagabonds  into  it.     Face  them 
only  and   they  are   beat.     I  forfeit  my  existence   if  any 
British  Force  don't  beat  twice  their  numbers  and  why  shd 
not  the  Austrians  ?     But  these  will  always  retire  if  they 
are  at  all  worsted.     This  must  not  be.     Attack  the  French 
in  return  a  second,  a  3d,  a  4th  day,  if  necessary.     They 

^  The  Austrian  Emperor  signed  a  Treaty  of  Peace  with  France  on 
December  25th,  after  his  crushing  defeat  at  Austerlitz  on  the  2nd  idem  ; 
Russia  soon  followed  suit. 


50  "THE  CORSICAN  REPTILE"  [ch.  i 

cannot  stand  that.  I  am  enthusiastic  about  what  may  be 
now  done,  but  if  there  is  one  moment's  hesitation,  if  there 
is  even  the  slightest  idea  of  Peace — Austria — Europe  (Eng- 
land excepted)  is  gone. 


Lady  Louisa  Erskine 

LiNDLEY  Hall,  24  Nov.,  1805. 

My  Very  Dearest  Arthur, — .  .  .  What  sad  accounts 
from  your  part  of  the  world.  How  I  grieve  for  all  the 
poor  souls  at  Vienna.  I  felt  most  anxious  for  further 
particulars  and  hope  and  trust  none  of  our  friends  have 
fallen  Victims  to  Mack's  treachery  for  I'm  sure  it  can  be 
nothing  else — and  I  must  own  I  shd  feel  considerable 
satisfaction  in  seeing  him  hanged  and  should  like  to  put 
the  Rope  about  his  neck  myself.  And  I  think  the  Elector 
of  Wirtemberg  deserves  the  same  and  I'm  very  glad  he 
has  been  so  insulted  and  I  hope  his  great  fat  before  will 
burst  with  Rage. 

Our  most  glorious  Victories  at  Sea  happened  most  oppor- 
tunely and  wiU  I  think  be  a  severe  blow  upon  the  little 
Corsican  Reptile — Oh  the  wretch  !  But  oh  Arthur,  our 
dear  excellent  Nelson — I  wept  so  much  for  him  that  I 
could  not  rejoice  in  the  Victory — I  never  can  recover  it.  .  .  . 

As  for  our  little  Loui  she  is  a  perfect  delight.  ...  I  must 
tell  you  that  Paget  doats  upon  her,  I  never  saw  him  take 
so  much  notice  of  any  Child  but  his  own,  in  short  you 
know  he  professes  hating  all  Children  but  his  own  except 
our  little  Loui.  .  .  .  Jamie  desires  his  most  affecte  love 
to  you.  He  says  "  for  God's  sake  my  dearest  Lou,  have 
done,"  so  farewell.  .  .  .  Your  most  attached  and  devoted 
sister, 

Louisa  Erskine. 

If  the  King  of  Prussia  would  only  do  his  duty,  I  should 
have  no  fears.  I  wish  I  was  by  him  sticking  a  spur  into 
his  side. 

Lady  Louisa  Erskine 

LiNDLEY  Hall,  November  29,  1805. 

f.  My  Dearest  Arthur, — I  am  so  completely  thunder-struck 
and  horror-struck  with  the  accounts  in  this  day's  papers 


1790-1808]  "THAT  WRETCH   MACK"  51 

from  the  Continent  that  I  must  give  vent  to  some  of  my 
feelings  to  you  or  I  shall  suffocate.  And  can  it  be  true 
that  the  infamous  miscreant  has  entered  Vienna  with  his 
army  of  vile  mean  slaves?  Oh  Heavens,  how  dreadful — 
where  is  this  to  end  ?  I  am  really  almost  mad — but  my 
dearest  Arthur,  what  have  the  Austrians  and  Russians 
been  about  ?  Surely  there  must  have  been  some  horrible 
mismanagement,  independent  of  the  black  treachery  of 
that  odious  Wretch  Mack,  for  that  he  suffered  himself  to 
be  bribed  I  have  not  the  smallest  doubt  of,  and  it  is  my 
astonishment  that  the  Emperor  did  not  order  him  to  be 
strangled  instantly — or  that  the  people  did  not  tear  him 
to  pieces,  and  as  for  those  miserable  poor  spirited  animals 
of  Prussians  what  could  I  not  do  to  them — had  they  come 
forward  as  they  shd  have  done,  all  these  disasters  might 
have  been  prevented,  even  now  if  the  whole  of  the  Powers 
would  make  one  last  effort  and  act  with  unanimity  and 
activity  all  might  yet  be  well,  instead  of  which  I  suppose 
they  will  debase  themselves  and  in  my  opinion  bring 
eternal  dishonour  upon  themselves  by  making  a  vile  and 
ignominious  Peace  with  the  most  infamous,  brutal  and 
most  diabolical  fiend  that  ever  disgraced  the  Human 
Species  since  the  world  has  been  a  world.  Oh  Shame  ! 
Shame  !    Shame  !    upon  them  all  if  they  do. 

I  do  sincerely  hope  there  is  no  truth  in  the  Rumour  of 
the  Archduke  Charles  being  dead.  Should  it  prove  true, 
there  can  be  no  doubt  but  that  that  infamous  and  most 
iniquitous  performer  of  all  black  deeds  has  caused  him 
to  be  poisoned.  I  am  the  more  inclined  to  think  this  as 
the  French  accounts  state  that  he  died  in  consequence  of 
the  fatigues  of  the  campaign.  Now  the  fatigues  could 
not  hitherto  have  been  so  very  great — besides  had  the 
wretches  not  been  perfectly  aware  that  he  came  to  an 
untimely  end,  they  would  not  have  been  so  ready  to  point 
out  what  they  conceive  will  appear  a  very  natural  cause 
for  his  death.  Oh  horrible,  most  horrible  !  .  .  .  We  are, 
you  can  most  easily  conceive,  most  terribly  anxious 
to  hear  something  concerning  our  poor  Vienna  friends 
—  it  makes  me  miserable  to  think  of  their ,  calami- 
ties. ... 

Louisa  Erskine. 


52  CHILDREN   POLITICIANS  [ch.  i 

Countess  of  Uxbridge  ^ 

Plas  Newydd,  Deer  loth,  1805. 

The  following  toast  was  given  at  a  recent  public  dinner, 
viz.  "  The  Roast  Beef  of  Old  England  : 

May  Englishmen  eat  both  the  fat  and  the  lean, 
And  leave  Frenchmen  to  pick  the  Bony-part  clean." 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — The  Relief  it  was  to  our  Minds 
to  receive  your  letter  from  Brunn  was  in  proportion  to 
the  Misery  we  endured  from  the  Apprehension  that  you 
was  not  sufficiently  recover'd  from  your  severe  illness  to 
accompany  the  Emperor  to  Olmutz.  You  will  allow  the 
idea  was  not  a  pleasant  one,  but  here  I  must  restrain  my 
feelings  from  prudence,  not  now  being  sure  of  my  letters 
ever  reaching  you.  If  an  Emperor  and  an  Ambassador 
are  waylaid,  a  Messenger  may,  so  I  must  content  myself 
with  venting  my  indignation  at  home  against  the  Usurper, 
but  thank  God  since  we  heard  from  you  the  Accounts 
from  the  Continent  have  been  more  satisfactory.  The 
Victory  over  the  French  and  the  Emperor's  having  an- 
nounced Prussia  as  his  Ally  give  us  hopes  that  we  may 
e're  long  hear  something  very  interesting.  It  would  amuse 
you  more,  my  dear  Arthur,  if  I  could  write  upon  other 
topics  than  the  preceding,  but  the  truth  is  no  other  ever 
enter  our  heads.  Even  the  Children  are  Politicians,  and 
fly  to  the  Papers  for  News  with  as  much  avidity  as  we  do, 
particularly  if  there  is  a  paragraph  from  Vienna.  I  am 
truly  sorry  you  have  met  with  such  a  disappointment 
about  your  Horses,  I  cannot  account  for  it,  and  was  going 
to  write  to  Paget  for  an  explanation  when  I  was  informed 
he  had  received  a  letter  from  yourself  on  the  Subject.  Mr. 
Broughton  has  been  very  kind  and  attentive  to  your  Father 
and  me  in  writing  twice  to  us  whilst  we  were  most  uneasy 
about  you,  and  Col.  Upton  with  his  accustomed  good  Nature 
informed  us  he  had  seen  Mr.  Stratton  who  was  just  come 
from   you.     I  hope   you  have  been   able   to   rescue   your 

valuable  Effects  from  the  merciless  hands  of  .     I  am 

anxious  to  know  how  all  the  poor  people  at  Vienna  (that  I 
have  heard  you  and  Louisa  speak  with  so  much  regard 

'  ^  Part  of  this  letter  is  printed  in  the  Paget  Papers. 


1790-1808]  EDWARD  AT  BREMEN  53 

of)  have  escaped.  I  wish  that  ever  to  be  lamented  Lord 
Nelson  had  been  in  Mack's  place,  yet  why  should  I  wish 
him  any  where  but  where  he  was  ?  I  am  glad  to  find 
Lord  Cathcart  is  appointed  Commander  in  Chief  of  the 
British  on  the  Continent.  I  conclude  you  hear  from 
Edward.  Lord  Graves  has  announced  to  us  the  birth  of  a 
Daughter  and  of  dear  Mary's  going  on  well.  Your  Father 
and  Caroline  unite  in  cordial  love  to  you.  Capel  is  still 
in  Ireland,  Excuse  this  dull  letter,  how  can  one  be  gay 
in  such  times  ?  Yet  I  feel  as  if  all  would  do  well.  You 
will  be  happy  to  hear  that  our  beloved  King's  Eyes  are 
rather  better.  Ever,  my  dearest  Arthur,  Yr  most  truly 
affecte  Mother, 

J.  u. 

Major-Gen.  Hon.  Edward  Paget 

Bremen,  December  12th,  1805. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — I  have  been  made  most  happy 
by  the  Receipt  of  your  Letter  from  Olmutz  of  the  25th 
Ulto,  tho'  I  regret  that  your  Expectations  of  an  Action 
on  the  following  Day  have  not  been  fulfil'd,  as  I  flatter 
myself  that  we  had  much  to  hope  from  the  Result. 

I  assure  you  that  you  would  have  heard  from  me  before 
since  my  Arrival  in  this  Country,  if  I  had  been  aware  of 
any  Opportunity  of  communicating  with  you.  I  am  now 
told  that  the  best  Method  is  to  send  my  Letters  to  Berlin 
under  Cover  to  Ld  Harrowby  or  Mr.  Hamond,  which  Plan 
I  shall  in  future  pursue.  I  have  been  puzzling  my  Brains 
for  some  time  to  recollect  who  recommended  this  Method 
to  me,  but  find  upon  reading  your  Letter  over  again,  that 
it  is  to  yourself  that  I  am  indebted  for  the  Liformation. 
As  General  Don  is  to  be  here  this  Evening  from  Verden, 
which  place  he  has  fixt  upon  as  his  Head  Quarters,  I  have 
determined  to  write  a  few  Lines  to  you  and  leave  them  with 
him  to  be  forwarded.  Tomorrow  I  shall  return  to  Vegesach 
at  which  place  and  in  the  Neighbourhood  is  stationed  my 
Brigade.  Finch's  Brigade  of  Guards  is  stationed  in  the 
Fauxbourgs  of  Bremen,  the  Occupation  of  that  Town  not 
having  been  insisted  upon  on  our  Part.  I  cannot  conceive 
however  by  what  Rule  it  is,  that  the  Neutrality  of  this 
Republic  is  less  violated  by  the  Occupation  of  their  Faux- 
bourgs and  all  their  Villages,  than  it  would  be  by  placing 


54  MILITARY   MOVEMENTS  [CH.  i 

a  Garrison  in  Bremen.     Sir  George  Ludlow  is  arrived  and 
takes  particular  Charge  of  the  British.      The  Infantry  of 
the  German  Legion  is  on  its  March  to  occupy  Cantonments 
upon  our  Left  which  will  extend  a  little  beyond  Verden, 
from  which  place  the  Russians  take  up  the  Line  in  con- 
tinuation of  the  Weser  as  far  as  Minden,  Genl.  Tolstoy's 
Head   Quarters   being  established   at   Minburg.     What   is 
become  of  the  Swedes,  I  know  nothing.     A  Corps  of  Rus- 
sians, joined  by  1500  Hanoverians,  are  beginning  to  Blockade 
Hameln.     As  to  our  ovm  Operations,  the  only  point  upon 
which  I  can  speak  with  Certainty  is,  that  nothing  is  settled. 
The  Track  which  50  or  60,000  Men  would  have  taken  is 
pretty  obvious,  and  I  fear  that  Numbers  have  been  overrated 
in   England.     That,   to  be  pursued  by  less  than  half  of 
those  numbers,  does  not  appear  so  manifest.     The  foe  is 
said  to  be  collecting  a  considerable  force  on  the  Side  of 
Holland.     My   principal   Reason   for  discrediting   this,    is 
that   the   Report   is   industriously   circulated   at   Bremen, 
where  there  is  no  Species  of  Falsehood  which  can  be  invented 
to  favor  the  designs  of  the  Enemy  which  is  not  put  forth. 
I  am  happy  to  hear  that  there  was  a  French  Spy  hung 
yesterday   at   Minburg.     Hemp   would   become   scarce   at 
Bremen  if  employed  in  the  same  way. 

A  Regiment  of  Cavalry  of  the  Legion  is  arrived  at  Breme- 
slake.     Another  is  on   the   Passage.     Some   squadrons   of 
the  nth  were  embarking  when  Ludlow  came  away.     He 
knows  however  of  nothing  else.     To  be  of  use,  this  will 
not  do.     It  depends  I  suppose  upon  the  Decision  of  the 
Court  of  Berlin  whether  more  Troops  are   sent.     If  her 
Decision    is    favorable,    we    cannot    send    too    many.     If 
otherwise,   we   have   already   too   many.     Gracious   God  ! 
What  might  not  yet  be  done,  if  Jealousy  could  but  for  a 
short  time  subside,  and  that  Prussia  would  sincerely  and 
cordially  unite  with  us  to  crush  this  Monster  in  human 
Form.     His  very  successes  would  be  the  main  Instrument 
of  his  Destruction.     But  I  will  not  take  up  your  Time  any 
longer  with  my  Rhapsodies,  which  however  I  assure  you 
are  much  more  of  an  encouraging  than  of  a  disheartening 
Nature. 

I  have  received  but  one  Letter  since  I  left  England  and 
that  from  Fanny  written  live  days  after  we  sailed.  All 
well.  She  is  a  perfect  Heroine  on  this  Occasion  and  behaves 
most  inimitably.     I  long  to  introduce  Her  to  your  Ac- 


1790-1808]  LEOPOLDINE  55 

quaintance.  I  wrote  to  you  a  very  long  Letter  from  East- 
Bourne  in  the  summer  which  I  hope  you  received.  We 
have  English  Papers  here  to  the  6th  Inst,  but  nothing  in 
them.  God  bless  you,  my  dearest  Arthur.  Pray,  pray 
let  me  hear  from  you  whenever  you  can  without  Inconveni- 
ence write,  and  believe  me  ever  your  sincerely  affectionate 
Brother, 

E.  P. 

Countess  of  Uxbridge 

Plas  Newydd,  Deer  21  st,  1805. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — Your  letter  of  the  25th  of  Nov. 
reached  me  yesterday  and  I  take  the  first  moment  to 
answer  it,  with  a  view  to  calm  your  mind  upon  a  subject, 
that  has  made  so  deep  an  impression  on  it.  Be  assured 
your  happiness  is  your  Father's  greatest  object,  and  that 
in  writing  this  letter  to  which  you  allude,  he  did  not  mean 
to  wound  your  Feelings,  it  was  dictated  from  the  impulse 
of  the  Moment,  considering  from  your  own  report  that  the 
affair  was  totally  at  an  end  never  again  to  be  resumed. 
With  this  idea  in  his  Mind  he  took  an  impartial  view  of 
all  the  Circumstances  and  thought  the  great  difference  of 

Situation    and    Religion,    and    the    Sacrifices    that ^ 

must  make  in  coming  to  this  Country,  were  Obstacles  that 
stood  much  in  the  way,  and  that  ultimately  you  would 

feel  them  as  much  as .     Under  these  reflections,   my 

dearest  Arthur,  was  it  not  natural  for  your  best  of  Fathers 
to  express  himself  as  he  did  ?  believe  me  he  would  have 
kept  these  Sentiments  to  himself  if  you  had  not  assured 
him  that  your  hopes  were  for  ever  abandon'd,  therefore 
he  thought  he  was  rather  reconciling  you  to  your  disap- 
pointment. As  a  proof  of  the  sincerity  of  these  assertions, 
you  may  rely  upon  it  he  will  not  oppose  your  wishes,  there- 
fore there  is  no  necessity  for  my  executing  the  Commission 
you  gave  me.  Whenever  you  do  come  home,  my  dear 
Arthur,  I  trust  it  will  be  on  a  much  pleasanter  errand.  We 
both  feel  your  affectionate  expressions  as  you  can  wish 
and  the  Object  of  our  hearts  is  to  see  you  happy,  this  is 
50  impressed  upon  mine  that  I  can  write  upon  no  other 
subject,  you  shall  soon  hear  from  me~' again  when  I  hope 
we  shall  have  much  to  rejoice  at  on  account  of  public 

^  Princess  Leopoldine  Esterhazy,  whom  Sir  A.  P.  %vished  to  marry  at 
this  time 


56  HORSES  SHIPPED  [cH.  i 

Events.  Your  Father  and  Caroline  send  you  their  most 
cordial  love.  God  bless  you.  I  am  most  truly  my  Dearest 
Arthur,  Your  ever  affecte  Mother  and  Friend, 

J.   UXBRIDGE. 

Jane  has  a  Son  and  Sophia  a  Daughter  since  my  last. 

Lord  Paget 

Wrexham,  Jany  ^th,  1806. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  am  more  distressed  than  words 
can  describe  at  the  cruel  disappointments  you  have  met 
with  about  your  Horses  at  a  time  too  when  you  must  have 
been  in  such  urgent  need  of  them,  and  when  you  know 
that  they  have  not  yet  sailed,  you  will  accuse  me  of  negli- 
gence, whereas  there  is  no  pains  that  I  have  not  taken 
to  forward  them.  In  consequence  of  the  difficulty  of 
getting  them  off  by  Harwich  I  was  at  much  pains  in  pro- 
curing a  passage  for  them  from  Ramsgate  in  the  Troop- 
Ships  and  having  obtained  it  and  sent  them  there,  they 
unexpectedly  sailed  and  left  them  behind.  During  their 
Stay  at  Ramsgate  I  learnt  that  the  Groom  in  charge  of 
them  was  always  drunk,  and  conceiving  that  in  the  present 
melancholy  state  of  things  on  the  Continent  you  wd  pro- 
bably not  wish  to  have  them,  I  had  just  discharged  this 
man  when  your  letters  from  Teschen  ^  arrived.  But  now 
all  is  finally  settled  for  you  and,  weather  permitting,  I 
trust  to  them  being  at  Berlin  in  a  fortnight.  I  send  Joseph 
Hill,  a  Trusty  Serjeant  of  the  7th,  and  I  have  borrowed 
from  Lord  Waldegrave  his  German  Groom.  These  will 
deliver  them  to  your  Man  at  Berlin  or  proceed  onward 
with  them  if  necessary.  There  is  no  exertion,  I  assure  you, 
that  has  been  spared  and  only  hope  that  they  will  finally 
reach  you  in  safety  and  suit  you.  I  am  better  than  my 
Word.  A  Fourth  Hack  is  sent,  which  Vivian  has  bought 
for  you  for  30  guineas. 

In  the  utmost  haste  and  all  on  your  account.  God  bless 
you,  I  will  write  again  soon,  but  not  upon  political  Matters. 
They  are  too  far  gone  indeed.  With  respect  to  yourself 
I  wiU  very  soon  write  more  fully.  Adieu.  Ever  Affecty 
yours, 

Paget. 

1  Pitt  died  January  23rd,  1806,  and  Fox,  who  then  became  Secretary 
for  Foreign  Affairs  (and  Lord  Grenville  Prime  Minister),  recalled  Sir  A.  P. 
in  March  ;    the  latter  accordingly  returned  to  England. 


1790-1808]  LORD   HOWICK  57 

Lord  Paget  ^ 

Wretham,  21  Dec.  [sic,  but  evidently  Nov.],  1806. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  have  had  a  letter  from  Puisegur 
in  which  Monsieur  *  proposes  to  come  here.  He  proposes 
coming  into  Norfolk  about  the  7th  of  Dec.  and  taking 
Wretham  in  his  way.  This  will  oblige  me  rather  to  trench 
upon  the  Battues  for  the  26th  and  27th,  altho'  it  will  not 
be  necessary  to  stop  them.  You  may  make  what  arrange- 
ments you  like  respecting  Esterhazy  and  Stahrenberg  but 
it  must  depend  on  the  quantity  of  Monde  that  Monsieur 
brings  and  this  you  may  learn  easily.  I  think  there  are 
8  beds  here.  If  anything  should  prevent  your  coming 
on  the  25th  pray  do  not  fail  to  ship  off  Henry  by  Coach 
or  Mail  and  do  not  send  any  one  with  him.  He  is  above 
that.' 

I  am  sorry  to  hear  that  you  dined  with  Ld  Howick* 
upon  the  occasion  of  reading  the  King's  Speech.  This 
was  a  ruse,  which  you  should  have  been  up  to,  and  when 
I  read  in  the  Times  the  way  he  spoke  of  your  recall,  I  think 
his  conduct  to  you  personally  as  treacherous  as  that  of 
Ld  Grenville  and  Ld  Henry  Petty  has  been  to  my  Father 
in  kindly  giving  him  information  of  the  Dissolution  of  Par- 
liament just  as  it  took  place,  and  then  sending  down  to 
Milborne  Port  two  sets  of  Candidates.  Private  Motives 
ought  not  to  influence  one's  public  Conduct  nor  will  they 
ever  so  affect  me,  but  as  I  have  not  yet  discovered  the 
merit  of  any  of  the  Present  Ministers,  I  shall  pause  before 
I  commit  myself  with  them  and  I  sincerely  wish  that  you 
would  do  the  same.  A  Rancorous  Opposition  I  detest  and 
it  is  the  conduct  of  the  very  men  who  now  make  the  Majority 
of  the  Cabinet  that  has  disgusted  me  with  such  a  line  of 
proceedings  but  there  is  a  middle  course  which  it  would 
be  both  honourable  and  consistent  in  us  to  adopt.  Alas  ! 
there  is  no  leading  Man  in  the  whole  Country  and  I  am 

1  Lord  Paget  had  just  been  returned  as  one  of  the  members  for  Mil- 
borne  Port  in  the  short  ParUament  which  only  lasted  from  October  1806 
to  April  1807,  when  the  Duke  of  Portland  succeeded  Lord  Grenville  as 
Prime  Minister,  and  it  was  the  new  Ministry  which  appointed  Sir  A.  P. 
Ambassador  to  Turkey. 

2  Monsieur,  afterwards  Louis  XVIII,  Uved  an  exile  in  this  country  until 
his  restoration  in  18 14. 

3  Lord  Paget's  eldest  son,  just  nine  years  old. 

*  Secretary  of  State  for  Foreign  Affairs  since  the  death  of  Fox. 


58  THE  EGYPTIENNE  [ch.  i 

sure  there  is  not  one  consistent  one  in  the  whole  Adminis- 
tration. Pray  what  are  Lord  Uxbridge's  Intentions  ? 
As  I  never  hear  from  him  or  see  him,  I  have  not  a  notion 
what  he  means  to  do  in  Parliament.     Ever  afiecty  yours, 

Paget. 

Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

Egyptienne  off  the  Lizard,  Deer  22nd,  1806,  4  a.m. 

This  day  last  week,  my  dearest  Arthur,  I  weighed  from 
Plymouth  Sound  and  a  more  anxious  and  uncomfortable 
time  I  never  before  experienced  at  sea.  I  had  scarcely 
got  out  before  the  wind  and  weather  from  the  Westward 
threatened  so  inauspiciously  that  under  almost  any  other 
circumstances  I  should  not  have  hesitated  in  putting  back 
again.  Feeling  however  aware  that  the  real  motive  for  my 
returning  would  not  by  the  goodnatured  part  of  my  friends 
have  been  attributed  to  the  true  cause,  I  was  determined 
to  persevere  as  long  as  possible  in  preference  to  having  it 
said  that  my  wife's  apron  string  had  towed  the  Egyptienne 
back  again. 

The  consequence  of  my  perseverance  in  attempting  to 
beat  out  of  the  Channel  against  these  never  ceasing  gales 
has  been  disabling  my  Ship  and  I  am  now  anxiously  waiting 
for  daylight  to  run  for  the  land  which,  if  it  is  not  too  thick, 
I  hope  to  see  soon  after.  We  are  now  lying-to  under  a 
Jury  close-reefed  main  topsail  and  trysail,  blowing  viciously 
hard  from  the  Southwest.  The  morning  of  the  21st  of 
Deer,  1806,  I  shall  not  forget  in  a  hurry  and  I  conclude 
such  a  gale  must  have  been  most  severely  felt  by  all  other 
Ships  in  the  Channel.  As  for  this  powerful  Egyptienne, 
she  was  so  long  on  her  beam-ends  that  I  did  not  expect 
she  would  right  again.  At  the  moment  it  came  on  with 
such  violence,  we  were  under  the  reefed  courses  and  main 
Topsail  endeavouring  to  weather  Ushant.  The  former 
were  hauled  up  and  saved  but  before  the  latter  could  be 
taken  in,  it  blew  to  pieces  and  with  the  jerk  in  which  it 
went  carried  away  the  Main  Yard.  We  immediately  bore 
Ship  to  the  Northward  to  keep  the  Channel  open,  but  for 
five  hours  it  was  not  possible  to  show  even  a  Storm  Staysail 
to  it.  This  last  gale,  with  the  others  we  have  constantly 
had  to  carry  sail  against,  has  shook  the  Ship  more  than 
all  the  service  she  has  performed  since  I  have  commanded 
her,  and  I  have  no  hesitation  in  declaring  that  it  will  not 


1790-1808]  FIRE  ON  BOARD  59 

be  safe  going  again  to  sea  in  her  unless  she  is  docked  and 
repaired. 

Exclusive  of  the  uncomfortable  part  of  being  in  so 
ricketty  a  ship,  it  is  besides  harassing  and  vexatious  to  a 
degree  to  see  your  Ship's  Company  worn  down  with  fatigue 
and  sickness  occasioned  by  constant  pumping,  and  when 
below  having  a  wet  deck  and  a  wet  Hammock  to  turn 
into. 

I  have  not  yet  told  you  of  the  worst  situation  we  have 
been  in.  What  think  you  in  the  height  of  the  hurricane 
yesterday  morning  when  I  was  attending  on  the  quarter- 
deck, having  the  intelligence  brought  me  that  the  Ship 
was  on  fire  in  the  bread  room  (which  perhaps  you  know  is 
close  to  the  Magazine)  ?  Pleasant !  I  immediately  ordered 
the  officers  and  people  to  their  respective  quarters,  and 
the  fire  men  to  supply  water  and  of  course  flew  myself  to 
the  spot.  The  fellows  behaved  devilish  well  and  in  ten 
minutes  it  was  extinguished,  but  the  column  of  smoke  was 
so  great  that  it  was  a  considerable  time  before  I  could 
make  them  believe  that  it  was  perfectly  out.  Of  course 
the  fellow  who  was  negligently  the  cause  of  it  will  get  his 
broth. 

I  write  this,  my  dear  Arthur,  not  only  because  you  will 
be  glad  to  hear  from  me,  but  because  I  think  that  you 
will  perhaps  see  Mr.  Grenville  and  prove  to  him  that  the 
report  of  the  Builder  at  Plymouth  was  not  an  ill-founded 
one  and  that  now  it  really  is  absolutely  necessary  that 
some  attention  should  be  paid  to  us.  Either  let  them 
pay  the  Ship  off  and  break  her  up  if  she  is  too  expensive, 
or  do  me  common  justice  in  having  her  defects  made  good. 
I  am,  I  fairly  tell  you,  quite  sick  of  this  method  of  going  to 
sea,  and  if  my  wishes  could  be  complied  with  I  should 
prefer  a  good  six  or  eight  and  Thirty  to  this  overgrown 
unwieldy  frigate,  whose  masts  and  yards  tear  her  to  pieces 
and  for  the  management  of  which  she  has  not  a  crew  any- 
thing like  competent  to  work  them. 

I  will  add  to  this,  my  dearest  Arthur,  before  I  seal  it. 
Addio  for  the  present. 

Government  House,  Monday. 
I  arrived  here,  my  dearest  Arthur,  four  hours  after  I 
last  left  off  writing  to  you,  having  had  a  famous  run  in  under 
bare  poles  into  the  Sound.     I  have  written  to  my  father 


6o  CRAZY  STATE  OF  SHIP  [ch.  i 

stating  to  him  what  this  letter  will  inform  you,  and  re- 
questing that  in  the  event  of  your  not  being  in  town  to 
see  Mr.  Grenville  yourself,  that  he  would  do  so  in  order  to 
get  the  Ship  docked  and  thoroughly  repaired,  or  paid  off 
and  myself  promised  another  frigate.  Either  of  the  two 
will  satisfy  me,  but  to  go  again  to  sea  after  such  a  repair 
as  is  to  be  given  at  this  season  of  the  year  in  Plymouth 
Sound  would  be  intolerable.  If  all  the  caulkers  and  arti- 
j&cers  of  the  several  Dockyards  were  to  drive  their  whole 
stock  of  oakum  into  the  sides  and  Decks  it  would  work  out 
in  the  very  first  24  Hours'  gale  at  sea. 

The  fact  is  the  Ship  is  so  seriously  shook  in  her  whole 
frame  that  nothing  but  Docking  and  strengthening  her 
in  every  possible  way  will  make  her  seaworthy.  If  they 
don't  choose  to  be  at  farther  expence  or  trouble  about 
her,  for  Heaven's  sake  let  them  pay  her  off  and  break  her 
up,  but  not  consign  Three  Hundred  of  His  Majesty's  loving 
subjects  to  the  precarious  Situation  of  going  to  sea  at  this 
time  of  the  Year  in  so  crazy  an  old  devil. 

I  shall  write  to  you  again  tomorrow.  Elizabeth's  joy 
at  this  unexpected  return  you  will  easily  conceive.  She 
sends  you  her  very  best  Love.  Let  me  hear  from  you  my 
dearest  fellow  and  believe  me.  Ever  your  most  affectionate 
Brother, 

Charles  Paget. 

Col.  Peacocke  ^ 

Llanfair,  28ih  January,  1807. 

My  Dear  Sir  Arthur, — I  think  it  necessary  to  Inform 
you  that  Charles  Evans  of  Trefiler,  who  you  and  I  canvassed 
when  last  in  the  Country,  is  Dead,  and  that  by  sheer  Drinking 
of  Brandy.  A  very  fine  Estate,  of  above  Seventeen  Hun- 
dred Pounds  a  year.  ...  It  is  astonishing  what  a  Mortality 
has  been  in  the  Evans'  family  in  the  Space  of  four  years 
— no  less  than  Father,  Wife,  Sister,  three  Sons,  and  two 
Daughters,  all  of  whom  died  of  sheer  Drinking,  but  Mrs. 
Rowlands,  who  was  Charles  Evans  the  Elder's  Sister. 
They  were  a  good  jolly  Set  and  kept  it  up  pretty  well ;  the 
only  one  remaining  is  the  Collector  of  Holyhead.  ...  I 
am,  My  Dear  Sir  Arthur,  most  truly  yours, 

Wm.  Peacocke. 

1  Colonel  Peacocke  was  an  eccentric  neighbour  at  Plas  Newydd. 


1790-1808]  POLITICAL  RUMPUS  61 

Viscount  Bulkeley  ^ 

Englefield  Green,  near  Staines,  March  30,  1807. 

Dear  Sir  Arthur, — It  has  been  intimated  to  me  that, 
owing  to  some  difference  of  opinion  with  your  Father  on 
the  late  rumpus  you  are  to  go  out  of  Parliament,  and  that 
your  Brother  Berkeley  is  to  offer  his  services  to  the  County 
of  Anglesea  in  your  stead.  I  shall  thank  you  to  let  me 
know  whether  this  is  true  or  not,  as  Lord  Uxbridge  has 
not  said  a  word  to  me  about  it,  and  I  hope  such  a  measure 
will  not  be  adopted  without  at  least  acquainting  me.  For 
my  own  part  I  have  consulted  all  the  bearings  of  the  late 
Change,  and  tho'  Lord  Grenville's  conduct  in  touching  the 
Catholic  string  with  The  King  too  sharply  was  imprudent, 
still  The  King  was  very  ill  advised  in  not  accepting  their 
offer  of  postponing  the  question,  and  suffering  them  to 
go  on.  The  pledge  required  he  must  have  known  could 
not  be  complied  v/ith,  and  he  was  too  ready  in  my  humble 
opinion  to  avail  himself  of  it  to  send  them  au  diahle.  I 
cannot  therefore  but  think  that  on  the  whole  Lord  Grenville 
has  been  shamefully  used,  and  so  thinking  I  have,  and 
shall  take  my  part  against  The  King's  Advisers  on  this 
occasion,  painful  as  it  is  to  my  feelings  as  to  The  King 
himself,  and  painful  it  is,  I  can  assure  you.  I  hope  no 
real  difference  will  take  place  between  Lord  Uxbridge  and 
yourself  on  this,  or  any  other  matter.  I  am,  Dear  Sir 
Arthur,  with  much  regard  truly  yours, 

W.-B. 

Lord  Paget 

My  Dear  Arthur, — It  is  almost  impossible  in  a  letter 
to  give  an  opinion  and  advice  upon  the  subject  on  which 
you  express  a  wish  to  have  Mine.  To  do  it  with  propriety, 
I  ought  to  know  precisely  what  length  you  have  gone 
with  the  Late  Ministers,  either  in  acting,  or  in  expressing 
yourself,  and  I  shd  likewise  know  the  real  degree  of  strength 
and  consistence  that  your  partiality  for  them  has  obtained, 
before  I  can  say  what  I  think  you  are  Jn  honour  bound 
to  do. 

^  Lord  Bulkeley,  as  the  owner  of  Baron  Hill,  Beaumaris,  possessed 
considerable  political  influence  in  Anglesea.  Lord  Grenville's  Ministry 
was  now  at  an  end,  the  Duke  of  Portland  succeeding  him  as  ist  Lord 
of  the  Treasury  ;  Major  Berkeley  Paget  replaced  his  brother  Arthur  as 
M.P.  for  Anglesea. 


62  BROOKS'  AND   WHITE'S  [ch.  i 

You  know  we  have  not  communed  very  largely  upon 
public  affairs,  and  I  may  therefore  have  mistaken  you, 
but  I  will  tell  you  what  I  have  conceived  to  be  your  general 
sentiments  thereon. 

I  imagined  you  thought  lightly  of  the  Power  of  the  Late 
Opposition — that  you  had  a  good  opinion  of  a  very  few 
(two  only  I  think)  of  the  Ministers — that  you  felt  an  in- 
clination to  be  again  employed,  and  that  you  have  no 
sort  of  objection  to  taking  employment  from  them — that 
under  these  circumstances,  and  having  besides  business 
with  them  that  required  their  good  will,  and  moreover 
preferring  rather  their  Society  and  that  of  Brooks's  to  the 
Society  of  White's  and  the  then  Opposition,  and  (I  may  add) 
being  (as  I  was  for  a  time)  a  little  staggered  by  their  great 
professions  and  promises,  and  inclined  to  give  them  a  fair 
chance  of  rendering  these  Services,  of  which  the  Country 
was  said  to  be  in  so  much  need,  you  determined  upon  not 
opposing,  and  perhaps  even  faintly  supporting  the  Late 
Ministers — that  you  had  no  particular  attachment  to  them, 
and  that  you  rather  took  to  them  as  to  the  lesser  of  two 
Evils,  and  as  being  The  King's  Ministers,  than  from  having 
a  deep  conviction  of  their  Merits. 

These,  and  not  stronger  ones,  I  have  really  thought  to 
be  the  motives  of  your  opinion,  and  conduct,  and  if  I  have 
been  right  in  my  surmise,  I  cannot  thereupon  recommend 
you  to  go  with  them  into  Opposition,  but  supposing  that 
I  have  mistaken  you,  and  that  your  sentiments  in  favor  of 
these  Men  have  been  stronger  than  I  have  described,  still, 
I  think,  that  attached  as  you  have  ever  professed  yourself 
to  be  to  The  King,  the  Measure  which  has  sent  them  out 
ought  at  once  to  decide  you  to  discontinue  your  support 
of  them.  I  will  not  attempt  to  discuss  the  Merits  of  the 
new  Catholick  Bill  (I  cannot  make  up  my  mind  as  to  the 
expediency  of  the  Measure,  even  if  The  King  could  be 
brought  to  acquiesce, — I  was  much  in  favour  of  it,  but 
great  doubts  have  lately  beset  me  upon  it),  but  I  will 
suppose  for  a  moment  that  it  is  a  salutary  measure.  Still 
I  say  that  the  touching  only  upon  this  subject  in  this  Reign 
is  iniquitous  and  mischievous  beyond  all  conception.  No 
Man  in  his  Senses  (after  Pitt's  failure  with  the  King  upon 
the  subject)  can  have  hoped  for  one  instant  that  His  Majesty 
(who  is  very  likely,  by  the  by,  to  be  driven  out  of  His 
Senses  by  the  discussion)  would  permit  the  Measure  to  be 


1790-1808]  LORD  PAGET'S  ADVICE  63 

adopted.  Is  He  then  to  be  forced  to  it,  and  how  ?  My 
conviction  is,  that  He  would  die  upon  His  Throne  rather 
than  submit.  It  must  have  been  the  Conviction  of  Minis- 
ters. To  what  possible  good  then  could  the  discussion 
tend  ? 

Hoping  that  I  have  a  right  conception  of  your  mode  of 
thinking,  I  am  then  of  opinion,  that  you  may  honorably 
remain  in  Parliament,  and  that  you  may  by  the  present 
Men  be  employed  either  at  Vienna  or  at  St.  Petersburg. 
You  need  not  take  an  active  part,  but  upon  the  same  grounds 
that  you  were  inclined  to  support  the  Late  Ministers,  namely 
as  being  The  King's  Servants,  you  may  decline  opposing, 
altho'  you  need  not  warmly  or  even  at  all  support  the 
Present  Ones.  The  King  may  himself  propose  your  ap- 
pointment, and  you  may  receive  it  from  him  rather  than 
from  Ministers.  I  never  can  think  that  Politicks  ought  to 
interfere  with  a  Man's  professional  Duties.  I  would  myself 
have  accepted  a  Military  Mission  under  the  Late  Adminis- 
tration, and  I  wish  to  see  you  employed  in  a  Diplomatick 
One  under  this. 

If  however  you  have  gone  Lengths  with  the  Late  Minis- 
ters, of  which  I  am  not  aware,  or  if  j'ou  are  conscientiously 
attached  to  the  Old  Foxites,  and  their  new  Adherents, 
then  I  see  nothing  left  for  you  than  to  do  as  I  did,  when  I 
decidedly  and  conscientiously  differed  from  my  Father — 
retire  from  Parliament ' — but  before  you  declare  for  this 
measure,  I  intreat  you  to  pause  for  a  moment,  and  compare 
the  difference  between  my  long  attachment  ^  and  adher- 
ence to  Pitt,  which  obliged  me  to  withdraw,  with  your 
recent  adoption  of  the  Principles  or  (I  would  rather  say) 
momentary  support  of  the  measure  of  the  Late  Ministers. 

And  now  I  must  beg  of  you  not  to  imagine  that  I  am 
advocating  the  Cause  of  Messrs  Hawkesbury  &  Co,  and 
that  I  wish  to  gain  them  support.  I  have  no  such  idea. 
I  wish  them  well,  but  have  no  great  faith  in  them,  altho' 
I  am  persuaded  they  cannot  do  less  weU  than  their  pre- 
decessors. 

What  I  do  wish  is  that  you  should  not  by  your  conduct 
shut  the  Door  to  Employment  in  your  own  Line,  because 
(without  intending  to  gild  the  Pill,  if  unhappily  and  unin- 

^  Lord  Paget  was  out  of  Parliament  1S04-6. 

2  Twenty  years  later  the  writer  of  this  letter  joined  the  Whig  Party, 
not  the  first  or  last  statesman  to  change  his  views. 


64  CANNING'S  ELOQUENCE  [ch.  i 

tentionally  what  I  have  written  is  nauseous)  I  do  think 
you  may  render  great  Service  ;  I  do  wish  you  to  remain 
a  free  Agent  and  not  to  enlist  in  the  Ranks  of  a  Party, 
which  has  always  been  hostile  to  the  King — that  your 
Family  has  always  been  in  opposition  to,  and  that  you 
have  only  so  lately,  and  as  I  conceive  so  faintly,  been  inclined 
to  lean  to.  .  .  .     Ever  Affecty  yours, 

Paget. 


Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

UxBEiDGE  House,  4  a.m.,  July  1st,  1807. 

My  Excellent  Dear  Arthur, —  ...  I  was  called  up 
to  town  a  week  ago  to  reinforce  by  my  vote.  I  am  desired 
to  stay  over  next  Monday,  on  which  day  Mr.  Whitbread 
brings  forward  his  motion  for  an  enquiry  into  the  State 
of  the  Nation,  when  a  good  deal  of  sparring  is  expected. 
The  trial  of  strength  took  place  last  week  when,  as  the 
papers  will  inform  you,  Ministers  had  a  majority  of  195 
in  the  Commons.  I  forget  what  it  was  in  the  Lords,  but 
something  full  as  good  in  proportion. 

Canning  ^  loses  no  opportunity  of  speaking,  and  when- 
ever he  does,  it  is  with  effect,  and  certainly  seems  full  a 
match  for  Lord  Howick.  He  in  a  debate  this  night  (which 
has  kept  me  up  till  this  hour)  carried  all  before  him  in  a 
fine  strain  of  eloquence,  which  was  often  tinctured  with  the 
keenest  wit  and  satire. 

There  are  rumours  afloat  of  a  dreadful  and  disastrous 
conflict,  in  which  the  Russians  are  said  to  have  lost  from 
30  to  35,000  Men  with  Benigsen,  Pahlen,  and  many  others 
of  their  best  officers  killed.  If  this  be  so,  I  suppose  the 
game  is  up,  and  we  shall  next  have  to  oppose  ourselves 
against  an  invasion.  In  the  meantime  I  wish  to  God  you 
was  safe  back  in  old  England  for  the  devil  of  any  good 
can  you  do,  at  least  so  it  is  generally  conjectured. 

Cambrian  is  ready  for  sea — and  under  Lord  Gardner's 
orders  which  I  wished.  ...  I  conclude  you  got  off  Cadiz 
by  i6th  of  June,  and  I  suppose  Lord  Collingwood  would 
send  your  letters  as  soon  as  possible  afterwards.     So  that 

1  George  Canning  had  been  appointed  Secretary  of  State  for  Foreign 
Affairs  when  the  Portland  Government  was  formed  in  March  this  year, 
his  immediate  predecessor  in  this  ohice  having  been  Lord  Howick  (after- 
wards Earl  Grey),  who  had  been  Fox's  successor. 


1790-1808]  MATERNAL  ANXIETIES  65 

it  is  natural  to  expect  to  hear  from  you  every  day.  .  .  . 
Believe  me  your  most  devoted  and  affectionate  attached 
Brother, 

Charles. 

Countess  of  Uxbridge 

LiNDLEY  Hall,  July  8th,  1807. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — Mr.  Broughton  having  just 
informed  me  that  a  Vessel  will  sail  in  a  few  days  with  the 
Mail  for  Malta,  I  am  happy  to  avail  myself  of  it,  particularly 
as  my  last  letter  to  you  was  only  a  few  lines.  The  last 
accounts  received  from  Constantinople  give  me  hopes  that 
your  reception  there  will  be  very  different  from  that  we 
expected,  but  still  our  anxiety  must  continue  till  we  hear 
from  you,  and  Mr.  Arbuthnot  says  we  must  not  expect 
this  for  two  Months,  a  long  time  feeling  as  we  do.  We  left 
Paget  and  Berkeley  in  the  expectation  of  going  abroad 
immediately,  and  Charles  only  staying  for  a  Division  in 
the  House  of  Commons.  It  will  be  very  forlorn  to  be 
without  one  son  in  England.  Ours  don't  eat  the  bread 
of  idleness.  I  had  a  good  account  of  your  little  Louisa  a 
few  days  ago.  She  was  much  affected  at  leaving  me,  poor 
little  soul,  I  was  so  sorry  to  part  from  her.  She  improved 
so  after  the  second  tooth  was  drawn  that  she  did  not  look 
like  the  same  Child,  and  it  quite  vexed  me  that  you  never 
saw  her  in  good  looks.  I  am  convinced  that  she  was  more 
or  less  in  pain  the  whole  time  she  was  with  you.  We 
are  in  great  anxiety  to  hear  from  the  Prussian  Army,  all 
that  transpires  here  comes  from  the  enemy,  and  of  course 
is  as  bad  as  possible,  and  we  have  been  so  much  more 
in  the  habit  of  receiving  bad  than  good  news,  that  we 
naturally  attach  credit  to  the  former.  We  are  here  on 
our  Way  to  Wales,  where  the  Capels  are  to  join  us.  This 
is  a  most  comfortable  and  unexpected  circumstance,  for 
they  had  such  scruples  of  coming  with  so  numerous  a  family 
that  we  had  great  difficulty  in  overcoming  them.  Your 
Father  is  to  make  the  Enniskillens  a  Visit.  Lord  E.  came 
for  the  meeting  of  Parliament,  and  returned  after  the  first 
division.  I  hope  you  and  dear  Edward  have  met,  and 
that  you  will  give  me  a  particular  account  of  him.  We 
go  to  Blithfield  tomorrow  to  see  his  precious  boy.  Lady 
Paget  has  got  all  her  Children  with  her  in  town,   they 


66  HOPES  AND  FEARS  [ch.  i 

arrived  at  Eleven  at  Night  tired  to  death.  We  went  to 
see  them.  They  were  in  bed  and  asleep,  and  in  order 
to  wake  Agnes,  Paget  told  her  you  was  there.  When  she 
discovered  the  deception,  she  was  very  ungracious  to  us. 
I  wish  I  could  guess  where  this  would  find  you,  and  that 
I  could  count  upon  your  spirits  being  better  than  they 
were  here.  Nothing  I  am  persuaded  will  produce  this,  but 
what  I  have  so  often  recommended  to  you.  If  I  could  ever 
flatter  myself  this  would  happen,  it  would  brighten  my 
latter  days.  All  here  unite  in  love  to  you,  believe  me, 
my  Dearest  Arthur,  Your  most  truly  Affectionate  Mother, 

J.   UXBRIDGE. 

Countess  of  Uxbridge 

Plas  Newydd,  July  ^oih,  1807. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — I  am  very  thankful  to  you  for 
your  kind  and  interesting  letter  of  the  15th  of  June  ;  and 
tho'  it  reached  me  ten  days  ago,  my  sensations  are  as  much 
alive  now,  as  they  were  at  the  moment  I  read  the  account 
of  your  Providential  Escape.  I  shall  continue  to  feel  the 
utmost  solicitude  till  I  hear  the  result  of  your  Mission, 
which  all  along  has  made  me  very  nervous  ;  and  your 
letter  increases  my  fears,  tho'  you  say  we  must  not  lose 
courage.  I  live  in  hopes  of  hearing  you  and  Edward  '■ 
have  met.  I  cannot  conceive  greater  felicity  under  his 
Circumstances  than  seeing  a  beloved  Brother.  Poor 
Charles  was  hurried  off  suddenly  and  unexpectedly  to 
Yarmouth  Roads  instead  of  the  Channel  Fleet.  Unless 
Lord  M.  has  urgent  reasons  for  his  departure  from  his 
engagement,  I  shall  think  him  hardly  dealt  with  and  he 
went  away  quite  miserable  about  Elizabeth,  who  has  the 
Hooping  Cough,  and  every  day  expecting  to  be  confined. 
There  is  a  large  Fleet  assembled  at  the  above  place,  and 
orders  are  issued  for  a  great  Infantry  Force  to  be  in  readi- 
ness to  embark.  The  Cavalry  are  countermanded,  but  I 
dare  say  you  will  have  a  full  account  of  all  these  things 
from  Paget.  He  very  kindly  sent  us  your  letter,  it  is 
perfect,  and  I  am  sure  must  have  penetrated  him.  I  wish 
you  could  have  seen  your  Father's  in  reply,  it  would  have 
gratified  you  much,  it  did  such  ample  justice  to  the  whole 
of  your  conduct  during  that  unfortunate  misunderstanding. 

»  Edward  Paget  was  attached  to  the  British  Forces  in  Sicily  this  summer. 


1790-1808]  WELSH  ANECDOTE  67 

How  fortunate  now  that  Paget  did  not  go  to  the  Continent ! 
What  is  to  become  of  us,  when  all  the  Powers  of  Europe 
have  concluded  a  Peace,  nothing  I  suppose  but  doing  the 
same.  A  humiliating  one  my  proud  spirit  will  not  easily 
brook.  It  is  very  good  of  you  to  consider  my  Eyes  by 
writing  so  clear  a  Manuscript,  that  I  had  the  satisfaction 
of  reading  it  myself.  I  own  it  is  a  great  alloy  to  it  when 
I  am  obliged  to  employ  any  Eye  but  my  own  to  read  letters 
from  those  I  love.  I  trust  I  shall  hear  from  you  that  my 
poor  dear  Edward's  are  better.  I  am  afraid  his  spirits 
are  not,  but  I  should  not  judge  of  this  from  his  last  letter, 
as  the  date  of  it  would  renew  all  his  sorrow  of  the  preceding 
year.  You  can  expect  no  news  from  this  part  of  the  World  ; 
it  will  be  none  to  tell  you,  you  are  adored  here  by  all  ranks 
of  people.  The  Col.  [Peacocke]  told  us  last  night,  he 
always  went  into  the  slipper  bath  after  Mrs.  P.  had  used  it, 
she  said,  '  Well,  Colonel,  as  you  are  determined  to  bounce, 
you  might  as  well  make  a  decent  story  instead  of  an  in- 
delicate one.'  He  reply'd  upon  his  honor  and  credit  it 
was  true.  The  Capels  are  just  arrived  all  well,  they  will 
be  a  great  addition  to  our  Society,  and  we  have  Mr,  Cervetto 
here.  I  have  been  very  uncomfortable  about  your  dear 
Father,  who  was  far  from  well  when  he  came  a  fortnight 
ago,  and  tho'  much  better,  is  not  as  I  could  wish  him,  but 
he  sails  every  day  and  certainly  amuses  himself  more  here 
than  any  where. 

I  have  a  more  shocking  story  than  any  of  yours  to  relate  ; 
poor  Lady  Frederick  Campbell  was  found  burnt  to  death 
a  few  days  ago,  and  great  part  of  the  House  consumed, 
owing,  it's  said,  to  reading  in  bed.  Remember  this,  my 
dearest  Arthur,  and  I  beseech  you,  take  warning  from  it. 
All  here  unite  in  love  to  you.  I  cannot  get  over  the  Conduct 
of  Prussia.  Are  we  to  thank  Lord  Douglas^  for  it  ?  God 
Bless  you,  my  Dearest  Arthur,  Believe  me  your  most  affecte 
Mother, 

J.  U. 

Lady  Elizabeth  Monck 

Fareham,  August  ^d,  1807. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — You  will  be  glad  to  hear  that  yester- 
day Morning  at  half  past  3  o'clock  Elizth  was  brought 

1  The  Marquis  of  Douglas,  British  Minister  at  Berlin. 


68  BLOW  AT  DENMARK  [ch.  i 

to  bed  of  a  very  fine  little  Girl,  and  that  she  and  the  Child 
are  as  well  as  can  be.  I  arrived  at  12  o'Clock  on  Saturday 
Night,  and  Sunday  Morning  at  half  past  3  o'Clock  she 
was  safe  and  well. 

The  last  time  I  heard  of  you  was  off  Cadiz,  and  I  should 
like  to  hear  of  you  as  you  are  in  truth  one  of  the  few  that 
I  really  love  and  esteem,  and  without  compliment  I  tell 
you,  it  is  because  I  think  your  heart  the  most  perfect  I 
ever  met  with.  If  you  find  time  and  can  write  to  me  a 
line,  I  shall  be  happy  to  hear.  I  heard  from  Charles  the 
best  accounts  on  the  26th,  when  he  was  Weighing  Anchor 
off  Yarmouth.  I  am  now  writing  by  Elizth's  Bedside,  she 
desires  her  love  to  you.  God  bless  you,  dear  Arthur, 
Believe  me  with  truth  yrs  most  truly, 

E.    MONCK. 

Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

Cambrian,  Elsinore  Roads,  Augst  4th,  1807. 

We  anchored  here,  my  good  Arthur,  yesterday.  So 
far  from  anything  as  yet  having  appeared  hostile  that  the 
Admiral  saluted  Cronenburg  Castle  in  passing  it,  which 
was  immediately  answered.  We  are  now  all  moored,  and 
are  receiving  Water  and  fresh  Beef  &c  from  the  Shore. 
But  you  may  rely  that  this  is  all  humbug,  and  that  in  a 
very  few  days  a  blow  will  be  struck  that  the  Danes  at 
this  moment  are  certainly  unprepared  for.  Lord  Cathcart 
with  all  the  Germans  from  Stralsund  are  coming  this  way, 
and  the  force  which  is  hourly  expected  from  England 
wiU  make  with  the  Seamen  and  marines,  I  dare  say,  from 
20  to  25  Thousand  men.  The  Danish  troops  except  5 
Thousand  men  which  are  distributed  on  the  Island  of 
Zealand,  are  all  at  Sleswick,  and  Commodore  Keats  with  a 
strong  detachment  is  now  in  the  Belt  (I  have  good  reason 
to  believe)  for  the  purpose  of  preventing  the  Danish  troops 
being  transported  hence. 

The  Danish  fleet,  I  believe,  are  all  in  the  arsenal  at  Copen- 
hagen, neither  manned,  or  otherwise  ready  for  sea.  I 
suspect  the  possession  of  them  is  the  object,  which  accom- 
plished we  shall  all  go  back  to  England  with  them,  and 
leave  the  Crown  Prince  to  sulk  in  his  Island — pleasant 
treatment,  unless  our  Government  is  in  possession  of  facts 
to  bear  them  out  in  so  apparently  unjustifiable  a  measure. 


1790-1808]  COPENHAGEN  69 

What  nonsense  my  writing  you  all  this,  which  you  will 
probably  be  in  the  secret  of,  and  have  more  correct  informa- 
tion about.  I  am  going  on  there  with  Stopford  tomorrow 
— ^he  to  taste  and  buy  Hock,  I  go  to  visit  again  the  Spot, 
where  our  friend  Hamlet  says  '  Whither  wilt  thou  lead 
me  ?     Speak,   I'll  go  no  further  !  '     Hey  ! 

I  shall  write  to  you,  my  good  fellow,  soon  again.  I 
close  this  now  as  I  hear  a  vessel  is  going  with  dispatches 
for  England.  God  Bless  you,  my  dearest  good  Arthur. 
Ever  your  most  affect.  Brother, 

Charles  Paget. 


Cambrian,  off  Copenhagen,  September  first,  1807. 

Yesterday  only  I  received,  my  dearest  good  Arthur, 
your  letter  from  Gibraltar,  it  had  been  a  long  time  in  reaching 
me  being  dated  June  22nd.  I  anxiously  hope  my  best 
of  fellows  that  ere  long  I  shall  again  hear  from  you  and 
that  when  I  do  I  shall  be  told  your  odious  Cough  has  left 
you.  I  had  hoped  when  you  suffered  from  it  at  Portsmouth 
that  it  was  merely  a  common  Cough  which  you  had  caught 
from  some  of  your  night  Excursions  in  London,  but  as  it 
has  continued  upon  you  so  long  it  must  be  of  consequence 
and  I  beseech  you  my  good  Arthur  to  take  care  of  it.  I 
trust  however  my  entreaties  will  not  be  necessary  and  that 
long  before  this  you  are  released  from  it.  Whether  you 
have  cough  or  not  you  should  recollect  that  it  is  of  the 
greatest  moment  your  abstaining  from  much  wine,  but 
this  injunction  I  believe  will  be  unnecessary  to  give  you. 
At  least  if  you  continue  in  the  dreadfully  low  Spirits  you 
last  wrote  in,  which  I  hope  however  is  not  the  case.  The 
last  letter  I  wrote  to  you  from  Elsinore  was  at  a  moment 
when  I  had  been  led  to  expect  that  the  business  we  are 
employed  here  upon  would  have  been  over  long  before 
this,  but  alas  not  so  and  God  knows  when  it  will  be  or 
how  it  will  be.  The  army  landed  sixteen  days  ago,  with- 
out opposition,  and  immediately  invested  Copenhagen, 
since  which  nothing  has  been  done  but  what  ought  and  with 
ease  might  have  been  done  in  one  week.  Summons  after 
Summons  has  been  sent  by  Lord  Cathcart  and  each  time 
rejected.  The  bombardment  has  been  expected  to  com- 
mence this  week  past  but  as  often  as  the  days  pass  we 
are  all  disappointed.    To  do  justice  I  must  say  that  Sir 


70  PREPARATIONS  [CH.  i 

Home  Popham  has  shewn  an  unceasing  anxiety  to  antici- 
pate the  wants  of  the  army  and  every  thing  that  could  be 
wanted  from  us  has  been  rendered  with  the  greatest  cor- 
diality, but  I  lament  to  perceive  that  there  unhappily 
exists  a  Jealousy  towards  us  blue  Jackets  which  at  any  time 
is  unfortunate  but  very  particularly  so  in  a  joint  operation 
between  the  two  Services. 

Whenever  Lord  Cathcart  does  begin  there  will  be  a 
Hell  of  a  crash.  Our  Batteries  are  within  five  Hundred 
Yards  of  the  Works,  from  which  we  shaU  open  about  fifty 
Mortars  and  about  as  many  again  heavy  guns — our  army 
consists  of  about  28,000  Men,  ten  or  eleven  thousand 
of  which  are  Germans,  the  rest  British  and  a  finer  set 
of  looking  fellows  I  never  before  beheld.  The  Garrison  of 
Copenhagen  does  not  consist  of  more  than  four  thousand 
regular  troops,  the  rest  are  Burghers  trained  to  arms,  and 
good  figures  they  are,  if  they  are  all  like  the  prisoners  I 
have  seen  of  which  we  have  taken  many. 

A  Sortie  was  made  yesterday  morning  which  brought 
on  some  sharp  firing  during  the  time  it  lasted.  Sir  D. 
Baird  was  slightly  wounded.  The  Danes  were  beaten  back 
with  considerable  loss,  ours  was  trifling.  The  most  for- 
midable annoyance  to  us  are  the  Gunboats,  which  they 
have  as  well  as  Mortar  boats  in  a  great  numbers.  Twice 
have  these  Gentlemen  obliged  our  Gunbrigs  with  their 
nasty  short  Carronades  to  withdraw  from  their  advanced 
position.  Yesterday  there  was  a  sad  accident  happened 
by  a  shell  exploding  in  the  Magazine  of  one  of  the  brigs. 
She  instantly  blew  up,  and  of  course  many  lives  were  lost. 
Three  shells  dropped  close  alongside  of  us,  but  happily 
they  did  not  burst.  This  is  the  Consequence  of  having 
the  honor  of  being  the  advanced  frigate. 

I  look  upon  it  that  a  clever  Engineer  would  set  fire  to 
us  from  the  Crown  battery  whenever  he  chose.  Pleasant. 
This  however  is  not  all,  for  at  night  I  have  the  Charge  of 
all  the  barges  in  the  fleet  and  three  schooners  under  my  orders 
which  I  dispose  of  so  as  to  give  us  notice  in  time  of  fire 
vessels,  which  are  expected  out  every  night  to  set  fire 
to  the  fleet,  and  Admiral  Gambler  depends  upon  me  (he 
told  me)  that  his  fleet  is  not  destroyed — so  that  my  post 
is  not  one  in  which  one  is  likely  to  enjoy  undisturbed  repose. 
I  find  my  dearest  fellow  I  must  leave  you,  as  I  dine  on 
board  the  Mars,  and  it  is  the  dinner  hour. 


1790-1808]  CONJECTURES  71 

September  2nd. 

Another  summons  was  sent  in  yesterday  evening  which 
produced  that  sort  of  answer  from  the  Governor  of  Copen- 
hagen as  to  make  it  necessary  that  another  answer  should 
be  sent  to  it,  but  I  hear  from  Mr.  Taylor  who  I  have  on 
board  here,  that  he  has  no  Idea  of  the  Danish  fleet  being 
to  be  given  up,  and  that  consequently  the  bombardment 
will  commence  in  the  Course  of  this  day.  Do  you  know 
Mr.  Taylor  ?  he  seems  to  be  a  very  gentlemanly  pleasant 
man.  His  being  on  board  the  Cambrian  arose  from  my 
being  sent  early  in  this  business  to  communicate  with 
him  from  Copenhagen  and  to  receive  him  on  board  when- 
ever he  judged  it  expedient  to  take  his  departure  from 
thence.  This  he  did  in  a  D — d  hurry  one  day,  leaving 
his  Carriage  and  all  his  things  behind  him  which  appeared 
to  me  to  have  been  an  unnecessary  Measure. 

Mr.  Jackson  who  was  sent  out  to  act  jointly  with  Mr. 
Taylor  is  on  board  the  Prince  of  Wales  with  Admiral 
Gambler ;  I  fancy  their  instructions  are  to  remain  here 
and  to  seize  any  opportunity  which  may  offer  of  adjusting 
matters  with  Denmark,  should  the  Danes  show  a  desire 
to  accept  the  terms  that  have  been  proposed.  Of  this 
however  I  have  no  Idea,  on  the  Contrary  I  rather  think 
they  will  sooner  suffer  their  Capital  to  be  destroyed  by  our 
bombardment  and  their  fleet  in  flames  than  give  it  up 
to  us. 

We  hear  that  Russia  has  declared  war  against  us,  if 
this  be  true  I  hope  whoever  commands  in  the  Mediter- 
ranean will,  pounce  upon  the  Russian  fleet  and  give  a 
good  account  of  it.  The  Danish  and  Russian  fleet  thus 
destroyed  we  may  bid  defiance  to  the  worst  they  can  do. 
The  next  thing  should  be  (if  this  General  Junot  is  going 
to  Portugal  to  make  that  power  shut  her  ports  against 
us)  to  send  a  fleet  of  twenty  Sail  of  the  Line  under  old  Coly, 
to  force  the  Passage  of  the  Tagus.  ...  I  take  or  destroy 
the  Portuguese  fleet,  if  we  thus  lick  them  all  in  detail 
they  cannot  disturb  us  much  for  some  years. 

Admiral  Gambler  has  promised  me  that  the  moment 
this  service  is  executed  I  shall  be  sent  to  the  Westward. 
The  wise  thing  would  be  to  send  me  home  with  the 
despatches  when  this  place  surrenders. 

I  have  written  to  Elizabeth  to  recommend  her  going  to 
town  as  soon  as  she  is  perfectly  recovered.     Change  of  air 


72  REMARKS   ON  SHIPS  [ch.  i 

is  recommended  to  her  to  cure  her  of  her  Cough — from 
Town  she  would  either  go  to  Yarmouth  to  meet  me,  or 
if  I  am  ordered  at  once  to  the  Westward  she  would  do 
as  originally  intended,  go  to  the  Government  House  at 
Pl5nTiouth. 

I  had  a  letter  three  days  ago  from  Henry  Pierrepont, 
he  wrote  from  the  Island  of  Rugen  and  gave  a  lamentable 
account  of  the  situation  of  things  there.  The  French  he 
says  may  transport  themselves  from  Stralsund  whenever 
they  please — and  whenever  they  do  he  shall  have  nothing 
for  it  but  take  his  departure  with  all  speed,  for  which 
purpose  he  has  a  Sloop  of  War  in  waiting. 

I  also  hear  that  the  Swedes  have  not  transport  to  with- 
draw their  troops  from  that  Island  and  that  they  will  be 
obliged  to  surrender  with  it.  .  .  . 

I  expect  to  hear  that  Martin  has  taken  the  Canopus. 
She  is  a  noble  Ship,  but  altogether  a  Three  Decker  is  better 
adapted  for  an  Admiral's  Ship.  I  can  easily  believe  all  you 
have  said  about  the  beastly  state  in  which  you  first  found 
the  Queen,  her  late  Commander  is  insufferably  bad  and 
always  was  in  the  discipline  and  order  of  his  Ship.  The 
Revenge  is,  I  know,  a  very  imposing  Ship,  but  you  may 
rely  upon  it  that  she  does  not  possess  those  eligible  qualities 
that  many  inferior  looking  Ships  do.  AU  those  I  have  seen 
say  she  is  crank  and  leewardly.  These  are  two  qualities 
than  which  nothing  can  be  worse,  as  you  by  this  time 
must  well  understand.  Whenever  I  am  destined  to  com- 
mand a  Ship  of  the  Line,  I  should  have  no  hesitation  in 
giving  my  Choice  to  the  Donegal,  for  she  is  not  only  a 
perfect  Man  of  War,  but  she  is  besides  perfectly  beautiful. 

Remember,  my  dearest  Arthur,  to  get  me  something 
pretty  for  Elizabeth  if  you  have  the  opportunity.  I  wiU 
go  to  the  amount  of  a  Hundred  Pounds,  which  will  be 
payable  to  your  account  at  Drummond's  whenever  you 
call  for  it.  If  matters  should  turn  out  so  that  you  should 
visit  Constantinople  I  am  told  there  are  very  joUy  sort 
of  things  for  Turbans  of  Muslin  &c.  Your  taste  is  good, 
and  you'll  know  the  sort  of  things  she  would  like. 

A  vessel  is  going  they  say  with  dispatches  for  England 
today.  I  shall  write  to  you  again,  my  dearest  fellow,  very 
soon.  Pray  continue  to  do  so  to  me.  I  wish  your  letters 
were  not  always  so  infernally  long  in  reaching  me.  How 
soon  do  you  think  your  mission  will  be  at  an  end  ?     I 


1790-1808]  BROTHERS   MISS   MEETING  73 

want  you  back  again  in  old  England,  where  I  wish  to 
Heavens  I  was  myself — and  that  this  tiresome  war  was 
over,  for  I  have  no  hesitation  in  declaring  that  I  am  most 
heartily  sick  of  it.  This  you  will  not  find  much  difficulty 
in  believing.' 

C.  P. 


Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

Cambrian,  at  Sea,  Deer  28th,  1807. 

My  Dearest  Good  Arthur, — It  is  not  a  very  easy 
matter,  as  experience  no  doubt  has  taught  you,  to  write 
a  letter  under  the  Storm  Staysails  and  close  reefed  Main 
Topsail,  but  I  must  try  what  I  can  do  in  order  to  have 
one  ready  for  the  first  opportunity.  I  left  the  Squadron 
off  Ferrol  day  before  yesterday,  and  on  board  L'Achille 
I  had  the  good  fortune  not  only  to  find  letters  from  Elizabeth 
but  those  very  interesting  ones  from  yourself  which  I 
fancy  were  forwarded  by  the  Neptune  to  Lord  Gardner. 
Never  to  be  sure  was  anything  half  so  vexatious  as  our 
crossing  so  near  each  other  without  actually  meeting, ^ 
particularly  as  it  occurs  to  me  that  a  frigate  which  passed 
hull  dowTi  to  windward  of  us  just  out  of  sight  of  Signals 
the  day  before  I  found  Lord  Gardner,  was  very  probably 
the  very  Thetis. 

In  short  that  and  what  occurred  a  few  days  afterwards 
may  be  fairly  reckoned  most  unfortunate  events  for  surely 
they  are  so,  the  not  falling  in  with  the  Brother  who  did 
particularly  want  to  see  you,  and  the  meeting  with  one 
who  did  not  wish  it,  or  at  least  declined  it.  This,  my  dear 
Arthur,  actually  happened  and  to  me  it  remains  almost 
inexplicable. 

I  will  relate  the  case  briefly  as  it  happened.  I  fell  in 
on  a  very  fine  day  with  the  Euryalus  and  a  Convoy  from 
Mediterranean,  after  making  each  other  known  a  telegraph 
message  from  that  Ship  announced  that  General  Paget 
was  in  the  fleet — but  for  this  I  was  going  to  haul  my  wind 
and  be  off,  as  I  had  no  business  with  them.  Of  course 
I  continued  my  course  to  speak  the  frigate  to  ascertain 

^  Sir  A .  P.  returned  to  England  at  the  end  of  this  year  on  the  conclusion 
of  his  abortive  mission  to  Turkey,  not  having  "  slept  on  shore  for  seven 
months." 


74  OLD   BILLY  BLUE  [CH.  i 

on  board  which  Ship  my  brother  was.     She  was  pointed 
out  to  me  dlose  to  us.     I  pushed  on  to  speak  her,  with 
the  boat  all  ready  for  lowering  down  either  to  take  me 
to  him  or  if  he  liked  it  better  to  come  to  me.     When  on 
hailing  the  Ship  the  poor  dear  fellow  declined  a  closer 
meeting,  I  was  perfectly  beat  at  so  unexpected  a  disappoint- 
ment, would  not  press  myself  further  and  sent  my  letters 
to  him  and  we  parted  Company.     Therefore  I  again  repeat 
the  having  fallen  in  with  him  and  the  not  falling  in  with 
you  were  most  cruel  circumstances.     I  shall  long  to  hear 
from  you,  my  excellent  good  Arthur,  again  as  I  am  anxious 
to  know  where  you  landed.     It  appears  to  me  likely  that 
Plymouth  was  not  an  ineligible  Port  to  proceed  for  as  it 
did  not,  I  think,  blow  propitious  breezes  for  going  to  the 
Eastward  but  on  the  contrary  staggering  Gales  from  the 
N.  No'th  East  which  would  at  all  Events  render  Plymouth 
a  likely  spot  for  the  anchor  to  get  a  berth  in.     A  short 
letter  I  wrote  from  the  Ville  de  Paris  just  before  I  parted 
Company  will  have  told  you  how  to  direct  your  letters 
to  me,  lest  you  should  not  have  received  it  I  will  repeat 
the  direction,  viz.  H.M.S.  Cambrian,  care  of  Captn  Bedford, 
Ville  de  Paris  off  Ushant,  and  if  you  are  now,  my  best  of 
fellows,  half  as  kind  to  me  in  the  writing  way  as  you  have 
been  during  your  absence  from  England  I  shall  be  gratified 
beyond  measure  and  more  obliged  to  you  than  I  can  de- 
scribe.    You  will  not  wonder  at  my  estimating  letters  so 
highly  after  the  pleasure  you  have  yourself  derived  from 
them  in   your  late  undertaking.     Old   Billy  Blue   on  the 
contrary  used  in  his  growling  old  way  to  say  "  it's  plaguy 
odd  to  me  what  people  can  have  to  write  about — for  my 
part ! "     If  you   had   not   come   home   yourself  and   had 
forwarded  certain  enclosures  to  me  the  prophecy  in  one 
of  your  letters  would  have  been  completely  fulfilled,  namely 
that  instead  of  having  it  in  my  power  immediately  to 
deliver  them,   that   I  should  just  receive   them  the  first 
week  of  a  three  or  four  Months'  Cruize. 

I  shall  be  quite  mortified  if  we  don't  meet  at  the  expira- 
tion of  it.  You  must  know  that  I  have  every  reason  to 
suppose  that  this  will  be  my  last  bout  in  a  frigate.  This 
I  pretty  well  understood  from  Lord  Mulgrave  when  we  last 
parted,  when  he  said  you  had  better  keep  and  get  out 
of  the  way  of  the  Admiralty  as  soon  as  possible,  as  you 
have  passed  the  period  for  remaining  in  a  frigate.     There- 


1790-1808]  MAN   OVERBOARD  75 

fore,  my  dear  Arthur,  what  I  would  have  you  do  is  to 
ascertain  from  him  what  his  intentions  are  with  respect 
to  my  continuing  or  not  in  the  Cambrian  on  her  next  return 
to  Port.  If  to  remain  in  her  another  cruize  well  and  good, 
if  not  I  wish  you  and  authorize  you  to  express  my  desire 
not  quite  immediately  to  be  turned  into  a  Ship  of  the  Line, 
but  be  allowed  to  attend  my  seat  in  Parliament  for  a  short 
time  prior  to  embarking  again.  This  will  be  a  very  fair 
sort  of  humbug.  In  no  other  hands  do  I  feel  myself  so 
safe  as  in  yours.  I  therefore,  my  dear  Arthur,  beg  you 
to  undertake  this  negotiation  for  me  and  the  result  pray 
have  the  goodness  to  communicate  to  me.  I  have  with 
me  the  Revolutionaire  and  a  charming  frigate  she  is.  We 
sail  as  nearly  alike  as  possible.  We  have  rather  the  advan- 
tage going  large,  she  rather  has  it  in  a  head  sea  or  a  Wind. 
It  now  blows  precious  hard  at  South  West,  last  night  in 
taking  the  Fore  and  Mizen  Topsails  in  a  poor  fellow  fell 
lumpus  down,  pitched  into  the  Mizen  Chains  and  then  map 
overboard.  I  jumped  on  deck  in  my  Shirt  on  hearing  a 
proper  kick  up,  and  found  that  four  gallant  lads  had  been 
lowered  down  in  the  Whale  boat  in  quest  of  the  poor  fellow 
but  of  course  without  success.  As  I  look  upon  it  the  fall 
into  the  Chains  killed  him  before  he  reached  the  water, 
tho'  some  of  the  fellows  say  they  heard  him  singing  out 
after  he  was  in  the  water.  At  all  Events  either  way  he 
had  not  long  to  scuffle  for  it,  for  there  was  a  devil  of  a  Sea 
running  and  it's  a  wonder  to  me  that  the  boat  lived. 

I  forget  whether  I  told  you  before  that  my  orders  are  to 
go  off  Ferrol  every  fortnight  just  to  communicate  with  the 
Senior  Officer  there,  by  which  means  I  shall  as  I  have  done 
receive  my  letters.  I  shall  write  to  you  again,  my  best  of 
fellows,  very  soon,  at  present  the  old  Devil  is  kicking  about 
so  I  can  hardly  write.  For  ever  yours,  my  dearest  old  Boy, 
with  the  warmest  affection, 

C.  P. 

Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

Cambrian  at  Anchor  off  the  Bayonne  Islands, 

J  any  26th,  1808. 

I  arrived  here,  my  good  Arthur,  four  days  ago,  and  by 
so  doing  have  escaped  two  ferocious  Gales  of  Wind,  the 
first  at  North  East  in  which  I  ran  for  this  famous  anchorage, 
the  last  and  present  one  being  on  the  contrary  at  South 


76  ALARM  ABOUT  PRIZE  [ch.  i 

West.  During  one  fine  day  we  have  had  I  managed  to 
get  fifty  Tons  of  water  off  from  the  above  Islands  as  well 
as  a  good  Stock  of  Sand  for  your  friend  the  Holy  Stone 
to  grate  upon,  I  mean  to  start  again  whenever  it  moder- 
ates, at  present  theres  not  any  appearance  of  its  so  doing. 
On  the  contrary  it  Blows  hard  enough  (as  I  dare  say  you 
have  heard  them  say)  to  blow  the  Devil's  horns  off. 

I  found  the  Pomone  and  Alcmene  here.  The  first  has 
since  sailed  which  I  was  not  sorry  for  as  I  am  no  admirer 
of  Captain  Barry.  He  is  the  Man  who  was  second  to 
Macnamara — in  the  duel  with  poor  Montgomery.  Captain 
Brisbane  of  the  other  frigate  informs  me  that  Captain 
Barry's  constant  occupation  is  practising  with  his  pistols 
and  that  before  I  arrived  he  went  on  shore  every  day  and 
did  not  content  himself  with  breaking  the  Neck  of  a  bottle 
at  twelve  paces  at  every  shot  but  positively  fired  into  the 
Mouth  of  one  that  part  being  presented  to  him.  A  pleasant 
sort  of  fellow  to  quarrel  with, 

I  was  not  a  little  disappointed  in  finding  no  letters  for 
me  off  Ferrol  last  week,  particularly  as  the  same  was  the 
case  the  fortnight  before  when  I  called  there.  I  mean 
to  try  again  on  my  way  to  the  Northward.  I  have  been 
out  Eight  Weeks  today  and  by  Eight  more  I  trust  I  shall 
be  in  Plymouth  Sound,  or  perhaps  sooner  as  my  orders 
are  to  be  with  the  fleet  by  the  tenth  of  March  from  whence 
I  trust  I  shall  be  ordered  in,  as  fourteen  weeks  is  quite 
enough  for  any  Ship  at  this  or  indeed  at  any  time  of  the 
year.  I  shall  long  to  hear  from  you  after  you  have  seen 
Lord  Mulgrave  on  my  account.  Since  I  last  wrote  I  have 
seen  a  newspaper  which  reported  the  Ponipee  to  be  ordered 
to  Chatham,  I  conclude  to  be  paid  off  and  repaired.  Now 
the  Pompee  is  a  delightful  Ship  and  would  be  coming 
forward  again  probably  about  the  time  I  should  wish  to 
take  a  Ship  of  the  Line,  in  which  case  I  know  of  no  Ship  I 
would  sooner  have  that's  in  England  and  disposeable. 

I  have  been  in  considerable  alarm  about  my  Prize  as  I 
hear  the  Channel  swarms  with  French  privateers.  Had  I 
known  so  I  certainly  would  have  seen  her  safe  within  the 
Eddystone  and  then  resumed  my  Station,  had  I  done  which 
I  should  have  saved  myself  much  subsequent  anxiety.  I 
trust  however  the  same  particular  good  fortune  which 
attended  the  capture  will  have  continued  till  her  safe 
arrival  of  which  I  shall  be  most  desirous  of  receiving  ac- 


1790-1808]         ANTICIPATIONS   OF   HOME  ^^ 

counts.  Such  a  Prize  has  not  been  taken  these  three 
years  by  any  of  the  Channel  Cruizers  and  I  beheve  I  am 
not  too  sangume  in  my  expectations  of  receiving  six  or 
seven  thousand  pounds  for  my  Share,  which  will  be  a 
pretty  little  addition  to  my  small  fortune. 

Of  course  you  are  now  settled  in  your  old  rooms  at  Ux- 
bridge  House.  It  will  not  be  bad  fun  when  from  the  end  of 
the  passage  we  shaU  hear  each  giving  the  other  a  Hail 
of  a  Morning,  and  then  going  down,  as  we  used  to  do,  to 
breakfast  with  my  father  and  jMother.  You  dear  fellow, 
how  I  wish  for  such  days  again,  which  I  trust  you  will 
manage  by  your  arrangements  with  Lord  Mulgrave,  who 
by  this  time  I  dare  say  has  had  lots  of  applications  for  this 
Ship. 

The  loss  of  the  Anson  was  a  sad  concern.  Conceive  what 
their  feelings  must  have  been  from  the  Evening  of  her 
anchoring  to  the  moment  of  either  being  saved,  or  on 
the  contrary  drowned.  To  be  either  killed  in  action  out- 
right, or  to  be  drowned  downright,  are  neither  pleasant, 
but  nothing  to  the  situation  of  a  Man  who  for  hours  and 
hours  continues  to  exist  in  momentary  expectation  of  such 
a  death  as  poor  Captain  Lydiard. 

I  understood  the  letters  for  the  Ferrol  Squadron  and  the 
Cambrian  were  on  board  of  her  which  however  does  not 
appear  very  likely  as  she  was  certainly  going  off  that 
precious  Place  the  black  Rocks. 

The  papers  I  have  seen  state  the  Thetis  to  have  arrived 
at  Portsmouth.  Could  you  possibly  have  had  the  patience 
with  a  North  East  Wind  to  beat  up  Channel  when  you  had 
Falmouth  or  Plymouth  under  your  Lee?  I  joined  the 
Squadron  the  Evening  I  wrote  the  enclosed  and  a  telegraph 
message  informed  me  there  were  no  letters  for  me.  This, 
my  dearest  fellow,  you  consider  pleasant.  I  dined  with 
King  on  board  L'Achille  yesterday  and  parted  last  night. 
The  Revolntionaire  is  now  on  her  way  home,  but  as  I  am 
also  bomid  to  the  Northward  we  shall  keep  company  till 
tomorrow.  I  wish,  my  good  fellow,  you  would  ascertain  if 
you  can  what  Ships  of  the  Line  are  coming  forward  at 
Plymouth.  There  was  a  certain  Duguay  Troui^i  now  caUed 
L' Implacable  which  struck  me  as  a  particular  fine  Ship. 
There  was  also  another  called  the  Formidable,  both  8o's, 
and  the  sort  of  Ships  the  Malta  and  Canopus  are.  I  should 
like  one  of  these  kind  and  I  should  prefer  fitting  a  Ship  at 


78  SIR  RICHARD  STRACHAN  [ch.  i 

Plymouth  to  another  Port.  I  shall  return  off  Ferrol  in 
ten  days  from  hence  and  trust  I  shall  be  then  more  fortunate 
in  finding  letters.  The  fact  is  that  the  audacious  little 
Gosling,  who  had  just  joined  from  Plymouth,  did  not  know 
I  was  to  be  found  off  Ferrol  and  not  having  any  communica- 
tion with  the  Ville  de  Paris  did  not  bring  my  letters.  Your 
devoted  and  affectionate 

Charles  Paget. 


Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

Cambrian,  at  Sea,  February  5th,  1808. 

On  my  return  to  the  Northward,  my  dearest  fellow,  from 
watering  at  Vigo  (or  rather  at  the  Bayonne  Islands)  I  fell 
in  first  with  the  Ferrol  Squadron,  where  I  did  not  find  a 
single  letter  from  Sir  Richard  King.  I  learned  that  the 
Rochfort  Squadron  had  escaped  and  that  Sir  Richard 
Strachan  was  gone  after  them.  I  then  stood  to  the  North- 
ward again  and  the  next  day  saw  Seven  Sail  of  the  Line  to 
Leeward  under  a  press  of  sail.  I  ran  down  towards  them 
immediately  and  before  dark  got  near  enough  to  exchange 
private  signals  which  satisfied  me  that  the  Squadron  was 
Strachan's.  I  continued  towards  him  as  he  made  the  recal 
Signal,  and  went  on  board  of  the  Ccssar  immediately  after 
passing  within  hail.  Can't  you  figure  to  yourself  Sir  Dicky 
bawling  his  lungs  out  to  know  whether  I  had  seen  the 
French  Squadron  ? 

On  getting  on  board  I  found  him  in  a  proper  stew  at 
the  fellows  having  evaded  him.  The  fault  of  which  he 
seems  not  to  hesitate  in  attributing  to  the  Captain  of  the 
Phoenix  in  not  at  once  proceeding  to  Sir  Richard's  Rendez- 
vous, which  had  he  done,  he  says  no  power  could  have 
prevented  his  getting  hold  of  them.  After  this  growl  he 
told  me  he  was  afraid  he  should  annoy  me  by  interfering 
with  my  orders  but  that  actually  not  having  a  single  frigate 
with  him  or  any  small  vessel  by  which  to  send  dispatches 
he  felt  under  the  absolute  necessity  of  taking  me  under 
his  orders.  So,  my  dear  old  Boy,  here  I  am  voguing  away 
down  the  Coast  of  Portugal  and  shall  be  off  Lisbon  tomorrow 
morning,  from  thence  if  we  get  no  intelligence  of  the  French 
Squadron  I  conclude  we  shall  proceed  to  Lord  CoUingwood 
and  then  God  knows  where.  Should  you  like,  should  you 
prefer,  when  you  had  calculated  on  being  in  Port  with 


1790-1808]  OFF  LISBON  79 

your  wife  &c.  in  another  month,  to  be  0'  the  instant  hurled 
off  to  the  Mediterranean  or  West  Indies.  Wherever  we  go 
I  shall  be  satisfied,  provided  we  have  but  the  good  fortune 
to  get  hold  of  the  Jockeys.  This  Squadron  is  a  fine  one 
consisting  of  the  Ccesar,  Spartan,  Canopus,  Renown, 
Superb,  Cumberland,  Warrior,  and  Cambrian.  They  all 
seem  to  sail  pretty  much  alike.  We  spare  them  a  great 
deal  of  sail  which  is  pleasant.  Conceive  the  stupidity  of 
Captain  Bedford  of  the  Ville  de  Paris  sending  all  my  letters 
to  the  CcBsar  off  Rochfort  (he  might  as  well  have  sent  them 
to  Siberia  it  having  been  a  mere  chance  my  meeting  her) 
instead  of  to  the  Achilles  off  Ferrol.  Sir  Richard  feeling 
it  a  mistake,  and  not  even  knowing  where  I  was  likely  to 
be  found,  returned  them  back  to  Plymouth.  Thus,  my 
good  Arthur,  it  is  accounted  for  my  finding  no  letters  on 
my  last  three  visits  off  Ferrol.  I  am  now  at  a  loss  how  to 
advise  you  to  direct  to  me  as  my  destination  at  this  moment 
seems  so  uncertain.  Whenever  it  is  fixed  you  shall  hear  it. 
I  suppose  we  shall  see  Sir  Charles  Cotton  tomorrow  when  I 
will  add  to  this.     God  bless  you,  my  best  of  fellows. 

Cape  St.  Vincent,  East  three  Leagues,  Feby  yth. 
We   reached   the   Rock  of  Lisbon,   my  dearest  Arthur, 
yesterday  and  looked  into  the  Tagus,  where  we  saw  the 
Russian  Squadron  in  the  offing  and  a  long  way  to  Leeward 
was  Sir  Charles  Cotton.     It  immediately  occurred  to  me 
that,  had  the  Rochfort  Squadron  been  in  our  situation, 
with  what  perfect  ease  might  they  in  defiance  of  Sir  Charles 
have  got  into  the  Tagus,  and  thus  have  formed  a  force 
which  would  have  been  infinitely  superior  to  his  own.     We 
all  bore  away  for  him  and  Sir  Richard  went  on  board  in 
the  night.     Afterwards  we  again  shaped  a  Course  for  Cape 
St.  Vincent  off  which  we  arrived  this  morning.     So  reduced 
is  the  Ccesar  in  her  water  as  also  two  others  of  the  Squadron 
that  they  have  been  obliged  to  bring  to  and  take  it  out 
of  those  Ships  which  have  a  little  more  than  themselves. 
And  this  is  a  Squadron  which  has  been  blockading  another 
and  supposed  capable  of  following  it  to  any  part  of  the 
Globe.     Where  the  blame  attaches  I  know  not  but  it  is  too 
glaring  not  to  occur  to  me  and  to  you.     I  write  just  what 
I  feel  not  wishing  it  to  go  further.     We  fell  in  with  the 
Confiance    yesterday,    and    what    with    her    Commander's 
knowing  the  Rochfort  Squadron  was  at  Sea  and  a  proper 


8o  MUDDLED   SIGNALS  [ch.  i 

misunderstanding  amongst  our  private  signals  we  frightened 
them  somewhat.  It  appears  that  new  private  signals  have 
been  given  out,  which  she  was  in  possession  of  and  we 
not,  so  that  each  made  his  own  signal,  both  feeling  perfectly 
right,  but  both  seeing  that  neither  were  properly  answered. 
I  was  therefore  sent  in  Chace  and  after  making  some  other 
signals  such  as  our  own  Number  and  that  of  the  CcBsars 
with  the  Compass  Signal,  I  got  him  to  bring  to.  A  Telegraph 
told  us  that  Sir  John  Duckworth  was  gone  after  the  French 
Squadron  and  intended  touching  at  Madeira,  Teneriffe, 
and  take  the  round  of  the  West  Indies. 

Having  got  so  far  Sir  Richard  thought  it  right  this  morning 
to  go  off  Cadiz  to  ascertain  from  our  Squadron  there  whether 
the  foe  were  gone  up  the  Mediterranean,  and  I  was  dis- 
patched only  two  hours  ago  as  the  avant  courier  and  to 
return  to  Sir  Richard,  who  I  was  to  find  off  Cape  St.  Mary. 
A  brig  however  has  joined  the  Squadron  since  I  left  it, 
and  just  as  it  was  scarcely  possible  to  discern  the  Colour 
of  the  recall  flag,  I  made  it  out.  Sir  Dicky  blazing  away 
signal  guns  like  the  Devil  for  me  to  come  back.  I  conclude 
therefore  this  brig  has  given  him  some  intelligence  to 
render  it  unnecessary  going  at  all  off  Cadiz.  It  is  not 
improbable  but  that  I  shall  be  sent  home  with  an  account 
of  Sir  Richard's  proceedings  as  he  seems  to  think  people 
at  home  will  be  anxious  to  learn  where  he  is.  I  understood 
from  him  that  he  intends  going  home  with  the  Squadron. 
I  never  saw  a  fellow  so  vexed  as  he  is  at  his  misfortune. 

This  letter,  my  dearest  fellow,  is  somewhat  in  the  way 
of  those  you  used  to  write  to  me  from  Sea.  I  think  it  is 
the  best  way,  and  I  will  therefore  add  to  this  again.     Addio. 

By  the  bye  the  cause  of  the  alteration  in  the  private 
Signals  is  from  the  Sagacity  of  (I  don't  know  which  adminis- 
tration) allowing  the  Russians  to  possess  them — -pleasant 
going  down  in  a  frigate  to  a  Line  of  Battle  Ship  feeling  in 
perfect  security  from  the  Private  Signal  having  been  made 
and  probably  answered,  and  on  going  within  hail  seeing 
the  Lower  Deck  guns  run  out  and  all  clear  for  action.  This 
may  be  some  fellow's  lot  yet. 

Cape  Trafalgar,  East  Ten  Leagues,  Feby  8th. 
The  Brig  I  mentioned  to  you,  my  dearest  Arthur,  yester- 
day gave   Sir  Richard  intelligence  which  has  made  him 
carry  sail  like  the  Devil  to  get  off  Cadiz,  which  we  have 


1790-1808]  A  GENERAL   CHASE  81 

not  been  yet  able  to  effect  from  the  Wind  blowing  exactly 
from  the  point  which  from  Cape  St.  Vincent  would  have 
been  the  course  to  have  steered  to  make  Cadiz.  On  return- 
ing to  him  yesterday  he  telegraphed  me  to  say  that  it 
was  probable  he  should  have  to  go  into  the  Mediterranean 
from  the  intelligence  the  Brig  had  given  him,  but  that 
the  necessity  would  be  ascertain'd  on  his  communicating 
with  our  Squadron  off  Cadiz  and  that  in  either  case  I  was 
to  carry  home  his  dispatches.  This  latter  communication 
I  was  not  sorry  to  receive  as  it  would  be  a  proper  take  in 
being  pressed  from  a  Cruize  by  yourself  in  the  old  bay  to 
the  blockade  of  Toulon  or  Carthagena  or  some  such  thing 
for  God  knows  how  long.     Yours  for  ever  most  affectionately, 

C.  P. 

Capt.  Hon,  Charles  Paget 

Cambrian  at  Sea,  Cape  Finisterre  E.N.E.  100  Leagues, 

Feby  i6ih,  1808. 

The  day  after  I  wrote  to  you  last,  my  dearest  Arthur, 
we  joined  Admiral  Purvis'  Squadron  off  Cadiz,  where  T 
found  several  of  my  friends,  amongst  which  Lord  Henry 
Paulet  who  enquired  particularly  after  you.  A  Report 
of  Six  Sail  of  the  Line  having  been  seen  on  the  26th  ultimo 
off  Cape  de  Gatt  steering  for  the  Mediterranean  determined 
Sir  Richard  to  enter  the  Straights,  and,  if  he  found  the 
nraiour  authentic,  to  proceed  and  join  Lord  Collingwood 
in  Sicily  or  Admiral  Thomborough  off  Toulon  whichever 
way  the  said  Squadron  had  gone.  There's  no  doubt  but 
that  a  French  Squadron  may  at  any  time  get  into  the 
Mediterranean  unperceived  by  ours  off  Cadiz,  if  ours  is 
always  where  we  found  it. 

I  am  confident  for  instance  that  Sir  Richard  might  with 
the  greatest  ease  by  keeping  the  Barbary  Shore  well  on 
board  have  passed  up  completely  unknown  to  Admiral 
Purvis.  When  they  did  see  us,  we  put  them  for  two  or 
three  hours  in  a  fidget,  and  occasioned  a  General  Chace.  I 
was  sent  ahead  to  give  notice  of  the  approach  but  not  a 
sufficient  start  was  given,  so  that  I  only  communicated 
with  Admiral  Purvis  an  hour  before  the  Ccesar  got  up.  The 
Ships  advanced  most  in  their  Chace  towards  us  was  the 
Bulwark  and  Terrible,  the  old  Queen  and  Atlas.  When  the 
little  boat  was  [sic]  Fame  and  Revenge  were  in  shore, 
the  latter  carried  away  her  Top  Gallt  Masts  in  the  Chace, 


82  ORDERED   HOME  [ch.  i 

in  short  we  put  them  properly  to  it.  There  were  besides 
the  Ships  I  have  mentioned  the  Illustrious,  Excellent, 
Courageous  and  one  or  two  more.  Sir  Richard  is  a  good 
deal  annoyed  at  going  into  the  Mediterranean  but  he  was 
obliged  (he  told  me)  as  Admiral  Purvis,  that  glorious  hero, 
had  intimated  to  him  that  if  he,  Sir  Richard,  did  not  follow 
his  advice  in  going  he  should  take  upon  himself  to  order 
him.  Of  the  two  Sir  Richard  preferred  taking  the  advice, 
meaning  if  he  found  on  getting  to  Gibraltar  or  elsewhere 
that  the  report  was  without  foundation  to  return  im- 
mediately to  England.  This  he  could  not  do  had  Admiral 
Purvis  furnished  him  with  an  order  to  proceed  and  join 
Lord  CoUey  or  old  Thomborough.  For  my  part  I  am  glad 
to  be  clear  of  them.  I  am  charged  with  Sir  Richard  and 
Admiral  Purvis's  dispatches  and  am  ordered  direct  to  Ply- 
mouth with  them,  but  as  bad  luck  will  have  it  I  am  still 
humbugged  with  calms  and  variable  airs  of  wind,  having 
till  now  had  to  contend  against  one  of  those  stiflmg  Northerly 
breezes  which  prevail  so  much  on  the  Coast  of  Portugal, 
to  get  out  of  which  I  have  stood  to  the  Westward  as  far 
Seventeen,  and  we  are  now  what  you  call  in  the  Trolly 
Lollys,  having  run  out  of  the  Northerly  wind  and  not 
having  quite  reached  a  Westerly  one,  which  however  will,  I 
expect,  be  the  first. 

We  spoke  two  days  ago  the  Prince  Ernest  outward  Bound 
Packet  5  days  from  Falmouth,  My  only  object  was  to 
find  out  whether  my  Prize  had  arrived  safe,  which  I  partly 
did  hear,  that  is,  I  was  informed  that  a  rich  French  Merchant 
Ship  had  reached  England  about  a  Month  ago,  but  to  what 
Ship  she  was  Prize  I  could  not  learn.  Now  as  there  was 
only  one  French  Merchant  Ship  everybody  tells  me  on  the 
ocean,  I  am  inclined  to  hope  this  said  one  that  arrived  a 
month  ago  is  the  Cambrian's.  Am  I,  or  am  I  not,  to  see 
you,  my  dearest  good  Arthur  ?  Of  one  thing  I  am  certain 
that  you  cannot  be  more  desirous  than  I  am. 

C.  P. 

Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

Apr.  21,  i8o8, 

.  .  .  You  found  Paget  in  a  wig,  he  prevailed  on  me  to 
get  one  also,  which  I  did  as  my  hair  was  falling  and  was 
very  thin.     I  however  got  so  sick  of  it  that  I  dowsed  it  a 


1790-1808]  CHARLES'   RETURN  83 

fortnight  ago,  and  I  am  now  a  pretty  good  figure  with 
my  new  crop.  I  flatter  myself  it  will  be  long  enough  by 
the  return  of  the  Cambrian. 

If  it  was  not  for  looking  for  the  Revolutionaire  I  had 
intended  being  off  Ferrol  tomorrow  where  I  trust  I  shall 
find  letters.  If  I  don't  see  her  in  a  couple  of  days  I  shall 
give  the  thing  up  and  go  there.  I  calculate  much,  my 
excellent  dear  Arthur,  on  our  meeting  on  my  return,  if 
we  don't  I  shall  be  very  much  disappointed.  As  to  your 
going  to  Vienna  I  conclude  in  the  present  State  of  the 
Continent  you  would  not  undertake  it.  So  that  I  am  easy 
as  to  your  continuance  in  England.  .  .  .  Your  most  attached 
and  affect.  C.  P. 


Hon.  Berkeley  Paget 

PoRTMAN  St.,  July  20th,  1808. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  wiU  do  all  I  can  to  provide  you 
with  such  a  Person  as  you  want.  My  Housekeeper  is  a 
steady  sort  of  Body,  and  may  be  able  to  hear  of  a  Lady 
that  may  suit,  provided  you  determine  on  not  accepting 
the  Services  of  Mr.  Grenville's  Dame.  I  will  ask  Sanderson 
more  particularly  about  her. 

Charles  arrived  early  this  Morning  at  Lewisham,  and 
we  came  to  town  together  after  Breakfast.  We  return  to 
Dinner,  and  he  starts  in  the  Morning  for  Portsmouth.  The 
Revenge  is  to  be  out  of  Dock  on  the  nth.  He  goes  to 
Pljmiouth  for  a  week  previous  to  his  taking  Charge  of  the 
Ship. 

I  am  glad  you  are  so  comfortably  lodged  at  Heckfield 
Grove.  From  Charles's  Account,  it  must  be  the  same  you 
mentioned  to  me  when  we  last  met.  Nothing  but  my 
going  out  of  the  Country  on  some  Expedition  ^  shall  prevent 
my  paying  you  a  Visit.  At  present  everything  is  uncertain, 
and  I  do  not  like  to  be  out  of  the  way.  People  say  the 
Duke  is  going.  I  protest  I  am  in  ignorance.  But  I  think 
I  am  likely  to  go  one  way  or  the  other,  either  with  my 
Regiment  or  with  him.  I  hope  what  is  going  on  may 
answer  but  I  begin  to  be  less  sanguine.     However  I've  no 

1  Ten  thousand  men  under  the  command  of  Sir  Arthur  Wellesley, 
having  sailed  from  Cork  on  July  12th,  landed  at  Corunna  on  the  20th. 
Lord  Paget's  regiment,  the  7th  Hussars,  in  which  his  brother  Berkeley 
served  as  major,  formed  part  of  reinforcements  sent  out  later. 


84  "BEN"   AND  THE  ARMY  [ch.  i 

business  to  think — particularly  as  I  am  ready  and  willing 
to  start  at  a  moment's  Notice. 

The  Princess  of  Wales  enquired  very  particularly  about 
you  yesterday,  and  desired  to  be  most  kindly  remembered 
to  you.     "  Give  my  best  Love  to  Artur."     He  1 

I  take  Henry  to  Worthing  on  the  nth  to  join  his  Family, 
and  on  the  12th  I  go  to  Brighton  to  see  Ben.  After  which 
I  stay  two  days  with  Lady  P.,  and  then  take  the  Duke's 
Birthday  on  the  i6th  at  Oatlands.     Then  I  go  to  Spain. 

Do  you  think  Ben  would  like  to  command  the  Army 
there  ?  What  a  d — d  fuss  he  would  be  in,  and  be  the  first 
to  nm  away.  "  God  d —  me  they're  firing  at  me  !  O 
Lord  !  Take  care  of  me,  Ben  Bloomfield."  ^  Believe  me 
most  affiy, 

Berkeley  Paget. 

Capi.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

Govt.  House,  Portsmouth,  July  27th,  1808. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, —  .  .  .  The  fact  is  that  Lord  Mul- 
grave  has  made  me  an  offer  I  cannot,  I  feel,  with  propriety 
decline  ;  it  is  the  command  of  the  Revenge.  He  has  strictly 
enjoined  the  most  scrupulous  secrecy,  &  therefore,  till  you 
hear  of  my  appointment,  pray  don't  mention  it  to  a  soul — 
she  is,  as  you  know,  just  returned  from  off  Cadiz,  &  being 
well  manned  &  otherwise  a  fine  Ship  &  now  in  Portsmouth 
Harbour  to  be  docked,  I  cannot  but  consider  the  offer  as 
a  very  eligible  &  handsome  one  on  the  part  of  Lord  Mul- 
grave,  &  one  which  I  am  sure  you  will  think  me  right  in 
accepting.     Believe  me  for  ever  yours, 

Charles. 

Since  I  last  mentioned  the  Scipion  to  you,  her  defects 
have  been  ascertained  to  be  so  great  that  it  will  be  Christmas 
at  soonest  before  she  will  be  out  of  Dock,  &  the  latter  end 
of  Feby.  before  ready  for  sea,  which  would  be  too  long  in 
these  times  of  expeditions  for  me  to  be  idle  on  shore. 

1  Sir  Benjamin  (afterwards  Lord)  Bloomfield  was  Controller  of  the 
Household  to  the  Prince  of  Wales,  whose  attention  he  had  first  attracted 
by  his  social  and  musical  attainments,  when  quartered  as  a  young  officer 
at  Brighton  about  the  year  1806.  He  succeeded  Sir  J.  McMahon  in  1817 
as  private  secretary,  but  was  dismissed  in  1822,  having  incurred  the  dis- 
pleasure of  the  then  all-powerful  Lady  Conyngham.  Bloomfield,  how- 
ever, knew  too  many  court  secrets  to  be  cashiered  mthout  compensations, 
and  he  was  accordingly  created  a  peer  and  appointed  Minister  at  Stock- 
holm.    He  died  in  1846. 


1790-1808]  AT  THE  PAVILION  85 

I  send  you  dimensions  of  Revenge  which  rather  exceed 
those  of  Le  Scipion  being — 

Gun  Deck  Keel.  Breadth.  Tonnage, 

ft. 

182  150.3.  49.  1919. 


Hon.  Berkeley  Paget 

Lewisham,  Aug.,   1808. 

I  found  your  letters,  my  dear  Arthur,  yesterday  on  my 
return  to  this  Place.  I  have  sent, that  one  which  relates  to 
Newspapers  to  Sanderson,  and  desired  him,  being  in  London, 
to  make  the  Arrangement  you  wish,  not  forgetting  the  two 
last  Cobbett's,  the  last  of  which  is  harder  than  ever  upon 
the  Duke.  I  was  at  Worthing  with  Sefton  *  when  it  arrived. 
He  was  pretty  good  upon  it.  When  I  returned  from 
Brighton  to  Worthing,  I  found  Sefton  waiting  my  arrival 
to  hear  all  that  pass'd  at  the  Pavilion,  which  amused  him 
much.  When  Ben's  ^  Health  was  drunk,  he  got  up,  said 
how  much  gratified  he  was  at  seeing  so  many  of  his  friends 
round  him,  that  if  there  was  any  one  there  to  whom  he 
had  not  personally  address'd  hims.elf,  it  must  be  attributed 
to  the  hurry  of  the  moment  and  not  to  want  of  attention, 
adding  '  We  all  have  our  faults,  and  tho'  I  may  have  many, 
I  believe  you  will  all  do  me  the  justice  to  admit  i]i3.\.  forsaking 
my  Friends  is  not  one  of  them.  I  believe  my  worst  Enemy 
can't  accuse  me  of  that.'  What  do  you  think  of  that  ? 
Upon  my  honor  those  were  his  words,  as  nearly  as  I  recol- 
lect, and  I  took  particular  Notice.  Sefton  almost  died. 
Brummell  was  not  bad,  when  I  related  it.  He  [the  Prince] 
was  very  gracious  to  me.  I  found  a  room  ready  at  a  house 
near  the  Pavilion,  and  was  desired  to  consider  my  self  as 
belonging  to  it  during  my  stay — which  I  took  advantage 
of  during  the  two  days,  and  was  press'd  to  stay  a  third, 
but  was  anxious  to  make  my  Report  to  Sefton  and  Brum- 
meU.  I  could  keep  it  in  no  longer.  We  had  him  at  Oat- 
lands  on  the  i6th. 

I  will  find  out  whether  the  Duke  would  like  to  take 
'  Oatlands  '  back.     As  the  Shooting  is  near  at  hand,  and 

1  William,  2nd  Earl  of  Sefton,  born  1772,  married  Hon.  Maria  Craven. 
They  were  great  patrons  of  Creevcy,  the  Diarist,  who  often  refers  to  them 
in  his  Journal.  2  xhe  Prince  of  Wales. 


86  LADY  PAGET  [ch.  i 

the  Grey  is  pretty  handy  for  the  Purpose,  I  think  it  not 
unHkely  he  would  buy  him.  I  shall  see  him  on  Friday. 
He  desired  to  be  particularly  remember'd  to  you,  when  I 
presented  your  Duty  to  him  the  other  day,  so  did  the 
Duchess.  She  has  a  party  for  the  next  three  weeks,  of 
which  I  must  occasionally  make  one,  so  that  between 
that  and  this  I  hardly  think  I  can  get  to  Portsmouth.  I 
take  a  few  of  the  first  days  of  September  with  John  Warde, 
who  is  not  far  from  here,  he  promises  much  sport.  He  is 
not  bad  sport  himself.  I  left  Car  very  well  on  Tuesday. 
Poor  little  Henry  and  a  Pony  he  was  riding  on  the  sands 
came  down,  and  both  his  Front  Teeth  are  broke  very 
badly  and  two  or  three  of  his  lower  ones.  I  have  seen 
Waite,  who  from  my  accounts,  seems  to  think  little  can  be 
done  to  remedy  the  Defect.     He  that  thou  knowest  thine, 

Bartolo. 

Lady  Paget 

Worthing,   Wednesday,  Aug.  i8,  1808. 

My  Dearest  Arthur,—  ...  I  wish  you  would  not 
tantalize  me  by  talking  of  ever  going  abroad  with  you,  it 
would  be  much  too  delightful  to  happen  to  me.  I  am 
glad  to  hear  you  have  at  last  got  a  Housekeeper  you  like  ; 
pray  tell  Augusta  with  my  love  I  beg  she  will  not  give 
up  her  two  Shifts  a  day,  I  think  she  is  quite  right.  I 
cannot  say  how  much  your  letter  amused  me,  pray  never 
think  of  a  Frank,  for  I  am  quite  happy  the  day  I  have  a 
letter  from  you. 

I  was  very  well  amused  at  Brighton,  and  I  must  tell  you 
that  Villiers  '  and  I  are  reconciled,  he  said  he  could  not 
bear  to  see  me  so  altered  to  him  etc.,  and  a  thousand  things 
that  were  kind,  and  as  he  used  to  be,  at  the  same  time 
denied  all  that  Ly  J.  had  ever  said,  and  expected  me  to 
believe  him,  which  I  could  not,  but  promised  for  his  sake 
I  would  forget  it,  that  he  and  I  might  live  on  good  terms  ; 
he  seemed  very  much  surprized  I  would  not  instantly  change 
my  opinion  about  her,  but  that  I  never  can  do,  for  I  know 
her  too  well. 

I  am  sorry  to  say  Charlotte  ^  continues  very  ill,  she  is 
scarcely  able  to  sit  up  even  while  her  bed  is  made,  the  Dr. 

^  Her  eldest  brother,   the  Earl  of  Jersey, 
*  Her  sister.  Lady  Williani  Russell. 


1790-1808]  THE   BRITISH  BAYONET  87 

has  been  here  for  two  days,  but  she  did  not  see  him.  I  do 
not  feel  happy  about  her,  I  found  her  so  much  worse  when 
I  came  back,  and  she  is  weaker  every  day.  I  do  not, 
thank  God,  see  much  of  that  odious  Ly  E.  I  did  not  intend 
even  to  visit  her,  but  unfortunately  she  would  be  good 
natured  about  Henry,  and  I  could  not  help  seeing  her,  so 
you  see  all  my  good  resolutions  are  spoilt. 

Ld  Sefton  and  Mr.  Brummell  are  gone  today;  I  am 
quite  sorry,  for  Ld  S.  has  been  so  very  amiable  to  us.  I 
have  just  received  the  Bracelet  you  ordered  for  Augusta, 
it  is  a  beauty,  just  fit  for  her,  but  I  think  it  safer  to  keep  it 
till  I  see  you.     God  bless  you. 

Car. 

Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

Sept.  I,  1808. 

My  Dearest  Arthur,—.  .  .  I  congratulate  you  with  all 
my  soul  on  the  news  just  brought  from  Lisbon  by  the 
Thunderer.  I  saw  Brown,  who  was  sent  home  with  Sir 
A.  Wellesley's  dispatches,  just  as  he  was  getting  into  his 
Chaise  to  set  off,  and  he  told  me  that  after  two  separate 
battles,  the  one  on  the  17th,  the  other  on  the  21st  Ultmo,i 
that  the  French  under  Junot  were  entirely  defeated  with 
the  loss  of  all  their  cannon  etc. 

The  loss  of  the  British  was  also  considerable,  but  the 
particulars  you  will  receive  in  a  Gazette,  which  of  course 
will  be  published.     Huzza  for  the  old  British  Bayonet ! 

I  was  very  unexpectedly,  tho'  agreeably,  surprized  to 
receive  my  orders  today  to  take  under  my  Charge  the  East 
India  fleet  {now  ready  here),  and  proceed  with  them  to  Madeira 
there  to  give  time  for  two  of  the  Ships  to  take  in  their 
Cargo  of  that  wine,  then  to  proceed  as  far  as  the  Tropic, 
which  after  seeing  them  safe  across,  I  am  to  make  their 
signal  to  part  company,  and  proceed  to  their  destination, 
and  myself  to  return  to  Cawsand  bay  for  further  orders.  I 
suppose,  if  I  had  written  the  orders  myself,  they  could  not 
have  been  more  to  my  satisfaction,  and  if  poor  Lome ' 
is  serious  in  his  desire  to  go  with  me,  it  is  the  thing  of  all 
others  that  I  should  conceive  would  most  suit  him.  No 
time  however  should  be  lost,  as  we  shall  certainly  sail  by 
the  middle  of  the  week,  if  there's  anything  of  a  slant  of 

1  At  Rorica  and  Vimiero.  2  The  Duke  of  Argyll. 


88        CHARLES  OFF  AGAIN  TO  SEA     [ch.  i 

wind  to  do  so.     For  ever,  my  dearest  fellow,  your  most 
affect. 

Charles. 

We  are  only  detained  in  Harbour  for  a  slant  to  lie  out — 
in  every  other  respect  ready  for  sea 

My  father  is  still  here,  but  goes  he  says  the  day  after 
tomorrow,  Berkeley  went  yesterday.  My  father  is  far 
from  being  as  well  as  he  was  when  he  came,  and  I  wish  he 
was  safe  back.  He  is  now  in  one  continued  state  of  stupor, 
and  it  is  only  by  incessant  goading  that  I  can  get  him  to 
move  at  all  from  his  lethargy.  If  you  could  send  me  a 
little  good  Tobacco  for  this  cruize,  I  should  be  so  obliged 
to  you.  Did  Lome  tell  you  that  he  broke  my  favourite 
long  pipe  in  two  in  getting  out  of  my  carriage  that  night  ? 
Poor  fellow,  how  like  him  ! 

Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

Revenge,  Portsmouth  Harbour,  2nd  Sept.,  1S08. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, —  ...  It  is  perfectly  miraculous 
that  Ly  Willm.  should  have  held  out  in  this  extraordinary 
way.  .  .  .  My  father,  poor  old  boy,  has  been  so  extremely 
unwell  these  three  days  past  that  I  began  to  feel  uneasy 
at  his  being  so  far  from  his  own  home,  and  from  Farquhar 
etc.  I  therefore  was  obliged  to  tell  him  I  thought  he  had 
better  return,  and  he  did  so  this  morning.  I  am  certain 
I  speak  within  bounds,  when  I  say  that  such  has  been  his 
state  of  lethargy  that  he  has  not  been  awake  six  hours 
the  last  three  days  and  nights,  added  to  this  he  had  lost 
his  appetite  and  strength,  and  his  spirits  and  nerves  were 
in  a  most  wretched  state.  I  shall  be  glad  to  hear  of  his  safe 
arrival. 

I  have  instructed  Mr.  Lowe  to  get  the  Woodlands  concern 
off  my  hands,  which  I  believe  would  be  a  bad  bargain. 
However  I  have  entered  into  negotiation  for  a  place  as 
much  more  eligible  as  one  can  be  to  another.  It  is  called 
Highdown,^  is  5  miles  from  Petersfield,  5  from  Midhurst, 
eight  from  Liphook,  3  from  Up  Park,  and  54  from  London, 
by  this  statement  you  wiU  at  least  know  its  situation  pretty 
well.     I  heard  of  it  from  Courtenay  Boyle,  who  had  been  on 

^  Charles  Paget  bought  this  place,  re-christened  it  Fair  Oak,  and  it 
remained  his  home  for  the  rest  of  his  Ufa. 


1790-1808]  HIGHDOWN  89 

the  very  point  of  purchasing  it,  when  his  trustees  would 
not  furnish  the  money.  The  House  is  a  substantially  built 
one,  with  all  sorts  of  attached  and  detached  offices,  Garden 
etc.  and  surrounded  by  58  Acres  of  Freehold  Land  with  a 
considerable  quantity  of  timber  upon  it  abounding  in 
Game,  and  in  a  beautiful  situation.  The  Price  4000  Guineas. 
Berkeley  and  myself  went  to  see  it,  and  were  delighted 
with  it ;  it  rather  gave  us  a  good  opinion  of  the  place,  a 
whisking  Cock  Pheasant  getting  out  of  a  shrubbery  close 
to  the  House,  in  short  the  present  Proprietor  told  me  that 
the  Up  Park  Pheasants  were  as  often  about  Highdown  as 
anywhere,  and  that  the  whole  of  the  property  was  remark- 
able for  game.  This,  even  Sanderson  says,  is  a  good 
bargain.  It  will  not  be  I  believe  so  far  from  you  as  Wood- 
lands would  have  been,  as  I  make  Heckfield  to  be  but 
33  miles  from  Highdown,  and  Woodlands  is  at  least  40. 

For  ever  yours, 

Charles. 

Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

Revenge,  Spithead,  Sept.  7,  1808. 

...  I  have  now  finally  taken  my  departure  from  the  Shore, 
and  am  living  on  board.  These  cursed  Pursers  are  not  yet 
arrived,  nor  is  it  now  expected  they  will  till  Tuesday 
morning.  I  wish  to  Heavens  I  was  once  clear  of  the 
Channel  with  them  all. 

It  is  a  pity  you  could  not  have  been  here  to-day,  as  there 
has  been  proper  hurry  and  scurry  with  the  Ships  coming 
out  of  Harbour.  The  bustle  has  been  occasioned  by  the 
news  of  the  Russian  fleet  being  at  sea. 

The  Zealous  s  Ship's  Company  were  bundled  on  board 
the  Christian  the  yth,  and  out  she  was  roused.  Then  came 
St.  Albans,  that  only  went  into  Harbour  yesterday  to  be 
paid  off. 

Powerful,  that  had  shifted  her  berth  to  the  Eastward  to 
go  into  Harbour  also  to  be  paid  off,  is  countermanded,  and 
Warspite,  that  was  going  to  Cawsand  Bay,  is  ordered  with 
the  others  I  have  mentioned  to  the  North  Sea.  Pleasant. 
I  suppose  I  should  have  the  same  trip,  but  for  the  Charge  I 
have  already  got. 

The  Alphea  Cutter  anchored  just  now,  and  I  suppose 
brings  dispatches,  or  I  should  positively  say  she  brings 
dispatches,  as  she  made  the  signal  for  being  charged  with 


90  THE  REVENGE  [ch.    i 

them  before  she  anchored.  She  comes  from  Portugal,  I 
conclude,  and  you  will  probably  hear  the  intelligence  before 
this  reaches  you.  Yours,  my  best  of  fellows,  for  ever  with 
the  most  unbounded  affection, 

Charles. 


Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

Revenge,  Funchal  Roads,  Oct.  i,  1808. 

No  opportunity  has  occurred,  my  dearest  Arthur,  of 
writing  to  you  since  we  sailed,  or  be  assured  I  should  noi 
have  allowed  it  to  escape  me.  I  arrived  the  evening  before 
last,  having  brought  my  Charge  here  in  eleven  days  from 
Portsmouth,  which  is  an  excellent  passage  for  a  Convoy. 
The  most  of  the  time  we  were  reduced  to  the  scudding  under 
bare  poles,  and  having  even  then  many  occasions  to  bring 
to  to  allow  the  Ships  to  come  up.  I  am  delighted  with 
the  Revenge,  and  think  her  in  every  respect  a  perfect  man 
of  war.  I  had  no  idea  of  the  possibility  of  so  large  a  ship 
being  so  manageable.  Thus  far,  my  dear  fellow,  had  I  got 
yesterday,  when  the  officer  of  the  Watch  came  to  report  a 
Three  decker  coming  round  the  point  of  the  Island,  which 
intelligence  of  course  roused  me  out.  She  proved  however 
to  be  Sir  Thos.  Williams  in  the  Neptune  in  his  way  to  the 
West  Indies.  I  went  on  board,  and  was  agreeably  surprized 
in  receiving  letters  by  him  from  Elizabeth,  who  had  calcu- 
lated on  the  Neptune  finding  me  here,  for  which  I  give  her 
great  credit,  as  the  calculation  was  a  very  accurate  one. 
The  Revenge  meaning  to  be  off  again  tomorrow,  it  was  also 
good-natured  of  Williams,  for  he  passed  by  the  roads  for 
the  express  purpose  of  giving  me  my  letters,  noi  anchoring, 
but  proceeding  on  the  moment  after  I  left  him.  Poor 
fellow,  I  never  saw  any  body  look  so  blue  as  he  did  at  his 
trip  to  the  S.W.  How  disgraceful,  my  dear  Arthur,  is 
all  this  business  ^  in  Portugal.  It  is  quite  heartbreaking 
after  what  we  had  so  fair  a  right  to  expect  after  the  battle 
of  the  2ist.  If  the  same  terms  had  been  accepted  by 
any  other  than  British  Generals,  we  should  all  have  im- 
mediately voted  that  a  good  Price  had  been  the  means  of 

1  The  Convention  of  Cintra,  by  which  it  was  agreed  that  Junot's 
army  should  be  transported  to  some  French  port,  gave  rise  to  a  storm 
of  indignation  in  England.  A  Board  of  Inquiry  was  held  which  absolved 
the  British  commanders  from  blame. 


1790-1808]  AT   IVIADEIRA  91 

procuring  for  the  French  such  terms.  The  affair  between 
the  Implacable  and  the  Centaur  with  the  Russian  Squadron 
seems  (in  the  way  I  have  heard  it)  almost  beyond  beUef. 
I  trust  ere  this  that  a  good  account  has  been  given  of  them 
all,  as  Sir  T.  Williams  told  me  that  after  these  two  ships 
had  destroyed  one  of  the  Russians,  and  had  put  the  others 
to  flight,  that  the  Victory  and  other  Ships  were  in  sight 
and  joining  from  to  Leeward,  and  would  probably  be  able 
to  attack  the  Enemy  at  the  anchorage  they  were  retiring  to. 

I  send  this,  my  dearest  fellow,  by  a  Merchant  ship  that 
sails  to-day.  I  have  no  news,  since  I  have  been  here  I 
have  been  employed  in  procuring  a  House  for  my  Pas- 
sengers,^ in  which  I  have  succeeded.  Poor  things,  I  would 
not  but  have  been  of  the  service  I  have  been  to  them  for 
the  world.  They  are  good-natured  pleasant  young  women 
as  can  be,  and  are  penetrated  with  the  reception  they 
have  met  with  in  the  Revenge.  The  sick  one  is  in  a  sad 
way.  They  are  going  on  shore  after  breakfast  not  to 
return,  so  that  I  shall  purify  my  Cabin  forthwith,  and  knock 
down  the  partitions  etc.  and  shift  the  foremost  Bulkhead 
forward  in  order  to  do  that  which  you  so  approve  of,  I 
mean  the  communication  to  my  servant's  Cabin  without 
having  them  bringing  me  breakfast,  and  dinner,  and  things 
in  general  up  the  Quarter  deck  Ladder. 

Montresor  I  continue  to  like  much,  and,  but  that  I  wish 
him  with  all  my  heart  speedy  promotion,  I  should  like  to 
have  him  my  first  Lieutenant  as  long  as  this  cursed  war 
lasts.  He  certainly  knows  his  business  as  an  officer,  and 
is  withal  a  Gentleman,  which  is  a  grand  object. 

I  hear  from  General  Meade  that  Paget  ^  is  returned  to 
England  from  Portugal.  .  .  .  When  you  see  or  write  to 
him,  tell  him  his  Pipe  of  Madeira  is  embarked  on  board  the 
Union  for  India,  and  that  her  Commander  has  promised 
to  bring  it  back  to  England  for  him  in  about  18  months, 
when  I  trust  he  will  receive  it  safe  and  good — as  I  could 
not  afford  to  pay  for  it,  I  desired  the  Merchant  (Gordon) 
of  whom  I  ordered  it,  to  draw  on  him  for  the  amount, 
about  46  Pounds.  My  dearest  fellow,  for  ever  yours  most 
affectly, 

Charles. 

1  Lady  Horatia  Seymour  was  one  of  them. 

2  Lord  Paget  returned  to  England  for  a  very  short  time  and  was  back 
iu  the  Peninsula  in  November 


92  CHARLES'   BAND  [ch.  i 

Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

Revenge,  at  Sea,  Oct.  13/A,  1808. 

There's  not  much  use  in  writing  to  you,  my  dearest  good 
Arthur,  for  no  opportunity  is  hkely  to  offer  of  sending  letters 
home  sooner  than  we  are  to  be  so  ourselves.  I  hope  how- 
ever you  will  have  received  the  letter  I  sent  you  from 
Madeira.  From  that  Island  to  the  Tropic  I  was  only  a 
week  in  performing  the  distance,  and  accordingly  wished 
my  outward  bound  friends  good  bye  three  days  ago — previous 
to  doing  so  I  made  the  signal  for  an  opportunity  of  sending 
letters  to  England,  and  hove  to  to  give  them  the  power 
of  executing  it.  When  their  boats  shoved  off  to  come 
here,  mine  shoved  off  to  visit  there — not  however  with  the 
same  object,  but  to  get  a  few  men.  I  did  it  in  the  mildest 
and  least  annoying  way,  for  I  wrote  a  civil  note  to  all  the 
East  India  Captains  to  allow  the  officer  from  the  Revenge 
to  have  their  crews  mustered  in  his  presence  in  order  that 
if  one  or  two  were  desirous  of  volunteering  for  the  Revenge 
that  they  might  have  the  opportunity  of  executing  their 
wishes.  In  this  way  I  accordingly  got  16  seamen,  and 
might  have  got  double  the  number,  but  that  I  would  not 
take  more  than  2  from  each  of  them — amongst  the  numbers 
are  two  musicians  which  will  enforce  my  band,  which  now 
consists  of  twenty  two  performers,  and  when  I  get  the 
new  Instruments,  which  I  shall  find  ready  for  them  at 
Plymouth,  I  shall  not  be  afraid  of  your  judgment  being 
passed  upon  them.  They  play  lots  of  Waltzes  and  all  your 
old  tunes,  such  as  Miss  Johnstone,  Mrs  Garden  of  Troop, 
Ly  Montgomery,  and  so  forth,  which  for  a  Ship  band  is 
by  far  the  best  sort  of  music. 

I  have  altered  the  foremost  Cabin,  and  find  the  greatest 
convenience  from  the  Hatchway  into  the  servants'  berth, 
besides  it  is  so  much  more  respectful  to  the  Quarter  deck, 
that  one's  servants  and  one's  dinner  and  everything  should 
not  be  eternally  traversing  the  Quarter  deck  Ladder,  but 
on  the  contrary  to  have  access  to  the  Cabin  thro'  the  aper- 
ture now  contrived  for  those  conveniences. 

I  am  also  at  this  moment  having  the  after  part  of  the 
after  Cabin  altered,  and  I  think  you  will  think  improved. 
Instead  of  that  stupid  half  and  half  sort  of  projection  from 
the  stern  across  the  cabin,  which,  when  one  was  disposed 
to  sit  down,  one  wished  was  a  comfortable  seat,  I  am  now 


1790-1808]  IMPROVEMENTS  93 

making  it  so,  and  there  will  be  jolly  Cushions  etc,  to  fit 
sopha  fashion.  The  stove,  that  Sir  Gore  told  me  never 
smoked,  he  was  perfectly  correct  about,  for  it  had  only 
been  twice  lighted  since  he  had  had  it,  and  then  merely  in 
fine  weather.  I  however  found,  as  usual  with  the  old  Orion 
set,  that  it  was  as  bad  as  they  usually  are.  I  have  since 
had  it  completely  altered  by  a  clever  armourer  we  have, 
who  has  reduced  the  draught  and  so  improved  the  principle 
of  it  that  it  answers  famously,  tho'  as  yet  no  other  trial 
has  been  made  than  simply  lighting  it  to  see  whether  it 
would  do,  and  then  putting  it  out,  for  the  weather  is  sultry 
to  a  degree,  tho'  there's  plenty  of  wind.  The  atmosphere 
feels  just  as  it  does  in  the  Mediterranean,  when  the  sirrocco 
wind  blows,  which  you  must  have  often  felt.  It  makes  one 
enjoy  the  bath  in  the  Gallery,  which  I  have  not  failed  to 
enjoy  every  day  this  last  fortnight,  when  I  dress  about 
half  an  hour  before  dinner. 

We  are  still  in  the  North  East  trade,  and  took  up  for  the 
Western  Islands — which  it  is  not  unlikely  I  shall  visit, 
particularly  if  I  can  manage  to  get  to  Fayal,  where  there  is 
tolerably  good  anchorage.  I  want  to  paint  again  entirely 
inside  and  out,  to  look  handsome  against  my  return  to 
Cawsand,  where  Ehzabeth  will  see  my  Ship  for  the  first 
time,  and  Fayal  would  be  a  good  place  to  undertake  the 
Job. 

C.  P. 

Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

Revenge  at  Sea,  Nov.  1st,  1808,  at  night. 

I  have  had  no  opportunity,  my  dearest  good  Arthur,  of 
writing  to  you  since  the  letter  which  I  forwarded  from 
Madeira,  a  letter  however  has  been  some  time  written, 
had  we  accidentally  seen  anything  homeward  bound.  Now 
we  are  so  ourselves,  and  it  would  puzzle  most  of  them 
getting  there  before  us,  even  if  we  were  to  see  a  fellow  that 
way  inclined.  I  think  since  I  wrote  to  you  we  have  touched 
at  the  Western  Islands,  which  we  exactly  fetched  on  a 
wind  on  the  Starbd.  Tack  from  the  Tropic,  and  being  there 
I  was  tempted  to  get  some  refreshments  for  the  Ship's  Com- 
pany at  St.  Michaels — and  to  the  amount  of  a  dozen  Bul- 
locks, Vegetables,  and  50  tons  of  water,  we  got  off  under 
24  hours.     We  then  sailed,  and  fetched  Madeira  on  the 


94  PORTUGUESE  "  TAYLORS "  [ch.  i 

Larboard  Tack,  where  I  anchored  for  three  days,  and  sailed 
from  thence  four  days  ago. 

The  day  before  yesterday  we  were  rather  put  on  the 
qui  vive  by  a  squadron,  consisting  of  a  Line  of  Battle  Ship, 
two  Frigates,  and  a  Brig.  I  thought  at  first  it  must  be 
some  fellows  escaped  from  Brest  or  L'Orient  for  the  relief 
of  Martinique,  but  on  chasing  and  coming  up  with  them — it 
proved  to  be  a  Portugiiese  Squadron  bound  to  the  Brazils, 
consisting  of  the  Vasco  da  Gama,  and  two  spanking  frigates, 
and  Brig.  These  taylors  were  literally  under  the  close 
reefed  Topsails  and  foresail  with  main  sail  furled.  When 
we  passed  under  the  stern  of  the  Vasco  under  single  reefed 
Topsails  and  Topgallt.  sails,  having  fetched  on  a  wind 
under  that  sail  and  the  Courses  Jib  and  Driver  his  Weather 
Quarter,  when  I  shortened  sail  and  bore  up  to  speak  him. 
Poor  fellows,  it  is  curious  and  at  the  same  time  very  pleasing 
for  us  to  see  the  contrast  between  our  own,  and  all  foreign 
ships.  I  am  now,  my  dear  Arthur,  making  up  for  the 
bad  luck  we  had  in  painting  at  Portsmouth.  We  have 
succeeded  in  getting  the  Quarter  Deck  Poop  etc.  perfectly 
done,  and  all  the  black  work  outside,  and  if  tomorrow 
proves  such  another  as  to-day  Montresor  will  be  quite 
happy  in  completing  the  whole. 

I  find  tho',  when  I  am  at  sea,  I  am  as  fond  of  the  Ship 
of  the  Line,  as  I  used  to  be  of  the  frigates — indeed  the 
Ship  herself  is  so  good,  that  she  deserves  to  have  pains 
taken  with  her.  I  only  wish,  my  dear  old  boy,  there  was 
any  Chance  of  our  meeting  after  this  cruize,  but  I  fear  there's 
none,  as  in  point  of  fact,  when  we  arrive  at  Cawsand  Bay, 
we  shall  be  perfectly  ready  for  sea,  tho'  of  course  I  shall 
endeavour  to  get  a  ten  days  or  fortnight  with  my  Elizabeth, 
and  therefore  shall  report  that  time  as  necessary  for  her 
re-equipment. 

I  want  sadly  to  hear  about  things  in  general.  Public 
and  Private.  The  last  of  the  former  I  heard  was  that 
5,000  Cavalry  had  formed  a  part  of  the  Troops  sent  out  to 
Corunna  under  Sir  D.  Baird/  if  this  be  so  I  conclude  Paget 
will  again  go  on  service — having  I  hear  returned  from  Lisbon 
to  England  in  the  Donegal.  The  Duke  tho',  I  hear,  com- 
mands or  is  to  command  in  Chief.  He  can't  do  worse  than 
some  have  before  him,  and  I  wish  him  well  most  cordially. 

1  Sir  John  Moore  became  Commander-in-Chief  in  the  Peninsula  ;  Baird 
landed  at  Corunna  on  October  31st. 


1790-1808]  WHAT  SIGNIFIES?  95 

We  are  now  in  the  Trolley  Lollcy's,  but,  as  there's  a  full 
moon  tomorrow,  I  hope  the  Westerly  wind  will  prevail. 
We  have  had  nothing  but  Northeast. 

C.  P. 


Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

Revengs   at  Sea,  Nov.   8th,   1808,   at  night.     Lat.  4630,   long.   16. 

The  day  before  yesterday,  my  dearest  Arthur,  we  were 
going  along  steady  as  we  go   staadyyy  with   the  prospect 
of  reaching  Cawsand  Bay  in  three  or  four  days,  but  the 
wind  has  chopped  round  exactly  to  the  point  of  the  compass 
we  were  steering,  N.E.,  and  instead  of  having  the  now 
good  moon  to  go  into  the  Channel  with  (which  is  a  cir- 
cumstance I  always  Uke  to  have),  we  shall  not  have  any, 
tho'  indeed,  if  the  present  gale  holds,  we  may  have  the 
advantage   of   the  next   fuU  moon — pleasant !     but   what 
signifies  ?    at  the  end  of  the  War  it  will  be  all  the  same, 
and  till  then  there  will  7iot  be  in  point  of  fact  any  real  sort 
of  comfort  or  happiness.     Tho'  by  the  bye  it  is  not  bad 
fun  taking  it  as  it  comes  now  a  days.     I  find  the  Revenge 
capital  under   reefed   courses   and   close   reefed   Topsails, 
which  we  have  had  since  last  evening,  I  am  sure  she  would 
beat  most  of  them  carr3dng  off  a  Lee  Shore.     Returning 
from  the  Southward  I  find  the  great  foremost  Cabin  etc. 
cold,  and  I  am  accordingly  making  it  not  cold.     I  have 
on  both  sides  before  the  after-Cabin  made  most  comfortable 
Cabins,  taking  in  the  space  from  the  foremost  angle  of 
the  after-Cabin  to  just  abaft  the  second  gun,  having  removed 
the  after  gun   to   the  Fore  Castle.     Thus  there  are  two 
comfortable  sort  of  ante  rooms  to  the  after  Cabin,  with  a 
window  in  each,  which  was  before  filled  up  by  a  Gun,  both 
are  green-haized,  and  as  snug  as  possible.     Then  besides 
this  I  mean  to  carry  along  a  bulk-head  from  the  foremost 
part  of  those  two  Cabins  in  a  line,  which  just  takes  in  the 
after  part  of  the  carriage  of  the  two  guns,  thus  therefore 
will  the  wet  and  cold  be  shut  out  from  those  apertures,  and 
the  foremost  Cabin  made  a  comfortable  dining  apartment 
by  the  exclusion  of  the  said  guns  and  Ports. 

My  dear  old  boy,  I  often  often,  I  may  say  unceasingly, 
think  of  you  and  yours,  for  it  is  certainly  true  that  what- 
ever subject  occupies  my  thoughts,  you  necessarily,  as  it 
would  seem,  take  a  part  in  it.  .  .  . 
8 


96  '  DREADFUL  DREAMS  [ch.  i 

I  am,  my  dearest  fellow,  looking  forward  with  no  small 
degree  of  pleasure  to  seeing  Elizabeth  and  our  young 
ones,  in  a  few  days.  God  send  I  may  find  them  all  well. 
I  have  these  two  nights  past  had  dreadful  dreams,  not 
about  them  but  about  our  father,  each  successive  night 
he  has  been  the  subject  of  my  night's  repose — and  on  both 
I  have  dreamt  being  in  attendance  on  him  on  his  breathing 
his  last.  If  the  subject  had  only  intruded  itself  one  night, 
I  should  not  have  dwelt  upon  it,  but  it  again  pressing  itself 
on  me  the  succeeding  one  I  could  not  help  teUing  Montresor 
this  morning  my  dream — God  forbid  it  should  be  fulfilled 
— the  poor  old  Boy,  I  fear  he  cannot  hold  out  long  from 
what  I  [hear]. 

C.  P. 

CapU  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

Revenge  off  the  Lizard,  3  a.m.  i8ih  Nov.,  1808. 

We  made  the  Lizard  Lights,  my  dearest  fellow,  at  eight 
o'clock  last  evening,  since  which  we  have  been  expending 
the  night  in  sight  of  them,  and  in  an  hour  we  shall  up-helm, 
and  get  in  by  dayhght  to  Cawsand  Bay.  It  is  blowing  a 
gale  of  wind  at  South  West,  and  a  nastier  night  I  never 
passed,  indeed  altogether  I  don't  remember  ever  having 
so  anxious  a  time  in  coming  into  the  Channel,  for  inde- 
pendent of  infernal  weather  with  pitch  dark  nights,  and 
not  the  least  slice  of  a  moon  to  cheer  one,  independent  of 
all  this  we  have  not  had  a  meridional  observation  this 
week,  and  consequently  my  time  keepers  have  been  of  no 
use,  in  short  our  reckoning  was  incorrect,  and  but  for  the 
Egeria,  which  we  had  the  good  luck  to  cross  upon  yesterday 
after  noon,  we  should  now  be  humbugging  in  the  stream 
of  the  Channel  under  the  pleasing  sensation  of  not  knowing 
whereabouts  one  was,  and  with  weather  so  bad  as  not  to 
venture  to  make  the  land.  The  Egeria  however,  only  three 
days  from  Corunna,  could  not  be  incorrect  in  her  reckoning, 
I  therefore  got  it,  and  acted  upon  it,  and  accordingly  ran 
in  and  made  the  Light,  as  I  have  described.  This  Channel, 
my  old  Boy,  is  a  sad  dreary  spot  at  this  season  of  the  year, 
and  I  think  it  invariably  happens  that  one  contrives  to 
come  into  it  in  bad  weather  and  without  a  moon. 

I  heard  by  the  Egeria  that  Paget  and  Edward  were  both 
well.  I  was  delighted  to  hear  of  the  former  having  gone 
out  again,  particularly  as  I  also  heard  that  he  had  got 


1790-1808]  COMPLAINTS   OF  CREW  97 

Cavalry  with  him.  I  suppose  his  chief  purpose  in  going 
back  in  the  Donegal  was  to  urge  the  fellows  to  send  them 
out — I  dare  say  however  he  killed  two  birds  with  one  stone, 
or  rather  with  two  stones. 

I  wonder  what  will  become  of  Revenge  next.  I  have 
written  to  Lord  Mulgrave  to  suggest  to  him  what  might  be 
done,  that  is,  I  have  said  I  should  like  to  belong  to  the 
Corunna  squadron,  and  that  I  should  be  happy  in  taking 
anything  or  anybody  out  that  might  be  wanted  with  the 
Army,  as  there's  nothing  to  be  done  at  sea.  The  best  tiling 
is  to  get  your  ship  and  self  in  as  easy  a  position  as  you 
can,  and  old  De  Courcy  finds  it  so,  I  dare  say,  snug  at  anchor 
in  Corunna  in  these  gales. 

The  Revenge  finds  the  difference  of  this  and  the  Cadiz 
climate  so  much  so  that  to  relieve  her  straining  abaft  I 
have  removed  all  the  Carronades  of  the  Poop,  as  also  the 
two  after  ones  out  of  my  Cabin.  She  has  never  recovered 
the  trotmcmg  (as  Peacock  would  say)  she  got  in  her  stern 
from  a  Three  Decker  in  the  action  of  Trafalgar. 

The  Ship's  Company,  my  dear  Arthur,  are  mortally  bad, 
and  I  have  no  hesitation  in  declaring  that  the  description 
of  Man  is  so  weak  and  diminutive  that  it  is  out  of  the 
nature  of  things  that  she  should  be  tolerably  off.  The 
Admiralty  ought  therefore  to  draft  the  whole  of  them  into 
small  ships,  and  completely  reman  the  ship,  and  till  this 
is  done  it  will  be  sad  uphill  work  ;  Gore  thought  and  told 
the  Admiralty  the  same.  I  however  did  not  support  his 
representation  till  I  had  had  an  opportunity  of  judging 
for  myself. 

C.  P. 

Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

Revenge,  November  2.2nd,  1808. 

Many  thanks,  my  dear  good  fellow,  for  your  letter  of  the 
17th,  which  I  received  yesterday.  I  have  also  to  thank 
you  for  Addenbrooke's  two,  which  I  return  in  a  sepcrate 
Cover.  From  the  accounts  given  of  poor  Sir  William  Pitt, 
it  absolutely  appears  miraculous  that  he  should  have  sur- 
vived this  late  attack.  If  he  now  recovers  strength  enough 
to  last  thro'  the  winter,  the  old  Boy  will  probably  spin  out 
another  Summer.  But  when  it  comes  to  this  sort  of  work, 
one  had  better,  I  believe,  for  one's  self  and  all  parties  take 
a  departure  for  the  other  world,  tho'  by  the  bye  I  never 


98  THE  PITTS   FORGET  [ch.  i 

saw  the  man  yet,  let  his  wounds  or  pain  be  ever  so  severe 
or  acute,  that  did  not  wish  to  hold  on  as  long  as  he  could. 
I  received  a  Letter  from  Elizabeth  yesterday,  whereby  it  i 
appears  that  the  Pitts  have  totally  forgot  that  they  had 
lent  the  Government  House  at  Portsmouth  to  us,  for  a 
letter  had  been  received  from  Addenbrooke  addressed  to  the 
Town-Major  of  Portsmouth,  (who  has  the  charge  of  the 
House,)  directing  him  to  prepare  it  for  the  reception  of 
Lady  Bute.  Of  course  Elizabeth  was  taken  aback,  however 
she  wrote,  it  appears,  immediately  to  Addenbrooke  to 
state  that  she  was  there  with  her  family,  but  that  she  would 
be  ready  to  turn  out  for  the  few  days  Lady  Bute  intended 
to  be  at  Portsmouth,  and  that  the  Beds  and  furniture  we 
had  put  in  should  be  at  her  service.  Now  tho'  I  am  glad 
that  Elizabeth  has  written  to  this  effect,  I  have  no  Idea 
that  Sir  William  and  Lady  Pitt,  when  they  are  reminded 
of  our  being  already  in  the  occupation  of  it,  will  do  other- 
wise than  put  off  my  Lady  Bute.  I  have  also  written  to 
Addenbrooke,  who  I  dare  say  has  already  adjusted  the 
matter  with  these  good  old  People.  Here,  my  dear  fellow, 
we  are  still,  and  if  I  am  to  judge  from  appearances,  here 
we  are  still  likely  to  continue  some  time,  for  it  looks  like 
very  dirty  weather  from  the  Westward,  which  we  may 
fairly  expect  after  the  two  months  of  almost  continued 
Easterly  winds  and  fine  weather.  However  this  westerly 
wind  has  brought  the  means  of  disposing  of  the  army  of 
sick,  a  fleet  of  light  Transports  as  also  the  Leyden,  Isis 
and  Ulysses,  having  arrived  yesterday  for  their  reception. 
The  few  effective  troops  will  be  distributed  on  the  Ships  of 
the  Line,  so  that  with  the  first  fair  wind  there  will  be 
nothing  that  /  know  of  to  prevent  our  availing  ourselves 
of  it.  Sir  Richard  Strachan  still  holds  out  the  prospect 
of  our  seeing  him  here,  indeed  the  Admiral  yesterday  told 
me  that  he  had  received  a  Letter  from  him  in  which  he 
said  that  his  honor  was  pledged  to  come,  and  that  he  should 
be  here  forthwith.  /  long  to  see  him,  for  I  own  that  I 
have  a  confidence  in  him  whilst  afloat,  that  makes  me  wish 
him  with  us  much.  Whereas,  tho'  I  think  Admiral  Otway 
a  very  good  Portsmouth  Harbour  Admiral,  I  should  not,  I 
could  not,  feel  any  degree  of  confidence  in  his  conducting 
a  fleet  of  12  or  14  sail  of  the  Line  out  of  a  most  dangerous 
and  intricate  Channel  and  afterwards  across  the  [illegible] 
Sea  to  the  Downs,  at  this  season  of  the  year.    You  have 


1790-1808]  NO  FEAR  OF  FRENCH  99 

seen  so  much  of  this  sort  of  work,  that  you  will  instantly 
understand  it  in  me. 

The  Audacious  and  Revenge  are  to  move,  as  soon  as  the 
wind  and  weather  permits,  off  Flushing  again,  and  the 
Imperieuse  and  Diana  are  to  take  our  Stations,  and  as  light 
Troops  cover  the  retreat.  In  the  mean  time  we  are  allowing 
a  famous  moon  to  be  expending  itself  without  our  pro- 
fiting by  it,  and  I  foresee  some  dreadful  scrambling  work 
in  going  over  in  the  long  dark  nights.     Pleasant. 

I  don't  quite  agree  with  you  as  to  Buonaparte  only 
requiring  time,  and  that  perhaps  a  short  time,  to  make 
himself  again  formidable  by  sea,  for  if  ships  were  all  he 
wanted,  time  would  be  sufficient  to  make  him  so,  but  I 
can't  see  with  you  that  time  has  anything  to  do  with 
manning  his  fleet,  unless  men  are  capable  of  being  made 
efficient  sailors  by  manoeuvring  in  Port.  I  trust  Buonaparte 
will  be  contented  to  man  his  fleet  with  such  sort  of  seamen, 
for  certainly  then  we  shall  only  require  sufficient  Timber  in 
our  Arsenals  to  make  good  the  repairs  of  the  Ships  we  capture. 
Without  practise  and  experience  at  sea  both  in  Officers  and 
seamen,  the  French  will  never  again  hold  any  competition 
with  us,  and  these  absolutely  necessary  qualities  the  French 
Navy  cannot  possess  till  we  have  a  peace,  and  they  embrace 
the  interval  of  repose  to  make  both  ships  and  seamen.  How 
curious,  if  that  period  should  arrive,  it  will  be  to  see  French 
Men  of  War  and  merchantmen  going  about  as  ours  do  during 
War.  If  this  country  could  be  inveigled  into  a  Peace  for  five 
years,  then  I  think  we  should  have  some  hard  fighting  again 
at  sea,  and  enough  upon  our  hands  for  some  time  to  come. 

I  have  just  been  looking  at  an  unfortunate  Transport, 
which  is  on  shore  and  firing  Guns  of  distress,  poor  devils, 
it  is  impossible  for  us  to  assist  her.  There  will  be  plenty 
of  this  sort  of  work,  I  dare  say.  Whenever  it  occurs  an 
involuntary  emotion  comes  immediately  across  me,  wishing 
to  God  that  all  the  Cabinet  were  stationed  at  the  Pumps  of 
every  ship,  that  has  been,  or  will  be  in  distress  in  this  precious 
Walcheren  Expedition.  We  hear  that  great  preparations 
are  making  to  annoy  us. 

Capt,  Hon,  Charles  Paget 

I  Dec,  1808. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — These  few  days  past  I  have 
been  in  hot  water  with  Admiral  Young  about  my  Ship's 


lOo  TROUBLE  WITH   CREW  [ch.  i 

Company,  which  are  so  bad  that  I  felt  myself  justified  after 
the  report  which  you  made  of  them,  of  making  a  similar 
representation.  The  Admiralty  however  have  not  done 
anything  for  me — otherwise  than  causing  a  survey  to  be 
held  upon  them,  which  took  place  two  days  ago.  The 
report  I  have  not  seen  but  Otway  (who  was  one  of  the 
surveying  Officers)  in  confidence  told  me  that  it  was  in 
favour  of  my  statement  and  that  whatever  was  the  result 
that  I  was  completely  exculpated  from  all  blame  in  making 
the  application.  When  I  have  more  time  I  will  explain 
to  you  my  principal  motive  for  wishing  an  exchange  of 
Men.  It  not  having  arisen  from  merely  their  being  weak 
and  ineffective,  but  from  sjmiptoms  of  dissatisfaction  which, 
tho'  I  believe  it  may  be  confined  to  a  few  individuals,  still 
is  a  very  unpleasant  thing  in  a  Ship,  particularly  as  on 
the  occasions  it  has  appeared,  it  has  been  impossible  to 
ascertain  the  Individual  or  Individuals,  and  consequently 
the  offenders  have  evaded  Punishment.  All  this  I  have 
made  known  to  the  Admiralty  and  I  have  advised  as  the 
set  altogether  is  a  radically  bad  one  that  they  should  be 
drafted  and  separated  into  several  small  Ships.  Whether 
this  suggestion  will  be  adopted  I  know  not.  I  am  glad 
whatever  be  the  result  that  I  have  done  as  I  have.  To- 
morrow night  the  Shipwrights  will  certainly  have  done 
with  us,  and  the  next  Morning  I  shall  proceed  to  join  Ld 
Gambler,  who  is  now  in  Torbay,  therefore  if  the  Westerly 
wind  continues  your  letters  will  find  me  there.  .  .  . 

Malta  is  to  be  paid  off  in  a  few  days — so  is  Dragon,  and 
I  fancy  the  Spencer,  they  are  all  so  bad.  The  Admiralty 
therefore  might  if  they  chose  give  me  one  of  these  Ship's 
Companies  in  lieu  of  my  own.  .  .  .  Ever,  my  dearest  fellow, 
your  most  affect. 

Charles. 

Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

Revenge,  Torbav,  Dec.  4,  1808. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — .  .  .  I  anchored  here  last  evening 
from  Cawsand  Bay  and  got  on  board  the  Caledonia,  when  I 
found  Lord  Gambler  '  all  kindness  and  good  nature.     In 

1  Admiral  Lord  Gambler,  1756-1833,  who  received  a  peerage  on  account 
of  the  operations  against  Copenhagen  in  1807.  His  faihire  in  1809  against 
the  French  fleet  in  the  Basque  Roads  suggests  that  he  was  out  of  place 
in  command  of  a  fleet.  His  fiery  subordinate,  Lord  Cochrane,  con- 
sidered Gambler  "  a  canting  and  hypocritical  methodist." — D.  N.  B. 


1790-1808]        LORD  GAMBIER'S   KINDNESS  loi 

the  course  of  conversation  he  asked  after  Elizabeth  and 
enquired  if  she  was  coming  to  Torquay — whereupon  I  said 
it  entirely  depended  on  his  keeping  the  Revenge  with  him — 
theyexx^on  he  said  that  at  present  there  was  no  intention 
of  detaching  her,  whereupon  I  said  I  should  claim  the 
Indulgence  that  the  others  of  my  Brother  Officers  enjoyed, 
by  having  Elizabeth  here.  Whereupon  he  said  that  he 
wished  to  make  the  service  as  pleasant  as  possible  to  all 
under  his  command,  and  as  long  as  it  was  not  lost  sight 
of  or  neglected  he  wished  to  see  everybody  enjoying  them- 
selves as  much  as  possible,  and  that  as  long  as  /  was  on 
board  by  the  time  the  fleet  got  under  way  he  should  be 
satisfied.  Nothing  could  be  kinder  or  more  disinterested, 
for  he  lives  entirely  on  board  himself,  and  merely  requires 
that  which  it  is  not  only  our  duty,  but  which  from  every 
possible  wish  one  must  desire  to  execute  with  all  possible 
zeal,  to  repay  in  some  degree  such  kindness  and  good 
nature. 

The  consequence  of  it  is  that  Sir  John  Duckworth, 
Admirals  Eliot  Harvey,  and  Sotheby,  Charles  Hamilton,  King, 
and  others  and  myself  have  homes  on  shore  at  Torquay, 
and  when  the  wind  either  in  the  night  or  day  inclines  to 
be  fair  or  Northerly,  the  signal  is  made  from  the  Caledonia 
to  prepare  for  sailing,  thereupon  a  boat  is  immediately  dis- 
patched from  the  respective  Ships,  and  you  are  on  board 
immediately.  In  this  way  we  enjoy  ourselves  for  ten 
days  perhaps  or  more  together.  I  say  we,  but  not  having 
in  point  of  fact  experienced  it,  I  should  say  they  have,  and 
still  do. 

You  say  you  hope  Lord  Gambler  gives  as  much  indulgence 
to  the  Men.  I  believe  it  to  be  impossible  that  they  can 
receive  more,  or  generally  speaking  can  be  better  pleased 
and  satisfied.  My  own  is  a  particular  case,  and  it  is  I 
own  a  very  unpleasant  one  to  contend  against,  and  so 
unlike  what  I  have  ever  before  had  to  encounter,  that  it  is  an 
extremely  irksome  one.  I  am  afraid  nothing  but  the  most 
stubborn  and  iron  hearted  discipline,  which  is  a  dreary 
task  for  me,  will  get  the  better  of  what  I  have  to  do.  I 
am  in  great  hopes  that  being  with  the  Commander  in  Chief 
will  have  a  good  effect,  for  unless  a  body  of  men  are  callous 
to  all  feeling  of  pride  and  emulation  they  will  then  show 
themselves.  I  must  say  that  I  had  no  Idea  of  finding 
such  a  disposition  in  a  Ship's  crew  that  Gore  had  com- 


102  ANXIETY  ABOUT  SPAIN  [ch.  i 

manded,  or  generally  speaking  anything  so  bad,  as  they 
are  both  in  point  of  strength  or  ability. 

I  can't  help  feeling  anxious  about  our  Troops  in  Spain  ^ 
and  if  they  get  well  off  without  being  cut  up  I  shaU  be  happy. 
What  there  are  of  them  I  am  confident  would  perform 
almost  miracles  of  valour,  but  as  we  know  not  yet  that  they 
are  even  united,  and  as  we  do  know  that  the  Spanish  forces 
have  been  infernally  worsted,  and  are  beginning  to  get 
infernally  sick  of  their  fighting — we  have  to  dread  the 
amazing  and  accumulating  force  that  Buonaparte  seems 
to  be  overwhelming  Spain  with  according  to  your  letter 
of  to-day. 

You  expect  to  be  at  this  time  at  Sinai  Park.  This  calls 
to  my  remembrance  a  sort  of  rebuke  I  felt  I  received,  tho' 
I  dare  say  it  was  not  intended,  at  having  expressed  my 
satisfaction  at  your  being  to  occupy  that  place. 

When  one's  heart  has  been  disappointed  in  attaining  its 
first  object,  that  which  next  approaches  it  for  the  welfare 
and  happiness  of  the  person  that  one  is  interested  about 
one  is  naturally  inclined  to  approve  of — so  was  my  satis- 
faction given,  when  I  heard  from  you  that  Sinai  Park  would 
ultimately  be  your  Home.  You  must,  my  old  Boy,  know 
me  well  enough  to  feel  assured  that  it  is  a  severe  and  real 
disappointment  to  me.  Your  removal  from  that  part  of 
England,  which  made  us  even  as  you  now  are  situated 
within  a  few  hours  reach  of  each  other,  but  as  I  had  fondly 
calculated  by  some  subsequent  means  you  might  have 
reduced  to  a  much  nearer  distance.  This  prospect  having 
vanish'd  and  you  yourself  having  told  me  that  your  means 
did  not  admit  of  your  taking  Houses  at  £300  and  ^^400  a 
year,  at  the  same  time  stating  that  Sinai  Park,  from  my 
declining  it,  was  offered  to  you,  I  could  not  withhold  ex- 
pressing my  gratification  (as  we  were  destined  not  to  be 
near  each  other)  that  you  should  have  a  Place,  that  would 
not  be  expensive  to  you.  This  feeling  produced  that  remark 
in  a  letter  of  yours  when  you  said  you  did  not  expect  I 
should  so  easily  have  given  up  the  objects  we  both  had  of 
living  near  each   other.     In   justification   of  myself,   my 

1  The  overwhelming  superiority  in  numbers  of  the  French  and  the 
collapse  of  our  Spanish  alUes  had  compelled  Sir  John  Moore's  retreat 
to  Corunna  Lord  Paget's  dashing  actions  at  Sahagun  and  Benevente 
during  this  most  critical  movement  gained  him  great  distinction.  Charles 
Paget  wrote  later,  "  Paget's  affair  with  his  400  7th  Boys  seems  to  be  of 
the  most  brilhant  description." 


1790-1808]  SAHAGUN  103 

excellent  dear  Arthur,  I  have  said  so  much,  for  I  cannot 
bear  the  Idea  that  you  should  for  one  Instant  imagine  I 
can  forego  any  pleasure  I  am  likely  to  derive  from  your 
society,  but  from  the  conviction  that  in  being  so  deprived 
I  am  suffering  it  for  your  good  and  Interest. 

I  have  got  a  Lodging  at  Torquay,  which  is  a  neat  small 
little  place  in  its  Infancy.  I  wrote  to  Elizabeth  to  say 
that  as  the  wind  had  backed  to  the  Westward  she  might 
come,  and  I  dare  say  she  will  not  be  long  in  getting  into  her 
Carriage.  .  ,  ,     Believe  me  for  ever  your  devoted  and  affect, 

Charles. 

Duke  of  Argyll 

Dec.  14,  '08. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — Famous  sport  at  Up  Park.  408 
Pheasants  in  the  four  days,  835  things.  .  .  .  Yours  ever, 

Argyll. 

Lord  Paget  ^ 

Sahagun,  Dtc.  22nd,  1808. 

You  will  be  pleased  to  hear  that  I  have  had  an  affair 
with  the  French  Cavalry,  and  have  given  them  a  good  Hcking. 
It  was  with  those  lucky  Rogues,  the  15th,  who  always 
happen  to  be  under  my  hand,  when  there  is  anything  to  be 
done. 

The  following  is  the  History.  Hearing  that  a  French 
General  with  700  or  800  Cavalry  was  at  this  place,  I  deter- 
mined upon  trying  to  catch  them,  and  for  this  purpose 
ordered  Gl.  Slade  to  march  with  the  loth  and  4  Guns  on 
our  side  the  River,  to  make  a  Show,  and  if  possible  push 
into  the  town,  whilst  I  marched  at  i  o'clock  a.m.  to  get 
round  the  town  with  about  400  of  the  15th,  and  about 
12  Men  of  the  7th.  In  the  night  my  advanced  Guard  fell 
in  with  a  Patrol  of  the  Enemy,  from  whom  5  Prisoners 
were  taken,  but  as  the  others  escaped,  I  was  obliged  to 
push  very  fast,  lest  they  should  take  the  alarm  and  escape. 
I  judged  right  for  having  come  to  my  point  before  day 
hght,  I  found  the  Enemy  formed  without  the  town.  I 
judged  them  to  be  between  6  and  700  Men,  but  from  the 
reports  of  Prisoners  they  must  have  amounted  to  750.  As 
soon  as  they  could  distinguish  us,  they  made  off  in  good 

•  Printed  in  the  Paget  Papers. 


104  "  SPAIN  IS  GONE  "  [ch.  i 

order,  I  marched  in  column  parallel,  but  a  good  deal  behind 
them,  gaining  however  upon  them,  at  length  seeing  they 
must  be  caught,  they  halted  and  formed,  I  pursued  a  Httle 
further  to  secure  them,  halted,  wheeled  into  Line,  and 
charged  just  as  you  have  often  seen  us  do  at  Ipswich.  The 
French  fired  at  us,  and  stood  firm  to  receive  us.  We  broke 
them,  and  the  result  was  several  killed  ;  ig  wounded  ;  2 
Lt.  Cols.,  I  Capn.,  10  Lieuts.,  between  150  and  160  Men, 
and  125  Horses,  and  some  Mules  made  prisoners.  Col. 
Grant,  Ajt.  Jones,  and  22  Men  of  the  15th  wounded — the 
March,  and  the  attack,  were  beautiful,  nothing  could  stand 
it,  but  the  pursuit  was  sadly  disorderly  ;  I  gave  the  Regiment 
a  good  scolding  for  it  after  the  affair  was  over,  and  the  answer 
they  gave  me  was  three  Cheers ;  and  a  request  that  I 
would  accept,  as  a  token  of  their  regard,  the  two  best 
Officers'  Horses  ^  that  were  taken,  you  would  be  pleased 
if  you  were  to  hear  all  they  say  about  me.  I  cannot  write 
it.  I  am  quite  well  and  was  not  touched.  I  rode  Harlequin ; 
he  carried  me  admirably  over  the  roughest  and  most  difficult 
ground  that  can  be  imagined.  The  i8th  have  had  two  or 
three  little  affairs  with  the  Enemy,  and  acquitted  them- 
selves admirably.  In  the  last,  a  Captn.,  Subn.,  and  about 
30  Men  attacked  100  ;  killed  20,  and  made  5  Prisoners. 
All  this  is  very  well,  but  Spain  is  gone  ;  we  are  the  People 
worth  saving.     Aff.  yours, 

Paget. 

Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

Revenge  at  Sea  off  Ushant,  Dec.  24,  1808. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — Since  I  wrote  the  letter  you  will 
receive  herewith,  we  have  not  ceased  to  experience  the 
most  dreadful  gales  from  the  Northward.  Scarcely  ever 
able  to  carry  even  the  close  reefed  main  Topsail.  The  fleet 
however  has  not  suffered,  and  I  am  better  pleased  with  my 
Ship  than  ever.  She  answers  in  every  way  to  admiration, 
and  is  beyond  anything  weatherly.  Being  driven  by  this 
weather  a  long  way  to  the  Southward  and  Westward,  we 
are  deprived  of  our  letters  etc.,  for  the  Cutters  and  things 
sent  with  them  of  course  are  on  the  Rendezvous,  where  we 
shall  not  be  again,  I  think,  till  we  have  a  shift  of  wind,  for 

1  Lord  Paget  wrote  to  his  father  that  one  of  these  horses  should 
be  a  present  to  the  earl,  the  latter  having  once  been  an  officer  in  the 
15th  Hussars. — Life  of  Sir  Edward  Paget,  p.  115. 


1790-1808]  PARLIAMENTARY   LEAVE  105 

the  old  Temeraire,  Royal  George,  St.  George,  and  Dreadnought 
have  as  much  Idea  of  turning  to  Windward  as  do  the  Canal 
barges. 

I  want  very  much  to  receive  the  answer  to  a  letter  I 
sent  you  about  asking  for  Parliamentary  leave  as  the  time 
approaches,  and  I  ought  either  to  ask,  or  not.  If  yes,  I 
wish  you  would  run  up  to  town,  see  Lord  Mulgrave,  and 
say  what  I  wish  as  a  prehminary  to  my  making  the  official 
application,  which  I  must  do  through  Lord  Gambler — 
however,  before  the  latter  I  should  like  to  be  satisfied  that 
no  difficulty  would  arise  in  gaining  the  leave,  of  which 
however,  I  beheve,  I  need  not  be  doubtful,  as  I  understand 
the  present  Admiralty  countenance  it.  The  worst  of  it 
would  be,  that  we  should  not  see  each  other  pretty  often. 
He! 

Give  Augusta  my  best  love.  My  fingers  are  so  cold,  I 
can  scarcely  write.  In  short,  the  weather  has  been  very 
severe  indeed. 

You  will  be  glad  for  my  sake  to  hear  that  I  have  got  a 
plan  for  swinging  my  Cot,  that  one  neither  feels  the  pitching 
or  rolling  motion,  which  hitherto  always  prevented  my 
sleeping  well  in  bad  weather.  I  have  to  thank  Hamilton 
of  the  Temeraire  for  it.  I  have  besides  two  stoves  in  my 
Cabins  which  are  all  over  green  baize,  cabins  I  mean,  and 
the  guns  shut  out  by  a  fore  and  aft  partition,  so  that  I 
have  not  the  zephyrs,  which  insinuated  themselves  thro' 
the  crevices  of  the  Ports  etc.  before. 

I  am  very  anxious  to  hear  of  our  Troops,  and  indeed  of 
their  safety.  Poor  Sophia  must  be  in  a  sad  taking  all  this 
time.  I  was  glad  to  hear  that  Paget  had  written  home, 
and  sent  famous  accounts  of  Berkeley's  merits.  For  ever 
beheve  me  your  devoted  and  affec. 

Charles. 

If  the  Brest  Squadron  is  still  in  Port,  it  is  because  they  do 
not  want  to  come  to  sea,  for  we  certainly  don't  prevent  them. 

Lord  Paget  ^ 

Benevente,  Dec.  28th,  1808. 
The  Cavalry  have  been  again  successful.     A  small  party 
of  the  i8th  took  12  Men  the  other  Morning,  the  same  day 
Col.  Kerrison,  Lt.  Crawford,  and  2  men  of  the  7th  after 
1  Printed  in  the  Paget  Papers. 


io6  LORD  PAGET  [ch.  i 

a  long  chace,  came  up  with  an  Officer  and  12  French  Cavahry. 
They  took  all  the  Men — Kerrison  in  engaging  an  Officer 
wounded  him  so  desperately  that  he  died  before  he  could 
reach  his  supports,  this  Officer  in  a  desperate  thrust  broke 
Kerrison' s  arm  with  the  hilt  of  his  sword.  On  the  26th, 
hearing  of  a  Party  of  Cavalry  at  Mayorga,  I  took  2  Squadrons 
of  the  loth,  and  found  2  Squadrons  of  the  Enemy  without, 
and  a  small  party  in  the  Town  ;  I  advanced  with  one 
Squadron,  ordering  the  others  to  support,  they  fired  as 
we  came  thro'  the  gateway,  and  retired  to  some  high  ground. 
We  attacked  them  again,  they  again  fired  by  which  they 
killed  two,  and  wounded  i  Horse.  They  stood  firm,  we 
broke  them,  killed  several,  wounded  20,  and  took  Prisoners 
I  Officer,  100  Men,  and  50  Horses.  To-day  about  30  of 
the  i8th  were  attacked  by  a  very  superior  force,  they  were 
obhged  to  fall  back,  but  they  took  one  Officer  and  two 
Men.  We  are  in  the  greatest  favor,  the  Army  is  retreating, 
and  it  is  high  time  it  should,  for  there  are  no  Spaniards,  and 
lots  of  French. 
We  are  all  well,  but  a  good  deal  harassed. 

Paget. 


CHAPTER   II 

i8og-io 

Lady  Paget 

Beau  Desert,  Jan.  2nd,  1809. 
It  is  impossible  for  me  to  tell  you,  my  dearest  Arthur, 
how  much  I  feel  obhged  to  you  for  all  the  kind  letters  I 
receive  from  you,  and  were  I  to  write  as  often  as  I  am 
incHned,  it  would  be  every  day  to  thank  you,  you  don't 
know  the  pleasure  it  is  to  me  to  hear  from  you,  and  not- 
withstanding any  fancy  I  begin  to  think  you  have  not 
changed  towards  me.  I  am  so  pleased  at  Ld  Uxbridge's 
kindness  to  you ;  it  seems  your  conduct  pleased  them 
equally,  for  Lady  Ux.  in  her  letter  to  me  says,  "  Arthur 
was  more  like  Arthur  than  I  have  known  him  for  years." 
I  need  not  add  that  was  the  greatest  praise  she  could  bestow, 
for  what  can  he  so  good  ?  The  character  /  have  in  this 
country  is  entertaining  ;  it  has  however  one  good  effect, 
it  makes  me  despise  the  world  and  all  it  contains  with  a 
very  few  exceptions. 

I  thank  you,  my  dear  Arthur,  for  your  advice,  which 
on  all  occasions  I  think  good.  I  wrote  to  P.  soon  after  I 
arrived  here  with  the  Children's  letters.  I  feel  very  anxious 
for  the  next  accounts  from  Spain,  indeed  all  my  thoughts 

are  horrid.  .  .  . 

Car. 

Duke  of  Argyll 

Houghton,  Jan.  6th,  1809. 

My  Dear  Arthur,—  .  .  .  The  shooting  is  but  just  begun, 
from  the  snow  having  been  so  very  persevering.  I  was 
three  days  on  my  Road  from  Town  to  Ponsonby's  where 
I  remained  without  a  possibihty  of  shooting  until  last 
Monday  ;  on  that  evening  it  began  to  snow  again,  on 
Tuesday  in  our  way  over  to  Holldiam  we  shot  17  Hares  in 

107 


io8  "MY  UNCLE'S  CANDLESTICK "  [ch.  ii 

the  coldest  day  I  ever  was  out  in,  snowing  all  the  time ; 
on  Wednesday  in  spite  of  all  representations  that  it  was 
impossible  etc.  and  the  servant,  who  was  sent  before  to 
look  out,  twice  coming  back  to  the  Coach  to  say  it  was  in 
vain  to  proceed,  we  got  over  here  with  the  greatest  difficulty, 
and  entirely  owing  to  Coke's  ^  knowledge  of  the  country 
and  determination  to  proceed  ;  we  have  been  rewarded 
by  two  famous  Battues  yesterday  and  today  as  you  will 
see  below.     Yours  ever, 

Argyll. 

Thursday  igo  Hares,  49  Pheasants,  23  Rabbits;  262. 
Ponsonby,  Kelly,  Genl  Keppel,  Coke,  Or.  Hunter,  Wilbra- 
ham  and  self. 

Friday,  same  ground  with  one  Plantation  shot  additional, 
same  Guns  except  [the]  two  Cockney  Lawyers  who  killed 
nothing.     144  Hares,  54  Pheasants,  19  Rabbits  ;   217. 


Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

HiGHDOWN,  Jan.  1809, 
.  .  .  Tell  Augusta  that  it  is  well  for  her  I  was  not  in  the 
room  when  she  caught  fire.  That  sort  of  thing,  happening 
to  a  person  I  love,  creates  in  me  violent  passion.  I  remember 
an  instance,  when  I  was  at  George  Champagne's  at  Windsor, 
when  Elizabeth  (who  was  at  the  time  with  child)  in  coming 
down  stairs  one  evening  following  me,  missed  her  step 
and  down  she  came.  The  fright  I  sustain' d  was  occasioned 
by  my  Love  for  her,  and  the  consequence  was  a  violent 
phrenzy  for  the  moment,  during  which  I  threw  with  the 
utmost  violence  my  good  uncle's  best  silver  flat  candlestick 
to  the  bottom  of  the  stair  case.  He  at  this  moment  ap- 
peared, and  was  so  good  in  his  way  upon  the  destruction 
of  the  poor  candlestick,  that  my  impetuosity  was  instantly 
changed  to  laughter,  which  it  was  impossible  to  restrain. 
Beheve  me  your  devoted  Brother, 

Charles. 

Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

Revenge,  off  Ushant,  January  iGth,  1809. 

Here  we  are  again,  my  dear  fellow,  after  leaving  Tor  bay 

in  the  most  unexpected  and  uncomfortable  Manner  three 

^  Mr.  Coke  "  of  Norfolk,"  the  owner  of  Ilolkham,  afterwards  created 
Earl  of  Leicester. 


i8o9-io]  RETREAT  OF   MOORE  109 

nights  ago  or  rather  three  mornings,  for  I  think  it  was 
2  a.m.  when  we  were  all  rowsed  out  to  go  on  board  our 
Ships.  The  wind  coming  round  so  suddenly  was  doubly 
annoying  to  me,  as  the  Graves'  had  had  the  good  nature 
to  come  over  to  see  us  the  evening  before,  with  the  intention 
of  continuing  with  us  a  couple  of  days.  I  hope  my  sudden 
departure,  which  they  would  not  know  of  till  they  looked 
out  in  the  morning,  would  not  prevent  their  remaining 
with  Ehzabeth,  tho'  probably  she  would  prefer  returning 
to  her  Children. 

Since  we  left  Torbay,  we  have  bore  up  for  it  again,  and 
were  within  ten  leagues  of  the  Start,  when  the  wind  veered 
round  to  the  South  East,  and  we  of  course  altered  our 
course  for  Ushant,  which  is  now  in  sight.  The  wind  now 
looks  and  feels  decidedly  easterly,  and  it  being  new  moon 
today  I  suppose  we  shall  have  another  sample  of  such 
weather  as  we  were  treated  to  during  our  last  cruize.  As 
my  acting  Captain  did  not  relieve  me  before  I  left  Torbay, 
I  should  prefer  of  the  two  his  not  doing  so  till  we  return 
there  again,  for  unless  I  could  have  something  better  to 
go  in  than  the  Betsey  cutter,  I  should  like  trusting  to  a 
passage  in  my  own  Ship.  It  is  a  wonder  to  me  how  those 
little  devils  of  things  live  in  the  weather  they  do.  The  day 
before  I  left  Torquay,  my  old  Boy,  there  was  no  Post  towards 
you.  I  therefore  did  not  return  the  copies  of  Paget' s  letters, 
the  sight  of  which  I  return  you  many  thanks  for.  I  am 
dehghted  that  he  has  had  an  opportunity  of  so  distinguish- 
ing himself  and  his  Hussars,  which  he  has  been  at  so  much 
pains  and  trouble  to  make  perfect,  which  they  have  cer- 
tainly proved  themselves  to  be.  The  next  accounts  I 
trust  will  inform  us  that  Sir  J.  Moore  has  secured  his 
embarkation,^  without  loss  of  either  Artillery  or  Horses. 
There  were  rumours  of  his  having  altered  his  plan  of  retreat- 
ing upon  Vigo,  and  that  he  had  intentions  of  embarking  at 
Corunna  ;  I  trust  this  is  not  so.  I  know  both  Harbours 
intimately,  and  there  can  be  no  comparison  which  to  prefer 
for  the  purpose  of  embarking  an  army  pressed  by  a  superior 
Enemy.  ]ji  a  former  letter  I  think  t  mention'd  the  advan- 
tages of  Vigo,  and  if  it  had  no  other,  the  very  circumstance 

1  The  embarkatioa  was  completed  on  January  iSth,  1809,  the  gallant 
Moore  having  been  mortally  wounded  two  days  previously.  \\Tien 
sinking  he  asked  if  Paget  was  in  the  room,  adding  "  Remember  me  to 
General  Paget,  General  Edward  Paget — he  is  a  fine  fellow." — Book  of  the 
Thin  Red  Line  (Newbolt,  1915). 


no  CHARLES   PREFERS   VIGO  [ch.  ii 

of  the  proximity  of  the  Bayonne  and  Olio  Islands,  the  former 
being  at  the  entrance  of  Vigo  and  the  latter  at  the  entrance 
of  the  Pontevedra  river,  would  be  sufficient  to  make  the 
choice  of  Vigo  preferable  to  any  Port  on  the  North  Coast 
of  Spain,  for  as  I  said  before  these  Islands  might  receive 
for  a  time  our  Troops,  in  the  supposition  that  we  have 
not  collected  a  sufficiency  of  Shipping  to  receive  the  whole 
of  the  army  on  board.  From  the  Men  of  War  provisions 
might  always  be  supplied  to  these  Islands.  But  this  of 
course  is  known  to  all  parties,  therefore  if  Corunna  is 
chosen,  I  suppose  I  know  nothing  of  the  matter  and  had 
much  better  have  held  my  tongue. 

Corunna  to  me  has  an  insuperable  objection,  it  being 
perfectly  open  to  a  very  prevalent  wind  on  that  Coast, 
N-n-east  wind,  which  throws  in  a  most  dreadful  swell.  I 
have  myself  been  positively  a  week  confined  in  there,  and 
that  too  in  the  Endymion,  from  no  possibility  of  getting 
out,  and  I  remember,  when  I  did  succeed,  it  was  at  the 
greatest  risque,  and  could  not  have  been  accomplished  but 
by  a  very  superior  Man  of  War.  Therefore  figure  to  your- 
self Two  or  Three  Hundred  sail  of  bad  sailing  Merchant-men 
in  a  similar  predicament,  crammed  chock  full,  and  a  French 
army  at  hand,  who  on  possessing  themselves  of  the  place 
would  be  enabled  from  both  sides  of  the  entrance  to  throw 
shot  and  shells  at  leisure  at  the  unhappy  Transports  attempt- 
ing to  work  out.  Such  a  situation  makes  me  shudder  for 
them  ;  now  at  Vigo  I  will  answer  for  it  that  Hood  would 
embark  20,000  Men  in  18  or  20  Hours,  and  having  done  so 
could  at  once  remove  them  to  the  perfect  anchorage  under 
the  Bayonne  Islands,  and  for  so  short  a  distance,  5  leagues. 
Ships  might  be  really  crammed  in  a  way  that  could  not  be 
attempted  for  a  voyage,  and  as  many,  as  were  too  many, 
might  be  at  once  put  on  shore  in  safety  on  the  Islands. 

Yorke  in  the  Christian  the  yth  has  just  made  his  number  ; 
he  is  coming  to  join  in  the  room  of  Little  Beauclerk,  the 
Saturn  being  attached  to  the  Down  Squadron,  where  the 
C.  the  yth  has  been.  .  .  .  For  ever  your  devoted  and  affect. 

Charles. 

Same 

J  [Jan.,  1809.] 

.  .  .  The  Amazon  brought  me  in  last  night  from  the  Fleet 
and  then  for  the  first  time  I  heard  of  the  distressing  accounts 


1809-10]  THE  GRAVES'  in 

from  Coruima.  Thank  God,  our  three  Brothers  have 
come  off  without  losmg  the  number  of  their  mess,  which 
considering  the  nature  of  the  bloody  affairs  they  have 
been  in  is  almost  miraculous. 

Poor  Moore  and  all  the  rest  of  the  fine  fellows,  that  are 
lost  to  the  Country  by  this  disastrous  Expedition  !  .  .  . 

C.  P. 

Lady  Graves 

Bishops  Court,  [Jan.,  1809], 

My  Very  Dearest  Arthur, —  .  .  .  We  returned  from 
Torquay  this  morning  whither  we  went  last  Friday  to  see 
that  dear  good  fellow  Charles,  and  were  just  in  time  to 
get  a  peep  at  him  before  he  sailed,  he  having  been  roust' d 
out  at  two  o'clock  yesterday  to  go  on  board.  He  was  in 
high  force  but  much  disappointed  at  the  non-arrival  of  his 
acting  Captain.  We  go  to  Castle  Hill  next  Wednesday, 
and  return  next  week  for  a  Grand  Ball  at  Powderham 
Castle. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — Mary  is  oblig'd  in  order  to  save  the 
Post  to  begin  a  letter  to  Lady  Fortescue,  and  has  left  me 
to  conclude  this.  You  are  an  excellent  good  fellow  for 
saying  you  and  Lady  Augusta  will  come  to  us  in  May.  If 
any  thing  interferes  with  this  plan,  I  shall  be  most  seriously 
disappointed.  Charles  says  if  he  happens  to  come  in, 
nothing  shall  prevent  his  joining  our  party,  and  Elizabeth 
is  already  engag'd  to  us.  How  delightfully — how  nobly 
■ — Lord  Paget  has  distinguish'd  himself.  But  alas !  all  this 
gallantry,  and  superior  courage,  and  equipment  are  thrown 
away,  in  our  wretched  allies  the  Spaniards.  My  pre- 
dictions have  tum'd  out  too  true.  I  hope  in  God  they  will 
get  all  back  safe  to  this  country,  and  that  you  will  shortly 
set  off  to  Paris  to  negociate  a  Peace  for  us,  accompanied 
hy  your  faithful  Secretary,  my  Lord  Graves.  Mary  is  furious 
at  this  last  paragraph,  but  a  good  Hotel  in  Paris  would  I 
presume  not  at  all  be  dislik'd  by  her  Ladyship.  Yours 
most  affectly. 

Graves. 

Dowager-Countess  of  fersey 

[1809.] 
My   Dear   Arthur, — I   know    you    are    plagued   with 
letters,  yet  I  must  tell  you  how  happy  I  am  that  Augusta 

9 


112  LORD  WILLIAM  RUSSELL  [ch.  ii 

is  well,  and  that  you  have  a  little  Girl ;  ^  if  it  is  not  the 
most  beautiful  animal  in  the  world,  it  is  much  to  blame. 
Pray  give  a  thousand  loves  to  Ly  Augusta  Paget,  and  Miss 
Paget,  and  believe  me  ever  affecly  yours, 

F.  J. 

Lady  Paget 

Stokb,2  [1809]. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, —  .  .  .  Ld  William '  came  yester- 
day with  Gertrude  and  leaves  me  this  Evening ;  he  is 
going  to  Scotland  immediately,  and  as  he  says  for  ever, 
which  is  to  him  in  som.e  respects  worse  than  death  ;  of 
course  his  Spirits  are  not  good,  though  I  think  he  behaves 
very  sensibly  about  it.  But  I  own  I  cannot  forgive  his 
Brother  consenting  to  his  banishment.  It  is  decided  that 
Gertrude  and  Francis  should  live  with  the  Duchess,  William 
with  Ly  Jersey,  and  Eliza  with  me.  She  is  now  at  Wobum, 
and  I  am  to  have  her  when  I  like.  My  excuse  to  Mama 
by  no  means  satisfied  her,  for,  unless  I  particularly  wished 
to  he  alone  with  Ld  Wm,  she  had  not  the  least  objection 
to  meet  him,  she  tells  me,  and  that  I  must  fix  a  day,  which 
I  shall  not  do  till  I  hear  from  you. 

Give  my  kindest  love  to  Augusta  and  a  kiss  to  Leopoldine 
which  I  know  you  will  not  mind  doing  for  me.  You  would 
be  entertained  with  Arthur's  accoimt  of  her  to  the  Children, 
they  are  dying  to  see  her,  and  so  am  I  to  have  you  com- 
fortably settled  here.     For  ever  yr  affecte 

Car. 

You  are  very  good  about  Mama  *  ;  she  is  certainly 
pleasanter  with  company,  but  it  is  hardly  fair  upon  you. 

'  She  was  named  Leopoldine  after  Princess  Leopoldine  Esterhazy, 
to  whom  Sir  A.  P.  had  been  so  much  attached  at  Vienna  ;  she  died  at 
the  age  of  three. 

*  Stoke  Farm,  a  place  near  Slough  belonging  to  Lord  Sefton,  which  he 
had  lent  to  Lady  Paget. 

*  Lord  William  Russell,  brother  of  the  6th  Duke  of  Bedford  ;  murdered 
by  his  valet  Courvoisier  in  the  year  1840.  Financial  difficulties  took 
him  at  this  time  to  Holyrood  Palace,  then  a  sanctuary  against  debt. 

*  Frances,  Countess-Dowager  of  Jersey.  Posthumous  daughter  of 
Philip  Twysden,  Bishop  of  Raphoe,  a  graceless  prelate,  who  was  said  to 
occasionally  turn  highwayman,  and  earned  for  himself  the  sobriquet 
"  Slip-gibbet."  Lady  Jersey  was  always  held  to  have  been  the  person 
who  brought  about  the  separation  of  the  Prince  and  Princess  of  Wales. 
Lady  Stafford  wrote  at  the  time,  "  I  hope  the  Mob  will  attack  her" 
[Ld.  C.  L.-Gower's  Corresp.,  i.  125).     According  to  Melbourne  in  a  curious 


1809-10]  A  GOOD  COOK  113 


Lord  Graves 

Bishops  Court,  March  ^otk,  1809, 

My  Dear  Arthur, — My  poor  little  Mary  got  safe  here, 
tho'  very  much  tir'd.  The  quiet  and  stillness  of  this  place 
will,  I  hope,  soon  set  her  up  again,  and  when  you  and 
Augusta  come  here,  I  hope  to  present  her  to  you  as  plump 
as  ever.  You  are  a  very  good  fellow  to  take  care  of  my 
watch,  which  I  do  suspect  Mary's  Joke  that  night  nearly 
exterminated.  Let  me  now  congratulate  you  on  Mrs. 
Jones'  success  at  the  fricassee  de  Poulet.  Her  sejour  with 
Mrs.  De  Simon,  I  have  no  doubt,  will  make  her  worthy 
at  the  end  of  the  intended  three  months  of  working  for 
M.  I'Ambassadeur,  who  gave  to  eat  so  magnificently  at  Vienna. 
A  good  Cook,  whether  Chienne  or  otherwise,  is  more  requisite 
than  any  other  comfort  (save  one,  a  cabinet  a  I'eau)  in  an 
establishment.  Were  I  to  lose  my  Chienne,  I  should  be 
miserable  until  I  had  procur'd  one  equally  as  good.  One's 
health  is  not  safe  four  and  twenty  hours  together,  if  one  is 
doom'd  de  manger  la  graisse  at  every  meal,  or  to  run  the 
risk  of  having  what  your  Uncle  George  says  he  experienced 
once,  a  hmip  of  undigested  fat  in  his  stomach  for  six  months 
at  a  stretch. 

I  am  sorry  old  Whitehurst  has  left  you.  Mary  always 
weeps  when  she  departs  from  her.  I  presume  Augusta's 
grief,  tho'  great,  did  not  quite  arrive  at  this  state  of  distress. 
We  shall  be  both  infinitely  obliged  to  you  if  you  can  prevail 
upon  that  perfect,  excellent  fellow  Edward  to  make  one 
of  the  party  here  in  May.  Pray  tell  him  so,  and  press  him 
to  come.  I  will  insure  him  his  own  way  in  everything.  If 
you  express  a  doubt  of  not  coming,  we  shall  die  of  it.     Our 

conversation  between  himself  and  Queen  Victoria  on  the  subject  of 
George  IV's  favourites,  recorded  in  Queen  Victoria's  Girlhood,  Lady 
Jersey's  influence  over  the  Prince  began  about  the  year  1795  ;  she  was 
ten  years  older  than  him  and  her  eldest  daughter  already  married. 

It  seems  incredible,  but  is  none  the  less  the  fact  that  Lady  Jersey 
was  actually  appointed  one  of  the  ladies-in-waiting  on  the  unhappy 
Caroline  of  Brunswick  when  she  arrived  as  the  Prince  of  Wales's  bride, 
and  her  daughter,  Lady  Caroline  Villiers,  was  a  train-bearer  at  the  royal 
marriage.  The  Prince  followed  the  precedent  of  Charles  II,  who  com- 
pelled his  Queen  to  receive  Lady  Castlemaine  into  her  household ;  but 
public  opinion  was  so  strong  against  Lady  Jersey  that  Lord  Uxbridge 
in  1796  refused  to  allow  Lady  Uxbridge  to  attend  the  christening  of  their 
granddaughter,  "if  Lady  Jersey  comes  to  it"  {^Ld.  G.  L.-Gower's  Carre' 
spondence,  i.  124). 


114  LORD   COCHRANE  [ch.  ii 

hearts  are  set  upon  the  meeting,  and  it  will  be  really  a 
serious  disappointment,  if  you  put  tis  off. 

I  should  much  like  to  have  "  Oatlands,"  and  if  it  is  not 
too  much  to  ask,  should  wish  your  Groom  to  bring  him 
down  with  your  Horses,  or  to  let  him  stay  till  I  have  the 
car  Lord  Uxbridge  gave  Mary  brought  down,  when  both 
might  come  together.  .  .  .  Your  most  devoted  and  affec- 
tionate 

Graves. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — Pray  tell  Augusta  with  my  best 
love  that  I  sent  a  Box  by  the  Coach  yesterday  containing 
some  Seacale,  and  a  little  one,  in  which  is  a  Cap  for  Miss 
Leopoldine,  the  only  one  I  could  get  in  Exeter  that  I  thought 
she  would  like.  I  have  trimm'd  it  as  she  desired,  but  not 
with  Valenciennes  lace,  as  I  could  not  get  a  yd  in  all  Exeter 
of  the  proper  width,  but  tell  her  I  shall  write  to  London 
to-night  about  some  Capet  lace,  which  shall  be  sent  to  her 
immediately. 

M.  Graves. 

Gen.  Hon.  Edward  Paget 

Portsmouth,  21  April.  1809. 

My  Dear  Arthur, —  .  .  .  The  Orders  for  the  Myrtle 
Sloop  of  War  were  to  receive  me  on  board  and  proceed  to 
the  Tagus  without  a  moment's  loss  of  time.  Before  I 
proceed  any  further  I  must  announce  to  you  an  Event  which 
I  have  just  heard,  namely  that  we  have  destroyed  nine 
sail  of  the  line  at  Rochfort  and  that  two  only  have  effected 
their  Escape.  I  wish  this  intelligence  had  arrived  a  little 
sooner  or  a  good  deal  later  on  Charles'  account.  This 
however  must  not  diminish  our  Joy  on  the  Occasion,  I 
don't  envy  Napoleon  the  number  of  Sixpences  he  will  spit 
on  the  occasion.  Lord  Cochrane,'  who  I  believe  has  played 
first  fiddle  in  this  Affair,  is  I  understand  the  Officer  who 
has  brought  home  the  Account,  I  am  stunned  and  stupified 
with  the  Bells.  .  .  . 

Edwd  Paget. 

1  Lord  Cochrane  attacked  a  French  fleet  in  the  Basque  Roads  on 
April  nth,  doing  it  great  damage,  but  a  fierce  controversy  immediately 
ensued  over  the  alleged  failure  of  Lord  Gambler,  the  Commander-in- 
Chief,  to  properly  support  Lord  Cochrane.  A  couit  martial  acquitted 
Lord  Gambler. 


i8o9-io]  OFFER  OF   BRYMPTON  115 

Earl  of  Westmorland 

London,  May  5th,  1809. 

Dear  Augusta, — Upon  your  Conversation  that  you  were 
under  difficulty  for  a  House  after  your  visit  at  Lord  Graves' 
till  you'd  get  jpossession  of  Lord  Rivers'/  it  occurred  to  me 
that  Mrs.  Fane  would  probably  not  go  to  Brympton  ^ 
till  the  Middle  of  ye  Summer,  and  that  perhaps  remaining 
there  would  answer  your  object  during  that  period. 

Upon  communication  with  her  she  is  of  that  deter- 
mination ;  if  you  should  therefore  have  any  difficulty  in 
procuring  a  House,  mine  at  Brympton  would  be  much  at 
your  service.  It  is  not  very  magnificently  equipped,  but 
the  House  is  excellent.  It  is  about  2  miles  from  Yeovil, 
about  i  of  a  mile  from  ye  Great  Western  Road  thro'  Somer- 
setshire, which  is  rather  nearer  than  the  Road  thro'  Bland- 
ford,  and  you  might  look  at  it  as  you  go  to  Lord  Graves. 
I  hope  your  Health  was  not  affected  by  your  journey  on 
Tuesday.     I  am  your  very  affectionate  Father, 

Westmorland. 


Hon.  Berkeley  Paget 

PoRTMAN  St.,  June  ist,  1809. 

Most  Excellent  Sir, — I  was  on  threshold  yesterday 
meaning  to  write  you  a  little  prose  before  post,  when  bold 
York  &  Albany  ^  laid  hold  of  me,  and  frustrated  my  inten- 
tions by  keeping  me  in  converse  till  it  was  too  late.  I 
am  now  taking  "  Time  by  the  Forelock,"  and  scribbling 
ere  I  issue  from  my  Den.  To  begin  with  Jamie  * — be  it 
known  to  all  whom  it  may  concern,  that  said  Jamie  was 
taken  by  certain  tweaking  of  Intestines,  denominated 
Spasms,  attended  by  difficulty  of  suspiration,  amounting 
(as  said  Jamie  to  General  Stewart  expresses  himself)  near 
to  suffocation.    This  prevented  his  proceeding  further  than 

^  West  Lodge  in  Cranborne  Chase. 

2  The  beautiful  old  house  of  Brympton  was  left  by  this  Lord  Westmor- 
land to  his  daughter  Georgiana,  half-sister  of  Lady  Augusta  Paget.  Lady 
Georgiana,  who  died  unmarried  in  1875,  bequeathed  the  estate  to  Hon. 
Spencer  Ponsonby,  sixth  son  of  her  other  half-sister,  Maria,  I^ady  Dun- 
cannon,  who  thereupon  assumed  the  additional  surname  of  Fane. 

3  The  Duke  of  York. 

*  Their  brother-in-law,  General  James  Erskine,  on  active  service  in 
Spain  ;  Sir  Arthur  Wellesley  assumed  command  at  Lisbon  in  April  1809 
and  on  July  27th  gained  the  victory  of  Talavera. 


ii6  THE  KING  PRAISES  EDWARD  [ch.  ii 

Coimbra,  from  whence  his  letter  to  Stewart  is  dated  on 
the  loth  May.  This  letter  Stewart  sent  to  Lady  Catherine 
to  forward  to  Louisa,  but  she,  Lady  Catherine,  thinking 
it  might  alarm  her,  Lady  Louisa,  detained  said  epistle  and 
gave  it  to  my  Wife,  yclep'd  Sophia,  to  have  and  to  hold 
for  any  purpose  she  might  deem  most  expedient.  Farther 
than  this  deponent  sayeth  not. 

Thinking  j^ou  may  be  gratified  by  seeing  all  the  letters  I 
have  received  from  Oporto  respecting  Edward,  I  have  sent 
them,  requiring  only  their  Return  when  convenient.  Bear 
in  mind  that  FitzRoy  Stanhope's  Note  to  me  was  written 
on  his  arrival  in  London,  and  that  he  did  not  leave  Oporto 
till  three  or  four  days  subsequent  to  the  Date  of  Marley's 
last  letter  of  the  15th.  Sophia  was  at  the  Queen's  House  ' 
last  night,  and  the  King  spoke  most  handsomely  of  Edward.' 
I  think  his  return  very  doubtful,  tho'  every  one  I  meet 
says,  "  of  course  he  will  come  home."  My  father  and 
Mother  are  very  anxious  for  his  Return.  On  that  event 
depends  their  journey  into  Wales  and  consequently  mine. 
So  far,  everything  that  was  put  or  putting  on  board  the 
Cutter  to  go  round  to  Plas  Newydd,  has  been  brought  back, 
and  the  cutter  remains  in  the  River. 

Langley-Bury  was  beyond  my  mark.  I  went  to  see 
another  place  near  it,  which  would  have  suited  us  admirably, 
but  for  the  same  Reason.  I  shall  not  however  give  up  the 
Pursuit.    Ever,  mon  cheer  Shoveller,  yours  affectionately, 

Bartolo. 

Colonel  Addenhrooke^ 

HiGHFIELD,   l^th  July,  1809. 

Dear  Sir  Arthur, — For  the  last  four  days  I  have  been 
confined  to  the  house  by  a  very  severe  attack  of    your 

1  George  III  having  bought  Buckingham  House  from  Sir  Charles 
Sheffield,  it  was  settled  on  Queen  Charlotte  (in  lieu  of  Somerset  House 
in  the  Strand,  which  had  been  the  dower-house  of  many  previous  queens- 
consort)  and  known  as  the  Queen's  House  until  her  death  in  1818,  when 
it  reverted  to  the  Crown.  George  IV  took  a  fancy  to  build  a  practically 
new  palace  on  the  site,  obtaining  the  necessary  funds  from  Parhament 
by  giving  up  Carlton  House,  with  its  extensive  gardens,  to  be  laid  out 
for  building  under  the  department  of  the  Woods  and  Forests. 

2  Edward  Paget  had  greatly  distinguished  himself  at  the  passage  of 
the  Douro,  May  12th,  1809  ;  severely  wounded,  his  right  arm  had  to  be 
amputated. 

'He  was  related  to  Lord  Rivers,  whose  great  estates  seem  to  have 
been  managed  by  him  ;  later  Equerry  to  Princess  Charlotte  and  retained 
in  Prince  Leopold's  Household  until  his  death  in  1821,  aged  sixty-eight. 


1809-10]  WEST   LODGE  117 

Complaints  ;  I  am  now  in  less  pain,  and  able  to  go  about 
quietly  ;  Wynyard  recommended  to  me  Yarrow  Tea,  which 
he  stated  to  me  had  done  wonders  for  him,  as  also  to  several 
whom  he  knows. 

With  regard  to  Mrs.  Seymor,^  .  .  .  The  letter  Lady  P. 
received  3^esterday  (a  part  of  wliich  she,  Mrs.  S.,  desires  me 
to  forward  to  you),  will  prove  that  she  is  now  disposed  to 
acts  of  civility,  upon  which  you  may  proceed  with  some 
degree  of  conlidence  and  I  hope  comfort.  She  will  quit 
with  reluctance  no  doubt,  but  finding  that  she  cannot 
maintain  her  post,  she  will  capitulate  on  friendly  terms. 
The  fact  is,  that  Lord  Rivers,'  with  the  best  intentions,  is 
the  worst  man  of  business  I  ever  came  across,  but  we  shall 
do  at  last. 

1  am  ignorant  as  to  the  destination  of  this  same  expedi- 
tion, all  I  have  to  do  is  to  wish  them  success,  but  I  tremble 
for  the  result.  Nor  am  I  perfectly  satisfied  about  Sir  A. 
Wellesley's  position.  The  evacuation  of  Corunna  and 
Ferrol  may  be  good  but  mischief  may  ensue  from  such 
measure  also.  If  by  quitting  these  Posts  they  can  operate 
against  Sir  A.  W.  their  Troops  will  be  much  better  employed 
than  by  maintaining  Garrisons,  which  are  of  no  importance 
compared  with  such  an  object  as  the  capture  of  a  British 
Army,  but  as  I  said  before  I  am  an  "  /I  ss  "  and  therefore 
know  nothing. 

You  will  not  receive  Mrs.  Seymor's  scrap  this  day.  The 
Carriage  is  ordered  and  the  party  are  going  to  Reading. 
Lord  Rivers  must  see  the  above  Memo  and  that  cannot 
be  this  day,  but  the  contents  are  to  this  eltect  :  Mrs.  Seymor 
engages  to  quit  W.  L.'  the  2nd  week  in  October.  Your 
Upholsterer  may  go  there  whenever  you  please.  No 
material  repairs  are  wanted,  nor  any  paint — some  furniture 
may  be  had  with  a  valuation,  or  not,  none  belong  to  the 
house  but  some  fixtures — Grates  etc. — in  short  she  is  very 
civil,  and  you  may  go  to  work  at  pleasure. 

Lord  Rivers  has  bought  a  house  at,  or  near  Newmarket, 
Lord  Grosvenor's,  £5000,  he  can  make  40  beds  it  seems, 

*  The  previous  tenant  of  West  Lodge. 

2  George,  2nd  Baron  Rivers,  born  1751.  "  He  is  a  pleasant  and  an 
elegant  man — one  of  the  last  of  that  race  of  persons  who  were  the  dandies 
of  a  former  century  and  how  much  preferable  they  were  to  those  of  the 
present  day.  .  .  .  his  voice  in  singing  is  most  melodious.  What  a  charm 
there  is  in  perfect  high  breeding." — Lady  Charlotte  Bury's  Diary  of  a 
Lady-in-Waiting,  i.  26.  ^  West  Lodge. 


ii8  PLAS  NEWYDD  [ch.  ii 

so  that  you  find  we  never  can  have  homes  enough — 16 
Paddocks  the  land,  how  many  acres  I  know  not. 

Sir  WiUiam  and  Lady  Pitt  desire  their  affectionate 
regards  to  yourself,  and  Lady  Augusta,  and  I  am  with 
best  respects  to  Her  Ladyship,  and  best  wishes  for  success, 
and  Glory  to  Lord  Paget,  Dear  Sir  Arthur,  Most  truly  and 
faithfully  yours, 

J.  P.  Adden. 

Mine  has  been  an  arduous  task  these  last  few  days. 
Gordon  (Lord  Harrington's  Son),  Berdmore,  and  Sir  H. 
Dukenfield,  have  been  here,  also  Mr.  Brooke.  All  are 
gone  this  morning  but  Berdmore  who  departs  on  the  morrow, 
but  to  play  the  agreeable,  when  sufl:ering  great  pain,  and 
trying  to  appear  otherwise,  is  a  grievous  undertaking. 

Lord  Graves 

Plas  Newydd,  2.^th  July,  1809. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — With  every  grateful  feeHng  to  both 
you  and  Augusta  for  your  kindness  &  care  of  little  Janey, 
I  sit  down  to  inform  you  of  our  arrival  at  this  charming 
place  without  further  accident  than  that  which  I  describ'd 
from  Bristol — we  slept  on  that  fatal  day  at  Newport,  the 
next  night  at  Shrewsbury,  where  we  learnt  of  Lady  Ux- 
bridge's  &  Edward's  having  pass'd  through  but  a  few  days 
before,  of  Marconi  having  broke  his  Arm  by  a  fall  from  a 
horse,  &  of  the  death,  burial,  &  distress  in  consequence, 
of  Mrs.  Smith — at  the  loss  of  her  Husband,  who  died  at 
Shrewsbury  the  morning  of  the  arrival  of  Lady  Uxbridge 
at  that  place  ;  we  hurried  on  to  K'eppel  Cerig,  where  we 
slept,  having  narrowly  escaped  another  upset  at  Corwen 
— one  of  the  Linch  Pins  having  given  the  wheel  the  slip, 
and  the  Pin  that  fixes  the  Hind  to  the  Fore  Carriage  having 
been  thus  broken  when  we  were  upset,  but  which  declined 
shewing  its  fracture  till  we  arrived  at  Corwen — the  timely 
discovery  of  this  Event  probably  sav'd  our  necks — & 
here  we  are,  thank  God,  much  at  your  service.  Lady 
Uxbridge  made  so  many  inquiries  &  with  such  interest 
&  feehng  about  you  &  Augusta  that  I  could  not  deliver 
your  message — so,  my  dear  Arthur,  pray  do  write  a  kind 
and  affectionate  letter  to  her.  Berkeley,  Sophia,  Nurse 
&  Children  arrived  here  last  night — Joss,*  &  la  Bella  Roha, 
1  General  Josias  Champagne,  brother  of  Lady  Uxbridge. 


i809-io]  "  WHERE'S  BLOOMFIELD  ?  "  119 

la  sua  Moglie  are  expected  this  day — so  that  with  Greatorex, 
Cervetto,  Edward  and  ourselves,  this  most  perfect  and 
incomparable  house  is  Picna — Plena — the  two  women 
make  famous  music  every  night  and  your  father  does  not 
allow  a  day  to  pass  without  a  promenade  in  his  yacht. 
I  will  here  repeat  what  I  have  said  concerning  "  Frog," 
if  you  think  with  me  that  sending  the  Grey  to  Town 
may  be  attended  with  expense  &  inconvenience,  I  will 
take  the  Grey  at  thirty-five  Guineas — should  I  dispose  of 
him  for  any  sum  exceeding  thirty-five  Guineas  you  shall 
have  the  surplus — or  should  I  keep  the  Grey  I  will  give  you 
five  Guineas  so  that  at  all  events  you  may  be  sure  of  getting 
for  him  what  you  gave  Rooke — and  moreover  should 
"  Frog  "  not  turn  out  what  you  expected  and  the  Grey 
be  still  in  my  possession — we  will  swap  again  even  handed — 
in  the  meantime  you  are  to  make  use  of  any  of  my  servants 
as  you  think  proper,  &  I  hope  you  will  also  take  everything 
my  miserable  place  can  afford. 

Graves. 


Hon.  Berkeley  Paget 

PoRTMAN  St.,  26th  July,  1809. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — The  Duke  of  York  desired  me 
yesterday  to  write  &  thank  you  for  some  venison  you 
sent  him,  and  which  he  pronounced  excellent.  There's  no 
doing  without  one's  Forest.     Could  you  get  me  one  ? 

I  took  Rolle  to  the  Vauxhall  last  night,  who  asked  very 
tenderly  after  Arture.  He  told  me  his  House  was  in  the 
Road  for  Brighton.     Jolly  !     Yrs  most  affly, 

B.  Paget. 

One  of  Ben's  Servants  shot  himself  yesterday  !  What  a 
damnable  funk  he  must  have  been  in,  if  he  heard  the  report 
of  the  Pistols.  How  sure  he  was  to  have  the  Body  removed 
immediately.     "  Where's  Bloomfield  ?     Take  care  of  him." 

Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

Revenge,  off  Portland,  2  a.m.,  28/ft  [July  ?],  1809. 

My  Dearest  Good  Arthur, — I  wrote  to  you  yesterday 
morning  a  few  lines  by  the  Adrian  Cutter,  which  happened 
to  cross  upon  us  as  she  was  going  into  Plymouth  ;  therefore 
you  will  be  apprized  of  my  approach. 


120  SUPPLIES  OF  TEA  [ch.  ii 

Contrary  to  all  my  Expectations  we  fell  in  with  the 
Homeward  bound  China  fleet  under  Convoy  of  the  St. 
Alhans  exactly  in  the  spot,  which  we  had  thought  the 
most  likely  to  escape  them,  but  however  it  is  very  well, 
as  it  is,  by  having  accompanied  them  to  the  Channel,  I 
have  a  good  plea  for  putting  into  Spithead,  whereby  I  shall 
effect  a  junction  with  Fair  Oak  Lodge. 

We  have  had  a  remarkably  fine  run  from  the  Western 
Islands,  and  for  the  last  few  days  have  been  voguing  away 
properly.  I  never  saw  before  anything  Hke  the  way  in 
which  these  Whisking  India  Men  Carry  Sail.  It  is  abso- 
lutely astonishing,  and  makes  one  sometimes  really  alarmed 
for  their  safety. 

You  may  imagine  there  will  be  a  pou7id  or  two  of  Tea  more 
in  the  Metropolis  by  the  arrival  of  this  fleet,  for  what  think 
you  of  Thirteen  Ships,  of  Twelve  Hundred  Tons  burthen, 
being  entirely  loaded  with  Tea,  which  is  exactly  the  case.  I 
have  had  no  money  to  purchase  much,  all  I  have  got  are  a 
few  pieces  of  Nankeen  and  Silk  Handkerchiefs,  and  a  Sea 
Stock  of  Tea,  which  of  the  best  quality  has  cost  me  under 
four  shillings  the  pound.  I  believe  it  costs  about  fourteen 
in  London. 

If  I  did  not  know  that  you  possessed  Nankeen  enough  to 
last  you  your  life,  I  should  have  procured  you  some.  You 
will,  as  it  is.  only  receive  a  couple  of  Pieces  of  the  real 
Bandanna  Silk  Handkerchiefs  and  in  the  same  parcel  is 
an  Ivory  fan  for  Augusta,  which  give  to  her  with  my  best 
Love.  I  suppose  the  Harpies  at  Portsmouth  will  on  hear- 
ing we  have  been  attached  to  this  fleet  keep  a  sharp  look 
out  upon  us.  Therefore  it  will  require  some  caution  to 
get  anything  safe  on  shore.  I  mean  to  set  off  for  Fair  Oak 
as  soon  as  I  have  done  with  the  Admiral,  but  I  suppose 
I  shall  be  obhged  to  return  the  following  day.  If  so,  of 
course  Elizabeth  will  do  so  with  me  and  a  couple  of  the 
Children  to  a  Lodging  on  the  precious  Parade. 

M'e  are  now  off  the  Portland  Lights,  and  shall  be  off 
Dunnose  at  daylight.  I  shall  then  heave  to  till  the  whole 
of  the  fleet  are  out  of  sight  to  the  Eastboard  of  me,  and 
having  directed  Captain  Shortland  on  the  Iris  to  see  them 
safe  into  the  Downs,  I  shall  go  myself  to  Spithead,  as  a 
64  and  a  frigate  are  amply  sufficient  protection  from  hence 
to  the  Downs, 

We  made  the  Land  most  accurately  yesterday  in  very 


1809-10]  GEORGE   LEIGH  121 

thick  weather  and  blowing  strong.  I  hauled  out  from  the 
fleet  for  the  purpose,  and,  having  discovered  it,  ran  back  to 
give  them  the  welcome  intelligence,  for  that  it  must  be  for 
people  having  been  an  East  India  Voyage. 

As  I  never  sleep  much  in  the  Channel  at  night,  I  employ 
my  time  thus,  but  I  have  a  letter  I  want  to  write  to  Paget, 
which  I  want  done  before  daylight.  So,  my  good  fellow,  I 
shall  now  leave  you,  promising  to  let  you  hear  from  me 
again.     Ever  your  devoted 

Charles. 


Lord  Frederick  Bentinck 

Bath  House,  August  5,  1809. 

My  Dear  Sir  Arthur, — I  am  sorry  to  trouble  you  again 
upon  the  old  subject,  I  mean  George  Leigh. ^ 

He  has  in  some  degree  consented  to  take  Warwick  Lake's 
place,  if  he  can  get  it.  The  D.  of  Leeds  has  spoken  to 
Lord  Liverpool  about  Leigh,  &  Lord  L.  is  well  disposed  to 
give  him  whatever  there  is,  that  would  suit  him.  Places 
are  very  scarce  now-a-days,  &  I  know  of  no  other  that 
is  likely  to  do  for  him.  I  have  desired  H.  Bouverie  to 
examine  the  Act  of  Parliament,  &  see  what  retirement  W. 
Lake  from  his  length  of  service  is  entitled  to — that  being 
ascertained,  the  next  difficulty  is  to  find  somebody  to  ask 
Lake,  if  he  wd  retire  upon  his  full  pay  being  made  up  to 
him. 

I  believe  you  are  well  acquainted  with  Lake,  &  I  know 
you  are  as  well  disposed  as  I  am  towards  Leigh,  &  perhaps, 
thro'  the  means  of  the  D.  of  York,  we  might  discover 
whether  he  would  give  up  his  Place  upon  the  terms  pro- 
posed. 

George  is  as  obstinate  &  as  untoward  as  ever,  but  I  think, 
if  he  was  once  arrested,  which  might  be  managed,  he  wd 
become  reasonable.  I  have  great  reason  to  hope  that 
before  long  the  Six  Mile  Bottom  *  may  be  sold.  There  is  a 
person  who  will  give  (I  hope)  £2000  for  it — I  have  advised 
that  it  should  be  sold  for  less  sooner  than  be  kept.  Most 
sincerely  yours, 

Fred  Bentinck. 

1  Colonel  George  Leigh,  husband  of  Lord  Byron's  sister  Augusta 
-  Near  Newmarket. 


122  THE  PRINCE  OF  WALES  [ch.  ii 

Hon.  Berkeley  Paget 

SURBITON,  20th  August,  18O9. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — We  had  Ben  at  Oatlands  on  Thurs- 
day, and  he  took  occasion  across  the  Table  to  talk  to  me 
of  you  ;  and  desired  me  to  write  to  you  to  say  all  that 
had  passed.  In  the  first  place  he  began  by  asking  how 
you  was,  &  where  you  were,  &  whether  I  had  lately  seen 
you  ;  &  then  launched  out  into  a  strain  of  tender  expres- 
sions towards  you,  remarking,  that  notwithstanding  any 
difference  that  might  have  existed  between  you,  he  still 
felt  the  greatest  attachment  to  you — that  you  had  always 
been  his  Friend,  &  he  felt  himself  under  many  personal 
obligations  to  you.  He  ended  by  saying  he  should  like 
to  have  a  few  minutes'  conversation  with  me.  All  this 
was  announced  across  the  Table  for  the  Benefit  of  the 
Company ;  and  I  bowed  for  you  till  my  back  ached,  pro- 
mising faithfully  to  obey  his  commands  by  letting  you 
know  what  he  had  said.  What  I  could  not  distinctly  hear 
was  afterwards  repeated  to  me  by  Lady  Anne  Smith,  who 
sat  next  to  him  &  heard  every  word.     Now  you  have  it. 

The  Tiger-Cat  ^  is  dead  ;  so  we  got  him  [the  Prince] 
to  the  Stables. 

I  have  had  a  letter  from  Charles,  who  was  delighted  with 
having  had  Edward  &  yourself  with  him  when  in  Portland 
Roads.  He  some  time  ago  sent  two  Parcels  to  me,  one  for 
you  &  another  for  Edward,  each  containing  two  pairs  of 
Bandana  Kerchiefs.  I  delayed  sending  them  till  I  got  a 
safe  conveyance,  which  offered  when  Lady  Uxbridge  was 
here  on  Saturday,  to  whose  Charge  I  have  committed  them. 
Ever  most  affly  yrs, 

B.  Paget. 


Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

Revenge,  Nov.  i6th,  1809. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — Your  kind  letter  of  the  12th 
reached  me  yesterday.  I  have  also  to  acknowledge  another 
of  the  7th  in  both  of  which  I  am  delighted  to  observe  that 

'  The  Duchess  of  York  was  devoted  to  animals  of  all  kinds  ;  see  Greville's 
Journals,  i.  5,  for  a  long  account  of  this  clever  and  unconventional 
princess,  whose  habit  of  sleeping  with  open  windows  was  then  considered 
highly  eccentric. 


I809-IO]  CHARACTER  OF   STRACHAN  123 

Augusta  and  yourself  are  so  well  pleased  with  West  Lodge. 
...  I  will  answer  for  my  Vrowe  &  myself  sleeping  as  well  in 
a  room  7  feet  high  as  in  one  of  20 — &  those,  that  cannot, 
must  lump  it,  &  shoot  their  rubbish,  as  Bartolo  says.  .  . 

In  the  meantime   I  shall  be  preparing  myself  for  the 
result  of  such  decision,  as  it  no  doubt  will  be,  that  I  am 
NOT  to  be  temporarily  on  Shore.     I  cannot  however  postpone 
doing   Elizabeth   justice.     It   is   natural   to   suppose   that 
she  has  been  prompting  me  to  the  measure  I  suggested  to 
you — whereas  I  now  possess  letters,  which  I  can  show  you, 
wherein  she  urges  me  in  the  strongest  manner  never  to  take 
into  account /oy  her  sake  the  domestic  sacrifices  I  am  making, 
for  she  never  should  cease  to  be  miserable  if,  by  my  seceding 
from  Service,  anything  should  occur  in  the  interval  which 
might  make  me  condemn  myself  for  having  so  withdrawn 
from  it.    The  fact  is  the  poor  soul  experienced,  in  a  degree 
she  probably  never  will  forget,  the  misery  I  endured  on  a 
late  occasion,  which  you  also  observed.     At  all  events  you 
promise  me  a  meeting  at  Portsmouth.     Why  not  Augusta 
also  ?     She  may  then  take  charge  of  the  Bits  of  old  China 
I  am  picking  up  for  her.     It  is  now  the  i6th  at  which  time, 
or  the  20th  at  latest.    Sir  Richard  ^  confidently  stated  I 
should  be  back  in  the  Downs.     Not  back  in  the  Downs  ! 
It  is  one  of  his  failings  to  disappoint  people's  expectations  ; 
for  instance  he  has  been  day  after  day,  week  after  week, 
promising   to   come   out   here,    &   stating  that   he   should 
consider  it  a  bounden  duty  to  us  all  to  be  present  if  the 
Island  was  evacuated,  in  order  that  he  might  conduct  the 
naval  part  of  the  business.     Now  in  the  capacity  of  Com- 
mander-in-Chief he  was  in  no  way  called  upon,  or  expected, 
to  hold  out  such  intentions,  particularly  as  he  probably 
never  had  any  intention  of  executing  them.     The  conse- 
quence is  that,  tho'  we  all  like  him  (and  I  for  my  part 
really  regard  &  esteem  him)  we  never  count  on  the  prose- 
cution of  any  of  his  promised  measures.     He  is  a  man 
with  the  most  violent  temper  that  I  believe  ever  existed, 
but  withal  he  possesses  the  warmest  heart  &  kindest  & 
most    friendly   disposition.     He    is   a   man    who    discerns 
quickly,   &  estimates  fairly,   the  abilities  &  exertions  of 
those  under  his  command,  &  he  never,  if  he  has  the  oppor- 
tunity, fails  to  appreciate  and  to  applaud  the  merits  of  an 
officer.     In  his  official  capacity  he  is  only  jealous  of  you, 

1  Strachan. 


124  CHARLES  AT   WALCHEREN  [ch.  ii 

if  he  thinks  your  ship,  supposing  her  to  be  in  action,  is  in 
a  more  perilous  or  critical  situation  than  his  own,  &  the 
same  feeling  is  exerted  in  a  less  degree  if  your  ship  sails 
better  than  his.  These  are  his  only  failings,  if  they  are 
to  be  called  such,  save  the  ungoveniable  irritability  of  his 
disposition,  which  on  occasions  carries  away  all  before  it, 
and  at  such  moments  the  culprit  is  liable  certainly  to  be 
assailed  in  a  manner  inexcusable.  The  Phrenzy  subsided, 
he  is  miserable  for  having  abused,  or  hurt  the  feelings  of, 
the  Individual,  &  frequently  makes  the  most  ample  con- 
cessions. After  all,  his  good  qualities  both  as  an  officer 
&  a  man  very  much  preponderate,  &  I  certainly  shall 
endeavour  to  keep  permanently  under  his  command.  It 
is  a  pleasant  thing  to  serve  under  an  officer  whom  in  every 
situation  at  sea  you  feel  confidence  in,  &  who,  you  know, 
will,  as  far  as  the  service  will  admit,  promote  all  your 
private  views  &  wishes. 

In  being  attached  to  Sir  Richard  I  conceive  I  am  full  as 
likely  as  anywhere  to  see  some  work  some  of  these  days, 
for  Buonaparte  will,  when  the  fancy  takes  him,  order  the 
Antwerp  &  Helder  Ships  to  sea,  &  Sir  Dickey  will  be  going 
Helter-Skelter  after  them  from  the  Downs,  &  I  know  he 
wishes  the  Revenge  to  be  one  of  his  Squadron.  I  shall 
therefore  under  all  circumstances  write  &  settle  it  with  him. 

.  .  .  By  the  bye  a  letter  which  I  received  from  you  yester- 
day says  that  poor  old  Sir  William  ^  was  reported  to  be  at 
his  last  gasp,  which,  if  it  be  true,  is  rather  malapropos.  I 
hope  however  that  he  will  brush  up  again  for  his  own  as 
well  as  our  sakes,  tho'  for  his  own  I  can  hardly  wish  it, 
poor  old  Boy. 

To  this  moment  General  Don  is  carrying  on  the  Humbug 
of  keeping  &  defending  this  Island  against  any  force  that 
can  be  brought  against  it,  &  the  curious  thing  is  that 
there  are  so  many  Gulpins  {sic\  who  swallow  it  all.  Whereas, 
I  know  that  the  arrangements  are  making  for  the  embarka- 
tion of  the  wretched  remnant "  of  our  army,  as  also  the 
means  preparing  for  the  destruction  of  the  magnificent 
Wet  Docks.  The  frigate  we  found  on  the  Stocks  all  our 
artificers  have  been  employed  upon,  &  she  will  be  launched 

^  General  Hon.  Sir  William  Pitt,  uncle  of  Lord  Rivers,  died  soon  after- 
wards, aged  eighty-two.  Governor  of  Portsmouth,  he  had  been  in  the 
habit  of  lending  to  Charles  Paget  the  Government  House  there. 

2  From  the  ill-fated  Isle  of  Walcheren. 


1 809-10]  THE   POLITICAL  WORLD  125 

this  day  week,  &  I  look  upon  it  that  by  that  day  I  shall 
be  receiving  the  Royals  on  board  again,  as  I  conclude  the 
Men  of  War  will  receive  Troops,  &  if  so  I  shall  try  to  take 
back  the  Regt,  I  brought  out,  &  this  plan  ought  I  think  to 
be  adopted  throughout,  tho'  by  it  I  shall  have  double  the 
number  of  others,  the  Royals  having  suffered  much  less  than 
the  rest  of  the  Regiments. 

We  feel,  my  good  fellow,  exactly  alike  about  all  that  is 
going  in  the  Political  World,  If  the  aspect  of  affairs  in 
General  did  not  make  one  serious,  one  could  not  help  turning 
into  laughter  &  ridicule  the  late  farcical  appointments  to 
the  most  important  situations  in  the  Government.  The 
only  consolation  I  derive  is  that  the  whole  ]\Iass  is  of  such 
materials  that  it  is  only  intended  to  exist  till  the  arrival  of 
Lord  Wellesley  ^ — w^ho  if  he  joins  them  at  all,  will  before 
he  has  long  been  amongst  them,  lop  off  so  many  of  the 
exuberances  &  excrescences,  that  ere  many  months  are 
gone  by,  we  shall  find  him  at  the  Top  of  the  Tree,  having 
ousted  the  generality  of  the  present  Set. 

As  for  Ld.  Mulgrave,  he  seems  to  have  double-bitted  his 
Cables,  &  to  have  slobbered  over  all — determining  to  ride 
it  out  under  any  circumstances. 

It  is  now  high  time,  my  good  Arthur,  that  I  should  not 
only  release  you  but  also  make  excuses  to  you  for  the 
length  of  this  letter.  The  fact  is  I  am  one  of  those  who, 
if  I  cannot  be  in  the  company  of  those  I  have  the  warmest 
attachment  &  affection  for,  feel  it  the  next  greatest  satis- 
faction to  myself  to  indulge  in  this  sort  of  v>'ay,  so  you 
will  forgive  me.     For  ever  your  devoted  &  affect. 

Charles. 

Hon.  Berkeley  Paget 

My  Dear  Old  Lad, — Edward  having  mentioned  the  fact 
of  my  poor  Father  having  broke  his  Rib  &  going  on  well, 
I  shall  confine  myself  to  the  relation  of  the  accident.  He 
arrived  in  Town  at  four  o'clock  and  immediately  walked 
into  his  Dressing  Room,  supported  by  Sanderson  &  Samuel. 
He  reached  the  fire  Place  &  then  told  Sanderson  to  shut 
the  Door.  Samuel  still  had  hold  of  him,  in  turning  round 
however  he  fell  on  his  right  side  nearly  dragging  Samuel 

^  The  Marquis  Wellesley  became  Foreign  Secretary  in  December  1809, 
in  Mr.  Perceval's  Administration. 


126  CHARLES  MAKES  USHANT  [ch.  n 

upon  him.  He  struck  nothing,  not  being  near  a  Chair  or 
Table.  He  was  lifted  up  &  he  then  complained  of  a  great 
pain  on  his  left  side.  Tupper  fortunately  was  passing  the 
Door  a  few  minutes  after  the  accident,  was  called  in  and 
pronounced  the  Rib  fractured.  So  unaccountable  an 
Accident  I  cannot  well  conceive.  If  he  had  fallen  against 
anything,  there  would  have  been  no  wonder.  However  he 
is  going  on  as  well  as  possible  and  Lady  Uxbridge  is  as 
composed  as  one  could  possibly  expect. 

I  have  been  writing  so  many  Letters  that  I  must  leave 
off  ;   my  hand  is  quite  tired.     God  bless  you  all.  Most  affty, 

B.  Paget. 

Capt,  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

1809. 

My  Dear  Old  Boy, — It  is  very  fine  commanding  the 
fastest  Sailing  Ship  in  a  fleet  &  also  very  flattering  perhaps 
being  on  all  occasions  employed  in  chasing  &  looking  out, 
but  it  works  one's  constitution  properly,  at  least  one  that 
has  so  anxious  a  mind  as  myself.  It  is  now,  thank  heaven, 
near  daylight  &  I  have  been  long  wishing  for  it.  My 
Signal  was  made  yesterday  to  go  ahead  of  the  fleet  to  make 
Ushant,  not  seeing  it  before  dark.  I  was  directed  to  carry 
a  Light  ahead  all  night,  and  a  most  beastly  dirty  dark 
blowing  night  it  has  been.  Half  an  hour  ago  we  however 
made  the  Light  of  Ushant  &  I  blazed  away  Guns  &  in 
short  made  the  signal  for  it,  &  having  now  got  a  fresh 
departure,  I  suppose  Lord  Gambler,  if  it  continues  to  the 
Southward,  will  bear  away  for  Torbay.  We  were  all 
round  on  the  other  Tack  in  no  time  after  I  made  the  signal, 
for  you  may  suppose  the  Land  could  not  be  far  off  to  be 
seen  in  such  weather  at  night.  Lord  Gambler  must  have 
pretty  good  nerves  with  such  a  set  of  Three-Deckers,  alias 
the  Heavy  Waggon  train,  alias  the  Team,  to  push  in  as  he 
did  with  them.  I  wrote  to  you,  my  old  Boy,  three  days 
ago  by  the  Torment  Gun  Brig,  &  I  dare  say  she  had  a  good 
passage  if  she  dared  run  for  the  land.  We  have  had  really 
dreadful  weather — never  any  cessation  to  it.  We  have 
now  however  the  jolly  old  moon  coming  to  our  aid,  &  you 
know  how  precious  it  is  to  us.  The  King  George  Cutter 
crossed  close  to  us  in  the  night  &  is  from  Plymouth  so  I 
hope  to  hear  from  you  by  her. 

C.  P. 


I809-IO]  BEAU  BRUMMELL  127 

George  Brummell 

Chapel  Street,  Nov.  24,  1809. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — Whether  or  not  you  ever  received  a 
silver  lamp  which  I  desired  to  be  made  and  sent  to  you 
the  end  of  last  Summer,  I  am  yet  ignorant — I  could  not 
then  meet  with  anything  that  I  thought  would  suit  you,  so 
I  ordered  one  to  the  best  of  my  fancy — I  have  not  really 
heard  of  or  seen  a  Horse,  which  answered  the  description 
you  mentioned,  during  my  various  travels  since  I  was  with 
you  at  West  Lodge,  I  am  going  into  Leicestershire  the 
end  of  next  week  for  a  short  time,  and,  if  you  have  not 
already  met  with  "  ever  a  clever  riding  Horse,"  I  have  no 
doubt  I  shall  be  able  to  select  one  that  I  can  venture  to 
recommend  you. 

I  have  been  shooting  my  arms  and  legs  off  for  the  last 
two  months,  but  have  not  seen  anything  throughout  Nor- 
folk or  elsewhere  in  the  Pheasant  line  to  equal  two  days' 
blazing  we  had  at  Osterley  '  last  week.  180  head  the 
first  day  with  four  guns  only — and  no  the  second  with 
five  pieces  of  artillery. 

I  most  sincerely  wish  you  would  determine  to  give  the 
bold  Westmorland  a  week  towards  Xmas  at  Apethorpe, 
and  write  me  the  precise  period  of  such  intention,  that  I 
may  meet  you  to  the  very  day — I  will  take  good  care  to  con- 
voke Chig  and  some  of  your  old  friends  to  be  of  the  party. 

One  commission  more,  by  the  bye,  you  entrusted  me, 
and  tho'  it  was  some  time  since  delivered  to  me,  it  has 
not  been  forgotten — to  procure  you  a  Hogshead  of  Claret 
— there  has  not  been,  nor  is  there  at  present  any  to  be  had 
in  that  quantity  which  is  worth  purchasing — plenty  of 
Irish  and  Guernsey  to  be  bought,  but  I  am  sure  you  have 
too  much  regard  for  your  own  head  and  your  friends'  Livers 
to  drench  them  with  such  potent  composition. 

With  every  remembrance  to  the  Lady  Augusta  and 
"  Petty  Gal,"  Yrs,  my  dear  Arthur,  very  truly, 

George  Brummell. 

Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

Revenge,  off  Ushant,  Dec.  ii,  1809. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — The  Admiral  has  just  made  the 
signal  for  an  opportunity  of  sending  letters.     I  therefore 

1  Lord  Jersey's. 
10 


128  POPULARITY   OF  GAMBIER  [ch.  ii 

write  a  line  to  say  here  we  are  off  Brest.  My  next  letter 
shall  give  you  an  account  of  the  Caledonia.  As  yet  I  have 
scarcely  seen  enough  of  her  to  do  so,  but  what  I  have  seen 
corresponds  with  all  that  I  have  heard  of  her  excellence. 

The  Revenge  certainly  with  ease  beats  them  all.  Yester- 
day was  wholly  employed  in  manoeuvring  &  the  ship 
answered  her  helm  like  a  cutter  and  sailed  to  admiration. 
The  old  Royal  George  our  next  ahead.  We  share  courses. 
...  &  in  short  with  the  powers  of  my  Ship  I  am  perfectly 
satisfied. 

Admiral  Harvey  &  Sir  Charles  Hamilton  are  both  going 
back  for  leave  of  absence  to  attend  Parliament.  Shall  I 
do  the  same  for  six  weeks  or  two  months  ?  Ministers  will 
require  all  the  support  they  can  procure  and  there  would 
be  no  difficulty  in  my  success  I  should  suppose.  We  should 
then  be  evenly  met  &  see  I  hope  a  good  deal  of  each  other. 
I  shall  not  do  anything  in  this  till  I  receive  your  answer 
which  will  decide  me,  direct  to  me  off  Ushant  via  Pljmiouth 
Dock  to  the  care  of  P.  W.  Spink  Esq.  unless  the  wind  should 
be  when  you  write  decidedly  Southerly  or  Westerly  &  in 
that  case  direct  to  Torquay.     For  ever  yours, 

Charles. 

Lord  Gambler  seems  to  conduct  the  fleet  famously — 
he  lets  us  enjoy  ourselves  in  Port  &  at  sea,  keeps  us  con- 
stantly forming  lines  of  Battle,  orders  of  sailing  &  so  forth, 
which  keeps  the  officers  and  men  on  the  alert  and  teaches 
the  former  the  most  essential  part  of  their  duty  as  naval 
officers. 

Lord  Paget 

Beau  Desert,  Feb.  22nd,  [1810]. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  think  I  have  never  answered  your 
proposal  to  me  to  go  to  Sicily.  To  say  the  truth  I  have 
no  fancy  for  such  a  trip  &  should  at  all  events  be  a  most 
improper  person  to  supplant  the  Illustrious  Atcheiverst 
Atcheivrents  [?].'.  .  . 

/  think  that  John,   Earl  of   Chatham,'  is  rather  sharp 

*  Perhaps  Lord  William  Bentinck  is  meant. 

•  After  their  mutual  failure  at  Walcheren,  Lord  Chatham  (who  had 
been  responsible  for  the  conduct  of  operations  on  shore)  and  Sir  Richard 
Strachan  (who  commanded  at  sea)  indulged  in  virulent  attacks  on  each 
other's  lack  of  vigour. 


1809-10]  SERVICES   OF  THE   CAVALRY  129 

upon  Dicky.  1  declare  I  do  not  think  he  makes  out  a  bad 
case — But  1  think  that  the  attack  is  clearly  upon  the  Cabinet 
collectively  and  not  upon  him  individually.  What  think 
you  of  the  vote  of  thanks  to  the  General  Officer  who  did 
7wt  effect  the  Passage  of  the  Duero  ?  They  have  a  par- 
ticular objection  to  thanking  Us.  I  know,  (I  really  speak 
as  I  think),  that  I  did  not  deserve  any  &,  so  help  me  God, 
I  would  not  give  a  pinch  of  snuff  to  have  been  included, 
but  it  certainl}'  required  ingenuity  to  keep  me  out  of  that 
thing  there,  when  we  all  ran  away  out  of  Spain  together. 
I  hope  you  continue  to  like  your  residence.  Ever  aifectly 
yours, 

Paget. 

Lord  Castlereagh  to  Lord  Paget 

PRIVATE. 

St.  James's  Square. 

My  Dear  Lord, — As  I  know  of  no  Branch  of  the  Army, 
whose  Services  have  raised  our  military  character  higher 
than  that  of  the  Cavalry,  whilst  it  acted  under  your  orders 
in  Spain,  it  is  with  particular  pleasure  I  have  to  communi- 
cate to  you  that  His  Majesty  has  been  graciously  pleased 
to  signify  his  Intention  of  conferring  upon  those  who  have 
Commanded  Corps  and  who  have  been  Engaged  with  the 
Enemy,  Medals  in  Reward  of  their  gallant  and  meritorious 
Services. 

As  I  have  not  yet  had  it  in  my  power  to  arrange  with 
his  R.  Highness  the  precise  time  to  be  adopted  in  carrying 
these  His  Majesty's  Commands  into  effect,  I  beg  you  will 
consider  this  as  a  Confidential  Communication,  which  it  is 
more  grateful  to  me  to  make,  as  I  had  the  mortification  to 
find  myself  precluded  by  the  practice  of  Parhament  from 
proposing  thanks  to  you  and  your  gallant  Commander  for 
Services  that  in  point  of  Brilhancy  and  Exertion  merited 
every  mark  of  publick  approbation.  I  am,  my  dear  Lord, 
very  sincerely  yours, 

Castlereagh. 

Lord  Rivers 

Hare  Park,  March  5th,  18 10. 

I  am  pleased  to  find  by  a  letter  from  Beckford  which 
I  received  at  the  same  time  as  yours,  my  dear  Sir  Arthur, 


130  LORD   RIVERS  [ch.  ii 

that  you  are  mutually  pleased  with  each  other.  He  is  a 
sensible  honourable  man  and  a  gentleman.  I  am  convinced 
the  possession  of  the  walk  will  please  you  and  afford  you 
satisfaction.  It  was  always  the  best  in  the  Chace,  and  with 
attention  will  furnish  more  deer  than  any  2  walks  in  the 
Chace,  and  although  my  friend  Beckford's  constant  hunting 
during  the  great  heats  drove  away  and  destroyed  the  greatest 
part  of  the  old  deer,  the  young  ones  will  soon  be  coming 
on.  By  attention  Wedd  has  increased  the  head  of  deer 
in  Rushmore  walk  fourfold.  You  must  not  be  baulked 
in  your  fancy  or  rather  that  of  Lady  Augusta  for  the 
ha  !  ha  !,  as  I  think  it  will  be  a  wonderful  improvement 
and  if  you  really  attach  yourself  to  the  place  there  will  be 
little  doubt  of  you  having  possession  of  it  as  long  as  you 
wish.  Don't  suppose  I  give  up  Rushmore,  I  in  fact  prefer  it 
to  any  other  place,  but  I  am  always  most  happy  where  I 
am  most  free  and  at  liberty.  I  was  on  my  horse  this  day 
from  twelve  o'clock  till  four  without  meeting  a  soul  except 
passing  occasionally  a  shepherd  ;  I  find  here  coursing  in 
perfection  and  total  seclusion  if  I  wish  it,  and  consequent 
peace  and  rest,  and  none  of  the  annoyances  which  I  can't 
escape  at  my  other  family  homes. 

Still  I  shall  hope  to  pass  August  and  September  as  usual 
at  Rushmore.  From  October  till  March  I  shall  enjoy  this 
place,  &  Stratfield  Saye  is  well  situated  for  Spring  and 
Summer.  I  never  had  a  second  thought  about  recom- 
mending Maidment  to  you  when  I  saw  how  the  Tide  went 
against  him.  He  is  an  extraordinary  clever  fellow  and  so 
good  a  deer-stealer  faute  d'mitre  occupation  that  they  can't 
catch  him.  If  I  was  a  sportsman  in  whatever  country  I 
went,  he  should  never  be  from  my  elbow.  He  is  a  very 
superior  man.  If  you  had  not  been  provided  with  a  Keeper, 
I  could  have  recommend' d  a  sensible  clever  young  man  of 
Character,  who  next  month  leaves  Genl.  St.  John.  I  wish 
I  could  find  some  employment  for  him  here,  and  as  Ld. 
Aylesford  has  given  me  the  Deputation  of  an  extensive 
Manor  which  comes  to  my  Pales  I  possibly  may. 

I  did  not  intend  boring  you  so  long.     BeHeve  me,  most 
truly  yours, 

Rivers. 

I  will  give  immediate  orders  to  have  the  Deputation  made 
out  for  West  Walk. 


i8o9-io]  LORD   MELVILLE'S   POSITION  131 


Earl  of  Galloway 
PowTOUN,  By  Dumfries,  March  6th,  1810. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — The  singular  coincidence  of  our 
Political  opinions  without  any  previous  communication  has 
encouraged  me  to  prosecute  the  subject  without  fear  of 
boring  you. 

I  have  been  for  some  time  corresponding  partially  with 
Lord  Melville  of  whom  I  think  just  as  you  do.  Never  was  a 
great  man  in  such  an  awkward  predicament,  of  course  he 
does  not  avow  this  to  me,  but  it  is  self  evident.  His  Return 
to  Power,  which  I  believe  he  desires  really  more  because 
he  sees  his  Talents  are  required  than  fiom  renewed  ambition, 
and  from  a  laudable  desire  to  reinstate  himself  before  he 
dies  in  PubUc  opinion  (because  as  I  have  seen  his  domestic 
habits,  love  of  Farming,  Dunira,i  &c.  I  can  form  some 
judgment)  must  depend  solely  upon  the  King,  who  is  advised 
to  reject  him  for  fear  of  offending  a  scrupulous  Few  in  the 
H.  of  Commons  and  perhaps  endeavouring  to  embarrass 
Government  by  other  means,  such  as  addresses,  &c.  On 
the  other  hand.  Lord  M.  feels  his  hands  tied  from  his  great 
obhgations  to  the  Crown,  who  may  be  said  to  have  saved 
him  from  the  fangs  of  his  enemies  4  years  ago.  His  sense 
and  character  will  not  permit  him  to  approve  of  all  the  late 
follies,  and  he  can  only  censure  delicately  in  consequence 
of  his  obhgations  and  connection  with  Government  thro' 
his  son.  The  only  questionable  point  with  respect  to  his 
Pohtical  conduct  is  the  propriety,  thinking  as  he  does,  of 
placing  his  son  in  office,  whereby  his  own  freedom  is  shackled, 
or  else  his  pubhc  censure  becomes  questionable — looking  Hke 
what  is  termed  Scotch  Politics.  In  answer  to  this  it  must 
however  be  recollected  that  Lord  Melville's  great  Conse- 
quence in  the  North  is  solely  founded  upon  the  possession 
of  power,  with  the  exception  of  his  alliance  with  the  Hope- 
toun  Family.  For  he  possesses  neither  extensive  Property, 
nor  Family  to  support  the  Pretensions  Fortune  has  given 
to  him.  If  he  was  then  to  adopt  the  Independent  Plan 
of  a  disgusted  statesman  he  would  soon  be  forgotten  and 
of  no  avail  either  there  or  in  the  South,  therefore  an  ex- 
tenuation must  be  admitted  as  to  his  Situation  compared 
with  a  Pitt  or  a  Fox  greatly  connected  and  the  Descendants 

Lord  Melville's  residence  in  Scotland, 


132  LORD   LONSDALE  [ch.  ii 

of  Great  Political  Characters,  their  Ancestors  before  them 
— so  much  as  to  Lord  Melville. 

Personally  I  believe  him  to  be  a  little  desirous  that 
others  who  value  his  Talents  and  wish  him  in  ofhce  should 
manifest  it,  especially  his  Friend  Lord  Lonsdale,  he  has 
therefore  been  corresponding  with  him  and  has  sent  me 
the  Copy  of  his  letter,  wishing  me  to  apply  to  myself  what- 
ever in  it  I  may  think  fits.  I  enclose  it  to  you  under  a 
separate  Cover.  I  say  '  Confidentially '  thro'  Prudence, 
otherwise  I  see  nothing  of  a  secret  in  it,  and  because  Lord 
Lonsdale's  Answer  was  entrusted  to  me  '  Confidentially,' 
but  which  likewise  contained  nothing  of  moment,  Lord  L. 
thinking  and  feeling  a  good  deal  as  I  do. 

I  send  you  also  under  another  Cover  the  letter  I  wrote 
in  reply  to  Lord  Melville,  but  being  desirous  to  forward 
the  whole  to  you  I  wrote  another  and  kept  the  first  Copy. 
I  shall  be  glad  to  learn  your  sentiments  upon  the  whole  if 
it  does  not  cause  you  too  much  trouble  to  impart  them  as 
I  value  your  opinions  a  great  deal — you  will  be  so  good  to 
return  the  whole  together. 

Since  I  wrote  this  I  have  found  my  previous  letter  to 
Lord  M.  and  his  to  me.  I  have  also  enclosed  them  separ- 
ately. If  I  bore  you  it  is  your  own  fault  for  having  written 
so  long  and  kind  a  letter  to  me. 

I  am  sorry  Paget  avoided  the  Summons  of  the  House, 
his  evidence  would  have  been  good,  because  it  would  have 
been  decided,  and  he  would  have  become  a  little  more 
habituated  to  the  World,  which  by  prolonged  Retirement 
he  will  dislike  to  meet  again — I  have  no  idea  he  will  be 
required  in  Portugal,  we  must  be  Chassed  there.  With 
apologies  for  this  long  scrawl,  Believe  me  ever  affectionately 
yours, 

G. 

Capt.  Hon,  Charles  Paget 

UxBRiDGE  House. 
My  Dearest  Arthur, — . . .  I  have  found  London  pleasant 
enough  owing  to  the  number  of  the  family  dinners,  &  the 
circumstance  of  things  in  general  going  on  smoothly. 
Yesterday  a  party  consisting  of  Amehus  Beauclerk,  Bladen 
Capel,  Mark  Kerr,  Graham  Moore,  &  myself  dined  with 
Galloway,  &  the  same  sort  of  thing  happens  every  day. 


i8o9-io]  PAGET  AND  THE  PRINCE  133 

On  Friday  the  independent  Member  of  Parliament  '  gives  a 
grand  dinner  to  the  above  set  with  the  addition  of  Strachan 
&  Legge. 

Paget  has  lately  had  a  long  conference  with  the  Prince 
at  Carlton  House,  it  lasted  more  than  two  hours,  during 
which  time  every  topic  both  of  a  Public  &  Private  nature 
was  touched  upon.  Paget  is  to  go  to  his  Levee,  which 
takes  place  immediately  after  Easter.  Vivian  (whom  the 
Prince  has  promised  Paget  to  appoint  one  of  his  Aid-de- 
Camps)  will  go  with  him. 

I  went  down  to  Surbiton  last  Sunday  with  Paget  to  see 
the  Children.  Car  has  wonderfully  recovered  her  strength 
&  looks.  .  .  . 

I  saw  Addenbrooke  yesterday  and  asked  him  what  he 
thought  were  the  intentions  of  Ld.  Rivers  touching  Cran- 
bourne  Chase,  &  he  assured  me  that  he  had  no  motive 
for  wishing  to  be  rid  of  it,  other  than  the  trouble  which 
he  found  was  given  him  by  People,  whose  concerns  in  the 
Chase  led  them  to  be  constantly  teazing  him  with  one 
business  or  other,  but  that  he  was  persuaded  he  would  not 
dispose  of  it,  unless  it  were  to  Ld.  Uxbridge. 

Can  I  do  anything  for  you  ?  Poor  fellow,  I  am  quite 
vexed  that  you  should  have  found  such  disaster  when  you 
got  home.  This  fresh  instance  of  the  inconvenience  of 
having  Deer  so  close  abroad  will  make  you  hate  them  more 
than  ever.     Ever  your  affect.  &  devoted 

Charles. 

Countess  of  Uxbridge 

London,  May  31s/,  1810. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — I  am  so  horrified  at  this  dreadful 
catastrophe  of  the  Duke  of  Cumberland's  *  that  I  can 
scarcely  hold  my  pen,  but  your  very  dear,  but  affecting 
letter  of  yesterday  demands  my  immediate,  and  warmest 
thanks.  .  .  .  Kiss  pretty  little  Leopoldine  for  us.  We  must 
remain  in  this  odious  Town  till  after  Jane's  confinement 
the  end  of  June.     Will  it  suit  you  best  that  we  should  go 

1   Berkeley  Paget. 

1  H.R.H.  the  Duke  of  Cumberland  was  the  victim  of  a  murderous 
attack  by  one  of  his  servants,  a  native  of  Piedmont,  named  Sellis.  on 
the  night  of  May  31  in  his  apartments  at  St.  James's  Palace.  After  very 
severely  wounding  the  Duke  by  repeated  blows  with  a  sabre,  the  assailant 
cut  his  own  throat.     The  Duke  recovered. 


134  EDWARD'S   IDEAS  [CH.  ii 

to  West  Lodge  before  our  Visit  to  Bishops  Court  ?  or,  if 
you  prefer  it,  after  it  will  be  equally  convenient  to  us.  I 
have  much  more  to  say  in  reply  to  two  most  kind  letters, 
but  at  this  Moment  am  unequal  to  it.  Ever,  my  dearest 
Arthur,  your  most  affectionate  Mother, 

J.    UXBRIDGE. 

Gen.  Hon.  Sir  Edward  Paget 

Beau  Desert,  5th  June,  1810. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  have  thanks  to  offer  you  for  a 
letter  of  the  24th  of  last  month.  But  for  the  locals,  I 
should  now  most  probably  be  with  you  at  West  Lodge. 
My  tour  will  finish  at  Oxford  in  the  last  days  of  July,  and 
I  have  already  traced  out  my  route  from  thence  to  Sarum. 
In  the  meantime  I  must  put  certain  queries  to  you.  What 
village,  or  Posada  have  you  in  your  neighbourhood,  and 
within  what  distance,  capable  of  taking  in  3  or  4  horses 
and  their  attendants  ?  About  what  time  do  you  expect 
Ld.  &  Ldy.  Uxbridge  ?  Have  you  it  in  contemplation 
at  any  time  during  the  summer  to  go  to  Bishops  Court  ? 

Where  is  Handley  Manor  and  what  is  this  dehghtful  little 
spot  of  which  you  speak  ?  Before  I  am  much  older,  I 
must  have  some  residence  of  my  own,  be  it  a  Barn.  Tho' 
I  did  not  occupy  it  one  week  in  fifty-two,  still  there  is  that 
in  one's  nature,  which  makes  one  enjoy  the  society,  bounty, 
and  hospitaUty  of  our  relatives  and  friends  in  a  tenfold 
degree,  when  one  is  not  entirely  dependent  upon  them 
for  an  Asylum.  I  have  however  fix't  Ideas  upon  this 
subject,  which  I  am  afraid  partake  somewhat  of  selfishness. 
I  never  could  spend  one  shilling  satisfactorily  upon  a  place 
not  my  own,  or  at  least  not  likely  to  be  my  own,  and  there- 
fore it  would  be  a  sine  qua  non  with  me,  as  long  as  it  pleases 
God  to  spare  the  life  of  my  little  Boy,  not  to  take  a  place 
without  having  the  Option  of  purchasing  it  at  a  future 
Period.  It  is  in  this  manner  that  Galloway  has  got  pos- 
session of  Coolhurst.  There  is  a  most  pleasing,  tho'  melan- 
choly, contrast  between  this  Place  now,  &  what  we  recollect 
it  a  few  months  ago.  All  is  Peace  and  tranquillity.  I  am 
persuaded  I  could  live  here  for  ever  even  in  Solitude,  and  be 
cheerful,  and  with  a  few  I  could  name  most  happy.  Ever 
most  affectionately  yours, 

E.  P. 


:.^**'- 


JANE,  COUNTESS  OF  UXBRIDGE 


i8o9-io]  INQUIRIES  AFTER  "BEN"  135 

Lord  Paget 

June  jth,  1810. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  write  to  you  to  enquire  after  Ben. 
I  intreat  you  to  let  me  know  how  Ben  is.  I  pity  him  from 
my  Soul.  I  do  not  understand  what  precaution  he  can 
take  to  defend  himself.  If  such  persons  as  Jouart  and 
Dupacquet  ^  are  not  to  be  depended  upon,  what  is  to  become 
of  him  ?  What  is  he  to  do  ?  I  am  really  distressed  to  the 
greatest  degree  at  the  poor  Duke  of  Cumberland's  horrid 
misfortune,  but  I  will  fairly  own  to  you,  that  I  have  had  Ben 
more  constantly  present  in  my  thoughts  than  even  the 
Duke.  What  do  you  suppose  he  does  ?  Does  he  bolt  his 
doors  ?  No — for  then  he  might  be  burnt  to  death,  or  be 
taken  with  an  apoplexy.  He  certainly  cocks  his  pistols. 
That  of  course.  They  have  been  cocked  for  these  20  years. 
But  then  he  may  be  asleep.  In  short,  my  dear  Arthur,  don't 
treat  this  anxiety  as  a  joke,  but  do  tell  me,  what  does  he 
do  ?  How  is  he  ?  What  does  he  say  ?  I  can  think  of 
nothing  else.  I  have  only  just  heard  this  shocking  business. 
It  is  really  horrid.  The  Duke  seems  to  have  possessed 
himself,  and  to  have  been  very  stout.  I  have  great  faith 
in  his  nerves.  But  what  will  Ben  do  ?  Of  course  he  wiU 
lock  up  all  his  sabres  and  keep  the  keys  himself.  But 
that  may  not  do.  There  are  others.  In  short  what  will 
he  do  ?  If  you  have  any  mercy,  find  out  and  tell  me.  I 
reaUy  can  write  of  nothing  else.     Ever  affecly  yours, 

P. 

Countess  of  Uxhridge 

London,  June  13th,  1810. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — I  have  not  for  ages  received  a 
letter  from  you,  that  contributed  so  much  to  my  happiness 
as  your  last,  it  confirms  me  in  the  opinion  that  where  good 
seed  is  sown  it  will  grow  at  last.  Your  nature  was  every- 
thing I  could  wish,  you  suffer'd  it  to  lie  dormant  for  a  time, 
that  time  used  to  make  me  miserable.  Now  you  make 
my  heart  glad,  formerly  your  letters  were  gloomy,  when  you 
had  much  variety  to  enhven  them.  Now  that  there  is 
a  sameness  in  your  life,  they  are  dehghtful ;  this  is  a 
true  picture,  tho'  not  well  drawn.     In  short  your  letter 

^  The  Prince  of  Wales'  pages. 


136  MRS.  CLARKE'S  BOOK  [ch.  ii 

in  all  its  parts  cheer'd  me  as  much  as  your  hospitality  did 
the  good  people  you  feasted  on  our  beloved  King's  birthday. 
I  think,  as  it's  the  same  thing  to  you  and  Lady  Augusta,  we 
had  better  make  our  visit  at  West  Lodge  before  we  go  to 
Bishops  Court,  but  this  shall  be  just  as  you  and  the  Graves' 
like  to  settle  it.  Oh  !  Arthur,  Mrs.  Clarke's  book  petrifies 
me.  If  you  have  not  got  it,  I  will  send  it  to  you.  Some- 
times I  flatter  myself  it  may  be  her  vile  malice  that  has 
instigated  her  to  this  publication,  and  that  it  is  false.     If 

so,  a  contradiction  will  soon  appear.  If  true, *  can  never 

shew  his  face  again. 

14th.  I  could  not  get  a  frank  yesterday  and  this  was 
not  worth  sending  without. 

Poor  pretty  little  Leopoldine  !  When  I  think  of  the 
possibility  of  her  being  assailed  by  the  tribe  you  mention, 
it  makes  me  shudder.  I  hope  you  succeeded  in  annihilating 
them.  The  account  this  morning  of  the  Duke  of  Cumber- 
land is  the  best  we  have  yet  had.  I  hope  you  enquired 
after  him.  Depend  upon  it,  he  would  be  much  gratified 
by  your  doing  so.  The  only  person  in  London  that  has 
omitted  this  is  Mr.  Whitbread.  Poor  man  !  He  is  still 
in  a  deplorable  state,  has  not  the  least  use  of  either  of  his 
hands,  and  he  has  not  been  shaved  since  the  event  on 
account  of  wounds  in  his  face  and  neck,  of  which  he  has 
eleven.  I'm  afraid  Marconi  would  not  approve  of  your 
punishment  for  him.     I  am  ever  your  most  affect.  Mother, 

J.    UXBRIDGE. 

Hon.  Berkeley  Paget 

[June,  1810.] 

Most  Excellent  Sir, — I  send  you  the  recipe  for  Angel 
Pudding,  and  I  hope  you  will  be  as  good  as  your  Word  in 
coming  again  to  London  before  you  go  to  the  West,  as  I 
will  give  you  Wine  and  wassel  and  get  Box  for  Tragedy  or 
Comedy,  or  Comi-Tragedy  or  Tragi-comedy. 

I  saw  your  Brother  most  provident  in  peril  bind  himself 
(Courage  and  hope  both  teaching  him  the  practice)  to  a 
strong  Mast,  that  lived  upon  the  Sea  ;  where  like  Arion  on 
the  Dolphin's  back,  I  saw  him  hold  acquaintance  with  the 

^  H.R.H.  the  Duke  of  York,  who  had  been  compelled  to  resign  his 
Command  of  the  Army  in  the  previous  year  owing  to  scandalous  revela- 
tions of  improper  influence  in  regard  to  officers'  appointments  and  pro- 
motion exercised  by  his  mistress,  Mary  Anne  Clarke. 


1809-10]  CHARLES  AT  SEA  137 

Waves  so  long  as  I  could  see.     Vide  "  12th  Night,"  Act  ist, 
So.  2. 

Small  Beer  I 


Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

Revenge,  June  17th,  lat.  48,  long.  17  W, 

Nothing  interesting  has  occurred,  my  dearest  fellow,  since 
my  last,  all  that  we  have  seen  or  done  having  been  to 
board  a  few  homeward  bound  merchantmen,  the  only  good 
resulting  from  which  has  been  that  I  have  been  able  to 
send  almost  daily  a  letter  to  Ehzabeth,  all  of  which  I  trust 
she  will  receive  as  punctual^  as  I  have  been  enabled  to 
send  them. 

Considering  the  time  of  year  I  think  we  have  done  toler- 
ably well  to  get  so  far  to  the  Westward  in  a  week.  We 
have  had  extreme^  variable  weather,  &  by  taking  advantage 
of  the  Slants,  have  thus  got  our  Westing. 

Where  we  now  are  is  as  likely  as  anywhere  to  pick  up  a 
homeward  bound  Frenchman.  But  it  is  so  scarce  a  com- 
modity that  I  by  no  means  count  upon  such  good  fortune. 
It  is  for  us  sailors  a  sad  measure  of  policy  possessing  the 
Enemy's  West  India  Islands.  For  my  part  I  wish  they 
had  both  Martinique  &  Guadaloupe  again,  and  upon  my 
soul  I  think  we  ought  not  to  molest  the  Foe  in  the  enjoy- 
ment of  these  possessions,  which  in  ours  I  don't  believe  do 
us  any  real  good,  &  if  in  theirs  would  constantly  be  the 
spring,  from  whence  the  Navy  would  have  its  hopes  & 
expectations  of  Prize-Money  realized,  &  let  me  tell  you 
after  so  long  &  so  tedious  a  war  as  this  has  been  to  the 
Johnnys,  it  would  not  be  unadvisable  of  the  Government 
considering  these  matters.  In  a  former  letter  I  think  I 
said  "  that  I  could  have  chosen  a  frigate  &  a  Commander 
I  like  better  than  the  Iris."  I  was  impelled  to  this  by 
the  recollection  of  something  which  I  remember  you  to 
have  told  me  regarding  Capt.  Shalland,  which  has  im- 
pressed me  with  no  very  favorable  feelings  towards  him. 
It  was  something  that  he  did  about  you  or  your  things 
when  he  commanded  the  Queen  off  Cadiz,  or  at  Gibraltar, 
that  induced  you  to  mention  him  once  to  me  in  a  way 
which  I  own  has  made  me  on  this  occasion  anything  but  a 
social  Commodore.  In  excepting  the  day  I  sailed,  when 
Admiral  Young  sent  him  to  me  to  receive  his  orders,   I 


138  CALUMNY  [CH.  II 

have  not  seen  him,  &  lest  he  should  be  inclined  to  visit 
me  about  dinner  time  I  have  every  day  sent  him  by  signal 
to  look  out  five  or  six  miles  off.  I  am  surprised  to  find  his 
frigate  does  not  sail  better — being  one  of  the  Danes  &  they 
are  all  but  her  remarkably  swift.  Certainly  we  have  the 
advantage  of  the  Iris,  &  from  the  character  she  possesses 
by  those  on  board  her — I  had  expected  to  be  beat.  She 
is  not  good  at  anything,  always  ten  minutes  acknowledging 
a  signal,  &  then  about  ten  more  in  beginning  to  comply 
with  it,  &  I  think  in  shifting  a  fore  Top  sail  yesterday 
which  was  split,  they  were  by  my  watch  one  hour  &  a 
quarter.  You  have  been  enough  at  sea  to  have  seen  it 
done  in  less  than  a  quarter  of  an  hour.  But  it  is  a  shame 
pulling  holes  in  a  fellow's  Jacket — however  it  will  not  go 
further.  ,  .  . 

The  more  I  have  leisure,  my  excellent  fellow,  to  reflect, 
the  more  irksome  I  feel  it  going  to  sea.     The  only,  &  God 
knows  it  is  the  only,  reason  I  have  for  one  instant  to  condemn 
myself  for  having  married,  arises  from  the  misery  it  is  to 
both   my   poor   dear   Elizabeth   and   myself — these   cruel 
intervals  from  each  other.     Is  it  not  then  wicked,  abso- 
lutely barbarous,  for  people  to  choose  to  impute  to  me 
an  improper  attachment  to  a  very  old  &  certainly  a  very 
sincere  friend,  when  at  the  same  time  I  firmly  believe  that 
under  Heaven  there  does  not  exist  a  Husband  more  wrapt 
up  &  entirely  devoted  to  a  wife  than  I  am  to  mine.     But 
if  it  is  wickedness  in  the  illnatured  World  to  impute  this 
to  me,  what  epithet  of  infamy  is  strong  enough  to  fix  upon 
the  Mother  of  my  Wife,   who   would  have  poison'd  her 
happiness  irrevocably  by  making  or  rather  attempting  to 
make  her  believe  the  scandal  charged  against  me  ?     Hap- 
pily however  from  the  first  moment  of  our  Marriage  we 
have  both  shewn  the  most  unequivocal  &  entire  confidence 
in   each   other's   thoughts   &   actions — having   beforehand 
stipulated  with  ourselves  that  if  ever  by  possibility  any- 
thing, or  any  subject,  should  hereafter  arise  whereon  the 
slightest  misconception  or  doubt  might  exist,  that  instantly 
the  one  should  apprize  the  other  of  it,  instead  therefore  of 
my  poor  Elizabeth  allowing  this  base  calumny  to  brood  one 
instant  in  her  agitated  mind,  she  unreservedly  disclosed  to 
me  all  she  heard  and  from  whom. 

From  that  moment  (two  years  ago)  not  one  atom  of 
uneasiness  has  she  felt  on  the  subject,  for  so  completely 


1809-10]  "THE  VILLAIN"  139 

was  I  enabled  to  compose  her  mind,  &  satisfy  her  of  the 
hellish  falsity  of  the  imputation,  that  I  don't  know  whether 
she  or  myself  condemned  the  person  most,  who  certainly 
above  all  others  in  existence  should  have  been  the  last  to 
have  awakened  such  fears.  Don't  I  beseech  you,  my 
excellent  fellow,  let  this  go  further.  So  much  I  have 
communicated,  as  by  chance  the  subject  was  alluded  to 
that  day  at  West  Lodge,  when  you  were  reading  a  passage 
of  one  of  Paget' s  letters  touching  upon  it.  If  however 
hereafter  you  should  on  any  occasion  hear  any  allusion  to 
the  Dss  of  B.  &  myself,  you  may  safely,  because  you  may 
truly,  pledge  yourself  to  the  innocence  of  our  friendship, 
&  if  ever  you  should  have  occasion  to  vouch  for  it,  you  may 
at  the  same  time  assert  that  there  never  were  two  people 
more  devoted  to  each  other  than  Elizabeth  &  myself.  Now, 
my  old  Bo}^,  having  opened  my  whole  heart  to  you  on  this 
subject,  the  sincerity  of  which  you  never  have  nor  never 
will,  I  trust,  have  to  doubt,  I  shall  have  reliance  on  you 
promising  never  to  revive  it.  But  thus  much  I  felt  justified 
in  stating,  as  I  know  you  may  sometimes  be  in  the  way  to 
hear  the  subject  named.     For  ever  your  devoted 

Charles. 


General  Hon.  Sir  Edward  Paget 

Beau  Desert,  27/A  June,  18 10. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — The  same  cover  which  incloses  this 
letter  to  London  to  be  franked  conveys  a  proposition  to 
Lady  Uxbridge  to  make  West  Lodge  merely  an  Inn  in 
passing  to  Bishops  Court,  where  I  have  urged  her  to  make 
her  first  visit ;  by  which  means  I  shall  be  able  to  meet 
her  at  West  Lodge  during  her  second  visit.  I  count  upon 
its  success.  What  think  you  of  Bartholo  *  a  Lord  of  the 
Treasury  ?  I  anticipate  much  pleasure  from  the  recon- 
naissances in  the  buggy,  and  the  sea  dip,  and  equally 
rejoice  with  you  at  the  developement  of  "  the  Villain."  J, 
Powell's  Address  of  the  23rd  inst.  is  a  beautiful  illustration 
of  the  sore  vexation  and  disappointment  of  the  ruffians  at 
the  conduct  of  their  Chief.     Ever  your  most  affectionate 

E.  P. 

*  Berkeley  Paget,  appointed  a  Lord  of  the  Treasury  this  month. 


140  LORD  GALLOWAY   MORALIZES  [ch.  ii 

Earl  of  Galloway 

PoRTMAN  Square,  July  ist,  1810. 

Dear  Arthur, — I  was  determined  to  return  you  Gruty's 
letter  by  last  night's  post  as  that  appeared  your  chief 
object.  Many  thanks  now  for  the  perusal  of  it,  it  causes 
much  reflection,  and  lays  open  a  distressing  scene  ;  there 
can  be  no  doubt  but  that  the  degeneracy  of  the  Royal  and 
the  Noble  throughout  Europe  has  obtained  for  the  Enemy 
all  their  foreign  success  ;  and  which  must  endure  until 
a  new  stock  of  Nations  take  their  place,  and  ultimately 
drive  out  all  foreigners  ;  you  can  attest  as  well  as  anybody 
the  truth  of  the  above  position,  and  it  appears  the  regular 
course  of  events  that  it  should  be  so.  However  the  French 
Power,  not  being  founded  upon  innate  tho'  stern  virtues 
such  as  the  Roman  was,  but  a  result  of  crime  &  cunning 
and  connected  with  luxury  and  many  of  the  attendants 
of  Empire  come  to  perfection  &  falhng  off,  cannot  I  conceive 
endure  beyond  a  very  limited  period.  I  httle  doubt  that 
much  good  will  ultimately  result  to  the  Human  Race  from 
all  that  has  happen' d  these  20  years  past ;  Catholic  Super- 
stition will  be  destroyed  in  Europe,  and  Emancipation 
extend  over  all  South  America.  These  appear  as  the  great 
outline  of  the  Benefits  that  are  to  accrue — come,  no  more 
upon  the  subject  that  is  almost  too  great  for  the  mind, 
and  particularly  so  to  me,  uncomfortably  situated  as  I  am. 
I  am  unfortunately  situated  in  a  Room  that  has  the  Kitchen 
underneath,  and  it  has  nearly  disabled  me,  and  renders  me 
unwell.  I  am  forced  frequently  to  quit  it,  and  to  write 
&c.  where  I  can,  and  subject,  as  at  present,  to  the  noise  of 
Half  a  Dozen  Children  ;  this  has  prevented  me  writing  to 
you  for  a  length  of  time. 

With  regard  to  Lord  Melville  {entre  nous)  I  must  say  "  non 
est  qualis  erat,"  I  consider  him  to  be  as  good  Chamber 
Counsel  as  ever  and  to  have  as  sound  private  opinions,  but 
he  is  not  the  man  he  was  in  a  Popular  assembly,  and  when 
I  say  he  was  hully'd  by  Lord  Mulgrave  you  may  suppose 
a  decay  exists  somewhere.  It  gave  me  much  pleasure  to 
have  been  of  use  to  him  the  day  he  made  his  Naval  motion 
in  the  Ho.  of  Lords,  a  subject  I  understood  pretty  well, 
and  accorded  in  with  him,  my  statements  were  as  much 
more  forcible  I  thought  than  Lord  Mulgrave' s,  as  his  were 
made  to  appear  more  than  my  Friend's,  and  I  have  reason 


i8o9-io]  LORD  MELVILLE'S   POSITION  141 

to  believe  completely  convinced  the  House,  but  alas  the 
House  consisted  of  only  Friendly  Peers  not  exceeding  20, 
for  the  Opposition  had  withdrawn  to  a  Man,  as  a  marked 
inattention  to  Lord  ilelville,  'who  they  cut.  The  old  man 
felt  so  grateful  to  me  that  he  carried  me  Home  to  a  private 
family  dinner,  and  from  his  inward  feelings  I  found  even 
a  bottle  of  good  claret  did  not  keep  his  spirits  up  ;  I  think 
he  felt  he  did  not  command  the  attention  etc.  of  former  times. 
To  make  up  for  the  deiiciency  of  attention  indoors  he  has 
pubhshed  all  his  Naval  opinions  in  pamphlets,  and  I  recom- 
mend you  to  read  all  he  says  on  Naval  subjects,  and  an 
answer  also  to  him  about  the  Ordinary  of  the  Navy  well 
worthy  of  attention,  agreeing  also  with  him  on  all  points. 
From  its  being  called  an  answer  many  people  have  been 
misled  to  think  it  an  opposing  answer,  whereas  it  is  the 
very  reverse.  Now  as  to  Lord  M.'s  Home  Politics  I  think 
he  has  and  is  playing  a  bad  game.  I  am  convinced  that 
he  feels  that  either  himself  or  son  7)iust  be  in  power  to  retain 
his  influence  in  Scotland,  and  when  he  could  not,  the  son 
was  placed  in  line,  but  Lord  M.,  I  beheve,  thought  this 
would  be  temporary  only,  and  that  he  would  in  proper 
time  and  place  have  been  recalled.  The  King  and  Mr. 
Perceval  {which  is  one  and  the  same  thing)  apparently  do 
not  intend  this,  and  from  no  personal  dishke,  but,  as  they 
honestly  say,  because  they  conceive  it  would  lose  them 
more  friends  in  the  Commons  than  the  reverse  ;  Lord  M. 
thinks  him  pusillanimous  and  perhaps  deceitful,  therefore 
he  refuses  his  Earldom,^  and  leaves  the  House  before  every 
division,  even  the  Cathohc  question,  and  other  questions 
where  he  might  with  ease  divide  with  them  if  he  pleased. 
All  this  has,  I  beheve,  produced  bad  humour  between  them 
and  he  is  gone  to  Scotland  with  all  the  feehngs  calculated 
to  give  him  at  his  age  a  bihous  attack  of  some  sort  or  other. 
As  I  conceive  he  owed  his  Salvation  upon  his  trial  to  the 
friends  of  the  Crown,  he  is  unable  ever  after  to  act  in 
opposition  to  the  Old  King,  as  well  as  to  hold  up  in  Scotland 
without  his  Son  or  himself  in  Power,  and  yet  he  manifests 
all  the  feehngs  of  opposition.  Therefore  his  conduct 
neither  satisfies  himself  nor  others.  I  am  too  young  to 
advise  him,  but  thro'  others  I  have  said  that  he  ought  to 
have  accepted  his  Earldom  as  a  mark  of  the  opinion  of  the 

1  Lord  Melville  declined  an  earldom  in  Oct.  1809,  according  to  Lord 
Colchester's  Diary,  ii.  218.     He  died  May  28th,  181 1. 


142  RIVAL  STATESMEN  [ch.  ii 

Crown  to  the  Public,  to  have  voted  with  Government,  yet  to 
have  stated  his  opinion  of  their  errors  fairly,  which  you 
know  can  easily  be  made  notwithstanding  to  accord  with  a 
friendly  vote,  because  hostility  destroys  the  Government 
by  bringing  in  Opposition.  If  he  had  acted  this  old  mentor 
part,  he  would  have  stood  more  respectably  in  every  view, 
and  if  really  wanted  in  case  of  extreme  national  distress 
would  have  been  applied  to  ;  if  the  distress  never  occurs 
he  ought  from  past  circumstances  to  be  satisfied  wdth  the 
ostensible  power  being  in  the  hands  of  his  son,  for  his  case 
does  not  admit  any  forcing  into  power.  I  like  Lord  M.  as 
a  man  independent  of  my  opinion  of  him  as  a  Statesman 
and  a  Minister,  and  I  am  sorry  to  see  him  in  my  view  of 
the  subject  playing  his  cards  ill.  He  puts  me  in  mind  of 
Charles  Fox,  who,  however  great  on  national  points,  always 
mismanaged  his  private  interests.  I  have  heard  of  other 
proofs  of  ill-judged  irritability  on  his  part,  but  as  they 
may  not  be  true,  I  do  not  advance  them. 

I  would  not  have  said  half  so  much  on  this  subject  did  I 
not  conceive  from  yours  you  really  wished  it ;  when  I  see 
you,  which  I  really  mean  to  do  at  your  own  house,  I  hope 
in  the  course  of  next  month,  I  will  endeavour  to  explain 
myself  better ;  at  present  the  children  actually  with  their 
shrill  voices  perforate  the  walls,  much  more  the  doors. 

Perceval's*  surprise  equals,  I  believe,  your  own,  and  his 
joy,  I  should  suppose,  surpasses  it.  It  is  thought  the 
diversion  created  by  Sir  Francis  Burdett  has  caused  his 
prominence  ;  it  certainly  aided  him  much,  but  the  greater 
dislike  to  opposition  is  the  true  cause  of  his  success.  Perceval 
has  principle  as  well  as  talent,  and  is  a  gentleman,  and  he 
would  only  have  been  replaced  by  Whitbread,  Tierney,  or 
Ponsonby,  neither  of  whom  is  liked  as  much ;  his  being  a 
lawyer  was  against  him,  but  was  preferred  to  the  others 
after  all.  He  will  probably  never  be  so  pressed  again,  and 
will  by  many  ways  gain  strength  before  next  meeting  of 
Parliament.  I  think  the  Sidmouths  expect  to  be  joined 
on  again,  and  unless  Canning  returns  it  will  be  so.  Yorke 
will  please  the  Navy,  and  do  his  part  far  better  than  Mul- 
grave.     Lord  Wellesley  would  do  famously  but  he  is  lost 

*  The  Right  Hon.  Spencer  Perceval  became  Prime  Minister  in  1809  ; 
he  was  assassinated  in  the  lobby  of  the  House  of  Commons,  May  nth, 
1 8 12,  by  one  Bellingham,  a  man  with  a  grievance  against  Lord  Granville 
Leveson-Gower,  for  whom  he  mistook  the  unfortunate  Perceval. 


I809-IO]  CANNING  AND  GREY  143 

by  women.  Debt  and  its  disgrace  approaches  him  fast,  and 
flogging,  I  fear,  will  be  as  necessary  to  him  as  a  Minister, 
as  they  say  it  is  to  him  as  a  man.  He  shewed  us  a  very 
brilliant  specimen  of  what  he  by  nature  was  in  the  House 
of  Lords  upon  the  Spanish  question,  but  like  a  meteor  after 
a  blaze  disappeared  :  liis  mind  cannot  keep  its  own  when 
his  constitution  goes,  and  which  must  be  nearly  gone.* 
Lord  Grenville  I  fear  is  also  lost  to  us  for  ever.  His  Oxford 
duties  will  prove  him  a  little,  if  he  goes,  which  is  by  some 
still  thought  doubtful — a  return  to  thought  and  business  it 
is  presumed  will  produce  a  relapse,  his  complaint  being  here- 
ditary and  apparently  of  a  permanent  nature.  Canning 
has  lost  ground  in  public  opinion,  and  will  I  fear  prove 
himself  a  man  of  wit  but  not  of  noble  cast,  adversity  proves 
the  man,  how  few  can  stand  it,  and  by  greatness  then 
restore  their  fallen  fortunes  :  it  is  rumoured  he  has  try'd 
to  tamper  with  opposition,  the  rumour  alone  if  untrue  is 
fatal  to  his  character.  Lord  Grey  ^  stands  prominent,  and 
if  he  had  been  in  the  Commons  some  think  the  Ministry 
could  not  have  held  on.  He  is  (if  he  lives,  for  his  health 
is  bad  and  stamina  weak)  a  decided  future  Minister.  Tho' 
irritable  and  bad-tempered  I  beHeve  he  is  noble  and  dis- 
interested, and  stands  so  much  above  his  fellows  that  I  like 
him  much.  However  he  is  the  last  remaining  of  the  old 
and  right  school,  all  before  us  is  blank,  and  this  alone 
causes  me  to  fear  on  pohtical  subjects,  and  that  not  confined 
to  Home  alone — heavens  I  have  written  8  pages  and  not 
said  half  my  say.  If  you  was  not  situated  loin  du  monde 
au  fond  d'une  province  I  would  not  send  it.  God  bless  you 
and  yours.     Tell  me  if  you  wish  the  other  half.     Adio. 

G. 

Hon.  Berkeley  Paget 

PoRTMAN  Street,  July  15th,  1810. 

Most  Excellent  Sir, — What  you  suppose  to  have  been 
said  to  Ben  at  the  Review  on  Wimbledon  Common,  occurr'd 
really  at  the  Duke  of  Cumberland's  Table  at  Kew,  where 
Ben  was  holding  forth  about  the  thirty  or  forty  thousand 
men  that  he  calculated  were  to  be  present  on  the  day  of 

^  The  Prince  of  Wales  used  to  say  of  Lord  Wellesley,  "  What  can  you 
do  with  a  Spanish  Grandee  grafted  on  an  Irish  potato  ?  " 

-  Charles,  2nd  Earl  Grey,  who  lived  to  fulfil  Lord  Galloway's  prophecy 
by  becoming  Prime  Minister  in  1830. 

II 


144  THE  ROYAL  NERVES  [CH.  ii 

Review.  It  was  then  that  Colonel  Congreve  exclaimed 
"  By  God,  Sir,  Bonaparte  won't  hke  to  hear  of  this.  It  will 
open  his  eyes."  !  !  !  Ben  seem'd  to  admit  it.  What  he  said 
to  me  one  day  that  I  dined  at  Kew  was  not  amiss.  H.R.H. 
was  describing  to  me  the  manner  in  which  Princess  Charlotte 
rode  about  Carlton  House  Gardens,  turning  the  corners  in  a 
gallop,  stopping  short  on  the  Horse's  tail  &c.  on  which  I 
said,  "  Her  Royal  Highness  must  have  pretty  good  nerves, 
Sir."  "  God  damn  you,  isn't  she  my  daughter  ?  "  was 
the  reply.  I  immediately  assented  to  it,  with  the  strongest 
assurance  that  the  firmness  of  his  Royal  nerves  was  uni- 
versally held  up  as  an  example.     "  Didn't  I,  Frank  ?  " 

I  laughed  heartily  this  morning  at  a  letter  to  Graves 
announcing  the  arrival  of  his  Behemoth  at  West  Lodge. 
Independent  of  the  pleasure  I  should  derive  in  making  one 
of  your  party,  I  own  I  should  have  considered  myself  par- 
ticularly fortunate  if  I  could  have  been  with  you  on  Graves's 
arrival.  I  can  figure  to  myself  the  transaction  of  Graves 
mounting  this  huge  beast  with  the  effect  it  will  produce 
on  you.  If  Gillray  wasn't  raving  mad,  I  should  send  him 
down  to  West  Lodge  to  be  present  at  the  Ceremony.  I 
have  sent  you  however  the  nearest  representation  I  could 
hit  upon.  It  is  what  I  have  laughed  at  by  the  hour  to- 
gether. Graves  talks  of  leaving  town  to-da}^  at  five  o'clock. 
That  depends,  I  should  think,  a  good  deal  upon  whether 
or  not  an  opportunity  presents  itself  in  the  evening  of 
shewing  his  shapes  in  a  Waltz.  Charles  leaves  town  to-day 
and  I  take  it  for  granted  goes  thro'  Pitcock.  Beheve  me 
most  affly  yrs, 

B.  Paget. 

Lord  Graves 

Bishops  Court,  ^th  August,  1810. 

My  Dear  Arthur, —  .  .  .  We  got  here  last  night  with 
great  success.  Mary  is  a  little  out  of  humour  at  the  stink 
of  Paint  throughout  the  house  in  consequence  of  the  zeal 
of  the  Painter,  who — having  finished  one  job — thought  he 
could  not  do  better  than  beginning  another  by  painting 
nearly  the  whole  of  the  inside  of  the  house.  A  good  constant 
thorough  air  I  hope  will  get  rid  of  the  smell  before  Lord 
and  Lady  Uxbridge  arrive,  and  thus  tranquiUise  Mary's 
perturbed    spirit.     Pray    begin   immediately    to    sow    the 


i8o9-io]  A  WET  SEASON  145 

common  Norfolk  Turnip,  you  can  not  have  a  better  time 
than  the  present,  which  is  just  the  season  so  as  to  have 
them    about    March.     Your    second    crop    of    sweeds   will 
never  come  to  anything,  being  too  late;  I  have  just  ploughed 
down  five  acres  of  mine  in  a  similar,  or  indeed  a  more  ad- 
vanced state,  and  sown  in  lieu  of  them  the  common  Norfolk. 
The  mildew  has  got  into  the  wheat  in  this  district  from 
the  quantity  of  rain  lately  fallen  which  will  seriously  affect 
the  late  sown  wheats.     The  grass  here  is  marvellously  fine 
from  the  same  cause,  I  never  saw  anything  so  green,  and 
luxuriant.     Horses  and  lean  cattle  have  fallen  50  per  cent. 
Hardly  any  horses  were  sold  at  Exeter  fair,  &  the  few  that 
did  go  off  at  very  low  prices — at  least  one  half  of  the  Hay  is 
still  out  &  will  probably  be  spoil'd.     It  is  an  ill  wind  that 
blows  no  one  good.     I  shall  make  my  fortune  by  my  old 
hay  this  Winter.     When  I  was  at  West  Lodge  I  forgot  to 
offer  you  my  setters  for  the  Season,  which  I  can  spare  without 
inconvenience,  as  I  shoot  so  little — or  indeed  not  at  all — 
without  joking  I  have  three  that  cannot  be  excell'd  by  any 
dogs  in  England.     I  know  you  will  laugh  at  this,  &  turn  up 
your  Beaic  Nez — but  let  me  tell  you,  before  your  Coke,  or 
Paget  breed  can  be  good  for  anything,  they  must  be  well 
broke,   and  a  humbler  race  with  a  good  education  may 
answer  very  well  for  your  first  year.     The  Papagalli  start 
tomorrow  morning  from  Clyst  Honiton  per  Mail  Coach — 
under  the  guardianship  of  the  Guard — I  hope  they  will 
arrive  safe  and  add  to  the  lustre  of  the  West  Lodge  Aviary. 
I  am  [illegible]  that  I  escap'd  the  pleasure  of  bringing  down 
a  Cage  full  from  London  by  the  latter  having  arrived  after 
I  had  set  off  from  Town.     The  Lady  Faroqueet  has  lost  her 
neckcloth  but  with  care  and  attention  she  will  soon  regain 
it.     If  Augusta  likes  I  can  get  her  some  more  of  the  sort. 
Do  you  or  Augusta  want  a  Coach  Dog,  I  have  a  beautiful 
spotted   Puppy   at   your   service,   about   two  months  old. 
Perhaps  Oubli  would  hke  to  play  with  him  ?     Yours  ever 
affectionately. 

Graves. 

Lord  Rivers 

Aug.,  1810. 

Lord  Rivers  took  the  opportunity  of  the  first  grey  day 

to  welcome  Lord  &  Ly.  Uxbridge  to  the  Chase  ^  &  to  con- 

*  Anecdotes  and  History  of  Cranhoitrn  Chase,  by  Rev.  Wm.  Chafin, 


146  TRAVELLING  ACCmENTS  [ch.  ii 

gratulate  them  on  having  brought  fine  weather  &  to  propose 
to  Sir  Arthur  &  General  Paget  to  dine  and  sleep  at  Rushmore 
Lodge  on  Friday  that  they  may  get  earUer  to  their  sport 
the  next  morning.  Hopes  to  make  his  Bow  to  Lord  & 
Lady  Uxbridge  before  they  leave  West  Lodge,  admires  Sir 
Arthur's  &  Ly.  Augusta's  improvements  &  rejoices  in  such 
excellent  Tenants '&  such  a  pattern  of  a  Ranger. 


Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

Fair  Oak. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — This  is  glorious  weather  and 
everything  looks  cheerful,  but  I  can't  feel  so  as  long  as  I 
think  that  you  are  not  quite  happy,  and  I  know  from  the 
temperature  of  your  mind  when  we  parted,  and  your  subse- 
quent letters,  that  you  are  not  as  you  ought  to  be.  This 
consideration,  and  the  never-ceasing  one  of  our  dwindled 
resources,  continues  to  haunt  my  imagination  both  night 
and  day,  and  they  are  subjects  which  do  not  fail  to  excite 
the  utmost  anxiety. 

I  expect  Paget  to-morrow,  perhaps  this  evening  as  he 
reached lown  from  Beau  Desert  last  night.  In  going  down 
he  met  with  an  extraordinary  event,  namely  in  passing  thro' 
Fenny  Stratford  at  a  tremendous  pace,  a  boy  running  across 
the  road  behind  a  waggon,  which  the  carriage  was  in  the 
act  of  passing,  was  upset  and  completely  trampled  over 
by  the  leaders,  after  which  both  wheels  on  Paget' s  side  of 
the  carriage  passed  over  him,  the  sensation  of  which  he 
felt — nothing  short  of  death  under  such  circumstances 
could  be  expected  ;  it  was  therefore  marvellous  that  the 
little  fellow  should  have  been  able  to  get  up  and  hollo  most 
lustily,  and  on  examination  to  be  found  not  to  have  had 
any  hmbs  broken  but  only  internally  bruised. 

We  had  our  accident  also,  for  which  probably  Paget  will 
have  to  pay  dearer,  inasmuch  as  that  the  footman  who 
came  down  with  us,  in  riding  on  to  order  horses,  broke  his 
horse's  leg  at  the  fetlock  joint  behind,  and  I  was  obliged 

1818,  give  much  curious  information  about  Lord  Rivers'  rights  and  the 
various  troubles  and  Utigation  caused  by  the  depredations  of  the  great 
number  of  wild  deer  which  then  roamed  over  it.  Deer-stealing  was  a 
regular  Uvelihood  for  many — and  eventually  the  Chase  was  disfranchised 
and  the  deer  finally  exterminated  about  the  year  1830.  The  Chase  had 
been  divided  hke  the  New  Forest  into  several  Walks,  and  Lord  Rivers 
now  appointed  Sir  A.  P.  ranger  of  the  "  West  Walk." 


I809-IO]  "POOR  LITTLE  CAROLINE"  147 

on  arriving  on  the  spot  to  pass  sentence  of  death  which 
was  forthwith  executed.  In  point  of  law  I  imagine  Paget 
is  not  answerable  for  the  accident — but  I  suppose  he  will 
do  something  handsome. 

We  think  of  going  to  Town  with  our  poor  httle  Carohne 
next  week  in  order  to  have  the  opinion  of  CHne  &  Cheshire 
about  her.  The  latter  comes  to  Town  from  Leicestershire 
this  week.  She  is  not  a  bit  better  for  the  Pere's  System, 
which  has  now  been  in  practise  more  than  a  year.  Whereas 
ten  months  were  to  have  completely  restored  her.  You 
may  suppose  we  wish  to  do  that  which  will  ultimately  be 
the  most  beneficial  for  the  poor  child,  and  it  seems  to  me 
that  in  having  given  the  Pere  so  very  fair  a  trial  without 
finding  any  advantage  from  it  that  a  further  loss  of  time 
would  be  imprudent.  If  it  should  be  decided  to  put  her 
under  the  care  of  Cheshire,  she  will  have  the  benefit  of 
being  under  the  roof  of  Carohne  up  till  next  January  which, 
circumstanced  as  we  are,  is  a  great  consideration.  .  .  . 

Charles. 

Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

Fair  Oak. 

My  Dearest  Good  Fellow, — .  .  .  We  yesterday  went  up 
&  breakfasted  with  Sir  Harry,  where  we  found  old  Batten, 
from  the  latter  we  have  just  received  a  basket  of  his  nice 
young  Pigeons,  &  to-morrow  we  take  Uppark  in  our  way 
to  see  &  thank  the  old  Boy  for  his  attention. 

.  .  .  The  Duke  &  Duchess  of  Bedford  are  bowHng  along  in 
your  neighbourhood  today,  as  they  start  this  morning  for 
Devonshire  for  a  fortnight,  and  probably  will  sleep  about 
Woodgates  as  they  make  three  days  of  it. 

I  was  at  Portsmouth  the  day  before  yesterday  for  a  few 
hours.  I  went  incog.  &  hired  a  wherry  &  visited  the  Superb, 
which  is  soon  to  be  brought  forward  &  I  understand  will 
require  about  six  months  in  Dock.  She  is  not — from  the 
circumstance  of  being  built  from  French  lines — half  the 
ship  on  the  upper  decks  that  the  Revenge  is  but  she  is  not 
the  worse  for  that.  Saihng  is  the  grand  object,  &  that  she 
always  did  well.  She  is  the  ship  I  have  fixed  upon  in  my 
own  imagination,  &  if  I  get  her  I  shall  be  well  satisfied.  I 
am  still  given  the  Malta,  &  have  been  often  congratulated 
upon   her — but  there  is  no  foundation  for  it,  &  indeed  it 


148  PENINSULAR  PROSPECTS  [ch.  ii 

would  be  a  shame  that  such  a  ship  should  be  given  to  any 
fellow,  who  had  given  up  such  a  one  as  Revenge. 

You  must  be  well  pleased  at  the  manner  in  which  Ld. 
Welhngton  has  conducted,  &  brought  to  issue,  the  Campaign 
in  Portugal.  The  result  is  so  infinitely  more  favourable 
than  the  most  sanguine  and  confident  looked  forward  to, 
that  it  cannot  but  be  matter  of  surprize  &  admiration  to 
those  (of  whom  I  confess  I  am  one)  that  looked  forward 
to  about  this  period  being  the  moment,  when  the  British 
would  be  obliged  to  retire  altogether  from  Portugal. 

Beresford  seems  also  to  be  doing  well,  &  it  will  be  a 
glorious  result  if  he  can  jam  up  Victor  between  Graham  & 
himself,  and  effectually  raise  the  Siege  of  Cadiz  by  the 
annihilation  of  the  force  before  it.  What  do  you  beUeve 
of  this  talked  of  insurrection  in  Holland  ?  If  the  dis- 
position alone  pervades  the  Scheldt  fleet,  Bony  will  not  like 
to  order  them  to  sea.  Think  of  Billy  Young,  or  Stiffo 
Rumpo  as  they  like  to  call  him  at  Plymouth,  commanding 
in  the  North  Sea  !  He  has  not  been  at  sea  since  '95  I 
beheve.  .  .  . 

C.  P. 


Hon.  Berkeley  Paget 

Ramsgate,  Now.  ijth,  1810. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — It  really  is  too  provoking  that  you 
seem  as  far  as  ever  from  possessing  your  effects  from  Vienna. 
Surely  there  must  be  some  gross  neglect  or  mismanage- 
ment in  the  parties,  who  had  the  charge  of  them,  not  being 
able  to  specify  the  ship  on  which  they  are  on  board  in  the 
River.  I  shall  be  in  town  on  the  29th,  and  will  see  Culling 
Smith  :  in  the  interim  perhaps  some  information  may 
have  been  gained  respecting  their  place  of  concealment. 
The  Lord  deliver  me  from  the  Custom  House,  which  is 
supposed  to  be  under  the  control  of  the  Treasury,  but  from 
what  I  have  seen  I  should  certainly  reverse  that  supposition. 
I  agree  with  you  that  searching  your  property  is  not  the 
most  satisfactory  mode  (to  you)  of  proving  the  identity 
of  it. 

.  .  .  Leckie  certainly  was  no  favourite  at  the  Foreign 
Office.  He  certainly  blew  them  up  pretty  handsomely. 
He  speaks  so  highly  of  Lord  Wellesley  however,  that  perhaps 
he  may  come  into  favour.     His  Lordship,  I  take  it,  can 


i8o9-io]  LORD  YARMOUTH  149 

swallow  it  all.  Not  that  Leckie  has  done  it  to  get  a  footing 
there.  I  really  believe  him  to  be  above  it — if  he  thought 
Lord  Wellesley  as  great  a  blockhead  as  his  predecessors, 
he  would  tell  him  so  with  as  little  ceremony  as  he  used 
towards  them.  You'll  see  by  his  book  what  he  thinks  of 
Drummond. 

Before  I  left  town,  I  saw  Ld.  Wm.  Bentinck — I  asked  him 
if  he  had  seen  Leckie.  He  said.  No,  but  wished  it  much. 
I  took  him  the  next  day  and  left  them  together.  I  saw 
neither  of  them  afterwards.  The  day  previous  I  had  said  to 
Ld.  Wm.  "  Well  you  are  off  again  to  Sicily,  so  we  shall  be 
some  time  before  we  meet."  "  I  don't  know  that,"  said 
he,  "  if  things  go  on  in  the  same  way,  I  shall  very  soon 
wash  my  hands  of  the  business." 

I  daresay  Leckie  will  have  worked  him  up  on  the  subject  ; 
tho'  I  think  Ld.  Wm.  was  disposed  to  listen  to  him  with 
caution,  from  what  he  had  previously  said  to  me  about 
his  Book.  I  confess  I  long  to  hear  what  is  to  be  done 
with  Sicily. 

The  poor  old  King  seems  to  be  in  a  very  declining  way. 
How  he  lasts  so  long  is  quite  amazing,  and  I  think  much  to 
be  lamented. 

Ben,  I  suppose,  will  open  his  Parliament  in  the  Hussar 
Attire.  I  shouldn't  wonder  at  his  riding  into  the  House 
of  Lords  and  speaking  from  his  horse.  There  is  no  one,  I 
suppose,  to  whom  he  had  so  great  an  aversion  as  to  Lord 
Yarmouth,*  and  yet  we  shall  all  have  to  bend  our  knee 
to  a  Prince  now  guided  by  such  an  unprincipled  Counsellor. 
Pleasant  ! 

H  Illingworth  is  with  you,  pray  remember  me  kindly  to 
him.  I  like  him  much.  Tell  him  he  was  a  capital  Proctor 
when  I  was  at  Ch.  Ch.  Believe  me  yours  most  affection- 
ately, 

Bartolo. 

Mr.  Donkin 

Bath,  25/A  Novbr,  1810. 

My  Dear  Sir  Arthur, — Many  thanks  for  your  bountiful 
hamper  of  delicious  Venison  !     We  shall  drink  yours  and 

1  This  was  the  period  when  Lady  Hertford  ruled  the  Prince,  her  husband 
becoming  Lord-Chamberlain,  and  his  eldest  son,  Yarmouth,  Vice-Chamber- 
lain. Their  days  of  favour  came  to  an  end  when  Lady  Conyngham  at- 
tracted the  Regent's  notice. 


150  HOUSEHOLD   REFORMS  [ch.  ii 

your  good  Lady's  health  copiously  this  week.  My  daughter 
Jane  delivered  the  March  to  Miss  Bailey  for  you  the  12th 
inst.  My  dear  friend,  I  shall  ever  remember  you  and  all 
the  Pagets  with  the  truest  affection. 


Arthur  the  learned  !  fit  for  Church  or  State 
Or  Camp  ;   to  preach  fight  or  negotiate  ! 


Donkin     on     the 

.  Uxbridge     family 

at    Beau    Desert, 

1780. 


May  Heaven  protect  you  and  yours  says  your  old  firm 
friend, 

Rt-  Donkin. 

Lord  Paget 

{Dec,  1810.] 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  meant  to  have  written  to  you  three 
days  ago,  but  was  prevented  by  an  accident,  which  now 
prevents  my  writing  rapidly.  It  has,  however,  this  advan- 
tage for  you,  that  I  am  more  legible  by  writing  slower. 

The  Neapolitan,  or  rather,  I  believe,  Calabrian,  has  al- 
most taken  off  my  thumb  ;  whether  with  his  teeth,  or  by 
driving  the  bit  against  it,  I  know  not.  The  first  dressing 
is  still  on,  and  as  I  feel  no  pain,  I  conclude  it  is  doing  well. 
I  am  really  glad  to  find  that  at  length  there  seems  a  general 
determination  upon  Reform,  and  all  that  has  passed  upon 
the  subject  is  very  satisfactory.  The  more  I  look  into 
matters,  the  more  I  am  convinced  that  I  for  one  have  been 
shamefully  plundered.  The  foolish  extravagance  and 
waste,  that  has  existed  chez  moi,  is  amazing.  It  does  not 
appear  to  have  taken  place  in  one  article  or  in  one  depart- 
ment, but  in  all.  A  sort  of  combination  in  all  to  expend 
as  much  as  they  can.  This  sort  of  thing  goes  to  trifles, 
which,  I  am  sure  till  now,  I  hardly  considered  as  expenses. 
Who  for  instance  wd.  conceive  that  a  few  almonds  and 
raisins  dealt  out  daily  to  two  persons  (who  by  the  by  never 
touch  them)  shd.  amount  to  a  serious  charge  ?  So  however 
it  is,  and  Mechin  (my  new  Franks)  states  that  of  this 
latter  article,  he  was  for  this  quiet  teie  d  tete,  required  to 
furnish  at  the  rate  of  4  lb.  of  the  latter  article  in  6  days. 
And  so  in  every  other  article  of  Dessert ;  the  habit  of  my 
family  it  seems  having  been  always  to  make  a  clean  sweep 
of  everything  upon  the  table.  And  so  it  seems  has  every- 
thing of  every  description  been  misused.     I  enter  into  these 


i8o9-io]  AT  BEAU  DESERT  151 

details  with  you,  because  it  may  be  of  service  and  what 
I  am  about  to  add  will  shew  you  that,  whilst  you  think  you 
are  keeping  a  sharp  look  out,  you  too  are  overreached. 
The  articles  of  tea,  sugar,  cream,  and  butter  having  ap- 
peared to  surpass  all  decency,  upon  close  enquiry  it  was 
found  that  here  not  only  all  the  maids  and  upper  servants, 
but  that  the  footmen,  and  grooms,  and  helpers,  have  their 
fresh  butter,  cream,  eggs  etc.  for  breakfast,  and  for  tea.  This 
was  not  only  owned  to,  but  defended,  and  upon  White's 
being  called  upon  to  say  where  else  it  was  the  custom,  he 
quoted  Your  Excellency.  Hereafter  therefore  I  shall  not 
find  it  prudent  to  take  any  of  my  reformed  varlets  into 
your  irregular  estabhshment.  What  an  amazing  subject 
for  5  pages  !  !  !  I  own  however  that  I  am  becoming  quite 
eager  in  gaining  some  knowledge  in  the  important  science 
of  housekeeping,  and  shall  be  amazingly  obliged  by  any 
return  hints.  ,  .  .  Car  is  surprisingly  better,  Agnes  not  a 
bit  the  worse  for  the  Hooping  Cough,  the  others  quite  well. 
The  girls  go  down  to  Surbiton  tomorrow,  Henry  and  I  go 
on  Saturday.  My  Father  is  going  on  tolerably  well,  but  I 
quite  despair  of  his  ever  recovering  energy  enough  to  make 
a  complete  rally,  altho'  I  do  still  think  it  is  in  his  power.  I 
have  not  yet  seen  the  Regent,  and  there  are  no  more  Levees 
— but  I  will  honestly  confess  that  I  intended  to  go  there. 
I  saw  "  my  brother,  the  Duke  of  York,"  and  walked  a 
good  while  with  him  the  other  day.  He  really  seemed 
rejoiced  to  see  me.  .  .  .  Very  afifly  yours, 

Paget. 

Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

Beau  Desert  {Dec,  1810]. 

.  .  .  There  are  a  great  many  Woodcocks  in  all  the  Covers. 
I  dare  say  we  saw,  at  least  so  Paget  thinks,  from  12  to  14 
couple  yesterday  in  the  New  Hays,  but  we  all  shot  like 
Taylors  at  them  &  Paget  was,  I  think,  the  Master  Taylor. 
I  had  the  pleasure  to  wash  his  face  at  one  very  handsomely 
— it  was  a  long  shot.     We  generally  got  from  8  to  10  a  day. 

The  Cuckoo  Bowers  &  Broad  Waggles  gave  us  on  Friday 
a  capital  day's  sport,  104  Head,  about  60  of  which  were 
Pheasants.  They  say  I  shoot  a  good  deal  better  than  I 
did,  &  I  beheve  I  do  a  little.  Paget  not  so.  Ever  my  good 
fellow  your  affect.  &  devoted, 

C.  P. 


152  FRANCES,   LADY  JERSEY  [ch.  ii 

Dowager  Countess  of  Jersey 

Stratford  Street,  [i8io]. 
I  must  write  to  you,  I  am  so  happy  about  Car.^  I  must 
vent  myself,  I  know  no  one  that  feels  just  as  I  do  upon  the 
subject  but  yourself,  and  you  must  be  the  victim.  Surely 
there  is  every  reason  to  rejoice,  and  I  am  not  too  sanguine 
when  I  think  she  will  be  more  comfortable  than  ever.  I 
am  out  of  patience  with  those  who  croak,  and  had  more 
pleasure  in  pitying  her  than  they  have  in  seeing  her  happy. 
Well,  I  am  better  now,  and  you  are  worse  for  the  bore  of 
my  letters ;  never  mind,  I  am  grown  disagreeable  in  a 
new  shape.  I  see  things  couleur  de  rose.  Eliz.'  is  certainly 
better,  and  has  less  fever  and  more  strength. 

1  do  not  know  in  what  part  of  the  world  you  will  have 
the  misfortune  of  receiving  this,  pray  tell  me  where  you 
are  to  live,  what  do  you  think  of  the  Lighthouse  near 
Plymouth  if  you  cannot  have  West  Lodge  ?  Give  a  thousand 
loves  to  Augusta.  I  suppose  Leopoldine  wears  an  astracan 
cap  and  smokes  cigars — do  write  to  me  and  confirm  me  in 
being  happy.  I  am  teazed  to  death  with  what  I  think 
the  absurdity  of  that  world,  which  always  interests  itself 
in  an  odious  way  about  what  does  not  concern  it.  Ever 
yours  sincerely, 

F.  J. 

i  Apropos  of  her  daughter  Lady  Paget's  second  marriage  to  the  Duke 
of  Argyll. 

2  Lady   Elizabeth   Villiers,   Lady   Jersey's  only  unmarried    daughter, 
died  this  year. 


CHAPTER   III 

1811 

Duke  of  Richmond  ' 

Phcenix  Park,  iSth  February,  181 1. 

Dear  Arthur, — Several  people  have  applied  to  be  extra 
aide-de-camps  under  the  idea  that  it  would  entitle  them  to 
more  leave  of  absence.  Those  I  have  refused.  I  should 
suppose  Captain  Bayly  is  under  the  same  mistake.  If, 
however,  that  is  not  the  case  and  that  you  wish  it,  I  will 
name  him  as  one,  though  it  can  do  him  no  manner  of  good 
whatever.  You  seem  to  have  retained  the  taste  of  the 
whiskey  a  long  while.  I  am  not  so  fortunate,  I  soon  lose 
the  taste.  What  do  you  think  of  a  party  of  which  I  was, 
killing  30  brace  (we  call  them  brace  here)  of  woodcocks  in 
one  wood  in  less  than  5  hours  ?  Pray  give  my  love  to 
Augusta.  It  is  some  years  ago  since  I  first  knew  her  in 
this  house.'  Remember  me  to  Sir  Harry.  ^  Believe  me, 
dear  Arthur,  yours  very  sincerely, 

Richmond, 

Hon.  J.  C.  Villiers 

N.  AuDLEY  St.,   March  6th,  1811. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  am  extremely  obliged  to  you  for 
your  letter,  and  quite  sure  of  the  kind  motive  which 
prompted  you  to  write  it.  I  will  tell  you  in  confidence 
how  I  conceive  the  matter  stands.  Burghersh  seems  to 
have  taken  a  very  strong  attachment  to  Priscilla.  I  believe 
as  strong  as  any  thing,  but  Music,  can  excite  in  him.  This 
has  been  entirely  his  own  idea  ;  and  I  must  say,  from 
knowing  her  perfect  disposition  as  well  as  I  do,  is  a  proof 

*  Charles,  4th  Duke  of  Richmond,  Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ireland,  1806-13. 

2  During  the  viceroyalty  of  her  father.  Lord  Westmorland,  1790-95. 

3  Sir  H.  Fether stone. 

153 


154  LORD  BURGHERSH  [ch.  hi 

of  his  discernment  in  Character.  He  has  gone  almost  all 
possible  lengths  in  the  assurance  of  his  liking  and  attach- 
ment. At  the  same  time,  he  does  not  seem  to  me  to  have 
quite  decided  in  his  own  mind,  whether  he  likes  Music,  a 
Campaign,  a  foreign  Mission,  or  a  Wife,  best,  and  this 
hesitation,  I  believe,  alone  prevents  the  thing  being  settled. 

It  cannot  go  on  long  just  as  it  is  ;  for  the  worst  is,  that 
poor  Priscilla  (who  is  really  Perfection  in  respect  both  of 
good  understanding  and  of  every  good  feeling)  naturally 
gets  too  much  interested  for  her  own  happiness. 

Mrs.  Pole  ^  did  nothing  whatever  to  court  the  match, 
on  the  contrary,  between  ourselves,  had  fears  from  what 
she  had  heard  of  B.'s  disposition  that  it  might  not  be  such 
as  to  promise,  what  she  is  most  anxious  about,  a  most 
amiable  and  most  beloved  daughter's  happiness.  In  the 
progress  of  the  affair  she  has  only  attended  to  that,  and  is 
only  with  that  view  anxious  that  it  shd  come  to  some 
conclusion.  It  is  so  certain  that  any  one  who  gets  acquainted 
with  Priscilla  must  like  her  better  the  more  he  has  occasion 
to  know  her  intimately,  that  I  incline  to  think  it  will  end 
in  a  marriage,  unless  any  of  his  other  distractions  shd  run 
away  with  him.  This  I  believe  is  an  exact  tableau  of  the 
affair  as  it  now  stands.  Your  letter  was  very  kind.  You 
know  the  world  is  always  inaccurate  and  malicious.  .  .  . 
Ever  most  truly  yours, 

J.    E.   ViLLIERS. 

Lord  Graves 

Bishops  Court,  March  i6th,  iSii. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — Many  thanks  for  your  kind  interest 
aJDOut  me  and  mine.  The  little  girl  has  not  had  one  mo- 
ment's illness,  Dieu  merci,  since  she  left  Galloway's,  and 
as  for  myself,  with  care  I  hope  to  weather  my  cough,  but 
every  March  that  passes  over  my  head  makes  me  regret 
the  fine  climate  of  Italy.  Your  system  of  getting  up  early 
I  have  attempted  with  tolerable  success.  There  is  room 
still  for  Improvement,  though  I  am  not  in  Bed  after  eight 
o'clock,  and  I  am  persuaded  a  little  resolution  will  make 
it  at  last  not  only  easy,  but  agreeable,  which  I  confess  is 
not  the  case  at  present. 

Notwithstanding  my  reluctance  to  bum  your  charming 

1  Mrs.  Wellesley-Pole  and  Mrs.  Villiers  were  sisters. 


i8ii]  HORSE  AND  HOUND  155 

letter,  it  was  I  assure  you  completely  burnt  after  the  perusal 
of  it.  I  am  not  naturally  Jaseur,  but  in  the  case  you  men- 
tioned every  thing  concurs  to  make  me  hold  my  tongue, 
even  were  I  incorrigible  in  that  subject. 

Poor  old  Beckford,'  I  am  sorry  you  have  lost  so  good  and 
polite  a  Neighbour.  He  was  the  best  sportsman  in  Eng- 
land, and  his  "Practice  in  Hunting''  is  really  not  only  an 
excellent,  but  an  elegant  work.  Apropos  of  Hunting  the 
Distemper  has  broken  out  in  the  Stag-Hound  Kennel,  and 
four  couple  of  the  handsomest  Hounds  in  England  have 
fallen  victims  to  that  dreadful  disease.  We  have  at  last 
check'd  its  progress  after  an  injury  that  is  almost  irre- 
parable. Barring  every  accident  we  cannot  recover  our- 
selves under  three  years,  and  there  is  not  such  a  thing  to 
be  procur'd  as  a  real  Stag-Hound,  the  King's  and  Lord 
Derby's  being  nothing  more  than  very  large  Fox-Hounds. 
This  is  a  mortifying  circumstance  to  begin  with,  but  I  am 
not  discourag'd,  and  hope  to  show  you  next  Summer  the 
remains  of  a  very  handsome  Pack. 

Mr.  Field  never  saw  your  Mare  "  Mathilde,"  and  /  am 
confident  my  practise,  had  it  been  adopted,  would  not  have 
play'd  the  Devil  with  her.  There  is  danger  of  an  mlarge- 
ment  taking  place  in  the  joint,  and  only  violent  stimulus 
will  be  able  to  counteract  the  unhealthy  action  of  the 
part,  ...  If  you  had  a  white  swelling  in  your  Knee,  they 
would  blister  it  every  day  for  six  Months  till  you  at  last 
would  prefer  death  to  the  constant  renovated  pain.  But 
it  is  the  constant  repeated  Blistering  alone  that  would  save 
your  limb.  Of  course  you  will  say,  what  a  damned,  ob- 
stinate, conceited  fellow  this  is.  But  experience  has  given 
me  on  this  point  an  opinion  of  my  own,  which  I  will  not 
give  up  to  Sir  Harry's  Groom,  and  the  great  Mr.  Field, 
though  he  is  the  successor  to  the  still  greater  Mr.  Moorcroft. 
Coxe's  offer  of  his  Place  to  the  Trustees  invested  with  the 
power  to  purchase  an  Estate  for  the  Heirs  of  Lord  Nelson 
does  not  astonish  me.  It  has  been  a  ticklish  year  for 
speculators.  The  Blow  that  a  want  of  credit  in  the  Country 
has  given  to  all  Bill  negotiation  has  been  felt  throughout 
England,  and  every  one  now  wishes  to  call  in  all  Money 
that  is  not  invested  in  real  security.  You  may  depend 
on  it  Coxe  is  press'd  for  Money.     He  has  borrow'd  to  pur- 

i   Peter    Beckford    of   Stepieton,    Dorset,    died    February    i8th,    i8ii, 
author  of  Thoughts  upon  Hare  and  Fox-Hunting. 


156  CRANBORNE  CHASE  [ch.  hi 

chase  Land,  and  the  Lenders  now  require  their  Money, 
and  will  not,  or  cannot  wait  till  he  has  completed  his 
Speculations.  But  a  thing  of  much  more  consequence 
to  you,  is  the  Rumour  of  Lord  Rivers'  intention  to  sell  Cran- 
bume  Chase.  For  God's  sake  lose  not  a  moment  to  secure 
the  Lease  of  West  Lodge  for  as  long  a  term  as  you  can 
procure,  unless  you  have  already  got  one.  In  that  case  it 
cannot  be  of  much  consequence  to  you,  who  is  the  Pur- 
chaser, except  he  enfranchises  the  Chase,  when  adieu  to 
the  Walks  of  Deer,  and  perhaps  to  the  under  wood  also. 
It  can  be  no  effort  to  your  Father  to  become  the  Purchaser, 
as  no  Earl  of  Uxbridge  would,  I  presume,  ever  reside  at 
Stalbridge,  whilst  the  family  possesses  Beau  Desert  with 
the  appendage  of  the  Chase  of  Cannock. 

Augusta  and  Oubli  I  am  glad  to  find  are  so  well,  pray 
give  my  kind  Love  to  them.  Mary  joins  in  kindest  love, 
and  is  much  oblig'd  to  Augusta  for  her  intention  of  writing 
to  her.  She  bid  me  say  they  are  also  in  famous  health, 
and  the  Baby  grown  exceedingly. 

I  am  not  surpris'd  at  Galloway  having  again  chang'd 
his  mind.  It  was  with  great  reluctance  he  consented  to 
give  up  the  idea  of  going  to  Sea.  I  suppose  he  has  since 
found  that  being  afloat  will  not  interfere  with  the  well 
being  of  his  Estate,  as  he  then  imagin'd.  I  have  not  heard 
from  him  on  the  subject,  and  most  probably  shall  not.  This 
dry  weather  is  capital  for  me  as  a  Farmer  to  get  in  Oats 
and  Barley.     Believe  me  always  yours  most  affectionately. 

Graves. 

P.S,  I  have  not  procur'd  any  cows  for  Charles,  as  before 
they  got  to  him,  they  would  have  cost  him  more  than 
they  would  be  worth. 

Countess  of  Uxbridge 

London,  March  25/A,  181 1. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — Whilst  I  heard  of  you  &  dear 
Lady  Augusta  from  other  quarters  I  would  not  trouble 
you  with  a  letter,  first  to  save  you  from  a  stupid  one,  & 
next  to  save  my  eyes,  but  these  considerations  no  longer 
influence  me,  since  I  have  no  opportunity  but  a  direct 
communication  from  yourselves  of  knowing  how  you  are. 
1  hope  dear  little  Oubli  escaped  cold  on  her  first  return 
to  West  Lodge.    All  the  children  here  have  been  ill,  poor 


i8ii]  FAMILY  NEWS  157 

Car.  in  particular,  but  I  am  happy  to  find  she  is  already 
better  for  the  air  of  Surbiton.  I  have  not  been  able  to 
go  there  smce  the  little  Pagets  went,  as  my  sister,  Mrs. 
Close,'  with  Mr.  C.  and  all  their  family  are  come  to  London 
to  see  Genl.  Close,  who  is  just  returned  from  India  after  an 
absence  of  thirty  nine  years.  Genl.  Erskine  &  Lady  Louisa 
are  here  for  a  short  time  in  their  way  to  Eastbourne.  He 
has  found  benefit  from  the  Bath  Waters,  but  still  there  is 
room  for  improvement.  Jane  is  about  again  but  does  not 
look  well,  &  has  not  recover'd  her  strength  but  she  means 
to  encounter  Lady  Salisbury's  to-night,  which  I  think 
requires  a  good  deal.  Poor  Edward  is  obliged  to  take  great 
care  of  himself  to  avoid  a  relapse,  which  these  Easterly 
Winds  make  him  very  liable  to.  He  was  at  a  great  Military 
dinner  yesterday,  the  Prince  Regent  in  the  Chair,  who 
amongst  the  Toasts  gave  "  the  Duke  of  York  &  the  Army," 
&  after,  "  Sir  D.  Dundas  &  the  Staff  "  ;  does  not  this  look 
like  H.R.H.  resuming  his  old  Station  ?  I  sincerely  hope 
the  day  is  not  distant.  I  wish  you  joy  of  the  good  news 
from  Cadiz.  I  have  not  yet  accomplished  getting  the 
Gazette  read  to  me.  I  understand  the  Spaniards  behaved 
very  ill.  Nothing  could  exceed  the  valour  of  our  Army. 
This  dreadful  Wind  has  got  hold  of  your  Father  and  made 
him  very  nervous.  The  fogs  the  early  part  of  the  morn- 
ing are  horrid  &  as  dark  as  November,  but  people  who 
lead  a  London  Life  have  the  advantage  of  not  seeing 
them .  \ 

Here  am  I  arrived  at  my  fourth  page,  how  could  I  be 
so  unmerciful  to  you  ?  ...  It  will  be  very  good  of  Lady 
Augusta  to  forward  the  beautiful  gown  her  kindness  be- 
stowed upon  me.  Mr.  Villiers  has  been  very  ill,  but  I  hear 
he  is  so  much  better  to-day  that  he  is  gone  to  Cambridge. 
I  wish  success  to  the  Duke  of  Rutland,^  &  if  it  proves 
otherwise  I'm  afraid  he  will  have  brought  it  upon  him- 
self by  his  injudicious  letter.  ...  I  am  your  ever  affecte 
Mother, 

J.   UXBRIDGE. 

1  Lady  Uxbridge's  other  sisters  were  Marianne,  wife  of  Sir  Charles 
Des  Voeux,  ist  Bart.  ;  Henrietta  de  Robillard,  wife  of  Sir  Erasmus 
Borrowes,  Bart.  ;  Letitia,  who  married,  first,  Herbert  Stepney,  of  Durrow 
Abbey,  and,  secondly,  Edward  Smythe  of  Mount  Henry,  Queens  Co.  ;  and 
Charlotte,  who  married  a  Colonel  Armstrong. 

*  He  was  the  unsuccessful  candidate  in  a  contested  election  for  the 
Chancellorship  of  the  University  of  Cambridge,  March  27th,  181 1, 


158  LORD   RIVERS  [ch.  hi 

Lord  Rivers 

Stratfieldsay,  April  5th. 

My  Dear  Sir  Arthur, — The  fine  clear  seasonable  weather 
has  been  such  a  constant  temptation  to  me  to  be  all  morn- 
ings trying  and  entering  my  young  Greyhounds.  .  .  . 

I  had  a  good  prospect  as  you  say  of  being  rich  about 
this  time,  but  my  sale  does  not  proceed,  and  I  fear  Sir 
Egerton  Bridges,  who  secur'd  my  Glostershire  Estate,^  is 
not  able  to  conclude  the  purchase.  The  security  I  felt  of 
course  led  me  to  more  expence,  and  I  therefore  now  feel 
au  contraire  very  poor.  So  we  must  not  talk  of  building, 
nor  even  of  great  changes  at  Rushmore.  But  as  certain 
comforts  were  wanting  there,  I  engag'd  Bastard  while  he 
was  on  a  visit  at  Salisbury  to  supply  them,  and  get  some 
bed-chambers  new  paper'd.  When  I  am  able  to  make 
alterations  worthy  your  attention,  I  shall  not  forget  your 
kind  offer,  for  I  own  I  don't  at  all  understand  these  things. 
I  should  have  been  happy  to  have  join'd  your  pleasant 
party  at  poor  Sir  Harry's.  Perhaps  you  may  return  there 
before  August,  in  which  case  I  should  be  happy  to  meet 
you  and  Lady  Augusta  to  whom  I  beg  my  best  Regards. 
I  hope  always  to  pass  August  and  September  at  Rushmore, 
and  that  we  shall  have  some  pleasant  rides.  In  the  mean- 
time believe  me,  dear  Sir  Arthur,  with  great  esteem  ever 
truly  yours.  Rivers. 

Horace  *  hitends  living  much  at  Stepleton,  and  I  shall 
be  happy  to  hear  that  he  takes  kindly  to  farming  and 
shooting  as  he  proposes,  as  he's  not  safe  in  London.  How 
fortunate  my  Friend  Graham  ^  has  been  in  having  had 
such  a  singular  opportunity  of  proving  so  clearly  to  the 
world  that  he  possess'd  those  rare  qualities  of  which  we 
were  all  well  convinced. 

Gen.  Hon.  Sir  Edward  Paget 

Monday,  [April]  181 1. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — In  case  I  do  not  get  a  Gazette  for 
you  in  time  for  the  Post,  know  that  Graham  has  been 

*  Sudeley  Castle.  2  Horace  Beckford,  his  nephew  and  heir. 

^  "  General  Graham  acquired  universal  applause  for  the  ability  and 
firmness  of  his  conduct  at  the  battle  of  Barosa,  March  5th,  181 1,  and 
henceforth  ranked  amongst  our  most  popular  commanders." — Ann.  Reg. 
181 1.     At  the  close  of  the  war  he  was  created  Baron  Lynedoch. 


i8ii]  VICTORY   OF  BAROSA  159 

greatly  successful,  that  Victor  has  been  vanquished  with 
the  loss  of  two  or  three  Generals,  as  many  Eagles  and  3 
or  4000  men — that  12,000  Spaniards  ^  looked  on,  that 
British  and  Portuguese  behaved  inimitably,  that  it  was  a 
Combat  of  Bayonets,  that  Graham  acted  against  the  orders 
of  the  Spanish  Chief  and  that  if  he  had  not,  he  would  have 
been  beat  instead  of  beating,  that  Belluno  had  given  orders 
for  a  Retreat  in  the  event  of  the  Spaniards  making  any 
movement,  that  our  Loss  is  iioo  men,  that  Graham  was 
safely  housed  in  the  Isla  de  Leon,  not  being  on  account 
of  the  Spaniards  able  to  follow  up  his  Advantages,  that 
Victor  had  not  retired,  Sebastian!  being  at  hand  with 
reinforcements,   that  British  and  Portuguese  are  covered 

with   Glory — Spaniards   with   .    Nothing    from    Lord 

Wellington — no  doubt  of  Massena's  Retreat. 

E.  P. 

Tuesday. 

Despatches  from  Ld  Wellington.  Massena  has  reached 
Cellorico,  his  Army  in  the  most  shattered  condition,  the 
Losses  sustained  by  the  Enemy  much  greater  than  Ld  W. 
was  at  first  aware  of.  The  Prisoners  so  numerous  that 
he  is  obliged  to  send  them  to  England. 

Saturday. 

Despatches  from  Lord  Wellington.  Park  and  Tower 
guns  firing — a  complete  flight  ...  a  great  number  of  the 
Enemy  taken  and  destroyed,  very  many  guns  spiked  and 
left  behind,  ammunition  blown  up,  villages  burnt.  Roads 
covered  with  dead  men  and  horses,  hot  pursuit.  .  .  . 

Col.  Addenbrooke 

Stratfieldsaye,  a  p.  5th,  181 1. 

Dear  Sir  Arthur, — On  my  return  from  Town  yesterday 
I  found  your  letter  of  the  3rd.  Give  yourself  no  concern, 
I  beseech  you,  about  the  sale  of  the  Royalty.  My  Lord 
of  Rivers  talks  much  before  he  acts.  The  sale  in  question 
he  has  talked  of  ever  since  his  Father's  death  ;  he  has 
also  talked,  and  seemingly  more  determindly  so,  of  the 

1  See  Napier's  Peninsular  War,  iii.  446,  for  the  abject  cowardice  of 
our  Spanish  aUies  at  Berosa. 

12 


i6o  A  FEATHER  OF  RENOWN  [ch.  hi 

sale  of  Stratfieldsaye/  but  which  he  now  takes  to  ;  as  to 
the  Chase,  and  the  offer  to  Lord  Uxbridge  of  the  purchase, 
it  only  went  to  your  Father  thro'  me,  consequently  Lord  R. 
has  had  a  refusal  of  his  offer  but  by  the  same  channel. 
That  he  wd  at  that  time  have  sold  it  to  His  Lordship,  I 
have  no  doubt,  because  something  at  the  time  vexed  him, 
and  he  wished  to  wash  his  hands  of  much  vexation,  but  that 
moment  of  irritation  having  passed,  I  hear  no  more  talk 
of  the  sale,  certain  it  is  that  he  does  not  want  the  money. 
That  being  the  case,  a  man  considers,  and  reconsiders, 
before  he  sells  a  feather  of  such  renown  as  that  in  question, 
so  he  is  not  likely  to  put  it  up  to  the  best  bidder,  and  if 
he  did,  assure  yourself  that  he  would  not  lose  sight  of 
you  at  West  Lodge,  with  all  his  eccentricities  he  is  con- 
siderate, and  honourable,  therefore  care  no  more  for  reports, 
for  depend  on  it  talk,  and  not  effect,  will  ever  prove  the 
result.  I  shall  always  have  information  should  anything 
occur  likely  to  prove  conclusive,  and  you  shall  have  even 
the  rumor,  on  the  occasion  mentioned  I  had  resolved  to 
write  to  you  on  the  subject  but  being  at  Uxbridge  House 
I  talked  the  matter  over — with  Mr.  Sanderson  present,  as 
a  mere  sketch  of  the  whim  of  the  moment,  so  it  rests.  Ld  R. 
makes  no  enquiries,  he  does  not  seem  anxious  about  it, 
and  I  expect  he  wants  not  the  money,  which  alone  could 
drive  a  man  to  determine  on  such  a  sale.  You  are  cer- 
tainly safe  in  your  Chaumiere,  where  I  sincerely  wish  you 
and  Lady  Augusta  every  possible  comfort.  .  .  .  Dear  Sir 
Arthur,  most  truly  your  faithful  servant, 

J.  P.  Adden. 

Ly  P.*  very  low,  in  Bodily  health  well,  in  Mind  seriously 
diseased.  She  desires  her  Love  and  best  regards  to  you  and 
Lady  Augusta.  Lord  R.  here,  but  full  of  miseries,  diseased 
Liver,  and  every  disease  under  the  Sun  I  believe  in  the 
course  of  24  hours.  Poor  Lord  Maynard^  is  dangerously 
ill ;  I  called  previous  to  leaving  Town,  and  I  saw  one  of 
his  medical  attendants,  who  stated  him  to  be  in  imminent 
danger.  "  A  membrane  covering  the  Liver  being  enlarged." 
I  shall  be  truly  sorry  should  he  not  rally,  and  from  what  I 
heard  I  should  much  doubt  it.  .  .  . 

*  Some  years  later  Lord  Rivers  sold  Stratfieldsaye  to  Government,  by 
whom  it  was  presented  to  the  Duke  of  Wellington  ;  the  Dorsetshire 
estates  are  still  the  property  of  the  Pitt-Rivers  family. 

*  Lady  Pitt.  3  Charles,   Viscount  Maynard,    1 751-1824. 


i8ii]  FROM  FAIR  OAK  i6l 

Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

Fair  Oak,   i8ii. 

My  Dearest  Old  Fellow, — ■!  ought  to  have  written  to 
you  before  I  left  London,  to  tell  you  that  after  an  anxious 
chase  I  came  up  with  and  boarded  a  vessel  which  upon 
survey  appeared  to  me  to  answer  the  description  you 
require.  She  is  capable  of  accomplishing  the  purpose  of 
draining  a  Pond  if  you  choose  to  pump  long  enough  at  her, 
and  this  is  contrived  by  a  suction-hose  at  the  lower  part 
of  the  Engine,  and  by  a  leathern  or  Canvas  one  affixed  to 
the  Head  of  the  Pipe  3'ou  might  convey  water  of  course  as 
far  as  you  chose,  or  rather  as  far  as  you  had  Hose  enough 
to  apply.  The  damage  of  this  Engine  is  twelve  guineas, 
and  as  I  had  not  your  letter  of  the  loth  till  to-day,  I  took 
upon  myself  in  pursuance  of  the  first  authority  to  order 
the  said  vessel  forthwith  to  be  sent  to  you  from  the  place 
I  got  it  in  Oxford  St  by  Russell's  Waggon,  and  I  hope  by 
having  so  far  done  I  have  not  exceeded  your  wishes. 

I  have  not  seen  Sir  Henry  yet,  but  I  shall  ride  up  there 
to-day  or  tomorrow  and  shall  have  him  to  meet  Paget  next 
Thursday. 

By  the  temper  of  People's  minds  about  him,  I  see  no 
prospect  of  his  ever  returning  into  the  sphere  of  Life  he 
had  been  accustomed  to.  I  dined  two  or  three  times  with 
the  D.  of  Bedford  and  I  was  sorry  to  find  him  by  no  means 
cordial.  He  however  told  me  that  he  did  mean  to  come 
down,  if  he  could  before  the  Sheep-shearing.  She  told  me 
that  if  they  went  to  Uppark,  that  she  was  determined  also 
to  make  a  visit  to  Fair  Oak.  But  when  it  comes  to  the 
point  I  think  I  shall  declare  off,  for  I  have  not  means  for 
receiving  people  after  Uppark,  tho'  she  herself  would  be 
as  well  satisfied  with  a  Leg  of  Mutton  here  as  the  best 
Mogez  *  (I  don't  know  how  to  spell  his  name)  could  produce. 

When  I  was  in  Town  I  sought  an  interview  with  Mr, 
Yorke.  He  as  I  expected  would  not  admit  that  he  had 
given  me  any  just  reason  to  expect  what  I  fairly  told  him 
his  former  conversation  with  him  had  led  me  to  expect 
about  the  Revenge.  He  was  however  very  civil  and  very 
kind,  and  took  pains  to  satisfy  me  that  he  was  absolutely 
obliged  to  employ  the  Revenge  as  he  had  done,  and  that 

1  The  chef  at  I'ppark. 


i62  SIR   HARRY  [ch.  hi 

whenever  I  was  ready  to  serve  he  would  give  me  as  good 
a  Ship  as  he  could  do.  I  told  him  towards  the  winter 
(which  I  suppose  will  be  towards  the  spring)  I  should  be 
ready.  In  the  mean  time  I  have  secured  my  first  Lieutenant, 
my  Boys  and  my  band,  all  of  which  are  removed  from 
the  Revenge.  Mr.  Davis  is  come  on  shore  till  I  serve,  and 
the  others  are  on  board  the  Royal  George  as  my  followers. 
Revenge  goes  to  the  Mediterranean.  .  .  .  Ever  your  devoted 

Charles. 

I  saw  Delme  in  London.  He  told  me  that  he  hoped 
Augusta  had  received  and  that  she  liked  the  Bantams  he 
has  sent  to  West  Lodge. 

Sir  Harry  Fetherstone  ^ 

Uppark,  [? April]   iSii. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — .  .  .  What  a  change  of  climate  and 
consequently  of  pleasurable  sensations  since  I  last  wrote  ! 
Spitzbergen  itself  !  I  have  not  heard  of  Charles's  return 
yet.  Old  N.'s  tokay  sold  at  the  rate  of  £84  per  dozen  and 
all  the  other  wines  etc.  in  proportion,  bad  as  well  as  good. 
"  La  decadence  d'un  Empire  est  assuree,  alors  quand  le  luxe 
surpasse  de  certaines  limites  prescrites  par  les  moyens."  I 
am  more  accurate  in  this  quotation  than  in  referring  you 
to  "  Felix  "  instead  of  "  Beatus  ille."  I  had  confounded 
the  "  Felix  ille  ter  et  amplius  "  with  the  other.  The  fact 
is,  "  non  sum  qualis  eram,"  yet  always  yours  most  sincerely, 

H.  Fetherstone. 

Sir  Harry  Fetherstone 

Uppark,  Monday  [Apr.  18 11]. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — Yesterday  I  returned  here  after 
passing  two  very  satisfactory  days  at  Fair  Oak  with  friends. 

1  Sir  Harry  Fetherstone,  Bart.,  of  Uppark,  1 754-1846,  succeeded  his 
father  when  still  a  minor,  and  on  attaining  his  majority  became  one  of 
the  Prince  of  Wales's  set  at  Newmarket  and  elsewhere.  The  famous 
Emma,  Lady  Hamilton,  in  her  early  days  lived  under  his  protection  for 
a  short  time  at  Uppark.  About  the  year  18 10  Sir  Harry  fell  under  a 
cloud  and  was  thereafter  cut  by  the  Prince,  in  consequence  of  an  incident 
which  occurred  at  that  time,  but  many  of  his  old  friends,  including  the 
Pagets,  ralUed  round  and  continued  to  visit  him.  Sir  Harry  collected 
magnificent  china,  furniture,  etc.,  some  of  which  remains  at  Uppark. 
He  wound  up  his  career  by  marrying,  when  over  seventy,  a  daughter  of 
one  of  his  own  gamekeepers,  and  dying  at  the  age  of  ninety-one,  bequeathed 
all  his  possessions  to  her. 


i8ii]  THE  FARMING   CONCERN  163 

Paget  in  good  force  and  spirits  with  his  three  daughters, 
whom  I  think  perfection.  They  all  took  a  dejeuner  a  four- 
chette  at  Uppark  on  Saturday.  He  goes  to  the  Levee 
tomorrow,  and  as  certainly  will  be  received  with  marked 
attention  by  the  Regent  who,  I  am  satisfied,  is  determined 
to  bring  him  out  again  with  eclat.  We  have  now  again 
something  like  spring,  tho'  rather  too  stormy.  On  the 
whole  however  a  favorable  season  for  the  farming  concern, 
which  brings  me  to  observe  how  happy  I  shall  be  if  you 
can  conclude  the  purchase  in  agitation.  It  is  eligible  in 
every  respect  and  I  can  from  my  own  head  add  all  the 
arguments  you  omitted  in  favor  of  such  a  termination. 
Notwithstanding  my  own  indolence  (which  is  more  or  less 
owing  to  a  sick  and  wounded  mind)  there  is  no  pursuit 
affording  more  rational  amusement  or  more  solid  advan- 
tages in  country  retirement  than  the  management  of  a 
farm  in  which,  I  am  sure,  you  will  take  both  pains  and 
pleasure  and  consequently  derive  profit,  the  result  of  both. 
Additional  interest  will  accrue  from  its  being  your  own 
possession,  and  surely  when  Lord  Uxbridge  has  already 
volunteered  an  offer  of  West  Lodge,  there  can  be  no  offence 
even  to  your  delicate  sensibility  on  those  points  in  accept- 
ing that  aid,  should  the  purchase  be  more  than  you  have 
otherwise  made  your  mind  up  to.  It  is  neither  prudent 
or  agreeable  to  lay  out  money  for  other  people  where  no 
return  can  be  expected,  especially  on  a  precarious  tenure, 
for,  however  honorably  disposed  Ld  Rivers  is,  il  est  homme 
a  fantaisie  and  certainly  did,  as  I  told  you,  talk  of  selling 
West  Lodge  not  long  since.  Let  me  therefore  urge  you  not 
to  abandon  your  present  views  on  light  grounds  and  to 
discard  all  thoughts  of  the  "  learned  languages,"  at  best 
a  flimsy  acquirement  and  altogether  unproductive  of  solid 
advantages,  of  which  you  possess  your  full  share  in  a  mind 
well  furnished  with  that  knowledge  which  is  alone  essential 
and  useful  as  relating  to  our  own  times  and  contemporaries. 
The  "  bcatus  ille  "  has  lost  none  of  its  beauties  in  Pope's 
translation  and  I  would  not  myself  devote  another  hour 
to  recover  my  classical  erudition,  such  as  it  was,  at  the 
expence  even  of  a  tete  a  tete  with  Hogg  ;  certainly  not  of 
one  with  Mr.  Cox,  but  I  am  aware  that  all  his  hints  would 
be  useless,  unless  I  made  up  my  mind  to  set  to  work  with 
new  tools,  an  arduous  undertaking  considering  all  the 
circumstances  it  would  involve.     I  should  readily  step  into 


i64  A  GARDEN  CHAIR  [ch.  hi 

my  chaise  for  a  much  more  agreeable  purpose,  did  I  not  fancy 
that  my  sejour  here  just  at  present  expedited  the  work 
now  going  on  in  earnest  with  something  more  of  celerity 
and  less  of  expence.  Probably  I  am  mistaken,  but  it  is 
at  least  a  flattering  error  and  I  therefore  indulge  it ;  but 
I  do  assure  you,  I  look  forward  to  my  visit  with  undiminished 
and  sincere  satisfaction.  Charles  and  Mrs.  Paget  are  to 
breakfast  with  me  to-morrow  ;  they  go  to  London  on 
Wednesday  to  consult  with  the  Pere  ^  about  the  little  girl. 
Thomas  was  coming  here  this  week  but  must  attend  the 
levee  and  also  says,  he  is  not  likely  for  some  undefined 
time  (the  thing  is  in  Chancery)  to  be  the  better  either  for 
the  legacy  or  annuity.  I  am  truly  sorry  for  it,  tho'  I  did 
not  think  him  worthy  of  a  dinner.  Should  Mr.  Weaver 
still  be  with  you,  pray  caution  him  to  keep  his  wages  to 
himself  as  so  much  exceeding  those  of  my  old  servants.  I 
find  the  jackets  and  aprons  really  cost  me  annually  nearly 
or  quite  lo  gs  ;  so  I  shall  not  be  much  the  worse  for  Ld 
Rivers  bidding.  Many  thanks  for  your  kind  arrangement 
and  I  have  every  expectation  of  it's  turning  out  well. 
My  kindest  regards  to  Lady  Augusta.  I  hope  the  little 
girl  is  quite  well  and  her  appetite  restored  by  the  cessation 
of  pain  from  her  gums.  "  Mathilde  "  is  quite  well,  but  I 
think  it  best  to  give  her  more  time  before  she  is  rode.  Paget 
quite  approved  of  our  treatment.  Battine  desires  me  to 
offer  the  best  wishes  of  an  old  man.     Yours  ever, 

H.  Fetherstone. 

Lord  Paget 

25  Apr.,  1811. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  fancy  that  I  want  a  sort  of  low, 
light,  safe  Garden  Chair  for  Beau  Desert,  to  get  the  Lame 
and  the  Lazy  up  and  down  the  Hills.  I  think  you  hare 
one  of  that  description  which  you  wanted  to  dispose  of, 
and  if  you  are  still  in  that  mind,  I  will  take  it  off  your 
hands. 

I  believe  I  told  you  that  I  had  had  a  long  interview  with 
the  Prince  some  time  ago.  He  was  so  gracious  and  so 
kind  that  I  could  no  longer  put  off  going  to  the  Lev6e. 
To   the   Lev6e   therefore    I  went   last  Tuesday  in    grand 

*  The  P^re  Elis6e,  a  French  quack  doctor,  who  was  much  the  fashion 

in  London  at  this  time, 


i8ii]  ANCHOR  TO  WINDWARD  165 

Costume    and    was    most    graciously    received    in    every 
direction. 

I  was  at  Beau  Desert  for  a  few  days  at  Easter  with  Lady 
Paget  and  Henry.  Car,  Jane  and  Georgy  were  during 
that  time  at  Fair  Oak  Lodge,  from  whence  I  fetched  them 
after  staying  two  days.  I  think  it  a  snug  Place  and  as 
Charles  appears  to  have  every  advantage  of  Cook  and 
Pheasant  without  the  trouble  and  expence  of  such  appen- 
dages, I  think  he  may  fairly  be  said  to  be  laying  with  his 
Anchor  to  Windward.  .  .  .  Ever  affecy  yours, 

Paget. 

Mr.  Sheldon 

Queen  Ann  Street,  tth  May,  181 1. 

Dear  Sir  Arthur, — I  thank  you  for  both  your  kind  and 
entertaining  letters.  On  receipt  of  your  first  I  went  to 
Mr.  Beauvais  to  speak  about  his  putting  part  of  your 
Claret  into  Pint-bottles,  but  it  was  already  sent,  conse- 
quently too  late  ;  your  Port  will  be  bottled  as  you  desire, 
and  he  will  keep  it  in  his  cellar  till  he  hears  from  your 
Excellency.  Since  my  last  I  have  found  in  a  shop  in 
Holbom  a  few  more  of  those  toys,  and  I  think  rather 
better,  at  least  something  larger,  which  I  beg  the  Princess 
Leopoldina's  acceptance  of,  and  two  boxes  containing  them 
will  be  sent  by  this  day's  coach  to  Blandford.  By  the 
same  conveyance  your  Excellency  will  receive  a  bottle  of 
Anisette  d' Amsterdam  from  me,  which  I  hope  you  will 
find  good,  and  remember  me  and  old  Hardenberg  in  tasting 
it.  It  is  not  so  good  as  that  we  got  at  Vienna  at  Count 
ShoUer's  sale,  because  it  is  not  so  old,  but  Mr.  Crawford 
of  Rotterdam,  who  has  tasted  it,  thinks  it  very  good. 
Should  your  Excellency  find  it  so,  I  have  another  bottle 
at  your  service,  both  of  which  I  beg  you  to  accept.  I 
was  not  the  person  who  sent  the  Caviar,  nor  did  I  know 
there  was  any  to  be  got  here  now,  but  on  enquiry  about 
it  at  Uxbridge  House,  the  Porter  informed  me  that  it  was 
sent  over  by  Morande  for  your  Excellency  by  a  Merchant 
in  the  City,  and  that  Morande's  name  was  on  the  card  of 
direction.  I  shall  also  send  your  book  by  this  day's  coach, 
and  liope  it  will  get  safe,  and  profiting  of  a  frank  from  my 
brother  I  inclose  Mr.  Birchall's  bill  and  receipt.  I  have 
been  twice  with  Mr   Conway  without  seeing  him,  but  am 


i66  PAUL  ESTERHAZY  [ch.  iii 

to  see  him  on  Wednesday,  You  shall  be  informed  of  what 
he  says  before  I  take  any  steps  about  the  pictures.  Poor 
Vienna,  how  changed  it  is  by  old  Hardenberg's  letter ! 
I  am  sorry  for  Gratz  and  sincerely  wish  your  Excellency's 
efforts  may  be  attended  with  success.  You  may  be  sure 
Hardenberg's  name  will  not  be  mention'd  by  me.  The 
story  told  in  London  of  Lady  Clanwilliam's  death  is,  that 
she  had  lived  for  some  time  at  Gratz  in  considerable  intimacy 
with  two  Italian  Abbes,  in  whose  favour  she  had  made  her 
will,  and  that  they  then  poison'd  her  to  get  her  money. 
Probably  there  is  no  foundation  for  the  story.  Old  Fife, 
the  guardian  of  Ld  Clanwilliam,^  who  is  now  at  Eton, 
lately  set  out  for  Vienna  to  make  another  effort  at  getting 
the  two  daughters  over.  I  don't  think  he  will  meet  with 
a  very  good  reception.  As  to  our  friend  Paul  Esterhazy 
I  am  afraid  he  will  have  sometime  to  wait  before  he  will 
get  his  wished  for  mission,  and  I  perfectly  agree  with  your 
Excellency  that  managing  la  petite  Mere  de  sa  Majeste  la 
Reine  de  la  Grande  Bretagne  will  not  avail  him  much.  I 
don't  think  the  King  will  feel  much  fiatter'd  by  his  nephew, 
Paul  Esterhazy.  I  am  sorry  the  poor  little  Countess  takes 
so  much  to  heart  the  refusal  of  being  presented  at  Court. 
In  regard  of  getting  a  Letter  to  Vienna,  we  have  sometimes 
occasions,  of  which  we  are  only  informed  the  day  or  day 
but  one  before.  A  few  days  ago  a  Person  unknown  to  me 
called,  and  left  his  name,  saying  that  if  we  had  any  letter 
for  Vienna,  and  would  let  him  have  it  the  next  day  before 
three  o'clock,  he  had  an  opportunity  of  sending  it.  We 
suppose  him  to  be  a  friend  of  that  Mr.  Johnstone  you  have 
heard  me  speak  of,  who  is  now  at  Vienna,  and  also  says 
in  his  letter,  he  has  a  friend  here,  who  will  occasionally 
be  able  to  forward  a  letter  to  that  place.  But  Mrs.  Sheldon, 
who  begs  everything  most  kind  to  your  Excellency,  desires 
me  to  say,  that  if  you  wish  to  send  a  letter,  and  will  send 
it  to  her,  making  it  as  small,  and  on  as  thin  paper  as  you 
can,  she  will  get  it  sent,  and  by  the  only  sure  way  that 
she  knows,  as  during  the  last  fifteen  months  the  only  two 
letters  she  knows  to  have  got  to  Vienna  were  by  those 
means.  It  is  thro'  a  foreign  Minister  here,  who  conveys 
it  to  another  of  the  land  of  Denmark,  to  whom  and  whose 
politeness  Mrs.  Sheldon  is  indebted  for  being  sometimes 
able  to  get  a  letter  to  Vienna.    All  my  family  join  me  in 

*  The  3rd  Earl,  born  1795. 


i8ii]  A  PRIVATE   MARRIAGE  167 

kindest  wishes  to  your  Excellency.  I  beg  my  best  respects' 
to  Lady  Augusta,  and  hope  that  the  young  Princess  will 
graciously  smile  on  her  toys.     Ever  most  truly  yours, 

Ch.  H.  Sheldon. 


Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

Grosvenor  Place,  May  6th,  [1811]. 

My  Dearest  Good  Fellow, — My  mysterious  note  of 
yesterday  I  had  not  time  to  explain  before  the  Post  went 
out,  and  now  that  I  am  about  to  do  so  I  have  to  confine 
the  communication  within  your  breast.  The  fact  then  is 
that  it  is  only  four  days  ago  that  Lady  Elizabeth,  Elizabeth, 
and  myself  were  made  acquainted  with  the  marriage  of 
Kitty  with  Mr.  Browne,^  and  when  I  tell  you  that  her 
situation  (as  it  is  termed)  precluded  the  possibility  of  further 
concealment,  you  will  see  the  necessity  of  keeping  that  part 
of  the  matter  secret.  It  appears  that  in  January  last 
they  were  privately  married  in  the  House  of  Mr.  Browne's 
sister  (Mrs.  Dillon),  and  why  or  wherefore  they  have  chosen 
to  adopt  such  a  mode  of  proceeding,  or  why,  after  having 
adopted  it,  they  have  concealed  it  for  nearly  four  Months 
remains  for  me  to  learn.  No  defence  set  up  by  either  of 
the  parties  has  in  the  slightest  degree  tended  to  remove 
from  my  mind  the  impression  of  their  having  acted  with  the 
most  wanton  folly  and  inexcusable  duplicity.  Cases  there 
certainly  have  been,  when  art  and  stratagem  were  more  or 
less  justifiable,  but  this  is  one  the  attainment  of  which 
was  to  be  secured  with  probably  less  difficulty  than  99  out 
of  100  usually  are,  and  instead  therefore  of  having  conducted 
themselves  so  as  to  have  ensured  the  effect  of  their  wishes 
upon  the  most  advantageous  and  creditable  grounds,  they 
have  chosen  rather  to  act  so  as  to  forfeit  the  countenance 
and  support  of  all  their  parents,  the  male  branches  of  whom 
(if  I  know  their  characters  correctly)  will  not  be  sorry  of 
such  an  excuse  to  cancel  all  claims  upon  them  in  the  way 
of  marriage  settlements,  etc.  Tho'  we  are  satisfied  of  the 
private  Marriage  having  taken  place,  it  was  judged  ex- 
pedient that  a  Legal  one  should  also  take  place,  and  accord- 
ingly for  the  satisfaction  of  Lady  Elizabeth  and  all  the 
parties,  I  witnessed  the  ceremony  and  gave  her  away  at 

1  Dominick  Browne,  born  1787,  afterwards  ist  Lord  Oranmore,  married 
Catherine  Monck,   sister  of  Mrs.  Charles  Paget. 


i68  A  DOUCHE  [CH.  iii 

eight  o'clock  this  morning  in  Marylebone  Church.  She  will 
go  down  to  Fair  Oak  on  Tuesday  with  Elizabeth,  and,  for 
motives  which  Lady  E.  has,  that  even  now  their  marriage 
should  not  be  published  till  she  hears  from  Mr.  Monck, 
who  is  in  Ireland,  Kitty  has  not  assumed  her  real  name, 
and  she  and  him  have  consented  to  remain  separate  till 
this  letter  from  Mr.  Monck  arrives.  But  as  I  see  no  good 
end  to  be  attained  by  this  prohibition,  I  shall  go  and  over- 
rule it,  in  that  case  she  will  still  go  down  with  Elizabeth 
as  Mrs.  Browne,  and  he  will  join  her  at  Fair  Oak  after 
having  been  to  look  at  a  place  he  is  about  taking  for  a  year 
near  Fareham.  Thus,  my  good  fellow,  you  are  in  posses- 
sion of  all  this  strange,  unaccountable,  inexplicable  busi- 
ness, in  which  there  has  been  on  the  part  of  Kitty  more 
equivocation,  delusion,  and  gross  falsehood,  and  on  his 
more  want  of  good  sense,  and  judgement,  than  ever  came 
to  the  share  of  man  and  wife. 

...  I  am  however  all  for  your  having  a  positive  possession 
at  least  for  the  term  of  your  own,  Augusta's,  and  your 
Children's  lives.  The  place  I  wish  you  had  of  your  own  is 
that  of  Sir  Thomas  Williams,  near  Barsledon,  a  delightful 
House,  a  delightful  country,  and  the  two  hundred  acres  of 
land  belonging  to  it  would  make  the  attention  to  farming 
a  source  of  occupation  to  you,  besides  I  should  then  be 
but  30  miles  from  you  ;  £12,000,  I  believe,  is  the  purchase 
money,  and  sea  bathing  which  you  enjoy  so  much  you  would 
have  under  your  windows. 

The  result  of  the  consultation  upon  our  poor  little  girl, 
at  which  Sir  Walter  and  the  Pere  were  present,  was  favor- 
able. It  is  determined  to  go  on  with  the  Barrege  waters, 
but  by  a  different  mode  of  application.  The  Douche  is 
now  recommended  and  by  which,  as  I  understand  it,  the 
said  waters  are  to  pass  thro'  a  long  tube,  the  aperture  of 
which  at  the  bottom  is  to  be  about  the  size  of  Half  a  crown 
in  circumference,  and  it  is  desired  that  the  fall  of  water 
from  the  lower  extremity  of  the  Tube  should  be  fifteen 
feet  before  it  reaches  the  poor  child,  on  whose  hip  and  ancle 
it  is  to  be  applied  alternate  mornings.  All  this  will  add 
to  ruin  me,  as  this  process  as  well  as  the  much  encreased 
quantity  of  the  Barrege  Waters  will  necessarily  be  very 
expensive,  but  another  difficulty  in  my  mind  arises,  and 
that  is  how  the  devil  in  my  low  house  can  the  thing  be  done 
without  indeed  I  bore  a  hole  thro'  the  ceiling  of  one  of  the 


i8ii]  COVENT   GARDEN  169 

lower  rooms,  and  pour  in  the  200  Quarts  of  Hot  water  from 
the  upper  one,  or  even  through  that  one  from  the  Garretts. 
I  send  you  a  letter  I  have  receiv'd  from  Farquhar  since 
the  consultation,  and  I  suspect  that  his  opinion  would 
incline  more  to  the  probable  benefit  to  be  derived  from 
sea  air  and  tepid  sea  bathing  than  to  any  other  remedy. 

The  D.  and  Dss.  of  Argyll  arrived  yesterday  evening, 
and  a  notification  of  the  event  arrived  just  as  Elizabeth 
and  myself  were  getting  into  Paget 's  carriage  with  Car, 
Jane,  Georgy,  x\gnes,  Henry,  and  our  little  fellow,  for 
Covent  Garden,  whither  we  went  to  see  "  Timour  the  Tartar," 
having  got  the  Prince's  box  for  the  purpose.  This  arrival 
puzzled  us  a  little,  but  at  the  suggestion  of  Paget  we  called 
in  Brook  St.,  and  they  all  went  up  to  see  their  Mother  for 
ten  minutes,  and  we  proceeded  on  to  the  Play,  where  Paget 
joined  us  with  William,  so  that  we  had  a  pretty  good  Box 
full.  "  Timour  "  is  quite  a  good  thing  for  you  to  bring 
up  Augusta  to  see,  but  her  present  situation  puts  it  out 
of  the  question.  It  far  exceeds  anything  I  ever  saw  or 
could  have  imagined.  "  Blue  Beard  "  is  quite  eclipsed,  both 
in  magnificence  and  by  the  surprizing  feats  of  Equitation. 
The  Play,  the  whole  of  which  we  saw,  was  not  a  bad  one, 
being  ''  King  John." 

This  is  blustering  wet  weather,  my  old  Boy,  but  it  is 
mild,  and  to  me  pleasant.  But  I  see  many  a  fellow  on 
account  of  his  well  blacken'd  boot  or  nicely  pleated  shirt 
etc.  who  would  prefer  a  bright  North-Easter  with  a  hot  sun. 

The  Duke  and  Duchess  of  Bedford,  as  j^ou  say,  have  had 
a  tempestuous  cruize  to  the  Westward.  They  are  now 
scudding  it  before  it,  and  will  be  in  Town  early  tomorrow. 

This  lately  married  couple  will  stay  about  a  week  or 
ten  days  at  most  with  me,  by  that  time  the  Court-Martial 
upon  which  Edward  is  to  sit  will  be  over,  and  he  and  George 
Champagne  have  promised  to  come  down  to  me  together. 
How  jolly  if  you  could  be  with  us.  .  .  . 

C.  P. 

Capt.  Hon.  C.  Paget 

May,  t8ii. 

...  It  seems  to  me  that  by  this  appointment  they  have 
misjudged  the  abilities  of  two  men  in  an  extraordinary 
degree,  for  I  imagined  that  from  Pellew's  '  practical  sea- 

*  Admiral  Pellew,  afterwards  ist  Viscount  Exmouth. 


I70  MY   FRIEND   PELLEW  [ch.  hi 

manship  and  sound  and  undaunted  mind,  that  he  was  the 
man  of  all  others  to  command  upon  that  difficult  and 
anxious  Station,  and  on  the  other  hand  Admiral  Young  i 
might  very  well  have  done  in  the  Mediterranean,  being 
certainly  a  clever  fellow,  and  possessing  what  every  chief 
in  the  Mediterranean  command  ought  to  possess,  a  local 
knowledge  and  an  acquaintance  with  foreign  languages, 
which  my  friend  Pellew  I  apprehend  is  not  a  proficient  in. 

My  Garden-wall  is  at  length  nearly  finished,  so  that  my 
pigs,  poultry  etc.  have  ceased  to  have  their  accustomed 
range.  Paget,  tho'  so  great  an  enemy  to  Brick  and  mortar, 
urged  me  to  complete  the  Garden  by  a  wall  along  the  Lower 
or  last  side  of  it. 

Your  Dairy  will  answer  capitally  and  I  often  thank  you 
in  my  own  mind  for  the  suggestion. 

At  last  it  is  determined  what  course  I  shall  pursue  with 
regard  to  my  land,  it  is  settled  that  it  shall  be  got  into 
Grass  as  soon  as  the  present  state  of  the  ground  will  permit, 
and  that  my  farming  shall  be  confined  entirely  to  the  produce 
of  grass  for  my  Horses  and  Cows,  and  Hay,  buying  every- 
thing else,  as  Graves  first  recommended,  at  the  Market 
Price.  Certainly  this  appears  the  most  sensible  and  for 
a  person  in  my  situation  the  most  prudent  course  to  adopt, 
and  I  believe  you  are  agreed  in  thinking  so  too. 

God  bless  you,  my  excellent  fellow.  I  often  think  of 
you,  more  I  believe  than  you  imagine  I  do.  Ever  your 
devoted 

Charles. 


Lord  Paget 

Chelsea,  May  j(h,  1811. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  think  it  must  be  the  Donkey  Cart 
that  I  meant  as  likely  to  suit  Beau  Desert.  It  is  that 
machine  painted  green  with  broad  wheels  that  you  ran 
about  with  with  one  of  the  Children  in  it.  The  [illegible] 
however  with  the  Ponies  is  tempting.  I  believe  I  had 
better  put  off  ordering  till  you  come  to  Beau  Desert  which 
I  hope  will  be  in  the  shooting  Season,  when  you  may  talk 
to  Holmes. 

'  Admiral  Sir  William  Young,  1751-1821. 


i8ii]  DUKE  OF  CUMBERLAND  171 

Some  of  my  Horses  are  to  be  at  Tattersal's  on  the  20th. 
It  occurs  to  me  that  you  cannot  do  better  than  send 
"  Mathilde  "  to  take  her  chance  there.  She  is  of  an  ailing  sort. 
I  have  two  superb  Animals  besides  her,  by  the  Wellesley 
Grey  Arabian,  and  they  are  both  unlucky.  No  sooner  are 
they  cured  of  one  mishap,  than  some  other  misfortune 
befalls  them.  Your  Mare's  lameness  was  most  decidedly 
humour.  Mine  also  are  full  of  them.  I  hear  too  that  they 
are  not  popular.  This  is  unlucky  for  a  Sale,  but  I  am 
determined  to  part  with  them. 

You  ask  me  if  the  Prince  gave  me  an  opportunity  of 
putting  in  a  word  for  Fetherstone,  The  fact  is  that  when  I 
saw  him  privately,  he  began  the  moment  I  came  into  the 
Room  and  ne  departa  point,  whilst  I  remained.  He  named 
him  once,  not  unkindly,  but  not  with  any  reference  to  his 
misfortunes.  At  the  Levee  it  wd  have  been  impossible 
had  he  been  inclined. 

Shd  he  ever  give  me  an  opportunity  of  saying  to  him 
what  you  wish  with  respect  to  yourself,  I  will  not  lose  it. 
I  do  not  however  think  it  likely  that  we  shd  meet.  I 
never  even  see  the  Duke  of  Cumberland,  altho'  he  threat- 
ened to  be  with  me  every  day.  For  a  short  time  he  actually 
put  his  threat  in  execution  but  I  have  not  set  eyes  on  him 
for  above  a  month.  They  say  of  him,  that  he  is  stirring 
Heaven  and  Earth  to  be  appointed  Inspector-General  of 
Cavalry,  and  that  he  thinks  I  shall  not  like  it.  What 
nonsense  !  Just  as  if  I  cd  think  that  I  had  an  exclusive 
right  to  the  Situation  !  In  fact  I  shd  most  seriously 
object  to  it  and  cd  not  fill  it.  One  thing  is  I  believe  certain. 
The  4  Regts  of  Hussars  are  to  be  assembled  and  he  is  to 
exercise  them,  and  there  is  nothing  that  I  shall  enjoy  so 
much  as  to  see  them  together  and  not  to  have  the  trouble 
of  working  them.  Every  thing  is  going  on  most  smoothly 
and  happily  with  me.  .  .  . 

Paget. 


General  Hon.  Sir  Edward  Paget 

From  our  Royal  Hospital  of  Chelsea, 
This  \oth  day  of  May,  181 1. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  ought  sooner  to  have  thanked 
you  for  your  letter  of  the  6th  but  am  so  bother'd  with  this 
Court-Martial,  which  keeps  me  daily  at  Chelsea  from  ten 


172  THE  DUCHESS  [ch.  hi 

to  three  o'clock,  that  I  cannot  do  anything  I  like.  As 
you  do  not  give  me  encouragement,  I  have  not  made 
any  new  Attempt  to  see  the  General.  If  he  had  wish'd  to 
grant  me  the  Interview  I  requested  he  would  have  written 
to  say  so  instead  of  contenting  himself  with  leaving  his 
Card.  Your  profane  Tirade  is  exceedingly  amusing  and 
confirms  me  in  the  belief  that  the  fat  Old  Lady  is  what 
Charles  calls  laying  an  Anchor  to  windward.  Mr.  Paget 
I  have  seen  but  once.  He  asked  me  to  dinner,  but  I  was 
engaged.  Your  honey  and  Marlborough  water  was  sent 
two  or  three  days  ago  in  a  box  with  other  small  things 
for  you.  I  hope  they  are  arriv'd.  I  thank  you  for  your 
Inquiries  touching  Francesco. ^  He  is  in  very  great  force. 
I  am  so  hot,  so  frowzy,  so  bored,  so  stuff'd  with  Rappee 
and  vinigtillo,  that  my  Ideas  are  intirely  conglomerated. 
So  God  bless  you.  Kind  love  to  Augusta  and  believe  me 
ever  most  affly  yrs, 

E.  P. 

Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

Fair  Oak,   13  May,  181 1. 

...  I  have  totally  overlooked  till  this  moment  saying  a 
word  about  their  Graces  of  Argyll.  I  saw  them  both  in 
Town,  and  the  day  I  called  it  happened  to  be  nearly  four 
o'clock,  and  they  literally  were  at  Breakfast.  The  adjacent 
rooms  each  had  different  Trades  People  with  their  articles 
for  inspection.  Upholsterers,  Linen  Drapers,  and  artisans 
of  divers  callings  were  in  waiting,  I  saw  them  afterwards 
at  the  Opera.  She  told  me  that  anything  that  in  the  former 
part  of  her  life  she  had  thought  happiness  was  not  for  a 
moment  to  be  compared  to  the  superlative  degree  of  Bliss 
which  she  was  now  enjoying.  She  talked  to  me  of  Lome 
in  absolute  raptures,  and  in  short  she  seems  to  possess  every 
possible  happiness  for  her.  Car  was  with  her  at  the  Opera, 
but  from  my  knowledge  of  her  I  should  say  she  did  not 
enjoy  it,  for  instance  no  power  could  prevail  upon  her  to 
sit  with  her  Mother  in  Front,  she  insisted  on  sitting  quite 
back,  tho'  as  there  was  no  other  female  but  her  Mother 
in  the  Box,  her  natural  place  would  be  in  the  occupation 
of  the  place  opposite  to  where  the  Duchess  sat.  Elizabeth 
took  Jane  and  Georgy  the  same  night,  and  we  took  them  all 

*  The  general's  little  boy. 


i8ii]  PLANS   FOR  DORSETSHIRE  173 

three  home  by  a  Junction  which  was  formed  towards  the 
end  of  the  Opera. 

I  must  say  in  justice  to  our  old  friend,  old  Car,  that  I 
found  not  the  slightest  degree  of  alteration  in  her  conduct 
towards  me,  it  was  full  as  cordial  and  friendly  as  at  any 
period  I  have  known  her.  I  should  not  say  she  was  looking 
remarkably  well,  tho'  certainly  looking  happy,  which  is  the 
main  spring  to  feeling  so.  .  .  .  she  told  me  they  returned 
to  Inverary  in  August.  Their  House  has  been  newly  and 
very  comfortably  furnish'd.  I  did  not  see  anything  very 
fine  or  expensive.  He  has  made  some  good  arrangements 
since  I  was  last  in  it  and,  I  imagine,  till  he  has  a  large 
increase  to  his  family  this  present  house  will  do. 

Tomorrow  I  expect  to  hear  from  Paget  about  our  going 
into  Dorsetshire  ;  if  receiving  us  for  the  two  days  which 
it  is  proposed  to  be  with  you  was  not  of  itself  more  than 
you  will  probably  be  able  to  do  with  convenience  to  yourself, 
I  should  suggest  to  you  having  over  little  Graves  to  meet 
Paget,  who  is  so  fond  of  him.  .  .  . 

C.  P. 

General  Hon.  Sir  Edward  Paget 

London,   13  May,  181 1. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — .  .  .  Ld  Uxbridge,  I  hear,  is 
next  week  to  go  into  Dorsetshire  accompanied  by  Paget, 
Charles,  and  an  Admiral.  Do  you  know  anything  of  all 
this  ?  Our  Court-Martial  is  adjourned  to  this  day  week 
to  give  the  prisoner  time  to  prepare  his  Defence.  Baird 
is  no  Lawyer,  but  he  is  a  very  good  fellow,  which  is  a  better 
thing.  Amazing  doings  here.  Ben  and  bold  York  etc.  to 
dine  here  on  Wednesday  next.  It  seems  to  be  a  very 
general  opinion  that  "  He  "  Ms  still  "  as  mad  as  need  be." 
It  is  a  serious  Subject  to  joke  about,  but  Lady  U.  is  much 
too  good  upon  it  to  resist  a  little  fun  now  and  then.  The 
fact  I  really  believe  to  be  that  he  is  a  victim  to  an  ungovern- 
able Impatience  to  return  to  Power,  and  this  seems  to  carry 
with  it  a  necessary  consequence  most  adverse  to  his  wishes, 
for  it  is  natural  to  suppose  that  the  longer  the  return  is 
delay 'd,  the  more  ungovernable  must  become  the  Impatience. 
I  should  like  to  have  your  Sentiments  to  read  some  morning 
at  Breakfast.     I  think  Padre  is  decidedly  benefited  by  the 

1  The  King. 


174  WILL  LORD   UXBRIDGE  GO  ?  [ch.  ni 

late  Steps  which  have  been  taken  to  alarm  him.  He  has 
been  more  cordial  than  ever  with  the  Instruments  employ'd 
to  effect  it.     Ever  most  affectionately  yrs, 

E.  P. 


Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

Fair  Oak,  [May]  1811. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — Perhaps,  my  good  fellow,  this 
notification  may  be  the  first  you  will  receive  of  the  intention 
of  my  father  and  Paget  and  myself  going  into  Dorsetshire. 
It  seems  that  it  is  agreed  that  my  father's  and  Paget's 
appearance  there  amongst  his  Tenants  and  so  forth  will  be 
attended  with  a  good  effect,  and  on  its  being  proposed  to 
my  father  by  Paget,  the  former  readily  acquiesed,  but  it 
was  not  till  yesterday  morning  that  anything  decisive  took 
place,  and  that  was  owing  in  some  degree  to  my  going  to 
see  my  father  before  I  left  Town,  and  having  sat  some  time 
on  his  bed  (on  which  he  was  lying  after  his  bath),  he  told 
me  he  wish'd  of  all  things  to  go  and  pressed  me  to  be  of 
his  party,  to  which  I  assented  at  once,  as  he  seemed  to  set 
his  heart  upon  it,  from  his  room  he  deputed  me  to  go  to 
Paget  to  say  that  he  should  be  ready  to  start  the  latter 
end  of  next  week.  Paget  I  found  at  Chelsea  on  my  way 
here,  and  I  learnt  that  he  had  previously  fixed  the  22d 
for  his  being  at  Shaftesbury  or  Stalbridge.  So  that,  as  I 
understand  the  matter,  we  shall  leave  London  on  the  21st, 
sleep  probably  that  night  at  Salisbury,  then  go  over  for 
two  days  to  wherever  Paget  and  my  father  deem  it  desirable 
to  appear  (I  suppose  about  Stalbridge  etc.),  and  then  accord- 
ing to  Paget's  plan  to  West  Lodge  for  two  days,  and  from 
thence  back  again  to  London. 

Tho'  my  father  now  certainly  wishes  to  go,  it  is  not 
improbable  that  he  may  be,  when  it  comes  to  the  point, 
irresolute,  or  perhaps  prevailed  upon  not  to  go.  In  this 
case  I  have  still  promised  Paget  to  accompany  him,  and 
accordingly  I  purpose  going  up  in  my  buggy  about  Friday 
next  to  Town,  the  starting  day,  as  it  is  at  present  fixed, 
being  Monday,  the  21st.  Now  in  this  arrangement  I  see 
but  one  objection,  and  that  is  lest  our  going  down  to  you 
should  clash  with  the  period  at  which  your  anxious  mind 
will  be  entirely  employ'd  in  solicitude  for  poor  Augusta. 

I  think  I  have  not  told  you  that  since  the  consultation 


i8ii]  LADY   UXBRIDGE'S   ORDERS  175 

took  place  between  Sir  Walter  and  the  Pere,  I  consented  to 
the  entreaties  of  my  mother,  and  Elizabeth,  that  Mr. 
Cheshire  might  also  see  her  with  Farquhar.  The  result 
of  this  has  been  that  the  Douche  is  to  be  exploded,  and  in 
lieu  of  it  Tepid  Sea  Bathing  during  the  Summer  months 
with  frequent  friction.  This  treatment  I  am  assured  is 
to  produce  a  cure.  ...  In  the  mean  time  I  should  tell  you 
that  my  mother  felt  just  as  you  did  about  the  expences 
of  the  Pere's  treatment  of  the  little  girl,  and  with  her  usual 
liberality  of  feeling  ordered  the  Bill  to  be  put  to  the  current 
account  of  my  father's,  which  has  been  very  convenient 
to  me.  Now  as  I  shall  not  be  able  to  afford  to  go  and  live 
by  the  sea  side  this  summer,  I  shall  trust  to  Louisa's  good 
nature  in  receiving  little  Caroline,  and  shall  go  over  when 
she  gets  to  Brighton  now  and  then,  to  see  how  she  goes 
on.  So  much  for  this  poor  little  girl,^  of  whom  I  would 
not  bore  you,  if  you  had  not  repeatedly  desired  me  to  give 
you  account. 

You  have  very  just  cause,  my  good  fellow,  to  be  dis- 
satisfied with  these  Fane  People.  Before  the  present  instance 
to  the  contrary  I  imagined  it  to  be  inconsistent  with  the 
character  of  a  gentleman,  not  at  least  to  acknowledge  such 
communications  as  have  been  made  by  Edward  to  General 
Fane. 

In  your  last  letter  you  have  named  Ld  Burghersh.  I 
never  have  done  so,  because  I  did  not  wish  to  do  so  of  a 
Brother,  to  whom  I  have  understood  Augusta  to  be  so 
attached.  But  as  you  have  given  me  the  opening,  I  avail 
myself  of  the  opportunity  of  asserting  that  his  conduct 
has  been  both  base  and  dishonourable  to  that  poor  amiable 
girl,  who  is  herself  so  much  superior  in  every  point  of  view 
to  that  man,  that  as  I  said  to  Mrs.  Pole,  it  would  [be]  the 
most  fortunate  day  of  Priscilla's  -  life,  that  day  on  which 
the  connection  with  Ld  B.  was  broken  off,  and  so  I  decidedly 
think  it  will  prove. 

We  got  down  here  about  eight  o'clock  last  evening,  and 
found  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Browne  waiting  dinner  for  us.  What 
wonderful  people  by  the  bye ;  as  we  are  to  meet  so  soon  I 

^  She  grew  up,  and  married  in  1832  her  cousin,  Captain  Hon.  Algernon 
Henry  Champagne  Capel,  R.N.,  by  whom  she  had  a  large  family. 

2  Miss  Pole  married  Lord  Burghersh  this  year.     She  was  in  the  opinion 
of  Lord  Melbourne  "  a  sensible  clever  woman,  and  had  great   influence 
over  [her  uncle]  the  Duke  of  Wellington." — Girlhood  of  Queen  Victoria, 
ii-  SIS- 
IS 


176  NOTHING   BUT   SLUSH-POT  [ch.  iii 

will  defer  till  then  saying  anything  more  of  this  damned 
business. 

I  am  going  to  see  Fetherstone.  Poor  fellow,  I  see  no 
better  hopes  for  him,  and  I  cannot  feel  patience  with  the 
D.  of  Bedford  for  his  cool  and  indifferent  conduct.  I  saw 
him  whilst  in  Town  almost  every  day,  and  knowing  as  he 
did  of  my  going  down  here,  he  never  even  mention  d  Fether- 
stone's  name,  much  less  desired  me  to  deliver  any  kind 
message  to  him.  But  he  is  so  silent  and  so  shy,  that  perhaps 
he  means  well,  but,  again,  your  fellow  that  only  means, 
and  does  not  act,  is  a  poor  fellow.  ...  I  fancy  they  mean 
in  the  course  of  the  Summer  to  go  to  the  I.  of  Wight,  and 
I  have  partly  promised,  if  they  do,  to  go  and  see  them.  .  .  , 
God  bless  you,  ever  your  devoted 

Charles  Paget. 


Sir  Harry  Fetherstone 

Uppark,   \_May']   1811. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — In  consequence  of  your  deter- 
mination I  shall  send  "  Mathilde  "  off  to-moiTOw  and  write 
Paget  a  line  to  desire  that  he  will  give  directions  about 
her  to  Tattersall.  She  is  quite  sound  and  her  legs  fine, 
but  her  old  coat  is  not  sufficiently  off  to  show  her  exactly 
as  I  could  have  wished.  You  have  certainly  done  right, 
for  independent  of  other  circumstances  she  is  not  in  my 
opinion  likely  to  be  a  pleasant  one  to  ride.  I  did  not 
however  mean  to  pronounce  it  to  you  till  the  fact  was  more 
clearly  ascertained  ;  something  is  to  be  ascribed  to  great 
awkwardness,  but  there  is  an  inherent  lack  of  good  action. 
This  accounts  for  my  declining  your  kind  offer.  The  two 
last  days  have  been  delicious  !  Nothing  but  slush-pot  with 
a  vengeance  till  then  for  this  last  fortnight,  tho',  thanks 
to  the  chalky  soil,  my  temporary  bridge  has  not  been  carried 
away.  Charles  returned  to  Fair  Oak  on  Friday,  called 
here  the  next  day,  and  I  rode  back  with  him,  but  the 
unexpected  celebration  of  a  honey-moon  has  deprived  me 
of  the  pleasure  of  a  more  extended  visit.  He  is  off  for 
London  again  next  Friday  for  an  object  with  which  you 
are  certainly  made  acquainted,  and  you  will  most  probably 
have  some  communication  with  the  party,  should  Lady 
Augusta's  confinement  not  prevent  it.  This  must  be 
towards  the  time  and  I  shall  be  most  anxious  to  learn  the 


i8ii]  LORD  SEFTON'S  NEWS  177 

event,  whenever  it  shall  have  taken  place,  with  all  the 
favorable  circumstances  I  so  sincerely  wish  may  attend  it. 
I  had  fully  determined  to  propose  to  Charles  to  take  him 
down  to  West  Lodge  just  now  for  a  few  days,  had  we  ascer- 
tained it  to  be  agreeable  to  you  ;  but  the  recollection  of  this 
circumstance,  and  now  indeed  his  engagement,  put  an  end 
to   that   plan.     A   line   from   old   Thomas  ^   this   morning 
announces  his  intention  of  being  here  at  dinner  to-day  ; 
this  will  be  a  very  agreeable  interi-uption  to  my  solitude,  for 
we  can  understand  each  other,  which  is  every  thing  in  society. 
I  had  also  a  long  letter  from  Sefton  this  morning,  making 
up  in  some  measure  for  his  long  silence  which  he  attributes 
to  his  un-remitted  exertions  in  getting  a  bill  through  the 
House  ;   something  probably  to  put  £100,000  in  his  pocket. 
I  would  send  the  whole  letter  inclosed,  but  being  more 
than  one  sheet  it  would  be  above  postage.     As   I  have 
nothing  of  my  own  which  can  interest  ever  so  little,  I  give 
you    the    following    extracts.     "  Lady    Sefton    has    been 
extremely  ill  but  is  now  recovered  ;    I  was  much  alarmed 
about  her  for  some  days,  as  the  attack  was  most  violent ; 
we  are  going  to  Stoke  to-morrow  for  a  few  days  to  complete 
her  recovery.     I  am  ruined  at  Brooks's,  having  lost  £8000 
by  the  campaign.     Their  Graces  of  Argyll  are  come,  she 
is  in  great  beauty,  and  raves  of  her  happiness  and  Scotland. 
The  children  are  always  with  her,  and  Paget  only  goes  to 
see  them  at  hours  that  do  not  interfere  with  her.     I  am 
sorry  to  find  there  is  a  party  against  her.     The  Prince  is 
going  to  have  a  grand  Fete  at  Carlton  House,  I  believe  the 
5th  of  next  month,  all  London  to  be  there  and  to  be  dressed 
magnificently  ;    of  course  we  shall  not  be  of  it.     You  may 
depend   upon    it  the  K — g  will  never  appear  again,  he  is 
very  bad  just  now.     Shelley  has  lost  a  great  deal  of  money, 
and  is  disgusted  with  Newmarket.     I  think  Lord  Berkeley 
will  lose  his  cause.     The  play  at  Wattier's  is  tremendous. 
Charles  Manners  has  won  £3000  or  ;^40oo,  which  he  was 
much  in  need  of.     There  has  been  a  grand  commotion  among 
the  Cooks,  the  Prince  having  debauched  3  from  their  places, 
Lord  Granville  Leveson's,  Lord  Bathurst's  and  another  ; 
mine   was    attempted    but    he    resisted.     Lord    Yarmouth 
manages  everything,  and  is  collecting  pictures  for  Carlton 
House.     I  hear  the  present  Ministers  are  getting  into  great 
favor  with  him,  tho'  they  complain  of  his  seizing  upon  all 

1  Sir  Thomas  Tyrwhitt. 


178  THE  ATTORNEYS   OF  DORSET  [ch.  hi 

the  military  things.  I  believe  the  war  with  Russia  is 
certain  to  take  place.  Talleyrand  is  taken  into  favor 
again." 

...  I  am  persuaded  the  fewer  servants  any  one  has  the 
better  he  will  be  served  ;  so,  if  your  subject  be  a  good 
one,  you  will  gain  a  point  instead  of  losing  one.  How  I 
wish  there  was  any  place  in  this  neighbourhood  (of  course 
on  the  south  of  the  hills)  with  4  or  500  acres  to  tempt  you  ! 
I  should  be  more  upon  the  alert  than  the  Fanes  seem  to 
be.  Is  there  any  chance  of  land  round  West  Lodge  ?  A 
strong  south  wind  is  blowing  up  more  rain.  Charles  tells 
me  the  Duchess  of  B.  assured  him  they  meant  to  be  here 
in  June  and  also  again  in  October  ;  nous  verrons  ;  the 
Seftons  certainly  will  pay  their  annual  visit  in  July  and  the 
Scarboroughs  the  beginning  of  that  month  ;  afterwards  I 
shall  steer  my  course  to  West  Lodge  with  your  Excellency's 
permission.  I  wish  there  was  any  chance  of  the  rendez-vous 
with  Ld  Rivers  first  here.  .  .  .  Why  don't  you  always  tell 
me  how  Leopoldina  is  ?  I  am  not  such  an  old  savage  as 
to  be  indifferent  about  her.      Yours  ever, 

H.  F. 

Gen.  Hon.  Sir  Edward  Paget 

London,  17  May,  181 1. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — I  received  your  letter  yesterday, 
but  have  not  yet  had  a  favorable  opportunity  of  making 
use  of  it  at  the  Breakfast  Table.  I  find  that  Paget  and 
Charles  are  certainly  to  be  at  Cash  moor  Inn  on  Tuesday 
morning  at  ten  o'clock  to  meet  all  the  Attornies  of  the 
County  of  Dorset.  It  is  well  for  you  that  West  Lodge 
was  not  made  the  place  of  Rendezvous  for  "  them  dam'd 
Hell-cats."  Whether  my  father  goes  or  not  is  yet  not 
entirely  decided  inasmuch  as  this  arrangement  interferes 
with  the  Ancient  Musick.  I  heartily  wish  I  could  be  of 
the  party,  but  my  Court  Martial  effectually  prevents  me. 
I  don't  suppose  they  will  be  with  you  above  two  or  three 
days.  Ben  was  very  great  on  Wednesday.  He  was  much 
fatigued  with  the  Business  of  the  Morning,  had  emptied 
three  Snuff  Boxes  that  day,  had  had  ten  Boxes  from  the 
Treasury  and  other  public  Offices,  had  given  upwards  of 
Two  Hundred  Signatures.  He  told  General  Nugent  (the 
Austrian)  the  other  day,  that  the  Emperor  had  strongly 


i8ii]  LORD   GRAVES'  ADVICE  179 

urged  him  to  take  the  command  of  his  advanced  Guard  in 
'93  and  '94.  Good  !  He  is  to  have  a  grand  fete  the  4th  of 
June  and  is  to  Surprize  the  world  with  some  new  Dress — 
of  which  white  Velvet  and  Gold  are  the  principal  Ingre- 
dients. I  have  not  noticed  applications  that  have  been 
made  to  me  for  the  vacant  Place  in  your  Household,  for  I 
have  seen  nobody  till  to-day  whose  History  altogether 
pleased  me.  I  have  this  morning  seen  a  Man  of  the  name 
of  James  Mitchell,  who  promises  well.  He  lived  between 
nine  and  ten  years  with  Mr.  Lock  of  Norbury  in  the  double 
capacity  of  Valet  and  Butler,  and  since  his  Death  has  been 
living  with  his  own  friends.  He  may  be  between  forty  and 
fifty  years  of  age,  of  respectable  Appearance,  humble 
manners,  and  rural  Habits  (as  Sanderson  would  say)  ;  in 
other  words  he  lived  almost  entirely  in  the  Country  with 
Mr.  Lock,  and  professes  a  preference  to  a  country  life.  He 
is  too  tall  and  big  to  ride  post,  and  asks  £50  per  annum.  .  .  . 
ever  most  affectionately  yours, 

E.  P. 


Lord  Graves 

Bishop's  Court,  May  20th,  181 1. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  only  arrived  here  last  evening  from 
the  North  of  Devon,  and  found  your  kind  summons  to 
West  Lodge,  which  I  should  have  had  the  greatest  pleasure 
in  obeying.  But  in  consequence  of  the  recent  death  of 
Admiral  Graves,  my  Executor  [sic],  I  have  a  great  deal  of 
business  on  my  hands,  and  expect  on  Wednesday  evening 
a  Person,  who  is  on  his  way  to  prove  the  Admiral's  Will 
at  Doctors'  Commons,  and  whom  it  is  absolutely  necessary 
I  should  see,  and  settle  with,  before  that  takes  place. 
Pray  express  my  regrets  to  Lord  Uxbridge  and  your 
Brothers  at  my  not  being  able  to  meet  them.  I  am  glad 
you  are  at  last  about  to  take  a  Farm,  as  it  is  impossible  in 
your  situation  to  do  without  one.  You  must  recollect 
however  it  requires  great  attention  and  constant  residence 
on  the  spot  to  make  it  answer.  If  you  purchase  land,  it 
should  pay  you  four  per  cent,  clear  for  your  money  at  the 
high  price  land  lets  for  at  the  present  moment.  I  shall 
be  at  all  times  most  happy  to  give  you  any  assistance  that 
my  limited  practise  and  observation  may  afford,  and 
regret  much  it  is  now  so  wholly  out  of  my  power  to  do 


i8o 


STOCK   REQUIRED 


[CH.  Ill 


what  I  wish.  If  you  hire  a  Farm,  I  suppose  you  cannot 
do  with  less  than  300  Acres,  and  it  will  naturally  be  (in 
your  part  of  the  county)  a  Sheep  and  Dairy  Farm.  I  will 
suppose  the  land  lets  at  20/s  an  Acre.  The  Stock  required 
and  ist  year's  rent  will  cost  you  between  £1500  and  £1600. 
For  example,  suppose  Labour,  Manure  etc.  taken  at  Lady 
Day  costs  you       .......     £300 


Rent 

3  Cart  Horses  at  £30  each 

230  South  Down  Ewes  at  30/  each    . 

230  South  Down  Wethers  at  30/  each 

10  Cows  at  £15  each 


300 
90 

345 
345 
150 

£1530 


The  Return  the  second  year  will  be  £ 

To  230  Wethers  sold  fat  at  £2.15/  each    .  .  402 

The  Profit  of  the  Dairy,  10  Cows  at  £13  each    .  130 
The  Wool  of  460  old  Sheep,  4  lbs  of  wool  each,  at 

2/  per  lb         ......  92 

The  Wool  of  250  Lambs,  2  lb  of  Wool  each  at  2/  25 
30  Acres  of  Corn  at  £10  per  Acre  one  with  the 

others    .......  300 


s. 


d. 
o 


949    6    o 

Brought  forward  £1530,  Capital  employ 'd  £ 

Interest  on  £1500  per  ann       .  .  •  •  75 

Rates  Taxes  Labour  etc.  and  Rent  of  second  year  600 
Add  for  Waggons  Ploughs  etc.  not  included  in 

1st  year's  account  .  .  .  .  .  74     6 


749     6 


Therefore  if  we  put  the  net  profit  of  the  second  year  at 

i 
949 . 6 . 

and  deduct  Rent  Interest  etc.  as  above    .         .     749.6. 


There  remains 


200  Profit 


The  first  and  second  years  will  be  your  worst  years, 


i8ii]  CALCULATIONS  i8i 

after  your  second  year  there  will  be  some  Hay  to  sell,  and 
added  to  the  £200  you  will  have  £74,  which  I  have  deducted 
for  Waggons,  so  that  you  may  count  on  ;^300  per  annum, 
besides  as  your  Ground  gets  in  Heart  it  will  require  less 
dressing,  and  again  at  the  end  of  14  years  your  Farm  should 
repay  you  the  £1500  capital  laid  out,  over  and  above  the 
£300  per  year  profit.  But  it  must  be  well  manag'd  with 
Plenty  of  Dressing  and  the  ground  kept  exceedingly  clean. 
It  is  not  however  possible  for  me  to  be  accurate  or  possess 
much  knowledge  of  the  management  of  a  Dorsetshire  Farm. 
I  calculate  your  300  Acres  to  be  able  at  20/s  per  Acre  (and 
of  course  more,  if  the  Land  be  more  valuable)  to  carry  10 
Cows  on  the  whole  Farm,  and  2  Sheep  and  a  Quarter  per 
Acre.  Total  690  Sheep,  and  besides  to  maintain  your 
three  Cart  Horses,  and  produce  30  Acres  of  Artificial 
Winter  Food,  30  Acres  of  Corn,  and  30  Acres  of  Clover.  I 
have  put  down  your  Profit,  that  I  may  not  deceive  you, 
particularly  that  on  Corn. 

There  is  one  thing  that  I  recommend  above  all  others,  if 
you  wish  to  gain  any  thing  by  Farming.  Do  not  give 
way  to  the  new  Theories  and  Improvements.  Adopt  only 
those  that  have  withstood  the  test  of  experience,  and 
wash  your  hands  of  Spanish  Sheep  at  enormous  Prices. 
The  whole  Art  consists  in  Dressing  well,  and  allowing 
nothing  to  grow  but  what  you  put  in  the  Land.  With 
the  Farm  I  have  mention 'd,  there  is  one  comfort  that  you 
will  have  nothing  to  buy  after  the  first  year,  except  now 
and  then  a  Cow,  to  replace  those  you  feed  off.  I  have 
said  nothing  of  Pigs  and  Poultry,  as  I  fancy  not  much 
else  is  to  be  gain'd  by  them  but  the  Comfort  and  Luxury 
of  them  at  the  table.  However  whenever  Cows  are  kept, 
so  must  Pigs,  or  the  Profit  of  Butter-Milk  and  Whey  will 
be  lost.  .  .  .  Believe  me  yours  most  affectly. 

Graves. 

.  .  .  Partridges  promise  to  be  plenty  here.  I  trust  in 
September  you  and  Charles  will  employ  a  week  in  killing 
them,  the  Shooting  is  realy  very  fair  for  that  short  period. 
"  Mathilde  "  I  hope  is  quite  right.  I  have  a  Horse  which  I 
think  would  quite  suit  you. 

P.S.  Mary  is  just  return'd  from  Exeter,  whence  she  has 
consigned  to  the  Mail  Coach  for  you  2  Salmon  Peel,  i  pair 
of  Soles,  and  a  Lobster,  and  has  sent  also  from  Bishops 


i82  THE   KING  NOT  SO  WELL  [ch.iii 

Court  a  Lot  of  Asparagus  and  Cucumbers.     You  had  better 
send  for  the  Fish  immediately,  it  is  perfectly  fresh. 

Earl  of  Galloway 

May  -zph,  1811. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  sounded  the  Chancellor  as  you 
desired,  but  he  said  he  would  never  part  with  Encombe, 
tho'  a  little  inconvenient  from  the  distance,  and  invited 
me  to  visit  him  there,  where  he  is  going  soon — therefore  that 
Idea  must  rest. 

I  hope  everything  has  passed  to  your  wishes  with  Lord 
Ux.  and  Paget.  I  should  be  glad  to  hear  of  the  contiguous 
property  being  destined  for  you,  but  I  fear  the  effects  of 
the  immense  debt,  and  Paget's  double  family  :  he  has  8 
Children,  I  think,  and  is  very  likely  to  have  8  more.  How- 
ever I  trust  you  will  settle  something  permanently  bene- 
ficial to  you  and  yours. 

The  King  is  not  so  well  again, ^  and  I  believe  all  the  riding 
is  only  because  he  cannot  walk,  his  legs  having  swelled 
much  lately.  His  only  Chance  I  conceive  of  another 
recovery  would  be  thro'  a  system  of  restraint  that  he  will 
not  of  course  willingly  submit  to,  and  to  effect  which  there 
is  no  man  (now  Pitt  is  dead)  willing,  firm,  and  disposed 
enough  to  execute.  He  destroys  his  own  Cure  by  inter- 
ference, consequent  Irritations  etc.,  provided  even  another 
Cure  is  practicable.     Yours, 

Galloway. 

They  say  he  is  displeased  with  the  Prince's  fete  of 
June  5th,  and  should  this  make  him  worse,  there  may  be 
no  fete  at  all.  The  Prince  hesitated  from  the  first,  but 
yielded  to  the  Popular  wish,  which  he  evidently  studies. 

Sir  Harry  Fetherstone 

Uppark,  [June]  181 1. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — After  three  or  four  days  of  summer 
heat  (delightful !)  there  is  now  blowing  one  of  those  agreeable 
south-west  winds  with  occasional  and  heavy  storms.  No- 
thing of  this  sort  used  to  discompose  me  ;   but  I  am  now  a 

^  The  poor  old  King  "  rode  out  on  his  favourite  horse '  Adonis,' "  accom- 
panied by  his  daughters  Augusta  and  Sophia,  amid  the  ringing  of  bells 
and  other  marks  of  public  joy,  but  it  was  his  last  appearance  in  public. — 
Ann,  Reg.,  May  21st,  1811. 


i8ii]  ON   FAVOURITES  183 

poor  creature,  agitated  and  acted  upon  by  these  extraneous 
changes  in  a  most  wonderful  degree,  of  which  you  will 
have  a  severe  example  in  this  letter,  yet  I  cannot  resist  the 
pleasure  of  writing  and  acknowledging  your  last  without 
feeling  ungrateful  for  the  satisfaction  it  afforded  me.  Sack- 
ville  ^  has  been  passing  some  days  here  ;  he  is  a  pleasant 
little  fellow  when  disposed  so  to  be,  and  the  object  of  his 
visit  would  naturally  make  him  so.  He  was  also  one  of 
the  Prince's  grand  favourites,  but  has  hardly  been  spoken 
to  for  the  last  two  years,  however  he  is  to  make  his  bow 
at  the  levee  to-day  and  will  certainly  be  invited  to  the  fete, 
tho'  he  says  not.  As  for  Thomas,"  he  has  been  so  engaged 
in  sending  out  the  royal  commands,  I  have  not  had  a  line 
from  him,  nor  do  I  expect  one,  any  more  than  some  small 
clothes  from  my  Tailor,  till  after  the  5th.  You  will  learn 
from  better  authority  than  mine  how  all  London,  i.e.  the 
grander  part  of  it,  is  on  the  tip-toe  of  expectation.  Sheridan 
was  against  the  fete,  for  all  can  not  be  included,  and  some 
of  course  will  be  offended.  Old  Towser,  as  you  call  him, 
would  like  to  be  asked,  however  he  may  appear  to  ride 
home  upon  his  personal  animosity  vis  a  vis  the  Prince. 
In  short  I  never  yet  saw  any  body  who  was  proof  against 
the  allurements  of  royalty,  or  who  did  not  regret  the  loss 
of  its  smiles  on  certain  occasions.  The  entertainment  will 
be  everything  which  good  taste  and  magnificence  can  make 
it,  tho'  our  climate  is  ill  suited  to  exterior  decorations,  and 
Knightsbridge  supper  rooms.  /  am  fain  to  confess,  I 
should  much  like  to  be  at  it,  "  sed  levins  fit  etc."  Nothing 
you  report  of  the  P.  can  surprise  me,  who  have  been  admitted 
behind  the  curtain.  The  Evil  is  never  a  dormant  affection 
and  will  out  in  some  way  or  other  ;  in  the  male  branch  at 
least  it  seems  to  have  flown  to  the  head,  has  it  not  also 
corrupted  the  heart  ?  The  true  reason  why  he  likes  the 
society  of  Congreves,  Turners,  and  Bloomfield  etc.  is  that 
he  may  have  his  full  swing  before  an  admiring  audience, 
tho'  now  indeed  he  might  find  that  among  the  higher  orders. 
How  will  the  D.  of  Y.'  go  down  with  the  Country  ?  not  that 
it  signifies  one  brass  farthing  while  the  army  approves. 
The  best  moment  perhaps  has  been  chosen  ;    our  victories 

1  Viscount  Sackville,  afterwards  Duke  of  Dorset. 

2  Sir  Thomas  Tyrwhitt. 

3  The  Duke  of  York,  whom  the  scandals  of  1809  had  forced  to  resign 
the  command  of  the  Army,  was  now  reinstated. 


i84  ENCOMBE  [ch.  hi 

will  so   pall  upon   the   appetite   that  hereafter  the   same 
enthusiasm  may  not  prevail  with  regard   to  the  maker  of 
all  these  generals  and  invincible  troops.     Massena  seems 
to  have  given  them  a  good  brush,  and  to  suppose  that  Na- 
poleon wiU  be  driven  out  of  the  Peninsula  requires  something 
more  forcible  than  the  assurances  of  the   "Courier"  and 
"Morning  Post."     I  entirely  agree  in  all  you  say  on  the 
subject.      Mrs  Paget  is  gone  to  Town  to-day  with  all  the 
children   to   meet  Charles  ;    this  looks   as   if  they  meant 
to  make  some  stay.     They  neither  of  them  in  my  opinion 
dislike  this  sort  of  fillip,  for  all  the  fair  oak.     With  all  my 
heart  I  wish  you  may  succeed  about  Encombe  ^  ;    I  have 
heard  so  much  of  its  beauties  and  advantages  so  often  from 
that  long-sided  parson  you  met  here,  who  married  Mrs  M. 
Pitt's  sister,  that  I  have  no  doubt  it  would  unite  all  you 
want  and  wish  for  in  a  superior  degree.     The  great  point 
will  be  to  bring  the  C — r  to  decide  before  we  are  all  "  Numa 
quo  devenit  et  Ancus."     I  feel  quite  anxious  you  should 
have  land  of  your  own  to  occupy  and  interest  you  both 
usefully  and  pleasantly  ;   practical  knowledge  is  everything, 
books  only  tend  to  mislead,  and  if  one  was  to  pin  one's 
faith   upon   all   the   infallible   treatises   on    agriculture,    it 
would  end  in  not  knowing  "  a  sheep's  head  from  a  carrot," 
or  having  a  guinea.     Upwood  by  your  description  seems 
eligible  ;  but,  as  far  as  that  goes,  I  certainly  lean  to  Encombe, 
of  which  I  have  heard  more.     Nothing  will  give  me  more 
sincere  satisfaction  than  that  you  should  succeed  in  the 
purchase  of  one  of  them,  except  I  could  set  you  down  in 
this  neighbourhood.     Weaver  came   last  Wednesday  and 
I  am  much  prepossessed  in  his  favor  by  his  manner,  and 
particularly  by  the   grateful  way  in  which  he   speaks  of 
yourself.     I  augur  well  from  this  beginning  and  have  no 
doubt  of  his  making  me  a  valuable  servant.     Would  to 
God  I  had  not  so  wofully  experienced  the  per  contra  !  .  .  . 
I  find  the  Earl  of  Jersey  and  all  that  school  lost  their  money 
most  copiously  in  the  last  meeting.     Battine  has  got  the 
nettle  rash,  as  tho'  he  was  only  five  and  twenty.  .  .  .  Not- 
withstanding the  day,  I  must  take  a  little  air  and  exercise 
before  dinner,  both  of  which  you  will  want  before  yours 
after  the  bore  of  this  very  dull  letter.     Yours  ever, 

H.  Fetherstone. 

»  Encombe,   a    place   in    Dorsetshire   belonging   to    Lord  Chancellor 
Eldon. 


i8ii]  THE  LITTLE  STRANGER  185 

Countess  of  Galloway 

[June]  181 1, 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — I  wish  you  Joy  with  all  my  heart 
that  all  is  happily  over.  I  thank  you  kindly  for  that  part 
of  the  Information  which  is  certainly  of  most  consequence, 
but  I  must  scold  you  for  not  mentioning  whether  I  am  to 
add  the  little  Stranger  to  my  list  of  Nephews  or  Nieces. 
However  I  dare  say  I  shall  pick  up  the  information  at 
Ux.  House.  Do,  my  dear  Fellow,  give  me  another  Line 
to  say  how  Ly  Augusta  goes  on  and  the  Baby — what  does 
Oubli  say  to  it  ?  I  congratulate  Ly  A.  on  Ld  B.'s  '  intended 
marriage,  and  I  believe  him  to  be  a  very  fortunate  man. 
If  I  had  an  unmarried  Brother,  who  wanted  a  Wife,  I 
should  pitch  upon  her  before  all  and  everything  I  see  in 
that  way — and  yet  for  all  that  she,  that  is  her  Face,  is 
not  handsome,  but  when  you  know  her,  you  will  not  wish 
her  otherwise  than  as  she  is. 

The  Fete  at  Carlton  House  is  all  that  can  be  heard  of 
now,  and  the  important  Topic  of  Dress  is  more  thought 
of  than  the  news  which  we  are  hourly  expecting  of  more 
Battles  and  horrible  Bloodshed  !  The  Regent  specifies 
on  the  Card  of  Invitation  that  Dress  is  to  be  confined  to 
the  Manufactures  of  the  United  Kingdoms,  but  he  has 
made  several  presents  oi  foreign  articles  with  the  injunction 
that  they  are  to  be  made  for  the  fete  in  question,  which  is 
tant  soit  pen  inconsistant. 

I  expect  Mary  in  Town  today,  we  have  put  up  a  Bed 
for  her  here. 

I  believe  Garlies  is  in  correspondence  with  you,  so  I  will 
not  detain  you  any  longer.  The  House  of  Lords  met  this 
morning  at  10  o'clock  on  the  Berkeley  Peerage,  and  will 
be  at  it  all  Day.  He  has  attended  it  from  the  commence- 
ment.    Goodbye,  dearest  Arthur,  ever  yr  very  affectionate 

Janey. 

It  is  said  the  King  is  dropsical.  His  flow  of  spirits  has 
sadly  increased  ever  since  the  appointment  of  the  D.  of 
Y. 

If  you  want  a  God-Mother  I  am  at  yr  service,  but  if  you 
are  already  provided  keep  me  for  another  time. 

_  1  Lord  Burghersh. 


i86  MRS.   BERKELEY  [ck.  m 

Hon.  Mrs.  Berkeley  Paget 

Saturday,  {June,  1811]. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — I  cannot  resist  writing  you  a 
few  words  to  congratulate  you  on  the  safety  of  Lady 
Augusta,  and  the  Birth  of  your  Son  and  Heir,  pray  give 
the  former  my  love,  and  tell  her  how  truly  happy  I  am  the 
event  is  well  over.  I  wonder  how  Oubly  will  approve  of  a 
division  in  the  attention  that  has  hitherto  been  aU  her  own. 

Mary  came  yesterday  to  London,  to  Lord  Galloway's, 
for  the  express  purpose  of  being  present  at  the  Regent's 
Fete,  which  it  is  reported  will  be  put  off  on  account  of  the 
King's  being  worse  both  in  health  and  intellect ;  his  ever 
being  well  seems  almost  hopeless,  and  Charles  and  Berkeley 
of  course  make  themselves  agreeable  to  Lady  Uxhridge  by 
advising  her  to  put  by  her  fine  dress  for  the  Fete  against 
the  Coronation  !  This  wit  of  theirs  has  all  the  effect  they 
intend  upon  her.  I  should  like  much  to  see  you,  my  dear 
Arthur,  but  cannot  be  so  cruel  as  to  wish  you  were  in  this 
hot  odious  Town,  for  one  may  nearly  as  well  be  upon  a 
Gridiron,  however  it  does  not  deter  the  people  from  spending 
the  Nights  in  Waltzing  and  dancing  Quadrilles,  as  to  Lady 
Jersey  and  Lady  Westmorland  they  are  perfectly  absorbed 
by  them,  and  can  hardly  speak  on  any  other  subject.  Ld 
Burghersh's  Marriage  with  Priscilla  Pole  has,  I  imagine, 
been  duly  announced  to  you  ;  she  is  a  very  sensible  amiable 
Girl  and  I  am  convinced  will  make  him  an  excellent  Wife. 
Most  affecy  yours,  Sophia  Paget. 

I  have  this  instant  heard  of  the  death  of  Lord  Melville, 
he  was  found  in  his  bed  dead. 

The  Fete  is  put  off  till  the  12th  and  probably  will  not 
take  place  at  all. 

Hon.  Mrs.  Wellesley  Pole  ' 

Savile  Row,  June  ist,  181 1. 

Dear  Sir  Arthur, — Lord  Burghersh  has  apprised  you, 
he  says,  of  his  intended  marriage  with  Priscilla.     But  after 

1  Mrs.  Wellesley  Pole,  eldest  daughter  of  Adiniral  Hon.  John  Forbes, 
married  Hon.  W.  Wellesley,  brother  of  the  Marquis  Wellesley  and  of  the 
Duke  of  Wellington.  Her  husband  assumed  the  additional  name  of  Pole 
on  succeeding  to  some  property,  was  created  Lord  Maryborough  in  182 1, 
and  inherited  the  earldom  of  Mornington  on  the  death  of  the  Marquis 
Wellesley.     Mrs.  Wellesley  Pole  was  a  second  cousin  of  Lady  Uxbridge. 


i8ii]  PRISCILLA   POLE  187 

our  many  years'  friendship  I  cannot  help  troubling  you 
with  a  line  upon  the  subject,  particularly  as  I  wish  to 
bespeak  thro'  you  Lady  Augusta's  kindness  and  friendship 
for  Priscilla,  who,  I  assure  her,  she  will  find  very  deserving 
of  it.  I  am  glad  to  take  this  opportunity  of  wishing  you 
and  Lady  Augusta  joy  of  your  new  Child. 

Lord  Westmorland  has  been  very  flattering  upon  this 
business,  and  we  have  received  visits  from  Lady  Westmor- 
land and  Lady  Jersey.  I  think  Lady  Duncannon  quite 
delightful,  perhaps  this  marriage  may  set  all  the  broils  to 
right.  I  am  sure,  if  it  depends  upon  Priscilla,  it  will.  Yr 
affec. 

C.  W.  Pole. 

Sir  Harry  Fethcrstone 

Uppark,  2  June,  181 1, 

My  Dear  Arthur, — Without  ^^•aiting  for  a  longer  letter 
I  must  express  the  sincere  satisfaction  your  few  lines  have 
afforded  me  this  morning.  Je  vous  felicife  de  tout  mon 
cosur  on  the  favourable  result  of  what  I  can  feel,  under 
all  the  circumstances  of  it,  to  be  so  anxious  a  moment ; 
may  all  continue  to  go  on  prosperously  !  We  have  nothing 
but  rain,  which  is  now  injurious  to  every  thing,  and  utterly 
destructive  of  the  young  pheasants  as  well  as  eggs,  for 
there  can  not  be  a  nest  below  the  hills  not  filled  with  water. 

The  dissolution  of  the  K is  more  probable  than  that  the 

fete  will  take  place  even  on  the  12th,  or  the  review  when 
intended.  I  augur  that  Paget's  services  will  soon  be  called 
for  in  a  manner  not  to  be  declined,  Shelley's  elevation 
was  what  you  may  suppose  it  to  be,  knowing  him  ;  he 
won  £7000,  the  Earl  of  Jersey  £3000.  Thomas  was  glad 
to  make  his  escape  from  London  and  his  ofiicial  task  ;  he 
says,  "  the  mistakes  and  blunders  on  the  occasion  of  this 
fete  are  as  incalculable  as  the  number  of  people  who  will 
be  there,  if  it  takes  place,  but  which  I  trust  it  will  not,  and 
which  will  in  many  respects  answer  better  than  if  it  did, 
and  the  furniture  safe  and  the  house  not  down.  I  declare 
I  think  the  whole  Town  is  gone  mad,  and  I  hope  to  see 
little  more  of  it.  How  happy  I  felt  to  eat  my  morsel 
yesterday  here  by  daylight  and  an  appetite  not  gone  by, 
and  to  take  a  walk  in  the  garden  afterwards  and  stay  out 
till  ten  o'clock."     From  Sefton  I  expect  to  hear  no  more, 


i88  LADY  UXBRIDGE   WORRIED  [cH.  iii 

unless  Charles'  good  nature  again  prompts  him  to  take 
up  his  pen,  for  it  was  owing  to  that  he  wrote  when  he  did. 
The  D.  of  Bedford  kept  up  the  dance  at  his  Duchess's  ball 
till  7  o'clock  yesterday  morning.  His  sheep-shearing  com- 
mences the  17th,  then  Holkham  ;  so  the  long  meditated 
visit  here  may  still  be  put  off  sine  die.  Whitbread  and 
Burdett  were  muzzled  before  the  D.  of  Y 's  appoint- 
ment ;  but  you  see  Milton  has  taken  it  up  and  there  must 
be  a  discussion.  If  I  was  a  Prince  without  any  feeling  for 
my  subjects,  this  is  precisely  the  moment  I  should  chuse 
to  come  into  power  for  the  wwbounded  exercise  of  my  own 
will. 

I  expect  Leigh  to-day,  when  I  shall  have  all  the  turf- 
budget  at  least.  It  is  quite  winter,  and  I  am  writing  by  a 
good  fire.  I  shall  see  the  Old  Justice  perhaps  before  dinner, 
should  the  rain  cease,  because  it  will  give  him  pleasure  to 
have  the  bulletin  from  W.  Lodge.     Yours  ever  most  truly, 

H.  Fetherstone. 

Gen.  Hon.  Sir  Edward  Paget 

London,  4  June,  181 1. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — Imprimis  let  me  make  atonement 
for  so  long  delaying  the  offer  of  my  congratulations  on 
the  Birth  of  an  Heir  Male.  .  .  .  And  now  let  me  acknowledge 
the  receipt  of  your  letter  of  the  2d,  which  came  to  me 
yesterday.  A  variety  of  Causes  prevented  my  communicat- 
ing to  Ly  U.  yesterday  its  contents.  This  morning  I  pro- 
posed to  read  it  to  her,  but  she  was  in  such  a  state  of 
Agitation  and  worry — agitation  on  account  of  the  sudden 
death  of  her  neighbour,  the  Countess  de  Bruhl,  who  dined 
here  yesterday,  and  went  to  bed  in  perfect  health,  and 
immediately  died,  and  worry  on  account  of  my  father's 
having  called  upon  her  at  half  an  hour's  Notice  to  go  with 
him  to  Windsor,  that  she  beg'd  me  to  defer  it  till  they 
return,  which  they  will  do  to  dinner.  ,  .  . 

I  went  yesterday  with  Paget  to  the  Duke  of  York's  Levee. 
I  strongly  suspect  that  the  Regent  has  set  his  Heart  upon 
sending  him  to  command  our  Cavalry  in  the  Peninsula. 
The  Obstacles  seem  to  be  insurmountable,  but  still  there  are 
means  of  laying  an  Anchor  to  windward  of  P.,  which  you 
know  as  well  as  myself,  and  which  I  shall  by  no  means  be 
surprised    to    find   effectually   employ 'd.     "  He   is   a   most 


i8ii]  LORD    MILTON'S   MOTION  189 

impracticable  fellow,  but  I  know  how  to  manage  him,  Goddam 
me."  This  has  been  a  most  furious  conflict  with  the 
Cursed  Soult.^  .  .  .  most  affectionately  yours, 

E.  P. 

Colonel  Addenbrooke 

35,  L.  Grosvenor  St.,  June  ^th,  1811. 

Dear  Sir  Arthur, — .  .  .  I  was  yesterday  at  the  Duke  of 
York's  Levee,  and,  if  one  is  to  judge  by  the  number  of 
Officers  present,  no  man  can  be  more  popular  than  the 
Duke  is  with  the  Military  parts  of  the  community.  I  am 
sorry  to  find  that  in  the  city  the  reverse  is  the  case,  and  to 
an  extent  I  could  not  have  believed,  had  I  [not]  been 
present  at  conversations  coming  from  persons,  whose 
authority  cannot  be  questioned.  Meetings  are  to  take 
place,  and  addresses,  Remonstrances  etc.  presented.  Lord 
Milton's  motion  to  know  who  had  advised  the  Regent  to 
the  Measure  will  be  answered  by  the  Prince  stating  it  to 
be  an  act  of  his  own,  and  advised  by  no  one.  There  may 
be  some  troublesome  folks,  and  unpleasant  events  take 
place,  but  the  measure  must  be  carried  thro'  now. 

The  Reports  of  the  King's  health  are  variously  related 
according  to  Party  influence,  but  I  heard  from  a  man  from 
thence  likely  to  be  informed,  that  the  extraordinary  swellings 
said  to  have  taken  place  is  not  true,  nor  has  Dr.  Ainslie, 
or  Simmons,  left  Town  to  attend  the  King.  H.M.'s  head 
is  worse,  much  more  so  than  it  has  hitherto  been,  but  his 
life  does  not  appear  to  be  in  immediate  danger  ;  aU  his 
equerries,  pages  etc.  are  forbidden  the  Presence,  and,  as  I 
understand,  much  dissension  exists  amongst  the  Physicians. 
Baillie  and  Halford  are  together  ;  'tis  a  melancholy  case, 
and  certainly  out  of  all  prospect  of  recovery. 

The  Prince's  Party  is  put  off  to  the  12th,  but  I  am  told 
that  it  will  not  take  place  at  all,  he  is  certainly  in  sad  scrapes 
about  Invitation,  some  having  got  Cards  who  should  not 
be  there,  and  others  left  out  who  had  a  right  to  be  distin- 
guished. My  plan  was  the  best,  to  invite  all  who  had  been 
presented  to  the  Queen,  borrow  Marlboro'  Gardens,  add 
temporary  bridges  to  communicate  with  St.  James'  Garden, 
Tents,  Booths,  and  by  that  means  you  would  gratify  the 
curiosity,  if  not  the  appetite  of  all. 

1  The  battle  of  Albuera  was  fought  May  i6th,  i8ii. 


igo  CAPEL'S   COAT  [CH.  in 

The  Review  put  off  till  the  loth.     Ever,  dr  Sir  Arthur, 
your  truly  faithful  Servant, 

J.  P.  Adden. 


Lady  Caroline  Capel 

[June],  1811. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  have  had  some  difficulty  in  this 
tumultuous  place  in  discovering  a  proper  moment  to  find 
out  what  you  wished.  Very  little  passed  between  Mama  and 
I,  but  I  instantly  saw  that  it  would  be  more  than  she  could 
bear  to  hear  a  name,^  once  so  dear  to  her,  constantly  used  ; 
at  the  same  time  she  begged  I  would  say  how  thoroughly 
she  appreciates  the  kindness  of  your  motive. 

If  you  are  not  provided  with  a  God-Mother,  pray  let  me 
offer  my  services  ;  if  you  are,  I  shall  hold  myself  in  readi- 
ness for  the  next  opportunity.  I  am  happy  to  hear  Ly 
Augusta  is  so  well,  pray  give  my  best  regards  to  her. 

The  Fete  is  really  to  take  place,  but  Mary  declares  she 
won't  stay  unless  Graves  comes  up,  I  have  not  much  faith 
however  in  this  declaration,  the  Dress  being  ready,  and  the 
great  day  so  near  as  Wednesday.  Capel  is  in  a  great  fever 
about  his  attire,  he  is  determined  not  to  buy  a  coat,  and 
he  flatters  himself  he  can  get  on  one  of  yours,  which  I  am 
afraid  he  will  find  a  vain  hope.  The  next  resource  will 
be  one  of  my  Father's.  He  did  go  in  one  of  his  to  the 
Prince's  Levee  and  He  found  it  out  directly  and  shook  His 
fat  sides  with  laughing. 

God  bless  you,  my  dear  fellow,  I  am  writing  in  the  greatest 
hurry,  and  with  such  a  row  in  the  Room  I  hardly  know 
what  I  have  said.  Harriet  begs  her  kind  love  to  you  and 
Edward  desires  me  to  say  he  feels  himself  deeply  in  your 
debt.  His  time  is  quite  taken  up  with  odious  Court  Martials 
and  fusty  Boards.  Believe  me,  my  dear  Arthur,  yours  most 
affly, 

Car  Capel. 

Capel  ^  begs  to  be  kindly  remembered. 

1  Probably  that  of  William,  Lady  Uxbridge's  second  son,  who  had 
died  in  1794. 

*  He  also  wrote  to  say  :  "I  want  to  make  myself  very  fine  for  this 
Carlton  House  fete  and  1  understand  you  have  a  very  magnificent  ward- 
robe here,  if  you  would  therefore  allow  me  to  appear  in  one  of  your  suits, 
I  shall  take  great  care  of  it  and  I  dare  say  attract  the  attention  of  the 
whole  company." 


i8ii]  THE  BERKELEY   CAUSE  191 


Col.  Addenbrooke 

35,  Lr.  Grosvr.  St.,  June  10th,  181 1. 

Dear  Sir  Arthur, —  .  .  .  The  Berkeley  ^  cause  is  truly 
a  bad  one,  lost  to  the  eldest  son  to  a  moral  certainty.  West 
has  been  examined,  and  has  hauled  my  name  in,  by  which 
accident  Lord  Walpole  told  me  yesterday  that  I  should 
be  handed  up  before  the  Peers,  I  hope  not,  if  I  am,  by  the 
Account  I  received  from  Ld  W.,  I'll  prove  W.  guilty 
of  perjury,  and  have  him  sent  to  keep  company  in  Newgate 
with  two  of  Ly  B.'s  props,  who  were  sent  there  a  few  days 
back.  She  is  obstinate,  has  perjured  herself,  and  so  has 
her  Brother  to  an  extent  that  should  induce  him  to  quit 
the  country  for  Life  ;  as  to  Her  Ladyship,  the  question  is, 
"  can  a  Countess  be  Pilloried  ?  "  If  she  can,  then  is  she 
at  hand  in  Spring  Garden,  no  doubt  but  an  ordinary  person 
would  be  thus  placed,  who  had  gone  as  far  as  she  has  done 
to  support  her  rotten  fabrick. 

Ld  Rivers  left  Town  this  day  with  the  determination  of 
absenting  himself  from  the  Review  and  the  Fete,  but  really 
under  all  circumstances  his  presence  at  the  latter  was  an 
indispensable  duty,  he  fought  hard  against  this  opinion, 
but  we  carried  our  point,  and  he  has  promised  to  return 
for  it,  tho'  I  do  not  think  he  need  trouble  himself,  for  I 
am  decidedly  of  opinion  that  nothing  of  the  sort  will  take 
place  during  the  present  Season. 

Reports  send  Lord  Paget  to  command  the  Cavalry  in 
Portugal.  I  cannot  but  doubt  it,  tho'  nobody  in  the  King's 
Service  is  so  equal  to  the  task.  My  doubt  arises  from  the 
Sacrifice  he  must  make  by  serving  under  a  junior  officer, 
who  must  of  course  have  additional  Rank  and  a  special 
commission.     You  know  more  of  this  matter. 

My  hands  are  now  full — tho'  disputes  amongst  my 
Volunteers  for  Rank — being  to  the  Right,  or  left  of  my 
division,  work  me  to  an  oil — as  long  as  any  of  me  is  left 
I  am  ever.  Dear  Sir  Arthur,  3'our  truly  faithful 

J.  P.  Adden. 

1  The  case  turned  on  the  question  whether  or  no  a  marriage  between 
the  late  Earl  of  Berkeley  and  Elizabeth  Cole  had  taken  place  in  1785 
previous  to  their  public  marriage  in  1796.  The  House  of  Lords  decided 
against  the  claimant,  and  held  that  the  children  born  before  1796  were 
illegitimate. 

14 


192  REVIEW  AT   HOUNSLOW  [ch.  hi 

Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

i8  June,  1811. 

My  Dearest  Old  Boy, — Both  Paget  and  yourself  have 
anticipated  each  other,  for  the  very  day  I  received  your 
Letter  proposing  to  stand  for  his  Child  he  enquired  of  me 
after  Augusta,  and  asked  whether  his  offer  in  the  same 
way  would  be  acceptable,  and  accordingly,  my  excellent 
fellow,  it  now  stands  arranged  that  you  should  each  stand 
for  the  other's  young  one,  and  I  therefore  will  avail  myself 
of  your  kind  consideration,  and  hold  myself  in  readiness 
to  be  called  upon  on  any  future  occasion.  Ly  P.  was 
brought  to  bed  yesterday  morning  of  a  son  ^ — all  well. 

The  Review  of  the  Hussar  brigade  yesterday  on  Hounslow 
Heath  called  forth  the  admiration  of  an  immense  concourse 
of  spectators.  It  was  truly  fine  and  Paget  was  quite  in  his 
element  after  it.  The  Prince  and  all  the  Brothers,  with 
all  the  Staff  and  Officers  of  the  Brigade,  repair 'd  to  the 
Castle  at  Richmond,  where  a  most  sumptuous  dejeuner, 
or  rather  a  d — d  good  dinner,  was  prepared  by  Paget's 
order.  It  was  of  the  most  luxurious  style,  I  suppose  about 
200  sat  down  to  it,  and  as  Turtle,  Fish,  Venison  of  the  best 
quality  and  quantity  was  provided  ;  as  Champagne,  Hock, 
Burgundy,  and  Claret,  Vin  de  France  and  Hermitage  was 
drunk  in  copious  libations  ;  as  Peaches,  Nectarines,  Grapes, 
Pines,  Melons  and  everything  most  rare  in  the  dessert  way 
v/as  provided  in  abundance,  it  was  a  feast  worthy  of  the 
magnificent  piece  of  Plate,  which  had  been  (unknown  till 
the  moment)  in  readiness  to  present  to  Paget  by  the  Prince, 
the  Dukes,  and  the  Officers  of  the  Hussar  Brigade. 

Nothing  could  surpass  the  effect  of  the  whole  day.  The 
Prince  exceeded  himself  in  his  praises  of  Paget,  and  all 
seemed  to  unite  in  the  expediency  of  getting  him  to  serve. 
In  short  it  was  a  most  flattering  day  for  him,  and  truly 
gratifying  to  me  to  witness  it  all. 

My  father  stood  it  famously,  and  this  morning  sent 
Sanderson  to  Paget,  to  desire  he  might  have  the  Bill  to  pay. 

This  is  all  well.  I  shall  not  fail  when  I  get  down  to 
Fair  Oak  to  sit  down  quietly  and  give  you  a  Main-Top 
Bowline  Letter.  This  will  be  sufficient  to  have  made  me 
perform  my  promise. 

C.  P. 

^  Lord  Clarence  Paget,  181 1-1895. 


i8ii]  JOHN  VILLIERS  193 

Earl  of  Galloway 

June  i8th,  181 1. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — Seeing  John  Villiers  in  the  House 
of  Lords  yesterday,  I  took  the  opportunity  to  speak  to 
him  upon  your  concerns,  and  to  ask  him  if  he  had  com- 
municated with  Lord  Ux.,  as  well  as  to  add  that  I  thought 
delay  was  dangerous.  He  said  that  there  was  no  getting 
an  opportunity  with  Lord  Ux.,  or  the  means  of  settling 
his  mind  to  any  business,  and  from  his  words  and  Manner 
I  should  conceive  nothing  was  going  on.  I  said  I  thought 
he  should  endeavour  to  get  something  settled  before  the 
Family  left  Town,  It  remains  with  you  therefore  to  urge 
him  thereon.  I  am  fearful  that  increased  family  pecuniary 
difficulties,  added  to  increased  family  quarrels,  may  render 
future  settlements  more  precarious,  and  according  to  your 
reference  I  was  informed  by  Charles  of  what  passed  at 
West  Lodge,  and  that  all  finished  to  your  satisfaction  at 
the  close,  therefore  I  enquired  no  further. 

Paget's  review  went  off  famously  yesterday,  and  his 
Dinner  etc.  He  received  his  magnificent  Piece  of  Plate, 
and  unbounded  compliments  from  the  Duke  of  Clarence 
in  the  name  of  the  Regent,  and  from  the  Hussar  Brigade 
unanimously,  all  of  which  are  his  real  due. 

.  .  .  News  we  have  none.  Everybody  preparing  for  the 
Regent's  Fete  tomorrow,  and  nobody  knowing  whether 
they  will  find  room  to  stand,  or  the  Reverse. 

You  may  conceive  the  Berkeley  case  as  decided,  and  all 
the  family  witnesses,  excepting  the  unfortunate  claimant 
himself,  perjured.  What  will  be  done  with  my  Lady  I 
cannot  say. 

Graves  arrived  this  morning  per  Mail.  Lord  Melville 
cannot  keep  order  in  Scotland  like  the  Father,  and  I  cannot 
figure  to  myself  any  adequate  leader  on  the  Government 
side.  Many  will  propose  themselves  and  try  for  the  lead, 
Montrose  among  them,  but  every  body  now  is  inferior  upon 
our  side. 

I  have  no  idea  of  the  King's  Recovery.  I  saw  a  letter 
from  Gregory,  our  great  Edinburgh  man,  and  the  first  in 
Britain  acknowledged,  to  Sir  Walter  Farquhar,  representing 
the  anatomy  of  Lord  Melville,  and  he  laughed  at  the  idea 
of  the  King's  Recovery  ;  but  he  said,  if  at  Windsor,  he  should 
probably  think  otherwise. 


194  RAGE  FOR  DIAMONDS  [ch.  in 

I  go  to  Coolhurst  next  week,  and  to  Scotland  the  week 
after.  I  should  otherwise  willingly  plan  a  visit  to  Dorset- 
shire. I  am  sorry  you  think  of  leaving  West  Lodge.  I 
think  moving  more  expensive  than  even  necessary  repairs. 
Having  lately  furnish'd,  you  should  stay  a  little  longer. 
Believe  me  yours  sincerely, 

Galloway. 

Lady  Caroline  Capel 

[June],  1811. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  write  in  great  haste  to  announce 
the  arrival  of  the  Diamond  Necklace,  and  to  thank  you 
and  Lady  Augusta  for  your  kind  attention  ;  Harriet  desires 
me  to  say  a  great  deal  from  her  on  this  occasion.  It  shall 
be  returned  by  Mr.  Sanderson,  and  I  assure  you  the  acquisi- 
tion of  a  Diamond  Necklace  for  this  night  is  an  Event  of 
the  greatest  moment,  seeing  that  all  the  Diamonds  of  all 
the  Family  are  put  in  requisition,  and  all  Rundle  and  Bridge's 
Shop  completely  emptied  by  the  Rage  for  hiring  Diamonds 
which  has  seized  every  body.  Even  Lady  Hertford  has 
condescended  to  pay  from  30  to  100  Guineas  for  the  Loan 
of  some  for  this  night.  Wonderful !  The  old  Lady  is 
arrived  in  perfect  safety,  and  full  of  your  goodness  to  her. 
Capel  has  found  a  coat  that  will  go  on  him,  and  I  shall 
preside  at  the  restoration  of  everything  in  its  proper  place 
and  due  order,  after  the  fatigues  of  this  night  are  over. 
Believe  me,  my  dear  Arthur,  yours  most  affly, 

Car  Capel. 

Graves  is  arrived,  and  going  in  the  uniform  of  the  90th, 
I  believe,  or  something.  I  wish  [you]  were  too.  Poor  dear 
Mama  is  horrified  at  the  thoughts  of  it  all,  and  has  more 
than  half  a  mind  not  to  go. 

Duke  of  Argyll 

Jtme  22d,   1811. 

My  Dear  Arthur,— My  Wife  and  I  have  intended  to 
write  to  you  for  these  last  three  months,  or  rather  we 
meant  to  have  been  at  this  moment  at  yr  House,  but  events 
have  altered  all  our  plans.  We  had  designed  to  add  a 
Trio  to  yr  establishment,  but  alas  !  if  we  come  now,  it 
must  be  as  a  Duo.  .  .  .  The  Fete  was  magnificent.  I  suppose 
you  had  a  Card  ?  ?  ?     Brummell  had  ?  ?     No — he  was  at 


i8ii]  THE    REGENT'S  FETE  I05 

the  Levee  tho' — not  that  he  was  spoke  to — for  he  is  a  very 
gentlemanly  man.  The  first  man  I  saw  in  the  Regent's 
Hall  was  Paget,  and  we  shook  hands.  We  (I  don't  mean 
Paget  and  I)  mean  to  go  out  of  Town  to  the  Sea  in  ten  days, 
and  live  in  hopes  of  seeing  you  before  we  go  to  Scotland. 
Graves  was   at   the   Fete   dancing,  and   fatter  than   ever. 

Ever  affly  yrs, 

Argyll. 

Sir  Harry  Fetherstone 

Uppark,   Sunday,  2sd  June,  iSii. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — It  will  be  said  that  the  weather  con- 
tinued favorable  only  for  the  completion  of  the  fete  ;  in 
truth  ever  since  it  has  been  most  winter-like,  and  has 
unhinged  me  as  usual.  On  a  due  examination  of  myself, 
which  it  is  sometimes  not  amiss  to  institute,  I  discovered 
my  predilection  for  the  fete  {qua  fete)  not  to  be  more  violent 
than  your  own  ;  but  the  cause  of  my  exclusion  from  it  was 
the  sore  point.  On  this  hinged  my  regret,  and  no  wonder  ! 
When  I  contemplate  my  own  situation,  I  am  more  surprised 
at  being  able  to  bear  it  as  I  do  ;  for  all  the  finest  aphorisms 
in  the  world  afford  but  slender  comfort  under  a  malheur 
sans  remede.  A  propos  of  this  wonderful  fete,  you  will 
have  read  in  the  papers,  and  heard  from  others  all  about 
it.  I  have  seen  Charles,  who  is  in  raptures,  and  in  my 
opinion  would  willingly  have  prolonged  his  stay  in  Town 
for  some  minor  ones,  had  not  Mrs.  Paget  been  obliged  to 
return  a  week  before  him  to  Fair  Oak,  of  which  I  never 
knew  a  word.  In  a  letter  I  had  from  the  Duke  of  Bedford 
(the  occasion  of  which  I  will  not  now  bore  you  with)  he 
observes  "  the  fete  was  very  magnificent,  very  hot  and 
very  disagreeable."  Most  people  would  probably  think  it 
all  charming.  Thomas  ^  says  he  never  stirred  from  the 
outer  hall  (his  station),  and  when  supper  was  announced, 
went  home  to  bed,  that  the  whole  was  splendid  beyond 
conception,  and  the  Regent's  new  Field  Marshal's  uniform 
wonderful !  He  also  says  "  my  friend  Cholmondeley  '^  must 
have  been  much  disappointed,  as  it  seems  there  was  no 
room  at  the  Prince's  table  lower  than  a  Marquis,  and  he  is 

1  Sir  Thomas  Tyrwhitt,  many  years  a  favourite  courtier  at  Carlton 
House  and  afterwards  Black  Rod,  died  unmarried,  1834. 

2  George,    4tli   Earl,   afterwards   ist  Marquis  of  Cholmondeley,   Lord 
Steward. 


196  MRS.   FITZHERBERT  [ch.  hi 

comparatively  a  young  Earl,  so  he  will  be  more  displeased 
than  ever  at  Addington's  not  having  made  him  a  Marquis  ; 
his  two  particular  friends  and  frequenters  of  his  house, 
Keppel  and  Hammond,  are  laughing  at  him  to  everyone,  for 
it  seems  he  was  much  vexed  at  not  having  had  the  manage- 
ment of  this  fete,  and  as  it  proves,  it  could  not  have  suc- 
ceeded better."  Mrs.  Fitzherbert  ^  was  not  present.  It 
was  signified  to  her  that  her  rank  would  not  admit  of  her 
being  at  the  Regent's  table,  and  she  took  her  line  accordingly. 
He  seems  to  have  designed  a  marked  hint  to  poor  Napoleon 
of  his  intention  again  to  place  a  Bourbon  on  the  throne 
of  France  by  so  distinguished  and  public  a  reception  of 
the  family.  He  may  in  my  opinion  just  now  do  anything 
but  that,  for  his  god-like  virtues  are  in  every  one's  mouth, 
and  breathe  a  proud  defiance  to  all  who  are  not  disposed  to 
join  in  such  senseless  adulation.  I  always  felt  sure  it  would 
be  so,  even  when  he  has  been  whining  to  us  about  his  un- 
merited  want  of  popularity.  Nothing  can  have  exceeded 
the  eclat  throughout  of  Paget's  reception,  which  you  will 
rejoice  in  as  much  as  myself,  and  of  which  you  will  of  course 
have  heard  more.  In  this  at  least  I  feel  the  Regent  has 
exercised  a  sound  judgment.  To  turn  from  these  grand 
subjects  to  the  more  interesting  considerations  of  private 
life,  I  shall  be  most  anxious  to  hear  that  the  Upwood 
business  is  in  progress,  for  I  am  convinced,  by  all  you  say, 
that  nothing  will  contribute  more  to  your  amusement  than 
the  management  of  a  ierre  of  your  own.  Is  there  a  chance 
of  seeing  you  en  passant  or  not  ?  I  wish  there  was  any 
that  Lady  Augusta  and  you  would  meet  their  Graces  of 
Argyll,  who  will  certainly  pay  a  visit  here  before  their 
departure  for  Scotland.  You  of  course  know  the  cause 
of  her  absence  from  the  fete.  I  am  told  their  Graces  of 
Bedford  mean  soon  to  be  here  ;  if  it  should  be  while  the 
Scarboroughs  and  Seftons  are  with  me,  the  old  house  will 
be  puzzled  pour  les  loger.  About  the  second  week  in  August, 
should  that  be  agreable  to  you,  I  look  forward  to  the  pleasure 
of  a  sejour  at  West  Lodge.  Leigh  seems  to  consider  himself 
as  invited,  and  says  I  must  carry  him.  There  can  be  no 
doubt  that  Ministers  have  made  up  their  mind  to  go  through 
thick  and  thin  for  the  Peninsula,  and  you  read  what  Na- 
poleon says  on  the  subject,  so  the  die  is  cast,  and  one  of 

1  The  marked  snub  thus  offered  to  Mrs.   Fitzherbert  brought  about 
her  final  rupture  with  tlie  Regent.     See  her  Li/e. 


i8ii]  AFTER  THE  FETE  197 

the  parties  will  assuredly  throw  crabs.  Thomas  used  the 
phrase  muzzling  about  Burdett  and  Whitbread ;  his 
political  information  is  not  so  good  as  his  general  one,  as 
it  appears.  They  might  engage  not  to  bring  forward  any 
motion  themselves  ;  at  all  events  they  opened  pretty  loudly 
on  the  occasion  brought  forward  by  another  ;  but  Cobbett 
really  does  seem  muzzled.  We  shall  have  no  war  between 
France  and  Russia  yet.  The  excavations  are  beginning  to 
be  filled  up,  and  I  hope  to  see  the  Portico  up  before  the 
end  of  October.  The  internal  arrangements  will  follow. 
Pray  let  me  very  soon  have  the  satisfaction  to  hear  of 
Lady  Augusta's  complete  retablissement.  My  kindest 
regards  to  her.  I  hope  Leopoldina  and  the  young  one  are 
both  in  high  force.  As  I  feel  I  am  not  so  myself,  I  ought  to 
crave  your  mercy  for  this  dull  stupid  letter,  yet  you  will 
pass  it  over  from  one  who  is  most  truly  and  sincerely  yours, 

H.  F. 


Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

Fair  Oak,  June,  181 1. 

My  Dearest  Good  Arthur, — I  returned  here  the  day 
after  the  Fete,  which  the  newspapers  will  have  described 
to  you  the  splendor  and  magnificence  of  much  better  than 
I  am  able  to  do.  Certainly  I  am  glad,  very  glad,  that  I 
was  present  at  it,  tho'  at  the  same  time  I  hesitate  not  to 
say  that  I  do  not  recollect  ever  to  have  passed  a  more 
insupportable  period  than  the  one  which  I  spent  there. 

Here  I  am  again  at  home  with  no  present  intention  of 
moving,  especially  as  I  am  not  without  hopes  of  seeing  my 
father  and  mother  here  before  they  go  to  Wales.  Paget 
wanted  me  to  go  with  him  to  Anglesea  which  he  purposes 
doing  about  the  loth  of  July,  but  that  I  have  got  off. 

Fetherstone  was  here  the  day  before  yesterday,  he  expects 
Ld  and  Ly  Scarborough  and  the  Seftons  the  first  week  in 
July.  I  don't  think  it  unlikely  that  the  Duke  and  Duchess 
of  Bedford  will  be  with  him  soon,  but  he  is  so  cold  and 
difficult  to  be  got  at  that  I  cannot  exactly  ascertain  what 
he  means  to  do.  She,  I  know,  wishes  him  of  all  things  to 
go  there,  and  as  she  has  got  all  her  children  at  Bognor 
whither  she  is  shortly  going  to  join  them,  I  dare  say  she 
will  get  him  to  go  there  with  her  and  afterwards  pay  Uppark 
a  visit. 


198  MORE  OF  THE  FETE  [ch.  hi 

Weaver  came  yesterday  to  cut  my  Hair,  he  expressed  the 
utmost  gratitude  towards  you  and  seemd  much  pleased 
with  his  place. 

The  weather  is  changed  sadly  for  the  worse,  this  North 
Easter  is  the  very  devil.  I  have  been  much  disappointed 
in  the  produce  of  my  Garden,  and  to  me  as  you  may  imagine 
it  is  no  comfort  to  know  that  all  the  gardens  about  me  are 
equally  backward  and  unproductive,  especially  the  Uppark 
one.  I  however  have  no  doubt  that  what  Fetherstone  calls 
blighted  and  unproductive  affords  to  him  vegetables  and 
fruits  that  we  should  think  ourselves  devilish  well  off  in 
possessing. 

Elizabeth  has  been  for  the  last  three  weeks  in  a  ticklish 
way,  but  I  think  there  is  now  nothing  to  fear  as  she  is 
quite  stout  again.  It  has  however  prevented  her  going  to 
the  Fete,  which  to  her  M^as  no  disappointment,  on  the 
contrary  she  was  too  happy  to  quit  London  a  week  before 
it  took  place.  By  the  bye  coming  to  the  Fete  again  reminds 
me  of  Capel  in  one  of  your  dress  coats,  and  a  better  figure 
I  never  beheld.  I  am  quite  sure  I  am  within  bounds  when 
I  say  that  the  space  was  more  than  a  foot  between  the 
buttons  and  the  holes  they  were  intended  to  button  to, 
but  it  was  all  the  same  to  him  and  he  was  perfectly  satisfied. 
Ever  your  devoted 

Charles. 

Hon.  Berkeley  Paget 

PoRTMAN  Street,  22>th  June,  18 11. 
MON  TRES  CHER  FRERE  ET  TRES   RENOMME  ChEVALIER  ! — 

Pardon  mine  offence.  I  plead  guilty  to  the  charges  you 
have  preferr'd  against  me  and  own  myself  an  idle  Vagabond 
and  ungrateful  Varlet  for  having  taken  no  notice  whatever 
of  your  kind  offer  of  Wardrobe,  therefrom  to  select  materials 
to  bedeck  "  recreant  Limbs."  Never  having  appeared  in 
the  Character  of  a  Representative  of  my  Sovereign,  I  thought 
your  apparel  tho'  calculated  to  adorn  the  Carcase  of  an 
Ambassador  much  too  splendid  for  an  ex-Major  of  Horse  ; 
I  therefore  fitted  me  with  a  suit  of  dingy  Dittos.  Nothing 
could  be  more  superb  than  the  arrangements  at  Carlton 
House.  How  sure  Ben  was  to  make  up  a  Field-Marshal's 
Uniform  according  to  his  own  Fancy.  Not  only  the  Cuffs, 
Collars  and  Front  of  the  Coat  were  richly  (two  inches  wide) 


i8ii]  LORD   GRAVES'  DANCING  199 

embroidered  but  the  very  seams — all  the  seams  !  !  !  On  a 
moderate  calculation  it  must  have  cost  and  weighed  in 
pounds  sterling  and  avoirdupois  at  least  200. 

Mon  petit  Graves  is  solely  occupied  during  the  morning 
in  instructing  Ladies  in  cotillons  and  in  the  Evening  in 
dancing  them.  Waltzing  also  engages  his  attention.  I  do 
flatter  myself  we  shall  see  him  one  of  these  days  on  the 
stage.  Tho'  in  size  somewhat  similar  one  cannot  well 
compare  him  to  Shakespear's  Elephant  in  Troilus  and 
Cressida. 

The  Elephant  hath  joints,  but  none  for  courtesy, 
His  legs  are  for  necessity,  not  for  flexure. 

If  Arbuthnot  hath  not  written  to  you,  he  is  as  bad  as  I 
have  been.  I  gave  him  the  letter  you  sent  me  and  begged 
him  to  do  what  he  could  for  your  friend.  He  told  me 
he  was  going  to  write  to  you  and  would  name  the  Subject. 

Sophia  is  still  going  about  the  House,  but  I  always 
expect  to  find  a  young  bantling  on  my  return  home  from 
my  morning  Ramble.  She  is  uncommonly  well.  I  will 
certainly  let  you  know  when  she  brings  to  bed.  As  you 
have  the  sins  of  one  of  my  children  (Eleanor)  to  answer 
for,  I  must  decline  your  good  natured  offer  of  becoming 
Godfather  to  the  one  that  is  coming.  Adieu,  mon  ires 
ilhistre  amhassadeur  !     Live  a  thousand  years.      Yr  most 

affecte 

B.  Paget. 

Col.  Leigh 

Six  Mile  Bottom,  Sunday,  July  21st,  iSii. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — .  .  .  I  conclude  you  heard  of  the 
Regent's  wig  at  the  fete,  new  for  the  occasion  and  unique. 
.  .  .  Yours  sincerely, 

G.  Leigh. 


Lord  Graves 

Bishop's  Court,  July,  181 1. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — By  this  morning's  Post  I  receiv'd 
the  sixty  guineas  for  "  Katerfelto  "  in  a  draft  on  Drummonds, 
which  shall  be  sent  to  him  as  soon  as  possible.  I  can 
assure  you  that  "Katerfelto"  did  not  stand  in  any  great 
degree  last  May,  when  I  us'd  to  ride  him  on  the  road  in 


200  A   POOR   MAN'S   HORSE  [ch.  hi 

preference  to  any  other  Horse,  which  I  should  not  have 
done  had  he  been  disagreeable.  He  us'd,  I  own,  to  shy, 
that  is  on  passing  any  object  he  dislik'd,  he  would  lean 
from  it,  but  never  stop  abruptly,  plunge,  or  turn  round. 
But  if  he  is  high  fed  with  little  work,  he  will  like  all  other 
low  bred  fellows  perhaps  forget  himself,  and  become  un- 
pleasant. No  work  can  hurt  him,  and  I  think  it  is  impossible 
to  throw  him  down,  he  is  without  exception  the  safest  horse 
I  ever  rode.  He  can  walk  full  six  miles  an  hour  and  is  a 
wonderful  trotter,  in  short  is  a  complete  poor  man's  horse, 
being  very  hardy.  I  recommended  him  more  as  a  useful 
than  a  pleasant  animal.  Should  you  dislike  him,  let  me 
beg  of  you  to  keep  him  at  least  six  months  when  you  will 
have  time  to  be  convinc'd  his  had  are  surpass'd  by  his 
good  qualities.  Should  he  ever  require  Physic  your  groom 
must  be  cautious  that  he  does  not  exceed  six  Drachms  of 
aloes.  .  .  .  This  Beau  temps  I  hope  will  continue  till  the 
middle  and  end  of  August.  I  long  for  the  moment  to  shew 
you  a  warrantable  Deer.    My  kind  love  to  Augusta. 

Graves. 

Col.  Addenhrooke 

London,  July  24th,  181 1. 

Dear  Sir  Arthur, — I  have  no  other  excuse  for  writing 
but  the  temptation  of  an  Extract  of  a  letter  written  to  me 
by  a  General  officer  of  the  Army  in  Portugal ;  I  have  read 
others  to  the  same  effect,  but  as  this  comes  directed  im- 
mediately to  myself,  and  being  strongly  tempted  I  cannot 
resist  the  impulse  of  sending  it  to  you — sad  are  the  com- 
plaints against  the  Cavalry  Commanders,  nor  do  I  hear 
high  encomiums  passed  on  those  of  the  Marching  Order. 
I  find  Graham  is  joining  Lord  W.  and  that  he  is  to  be  2nd 
in  Command — the  services  and  the  man  would  not  displease 
Ld  Paget,  I  presume,  but  I  fear  that  His  Lordship's  going 
is  out  of  the  question. 

You  will  know  that  the  arrangements  so  long  talked  of 
have  taken  place,  so  far  as  Lord  Harcourt's  succeeding 
Gl  Fox  in  the  Govt  of  Portsmouth,  and  Hope  going  to 
Marlow  in  Ld  H.'s  place.  I  saw  Hope  yesterday  who 
confirmed  this.  I  also  learn  that  Ld  Harcourt  is  to  be 
removed  to  Plymouth  on  the  death  of  Lord  Howe,  which  I 
pronounce  to  be  at  hand,  he  is  now  in  a  state  that  I  think 
it  impossible  he  should  ever  get  out  of  his  bed  again,  in 


i8ii]  PRINCESS   OF  WALES  201 

the  event  of  Ld  Harcourt  getting  Plymouth  Ld  Suffolk, 
I  am  told,  will  succeed  him  at  Portsmouth.  I  was  here 
interrupted  by  a  visitor  who  has  carried  me  from  home, 
calling  at  Mrs.  Howe's  I  found  Ly  Uxbridge,  to  whom  I 
gave  the  extract  I  had  written  for  you.  Her  Ladyship 
asked  if  she  might  send  it  to  Lord  P.  "To  the  Lord  Mayor, 
if  Her  Ladyship  pleased  it  so,"  was  my  reply.  Maitland 
gets  Fox's  Regt  and  Leith  gets  the  West  India  Regt. 
Sir  Thos  Musgrave  cannot  live  many  days,  so  that  there  will 
be  Tilbury  Fort,  (my  friend  Genl  Edwd  should  succeed 
to  it)  etc.  to  be  had.  Lukeschents  I  saw  just  now,  he  is 
off  tomorrow  for  Portugal.  If  the  King  is  not  dead,  I 
am  persuaded  that  he  cannot  live  many  days.  The  D. 
of  Y,  was  hurried  off  this  Morning  at  5  to  Windsor.  I 
was  just  now  at  St.  James's  with  Sir  Geo.  Ludlow,  where 
from  the  black  countenances  we  saw  from  the  Lords' 
Room  we  concluded  that  he  is  actually  dead,  if  not  he  is 
past  all  hope  of  getting  about  again,  and  will  only  breath 
a  few  days  longer.'  Folks  ask  what  is  to  become  of  the 
Princess  of  Wales  in  the  event  of  the  King's  death  ;  I  reply 
as  to  what  I  hear  that  she  is  not  to  be  Queen.  The  Prince 
will  produce  only  sufficient  charges  as  will  warrant  separa- 
tion, in  which  case  she  is  to  have  a  handsome  allowance, 
but  to  be  banished  to  Scotland  where  Holyrood  House  is 
to  be  her  residence.  I  beg  my  best  respects  to  be  presented 
to  Lady  Augusta  and  am  ever,  dear  Sir  A.,  yr  truly  faithful 

J.  P.  Adden. 
[Enclosttre] 

"  I  have  heard  with  pleasure  Lord  Paget's  expected 
arrival  in  this  country  rests  on  something  more  than  rumour, 
nothing  would  delight  me  more  than  the  confirmation  of 
such  a  hope.  I  am  too  great  a  friend  to  the  Cavalry,  to 
the  welfare  of  my  country  and  to  the  cause  she  is  fighting 
to  listen  for  a  moment  to  any  other  claims  than  those 
offered  by  talents  and  distinguished  ability  ;  we  are  not 
overburdened  with  either,  for  God's  sake  let  us  have  that 
portion  that  is  within  our  reach.  Send  His  Lordship  to  us, 
and  brisk  and  favorable  be  the  breeze  that  wafts  him  here, 
and  this  I  should  say  and  hope,  was  the  hour  of  his  arrival 
that  of  the  cessation  of  my  own  command.  I  am  for 
general  not  partial  views.     Lord  P.  is  the  only  Cavalry  Officer 

^  The  King  did  not  die  till  January,  1820. 


202  MR.   SHELDON  DINES  [ch.  hi 

we  have,  the  rest  are  mere  Pretenders  who  require  his 
example  to  become  any  thing  themselves  !  sad  truth  but 
even  so  it  is." 

I  leave  town  tomorrow,  Ld  Rivers  on  Saturday.  Middle 
of  August  he  will  be  in  your  neighborhood.  Horace  ^  you 
will  know  is  going  to  Jamaica  to  look  after  his  estates. 
Ld  R.  has  behaved  nobly  towards  him. 

Mr.  Sheldon 

Queen  Anne  St.,  25th  July,  1811. 

Dear  Sir  Arthur, — .  .  .  We  had  a  very  pleasant  dinner 
the  other  night  at  Bath  House  (taken  by  the  Duke  of 
Portland  at  the  enormous  rent  of  £2500  a  year),  given  by 
Ld  Fred.  Bentinck,  he  asked  your  brother  Berkeley  to  be 
of  it,  but  he  was  engaged,  and  Pierrepont,  who  left  town 
that  morning.  Adair  dined  with  me  the  day  before  I  shut 
up  shop,  and  thinks  with  you  that  at  present  all  be  over 
in  Russia.  I  have  not  met  with  Mr.  Horn,  alias  Pater 
Maurus  of  Ratisbon,  but  my  friend  Jenkinson  says  he 
thinks  him  a  great  rascal.  In  your  last  your  Excellency  says 
something  of  a  Possibility  of  your  coming  to  town,  if  it  is 
so,  I  hope  it  will  be  before  I  leave  it,  as  I  shall  have  most 
real  pleasure  in  seeing  and  giving  your  Excellency  a  bottle 
of  such  Champagne  as  I  think  you  will  not  dislike.  Give 
me  some  tidings  in  your  next  of  that  event,  for  there  are 
few  people  left  in  town  now  to  offer  you  a  dinner.  ...  I 
hope  Lady  Augusta,  the  Little  Princess  etc.  are  all  perfectly 
well,  and  in  begging  your  Excellency  de  lui  faire  agreer 
mes  respectueux  hommages,  believe  me  ever  most  truly  yours, 

Ch.  H.  Sheldon. 

Lord  Paget 

Plas  Newydd,  July  28th,   181 1. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  have  to  acknowledge  the  receipt 
of  your  letter  of  the  24th.  I  had  already  understood  from 
Genl  Fane  when  I  saw  him  in  town  that  the  valuation  of 
Upwood  would  probably  amount  to  £40,000.  I  read  to 
Adml  Aylmer  your  letter  and  I  inclose  his  answer  to  that 
part  which  concerns  him.  My  opinion  upon  the  subject 
is  this.     Ld  Uxbridge's  circumstances  are  such  that  it  is 

^  Horace  Beckford,  Lord  Rivers'  nephew,  who  succeeded  his  uncle 
under  a  special  remainder  as  3rd  baron  in  1828. 


4 


i8iT]  LORD   PAGET   DECLINES  203 

impossible  to  purchase  any  thing  any  where,  which  will 
not  yield  to  him  sufficient  interest  to  cover  the  interest 
of  any  loan  he  might  be  obliged  to  make  in  the  purchase. 
There    are    several   desirable    Farms   which   may   now   be 
had  in  Dorsetshire,  but  which  I  have  been  under  the  neces- 
sity  of   declining.     Upwood   is   very   desirable,    but   it   is 
©bvious  that  it  will  only  go  at  a  fancy  price  and  we  are 
really  not  in  a  situation  to  think  of  such  things  ;    with 
respect  to  it  therefore  the  matter  stands  thus.     It  is  a 
desirable  property  to  go  to  the  family,  but  if  it  is  to  be  had 
worth  the  money,  you  wish  to  become  the  purchaser.     It 
is  however  as  I  apprehend  not  to  be  had  worth  the  money, 
as  a  purchaser  therefore  for  my  father  I  shd  under  that 
circumstance  decline  it  and  it  rests  with  you  to  determine 
if  it  is  prudent  or  right  to  purchase  it  at  a  price  far  beyond 
its  value.     This  with  you  must  be  an  affair  of  feeling.     No 
person  can  advise  you  to  it,  for  it  will  be  laying  out  your 
money  in  what  will  only  yield  you  3  per  cent,  and  it  will 
engage  you  to  quit  a  place  at  which  you  have  incurred 
great  expence,  just  as  you  have  completed  its  comforts 
and  for  which  outgoings  you  cannot  expect  to  be  paid. 
In  it  you  will  have  to  encounter  certain  immediate  expence 
in  the  House,  upon  the  Farm,  in  the  purchase  of  Stock,  of 
Implements.     You   will   have    to    begin    farming    upon    a 
large  scale  without  any  knowledge  of  it.     The  consequence 
is  obvious.     And  what  guarantee  have  you  of  yourself, 
that  you  would  be  satisfied  in  settling  there  ?     As  you  ask 
my  advice  upon  this  subject,  it  is  my  duty,  if  I  speak  at 
all,  to  speak  openly.     Were  you  not  then  perfectly  delighted 
with  your  acquisition  of  West  Lodge  ?      Really  changes 
of  abode  and  alterations  of  plans  of  Life  are  too  ruinously 
expensive  to  be  acted  upon  without  deep  reflection  and 
much  calculation,  and  most  certainly  in   the  latter  con- 
sideration  every   thing   is   against   you.     If  you  buy   the 
place  at  anything  like  Genl  Fane's  valuation,  you  cannot 
by  letting  the  Farm  get  more  than  3  per  cent,  for  your 
money  and   most  assuredly  you  will  be  very  much  worse 
off  and  probably  very  deeply  involved  if  you  farm  it  your- 
self.    It  strikes  me  that  you  arc  as  well  off  as  most  people 
where  you  are.     You  are   delightfully  lodged  in   a  place 
exactly  suited  to  your  finances,  you  have  all  the  agremens 
of  a  Chase  without  its  plagues,  you  have  the  command 
of  some  of  the  finest  manors  in  England  for  shooting  and 


204  A  POINT  OF  FINANCE  [ch.  hi 

there  is  no  doubt  that  with  what  you  already  have,  small 
as  it  is,  and  with  what  you  might  obtain,  you  might  farm 
land  just  enough  to  occupy  and  amuse  you  without  running 
risks  which  it  will  put  you  and  others  to  very  serious  diffi- 
culties to  encounter. 

I  really  live  surrounded  by  too  many  embarrassments 
and  have  too  constantly  before  my  eyes  the  fatal  effects  of 
extravagance,  of  want  of  calculation  of  success,  of  hasty 
decisions  to  incur  enormous  expences,  not  to  shudder  at 
the  probability  of  still  further  distresses.  Here  I  am  at 
the  very  seat  of  mismanagement  and  extravagance.  Such 
inconsiderate  purchases  made,  such  frauds  of  some  agents, 
such  ignorance  of  others,  such  general  inconvenience  and 
distress  from  want  of  calculating  means,  that  you  cd  not 
have  taken  me  at  a  worse  moment  to  have  consulted  me 
upon  a  point  of  Finance.  I  am  now  hurried  for  the  post 
and  must  put  off  other  subjects  on  which  I  will  write  to 
you.  I  would  wish  you  to  answer  this  letter  and  to  enter 
as  fully  into  the  subject  as  you  please.  There  is  plenty 
of  time  for  coming  to  a  wise  decision.  I  am  perfectly  at 
your  service  to  discuss  this  or  any  other  point,  perfectly 
open  to  conviction  and  to  hear  pros  and  cons.  .  .  .  Ever 
affecly  yours, 

Paget. 


Hon.  Berkeley  Paget 

London,  31s/  July,  181 1. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  am  exceedingly  obliged  to  you  for 
half  a  buck,  which  arrived  yesterday  and  which  I  shall 
devour  at  Surbiton,  where  I  now  am  stationed.  Mrs. 
Bucknall  *  will  not  be  sorry  at  having  arrived  there  at  the 
same  time  with  your  bountiful  Present. 

Being  entitled  by  virtue  of  my  office  to  two  bucks  from 
his  Majesty's  Parks  or  Forests,  I  think  I  ought  fairly  to  give 
you  that  hint,  that  I  may  not  appear  to  be  taking  advantage 
of  your  kindness  at  a  future  period,  if  you  should  have  con- 
templated an  extension  of  your  Bounty. 

I  was  surprized  this  morning  by  receiving  a  Letter  from 
Charles,  whose  return  I  had  not  looked  for,  for  a  consider- 
able time.     I  wish  he  had  announced  a  capture.     Graves 

'   Hon.  Mrs.  William  Bucknall,  mother  of  Mrs.  Berkeley  Paget,  died 
1826. 


MAJOR    HON.     BERKELEY     PAGET. 


304] 


i8ii]  SHOPPING   IN   BOND   STREET  205 

has  been  very  great.  ...  It  would  not  be  "  fair  upon  poor 
little  ]\Iary."  He  is  still  of  the  same  opinion  that  a  Man 
ought  to  have  more  than  one  Woman,  and  seem'd  to  think 
it  would  be  damned  good  fun  to  have  Jane  in  addition  to 
poor  little  Mary.  He  intended  getting  to  Hartford  Bridge 
to-day,  but  Jane  v\'ill  not  be  able  to  get  his  commissions 
ready  early,  so  he  I  think  will  not  be  able  to  get  so  far. 
He  however  still  intends  being  with  you  by  dinner.  Ever 
most  affly  yrs, 


B.  Paget. 


Countess  of  Galloway 


[July]   181 1. 

Dearest  Arthur, — If  I  have  not  succeeded  to  your 
liking  it  is  not  for  want  of  pains  and  inclination,  but  every- 
thing at  all  pretty  is  alwayg  dearer  than  is  agreeable  and 
I  fear  only  ^  Gowns  have  cost  as  much  as  was  intended  to 
cover  the  6,  when  you  receive  them  by  Graves  if  you  wish 
for  2  more  Mama  will  chuse  them,  as  I  shall  be  off  tomorrow 
morning  for  the  North.  The  Bengal  Crape  is  a  shameful 
price  but  I  tried  all  the  Shops  in  Bond  St.  before  I  could 
meet  with  it  and  I  could  not  get  it  for  less  tho'  they  are 
in  general  not  above  5  guineas  the  Dress.  The  India  Muslins 
are  so  much  jollier  than  the  British  that  I  could  not  resist 
one  of  that  sort,  but  they  are  much  dearer  than  the  others, 
Mary  told  me  they  were  not  to  be  thin  so  I  hope  they  are 
right.  I  am  quite  knocked  up  with  the  Bustle  and  Row 
of  getting  the  whole  Family  under  way  and  am  scrawling 
these  few  lines  to  you  at  i  in  the  morning  as  I  shall  not 
have  any  other  time.  I  am  distressed  at  not  having 
entirely  executed  your  commission  but  I  have  had  so  much 
to  do  that  I  am  rather  bewildered. 

Garlics  shoved  his  boat  off  2  days  ago  and  took  Randolph 
with  him,  the  Capels  were  off  this  morning.  Goodnight, 
I  am  fast  asleep,  kind  love  to  Lady  A.,  Oubli,  and  Stewart. 
Goodbye,  you  dear  little  Fellow,  most  affccly  yrs, 

J.  G. 

Sir  Harry  F  ether  stone 

{July]  181 1. 
Indeed,  my  dear  Arthur,    I  should   very  much  like  to 
hear  the  Gentleman  from  the  Continent  on  the  great  subject 


2o6  SIR   HARRY'S   VISITORS  [ch.  iii 

of  his  contempt,  which  if  he  escapes  himself  for  entertaining 
such  an  opinion,  he  owes  intirely  to  the  infatuation  of  the 
times.  It  would  be  of  very  little  importance  what  he 
and  so  many  like  him  think,  did  not  Government  appear 
to  act  under  the  influence  of  all  the  mischievous  reports 
made  by  their  own  agents,  who  seem  employed  not  for 
the  purpose  of  useful  information  but  to  collect  and  spread 
the  grossest  falsehoods.  The  "  delirant  reges,  plectuntur 
Achivi"  will  be  continued  under  the  R — t,^  for  I  under- 
stand he  is  outrageous  on  that  string  and  altogether  of 
our  Gentleman's  opinion.  In  a  letter  from  Paget  two  or 
three  days  ago  he  expresses  himself  decidedly  against  going 
to  the  Peninsula,  notwithstanding  which  and  all  the  diffi- 
culties in  the  way  of  it,  I  am  of  opinion,  if  the  R 1  is 

determined  to  push  the  matter,  he  will  find  it  very  difficult 
to  parry  the  point.  The  D.  of  Bedford  rode  over  from 
Bognor  on  Monday  to  arrange  the  grand  visit  with  the 
Duchess  which  is  now  fixed  for  October  (when  it  is  to  be  a 
long  one)  and  there  is  also  a  chance  of  a  previous  short 
visit  in  the  first  week  in  August.  On  receiving  a  note  from 
him  announcing  his  intention  of  coming  over  on  Monday 
for  the  purpose,  I  concluded  it  was  to  fix  a  visit  for  this 
week  and  in  my  own  opinion  that  would  have  been  better 
after  so  many  delays.  The  longer  it  is  defer'd,  the  more 
gene  will  attend  its  completion  de  part  et  d'autre.  I  know 
the  Duchess  was  for  coming  now.  They  go  back  to  London 
on  Friday.  The  Scarboroughs  come  here  on  the  8th  for 
a  fortnight  and  I  expect  soon  to  hear  from  Sefton  who,  I 
understand,  has  left  Town  for  the  summer.  I  wish  there 
was  a  chance  that  Lady  Augusta  and  you  would  meet 
their  Graces  of  Argyll  id,  for  I  conclude  they  will  take  me 
en  passant  to  West  Lodge  ;  but  I  fear  this  is  a  pleasure  I 
must  not  expect.  It  may  indeed  be  difficult  to  ascertain 
in  any  reasonable  time  their  Graces'  progress.  Charles 
talks  of  another  trip  to  London  on  Monday.  I  dine  with 
him  to-morrow  and  Friday.  Mrs  Paget  is  not  en  etat  to 
go  home  at  night  from  hence.  The  weather  is  such  that 
there  is  no  stirring  in  any  way  with  comfort ;  constant 
fogs  and  blights  with  much  rain,  hay  spoiling,  too  wet  for 
turnips  and  utterly  destructive  to  the  young  pheasants. 
I  really  think  an  irritable  fellow  like  myself  would  do  wisely 
to  lessen  the  sources  of  irritation,  for  it  wears  both  mind 

1  The  Regent. 


i8ii]  REPORTS   OF  THE   REGENT  207 

and  body  out  and  I  can't  help  it.  Have  you  read  "  The 
Book  "  ?  It  is  a  most  wonderful  performance.  I  shall 
like  much  to  know  the  impression  you  receive  from  its 

perusal.     The  R 1  has  not  been  in  Tylney  Street  *  since 

the  fete,  says  he  was  insulted  the  last  time  he  was  there, 
so  probably  means  to  cut  altogether.  He  drinks  very  hard, 
dines  out  constantly  since  the  fete  business  and  talks 
incessantly.  The  Duke  told  me  he  (the  Duke)  stayed  till 
2  o'clock  at  Ld  Grey's,  and  was  bored  to  death  with  the 
whole  thing.  He  [the  Regent]  is  meditating  a  military 
tour.  La  tete  lui  tournera.  I  should  very  much  like  to 
get  the  foreign  journals  you  mention,  but  having  once 
tried  Dulau  without  success  give  the  point  up  altogether. 
Suppose  you  was  to  inquire  of  the  D.  of  Richmond  about 
Stoke.  I  shewed  you  the  place  from  Bow  Hill ;  it  is  alto- 
gether most  eligible  and,  if  you  had  a  lease,  would  exactly 
suit  you  ;  excellent  house  and  as  much  land  as  you  might 
require.  You  may  conclude  that  I  am  interested  about 
it  and  so  I  am,  but  not  at  your  expence  be  assured.  Think 
of  it  now  in  time  (for  I  hear  it  is  to  be  let)  if  Upwood  does 
not  go  on.  I  sincerely  rejoice  in  the  "  all  perfectly  well  " 
as  relating  to  Lady  Augusta  and  the  young  ones.  My 
kindest  regards  to  her  and  believe  me  ever  yours, 

H.  Fetherstone. 


Sir  Harry  Fetherstone 

August,  181 1 

My  Dear  Arthur, — Their  Graces  of  Argyll  arrived 
yesterday  and  we  got  to  dinner  about  half  after  eight. 
Berkeley,  Edward  and  Charles  met  them  and  returned 
to  Fair  Oak  apres  le  souper,  for  you  know  of  course  that 
Mrs.  Charles  Paget's  accouchement  took  place  on  Friday. 
We  are  going  there  this  morning  and  I  have  only  time  to 
say  that  with  your  permission,  should  that  day  be  agreeable, 
I  propose  to  myself  the  pleasure  of  dining  at  West  Lodge 
on  Monday  the  12th  ^  that  we  may  have  an  opportunity  of 

drinking  the  R t's  health  with  three  times  three.    Leigh 

means  to  be  here  some  days  before  and  that  I  should  convey 
him.  The  account  from  Windsor,  just  before  the  post  left 
London  yesterday  evening,  was  bad.     He  [the  King]  cannot 

1  Where  Mrs.  Fitzherbert  lived.  2  xhe  Regent's  birthday. 

15 


2o8  LORD  GRAVES  EXPLAINS  [ch.  hi 

last  long  in  this  way  and  the  great  preparations  at  Brighton 
may  be  thrown  away.  Under  all  this  uncertainty  their 
Graces  of  Bedford  will  not  pay  their  visit  here  till  October. 
Perhaps  you  have  heard  that  Paget  availed  himself  en 
veritable  ami  of  the  first  opportunity  at  one  of  the  Kew 
dinners  of  taking  up  my  cause  :  he  did  it  in  the  most  full 
and  decided  manner,  which  is  a  great  satisfaction  to  myself, 
however  prejudiced  and  poisoned  the  royal  party  etc. 
appeared  to  be  against  me.  More  of  this  and  my  friend 
Northey  when  we  meet.  This  is  quite  my  weather  and 
both  mind  and  body  partake  of  its  benefits.  Je  suis  a 
mon  aise  et  toujours,  yours  most  sincerely, 

H.  Fetherstone. 

Lord  Graves 

Bishops  Court,  August  loth,  1811. 

My   Dear   Arthur, — The   unsatisfactory   account   you 
give  of  Katerfelto  confirms  me  in  an  opinion  I  have  long 
entertain'd  of  the  total  incapacity  of  a  man's  judging  of 
the  fitness,  or  unfitness  of  a  Horse  for  another,  and  you  do 
me  but  justice  when  you  believe  I  really  thought  he  would 
do  for  you,  not  indeed  as  an  agreeable  or  pleasant  Monture 
but  as  a  safe,  handy,   tough  and  serviceable  Hack,  and 
that,  I  make  bold  to  say,  you  will  still  find  him,  if  your 
disgust  and  disappointment  will  allow  you  to  keep  him. 
His  discharging  the   Gig  with  costs  does  not  surprise  me. 
I  should  not  venture  to  put  either  of  my  carriage -horses  in 
a  Gig,  before   I  had  tried  them  in  single  harness  in  the 
shafts  of  a  Waggon  or  Cart.     That  he  will  go  in  harness  I 
can  assure  you  from  ocular  proof,  and    his    aversion  to 
that   accoutrement   when   in   your   possession    I   can   not 
account  for,  except  that  he  disliked  the  shafts,  and  was 
also  a  little  fresh.  .  .  .  With  due  submission  to  your  better 
judgement,  I  think  if  you  can  not  get  the  House  with  Land, 
it  is  better  have  no  House,  without  that  convenient,  neces- 
sary, and  only  valuable  appendage  ;    for  of  all  the  ways 
of  laying  out  money  the  most  unprofitable  and  perishable 
is  that  of  employing  it  in  Houses  which  are  subject  to  fire, 
and  constant  repair,  and  when  old,  sell  only  for  the  value 
of  the  material.     In  short  it  is  so  much  money  sunk,  and 
ought  not  to  be  purchas'd  at  any  rate,  unless  they  return 
you  12  per  cent.     I  am  as  much  flatter'd  as  I  ought,  at 


i8ii]  ON  LONDON  SOCIETY  209 

H.R.H.  the  Duke  of  Cumberland's  inquiry,  and  as  you 
are  pleas'd  to  call  me  the  Patron  of  all  Plays,  Books  and 
Operas,  I  must  scold  you  for  cutting  and  voting  them  all 
at  the  Devil,  and  you  are  as  equally  unjust  in  abusing 
London,  which  affords  amusement  to  young  and  old,  and 
to  my  taste,  is  the  centre  of  every  thing  that  is  interesting 
in  the  arts  and  sciences,  and  in  short  whose  very  activity 
and  bustle  exhilarates  the  Mind,  and  communicates  to  it 
an  elasticity  which  it  does  not  feel  in  retirement.  I  do 
not  pretend  that  this  does  not  at  last  fatigue,  but  still  it 
is  at  times  a  necessary  stimulus,  and  I  am  convinced  the 
mixing  with  our  fellow  Beings  tends  to  make  us  more 
reconcil'd  to  ourselves,  and  more  affectionate  to  them. 
As  for  the  notice  of  society  of  Messieurs  les  Monseigneuvs 
I  value  it  as  little  as  the  Rushes  that  grow  under  my  House, 
and  should  bear  the  want  of  it  with  as  much  Philosophy, 
or  indifference  rather,  that  you  do.  In  short,  as  Charles 
says,  it  is  all  Humbug,  but  I  do  not  see  why,  if  they  play 
at  that  game,  we  may  not  do  so  too. 

For  the  sake  of  the  country  at  large  I  am  glad  to  hear 
Sir  George  Paul's  account  of  the  good  crops  in  the  counties 
with  which  .  .  .  The  Wheat  in  this  neighbourhood  is  in  a 
most  shocking  state,  and  many  thousand  acres  are  not 
worth  cutting,  the  Rust  having  completely  destroy'd  the 
grain.  We  have  every  prospect  of  wheat  being  next  year 
from  fifteen  shillings  to  a  guinea  the  bushel.  Oats  are 
also  a  very  bad  crop,  and  I  have  no  doubt  will  not  be  sold 
under  five  shillings  a  bushel,  the  barleys  are  abundant. 
But  with  us  the  Hay  has  not  turn'd  out  an  average  crop. 
The  coveys  of  Partridges  are  not  less  numerous  than  last 
year,  but  are  deficient  in  quantity.  I  have  not  yet  seen 
one  Covey  exceeding  twelve,  and  the  greatest  number 
consists  of  five,  seven  and  nine  birds. 

God  Bless  you  and  believe  me  with  Mary's  most  affect. 
love  yours  most  truly, 

Gr.^ves. 


Lord  Paget 

Beau  Desert,  Aug.  12th,  1811. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  have  received  your  Pipe  today 
for  which  I  return  you  many  thanks.  It  is  a  very  good 
one  for  rough  work.     It  is  high  time  that  I  shd  get  out 


210  ARMY   MATTERS  [ch.  m 

of  your  debt  and  I  now  enclose  you  a  draft  for  60  gs.  which 
will  do  it  I  believe.  50  gs.  is  for  the  sale  of  "  Matilda  " 
and  10  gs.  for  the  Christening.  It  is  idleness  that  has  so 
long  stopped  me  from  doing  so,  not  mere  idleness  about 
writing,  but  idleness  about  ascertaining  what  stamp  was 
necessary.  I  am  so  stupid  about  these  matters  that  I 
am  eternally  running  the  risk  of  heavy  penalties. 

I  write  to  tell  you  that  I  am  not  going  abroad.  Why 
they  sent  for  me  I  know  not,  for  the  Duke  of  York  so  far 
from  wishing  me  to  serve  under  Ld  Wellington  told  me, 
as  he  had  told  the  Prince,  that  altho'  he  wd  not  oppose  the 
measure,  yet  that  he  could  by  no  means  advise  me  to  it. 
The  Prince  however  had  a  strong  desire  that  I  shd  serve 
until  all  the  difficulties  both  publick  and  private  had  been 
represented  to  me  {sic)  [?  him].  This  I  had  no  occasion 
to  do,  it  had  been  already  done,  and  when  I  went  to  him, 
I  found  him  fully  sensible  that  no  advantage  was  likely 
to  result  from  the  unusual  measure  of  waiving  my  Rank. 
There  was  still  another  thing  that  he  wished  me  to  do 
and  which  in  my  mind  and  in  that  of  all  I  spoke  to  upon 
the  subject  was  still  more  objectionable,  namely  that  of 
going  out  to  inspect,  report  upon,  and  in  part  reorganise 
the  Cavalry.  This  wd  really  have  been  too  insulting  to 
Ld  W.  and  (what  is  perhaps  of  less  consequence)  to  all 
his  Officers  of  Cavalry.  It  would  imply  that  both  He  and 
They  were  ignorant  of  the  management  and  application 
of  that  Arm  and  do  no  ultimate  good,  for  as  Edward  very 
justly  observed,  unless  I  could  take  out  with  me  a  parcel 
of  Heads  to  place  upon  their  Shoulders,  all  the  Chocolate 
I  might  deal  out  wd  avail  nothing.  This  project  therefore 
IS  given  up.  It  is  not  possible  for  anyone  to  receive  more 
flattering  marks  of  consideration  and  kindness  than  I  did, 
both  from  the  Prince  and  the  Duke  of  York,  and  altho' 
it  wd  have  been  quite  ruinous  to  me  and  mine  to  have 
stirred  at  this  moment,  yet  I  cannot  help  feeling  quite  dis- 
tressed that  I  was  unable  to  overcome  all  difficulties  and 
to  offer  my  Services.  I  conclude  however  that  I  shall 
not  be  allowed  to  remain  quiet  very  long.  .  .  .  Ever  affecly 
yours, 

Paget. 

These  detestable  stamps  are  again  bothering  me.  I 
have  a  parcel  of  them,  and  they  say  they  are  Receipt  Stamps. 


i8ii]  SHOOTING  ALL  DAY  211 

I  am  writing  to  Lowe  by  this  post  and  he  will  have  directions 
to  pay  you  60  guineas.  Let  me  hear  if  you  have  any  idea 
of  going  into  Wales.  I  shall  probably  go  about  the  8th 
or  loth  of  Septr,  I  think  it  wd  be  a  good  thing  to  do. 

Gen.  Hon.  Sir  Edward  Paget 

Beau  Desert,  1st  Septr,  181 1. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — I  have  used  you  abominably. 
Had  I  had  a  rifle  to  send,  you  would  have  heard  of  it  and 
of  me  before,  but  I  have  not.  I  had  one,  but  no  longer 
have.  Shooting  all  day,  and  sleeping  all  night,  I  have 
never  during  the  last  week  found  a  moment  to  write,  and 
into  the  bargain  Charles  always  gets  hold  of  what  little 
writing  apparatus  there  is  in  the  Gallery,  and  there  is  no 
stirring  him  from  it.  My  handwriting  shews  you  how  much 
I  am  out  of  practice.  Charles  and  I  have  had  our  con- 
versation in  full,  we  completely  agree  in  everything,  and 
he  has  written  to  you  what  we  both  think.  I  am  sorry 
to  hear  such  an  Account  of  "  Katerfelto,"  tho'  I  expected  no 
better.  He  is  the  last  man  in  England  I  would  buy  a 
Horse  from.  Mine  is  quite  perfect.  I  shot  two  Blackcocks 
from  his  back  a  day  or  two  ago.  If  your  party  is  with 
you  pray  remember  me  especially  to  the  Lady  Burghersh. 
Now  for  the  Paddocks,  being  Sunda}^  Tomorrow  to 
Burton.  I  will  write  to  you  more  at  length  and  more 
legibly  soon.  God  bless  you.  Kind  Love  to  Augusta. 
Ever  your  most  affectionate 

E.  P. 

Hon.  Berkeley  Paget 

Berkhampstead  Castle,  nth  Septr,  181 1. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  have  been  expecting  daily  to  hear 
your  decision  on  the  Rifle  I  last  sent  to  you.  Standenmayer 
is  anxious  to  know  your  determination. 

I  was  at  Oatlands  last  week,  we  had  the  Brummell  in 
very  great  force.  D[uke]  was  not  there.  He  left  Town 
on  Monday  for  Suffolk  to  review  troops  at  Ipswich,  and 
shoot  at  Yarmouth's  with  Ben,  who  is  gone  there  also. 
"  God  damn  you,  you  have  put  no  shot  in  my  Gun." 

Enniskillen  and  myself  went  to  Owen  WiUiams's,  and 
shot  two  days,  birds  wild,  scanty,  and  small,  the  weather 
sweltering.     No  scent.     So  we  killed  but  twelve  brace  in 


212  LORD   ENNISKILLEN'S   BULL  [cH.  iii 

the  two  days.  I  was  invited  to  shoot  at  Oatlands,  but  it 
was  so  hot,  that  I  dedined.  So  I  went  on  the  Thames  in 
a  Punt  with  Berkeley  Craven,  Alvanley,  and  Brummell, 
and  fished  for  Gudgeons  !  Not  bad.  We  did  not  laugh 
at  all ! 

What  success  have  you  and  your  Party  had  with  the 
Partridges  ?  Paget,  Edward,  and  Charles,  I'm  told,  shot 
at  Burton.  I  have  been  here  a  few  days  and  stay  till 
the  end  of  the  week  on  a  visit  to  the  maiden  cousins  ^  of 
Sophia,  who,  I  think,  are  likely  to  lead  a  life  of  celibacy. 

I  wish  you  had  been  with  Enniskillen  and  myself  shooting. 
He  was  greater  than  ever.  The  day  we  left  Town  together 
Charlotte  was  sitting  with  us  at  Dinner,  to  whom  he  thus 
address'd  himself,  "  My  dear  Charlotte,  you'll  send  my 
letters  to  Colnbrook,  and  if  there  is  anything  particular 
in  Balfour's  Letter,  I  desire  you'll  open  it."  There's  an 
Ingenuity  in  that  quite  unparallel'd. 

The  enclosed  is  not  bad.  It  is  the  fac-simile  of  a  Direc- 
tion of  a  Letter  given  to  Lord  Shaftesbury  to  frank. 

My  best  Love  to  Augusta.     Yrs  most  affly, 

B.  Paget. 

The  Pony  answer'd  my  most  anxious  expectations. 

Earl  of  Galloway 

PowTOUN,   September  i8th,  1811. 

Dear  Arthur, — "  What  says  the  Earle  ?  He  bids  you 
move  to  the  Head  of  the  Table.  Tell  the  Earle  that  where 
McDonald  sits,  that  is  the  head  of  the  Table."  Bravo  ! 
Jane  desired  me  to  insert  this  anecdote  of  the  Chief  of  the 
McDonalds,  invited  to  dine  with  a  Lord-Lieutenant  of 
Ireland,  and  arriving  too  late  took  the  vacant  seat  at  the 
low  end  of  the  Table,  perfectly  satisfied  until  presumed 
to  be  Inferior  in  place  by  being  desired  to  move  up  ;  this 
must  be  repeated  in  the  Scotch  accent  that  you  learnt  from 
poor  Willy  McDoual,  or  McDougal  as  you  called  him,  and 
it  will  read  well. 

I  do  not  like  to  lose  sight  of  you,  my  good  fellow,  and 
therefore  fire  a  shot  to  bring  another  when  I  shall  know 
where  you  are,  I  heard  you  was  to  go  to  Plas  Newydd 
with  a  Party,  perhaps  you  are  there  now  ;    we  expect  the 

1  The  Hon.  Charlotte  Grimston  and  her  sister  Harriet ;  they  both 
died  unmarried. 


i8ii]  A   HOSPITABLE   OFFER  213 

Enniskillens  tomorrow,  perhaps  he  can  tell  me  where  to 
direct  this.  How  is  Stewart  Henry  Paget,  and  his  Mother  ? 
I  suspect  he  will  be  a  McDonald  and  make  his  place  the 
Head  of  the  Table  now  he's  by  name  connected  with  a 
Scottish  Clan,  you  see  what  we  Chiefs  of  Clans  are — per- 
haps rather  were. 

1  have  had  my  sister,  Lady  Blandford,'  here,  and  her 
eldest  son  Sunderland,  a  very  fme  youth  in  every  respect, 
but  after  the  Enniskillens  go,  except  a  few  Batchelors,  we 
shall  be  Hermits  for  the  Winter.  I  much  regret  you  could 
not  with  Augusta  visit  us  this  Autumn  and  stay  thro'  the 
Winter,  this  is  an  admirable  Winter  Residence,  altho' 
the  Waves  roar  and  break  into  our  Garden,  we  are  perfectly 
sheltered  notwithstanding  and  always  dry,  and  bathing 
in  a  Machine  on  Sands  or  diving  oh  Rocks  every  day.  My 
Children  are  not  the  same  since  their  residence  here,  being 
so  improved  in  Health.  Now  what  have  you  to  do  so 
material  that  need  prevent  you  coming  Bag  and  Baggage 
Here  for  the  Winter,  and  before  which  sets  in  we  will  if 
you  please  [partie  quarree)  take  a  trip  to  Inverary  ;  after- 
wards growl  and  find  fault  over  a  good  Sea  Coal  fire  with 
the  Newspapers  at  all  parties,  a  grand  privilege  I  conceive, 
and  applicable  to  Britain  alone.  I  have  a  Bilhard  Table, 
an  old  Library,  a  little  game  of  all  sorts,  and  much  wild 
scenery  to  employ  both  time  and  Imagination,  and  nobody 
to  interrupt  us  or  to  annoy  ;  and  Wood-Cocks  are  coming. 
Now,  my  dear  fellow,  tho'  the  distance  alarms,  a  long 
residence  thro'  the  winter  compensates  the  fatigue  and 
trouble,  and  when  the  Sun  returns  we  will  both  Families 
together  break  forth  from  our  Retreat,  and  enter  the 
World  again,  for  this  retired  Corner  is  really  a  Retreat, 
tho'  all  chearful  and  gay  within  itself. 

October  is  the  best  month  in  the  year  to  travel.  How 
Jane  would  enjoy  the  idea  of  our  united  Famihes  for  one 
comfortable  winter  ;  as  you  may  suppose  here  are  plenty 
of  Rooms  etc.  calling  for  Inhabitants  and  indeed  society 
is  all  that  we  require  ;  think  upon  all  this  before  you  say 
No.  You  meant  it  once,  let  it  be  now.  Adio.  Yours 
ever  sincerely  and  truly, 

Galloway. 

1  Lady  Susan  Stewart  married  in  1791  the  Marquis  of  Blandford, 
afterwards  4th  Duke  of  Marlborough.  Her  eldest  son  here  mentioned 
succeeded  as  5th  Duke  in  1840. 


214  LADY  UXBRIDGE  [ch.  hi 

Enniskillen  is  just  arrived,  and  says  you  are  at  West 
Lodge,  he  also  says  you  have  promised  to  visit  him  in 
Ireland,  and  to  make  a  long  journey  from  Home,  now,  my 
dear  fellow,  what  winter  can  answer  better  than  this  ?  If 
you  will  Winter  here,  we  will  attend  you  to  Ireland  in  the 
Spring.     Another  year  we  may  be  all  right  aloft. 

You  must  remember  me  to  my  dear  little  Godson,  and 
he  must  tell  me  what  little  portable  present  he  would 
like  Godpapa  to  bring  with  him.  Godpapas  have  now 
only  to  take  Charge  of  les  menus  plaisirs  ;  formerly  we 
were  charged  with  Catechisms,  Morals  and  I  don't  know 
what ;  mats  les  temps  sont  hien  changes,  et  il  faut  changer 
atissi.  I  shall  enjoy  seeing  him  hereafter  shooting  and 
enjoying  G.  House — where  I  iind  most  young  people  always 
much  pleased  and  Happy. 

Countess  of  Uxbridge 

Plas  Newydd,  Sepr  24th,  1811. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — I  was  cruelly  disappointed  on 
opening  your  kind  letter,  having  flatter' d  myseh  it  would 
give  a  good  account  of  you  without  a  drawback.     I  sincerely 
grieve  that  your  poor  little  Boy  has  had  so  serious  an 
attack,   it  is  wonderful,   when   one   considers  the   tender 
and  deUcate  texture  of  a  child,  that  they  can  struggle  thro' 
so  frightful  a   complaint.     I   trust  in   God  the  next  Post 
will  set  my  mind  at  Ease  about  him.      I  am  happy  that 
you  have  a  little  got  the  use  of  yoi^r  hand.     I  think  I  am 
more  nervous  in  the  shooting  than  in  the  Hunting  season, 
but  I  suppose  it  is  because  you  are  all  shooters  and  not 
hunters.     A  sad  report  is  made  of  the  game  here,  your 
Brothers  went  out  without  success,  and  Edward ^las  again 
tried  in  vain  to  find  Birds.     I  am  persuaded  we  have  not 
fair  play.     I  hear  the  Mail  Coaches  are  loaded  with  game 
from  this  Island.     Never  do  I  remember  such  heavenly 
Weather  as  we  have  had  for  the  last  three  weeks,  but  a 
tremendous  Thunder  storm  has  changed  it,  the  eliects  of 
which  has  been  very  fatal  in  this  Neighbourhood,  three 
persons  having  lost  their  hves.     To  add  to  my  terror  it 
occurr'd  on  the  day  your  Brothers,  and  poor  dear  httle 
Charles,   left  this,  and  I  have  not  since  heard  of  them. 
Your  leather  and  Edward  unite  with  me  in  best  love  to 
you,   Lady  Augusta  and  httle  Oubh.     jJon't  do   what  is 


i8ii]  PLAS   NEWYDD  215 

very  usual,  excite  alarms  and  then  not  follow  up  reports 
by  writing  again.     I  am  ever  your  most  affectionate  Mother, 

J.    UXBRIDGE. 

Gen,  Hon.  Sir  Edward  Paget 

Plas  Newydd,  27  Sept.  181 1. 

My  Dear  Good  Arthur, — I  have  been  thoroughly  sorry 
to  hear  of  your  numerous  Disasters,  Contusions,  Blowings 
up,  ungovernable  Brays,  and  aiUng  Babes.  Your  Letter 
to  my  Mother  received  today  (for  which  she  desires  me  to 
give  you  a  thousand  thanks)  has  set  us  much  at  ease  ; 
but  why  do  you  tolerate,  and  why  have  you  tolerated  for 
one  moment  during  the  last  two  years  that  drunken,  foggy, 
chattering,  and  infernal  old  Hellcat  ?  She  is  really  much 
too  bad,  and  I  shall  think  both  you  and  Augusta  doating, 
if  you  don't  dispose  of  her  out  of  hand.  An  arrival — Col. 
and  Mrs.  Armstrong  from  Dubhn.  This  is  a  heavyish  Place 
on  hand.  I  hate  sailing — shooting  there  is  none — and  as 
to  riding,  you  might  as  well  go  riding  at  Bishops  Court. 
My  father  amazingly  bored,  and  wishing  to  get  away.  My 
Mother  amazing  unhappy,  and  wishing  him  to  stay.  All 
this  you  understand.  Then  I  have  a  dinner  and  ball 
before  me  next  week  at  Carnarvon.  Pleasant  !  I  saw 
Sir  Charles  Des  Voeux  ^  this  morning  at  Beaumaris,  as 
mad  as  need  be.  He  calls  my  Mother  Mrs.  Lemon.  If 
you  write  to  me,  tell  me  if  you  have  had  any  Shooting 
at  Handley.  By  the  by,  is  that  place  yet  sold  ?  and 
whether  the  Game  is  increased  in  quantity.  Has  my 
Friend,  Mr.  Paget,  been  with  you  yet  ?  Billy  Peacocke  has 
a  touch  of  the  Gout,  tho'  he  solemnly  assured  me  the  other 
day  that  he  never  drank  more  than  four  glasses  of  wine 
in  all  his  Life  at  one  Sitting,  and  that  Lord  Warwick  traced 
his  Descent  in  right  Line  from  Father  to  Son  for  upwards 
of  sixteen  Centuries.     Most  alfectionately  yours, 

E.  P. 

Hon.   H.  Pierrepont 
Cheveley  Park,  Newmarket,  Sept.  30/A,  1811. 
My  Dear  Arthur, — I  was  most  truly  sorry  to  hear  upon 
my  arrival  here  yesterday  that  you  had  had  a  very  serious 

1  Sir  Charles  Des  Voeux  had  married  one  of  Lady  Uxbridge's  sisters. 


2i6  ACCIDENT  TO  SIR  ARTHUR  [ch.  hi 

accident  with  your  gun,  and  had  hurt  your  hand  very 
considerably.  I  trust  however  not  so  as  to  receive  any 
permanent  mischief  from  it,  which  I  shall  be  very  glad  to 
hear  confirmed  from  yourself.  Did  it  happen  from  making 
use,  as  most  people  do,  of  a  spring  powder  horn  ?  I  have 
all  my  life  heard  of  the  danger  of  it,  and  have  always  gone 
on  in  the  practice,  but  this  will  I  think  be  a  warning  to 
me  to  discontinue  it.  I  have  been,  since  we  parted,  almost 
constantly  in  the  north,  where  I  had  some  tolerable  grouse 
shooting,  and  on  my  way  up  I  took  the  battle  ^  between 
Crib  and  the  Black,  which  was  the  worst  I  have  ever  seen, 
the  latter,  independent  of  his  bad  training,  is  an  arrant 
coward,  however  in  the  early  part  of  the  contest  he  applied 
his  strength  so  well  and  to  so  much  purpose,  that  it  was  very 
doubtful  for  the  first  three  or  four  rounds  who  would  be 
the  victor.  Were  you  not  a  good  deal  surprised  at  seeing 
that  Lord  William  Bentinck  *  was  returned  ?  All  I  know, 
or  have  heard  about  it,  is  from  the  Duke  of  York,  who 
says  that  Govt  are  well  satisfied  with  his  conduct  in  so 
doing.  He  would,  I  should  imagine,  hardly  do  it  upon 
light  grounds,  and  therefore  it  may  be  just  possible  that 
he  is  come  to  convince  Govt  of  the  necessity  of  taking 
entire  possession  of  Sicily.  If  this  is  so,  what  an  outcry 
there  will  be,  and  yet  I  really  believe  it  would  be  the  best 
thing  we  could  do.  The  Dukes  of  York  and  Cambridge 
arrived  here  yesterday,  and  the  former  desires  to  be  kindly 
remembered  to  you.  The  latter  is  better  than  ever  in  the 
questions  he  asks,  at  least  in  the  absurdity  of  them.  Most 
truly  and  sincerely  yrs, 

Henry  Pierrepont. 

I  hope  little  Oubli  is  well.  Have  you  done  anything 
about  my  Petersfield  boots  ? 

Col.  Leigh 
Six  Mile  Bottom,  Friday,  {Oct.,  1811]. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  am  very  sorry  to  find  you  suffer 
so  much  from  your  hand,  and  hope  this  may  find  it  quite 
recover'd.  Mrs.  Leigh  and  I  return  you  our  best  thanks 
for  the  venison,  which  I  did  not  deserve  as  you  say.  I 
am  sorry  to  add  that  I  have  not  seen  a  Horse  that  will  suit 

1  A  prize-fight.  *  Second  son  of  3rd  Duke  of  Portland. 


i8ii]  CHEVELEY  217 

you  yet.  The  Earl  of  Jersey  arrived  on  Tuesday  at  Cheve- 
ley,  they  have  had  a  very  large  party,  the  Dukes  of  York 
and  Cambridge,  Lords  Manners  and  Alvanley,  General  Finch 
and  Manners,  Count  Brummell,  Pierrepont  etc.  Tom 
Stepney  arrived  on  Wednesday,  they  sit  up  till  four  o'clock 
playing  at  whist.  Lord  Alvanley  and  Brummell  were  the 
losers.  The  size  of  the  Duke  of  York  is  enormous.  The 
Duke  of  Cambridge  did  not  come  to  the  races.  The  Dowager 
Duchess  arrived  at  Cheveley  yesterday.  I  heard  from 
Charles  Manners  the  other  day  both  him  and  Bob  were  well. 
Chester  dined  with  me  the  other  day,  he  was  in  high  force, 
he  is  now  at  Cheveley.  The  Regent,  when  he  was  at  Lord 
Hertford's  went  out  a  shooting,  was  satisfied  with  one 
turnip  field,  then  went  home  and  went  to  Bed.  The  Duke 
of  Cambridge  had  two  very  clever  saddle  horses  with  him, 
he  is  now  at  a  Mr.  Johnson's,  who  has  got  Sir  James  Pul- 
teney's  place  in  Norfolk.  I  am  very  sorry  to  hear  your 
little  Boy  has  been  so  ill,  and  trust  my  little  friend  is  quite 
well,  with  my  best  respects  to  Lady  Augusta.  Lord  Rivers 
has  not  made  his  appearance  at  the  Hare  Park,  his  Grey- 
hounds are  all  ill,  he  has  lost  two  of  them.  I  hear  the 
Lord  of  the  Treasury  is  gone  to  the  Sea  ;  the  Count  desired 
to  be  remembered  to  you.  Believe  me  to  be  very  sincerely 
yours, 

G.  Leigh. 

Earl  of  Enniskillen 

Florence  Court,  October  9,  1811. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  have  this  moment  heard  of  your 
accident,  and  your  dear  little  Boy  having  been  ill ;  you 
will  much  oblige  Charlotte  and  I  if  you  will  let  us  know 
how  you  are  etc.  We  are  most  anxious  about  you  at  any 
rate.  We  have  been  here  a  week,  and  had  a  long  and 
tedious  journey.  Our  weather  is  very  bad ;  tho'  the 
mountains  are  full  of  Game,  I  cannot  go  out.  We  have 
such  constant  rain.  I  must  join  my  Regt  in  Dublin  on 
the  25th,  of  course  shall  have  much  hard  drinking  with 
the  old  Boy  of  Richmond,^  who  has  kept  it  up  pretty 
warmly  the  entire  summer.  Charlotte  joins  in  kindest 
Wishes  to  Lady  Augusta.     Ever  most  sincerely, 

ENNISKILLEN. 
1  The  Duke  of  Kichmond,  Lord  Lieutenant. 


2i8  COL.   PEACOCKE  [ch.  hi 

Gen.  Hon.  Sir  Edward  Paget 

Plas  Newydd,  14  Oct.  181 1, 

My  Dear  Arthur, — The   last  account  of  your  Hand 

(2d  Inst.)  was  so  far  from  satisfactory,  that  I  begin  to  be 

anxious  to   hear   again   from   you.     That   my  friend,   Mr 

Paget,   should    have  had    such  good  Sport  at  Handley  I 

am  delighted  to  hear  perhaps  at  least  as  much  on  my  own 

account  as  on  his,  as  I  Hatter  myself,  if  you  hold  on  another 

year,  I  shall  be  among  'em.     I  was  sorry  to  read  the  latter 

part  of  your  Letter,  as  it  would  seem  the  Breach  is  widening 

instead  of  closing.     The  Letter  to  Lowe  I  have  not  seen. 

How  goes  on  your  Boy,  not  murder' d  I  hope  with  little 

Oubli  by  the  Ould  Hill  Cob.     I  dehver'd  your  Remembrance 

to  Peacocke,    who  was  well  pleased  and  told  me  in  the 

Course  of  the  day  that  Ireland  could  supply  Two  Million 

of  Men  to  the  Army  and   Navy  without  missing  a  Man  ! 

"What?   not  miss  one  Man,  Peacocke?"     "No!  not  one 

Man,    I   give   you   My   Oath  ! "      We   have  had   dreadful 

weather  here  the  last  ten  days.     The  Coast  cover' d  with 

wreck.     I   had   some  thoughts  of  going  to   Ireland,    but 

these  horrors  are  so  discouraging  that  I  think  I  shall  quietly 

return  into  Staffordshire  in  about  a  fortnight.     I  suppose 

that  by  that  time  they  will  be  thinking  of  moving  from 

home,   but  where  to   I   know   not.     My  father  of  course 

wants  to  go  to  Town,  my  Mother  of  course  has  a  horror 

of  it.     The  Surrender  of  Beau  Desert,  I  fancy,  they  both 

begin  to  think  was  a  grand  mistake  in  Politicks.     I  wonder 

whether  the  King  of  Prussia  will  commit  a  similar  one 

with  regard  to  Colberg  and  Grandenitz.     If  He  does,  woe 

betide  Him,  and  if   He  does  not,  I  fear  woe  betide  him. 

Believe  me  ever  most  affectionately  yours,  E.  P. 

Sir  Harry  Fetherstone 

Octr  21st,  1 81 1. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  must  inquire  how  the  little  boy 
is  going  on,  how  you  are  yourseh  etc.  It  seems  a  long 
time  since  I  had  the  pleasure  of  hearing  about  these  matters. 
After  all  that  rain,  what  dehghtful  weather  since  !  which  I 
have  been  enjoying  in  my  usual  mode,  that  of  lounging, 
for  I  have  hardly  used  my  gun  except  to  kill  a  few  young 
pheasants  for  Lady  Sefton,     It  is  not  quite  so  bad  a  year 


i8ii]  SIR   HARRY'S  INTENTIONS  219 

for  them  below  the  hill  as  Barton  announced,  and  Eames 
thinks  it  better  than  the  last  with  him,  but  as  the  hedge- 
row shooting  in  autumn  depends  upon  a  productive  season 
(at  least  to  have  it  in  perfection),  I  don't  Uke  a.  less  Hvely 
thing  than  usual.     Charles  is  certainly  out  of  luck  this 
should  happen  a.d.  181 1,  and  I  infinitely  more  regret  it 
on  his  account  than  my  own,  for  I  really  can  amuse  myself 
very  well  without  that  incessant  discharge  of  field-pieces 
so  essential  to   all  fashionable  sportsmen  of  the  present 
generation.     Charles  and  Mrs.  Paget  with  the  children  have 
been  at  E.  Bourne  these  ten  days,  they  talked  of  returning 
about  this  time,  but  certainty  is  not  the  order  of  the  day. 
You  was  probably  prepared  for  Ld  Wellington's  dispatch 
as  well  as  myself,  non-obstant  the  depositions  of  Captains 
and  Gentlemen  just  landed.     The  same  humbug  will  go  on 
to  the  end  of  the  chapter  :    what    or  when  that  will  be  I 
know  not,  but  I  know  what  it  will  not  be.     The  Prince  is 
expected  at  Brighton  this  week,  and  report  says  for  the 
purpose  of  a  military  tour,  and  a  visit  to  Portsmouth.     If 
he  be  determined  not  to  be  out-dune  by  Napoleon,  I  would 
recommend  him  to  read  the  fable  of  the  ox  and  the  frog. 
The  Whigs  expect  to  be  left  in  the  lurch  ;   will  he  also  play 
the  Irish  the  same  trick  ?     Tho'  these  things  are  of  as  httle 
importance  to  mc  as  possible,  they  are  nevertheless  objects 
of  curiosity,  and  in  that  respect  there  can  hardly  be  a  more 
interesting  time  to  live  in  than  the  present.     The  New- 
market meetings  have  been  hitherto  flat  ;    large  parties 
and  deep  Whist  at  Cheveley^;     Brummell  and  Alvanley 
the  losers.      I  never  hear  or  read  of  these  grand  parties, 
which  are  represented  as  ahnost  a  chef  d'ceuvre  for  Aladdin's 
lamp,  that  I  don't  hug  myself  on  not  being  one  of  them. 
I  am  amusing  myself  with  beginning  "  my  reminiscences 
pendant  un  sejour  de  35  ans  dans  ce  qu'on  appelle  le  grand 
monde  :  "    but  they  shall  not  be  pubHshed  till  after  my 
exit.     Brighton  is  full  in  all  ways,  for  it  is  full  of  expecta- 
tion of  the  Prince's  presence  ;   many  are  in  waiting  already 
for  their  respective  Chiefs,   Mrs.   Carey  *  of  the  number. 
My  neighbour.   General  Hugonin,   who  has  been  passing 
three  or  four  days  here,   says  that  in  his  regiment  (the 
4th  Dragoons)  they  have  but  300   eftective  horses,   tho' 
none  have  been  lost  in  action.     Yet  Government  with  all 

1  Cheveley  near  Newmarket,  then  belonged  to  the  Duke  of  Rutland. 
-  A  chire  amie  of  the  Duke  of  York, 


220  "  OU  PEUT  ON  ETRE  MIEUX  ?  "  [ch.  hi 

these  facts  staring  them  in  the  face  will  persevere  in  the 
contest.  One  might  use  that  beautiful  Apostrophe  of 
Charles  Fox's  "  Oh  !    Cervantes  etc." 

My  kindest  regards  to  Lady  Augusta.  Has  the  little 
girl  got  Bony  dandling  the  King  of  Rome  ?  a  kind  of  paste- 
board toy,  quite  capital !     Yours  ever, 

H.  Fetherstone. 

Sir  Harry  Fetherstone 

27th  [Oct.  ?],  1811. 
My  Dear  Arthur, — Our  letters  must  have  met  chemin 
faisant,  but  tho'  I  have  so  lately  exhausted  all  my  little 
store  of  prose,  I  will  express  my  satisfaction  on  your  having 
come  to   some   decision  with  regard   to   West   Lodge.     I 
know  of  no  case  where  uncertainty  is  attended  with  more 
unpleasant  inconveniences  than  in  that  of  residence.     The 
difficulty  of  making  any  purchase  to   your  mind  would 
always  have  been  great,  and  much  more  is  to  be  done  after- 
wards, before  all  necessary  appendages  can  be  completed, 
independent  of  the  great  expence  attached  to  a  general 
move.     West  Lodge  is  a  place  you  like,  and  certainly  a 
dehghtful  spot ;    you  have  already  expended  much  there 
in  fixtures  and  done  much  to  make  the  living  rooms  ex- 
tremely comfortable.     If  therefore  Ld  Rivers  will  insure 
a  term  to  you,  and  you  can  obtain  the  additional  quantity 
of  land  you  wish  for,  "  oil  petit  on  etre  mieux  ?  "     He  ought 
to  do  this,  but  will  bear  reminding  on  the  subject,  as  I 
have  hinted  before.     When  the  term  of  years  is  certain, 
any  improvements  you  may  wish  to  make  will  be  entered 
upon  with  infinitely  more  pleasure  and  alacrity,  and  (his 
Lordship  furnishing  certain  materials  as  he  ought)  com- 
pleted at   less  expence.     In  not   looking  forward  beyond 
your  own  life  in  a  country  residence  I  can  see  no  room  for 
regret,  as  the  means  will  equally  remain  for  making  such 
provision,  as  any  other  view  of  the  subject  might  require, 
but  en  attendant  you  lose  no  time  in  obtaining  something 
to  a  degree  permanent.     Lord  Rivers  must  agree  to  make 
it  so,  before  my  argument  will  hold  good.     As  for  laughing 
at  your  eagerness  in  following  up  any  thing  which  can  gain 
your  attention,  I  should  be  much  more  hkely  to  envy  it, 
had  I  not  now  a  reasonable  portion  of  it  myself.     The 
magvitude  of  a  concern  is  by  no  means  necessary  for  that 
purpose,  very  often  militates  against  it  as  involving  more 


i8ii]  "SUFFICIENT  UNTO  THE  DAY"  221 

of  anxiety  than  is  consistent  with  pleasure  and  amusement. 
Therefore  I  can  not  wish  you  more  substantial  comfort  than 
increased  interest  in  all  home  pursuits,  which  most  effect- 
ually drive  away  ennui,  and  create  those  resources  alone 
to   be   depended   upon.     We  have   both   seen   enough   of 
those  in  the  grand  monde  not  to  set  much  permanent  value 
upon  them.     Do  you  mean  another  letter  from  P.  to  Mr. 
Lowe  ?     You  showed  me  one  certainly  strong  enough  as 
far  as  expressing  the  different  view  he  entertained  upon  the 
subject  in  question.     Has  Lord  U.  no  recollection  of  his 
intentions  towards  you,  for  they  would  speak  most  forcibly  ? 
It  is  quite  unnecessary  for  me,  I  trust,  to  assure  that  I  am 
a  safe  person.     Charles  is  not  yet  returned  :    he  is  not 
yet  bit  with  home.     I  know  nothing  more  of  Grandees  : 
"  sufficient   unto    the  day   etc."     Lady   Sef ton's  recovery 
is  going  on  rapidly.     They  come  here  the  end  of  next  month 
at  all  events,  and  /  hope  will  help  me  out  with  the  others. 
The  Regent  is  expected  at  Brighton  and  Portsmouth  ;    if 
ever  he  should  pay  a  visit  here  again,  P.  will  indeed  show 
his  influence,  for  my  enemies,  God  help  them,  have  been 
great   and   numerous.     Nothing  however   will  ever   again 
draw  me  from  retirement.      If  I  am  not  to  ask  you  for  this 
year,  remember  I  may  for  the  next  ;    therefore  after  the 
expiration  of  181 1  I  shall  not  cease  to  propose  it  for  your 
consideration  with  a  view  to  my  own  gratification,  which 
may,   I   trust,   be  met  without  the    slightest  desagremeni 
to  Lady  Augusta,  yourself,  or  the  young  ones.     My  kindest 
regards  under  that  expectation.     I  rejoice  in  the  account 
you  give  of  the  little  fellow,  and  shall  expect  Oubli  to  call 
me  by  my  long  name  when  we  meet.     I  have  despatched 
2  brace  of  pheasants  to-day  to  Uxbridge  House,  but  fear 
they  are  not  of  this  year.     The  Scarboroughs  are  at  Bath, 
for  his   spasms  of   course.     I   have  not   shot   above   two 
days  from   having   other   occupations.     Ihe  rain  is   tre- 
mendous.    Yours  ever, 

H.  F. 

Ho^t.  Berkeley  Paget 

Eastbourne,  lOth  Now,  181 1. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — You  will  see  by  the  enclosed  that 
your  Property  has  not  at  present  been  reported  to  the 
Treasury  as  arrived,  consequently  no  order  can  have  been 
issued  for  its  Release  from  the  Custom  House.  Harrison 
will  be  sure  not  to  neglect  doing  every  thing  proper,  when 


222  THE   REGENT  AGAIN  [ch.  hi 

the  necessary  communication  from  the  Foreign  Office 
reaches  the  Treasury,  at  which  Place  you  see  Ben  now 
holds  his  Council.  He  takes  possession  of  our  Board  Room 
— because  it  is  hung  with  Crimson  Damask,  and  there  is  a 
large  carved  and  gilt  Chair  elevated  two  feet  from  the 
Ground,  in  which  he  deposits  his  Great  Back- side. 

You  see  how  he  has  been  amusing  himself  at  Brighton. 
I  fancy  his  whole  soul  is  wrapped  up  in  Hussar  Saddles, 
Caps,  Cuirasses,  and  Sword-Beits.  Isn't  he  quite  childish  ? 
What  new  whim  has  he  got  into  his  head  now  ?  Didn't  you 
see  that  he  dismiss'd  each  Horse  with  a  "  tap  of  his  Cane  "  ? 
He  has  heard  that  that  is  a  German,  or  Prussian,  Custom, 
or  some  Nonsense  of  that  kind.  What  a  Pity  it  is  that 
you  are  not  a  Hussar  now.  You  would  be  in  high  favour 
again,  now  that  Rage  is  upon  him.  On  the  return  of 
common  sense  he  will  perhaps  find  out  that  your  Head 
may  be  of  some  use  to  him.  I  wish  he  had  it  now.  Pray 
tell  me  if  you  have  read  "  Leckie's  Historical  Survey," 
and  if  you  have,  what  your  opinion  of  the  Book  is.  I 
you  have  not,  pray  get  it.  I  have  been  poring  over  it  till 
I  am  almost  crazy.  I  know  he  is  call'd  visionary,  chimerical, 
and  mad — but  there  is,  I  think,  much  Method  in  his  Mad- 
ness. He  sits  with  me  in  London  for  hours  together  and 
I  am  always  most  gratified  with  his  Conversation  and 
Remarks.  This  may  perhaps  make  me  think  more  favor- 
ably of  his  Book.  Being  no  Politician,  and  quite  ignorant 
of  the  different  relations  of  Foreign  Courts,  I  am  to  be  sure 
a  bad  judge  of  a  Work  of  such  a  nature,  and  therefore  wish 
much  to  have  your  opinion,  who  are  so  conversant  in  such 
intricate  aftairs.     Pray  let  me  hear  from  you. 

I  go  tomorrow  towards  Ramsgate,  which  I  shaU  not 
reach  till  Wednesday  or  Thursday,  as  I  mean  to  stop  a  day 
or  two  at  Dover  to  have  a  look  at  the  Privateers,  which, 
I  see  by  every  day's  Newspaper,  are  hovering  about  that 
Coast.  Thank  God,  the  Duke  of  Clarence  has  taken  his 
departure.  I  am  however  apprehensive  of  being  made 
sick  by  the  sight  of  Mr.  W.  Pole  ^  sighing  for  Miss  Long. 

Adieu,  our  kind  Love  to  Augusta.  Excuse  this  dry 
composition  and  believe  me  most  affly  yrs, 

Bartolo. 

^  Mr.  William  Wellesley-Pole  married  Miss  Tylney-Long,  the  great 
heiress  of  that  day,  after  she  was  said  to  have  refused  the  hand  of  the 
Duke  of  Clarence. 


i8ii]  HOOPING-COUGH  223 

Gen.  Hon.  Sir  Edward  Paget 

Plas  Newydd,  i4<A  Novr,  181 1. 

My  Dear  Good  Arthur, — I  have  indeed  been  a  sad  long 
time  in  your  debt,  and  I  doubt  not  you  will  be  somewhat 
amazed  to  find  my  letter  with  the  above  date.     It  was  my 
Intention  to  have  been  in  Staffordshire  a  fortnight  ago, 
but  my  poor  lad  has  had  so  bad  a  cough  that  I  have  been 
delayed,  and  am  only  now  preparing  to  move  in  conse- 
quence of  the  Doctors  being  of  opinion  that  change  (of 
air)  may  be  beneficial.     On  Saturday  or  Sunday  I  propose 
to  set  off,  and  where  upon  Earth  do  you  suppose  to  ?     To 
London  !     The  fact  is,  that  it  has  been  suggested  that  ii 
may  possibly  be  the  Hooping-Cough  now,  tho'  the  Doctor 
denies  it ;  still  the  Doctor  may  be  wrong  and  at  all  Events 
under  the  Circumstances   it  is  out  of  the  question  to  go 
within  breathing  distance  of  Houses  full  of  Children.     Ac- 
cordingly to  London  I  must  go,  and  subsequently  to  Sur- 
biton,  if  the  Hooping-Cough  is  confirmed.     Pleasant !     I 
hope  your  young  ones  and  your  old  one  too  keep  clear  of 
all  ailments,  for  if  you  have  not  better  nerves  than  I  have, 
they  make  sad  Havoc  on  the  Spirits.     It  has  never  ceased 
for  six  weeks  to  rain,  and  to  blow  until  this  moment,  and 
it  is  now  snowing.   My  Father  and  Mother  leave  Plas  Newydd 
on  Monday.     I  return  you  Lowe's  Letter,  many  thanks  for 
the  Perusal.     The  Subject  is  too  deep  for  me  to  enter  upon 
at  present  in  a  Snow-Storm — heart  sick — and  anticipating 
Welsh  roads,  Welsh  Inns  and  Uxbridge  House  in  the  month 
of  November.     Ever  most  affectionately  yrs,  E.  P. 

Duke  of  Argyll  Saturday,  [181 1.] 

We  have  in  Family  17  Men  and  Women  including  Stable 
people,  Laundry-Maids  &c.  who  cost  in  Wages  and  Board 
Wages,  as  per  list  with  names  and  sums  before  £1210.14.8. 
Servants'   Clothes,  Hats,   lace,  buttons  &c  as 
per  account    ...... 

Three  Coach  horses  &  one  Saddle  horse    . 

An  extravagant  allowance  of  a  Dinner  for  four 

each  day  £1  per  head     ..... 

v^oais  ........ 

Wine   ........ 

Leaving  for  my  Clothes  and  washing 

and  leaving  Caroline's  income  untouched. 
16 


£268. 

6.0 

400. 

0.0 

1450. 

200. 

0.0 

300. 

0.0 

172. 

0.0 

224  A  SAD  STATE  OF  THINGS  [ch.  hi 

I  know  that  there  are  a  few  articles  omitted,  but  then 
I  think  I  have  overcharged  many  things  particularly 
Dinners,  and  I  know  I  have  more  servants  than  are  abso- 
lutely necessary  for  any  purpose — we  shall  always  travel 
with  our  own  horses.   .   .   . 

I  am  determined  to  be  beforehand  with  yr  Calculations, 
so  send  off  this  rough  idea  of  our  future  proceedings.  About 
Monday  week  you  shall  have  more  detailed  account.  I 
saw  P.,  but  all  that  he  had  to  say  I  was  aware  of.  However 
we  shook  hands,  and  were  very  glad  to  see  each  other.  .  .  . 
Adieu.     Ever  yrs, 

Argyll. 

Note.' — As  we  are  trying  Housekeeping  some  saving  may 
be  expected  here. 

Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

Fair  Oak,  [Nov.]  i8ii. 

My  good  and  excellent  dear  fellow,  your  letter  I  received 
yesterday  did  not  give  me  a  pleasant  feel.  Sometimes 
one  does  get  a  Letter,  the  purport  of  which  preys  upon 
the  mind  the  rest  of  the  day,  and  that  effect  your  few  lines 
produced.  Another  of  the  same  cast  from  old  Ned  estab- 
lished my  vapours  for  the  day.  His  was  an  account  of  our 
poor  old  Father,  whom  he  described  to  be  in  a  state  of 
depression  such  as  he  had  never  known  his  spirits  to  have 
reached.  That  with  a  degree  of  irritation  and  restlessness 
with  an  incessant  desire  to  remove  from  Plas  Newydd  had 
greatly  vexed  and  perplexed  my  mother,  and  old  Ned's 
account  was  therefore  altogether  as  dreary  as  could  well 
be  imagined,  for  he  I  fear  rightly  judges  that  it  is  not  only 
the  desire  to  quit  Wales  to  go  to  Bath,  but  .  .  .  What  a  dread- 
ful reflection  !  The  part  of  your  Letter  which  annoyed 
me  was  an  allusion  to  Paget,  whose  Letter  to  Lowe  you 
described  to  be  so  totally  at  variance  with  your  wishes,  and 
interests,  and  so  entirely  on  the  contrary  friendly  to  his 
own.     This  is  therefore  a  sad  state  of  things. 

A  Parent  in  a  state  of  decrepitude  which  precludes  his 
justly  estimating  the  impoverished  state,  in  which  he  will 
leave  us  all,  and  an  elder  Brother,  from  whom  we  have  no 
reason  to  expect  a  more  favorable  state  of  circumstances, 
when  he  comes  into  the  possession  of  the  family  property. 
This  is  not  cheering,  not,  and  I  shall  not  be  surprized  to 
hear  from  you,  since  you  have  received  so  unsatisfactory  a 


i8ii]  ADMIRAL  AYLMER  225 

Letter  from  Lowe,  that  you  have  adopted  the  course  you 
had  in  contemplation  of  appeahng  to  my  father,  before 
it  is  too  late.  For  the  Month  I  was  inseparable  from  Paget 
he  avoided  any  allusion  whatever  either  to  yours,  or  my 
finances,  tho'  he  did  not  observe  the  same  hne  about  the 
extravagances  and  enormous  expenditure  of  the  Heads  of 
the  family,  of  which  he  occasionally  bitterly  complained. 
It  would  have  been  of  no  use  for  me  to  have  said,  "  It's 
very  true,  Paget,  they  do  swag  away — that's  certain,  but 
you  have  had  your  full  share  of  it,  and  have  lately,  that 
is  within  these  two  years,  cost  my  father  from  Thirty  to 
Forty  Thousand  Pounds,  and  therefore  you  have  no  right 
to  complain  of  their  extravagances."  If,  my  old  Boy,  I 
had  said  that,  I  should  have  said  what  is  true,  but  no 
good  would  have  been  obtained,  on  the  contrary  hann,  and 
therefore  all  I  did  was  to  listen  to  these  occasional  confi- 
dential harangues.  It  at  this  instant  occurs  to  me  that 
he  did  once  allude  to  us  by  stating  to  me  that  at  one  of  the 
financial  discussions  at  Plas  Newydd  in  the  presence  of  Ld 
and  Ly  Uxbridge,  and  Sanderson,  it  was  resolved  that  the 
interest  was  not  to  be  receiv'd  from  us  for  the  last  Loan, 
which  will  make  to  you  a  difference  of  iz50,  and  £150 
to  me  annually.     That's  just  something. 

Paget  is  now  totally  and  entirely  in  Aylmer's  hands,  and 
from  my  knowledge  of  the  disposition  of  that  man,  espe- 
cially in  regard  to  his  Idea  of  the  whole  mass  of  the  immense 
concern  being  absorbed  entirely  by  the  heir  to  it,  I  should 
very  much  fear  that  a  permanent  accommodation  to  us 
would  by  his,  as  well  as  the  advice  and  influence  of  his 
coadjutor,  meet  with  successful  opposition. 

Ayhner  has  absolutely  possession  of  Paget.  His  opinion 
of  him  is  that  no  other  Man  could  have  retrieved  the  family 
from  positive  Bankruptcy,  and  you  may  rely  upon  it,  if  he 
does  not  possess  it  already,  he  soon  will  possess  an  uncon- 
trolled Government  over  the  whole  estabhshment. 

Sanderson,*  poor  fellow,  is  sadly  chapfallen,  httle  short 

»  Sanderson,  hitherto  Lord  Uxbridge's  confidential  agent  and  adviser, 
now  supposed  himself  to  be  superseded  by  "  the  Admirals  " — Aylmer  and 
another,  whose  name  does  not  transpire — but  Edward  Paget  wrote  later, 
"  Sanderson  has  been  playing  the  spoilt  child  a  Uttle,  .  .  .  All  is  amicably 
adjusted.  Sanderson  succeeds  Carey  with  £600  per  ann.  .  .  .  Aylmer 
as  general  land-agent.  My  Father  very  wisely  washes  his  hands  of 
the  whole  concern,  and  Paget  takes  upon  himself  the  whole  trouble.  It 
has  been  a  damd  squabble  and  as  in  all  squabbles  all  parties  wrong." 


226  DIFFICULTIES  [ch.  hi 

of  broken  hearted.  The  last  thing  I  did  was  to  give  him 
some  friendly  advice,  and  to  assure  him  of  my  undiminished 
regard  and  friendship  for  him.  Expressions  had  fallen 
from  Paget,  which  had  wounded  him  more  than  all  the 
other  vexations  put  together,  but  he  had,  I  believe,  by  his 
own  disposition  to  view  things  in  an  unfavourable  point 
of  view,  exaggerated  to  me  what  had  passed  between  Paget 
and  himself.     Tho'  I  beheve  it  bad  enough.  ...        C.  P. 

Lord  Paget 

.  .  .,  1811. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  have  received  yours  and  Charles' 
joint  letter  which  is  everything  that  could  be  wished.     I 
discharge  a  most  painful  duty  in  frankly  stating  to  you  my 
opinion  of  the  situation  of  Affairs.     I  think  them  almost 
desperate  and  that  nothing  but  general  good  management 
and  steadiness  can  retrieve  them.      One  or  two  facts  will 
prove  to  you  that  I  have  reason  for  what  I  say.     Oppressed 
as  this  property  is  by  debt,  it  was  determined  if  possible 
to  scramble  on  without  further  loans.     As  however  not 
one  guinea  of  the  Xmas  rents  was  left  it  was  found  necessary 
in  order  to  obtain  a  little  money  for  the  supply  of  the 
butcher  and  baker  at  Ux.  House  to  order  an  immediate 
sale  of  timber  and  to  get  the  bills  discoimted  !  !  !     Within 
a  few  days  of  this  decision,  such  representations  were  made 
of  your  difficulties,   of  Charles',   of  my  own  and  of  my 
father's  that  a  Loan  became  necessary,   and  I  abruptly 
announced  it,  as  I  believe  I  described  to  you.     Well — that 
very  night  an  advertisement  appeared  announcing  the  sale 
by  auction  of  a  fee-farm  Rent-Charge  upon  the  Uxbridge 
Estates — a  burden  which  it  has  long  been  in  contemplation 
to  get  rid  of  if  possible.     Thus  within  a  fortnight  after  the 
most  rigid  determination   not  to   borrow,   did  it   become 
necessary  to   borrow  £44,000  !  !  !      Now  it   wd   be  really 
most  comfortable  if  we  cd  all  have  our    money  without 
pa^dng  for  it,  but  can  it  be  proposed  ?    My  father  is  actually 
exceeding  his  Income.     By  Sanderson's  Calculations  there 
will  this  very  year  be  a  deficit  of  £11,000.     Unless  therefore 
some  means  is  found  of  reducing  the  Casualties  (by  which 
is  meant  expenses  unforeseen)  it  requires  no  conjuring  to 
discover  what  will  be  the  end  of  all  this.     I  have  been 
talking  to   Edward  about   it — he   seems   safe  and   above 
water — I  wish  I  could  have  seen  you  and  Charles.     It  is  so 


i8ii]  "DIABLE  M'EMPORTE"  227 

easy  to  talk,  so  difficult  to  write.     I  would  have  run  down, 
but  I  have  not  de  quoi  payer  les  chcvaux  de  poste — diahle 
m'emporte — In  the  meantime  I  am  open  to  any  suggestion, 
plan,  or  contrivance  that  you  may  be  incHned  to  make. 
The  true  way  is  to  look  difficulties  in  the  face  with  com- 
posure and  good  humour  and  always  to  know  the  worst. 
Do  not  in  despair  or  in  haste  break  up  an  establishment, 
or  lay  down  anything  of  consequence,  but  quietly  consider 
what  is  best  to  be  done,  and  above  all  engage  Charles  to  a 
very  minute  investigation  of  his  outgoings  and  his  means. 
One  grand  faihng  with  us  all  (besides  extravagance)  has 
been  the  not  getting  our  money's  worth.     For  myself  I 
am  most  free  to  confess  that  I  hrmly  believe  a  good  manager 
wd  have  lived  with  half  my  expence  much  more  honorably, 
creditably  and  comfortably,  than  I  have  done.     You  seem 
to  be  doing  better,  but  Charles  has,  I  fear,  httle  more  to 
boast  of  than  myself.     I  think  we  had  better  club  estabhsh- 
ments  for  a  year,  hire  a  barrack,  and  place  ourselves  under 
Graves    for    instruction.     Indeed    my    dear    Arthur,    the 
aspect  of  affairs  is  most  serious.     When  I  think  of  increasing 
families,  of  those  that  now  exist  growing  up,  of  all  the 
collateral  branches,  of  probable,   nay  I   may  say,   certain 
election  contests,  of  the  precariousness  of  mines,  of  a  third 
generation  nearly  coming  into  play,  when  I  think  of  all 
this  and  of  much  more  that  I  have  to  think  of,  I  own  I 
am  nervous,  very  nervous.     In  the  meantime  my  income 
is  reduced  £2555  per  annum  !     I  am  living  at  the  rate  of 
about  eight,  and  curse  me  if  ever  I  have  a  dinner  that 
Mr.  Anybody  would  not  be  ashamed  to  sit  down  to  !     My 
lady  and  I  have  just  calculated  that  she  has  cost  me  £20,000 
for  the  ist  divorce — £10,000  for  the  2nd  and  £1000  a  year 
for  Her  Grace — and  I  must  admit  I  find  her  a  good  and 
cheap    bargain,    notwithstanding.     I    have   just    seen    my 
father   and   Sanderson.     I   read   your   letter,   with   which 
he  is  pleased,   but  he  seems  perfectly  firm  in  his  deter- 
mination not  to  increase  his  difficulties.     You  will  easily 
see  by  my  former  statement  that,  if  he  had  the  will,  he  really 
does  not  at  present  possess  the  means  of  giving  the  money, 
the  loan  of  which  he  sanctions,  and  he  is  averse  to  adding 
to  his  present  outgoings  the  interest  upon  the  loan. 

He  is  gone  on  to  Surbiton  for  the  night  and  I  think  he 
looks  remarkabl}^  well  today.     Adieu,  my  dear  brothers — 

Paget. 


228  MR.   ILLINGWORTH  [ch.  m 

Rev.  G.  Illingworth  * 

TiDWORTH,  [?  1811]. 

Dear  Paget, — Monday,  Tuesday,  Wednesday  and  Thurs- 
day of  this  ill-omened  week  have  I  dined  with  my  honoured 
father-in-law,*  and  four  more  such  dinners  and  evenings 
afterwards  I  hope  not  to  experience  for  some  time  again 
— it  is  more  than  I  can  endure,  and  nothing  but  the  dread 
that  my  spouse  would  be  forbid  seeing  her  sister  could 
prevent  my  refusing  ever  again  to  enter  the  doors  of  so 
disagreeable  a  beast,  he  absolutely  gets  worse  and  worse. 
Thank  Heaven  he  is  off  on  Monday,  and  except  for  a  few 
days  at  Easter,  Tidworth  sees  no  more  of  him  till  next 
September.  .  .  . 

Rev.  G.  Illingworth 

Dantsey,  Deer  3,  1811. 

Dear  Paget, — .  .  .  I  passed  three  days  of  the  last  week 
and  I  am  doing  the  same  this  week  with  my  poor  friend 
Ld  P.* — he  is  very,  very  unwell,  and  labours  under  a 
complication  of  maladies ;  still  there  seems  to  be  such  a 
strength  of  stamina  that  I  shall  not  be  surprized  at  his 
Ungering  on  for  many  years,  his  clearness  of  understanding, 
and  natural  cheerfulness,  and  good  spirits  continue  in 
spite  of  his  illness.  I  return  home  on  Saturday,  but  pro- 
bably shall  come  to  him  again  in  the  course  of  next  week  for 
a  day  or  two.  With  regard  to  his  wine  I  can  only  say 
that  it  is  the  very  best  I  ever  drank,  he  has  had  all  the 
Claret  near  ten  years  in  his  cellar,  the  Madeira  was  all  of 
his  own  importing  and  never  in  a  Wine  Merchant's  hands, 
the  Hermitage  and  Cote  Rdtie  bought  by  himself  25  years 
ago  in  France — in  short,  I  don't  suppose  ever  such  a  batch 
of  wine  was  before  offered  for  sale — that  the  whole  might 
be  preserved  entire  for  sale,  he  did  not  permit  himself 
to  take  any  out  of  his  cellar  when  he  quitted  the  house  ; 
and  the  Auctioneer  even  has  not  been  in  possession  of  the 
keys.  Your  brother  Berkeley  wrote  to  ask  me  if  it  was 
good  enough  for  a  man  of  his  taste  to  purchase.     I  informed 

1  a  neighbour  of  Sir  A.  P.,  with  whom  he  made  great  friends  after 
going  to  Hve  at  West  Lodge. 

'  Mr.  Assheton  Smith. 

3  The  last  Earl  of  Peterborough,  the  owner  of  Dantsey  House,  died 
in  1814. 


i8ii]  MORE  OF  THE   REGENT  229 

him,  as  I  have  done  you,  that  it  was  genuine  supernacu- 
tum  [?]  What  think  you  of  wine,  Claret  that  is,  seUing 
at  about  Eleven  Guineas  the  dozen  ?      Ever  yours  truly, 

G.  IllIxVGWORTH. 

Hon.  Berkeley  Paget 

Ramsgatb,  Dtcr.  i^th,  181 1. 

I  really  ought  sooner  to  have  answered  your  Letters, 
my  dear  Arthur,  but  have  till  within  two  days  been  in 
perpetual  motion  for  nearly  a  fortnight.  In  passing  thro' 
London,  I  found  that  Culhng  Smith  was  at  Oatlands,  I 
could  therefore  have  no  talk  about  your  Effects.  I  really 
think  you  ought  to  apply  to  Bow  Street.  Tho'  it  is  not 
exactly  in  their  Line — you  might  at  least  be  furnished 
with  hints  from  Adkins  as  to  the  line  of  conduct  you  ought 
to  pursue.  If  they  are  on  board  the  H elder,  good  !  but 
the  thing  to  dread  is  their  being  landed  God  knows  where 
and  rotting.  You  cannot  I  trust  be  much  longer  in  suspense 
as  Culling  Smith  will  certainly  on  the  return  of  the  Helder 
apply  to  the  Captain  to  know  Vvhat  he  has  done  with  them. 

Ben  you  see  has  at  last  returned  to  Town  but  to  York 
House.  x\'n't  it  strange  that  he  can't  live  at  his  own  House ; 
but  must  put  the  Duke  and  Duchess  to  the  greatest  possible 
inconvenience  by  occupying  theirs?  I  suppose  he  thinks 
he  can't  do  'em  a  greater  favour.  As  to  Oatlands  it  was 
so  crammed  with  his  own  Myrmidons  that  very  few  of  the 
Duke's  friends,  who  constituted  the  old  Parties,  could  go 
there.  The  Rooms  over  his  head  too  were  thrown  away, 
as  he  could  not  bear  any  noise  above.  His  fat  nerves  were 
in  such  a  state — his  own  servants  had  the  best.  But  it  is 
a  great  thing  having  got  him  out  at  last. 

You  ask  me  how  I  manage  my  concerns  in  Norfolk  being 
absent  from  them.  So  ill,  that  I  am  going  to  let  the  whole. 
I  found  the  d — d  pigs  had  got  into  my  cole  seed  and  played 
the  devil  with  it,  etc.  We  have  proved  Bentinck  *  a  d — d 
villain — and  nobody  there  will  let  him  into  their  House, 
unless  accompanied  by  Lady  Frances.  He  might  have 
bought  us  the  land  at  one  third  cheaper  ;  but  by  way  of 
raising  the  Value  as  he  thought  of  his  own — he  put  the 
Price  on  the  Land,  and  told  the  Proprietors  he  would  get 
them  the  money.     Now  tho'  the  land  is,  I  am  persuaded, 

*  Admiral  William  Bentinck,  1764-18 13,  married  Lady  Frances  Pierre- 
pont,   daughter  of   ist  Earl  Manvers. 


230  BERKELEY   ANNOYED  [ch.  hi 

fully  worth  what  we  did  give,  for  there  is  no  finer  any 
where,  yet  it  was  a  "  Knavish  Piece  of  work"  to  make  his 
own  particular  friends  as  he  called  us,  set  a  value  upon  his 
Lands,  by  paying  largely  for  their  own.  But  his  Tricks 
are  numberless,  his  Lies  without  end,  and  every  day  brings 
to  hght  deeds  of  the  most  infamous  nature.  During  my 
stay  in  Norfolk  for  the  four  days,  we  all  compared  notes, 
and  no  one  speaks  of  him  now  but  as  "  that  rascal  Bentinck." 

I  am  sorry  to  find  the  Oatbruiser  is  out  of  order — a 
communication  with  the  Maker  of  it,  I  doubt  not,  would 
rectify  it.  I  am  glad  Joe  does  not  find  fault  with  it — as 
you  may  then  depend  upon  its  being  used.  Nothing  but 
being  as  obstinate  as  the  fellows  who  find  fault,  will  carry 
you  thro'.  That  done,  you'll  hear  no  more  of  it.  You 
never  told  me  whether  you  decided  upon  a  Cart  or  a  Waggon, 
or  whether  you  faced  and  burnt  or  merely  ploughed  up 
the  piece  of  grass  you  intended  to  break  up.  I  should  be 
glad  to  know,  when  you  send  me  a  Hne. 

What  a  lamentable  thing  is  the  loss  of  the  Saldanha 
and  Talbot !  Tho'  the  gale  was  dreadful,  I  do  think  there 
must  have  been  a  bad  look  out,  for  the  Captain  was  in 
his  Nightcap,  which  looks  as  if  he  thought  they  were  safe. 
A  fellow  would  hardly  have  turned  in,  if  he  thought  he  was 
hkely  to  go  ashore.  I'm  really  sorry  for  Lady  Wellington  * 
and  the  remaining  Brother  whom  I  know  intimately. 
Longford  was  with  me  the  other  day. 

Mr  Walsh,  the  M.P.,  is  a  nice  fellow — the  same  sort  of 
thing  will  be  Bentinck's  Lot  some  of  these  days.  I  was 
quite  sorry  that  I  could  not  meet  Charles  the  other  day,  as 
he  passed  thro'  Town.  I  had  overstayed  my  leave  of 
Absence  some  days  and  had  I  remained  some  days  longer 
in  Town — I.  should  have  disappointed  my  Wife — therefore 
I  abandoned  the  Project. 

Can  you  foresee  what  is  to  be  done  at  the  Meeting  of 
Parliament  ?  or  at  the  removal  of  the  Restrictions  ?  I 
own  Pm  lost  in  conjecture — not  that  I  often  trouble  my 
head  about  it,  but  the  Prince  is  so  whimsical  that  one  cannot 
help  sometimes  calculating  a  little,  tho'  it  is  quite  impossible 
to  come  to  any  conclusion.  I  think  however  that  he  is 
keeping  quiet  with  Perceval  etc.  to  lull  their  suspicion  and 

*  Her  4th  brother,  Hon.  Wm.  Pakenham,  R.N,,  was  lost  at  sea  oa 
this  occasion. 


i8ii]  CHANGES    OF  DRESS  231 

that  when  he  can  he  will  have  a  grand  smash.  I  look 
forward  with  some  Dismay  to  the  beginning  of  his  Career. 
He'll  think  more  of  rebuilding  Palaces  and  establishing 
his  Retinue  than  things  of  greater  importance — and  that 
won't  do.  The  Cavalry,  I'm  told,  the  Hussars  perhaps 
excepted,  are  amazingly  disgusted  with  his  new  Chops 
and  Changes  of  Dress,  which  I  hear  are  abominable.  What 
is  to  become  of  us  ?  Our  Love  to  Augusta.  The  Boy  I 
hope  is  perfectly  well,     God  bless  you.     Most  affly, 

Bartolo, 


CHAPTER   IV 

1812-17 
Col.  Addenbrooke 

35  L.  Grosvr  St.,  Janry  1st.  18 12. 

A  happy  New  Year  to  you,  my  dear  Sir  Arthur,  the 
same  to  Lady  Augusta  and  that  many  of  such  may  be  in 
store  for  you,  is  the  sincere  wish  of  my  heart. 

I  heard  with  great  concern  long  since  of  the  accident 
that  has  befallen  you  once  more  by  Powder.  The  Reverend 
Champagne  first  told  me  of  it,  and  afterv^^ards  I  had  it 
from  the  General ;  I  would  have  made  my  condolence 
by  letter,  but  as  that  would  not  heal  a  wound,  I  was  wise, 
as  I  fancy,  in  not  adding  my  Bore  to  your  Misfortune,  I 
had  hopes  that  Experience  would — but  I  say  nothing, 
only  I  grieved  for  the  accident,  and  I  sincerely  hope 
for  your  perfect  recovery,  tho'  an  account  I  heard  from 
sparrow  yesterday  is  not  quite  so  flattering  to  my  wishes 
as  I  expected,  but  I  will  pray  for  your  speedy  amend- 
ment, as  also  for  your  having  in  future  an  increased  Stock 
of  prudence. 

I  am  brought  to  town  by  a  letter  received  a  week  since 
from  Sir  Wm.  Beresford,  stating  to  me  that  poor  Coleman  * 
was  at  Lisbon  in  a  state  that  gave  not  the  smallest  hopes 
of  his  recovery,  and  as  he  knew  of  the  transaction  that 
had  been  going  on  between  us,  he  gave  me  the  earliest 
notice  for  the  chance  of  my  availing  myself  of  early  infor- 
mation. Yesterday  came  another  letter  from  the  Marshal 
announcing  the  death  of  my  poor  friend  on  the  12th  ulto. 
I  have  seen  old  Coleman  often  and  dined  with  him  and 
Lord  Geo.  Se3nTiour  since  the  first  accounts  were  received, 
and  miserable  indeed  he  was,  as  also  the  rest  of  the  family. 
Hitherto  nothing  has  passed  between   Coleman  and  me 

1  Brigadier-General  Coleman,  serjeant-at-arms  of  the  House  of  Com- 
mons, died  in  Portugal,  December  12th,  181 1. 

232 


1812-17]  THE  MACE  233 

relative  to  any  effort  to  be  made  for  my  project  of  bearing 
the  Mace.     I  had  concluded  that  all  was  over,  and  that 
Lord  Jno  Thynne  would  have  the  appointment  in  his  gift, 
but  I  am  told  the  reverse,  in  that  case  Coleman  will  doubt- 
less make  efforts  with  the   Prince  thro'  Lord  Hertford  to 
have  the  naming  a  Successor,  in  which  case   I  may  still 
hope   for  Success,   for  the   terms   he   would   expect,   and 
those  I  should  come  into,  will  to  a  certainty  accord.     This 
however  is  speculative.     There  may  be   some   more   for- 
tunate and  favored  Subject,'  meantime  I   shall  remain  in 
Town  to  try  the  results.     All   I  have  to  request  of  you 
and  Lord  Paget  (to  whom  I  take  the  freedom  of  addressing 
a  letter)  is  that  if  you  have  no  object  of  your  own  to  pro- 
pose, that  in  the  event  of  a  Ballot  you  will  distinguish 
me  by  a  white  rather  than  a  Black  Ball.     You  must  lay 
yr  account  with  receiving  intelligence  of  my  approaches,  or 
retreat,  from  St.  Stephen's,  so  far  you  must  submit  to  the 
Bore,  but  for  reply  to  any  such  epistles  I  relieve  you  in 
toto,  unless  during  my  stay  in  Town  (for  a  Week  certain) 
I  can  execute  any  Commission  for  you  or  Lady  Augusta, 
to  whom  I  beg  my  humble  respects  may  be  presented. 

Lady  Pitt  remains  precisely  as  she  was,  sees  nobody, 
even  Lord  Rivers  is  refused  admittance,  and  I  am  some- 
times four  days  without  seeing  her,  but  as  matters  of 
business  will  occur,  I  do  occasionally  see  her.  She  falls 
av/ay,  but  her  pulse  is  good  and  she  is  without  fever, 
nor  is  there  any  reason  to  think  otherwise  (by  Jackson's 
account)  but  that  she  may  live  on  for  these  ten  years  to 
come.- 

Mrs.  Howe  is  better  than  she  was  last  year.  The  Monday 
before  yesterday  she  was  at  the  Play,  and  again  last  night 
to  see  "Jane  Shore."  She  is  a  prodigy.  Lord  and  Lady 
Chas.  Bentinck  are  at  the  Parsonage,  and  have  been  there 
for  the  last  two  months.  I  lent  it  them  whilst  their  house 
Ragmore  (Tyndale's  that  was)  was  fitting  up  for  them  and 
which  they  have  taken  for  7  years.  They  will  now  be 
in  it  after  few  days. 

Gwynn  you  find  (by  the  paper  perhaps)  gets  Sheerness 
Govt  vacant  by  Craig's  death,  and  Ross,  17th  Lt  Ds,  gets 
his  Regt.     Lord  Harrington  comes  from   Ireland,  and  is 

1  The  vacancy  was  filled  by  Col.  Seymour. 

2  Lady  Pitt  lived  seven  years  longer,  dying  in  1819  in  her  eighty-sixth 
year. 


234  BERKELEY   AND   BENTINCK  [ch.  iv 

relieved  by  Sir  Jno  Hope  in  consequence,  a  Brevet  removes 
Floyd  next  in  Commd,  and  Generals  Wynyard  (Henry) 
and  Sir  Chas.  Asgyll  have  had  to  come  to  England  to  visit 
their  estates.  This  is  not  minded,  as  a  particular  Officer 
is  wanted  for  that  Service,  which,  as  I  am  told,  he  would 
have  been  glad  to  have  avoided. 

I  have  now  said  my  say — your  say  I  hope  will  be  as  mild 
as  possible  if  Bore  escape  your  lips,  for  in  truth  I  am  ever 

J.  P.  Addenbrooke. 

Mrs.  Howe  and  Lady  Pitt  wanted  to  write  to  the  Prince, 
this  I  would  not  allow. 

Hon.  Berkeley  Paget 

Ramsgate,  Janry  2nd,  18 12. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — My  brains  have  been  so  frozen  up 
by  the  late  cold  weather,  that  I  really  did  not  think  it  fair 
upon  you  to  give  you  the  trouble  of  reading  a  very  dull 
epistle,  which  however  this  must  be,  as  I  am  not  yet  thawed. 
I  could  not  let  the  enclosed  go  without  writing  a  few  lines. 
It  reached  me  this  morning,  and  I  think  I  detect  the 
"  character "  of  Mrs.  George  Leigh,  who  once  wrote  a 
recipe  for  a  Pudding  for  me,  which  rivals  the  Angel.  Ain't 
you  sorry  Williams^  hung  himself  ?  I  suspect  we  shall 
not  get  his  accomplices.  Our  Police  is  certainly  faulty. 
I  immediately  exclaimed  on  hearing  of  the  Murders  that 
at  Paris  they  would  have  had  the  villains  the  next  day. 
Your  observation  to  the  same  effect  confirms  me.  M. 
de  Sartine  would  have  nabbed  him.  I  forget  who  the 
Police  Intendant  is  now  at  Paris. 

I  own  I  had  that  faith  in  Bentinck  that  I  disregarded  the 
cautions  I  received  from  several  Quarters.  I  could  not 
suspect  him  of  being  so  profound  a  Villain.  Knowing  us 
all  so  well  for  so  many  years,  I  could  not  imagine  him 
capable  of  such  infamous  conduct.  Unwilling  to  attribute 
to  him  unworthy  Motives  I  was  the  last  to  admit  them, 
till  I  could  no  longer  attempt  to  deceive  myself.  His 
deceits  were  at  last  palpable,  his  tricks  discovered,  and  I 
am  now  endeavouring  to  get  out  of  the  Scrape  as  well  as 
I  can.     I  am  in  great  hopes  of  being  able  to  sell  without 

1  A  series  of  "  horrid  murders,"  described  in  the  Annual  Register  for 
December  181 1,  excited  "  horror  and  alarm  throughout  the  Metropolis  "  ; 
one  Williams,  arrested  on  strong  suspicion,  hanged  himself  in  prison. 


1812-17]  "OLD   CYRIL"  235 

loss.  I  would  even  endure  some  to  wash  my  hands  of 
the  concern.  To  live  near  him  would  be  intolerable.  I 
could  not  do  it  without  Atkins  and  Mr.  Mann  in  the  House 
But  I  won't  trouble  you  any  longer  with  my  grievances. 
Such  deeds  as  these  from  such  quarters  would  in  time 
make  one  quite  misanthropic.  I  wish  to  Heaven  I  could 
establish  myself  in  the  Country  free  from  Parliament  and 
Place.  The  latter  however  is  now  to  me  of  the  greatest 
consequence.  It  is  not  to  be  told  the  regret  I  feel  at  being 
obliged  to  return  to  London.  I  never  pass  one  moment  of 
real  comfort  there.  Every  thing  conspires  to  make  one 
uneasy  and  dissatisfied  with  oneself  and  every  body  else. 
Considering  I  told  you  just  now  I  would  release  you  from 
my  grievances,  I  think  I  have  given  you  a  pretty  Dose. 
One  has  certainly  a  great  propensity  to  disemburden  one's 
Mind  to  a  Person  who  will  enter  into  one's  feelings,  and  I 
feel  as  if  I  could  go  on  for  an  hour  to  you. 

I  most  sincerely  hope  that  your  Plan  with  Ld  Rivers 
may  succeed.  It  is  a  delightful  one,  and  would  give  you 
one  of  the  most  enviable  Spots  I  ever  set  foot  upon.  It 
will  be  such  a  comfort  too,  to  feel  that  your  Expences 
will  have  been  so  advantageously  incurr'd.  Pray  let  me 
know  as  soon  as  anything  is  settled.  Most  heartily  do  I 
wish  you  success. 

Think  of  poor  Coleman.  His  family  will  be  dreadfully 
afflicted.  They  looked  upon  him  almost  as  a  Deity.  How 
cursed  savage  Legge  will  be  that  he  did  not  get  the  Bishopric. 
He  has  been  straining  every  Nerve  to  accomplish  his  Purpose 
for  several  years.  Will  Jackson  ^  will  make  the  whole 
Bench  drunk.  It  will  rejoice  the  cockles  of  old  Cyril's  * 
heart.  Ben  will  make  the  most  of  it,  and  congratulate 
himself  on  his  Sagacity  and  well  timed  attention  to  his 
old  Tutor.  I  suppose  the  general  Orders  about  Laces, 
Epaulettes,  Feathers  &c.  &c.  did  not  escape  your  Observa- 
tion. An  officer  of  the  23rd  Lt  Dragoons,  who  is  here, 
tells  me  that  the  new  Uniform  and  appointments,  which 
they  are  to  provide  themselves  with,  will  cost  them  about 
£300.  There  is  not  an  article  of  their  present  Uniform 
&c.  that  will  be  convertible  to  any  purpose  whatsoever, 

1  Cyril  Jackson  was  Dean  of  Christ  Church;  liis  brother  WilUam  was 
made  Bishop  of  Oxford,  as  "  an  offering  of  respect  by  the  Prince- Regent 
to  his  old  tutor  "  Cyril,  "  who  refused  to  accept  of  that  dignity." — Annual 
Register,  181 2. 


236  COL.   ADDENBROOKE  [ch.  iv 

all  of  them  too  having  been  new  and  altered  on  their  Return 
from  Spain  last  year.  One  of  the  Men  was  the  other  day 
dress'd  out  in  a  Pattern  Jacket  &c.  just  sent  down  to  the 
Regiment,  and  upon  being  turned  loose  in  the  Barrack 
was  hooted  and  quizzed  by  the  Men  with  "  Who's  that 
damned  Frenchman  ?  "  Pleasant !  You  may  depend 
upon  it  there'll  be  a  Row.  The  officers  grumble  very 
much,  and  when  that  is  the  Case,  the  Men  are  very  apt  to 
follow  their  example. 

He'll  alter  the  cut  of  the  Bishops'  Wigs  next  by  assem- 
bling a  Board  at  Lambeth  Palace  composed  of  his  own 
Chaplains. 

Upon  my  word   I'm  ashamed  of  myself  for  being  so 

prosy.     Yrs  most  affly, 

^     ^  B.  Paget. 

Col.  Addenhrookc 

Parsonage,  {Jan.'\  1812. 

Dear  Sir  Arthur,— Your  letter  of  the  3d  Inst  pleased, 
gratified,  and  obliged  me  in  the  extreme— first,  because  the 
account  I  had  received  from  Sparrow  of  the  lingers  proves 
unfounded,  and  am  made  truly  happy  to  learn  that  all 
five  are  so  able  to  obey  your  Orders  :  2nd,  I  am  gratified 
by  your  good  Wishes  for  my  success  in  Obtaining  the  charge 
of  The  Mace,^  not  to  repeat  the  ability  you  suppose  me 
capable  of  in  performing  the  duties  of  that  office  with 
Credit  and  reputation  ;  we'll  say  no  more  on  that  subject, 
but  generally  as  to  my  success  the  Cat  in  H — 11  has  as  good 
a  Chance  as  me  ;  were  the  appt  to  produce  about  £500  a 
year  I  might  be  induced  by  the  flattery  of  such  friends  a.F, 
yourself  to  suppose  that  I  might  be  considered  as  a  Candi- 
date with  prospects  of  success  not  ill  founded — this  on  the 
supposition  that  the  Prince  knew  of  all  that  had  passed 
between  poor  Coleman  and  me  ;  but  alas,  when  I  reflect 
on  the  full  amount  of  the  Income,  £2,300,  the  Mace  vanishes 
before  me  hke  "  The  Fabrick  of  a  Vision,"  and  leaves  not  a 
hope  behind  it.  I  say  "  'Tis  gone,"  tho'  I  know  not  yet 
who  will  be  preferred,  be  him  whom  he  may,  he  shall  have 
my  good  wishes  with  the  bargain,  which  will  not  cost  me 
a  pang.  "  All's  for  the  best,"  I  feel  persuaded.  Therefore 
I  am  content,  and  without  the  trouble  of  turning  over  the 
Great  Book  to  see  what  Comforts  St.  Paul  gives  to  the 

1  The  office  of  Serjeant-at-Arms  in  the  House  of  Commons. 


1812-17]  DUKE  OF   KENT  237 

troubled  in  mind.  I  have  no  occasion,  for  mine  is,  and 
has  been  perfectly  comfortable — as  to  old  Coleman,  whoever 
succeeds  will  have  to  pay  him  the  emoluments  of  the  office 
for  his  Life,  which  indeed  is  a  bad  one.  I  have  not  seen 
him  to  deliver  your  Message  of  Condolence,  but  I  shall 
be  in  Town  again  Monday,  when  I  will  acquaint  him  with 
your  early  request  to  me,  which  was  delayed  for  want  of 
opportunity.  You  shall  have  the  reason  why  I  would  not 
allow  the  Sisters  *  to  write  to  the  Prince ;  Mrs.  Howe 
waited  till  I  came  to  Town,  and  then  desired  me  to  pen  such 
a  letter  as  she  might  copy.  I  threw  cold  water  upon  their 
writing  under  such  circumstances.  If  I  had  written  it 
would  have  been,  "Our  Friend  Adden.  feels  himself  unable 
to  propose  any  just  claim  to  expect  from  your  Royal 
Highness  that  he  should  succeed  to  the  office  in  St.  Stephen's 
Chapel,  vacant  by  the  death  of  B.  Genl  Coleman,  but  if 
your  Royal  Highness  will  appoint  him  to  the  Office,  we 
think  we  can  swear  to  his  feeling  himself  very  highly 
obhged  "  ;  to  this  effect  my  conscience  would  have  sub- 
mitted, but,  as  such  an  epistle  was  not  likely  to  produce 
the  desired  effect,  I  was  obliged  to  decline  in  Toto,  rather 
than  point  out  virtues,  and  good  qualities  ideal  in  their 
minds,  only  perhaps  so. 

On  Monday  I  go  to  Town  again,  not  after  the  Mace, 
but  to  carry  my  Godson  (a  Peche  Mortel  of  my  friend 
Gordon's)  to  school  at  Guildford,  we  make  a  halt  in  Town 
that  he  may  see  the  Lions  at  The  Tower,  and  elsewhere,  as 
also  the  Elephants  at  the  Play  House — he  is  a  fine  fellow 
of  6  years  old — but  wise.  Lord  Rivers  is  really  quite 
well ;  he  came  from  Lascelles'  (near  Winchester)  on  Thurs- 
day evening,  and  yesterday  West  and  me  dined  with  him, 
he  sang  Scotch  songs  to  us  from  the  time  we  took  our 
coffee  till  we  went  away,  very  pleasant  and  very  amusing  ; 
this  day  he  is  off  for  Town  taking  Windsor  in  his  way, 
where  (if  he  is  not  pressed  by  the  Royals  to  stay  longer) 
he  will  only  stay  an  hour— you  find  he  is  retained  about 
the  King.'  Lady  Pitt  is  suffering,  not  pain,  but  from 
irritation,  so  that  I  have  not  seen  her  these  three  days, 

1  Lady  Pitt  and  Mrs.  Howe,  daughters  of  the  2nd  Viscount  Howe, 
whose  wife.  Baroness  Kielmansegge,  was  a  natural  daughter  of  King 
George  I,  a  relationship  acknowledged  by  the  Royal  Family. 

■■*  Lord  Rivers  was  a  lord-in-waiting,  or,  as  they  were  then  called,  lord 
of  the  bedchamber,    to   King   George  IH. 


238  PROSPECTS   IN   IRELAND  [ch.  iv 

and  Lord  K.  [?]  not  at  all  for  upwards  of  4  Months;  he 
has  a  miserable  life  of  it,  but  not  likely  to  end  soon,  either 
in  the  way  of  comforts,  or  by  death. 

Ld  and  Lady  Charles  ^  have  taken  possession  of  Ragmore 
a  fortnight  since.  I  wish  they  may  find  it  answer  their 
expectations,  but  I  much  fear  otherwise  ;  neither  of  them 
have  been  used  to  the  country,  nor  have  any  of  their  ser- 
vants been  in  the  habits  of  wants,  which  without  foresight, 
and  so  distant  as  we  are  from  a  Town,  must  ever  be  the 
case  ;  they  are  very  pleasant,  and  I  hope  they  may  make  it 
answer,  tho'  I  much  doubt  it.  I  left  town  Monday  last,  I 
had  intended  it  for  Friday,  but  an  Invitation  I  received  from 
the  Duke  of  Kent  to  dine,  sleep,  and  depart  Sunday  morn- 
ing after  breakfast  (dining  with  him  Saty)  I  felt  so  pointed 
civil,  that  I  could  not  dechne,  and  indeed  I  was  much 
pleased  with  my  reception  at  Castle  Hill,*  as  also  with  the 
Improvements  H.R.H.  has  made  on  the  Premises,  and 
which  must  have  cost  him  much  money. 

You  may  perhaps  read  in  the  paper  the  death  of  Mrs. 
Jackson  ;  she  was  sent  this  day  to  Fareham  to  be  buried, 
she  died  rather  suddenly,  she  proves  a  great  loss  to  our 
Esculapo.  You  wiU  also  have  read  the  death  of  a  Mr 
Lefevre,  Mrs  Shaw  Lef.'s  uncle,  by  which  accident  they 
get  an  acquisition  of  fortune  of  some  4  or  5  Thousands  a 
year,  so  that  there's  no  heart  breaking  in  that  quarter. 

You  find  Sir  John  Hope  appointed  to  succeed  Ld  Har- 
rington in  Ireland,  no  fitter  man  certainly  ;  he  goes  malgrS 
lui,  he  wrote  to  my  friend  Gordon  offering  to  continue  him 
as  his  secretary,  but  Gordon  has  declined,  tho'  no  man 
stands  higher  in  his  opinion  than  does  Hope.  My  friend 
is  wise,  he  sees  a  storm  brewing  in  that  quarter,  that  'tis 
not  desirable  to  meet.  My  opinion  is, .  that  Govt  are 
driving  purposely  the  people  of  that  country  into  Rebellion  ; 
they  see  that  if  the  Catholic  question  is  not  carried  for 
them,  that  Rebellion  will  be  the  order  of  the  day  ;  if  it 
should  be  carried,  then  will  it  be  considered  a  compulsory 
act,  and  it  will  encourage  them  to  fresh  demands,  repeal 
of  the  Union-act  would  foUow  immediately,  and  lastly  a 
Govt  of  their  own.     If  such  is  the  opinion  of  Ministers, 

1  Lord  Charles  Bentinck  married  in  1 808  Georgiana  Augusta  Frederica 
Seymour,  "  a  lovely  creature,"  who  was  supposed  to  be  the  daughter  of 
the  Prince  of  Wales  and  Mrs.  Elliot.     She  died  in  1813,  aged  thirty-one. 

2  The  Duke  of  Kent's  villa  at  Ealing. 


i8i2-i7]  A  COLD  JANUARY  239 

(which  I  am  apt  to  beUeve  is  the  case),  then  had  they  better 
meet  the  evil  in  its  infancy,  and  with  the  CathoHc  question 
alone,  than  afterwards  with  the  Protestant  part  of  the 
community  joined  for  the  Repeal  etc.,  in  short  I  fancy 
confusion  there  at  hand,  and  we  had  better  meet  it  now. 
So  at  least  sports  the  opinion  of  a  wretch  (as  a  Pohtician), 
but  one  who  is  ever  most  unalterably,  dear  Sir  Arthur,  your 
truly  faithful  and  obliged 

J.  P.  Addet^. 

You  may  as  well  read  my  Cock-and-Bull  story  as  the 
one  you  find  in  your  newspapers. 

I  beg  my  best  respects  and  best  wishes  may  be  pre- 
sented to  Lady  Augusta ;  you  may  depend  on  seeing  me, 
when  the  session  is  over.  Mrs  Howe  thanks  you  a  Thousand 
times,  but  begs  you  v-on't  send  her  any  more  of  the  sweet 
wine  ;  she  scarcely  ever  dines  at  home,  and  therefore  it 
would  be  lost,  this  she  desired  me  to  say  to  you  with  her 
warm  and  aflectionate  regards  to  you,  and  Lady  Augusta, 
entertaining  a  hope  that  she  may  live  to  see  you  both  again, 
and  well. 

Sir  Harry  Fetherstone 

Uppark,  J  any  gth,  1812. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — Quel  temps !  I  never  remember  so 
severe  a  beginning,  whatever  the  end  may  be.  Yet  it  is 
felt  more  in  London,  and  then  there  is  the  comfort  in 
campagne  of  not  having  to  go  out  apres  le  repas.  I  feel 
much  more  obliged  to  Liigo  Jones,  who  built  this  house,  than 
to  any  of  my  ancestors  who,  poor  souls  (tho'  they  were 
probably  as  respectable  as  their  contemporaries)  knew  no 
more  of  luxurious  agrements  than  the  Laplanders,  and  I 
might  have  been  shivering  in  the  old  marble  gothic  hall 
at  Fetherstone  Castle  with  only  the  frigid  sense  of  its 
antiquity.  By  degrees,  as  our  climate  advances  in  severity, 
we  shall  adopt  the  poele  which  is  the  only  effectual  remedy 
against  it,  and  no  meuble  admits  of  more  magnificence.  I 
never  suffered  so  much  from  cold  (and  then  I  was  36  years 
younger)  as  I  did  in  the  winter  I  passed  in  Italy,  because 
no  means  are  ever  thought  of  to  provide  against  such  a 
season,  which  was  very  unusual  and  the  Arno  frozen  over. 
The  Regent  will  soon  be  in  his  stirrups  without  restrictions, 
or  at  least  so  modified  as  not  much  to  impede  his  course. 
Puis  nous  verrons.     He  told  Mrs.  Fitzherbert  some   little 

17 


240  THE  EYE  OF  THE   MASTER  [CH.  iv 

time  since  that  his  two  Pages,  du  Pasquier  and  Jouard, 
had  seen  me  riding  about  the  streets  of  London  in  disguise, 
broad-flapped  hat,  horse-man's  coat,  and  immense  whiskers  1 
He  asserted  it  so  roundly  that  she  asked  Day  at  Brighton 
if  it  was  true  ?  This  is  extremely  laughable,  yet  provoking  ; 
because,  ridiculously  impossible  as  the  lie  is,  he  will  make 
it  go  down  under  all  circumstances  to  my  disadvantage, 
which  he  never  seems  to  have  lost  sight  of,  cher  et  sur  ami 
qu'il  est. 

I  hear  Charles  is  returned,  and  I  meditate  a  walk  to  the 
Fair  Oak  either  to-day  or  to-morrow.  Delme  and  I  take 
our  guns  every  morning,  and  always  have  some  fun.  What 
do  you  think  of  his  killing  a  gold  pheasant  yesterday  by 
mistake  ?  Joseph  Manton  has  also  been  here  ;  he  killed 
a  pied  pheasant,  and  was  very  near  killing  me.  You  seem 
to  have  had  very  good  sport  at  Beau  Desert,  considering 
that  the  eye  of  the  master  has  been  wanting  for  some  time, 
for  even  a  Barton  without  that  can  not  be  so  efficient.  I 
feel  very  sorry  for  the  loss  of  your  valuable  library  and 
papers  ;  by  the  report  on  the  subject  of  the  Minotaur 
I  fear  there  is  but  little  chance  of  recovery.  It  will  give 
me  the  greatest  pleasure  to  see  you  here  again,  for  I  had 
my  doubts  whether  you  would  pass  this  way.  As  the 
Duke  of  Bedford  has  announced  his  intention  of  coming 
here  towards  the  end  of  the  month,  I  mean  to  regulate 
the  battues  accordingly,  and  expect  very  soon  the  time  to 
be  fixed.     And  believe  me  most  truly  and  sincerely  yours, 

H.  Fetherstone. 

Hon.  Berkeley  Paget 

Treasury  Chambers,  Janry  loth,  1812. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — Y'ou  certainly  never  mentioned 
Pozzo  di  Borgo  ^  to  me.  I  shall  immediately  attend  to 
your  Recommendation.  Your  opinion  of  him,  which  by 
the  by  I  did  not  want  confirmed,  corresponds  exactly  with 
that  of  my  new  Colleague,  Mr.  Richard  Wellesley,^  who  is 
acquainted  with  him,  and  speaks  most  highly  of  him.  It 
would  perhaps  take  away  somewhat  of  the  embarrassment 
of  the  first  Literview  between  two  Persons  who  never 
met,  if  you  would  furnish  me  with  a  Note  of  Introduction 

^  A  native  of  Corsica,  born  1768,  now  sent  over  as  a  confidential  envoy 
of  the  Emperor  Alexander,  later  his  Ambassador  in  Paris  and  London. 
*  A  natural  son  of  the  Marquis  Wellesley. 


1812-17]  A  YELLOW  FOG  241 

to  him,  which  I  would  deliver  in  Person.  I  shall  feel  most 
happy  in  paying  him  any  Attention,  and  inviting  him  to 
partake  of  my  humble  Fare,  which  you  are  good  enough  to  call 
Snug  Dinners.  I  am  happy  to  find  out  from  R.  Wellesley 
that  he  talks  English,  without  which  I  should  have  been 
quite  unable  to  have  made  my  Acquaintance  with  him. 
I  am  sadly  deficient  in  the  art  of  attaining  Languages.  I 
really  mean  to  study  French  sufficiently  to  read  it,  and 
understand  it,  when  talked  to — to  speak  it,  I  despair.  I 
am  too  old  and  stupid.  I  know  just  enough  to  learn  a 
little  more  soon.  I  want  an  occupation  in  this  cursed 
Town,  and  that  I  think  will  be  a  useful  one. 

We  have  one  of  those  charming  thick  yellow  Fogs,  which 
obliged  me  to  breakfast  by  candlelight  this  Morning.  All 
the  Shops  were  regularly  lighted  up  in  the  Morning,  and 
continued  so.  Pleasant  !  I  am  now  writing  by  candle- 
light at  3  o'clock. 

You  must  have  seen  in  the  Report  of  the  Debate  on  the 
first  Day  what  a  grievance  Burdett  ^  made  of  the  New 
Uniforms,  and  alterations.  "  Was  there  any  thing  in 
Whiskers,"  says  he,  "  that  makes  a  British  Soldier  more 
formidable,  and  is  it  to  be  conceived  that  they  are  to  inspire 
awe  by  being  dress'd  up  like  Germans,"  and  so  he  went  on. 
I  own  I  thought  him  right,  though  it  was  perhaps  mis- 
placed on  such  an  occasion. 

You  certainly  have  the  Talent  of  applying  the  best 
Quotations.  Eugene  would  have  made  the  same  observa- 
tion no  doubt  on  George  P.R.  The  "  Charles  XII  de  Paix  " 
is  capital. 

I  am  hurried  off  to  the  H.  of  Commons  to  make  a  House. 
We  Lords  of  the  Treasury  are  paid  for  such  Purposes. 
Jolly  !     Most  affly  yrs, 

B.  Paget. 

Duke  and  Duchess  of  Argyll ' 

Ardencaple,  Jany  xgth,  1812, 

My  Dear  Arthur, — As  you  probably  heard  of  my  illness, 
which  confined  me  to  my  bed  and  Room  for  three  Months, 
you  will  I  know  be  glad  to  hear  I  am  getting  well,  and 

1  Sir  Francis  Burdett,  M.P.,  in  those  days  a  Radical,  was  the  last 
person  imprisoned  in  the  Tower  on  a  charge  of  treason.  His  youngest 
daughter  was  the  late  Baroness  Burdett-Coutts. 

^  First  and  last  paragraphs  written  by  the  Duchess,  the  second  by 
the  Duke. 


242  CAROLINE  ARGYLL  [ch.  iv 

am  thus  far  on  our  Road  to  the  South,  but  as  we  do  not 
travel  many  Miles  per  Day,  I  cannot  pretend  to  say  when 
we  shall  arrive  in  Town.  In  the  mean  time,  if  you  have 
not  quite  forgot  that  two  such  persons  exist,  you  may 
as  well  write  a  word  and  tell  us  how  you  do,  what  you  are 
doing  &c.  and  if  there  is  any  chance  of  meeting  you  in 
London  this  year. 

Well,  my  Dear  Arthur,  are  you  in  the  secret  about 
Politics,  and  can  you  inform  us  what  is  to  happen  ?  If 
you  are,  pray  do  tell  us  a  little  bit  of  the  Mystery.  There 
is  one  thing  we  are  very  sure  of,  and  that  every  Gentleman 
must  know,  that  nobody  can  say,  he  ^  [the  Regent]  ever 
forgot  an  old  friend.  I  have  nothing  to  tell  you  except 
that  Caroline  is  much  better,  and  in  due  time,  as  we  travel 
with  our  own  horses,  we  shall  arrive  in  London.  Adieu. 
Yrs  ever,  A. 

Pray,  my  dear  Arthur,  give  my  love  to  Augusta,  and 
tell  me  many  particulars  about  Oubly.  I  won't  ask  about 
the  little  Boy,  for  I  expect  you  would  tell  me  you  had 
not  yet  looked  at  him.     Your  affte  (late  Sister) 

Caroline  Argyll. 

Hon.  Berkeley  Paget 

PoRTMAN  Street,  Feby  isi,  1812. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  had  not  forgot  your  kind  Invita- 
tion at  Easter.  It  is  my  present  Intention  to  put  myself 
in  a  Mail  Coach  and  pass  a  Week  with  you  at  that  Time. 
There  is,  however,  no  knowing  what  may  happen  between 
this  and  then  that  may  prevent  my  carrying  my  threat 
into  execution.  I  own  I  look  forward  to  executing  the 
Project  with  the  sincerest  pleasure. 

Tho'  I  am  perfectly  satisfied  that  the  Sums  you  have 
received  for  Reimbursements  and  Losses  fall  very  far  short 
of  those  you  have  expended,  yet  as  others  in  the  same 
situation  have  it  in  contemplation  to  say  a  few  words  on 
the  Subject  in  the  House  of  Commons,  I  thought  it  better 

1  It  was  expected  that  the  Regent  upon  the  expiration  of  his  restricted 
powers  would  now  call  his  ' '  old  friends, ' '  the  Whigs,  to  his  councils.  After 
lengthy  pourparlers,  however,  the  Tories  remained  in  office.  The  Further 
Memoirs  of  the  Whig  Party,  by  the  3rd  Lord  Holland,  1905,  contain  details 
of  these  tortuous  negotiations,  conducted  by  the  Regent  in  so  cunning 
a  fashion  that  not  one  of  the  statesmen  concerned,  Whig  or  Tory,  was 
ever  able  to  discover  H.R.H.'s  real  wishes  on  the  subject. 


1812-17]  LORD   UXBRTDGE  FAILING  243 

to  ask  you,  if  you  wished  any  thing  to  be  said  for  you  as 
Mr.  Adair  suggested  the  Idea.  I  own  it  did  not  occur  to 
me  that  such  a  Step  was  necessary  or  advisable,  as  it  might 
have  been  known  by  any  body  of  the  least  recollection,  the 
state  of  the  Continent  at  the  Time  you  was  there  and 
the  very  particular  Circumstances  of  your  being  obliged  to 
leave  Vienna  with  the  Emperor  &c.  Any  body  knowing 
this  must  be  an  Idiot  to  suppose  that  you  could  quit  Vienna 
with  as  much  ease  and  as  little  loss  as  you  would  travel 
from  London  to  West  Lodge.  It  is  m}^  firm  conviction 
that  if  a  Foreign  Minister  lives  like  a  Gentleman,  he  must 
be  ruined  or  nearly  so,  and  I  do  suppose  there  is  no  Instance 
of  one  ever  having,  what  you  call,  made  Money  by  his 
Employment,  if  he  represented  his  Sovereign  as  he  ought. 

"  That  rascal  Bentinck,"  finding  I  was  going  to  blow 
upon  him,  has  been  persuading  Paget  that  it  is  by  my 
own  folly  and  imprudence  that  my  concerns  in  Norfolk 
are  so  unpromising.  With  the  feeling  that  Paget  has 
towards  me  the  Admiral  easily  enough  effected  his  Purpose. 
Barring  Prejudice,  I  have,  I  think,  drawn  up  a  statement 
of  Facts,  that  will  shew  the  said  Admiral  in  his  proper 
light,  and  exonerate  me  from  the  Charges  he  has  produced 
against  me.  You  shall  have  a  look  at  it,  indeed  it  was 
drawn  up  merely  with  a  View  of  justifying  myself  to  my 
Family,  who  might  otherwise  upon  Bentinck's  statement 
imagine  I  deserved  my  Fate.  That  I  have  been  guilty  of 
the  grossest  Folly,  I  admit,  and  that  was  in  following 
Bentinck's  Advice.  When  we  meet,  which  I  trust  we 
shall  at  Easter,  I  think  "  I  can  a  tale  unfold  &c," 

I  am  grieved  to  think  that  our  poor  Father  loses  ground. 
He  rallies  occasionally,  but  upon  the  whole  his  weakness 
is  very  much  increased,  and  his  Nerves  in  a  sad  state. 
Lady  Uxbridge  yesterday  told  me  that  he  had  been  better 
for  some  days  past,  and  that  if  he  would  but  think  so 
himself,  she  is  persuaded  he  really  would  be  so.  His 
Rupture  lately  has  been  cause  of  great  uneasiness  to  him, 
and  to  that  I  attribute  principally  his  Nervousness.  He 
sometimes  cannot  move  without  the  assistance  of  two 
Persons.  In  short  he  is  certainly  worse  than  last  year.  I 
don't  know  Farquhar's  opinion. 

It  is  only  from  some  Publications  that  I  know  of  the 
Furin  Grass.  Dr.  Richardson  is  the  great  promoter  of 
its  growth  and  his  Accounts  of   it  are  really  astonishing . 


244  CHARLES  AND   HIS   FATHER  [ch.  iv 

It  is  usually  propagated  by  the  plant  itself  and  not  from 
seed,  I  am  glad  to  think.  It  is  a  common  grass,  to  be 
found  in  most  places,  generally  in  ditches  or  near  walls. 
I  send  you  Richardson's  Pamphlet  upon  it.  .  .  . 

B.  P. 

Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

2  Feb.,  1812. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — .  .  .  Your  Letter  to-day  asks 
me  my  opinion  about  my  father,  I  commence  to  think 
that  Lady  Burghersh's  has  been  a  faithful  report.  He  is, 
poor  dear  old  Boy,i  evidently  going,  and  I  think,  indeed 
I  am  sure,  that  an  alteration  could  scarcely  have  been  for 
the  worse  between  my  seeing  him  the  time  before  and  last 
time.  Whether  the  late  goings-on  have  occasioned  the 
great  change,  I  cannot  take  upon  myself  to  say,  but  so 
sensibly  did  Paget,  and  myself,  observe  the  alteration  that 
we  each,  when  we  met  here,  asked  the  other  if  he  had 
not  been  struck  by  it.  In  short,  my  dear  fellow,  such  is 
his  habitual  state  that  it  is  absolutely  distressing  to  witness 
it,  either  in  floods  of  Tears,  and  in  a  State  of  Spirits,  which 
is  heartbreaking  to  see,  or  otherwise,  if  attempting  to 
speak,  doing  so  in  so  inarticulate  a  way  as  to  render  it 
unintelligible.  In  all  this  deplorable  condition  his  affec- 
tion towards  me  never  appeared  warmer  than  when  I  last 
saw  him  ;  indeed  I  was  forcibly  struck  by  it,  and  as  he 
certainly  enjoys  seeing  us  and  as,  poor  dear  old  Boy,  he 
has  not  long  to  enjoy  anything,  I  mean  every  three  weeks 
or  a  month  to  see  him,  for  it  is  literally  but  a  drive  from 
Fair  Oak.  I  wish  I  could  promise  myself  the  satisfaction 
of  meeting  you  there  next  Saturday.  Of  one  thing  I  am 
confident,  namely  that  you  will  feel  that  any  kindness  or 
attention  you  may  shew  him  now,  will  return  with  ten 
thousand  fold  of  pleasure  to  yourself  for  having  done  it, 
when  the  moment  arrives  that  we  none  of  us  can  do  so 
to  him  again. 

My  object  in  going  to  London  is  to  see  Lowe,  and  make 
some  arrangement  about  Money  matters  etc.  We  are  in  a 
cursed  bad  way,  and  old  Ned,  whom  I  talked  to  at  Beau 
Desert  about  it  all,  did  not  seem  to  think  that  we  had  any 
fairer  hopes  or  prospects,  and  that  it  behoved  us  all  to 
merely  count  upon  that  which  we  had.    I  really  am  in  total 

1  Lord  Uxbridge  died  March  13th,  1812. 


1812-17]  SOMETHING  ROTTEN  245 

darkness,  therefore  you  may  or  may  not  be  right  in  your 
conjecture  about  Paget's  being  very  much  incensed  against 
you.  Of  this  I  do  know,  namely  that  during  the  whole 
time  I  was  at  Beau  Desert,  as  well  as  the  time  he  was  here, 
I  did  not  hear  him  mention  your  name.  Therefore  I  con- 
jecture there's  something  rotten  in  the  State,  and  I  imagine 
from  the  two  or  three  reasons  you  have  for  thinking  so, 
amongst  which  the  not  having  heard  from  Ayhner  in 
conformity  with  that  Admiral's  promise,  that  you  are 
of  the  two  probably  right  in  thinking  P.  is  devilishly  out 
of  sorts.  .  .  . 

You  will  be  sorry  to  hear  that  I  begin  to  think  Superb 
will  be  so  much  longer  in  coming  forward  than  even  the 
last  report  we  received  of  her,  that  I  must  think  of  some 
other  ship.  .  .  .  Your  devoted 

Charles. 

Lord  Graves 

Bishops  Court,  Feby  2nd,  1812. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — Excuse  my  troubling  you  with 
another  letter  so  immediately,  which  is  merely  to  request 
you  to  have  the  goodness  to  direct  your  Man  to  purchase 
me  Six  Sheep  Cribs,  I  mean  those  from  which  they  eat 
their  Hay  in  the  winter,  and  which  as  far  as  I  can  imper- 
fectly draw  the  Thing,  resembles  this— \ Sketch].  Those 
in  our  Country  are  very  inconvenient  and  heavy,  in  short 
are  a  kind  of  travelling  Hay  rack,  with  four  immense 
wheels  plac'd  to  the  Frame  in  order  to  move  it  from  one 
field  to  another,  and  are  something  like  this — [Sketch]. 
Than  which  nothing  can  be  more  inconvenient  or  unwieldy. 
Your  servant  might  purchase  them  (if  it  be  possible)  near 
the  Western  Road  in  order  that  Russell's  waggon  may 
receive  them  without  much  additional  expence  of  Carriage 
from  the  place  of  Manufacture.  You  will  I  hope  excuse 
the  trouble  I  have  presum'd  to  give  you.  Any  thing  in 
the  Farmer's  line  that  I  can  procure  you  from  this  Country 
shall  be  intirely  at  your  service.  The  Money  shall  be  sent 
the  moment  you  will  have  the  goodness  to  inform  me 
the  Cost  of  the  Cribs. 

Mary  joins  with  me  in  every  thing  kind  and  affectionate 
to  Augusta.  She  receiv'd  a  letter  this  morning  from 
Lady  Uxbridge,  who  says  they  do  not  think  of  moving 
from  Surbiton  as  yet,  and  speaks  of  the  house  being  com- 


246  SIR  ROBERT  ADAIR  [ch.  iv 

pletely  fill'd  by  the  Erskines,  and  Capels.     The  latter  are 
all  at  Surbiton.     Yours  most  affectionately, 

Graves. 

Sir  Robert  Adair  ^ 

Feby  5th,  1812. 

Dear  Sir  Arthur, — I  have  not  been  able  to  write  to 
you  before,  as  you  will  see  by  the  newspapers  how  com- 
pleatly  the  Irish  debate  has  taken  up  every  body's  time. 
By  nothing  that  I  can  learn  among  my  friends  does  it 
appear  that  any  animadversions  are  likely  to  be  made  on 
your  account  for  Extraordinaries,-  but  I  cannot  answer 
for  some  of  the  persons  of  whom  the  Opposition  is  com- 
posed, and  with  whom  I  have  neither  connection  nor 
acquaintance.  As  far  as  I  can  guess,  the  debate  on  Mr. 
Eden's  motion  (which  stands  for  Friday)  to  refer  the  civil 
list  accounts  to  a  Committee,  will  confine  itself  to  the 
general  necessity  of  examining  the  items  of  which  our 
expenditure  consists  with  a  view  to  their  proving  that  we 
have  neither  wasted  nor  pocketed  the  publick  money. 
Whether  Mr.  Perceval'  will  grant  this  Committee,  or 
refuse  it,  Arbuthnot  assures  me  that  he  is  compleatly 
ignorant. 

I  never  made  a  Speech  in  my  life,  and  the  Lord  in  heaven 
defend  me  from  volunteering  one  !  But  as  Arbuthnot 
intends  to  defend  himself,  and  to  appeal  to  me  for  his 
conduct  at  Constantinople,  both  with  regard  to  the  expence 
of  living  there  and  the  necessity  he  was  under  of  quitting 
it  so  suddenly  as  he  did  in  1807,  I  am  not  sure  whether  I 
may  not  be  forced  to  say,  or  to  try  to  say,  one  word.  If 
your  name  should  be  mentioned,  as  I  succeeded  you  at 
Vienna  and  followed  you  afterwards  to  the  Dardanelles,  I 
certainly  wUl  not  neglect  to  give  the  proper  answer  to  any 
observation  which  may  be  made  respecting  the  sums  which 
stand  against  your  account.  But  if  nothing  is  said  I  think 
it  will  be  better  to  be  silent  on  our  parts.  The  blockheads 
at  the  Treasury  in  making  up  my  accounts  have  absolutely 
charged  to  my  Vienna  account  the  bills  I  drew  from  Con- 

1  Diplomatist  and  politician.  Succeeded  Sir  A.  Paget  as  Minister  at 
Vienna  in  1806,  held  other  diplomatic  posts,  and  died  in  1855,  aged 
ninety-two,  the  last  of  the  Mends  of  Charles  James  Fox.  Canning 
satirized  him  in  the  Anti-jacobin  as  Bawba-Dara-Adul-Phoola. 

2  I .e.  expenses  incurred  during  his  Missions  abroad. 

3  Then  Prime  Minister. 


i8 12-17]  A  GOOD  DIVISION  347 

stantinople  !     I  was  employed  three  entire  days  in  hunting 
out  this  error. 

We  had  a  famous  division  (for  Opposition)  in  the  Com- 
mons this  morning  at  5  o'clock.  Numbers  staid  away. 
The  Prince's  people  voted  with  the  Ministry.  This,  as 
you  may  suppose,  is  variously  accounted  for.  For  my 
part  I  persist,  and  shall  persist  to  the  last  moment,  in 
considering  the  Prince's  conduct,  in  this  as  well  as  in  every 
other  part  of  it  which  may  appear  to  deviate  from  the 
declared  principles  of  his  life,  as  nothing  more  than  affording 
that  support  to  his  father's  government  to  which  he  con- 
ceives himself  pledged  during  the  restrictions.  Ever  yrs 
faithfully, 

R.  Adair. 

P.S. — As  I  dare  say  you  will  be  amused  with  the  reports 
going  about,  what  think  you  of  the  Doctor's  ^  being  to 
succeed  Lord  Wellesley  in  the  foreign  department  ? 

Hon.  Berkeley  Paget 

PoRTMAN  Street,  iS/Zt  Febry,  18 12. 

Who  knows  but  that  in  Time  to  come  you  may  be  the 
Ambassador  of  a  great  Queen,  and  that  the  Sovereign  you 
represent  may  be  vilely  slandered.  You  must  challenge 
the  Slanderer  as  good  Sir  Henry  Umpton  did  the  Duke  of 
Guise  in  March  1592.  Thus  he  appealed  the  Duke  of  Guise 
to  the  Combat. 

"  Forasmuch,  as  lately  at  the  Lodging  of  my  Lord  Du 
Kayne,  and  in  public  elsewhere,  impudently,  indiscreetly 
and  over-boldly,  you  spake  badly  of  my  Sovereign,  whose 
sacred  Person  here  in  this  Country  I  represent  to  maintain 
both  by  word  and  weapon  her  honour  (which  never  was 
call'd  in  Question  among  People  of  honesty  and  Virtue). 
I  say,  that  you  have  wickedly  lyed  in  speaking  so  basely 
of  my  Sovereign,  and  you  shall  do  nothing  else  but  lye 
whensoever  you  shall  dare  to  tax  her  honour.  Moreover, 
that  her  sacred  Person  (being  one  of  the  most  compleat  and 
virtuous  Princesses  that  lives  in  this  world)  ought  not  to 
be  evil  spoken  of  by  the  Tongue  of  such  a  Perfidious  Traitor 
to  her  law  and  country,  as  you  are  ;  and  hereupon  I  do 
defy  you,  and  challenge  your  Person  to  mine,  with  such 

^  Mr.  Addington,  afterwaurds  Viscount  Sidmouth. 


248  "  NO  ANSWER  "  [ch.  iv 

manner  of  arms  as  you  shall  like  to  chuse,  be  it  either  on 
horseback  or  on  foot.  Nor  would  I  have  you  to  think  any 
inequality  of  person  between  us,  I  being  issued  from  as 
great  a  Race  and  noble  House  (every  way)  as  yourself ;  so 
assigning  m.e  an  indifferent  Place,  I  will  there  maintain 
my  words,  and  the  lye  which  I  have  given  you,  and  which 
you  shall  not  endure,  if  you  have  any  courage  at  all  in 
you.  If  you  do  not  consent,  and  meet  me  hereupon,  I 
will  hold  3^ou,  and  cause  ye  to  be  generally  held,  for  the 
arrantest  coward  and  most  slanderous  Slave  that  lives  in 
all  France.  I  expect  your  Answer."  Now  Umpton  got 
well  out  of  this,  for  "  no  answer  was  returned." 

I  rejoice  that  we  are  to  meet  on  the  22nd  at  Surbiton. 
That  day  and  the  following  are  my  holidays,  and  so  I  will 
e'en  be  "  convinced  with  wine  and  wassell."  You  give  us 
hopes  too  in  your  Letter  to  Sophia  of  partaking  of  our 
humble  fare  "  here  in  Vienna."  And  so  you  shall.  Well, 
there  wasn't  a  word  said  about  you  in  the  Commons  House 
of  Parliament,  that  called  for  the  slightest  remark.  Adair 
was  ready,  but  there  was  no  necessity.  As  we,  I  trust,  shall 
meet  so  soon,  I'll  cut  off  my  Discourse.     Most  affly  yrs, 

B.  Paget. 

Hon.  Berkeley  Paget 

Dated  from  the  Senate  House  this  2^rd  day  of  June  in  the 

year  of  our  Lord  1812. 

Most  Renowned  Chevalier  ! — I'm  sorry  that  I  should 
have  got  you  into  a  hobble  with  lUingworth  ;  not  that  in 
point  of  fact  it  signifies,  as  he  can  have  no  reason  to  com- 
plain, having  had  the  choice  of  the  two  Palfreys.  He  took 
the  beast  for  better  for  worse,  for  richer  for  poorer,  in 
sickness  and  in  health.  I  pr'ythee  therefore,  part  not 
with  my  Mare,  and  tell  the  Learned  Divine  I  say  so.  He 
dined  with  me  the  other  Day,  and  we  had  a  stoup  or  two 
of  Liquor.     He  was  in  high  Force. 

I  hope  Paget  will  be  able  to  take  Hogarth  to  you.  He 
said  he  would,  if  he  could.  It  is  certainly  not  peculiarly 
calculated  for  a  travelling  Carriage. 

From  your  Account  I  should  think  Edward  would  like 
the  thoughts  of  being  possessor  of  Brook  Heath.  He  a 
long  while  ago  express'd  to  me  a  Wish  to  have  some  Dwelling 
of  his  own. 


1812-17]  BOOKS   FOR  SALE  249 

I  wish  your  Books  could  have  been  introduced  into  Duke 
of  Roxburgh's  Catalogue.  I  think  you  might  have  obtained 
a  lumping  sum  for  your  little  Collection.  I  own  I  was 
sorry,  when  you  told  me  you  had  made  a  promise  to  send 
them  to  Lord  Spencer,  as  at  a  Sale  so  much  more  may  be 
got  for  Books,  there  being  generally  considerable  com- 
petition amongst  the  curious  in  old  Editions  to  the  curious 
in  Fish  Sauce  ! 

Since  I  have  returned  to  Town,  I  heard  that  the  Fat 
Man  1  had  so  seriously  shaken  his  huge  Carcase,  that  he 
could  never  hunt  again.  That,  I  think,  would  be  a  fortunate 
Event  not  only  for  himself,  but  his  Horse.  I  could  not 
find  out  where  he  had  hurt  himself.  .  .  . 

You  will  see  that  Canning's  Motion  was  carried  hollow 
last  night.  I  gave  hun  a  lift,  as  did  most  of  the  "  Placemen 
and  Pensioners." 

I  will  attend  to  Augusta's  Commands  both  with  respect 
to  the  Box,  as  well  as  the  Snuff.  Tomorrow's  Sua  shall 
see  them  in  their  Owner's  Hands. 

Farewell,  most  puissant  Councillor.  I  will  send  Dibn  ' 
the  song.  How  is  Tooty  =  ?  Incomparable  Bo ' !  In- 
famous Brutikin  !     Thine, 

Bartolo. 

Mr.  Hayier 

London,  August  5,  1812. 

Dear  Sir, — .  .  .  With  regard  to  the  Books,  I  am  really 
concerned  to  state  that  the  Prices,  which  were  noted  in 
your  List,  are  extremely  wide  of  the  Mark  and  very  much 
to  your  Disadvantage.  I  have  been  with  every  Bookseller 
in  Town.  Except  in  two  or  three  trifling  Instances  such 
as  no.  50  &c.  the  Demand  of  every  Bookseller  at  second 
Hand  is  prodigious.  For  Instance,  if  you  will  allow  me 
to  produce  one,  Dugdale's  Baronage  and  Monasticon  are 
at  least  50  Guineas.  The  most  intelligent  Bookseller  whom 
I  have  seen  is  Priestly,  143,  High  Holborn.  He  is  honoured 
now  and  then  with  a  Visit  from  Mr.  Berkeley  Paget,  as 
he  says.  Would  you  approve  the  Idea  of  appointing  him 
to  treat  with  me  "for  all  the  Books  ?  With  such  a  Com- 
mission he  would  naturally  be  inclined  to  propose  the 
most   moderate   sum   possible,   which   his    Interest   would 

1  Lord  Graves.  *  Sir  Arthur's  children. 


250  A  CURIOUS  SCENE  [ch.  iv 

permit,  and  his  superiour  opportunities  of  procuring  the 
Books  would  enable  him  to  propose. 

Last  Sunday  se'nnight  I  went  to  Uxbridge  House.  The 
Porter  said,  there  [were]  many  Books  there  and  that  he 
could  not  distinguish  the  Cicero  from  the  Rest ;  but  that, 
if  I  would  call  the  next  Thursday  about  twelve  o'Clock, 
Mr.  Berkeley  Paget  would  then  come  from  Kingston  and 
would  have  the  Goodness  to  shew  me  the  Book.  I  went 
last  Thursday,  and  was  then  told,  that  he  had  forwarded 
that  very  Book  to  you  at  West  Lodge.  .  .  . 

Sir  Thos  Tyrwhitt  is  gone  from  Town  before  he  has  taken 
a  single  step  towards  the  advancement  of  my  Interests 
either  with  the  P.R.  Himself  or  with  his  Government. 
From  a  curious  scene  which  took  Place  after  Dinner  upon 
last  Monday  se'nnight,  and  from  the  Language  of  the  P.R. 
Himself,  I  have  Reason  to  conclude  that  Sir  Thos  Tyrwhitt 
has  been  too  much  the  means  of  keeping  me  back  from 
the  Royal  Notice.  The  P.R.  by  some  accident  was  aware 
that  I  was  in  Town,  and  told  Sir  Thos  Tyrwhitt  to  bring 
me  to  dinner  that  Monday.  While  I  was  in  Tyrwhitt's 
Rooms  at  Carlton  House  that  Monday  about  Dinner 
Time,  the  P.R.  sent  to  command  my  attendance  at  Table. 
Tyrwhitt  said,  I  was  not  there.  The  Duke  of  Cumberland, 
who  had  come  from  the  House  of  Peers  with  Tyrwhitt, 
informed  the  P.R.  of  the  Truth.  In  consequence  the  P.R. 
commanded  the  Porters  not  to  let  me  pass,  and  even 
vouchsafed  to  station  two  Pages  at  the  Gate  for  the  same 
Purpose.  Soon  after  the. Duke  of  Cumberland  in  Person 
came  with  the  Commands  of  the  P.R.  for  the  immediate 
attendance  of  Tyrwhitt  and  myself.  We  consequently 
attended,  and,  I  believe,  sir,  you  would  have  been  somewhat 
surprised  at  the  very  angry  Language,  which  the  P.R.  gave 
Tyrwhitt  in  the  strongest  Terms.  .  .  . 

John  Hayter. 

Lord  Frederick  Bentinck  ^ 

Bath  House,  August  13. 

My  Dear  Sir  Arthur, — I  have  delayed  hitherto  answer- 
ing your  kind  letter,  hoping  to  have  heard  something 
decisive  from  George  Leigh,  but  he  is  as  provoking  as 
ever,  and  writes  volumes  of  absurdities  upon  the  subject 

1  Major-General   Lord    Frederick   Cavendish   Bentinck,   youngest  son 
of  the  3rd  Duke  of  Portland. 


1812-17]  COL.   LEIGH  ABSURD  251 

of  Warwick  Lake's  place  to  Mrs.  Leigh/  who  is  in  Town, 
declaring  that  residing  in  London  would  be  his  death. 
Were  he  only  concerned  I  should  give  myself  no  further 
trouble  upon  his  account,  but  the  situation  of  Mrs.  Leigh 
and  her  five  children  excites  my  compassion. 

I  have  ascertained  that  according  to  the  Act  of  Parlia- 
ment W.  Lake  has  a  right  to  retire  with  an  allowance 
equal  to  two  thirds  of  his  place,  and  I  have  no  doubt,  that 
if  the  remainder  was  made  up  to  him,  and  George  Leigh's 
situation  explained  to  him  (for  Lake  is  a  very  kind  hearted 
Person),  that  he  would  retire.  I  am  convinced  that  George 
Leigh  will  never  be  brought  to  his  senses  until  he  is  put 
in  Prison,  which  for  the  sake  of  those  who  are  concerned 
with  him,  and  for  him,  I  trust  may  very  speedily  happen. 
I  never  in  my  life  met  with  a  man  of  so  spoiled  a  temper, 
and  such  wrong  headed  disposition. 

I  am  sorry  that  the  Mare  does  not  suit  Lady  Augusta, 
but  I  trust  you  may  like  her,  and  I  shall  be  much  dis- 
appointed if  you  do  not  keep  her. 

I  am  going  tomorrow  into  the  North,  and  shall  return 
about  the  Middle  of  September,  and  I  shall  desire  my  Groom 
to  wait  upon  you  for  Orders,  as  soon  as  you  come  to  town, 
and  to  put  my  Hacks  and  Tilbury,  all  of  which  I  leave 
here,  at  your  disposal  during  your  sejour  in  London. 

Fred  Bentinck. 

Earl  of  Uxbridge 

Beau  Desert,  Augi  31s;,  1812. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — In  consequence  of  the  peculiar 
sensation  that  the  Black  Game  appear  to  have  produced, 
I  had  actually  written  another  Card  for  you,  when  Charles 
came  up,  seized  it,  threw  it  in  the  fire,  and  addressed  one 
to  the  Duke  of  Bedford,  and  I  have  no  more.  I  promise 
however  next  week  to  repair  the  injury.  He  says  you 
are  not  at  home.  When  do  you  return  ?  We  go  to  shoot 
at  Burton  on  Monday  and  Tuesday.  I  then  return  here, 
perhaps  Edward  and  Charles  will  stay  on  longer.    They 

^  Mrs.  Leigh  was  half-sister  of  Lord  Byron,  being  the  only  child  of 
his  father's  first  marriage  with  Baroness  Conyers  in  her  own  right.  Her 
husband's  financial  troubles  are  mentioned  in  Byron's  Letters  and  Journal, 
1904.  They  were  granted  apartments  in  St.  James'  Palace  in  1818, 
where  Mrs.  Leigh  died  in  1851. 


25^         ■  SIR  EDWARD   CAPTURED  [ch.  iv 

have  had  very  good  sport  on  the  Chase, ^  and  have  shot 
capitally.  I  have  confined  myself  to  the  Old  Ones,  The 
present  total  is  113,  of  which  39  are  Cocks.  There  are 
too  [many]  of  these,  and  I  shall  be  at  them  again,  but  I 
cannot  do  much  against  them,  excepting  when  I  am  alone. 
You  did  not  in  either  of  your  letters  say  whether  you 
would  join  in  the  Party  here  in  Deer.  Surely  I  did  not 
forget  to  propose  it  to  you,  for  it  was  one  of  the  principal 
objects  of  my  last  letter.  Graves  and  Mary,  and  Charles 
and  Elizabeth  are  to  be  here,  and  Edward,  and  probably 
a  straggler  or  two.  We  shall  have  a  corner  for  you  and 
Augusta.  The  Chasse  will  begin  on  the  2d  of  Deer.  Ever 
affecly  yours,  Paget. 

Rev.  G.  Illingworih 

TiDWORTH,  Dec,  1812. 

Dear  Paget, — But  a  few  hours  after  my  last  letter  to  you 
was  sent  to  the  post  from  Dantsey,  I  was  shocked  extremely 
with  the  melancholy  account  of  your  brother,  the  General,* 
being  made  prisoner.  To  say  the  truth,  upon  my  eye  first 
merely  glancing  over  the  paragraph,  and  seeing  Ld  Welling- 
ton lamenting  the  loss  of  Sir  Ed.  P.,  my  heart  sank  within 
me  at  the  idea  that  he  was  no  more,  so  that  upon  looking 
again  at  the  paper,  I  confess  that  his  being  captured  in 
such  an  unlucky  way  seemed  light  in  comparison  to  what 
I  had  apprehended.  Surely  in  the  midst  of  such  a  grievous 
misfortune  it  is  some  consolation  to  have  every  reason  to 
hope  that  that  Scourge  of  the  world,  Buonaparte  (who  by 
the  way  does  not  turn  out  to  be  the  man  that  Sir  H.  F. 
took  him  for)  will  come  short  home,^  and  then  I  think  you 
won't  be  long  before  you  have  your  gallant  brother  again 
restored  to  you. 

I  had  intended  to  have  passed  a  couple  of  days  with 
you  at  West  Lodge  this  ensuing  week ;  but  on  taking  leave 
of  Ld  P.  *  last  night  he  seemed  so  anxious  that  I  should 
return  to  him,  that  I  could  not  refuse.  .  .  . 

1  Cannock  Chase. 

*  Edward  Paget  was  captured  on  November  19th,  1812,  by  a  party 
of  French  troops  whilst  riding  round  his  outposts  attended  by  a  single 
orderly,  and  remained  interned  in  France  until  the  Peace  in  1814.  Lord 
WeUington  wrote  :   "  I  cannot  sufficiently  regret  the  loss  of  his  services." 

'  The  retreat  from  Moscow  of  the  French  Army  was  now  begun. 

*  Lord  Peterborough. 


1812-17]  LORD    PETERBOROUGH  253 

I  hope  you  saw  the  Cottage  Ornee  of  Thomas  Hobbs 
Scott  Esqr.,  only  that  you  might  see  the  difference  between 
newspaper  description  and  reality,  that  was  my  only 
reason  for  wishing  you  to  look  at  it.  By  the  way  that 
said  Cottage  was  built  and  the  ground  chalked  and  culti- 
vated and  planted  with  the  money  which  the  Patriotic  Sir 
Francis  Burdett  deposited  in  the  hands  of  this  Scott's  brother 
as  a  provision  for  his  child  by  Lady  Oxford.^  The  money 
having  been  converted  into  brick,  mortar,  fir-trees  etc., 
was  not  forthcoming  on  demand,  and  was  the  cause  of  that 
curious  action  at  law  to  recover  it.  Sir  Francis  paid  dear 
for  his  intrigue  with  merely  a  common  strumpet,  and  the 
profligate  rascally  brothers  were  but  little  benefited  by 
cheating  him  and  their  sister's  child,  for  it  seems  they  are 
both  ruined.  ,  .  .  Very  truly  yours, 

G.  Illingvvorth. 

It  is  rather  singular  that  about  three  months  ago  and 
when  everything  appeared  to  be  going  on  swimmingly  with 
Buonaparte,  Lord  Peterborough  always  maintained  that 
he  would  be  obliged  to  retreat  and  that  about  Smolensko, 
naming  the  very  place  he  would  be  surrounded  by  the 
Russians.  I  hope  and  trust  he,  the  Arch  Caitiff,  is  abso- 
lutely there  and  then  I  think  it  is  over  with  him,  but  he 
is  such  a  clever  fellow  and  has  so  many  resources  that  I 
am  not  so  sanguine  as  many  of  my  friends. 

Capi.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

Superb,^  Basque  Roads,  J  any  Sth,  18 13. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — So  fair  an  opportunity  will  offer 
at  daylight  tomorrow  that  I  must  write  to  thank  you 
for  your  Letter  of  the  26th  ultmo  received  two  days  ago 
by  the  Fancy  Cutter,  which  vessel  left  us  the  following 
morning  and  took  back  two  Letters  for  you.  The  vessel 
which  now  offers  is  an  American  Schooner,  that  has  run 
into  the  Squadron,  being  hard  pressed  by  a  Cruizer  in  the 
offing  and  seeing  a  Squadron  occupying  this  anchorage, 
they   thought  we   must   be   French   and   with   confidence 

1  The  beautiful  wife  of  Edward  Harley,  5th  Earl  of  Oxford,  whose 
portrait  by  Hoppner  hangs  in  the  National  Gallery,  had  many  admirers, 
including  Lord  Byron,  and  her  children  were  called  the  "  Harleian  Mis- 
cellany." 

*  Charles  Paget  commanded  the  Superb  hne  of  battleship  from  1812-14, 
vsrhen  we  were  at  war  against  the  United  States  as  well  as  France. 


254  AMERICAN   SHIPS  [ch.  iv 

they  ran  down  to  us,  and  were  not  undeceived  till  a  boat 
from  the  Squadron  went  to  take  possession  of  her.  She 
is  a  beautiful  Vessel  from  Baltimore  bound  to  Bordeaux. 

I  am  quite  vexed  and  annoyed  at  the  Americans  having 
captured  another  of  our  finest  frigates.  It  is  proved  to 
my  mind  that  our  frigates  are  not  a  Match — the  very  best 
of  them — to  the  class  of  American  frigate  that  they  have 
been  opposed  to.  They  are  in  fact  much  more  like  Ships 
of  the  Line  than  frigates,  and  to  cope  with  them  with  single- 
Decked  Ships  as  they  call  them  (altho'  they  carry  a  regular 
tier  of  guns  on  their  Gangways)  we  must  either  build  such, 
or  employ  cut-down  sixty-fours  or  old  74s  and  send  them 
with  24  Pounders  and  a  Complement  of  500,  instead  of 
eight-and-thirty  gun  frigates  with  a  Complement  of  300 
men,  and  then  if  they  beat  us,  why  they  are  an  overmatch 
in  point  of  ability,  judgment,  seamanship  and  gallantry. 

It  is  besides  perfectly  true   that  the  Crews  of  all  the 

American  Men  of  War,  if  they  be  not  in  a  great  part  British, 

have  all  more  or  less  served  in  our  Men  of  War  and  there 

have  learnt  their  business,  and  being  very  near  of  kin  are 

certain  to  be  an  overmatch  in  such  odds  as  i8-Pounders 

to  24s,  and  with  a  Complement  of  300  opposed  to  450  or 

500.     These  are  matters  which,  tho'  the  first  Lord  of  the 

Admiralty  may  not  duly  appreciate,  the  Sea  Lords  ought 

to  have  dinned  into  his  Ears,  instead  I  see  very  great  room 

for  hauling  the  naval  part  of  our  Administration  over  the 

Coals,  for  with  our  stupendous  Navy  we  ought  not  only 

to  have  secured  that  by  no  possibility  should  our  Character 

in  that  particular  arm  have  suffered  the  slightest  imputation, 

but  long  ere  this  every  American  that  swims  either  within 

or  without  their  waters  ought  (as  Bony  expresses  himself 

or  at  least  used  to  do)  to  have  ceased  to  exist,  instead  of  that 

how  does  the  matter  stand  ?     Hitherto  they  have  decidedly 

triumphed,  and  are  at  the  moment  in  full  possession  of  the 

Seas,  swaggering  about. as  if  we  were  a  Maritime  Power 

no  higher  in  reputation  than  the  Portuguese.     It  is  too 

disgraceful.     These  Americans  have  made  me  digress  from 

the  subject  I  meant  to  write  about.     I  will  therefore  go 

on  to  say,  that  I  feel,  my  excellent  fellow,  to  the  utmost 

the  kind  manner  in  which   you  have   expressed  yourself 

about  Elizabeth  and  to  assure  you,  that  I  have  given  most 

unintentionally  a  false  impression  in  making  you  suppose 

that  I  am  otherwise  than  perfectly  at  my  ease  and  happy 


1812-17]  ELIZABETH'S  GOOD  SENSE  255 

on  her  account.  It  is  quite  impossible  for  a  fellow  with 
feeling,  as  you  know,  to  be  always  upon  his  guard  with 
himself,  and  I  conclude  I  may  have  said  something  in  a 
Letter  at  a  moment  of  that  kind  which  justified  your  fear 
of  my  being  more  or  less  discomposed.  But  however  I 
have  the  happiness  to  assure  you  with  truth,  and  I  disguise 
nothing  from  you,  that  altogether  I  never  felt  more  perfectly 
comfortable  and  happy  afloat  than  I  now  do,  which  I 
attribute  to  a  consciousness  that  my  dear  Elizabeth  and 
Children  have  everything  they  can  wish  for,  and  from  a 
persuasion  that  she  has  the  thorough  good  sense  and  right 
feeling  to  think  that  I  am  doing  what  is  right.  I  ought 
to  do  her  further  justice  by  stating  that  I  am  convinced 
there  is  no  sacrifice  that  she  would  not  sooner  undergo  than 
to  be  in  any  way  instrumental  in  withdrawing  me  from 
my  profession.  No — she  cheers  me  in  all  her  Letters.  She 
is  rational  to  a  degree,  and  is  just  in  that  tone  of  mind  that 
I  should  wish  her  to  be  in.  She  gives  me  famous  accounts  of 
herself  and  the  dear  Children,  and  now  has  Mopsy  with  her. 

I  received  a  Letter  from  my  Mother  by  the  Cutter  enclos- 
ing a  Copy  of  poor  Ned's  Letter  to  her.  Poor  dear  fellow  ! 
I  hope  he  may  have  mine  forwarded  to  him,  which  I  sent 
under  cover  to  the  French  Admiral,  and  I  dare  say  it  will 
be,  for  I  accompanied  it  with  a  very  polite  note  to  him 
entreating  him  to  convey  it,  and  as  the  Letter  to  Edward 
was  open  and  abstained  from  any  allusion  to  Public  or 
Political  matters,  I  think  it  will  be  sent  to  him.  I  should 
at  the  same  time  have  sent  one  or  two  of  yours  to  me,  but 
on  that  account  however  as  there  was  nothing  of  the  kind 
in  Adden's  to  you  which  you  sent  to  me,  I  let  it  accom- 
pany mine,  because  I  was  sure  the  poor  fellow  would  be 
afforded  a  smile  by  that  part  of  its  contents  alluding  to 
the  Baroness  Howe,'  whom  Adden  says  the  Queen  calls 
Mrs.  Phipps. 

.  .  .  Mr.  Davies,  who  has  this  instant  come  in  to  ask  me 
if  I  have  any  orders  for  the  night,  begs  his  best  respects 
to  you  and  Augusta.  He  is  indeed  a  capital  fellow.  I  can't 
help  regretting  that  you  and  old  Keith  have  parted  company, 
for  were  it  otherwise  I  might  through  you  be  picking  up 
Americans  to  the  Westward,  and  now  is  the  Harvest  time. 
Our  Cruizers  are  sending  them  in  at  all  rates,  and  as  he 

1  Baroness  Howe  married,  first,  the  Hon.  Penn  Curzon,  and  secondly,  in 
1 8 1 2 ,  Sir  J .  W.  Waller.  Why  the  Queen  called  her  Mrs.  Phipps  is  not  evident. 

18 


256  THE  SUPERB  [ch.  iv 

has  detached  one  of  the  Line  of  Battle  Ships  to  cruize  (the 
Canopits)  for  them,  I  think  considering  everything,  it  is 
not  too  much  to  feel  that  he  might  do  so  by  me.  I  think 
the  Government  House  entitles  me  to  a  Cruize,  if  nothing 
else  did. 

Nothing  can  go  on  more  smoothly  and  comfortably  than 
my  Ship  Officers  and  Ship's  Company.  They  all  know 
what  I  expect  of  them,  they  all  do  it,  and  I  have  scarce  a 
punishment  of  any  kind.  The  Rodney  people,  that  came 
with  so  bad  a  Character  generally,  are  as  orderly  and  as 
respectful  as  any  set  of  Men  I  ever  met  with,  and  altogether 
I  have  not  had  a  set  of  fellows  that  I  liked  better  than  I 
do  these.  .  .  .  Ever  your  affect,  and  devoted 

Charles. 

Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

Superb,  Basque  Roads,  Jany  T.'^rd,  1813. 

Your  Letter  of  the  9th,  my  very  dearest  Arthur,  reached 
me  last  night  by  the  Hannibal,  and  as  the  Sovereign  starts 
at  daylight,  I  must  seize  the  opportunity  of  thanking 
you  again  for  your  punctuality  in  writing,  and  sending 
me  the  newspapers.  .  .  .  Cowesfield  ^  I  feel  is  yours,  .... 
Your  plan  was  a  very  good  one  of  setting  off  to  the  Lakes, 
and  afterwards  to  the  Galloways  in  the  Summer,  had  not 
this  Stopper  been  clapped  over  all,  which  I  grieve  to  see  by 
your  Letter  is  a  disappointment  to  you  both  as  to  the 
catise  and  effect.  Now  I  will  not  on  that  account  give  up 
one  particle  of  the  satisfaction  I  feel  on  the  subject  of  the 
cause,  because  that,  tho'  I  am  satisfied  that  you  neither 
of  you  could  have  done  better  than  have  executed  this 
Summer  project  if  it  had  not  been  for  the  Stopper,  still 
that  of  the  two  the  Stopper  is  the  best  to  happen,  first 
because  that  nothing  can  surely  occur  so  likely  to  occupy 
the  mind  of  Augusta  as  the  nursing  of  a  nice  little  Girl, 
and  if  you  have  this  place  you  will  have  quite  enough  to 
do  with  it  to  possess  your  time  and  thoughts,  at  least  I 
hope  so,  and  The  Lakes  will  do  next  Summer  after.  At 
all  Events  I  am  clearly  for  another  Child,  and  if  I  had  not 
been  Godfather  to  my  poor  little  Oubli,  I  would  offer 
again,  but  on  that  account  perhaps  I  am  objectionable. 
To  me  it  is  a  real  pleasure  to  think  that  Elizabeth  is  in 

1  A  place  near  Romsey  to  which  Sir  A.  P.  now  moved  from  West  Lodge. 


1812-17]  THE  SQUADRON  257 

that  way.  Here  I  have  five  Children,  and  a  sixth  coming. 
All  I  have  for  it  is  to  stick  to  my  profession  and  look  for- 
ward, when  I  am  an  old  fellow,  to  a  Chief's  Command  on  a 
foreign  Station,  to  make  prize  Money  for  them,  or  the  Lord 
help  them,  for  I  don't  think  Paddy  Monck  will,  tho'  I  hear 
from  Elizabeth  he  has  made  a  very  gracious  visit  to  her 
at  Fair  Oak,  and  that  as  usual  he  was  delighted  with  the 
Children. 

I  have  written  to  Fetherstone  today  in  reply  to  a  very 
kind  Letter  from  him.  By  the  bye,  tho'  I  have  failed  to 
name  the  Pates  to  you,  I  have  taken  several  occasions  to 
desire  Elizabeth  to  do  justice  to  them  by  the  report  I  sent 
for  Sir  Harry's  information.  They  were  perfect  and  lasted 
till  ten  days  ago. 

There's  nothing  new  here.  The  Squadron  consists  of  the 
P.  Joseph,  Warspite,  Hannibal,  Barham  and  Siiperh.  Black- 
wood and  myself  see  a  good  deal  of  each  other.  By  the 
bye  I  was  on  board  his  Ship  this  morning  and  whilst  I 
was  standing  at  his  fire  place,  he  eating  his  breakfast,  a 
great  Poodle  Dog  of  his  was  admitted  into  the  Cabin  and 
having  seen  me  made  up  towards  me,  and  having  just  smelt 
me  instantly  flew  at  me.  He  seized  my  Trowsers,  but  my 
Watch  being  on  a  Low  fob  presented  itself  between  me 
and  the  Dog's  teeth,  so  that  he  only  took  a  mouthful  of 
Cloth  etc.  out.  Blackwood  hereupon  flew  at  the  Dog 
and  I  verily  thought  would  have  killed  him  on  the  spot. 
This  however  he  did  not  do  but  forthwith  ordered  execution 
to  be  done  upon  him  by  his  Commitment  to  the  deep  with 
a  double  headed  Shot  about  his  neck.  All  my  prayers  and 
entreaties  at  least  for  a  reprieve  were  unheeded,  but  they 
ceased  when  I  heard  that  the  same  dog  had  lately  flown  at 
and  bit  at  least  50  of  the  sailors,  so  I  thought  for  their  sakes 
I  ought  no  longer  to  stand  Mediator  for  such  a  nuisance  in 
any  Ship.  .  .  . 

I  have  not  had  time  yet  to  look  at  the  papers  upon  the 
subject  of  the  India  Charter,  at  least  more  than  to  see  that 
there  will  be  the  devil  to  pay  about  it  all.  You  may  depend 
upon  it  that,  except  perhaps  to  China,  the  trade  ought  to 
be  thrown  open  to  the  India  Seas,  at  least  so  my  poor 
judgment  tells  me.  We  shall  hear  Ld  Wellesley  upon  it 
all,  who,  I  believe,  supports  the  pretensions  of  the  Company. 

You  are  right  in  imagining  that  I  did  not  write  an  account 
of   the   fire   to   Elizabeth.     I   however  mentioned   having 


258  THE  ADMIRALTY  [ch.  iv 

suffered  a  slight  inconvenience  in  the  Stove  not  being 
properly  attended  to,  and  this  I  did  lest  she  should  hear 
some  tremendous  report,  which  excepting  with  people  like 
yourself  would  surely  have  been  the  case.  I  therefore 
only  wrote  to  yourself  what  really  did  occur. 

I  will  by  my  next  send  you  a  Chart  of  our  position  with 
the  relative  one  of  Isle  D'Aix  and  the  French  Squadron. 
It  makes  my  mouth  water,  hearing  as  I  do,  or  rather  seeing 
as  I  do,  these  Ships  going  into  Plymouth,  but  I  don't  despair 
yet  of  Ld  Keith  detaching  me  from  this  before  the  winter 
is  over.  The  Admiralty  seems  at  length  to  be  quite  on 
the  qui  vive  in  sending  Ships  to  America.  They  deserve 
it,  and  I  hope  they  will  get  well  roused,  when  Parliament 
meets,  for  the  disgraceful  conduct  of  that  department  in 
not  having  had  the  reinforcements,  that  are  now  just  starting 
out,  on  that  Station  last  September  and  October. 

God  bless  you,  my  excellent  fellow.  I  don't  attempt  to 
send  you  from  hence  a  Letter  of  any  interest  or  novelty, 
and  you  will  therefore  put  up  with  such  as  they  are.  Tell 
Dear  Augusta  I  love  her  with  all  m.y  heart,  and  that  I 
wish  I  could  see  her  and  all  the  happiness  I  wish  her  at 
Cowesfieid.  I  trust  the  dear  little  fellow  is  quite  well. 
Ever,  my  good  fellow,  your  devoted  and  affect. 

C.  P. 

Dowager-Countess  of  Uxbridge 

SuRBiTON,  March  20th,  1813. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — You  contribute  more  to  my 
comfort  and  happiness  than  I  can  express  by  your  frequent 
kind  letters.  Many  many  Thanks  are  due,  and  as  grate- 
fully offer'd.  I  heard  two  days  ago  from  dear  Charles. 
Elizh,  little  Charles  and  Louisa  are  to  set  out  on  Monday 
to  join  him  at  Plymouth.  He  don't  speak  of  any  additional 
Prize  but  Lord  John  Spencer  writes  to  Lady  Blandford 
that  he  has  taken  four.  Is  it  true  ?  I  find  b}^  a  letter  from 
Mary  she  has  had  another  alarm  about  poor  little  Augusta, 
which  together  with  business  of  Lord  Graves  has  occasioned 
their  postponing  their  Journey  for  a  few  days.  Genl 
Erskine  must  be  in  Town  the  26th  to  meet  a  Man  of  business 
from  Scotland.  Louisa  is  to  accompany  him  if  she  is 
sufficiently  recover'd.  I'm  in  hopes  he  comes  into  a  good 
Property  by  the  death  of  his  Brother.^     I  understand,  but 

1   General  Sir  William  Erskine  died  in  Spain. 


1812-17]  ECONOmSTS  259 

not  from  them,  that  he  has  left  the  Person  that  lived  with 
him  a  House  and  two  hundred  and  fifty  pound  a  year,  to 
each  of  his  four  Daughters  by  her  fifteen  hundred  Pounds, 
and  to  his  younger  Brother  a  small  Estate.  Lord  Ennis- 
killen  has  taken  a  House  at  Petersham,  and  is  gone  to 
Ireland  to  bring  Charlotte  and  the  Children.  I  dread  the 
Journey  for  her  in  her  weak  state.  She  has  not  yet  left 
her  room.  I  grieve  that  Lady  Augusta's  progress  is  so 
slow.  The  last  fine  days  have,  I  hope,  enabled  her  to  get 
into  the  air.  Give  her  my  kindest  love.  You  amuse  me 
about  Master  Tooty's  packing,  poor  little  fellow,  I  have 
no  doubt  he  thought  he  assisted  you  very  much.  How  new 
this  sort  of  thing  must  be  to  you  !  I  believe  in  the  World 
there  never  was  so  metamorphosed  a  person  as  yourself. 
Are  you  not  surprised  at  yourself  ?  They  all  seem  to  be 
following  your  bright  example  and  I  soon  expect  to  see  my 
sons  as  great  Economists  as  they  were  the  reverse.  I 
send  you  my  last  letter  from  dear  Edward  lest  you  should 
not  have  heard  from  him.  Pray  return  it  quite  at  your 
leisure.  Had  you  not  once  a  thought  of  trying  to  obtain 
his  liberty  ?  I  have  great  faith  in  your  undertakings  and 
of  the  influence  you  once  had  on  the  Continent,  but  things 
are  sadly  changed  there.  However  the  present  appearances 
are  somewhat  favourable.  If  you  was  at  Vienna  I  feel 
certain  that  you  would  have  influence  to  assist  the  general 
Cause.  Your  letters  are  so  instructive  as  well  as  enter- 
taining. 

215^;. 
Here  I  was  interrupted  by  the  arrival  of  Berkeley  who 
reminded  me  there  was  no  Post  yesterday.  He  brought 
me  a  farther  proof  of  the  truth  of  my  last  sentence  by  your 
letter  of  the  19th.  How  indulgent  you  are  to  me,  my 
dear  Arthur  !  But  your  detail  of  your  Catastrophe  has 
quite  overset  me  when  I  think  of  what  it  might  have  been, 
and  has  put  out  of  my  head  all  I  was  going  to  observe 
about  those  said  letters.  It  had  a  very  contrary  effect 
upon  Berkeley,  who  laughed  so  violently  at  the  recital  that 
I  was  very  angry  with  him.  It's  a  family  failing,  you  all 
more  or  less  laugh  at  these  sort  of  events.  I  am  very 
thankful  for  your  escape  which  certainly  was  a  very  narrow 
one.  I  don't  subscribe  to  your  opinion  that  Providence 
destines  us  to  be  for  ever  miserable  when  he  is  pleased  to 


26o  ARTHUR'S   KINDNESS  [ch.  iv 

inflict  us  with  Calamities.  My  persuasion  is  that  they  are 
sent  as  trials  ol  our  Religion  and  resignation,  and  if  we  are 
not  found  wanting,  we  shall  be  rewarded  accordingly.  Think 
of  Edward,  does  he  not  illustrate  my  proposition  ?  I 
won't  speak  of  myself  when  I  have  so  much  better  an 
example  in  him.  I  wish  his  dear  Boy  was  with  him  but 
there  is  no  use  in  wishing  for  impossibilities.  The  prospect 
of  your  possessing  your  Plate  gives  me  the  greatest  satisfac- 
tion. I  had  almost  given  up  the  hope  of  this  good  luck. 
I  feel  quite  outrageous  at  another  of  our  Frigates  having 
fallen  into  the  Hands  of  the  Americans.  The  Admiralty 
is  extremely  reprehensible.  A  Child  would  know  better 
than  to  send  ships  of  that  Class  to  be  swallow 'd  up  by 
these  Leviathans.  How  tired  you  must  be  of  me,  my 
dearest  Arthur.  It  is  however  your  own  fault.  If  you 
was  not  so  kind  you  would  not  be  so  imposed  upon.  Ever 
your  most  affecte  Mother, 

J.   UXBRIDGE. 

I  hope  we  don't  mean  that  Lady  Augusta  was  with  you 
at  the  time  of  your  Accident. 

Dowager-Countess  of  Uxbridge 

SuRBiTON,  April  22d,  1814. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — My  Conscience  smote  me  yester- 
day on  receiving  your  Second  kind  letter  before  I  had 
acknowledged  the  first,  but  in  justification  of  myself  I 
must  tell  you  that  I  have  had  one  of  my  very  worst  Colds, 
that  render 'd  writing  impracticable,  otherwise  I  would 
not  have  been  silent,  having  had  so  much  to  thank  you 
for  both  in  Caroline's  and  my  own  Name.  I  never  saw 
her  more  penetrated  than  by  the  affectionate  expressions 
contained  in  the  former,  what  will  she  then  feel  when  she 
reads  this  last  proof  of  your  generosity  and  kindness  ! 
Indeed  it  is  too  much.  I  shall  see  her  in  a  few  days  and 
shall  then  let  her  speak  for  herself.  They  are  all  longing 
to  see  you,  and  we  feel  your  offer  of  coming  as  we  ought. 
I  came  here  a  week  ago,  being  told  I  might  expect  Edward 
at  any  moment,  and  I  thought  that  in  the  Event  of  his 
arrival,  you  would  perhaps  have  come  here  and  at  the 
same  time  have  seen  the  Capels,  but  as  I  hear  nothing  of 
him,  and  shall  see  so  little  more  of  them,  I  purpose  returning 
to  Horton  in  a  few  days,  and  remaining  with  them  till  their 


1812-17]  THE  CAPELS  261 

departure.  I  believe  it  would  be  more  wise,  both  on 
Caroline's  and  my  own  account,  if  we  were  not  so  much 
together  imder  the  present  unhappy  '  Circumstances,  but 
I  have  not  resolution  to  resist  the  impulse  of  my  heart.  I 
think  Capel  is  infinitely  more  depressed  than  Caroline. 
He  is  under  the  apprehension  of  losing  his  office  at  Berbice, 
which  will  probably  be  given  up  to  the  Dutch,  and  then 
I  really  do  not  know  what  will  become  of  them.  They 
cannot  get  a  House  at  the  Hague,  which  is  unlucky,  as 
every  article  of  living  is  remarkably  cheap  there.  They 
now  think  of  Brussels.  It  is  an  object  to  them  not  to 
have  a  long  Land  Journey,  otherwise  there  are  parts  of 
France,  that  I  dare  say  would  be  eligible.  Capel  would 
have  gone  to  Brussels  last  week  to  procure  a  House,  but 
many  Foreigners,  and  others,  advised  her  waiting  a  little 
while.  What  a  wonderful  interposition  of  Providence  to 
have  brought  about  the  late  Events  in  the  Way  they  have 
been  !  To  think  that  a  Month  ago  the  Monster  might 
have  had  the  Kingdom  of  France,  and  that  he  is  now  reduced 
to  the  State  of  a  Pauper,  fills  the  mind  with  astonishment. 
I  think  they  have  granted  him  a  great  deal  too  much,  he 
ought  not  to  have  the  Means  of  doing  farther  mischief. 
Berkeley  is  to  go  to  Paris  in  a  few  days,  he  is  to  be  franked 
there  and  back  by  Sir  George  Talbot.  I  agree  with  you 
that  we  must  make  up  our  Minds  to  losing  many  of  our 
friends  ;  they  will  all  fly  to  the  Continent,  and  probably 
increase  the  Expence  of  Living  so  much,  that  those  whom 
necessity  drives  there,  it  will  not  answer  to  in  point  of 
Econom\^  I  fancy  you  are  amongst  those  that  will  be 
content  with  Old  England,  unless  the  situation  of  Am- 
bassador is  forced  upon  you.  Your  Uncle  has  just  left 
me,  and  says  he  hopes  nothing  will  prevent  him  from 
making  you,  and  dear  Lady  Augusta,  a  Visit  in  the  Course 
of  the  Summer.  He  goes  to  Windsor  the  ist  of  May  for 
his  residence,  and  from  thence  he  meditates  a  Journey  to 
Tunbridge.  Little  Charles  -  slept  here  last  Night  on  his 
way  from  Mr.  Monck's  to  Fair  Oak.  He  brought  me  a 
letter  from  Lady  Elizabeth,  saying  he  was  quite  well,  but 

1  Lady  Caroline  Capel  was  about  to  go  and  live  abroad  with  her  husband 
and  family  in  order  to  economise.  As  the  twenty-two  years  since  her 
marriage  had  been  spent  very  largely  under  her  parents'  roof,  the 
parting  must  have  been  a  hard  one  for  Lady  Uxbridge  to  bear  at  her  time 
of  life.     They  never  met  again. 

-  Captain  Charles  Paget's  eldest  boy. 


262  LITTLE  CHARLES  [ch.  iv 

he  is  far  from  being  so.  He  could  not  sit  down  to  dinner 
yesterday  and  lay  upon  the  Couch  without  speaking  a  Word 
the  whole  Evening,  and  this  Morning  could  not  even  bear 
the  sight  of  breakfast,  poor  little  fellow,  he  said  to  me 
"  G.Mama,  I  wonder  I  cannot  eat,  how  it  will  surprise 
Mama  " — he  looks  very  ill,  and  Sophia  who  came  here 
for  a  few  hours  yesterday  said  he  had  spent  a  day  lately 
in  Portman  Street,  that  he  eat  nothing,  and  was  perfectly 
languid  the  whole  time.  All  this  I  have  stated  to  EUzabeth 
in  a  letter  to  day.  He  requires  a  great  deal  of  Care  ;  and 
so  much  more  than  could  have  been  bestowed  upon  him 
at  a  numerous  school,  that  depend  upon  it,  his  removal 
was  eligible.  I  do  trust  that  with  attention  his  health 
will  be  re-established  before  he  goes  to  another.  He  is  a 
dear,  delightful  Boy,  You  have  not  named  yours  this 
age,  do  indulge  me,  my  dear  Arthur,  and  also  about  little 
Julia. ^  I  have  not  express'd  to  you  half  what  I  feel  for 
your  proposition  to  poor  dear  Car.  I  can  only  say  it  is 
like  you,  and  that  is  saying  every  thing.  The  Graves's, 
I  hear  from  Lady  Uxbridge,  are  coming  to  a  Lodging  in 
Conduit  Street.  We  may  include  the  Erskines  in  the 
emigrations,  for  I  hear  they  purpose  going  to  Spa  next 
Year.  I  am  really  surprised  that  we  hear  nothing  from 
Edward.  Harriet,  and  Georgiana,  who  are  here,  unite 
with  me  in  kind  love  to  you  and  Lady  Augusta.  I  ought 
to  make  you  many  Apologies  for  the  length  of  this  stupid 
letter.     I  am  your  most  truly  affect.  Mother, 

J.  Uxbridge. 

Of  course  you  have  heard  from  dear  Charles,  my  last 
letter  from  him  is  dated  Bermuda — the  7th  of  March,  all 
well.  Can  you  calculate  upon  the  probable  time  of  his 
return  ?  I  should  think  they  would  not  keep  Ships  of  his 
Class  long  in  those  Seas. 

Lady  Burgher sh  to  Lady  Augusta  Paget 

1814. 

...  is  all  gentleness  and  propriety  and  wishing  for  recon- 
ciliation and  peace.  I  only  said  I  thought  it  a  pity  she  did 
not  then  shew  that  amiable  disposition  a  little  more. 

We  have  heard  of   Pozzo   di  Borgo  safe  at  Gottenburg 

1  Sir  A.  P.'s  second  daughter,  born  December  1813,  died  at  the  age 
of  fifteen. 


1812-17]  COUNT  LIEVEN  263 

on  the  5th.  You  never  saw  such  a  set  of  Beasts  as  the 
Russians  that  are  swarming  about  now  except  Count  Lieven, 
the  Ambassador,  who  is  a  Gentlemanlike  man.  Mde 
Lieven  gives  herself  great  airs,  and  abuses  every  thing  and 
every  body  in  England.  She  has  rather  a  pretty  face  but 
no  figure  at  all. 

I  saw  Ld  Uxbridge's  Daughters  at  the  Play  the  other 
night.     I  think  Car  is  handsomer  than  ever.     Yr  most  aff. 

P.  B. 

How  can  you  think  of  parting  with  a  Horse  which  you 
like  so  much  ?  You  will  repent  of  it  and  I  hope  you  will 
keep  it. 

Lord  Graves 

36,  Conduit  Street,  June  ^th,  1814. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — You  will  say  as  usual — that  I 
promise  every  thing,  and  perform  nothing — because  you 
have  not  receiv'd  Lady  Hamilton's  Letters.  Our  Friend, 
Galloway,  took  them  from  hence  under  promise  to  send 
them  to  you.  For  once  you  must  acquit  me  if  they  have 
not  arriv'd  at  Cowesfield.  They  are  however  sad  Trash 
and  not  worth  the  Carriage. 

That  silly  Fellow,  Methuen,  brought  forth  the  Motion 
concerning  the  Letters  of  the  Princess  of  Wales  ^  and  the 
Queen,  and  of  the  Result  the  Newspapers  have  already 
told  you.  B.  Bathurst,  who  was  the  only  Government 
Speaker,  potter'd,  and  did  not  acquit  himself  as  he  ought. 
He  was  too  long,  too  prolix,  and  went  over  the  same  ground 
too  often.  Whitbread  was  very  strong- — eloquent,  insolent, 
abusive,  and  overbearing — and  they  have  contriv'd,  by 
making  Methuen  withdraw  his  Motion,  to  keep  it  hanging 
over  the  Prince's  head  till  after  the  next  Drawing-Room — 
as  if  the  Prince  was  a  child.  In  short  nothing  can  have 
been  more  insolent,  and  unwarrantable  than  the  whole 
Proceeding  of  ye  Opposition.  But  none  of  them  dar'd 
venture  to  say  that  it  was  the  Province  of  Parliament  to 
interfere  in  the  private  disagreements  of  these  two  Royal 
Personages.  Nothing  can  be  more  mischievous  than  the 
whole  of  the  Princess'     conduct,  who  has  chosen  just  the 

1  The  Princess  of  Wales  had  remonstrated  against  her  exclusion  from 
the  Drawing- Rooms  in  letters  to  the  Queen  and  sent  their  correspondence 
to  the  newspapers. 


264  THE  DRAWING-ROOM  [ch.  iv 

time  pour  faire  effet.  She  went  to  the  Opera  last  night, 
and  was  greeted  by  the  well  dress'd  Rabble  there  as  she 
meant,  and  expected,  who  clapp'd  their  Hands,  and  de- 
manded the  Orchestra  to  Play  "  God  save  the  King  " — 
who,  poor  old  FeUow,  was  he  in  his  senses,  and  she  at 
her  tricks,  would  soon  pack  her  off  to  Brunswick,  or  Han- 
over, where  I  wish  she  was  at  this  moment.  The  Stranger 
Sovereigns  are  to  be  here  on  Tuesday.  You  of  course 
know  that  Lord  and  Lady  Burghersh,  Mr.  Mrs.  and  Emily 
Pole,'  Lord  and  Lady  Castlereagh  &c.  &c.  are  arriv'd,  with 
Heads  as  high  as  May-Poles,  or  more  like  Bee-Hives — I 
mean  the  women — though  Castlereagh  may  well  hold  his 
up,  after  what  he  has  done  for  the  happiness  of  the  world. 
I  wish  he  had  been  in  ye  House  of  Commons  on  Methuen's 
Motion,  he  would  soon  have  put  them  to  rights.  Your 
Uncle,  Forbes  Champagne,'  is  arriv'd  by  the  last  Lidia 
Fleet,  and  is,  I  am  told,  looking  well — considering  the 
Climate,  the  Life  he  has  led,  and  the  years  that  have  gone 
over  his  Head.  He  appears  to  me  to  be  a  hardy  little  old 
Fellow,  a  good  Man,  though  a  graver  one  than  his  Brother 
Jos.  He  behav'd  very  generously  to  Caroline '  on  the  day 
she  left  England,  putting  a  very  valuable  Diamond  Ring 
on  her  finger,  and  filling  her  Hands  full  of  Pagodas — this 
was  very  oriental,  and  very  English  at  the  same  time. 

The  Drawing-Room  was  most  unprecedentedly  full  and 
such  a  Mob,  that  I  wonder  the  women  were  not  crush'd  to 
Death  in  the  Door-way  in  going  to  the  Presence — it  was 
suppos'd  there  were  4000  Persons.  The  Prince  took  Car  * 
Paget  by  the  Hand,  and  presented  her  himself  to  the 
Queen  in  the  most  charming  and  gracious  manner.  There 
will  be  a  most  superb  Fete  at  Carlton  House,  and  that 
of  White's  is  fix'd  for  the  13th.  But  I  fear  it  will  be  a  chose 
manquee.  There  are  too  many  Managers — Lady  Jersey 
means  to  form  two,  or  three  Quadrilles  to  be  danc'd  at 
Burlington  House,  if  there  is  not  too  much  Pressure,  and 
every  thing  else  proves  agreeable — and  I  fancy  there  will 
be  Valzing  at  Carlton  House.  You  have  already  heard  of 
the   Insolence  of   Prince  Paul   of  Wirtemburg.     Will  you 

1  Emily  Pole  married   this  year  Lord  FitzRoy  Somerset,  afterwards 
created  Lord  Raglan. 

-  Lieutenant-General  Forbes  Champagne,  brother  of  Lady  Uxbridge 
died  October  23rd.   1816. 

^  Lady  Caroline  Capel. 

*  Lord  Uxbridge's  eldest  daughter. 


1812-17]  PAUL  OF  \VIRTEMBURG  265 

believe  it  at  a  great  Dinner,  where  the  Queen  was  present, 
at  Carlton  House,  he  sat  next  to  the  Prince  of  Orange,* 
whom  he  tried  to  make  Drunk  by  daring  him  to  drink, 
toasting  &c.  and  succeeded,  though  the  Prince  [Regent] 
tried  to  prevent  it.  The  poor  little  Hereditary  Prince  was 
very  ill,  I  am  told  ;  Princess  Charlotte  was  present,  and 
furious  with  Prince  Paul,  who,  I  dare  say,  will  not  be 
again  ask'd  to  any  of  their  Dinners.  Do  not  mention 
this,  as  it  is  a  kind  of  Secret.  This  Prince  Paul  says  there 
is  "  rien  de  hon  dans  ce  Pays  que  les  Femmes,  ei  puis  elles 
sont  trop  grasses."  He  forgets  that  most  of  us  have  been 
in  his  Father's  miserable  territories,  where  even  the  women 
are  not  worth  looking  at,  and  where  I  would  not  exchange 
Bishop's  Court  for  all  Prince  Paul's  appointments — Graf 
or  whatever  else  he  may  be. 

Paget  is  in  high  force,  and  has  turn'd  his  Mind  again 
to  his  Carriage  Horses,  since  he  left  the  "  Liberty  "  and 
Southampton  River.  He  has  purchas'd  a  sweet  Hack,  a 
rare  goer.  But  none  of  us  can  find  anything  that  will 
quite  suit  your  Excellency.  They  are  plaguy  dear,  and 
very  unsound  if  at  all  made,  and  restive,  raw  and  awkward 
if  unmade.  I  think  my  Friend,  the  Brewer's,  Mare  would 
after  all  have  suited  you  the  best.  Quentin  has  brought 
over  8  capital  Horses  from  Paris  for  the  Prince,  Russian, 
and  French,  and  Spanish.  The  King  allow'd  him  to  choose 
out  of  Napoleon's  Stud  at  Versailles — guess  the  Quantity 
— 1200  Coach  Horses,  and  700  Saddle  Horses,  and  out  of 
these  he  could  only  pick  six,  that  were  worth  bringing 
over.  Napoleon  was  a  grand  Person,  and  certainly  knew 
how  to  represent  the  Honors  he  had  usurp'd.  I  have 
written  you  a  long  Letter.  But  as  your  Brothers  with  the 
exception  of  Edward  are  much  employ'd,  you  may  not 
otherwise  hear  les  on  dits  but  from  my  very  inadequate 
and  feeble  Pen.  Lord  Sefton  goes  to  Paris  next  Month. 
But  all  those  that  have  return' d  from  thence  give  a  wTetched 
account  of  the  Society — with  the  exception  of  the  Spectacles, 
and  the  Museum,  it  is  the  dullest  Place  in  the  world  ;  so 
now  every  one  talks  of  going  to  Brussels,  and  Spa,  and 
Parties  are  already  arrang'd  for  those  places,  where  they 
will  all  hve  together,  abuse  the  Country  and  the  People, 
and  then  come  home  as  wise  as  they  went ;   and  will  then 

1  The  Hereditary  Prince  of  Orange  was  in  England  as  suitor  for  the 
hand  of  Princess  Charlotte. 


266  ENGLISH   ABROAD  [ch.  iv 

praise  and  admire  the  Continent  at  home,  as  much  as 
they  abus'd  it  when  abroad.  The  Grassini  ^  is  fetee  as 
formerly,  goes  to  Parties,  and  is  asked  out  to  dinner — a 
disgrace  to  the  manners  of  the  times — she  is  not  much 
alter'd  in  Person.  Her  singing  is,  if  any  thing,  improv'd. 
Her  acting  is  excellent  in  ye  Orazzi  and  Curazzi  with  Tra- 
mazzani,  the  Opera  is  become  excellent.  But  the  Corps 
de  Ballet  is  deplorable.  Madame  Merfeldt  is  arriv'd,  but 
I  have  not  seen  her.  Adieu,  my  dear  Arthur,  give  my 
kind  Regards  and  affect,  remembrance  to  Augusta — and 
the  Little  Ones.  Mary  joins  in  every  affectionate  wish — 
and  if  you  receive  this  Olio  of  nonsense  favourably,  I  may 
perhaps  venture  to  put  you  asleep  once  more,  when  I  have 
any  thing  to  relate — adieu.    Ever  truly  yours. 

Graves. 

CafU  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

Fair  Oak,  nth  [Now.],  1814. 

This  will  find  you  I  hope,  my  dearest  fellow,  safe  at 
Beau  Desert,  which  I  am  led  to  expect  from  yours  received 
yesterday. 

I  can  so  perfectly  enter  into  your  feelings  in  regard  to 
getting  home,  that  I  fully  participate  with  you  in  the  satis- 
faction and  comfort  it  will  be  after  such  a  journey,  and 
at  such  a  time  of  year,  as  is  at  hand.  You  however  hold 
out  the  prospect  to  me  of  your  being  at  Uppark  early  in 
December,  in  which  I  am  selfish  enough  to  urge  you  to, 
because  if  you  resolve  upon  it,  I  will  infallibly  postpone 
my  going  into  Statfordslure,  in  order  that  we  might  pass 
a  few  days  together  at  Fetherstone's.  I  only  wish  that  you 
had  also  expressed  Augusta's  and  Tooty  Boy's  intention 
of  being  with  you  at  Uppark.  This  I  can  hardly  ask  of 
her  so  immediately  after  so  long  an  absence  from  her  httle 
Julia. 

Yes,  my  dear  fellow,  I  fully  beheve  you  when  you  tell 
me  that  not  a  day  passes  that  you  do  not  think  of  me 
and  my  new  existence,^  for  positively  I  feel  my  present 
situation  to  be  so  totally  and  entirely  different  to  any 
that  I  have  experienced  before,  that  I  can  only  describe 
it  by  the  above  designation,  and  if,  as  you  say,  that  heau- 

1  Madame  Grassini,  a  famous  French  actress. 
'  Capt.  Paget  was  now  temporarily  on  half-pay. 


1812-17]  CHARLES   ON  SHORE  267 

pere  of  mine  would  but  launch  out,  or  in  the  least  degree 
give  us  some  earnest  of  his  good  intentions,  there  would 
not  be  anything  in  this  world  for  me  to  wish  for,  but  I 
am  not  without  confident  hopes  that,  even  without  his 
assistance,  or  any  other,  that  in  less  than  two  years  I  shall 
have  paid  off  all  old  scores,  excepting  those  which  I  have 
from  time  to  time  received  from  your  generous  well-seasoned 
assistance.  I  find  Elizabeth,  God  bless  her,  so  punctual, 
so  exact,  and  so  provident  in  the  management  of  my  re- 
sources, so  infinitely  more  so  than  I  ever  could  attain  to, 
that  I  am  persuaded  it  will  be  to  the  advantage  of  myself, 
and  my  family,  to  confide  the  management  of  every  thing 
to  her,  and  I  hope  to  confine  what  I  shall  consider  my 
own  personal  expences  to  within  the  limits  of  my  half- 
pay.  With  regard  to  Mr.  Monck  I  shall  certainly  follow 
your  ad\'ice,  indeed  I  may  say  that  I  have  already  for 
some  time  acted  upon  it.  We  are  upon  the  best  terms, 
and  I  think  likely  to  be  so,  because  it  has  been  his  own 
seeking  and  we  are  neither  of  us  doing  any  violence  to  our 
feehngs,  or  acting  any  part  in  being  on  the  footing  that 
we  now  are.  The  part  however  that  that  insidious  artful 
woman  *  is  acting  is  very  disgusting,  and  if  not  overdone 
is  Ukely  enough  to  succeed,  for  he  is  but  a  weak  man,  and 
may  therefore  be  ensnared  by  the  wiles  of  so  clever  and 
insinuating  a  creature  as  she  is.  At  times  he  seems  to  be 
aware  that  it  is  artificial,  from  the  overacting  of  her  part, 
and  I,  who  know  how  to  appreciate  her  designs,  and  can 
see  into  the  very  recesses  of  her  heart,  do  not  fail,  as  occa- 
sion offers,  to  show  that  I  am  not  duped  by  her. 

Your  friend  Tatham  has  been  paying  a  visit  to  Uppark, 
whereby  I  have  had  the  good  fortune  to  see  him  here.  The 
Oitener  I  have  seen  him,  the  more  I  like  him  ;  as  for  Eliza- 
beth she  is  perfectly  dehghted  with  him.  He  seems  to  be 
pleased  with  this  little  place,  and  appeared  really  to  think 
well  of  the  internal  disposition  of  the  house.  He  is  gone 
today  to  London.  He  breakfasted  with  me,  and  loaded 
himself  with  commissions,  one  of  which,  tho'  I  much  wished 
him  to  undertake,  I  could  hardly  allow  him  to  do,  for  it 
was  to  take  a  Bird  ;  however,  when  he  heard  the  particulars 
relative  to  it,  he  insisted  on  being  charged  with  it.  The 
fact  being  that  it  was  one  my  poor  friend,  Peter  Parker,  when 

1  Probably  Lady  Elizabeth  Monck. 


268  ORDER  OF  THE  BATH  [ch.  iv 

we  were  together,  got  for  Elizabeth  on  the  Coast  of  Brazil, 
and  when  his  wretched  wife  (with  whom  I  was  for  two 
Hours  the  day  I  passed  thro'  Town),  received  the  ofter 
from  me  of  this  Httle  Bird,  she  expressed  so  strong  a  desire 
to  possess  it,  that  I  was  glad  to  seize  so  good  an  opportunity 
of  sending  it  to  her. 

I  was  out  with  Sir  Harry  the  day  before  yesterday  but 
the'  we  saw  at  least  five  couple  of  Woodcocks  .  .  . 

C.  P. 

Earl  of  Uxbridge 

B.  D.,  Jany  12th,  1815. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — After  my  trip  to  Brighton  I  had  such 
an  accumulation  of  letters  that  I  have  not  had  a  moment's 
time  to  acknowledge  yours,  but  Lady  Ux.  did,  and  altho' 
I  am  not  violent  upon  the  subject  like  her,  or  see  the  matter 
quite  in  the  light  that  you  do,  yet  I  cannot  disguise  from 
you  that  I  wish  I  was  out  of  this  confounded  batch  of 
Stars.  1  I  have  been  so  long  let  alone,  that  I  had  no  other 
desire  but  to  be  so  left,  and  the  only  pretension  I  really 
felt  was  that  of  not  having  that  given  to  me  I  was  as  well 
without.  But  when  I  saw  the  P.R.'^  most  anxious  that  I 
shd  receive  kindly  what  he  professed  to  think  so  honourable, 
I  had  not  courage  to  disappoint  him  by  any  remonstrance, 
but  only  told  H.R.H.  that  I  did  not  come  to  thank  him 
for  the  idea,  but  for  the  very  kind  and  affectionate  letter 
he  had  written  to  me.  But  I  will  give  you  my  very  words. 
They  were  rather  strong  ! 

"  To  tell  Y.R.H.  the  real  truth,  and  to  speak  with  perfect 
frankness,  when  I  first  read  your  letter  I  could  not  help 
exclaiming,  '  Damn  the  Bath,'  but  when  I  reflected  upon 
the  flattering  manner  in  which  you  expressed  Yourself, 
upon  your  constant  attention,  and  I  presume  to  say, 
affectionate  and  friendly  conduct  towards  me,  I  instantly 
decided  that  you  77114 st  be  the  best  judge  of  what  I  oiight 
to  have,  and  therefore  I  thought  it  my  duty  to  present 
myself  here."  He  well  knows  what  I  think  of  the  thing 
itself,  and  therefore  is  the  more  pleased  at  the  manner 
in  which  I  take  it.  In  fact  I  abhor  the  thing,  but  am  deter- 
mined to  take  it  kindly  of  Him,  and  altho'  I  admit  that 

1  Lord  Uxbridge  was  created  a  G.C.B.  this  month,  when  the  Order  was 
enlarged. 

'  The  Prince  Regent. 


1812-17]  WHAT   ABOUT   VIENNA?  269 

after  reading  His  letter  appearances  are  against  him,  yet 
I  cannot  help  thinking  that  Ld  Bathurst,  and  perhaps  the 
D.  of  Y.,  have  run  their  rig  upon  hi7n  as  to  the  matter  of 
numbering  the  Knights,  and  that  he  has  never  intentionally 
deceived  me  about  it,  for  how  can  a  Man  write  that  you 
are  to  be  the  very  first,  whilst  he  at  the  same  time  knows 
that  you  are  to  be  the  50th,  or  whatever  number  I  am. 
But  here  is  enough  upon  a  foolish  point  of  Vanity.  Some 
have  the  Vanity  to  like  this  concern,  I  have  the  vanity 
(and  it  is  equally  and  perhaps  more  vain)  to  dishke  it 
extremely. 

The  short  view  of  the  thing  is  this.  If  I  deserve  it  at 
all,  and  ought  to  have  it  at  all,  (all  things  considered)  I 
ought  to  have  had  it  a  long  while  ago. 

Before  I  got  your  letter  I  had  sent  you  3  Pheasants 
and  tomorrow's  Mail  will  take  you  1/2  a  Doe  and  2  Ph. 
You  know  B.D.  does  not  excel  in  the  former  article.  The 
Party  is  just  breaking  up.  It  has  been  a  very  merry  one, 
and  I  am  ever  affecy  3'ours, 

Ux. 

Earl  of  Uxbridge 

B.   D.,  J  any  21st,  181 5. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  beheve  I  may  as  well  decline  the 
Chairs,  havdng  already  a  full  allowance  of  uncomfortable 
ones. 

Pray  tell  me  what  are  your  real  ideas  about  Vienna.  I 
hear  on  all  sides  that  Stewart  has  no  success  there.  If 
therefore  a  Vacancy  shd  occur,  had  you  rather  or  rather 
not  go  ?  I  only  wish  to  be  prepared  with  an  answer  in 
case  a  question  (from  any  quarter  whatever)  shd  be  put 
to  me.  I  always  inchne  to  beheve  that  every  thing  will 
in  time  find  its  Level. 

I  shall  go  to  town  at  the  end  of  this  Month  or  be- 
ginning of  Feby.  Pleasant  !  Ly  Ux.  and  the  girls  join 
me  in  best  regards  to  Ly  A.,  and  I  remain  ever  affecy 
yours, 

Uxbridge. 

I  shot  one  day  in  Brereton  Hanger  by  myself  !  By  dint 
of  speed  I  had  very  good  sport.  My  Brothers  are  too  old 
for  that  place. 


270  LORD  BURGHERSH  [ch.  iv 

Rev.  G.  Illingworth 

Rome,  Jany  31,  1813. 

Dear  Paget, —  .  .  .  Happy  am  I  to  say  that  we  are 
turning  homewards,  and  leave  this  place  in  a  day  or  two 
for  Florence — from  thence  it  is  our  intention,  unless  some 
unexpected  obstacles  occur,  to  visit  the  Isle  of  Elba  and 
just  get  a  glimpse  of  its  Governor.     Never  am  I  better 
pleased  than  when  you  and  I  agree  about  any  subject  that 
interests  me — most  completely  am  I  of  your  opinion  that 
no   man   ever   so  perfectly   understood  the  people  he  so 
long  ruled  with  a  rod  of  Iron  as  Buonaparte  did — ^but  they 
deserved  it  and  a  thousand  times  worse  if  possible.     How 
they  are  detested  in  this  place  !     Indeed  I  believe  every 
where  they  have  entered — and  no  wonder.     Nothing  could 
exceed  the  atrocity  of  their  conduct  in  every  particular — 
but  I  don't  think  he  will  ever  again  rule  in  France.      No 
matter  what  the  present  governing  powers  are,  they  have 
such  a  tower  of  strength  in  Talleyrand,  as  I  have  always 
been  given  to  understand,  that  it  hardly  signifies  what  they 
are.     I  saw  something  of  Ld  Burghersh  at  Florence  as  I 
passed  through  ;   and  it  was  my  fault,  or  rather  misfortune, 
not  to   see  more  of  him.     Unluckily  I   was  very  unwell 
there  for  some  days  and  never  left  my  room,  which  pre- 
vented my  being  able  to  avail  myself  of  the  civilities  he 
was  very  well  disposed  to  shew  me.     I  had  one  dinner 
with  him,  not  at  all  to  my  taste,  an  heterogeneous  mixture 
that  did  not  well  assimilate,  it  had  however  one  grand 
merit,  it  was  very  short,  no  great  expenditure  of  the  Bor- 
deaux  or  Champagne,   though  both  were  excellent.    He 
favoured  me  with  a  perusal  of  his  genuine  dispatches  to 
Government    during    the   Campaign — they   confirmed    me 
in    the  persuasion    I  had  long    entertained   that  the   late 
changes  in  France  were  the  work  of  an  Almighty  power, 
and  far  beyond  what  could  have  been  expected,  or  than 
was  intended  by  the  invading  powers — but  of  this  when 
we   meet    next.     Our   intended    excursion    to    Sicily    was 
given   up,   the  moment   we  heard  that  quarantine  must 
now  be  performed  at  Naples  by  every  vessel  coming  from 
thence.     And  I  am  not  sorry  for  it.     1  have  seen  enough, 
my  mania  for  travelling  is  over,  and  I  will  now  endeavour 
henceforward  to  take  a  leaf  out  of  your  book,  and  domesti- 


1812-17]  MR.   ILLINGWORTH  271 

cate ;    provided  indeed  that  I  have  any  thing  to  do  so 
with — for  at  this  moment,  and  indeed  for  a  fortnight  past 
I    have   experienced   no   small   uneasiness   at    not   having 
receiv'd  one  line  from  Tidworth  for  an  age.     My  wife's 
last  letter  was  dated  Novr  28th,   and  not  one    syllable 
has  reached  me  since.     Of  Mrs  A.  Smith's  death  I  have 
heard  from  two  different  quarters,  before  your  letter  con- 
firmed it,  but  not  even  a  word  from  Tidworth  about  that 
event.     I  really  never  was  so  bewildered  as  I   am  with 
conjectures  what  dreadful  misfortune  their  silence  means 
for   a   time  to   conceal   from   me.     I   suppose  the  worst. 
Letters  have  arrived  from  Osborn  and  Mrs  Compton  several 
days  posterior  to  that  event ;    so  that  if  a  letter  had  been 
sent  to  either  of  them  for  me,  I  must  have  received  it — 
but  there  is  no  use  in  plaguing  you  with  my  grievances. 
To  you  who  have  seen  everything  I  have  lately  passed 
through  all  accounts  of  the  country  would  be  insipid,  but 
I  have  been  most  highly  gratified.     What   must  this  City 
have  been  in  the  days  of  its  grandeur  !      It  is  now  even 
"  Majestic  though  in  ruin."     As  a  farmer  I  am  puzzled  to 
death  with  the  Campagna  di  Roma  and  the  Pontine  marshes 
— for  the  latter  I  don't  think  your  Dorsetshire  underdraining 
plough  would  be  of  much  service — though  for  the  former, 
I  verily  believe  that  a  good   system  of  agriculture  would 
get  rid  of  all  that  malaria  that  is  now  complained  of,  and 
which  for  two  or  three  months  makes  so  large  a  district 
absolutely  uninhabited.     It  now  more  resembles  a  desert 
than  any  thing  I  ever  saw ;    but  in  the  summer  time   I 
understand  not  a  soul  ever  sleeps  there.    This  very  day  in 
one  of  the  desolate  streets  of  this  place  did  I  meet  a  shepherd 
with  his  flock   of  wretched   half  famished   animals,   that 
were  brought  there  to  graze  on  the  productions  growing 
between  the  stones  and  at  the  edge  of  the  houses  and 
garden  walls,  where  there  was  nothing  but  a  few  weeds 
and  nettles.     You  complain  of  snow  &c.  in  England.     We 
complain  of  almost  unceasing  rain.     The  Tiber  was  so  full 
yesterday  that  it  came  into  the  streets  and  prevented  the 
races  in  the  Corso — today  they  took  place  and  a  pretty 
exhibition  it  was — it  is  now  also  the  Carnival — tonight  I 
have  seen  one  of  their  masked  balls  at  the  Theatre.     Once 
is  quite  enough  of  such  exhibitions.     I  certainly  was  pre- 
judiced enough  in  favor  of  my  country  before  I  left  it, 
but  now  I  am  ten  times  more  so.     Since  I  landed  upon 

19 


272  "STAY   WHERE  YOU  ARE"  [CH.  iv 

the  Continent  I  have  not  seen  one  place  that  gave  me 
an  idea  of  comfort  equal  to  what  is  seen  in  that  blue  win- 
dowed cottage  of  yours,  where  the  demure  Halse  and 
plump  Jolin  reside.  Judge  then  if  I  have  yet  seen  a  Palace, 
among  the  profusion  in  this  town  and  Naples,  equal  in  all 
respects  to  Cowesfield  House.  Never  mind  the  climate — 
stay  where  you  are — for  a  moment  all  their  tinsel  and 
glitter  and  show  can  never  be  put  in  competition  with  the 
solids  and  substantials  of  England.  As  I  said  before,  we 
leave  this  place  in  a  day  or  two,  and  except  the  deviation 
from  our  course  to  the  Isle  of  Elba,  we  shall  proceed  home- 
wards as  fast  as  may  be  ;  intending  however  to  take  Venice, 
Milan,  and  Geneva  on  our  way  to  Paris — this  trip  to  Elba 
would  have  been  performed  previous  to  our  coming  here, 
but  unfortunately  about  fourscore  criminals  from  Leghorn 
had  broke  loose  and  were  playing  the  deuce  in  all  that 
country.  By  this  time  I  suppose  they  will  have  scoured 
the  woods  of  these,  though  I  can't  say  much  for  the  Police. 
Compton  expects  his  wife  with  either  her  father  and  brother 
to  meet  him  at  Paris — and  he  proposes  a  little  tour  with 
her  to  the  Rhine  and  Holland — for  myself,  after  a  glimpse 
or  two  at  the  plundered  spoils  of  Italy,  which  now  adorn  the 
Louvre  instead  of  the  Vatican,  I  shall  hasten  to  Tidworth 
— and  it  won't  be  many  days  afterwards,  before  I  shall  pay 
you  a  visit  in  due  form  at  breakfast  some  morning  ;  just 
to  be  quite  sure  that  you  are  there,  before  I  venture  on 
a  longer.  Beardmore's  death  was  a  grievous  shock  to  my 
friend  here — most  bitterly  did  he  lament,  indeed  still 
laments,  that  he  was  absent  and  deprived  of  the  melan- 
choly satisfaction  of  paying  the  last  tribute  of  affection 
in  attending  the  remains  of  his  dearest  friend  to  their 
long  home,  however  he  is  better  than  I  could  have  expected 
— constant  employment  and  a  variety  of  objects  prevent 
his  brooding  over  it  as  he  would  otherwise  do.  After  the 
opinion  you  have  heard  me  express  about  the  late  Mrs 
A.  Smith,  I  need  say  nothing  about  her  death  to  you — but 
I  am  sorry  I  was  absent  when  the  event  happened — for 
though  she  never  in  the  smallest  degree  performed  the 
part  of  a  mother  to  any  of  them,  still  I  know  that  her 
daughters  would  be  in  a  good  deal  of  grief  upon  the  occasion, 
and  I  might  have  been  of  some  little  use  to  them — but 
what  to  think  of  all  their  silence  I  am  quite  at  a  loss.  .  .  . 
If  I  succeed  in  getting  to  Elba,  I  shall  probably  give  you 


1812-17]  EDWARD'S  SECOND   WIFE  273 

another  bulletin  of  my  proceedings  from  Florence.  Tootey- 
boy  I  am  afraid  must  have  forgot  me  ;  and  the  young 
lady  that  I  had  the  honor  of  making  a  Xtian  of  about  this 
time  last  year  is,  I  suppose,  grown  out  of  my  knowledge. 
I  hope  and  trust  they  and  Lady  A.  are  well,  and  then  I 
know  you  can't  be  much  otherwise — though  I  allow  the 
snow  must  be  a  nuisance,  as  it  must  stop  Mr.  Tatham  and 
his  Clerk  of  the  works  from  proceeding.  They  ought  surely 
to  have  nearly  done.  How  my  works  have  gone  on,  not  a 
syllable  have  I  heard  since  I  left  home.  Ever  very  truly 
yours, 

G.  Illingworth. 


Dowager  Countess  of  Uxbridge 

ToRRiE  House,  Feby  loth,  1815. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — I  have  so  much  to  thank  you 
for  that  I  ought  sooner  to  have  taken  up  my  Pen.  You 
have  the  advantage  in  your  Silence  at  least,  that  one  letter 
from  you  makes  amends  for  thus  being  long  in  coming. 
For  your  sake  I  wish  the  same  observation  could  be  made 
of  mine,  but  dull  as  they  are,  you  must  receive  them  from 
one,  who  never  in  her  life  varied  in  her  affection  for  you, 
tho'  I  have  been  told  you  are  not  of  this  opinion,  but 
cannot  beheve  you  do  me  so  much  injustice.  As  good 
often  comes  out  of  Evil,  so  Edward  has  had  the  benefit 
of  your  proximity  to  Winchester,  of  which  I  find  he  has 
frequently  availed  himself.  Your  letter  upon  the  subject 
of  his  Marriage  ^  is  extremely  entertaining,  and  Louisa 
and  I  cried  out,  "  how  like  Arthur  !  "  I  conclude  it  will 
take  place  soon.  I  am  happy  that  he  has  decided  on  going 
to  Surbiton.  I  am  glad  to  find  by  a  letter  from  dear  Charles 
that  you  have  both  urged  him  to  ask  the  Duke  of  York 
for  some  appointment.  I  hope  he  will  succeed,  but  I  am 
afraid  the  Regent  has  more  to  do  with  these  things  than 
the  dear  Duke.  I  cannot  agree  with  H.R.H.  that  the  Red 
Ribbon  '  is  increased  in  Value  by  these  new  Additions. 
I  should  have  said  quite  the  Contrary,  and  could  wish  that 
that  Old  Order  had  been  kept  to  its  original  Number,  and 

1  General  Hon.  Edward  Paget,  after  being  released  from  his  captivity 
in  France,  became  engaged  to  Lady  Harriet  Legge,  daughter  of  the  3rd 
Earl  of  Dartmouth,  and  they  were  married  in  February  18 15. 

2  The  Order  of  the  Bath. 


274  "ALL   HUMBUG"  [cH.  iv 

a  New  One  created  for  these  that  he  deemed  worthy.  How 
astonished  our  beloved  King  would  be  if  he  was  ever, 
please  God,  to  recover  his  reason  !  I  am  perfectly  per- 
suaded, and  I  think  on  good  ground,  that  he  is  by  no  Means 
in  the  State  that  he  is  represented.  I  find  by  a  letter  from 
Mr.  Tatham  that  you  have  not  allow'd  the  alteration  in 
my  dressing  room  to  be  charged  to  me.  I  am  really  hurt 
at  this,  notwithstanding  Edward  would  say  it  is  all  humbug, 
and  you  must  recollect  it  was  upon  that  Condition  I  con- 
sented to  have  it  done.  You  are  too,  too  good,  my  dearest 
Arthur.  Your  account  of  precious  little  Julia  delights  me. 
God  bless  her,  her  darhng  Brother  and  your  two  dear 
selves.  The  enclosed  Louisa  has  desired  me  to  send.  We 
expect  the  Galloways  next  Week.  I  hope  this  heavenly 
Weather  will  continue  for  their  journey.  I  do  not  think 
that  dear  soul  Charles  seems  to  be  in  good  spirits,  and 
yet  there  is  nothing  in  his  letters  that  directly  implies  it. 
There  is  something  in  his  being  low  that  perfectly  kills 
me.  I  have  had  a  most  kind  letter  from  Mary  on  the 
subject  of  Edward.  Sir  James  and  Lou  send  every  thing 
most  kind  to  you  all.     Ever  yr  most  affecte  Mother, 

J.  u. 

Rev.  G.  Illingworth 

Florence,  Feby  14,  181 5. 

Dear  Paget, — I  wrote  to  you  the  other  day  from  Rome, 
in  answer  to  yours  which  I  received  there,  but  as  at  present 
for  some  unknown  reason  there  is  a  stop  put  to  all  com- 
munication between  Italy  and  England  by  the  post,  it  is 
possible  you  may  never  receive  it.  I  have  an  opportunity 
of  sending  to  England  by  Ld  Lucan,  who  goes  there  in 
two  or  three  days,  and  I  shall  put  this  under  cover  of  the 
letter  I  shall  write  to  Tidworth.  We  put  in  execution  last 
week  our  projected  excursion  to  Elba.  In  spite  of  the 
misery  of  a  felucca  and  the  wretched  accomodations  we 
met  with  in  that  Island,  the  trip  there  answered  our  fullest 
expectations — the  weather  was  very  favorable,  and  we 
were  lucky  enough  to  get  a  sight  of  the  fallen  Emperor 
very  soon  after  we  got  there.  H'e  was  returning  from  his 
usual  airing  in  a  Barouche  and  four  Bertrand  at  his  side, 
and  we  could  hardly  have  had  a  better  view  of  the  man 
who  has  caused  more  real  misery  in  the  world  than  any 


1812-17]  AT  ELBA  275 

other  tyrant  that  ever  was  sent  as  a  scourge  into  it.     He 
looks  stout,  sturdy,  and  well.    The  little  town  of  Porto 
Ferraio  is  crowded  with  his  soldiers.     I  understand  he  has 
two  thousand  there — the  officers  were  very  gay  ;   for  there 
was  the  deuce  to  pay  among  them,  as  they  were  most  of 
them  in  masquerade,  employed  in  burying  the  Carnival, 
it  being  Ash  Wednesday  when  we  were  there.     We  are 
now  reposing  here  for  a  few  days  after  racketing  over  a 
great  deal  of  country  these  last  six  weeks — preparatory  to 
our  starting  homewards ;    and  I   don't  despair,  if  all  is 
well,  of  seeing  you  at  Cowesfield  before  April  is  over.     Ld 
Burghersh  seems  to  be  as  comfortably  settled  as  need  be. 
He  has  shown  us  every  civility  in  his  power,  and  it  is  our 
own  fault  we  have  not  seen  more  of  him  ;    as  we  have 
declin'd  all  his  invitations  (except  one)  upon  some  pretext 
or  other.     Last  night  he  was  at  home  to  all  Florence  and 
today  he  has  been  here  to  reproach  us  for  our  neglect  of 
him  in  not  having  gone  there.     He  had  delightful  Music 
— a  Duchess  performing,  who  is  superior  to  any  of  those  at 
the  Opera,  and  then  such  a  tenor  !     At  Elba  for  some  time 
we  were  in  no  small  astonishment  at  seeing  an  English 
Carriage  in   a  felucca,   with  "  The  Countess  of  Jersey  " 
written  upon  it  as  a  direction — we  were  told  by  the  boatman 
that  her  Ladyship  was  going  to  leave  Elba  the  next  morning. 
Of  course  we  conceived  it  must  be  the  English  Countess- 
Dowager  of  that  name — ^but  we  found  out  afterwards  that 
it  is  a  French  lady,  who  has  assumed  that  title,  and  who 
has  been  to  Elba,  as  is  shrewdly  suspected,  with  a  design 
on  Bonaparte's  heart.     After  a  short  stay  there  she  found 
she  had  no  chance  in  that  quarter.     He  stands  in  need 
neither  of  wife  or  mistress,  as  his  Sister,  the  Princess  Pauline, 
is  there  with  him  and  is  supposed  amply  to  supply  every 
deficiency  he  might   otherwise  experience  on    that  score. 
Of  this   I   understand  no   secret  whatever  is  made — my 
informant  was  Sir  Neil  Campbell,  a  sort  of  English  spy 
there,  to  whom  Ld  Burghersh  recommended  us.     You  will 
suppose  that  I  have  travelled  myself  out  of  all  conjugal 
and  fraternal  feeling  when  I  can  thus  write  to  you,  and 
at  the  same  time  tell  you  that  the  last  letter  I  received 
from  my  wife  was  dated  Novr  28 — very  near  three  months 
ago  !  !    The  fact  is,  I  never  was  half  so  much  annoyed 
about  any  thing  in  my  whole  life.     I  have  not  yet  heard 
from  Tidworth  of  the  death  of  Mrs  A.  Smith — though  there 


276  NO  LETTERS  [ch.  iv 

was  ample  time  for  me  to  have  heard  from  thence,  if  I  had 
been  wTitten  to,  before  this  present  embargo  had  taken 
place.  No  letters  from  France  have  arrived  for  three  weeks. 
We  were  here  told  that  they  were  stopped  in  the  King  of 
Sardinia's  territory  in  consequence  of  some  dispute  between 
that  Court  and  the  French  about  the  right  of  the  Couriers 
of  the  latter  to  convey  the  Mails  through  Piedmont — but 
today  Ld  Burghersh  has  heard  from  Mr  Hill,  the  EngHsh 
Minister  at  Turin,  that  the  letters  are  stopped  somewhere 
in  France ;  and  that  the  French  Ambassador  himself 
has  received  no  letters  for  a  considerable  time.  All  this 
is  quite  unintelligible — ^but  I  know  that  the  effects  to  me 
are  most  distressing.  I  have  plagued  and  tormented 
myself  with  conjectures  what  could  possibly  induce  both 
my  wife  and  her  sisters  not  to  wTite  to  me  on  the  death 
of  their  mother,  in  which  case  I  should  have  received 
their  letters,  for  Compton's  have  reached  him  to  the  date 
of  J  any  2nd — but  why  should  I  bother  you  with  all  this — 
though  God  knows  little  else  can  I  think  of.  We  mean  to 
set  off  the  20th.  Compton's  carriage  won't  be  ready  sooner ; 
as  it  now  is  undergoing  what  a  sailor  would  call  almost  a 
thorough  repair — it  has  stood  the  journey  from  Havre  to 
Naples  and  back  to  this  place  without  our  meeting  with  a 
single  accident.  We  return  by  Venice,  Milan,  Turin,  and 
Geneva  to  Paris.  In  Venice  or  Geneva  we  hope  to  have 
some  tidings  from  home  ;  if  I  do  not,  I  shall  be  nearly 
distracted  and  post  off  to  England  as  speedily  as  may  be. 
Compton  expects  his  wife  and  her  father  to  meet  him  at 
Paris.  My  stay  there  at  all  events  will  be  but  a  short  one  ; 
and  I  hope  in  the  course  of  a  few  weeks  to  have  the  pleasure 
of  seeing  you  at  Cowesfield — then  you  shall  see  what  a 
fixture  I  shall  be  at  Tidworth.  As  for  yourself,  permit  me 
to  say,  if  you  consult  your  real  happiness,  never,  never, 
let  the  thought  of  a  foreign  diplomatic  station  enter  your 
mind — in  my  opinion  it  must  all  be  wretched  work  to  a 
man  who  sees  and  estimates  things  according  to  their 
intrinsic  worth  as  you  do.  I  have,  as  you  know,  a  great 
regard  for  and  a  good  opinion  of  Ld  Burghersh — I  heartily 
wish  he  was  not  here — by  all  accounts  it  is  a  miserable 
place  of  residence  for  a  young  married  man  with  a  young 
gay  wife.  I  fear  that  there  is  not  ballast  enough  in  either 
of  them  to  keep  all  steady.  I  hope  my  fears  will  prove 
groundless.    Ld  Lucan  leaves  sons  and  daughters  in  this 


1812-17]  NEWS  FROM   VIENNA  277 

place  and  travels  as  quick  as  may  be  to  England  with  his 
eldest  daughter  to  see  her  safely  married  to  a  son  of  the 
Archbishop  of  York's — it  seems  that  the  Archb.  after  a 
long  demur  has  given  his  consent  to  the  marriage,  but 
insists  on  the  ceremony  taking  place  in  England — so  that 
the  order  of  things  is  a  httle  reversed,  and  the  bride  posts 
off  to  find  the  bridegroom,  contrary  to  the  custom  of  the 
Antients.  I  hope  and  trust  Ly  A.  and  your  sweet  children 
are  well.  Two  days  only  shall  I  allow  myself  at  Tidworth 
(if  ever  I  get  there  again)  before  I  ride  over  to  see  you  all. 
Ever  yours, 

G.  I. 

Mr.  Sheldon 

London,  14/A  Feby,  1815. 

Dear  Sir  Arthur, — Monsr  de  Neumann  returned  from 
Vienna  about  a  fortnight  ago,  but  his  departure  had 
been  so  long  delayed,  and  his  setting  out  was  so 
sudden,  that  he  only  brought  us  one  of  the  many 
Letters  that  had  been  announced — and  which  we  shall 
probably  receive  by  Monsr  de  Bombelles,  who  was  to 
follow  him  soon. 

In  that  Letter  they  give  a  sad  account  of  the  loss  of 
Rasoumoffski  ^  by  his  fire.  I  copy  the  passage  about  it. — 
"  Monsr  de  Rasotimoffski  a  donne  une  fete  le  jour  de  la  St. 
Catherine,  qui  etait  la  plus  belle  chose  que  j'ai  vue  de  ma 
vie,  et  feu  de  semaines  apres,  la  veille  du  Jour  de  L'An,  la 
moitie,  et  la  plus  telle  moitie  de  cette  superbe  habitation,  la 
nouvelle  pariie,  que  vous  n'avez  point  cotmue,  a  ete  entierement 
consumee  par  les  flammes.  C'est  une  perte  de  cent  mille 
ducats,  et  ce  qu'il  y  a  de  plus  fdcheux,  c'est  pour  lui  la  perte 
de  sa  puissance  journaliere,  et  du  bonheur  de  sa  vie.  Biblio- 
theque,  Gravures,  Statues,  Tableaux,  tout  a  peri  dans  six 
h  cures." 

And  I  fear  from  what  Monsr  de  Neumann  says  he  is  not 
very  certain  of  being  Ambassadeur  apres  le  Congres.  He 
states  him  to  be  quite  out  of  favour  with  the  Emperor 
Alexander,  who  is  surrounded  by  his  enemies,  who  are 
constantly  observing  to  him  the  impropriety  of  his  having 
laid  out  such  immense  sums  in  a  Foreign  Country.    The 

1  The  Russian  Ambassador  at  Vienna,  where  the  Congress  of  the  Allies 
was  being  held,  and  it  was  said  "  on  danse  niais  on  ne  marche  pas." 


278  EMPEROR  ALEXANDER  [ch.  iv 

Emperor  of  Austria,  King  of  Denmark,  and  others  were  at 
the  fire  at  seven  in  the  morning,  but  the  Emperor  of  R. 
never  came  there  at  all,  and  on  a  Lady's  expressing  her 
surprise  to  him  at  a  ball  at  night  at  Mde  de  Zichy's,  that 
he,  whose  subject  he  was,  had  not  appeared  there,  he 
coolly  answered,  in  turning  away,  ''  Je  ne  pouvois  pas 
eteindre  le  feu."  However  he  still  enjoys  the  protection  of 
the  Grand  Duchess.^  N.  says  poor  Christine  Kinski  is  in 
a  most  deplorable  way,  ...  she  may  live  a  year.  Your 
Excellency,  I  think  some  time  ago  .  .  .  wish  about  some 
Champaign.  I  told  you  then  that  I  had  imported  a  panier. 
I  never  tasted  it  till  last  [night]  when  I  tried  a  bottle,  and 
I  think  it  is  impossible  there  can  be  finer  wine.  I  got  it 
from  Monsr  Mouet  at  Epernay,  who  has  the  best  Cham- 
paign in  France,  and  my  reason  for  mentioning  to  your 
Excellency  now  is,  that  I  was  surprised  the  other  morning 
by  a  visit  from  Monsr  Mouet,  who  informed  me  that  it 
was  his  intention  to  take  a  cellar,  to  have  some  of  his  wine 
in  this  Country,  and  that  he  expected  to  receive  as  on 
Saturday  last,  about  18  ou  19  caisses  de  Vin  de  Champagne 
de  la  premiere  qualite.  The  Caisses  contain  72  bottles, 
but  anybody  may  be  furnished  with  any  quantity  they 
please.  He  stays  here,  he  said,  till  about  the  20th  or 
24th  of  this  month.  If  your  Excellency  has  any  orders 
now  or  later  I  shall  execute  them  with  .  .  .  Most  truly 
yours, 

C.  Sheldon. 


Dowager  Countess  of  Uxbridge 

ToRRiE  House,  22  Feb.,  181 5. 

.  .  .  What  a  Tragedy  is  this  of  the  poor  Duke  of  Dorset  1  ^ 
My  heart  aches  for  his  wretched  Mother.  It  is  very  re- 
markable the  number  of  Heads  of  great  families  that  have 
fallen  victims  to  Hunting.  ...  I  am  ever  your  most  truly 
affectionate  Mother, 

J.  Uxbridge. 

*  The  Grand  Duchess  of  Oldenburg,  sister  of  the  Emperor  Alexander, 
over  whom  she  wielded  great  influence. 

2  The  4th  Duke  of  Dorset  had  been  killed  by  a  fall  from  his  horse  when 
out  hunting  near  Dublin,  aged  twenty-one. 


1812-17]  DEATH'S  SHORT   NOTICE  279 

Colonel  Leigh 

Six  Mile  Bottom,  Fehy  2^ih,  1815. 

My  Dear  Sir  Arthur, —  ...  I  quite  agree  with  you 
about  Death,  he  gives  but  short  notice  sometimes.  The 
Duke  of  Dorset's  was  a  melancholy  end. 

Mrs.  Leigh  would  be  delighted  to  renew  her  acquaint- 
ance with  Lady  Augusta,  and  make  yours,  and  her  only 
recommendation  to  you  would  be,  she  is  very  fond  of 
children.  You  can  have  no  idea  what  a  fine  day  we  had 
yesterday,  to-day  it  has  been  as  cold  as  Xmas.  I  went 
with  my  wife  and  Milly  to  dine  with  Lord  Osborne  ^  yester- 
day at  Gogmagog  Hills.  I  think  you  would  like  him  ;  he 
is  very  clever  and  full  of  fun.  Charles  Wyndham  is  at 
Newmarket  looking  very  ill.  I  have  sent  Sir  Harry  a 
brace  of  Greyhounds.  I  suppose  he  will  make  you  a  visit 
soon.  I  rather  think  Ld  Sackville  '  does  not  get  much 
by  changing  his  Title.  .  .  .  Very  sincerely  yours, 

G.  Leigh. 

Rev.  G.  Illingworth 

Payerne,  March  gth,  1S15. 

Dear  Paget, — I  give  you  one  more  Epistle  from  the 
Continent,  that  you  may  not  suppose  me  forgetful  during 
my  wanderings  of  an  absent  friend.  A  few  days  after  I 
wrote  to  you  under  Mrs  L's  cover,  which  Ld  Lucan  took 
charge  of,  we  left  Florence,  and  have  made  tolerable  expedi- 
tion in  our  way  homewards  ever  since.  In  the  expectation 
of  letters  we  went  round  by  Venice ;  but  as  usual  were 
disappointed.  Thank  God,  at  Milan  I  at  last  received 
tidings  of  my  family  that  all  are  well  as  far  as  Parsonage  was 
concerned — not  exactly  the  same  with  regard  to  Mrs 
A.  S.,  who  seems  to  be  in  a  precarious  way  and  approaching, 
as  far  as  I  can  understand,  to  what  is  called  a  break  up  of 
the  constitution.  I  fancy  you  have  travelled  over  all 
the  country  I  have  just  passed — no  wonder  the  French 
should  so  frequently  have  set  their  hearts  on  getting  pos- 
session of  it — and  it  is  somewhat  surprising  that  so  often 

1  Lord  Francis  Godolphin  Osborne,  second  son  of  the  5th  Duke  of 
Leeds,  is  probably  intended. 

2  The  second  Viscount  Sackville  succeeded  his  cousin  as  5th  Duke  of 
Dorset,  but  the  latter's  estates  passed  to  his  sisters,  Ladies  Amherst  and 
De  La  Warr. 


28o  VENICE  [CH.  IV 

as  they  have  for  a  time  succeeded,  after  a  Httle  while  they 
have  been  always  expelled  with  disgrace.  No  place  that 
I  have  seen  in  Italy  has  suffered  by  the  French  invasion 
so  much  as  the  City  of  Venice.  From  Padua  to  the  sea- 
coast  the  whole  way  was  covered  with  Villas,  belonging  to 
the  Nobles  and  merchants  of  that  place,  to  the  amount  of 
several  hundreds.  They  are  all  abandoned,  deserted,  and 
fast  hastening  to  tumbling  down.  I  understand  that  all 
the  owTiers  of  them  were  nearly  utterly  ruin'd,  but  they 
deserved  it.  Had  they  defended  their  city,  which  they 
could  have  done  with  the  greatest  ease,  they  never  would 
have  known  what  French  fraternity  meant,  but  in  order 
to  save  their  homes  on  the  Shore,  they  not  merely  admitted 
a  French  Force  into  Venice,  but  sent  their  own  ships  to 
convey  them  over — they  have  been  properly  rewarded.  It 
is  a  proud  contemplation  to  think  that  honest  John  Bull 
has  been  the  only  one  that  has  escaped  the  French  embrace. 
At  Milan  Compton  met  with  a  second-hand  copy  of  [  ?  ] 
D'Alba's  Maps,  of  which  you  have  got  so  fine  a  one.  We 
have  travelled  with  it  in  our  hands  ever  since,  and  have 
found  it  most  wonderfully  correct,  much  more  so  than  any 
Map  I  ever  saw  on  the  same  scale.    Ever  most  truly  yours, 

G.  Illingworth. 

Gen.  Hon.  Sir  Edward  Paget 

[?  May,  1 815.] 

My  Dear  Good  Arthur, — I  have  been  at  Surbiton  for 
the  last  week  and  returned  to  Town  today.  My  mother 
who,  Poor  Soul,  is  never  without  a  grievance  is  now  lament- 
ing the  Loss  of  her  fat  but  excellent  Gardener  who  died 
on  Tuesday.  ...  So  you  really  have  not  Vanity  enough 
to  expect  to  see  me  and  the  Ladi  Henriette  at  your  Poor 
Place.  You  are  quite  right,  as  we  are  exactly  the  sort  of 
People  who  limit  our  Excursions  to  Chatsworth  and  the 
like.  .  .  .  Let  me  know  when  your  Peaches  and  green  Peas 
are  ready  and  then  we  will  further  discuss  this  Subject. 
Excellent  Accounts  from  Paget,'  who  appears  nothing  less 
than  Hand  and  Glove  with  Duke  Welhngton.  .  ,  . 

E.  P. 

*  Lord  Uxbridge,  having  joined  the  Army  in  the  Netherlands,  com- 
manded the  Cavalry  at  Waterloo,  where  he  lost  a  leg.  Dr.  Hume,  the 
surgeon  who  amputated  the  limb,  "  spoke  with  rapture  "  of  the  earl's 
firmness  under  the  operation  "  and  said  his  pulse  did  not  alter." — Reminis- 
cencts  of  the  Duke  of  Wellington,  by  ist  Earl  of  Ellesmere,  p.  159. 


1812-17]  WATERLOO  281 

Hon.  Berkeley  to  Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

SuRBiTON,  Thursday  Morng  [22  June,  1815],  1/2  past  11. 

My  Dear  Charles, — I  write  this  from  Surbiton,  and 
send  it  by  express  to  apprize  you,  which  I  have  akeady 
done  to  Lady  Uxbridge,  of  poor  Paget's  Misfortune.  He  is 
going  on  as  well  as  possible,  having  suffered  the  amputation 
of  his  right  Leg.  There  was  a  desperate  Battle  ^  on  the 
18th,  in  which  Duke  of  Wellington's  Army  has  completely 
defeated  that  of  Buonaparte,  and  taken  two  hundred  and 
ten  pieces  of  Cannon.  The  news  arrived  last  night  between 
eleven  and  twelve.  I  saw  Lord  Bathurst,  who  shewed 
me  a  Letter  from  Lord  Apsley,  who  had  seen  Paget  after 
the  operation  ;  he  was  going  on  in  every  respect  most 
favourable,  and  was  in  high  spirits.  I  brought  down  a 
few  lines  which  he  wrote  to  Lady  Uxbridge  after  the  am- 
putation had  taken  place.  It  is  above  the  knee.  The 
Cavalry  have  done  wonders.  Percy,  who  brought  the 
Dispatches  and  whom  I  saw,  says  it  was  the  admiration  of 
every  body,  and  Paget's  Conduct  and  arrangement  most 
brilliant  and  admirable.  That  every  body  thought  him 
well  off  with  only  a  wound,  for  he  was  every  where  in  the 
thick  of  it.  The  loss  has  been'  very  severe.  Never  was 
such  loss  in  officers,  and  tho'  no  regular  return  of  killed 
and  wounded  accompany  Duke  of  Wellington's  Dis- 
patches, we  know  of  many  officers  of  Distinction,  who  have 
suffered.  General  Picton  and  Sir  Wm  Ponsonby  ;  and 
Frederick  Howard,  who  married  Lady  Anne  Wyndham's 
daughter — killed.  One  of  the  Somersets,  but  which  I 
cannot  make  out,  either  Edward,  or  Fitz  Roy,  lost  an  arm, 
and  I  also  heard  it  named  that  Lord  John  Somerset  was 
killed.  But  all  was  in  such  a  hurry  and  confusion  when  I 
went  to  Castlereagh's  House  for  Information,  and  being 
alone  anxious  at  that  moment  about  Paget  I  did  not  learn 
so  much  as  an  unconcerned  Enquirer  might  have  picked 
up. 

Lady  Uxbridge  ^  really  bears  it  with  a  resignation  and 
calmness,  that  do  her  immortal  Credit.     She  is  as  rational 

*  The  battle  of  Waterloo. 

2  "  Mrs.  Cadogan  says  without  much  beauty,  without  much  cleverness, 
without  any  one  particularly  attractive  quality  that  can  be  defined, 
this  same  Lad^  Paget  [Lady  Uxbridge]  is  the  most  fascinating  of  human 
beings  to  man  or  woman,  that  she  governs  him  despotically." — Ld.  G.  L.- 
Cowct's  Correspondence,  ii.  428. 


282  LORD   UXBRIDGE  [ch.  iv 

as  possible  and  thoroughly  grateful  that  his  Hfe  is  spared. 
In  short  I  never  saw  finer  Conduct.  She  talks  of  going 
over  to  him,  and  I  have  offered  my  Services  to  accompany 
her,  which  she  gladly  accepts.  However  we  shall  see 
more  about  it  tomorrow.  In  the  mean  time  she  is  going 
back  to  Town  with  us.  I  brought  Lauderdale  down  with 
me,  as  I  thought  if  any  Eloquence  was  wanting,  he  would 
be  a  great  assistance.  Lady  Ux.  was  very  glad  to  see  him, 
but  she  behaves  so  well,  that  his  Oratory  was  not  called 
in.  I  hope  this  will  reach  you  before  the  report  of  the 
Battle  reaches  you  in  a  mutilated  state,  tho'  indeed  this 
is  but  an  imperfect  sketch.  However  as  it  contains  an 
account,  all  that  is  known,  of  Paget's  safety,  it  is  better 
than  a  newspaper  account.  Lady  Uxbridge  has  letters 
from  Tripp  and  Fraser,  who  are  both  with  Paget,  and  give 
the  most  favourable  Report.  I  hope  my  poor  dear  Mother 
will  hear  this  News  with  resignation — my  very  best  love 
to  her.  Of  course  Paget  will  have  honors  conferr'd  on 
him.  Lauderdale  and  I  have  made  him  a  Marquis,*  and 
given  him  a  Blue  Ribbon,     Yr  most  affectionate 

B.  Paget. 

Hon.  Berkeley  Paget 

Worthing,  Oct.,  1815. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — ^A  Letter  from  you  to  Sophia  fol- 
lowed me  here,  and  but  that  I  hold  a  Seal  to  be  sacred,  I 
shd  have  much  liked  to  have  seen  the  Contents,  as  I  hoped 
it  might  be  to  announce  the  safe  arrival  of  another  Banthng. 
Sophia  this  morning  in  her  Letter  tells  me  the  Event  has 
taken  Place,  and  I  very  sincerely  trust  that  Augusta  and 
the  young  one  ^  are  going  on  as  well  as  possible.  If  the 
Regent  postpones  his  journey  a  little  longer,  I  suppose 
you  can  hardly  escape  going  to  B.  Desert  to  meet  him.  I 
hope  Farming  prospers. 

My  old  Bones  are  beginning  to  derive  benefit  from  Sea 
Bathing  and  I  dare  say  a  perseverance  in  it  will  set  me  up 
again,  and  I  shall  go  in  a  few  days,  I  think,  to  Brighton,  to 
see  whether  I  can  get  a  House  to  hold  my  family  for  a 

1  The  guess  was  good,  Lord  Uxbridge  being  created  Marquis  of  Anglesey 
in  the  following  month,  and  a  Knight  of  the  Garter  in  181 9. 

2  Laura,  third  daughter  of  Sir  Arthur  Paget,  was  born  October,  1815, 
married  her  cousin,  the  2nd  Lord  Templemore. 


A 


/^ 


282] 


HENRY    WIIXIAM,     1ST    MARQUIS    OF    ANGLESEY,     K.G. 


1812-17]  HOUSE-HUNTING  283 

few  weeks  on  reasonable  Terms.     If  so,  I  shall  have  them 
there. 

We  have  had  some  twisting  S.  Westers  here,  but  it  is  a 
bad  Place  for  seeing  any  thing  afloat,  nothing  but  Herring 
Boats  which  don't  appear  to  me  to  be  much  employed.  I 
have  only  had  one  hard  Roe  since  I  have  been  here.  Love 
to  A.  The  young  Fry  all  well,  I  hope.  Yrs,  whilst  this 
machine  is  to  him, 

Bartolo. 


Gen.  Hon.  Sir  Edward  Paget 

Beau  Desert,  22,d  Oct.,  1815. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — I  have  been  sadly  negligent  in 
having  suffer'd  one  whole  Month  to  pass  without  thanking 
you  for  your  very  kind  Letter,  and  I  am  afraid  I  owe  it  to 
a  very  soaking  wet  day  that  even  now  I  take  my  Pen  in 
hand.    Would  that  I   had  your  facihty  of  Composition, 
and  you  should  not  have  such  frequent  and  just  Cause  of 
Complaint  against  Me.     If  I   could  have  waver'd  about 
Lee,  your  Letter  would  have  fixt  me.     So  infernal  a  hole 
never  did  Gentleman  eat  a  Meal  in,  and  heartily  do  I  wish 
I  was  well  rid  of  it ;    and  therefore  instead  of  abusing  it, 
I  beg  you  will  recommend  it  to  all  your  friends  as  a  most 
desirable  Villa  within  an  hour's  Walk  of  'Change.     Since 
I  came  into  Staffordshire,  I  have  been  to  see  Ashbourne 
Grove,  but  was  not  at  all  taken  with  it.    There  is  a  House 
at  Shenstone  or  at  least  within  less  than  half  a  mile  of  it, 
called  Shenstone  Lodge,   which  would  suit  me  very  well 
but  unfortunately  it  belongs  to  a  most  capricious  old  Lady, 
who  never  knows  her  mind  for  twenty  four  Hours.     Having 
lived  at  Stafford  she  removed  to  Shenstone ;  quarreUing 
with  Shenstone  she  removed  to  Lichfield  ;  quarrelling  with 
Lichfield  she  returned  to  Shenstone,  and  having  now  re- 
quarrell'd  with  Shenstone  she  is  now  gone  to  live  at  Stafford. 
I  have  taken  all  the  necessary  Steps  to  obtain  it,  if  it  is 
to  be  had,  and  I  heartily  wish  I  may  succeed.     It  is  in  a 
very  pretty   country   three   miles  from  Lichfield   on   the 
road   to   Birmingham,    consequently   very   nearly   in   the 
centre  of  everything  I  wish  to  be  near  in  this  Country. 
But  there  is  no  use  in  giving  any  further  Account  until  I 
know  what  prospects  I  have  of  getting  it.     It's  very  com- 


284  THE  ARCHDUKES  [ch.  iv 

lortable  with  all  sorts  of  convenient  Offices,  Stables,  &c., 
and  twenty  acres  of  very  nice  pasture.  I  remained  here 
at  Beau  Desert  for  a  fortnight  when  I  first  came  down, 
then  went  to  Sandwell  *  for  a  week  and  return'd  here  last 
Thursday.  All  remains  in  statu  quo  and  is  likely  to  remain 
so.  I  had  to  decide  between  going  to  Sandwell  or  making 
Harriet  miserable,  and  therefore  I  went.  Today  Paget 
has  received  a  Deputation  from  Burton  with  an  Address 
and  Silver  Case,  which  is  really  very  handsome.  He  since 
has,  for  the  first  time  since  he  returned  from  Bradford, 
been  putting  on  his  Leg.  It  is  certainly  very  clever,  but 
I  fear  it  will  be  long  ere  he  is  reconciled  to  it.  Graves 
and  Singleton  are  expected  today  from  town,  and  our 
Regent  announced  himself  for  Sunday  or  Monday  next. 
I    hope,    my  dear  fellow,  you   will  be  able  to  join   the 

Party 

E.  P. 

Mr.  Sheldon 

London,  315^  Oct.,  1815. 

Dear  Sir  Arthur, — I  return  Your  Excellency  our  best 
thanks  for  your  kind  present  of  the  most  delicious  Pork 
I  ever  tasted,  which  we  feasted  on  yesterday,  and  of  which 
my  Brother  partook,  who  begs  me  to  make  you  his  com- 
pliments. 

The  Archdukes  went  to  Newmarket  yesterday,  are 
expected  back  to  day  and  on  Thursday  proceed,  I  under- 
stand, to  Beau  Desert  where  the  Regent  has  given  them 
rendezvous  on  their  way  to  Scotland.  Young  Woyna 
is  appointed  to  travel  with  them  as  Interpreter  from  his 
speaking  English  so  well.  I  don't  think  they  will  add 
much  to  the  gaiety  of  your  Party  at  Beau  Desert.  The 
morning  after  their  arrival  Wautier  waited  on  them  with 
much  concern  in  finding  they  had  not  tasted  a  drop  of  wine 
of  any  sort,  fearing  they  had  not  liked  the  list  of  the  wine 
he  had  sent,  when  the  Count  de  St.  JuHen  informed  him 
their  Imperial  Highnesses  never  drank  any.  They  were  a 
little  surprised  at  the  length  of  the  sitting  at  Carlton 
House. 

La  Gardie,  the  Swedish  Minister  at  Vienna  before  Arm- 

»  Lord  Dartmouth's* 


1812-17]  REGENT   AT   BEAU  DESERT  285 

feld,  is  just  arrived  from  Paris  for  a  few  days — I  believe 
your  Excellency  did  not  know  Lord  Minto  was  then  at 
Vienna. 

Chas.  H.  E.  Sheldon. 


Earl  of  Galloway 

Novy  2'jth,  1815. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — ^The  sight  of  your  Hand  always 
gratifies  me.  I  do  not  value  my  friends  according  to  the 
number  of  their  letters,  nor  do  I  ever  consider  reciprocity, 
I  see  Johnson  says  I  must  say  reciprocation,  of  letters  ; 
People  write  more  or  less  according  to  habit,  and  leisure 
from  other  avocations  ;  you  have  much  leisure,  but  not 
the  habit — I  have  much  the  habit,  but  little  leisure  for 
letters  unconnected  with  business. 

What  shall  we  first  talk  about  ?  not  about  self,  who 
always  first  intrudes.  Jane  has  informed  Augusta,  I 
believe,  that  we  must  remain  stationary  until  Garlies  * 
returns  to  Harrow — he  is  not  a  Gentleman  to  be  left  major- 
Domo — I  expect  that  may  be  about  J  any  loth — afterwards, 
if  we  are  brisk  and  merry,  and  not  snow'd  up  as  Moore's 
Almanack  portends,  I  believe,  I  shall  feel  much  incUned  to 
cross  country  to  Cowesfield  ;  I  would  much  rather  jaw 
with  you  on  many  subjects  over  a  little  Claret,  than  prose 
in  Ink. 

Your  Brother's  Establishment  is  altogether  so  good 
and  well  understood,  that  the  Regent  would  only  cause 
him  a  little  more  consumption  of  wine  and  provisions — 
and  I  dare  say  he  made  all  his  Guests  most  pleased.  I 
should  have  liked  to  have  seen  the  black-cocks  and  pheasants 
trained  to  fly  to  the  Regent's  gun,  and  Graves  swearing 
no  Regent  ever  shot  so  well  before — Mary  under  the  in- 
fluence of  some  other  Household  Admiration.  But  "  Don't 
make  such  a  pother,  for  they  will  all  be  Kings  in  their 
turn,"  says  Enniskillen.  I  should  suspect  Cheveley  to 
quiz  everybody  that  did  not  suit  Newmarket  and  fox 
hunting — but  Lord  Chatham  understands  a  wellbred 
Gentleman  ;  I  do  enjoy  the  flying  tour  of  these  Arch- 
Dukes,  whose  Heads  must  return  like  a  Cook's  Compot — 
replete  with  the  Confusion  of  every  variety  of  manufacture 

1  Lord  Galloway's  eldest  son. 


286  REDUCED   RENTS  [ch.  iv 

Hodge-podge — and  viewing  our  Scotch  Scenery  under 
Snow.  However  perhaps  a  white  Covering  may  prove 
more  friendly  to  us  than  the  russet  Brown  underneath, 
which  a  good  national  guide  may  thus  conceal. 

My  own  affairs  are  only  a  little  worse,  I  conceive,  than 
every  other  Landed  Proprietor's  in  the  Kingdom — pro- 
ceeding from  my  having  a  great  debt,  and  no  spare  capital 
but  by  selling  land,  now  of  course  at  a  loss.  You  are 
right,  plenty  from  two  good  Harvests,  and  reduced 
Governmt  Consumption  by  Army,  Navy,  &c.  is  the  chief 
cause,  our  Corn  Bill  also  being  one  year  too  late ;  time 
only  can  correct  this  Extreme,  and  will  correct  it  in  a 
certain  degree. 

But  the  great  Evil  is,  that  the  correction  will  come  after 
much  mischief  will  be  done,  and  even  then  scarcely  meet 
the  difficulty  unless  Income  Tax  is  given  up  ;  that  is  if  it 
can  be  spared. 

The  expence  of  cultivation,  and  local  tithes  and  taxes, 
in  fact  leaves  no  surplus  Rent  for  landlord  unless  provisions 
sell  high.  Wages  of  labour  will  slowly  fall,  but  articles 
required  of  all  sorts  will  scarcely  alter  to  signify — kept 
up  by  a  tremendous,  tho'  necessary,  taxation  for  years  to 
come.  Many  Landlords  (without  Income  Tax  is  restored) 
cannot  afford  to  reduce  their  rents,  they  are  therefore 
preferring  to  get  their  arrears,  which  exhausts  the  remaining 
capital  of  the  tenant,  causes  him  to  pay  up,  but  to  quit, 
and  hundreds  of  farms  are  now  unoccupied,  all  thro'  England, 
more  than  in  Scotland,  where  I  believe  Landlords  have 
more  given  way,  because  long  leases  will  not  bear  touching, 
or  taking  away  from  a  Tenant,  whereas  short,  or  EngUsh, 
leases  are  sooner  leased  again,  and  the  loss  less  dangerous, 
time  being  shorter.  I  have  had  to  reduce  my  rents  of  the 
last  9  years  abating  one  third  for  last  year,  and  this  year, 
certain,  and  to  continue,  if  the  Cause  continues,  but  which 
I  trust  will  not  after  this  year  to  come.  This  reduction  is 
equal  to  one  half  of  my  past  disposable  income,  after  all 
my  family  payments,  interest  of  debts  &c.  are  paid.  There- 
fore your  humble  Servant  is  no  more  "  the  great  Lion  of 
Galloway,"  as  called  by  Ld  Stair,  but  moves  with  a  quiet 
pair  of  post-horses,  keeps  no  carriage-horses,  paid  off  man- 
cook  &c.  and  is  quite  as  happy  as  before,  and  to  reward 
me  I  have  the  best  woman-cook  I  think  I  ever  met  \vith, 
eager  to  make  Augusta  and  you  soup  a  L'ltalienne,  ragouts 


1812-17]  MR.   SHELDON  287 

d  la  mode,  &c.  whenever  you  will  move — Addio,  all  this 
you  see  is  still  Self. 

G, 


Mr.  Sheldon 

London,  i^th  Feby,  18 16. 

Dear  Sir  Arthur, — I  thank  your  Excellency  for  your 
last  kind  Letter,  and  shall  in  consequence  leave  our  Friend 
Hardenberg  to  himself  about  his  visit  to  Cowesfield,  which 
Lord  Anglesey  has  since  confirmed  to  me  that  he  told 
him  at  Brighton  he  should  not  be  able  to  make.  Your 
remark  is  very  just,  that  so  many  excellent  and  good  quali- 
ties should  be  borne  down  by  such  an  extraordinary  love 
of  money,  as  not  to  be  able  to  prevail  on  himself  to  spend 
ten  Pounds  to  go  to  see  the  friend  with  whom  of  all  others, 
I  am  sure,  he  had  rather  spend  a  few  days.  However  such 
is  his  unconquerable  aversion  to  spending  money,  I 
should  imagine  he  is  pretty  well  again,  as  I  see  by  the 
papers  he  is  figuring  about  with  the  Prince  Leopold  of 
Coburg. 

The  Archdukes  dine  tomorrow  with  Lord  Anglesey,  and 
he  has  been  so  good  as  to  invite  me  to  meet  them.  I  took 
them  the  other  day  to  the  Tennis  Court  to  see  a  match 
that  Messrs.  Lukin  and  Davis  were  so  good  as  to  play 
on  purpose  against  Cox.  They  were  highly  gratified  by  it. 
They  told  me  yesterday  they  hoped  to  set  out  next  week. 
They  were  to  have  dined  on  Monday  week  at  the  Due 
Delachatre's  when  there  was  to  have  been  a  grande 
soiree  for  them,  but  the  Queen  has  invited  them  to  Frog- 
more  on  that  day,  so  that  I  don't  know  when  or  whether 
the  Due's  party  will  take  place.  Paul  Esterhazy  call'd 
here  yesterday,  and  there  is  to  be  a  day,  if  they  can, 
before  they  go,  en  petit  comite  at  his  House — of  which  I 
am  to  be,  that  we  may  talk  over  Vienna.  A  propos  of 
Vienna,  I  had  a  Letter  a  few  days  ago  from  my 
Brother  from  Prague  in  which  he  says  that  the  poor 
Princesse  Lobkovitz,  femnie  de  noire  ami  le  Boiteux,  had 
died  there  a  few  days  before.  I  fancy  if  ever  we 
return  to  Vienna  we  should  have  a  new  set  of  acquaint- 
ance to  form. 

The  Archdukes  told  me  that  Litta  is  made  Head  of  the 

20 


288  VISCOUNT  FITZWILLIAM  [ch.  iv 

Guard  at  Milan.  Esterhazy  has  been  about  a  House  in 
my  Street,  the  late  Duchess  of  Chandos',  and  I  am  told  is 
now  treating  with  Ld  Grey  for  his.  Ld  G.  wishes  to  sell, 
and  asks  £20,000  tor  his  House.  They  say  P.  Esterhazy 
has  offer'd  him  £2,000  a  year  for  three  years  certain  if  he 
will  let  it.  Ld  Mansfield's  House  is  also  to  be  sold  and 
Ld  Fortescue's  to  be  let — so  much  for  the  Landed  Interest ! 
It  is  very  true  that  Ld  Pembroke  has  come  into  an  immense 
fortune  under  Ld  Fitzwilliam's  ^  will — a  very  singular  one, 
tho'  I  am  glad  Ld  Pembroke  is  benefited  by  it.  He  has 
left  two  Brothers — to  John,  the  present  Viscount,  an 
annuity  of  £700  a  year — to  his  other  brother  nothing  at 
present,  but  the  same  annuity  if  he  survives  John.  To 
two  natural  sons  £700  a  year  annuity  each,  to  the  Wife 
of  one  £1500  for  Hfe,  and  to  their  child  £700  for  Life.  To 
his  Steward  and  his  wife  in  Ireland  his  place  of  Mount 
Merrion  near  Dublin  for  Life,  and  a  clear  annuity  of  £600 
for  life  to  each.  To  the  University  of  Cambridge  all  his 
fine  Pictures,  Prints  &c.,  which  Burns  employed  by  Ld  P. 
have  valued  at  £24,000,  and  besides  to  the  University  a 
hundred  and  some  thousand  Pounds  Stock,  which  Ld 
Pembroke  says,  according  to  the  present  state  of  the  Funds, 
makes  above  £62,000  to  buy  and  build  a  Museum  or  Place 
for  them.  To  Ld  P.  all  his  Property  in  Wiltshire,  Shrop- 
shire, Principality  of  Wales,  and  Ireland  for  life,  and 
then  to  Sidney  Herbert,  his  son  by  the  present  Lady  P., 
and  makes  Ld  P.  his  residuary  Legatee.  He  has  left 
annuities  to  above  £5000  a  year — charged  on  his  funded 
Property,  which  is  immense.  Ld  P.  allows  that  at  present 
he  gets  above  £12,000  a  year  to  spend — and  six  thousand 
more  will  fall  in  hereafter.  He  has  also  the  House  at 
Richmond,  Plate  &c.  They  found  upwards  of  £24,000 
in  his  bankers'  (Childs)  hands.  He  has  made  my  Brother 
William  (the  one  who  was  lately  so  ill)  and  one  other 
Person  his  Trustees  for  carrying  the  intentions  of  his 
Will  into  effect  and  a  Legacy  of  £1000  to  each,  I  wish 
he  had  given  us  the  South  Sea  Stock  instead  of  Cambridge. 
You  may  suppose  such  a  will  is  a  good  deal  abused.  Most 
truly  yours, 

Ch.  H.  Sheldon. 


»  Richard,  yth  Viscount  Fitzwilliam  In  the  peerage  of  Ireland,  died 
February  4th,  1816. 


I8I2-I7]  PRINCE  LEOPOLD  289 


Countess  of  Uxbridge 

Bishops  Court,  April  ist,  1816. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — Instead  of  the  very  dear  letter 
I  have  just  received  from  you,  I  deserve  your  reproach 
for  not  having  acknowledged  your  former  kind  and  most 
agreeable  one.  It  is  not  idleness  that  has  occasioned  my 
silence.  A  Mind  weighed  down  by  sorrow  is  better  left 
to  itself,  and  ought  not  to  intrude  itself  upon  those  we 
love.  .  .  .  Your  account  of  Paget  is  upon  the  whole  satis- 
factory, tho'  whilst  there  is  the  appearance  of  another 
splinter,  poor  soul !  he  cannot  be  without  pain.  It  is 
quite  dreadful  what  he  has  gone  through.  I  am  very 
glad  you  have  been  at  the  Pavilion,  and  made  an  acquaint- 
ance with  the  Prince  of  Cobourg.^  Your  report  of  him  is 
very  satisfactory  and  corresponds  with  all  I  had  before 
heard.  I  lean  to  The  Queen's,  and  not  the  Regent's  opinion, 
for  I  think  a  Marriage  of  this  sort  ought  not  to  be  private. 
It  seems  hard  that  the  Parties  are  to  see  so  little  of  each 
other,  but  I  don't  understand  Court  Etiquette.  I  meant 
to  have  offer'd  myself  to  you  and  dear  Lady  Augusta  this 
Week,  but  Lord  Graves  ^  being  again  call'd  to  Town  in- 
duces me  to  postpone  the  happiness  of  a  Visit  to  Cowesfield 
till  he  returns.  I  have  so  few  Opportunities  of  being  of 
use  to  anybody  that  I  avail  myself  of  it  on  the  present 
occasion,  as  perhaps  I  am  of  a  little  to  Mary  in  his  absence. 
All  his  children  have  been  ill,  and  not  out  of  doors  for  six 
weeks.  She  has  been  sadly  fagged,  but  the  little  Posy 
has  not  suffer'd.  I  am  truly  concerned  to  hear  of  the 
declining  state  of  your  friend  Mr.  Illingworth's  health  and 
of  the  Duke  and  Duchess  of  Argyll  looking  so  ill,  but  Car 
assures  me  they  are  much  better  now.  ...  I  cannot  guess 
when  Lord  Graves  will  return.  These  are  times  that  People 
ought  to  be  at  their  Post.  I  am  ever  your  most  truly 
affect.  Mother, 

J.  Uxbridge. 

1  Prince  Leopold  of  Coburg,  who  married  Princess  Charlotte  this 
year. 

2  Lord  Graves  having  written  ' '  we  are  all  well  and  merry  and  begin 
to  spread  our  wings  in  the  sunshine  of  this  delightful  weather,"  Berkeley 
Paget  observed  that  "  he  must  have  a  good  stout  Pair  to  get  him  ofi  his 
Legs  for  a  Flight." 


290  SO-CALLED   SPRING  [ch.  iv 

Sir  Harry  Fetherstone 

April  ^th,  1816. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  shall  most  certainly  have  the 
pleasure  of  taking  you  and  Lady  Augusta  by  the  hand  on 
Easter  Monday,  and  I  propose  staying  with  you  till  the 
Saturday  following,  provided  you  are  willing  to  be  troubled 
with  me  so  long.  It  has  always  been  my  opinion  that 
March  was  the  most  diabolical  month  of  the  year  to  pass 
in  the  Country  (except  to  be  employed  as  at  Harborough 
formerly)  and  it  is  not  likely  to  be  shaken  in  1816  :  indeed 
April  promises  to  add  a  little  further  strength  to  it,  for 
in  addition  to  a  sharp  frost  at  night  with  Sun  and  a  cold 
wind  per  day  an  agreeable  fog  from  the  north  this  morning 
covered  all  the  trees  with  as  thick  a  rime  as  ever  I  saw  in 
January.  The  season  called  Spring  is  done  away  with 
altogether  and  will  only  be  found  in  Poetry.  I  have  never 
seen  Charles  since  his  visit  to  Brighton  ;  he  is  come  and 
gone  in  a  moment.  It  would  not  suit  either  you  or  me  to 
pass  so  much  of  our  time  in  the  Rocket,  and  I  am  sorry  it 
suits  any  one  to  vote  against  retrenchment,  which  is  the 
only  salvation  for  the  Country.  Having  no  London  cor- 
respondent but  Delme,  who  is  (if  possible)  ten  times  more 
cautious  than  ever  since  the  Woburn  fracas,  I  of  course 
know  nothing  more  (except  what. I  read  in  the  papers) 
than  the  variation  of  odds  on  the  Derby  and  some  new 
whim  of  Joseph  Manton's  which  interest  me  nearly  alike. 
I  conclude  Sefton  is  coming  into  Parliament  to  back 
Brougham  and  that  Sir  Shelley  will  vote  himself  into  either 
the  old  or  the  new  Court.  .  .  .  Yours  ever  most  truly, 

H.  Fetherstone, 

Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

Fair  Oak,  ^th  May,  iSi6. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — You  are  now,  my  good  fellow, 
probably  engaged  in  performing  your  last  duty  towards 
your  poor  departed  friend,^  which  you  are  most  decidedly 
right  in  executing  notwithstanding  the  therefore  of  Assheton 
Smith,  and  why  should  she  or  any  other  woman  not  attend 
the  funeral  of  her  Husband  ?  I  am  quite  clear  that  if 
Husband  or  Wife  are  equal  to  such  an  effort  they  ought 

1  Mr.  Illingworth. 


1812-17]  SELF-INTEREST  291 

to  be  at  liberty  to  exert  it.  Custom  tells  you  not,  because 
I  suppose  the  performance  of  such  a  duty  savours  of  not 
feeling  much — in  the  estimation  of  the  precious  World. 
But  you  and  poor  Augusta  know  that,  however  grievous  a 
loss  may  be,  that  there  is  at  the  moment  even  when  the 
heart  is  rent  with  despair  a  paramount  sense  of  duty  and 
affection  which  supports  the  frame  thro'  the  agonizing  trial 
of  attending  the  last  sad  ceremony,  I  knew  you  were  to 
be  apprized  of,  and  to  have  the  particulars,  relative  to 
Wilson's  operations. 

.  .  .  Neither  have  I  received  a  single  Line  from  my  Mother 
since  I  wi'ote  to  her  before  I  went  to  Cowesfield — in  which 
Letter  in  my  iinvarnish'd  Language  I  regretted  that  she 
allowed  herself  to  be  any  longer  Humbugged  by  continuing 
for  Graves'  convenience  at  Bishop's  Court.  The  fact,  my 
dearest  fellow,  is  that  our  good  Mother  has  like  most  people 
her  share  of  Humbug,  and  tho'  it  sounds  very  interesting 
and  is  highly  creditable  to  her  good  Self  to  make  the  Sacri- 
fice she  is  doing  by  continuing  her  sojourn  there,  but  at 
the  same  time  I  beUeve  her  House,  or  at  least  her  own 
apartments,  at  Surbiton  are  not,  or  at  least  have  not  been, 
ready  to  receive  her  and  that  till  they  are  so  reported,  take 
my  word  for  it  she  will  hold  fast.  However  it  is  far  from 
me  to  imply  that  the  latter  cause  alone  has  detained  her 
all  this  time  in  Devonshire.  No  doubt  the  best  motives 
have  had  a  great  share  in  doing  so.  In  the  mean  time  I 
am  not  surprized  at  your  feeling  about  it  all  as  you  do, 
especially  as  far  as  regards  Graves,  who  no  doubt  (as  I 
said  to  him  the  other  day)  is  an  exemplification  in  his  own 
Person  of  the  Sentiment,  which  he  told  me  he  was  confident 
pervaded  the  breast  of  mankind  in  general,  self-interest 
and  self-enjoyment.  However  much  it  may  be  a  ruling 
principle,  he  at  least  is  the  last  man  in  tJiis  world  to  condemn 
it  in  others,  especially  at  the  Moment  he  chose  for  morahzing, 
for  he  was  then  particularly  acting  under  both  impulses, 
and  accordingly  he  will  continue  in  Town. 

By  the  bye  you  may,  or  may  not,  have  heard  that  he  is 
like  to  have  got  into  some  trouble  about  this  Devonshire 
Election.  The  Treasury  had  it  that  he  was  known  to  be 
employing  his  interest  and  influence  for  Ld  Ebrington 
against  the  Government.  ]\Iann  and  Arbuthnot  wrote  to 
Paget  to  complain  and  to  beg  him  to  exert  his  authority 
in   preventing   any   further   overt  acts  of   Rebellion.     Of 


292  THE  YOUNG   LADIES'   BALL  [ch.  iv 

cofirse  Graves  denied  the  Charge,  but  we  know  he  can  do 
one  thing,  and  swear  another. 

I  think  you  will  see  Paget  occasionally  next,  and  the 
following,  month— for  he  will  occasionally  be  at  South- 
ampton with  his  Cutter  and  I  shall  on  those  occasions 
join  him  there.  My  Lady  I  don't  think  will  be  of  the  party, 
but  I  can't  exactly  say,  if  she  feels  stout  and  well  she  will ; 
if  not — not,  and  I  should  think  not,  from  her  already  being 
unwieldy  and  complaining.  He  talks  of  stationing  Horses 
and  driving  down  his  Curricle  on  these  occasions,  but  that 
will  end  of  course  in  the  Chaise  and  quattuor.  I  am  afraid 
I  foresee  an  October  in  Wales ;  if  so  I  shall  take  Elizabeth 
and  a  couple  of  Children. 

So  as  usual,  my  good  fellow,  I  have  lots  on  hand,  but 
never  anything  which  gives  me  more  pleasure  than  in 
going  to  see  you  and  Augusta — and  that  I  still  hold  myself 
engaged  to  do  with  Elizabeth,  when  you  announce  your 
expectation  of  our  good  Mother.  .  .  . 

Charles. 

It  is  too  bad  sending  you  this  Maintop  bowline  Scrawl. 
Marqiiis  of  Anglesey 

May  8th,  1816. 

My  Dear  Arthur, —  .  .  .  You  must  know  that  there  is 
a  Ball  ^  in  hand.  The  Ladies  Paget  give  it,  and  I  have 
obtained  permission  to  absent  myself,  and  shall  go  out  of 
town  for  a  few  days  with  Ly  Ay  at  that  time.  It  is  fixed 
for  Wednesday,  the  22d  of  May,  and  I  have  no  doubt 
that  Ly  Augusta  and  you  will  receive  a  Card  in  due  form. 

...  I  am  very  sorry  at  what  occurred  at  Tidworth.  I 
do  not  lay  much  account  to  funereal  pomp,  but  common 
decency  required  a  very  different  course  from  that  which 
was  pursued  in  committing  your  poor  friend  lUingworth  to 
the  grave.     Very  affly  yrs, 

Anglesey. 

P.S.  You  see  I  judged  right  and  you  are  honoured  with 
an  invitation. 

^  "  .  .  .  and  to  be  sure  there  was  never  anything  I  believe  to  equal  it, 
especially  the  Supper,  every  one  dish  of  which  and  every  bottle  of  Wine 
at  which  was  fit  for  a  dinner  at  Carlton  House."— Charles  Paget. 


1812-17]  LADY  UXBRIDGE  293 

Countess  oj  Uxhridge 

SuRBiTON,  5$py  8th,  [1816]. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — I  calculated  that  my  last  letter 
would  reach  you  before  the  one  I  received  from  you  today 
was  written,  but  lest  it  should  not  do  so,  I  must  repeat 
my  regret  that  The  Queen's  Commands  to  go  to  Windsor 
next  Tuesday  for  a  Week  must  deprive  me  of  the  pleasure 
of  seeing  you  till  I  return,  of  which  I  will  give  you  Notice. 
Why  is  Miss  Laura  not  to  be  of  the  Party  ?  It  will  be 
not  only  cruel  to  leave  her  behind,  but  it  will  be  a  great 
disappointment  to  me  not  to  see  her ;  so  pray,  pray,  relent. 
And  believe  me,  my  dearest  Arthur,  your  most  truly  affecte 
Mother, 

J.    UXBRIDGE. 

Gen.  Hon.  Sir  Edward  Paget 

Beau  Desert,  26  Dec,  1816, 

My  Dearest  Arthur, — Your  long  and  interesting  Letter 
of  the  i8th  was  intitled  to  a  more  immediate  acknowledg- 
ment and  deserves  a  more  elaborate  Reply  than  the  few 
scanty  Moments  that  one  can  steal  from  one's  Night's 
Rest  (and  this  is  truly  the  only  time  I  can  ever  find  at 
Beau  Desert  to  devote  to  my  Correspondents)  enable  me 
to  give  it.  .  .  .  Most  completely  and  entirely  do  I  agree  with 
you  in  your  Idea  with  regard  to  our  good  but  impracticable 
Mother.  I  however  feel  some  compunction  in  using  this 
Epithet,  as  I  was  happy  to  find  by  a  Letter  received  yester- 
day from  Charles  that  he  had  succeeded  in  prevaihng  upon 
her  to  go  to  town,  and  remain  there  a  while  for  the  sake 
of  Medical  Advice,  in  the  Event  of  the  failure  of  some 
Medicine,  which  she  has  recently  taken  in  hand,  in  pro- 
ducing a  salutary  Effect.  In  the  mean  time  whether  the 
said  Medicine  or  the  inveterate  Dread  of  going  to  town 
for  this  Purpose  has  had  the  Effect,  is  not  for  me  to  say, 
but  I  have  been  dehghted  to  hear  from  herself  that  she 
now  obtains  some  Sleep  and  upon  the  whole  feels  better 
than  when  she  came  to  Coolhurst.  .  .  .  Heaven  grant  that 
/  may  be  altogether  wrong  in  my  Speculations,  and  that 
you  may  be  altogether  wrong  in  yours  when  you  figure 
him  to  yourself  as  consohng  himself  in  the  Company  of 
that  very  great  Scamp,  Mr.   Brummell.     Tliink  of  Duke 


294  FARMING  LORDS  [ch.  iv 

Wellington  calling  upon  him  when  last  at  Calais  !  !  !     This 
if  true  is  vastly  illjudged.     I   quite  agree  with  you  that 
the  Lord  Mayor  of  London  is  an  excellent  Lord  Mayor  of 
London,  and  he  shall  have  my  Vote  for  a  third  Year's 
Mayoralty.     Of  all  the  Men  I  have  noticed  in  that  Office 
(and  this  to  be  sure  is  not  saying  much)  he  seems  to  me 
to  be  the  one  whose  whole  and  sole  Object  is  the  faithful 
and  zealous  discharge  of  his  Duty.     I  say,  "Long  Hve  the 
Mayor  of  London."     But  why,  my  dear  Arthur,  so  bespatter 
my  friend,  the  Lord-Lieutenant  ?  ^     Knowing   as   you   do 
my  Sentiments  about  Farms,  and  Bullocks  and  Sheep,  and 
Farming  Lords  and  Farming  Ladies  and  Farming  Gentle- 
men, you  need  not  fear  that  I  shall  take  up  the  Cudgels 
to  defend  him  on  this  Head  ;    but  I  am  quite  clear  that  in 
adopting  a  sort  of  family  fashion,  you  very  much  underrate 
his  Cahbre.     I   beheve  him  to  be  a  Man  of  exceedingly 
good  and  sound  Understanding,  of  Apphcation  and  indus- 
try,   well  read,    well   travelled   and   well  informed  ;     and 
who,  had  he  not  wasted  his  time  amongst  Farmers  and 
Butchers  and  Bullocks  and  Turnips  and  so  forth  (Animals 
and  Things  which  Gentlemen  cannot  in  my  Mind  meddle 
with    without    soihng    their   fingers   and    brutifying    their 
Understandings)  would  have  had  many  more  Advocates 
for  his  Appointment  than  he  possibly  has.     Between  him 
and  Lord  Hopetoun,  I  am  free  to  confess  that  I  should  not 
hesitate  in  giving  my  Choice  for  the  latter.     And  really 
after  all  when  we  recollect  who  have  been  Lord-Lieutenants 
of  Ireland,  with  the  Exception  of  Lord  Whitworth,  they 
seem  in  my  Memory  to  have  been  all  Bullocks  and  Rams. 
What  a  Bullock  was  the  Marquis  of  Buckingham !  ="    Then 
comes  the  Lincolnshire  Ram,  all  Bones  and  .  .  .  !     Who 
follows  next  ?     Why  Lord  Hardwicke,'  and  then  the  Duke 
of  Bedford,   both  Ram  and  Bullock  Mad.     From  these 
Instances,  instead  of  its  being  a  Disparagement,  one  might 
be  almost  led  to  suppose  that  this  Taste  for  Brute  Beasts 
was  a  necessary  Qualification  in  a  Lord-Lieutenant.     But 
the  great  Clock,  which  shakes  my  Chamber,  has  struck  two, 

1  Charles,  2nd  Earl  Talbot. 

2  George,  ist  Marquis  of  Buckingham,  Lord- Lieutenant  of  Ireland  1782. 
and  again  1787. 

^J'^^-i^^^^  °^  Hardwicke,  Lord-Lieutenant  of  Ireland,  1801-6,  suc- 
ceeded by  Gth  Duke  of  Bedford,  1806-7.  By  the  "Lincolnshire  Ram" 
bir  t  P.  may  have  meant  the  1st  Marquis  CornwalHs,  Lord  Hardwicke's 
immediate  predecessor. 


1812-17]  SHOOTING   PARTIES  295 

so  I  must  hasten  to  conclude.  In  a  few  Words  I  came  here 
with  Francis  last  Monday  happily  too  late  to  beat  Brereton 
Hanger.  Shot  on  Tuesday  in  Pigots  Bottom,  &c,  Wednes- 
day Christmas  Day,  shot  today  at  Haywood  Park.  Party 
— Ld  Apsley,  Singleton,  Horace  Seymour,  self,  spouse — 
Paget  shooting  as  well  as  ever,  and  keener  than  I  have 
long  seen  him.  Girls  and  Boys  all  well,  my  Lady  aihng. 
Ever  most  affectionately  yrs, 

E.  P. 


Sir  Harry  F  ether  stone 

21  Jan.,  1817. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — Such  are  the  vicissitudes  of  human 
affairs  that,  not  many  hours  after  my  last,  I  found  Lord 
Anglesey  was  stopped  in  London  by  a  Royal  fit  of  the  Gout. 
He  is  to  be  at  Lord  Craven's  (where  Charles  meets  him) 
to-day,  and  certainly  here  with  the  Seftons  on  Thursday. 
I  trust  you  will  reach  Uppark  according  to  your  present 
determination  that  you  may  at  least  have  one  day's  board 
of  works  with  the  Duke  of  Richmond,  who  has  proposed 
himself  with  Lord  March  for  a  couple  of  days,  tho'  I  think 
it  more  than  probable  they  may  stretch  a  point  for  the 
Mill  Hanger  on  Monday.  I  purpose  the  Lady  Holt  beat 
for  Friday,  the  Bolton  Plantations  for  Saturday,  Mill  Hanger 
Monday,  and  Llarting  Warren  on  Tuesday.  My  great 
object  will  be  to  succeed  for  Lord  Anglesey,  but  you  know 
how  precarious  a  business  that  must  be  here.  Delme  comes 
to-day,  that  we  may  have  some  wild  fowl  pour  rots. 

Pray  remember  me  to  A.  Smith  andbeHeveme  ever  yours, 

H.  F. 


Marquis  of  Anglesey 

UxBRiDGE  House,  Feby  nth,  1817. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — .  .  .  Our  poor  Mother  does  not  go 
on  satisfactorily.  Sometimes  I  think  she  will  rally.  Then 
again  I  despond.  Yesterday  I  found  her  decidedly  better. 
Today  the  report  is  unfavorable.  Upon  the  whole,  I  doubt 
her  restoration  to  health,  or  even  a  long  existence,  unless 
some  early  change  takes  place,  at  the  same  time  I  don't 
think  she  is  in  any  immediate  danger.     I  may  now  announce 


296  DEATH   OF   LADY   UXBRIDGE  [CH.  iv 

to  you  Car's  intended  Marriage  with  March.*  He  came 
to  tell  me  yesterday  that  his  Father  consented,  but  cd  do 
nothing  for  him.  I  could  not  oppose  it,  for  barring  pecu- 
niary concerns  (which  by  the  by  is  no  small  consideration 
in  a  tnenage)  there  was  every  thing  to  please  me.  He  is 
a  very  nice  Lad,  and  I  heard  nothing  but  good  of  him  from 
all  quarters.  I  need  say  nothing  to  you  of  Car.  I  declare 
I  don't  know  how  we  can  go  on  without  her.     Beheve  me 

ever  affly  yours, 

Anglesey. 

Marquis  of  Anglesey 

[March],   1817. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  was  much  alarmed  by  the  morning 
report  of  my  Mother.  The  day  before  yesterday  I  sent  for 
Gladstone  to  see  her.  He  has  a  very  bad  opinion  of  her 
case,  and  is  for  soothing  medicines  only,  in  order  to  make 
her  as  easy  as  possible.  Yesterday  there  was  a  consulta- 
tion of  physicians,  and  altho'  I  felt  it  to  be  my  duty  to 
have  it,  yet  I  portended  mischief,  as  they  will  try  something. 
The  laudanum  they  gave  her  has  disagreed  with  her,  and 
last  night  was  her  worst  of  all  in  so  much  that  she  is 
unable  to  get  up  or  to  see  anyone.  The  report  however  of 
Chilver  is,  that  she  has  suffered  much,  but  is  not  materially 
worse  today.  I  cannot  find  any  one  of  them,  who  thinks 
she  is  in  immediate  danger,  but  /  cannot  believe  that  she 
can  last  long  in  this  dreadful  state  of  suffering  and  debihty.^ 
You  shall  hear  from  me  if  there  is  any  crisis.    Ever  affecly 

yours, 

Anglesey. 

Chilver  will  not  let  Jane  be  sent  for.  You  now  know 
all  I  know. 


Capt.  Hon.  Charles  Paget 

[Sept.,  1817.] 

When  I  got  to  Portsmouth  yesterday  I  found  a  Box 
containing  a  Gold  Cup,  inside  of  which  was  written  on  a 

1  The  Earl  of  March,  who  succeeded  his  father  as  5th  Duke  of  Richmond 
in  the  year  1819,  married  Lady  CaroUne  Paget  on  April  loth  this  year.  The 
Duchess  of  Argyll,  writing  to  announce  the  engagement  to  Sir  A.  Paget, 
said,  "  I  am  sure  this  news  will  please  you  almost  as  much  as  it  does  me." 

2  Lady  Uxbridg*  died  March  9th,  1817. 


1812-17]  THE   REGENT'S   CUP  297 

Sheet  of  paper  the  Lines  1  have  copied  on  the  other  side. 
Who  *  could  have  sent  it  ? 

"  This  little  Cup  quite  to  the  Brim 
I3  with  good  wishes  sent  by  Him 
Who  late  with  greater  Folks  did  share 
Thy  Courtesy  and  anxious  Care. 

But  tho'  this  little  Cup  were  large 

As  Dome  of  old  St  Paul 
Good  wishes  Thou  so  many  hast 

It  would  not  hold  them  all. 

And  now  to  handsel  it.     I  trust 

Thou  wilt  be  nothing  loth 
To  fill  it  high  and  drink  *  Success 

To  Royal  George's — both.'" 

Round  the  rim  of  the  Cup  is  inscribed  "Royal  George 
Yacht,  [G.  P.  R.],  Honble  Capt.  Paget.  St.  Vallery  ;  1817, 
September  ;    Brighthelmstone." 

^  The  Regent  had  been  cruising  in  the  Channel  on  board  his  yacht, 
commanded  by  Charles  Paget. 


CHAPTER  V 

1818-40 

Marquis  of  Anglesey 

P.  N.,  June  22nd,  1818. 

My  Dear  Arthur, —  .  .  .  We  have  rare  Weather  for  the 
Review,  but  too  much  for  my  pleasure,  as  I  do  not  Hke  a 
3  reefed  Sail  every  day.  The  Elections  are  going  on 
right.  Berkeley  will  be  chosen  next  Friday.  Charles 
stays  for  it,  and  then  goes  off  to  prepare  his  other 
Yacht.  We  have  had  hardly  any  fair  trials.  I  long  to 
see  him  with  Blue-Eyed  Maid  and  I  expect  P.W.  every 
day.  As  for  Old  Assheton  ^  we  will  beat  him  bhnd.  Ever 
affecy  yours, 

Anglesey. 

Lady  Graves 

.  .  June,  1818. 

My  Dearest  Arthur,  ...  I  went  for  half-an-hour  to 
Lady  Salisbury's  last  night,  where  I  saw  the  Regent,  who 
invited  me  to  come  and  sit  down  by  him,  and  literally  the 
couch  was  so  small  that  we  were  wedged  in,  pleasant  !  !  ! 
He  complain'd  grievously  of  His  Great  Toe,  which  I  fear 
will  prevent  his  making  his  appearance  tomorrow  night 
at  the  juvenile  ball  at  Carlton  House.  However  he  told 
me  he  should  take  some  quack  medecine,  I  forget  what,  and 
lie  in  bed  all  today  as  his  best  chance  of  appearing  tomorrow. 
The  Queen  ^  is  gone  to  Kew,  but  not  better.  It  is  not 
supposed  she  can  hold  out  very  long.  Mr.  Hunt's^  Mob 
recognised  Ld  Castlereagh  *  on  Saturday,  when  they  pelted 

1  Assheton  Smith. 

*  Queen  Charlotte  died  at   Kew,   November   17th,    1818. 
'  "  Orator  "  Hunt,  a  Radical  leader. 

*  Secretary  of  State  for  Foreign  Affairs. 

298 


i8i8-4o]  FLORENCE  299 

him  unmercifully.  He  was  very  cool  upon  the  occasion 
— made  them  several  bows,  and  thanked  them  for  the 
honor  they  had  done  him.  In  my  opinion  there  is  nothing 
so  horrible  and  terrific  as  a  London  mob.  ,  .  . 

M.  Graves. 


Lady  Burghersh 

Florence,!  Feby.  16th,  18 19. 

My  Dear  Sir  Arthur, —  ...  I  now  congratulate  you 
both,  and  trust  that  poor  Augusta's  sufferings  are  at  an 
end,  and  that  her  Health  will  now  be  quite  re-established. 
I  hope  I  shall  follow  her  good  example  in  a  few  months  and 
succeed  as  well,  for  which  purpose  I  am  nursing  myself 
and  growing  as  selfish  as  possible,  having  adopted  the  rule 
of  never  putting  myself  out  of  my  way  for  anybody.     I 
hope  the  bad  habit  will  not  last  after  the  cause  has  ceased. 
I  had  already  heard  the  wonderful  history  of  Berkeley's 
reformation  (for  we  have  as  much  gossip  here  from  England 
as  in  London  itself).      I  am  dehghted  that  good  Mrs.  Berkeley 
has  at  last  the  reward  of  her  excellent  Conduct,  for  I  trust 
she  will  find  it  a  reward.      Does  he  still  go  to  Demerara  ? 
I  know  nothing  of  the  Capels'  plans  except  that  Ly  C. 
desired  I  would  let  her  know  in  the  Spring  what  Houses 
were  to  be  had  for.     I  am  afraid  this  place  would  never 
suit  them  as  to  economy,  for  owing  to  the  shoals  of  English, 
which  increase  every  year,  every  thing  has  trebled  in  price 
— and  I  also  fear  Cap  el  would  find  too  many  temptations 
to  resist.     We  have  a  terrible  set  of  English  here  now,  of 
whom  Burghersh  has  the  pleasure  to  present  100  at  a  Ball 
at  Court  this  Evening,  which  I  shirk.     In  the  beginning  of 
March  we  shall  have  the  Emperor  *  and  Empress,  with  a 
dozen  Arch-Dukes  and  Arch-Duchesses,  and  also  a  Covey 
of  Saxon  Royalties.     We  have  had  old  Prince  Esterhazy 
here  all  the  winter.     He  is  just  gone  to  Rome  to  see  Tiny 
Grassalkovitch.     They  are  daily  expecting  to  hear  of  the 
death  of  Maurice  Lichtenstein,  who  is  quite  given  over. 

B.  is  very  well,  but  much  thinner  than  when  you  saw  him. 
Most  truly  yours, 

P.  A.  Burghersh. 

t  Lord  Burghersh  was  now  Minister  at  the  Court  of  Tuscany. 
2  Of  Austria. 


300  GEORGE  BRUMMELL  [ch.  v 


George  Brummell 

Calais,  Fehy  20,  1819. 

Dear  Arthur, — Should  the  recollection  of  former  times 
ever  recall  to  you  the  existence  of  an  old  and  once  intimate 
friend,  you  will,  perhaps,  in  looking  back  upon  those  days 
alone  find  some  indulgence  for  the  liberty  I  now  take  in 
writing  to  you.  During  the  last  three  years  that  I  have 
passed  in  this  country,  I  have  struggled  hard  to  bear  up 
against  the  many  difficulties  that  have  oppressed  my  unfor- 
tunate situation.  I  will  not  attempt  to  advert  to  the  cir- 
cumstances that  brought  them  upon  me.  You  are  no 
doubt  informed  of  their  unfavourable  nature,  and  as  I  have 
no  defence  to  offer  in  their  extenuation,  it  would  only  be 
additionally  painful  to  me  to  retrace  them.  I  will  beg 
you  to  remember  me  only  as  a  former  companion  ;  such  as 
I  was  before  that  cursed  infatuation  of  gaming  perverted 
every  better  natural  quality  and  principle  and  led  me  on 
to  destruction — and  if  that  remembrance,  to  which  I  address 
myself,  should  preserve  any  friendly  interest  towards  me, 
and  you  should  have  the  power  as  well  as  the  inclination 
to  extend  any  immediate  assistance  to  me,  it  will  be  sufiEicient 
for  me  to  tell  you  that  I  am  at  this  instant  reduced  to  the 
most  exigent,  the  most  abject  want.  I  have  no  resource 
left  me  under  heaven,  and  I  am  utterly  destitute  of  the 
means  to  provide  for  my  subsistence  at  the  hour  in  which 
I  write  to  you. 

Believe  me,  my  dear  Arthur,  I  am  thoroughly  conscious 
of  all  the  disgrace  and  reproach  which  a  begging  letter  must 
reflect  upon  me,  but  I  am  so  far  persecuted  and  humiliated 
by  the  distress  that  is  staring  me  in  the  face,  that  I  am 
driven  to  the  sacrifice  of  every  more  delicate  compunctious 
feehng.  If  then  you  have  the  abihty  to  afford  me  any 
service,  I  will  earnestly  request  you  to  place  it  with  Messrs, 
Drummonds,  who  will  instantly  remit  it  to  me  ;  if  on  the 
contrary  such  kindness  should  not  accord  with  your  own 
present  convenience,  I  have  only  to  entreat  you  to  forgive 
the  abruptness  of  my  application.  Yours,  dear  Arthur, 
most  sincerely, 

George  Brummell. 


i8i8-4o]  IRISH   M.P.'S  301 

George  Brummell 

Calais,  March  10,  1819. 

Dear  Arthur, — Believe  me  I  feel  very  sensibly  your 
kindness  to  me,  and  though  my  prospects  of  the  future 
are  most  discouraging,  I  will  still  devoutly  hope  I  may  some 
day  be  enabled  to  repay  you.  Accept  my  sincerest  thanks. 
You  have,  I  fear,  done  more  for  me  than  perfectly  accords 
with  your  own  immediate  convenience.  This  may  be  a 
subject  of  additional  distress  to  me  in  availing  myself  of 
your  assistance;  but  it  impresses  me  at  the  same  time  with 
a  deeper  sense  of  obligation.  There  are  those  who  have  the 
power  of  relieving  the  present  difficulty  of  my  unfortunate 
situation,  and  upon  whose  favourable  consideration  former 
intimacy  authorised  me  to  place  a  confident  reliance,  but 
they  have  not  even  preserved  sufficient  recollection  of  me 
to  acknowledge  m}^  letters.  With  all  my  past  experience 
of  the  world  it  is  only  in  the  hour  of  affliction  that  I  have 
become  thoroughly  acquainted  with  those  who  once  pre- 
tended to  be  my  dearest  friends.  Yours,  dear  Arthur, 
with  every  gratitude  and  truth, 

George  Brummell. 

Lord  Graves 

March,   18 19. 

My  Dear  Arthur,  .  .  .  The  Papers  will  have  given  you 
some  Account  of  the  proceedings  in  Parliament  on  Mr. 
Quinn's  Case.  There  were  some  extraordinary  proceedings 
last  night,  j\Ir.  O'Grady,  Junior,  having  accosted  a  Mr. 
Goold,  a  Witness  in  the  Case,  by  saying  he  had  on  a  former 
night  in  his  Evidence  spoken  of  him  in  a  way  he  did  not 
like,  which  if  he  repeated  on  that  night's  examination  he 
would  kick  him.  This  was  reported  to  the  Speaker,  the 
Parties  examind,  and  ended  in  the  Incarceration  of  Mr. 
O'Grady  by  the  Sergeant-at-Arms.  Since  which  I  under- 
stand Mr.  Goold  has  been  to  Tierney  and  declar'd  he  had 
given  false  Evidence,  and  that  the  Statements  of  O'Grady's 
witnesses  as  far  as  he,  Goold,  is  concern'd,  are  true.  It 
will  end,  I  presume,  in  the  Expulsion  of  Mr.  Quinn. 

By  accounts  from  Lausanne  today  I  fear  poor  Capel  is 
no  more.  In  a  letter  from  his  Daughter  Maria  to  Lady 
Galloway  it  is  stated  that  the  Physicians  had  declar'd  he 


302  LORD  GRAVES  UNEASY        [ch.  v 

had  but  a  few  hours  to  live.  He  was  then  in  Convulsions 
or  in  a  state  of  Insensibility.  The  Family  are,  as  you  may 
imagine,  in  great  distress.  I  fancy  that  Louisa  Erskine 
has  propos'd  to  go  out  to  Caroline.  Young  Colyear's  ^ 
death  at  Rome  gives  £40,000  a  year  between  Lords  Chol- 
mondeley  and  Gwydyr  (the  Ancaster  property).  This  with 
Lord  Clinton's  Estates  ^  will  make  old  Cholmondeley  the 
richest  Man  in  England  it  is  suppos'd.  Lord  Milsington 
and  Lord  Portmore  must  now  come  to  ye  Parish — they 
were  supported  by  this  young  Man.     Yours  most  sincerely. 

Graves. 


Lord  Graves 

UxBRiDGE  House,  March  20th,  1819. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — The  first  part  of  your  letter  is,  with 
due  deference,  inapplicable  to  any  part  of  my  conduct 
at  any  time.  When  first  I  had  the  good  fortune  of  your 
acquaintance,  I  felt,  in  common  with  the  rest  of  the  man- 
kind, the  dehght  which  your  Society  afforded.  Your 
talents,  general  knowledge,  perfect  usage  of  the  World, 
and  other  happy  circumstances  made  you  irresistible — 
but  when  to  this  was  added  a  preference,  a  kind,  and  friendly 
partiality  for  myself — I  must  say  in  justice  to  myself  that 
this  sentiment  was  exalted  to  the  sincerest  regard,  and 
affection.  Your  invariable  kind  conduct  on  every  occasion 
since  has  added  a  respect,  and  regard,  to  that  feeling,  which 
makes  me  look  up  to  you  as  a  very  superior  person  both 
in  head  and  heart,  whose  friendship  is  beyond  the  value 
of  Money,  or  any  worldly  consideration  ;  with  this  feehng 
you  must  not  be  surpris'd  if  I  feel  uneasy,  and  reaUy  hurt 
whenever  you  question,  merely  in  joke,  the  consistency  or 
sincerity  of  my  conduct,  as  it  respects  yourself,  or  any  thing 
that  concerns  you. 

1  The  5th  Duke  of  Ancaster  left  an  only  daughter,  who  married  Lord 
Milsington,  Lord  Portmore's  eldest  son,  by  whom  she  had  an  only  son, 
this  "  young  Colyear,"  who  inherited  his  grandfather  the  duke's  "vast 
personal  property  "  in  1809,  but  died  this  month  at  Rome  "  in  conse- 
quence of  wounds  received  from  banditti." 

Lords  Cholmondeley  and  Gwydyr  had  married  the  daughters  of  the 
3rd  Duke  of  Ancaster. 

2  "  Lord  Qinton's  estates  "  in  Cornwall  and  Devon  were  unsuccess- 
fully claimed  by  Lord  Cholmondeley  (as  heir  of  the  3rd  Earl  of  Orford, 
who  had  inherited  them  through  his  mother,  Margaret  RoUe),  the  Courts 
deciding  that  under  Lord  Orford's  will  they  reverted  to  the  Rolle  family. 


i8i8-40]  CAPEL  AFFAIRS  303 

Indeed  poor  Caroline's  ^  is  a  most  melancholy  situation. 
But  it  is  with  much  satisfaction  you  will  hear  that  she  has 
receiv'd  from  private  friendship,  and  aflection,  at  Lausanne 
every  attention  and  kindness  that  we  could  have  wish'd. 
Her  family  is  there  held  in  such  respect,  that  her  misfor- 
tune excited  the  attention  and  sympathy  of  all  the  In- 
habitants. Poor  Capel's  funeral  took  place  with  every 
respectful  attendance,  and  I  understand  Caroline  is  inchn'd 
to  remain  with  her  family  at  that  place,  rather  than  incur 
the  great  expence  of  a  removal  at  present  to  this  Country. 
I  have  heard,  as  far  as  Income  is  concern' d,  that  she  will 
be  better  off  by  the  death  of  her  Husband,  in  as  much  as 
during  his  latter  life  nearly  £4000  a  year,  his  natural  Income, 
was  swallow' d  up  by  Annuities  granted,  and  interest  of 
Debt,  leaving  him  only  the  clear  enjoyment  of  £1200  per 
Ann.  I  understand  his  Collectorsliip  in  Staftordshire  with 
his  appointment  abroad  produc'd  £2000  ;  this  is  the  only 
part  that  goes  away  with  him,  so  that  Caroline  will  in  fact 
have  £2000  a  year  instead  of  £1200,  and  as  poor  Lady 
Essex  *  is  not  expected  to  live  many  Months,  her  death 
wiU  add  considerably  to  that  Income,  and  place  her,  as 
far  as  Income  is  concern' d,  in  a  less  melancholy  situation 
than  has  been  her  lot  for  many  years. 

My  time  has  been  wholly  occupied  since  my  arrival  in 
London  by  attendance  at  an  Election  Committee,  and 
afterwards  watching  Divisions  in  ye  House  of  Commons. 
I  have  given  up  the  gaieties  of  London  as  incompatible  with 
my  present  employments.  I  agree  with  you — Vive  L  Opera, 
and  every  gentlemanhke  amusement ;  but  there  is  a  time 
for  aU  things,  and  though  I  have  less  inclination  for  these 
amusements  than  formerly,  I  should  be  sorry  to  deprive 
younger  People  of  the  gratification,  and  good  Company 
they  afford. 

I  will  not  fail  to  make  your  request  to  Sir  B.  Bloom- 
field. 

My  intention  has  never  been  to  remove  with  my  family 
to  this  unhealthy,  and  expensive  Town — compared  to 
Bishops  Court.  Was  it  not  for  them  I  should  not  hesitate 
to  incur  the  disadvantage  of  both,  to  purchase  the  Con- 
venience of   Residence  here. 

You  must  not  beheve  this  on  dit  of  a  change  of  Ministry. 


1  Lady  Caroline  Capel. 

>  Lady  Caroline's  mother-in-law,  died  1821. 


21 


304 


PARIS  [CH.  V 


The  Question  of  Catholic  Emancipation  will  unravel  the 
Plot,  if  there  be  any. 

Your  Brothers,  Lord  Anglesey  and  Charles,  set  off  last 
night  in  his  Post-Chaise  for  Colchester  at  a  1/4  past  twelve 
to  see,  I  beheve,  his  new  Cutter,  and  to  return  tonight  !  !  ! 
I  fancy  I  have  found  a  Purchaser  for  Charles's  vessel,  the 
Anglesey,  in  the  person  of  a  Mr.  John  Latmisse— if  he  is 

dispos'd  to  sell  her. 

Graves. 

You  have  heard  that  Lord  Bective^  is  to  marry  Miss 
[blank],  the  Heiress  to  whom  Beau  Clarence  propos'd  and 
was  declin'd. 

Sir  Harry  Fetherstone 

Paris,  Sept.  zgth,  18 19. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  now  despair  of  seeing  you  and 
Lady  Augusta  here,  and  I  fear  there  is  httle  chance  of 
Berkeley's  intention  being  fulfilled  ;  I  regret  it  extremely, 
but  I  will  say  no  more  on  this  subject.  Paris  has  not 
lost  its  ground  with  me  on  this  second  visit,  and  I  am  still 
satisfied  it  will  be  a  grand  desideratum  for  a  part  of  the 
year.  The  exposition  of  all  the  works  of  art  and  manufac- 
tures of  France  at  the  Louvre  is  truly  wonderful ;  it  has 
been  open  now  above  a  month  and  closes  on  Friday,  the 
King  *  having  already  distributed  the  prize  medals  (many 
hundreds)  in  person  and  said  something  flattering  to  the 
different  artists  for  which,  I  understand,  he  has  a  very 
happy  tournure.  From  the  most  costly  bouquets  of  dia- 
monds to  the  humble  efforts  of  the  blind  there  is  such  an 
endless  variety  of  objects  of  all  classes,  no  words  can  describe 
it.  One  thing  however  is  demonstrated  ;  such  industry 
applied  to  the  great  resources  of  this  Country  will  soon 
wipe  away  old  scores.  She  will  be  a  Giant  refreshed.  I 
am  much  amused  in  my  morning  walks,  and  for  the  rest 
of  the  day  till  dinner  it  is  only  an  embarras  of  choice  ;  the 
two  Operas  on  alternate  nights  close  the  Evening,  and  to 
any  one  who  loves  Italian  Musick,  the  Theatre  Royal 
Italien  offers  at  this  moment  prodigious  allurement,  for 
such  a  Company  together  has  seldom  met  ;  Pellegrini  is 
inimitable  and  the  Podor  in  high  force.     The  ballets  at  the 

1  Lord  Bective  married  in  1822  Mrs.  Dalton,  a  widow. 
»  Louis  XVIII. 


1818-403  GOOD  DINNERS  305 

Grand  Opera  are  of  course  perfection.  Last  Monday  I 
dined  with  Sheldon  ;  a  dinner  tres  recherche  and  really 
well  dressed,  his  Sillery  excellent ;  besides  the  Ladies  of 
his  family  were  the  Dues  D'Escar  and  D'Aumont  (the 
latter  well  known  to  me  formerly),  the  Counts  D'Escar  and 
La  Ferronays  (lately  appointed  to  Petersburgh),  and  Sir 
Charles  Stuart  ^  :  altogether  a  very  pleasant  dinner.  The 
old  Due  D'Escar  is  to  give  us  one  at  the  Tuilleries  next 
week,  and  I  am  told  I  shall  see  the  best  going,  but  he  acknow- 
ledged to  me  that  there  were  no  Chefs  now  equal  to  some 
before  the  Revolution,  which  justifies  my  opinion.  I 
never  saw  any  one  old  or  young  eat  so  much  with  Melon 
in  the  middle  of  it  all.  Talk  of  stomach  indeed !  I  am  a 
very  poor  creature.  The  weather  has  been  uniformly  fine 
since  I  came  and  still  hot.  I  have  seen  several  things  in 
the  environs  of  Paris  to  be  sold,  and  one  belonging  to  the 
Duchesse  de  Feltre,  which  I  like  much  ;  but  I  shall  not 
decide  hastily  about  it  and  in  the  meantime  am  in  treaty 
with  the  Princesse  Chimay  (formerly  Madame  Tallien) 
for  her  Hotel  for  next  Spring.  It  is  a  dehghtful  thing  with 
7  acres  of  pleasure  ground  in  Paris.  She  very  politely 
shewed  me  over  the  whole  herself,  and  I  was  very  glad  to 
come  in  contact  with  so  celebrated  a  person,  who  is  still 
handsome  and  very  pleasant  in  her  manner.  She  is  a  little 
exorbitant  just  now,  but  as  Princesses  often  lower  their 
terms,  I  think  it  very  likely  I  shall  have  it,  as  she  has 
promised  her  ultimatum  soon.  .  .  .  You  have  been  probably 
saihng  *  about  with  the  Regent ;  the  papers  announce  his 
having  been  sea-sick.  They  expect  a  better  vintage  even 
than  1802  :  the  harvest  has  been  most  abundant  and  the 
grain  of  the  best  quality.  If  Berkeley  is  still  on  the  Island, 
pray  tell  him  how  much  I  am  disappointed.  The  Comte 
D'Escar  inquired  much  after  you.  I  shall  certainly  stay 
three  weeks  longer.     Yours  ever  truly, 

H.  Fetherstone. 

Hon.  Berkeley  to  Charles  Paget 

[No  date,  probably  1819.] 

My  Dear  Charles, — By  all  means.     We  shall  be  de- 

1  Then  the  British  Ambassador  ;    afterwards  created  Lord  Stuart  de 
Rothesay. 

2  Sir  Charles  Paget  at  this  time  commanded  the  Royal  George,  the 
Regent's  yacht. 


3o6       LORD  ANGLESEY  SURPRISED      [CH.  V 

lighted  to  see  you  and  there  is  a  Bed  for  you.     It  will  be 
Our  Royal  Pleasure  to  get  drunk  ! 

I  found  Paget  yesterday  with  a  d — d  Shipwright  and 
compasses  and  scales  and  models,  planning  Misery  and 
propounding  measures  for  rendering  the  Cabin  as  uncom- 
fortable as  possible.  I  thought  when  he  arrived  at  Seventy 
Tons  one  might  at  least  expect  some  degree  of  accommoda- 
tion. Not  in  the  least !  No,  there  was  something  about 
scantling  and  run  and  the  devil  knows  what  besides  that 
made  one's  blood  run  cold,  and  then  by  way  of  a  treat  he 
said  "  There,  you  may  frank  that  letter  to  Sainty."  May  ! 
I'll  Sainty  him,  and  I'll  bring  such  a  Schooner  from  De- 
merara  ^  that  shall  go  round  him  and  I'll  have  a  good  Cabin 
into  the  bargain.    Thine  whilst  this  Machine  is  to  him, 

Hamlet. 

Marquis  of  Anglesey 

Beau  Desert,  Fehy  5th,  1820. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  don't  know  how  to  express  myself 
about  what  you  have  told  me  regarding  Edward.  I  am 
filled  with  surprise.  I  can  hardly  believe  you  are  serious. 
Or  am  I  dreaming  about  what  passed  at  Cowes  last  summer  ? 
On  what  then  can  one  depend  ?  I  put  by  all  I  heard.  I 
will  only  appeal  to  Sir  Henry  Torrens'  letter.  Poor  Edward 
disliked  the  appointment  from  the  first,  but  when  he  read 
in  a  news-paper  that  some  one  (I  forget  who)  was  to  succeed 
to  Sir  G.  Beckwith's  appointment,  he  actually  wrote  to  Sir 
Henry  Torrens  to  ask  if  it  was  so.  I  well  remember  the 
reply.  (I  wish  I  did  not.)  It  indignantly  contradicted  the 
Report,  and  such  was  the  tone  of  it,  that  it  was  Impossible 
that  any  one  could  read  it,  and  not  he  certain  that  Edward 
would  succeed  to  the  Chief  Command  upon  a  Vacancy. 
That  such  was  the  meaning  then  intended  to  be  conveyed 
I  am  confident. 

Poor  Edward  is  completely  taken  in.  All  his  prudence 
cd  not  save  him  and  he  will  have  to  retreat  from  a  Station 
he  never  sought.  Minus  his  Outfit  and  the  extra  Expences 
of  his  Table  and  Establishment.  Alas  !  I  cannot  help  it. 
Some  steadier  firmer  friend  of  the  Throne  and  the  Govern- 
ment than  I  am  has  probably  made  a  point  of  Sir  D.  Baird's 
Appointment. 

^  Berkeley  Paget  had  been  offered  in  18 19  the  post  of  Governor  of 
Demerara. 


i8i8-4o]  "ANOTHER  KICK"  307 

What  an  escape  has  not  Berkeley  had  ?  He  would  have 
been  allowed  to  embark  with  the  prospect  of  an  Income 
of  £8,000  a  year  under  the  Line,  when  he  accidentally  dis- 
covered that,  upon  his  Appointment  to  it,  it  would  be  so 
reduced  that  he  cd  not  live  upon  the  salary  !  !  !  The  coin- 
cidence is  remarkable.  This  is  enough  and  I  will  not  rip 
up  old  Stories  to  shew,  or  tell  any  new  ones  to  prove,  that 
I  am  not  fortunate  at  least.  I  am  truly  thankful  that 
it  is  you,  who  have  had  to  talk  of  this  with  the  Duke  of 
York.  I  cannot  help  it.  I  have  feelings  there  that  I  cannot 
under  any  circumstances  overcome,  and  whatever  I  feel, 
I  flinch  from  any  expression  of  them,  when  I  am  with  him. 

Of  course  Edward's  finances  will  not  allow  him  to  remain 
where  he  is,  and  instead  of  Kilmainham  he  must  occupy 
Cowes   Castle  ! 

As  long  as  you  remain  in  town,  pray  give  me  daily  reports 
of  the  King's  Health,  and  as  late  as  you  can  get  them. 

I  had  a  sort  of  expectation  that  I  might  be  ordered  to 
Windsor,  but  a  httle  Bird  whispers  me  that  it  will  not  be 
so.  I  shall  at  all  events  be  at  the  Meeting  of  ParHament. 
Ever  affecly  yours, 

Anglesey. 

Marquis  of  Anglesey 

Beau  Desert,  Fehy  6ih,  1820. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  see  nothing  is  to  be  done  and  that 
we  are  destined  to  receive  another  kick.  Say  what  they 
will,  Edward  was  sent  to  Ireland  under  false  pretences. 
God  knows  that  the  P.  R.  and  the  D.  of  York  both  gave 
me  unequivocally  to  understand  that  Edward  would  suc- 
ceed to  the  Chief  Command,  and  Sir  H.  Torrens's  letter  is 
probably  in  existence  and  will  speak  for  itself,  altho'  I 
know  it  did  not  say  directly  "  Sir  Edward,  you  are  to  suc- 
ceed Sir  G.  Beckwith."     But  it  was  implied. 

What  Sir  B.  Bloomfield  says  is  very  well.  It  is  only 
astonishing  it  was  not  said  in  the  first  instance.  It  occurred 
to  me  from  the  first  that  if  once  Ireland  was  commanded 
by  a  Lt  Genl,  it  would  be  difficult  ever  to  get  back  a 
full  General  there,  frightened  as  they  are  at  the  Bullies 
of  the  House  of  Commons. 

But  then  why  deceive  one  ?  Why  hold  out  false  hopes  ? 
Why  not  manfully  say  Sir  E.'s  rank  precludes  him  at 


3o8  "I  CANNOT  BEAR  HUMBUG"  [ch.  v 

present  ?  This  is  what  surprises  and  vexes  me.  I  cannot 
bear  Humbug.  This  is  so  exactly  of  a  piece  with  Berkeley's 
business  too.  Ld  Liverpool  talked  over  the  matter  of  his 
going  out  with  me  at  a  time  when  I  have  no  doubt  he  well 
knew  that  it  cd  no  longer  be  an  object  to  B.  to  hold  the 
situation,  but  he  probably  wanted  him  out  of  the  way  to 
comphment  some  doubtful  supporter  with  his  seat  at  the 
Treasury.  If  ever  you  meet  your  friend  Arbuthnot,  I 
hope  you  will  show  him  that  you  are  alive  to  this  treachery. 
I  sincerely  but  calmly  declare  I  am  disgusted  with  Pohticks 
and  Parliamentary  Influence.  I  am  supposed  to  possess 
a  great  deal.  I  spend  immense  sums  of  money  in  retaining 
Members,  and  supporting  others,  and  I  declare  upon  my 
honor  that  I  do  not  beheve  there  is  a  man  in  either  House 
who  is  so  little  able  to  assist  a  Relative  or  a  Friend. 

Their  friends  persecute  them  till  they  obtain  their  object, 
and  their  Enemies  they  are  always  ready  to  coquette  with. 
You  may  tell  Bloomfield  that  in  return  for  Edward's  dis- 
appointment his  friend  Lethbridge  will  receive  very  sub- 
stantial support  from  me. 

I  suppose  you  will  not  have  shewn  my  former  letter  to 
the  Duke  of  York.     It  is  of  no  use.     After  the  way  he 
used  me  upon  a  former  occasion,  I  should  have  thought 
that  he  would  never  have  put  himself  in  the  wrong  again, 
but  I  have  been  mistaken.     I  don't  know  what  Influence 
now  directs  him  where  I  am  concerned,  but  the  fact  is, 
that  when  I  was  Lt  Col.  of  the  7th,  I  had  more  facility  in 
obtaining  a  Lt  Colonelcy  for  any  one,  than  I  now  have  in 
placing  a  Cornet  in  my  own   Regiment.     However  as  I 
said  before,  there  is  no  use  in  recriminating.     It  has  no 
eftect.     When  they  want  us,  they  use  us,  and  pretty  roughly 
too.     We  are  always  at  our  Post,  whether  in  the  field  or  in 
the  Senate,  when  they  are  in  a  scrape,  and  we  must  console 
ourselves  with  that  reflection.     I  wiU  say  no  more  to  any 
of  them,  but  pursue  the  same  course  for  my  own  satisfaction. 
I  am  sorry  for  Edward.     I  am  sorry  for  Berkeley.     I  am 
sorry  for  the  many  Relatives  and  Friends  who  call  upon 
me  for  support.     Alas  !   I  can  do  nothing  for  them. 

WiUiam  ^  is  now  a  Midshipman  of  3  years  standing.  If 
Lord  Grey  has  a  Son  under  similar  circumstances,  I  wiU 
bet  50  gs  he  is  first  made  a  Lieutenant. 

Uxbridge  has  been  perhaps  5  years  in  the  Army.     The 
^  His  second  son.  Lord  William  Paget. 


i8i8-40]  "AGREEABLE   HOTCH-POT"  309 

son  of  Ld  Darlington  is  much  his  junior.  I  will  bet  the 
same  that  he  gets  a  Majority  first.  Now  only  mark  what 
I  have  written.     Ever  affecly  yours, 

Anglesey. 

P.S.  I  have  written  to  Edward  to  pause  before  he  decides 
upon  quitting  his  Command.  Surely  this  Treachery  will 
lead  him  to  a  good  Government. 

I  inclose  Edward's  letter  to  me,  which  I  shd  have  put 
into  the  hands  of  the  P.R.  some  time  ago,  but  for  the  late 
events. 

li  you  choose  it,  you  may  shew  the  inclosed  to  H.R.H. 
I  think  you  ought.  I  don't  know  how  my  Feelings  can 
be  better  conveyed.  Things  flash  upon  one.  Something 
lately  brought  yours  and  Ld  Viscount  Granville's  publick 
services  before  me.  Then  I  thought  of  Edward  walking 
as  a  Squire  (estropie)  behind  20  excellent,  vigorous,  young 
Knights  of  the  Bath.  Then  of  the  passage  of  the  Douro  !  !  ! 
This  brought  me  to  Ld  Stewart's  taking  Le  Lebure,  and 
getting  a  Medal  exclusively  for  Benevente,  he  never  having 
been  100  yards  from  me  during  the  Day,  and  under  my 
immediate  guidance  as  well  as  Command.  Then  Ld  Talbot 
the  Lt  of  Staffordshire  ;  then  the  D.  of  York  and  my  Piece 
of  Plate.  Finally  Edward  and  the  Chief  Command  in 
Ireland,  not  however  forgetting  Berkeley  and  Demerara. 
These,  interspersed  with  Histories  about  Aids-de-Camp, 
Rank,  Medals,  and  a  few  Regl  Traits  upon  a  new  system, 

make  an  agreeable  Hotch-pot  !  !  !  dont  en  effet  je  m'en  f 

apris  tout.^ 

Countess  of  Jersey 

16  Feb.,  1825. 

My  Dear  Sir  Arthur, — I  was  sure  you  would  regret  dear 
Lord  Thanet.*  There  are  few  that  walk  the  earth  like 
him  possessing  such  a  noble  generous  independent  spirit 
with  the  ease,  simplicity,  and  good  nature  of  a  Child,  a 

1  Lord  Anglesey  must  have  been  feeling  out  of  sorts  when  he  penned 
this  letter,  for  the  services  of  himself  and  of  his  brothers  had  not  passed 
unrewarded  by  promotions,  decorations,  and  offices.  On  this  particular 
occasion  Sir  Edward  Paget  was  amply  compensated  by  his  appointment 
as  Governor  of  Ceylon,  whence  he  was  advanced  to  be  Commander- 
in=Chief  in  India. 

2  SackvUle,  gth  Earl  of  Thanet,  a  Radical  politician,  died  in  France, 
January  1825. 


310  LORD  THANET  [ch.  v 

superior   understanding,    and  without    [  ?  ]    that   gives   a 
Charm  to  his  conversation  equalled  by  none  but  Ld  Holland. 
I  cannot  tell  you  how  much  I  regret  him,  it  is  so  seldom 
at  my  age  that  one  can  have  such  an  affecte  Friend  as  he 
was  to  me,  I  had  a  perfect  confidence  in  him  and  have  told 
him  everything  I  knew  without  a  fear  of  its  being  repeated. 
I  have  not  seen  Ld  Sefton  since  he  returned  as  we  had  left 
London  before  he  came,  but  Mr.  Feilding,  who  was  at  Paris 
at  the  time,  said  that,  if  his  heel  had  been  properly  attended 
to,  the  trifling  wound  at  first  cd  not  have  become  so  serious. 
He  was  only  two  days  very  ill.     He  made  no  will,  no  one 
knows  his  brother,  but  I  beheve  he  is  not  married.     I  hope 
you  are  quite  sound  again.     We  stay  here  till  the  first  of 
March  and  shall  return  about  the  25th  till  Easter,  perhaps 
you  cd  come  over  at  that  time.      I  hear  of  loads  of  mar- 
riages, none  so  extraordinary  as  F.  Ponsonby's,^  he  must 
be  very  sorry  ahready.     I  am  sorry  for  Ld  Harborough's 
marrying  another  Actress  for  the  example  but  he  is  a 
vaurien.     Ld  Clanricarde,  a  raw  Irishman,  to  Miss  Canning ' 
also  does  very  well.     The  D.  of  Bedford  was  here  for  3 
days  and  was  very  comfortable  and  well,  and  I  hope  that 
with  care  he  will  continue  so.     Ly  Holland '  is  in  my  opinion 
in  a  very  decHning  state.     I  hope  Augusta  and  the  young 
one  are  well.     Mine  are  flourishing  and  so  are  we  both, 
Ld  J.  quite  stout.     Yrs  very  affecly, 

S.  S.  C.  Jersey. 

Earl  of  Jersey 

MiDDLETON  Park,  25  May,  1825. 

My  Dear  Arthur,  .  .  .  The  D.  of  Northumberland*  is 
queer  enough,  but  I  take  it  that  Abilities,  except  indeed 
that  of  being  able  to  spend  loads  of  money,  are  not  requisite 
on  this  occasion.  Conceive,  the  price  of  one  room  now 
at  Rheims  is  1000  fcs  !     Shall  I  order  one  for  you  ? 

You  have  read,  I  hope,  old  Tierney's  speech  on  Friday ; 
they  say  it  was  perfect. 

>  Major-Gen.  Hon.  Frederick  Ponsonby,  married,  March  1825.  Ladv 
Emily  Bathurst.  ^ 

'  The  only  daughter  of  George  Canning. 

'  "  Old  Madagascar,"  as  she  was  called  in  these  days,  did  not  die  tUl 
1845- 

*  Hugh,  3rd  Duke  of  Northumberland,  was  appointed  Snecial  Am- 
bassador for  the  Coronation  of  Charles  X  of  France  at  Rheims,  the  last 
ceremony  of  that  kind  which  has  taken  place  there. 


i8i8-4o]  BRUMMELL'S  DEBTS  311 

You  are,  I  hope,  quite  stout  and  all  yr  family  :  I  am  in 
high  health,  and  if  I  cd  get  a  good  nag  cd  gallop  away  as 
fast  as  we  did  up  to  Carlton  Earths.     Yrs  affecly, 

Duke  of  Wellington 

London,  May  i6ih,  i8a6. 

My  Dear  Sir  Arthur, — I  have  received  your  letter ; 
and  I  will  see  Sir  W.  Hoste  if  he  should  call  tomorrow  or 
next  day.  In  the  mean  time  I  inform  you  that  about 
ten  days  ago  I  took  an  opportunity  of  mentioning  the 
subject*  to  Alvanley  ;  and  desired  him  to  speak  to  the 
Duke  of  Argyll;  and  to  prevail  upon  the  Duke  to  call  a 
meeting  as  soon  as  the  Duke  of  York  should  return  to 
town.  The  latter  returned  on  Thursday  last,  but  I  have 
as  yet  heard  nothing  of  the  meeting.  Yet  Alvanley  ap- 
peared to  think  there  would  be  no  difficulty  in  raising  the 
Money,  which  I  thought  and  stated  was  £1500  instead  of 
£1380.  However  I'll  try  to  see  Alvanley  this  afternoon, 
or  at  all  events  before  I  shall  see  Sir  W.  Hoste  tomorrow. 
Alvanley  had  no  notion  of  this  last  disaster.  He  had  heard 
from  Brummell  who  had  not  mentioned  it.  He  had  pro- 
mised to  send  Brummell  £100  or  £150  in  June.  I  will 
write  to  you  again  after  I  shall  have  seen  Sir  W.  Hoste. 
Ever  yours  most  sincerely, 

Wellington. 

Duke  of  Wellington 

London,  June  2d,  1826. 

My  Dear  Sir  Arthur, — I  intended  to  write  to  you 
yesterday  ;  but  I  was  detained  at  the  Council  at  Carlton 
House  till  it  was  too  late  for  the  Post  ;  and  moreover  I 
did  not  and  indeed  have  not  yet  received  the  detailed 
Report  of  the  Result  of  a  Meeting  at  Alvanley' s  yesterday 
upon  Brummell' s  affairs,  of  which  I  attended  the  com- 
mencement. 

When  I  was  there,  Lord  Sefton,  the  Duke  of  Argyll,  and 
Alvanley  were  present.     The  Duke  of  York  was  expected. 

1  The  debts  of  George  Brummell.  Charles  Grcville  mentions  Brummell 
still  at  Calais  in  1830  "  full  of  gaiety,  impudence,  and  misery."  He  died 
a  few  years  later  in  a  charitable  institution  at  Caen,  having  previously 
sunk  into  imbecihty. 


312  DUKE  OF  WELLINGTON  [ch.  v 

and  Gwydyr  I  believe  attended  after  I  was  gone  to  the 
Council.  The  Meeting  commenced  well,  each  of  us  who 
attended  first  having  subscribed  £ioo  to  pay  Debts  at  Calais, 
and  having  agreed  to  give  him  £25  each  per  Annm  till  he 
should  be  otherwise  provided  for.  But  I  think  we  all 
agreed  in  thinking  that  nothing  ought  to  be  done  unless 
we  could  clear  him  entirely  of  Debt  ;  and  set  him  up 
with  a  sufficient  Income  to  keep  out  of  Debt  in  future. 
Gwydyr,  who  I  saw  at  night,  said  something  which  in- 
clines me  to  believe  that  the  meeting  did  not  terminate  as 
favourably  as  it  commenced,  but  I  will  try  to  see  Alvanley 
in  the  course  of  the  morning,  and  will  add  a  line  to  this 
letter.  In  the  mean  time  I  think  it  best  not  to  show  the 
enclosed.  I  shall  merely  say  that  he  has  been  bailed  till  the 
3d.  It  would  be  a  great  point  if  Mr.  Chamberlayne  could 
do  something. 

Believe  me  ever  yours  most  sincerely, 

Wellington. 


Since  writing  the  above  I  have  received  the  enclosed 
from  Alvanley,  and  have  seen  him  and  he  tells  me  that  he 
expects  to  get  three  or  four  more  who  will  contribute  one 
hundred  each  to  settle  the  matter.  He  has  written  to 
Levaux  and  desires  to  know  exactly  what  Brummell  owes, 
which  letter  Levaux  will  have  received  tomorrow  morning 
and  I  hope  that  he  will  not  confine  B.  again. 

Hon.  Sir  Charles  Paget 

Fair  Oak,  Wednesday, —  nth,  1826. 

My  Dearest  Arthur, —  ...  I  am  going  to  the  Royal 
Lodge  sooner  than  I  expected,  having  on  my  return  from 
Goodwood  found  an  invitation  to  be  there  next  Saturday 
for  ten  days,  so,  my  good  fellow,  if  you  write  to  me  direct 
under  cover  to  Mount  Charles.* 

...  I  fear  that  hitherto  we  have  only  seen  the  best  of 
Graves,  and  that  best  may  not  be  far  from  being  bad,  and 

1  Lord  Mount  Charles,  eldest  son  of  the  ist  Marquis  Conyngham,  all 
of  whose  family  permanently  resided  at  Court  during  George  IV's  reign. 
The  Royal  Lodge,  part  of  which  still  exists  in  Windsor  Park,  was  that 
King's  residence  during  the  lengthy  works  carried  out  in  practically 
rebuilding  Windsor  Castle.  Sir  Charles  Paget  was  now  a  Groom  of  the 
Bedchamber. 


i8i8-4o]  SIR  WILLIAM  HOSTE  313 

that  we  are  now  to  view  him  at  his  worst,  than  which  I 
suspect  nothing  can  be,  if  his  Bristles  are  up.  Of  his 
integrity  I  never  had  any  opinion,  if  it  suited  his  purpose 
to  he.  I  therefore  never  have  confided  him  with  any 
thing,  tho'  I  have  always  been  on  the  best  terms  with 
him  on  account  of  his  good  humour  and  companionable 
qualities.  But  I  don't  suppose  the  man  exists,  who  respects 
or  esteems  him.  The  main  support  of  his  character  has 
been  his  connection  with  us.  .  .  . 

You  will  be  glad  to  hear  the  Duke  of  Bedford  is  in  as 
good  health  as  ever  he  was  and  has  fully  enjoyed  the  grouse 
season  in  Scotland.  I  had  a  letter  from  her  the  other  day, 
they  are  now  probably  at  or  soon  will  be  at  Woburn,  and 
will  be  soon  after  at  Brighton  for  his  course  of  warm  sea 
bathing  etc.     Ever  yours  most  affectly, 

Charles  Paget. 

Sir  William  Hoste  to  Sir  Charles  Paget 

CoBHAM,  October  jth,  1826. 

My  Dear  Sir  Charles, — I  am  just  returned  from  Calais 
and  have  had  a  very  pleasant  trip.  We  sailed  from  Dept- 
ford  on  the  27th  at  daybreak,  blowing  a  gale  from  the  S.W., 
crossed  the  Flats  about  3  o'clock  and  anchored  at  sunset 
in  the  Downs.  Sir  Edward  Owen  came  on  board  and 
proceeded  with  us  to  Calais  to  attend  the  Duke  ^  and  I 
found  him,  I  assure  you,  a  great  relief.  We  had  never 
met  before,  and  he  has  a  fund  of  information  about  him  on 
subjects  connected  with  the  French  coast  that  made  him 
a  most  desirable  Shipmate.  He  is  a  compleat  pilot  for 
that  coast,  and  has  many  anecdotes  of  occurrences  during 
the  War  when  he  was  on  the  Immortalite.  The  Duke  seems 
very  partial  to  him  and  I  think  with  reason.  The  contrast 
between  him  and  my  gallant  friend  last  year  I  will  not 
mention.  We  went  into  Calais  harbour  with  ^  foot  tnore 
water  on  the  Bar  than  we  drew,  it  was  quite  smooth  water 
or  I  should  not  have  ventured  and  I  was  not  sorry  to  find 
it  deeper,  it  was  neep  Tides,  We  laid  there  all  Thursday 
until  Sunday  morning  when  the  Duke  etc.  embarked  at 
10,  and  in  beautiful  weather  we  passed  thro'  the  Downs  and 
anchored  the  same  evening  in  Margate  roads,  and  found 
the   Admiralty   Yacht   with   Sir   George   Cockburn    lying 

1  H.R.H.  the  Duke  of  Clarence. 


314  LADY  JERSEY  [CH.  v 

there,  who  came  on  board  immediately,  but  did  not  dine 
with  the  Duke.  We  weighed  the  next  morning  at  daybreak 
and  anchored  at  our  moorings  about  4,  and  here  the  diffi- 
culties began,  for  the  party  had  taken  no  precautions  about 
securing  Horses  and  consequently  had  to  wait  nearly  3 
hours  before  they  could  be  procured,  which  made  it  nearly 
dark  'ere  our  Royal  party  left  us,  and  he  became  rather 
fidgetty.  The  crew  of  the  Calliope  are  excellent  and  gave 
me  no  sort  of  trouble.  His  Royal  Highness  was,  I  think, 
deHghted  with  his  sail  over,  we  had  an  excellent  Artist 
in  the  Kitchen  and  all  went  off  well.  .  .  .  Ever  your  sincerely 
obHged 

W.    HOSTE. 

I  saw  Mr.  Brummell  walking  about  as  usual,  and  heard 
he  had  fitted  up  his  apartments  d  la  mode  de  Louis  quatorze. 
What  that  means  I  know  not,  but  my  authority  told  me 
they  were  the  most  superbly  arranged  of  any  within  100 
miles  of  Calais.  ... 

Countess  of  Jersey 

..    April,  1827. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  have  delayed  two  days  answering 
your  letter  from  the  hopes  of  being  able  to  get  you  the 
Morning  Chronicle,  but  I  cannot.  I  tried  for  the  Times 
and  the  Morning  Herald's  Report,  tho'  I  think  the  Globe 
was  as  good  ;  if  Ld  Rosslyn  makes  out  a  better  report 
you  shall  have  it.  It  was  the  finest  speech  ever  made,  so 
firm,  so  temperate  without  one  expression  of  temper  or 
any  sarcasm,  no  one  has  dared  to  answer  it.  I  believe 
Ld  L.*  and  the  rest  are  to  join  to-day  or  tomorrow,  thus 
for  the  present  the  Catholic  Question  is  abandoned,  and 
all  their  hopes  are  in  the  accidents  that  may  occur,  and 
which  under  the  last  as  well  as  this  Govt  must  have  for- 
warded it.  The  King  is  triumphant.  Ld  L.  has  reserved 
to  himself  the  right  of  bringing  forward  the  Question,  but 
so  had  Mr.  Wynne  in  the  last.  No  one  is  more  miserable 
than  he  is,  a  web  was  thrown  round  him,  from  the  negocia- 
tion  indeed  he  could  neither  recede  or  go  on  consistently. 
It  is  to  be  hoped  that  this  great  sacrifice  he  makes  may 

1  Henry,  3rd  Marquis  of  Lansdowne,  whose  help  was  now  sought  by 
Canning,  though  unsuccessfully,  joined  with  other  Whigs  the  next  short 
Government,  of  which  Lord  Goderich  was  the  nominal  but  feeble  head. 


i8i8-40]  THE  KING  AND   CANNING  315 

eventually  turn  out  well.  I  cannot  write  all  about  this 
mysterious  intrigue,  it  is  so  intricate  ;  it  appears  that 
soon  after  the  debate  on  the  Cath.  Question  Canning 
entered  underhand  into  some  communication  with  Sir 
R.  Wilson  to  know,  if  he  was  named  Minister,  whether  the 
Opposition  wd  support  him,  their  Opinions  were  his ;  to 
which  he  reed  a  favourable  reply  from  Brougham,  but 
that  was  so  general  it  did  not  mean  much.  B.,  and  Ld 
Althorpe,  before  B.  went  on  the  Circuit,  had  long  con- 
versations in  which  they  agreed  to  act  together  and  to  support 
C.'s  Govt  as  a  Minister  (no  question  of  Office) :  on  the 
Circuit  to  York  something  more  was  written  through  Sir 
R.  Wilson  to  B.,  and  he  answered  for  himself  and  his 
Friends  that  they  wd  support  him,  and  never  told  of  this 
Letter  to  anyone.  C.  told  the  K.  abt  the  27th  March  that, 
if  he  was  made  Minister,  he  had  assurances  of  support  from 
all  the  Opposition,  and  that  he  wd  contrive  to  paralyze  the 
Cath.  Question,  so  that  the  K.  shd  never  be  tormented. 
The  K.  asked  C.  how  this  cd  he  done  ;  C.  said  "  Your  M. 
must  not  ask  me,  but  I  pledge  myself  to  it."  The  K.  told 
this  in  a  passion  on  the  28th  to  the  D.  of  W.,  because  he 
(the  D.)  told  him  that  it  was  impossible  to  keep  that  Ques- 
tion in  abeyance  ;  having  told,  afterwards  the  K.  thought 
he  had  got  into  a  scrape,  and  sent  Knighton  *  off  to  tell 
C.  he  had  told  this  secret.  C.  then  went  to  Mr.  Peel,  and 
pretended  to  make  to  him  a  great  confidence  in  telling 
him  of  this  communication.  Peel  looked  at  the  date  of 
the  letter  :  "  Why,  you  have  had  this  ten  days,  how  came 
you  to  keep  it  so  long  a  secret  ?  "  C.  gave  some  evasive 
excuse.  Nothing  can  excuse  C.'s  treachery  to  his  col- 
leagues, but  on  our  side  we  are  angry  with  B.,  as  he  cd 
make  such  an  important  promise  in  the  name  of  others, 
and  never  disclose  it  to  any  individual,  Ld  Althorp,  Dun- 
cannon  etc.  with  whom  he  was  in  correspondence;  this 
explains  how  the  dignified  answer  Ld  Lansdowne  gave  at 
first  was  overstated  by  the  Under  People  at  Brooks'  excited 
by  Brougham,  and  finally  brought  about  this  unfortunate 
junction.  I  hope  you  will  understand  what  I  have  written, 
and  pray  burn  this  letter.     I  dare  say  there  will  be  a  state- 

1  Sir  Wm.  Knighton,  originally  a  physician,  was  brought  to  the  Regent's 
notice  in  the  year  1818,  and  in  1822  succeeded  Sir  Benjamin  Bloomfield 
as  private  secretary  and  privy  purse,  henceforth  exercising  unbounded 
influence  at  Court  until  George  IV's  death. 


3i6  GREY  AND   LANSDOWNE  [ch.  v 

ment  and  I  will  send  it  to  you,  but  at  present  pray  do  not 
quote  what  I  have  told  you  ;  the  great  dexterity  and  art 
of  C.  in  carrying  on  this  intrigue  to  his  advantage  is  wonder- 
ful, but  it  has  been  done  at  the  expense  of  truth  and  honesty 
to  every  side,  first  to  his  Colleagues,  then  to  Ld.  L. 

^  S.  S.  C.  J.^ 

Countess  of  Jersey 

lo  May,  1827. 

My  Dear  Sir  Arthur,—  .  .  .  About  PoUtics  what  can 
I  say,  to  explain  the  strange  anomalous  state  is  impossible 
except  as  far  as  Ld  Grey  and  those  with  him  are  concerned. 
He  cannot  give  his  Confidence  to  a  Govt  reformed  when 
the  great  question  of  Catholic  concession  is  at  once  com- 
promised, but  he  will  give  his  support  to  measures  he 
approves  ;  with  the  Ex-Ministers  he  cannot  connect  him- 
self. The  first  opportunity  he  will  declare  again  his  fixed 
Principles.  By  the  present  fashionable  doctrine  of  ex- 
pediency many  of  the  old  Opposition  will  excuse  their  present 
[hne]  of  conduct  and  say  something  may  be  obtained  by 
this  Cabinet  which  never  wd  from  the  last,  and  so  it  is  the 
best  to  support.  Ld  Lansdowne's  extreme  dishke  to 
coming  into  Office  is  too  evident  to  make  it  necessary  to 
say  anything,  he  will  support  but  not  make  part  of  a  Govt 
till  he  has  what  he  desires  about  the  Irish  Govt.  He 
maintains  his  own  honour  and  consistency  but  loses  all 
importance,  meanwhile  Canning,  who  could  not  exist 
without  the  Whig  support,  every  day  renews  his  flirtations 
with  the  Tories,  begging  of  them  to  take  back  their  places, 
this  he  did  last  week  to  Ld  Bathurst.  The  K.  makes  two 
additional  Knights  of  the  Thistle  today,  given  to  Ld  War- 
wick and  Ld  Aboyne  (the  furious  anti-Cathohc)  to  win 
them  back.  The  K.  has  given  the  Woods  and  Forests  to 
Ld  Lowther  as  a  mark  of  private  friendship  unconnected 

1  Sarah,  Lady  Jersey,  Disraeli's  "  Zenobia,"  has  so  often  been  described 
in  the  Memoirs  of  her  day  that  it  is  unnecessary  to  say  more  about  her. 
Having  outhved  most  of  her  contemporaries,  she  died  at  her  house  in 
Berkeley  Square,  January  26th,  1867.  Her  letters  of  the  years  1827-8 
contain  details  of  the  intrigues  and  attempted  coalitions,  largely  hinging 
on  the  question  of  Cathohc  Emancipation,  which,  together  with  the  problem 
of  the  Corn  Laws,  occupied  the  main  attention  of  poUticians  before  the 
great  upheaval  of  Parhamentary  Reform  in  1830-2.  Lady  Jersey's 
information  tallies  on  most  points  with  that  of  Creevey's  Diary,  and 
confirms  the  general  view  that  Canning,  notwithstanding  his  talents  and 
eloquence,  was  suspected  both  by  friends  and  foes  of  a  want  of  candour. 


i8i8-4o]  MOTIVES  AND   CONDUCT  317 

with  the  Minister,  and  henceforward  it  is  to  be  entirely 
under  the  K.,  as  he  says  so  much  of  his  comfort  is  mixed 
up  with  it.  C.  last  Sunday  offered  the  Judge- Advocate 
again  to  Ld  Lonsdale  for  Becket.  He  went  to  beg  Ld 
Bathurst  to  return  as  he  must  see  that  his  was  a  continua- 
tion of  Ld  Liverpool's  Govt.  His  object  is  so  clear,  to 
detach  Individuals  and  to  make  out  of  both  old  parties 
one  for  himself.  The  K.  has  written  a  2d  letter  to  the 
Archbishop  to  rebuke  him  for  not  having  declared  in  Parlt 
His  feelings  about  the  Catholic  Emancipation,  and  His 
determination  to  resist  as  His  Father  did.  Canning  has 
written  9  sides  of  Paper  to  the  D.  of  W.  saying  he  did  not 
wish  to  prolong  the  Parly  discussion.  The  Duke  has 
answered  in  9  lines.  You  wd,  I  am  sure,  be  delighted  with 
the  D.'s  conversation,  the  contempt  with  which  he  views 
the  attempts  to  run  him  down,  his  resolution  to  take  no 
part  in  the  factious  opposition,  but  to  rest  quiet  on  his  own 
merits  and  character.  To-day  there  is  a  Chapter  of  the 
Garter,  at  which  he  will  see  the  K.  for  the  ist  time.  Now 
I  have  tried  to  write  all  I  know  of  the  motives  and  conduct 
of  People.  I  think  the  result  is  that  to  keep  aloof  is  the 
only  really  honourable  and  virtuous  conduct. 

The  news  from  Portugal  is  bad,  I  hope  my  letter  is 
legible.     Ever  yrs  affecly, 

S.  S.  C.  Jersey. 

Dr.  Merton  has  been  consulted  about  Georgiana  Fane, 
he  says  much  the  same  as  Halford — that  there  is  no  organic 
defect  but  a  general  derangement.  I  feel  very  uneasy  about 
her. 

Earl  of  Jersey 

. .  May,  1827. 

My  Dear  Arthur, —  .  .  .  Conceive  my  misfortune  (for 
it  is  a  misfortune  not  to  have  heard  such  a  speech).  I 
with  many  others  went  to  the  House  and  they  announced 
39  resolutions  to  be  propos'd,  and  discuss'd  by  Ld  Redesdale 
on  the  Corn  Question.  This  was  sufficient  reason  for  our 
returning ;  Ld.  Redesdale' s  speech  did  not  take  place, 
and  Ld  Grey  made,  as  I  hear  from  all,  perhaps  the  best 
speech  ever  deliver'd  in  our  House.  I  agree  with  you,  in 
it  there  appears  a  power  of  argument  and  force  of  reasoning, 
enforced  by  the  greatest  eloquence,  taking  the  most  dis- 


3i8  POLITICS  AND   PEOPLE  [ch.  v 

interested  ground,  and  following  a  line  unknown  to  the 
Sietir  Canning,  "  the  straight  line."  Duncannon  seems 
as  much  out  of  sorts  as  possible,  to  me  he  says  very  little,  for 
it  did  so  happen  that  at  an  early  period  of  these  transactions, 
upon  my  saying  that  I  was  sure  that  Canning  ^  as  Prime 
Minister  wd  not  be  at  liberty  to  act  as  he  might  wish  about 
the  Cath.  Question,  Dun.*  told  me  that  I  was  compleatly 
mistaken,  that  he  knew  the  contrary  to  be  the  case,  and 
that  he  shd  in  consequence  do  all  he  could  to  promote  the 
junction,  I  conclude  without  stipulations.  The  Junction 
has  taken  place,  and  in  a  most  respectable  manner  for 
ours.  ... 

Countess  of  Jersey 

. .  May,  1827. 

My  Dear  Sir  Arthur, —  ...  I  do  not  care  about  Politics 
now,  but  I  care  very  much  for  People,  and  it  certainly 
disgusts  me  to  see  the  attempts  to  run  down  the  D.  of  W., 
whose  great  services,  whose  upright,  sincere  heroic  Character 
ought  to  have  made  him  sacred,  and  also  Ld  Grey.  I 
do  not  know  what  you  mean  by  Ld  Grey  mixing  with 
Ld  Londonderry.  I  do  not  believe  he  has  even  seen  him 
except  in  pubhc  Places  for  this  month,  tho'  they  have  voted 
on  the  same  side  on  the  Corn-Bill  I  do  not  believe  they  have 
exchanged  words  on  any  public  affairs ;  besides  if  he  had, 
what  is  there  in  it  to  hurt  Ld  Grey's  Character;  in  no  one 
point  has  Ld  Grey  altered  his  opinions.  If  in  course  of 
time,  from  admiration  of  him  and  disgust  at  Canning  and 
Co.  people  join  him  against  C.'s  administration,  what  is 
there  in  that  ?  I  hope  you  have  read  his  last  speech  in 
London,  it  has  had  the  most  wonderful  effect,  it  compre- 
hended everything  and,  except  wilfully,  no  one  can  any 
longer  even  pretend  to  believe  the  amendment  hurt  the 
Bill,  which  he  last  year  expressed  his  dislike  to — the  wicked 
attempt  of  Canning  to  raise  a  cry  against  the  Aristocracy 
for  wishing  to  starve  the  People  has  failed,  because  luckily 
Bread  is  so  cheap.     The  Mob  cd  not  be  excited  but  never 

1  Canning  was  Prime  Minister  from  April,  1827,  until  his  death, 
August  8th  of  the  same  year. 

^  John  William,  Viscount  Duncannon,  afterwards  4th  Earl  of  Bess- 
borough,  sat  in  the  Whig  Cabinets  of  Lords  Grey  and  Melbourne,  by 
whom  he  was  employed  to  try  to  secure  the  votes  of  O'Connell  and  his 
Irish  followers. 


8i8-4o]  GREY'S  FORBEARANCE  319 

can  it  be  forgotten  that,  because  he  had  a  majority  for  a 
Clause  against  his  wish  (which  Clause  he  now  takes)  added 
to  a  Bill,  he,  the  Minister,  tried  to  sound  the  war  whoop  of 
starvatio7i  and  excite  the  People  against  the  D.  of  W.  and 
the  rest  of  the  Peers.     I  beheve  he  has  done  himself  great 
harm  by  it  and  his  violent  speech  has  contributed  a  great 
deal  to  the  animosity  thereby  felt  against  him.     I  wish 
the  Duke  wd  pubhsh  his  correspondence  with  Ld  Goderich, 
but  he  cannot  be  brought  to  defend  himself.     The  day  after 
the  first  Division  he  wrote,  "  nothing  can  be  so  painful  to 
me  as  a  contest  with  the  King's  Govt,  only  do  something 
about  this  warehousing  system,  tell  me  you  will  prepare 
something,"   (and  he  suggests  4  or  5  other  amendts)  "  I 
will  withdraw  mine  and  say  I  am  satisfied."     He  wrote 
3  times  to  that  effect.     Who  then  were  the  factious?    it 
really  makes  me  blush  for  Englishmen  to  see  how  far  for 
a  party  purpose  they  join  in  any  he,  scandal,  misrepresenta- 
tion to  run  down  the  characters  of  two  such  men  as  the 
Duke  and  Ld  Grey;  not  one  dared  speak  in  the  H.  of  Lds. 
Ld  Grey's    forbearance   is  extraordinary,  any  motion  he 
might  bring  forward  (except  the  Cathohc)  he  could  carry, 
and  he  quietly  does  nothing,  and  hears  himself  abused  and 
attacked.  .  .  .  There  are  great  quarrels  about  who  to  go  to 
Ireland  as  Ld  Lieut,  or  as  Chancellor.     As  to  the  Cathohc 
Question  no  one  thinks  about  it;    all  pubhc  business  is 
at  a  stand.     The  French  will  not  act  in  concert  with  us 
about  Spain  ;   there  is  to  be  something  declared  about  the 
Greeks  but  they  are  in  a  bad  way.      Nicholas,^  I  believe,  is 
to  be  the  Protector,  and  a  Tribute  to  be  paid  to  the  Sultan, 
some  arrangement  of  that  sort.     Ld  Stafford  has  bought, 
or  is  to  buy,  York  House.*     Ld  CarHsle  has  lent  Arbuthnot 
the  Woods  and  Forests  House.     Ld  Jersey  is  quite  well. 
I  really  hope  he  has  got  rid  of  the  gout.     It  will  be  two 
years  in  August  since  he  has  had  any.     Ever  yrs  affectly, 

S.  S.  C.  J. 

Countess  of  Jersey 

. .  May,  1827. 

My  Dear  Sir  Arthur, —  ...  I  cannot  tell  you  with  what 
surprise  I  read  your  remarks  about  the  D.  of  W.®     Can 

1  Nicholas  I,  Tsar  of  Russia. 

a  Afterwards  long  known  as  StaflEord  House,  St.  James'. 
3  Wellington  had  resigned  the  command  of  the  Army  when  Canning 
became  Premier  in  April,   1827. 

22 


320  WELLINGTON'S  DISDAIN  [ch.  v 

you  be  so  easily  persuaded  by  the  malicious  lies  of  the 
Day  to  beheve  he  should  have  acted  differently  to  his  whole 
Life  and  character  ?     The  D,  of  W.  never  to  any  individual 
wrote  an  Offensive  letter,  much  less  would  he  to  the  King. 
If  the  K.  ofters  him  the  command  of  the  Army,  surely  he 
cannot  accept  while  the  same  reasons  remain  that  made 
him  so  properly  resign  the  command  by  the  insolence  and 
lies  circulated  by  Mr  Canning  and  his  set — no  Apology 
has  been  offered  to  him,  it  is  therefore  quite  impossible  that 
he    shd   accept.     He   views   with    disdain    the    continued 
attempts  to  attack  his  Character,  and  even  this  breach  of 
decorum  in  publishing  part  of  the  King's  letter  wiU  not 
draw  from  him  any  reply — not  even  to  give  a  contradiction 
to   the  falsehood  of  the  whole   statement,   for  he  never 
grounded  his  refusal  on  leaving  his  Friends.     Really  we 
are  becoming  Slaves,  if  a  Man  of  Honour  is  not  allowed 
not  to  give  up  his  feelings,  merely  because  an  Ofhce  is 
offered,  and  in  a  way  also  that  he  could  not  accept.     Some 
day  all  the  correspondence  must  be  pubhshed,  the  only 
Persons  to  whom  he  has  shewn  his  answer  to  the  King  are 
Ld  and  Ly  Maryborough,^  and  Ly  Maryborough  burst  out 
cr3nng,  it  was  so  affecting,  so  touching.     Canning  has  said 
that  he  made  excuses  to  the  Duke,  which  is  a  lie,  but  how 
could  the  Duke  become  one  of  a  Govt  under  a  man  who 
has  so  conducted  himself  towards  him,  even  if  the  public 
grounds  did  not  remain  as  they  were  when  he  resigned  ? 
I  saw  my  sister  Georgiana  yesterday  for  the  first  time  for 
ten  days.     She  is  very  weak,  but  her  pulse  is  good,   and 
no  cough.     There  are  heaps  of  marriages,  Ly  C.  Bentinck 
to  Mr.  Denison,  Ly  A.  Holroyd  to  Arthur  Legge,  Ly  H. 
Scott  to  Mr.  M.  Lloyd,  Ly  G.  Lascelles  to  Mr.   Portman, 
Ly  A.  Brudenell  to  Mr.  H.  Baring,  Miss  Sheridan  to  Mr. 
ISorton.     Ever  aiiectly  yrs, 

S.  S.  C.  Jersey. 

Earl  of  Jersey 

Goodwood,  27  Nov.,  1827, 

You  Grumbling  Old  Arthur, — The  Col.  desires  me  to 
teU  you  that  you  are  a  slow  coach  for  not  coming,  but  as 
he  has  no  house,  and  therefore  no  coals  to  carry,  he  is  not 

^  Ld   Maryborough,    formerly  William   Wellesley-Pole,   the  second  of 
the  two  elder  brothers  of  the  Duke  of  WeUington. 


i8i8-4o]  LORD   JERSEY  321 

aware  for  what  purposes  Ponies  may  be  wanted.  The  D. 
of  Richmond  says,  if  you  had  bought  his  beechwood  at 
IS.  6d.  per  foot,  you  need  not  have  carried  such  loads  of 
coals.  What  is  the  use  of  hving  on  a  river,  they  all  say, 
and  have  20  miles  of  Land-carriage  for  coals  ?  What  is 
the  use  of  selling  second-hand  Clocks  for  large  sums,  if 
you  can't  afford  to  travel  with  a  Post-Chaise  and  four 
posters  as  far  as  Goodwood  ?  Jbitz-Roy  Somerset  says  you 
are  a  blackguard,  some  such  word,  for  not  commg,  in 
short  the  abuse  bestow  d  upon  you  is  not  limited. 

Berkeley  had  a  letter  to-day  from  Ld  Anglesey  who 
says  he  is  better  ;  but  it  appears  that  it  was  a  letter  on 
business,  and  he  said  httle  of  himself. 

I  am  just  oil  to  Mde  Hope,  only  one  night,  Dieu  Merci. 
Love  to  all  chez  vous.     Yrs  ahecly, 

J. 

News  of  a  date  four  days  subsequent  to  the  knowledge 
of  the  battle  at  Constantinople  has  been  received,  nothing 
material  had  occurred  there.     Ministers  were  treating. 


Earl  of  Jersey 

MiDDLETON  Park,  4  Jan.,  1828. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — It  is  impossible  not  to  feel  an  interest 
about  those  with  whom  in  the  earher  part  of  one's  hfe 
many  happy  days  have  been  past,  with  Fetherstone  I  have 
pass'd  many,  and  pray  let  him  know  that  I  shall  hear  with 
sincere  pleasure  of  his  recovery. 

I  shall  have  but  little  hunting  this  year.  I  am  doing 
what  I  can  for  my  Youths,  they  are  amiable  and  deserve 
what  indulgence  can  reasonably  be  given  to  them  ;  pray 
let  me  know  by  return  of  Post  what  you  mean  by  the  rare 
good  one — rare  indeed  are  good  ones  for  14  stone  but  if 
the  horse  you  have  in  your  eye  is  really  worth  my  notice, 
take  some  steps  about  ascertaining  the  price,  and  securing 
the  refusal.  I  could  send  over  an  intelhgent  man  next 
week.  I  shd  get  yr  answer  on  Tuesday,  send  some  par- 
ticulars, I  shd  form  some  idea  of  how  far  it  wd  be  worth 
to  think  of  the  animal  or  not.  My  weight  on  horse  is  14.5. 
Money  is  rather  scarce,  nay  very  scarce. 

With  regard  to  Politics,  nothing  can  be  more  unsatis- 
factory.    The    King   has   obtain' d   an    ascendency   which 


322  A  WEAK  GOVERNMENT  [ch.  v 

cd  only  be  obtain'd  by  his  keeping  a  weak  government  *■ — 
it  will  therefore  never  be  his  object  to  have  a  strong  one, 
even  if  a  strong  could  be  got,  ce  que  je  doute.  Ld  Lansdowne 
etc.  have  step  by  step  given  way  till  no  faith  will  be  put 
in  any  shew  of  resistance.  Ld  Grey  has  acted  a  manly, 
for  himself  perhaps  not  a  very  profitable  part,  when  I  say 
profitable  I  don't  mean  in  the  common  sense  of  losing 
Honors  etc.  but  that  he  has  placed  himself  in  the  most 
difficult  of  all  situations.  His  Friends  thought  it  advisable 
to  place  themselves  under  Mr.  C.»  which  he  with  great 
wisdom,  I  still  think,  declined  ;  the  consequence  of  their 
separation  is  that  Ld  G.  cannot  stir  a  step  without  being 
accus'd  of  courting  the  Tories — gross  calumny — but  of 
this  I  am  certain  that,  if  he  chose  to  identify  himself  with 
them,  the  Government  would  shortly  be  annihilated.  The 
more  I  think  of  the  late  Premier,  the  more  I  feel  satisfied 
that  Ld  Grey's  judgement  about  him  was  correct ;  and  I 
must  also  say,  that  I  do  not  know  how  in  justice  the  Tories, 
who  knew  the  man  well,  can  be  consider' d  as  having  acted 
otherwise  than  as  Men  of  Honor  and  Spirit  shd  have  acted. 
I  sincerely  hope  you  will  find  Stewart  going  on  well. 
Glad  you  Hked  the  Pork.     Yrs  aftecly, 

J. 

Earl  of  Jersey 

W.  Lodge  [1828]. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  do  not  quite  fall  into  your  ideas  of 
disposing  of  Augustus,*  nor  do  I  think  that  it  wd  suit  your 
Son  who  is  somewhat  older.  They  are  both  too  young  for 
such  a  trip,  and  tho'  there  is  something  which  gives  the 
idea  of  age  and  steadiness  in  the  word  Major,  I  fancy  the 
Major  in  the  present  instance  is  quite  young. 

So  Goody '  has  resign'd  :  that  is  the  confident  report  of 
the  day — well,  what  next  ?  This  Administration  is  of  course 
dissolv'd.     This   Whig   Administration,   which   appears  to 

1  On  Canning's  death  Lord  Goderich  became  ist  Lord  of  the  Treasury, 
the  Duke  of  Wellington  resumed  the  command  of  the  Army,  and  Lord 
Lansdowne  entered  the  Ministry  as  Home  Secretary. 

^  Sir  Arthur's  youngest  son,  afterwards  the  well-known  Ambassador, 
born  1823,  died   1896. 

3  Lord  Goderich,  who  proved  to  be  a  "  transient  and  embarrassed  Phan- 
tom," resigned  the  post  of  Prime  Minister  in  January,  1828,  after  a  tenure 
of  four  months.  The  Duke  of  Wellington  then  formed  a  Tory  adminis- 
tration, which  had  none  the  less  to  grant  "  Catholic  Emancipation  "  the 
following  year. 


i8i8-4o]  PARLIAMENTARY   REFORM  323 

have  thrown  more  power  into  the  hands  of  the  Sovereign 
than  any  Tory  Government  ever  did,  and  who  will  succeed  ? 
Je  m'y  perds.  Lansdowne  is  to  a  great  degree  perdu  in 
publick  estimation,  not  so  Ld  Grey,  but  then  "  Ld  Grey 
at  the  head  of  the  Tories  "  sounds  in  my  ears  very  dis- 
cordant. The  King  will  hate  a  strong  Government — most 
Kings  would — supposing  them  to  have  the  choice  ;  has  our 
IVth  the  choice?     Well,  addio,  yr  affte 

J- 

Miladi  will  write  in  a  day  or  two  and  send  the  rose  trees 
and  I  the  Pork  :   we  go  home  tomorrow. 

Sir  Arthur  Paget  to  Countess  of  Jersey 

[1831] 
My  Dear  Lady  Jersey, — Pray  believe  that  I  am  truly 
grateful  for  your  excessive  kindness  in  writing  to  the  D. 
of  Cambridge  about  Cecil,^  at  a  moment  too  when  you  have 
so  many  things  of  importance  to  occupy  your  thoughts 
and  attention.  Augusta  has  occasionally  shewn  me  some 
of  your  letters  and  Pamphlets.  You  well  know  how  much 
deference  I  have  always  shewn  to  your  opinions  ;  it  is 
therefore  with  great  regret  that  I  find  my  own  so  much  at 
variance  with  them  at  the  present  time.  I  am  afraid  I  am 
past  recovery,  and  you  will,  I  doubt  not,  give  me  over, 
when  I  tell  you  that  in  November  last,  soon  after  the 
accession  of  these  Ministers,*  I  had  occasion  to  write  to 
one  of  them,  and  could  not  resist  the  impulse  of  expressing 
my  entire  conviction,  that  if  the  measures  they  might  have 
in  contemplation  did  not  go  to  the  extent  of  what  their 
opponents  would  not  fail  to  call  Revolution  (such  I  think 
were  the  words)  we  shd  be  overtaken  by  one  of  great  vio- 
lence. Well !  Yo'Hr  Revolution  has  arrived,  and  my  sincere 
Belief  unalloyed  by  any  Fears  or  apprehensions,  is  that 
with  it  is  arrived  a  Fairer  Prospect  of  internal  tranquillity 
than  we  have  had  before  our  eyes  for  many  years.  It 
will  consolidate  all  that  is  good  and  worth  keeping,  and 
it  will  (I  hope  at  least)  be  the  cause  of  removing  much  that 
is  foul  and  hurtful.  But  to  accomphsh  this,  a  great  deal 
more  than  a  mere  Reform  in  the  Parlt  must  be  set  about, 

*  Sir  Arthur  Paget's  second  son,  born  1819,  died  1838  ;   there  had  been 
a  suggestion  of  his  sharing  the  education  of  Prince  George  of  Cambridge 
2  Earl  Grey's  Whig  Ministry,  November,  1830-4. 


324  OLD  INSTITUTIONS  [ch.  v 

which  Reform  by  the  way,  if  there  were  no  other  argu- 
ment in  favour  of  it,  has  become  indispensable  by  its  last 
Vote  on  the  Canada  Timber  affair.  "  Old  Institutions  !  !  !  " 
Most  things  deteriorate  by  age,  and,  just  because  they  are 
old,  are  no  longer  good.  Nothing  is  immutable  !  Nothing 
in  existence  that  is  not  undergoing  a  change,  imperceptible 
sometimes,  but  a  change  ;  and  be  assured  that  some  of 
these  "  Old  Institutions,"  admirable  as  they  might  have 
been  when  created,  are  no  longer  adapted  to  the  present 
times,  and  to  the  alteration  which  has  taken  place  in  the 
Taste  and  in  the  minds  of  Men.  Our  own,  and  all  States 
have  undergone  periodical  changes  (for  Revolution  is  a 
very  ugly  word)  at  intervals  perhaps  of  a  couple  of  Hundred 
years,  more  or  less ;  so  that  in  point  of  Time  the  pro- 
jected one  appears  well  suited.  But  there  are  other  signs 
and  tokens.  By  far  the  greatest  Authority  that  this,  or 
any  other  Country  can  boast  of,  tells  us  explicitly  somewhere 
in  his  Works  that "  in  the  declining  age  of  a  state,  mechanical 
arts  and  merchandize  flourish."  If  this  is  true  we  must 
really  want  a  little  propping,  or  what  the  Architects  I 
think  call  underpinning,  which  is  a  very  ticklish  job,  but 
I  look  with  great  confidence  to  the  present  Workmen. 
Yours  affly, 

A.  P. 


Sir  Arthur  Paget  to  Earl  Grey"*- 

9  Oct.  1831. 

My  Dear  Lord  Grey, — It  may  not  be  wholly  uninterest- 
ing to  you  to  know  the  substance  of  what  passed  the  day 
before  yesterday  at  dinner  at  my  friend  Burdett's,  which 
I  will  compress  in  as  few  Words  as  possible.  There  was 
only  Burdett,  O' Council  and  myself. 

Fully  aware  of  the  Danger  and  Impropriety  of  in  any 
way  committing  you  or  Lord  Anglesey,  my  object  was  if 
possible  to  commit  him,*  I  therefore  told  him  that  an 
opportunity  was  at  hand  on  Lord  Ebrington's  motion,' 
the  object  of  which  must  of  course  be  ostensibly  unknown 

1  Lord  Grey  was  now  Prime  Minister,  and  Lord  Anglesey  Lord  Lieuten- 
ant of  Ireland. 

'  It  is  not  evident  whether  the  writer  refers  to  Burdett  or  to  O'Connell, 
probably  to  the  latter. 

'  To  prevent  Ministers  from  resie;ning,  although  the  House  of  Lords 
had  just  thrown  out  the  Reform  Bill. 


i8i8-4o]  A  PROPOSITION  325 

to  you,  when,  forgetful  of  past  grievances,  he  might  do 
himself  immortal  Honor  by  coming  forward  in  support 
of  the  Government.  This  he  unequivocally  and  unhesitat- 
ingly promised  to  do,  totis  viribus.  These  were  his  words, 
which,  upon  my  urging  the  Advice,  he  repeated  two  or  three 
times  !  Vedremo.  If  he  keeps  his  word,  he  may  perhaps 
be  induced  to  do  something  more — I  have  no  doubt  that 
Burdett  will  report  to  Lord  Anglesey  what  passed  more 
in  detail. 

Pray  do  not  be  at  the  trouble  of  replying  to  this,  unless 
you  think  that  in  this,  or  in  any  matter,  my  poor  services 
can  be  worth  your  acceptance,  for  they  are  tendered, 
tho'  diffidently,  with  the  utmost  sincerity.  Ever,  my  dear 
Lord,  yr  most  faithful  humble  Servant, 

A.  Paget. 


Marquis  of  Anglesey 

Dublin,  March  8th,  1832. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  send  you  the  inclosed  in  strict 
confidence,  and  I  will  make  a  few  observations  upon  the 
subject  of  it. 

If  you  accede  to  the  proposition  (assuming  that  it  will 
be  made)  it  can  only  be  upon  the  most  patriotic  grounds, 
for  I  know  there  is,  or  was,  some  little  asperity  of  feehng 
on  your  part  towards  Ld  Granville.^  It  was  natural  enough. 
You  had  served  a  great  many  years  in  some  of  the  highest 
diplomatic  situations,  and  you  saw  preferred  to  you  one 
entirely  new  in  the  profession,  who  at  once  jumped  into  the 
highest  stations,  had  the  retiring  salaries  much  beyond 
your  own,  and  was  called  moreover  to  the  House  of  Lords 
with  the  title  of  Viscount.  You  was  employed  in  the  most 
arduous  times,  and  your  conduct  was  highly  approved 
both  by  Pitt  and  Fox.  I  well  remember  the  kind  recep- 
tion I  met  with  from  the  latter,  when  he  sent  to  beg  I 
would  call  upon  him,  and  when  he  announced  the  necessity 
on  account  of  parliamentary  arrangements  and  the  neces- 
sity of  employing  long-tried  and  hungry  friends  of  with- 
drawing you  from  Vienna.  Upon  that  occasion  he  spoke 
of  you  in  the  highest  and  most  flattering  terms,  but  still 
you  was  recalled,  and  not  so  amply  rewarded  either  by  Pay 

*  Granville,  ist  Earl  Granville,  then  Ambassador  at  Paris. 


326  DIFFICULT  TIMES  [ch.  v 

or  Honour  as  Granville  has  been.  Therefore  I  repeat,  it  is 
not  unnatural  that  you  should  feel  somewhat  sore  upon 
that  score. 

On  the  other  hand,  we  are  living  in  times  of  the  most 
extraordinary  difficulty,  when  it  behoves  every  man  to 
give  to  the  state  all  his  powers  and  zeal  in  serving  his 
Country.  Now  it  is  certainly  most  flattering  to  be  thought 
of,  and  brought  forward  in  times  of  danger,  and  where  great 
skill  is  required.  For  my  part  I  shall  be  proud  of  the 
eclat  that  would  accrue  to  my  family  by  your  being  thus 
employed.  'Twould  be  anything  but  an  enviable  situation. 
You  would  be  the  locum-tenens  of  your  inferior  in  diplo- 
matic services,  and  for  probably  but  a  very  short  period, 
but  you  would  gain  honor  by  the  sacrifice  you  would  make, 
and  you  would  serve  your  Country. 

For  my  part,  I  live  for  that.  Would  to  God  that  my 
Colleagues  could  find  a  more  able  substitute  for  me.  With 
what  joy  shd  I  retire  into  privacy  !  but  not  all  the  persecu- 
tions and  thwartings  of  two  wretched  factions  in  this 
wretched  Country  shall  drive  me  from  the  helm  whilst  I 
am  thought  useful,  or  until  things  assume  a  brighter  aspect. 

I  write  as  usual  in  great  haste,  having  indeed  scarcely 
time  to  save  Post.  I  have  told  Holland  that  I  was  sounding 
you  upon  this  matter.  If  the  proposition  shd  be  made 
and  you  consent,  you  could  put  yourself  in  immediate 
communication  with  him.  If  you  cannot  resolve  upon 
the  sacrifice  pro  patrid,  there  is  no  harm  done.  Ever  affecy 
yours, 

Anglesey. 

There  need  be  no  secrecy  between  Holland  and  you  and 
I,  therefore  to  save  time  I  have  determined  to  send  this 
thro'  him.  If  he  chooses,  he  can  send  it  on  to  you,  being 
thus  himself  in  possession  of  my  view  of  the  case.  If  not, 
not. 

\_Enclosnre] 
Lord  Holland  to  Marquis  of  Anglesey 

March,  1832. 
I  have  taken  a  liberty  with  one  of    your  Family  and 
name,  you  will  tell  me  if  I  am  right,  and  tell  the  circum- 
stance to  none  but  the  Party  concerned.     Granville  comes 


i8i8-4o]  A  CINCINNATUS  327 

to  the  Committee.  In  the  mean  while  Paris,  where  much 
sense  and  much  authority  is  wanted  for  various  important 
and  dehcate  objects,  would  devolve  naturally  on  a  very 
good,  but  singularly  inefficient  man,  the  present  secretary 
of  the  Embassy.  Now  Palmerston  projects  sending  some 
one  of  rank  and  condition  in  diplomacy,  who  wd  condescend 
to  accept  such  a  mission  for  a  short  time  and  interval,  and 
who  is  a  sensible  man,  the  last  requisite,  a  rare  one  in  ed 
vitae  conditione,  is  indispensable.  He  asked  me ;  I  answered, 
"  Sir  Arthur  Paget,  a  Cincinnatus,  who  would  come  a  dic- 
tator, but  a  wise  and  judicious  dictator  from  his  plough, 
and  return,  when  his  business  was  completed  and  the  term 
expired,  to  his  Sabine  Farm  and  turnips  without  regret." 
Do  you  think  he  will  accept,  if  it  is  offered  ?  I  sincerely 
hope  he  may,  if  any  such  expedient  as  a  temporary  mission 
is  adopted.  At  any  rate,  you  well  know  that  my  only 
motive  in  suggesting  it  has  been  a  sense  of  the  pubUck 
advantage,  and  a  conviction  that  in  important  affairs  there 
could  not  be  a  better  man.     Yrs, 

Vassall  Holland. 


Sir  Arthur  Paget  to  Marquis  of  Anglesey 

Hamble  Cliff,  12  March,  1832. 

I  lose  no  time,  in  acknowledging  your  letter  of  the  8th 
inst  with  its  enclosure  from  Ld  Holland,  in  assuring  you 
that  my  gratitude  towards  you  is  most  sincere  and  un- 
bounded, and  that  I  am  filled  with  every  sentiment  due 
to  the  distinguished  honor  done  to  me  by  Lord  Holland. 

I  will  now  proceed  to  state  candidly  to  you  the  opinion 
I  have  formed  after  the  most  careful  consideration  I  have 
been  able  to  bestow  upon  the  subject,  I  am  exceedingly 
happy  in  the  first  place  to  give  you  the  most  perfect  assur- 
ance, that  I  do  not  possess  anything  like  the  least  unkind 
or  jealous  feeling  towards  Ld  Granville.  Whatever  con- 
clusion I  ever  may  have  come  to  respecting  his  abihties, 
attainments,  or  his  Elevation,  they  have  so  entirely  worn 
away,  that  there  does  not  exist  on  his  account  the  slightest 
impediment  to  my  at  once  accepting  the  Proposition  of 
becoming  his  locum  tenens  at  Paris,  if  it  shd  be  deemed 
expedient  to  call  upon  me. 

I  am  thoroughly  sensible  of  the  truth  and  of  the  force 


328  SIR  ARTHUR'S  VIEWS  [ch.  v 

of  the  appeal  you  so  pointedly  make  to  the  feelings  which 
ought  to  regulate  my  decision.  I  concede  the  entire 
argument,  and  I  am  almost  inclined  further  to  admit  the 
frimd  facie  Case,  that  an  ex-foreign  Minister  might  perhaps 
justly  incur  the  Penalty  of  forfeiting  his  Pay  for  with- 
holding his  Services  when  called  for,  unless  he  can  shew  good 
cause  for  so  doing.  But  I  should  require  no  such  exciting 
considerations  to  govern  me.  I  shd  on  the  contrary  feel 
very  great  Pride  in  being  placed  by  Ld  Grey's  Administra- 
tion in  a  situation  of  such  importance  and  Eminence,  and 
my  zeal  to  serve  it  would  vie  with  the  Honor  of  such  an 
appointment. 

Thus  far,  it  is  highly  gratifying  to  me  to  reflect  that  my 
Ideas  are  in  exact  Unison  with  those  you  have  expressed. 
I  anxiously  anticipate  that  you  will  not  dissent  from  the 
(I  am  sorry  to  admit)  equally  well-grounded  opinions  I 
have  yet  to  submit  to  you. 

It  is  more  than  25  years  since  I  have  been  living  in  almost 
entire  seclusion  from  the  World,  and  utter  estrangement 
from  public  affairs.  Now  it  appears  to  me  altogether 
impossible  that  a  Person  so  situated  should  be  fit  to  take 
upon  himself  at  once,  and  without  preparation,  the  manage- 
ment of  "various  important  and  delicate  objects"  in 
foreign  Politicks. 

Plain  good  sense  will  assist,  may  carry  a  man  creditably 
thro'  the  ordinary  circumstances  of  Life;  if  I  recollect 
rightly,  indeed  Ld  Bacon  recommends  for  negociations  the 
man  of  plain  sense  to  one  who  is  cunning  to  contrive, 
nevertheless  there  is  an  Aptitude  for  business,  and  Elas- 
ticity of  Mind,  indispensable  for  the  safe  conduct  of  a 
negociation,  which  desuetude  annihilates.  For  instance  the 
faculty  of  speaking,  writing  and  thinking  in  the  French, 
or  any  other  Language,  however  superior  it  may  have 
been,  without  practice  infallibly  and  entirely  perishes.  In 
this  deteriorated  situation  I  find  myself. 

The  reappearance  at  a  Court  has  something  in  it  most 
irksome  to  me,  and  in  direct  opposition  to  a  Vow,  which 
upon  one  important  event  in  my  Life,  and  to  which  I  allude 
with  pain,  I  felt  bound  to  make  and  to  adhere  stedfastly 
to.  This  however,  I  am  aware,  is  an  objection  which 
many  would  hold  light,  and  make  subservient  to  higher 
considerations. 
I  am  so  miserably  poor,  that  I  have  no  funds  at  my  Dis- 


i8i8-4o]  HE  DECLINES  OFFER  329 

posal  for  any  extraordinary  expence  whatever,  and  I  could 
not  expect  any  additional  supply  from  the  Treasury  for  a 
temporary  Service  of  this  nature. 

It  is  not  one,  but  all  these  different  Reflections  in  the 
aggregate  which  convince  me  of  my  total  inefficiency  to 
undertake  the  Charge  in  question.  There  are  situations 
undoubtedly  of  great  importance  to  some  of  which  the 
objections  I  have  urged  would  not  be  so  applicable  ;  but 
I  have  always  been  of  opinion,  that,  of  all  secondary  places 
of  trust  and  responsibihty,  that  of  a  Minister  at  one  of 
the  great  foreign  Courts  requires  the  most  Practice  as 
well  as  skill,  and  as  it  is  self-evident  that  I  am  without 
one,  and  as  I  am  aware  that,  if  I  ever  possessed  any,  disuse 
has  deprived  me  of  the  other,  it  would,  I  conceive,  be 
not  only  most  presumptuous  but  dishonest  in  me  without 
this  unreserved  and  most  conscientious  statement  of  my 
opinions  to  accept,  if  it  should  be  found  expedient  to  make 
it,  the  offer  of  so  important  a  Trust. 

Cincinnatus,  if  I  mistake  not,  was  called  upon  a  second 
time,  when  he  was  80  years  old.  I'll  try  what  I  can  do  for 
that  occasion,  if  it  should  present  itself. 

Pray  present  my  most  cordial  Thanks  and  regards  to 
Ld  HoUand  and  believe  me  ever  etc., 

A.  Paget. 


Sir  Arthur  Paget  to  Lord  Holland 

13  March,  1832; 

My  Dear  Lord  Holland, — Nothing  can  exceed  my 
gratitude  for  all  your  kindness  to  me.  But  indeed  you 
greatly  overrate  my  poor  capacity  to  serve  you. 

As  you  have  seen  Lord  Anglesey's  letter  to  me,  he  will, 
I  take  for  granted,  communicate  to  you  my  Reply.  I 
should  have  felt  the  greatest  Pride  in  being  employed 
by  Lord  Grey's  Administration.  I  have  however  lain  too 
long  on  the  shelf  to  be  of  any  use  to  you. 

Your  most  kind  letter  received  this  morning  has 
greatly  relieved  me.  Give  me  leave  to  assure  you, 
that  I  feel  myself  very  greatly  honored  by  it  and  that  I 
am  &(f, 

A.  Paget. 


330 


ST.   PATRICK'S  DAY  [ch.  v 


Marquis  of  Anglesey 

Dublin,  March  igth,  1832. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  did  not  acknowledge  your  first 
letter,  because  I  knew  from  one  I  received  on  the  following 
day  from  Holland,  that  I  might  immediately  expect  an- 
other. I  was  gratified  by  the  first,  as  it  proved  that  you 
possessed  the  true  public  spirit,  which  I  always  admire,  of 
being  ready  to  make  a  sacrifice  for  the  Country's  cause, 
but  the  latter  gave  me  more  pleasure,  as  it  shewed  that 
you  had,  after  having  done  the  handsome  thing,  been 
relieved  from  a  very  unpleasant  and  probably  unthankful 
Commission.  .  .  . 

Notwithstanding  all  the  provocations  given  by  the 
Orangemen,  and  all  the  Alarms  excited  in  their  breasts  for 
the  result  of  St.  Patrick's  day,  all  the  reports  I  have  yet 
received  are  quite  favorable.  No  excesses  have  been 
committed.  My  first  care  was  to  enlist  all  the  Catholic 
Prelates  on  my  side  and  engage  them  to  issue  their  mandates 
to  the  inferior  Clergy.  This  they  did  with  hearty  good 
will.  Would  to  God  I  could  receive  the  same  co-operation 
and  assistance  from  the  Protestants  and  all  would  be  welL 
But  they  are  the  Firebrands,  and  notwithstanding  all  1 
am  attempting  to  do  to  save  their  Church  by  reforming 
it,  I  fear  their  infatuation  will  eftect  its  total  ruin. 

My  next  care  was  to  make  such  a  distribution  of  the 
troops  as  to  put  down  any  very  serious  violence.  Finally 
I  believe  Paddy's  Day  has  gone  off  without  a  cloud. 

It  is  probable  I  may  be  called  upon  to  attend  the  Com- 
mittee upon  the  Reform  Bill,  if  Ireland  will  admit  of  my 
leaving  it.  But  I  cannot  reckon  upon  tranquillity  from 
one  day  to  another.  By  good  management  and  persever- 
ance Clare  (the  worst  of  the  Counties  last  year)  is  now  in 
a  perfect  state  of  repose.  Confidence  is  restored,  the  poor 
fellows  are  at  Work  and  acknowledging  their  follies  and 
there  can  be  no  doubt  that  if  let  alone  the  natural  ties  and 
connexions  between  Landlord  and  Tenant  wd  be  resumed 
and  the  Elections  wd  take  their  usual  course. 

That  fiend  O'Connell,  dreading  the  consequences,  is  now 
there  with  Steele,  a  bold  madman,  bent  upon  stirring  the 
People  up  to  resistance  of  all  Law  and  Authority  !  and 
probably  I  shall  have  the  whole  thing  to  do  over  again. 
Ever  ahecy  yours,  Anglesey. 


i8i8-4o]  "BROTHERS  ALL"  33i 

Lord  Holland  to  Marquis  of  Anglesey 

March,  1832. 

Dear  Anglesey, — I  return  you  with  many  thanks  Sir 
Arthur's  excellent  Letter  : 

"  Since  Swift  for  the  Ancients  has  argued  so  well, 
'Tis  apparent  from  thence,  that  the  Moderns  excel." 

a  parody  of  which  you  will  see  on  the  other  side  ; 

"  Sir  Arthur  contends  he  for  Place  is  unfit. 
In  such  able  and  masterly  Style, 

That  the  Point  he  maintains  with  such  logic  and  wit 
Is  refuted  thereby  aU  the  while." 

I  had,  as  you  foresaw,  written  to  him.  I  am  almost 
sorry  the  necessity  did  not  occur  ;  I  should  like  to  have 
seen  the  writer  of  that  Letter  again  in  harness ;  but  must 
now  put  it  off,  I  suppose,  till  we  are  all  octogenarians, 
when  I  will  not  fail  to  claim  Cincinnatus's  Promise,  if 
natural  and  official  life  should  last  so  long. 

We  are  bound  to  be  confident  of  the  2d  Reading,'  and 
in  good  heart  about  ye  Committee.  When  do  you  think 
of  coming  ?     Yrs, 

VaSSALL   HOLLANt). 

P.S.  Was  it  not  fooHsh  in  Stanley  to  shirk  St.  Patrick's  ? 


Marquis  of  Anglesey 

Rome,  Feby  igth,  1834. 

My  Dear  Arthur  and  Brothers  All, — I  do  not  know 
that  I  have  any  thing  worth  writing  about,  indeed  I  know 
that  I  have  not,  but  as  I  have  an  opportunity  of  sending 
this  by  Sir  Michael  Shaw  Stewart,  who  leaves  this  to- 
morrow, as  it  will  therefore  cost  you  nothing,  I  have  no 
scruple.  If  you  should  any  of  you  fall  in  with  him,  he 
can  give  you  a  full  account  of  us,  and  of  our  way  of  life 
and  proceeding,  for  we  have  seen  much  of  him,  and  an 
excellent  and  friendly  man  he  is.  I  will  not  say  that  I 
envy  him,  for  I  feel  that  I  ought  not  yet  to  think  of  Home, 
but  I  will  say,  that  if  the  wished  moment  should  arrive 
when  I  cd  safely  and  prudently  return,  I  shall  be  most 
happy,  altho'  this  is  more  than  a  bearable  way  of  passing 

1  Of  the  Reform  Bill. 


332  LORD  ANGLESEY  ABROAD     [ch.  v 

the  time,  for  it  is  even  a  pleasant  one,  yet  there  can  be 
nothing  Hke  Home,  and  altho'  the  Mediterranean  may  be 
very  good  cruizing  ground  and  Naples  and  Castelamare  a 
very  good  station,  yet  Cowes  and  our  own  Channel  are  good 
enough  for  me.  Now,  Edward,  I  must  answer  your  letter 
about  Cowes.  When  I  was  obUged  to  close  B.D.^  and  P.Nd, 
I  told  Uxbridge  I  had  nothing  to  oner  him  but  the  Castle, 
which  would  be  at  his  disposal.  You  had  better  therefore 
express  to  him  your  wish  to  occupy  it,  and  I  dare  say  the 
time  of  your  hoHday  will  not  clash  with  his  views, 
for  assuredly  he  will  only  be  found  there  in  the  fashionable 
season,  and  that  is,  if  I  mistake  not,  after  you  will  have 
again  reassembled  your  flock.  =  I  shall  be  happy  to  hear 
that  this  is  so,  and  that  all  the  Brotherhood  are  accomo- 
dated as  they  may  want  it.  I  forgot,  Charles,  to  tell  you 
that  Ux.  H.  is  open  to  you  as  long  as  it  belongs  to  me, 
but  I  am  most  anxious  to  dispose  of  it.  I  have  no  luck 
however  in  pecuniary  matters.  I  meant  to  have  gone  to 
Naples  this  morning,  as  there  are  strong  indications  of  an 
approaching  Eruption  upon  a  grand  scale,  I  am  not  how- 
ever quite  equal  to  it,  and  have  been  rather  threatened 
the  last  2  or  3  days.  One  or  two  sharp  rides  I  took  may 
have  shaken  the  wretched  nerves*  a  little  too  much.  If 
it  passes  off,  I  shall  proceed  there  provided  the  Mountain 
continues  to  promise.  Tomorrow's  post  will  probably 
decide  this,  and  I  have  great  hopes  of  quite  rallying  by  a 
little  quiet.  How  I  wish  Itchen  Ferry  had  our  CUmate  for 
a  fortnight  even,  and  Pearl  wd  be  afloat.  Here  are  nearly 
3  Pages  written  without  any  mention  of  her,  this  is  hand- 
some and  forbearing.  Yet  in  truth  I  have  little  to  say, 
for  I  believe  there  is  not  a  single  direction  omitted,  or  a 
question  put,  that  has  not  been  answered.  The  King's 
speech  is  just  arrived.  I  like  it.  The  language  about 
Turkey  and  Russia  is  what  it  ought  to  be.  As  for  Spain  and 
Portugal,  I  know  now  what  ought  to  be  done,  or  to  be. 
If  I  were  on  my  Oath,  I  must  say  that  in  point  of  right 

1  Lord  Anglesey  on  quitting  Ireland  in  1833  had  closed  Beau  Desert 
and  Plas  Newydd  for  a  season  and  gone  abroad  in  order  to  economize. 
As  Captain  of  Cowes  Castle  he  enjoyed  the  use  of  the  residence,  now  the 
head-quarters  of  the  Royal  Yacht  Squadron. 

2  Sir  Edward  Paget  was  Governor  of  the  Royal  Military  College,  Sand- 
hurst, 1826-37,  3-iid  afterwards  Governor  of  Chelsea  Hospital ;  he  died 
in  1849. 

3  Lord  Anglesey  suffered  severely  from  tic  douloureux  to  the  end  of 
his  Ufe  owing  to  the  amputation  of  his  leg  at  W^aterloo. 


i8i8-4o]  "THE  VAGABOND"  333 

Miguel  may  claim  the  throne,*  but  who  \vd  tolerate  such  a 
Vagabond  ?  Again  the  question  of  succession  in  Spain 
is  most  embarrassing,  and  we  must  go  back  to  the  Laws 
of  Spain  previous  to  the  occupation  of  the  Throne  by  the 
Bourbons  to  justify  the  pretensions  of  the  young  Queen, 
yet  who  would  have  Don  Carlos  ?  As  for  the  K.  of  Holland, 
nothing  but  compulsion  will  ever  wrest  from  him  what 
he  possesses.  But  what  the  D — 1  have  I  to  do  with  these 
matters  ?  Happily  nothing,  so  I  will  e'en  let  them  be.  I 
do  not  however  Uke  so  much  being  pointedly  (altho'  not 
by  name)  said  about  O'Connell.  It  is  making  him  of  too 
much  consequence.  The  Vagabond  is  not  worth  it.  He  is 
spiteful  and  mischievous,  but  he  can  no  longer  do  serious 
mischief.  But  I  wd  legislate  agst  the  Agitation  of  Repeal. 
I  wd  boldly  [illegible]  Treason.  Nothing  else  will  put  down 
the  cry — or  rather  stop  his  mouth,  for  if  that  was  closed, 
you  wd  hear  no  more  of  it. 

]\Iay  Health  and  Happiness  attend  you  all.  Ever  most 
affecy  yours, 

Anglesey. 

Marquis  of  Anglesey 

Naples,  April  15th.  1834. 

My  Dear  Arthur, — I  grieve  for  Ly  Augusta  and  indeed 
for  you  and  for  every  one  who  knew  that  excellent  woman. 
Lady  Duncannon.*  What  is  the  poor  fellow  to  do  without 
her,  with  his  enormous  and  interesting  family  ?  I  pity 
him  from  my  soul,  and  when,  in  calmer  moments  than 
those  he  can  have  at  present,  you  have  an  opportunity, 
do  assure  him  that  I  am  one,  who  altho'  far  oft,  and  not 
immediately  connected  with  him,  do  most  sincerely  sym- 
pathise in  his  distress. 

The  Papers  announce  the  release  of  our  poor  old  friend, 
Galloway,  but  as  I  had  letters  of  a  similar  date  which  do 
not  mention  it,  I  still  doubt.  Soon  at  all  events  it  must 
happen,  and  perhaps  the  sooner  the  better,  both  for  him 
and  his.  But  how  will  poor  dear  Jane  take  it  ?  Patiently 
and  properly,  I  have  no  doubt,  poor  soul.  I  will  write  to 
her,  when  I  am  certain  of  the  fact. 

1  Of  Portugal. 

*  Lady  Augusta  Paget's  sister  Maria,  Lady  Duncannon,  died  March  19th, 
1834.  Creevey's  Diary  describes  her  a  few  years  before  this  as  living  a 
happy  quiet  life  surrounded  by  nine  white-haired  children  at  Roeharapton. 


334  NAPLES  [ch.  v 

We  arrived  here  on  the  12th,  having  had  a  most  rapid 
journey,  altho'  we  slept  2  nights  on  the  road,  leaving  Rome 
late  and  arriving  here  early.  Mola  di  Gaeta  is  beautiful 
and  the  Bay  charming,  but  this  quite  exceeds  my  expecta- 
tions. I  am  enchanted.  Probably  the  Element  has  not 
a  little  to  do  in  it,  but  I  admire  Vesuvius,  which  smokes 
and  spits  a  little  to  please  us,  and  altogether  the  locale 
is  certainly  charming.  I  am  now  looking  out  in  earnest  for 
the  Pearl.  She  sailed,  it  seems,  in  the  midst  of  your  distress, 
and  you  had  not,  as  Charles  writes,  the  party  you  intended. 
His  report  of  her  is  encouraging.  The  Briton  Schooner 
has  just  crossed  my  windows  from  the  Mole,  but  she  did 
not  look  as  if  she  was  bound  for  the  sea,  for  I  saw  no  legs 
of  mutton,  cabbages  and  the  like  over  the  stern,  yet  they 
say  she  is  going  home.  George  ^  starts  for  Greece  etc, 
tomorrow  with  Mr.  Burgess.  Alfred  *  has  given  up  the 
trip.  If  all  goes  well  with  me,  I  may  possibly  run  into 
George  upon  his  cruize  and  bring  him  back  with  me.  At 
present  I  am  not  in  force.  The  fact  is  Italian  weather  is  a 
humbug  and  March  is  (barring  Fogs)  as  bad  at  Rome  as 
in  London.  I  fancy  this  place  more.  The  Scene  at  least 
is  superb,  and  if  it  be  too  cold  to  go  out,  one  may  at  least 
sit  and  enjoy  it  behind  the  windows  d  I'abri  du  vent,  and 
with  the  benefit  of  Sun,  whereas  at  Rome  every  house  is 
constructed  and  placed  so  as  to  have  as  little  as  possible 
of  that  very  agreeable  companion. 

I  met  Ld  Hertford'  and  looking,  as  I  thought,  better 
than  he  is  reported.  He  and  toute  la  Boutique  start  for 
England  in  a  few  days.  I  am  anxious  to  hear  of  you  all. 
In  the  mean  time  say  everything  that  is  kind  from  me  to 
Ly  Augusta.     Ever  affecly  yours, 

Anglesey. 

Marqtiis  of  Anglesey 

Rome,  Jany  23d,  1835. 
My  Dear  Arthur, — I  have  just  received  your  letter  of 
the  5th.     I  am  glad  that  Holland  sent  to  you  my  letter  to 
him,  because  it  contained  some  sentiments  founded  upon 

1  Lord  George  Paget,   1 8 18-80. 

a  Lord  Alfred  Paget,    1816-88, 

3  The  3rd  Marquis  of  Hertford,  the  Lord  Steyne  of  Thackeray  and  the 
Yarmouth  of  the  earlier  letters.  His  companions  refer  to  the  disreputable 
crew,  male  and  female,  who  now  surrounded  him. 


i8i8-4o]  BROUGHAM  AND  DURHAM  335 

mature  consideration.  I  may  be  wrong  about  M.  I  hope 
I  am,  and  I  am  ready  to  believe  from  wiiat  you  say,  speaking 
as  you  seem  to  from  good  authority,  that  he  has  changed 
from  what  /  know  that  he  was.  HoUand  need  have  no 
fear  of  writing  freely,  for  I  have  no  reason  to  think  that 
the  Post-Office  here  is  treacherous.  At  Naples  letters  were 
opened  in  the  most  undisguised  manner. 

I  am  disappointed  in  not  having  had  Brougham  here. 
He  wrote  to  me  to  announce  himself,  but  having  been  put 
in  quarantine  on  the  way,  he  altered  his  plans  and  has 
returned  to  Paris  and  probably  by  this  time  to  England. 
I  wanted  much  to  expose  to  him  the  foUies  he  has  been 
committing,  and  the  injury  he  has  done  to  himself  and  also 
to  the  good  cause  by  his  imprudence  and  indiscretion.  I 
have  written  2  or  3  times  to  him  in  this  sense.  He  is  a 
Man  that  must  not  be  lost.  He  has  amazing  powers,  and 
only  wants  wholesome  controul.  He  and  Durham  ^  must 
still  act  together,  but  it  will  require  a  good  deal  of  hand 
and  heel  to  manage  them.  They  have  both  dreadful  mouths. 
I  have  no  doubt  that  B.  may  recover  himself,  but  the 
temper  of  D.  is  such  that  it  will  be  difficult  to  turn  him  to 
good  account. 

1  still  interest  myself  about  pubHc  Men  and  Measures, 
and  yet  I  do  not  know  why  I  shd,  for  it  must  be  owned 
(dispassionately  speaking)  that  I  have  always  been  but 
scurvily  treated  both  by  friend  and  foe.  It  is  a  singular 
coincidence  (as  Sanderson  wd  have  it)  that  I  have  been 
twice  recalled  from  Ireland  for  enforcing  political  opinions 
which  in  both  instances  the  D.  of  WeUington  has  adopted 
or  is  about  to  adopt.  I  urged  the  Cathohc  Claims.*  I 
drove  him  into  a  corner  from  which  he  cd  not  escape,  and 
the  Tories  recalled  me  with  affront.  With  a  subsequent 
Whig  Government,  I  (from  a  conviction  of  its  absolute 
necessity)  so  inconveniently  and  vehemently  urged  the 
measure  of  a  total  and  radical  reform  of  the  Irish  Church, 
which  that  Cabinet,  with  a  false  dehcacy,  I  think,  towards 
Stanley,^  would  not  adopt,  that  it  was  thought  adviseable 
to  separate  us,  and  I  was  again  recalled,  altho'  I  must  admit 
in  a  far  different  (that  is  to  say)  in  a  very  flattering  and 

^  John  George  Lambton,   ist  Earl  of  Durham,  a  statesman  found  by 
his  colleagues  a  difficult  ally. 

2  During  his  first  viceroyalty  of  Ireland,   1828-g. 

3  Hon.  E.  G.  Stanley,  afterwards  12th  Earl  of  Derby,  had  been  Chic 
Secretary  for  Ireland  during  Lord  Anglesey's  second  Viceroyalty,  1830-3. 

23 


336  LORD  ANGLESEY'S   POLICY  [ch.  v 

even  affecte  manner.  Finding  that  I  cd  no  longer  keep 
Ireland  quiet  after  the  outrageous  Bill  brought  in  by  Stanley 
(and  against  my  advice)  for  the  collection  of  tithes,  without 
an  extension  of  Power,  I  was  most  reluctantly  (and  after  a 
delay  of  the  demand,  which  frighten' d  all  those  with  whose 
counsels  I  was  aided  and  surrounded,  and  who  thought  I 
had  spun  the  thread  too  fine)  compelled  to  call  for  the 
Coercion  Act,  fully  determined  however  to  use  it  most 
sparingly,  if  at  all.  It  was  granted,  and  it  acted  hke  a 
charm,  and  I  never  once  put  it  in  force.  Now  that  measure 
wd  have  been  quite  unnecessary,  if  instead  of  passing 
Stanley's  Tithe  Bill,  they  had  manfully  adopted  mine.  I 
took  the  greatest  pains  to  concoct  it  with  the  aid,  advice, 
and  opinions  of  some  of  the  ablest  men  in  Ireland.  Not 
only  would  it  have  pacified  the  Country — it  would  also 
have  secured  ample  provision  for  the  Protestant  Clergy — 
it  wd  have  paid  the  Catholic  Church.  It  wd  immensely 
have  tended  to  improve  all  the  Bishops'  and  Church 
Lands,  and  it  wd  also  at  no  distant  time  have  given  a 
surplus  for  the  State.  I  wanted  to  take  all  these  good 
things  in  trust  for  the  P.  Church,  ready  to  be  dealt  out 
to  them,  in  proportion  as  their  faith  might  extend  itself, 
but  in  the  mean  time,  to  be  used  for  the  benefit  of  the 
state  generally.  There  was  the  rub.  It  was  there  that 
the  shoe  pinched,  and  my  friends  had  not  the  courage 
to  act  upon  the  suggestion  put  forth  and  almost  prepared 
in  the  shape  of  a  Bill.  Well,  I  frightened  them,  and  I  was 
recalled.  What  has  followed  ?  Why,  that  by  the  main 
force  of  pubhc  opinion  the  late  men  were  compelled  to  set 
about  bringing  forward  the  very  measures  (and  apparently 
d  contre  cceur,  and  as  if  forced)  which  if  boldly  brought 
forward  2  years  ago,  would  have  had  a  magical  effect,  and 
pleased  everybody,  even,  I  do  believe,  the  at  present 
starving  Clergy.  However  by  dint  of  intrigue,  treachery 
and  deceit,  these  timid  men  have  been  driven  from  the 
Helm,  and  the  man  ^  who  has  seized  it,  will  impudently 
adopt  as  his  ovyn  Child  a  thing  conceived  two  years  ago 
and  quite  ready  for  parturition,  and  the  expected  birth  of 
which  he  has  even  deprecated  as  pregnant  with  extreme 
danger   to   all  our   venerable   establishments !     There  wiU 

^  The  Duke  of  Wellington,  who  accepted  in  December  1834  the  Foreign 
Office  under  Sir  Robert  Peel  as  Premier ;  their  ministry  was  forced  to 
resign  the  following  April. 


1818-403  PORTENTOUS  CRISIS  337 

probably  however  be  this  difference  between  His  Grace's 
plan  and  mine,  that  whereas  mine  would  indisputably 
have  devoted  all  surplus  to  the  benefit  of  the  State,  he  will 
expend  it  all  in  some  ecclesiastical  objects,  which  ought 
not  to  be  wanted,  if  the  actual  funds  of  the  Clergy  were 
properly  employed. 

Thus,  you  see,  I  have  been  twice  displaced  from  the  Govt 
of  Ireland  for  the  advocacy  of  two  measures,  one  of  which 
was  immediately  adopted  after  my  first  recall,  and  the  2d 
of  which  (after  having  been  resisted  by  the  Whigs)  was 
at  length  about  to  be  acted  upon  by  them,  but  upon  their 
displacement  is  actually  to  be  brought  forward  by  an  Ultra- 
Tory  Ministry  !  !  ! 

I  find  myself  to  my  shame  half  way  in  a  second  sheet  of 
paper  !  The  truth  is  I  have  been  run  away  with.  My  pen 
has  taken  the  mords-aux-dents,  and  I  cd  not  stop  it.  Having 
however  written  this,  you  shall  pay  for  it,  and  it  may  not 
be  unamusing  to  our  good  friend.  Sir  Harry,  when  this 
travels  to  Charles,  to  read  this  and  to  smile  at  the  sputtering 
of  my  spleen.  I  really  did  not  think  that  any  thing  could 
again  rouse  me  upon  politicks,  but  the  late  extraordinary 
events,  and  the  present  portentous  crisis  will  not  allow 
any  one  to  slumber  in  indifference.  I  have  been  a  good 
deal  better  lately.  It  is  a  fortnight  since  I  have  had  any 
pain  of  consequence,  and  I  begin  to  resume  my  sleep  at 
night,  which  had  totally  failed  me.  I  beHeve  the  fact  is 
that  all  my  sufferings  for  some  time  have  been  produced 
by  the  remedies,  whose  object  is  to  bring  on  an  artificial 
disease  with  the  intention  of  beating  out  the  natural  one. 
That  they  have  accomplished  the  first  object  I  wiU  vouch, 
let  us  hope  that  they  will  be  equally  successful  in  the  second. 
Clarence  is  better,  the  rest  quite  well  and  all  join  in  affection 
for  you  and  yours.  I  condole  with  Stewart  P.  upon  his 
lost  appointment.  How  unhappy  G.  Byng  will  be  at  losing 
his  seat !     Ever  affecly  yours,  Anglesey.^ 

Marquis  Wellesley 

Kingston  House,  Feby  20th,  1840. 

My  Dear  Sir  Arthur, — I  am  truly  sensible  of  your 

1  Lord  Anglesey  continued  to  exercise  no  little  influence  in  the  inner 
circle  of  the  \Vhig  Party  down  to  the  date  of  his  death  in  1854,  his  last 
office  being  that  of  Master-General  of  the  Ordnance,  1846-52  (a  post 
he  had  previously  occupied,  1827-8). 


338  LORD   WELLESLEY  [CH.  v 

kindness  in  calling  here  so  frequently,  and  it  has  been  a 
main  part  of  my  sufferings  that  I  have  not  been  able  to 
have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you.  I  have  suffered  very 
much  for  some  time  past  from  a  complaint,  which  my 
Medical  Advisers  tell  me  is  not  dangerous,  but  it  is  very 
troublesome  ;  and  at  my  advanced  age  (ten  years  beyond 
the  assigned  limit  of  human  life)  I  must  be  either  prepared 
at  all  times  for  the  last  summons,  or  I  must  be  afflicted 
with  that  Infirmity  of  Mind,  which  is  the  usual  companion 
of  Age  :  thank  God  I  feel  no  such  Infirmity  ;  and  trusting 
to  His  Mercy  to  preserve  my  Mind  to  the  End,  I  cheerfully 
await  the  last  gift  of  Nature — "  Et  finem  vitcB  extremam 
inter  mimera  pono  NaturcB." 

Alfred  Montgomery,^  who  is  most  grateful  for  your  kind 
countenance,  has  caUed  on  you  often  in  my  name  to  inquire 
how  you  bear  this  strange  weather,  which  seems  to  confound 
aU  cHmates.  We  are  now  apparently  beginning  Winter, 
when  Spring  should  open. 

Hoping  to  hear  a  good  account  of  your  health,  I  am 
ever,  dear  Sir  Arthur,  with  sincere  regard  yours  most 
faithfully, 

Wellesley. 

^  This  gentleman,  who  was  so  well  known  in  Society  until  his  death, 
only  a  few  years  ago,  was  Lord  Wellesley's  private  secretary. 


APPENDIX 

EXTRACTS  FROM  LETTERS  AND  JOURNAL^  OF 
HON.  BERKELEY    PAGET 

In  the  early  autumn  of  1808  the  British  Government  resolved 
to  send  troops  to  Spain,  whose  task  should  be,  in  com- 
bination with  the  national  forces,  an  attempt  to  sweep 
the  French  invaders  from  the  Peninsula.  Sir  David  Baird 
was  accordingly  placed  in  command  of  an  expedition, 
part  of  which  embarked  at  Portsmouth  in  the  first  days  of 
October,  comprising  among  its  units  the  7th  Light  Dragoons,' 
of  which  regiment  Berkeley  Paget  was  then  major.  Con- 
trary winds  detained  the  transports  for  four  weeks,  and 
the  consequent  impatience  of  the  officers  was  not  lessened 
by  several  visits  paid  them  on  board  by  H.R.H.  the  Duke 
of  Clarence,  who  "  is  continually  jawing  away  and  inter- 
rupting one.  ...  He  wants  to  command  the  Fleet,  and 
the  Duke  of  York  the  Army.  I  suspect  he  will  be  dis- 
appointed. I  confess  I  should  be  sorry  from  what  I  know 
of  him  to  see  him  in  the  command  of  a  Fleet,  however  I 
should  rejoice  to  see  the  Duke  [of  York],  my  Master,  com- 
manding the  Army.  ...  I  beheve  the  Duke  of  Clarence  is 
mad.  He  wore  all  the  Admirals,  Generals,  and  Captains 
to  death.  They  are  heartily  sick  of  him,  and  I  don't 
wonder  at  it." 

The  fleet  of  transports  at  length  put  to  sea  on  the  30th  of 
October,  Berkeley  and  his  brother-officer,  Vivian,  securing 
a  passage  on  the  Sybille,  "  a  noble  frigate,"  with  a  quarter- 
deck 84  feet  long,  commanded  by  an  "  excessively  pleasant 
and  good-natured  "  Captain  Upton,  which  landed  them  at 
Corufia  on  the  sixth  day  out  after  a  prosperous  voyage, 
largely  spent  by  Berkeley  on  deck,  "  sitting  on  one  of  the 
guns,  basking  in  the  sun,  reading  old  Shakespeare  which 
never  fails,  Lyttelton's  Letters,  and  Gulliver's  Travels,"  the 

1  Communicated  by  Col.  Harold  Paget,  C.B. 

'  Equipped  as  Hussars  from  December  25th,  1807. 

339 


340 


APPENDIX 


last  of  which  he  had  not  looked  at  since  at  school,  where 
he  "  had  missed  the  moral  they  contain." 

His  Journal  at  Corufia  describes  the  filthy  aspect  of  the 
town,  and  the  distasteful  Spanish  cuisine,  mitigated  by  the 
great  civilities  of  his  landlord,  Don  Joseph  Calderon,  whose 
wife  on  one  occasion  removed  a  diamond  ring  from  her 
hand  as  a  present  for  Mrs.  Berkeley  Paget,  a  gift  poHtely 
declined,  and  whose  "  children  came  into  the  room  whilst 
I  was  dressing  and  looked  at  me,  as  we  have  seen  people 
survey  the  Beasts  at  the  Tower,  and  one  of  them  ventured 
to  touch  me  with  as  much  caution  as  the  Lilliputian  did 
Gulliver." 

On  the  17th  November  the  7th  marched  from  Coruna, 
the  intention  of  Sir  David  Baird  being  to  effect  a  junction  at 
Salamanca  with  Sir  John  Moore,  who  was  advancing  against 
the  French  through  Portugal.  Berkeley  had  been  lucky 
enough  to  engage  at  Corufia  an  Italian  servant,  Francois, 
"  amazingly  active,  can  cook  very  well,  and  by  way  of 
being  able  to  speak  Spanish."  The  regiment  reached 
Astorga  at  the  entrance  of  the  plains  of  Leon  on  the  28th 
November,  "  the  best  place  I  have  seen  in  Spain,  and  bad 
is  the  best  .  .  . "  80  horses  out  of  the  major's  detachment 
of  300  had  already  "  dropped  out  "  on  the  way.  At  this 
place  Berkeley  bought  some  "  segars  such  as  the  ladies 
smoke,"  which  "  with  8  dozen  of  the  finest  made  "  at  Coruna 
he  sent  home  for  the  Princess  of  Wales  "with  my  best 
duty  and  respect."  On  their  road  to  Astorga  the  troops 
had  passed  Lord  and  Lady  Holland,  travelling  "  for 
pleasure  "  ! 

On  the  3rd  December  Bayly,  Lord  Paget's  aide-de-camp, 
"  a  very  moderate  campaigner  and  terrible  Croaker,"  was 
sent  to  Leon,  28  miles  from  Astorga  across  a  plain,  with 
a  letter  to  the  Marquis  de  la  Romana  who  now  com- 
manded the  Spanish  army  in  this  part  of  the  country.  "  I 
accompanied  him  thither  and  found  His  Excellcy  at  the 
Bishop's,  having  just  dined,  but  the  Prelate  ordered  some 
more  for  us  and  was  exceedingly  civil.  The  contents  of 
the  Letter  disconcerted  him  grievously,  as  it  announced 
to  him  that  Astorga  would  be  abandoned  on  the  6th  [Dec] 
by  the  troops  that  then  occupied  it,  which  was  the  7th,  loth, 
and  a  brigade  of  Horse  Artillery.  He  was  furious  at  our 
Retreat  and  spoke  with  great  warmth  and  indignation"^  at 
the  step,  and  indeed  I  think  with  justice.     However,  as  I 


APPENDIX  341 

merely  went  to  see  Leon  and  not  enter  into  a  discussion  on 
the  merits  or  demerits  of  the  operation,  I  took  the  Liberty 
of  suggesting  to  His  Excellency  that  I  was  not  the  proper 
Person  to  whom  he  shd  remonstrate,  as  curiosity  alone 
had  brought  me  to  Leon  and  that  I  was  neither  fit  or  dis- 
posed to  give  an  opinion  upon  the  Subject,  remarking, 
however,  that  I  had  no  doubt  some  good  grounds  had  been 
found  on  which  such  a  step  had  been  decided  upon.     He 
still  went  on,  and  with  equal  warmth  declared  he  shd  never 
have  believed  that  a  British  Army  would  come  into  Spain 
merely  to  forsake  and  desert  the  Nation  in  its  utmost 
extremity,  that  our  Retreat  would  have  the  effect  of  dis- 
heartening the  People,  and  drawing  down  the  French  force 
upon  the  battered  Remains  of  an  Army  that  had  fought 
with  the  greatest   valour.     That  still  however  he  would 
undertake  his  March  to  join  Sr  John  Moore's  Army,^  and 
that  he  hoped  to  effect  it,  notwithstanding  the  support 
upon  which  he  had  calculated  failed  him  when  most  he 
wanted  it.     The  British  Army,  he  said,  he  wished  to  con- 
sider as  merely  an  Army  of  Observation — that  he  wished 
to  be  in  the  Front  and  bear  the  Brunt  of  the  Business, 
calling  upon  us  only  to  act  in  the  Event  of  his  being  too 
much  pressed  and  obliged  to  call  upon  us  in  his  necessity. 
At  all  events  it  would  be  a  great  Point  gained  if  we  would 
remain  at  Astorga  till  the  loth,  as  by  that  Time  he  shd  have 
assembled  an  Army  at  Leon  of    16  or    18,000  Men,  with 
which  he  would  endeavour  to  form  a  junction  with  the 
Army  of  Sr  John  Moore,  at  all  risks.     He  let  many  obser- 
vations escape  him  expressive  of  his  Indignation  at  the 
conduct  of  the  English  Generals,  by  whom  he  said  he  was 
abandoned  \vithout  any  Reason  as  no  circumstances  had 
occurred  which  rendered  it  necessary  for  them  to  make 
such  a  disposition.     That  the  Army,  which  threatened  in 
the  Asturias,  had  been  obliged  to  abandon  its  object  and 
retire  for  want  of"resources,  which  made  it  still  less  neces- 
sary for  us  to  retire,     I  heard  all  this  with  great  Patience. 
I  had  no  business  to  hazard  an  opinion  which  perhaps 
might  commit  me  and  could  be  of  no  use — for  he  was  beyond 
all  reasoning,  and  as  my  Private  opinion  very  nearly  coin- 
cided with  his,  I  shd  have  made  but  a  lame  Battle.     The 

1  Then  at  Salamanca.  "  Tuyll  returned  (29  Nov.)  from  thence,  he 
had  seen  Edward  [Paget]  who  is  there  in  high  preservation.  They  slaoot 
and  hunt  there  every  day." 


342  APPENDIX 

Bishop  got  us  some  Dinner  consisting  of  fried  Trout 
and  ham  swimming  in  oil,  but  I  was  very  hungry  and 
enjoyed  it. 

"  After  this  I  accompanied  H.  Ex.  towards  the  grounds 
where  his  Troops  had  been  exercising,  and  I  saw  about 
three  thousand  marching  into  Town  after  their  Exercise. 
I  confess  I  formed  a  very  indifferent  opinion  of  his  Army 
— for  such  a  collection  of  starved,  naked,  uncouth  mortals,* 
I  never  before  beheld  in  the  shape  of  Soldiers.  Two-thirds 
without  shoes,  as  many  without  hats,  most  in  rags,  and  all 
looking  sickly  and  worn  out.  Two  battalions  only  had  the 
smallest  appearance  of  Soldiers.  They  were  established 
Regiments  and  tolerably  strong  and  well  clothed. 

"  In  my  road  to  Leon  I  met  many  Parties  of  the  Spanish 
Troops,  marching  in  the  most  disorderly  and  unconnected 
Manner.  This  did  not  give  me  a  very  favourable  Idea. 
One  Party  in  its  zeal  for  the  Cause,  mistaking  me  I  imagine 
for  a  French  Man,  drew  their  Swords  and  ran  towards  me 
with  furious  gestures,  and  from  its  loudness,  most  oppro- 
brious and  threatening  Language,  vowing  vengeance  no 
doubt  upon  my  unoffending  Carcase.  I  just  got  out  of 
their  reach  to  assure  them  I  was  an  English  officer,  when 
one  more  mercifully  disposed  than  the  rest  and  discovering 
the  Error,  assured  them  that  I  was  '  Mi  Lor  de  Cabelleria,' 
by  which  title  Paget  goes.  In  going  thro'  a  village  with 
troops  in  it,  Bayly  is  convinced  we  were  fired  at.  A  Musquet 
certainly  was  fired,  but  I  cannot  take  upon  myself  to  say 
it  was  intended  or  aimed  at  us,  for  I  did  not  hear  anything 
of  its  contents.  I  could  not  help  however  thinking  that 
in  the  Event  of  our  acting  together  serious  Mistakes  might 
be  made  by  both  Parties. 

"  The  Bishop  of  Leon  was  very  civil  to  us,  we  remained 
there  during  the  Evening,  and  Genl  Blake  made  his  Appear- 
ance. I  had  some  Conversation  with  him,  he  was  very 
gentlemanlike.  He  knew  probably  as  well  as  the  Marquis 
de  la  Romana  that  our  Retreat  had  begun,  but  it  had  not 
the  effect  of  making  him  so  disagreeable.  His  Excellency 
sat  during  the  Evening  wrapp'd  up  in  his  Cloak  without 
entering  into  Conversation,  notwithstanding  the  arrival  of 
a  Courier  a  few  hours  before,  announcing  from  the  Supreme 
Junta   at   Madrid   that  Genl  St.  Juan  had   defeated   the 

>  "  Falstaff's  description  of  his  fellows  would  answer  admirably  for  the 
Spaniards,  only  better  a  good  deal.  ...  I  cannot  exaggerate." 


APPENDIX  343 

French  with  the  loss  of  6,000  Men,^  and  that  Castaflos  had 
written  to  say,  that  he  was  fighting  with  every  Advantage 
on  his  Side.  In  the  morning  I  went,  being  Sunday,  to  see 
the  Cathedral,  which  is  reckoned  the  second,  that  of  Seville 
being  the  first,  in  Spain.  It  is  really  very  fine  both  inside 
and  out.  The  stained  Glass  Windows  are  finer  than  any 
I  ever  saw.  The  Bishop  proposed  my  having  the  Organist 
for  the  purpose  of  hearing  the  Instrument,  but  I  was  anxious 
to  get  back  to  Astorga,  as  I  was  the  Bearer  of  a  Dispatch 
from  the  Marquis  to  Genl  Baird  and  which  was  to  be  for- 
warded from  thence.  .  .  . 

"  We  march' d  at  eleven  at  night  and  reached  Zamora 
in  the  morning,  being  five  leagues,  at  seven  o'clock.  This 
is  the  first  Place  we  enter' d  that  shewed  the  smallest 
satisfaction  at  our  Arrival.  We  were  cheer' d  thro'  the 
Streets,  cannon  fired,  and  bells  rung.  The  Junta  gave  a 
Grand  Breakfast  to  all  the  officers  ;  and  every  one  seem'd 
pleased  at  our  Arrival. 

"  Zamora  is  a  large  City  and  much  the  best  I  have  seen 
in  Spain,  and  supplied  with  almost  every  Thing  a  Cam- 
paigner can  want.  Paget  was  waited  on  by  the  Junta  and 
sumptuously  entertained  by  a  Marquis,  at  whose  house  he 
was  lodged.  Here  there  was  a  fine  Place,  which  with  one 
at  the  Bishop  of  Leon's  are  the  only  two  I  have  hitherto 
met  with  in  Spain. 

"  On  the  loth  Deer  we  left  Zamora  and  arrived  at  Toro, 
five  leagues.  All  the  Inhabitants  turned  out  to  see  the 
Troops  march  out.  The  loth  was  left  there.  We  arrived 
at  Toro  at  six  in  the  Evening  and  were  greeted  with  Joy, 
and  illuminations.  A  Spanish  officer  however,  who  had 
accompanied  Paget  from  Astorga,  very  honestly  admitted, 
upon  being  asked  the  Question,  that  they  would  do  the 
same  by  the  French  in  all  probability  ;  and  I  have  not  the 
least  doubt  of  it.  The  Bridge  of  Zamora  is  very  long  and 
narrow  and  easily  defended.  The  same  with  the  Bridge  at 
Castro  Gonzalo.  Our  March  between  these  two  therefore 
was  extremely  hazardous,  for  the  French  by  detaching  a 
Corps  towards  each  Bridge  might  occupy  them  at  the  same 
Time  whilst  we  were  between  them.  Great  precaution 
therefore  was  necessary  to  ascertain  the  force  of  the  Enemy 
in  the  neighbourhood.     Patroles  had  been  in  the  Villages 

1  This'wasl^a  lie,  and  General  San  Juan  was  soon  afterwards  murdered 
by  his  own  troops  at  Talavera,  whither  they  had  fled  panic-stricken. 


344 


APPENDIX 


about,  but  their  force  was  trifling — and  our  Object  gained 
— as  it  brought  us  near  Sr  John  j\Ioore's  Army  which,  had 
the  Enemy  occupied  the  Bridge  of  Zamora,  would  have 
been  impossible.  Toro  is  dirty  and  stinks  horribly.  It  is 
large  enough  to  hold  the  two  Regiments  and  a  Brigade  of 
Horse  Artillery,  besides  a  Division  of  Infantry  which  is 
intended  shd  march  in  to  it  under  Edward's  Command  : 
the  whole,  composing  the  left  Wing  of  the  Army  to  be  under 
Paget's  Orders,  which  amounts  to  about  7,000  men.  We 
here  heard  that  the  French  had  enter' d  Madrid  ^ — tho' 
the  day  before  at  Zamora  it  had  been  confidently  reported 
that  they  had  attempted  it,  but  were  repulsed  with  the 
loss  of  14,000  Men  killed  in  the  City  and  12,000  without 
the  Gates. 

"  Vivian  and  I  were  quarter' d  in  the  House  of  a  Widow 
who  was  suckling  a  Child  of  13  months  old,  and  upon  m.y 
expressing  my  Surprize  at  such  a  proceeding,  she  told  me 
that  they  generally  nursed  them  till  two  years  old,  and  till 
they  had  teeth. 

"  On  the  i6th  Deer,  received  letters  from  England  and 
a  Newspaper  of  the  29th  November.  The  Accounts  in  it 
from  Blake's  Army  amused  us  all  very  much,  as  we  all  knew 
the  falsity  of  them.  Every  step  I  feel  more  and  more 
convinced  of  the  want  of  energy  in  the  People  and  the 
indifference  the}^  feel  in  their  own  Cause.  A  Woman  who 
had  left  Madrid  the  day  the  French  enter' d  it  on  the  8th 
of  December  said  that  all  the  higher  Orders  of  People 
without  exception  were  Traitors,  and  that  we  must  take 
care  of  ourselves,  as  we  might  be  betrayed  at  every  step. 
Pleasant !  The  Guides,  whom  we  pressed  and  from  whom 
we  occasionally  got  a  good  deal  of  Information,  told  us 
that  the  Magistrates  had  search'd  aU  the  Houses  and  taken 
away  all  arms,  even  knives  from  the  People.  So  little  dis- 
posed were  they  to  resist  the  French.  ...  I  was  just  going 
to  sit  down  to  Dinner  but  waited  two  Hours  for  Edward, 
who  came  in  covered  with  Snow.  This  was  the  first  time 
Snow  fell,  and  we  had  enough  to  annoy  us  before  we  got 
into  our  Quarters. 

"  We  here  received  orders  from  Paget  to  hold  ourselves 
in  readiness  to  turn  out  and  march  at  night  upon  Sahagun, 
to  attack  about  5  or  600  French  Cavalry  which  were  there. 

^  The  French  Army,  commanded  by  Napoleon  in  person,  entered  Madrid 
on^December  4th. 


APPENDIX  345 

However,  we  remained  quiet  at  night,  and  heard  on  our 
march  the  next  morning  to  Escobar,  that  Paget  had  marched 
at  night  with  the  loth  and  15th,  and  at  daybreak  came 
in  upon  the  French  Cavahy  and  attacked  them,  taking 
150  Prisoners,  with  some  few  killed  and  wounded  ;  the 
15  th  only  with  a  small  Picquet  of  the  7  th,  which  acciden- 
tally fell  in  with  them  on  the  night  march,  performed  this 
Service.  Paget  led  the  Charge,  the  French  facing  us  man- 
fully ;  but  they  could  not  stand  it  and  fled  after  the  charge, 
with  the  loss  above  mentioned.  The  Plan  was  Paget' s, 
and  his  Execution  of  it  excellent.  The  15th  and  our  little 
Party  behaved  as  admirably  as  possible.  The  7th  could 
not  help  envying  the  lot  of  the  15th  and  Paget  partook  of 
our  feelings. 

"  On  the  night  of  the  23rd  Deer  with  two  feet  Snow  on 
the  Ground,  execrable  Roads  to  pass,^  and  cold  beyond 
measure,  we  received  orders  to  march.  The  whole  Army 
was  likewise  in  motion  with  an  Intention  of  attacking  the 
French  Position  at  Saldana  at  dayhght.  The  French  Army 
commanded  by  Marshal  Soult.  ...  On  Xmas  Eve  Paget 
came  to  Terradillos  and  told  us  we  were  going  back.  Our 
orders  to  halt  the  night  before  were  now  accounted  for. 

"  On  Xmas  day  the  right  Squadron  with  Kerrison  was 
push'd  on  to  patrole  to  Carrion,  where  the  French  were 
strong.  The  remaining  three  Squadrons  were  left  to  me  to 
advance  in  his  Rear  in  case  he  was  press' d  back,  Vivian 
having  gone  on  to  join  Kerrison.  The  Army  had  begun 
their  Retreat  the  night  before,  and  the  Cavalry  were  all 
Xmas  Day  occupied  in  pushing  on  Patroles  towards  the 
French  Posts  in  order  to  screen  our  operations  in  the  Rear  ; 
and  give  time  to  the  Infantry  to  get  away.  In  the  whole 
course  of  my  Life,  I  never  passed  so  unpleasant  a  day.  I 
turned  out  before  daybreak  and  remained  with  the  3 
Squadrons  on  the  Carrion  Road  till  eight  o'clock.  Vivian 
came  up  and  took  away  a  Party  of  20  to  join  Kerrison  with 
orders  for  me  to  advance  in  case  of  support  being  necessary. 
I  advanced  about  two  miles  and  halted  in  some  Brush 
Wood  according  to j^ Vivian's  order.     Here  I  waited  three 

1  "  One  would  imagine  oneself  in  Kamscatka.  ...  I  have  a  small  cart 
with  me  which  carries  everything  and  keeps  up  with  the  Regiment,  so  that 
I  have  all  my  things  about  me.  Vivian  and  myself  are  always  together, 
and  take  it  by  tuins  giving  feeds  to  which  we  usually  invite  2  or  3 
officers." 


346  APPENDIX 

hours,  and  then  got  orders  to  advance  again  and  support 
Kerrison,  whom  I  of  course  supposed  was  pressed  back. 
Having  proceeded  at  a  trot  for  two  Miles  I  got  orders  to 
halt  till  further  Orders.  I  was  then  told  that  poor  Kerrison 
with  only  three  others  in  gallantly  attacking  a  French  Picquet 
of  an  ofhcer  and  twelve  men,  had  his  Arm  broke  by  the  hilt 
of  the  officer's  Sword  who  had  made  a  thrust  at  him. 
The  Picquet  was  all  taken  with  the  exception  of  the  officer 
who  defended  himself  most  gallantly,  but  who  was  so  much 
cut  that  he  died  before  he  got  in  to  his  Post.  About  one 
o'clock  I  received  orders  to  march  into  Grajal,  where  I 
arrived  at  7  at  night,  having  been  exposed  for  thirteen 
hours  to  the  coldest  sleet  and  rain  I  ever  experienced.  I 
here,  having  been  thoroughly  wet  thro',  changed  my 
clothes,  being  the  first  opportunity  I  had  had  of  so  doing 
for  eleven  days  with  the  exception  of  my  boots  and 
Pelisse.  I  got  a  very  comfortable  warm  bed  and  at  six 
next  morning  proceeded  on  the  march  to  Valderas,  a  dis- 
tance of  between  seven  and  eight  leagues. 

"  On  our  march  and  approaching  Mayorga,  which  we  had 
to  pass,  we  heard  the  French  were  in  it  and  immediately 
went  in  pursuit  of  them.  Fortunately  for  the  loth  they 
were  in  front  of  the  Column  and  had  the  advantage  of 
attacking  them  about  100.  Leigh  with  a  Squadron  attacked 
and  dispersed  them,  taking  about  50  or  60  Prisoners.  We 
then  proceeded  on  our  March  and  reach' d  Valderas  at  7 
at  night,  raining  and  snowing  nearly  all  the  day.  The 
Baggage  was  not  arrived,  and  being  wet  I  was  obliged  to 
go  to  Bed  whilst  my  things  were  dr3dng,  and  Paget  was 
good  enough  to  send  me  something  to  eat.  The  French 
were  in  all  directions  and  every  body  on  the  alert.  We 
were  to  march  the  next  day  to  Benevente,  and  were  under 
great  apprehensions  lest  the  French  shd  cut  us  off  from 
the  Bridge  near  it,  for  it  was  certain  they  were  in  consider- 
able force  in  that  direction,  and  knowing  of  our  Retreat  were 
probably  disposed  to  harass  us  as  much  as  possible.  We 
however  passed  the  Bridge  on  the  27th,  leaving  it  occupied 
by  some  Infantry  and  Cavalry.  I  was  just  putting  my 
Squadron  into  their  Quarters  between  6  and  7  at  night, 
when,  having  marched  the  whole  day  and  on  the  point  of 
going  to  dine  with  Edward,  I  was  order' d  away  with  it 
towards  the  Bridge,  a  Report  having  come  in  that  our 
Picquets  there  had  been  forced  by  the  Enemy  and  required 


APPENDIX  347 

support.     I  had  nearly  got  to  the  Bridge,  when  to  my 
great  satisfaction  I  was  sent  back,  the  report  having  been 
very  much  exaggerated.     I  got  back  and  got  a  dinner  at 
Edward's,  had  a  good  night's  rest,  and  was  at  breakfast  in 
the  morning,  when  I  heard  a  great  uproar  in  the  Streets, 
People  running  in  all  directions — the  Inhabitants  crying 
and  in  dismay,  sa3dng  the  French  had  forced  the  Bridge 
and  were  at  the  Town's  End.     All  the  Troops  were  turning 
out.     I  was  not  dressed  and  all  my  Things  in  the  greatest 
confusion,  for  I  had  unpacked  every  thing  in  order  to  make 
some  alterations  in  the  disposition  of  my  Baggage.     In 
addition  to  this,  one  of  my  Mules  had  got  loose  the  day 
before  and  disappeared,  so  that  my  Cart  and  its  Contents 
were  in  all  probabiHty  destined  to  be  left  behind.     On 
getting  to  the  Alarm  Post  we  remained  exposed  for  about 
two  hours  to  the  heaviest  rain,  and  were  then  order' d  in. 
A  strong  French  Patrole  had  driven  in  our  Vedettes  on  the 
other  side  the  Bridge,  but  had  been  driven  back  by  our 
Picquets.     Still  this  was  magnified  into  the  French  entering 
the  Town,  and  I  never  expected  any  thing  more  fully  from 
the  Accounts  of  the  People  in  the  Streets  whom  I  spoke  to 
from  the  Window.     From  all  Accounts  the  French  have  a 
very  strong  force  marching  upon  us  and  our  Retreat  will 
be  difficult  and  hazardous  ;   as  they  will  harass  us  as  much 
as  possible.     Buonaparte  is  said  to  be  not  far  distant  with 
a  strong  force,  meaning  to  head  the  Army  himself.     We 
here  heard  that  an  officer  had  left  England  on  the  12th 
December,  who  said  that  all  the  Troops  that  had  embarked 
at  that  Time  had  received  orders  to  disembark.     These  with 
other  reasons   make  every  one  suppose  that    our  leaving 
Spain  is  decided  upon.     For  myself,  nothing  would  gratify 
me  so  much.     From  the  first  I  formed  a  bad  opinion  of  the 
Cause  of  Spain  and  every  day  I  was  more  and  more  con- 
vinced that  nothing  was  to  be  done  to  mend  the  matter. 
The  Spaniards  want  energy  and  there  is  no  one  who  excites 
them.     The  Marquis   de  la   Romana,   I   understand,   was 
invited  by  Sr  John  Moore  to  join  our  Army  in  an  Attack 
upon   Saldafia,   and  his   Answer,   after  being  very  much 
pressed,   was,  that  if  he  did  so,  he  must   afterwards  put 
up  his  Army,  which  was  not  more  than  6,000  Men,  into 
Winter  Quarters.     This  is  the  Spanish  Enthusiasm  so  much 
talked  of  in  England,  and  which  we  see  in  the  Enghsh 
Newspapers  so  much  boasted  of,  to  the  great  Entertainment 


348  APPENDIX 

of  us  in  Spain,  who  know  the  absurdity  of  the  Opera- 
tions by  woful  experience.  I  really  don't  believe  they  like 
the  French,  on  the  contrary  they  may  detest  them  ;  but 
they  take  no  means  to  avert  the  Blow  that  threatens  them. 
Their  Inactivity  and  Supineness  is  most  strikingly  evident 
and  most  amazing ;  and  the  universal  Sentiment  of  the 
Army  is  that  we  can  be  of  no  use  and  that  the  sooner  we  go 
home  the  better — and  I  really  do  beheve  that  an  Army 
never  enter' d  a  Country  more  unanimously  disposed  than 
ours  to  promote  the  Cause  and  use  every  exertion  to  accom- 
phsh  the  Object  in  view — but  never  was  an  Army  more 
disappointed,  or  more  sick  of  the  whole  Thing.  The  Cavalry 
from  the  Time  the  Army  began  to  advance  to  the  moment 
I  am  writing  have  never  had  a  moment's  rest.  Occupying 
the  Out  Posts,  marching  day  and  night,  patroling  all  over 
the  Country,  never  any  rest ;  and  this  is  a  season  of 
alternate  Rain,  Frost  and  Snow.  Our  Horses  saddled  all 
night,  and  every  body  ready  to  turn  out  at  a  moment's 
Notice,  has  been  the  order  of  the  Day.  In  short  nothing 
can  be  more  harassing  than  our  Duty,  and  we  have  still 
more  to  look  forward  to. 

"  On  the  29th  Deer,  at  eight  in  the  Morning  an  alarm 
was  given  that  the  French  were  advancing  towards  Bene- 
vente.  AU  was  hurry  and  confusion.  It  proved  that  a 
very  gallant  affair  had  taken  place  with  the  Cavalry.  The 
Bridge  of  Castro  Gonzalo  had  been  destroyed ;  the  French 
Cavalry  therefore,  consisting  of  500,  passed  a  ford  above 
the  Bridge.  The  Picquets  from  the  different  Cavahy  regi- 
ments, consisting  of  only  145  Men,  immediately  charged 
them  and  put  them  to  rout  after  some  desperate  hard 
fighting  and  very  severe  skirmishing.  The  French  crossed 
the  ford  again  and  by  this  Time  we  got  some  Guns  up, 
which  answered  them  with  ShrapneU  shells  tiU  they  retir'd 
into  a  Village  on  the  other  side.  General  Lefebvre  ^  was 
taken  prisoner,  and  said  the  Troops  we  had  beat  were  the 

1  "  A  French  officer  has  this  moment  entered  our  room  and  is  telling 
the  story  of  his  capture,  he  has  a  proper  cut  in  his  face,  but  says  it  is 
'  la  fortune  de  la  guerre.'  He  has  produced  a  certificate  from  some  officers 
of  the  79th  of  his  politeness  to  them  in  Egypt.  I  hope  he  will  say  the 
same  of  us,  for  we  are  cramming  him  with  Tea  and  Toast  which  he  pre- 
ferred to  anything  else.  All  the  people  here  turned  out  to  see  him  and 
would  willingly  have  put  liim  to  Death.  You  have  no  idea  of  the  Brutality 
of  the  Spaniards  and  their  Cowardice  at  the  same  time  .  .  .  they  seemed 
quite  otfended  at  our  attention  to  the  prisoners  and  were  probably  very 
much  surprised  we  did  not  murder  them."  ' 


APPENDIX  349 

Imperial  Guards,  which  till  that  morning  had  never  before 
been  beaten.  He  said  he  never  saw  such  fighting  and  that 
they  were  not  accustomed  to  such  resistance  and  deter- 
mination. The  loss  was  considerable  on  both  Sides.  It 
is  remarkable  that  of  21  Men  of  the  7th  who  composed 
part  of  the  Picquet,  seven  were  killed  or  died  of  their  wounds, 
and  fourteen  were  wounded.  We  had  four  7th  officers  of 
the  Party  who  were  not  touch' d.  Paget  came  up  immedi- 
ately after  the  first  Attack  of  the  Picquet,  and  after- 
wards directed  the  further  operations.  The  7th  were  left 
during  the  day  with  two  Guns  to  protect  the  Passage.  To- 
wards Evening  the  Enemy  were  on  the  move  towards  the 
ford,  and  were  assailed  with  some  Shrapnells  from  our 
Guns,  this  did  not  prevent  them  from  bringing  down  four 
Guns  against  us,  which  they  blazed  away  at  us  without 
eftect.  At  seven  in  the  evening  we  retired  from  the  ford, 
and  marched  all  night  till  we  arrived  early  in  the  morning 
at  La  Baneza.  I  had  then  been  24  hours  on  horseback 
with  a  very  scanty  share  of  Provender.  However,  at  La 
Baiieza  Paget  gave  me  a  good  Dinner,  and  the  next  Morning 
at  Daylight  we  reached  Astorga  having  as  usual  marched  at 
night.  We  here  found  Romana's  Army  on  its  flight.  I  was 
comfortably  sitting  down  to  Dinner  here  with  Stewart,  when 
an  alarm  was  given  that  the  Foe  had  driven  in  our  advanced 
Picquet.  As  usual  we  were  turned  out  at  seven  at  night 
and  at  twelve  marched  towards  Bembibre,  which  we  did  not 
reach  till  twelve  in  the  morning  having  passed  thro'  the 
Mountains  cover' d  with  Snow.  Such  a  miserable  night  it 
was  hardly  possible  to  conceive.  Snowing  most  part  of  the 
Time  and  the  cold  most  intense.  The  Road  blocked  up 
with  Infantry  Baggage  detain' d  us  more  than  an  hour  on 
the  very  summit  of  the  Mountain.  The  road  so  slippery 
that  our  horses  were  shpping  up  in  all  directions.  On  my 
arrival  at  Bembibre  I  had  the  mortification  to  learn  that 
the  Mule,  which  carried  my  Canteens  and  a  small  Port- 
manteau with  some  snuff.  Books,  Sponges,  &c.,  had  escaped 
from  my  Servant  and  was  irrecoverably  gone.  This  was 
not  my  first  disaster  in  that  way,  for  between  Valderas  and 
Benevente  one  of  the  Mules  escaped  from  my  Cart  and 
galloped  off.  At  Benevente  however  my  Muleteer  found 
unowned  two  Mules  which  he  laid  his  hands  upon,  these 
reached  Astorga,  but  had  no  sooner  so  done,  than  some  of 
the  German  Legion  came  into  the  Stable  and  turn'd  them 


350 


APPENDIX 


loose  to  make  Room  for  their  own  Horses.  In  this  dilemma 
I  had  come  to  the  resolution  of  destroying  the  Cart  and 
Baggage,  but,  fortunately,  my  Brother's  Muleteer  had  two 
spare  Mules  of  his  own,  which  he  lent  me.  I  was  also  at 
Astorga  obliged  to  shoot  a  Horse,  that  on  our  first  day's 
March  from  Coruha  I  had  been  obhged  to  leave  from  illness 
at  Betanzos.  It  reached  me  a  few  days  before  at  Bene- 
vente,  I  got  him  on  with  difficulty  to  Astorga,  from  whence 
it  was  impossible  to  remove  it. 

"  From  Bembibre  we  marched  to  Villa  Franca  leaving 
the  Reserve  in  our  front.  This  was  the  first  Time  we  had 
had  any  Infantry  in  our  Front,  for  we  had  protected  them 
in  the  open  Country  and  now  having  reached  the  Mountains 
we  changed  Places.  They  however  kept  some  Cavalry,  for 
we  were  in  great  request  and  I  believe  they  did  not  think 
themselves  safe  without  us.  We  had  borne  all  the  hard 
Work.  The  Infantry  slept  in  peace  whilst  we  protected 
them  in  front.  At  Villa  Franca  as  well  indeed  in  other 
places  during  the  Retreat  the  greatest  Enormities  had  been 
committed  by  our  Troops — plundering  in  the  most  outrageous 
degree.  It  was  necessary  to  endeavour  to  put  a  check  to 
it  and  an  unfortunate  fellow  of  the  7th  was  the  first  object, 
he  was  caught  in  the  act  of  Plunder  with  several  others, 
who  drew  lots  for  their  Life.  He  was  shot  in  presence  of 
the  Troops  then  in  Villa  Franca.  The  sight  was  distressing, 
and  notwithstanding  the  absolute  necessity  of  making  an 
Example  one  could  not  but  feel  extreme  compassion  for  the 
unfortunate  Creature. 

"  Just  as  we  left  Villa  Franca  in  the  afternoon  of  the 
3rd  January,  the  French  advanced  towards  Casabellos,  a 
Village  to  our  front.  We  were  to  have  halted  at  night  at 
Herrircas,  and  had  reached  it,  when  we  were  order'd  to  push 
on  to  Nogales  near  eight  leagues,  as  the  Enemy  were  in  such 
force  as  to  oblige  us  to  abandon  Villa  Franca,  every  thing 
there  that  could  not  be  brought  away  having  been  destroyed. 
The  French  it  was  understood  during  their  March  had 
destroyed  many  of  our  stragglers,  others  they  made  prisoners, 
of  which  I  shd  imagine  there  were  many.  I  could  not  have 
conceived  so  bad  a  march  as  our  Army  made.  The  Roads 
cover'd  with  Baggage  and  Sick,  all  or  most  of  which  would 
probably  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  French.  We  reached 
Nogales  between  eleven  and  twelve  at  night  after  a  most 
severe  march.    Horses  dropping  down  dead  from  fatigue. 


APPENDIX  351 

others  obliged  to  be  shot  from  their  inability  to  proceed 
for  want  of  shoes.  A  mountain  we  had  to  pass  covered  with 
Snow,  and  on  it  quantities  of  Carts  loaded  with  Sick,  Women 
and  Children.  The  night  piercing  cold  and  the  poor 
Creatures  crying  from  its  effects.  Several  were  lying  dead 
from  the  severe  cold.  I  got  into  a  Manger  at  Nogales  and 
got  three  or  four  hours'  Sleep  whilst  our  Horses  were  getting 
some  rest  and  food — Cover  they  had  none,  and  at  six  in 
the  Morning  we  marched  for  Lugo  which  we  reached  in  the 
Evening  of  the  4th  January,  having  marched  between 
sixty  and  seventy  miles  in  twenty-four  hours,  stopping  only 
a  few  hours  at  Nogales.  Such  fatigue  I  never  underwent — 
and  indeed  for  several  days  suffered  much  for  want  of  food. 
My  Canteens  were  gone  and  I  had  nothing  but  what  I 
could  pick  up  from  my  friends,  whom  I  was  scrupulous  of 
calling  upon  as  they  were  not  much  better  off  than  myself. 
We  had  march' d  thro'  a  mountainous  country  exhausted  by 
a  large  Army  having  preceded  us,  so  nothing  was  to  be 
bought.  I  shd  have  gone  to  Bed  at  Lugo,  not  having  eat 
more  than  six  ounces  for  about  twenty-four  hours,  had  I 
not  found  in  the  Quarters  allotted  for  me  two  or  three 
officers,  who  took  compassion  on  me  and  gave  me  some 
excellent  Eggs  and  Bacon ;  I  never  made  a  more  hearty 
meal  or  enjoyed  one  more.  Independent  of  these  hardships 
and  privations  I  had  for  above  a  week  been  suffering  most 
dreadfully  from  the  Rheumatism — occasion' d  no  doubt  by 
our  night  marches  and  fatigues  in  such  very  inclement 
and  severe  weather.  Those  who  had  served  the  Campaigns 
in  Flanders  say,  that  the  privations,  hardships,  and  fatigues 
and  bad  weather  were  not  at  all  equal  to  what  the  Troops 
have  suffer'd  in  Spain.  The  French  always  close  at  our 
Heels  and  the  troops  never  having  a  day's  rest.  I  speak 
principally  of  the  Cavalry,  I  am  now  writing  at  Lugo,  and 
in  thirty- three  days  we  have  march' d  near  seven  hundred 
miles,  with  only  eight  halting  days,  besides  this,  all  the 
fatigues  and  duties  of  the  Advanced  Posts,  which  we  always 
occupied,  till  we  arriv'd  at  Villa  Franca.  Here  indeed  tho' 
in  a  Country  where  cavalry  must  be  in  the  way  of  Infantry 
— I  really  beheve  it  was  with  reluctance  that  we  were 
suffer'd  to  pass  thro'  the  Infantry,  who  however  kept 
some  to  take  care  of  them.  At  Villa  Franca  Paget  met  with 
a  most  serious  and  irreparable  loss.  His  Stable  caught 
fire  in  the  night  and  Elphi  Bey,  Harlequin,  and  a  French 

24 


352  APPENDIX 

Horse  taken  by  the  15th  at  Sahagun  and  presented  by  them 
to  him,  were  suffocated.  At  Lugo  we  never  had  a  quiet 
moment,  the  French  were  at  our  Heels,  and  we  occupied 
a  Position  in  front  of  it.  Reports  were  continually  brought 
in  that  the  Enemy  had  forced  our  Posts  and  were  advancing 
to  the  Town. 

"  On  the  morning  of  the  8  th  January  at  daybreak  the 
whole  Army  were  drawn  out  and  an  attack  on  the  French 
determined  upon.  However  the  day  passed  without  the 
intended  attack,  and  at  night  the  Army  retired.  We  had 
the  Rear  Guard  and  did  not  leave  the  Advanced  Posts 
till  near  five  in  the  morning.  We  had  been  the  whole 
day  without  Cover  and  exposed  to  Rain,  and  the  march 
at  night  was  the  most  uncomfortable  that  could  be  imagined. 
Our  whole  occupation  was  in  forcing  along  the  Stragglers, 
which  I  am  confident  amounted  to  above  two  thousand. 
We  had  to  pass  a  Bridge  over  the  Minho,  a  very  rapid  river, 
and  from  the  Rains  render' d  not  fordable.  It  was  of  conse- 
quence to  blow  it  up  to  impede  the  Pursuit  of  the  Enemy. 
Preparations  were  accordingly  made  but  hke  all  others  of 
the  same  nature  failed,  for  the  French  Cavalry  passed  the 
Bridge  half  an  hour  after  we  had  attempted  to  blow  it  up. 
It  is  impossible  to  conceive  any  thing  so  ridiculous  as  the 
attempts  made  at  blowing  up  Bridges,  &c.  &c.  We  had 
passed  thro'  a  Country  that  by  common  precautions  might 
have  offered  insurmountable  obstacles  to  a  pursuing  Enemy, 
if  we  had  taken  advantage  of  the  means  in  our  Power.  If 
the  mountains  had  been  searched  no  Cavahy  or  Artillery 
could  possibly  have  passed  for  many  days,  and  thereby  our 
Retreat  not  harassed  as  it  was.  But  the  means  were  neg- 
lected and  we  ran  away  with  the  French  at  our  Heels  at 
every  step.  From  Lugo  the  Army  reached  Bamonde  at 
one  in  the  afternoon  having  march' d  at  night,  and  having 
halted  a  few  hours,  at  seven  in  the  Evening  the  whole  Army 
began  its  march  towards  Corufia.  Such  a  march  I  suppose 
never  was  made.  I  never  witness' d  such  scenes  of 
distress  and  misery.  The  Men  absolutely  worn  down  with 
fatigue — many  without  a  Shoe  to  their  feet  and  suffering 
besides  from  hunger.  These  objects  excited  one's  Com- 
passion, as  weU  they  might,  many  lay  down  in  the  Road 
and  there  died.  Hundreds  however  of  stragglers  excited 
very  difierent  sensations,  as  they  remained  behind  for  the 
avowed  purpose  of  Plimder.    The  trouble  we  had  to  clear 


APPENDIX  353 

Villages  and  houses  of  these  Scoundrels  was  not  to  be  told. 
We  told  them  they  would  all  be  taken,  but  they  were  totally 
regardless  of  our  admonitions  and  Threats.  Many  lay  in 
the  farm  yards  so  exhausted  that  it  was  out  of  our  Power 
to  remove  them  and  they  of  course  fell  into  the  Enemy's 
hands.  From  having  formed  the  Rear  Guard  the  whole 
Way,  I  had  particular  opportunities  of  witnessing  these 
Scenes  of  Misery  and  Confusion. 

"  In  the  night  I  passed  the  whole  Army  on  its  march,  in 
order  to  make  my  Way  to  Coruna  by  Vivian's  Order  to 
seek  out  for  Quarters  for  the  Remains  of  our  Regiment,  and 
I  arrived  at  Coruiia  on  the  loth,  and  had  the  mortification 
of  seeing  that  there  were  no  means  of  embarking  the  Army, 
the  Transports  not  having  come  round  from  Vigo.  I  was 
really  rejoiced  at  getting  back  to  Coruna,  notwithstanding 
the  extreme  critical  situation  in  which  the  Army  was 
placed,  the  Enemy  in  force  having  obliged  us  to  fall  back 
to  within  two  miles  of  Coruiia  and  not  a  ship  to  put  a  Man 
on  board.  On  the  13th  we  received  an  order  to  embark  a 
portion  of  the  7  th  in  a  few  transports  that  were  in  the 
harbour,  and  as  our  Regiment  could  not  now  muster  more 
than  one  hundred  and  thirty  horses — the  transports  were 
nearly  sufficient  for  the  whole.  However  on  the  14th 
without  waiting  the  complete  embarkation  of  the  Regiment, 
I  went  on  board  the  Anne,  hired  Armed  Brig,  with  B.  Gen. 
Stewart,  who  was  bound  with  Dispatches  to  England, 
Paget  very  kindly  having  suggested  to  me  the  Plan,  which 
I  was  eager  enough  to  embrace.  We  had  not  been  many 
hours  out  of  Coruna  harbour,  when  we  had  the  gratification 
of  seeing  the  whole  fleet  of  transports  &c.  &c.  from  Vigo 
steering  for  Coruna,  which  we  were  told  they  would  certainly 
reach  at  night."  .  .  . 

"  To  my  infinite  Joy  arrived  in  London  on  the  Morng  of 
the  2ist  Jany.  1809." 


THE   END 


INDEX 


Aboyne,  Geo.,  5th  Earl  of,  316 
Adair,  Sir  Roljert,  202,  243,  246  and 

note. 
Addenbrooke,  Col.,  116  and  note  ; 

160,  232-4,  236-8 
Addington,     Right    Hon.     Henry, 
M.P.,  "  the  Doctor,"  22,  28,  247 
Adolphus,  H.R.H.,  Duke  of  Cam- 
bridge, 48,  216 
Ainslie,  Dr.,  189 

Althorpe,  Chas.  John,  Viscount,  315 
Alvanley,  Richd.,  ist  Lord,  20 
Alvanley,  Wm.,  2nd  Lord,  217,  219, 

311-12 
Amelia,  H.R.H.  Princess,  18 
Andover,  Viscount  and  Viscountess, 

10 
Anglesey,    Charlotte,    Marchioness 
of,  xiii ;   "My  Lady,"  292;    see 
also  Lady  Paget  and  Countess  of 
Uxbridge. 
Anglesey,      Field-Marshal      Henry 
William,     ist    Marquis    of,    xii, 
xiii;      "your     brother,"     285 
"  Paget,"     289 ;      292,     295-6 
at  Plas  Newydd,  298  ;   304,  306, 
324—7,    330-7  ;     see    also    Lord 
Paget  and  Earl  of  Uxbridge. 
Arbuthnot,  Charles,  246,  319 
Argyll,  Caroline,   Duchess  of,   169, 
172-3,     177,     194.     207,     "  Her 
Grace,"   227  ;     241-2,    289,    296 
note. 
Argyll,  Geo.  Wm.,  6th  Duke  of,  x  ; 
87,    88,    103,    107-8,    169,    172, 
194,  207,  223-4,  241-2,  289,  311 
Arrnfeldt,  G.  M.,  Baron  von,  46 
Armstrong,  Major  and  Mrs.,  20,  215 
Augusta,  H.R.H.  Princess,  182  note 
Augustus  Frederick,  H.R.H.,  Duke 

of  Sussex,  27 
Austria,  Archduke  Charles  of,  5 1 
Austria,  the  Archdukes  of,  284-5, 

287 
Austria,  Francis,  Emperor  of,  52  ; 

"  the  Emperor,"  178  ;  299 
Aylmer,  Adm.,  225,  and  note. 


Baillie,  Dr.,  189 

Baird,  Gen.  Sir  David,  70,  94  note  ; 

339 

Barosa,  battle  of,  158  note  ;    159 

Barry,  Capt.,  76 

Basque  Roads,  action  in,  114 

Bath,  Order  of  the,  268,  273 

Bath,  Thomas,  2nd  Marqviis  of,  41 

Bathurst,  B.,  M.P.,  263 

Bathurst,  Henry,  3rd  Earl,  269,  316 

Battine,  Mr.,  147,  184 

Bayly,  Capt.,  153,  340 

Bayly,  Caroline,  Lady,  vii 

Bayly,  Sir  Edward,  viii 

Bayly,  Henry,  see  Paget. 

Bayly,  Sir  Nicholas,  vii-viii 

Bayly,  Paget,  27 

Bayonne  Islands,  no 

Beardmore,  Mr.,  118,  266,  272 

Beau  Desert,  vii,  xii,  xiii  ;  the  King 
intends  visiting,  36  ;  shooting  at, 
39,  151,  164,  211  ;  107  ;  "  sur- 
render of,"  218  ;  252  ;  "  B.  D.," 
269  ;  the  Regent's  visit  to,  285  ; 
293  ;  great  clock  at,  294  ;  closed, 
332  and  note. 

Becket,  Mr.,  317 

Beckford,  Horace,  158,  202 

Beckford,  Peter,  155 

Beckwith,  Gen.  Sir  G.,  306 

Bedford,  Georgiana,  Duchess  of, 
"the  Duchess,"  112  ;  139,  161,  197 

Bedford,  John,  6th  Duke  of,  112, 
161,  176,  188,  195.  197.  206.  310, 

313 
Bellingham,  142 
Belluno,  Marshal,  159 
"  Ben,"  see  George,  Prince  of  Wales. 
Benevente,  combat  at,  105-6,  346, 

348 
Pentinck,  Admiral,  229,  234,  243 
Bentinck,  Lady  Charles,  233 
Bentinck,  Lord  Charles,  41,  233 
Bentinck,  Lady  Frances,  229 
Bentinck,  Lord  Frederick,  121,  202, 

250-1 
Bentinck,  Lady  Mary,  3 1 


335 


356 


INDEX 


Bentinck,    Major- Gen.    Lord   Wm, 

Cavendish,  128  vote,  149.  216 
Beresford,  Marshal  Sir  William,  232 
Berkeley  cause,  185,  191,  193 
Berkeley,  Earl  of,  177 
Berkeley,    Elizabeth,    Countess   of, 

191  and  vote. 
Bertie,  Lady  Charlotte,  see  Countess 

of  Cholmondeley. 
Bertrand,  Gen.,  274 
Betty,  Master,  26 
Bishops  Court,  113,  215,  289 
Blackwood,  Capt.,  R.N.,  257 
Blake,  Gen.,  342 
Blandford,  Susan,  Marchioness  of, 

213  and  vote. 
Bloomfield,  Sir  Benjamin,  84  vote  ; 

183 
Bonaparte,  Napoleon,  46,  99,  102, 

114,  124,  252  ;    at  Elba,  274-5; 

281,  347 
Borghese,  Princess  Pauline,  275 
Boringdon,  Lord,  40 
Borrowes,  Sir  Erasmus  and  Lady, 

157,  note. 
Boston,  Wm.,  ist  Lord,  vii 
Boyle,  Miss,  see  Lady  Henry  Fitz- 

Gerald. 
Bridges,  Sir  Egerton,  158 
Brighton, 'f6te  at  the  Pavilion,  14; 

85,  289 
Brooks'  Club,  62,  177,  315 
Brougham,     Henry,     M.P.     (Lord 

Brougham),  315,  335 
Browne,  Catherine,  167-8,  175 
Browne,  Dominick,  167-8,  175 
Bruhl,  Countess  de,  188 
Brummel!,    George,    15    and   note  ; 

his  "  dehghtful  house,"  34;  85, 

127,    194-5  ;    "  t^^    Brummell," 

211  ;    "  Count  Brummell,"  217; 

219;     at   Calais,   293-4,    300-1; 

subscriptions  for,  311  and  note, 

312,  314 
Brympton,  115 
Buckingham,  George,  ist  Marquis 

of,  294  and  note. 
Buckingham  House,  116  vote. 
Bucknall,  Hon.  Mrs.,  204  and  vote. 
Bucknall,  Hon.  William,  xi 
Bulkeley,  7th  Viscount,  61  and  woitf. 
Burdett,    Sir    Francis,    M.P.,    142, 

t88,  197,  241  and  note,  253,  324 
Burghersh,    Priscilla,    Lady,    262, 

299 
Burghersh,  Lord,  153,  175, 185,  270, 

275-6 
Bute,  Marchioness  of.  98 
Byng,  Hon.  George  Stevens,  337 


Calder,  Adm.  Sir  Robert,  39 
Cambridge,  see  H.R.H.  Adolphus, 

Duke  of. 
Campbell,  Lady  Frederick,  67 
Campbell,  Col.  Sir  Neil,  275 
Canning,  Right  Hon.  George,  M.P., 

64,  143,  315-20 
Canning,  Miss,  310 
Cannock  Chase,  252  and  note. 
Capel,  Hon.  Algernon,  175  note. 
Capel,  Lady  Caroline,  xi ;     "  Lady 

Caroline,"  3,  6,  33,  44,  190,  194, 

261,  264,  299,  303 
Capel,  Harriet,  194 
Capel,  Hon.  John  Thos.,  xi,  5,  6  ; 

debts    of,     18;    190,     198,    261  ; 

"  poor  Capel,"    301  ;    death    of, 

303 
Capel,  Maria,  301 
Cardigan,  Jas.,  Earl  of,  5 
Carey,  Mrs.,  219  and  vote. 
Carlisle,  Fredk.,  5th  Earl  of,  319 
Carlos,  Don,  of  Spain,  333 
Carlton  House,  144,  177  ;    fSte  at, 

194-6,  198-9;  265,  298 
Caroline,  H.R.H.,  Princess  of  Wales, 

xiii  ;    84,  112-13  note;   201,  263, 

340 
Cashiobury,  3 
Castlereagh,  Robert,  Viscount,  129, 

264,  298 

Cathcart,  Lieut. -Gen.  William,  ist 

Earl,  53,  68,  69,  70 
Catholic   Emancipation,    32 ;    lost, 

34;  61,  314,  318-9,  335 
Cervetto,  Mr.,  67,  119 
Champagne,  Gen.  Forbes,  264 
Champagne,    Rev.    George,    "  my 

good  uncle,"  30  and  vote  ;    his 

candlestick,  108  ;  his  indigestion, 

113 
Champagne,  Jane,  see  Countess  of 

Uxbridge. 
Champagn6,    Josias   de   Robillard, 

ix  vote. 
Champagne,  Gen.  Josias,  118 
Charlotte,    H.M,    Queen,     ix,     18, 

265,  289,  298  and  note. 
Charlotte,    H.R.H.    Princess,    144, 

265,  289  vote. 

Chatham,  Gen.  John,  2nd  Earl  of, 
128,  285 

Cheshire,  Dr.,  147,  175 

Chester,  Mr.  ("  Chig  "),  127,  217 

Cheveley  Park,  217,  219 

Chichester,  Geo.  Augustus,  Vis- 
count, 6 

Chilver,  Dr.,  296 

Chimay,  Princesse  de,  305 


INDEX 


357 


Cholmondeley,  George,  4th  Earl  of, 

4,  IQ5  and  vote,  106,  302 
Cholrnondeley,  Georgiana  Charlotte, 

Coimtpss  of,  4 
Cintra,  Convention  of,  90  note, 
Clanricarde,  Marqins  of,  310 
Clanwilliam  family,  t66 
Clarke,  Mary  Anne,  136  and  note. 
Cline,  Dr.,  147 
Close  family,  i  ^iy 
Cobbett,  William,  38,  107 
Cochrane,  Lord.  114  and  note. 
Coke,   Thos.  William,   10,   108  and 

note. 
Coleman,  General,  232  and  note,  235 
Coleman,  "  old,"  232,  237 
Collingwood,     Adm.     Lord,     "  old 

Coly,"7i,  8t 
Colvear,  "  voung,"  302 
Compton,  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  272,  276 
Congreve,  Col.,  144,  183 
Convngham,  Marchioness,  149  note. 
Coolhnrst,  33  and  note,  133 
Cope,  Miss,  5  and  note. 
Copenhagen,  bombardment  of,  69 
Cornwallis,  Charles,  ist  Marquis,  29 
Coriinna,  94  note,  109,  no,  117,  340, 

353 
Cotton,  Sir  Charles,  70 
Cowes  Castle,  332  and  note. 
Cowesfield,  2^6  and  note. 
Cranborne    Chase,    130,    133,    145 

and  note,  156 
Cumberland,    see   H.R.H.    Ernest, 

Duke  of. 

Dartmouth,  Wm.,  2nd  Earl  of,  27 

Delme,  Mr.,  240 

Demerara,  306  note. 

D'Escar,  Due,  305 

Don.  Gen.,  42,  53,  124 

Donkin,  Roljert,  149 

Dorset,  Geo.,  4th  Duke  of,  278 

Dorset,  Charles,  5th  Duke  of,  279 

and  note. 
Douro,  passage  of  the,   116  note  ; 

129 
Duckworth,  Sir  John,  80 
Duncannon,   '^ohn  Wm.,  Viscount, 

31  e,  31S  and  note. 
Duncannon,     Maria,     Viscountess, 

115  note.  187,  333  and  note. 
Durham,   ]dhn  Geo.,   ist  Earl  of, 

335  and  note. 

Ebrington.  Lord,  20T 

Edward,  H.R.H.,    Duke    of    Kent, 

238  and  note. 
Elba,  island  of,  274-5 


Eldon,  ist  Earl  of,  "  the  Chan- 
cellor," T82  ;  "  the  C— r,"  184 

Elysee,  Pdre,  164  note. 

Encombe,  182,  184 

Enniskillen,  Charlotte,  Countess  of, 
xii  ;   46;   "  Charlotte,"  217,  259 

Enniskillen,  John,  2nd  Earl  of, 
xii,  40,  2TI-I2,  214,  217,  259,  285 

Ernest,  H.R.H.,  Duke  of  Cumber- 
land, attack  on,  133,  135,  143, 
•  171,  250 

Erskine.  Col.  James  (afterwards 
Gen.  Sir  James),  xi,  13,  19  ;  in 
Spain,  115 

Erskine,  Lady  Louisa,  xi  ;  "  con- 
demned to  the  country,"  13  ; 
in  Ireland,  19  :  and  "  little  Lou," 
32  ;  and  Sir  R.  Calder,  39  ;  "  in 
a  rage,"  43  ;    on  Nelson,  50 

Erskine,  Gen.  Sir  William,  115,  258 
and  note,  259 

Essex,  Countess  of,  18,  303  and  note. 

Esterhazy,  Princess  Leopoldine,  55 
and  note,  no  note. 

Esterhazy,  Prince  Paul,  25,  166,  287 

Esterhazy,  "  old  Prince,"  299 

Evans  family,  60 

Fair  Oak,  88,  165 

Fagniani,  Miss,  5  and  note. 

Fane,  Gen.,  175,  202-3 

Fane,   Lady  Georgiana,   115    note, 

317 
Fane,  Ladv  Mana,  115  note. 
Farquhar,  Sir  Walter, ""  Sir  Walter," 

38,  175 
Ferrol,  75,  117 
Fetherstone,    Sir  Harry,    161,    162 

note,  171,  176,  195,205-8,219-21, 

239.  290,  295,  304-5.  321 ;   "  Sir 

Harry,"  337 
Finch,  Gen..  53 

FitzGerald,  Lord  Edward  ;  4  note,  5. 
FitzGerald,    Lady  Henry;    xnoie, 

3.  7 
FitzGerald,   Lord  Henry ;    i    note, 

2-3  4.  7 
Fitzherbert,    Mrs.,    196    and    note, 

207  note,  239-40 
Fitzwilliam,  Richard,  7th  Viscount, 

288  and  note. 
Florence,  275,  299 
Florence  Court,  46,  217 
Forbes  familv,  ix,  note. 
Fox,  Right  Hon.  C.  J.,  M.P.,  2,  56 

note,  325 
France.'Lonis  XVTTI  of,  304 
Frederica,  H.R.H., Duchess  of  York, 

15,  86,  122  note. 


358 


INDEX 


Frederick,  H.R.H.,  Duke  of  York, 
journey  to  Germany,  5  ;  recon- 
ciled to  Prince  of  Wales,  17  ; 
"the  Duke,"  94,  115;  resigns 
command-in-cliief,  136  note; 
157,  183  and  note  ;  his  reinstate- 
ment, 189,  210  ;  "  D[uke],"  211  ; 
size  of,  217;  273,  339 

Frogmore,  fete  at,  33 

Galloway,  Geo.,  8th  Earl  of,  xi  ; 
"  Garlics,"  "in  the  Squadron," 
26 ;  28  ;  a  Lord  of  the  Admiralty, 
32,  38  ;  political  opinions,  131-2, 
140-2, 156,  182,  185,  193  ;  "  Gar- 
lies,"  205  ;  212-13,  285-7,  333 

Galloway,  Jane,  Countess  of,  xi ; 
"Jane,"  34;  56,  185,  205; 
"  Jane,"  333 

Galloway  House,  213-14 

Gambler,  Adm.  Lord,  70,  100  and 
note  ;    114  note  ;    126,  128 

Gardner,  Adm.  Lord,  73 

Garlics,  Lord,  see  Earl  of  Galloway. 

Garter,  Chapter  of  the,  32  note,  317 

Garthshore,  William,  M.P.,  12-13 

George  III.,  King,  ix ;  health 
mending,  17,  18,  20  ;  "  state  of," 
23  ;  reconciled  to  Prince  of  Wales 
27  note  •  "  comfortable  account 
of,"  28  ;  "  wonderfuUy  well," 
30  ;  intends  visiting  Beau  Desert, 
36  ;  "  in  prodigious  force,"  39  ; 
"  old  Nobbs,"  41  ;  "  eyes  not 
better,"  48  ;  "  eyes  better," 
53  ;  and  Lord  Grenville,  61  ; 
praises  Edward  Paget,  116  ;  in 
a  declining  way,  149  ;  "  mad," 
173  and  note  ;  "  the  K — g,"  177  ; 
"  not  so  well,"  182  and  note  ; 
185,  189,  193  ;  his  death  ex- 
pected, 201,  207  ;  "  our  beloved 
King,"  274 

George,  H.R.H.,  Prince  of  Wales, 
afterwards  Prince-Regent,  and 
King  George  IV.  ;  illness  at 
Brighton,  14  ;  reconciliation  with 
Dukeof  York,  17  ;  with  the  King 
27  ;  dines  at  IJxbridge  House, 
32  ;  attends  reviews,  39  ;  at 
Weymouth,  41  ;  Berkeley  Paget 
on,  84  ;  his  speech  at  the  Pavi- 
lion, 85  ;  116  note  ;  suicide  of  one 
of  his  servants,  119;  at  Oat- 
lands,  122  ;  conference  with 
Lord  Paget,  133,  135  ;  "  holds 
forth,"  143-4  ;  his  saying  about 
Lord  Wellesley,  143  note  ;  Lord 
Yarmouth  a  favourite,  149;  157, 


171,  177  ;  "  very  great,"  178-9, 
182,  183  ;  on  Lord  Paget,  188- 
9  ;  "  He,"  190,  192  ;  his  fete, 
195-9 ;  his  wig,  199  ;  "  the 
R — t,"  206,  207,  210  ;  his  shoot- 
ing, 211,  217;  at  York  House, 
229  ;  "  whimsical,"  222,  230-1  ; 
235-6  ;  his  tale  of  Sir  H.  Fether- 
stone,  239  ;  "  Charles  XII  de 
Paix,"  241  ;  and  his  "  old 
friends,"  242  ;  his  conduct,  247  ; 
and  Mr.  Hayter,  250 ;  and 
Princess  of  Wales,  263  ;  presents 
Lady  Caroline  Paget  to  the  Queen 
264 ;  268  ;  at  Beau  Desert,  285 ; 
gives  gold  cup  to  Charles  Paget, 
297;  and  Lady  Graves,  298; 
305  ;  and  Canning,  315  ;  and 
Catholic  Emancipation,  317 ; 
"  obtains  an  ascendancy,"  321  ; 
"  our IVth  ;   323 

Gladstone,  Dr.,  296 

Gloucester,  Prince  William  of,  see 
William  Frederick,  H.R.H.  Prince 

Goderich,  Frederick,  ist  Viscount, 
"  Goody,"  321  and  note. 

Goodwood,  320 

Gordon,  Jane,  Duchess  of,  2  and 
note,  3 

Gordon,  Mr.,  238 

Graham,  Gen.  Sir  Thomas,  158  and 
note,  200 

Granard,  George  5th  Earl  of,  ix 
note. 

Grantham,  Thomas,  2nd  Lord,  31 

Granville,  ist  Earl,  325-7 

Grassalkovitch,  Tiny,  299 

Grassini,  Mile.,  266 

Grattan,  Henry,  M.P.,  34 

Graves,  Adm.,  179 

Graves,  Mary,  Lady,  xii ;  her  pic- 
ture, 21  ;  birth  of  a  daughter, 
53;  III,  113;  144;  "Mary," 
205,  285,  289  ;  and  the  Regent, 
298 

Graves,  Thomas,  2nd  Lord,  xii  ; 
"  a  treat,"  38;  iii  ;  at  Plas 
Newydd,  118-19,  144;  "little 
Graves,"  173  ;  on  farming,  179- 
81,  194  ;  at  the  Regent's  fete, 
195 ;  "  mon  petit  Graves," 
199  ;  "  very  great,"  205,  208-9, 
245;  "the fat  man,"  249;  263-4, 
285,  289  and  note  ;  291-2,  301-4, 

312-13 
Grenville,  Wm.,  Lord,  57,  61,  143 
Grenville,  Right  Hon.  Thomas,  59, 

60 
GreviUe,  Charles,  6,  41 


INDEX 


359 


Greville,  Lady  Charlotte,  41 

Grey,  Charles,  2nd  Earl,  143,  316, 

317,  318,  322-4. 
Grimston,     Hon.     Charlotte     and 

Harriet,  212  note. 
Grimston,  Sophia,  see  Paget. 
Gwydyr,  Peter,  ist  Lord,  302,  312 

Half  or  d.  Sir  Henry,  189 
Hamble  Cliff,  327 
Hamilton,  Sir  Charles,  128 
Hamilton,  Emma,  Lady,  162  note. 
Harborough,  Robt.,  6th  Earl  of,  310 
Harcourt,  Wm.,  3rd  Earl,  200 
Hardenberg,  Count,  287 
Hardwicke,  Philip,  3rd  Earl  of,  294 
Harrington,  Gen.  Charles,  3rd  Earl 

of,  233 
Harris,   Lady  Catherine,    17   note ; 

18,  20,  21 
Harvey,  Adm.,  128 
Hastings,  Warren,  trial  of,  2 
Hatfield,  3 
Hawkesbury,    Robert,    Lord,    22  ; 

see  also  Earl  of  Liverpool. 
Hayter.John,  249-50 
Herbert,  Hon.  Sidney,  288 
Hertford,  Isabella,  Marchioness  of, 

i^gnote,  194 
Hertford,  Francis  Chas.,  3rd  Mar- 
quis of,  5  note,  334  and  note. 
Holkham,  10,  107-8 
Holland,  Elizabeth,  Lady,  10,  310 

and  note,  340 
Holland,  Hemy,  3rd  Lord,  10,  310, 

326,  329,  331,  340 
Holland,  WilUam  I,  King  of,  333 
Hope,  Gen.  Sir  John,  200,  238 
Hopetoun,  John,  4th  Earl  of,  294 
Hoste,  Sir  William,  313-14 
Houghton,  107 

Howe,  Baroness,  255  and  note. 
Howe,    Hon.    Mrs.,    233,    237    and 

note,  239 
Howe,  Gen.  Lord,  200 
Howick,  Charles,  Lord,  57,  64,  see 

also  Earl  Grey. 
Hugonin,  Gen.,  219 
Hunt,  "  Orator,"  298  and  note. 

lUingworth,  Rev.  G.,  149,  228,  248, 
252,  270-3,  279-80,  289,  290  note, 
292 

Ireland,  question  of  the  Union,  13, 
238,  316,  330,  336-7 

Jackson,  Cyril,  235  note. 

Jackson,  Mx.,  71 

Jackson,  William,  235  and  note. 


Jersey,  Frances,  Countess  of,  iii, 
112,  113  note,  152 

Jersey,  George  Child,  5th  Earl  of, 
184,  187,  217,  310,  317,  320-3 

Jersey,  Sarah  Sophia  Child,  Coun- 
tess of,  186,  264,  309,  314-20 

Junot,  General  Andoche,  71,  87 

Keith,      Adm.      Viscount,      "  old 

Keith,"  255 
Kemble,  John,  16 
Kerrison,  Col.,  106,  345-6 
King,  Sir  Richard,  77,  78 
Kinski,  Christine,  278 
Knighton,    Sir    William,    315    and 

note. 

Lake,  Warwick,  121,  251 
Lambton,  William  Henry,  5 
Lansdowne,  Henry,  3rd  Marqtds  of, 
314  and  note,  316,  322  and  note, 

323 
Lauderdale,  Jas.,  8th  Earl  of,  282 
Leckie,  Mr.,  148,  222 
Lefebvre,  Gen.,  348 
Lefevre  family,  238 
Legge,  Hon.  and  Rev.  E.,  233 
Leigh,  Col.  George,  121,  216,  250-1, 

279,  346 
Leigh,    Hon.    Mrs.,    234,    251    and 

note,  279 
Leon,  Bishop  of,  344-5 
Leopold,   H.R.H.  Prince,  289  and 

note. 
Leveson-Gower,  Lady  Charlotte,  4 

and  note. 
Levesons,  the  Lady,  3 
Lichtenstein,  Maurice,  299 
Li  even.  Count  and  Countess,  263 
Liverpool,  Robert,  2nd  Earl  of,  308 
Londonderry,    Chas.,    3rd   Marquis 

of,  318 
Long,  Miss  Tylney,  222  and  note. 
Lome,  Marquis  of,  5,  6,  17  and  note, 

see  also  Duke  of  Argyll 
"  Louisa,  little,"  20,  24  note,  32 
Lowther,  Lord,  316 
Lucan,  Richard,  2nd  Earl  of,  276-7 

Mack,  Gen.,  46  and  note,  50-1 
McMahon,   Sir  J.,  letter  from,    14 

and  note. 
Malmesbury,  Jas.,  ist  Earl  of,  18 
Manners,  Lord  Chas.,  177 
Manton,  Joseph,  240 
March,  Chas.,  Earl  of,  296  and  note  ', 

see  also  Duke  of  Richmond. 
Mary,  H.R.H.  Princess,  30,  48,  49 
Maryborough,  Lord  and  Lady,  320 


3^0 


INDEX 


Mass^na,  Marshal  Andr(&,  159,  184 
Maynard,  Chas.  Viscount,  160  note. 
Mee,  Mrs.,  -zr 
Melville,   Henry,    ist  Viscount,   30 

and  note  ;  34.  I3i.  I40, 141-2,  186 
Melville,  Robert,  2nd  Viscount,  141, 

103 
Methiey,  o 

Methuen,  Mr..  M.P.,  263 
MexborouRh,  Eliz.,  Countess  of,  5  ; 

"  the  little  Countess,"  8,  lo-ii  ; 

"  the  little  luminary,"  12 
Mexborough,  Sarah,  Countess  of,  10 
Mieuel,  Don,  of  Portugal  332-3 
Milsington,  Lord,  302  and  note. 
Milton.  Chas.,  Viscount,  188 
Moira,  Fras.,  2nd  Earl  of,  27 
Monck,  Catherine,  see  Browne. 
Monck,  Elizabeth,  see  Paget. 
Monck,   Lady  Elizabeth,   25    note, 

36,  67,  T67-8,  267 
Monck,  Henry,  36,  168  ;    "  Paddy 

Monck,"  2<^7,  267 
Monsieur,  H.R.H.  Louis  of  France, 

57  and  note. 
Montagu,  Lady  Mary,  8 
Montgomery,  Alfred,  338 
Montr esor,  Lieut.,  R.N.,  91 
Moore,  Gen.  Sir  John,  94  note,  109 

and  note  ;    347 
Moreau,  Gen.  Jean- Victor,  18  and 

note. 
Mount   Charles,  Earl    of,  312  and 

note. 
Mul grave.  Earl  of,  74,  125,  1 40 

Naples,  334 

Napoleon,  Emperor,  see  Bonaparte. 

Nelson,     Horatio,     Viscount,     42  ; 

death  of,  43,  45 
"  Nobbs,  old,"  see  King'George  HI. 
Norfolk,  Charles,  Duke  of,  14 
Northumberland,  Hugh,  3rd  Duke 

of,  310  and  note. 
Nugent,  Gen.,  178 

Oatlands,  15,  122,  211,  229 
O'Connell,  Daniel,  M.P.,  324,  330, 

333 
Ogilvy,  Cecilia,  6 
O'Grady,  Mr.,  M.P.,  301 
Opera,  the,   "  Siege  of  Belgrade." 

4  ;   at  Paris,  304 
Orange,  Hereditary  Prince  of,  265 
Oranmore.  T-ord,  see  Browne' 
Osborne,  Lord  Fras.  G.,  279  and 

rote. 
Osterley,   127 
Otway,  Adm.,  98 


Oxford,  Jane,  Countess  of,  253  and 

note. 
Owen,  Sir  Edw.,  313 

Paget,  Lady  Agnes,  22  note,  66 

Paget,  Lord  Alfred,  334 

Paget,  Hon.  Arthur  (Sir  Arthur), 
X  ;  the  "  Captain-General,"  2  ; 
reported  duel  at  Vienna,  41  ;  and 
Lady  Catherine  Harris,  17,  21  ; 
attached  to  Princess  Leopoldine 
Esterhazy,  55  ;  recalled  from 
Vienna,  ^6  note  ;  retires  from 
Parliament  ,  61  ;  appointed  Am- 
bassador to  Turkey,  57  note ; 
returns  from  Turkey,  73  note  ; 
at  West  Lodge,  136  ;  a  Ranger  of 
Cranbourne  Chase,  146  note  ; 
birth  of  his  son,  185  ;  accident  to, 
215;  his  talent  of  applying  quota- 
tion, 241  ;  his  diplomatic  ex- 
penses, 246  ;  his  books,  249  ;  a 
narrow  escape,  259  ;  his  genero- 
sity to  his  sister,  260  ;  his  public 
services,  309  ;  his  kindness  to 
Brummell,  300;  his  "irresist- 
ible "  character,  302  ;  living  at 
Hamble  ClifP,  321  ;  his  younger 
sons,  322  ;  his  views  on  Parlia- 
mentary Reform,  324  ;  corre- 
spondence  with   Lord    Holland, 

3  2  7-0 

Paget,  Lady  Augusta,  x;  accident 
to,  108;  153,  157,  256,  282,  290, 
299 

Paget,  Augustus,  322  and  note. 

Paget,  Hon.  Berkeley  Thomas,  xi  ; 
aide-de-camp  to  Duke  of  York, 
15  note  ;  his  marriage,  25  ;  has 
to  leave  Kensington  Palace,  27  ; 
at  a  masquerade,  34  ;  joins" his 
regiment,  38  ;'elected  member  for 
Anglesea,  61  ;  ordered  to  Spain, 
83  ;  at  the  Pavilion,  85  ;  his 
"  merits,"  105,  119  ;  and  Prince 
of  Wales,  122,  125  ;  "  the  inde- 
pendent'^M.P.,"  133  note;  136; 
appointed  Lord  of  the  Treasury, 
139 ;  conversation  with  the 
Regent,  143-4,  148-9,  186,  198-9. 
204-5  :  at  Oatlands,  21 1-2  ; 
"Mr.  Paget, "215;  on  the  Regent, 
225-6  ;  quarrel  with  Adm.'^Ben- 
tinck,  232-4,  237-9,  242-4  ;  his 
"  snug  dinners,"  240-1  ;  247-g, 
259;  offered  Demerara,  306 
note  ;    307  ;    his  Spanish  journal, 

339-53 
Paget,  Caroline,  see  Lady  Bayly. 


INDEX 


361 


Paget,  Caroline,  d.  of  Hon.  Chas. 

P.,  birth  of,  68,  147,  168,  175 
Paget,  Caroline,  Lady,  x  ;  16-17, 22, 

35,    86-7,    107  ;     at   Stoke,    112, 

113  note,  152  ;  see  also  Duchess 
of  Argyll. 

Paget,  Lady  Caroline,  "  Car,"  172, 
263,  296  and  note. 

Paget,  Cecil,  323 

Paget,  Hon.  Charles,  Capt.  R.N. 
(Vice- Admiral  Sir  Charles),  x  ; 
commands  the  Brilliant,  13  ; 
engaged  to  Elizabeth  Monck,  25  ; 
his  wife,  29  ;  his  prize  money,  31  ; 
very  ill,  38  ;  his  recovery,  43  ; 
on  death  of  Nelson,  45  ;  in  com- 
mand of  Egypiienne,  58  ;  and 
Cambrian,  64  ;  present  at  the 
capture  of  Copenhagen,  68  ;  com- 
mands Revencre,  84  ;  buys  Fair 
Oak,  88  ;  at  Walcheren,  124  ; 
report  about,  138  ;  illness  of  his 
daughter,  147  ;  on  Miss  Monck's 
marriage,  167  ;  on  review  of 
Hussars,  192  ;  on  family  finances, 
228  ;  on  his  father's  illness,  244  ; 
in  command  of  Superb,  253  ;  on 
half  pay,  266  ;  on  Lord  Graves, 
290  ;  commands  the  royal  yacht, 
297  note  ;  gold  cup  presented  him 
by  the  Regent,  296  ;  Groom  of  the 
Bed  chamber,  312  note,  332 

Paget,  Charlotte,  Lady,  '' Ly  P.," 
192  ;  "  my  lady,"  227;  see  also 
Countess  of  Uxbridge  and  Mar- 
chioness of  Anglesey. 

Paget,  "  little  Charles,"  214,  261-2 

Paget,  Lady  Charlotte,  29  ;  "  dear 
Charlotte,"  40  ;  "  Chare,"  45  ; 
see  also  Countess  of  Enniskillen. 

Paget,    Lord    Clarence,    192    note, 

337 

Paget,  Dorothy,  vii 

Paget,  Eden,  x  note. 

Paget,  Col.  Hon.  Edward  (Gen. 
Hon.  Sir  Edward),  x  ;  quartered 
in  Ireland,  19  ;  "  accepted  lover 
at  Blithfield,"  25  ;  promoted 
major-general,  28  ;  appointed  to 
a  brigade,  35  ;  embarked  for 
Continent,  42  ;  at  Bremen,  53-5  ; 
attached  to  forces  in  Sicily,  66 
note  ;    "  a  fine  fellow,"  109  note, 

114  ;  loses  an  arm  at  the  Douro, 
ii6wo/e,  134,  157,  igo,  215,  223  ; 
captured  by  the  French,  252  and 
note  ;  "  poor  Ned,"  255  ;  his 
2nd  marriage,  273,  280,  283-4, 
293-5  ;     "  taken  in,"   306,   307, 


309  and  note ;  332  and  note ; 
34T  note,  344,  346 

Paget,  Eleanor.  199 

Paget,  Hon.  Elizabeth  (Mrs.  Chas. 
P.),  x:  "perfectly  beautiful," 
29  note  ;  31  and  note  ;  her  old 
friends,  36;  138,  172,  198,  207; 
her  good  sense,  255,  267 

Paget,  Hon.  Frances  (ist  wife  of 
Hon.  Edw.  P.),  x;  25  note; 
"  dear  little  Fanny,"  31  ;  her 
great  mind,  43  ;  "a  perfect 
heroine,"  54 

Paget,  Francis,  172  and  note. 

Paget,  Lord  George,  334 

Paget,  Lady  Georgiana,  172 

Paget,  Lady  Harriet  (2nd  wife  of 
Hon.  Sir  Edw.  P.),  x;  273 
note  ;    "  Ladi  Henriette,"  280 

Paget,  Hon.  Henry,  57  ;  accident 
to,  86  :  see  also  Henry,  Earl  of 
Uxbridge. 

Paget,  Henry  William.  Lord,  ix, 
his  attentions  to  Duchess  of 
Rutland,  5,  7  ;  marriage  to,  for- 
bidden, 9  note ;  reconciles  the 
Prince  of  Wales  and  Duke  of 
York,  17  ;  his  pantaloons,  37  ; 
begs  peace  may  not  be  made,  49  ; 
sends  horses  to  Sir  Arthur,  56  ; 
proposed  visit  of  Monsieur  to, 
57  ;  political  views  of,  62-3  ; 
wears  a  wig,  82  ;  commands 
cavalry  in  Portugal,  91  ;  actions 
at  Sahagun  and  Benevente,  102 
note  ;  103-6,  iii  ;  on  Walcheren 
Expedition,  128-9  ;  medal  con- 
ferred on,  129  ;  conference  with 
Prince,  133,  135  ;  at  Up  Park, 
163,  164,  174,  188-9,  191  ;  pre- 
sentation of  plate  to,  192,  201  ; 
on  finance,  202-4,  208,  210; 
"  Paget,"  225,  226-7,  245 ;  "  Mi 
Lor  di  Cabell eria,"  342,  343,  344, 
346,  349  ;  his  horses  burned, 
351,  353  ;  see  also  Henry  Wm., 
Earl  of  Uxbridge,  and  Marquis 
of  Anglesey. 

Paget,  Lady  Jane,  172 

Paget,  Julia,  262  and  noie.1 

Paget,  the  Ladies,  292 

Paget,  Laura,  282  note.^ 

Paget,  Leopoldine,  112  and  note  ; 
114,  152  ;    "  Oubli,"  185 

Paget,  Hon.  Sophia  (^vife  of  Hon. 
Berkeley  P.),  xi,  "  Mrs.  B.  P.," 
25  ;  "  brought  up  with  Economy, 
28,  56,  105,  115,  199;  "good 
Mrs.  Berkeley,"  299 


362 


INDEX 


Paget,      Stewart      Henry,       "  the 
Baby,"     185,     213;      "  Tooty," 

259,  337 
Paget,  Thomas,  vii 
Paget,  William,  ist  Baron,  vii 
Paget,  WiUiam,  5th  Baron,  vii 
Paget,  Hon.  William,  Capt.  R.N., 

X,  2,  5 
Paget,  Lord  Wilham,  308 
Pakenham  fanuly,  230 
Palmerston,  Henry,  3rd  Viscount, 

327 
Pans,  304-5 

Parker,  Sir  Peter,  Capt.  R.N.,  267 
Peacocke,  Mrs.,  67 
Peacocke,  Col.  Wm.,  60  and  note  ; 

67;   "  Billy  P.,"  215,  218 
Peel,  Sir  Robert,  M.P.,  315 
Pellew,  Adm.,  169 
Pembroke,  nth  Earl  of,  288 
Perceval,     Right     Hon.     Spencer, 

M.P.,  142  and  note. 
Peterborough,  Chas.,  5th  Earl  of, 

228  and  note,  252-3 
Petty,  Lord  Henry,;  RI.P.,   57  ;   see 

also  Marquis  of  Lansdowne. 
Pichegru,  Gen.,  18 
Pierrepont,  Hon.  Henry  Manvers, 

22  and  note,  46  and  note,  72,  216 
Pindar,  Peter,  viii 
Pitt,    Hon.    Lady,    98,    160,    233, 

237  and  7iote. 
Pitt,   Gen.    Hon.   Sir   Wm.,   97-8  ; 

124  note. 
Pitt,    Right  Hon.   Wm.,   M.P.,   2  ; 
reconciled  to  Addington,  28,  30  ; 
harassed,  33  ;    56,  note. 
Plas  Newydd,  xii ;    11 8- 19,  214-15, 

223,   332 
Pole,  Emily,  264  and  note. 
Pole,    Hon.   Mrs.    Wm.    Wellesley, 
154,186  note,  264;  see  also  Lady 
Maryborough. 
Pole,  Priscilla,  153-4,  ^75  aiid  note, 

186;  see  also  Lady  Burghersh. 
Pole,  William  Wellesley,  222   and 

note. 
Ponsonby,  Major-Gen.  Hon. Freder- 
ick, 310 
Popham,  Sir  Home,  70 
Portmore,  Earl  of,  302 
Powtoun,  see  Galloway  House. 
Pozzo  di  Borgo,  Monsieur,  240  and 

note. 
Princess    Royal,    H.R.H.,   48   and 

note. 
Prussia,  Frederick  Wm.  Ill,  King 

of,  50.  54 
Purvis,  Adm.,  81-2, 


Quinn,  Mr.,  M.P.,  301 

Rasoumoffski,  Monsieur  de,  277 

Redesdale,  Lord,  317 

Richmond,   Charles,   4th  Duke  of, 

40,  153,  217 
Richmond,  5th  Duke  of,  321 
Rivers,    Geo.,  2nd   Lord,   117   and 

note,     129,     133,     145,     158-60; 

homme  d  fantaisie,  163,  191,  202, 

237  and  note. 
RoUe,  Baron  de,  119 
Romana,  Gen.  Marquis  dela,  340-2, 

347 
Rome.  270-1,  331 
Roxburghe,  4th  Duke  of,  20 
Rumbold,  Sir  George,  24  and  note. 
Rushmore,  130,  158 
Russell  family,  112 
Russell,  Lady  William,  86,  88 
Russell,  Lord  William,  112  and  note. 
Russia,     Emperor     Alexander     of, 

277-8 
Russia,  Emperor  Nicholas  of,  319 
Rutland,  Mary  Isabella,  Duchess  of, 

3  and  note  ;   5,  7,  9,  217 
Rutland,  John  Henry,  5th  Duke  of, 

7-12,  157  and  note. 

Sackville,  Chas.,  2nd  Viscount,  183 ; 

see  also  Duke  of  Dorset. 
Sahagun,  combat  at,  103,  344-5 
St.  Leger,  Jack,  5 
Sanderson,  Mr.,  125,  192,  225  and 

note. 
San  Juan,  Gen.,  343,  344  note. 
Scarborough,  Earl  and  Countess  of, 

206 
Scott,  T.  H.,  253 
Sebastiani,  Gen.,  159 
Sefton,  Maria,  Countess  of,  177 
Sefton,  Wm.,  2nd  Earl  of,  85  and 

note  ;   no  note,  177,  311 
Sellis,  133  note. 
Seymour,  Mrs.,  117 
Seymoiir,  Col.,  233  note. 
Seymour,  Lord  George,  232 
Seymour,  Lady  Horatia,  gi 
Shaw  Stewart,  Sir  Michael,  331 
Sheldon,  Chas.  H.,   165,  202,  277, 

284-5,  287-8 
Shelley,  Sir  John,  177,  187,  290 
Sheridan,  Mrs.  R.  B.,  5 
Sheridan,    Rt.    Hon.    Richard    B., 

M.P.,  183 
Ships:    Anson,  77;    Brilliant,   13; 

Cambrian,   69,    74-5 ;     Canopus, 

■j'z  ;    Diamond,  29  ;  Donegal,  72  ; 

Egyptienne,  58-9  ;  Endymion,  28, 


INDEX 


363 


no  ;  Iris,  130,  136  ;  L'lmplac- 
able,  77  ;  Malta,  147  ;  Pompie, 
76  ;  Queen,  72  ;  Revenge,  72,  84- 
5.  90,  92-3,  95,  97,  162  ;  RevolH- 
tionaire,  75  ;    Superb,  147,  253 

Ships:  American,  254;  Danish,  68, 
138  ;  French,  78,  80  ;  Portuguese, 
94;  Russian,  9,  79,  91 

Siddons,  Sarah,  16 

Sinai  Park,  102 

Smith,  Lady  Anne,  122 

Smith,  Assheton,  228  note,  298 

Smith,  CulUng,  9 

Smith,  Jack,  5 

Smythe,  Edward,  157  note. 

Somerset,  Lord  FitzRoy,  264  note, 
321 

Sophia,  H.R.H.  Princess,  18,  182 
note. 

Soult,  Marshal,  189,  345 

Spencer,  Geo.  John,  2nd  Earl,  13 
and  note,  249 

Stafford,  ist  Marchioness  of,  112 
note. 

Stafford,  Geo.  GranvUle,  2nd  Mar- 
quis of,  319 

Staffordshire  Militia,  ix,  24  note,  31 

Stalbridge  Park,  xii,  174 

Stanley,  Hon.  Edw.  Geoffrey,  M.P., 
335  and  note,  336 

Steele,  Mr.,  330 

Stepney,  Herbert,  and  Mrs.,  20 

Stewart,  Gen.  Hon.  Sir  Chas. 
(Lord  Stewart),  269,  309 ;  see  also 
Marquis  of  Londonderry. 

Strachan,  Adm.  Sir  Richard,  45  and 
note  ;  78,  80,  98,  123-4,  128  note. 

Stratfieldsaye,  158,  160  note. 

Strathaven,  Geo.,  Lord,  5  and  note. 

Surbiton,  xii  ;    133,  258 

Sussex,  see  H.R.H.  Augustus 
Frederick,  Duke  of. 

Sydney,  Emily,  Countess,  x 

Symonds,  Dr.,  23  and  note. 

Sweden,  Gustavus  IV,  King  of,  47 


Talavera,  battle  of,  115,  note. 

Talbot,  Chas.,  2nd  Earl,  294,  309 

Talleyrand,  Prince,  178,  270 

Tatham,  Mr.,  267 

Taylor,  Mr.,  71 

Templetown,  C,  ist  Viscount,  8 

Thanet,    Sackville,    9th    Earl    of, 

309  and  note. 
Thornborough,  Adm.,  81 
Tierney,  Mr.,  142 
Torquay,  103 
Torrens,  Sir  Henry,  306 


Trafalgar,  battle  of,  43  note,  44,  45 
Tuyll,  Baron,  341  note. 
Twysden,  Bishop,  112  note. 
Tyrwhitt,    Sir    Thos.,    "  Thomas," 

164  ;       "  old     Thomas,"      177  ; 

"  Thomas,"  183,   187.   195,  197. 

250 

Up  Park,  103,  162  and  note,  163, 
176,  197,  206,  219.  221,  239,  267, 

295 

Upton,  Capt.  R.N.,  339 

Uxbridge,  Charlotte,  Countess  of, 
281  and  note,  282  ;  see  also 
Lady  Paget  and  Marchioness  of 
Anglesey. 

Uxbridge,  Henry  (Paget),  2nd  Earl 
of,  vii. 

Uxbridge,  Henry  (Bayly),  ist  Earl 
of,  vii-ix,  xii,  2,  3  ;  "an  able 
negotiator,"  13  ;  reqmres  a 
trumpeter,  24;  "your  Father," 
34 ;  conduct  of  GrenvUle  and 
Petty  to,  57  ;  sailing  at  Plas 
Newydd,  67  ;  very  unwell,  88, 
104  note;  107,  113  note;  yacht- 
ing, 119  ;  breaks  a  rib,  125  ;  at 
West  Lodge,  145-6 ;  "  very 
nervous,"  157 ;  offer  of  Cran- 
bonrne  Chase  to,  159  ;  "  Padre," 
173.  174  ;  "  my  father,"  192  ; 
his  circumstances,  202-3  ;  bored, 
215  ;  at  Plas  Newydd,  215  ; 
"  Lord  U.,"  221  ;  "  my  father," 
224-5,  227  ;  "  our  poor  Father," 
243  ;   his  death,  244  note. 

Uxbridge,  Gen.  Henry  WUHam, 
2nd  Earl  of,  251-2  ;  "  Paget," 
in  high  force,  263 ;  created 
G.C.B.,  268-9  ;  shooting,  269  ; 
280  and  note;  281-2,  284;  see 
also  Lord  Paget  and  Marquis  of 
Anglesey. 

Uxbridge,  Henry,  Earl  of  (after- 
wards 2nd  Marquis  of  Anglesey), 
308,  332  ;  see  also  Hon.  Henry 
Paget. 

Uxbridge,  Jane,  Countess  of,  ix ; 
reports  financial  troubles,  31  ; 
"in  a  bustle,"  36;  on  death 
of  Nelson,  43  ;  on  Princess  L. 
Esterhazy,  55  ;  her  anecdote  of 
Col.  Peacocke,  67  ;  pleased  with 
Arthur,  107  ;  "  horrified,"  133, 
173,  186  ;  agitated,  188  ;  "  poor 
dear  Mama,"  194,  214;  at  Plas 
Newydd,  215;  "my  mother," 
218;  at  Surbiton,  258-60;  at 
Torrie,  273,  278  ;   "  my  mother," 


364 


INDEX 


280 ;  at  Bishops  Court,  289  ; 
"  our  good  mother,"  291  ;  in- 
vitation to,  from  the  Queen, 
293 ;  failing  health  of,  295 ; 
death  of,  296 
Uxbridge  House,  xii,  xiii,  3,  31, 
77  ;  ball  at,  292  and  note,  332 

Vane,  Sir  Henry,  1 1 

Venice,  280 

Victor,  Marshal,  148,  159 

Vienna,  capture  of,  47,  48  ;    "  our 

friends  "  at,  51,  269,  277 
Vigo,  109 

Villiers,  Lady  Anne,  5 
Villiers,   Lady  Caroline,   see  Lady 

Paget. 
VilUers,  Lady  Elizabeth,  152 
Villiers,  Hon.  John  Charles,  4,  154, 

193 
ViUiers,  Hon.  Maria  Eleanor,  wife 

of,  4 

ViUiers,  Viscount,  23  and  note,  86 

Vilhers,  Viscountess,  23-4,  86 

Vivian,  Col.,  339,  344,  345 

Voeux,  Sir  Charles  Des,  215 

Walcheren,  isle  of,  99,  124 

Waldegrave,  Lady  Elizabeth,  5 

Walter,  Edward,  viii 

Walter,  Peter,  vii-viii 

Warde,  John,  86 

Warwick,  Earl  of,  316 

Waterloo,  battle  of,  280  note,  281 

Wattiers,  177 

Webster,  Lady,  see  Holland. 

WeUesley,  Gen.   Hon.    Sir  Arthur, 

115  note,  117  ;  see  also  Duke  of 

Wellington. 
WeUesley,  Lady  Charlotte,  x;  see 

also    Lady    Paget,  Countess    of 

Uxbridge,    and    Marchioness    of 

Anglesey. 
WeUesley,  Richard,  240  and  note. 
WeUesley,    Richard,    Marquis,    28, 

125,  142-3  and  note  ;  247.  337-8 


WeUington,  Arthur,  Duke  of,  280-1, 

294,311-12,315;  D.  ofW.,  318- 

20,  322  note,  335-7 
West  Lodge,   115  note;    117,   123, 

146,  203 
Westmorland,  Countess  of,  186 
Westmorland,  John,  lOth  Earl  of, 

115,  153  note,  187 
West,  Mr.,  M.P.,  191 
West  Drayton,  vii 
Whitbread,  Samuel,  M.P.,  64,  142, 

188,  197,  263 
White's  Club,  4,  39,  62,  164 
Whitworth,  Charles,  ist  Earl,  294 
WiUiam,  H.R.H.  Duke  of  Clarence, 

193,  222  and  note,  313-14.  339 
Wmiam  Frederick,  H.R.H.  Prince 

of  Gloucester,  8 
Williams,  Sir  Thos.,  90,  168 
WUson,  Sir  Robert,  315 
Windsor  Castle,  32 
Windsor,    Royal    Lodge,    312    and 

note. 
Wirtemberg,  Elector  of,  50 
Wirtemberg,  Prince  Paul  of,  264-5 
Worcester,  Henry,  Marquis  of,  and 

Marchioness  of,  4 
Worthing,  85 
Wretham,  16,  42 

Wyndham,  Hon.  Charles,    17  note. 
Wyndham,  Lady  Anne,  17 
Wynne,  Mr.,  314 

Yachts:    Anglesey,    304;    Liberty, 

265  ;       Blue-eyed      Maid,     298 ; 

Pearl,  332  ;   Lord  Uxbridge's,  119 
Yarmouth,    Francis  Charles,    Earl 

of,  149,  177;  see  also  Marquis  of 

Hertford. 
Young,  Adm.  Sir  WiUiam,  99,  148, 

170  and  note. 
York,  see  H.R.H.  Frederica,  Duchess 

of  York. 
York,  see  H.R.H.  Frederick,  Duke 

of  York. 
York  House,  229,  319 


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