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 CORNELL 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
Cornell University Library 
 DA 565.L66A3 1905 
 
 one years: 
 
 3 1924 028 316 655 
 
Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of tiiis book is in 
 tine Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924028316655 
 
BYGONE YEARS 
 
BYGONE YEARS 
 
 RECOLLECTIONS 
 BY THE HON. F. LEVESON GOWER 
 
 WITH A PORTRAIT 
 
 NEW YORK 
 
 E. P. BUTTON AND COMPANY 
 
 1905 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 
 PAGE 
 
 INTRODUCTION 
 
 vii 
 
 EARLY LIFE: 1819-40 
 
 I 
 
 ABROAD: 1841-42 
 
 24 
 
 SOCIETY: 1840-46 
 
 35 
 
 LAW : 1841-48 
 
 SO 
 
 SPANISH JOURNAL : 1 846 
 
 . 62 
 
 SOCIETY : 1846-50 
 
 90 
 
 INDIA: 1850-51 
 
 124 
 
 MY JOURNAL IN RUSSIA: 1856 
 
 212 
 
 
 237 
 
 HOUSE OF COMMONS : 1 847-8 5 
 
 255 
 
 SOCIETY: FROM 1856 ONWARDS 
 
 261 
 
 HOLMBURY: FROM 1 870 ONWARDS. 
 
 283 
 
 CONCLUSION 
 
 • 307 
 
 INDEX 
 
 • 331 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 IT has been often remarked that few men above 
 the age of eighty retain any activity of mind. 
 Although I have long passed that age, I do not 
 perceive that my mind, which was never active, 
 is less so than it was. What is gradually failing 
 me Is memory, and if I am to relate a few 
 incidents of my life, I must do so at once. 
 
 I cannot attempt to write an autobiography, but 
 merely to jot down some recollections which may 
 be found of interest. It is curious how uncertain 
 memory becomes at an advanced age. Whilst I 
 remember a number of unimportant events, I find 
 it difficult to call to mind the broad outlines of 
 my life. I can, therefore, only offer a disconnected 
 account of it, for which I crave the indulgence 
 of any one who may be inclined to glance over 
 these pages. It may be extended to me because 
 the whole of these recollections have been written 
 since I attained my eighty-sixth birthday, and 
 because I possess no notes or journals to assist me, 
 except those from which I have taken descriptions 
 of Spain, India and Russia, which I wrote at the 
 request of my uncle, the Duke of Devonshire. 
 
viii INTRODUCTION 
 
 Moreover, no one is obliged to read my book, and 
 if it bores any one, he has only himself to blame. 
 I say to him, — 
 
 I give thee all I can, no more, 
 Though poor the offering be. 
 
 If, then, asked why I publish it, I make the 
 usual excuse — because my friends advise it, and I 
 attach greater weight to their opinion than to my 
 own. 
 
 It may cause some disappointment that I scarcely 
 ever refer to political events. As my brother was 
 a statesman who played so distinguished a part 
 during a great portion of the last century, and 
 having lived in close intimacy with him during 
 the whole of our joint lives, I may be expected 
 to throw light on many occurrences which are 
 still imperfectly known. But for two reasons I 
 shall not attempt it. My first reason is because 
 I cannot trust my treacherous memory to preserve 
 me from falling into some inaccuracies which do 
 not signify when I am relating social gossip, but 
 which would be quite inexcusable when they are 
 connected with political events. My second reason 
 is that my brother's life is being written by Lord 
 Edmond FitzMaurice, and that he is better able 
 than I am to describe the various political episodes 
 which entered into Lord Granville's career. 
 
 I may, however, say that it has beien my good 
 fortune on nearly every occasion to share my 
 brother's political opinions, and to admire his 
 conduct in public affairs. Because he had charming 
 
INTRODUCTION ix 
 
 manners and was conciliatory, he has sometimes 
 been suspected of weakness ; but he did not deserve 
 this imputation. For I have known few men with 
 a stronger will or more ready to be firm whenever 
 it was needful. 
 
 F. LEVESON GOWER. 
 
 April, 1905. 
 
BYGONE YEARS 
 
 EARLY LIFE 
 
 1819-40 
 
 I WAS born in 1819. I passed the first ten years 
 of my life alternately in London and at Wher- 
 stead, a eountry-house in Suffolk which my father 
 rented. Of course I have only some very vague 
 recollections of the place. I remember resenting not 
 being allowed to enter the adjoining woods for fear 
 of disturbing the game, which was very plentiful. I 
 think that on one occasion the bag consisted of 
 a thousand head, which was then considered re- 
 markable, but would not be thought so now. It 
 was there that the Duke of Wellington, who was 
 not a safe shot, wounded my father in the face, 
 doing no harm, only covering it with blood, his 
 eyes luckily escaping. I also remember my 
 astonishment at the rapidity with which at break- 
 fast Mr. Frederick Byng ^ ate his egg, devouring 
 it in one or two spoonfuls, whereas I ate mine 
 very slowly, one with more prolonged pleasure. 
 
 ' A son of the fifth Viscount Torrington. 
 
 I 
 
2 EARLY LIFE 
 
 Did this forebode that I should grow up a philo- 
 sopher or a gourmand! I certainly did not become 
 the former, and I hope not the latter. 
 
 My father in 1824 was appointed Ambassador to 
 the Netherlands. The post was then an Embassy, 
 and remained so till Belgium was separated from 
 Holland. Towards the end of that year he became 
 Ambassador at Paris. I remained with my parents 
 abroad until I was sent to school. I can call to 
 mind very little of the intervening period. 
 
 The chief incident which I can remember was my 
 introduction to Sir Walter Scott. He was dining 
 at the Embassy when I was sent for to be presented 
 to him. I fancy I still recall the kind manner and 
 benevolent countenance. Three years ago I went 
 to see Abbotsford from a country-house in its 
 neighbourhood. The old guide who showed it 
 was so enthusiastic about Sir Walter that I was 
 induced to tell him that I once had the honour 
 of shaking hands with him. — " That is impossible. 
 Do you know when he died?" — " He died in 1832, 
 and I saw him in 1826 when I was seven years 
 old." — When at length I convinced him he was 
 delighted, and told the next batch of tourists of 
 my acquaintance with Sir Walter, which he seemed 
 to think a marvel. 
 
 There were two other occurrences during my 
 stay in Paris which, although of no importance, 
 impressed me much at the time. One was that my 
 squirrel bit me, when I thought him incapable of 
 such wickedness ; the other was the death of some 
 
1819-40] ST. CLOUD— BRIGHTON 3 
 
 small birds, just hatched, that I had brought from 
 the garden to feed. One evening, going to some 
 entertainment, I forgot to feed them, and found 
 them dead on my return home. For some time 
 I looked upon myself as a murderer. 
 
 I was sent occasionally to St. Cloud, in order to 
 play with the Due de Bordeaux (whose later title 
 of the Comte de Chambord is more familiar) and 
 his sister. The Duke's subsequent career, which 
 was perhaps a happier one than if he had become 
 King of France, is well known. His sister married 
 the Duke of Lucca, who, on the death of his father, 
 became Duke of Parma. He was unworthy of her, 
 and deserved his nickname of "filthy Lucre'' Soon 
 after their marriage they passed a winter in the 
 neighbourhood of London, when he frequently 
 after dinner deposited his wife at my brother's 
 house in Bruton Street, going himself to his club, 
 and did not call for her before the small hours of 
 the morning, to her distress and the annoyance of 
 my sister-in-law. Some years afterwards we met 
 at Venice, when they had become still more 
 estranged, and she openly complained of his 
 conduct. His end was tragical, as in 1854 he 
 was assassinated in the streets of his capital. She 
 survived him long, and retained the respect of 
 all who knew her. 
 
 At the early age of eight I was sent to Dr. 
 Everard's fashionable school at Brighton, which 
 was called the "Young House of Lords" owing 
 to most of the boys being related to the peerage, 
 
4 EARLY LIFE 
 
 many of them future peers, and among them 
 several dukes. We were treated luxuriously, so 
 much so that the Doctor, who was as improvident 
 as he was kind, soon afterwards became a bankrupt 
 and fled the country, his debts amounting to 
 thousands of pounds. The dear old matron. Miss 
 Holland, a second Mrs. Partington, being aware 
 of the money difficulties, only lighted one of the 
 two tallow candles allowed her when we visited 
 her in the evening — a piece of economy which did 
 not avert the coming catastrophe. The drawback 
 to the school was that we learned little, which 
 at the time I did not much resent. We saw a 
 great deal of the royal cousins, Prince George 
 of Hanover and Prince George of Cambridge. 
 They were put under the care of their uncle the 
 King in order that they might be brought up 
 with English surroundings, and were staying with 
 him at the Pavilion. We liked them both ; they 
 played with us at our school, and we were often 
 summoned to the Pavilion to play with them. We 
 were delighted with the King, who was very kind 
 to us, and told us sailors' stories, sometimes rather 
 coarse ones, which amused us much. It is not 
 generally known that there was a question of the 
 late Duke of Cambridge marrying Queen Victoria. 
 His mother was intent upon it. The blindness of 
 his elder cousin was an obstacle to his becoming 
 King of Hanover, and the younger one would have 
 taken his place, which would have rendered the 
 English alliance impossible. The Duchess of 
 
1819-40] ETON 5 
 
 Cambridge, in consequence, got some experts to 
 state that the blindness of the elder prince was 
 merely temporary, and that he was therefore entitled 
 to ascend the throne of Hanover. This would 
 have enabled his cousin to marry Princess Victoria. 
 But " Femme propose et Dieu dispose." The 
 Duchess of Kent and her brother, the King of 
 the Belgians, put forward the claims of their 
 nephew. Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg, in opposi- 
 tion to the Duke of Cambridge. If the Queen 
 had married the latter, no one could have objected, 
 but she did still better. 
 
 In due course of time I was sent to Eton, where 
 my life was not a very happy one, and, unlike most 
 Etonians, I do not retain a very pleasant impression 
 of it. My health was indifferent. I was not good 
 at games, and I made no friends — at least, none 
 who remained so in subsequent years. At one 
 time I became dangerously ill from internal in- 
 flammation. I had been out of school ten days, 
 complaining of headaches, when my tutor accused 
 me of malingering, and said I must at once resume 
 my school duties. Two days later I was at death's 
 door. My near relations in England were sum- 
 moned to my bedside, and my parents were nearly 
 being sent for from Paris. I was bled once one 
 day and three times the next. Before the last 
 bleeding I actually heard the two doctors, father 
 and son, dispute about it. The former said I 
 could not bear another bleeding ; the latter, that 
 if I did not have it I must die. I however 
 
6 EARLY LIFE 
 
 recovered, and never during my long life have I 
 again been seriously ill. 
 
 It was during the Easter holidays in 1834 that 
 my first great sorrow occurred. My relations were 
 at Devonshire House, but I was staying with my 
 aunt, Lady Harrowby, in Grosvenor Square. I 
 remember my father coming there to break to me 
 the sad news of my brother William's death. He 
 was most lovable, and I was devotedly attached 
 to him, perhaps all the more from his having always 
 been a great invalid. I returned soon afterwards 
 to Eton with a heavy heart, and was so much 
 dejected that Spankie, the dealer in sweets who 
 was always stationed at the entrance of the College, 
 rebuked me, and urged me, the dear old man, to 
 try to be more cheerful. Spankie, at his death, 
 which occurred many years afterwards, possessed 
 a substantial sum of money, which I am told he 
 left to Eton College. 
 
 Perhaps because I was idle, or on account of my 
 state of health, I was soon afterwards sent to a 
 private tutor in Nottinghamshire. Having little 
 else to do there I read diligently, which would have 
 benefited me more had Mr. Berry been a good 
 scholar. He was an excellent man, but not blessed 
 with the art of teaching. He had a refined mind 
 and wrote admirable letters, which induced my 
 father, who had read some of them, to send me to 
 him. The kindest of men, he was not the most 
 tolerant. Although a Low Churchman, he was 
 impressed with the idea that Dissenters generally 
 
1 819-40] POLITICAL VIEWS 7 
 
 were incorrigible sinners. I was therefore surprised 
 when in later years I got engaged in elections, to 
 find that they were as a rule the most moral 
 members of the community. He was not free from 
 some weaknesses. With the view of giving me a 
 favourable impression of his culture, he used, when 
 we were reading Juvenal together, to say he was 
 reminded of a parallel passage, which he quoted as 
 if from memory. I unfortunately had, unknown to 
 him, the same edition, and perceived from the notes 
 at the bottom of the page whence he had derived 
 his quotation. In spite of such little failings I 
 had a great regard for him, and was glad to meet 
 him many years later, when he had become an 
 incumbent in Dorsetshire. I was fond of some of 
 my companions, amongst whom were Vesey Dawson, 
 who lost his life at Inkerman, and the late General 
 Claremont, the best friend man ever had. It was 
 at this period of my life that I began to take an 
 interest in politics. I read with delight Mr. 
 Fonblanque's brilliant articles in the Examiner, 
 and adopted Liberal principles, which I have never 
 since abandoned. In 1837 there was a general 
 election and a contest in Nottinghamshire, in which 
 we took some interest. One of the candidates 
 caused much amusement by stating in his address 
 at the conclusion of his canvass that what had 
 gratified him most was that in the places where he 
 was least known he had met with the warmest 
 reception. 
 
 I fancy there are few men who have gone through 
 
8 EARLY LIFE 
 
 a University career who do not look back with 
 pleasure to that period of their lives. To feel 
 oneself for the first time comparatively one's own 
 master, and to lead an existence free from the cares 
 which usually come with later life, is delightful. 
 How valuable are the life-long friendships then 
 formed, free from the mistrust which too frequently 
 accompanies the friendships of later years. I went 
 to Oxford in 1837, and remained there about two 
 and a half years. I must confess that I was very 
 idle. The atmosphere at Christ Church was not 
 at that time intellectual. I cannot call to mind 
 in my time at Christ Church any undergraduate 
 who afterwards became a Cabinet Minister, or who, 
 with one exception, distinguished himself in any 
 other capacity. And amongst my friends there was 
 not one who seemed in the least anxious to obtain 
 University honours. How different it was in 
 previous years at Christ Church, when there were 
 so many undergraduates who in after life took a 
 considerable part in the history of their country. 
 To what is to be ascribed this change ? I am 
 inclined to think it was partly due to Dean 
 Gaisford's management. Whilst Christ Church was 
 going back, other Colleges were advancing, par- 
 ticularly Balliol, which soon after came under the 
 influence of Mr. Jowett. The fact is, the Dean, 
 although very learned, was ill fitted for his post. 
 He knew more about Greek particles than about 
 young men. His manners were rough and he 
 inspired the undergraduates with no confidence. 
 
1819-40] LIFE AT OXFORD 9 
 
 Frank Charteris ^ was an exception. He was not 
 afraid of the Dean and said what he liked to him. 
 I fancy people who know that some are afraid 
 of them are apt to prefer others who are not 
 so. The Dean once gave him leave to go to 
 London to get advice about a lame leg. The 
 following day the Dean perceived his name in 
 the list of guests at the Palace ball, which made 
 him say the next time he met him, " I was not 
 aware, Mr. Charteris, that dancing was a cure for 
 lameness." 
 
 There was one undergraduate in my day who was 
 relied upon to maintain the credit of the College. 
 He took a first-class, but in after life proved a 
 failure. He became a member of the House of 
 Commons, where he made foolish speeches. On 
 one such occasion Mr. Lowe whispered to his 
 neighbour, " That fellow was my pupil at Oxford." 
 — " I do not think he does you much credit." — 
 "Not much credit ? I never had a pupil who did 
 me more. Fool as he is, I enabled him to obtain 
 a first-class." 
 
 There was another undergraduate who was little 
 thought of at Oxford, but who became afterwards 
 very famous, the late Mr. Ruskin. The Dean of 
 Durham tells us in an article he has lately written, 
 entitled " Ruskin at Oxford," that by degrees 
 Ruskin formed at Oxford valuable friendships. 
 This was not my impression. He seemed to keep 
 himself aloof from everybody, to seek no friends, 
 
 ' The present Earl of Wemyss, 
 
10 EARLY LIFE 
 
 and to have none. I never met him in any one 
 else's rooms or at any social gathering. I see him 
 now, looking rather crazy, taking his solitary walks. 
 His isolation was in no wise, as the Dean suggests, 
 due to his parentage, as undergraduates never took 
 that into account in the choice of their companions. 
 Young men having relations and friends in common 
 and some knowledge of London society were un- 
 consciously disposed to foregather, but not from 
 any wish for exclusiveness. It was no advan- 
 tage to Ruskin to be a gentleman-commoner, as 
 gentleman-commoners, with some notable exceptions, 
 were generally looked upon askance, as rather vulgar 
 parvenus, too proud of their wealth ; and there was 
 more fellowship between noblemen and commoners 
 than there was between them and gentleman- 
 commoners. Ruskin classed the gentleman-com- 
 moners as being between the noblemen and the 
 commoners. I should put them last. But such 
 classifications are rather fanciful. A Yankee who 
 had never been in England asked a fellow country- 
 man who had been there what people were 
 comprised in the term "middle-class." — " Baronets, 
 to be sure " — a definition which would not be 
 acceptable to some of our baronets with long 
 pedigrees. 
 
 Ruskin on one occasion gave a large supper, 
 to which he invited .some of the leading under- 
 graduates whom he did not know. His speech 
 on this occasion did not make a favourable im- 
 pression. He said he could hardly express how 
 
i8i9-4o] RUSKIN ii 
 
 much he felt honoured that so many young men 
 who were superior to him socially should have 
 condescended to accept his invitation. This dis- 
 inclined us to keep up the acquaintance, although 
 we were the losers thereby. 
 
 I cannot however, say that I have ever felt the 
 enthusiasm with which Ruskin inspired so many 
 of his contemporaries. No one can fail to admire 
 the beauty and eloquence of his writings and his 
 exquisite drawing. But I have felt great misgiving 
 about the soundness of his judgment. I do not 
 pretend to be an authority upon Art, but I know 
 something about Political Economy, which Causes 
 me to be astounded at the nonsense he wrote on 
 economic subjects. What could be more foolish 
 than to urge young men to give up their games 
 in order by manual exertion to do something useful, 
 and accordingly persuading them to dig a road 
 which led nowhere and was left unfinished ? Surely 
 educated youths should try to benefit mankind by 
 the use of their brains rather than of their muscles. 
 
 In connection with this question of the relative 
 importance of physical and mental labour, I will 
 quote what the late Lord Farrer wrote to me 
 about it in a letter. He refers to the division 
 which our old economists made of the elements 
 of production into land, capital, and labour, and 
 omitting brains or lumping brains with labour as 
 if it were homogeneous, and adds : " The differ- 
 ence between brain labour and muscle labour is 
 as great as possible, and it is brain labour which 
 
12 EARLY LIFE 
 
 has caused the immense progress of later years. 
 From this confusion of language arise innumerable 
 muddles, imperfectly got out of by such phrases 
 as wages of superintendence and absurd demands 
 on the part of socialists and workmen. It is human 
 intelligence and not human muscle which has made 
 material nature prolific and brought the ends of 
 the earth together in the service of man. Is it 
 not absurd to speak of the ' Wealth of Nations ' 
 or the works of Watts and Faraday as labour? 
 I feel sure that this one mistake in language is the 
 fertile parent of falsehoods without end." 
 
 I myself, however, should divide the elements 
 of production into labour, capital, and brains, as I 
 consider land to be fixed capital. But this is 
 sufficient political economy. 
 
 Among other absurd recommendations Ruskin 
 somewhere says that marriage should only be 
 allowed to those who deserved it. All this makes 
 me doubt whether even about Art he could be quite 
 a reliable guide ; and certainly some of his views 
 about it appear to me rather fanciful. 
 
 The gentleman-commoners had several privileges. 
 They were allowed to have a servant, a permission 
 prized by mothers, who were glad to have some 
 trusty person to look after the health and wants 
 of their sons. Another privilege was to wear silk 
 gowns and velvet caps ; and also to get better food, 
 which, like the noblemen, they ate at a separate 
 table of their own. My great friend Charteris 
 was a gentleman-commoner — and was wholly free 
 
1819-40] GENTLEMAN-COMMONERS 13 
 
 from the faults I have imputed to them generally. 
 In order to do me a good turn, he suggested that 
 I should sit at one end of the commoners' table, 
 and that he should sit near me at the end of his 
 table, so as to enable him to hand over the superior 
 dishes, from which I could help myself. This 
 was perceived by an officious don, who very 
 properly put an end to so objectionable a pro- 
 ceeding. 
 
 I can confirm the Dean of Durham's statement 
 that Mr. Gladstone disliked the removal of these 
 distinctions, as he held that those of the outer 
 world should have their echo at Oxford. I ventured 
 to argue with him on the subject. I maintained 
 that the equality between youths, both at school 
 and college, was a great advantage, particularly 
 to those who were most favoured by fortune ; and 
 that anything which militated against this equality 
 should be done away with. There is a well- 
 known story about my friend, the late Lord Bath, 
 who, on his first arrival at Eton, was asked his 
 name, and answered, " I am Viscount Weymouth, 
 and I shall be Marquis of Bath." Upon which 
 he received two kicks, one for the viscount, and 
 the other for the marquis. This story may not 
 be true, but at any rate it illustrates the fact 
 that if at Eton a boy boasted of his social advan- 
 tages he would have cause to repent it. 
 
 Soon after our arrival at Oxford, Edward 
 Kerrison and I were elected members of the Mitre 
 Club. It was a famous old hunting club, not 
 
14 EARLY LIFE 
 
 noted for the sobriety of its members, but which 
 latterly had somewhat mended its ways. Still I 
 cannot say that in our day it was conducted on 
 strictly temperance principles. For instance, a new 
 member was required to empty at one draught a 
 cup called the " Fox's Head," containing a bottle of 
 port. I have always looked upon myself as a sober 
 individual, because I never reduced myself to that 
 state in which I could not take care of myself 
 But I am free to confess that, both at Oxford 
 and afterwards, I sometimes imbibed more wine 
 than was good for me. Both Kerrison and I 
 were gratified by our election to this club, so 
 soon after our arrival at Christ Church ; but our 
 satisfaction was a good deal diminished when we 
 learnt that every member was going to leave at 
 the end of the term, and that there was a debt 
 on the club amounting to eighty pounds. The 
 result was that at the beginning of the next term 
 we found ourselves the sole members, and that we 
 were responsible for this large sum. We put a 
 bold face on it, and summoned a meeting of the 
 club (i.e. ourselves), when we respectively elected 
 ourselves Chairman and Secretary. We then elected 
 twelve new members to fill up the vacancies. We 
 announced to them their election in some trepida- 
 tion, but secretly hoping that, like us, they would 
 consider it an honour. To our relief they gratefully 
 joined the club, which continued to exist a number 
 of years. It was Mr. Gladstone's opinion that 
 gambling was a worse vice than drunkenness ; al- 
 
i8j9-4o] coronation of queen victoria 15 
 
 though he himself was the most abstemious of 
 men, he saw some merit in the genial intercourse 
 which takes place over the social glass of wine, 
 whereas he looked upon the greed which is the 
 sole incentive to gambling as one of the worst 
 propensities of man. I did not agree with him. 
 My chief answer was that I could be, and often 
 had been, fond of a gambler, but never of a 
 drunkard. 
 
 The Coronation of Queen Victoria took place 
 during my first year at Oxford. I came up to 
 London for it, having had the good fortune to 
 obtain, through the kindness of the Duchess of 
 Sutherland, a ticket of admission into the Abbey. 
 I got a capital position, very high up, but opposite 
 to Her Majesty. It was a splendid spectacle. 
 I saw the whole ceremonial well, including Lord 
 Rolle rolling down the steps of the throne. I 
 had a great disappointment that evening. To my 
 delight I received an invitation to a great ball 
 given by the Duke of Wellington in honour of 
 the Coronation. After dinner I went home to 
 dress, when, knocked up by the fatigues of the 
 day, I sat down in an armchair, fell fast asleep, 
 and did not awake till four o'clock the next morning. 
 My distress may easily be imagined. 
 
 It was during one of my holidays in Paris that 
 the Italian Opera-house was burnt. I was amusing 
 myself with some friends at a bal masqud when 
 we heard of its being on fire, and we at once pro- 
 ceeded to the scene of action. We had to fall in 
 
i6 EARLY LIFE 
 
 with one of the lines of men who were handing on 
 the buckets, full of water, to the theatre, or the 
 empty ones from it. The line we joined was 
 luckily the latter, and therefore the least fatiguing. 
 It was an intensely cold night, and we were thinly 
 clad, but the excitement of the labour kept us warm. 
 The rule is, that no one once engaged is allowed 
 to leave ; but we managed to evade it, and therefore 
 did not witness the dreadful tragedy which took 
 place. The manager and his family threw them- 
 selves out of their apartment at the top of the 
 building, and all perished. Had they remained 
 quiet they would have incurred no harm, as the 
 fire never reached their quarters. 
 
 F. Charteris and I, when at Oxford, spent a 
 good deal of our time at Nuneham, a charming 
 country house which the Archbishop of York had 
 recently inherited, when he changed his name of 
 Vernon to that of Harcourt. His illustrious grand- 
 son, the late Sir William Harcourt, had just before 
 his death become the possessor of it. The Arch- 
 bishop was my uncle and godfather, and always 
 very gracious to me, both in the country and later 
 in London. He was a noble specimen of an ecclesi- 
 astic of former days, courteous, dignified and genial, 
 very hospitable and beloved by all who approached 
 him. In certain circumstances in our political 
 history he acted with a good deal of common-sense. 
 He was an ardent sportsman, perhaps more so than 
 some of the strait-laced would approve of. When 
 Bishop of Carlisle he shot grouse on the Naworth 
 
i8i9-4o] NUNEHAM 17 
 
 moors. One day when they proposed to take 
 him out of his way to show him the Roman wall, 
 he said, " Never mind the wall ; show me the 
 grouse." On one occasion at Nuneham we found 
 the foxhounds running by the house, when we saw 
 the Archbishop, leaning out of an open window, 
 crying out " Tally-ho ! " at the top of his voice. 
 
 The following account of Nuneham, written 
 some years afterwards by my sister, Georgiana 
 FuUerton, to my mother, may be found of some 
 interest. 
 
 Nuneham, February i^th, 1843. 
 
 " We arrived here yesterday at half-past four. 
 I am much struck with the beauty and comfort 
 of the house, and the view and the gardens in 
 summer must be perfectly beautiful. We find a 
 large family party. . . . >We are to go to Oxford 
 on Friday. I summoned up courage to say that 
 I would rather go and see some of the buildings 
 while they are at a lecture of Doctor Buckland's 
 on the causes of the colours on birds' wings. And 
 so it is arranged. 
 
 " There is much surprise felt at Oxford at Mr. 
 Ward's ^ marriage, and both friends and foes seem 
 to think it rather inconsistent in such an advocate 
 of Romish practice. I suppose he says it is a 
 matter of discipline only, and that, as his Church 
 allows him to marry and he does not feel equal 
 himself to what he has recommended as the 
 highest line, he is justified in doing so. That 
 may be so, strictly speaking, but it throws rather 
 
 ' Mr. Ward was one of the leaders of the Oxford movement, and 
 a close friend of Newman and of Gladstone. His book, The Ideal 
 of a Christian Church, was condemned, and he was stripped of his 
 degrees by Convocation in 1845. He subsequently became a Roman 
 Catholic, and was the father of Mr. Wilfred Ward. 
 
i8 EARLY LIFE 
 
 a ridicule upon him, and people say he has left 
 his College more in love than in hate." 
 
 I will add an extract from another letter written 
 at the same visit. 
 
 " The morning is beautiful, and we are going 
 to drive into Oxford. I shall enjoy it very 
 much. I am so pleased at what I have just heard 
 that .1 shall look upon it in better spirits than 
 yesterday. The Bishop has wisely and kindly 
 given way and Mr. Oakeley resumes his ministry 
 without recantation or conditions. They do not 
 mean to have any more proceedings at Oxford 
 of any kind, and therefore there seems some 
 prospect of peace and agreement in differing." 
 
 My sister joined the Roman Catholic Church 
 in 1846, just after my father's death. She post- 
 poned doing so as she knew it would cause 
 him great annoyance. Those who knew her will 
 think me justified in saying she was an angel on 
 earth. Her conversion never altered her rela- 
 tions with any member of her family, to whom she 
 was always devotedly attached, particularly to my 
 mother. 
 
 Our visits to Nuneham were much more frequent 
 when Mr. Harcourt, the Archbishop's eldest son, 
 came to reside there in the absence of his father. 
 His wife. Lady Elizabeth (who was the daughter 
 of the second Earl of Lucan), was Charteris' aunt, 
 and was handsome and attractive. Her daughter, 
 who had just married Lord Norreys, was also 
 charming. The latter became Lady Abingdon, 
 and was the mother of Sir Francis Bertie, who 
 
1819-40] MILAN 19 
 
 has lately been appointed Ambassador at Paris. 
 Time passed in such society was very agreeable. 
 
 Lady Elizabeth, not long after this, met with 
 an untimely end. She and her husband went to 
 Milan to witness the Coronation of the Emperor 
 of Austria as King of Lombardy. By my father's 
 leave I accompanied my brother-in-law, Mr. 
 Fullerton, with the same object, and also in the 
 hope of meeting the Harcourts. Milan was the 
 scene of numberless festivities. The Italians just at 
 that time became more reconciled to the Austrians 
 on account of the benevolent rule of the Viceroy, 
 Archduke Rainer. Many of the Milanese nobility 
 opened their houses, and we were present at 
 most of their parties. I have a distinct recollec- 
 tion of seeing several times in society that fine 
 old man, Marshal Radetzski. I also remember a 
 
 beautiful Russian, the Comtesse , whom I had 
 
 known in Paris, and who was at Milan, as an 
 Italian lady put it, in rather a " bad smell." She 
 led a fast life, and I heard an amusing story of 
 an incident which occurred a year or two later. 
 She had fallen in love with an Italian tenor, who 
 at her request had cultivated a moustache. Now 
 it seems that it was not etiquette for a singer to 
 appear on the stage otherwise than clean-shaved, 
 so that the audience hissed him ; upon which the 
 lady stood up in her box with her hands out- 
 stretched in a suppliant attitude, which was a 
 silent appeal to them to allow her favourite to 
 retain his moustache, 
 
20 EARLY LIFE 
 
 This reminds me of an incident iri a theatre 
 which happened some years afterwards at Venice. 
 I was there with my brother, Lord Granville and 
 his wife, her mother the Duchesse de Dalberg, 
 and her aunt Contessa Marescalchi. We went 
 one evening to the Opera, when the last-named 
 i;-ecognised in the principal singer the husband of 
 her lady's-maid, who had cruelly deserted his wife. 
 Madame Marescalchi got my brother the next 
 morning to ask him to call at our hotel. When 
 he appeared my brother said nothing, but begged 
 Madame Marescalchi, who was waiting in the 
 next room, to come in. She entered, bringing 
 in her maid, who at once threw herself into the 
 arms of the faithless husband. Upon this a 
 reconciliation took place, to last how long I do 
 not know. The following day we all returned to 
 the Opera, to show our approbation of the young 
 man's conduct. We vehemently applauded every 
 note he sang. As he sang out of tune the audience 
 resented this applause and began to hiss. This 
 made Madame Marescalchi remark to us, '' Je vous 
 prie, un peu mains de zele." 
 
 To hit the right measure in such cases is 
 somewhat difficult. I found it so at some private 
 theatricals which took place at the Dowager Lady 
 Essex's in London. Henry Greville was the 
 principal performer, and at the end of the first 
 act complained to us of the absence of applause, 
 without which it was impossible to act. We then 
 took to applauding vigorously, which made him 
 
1819-40] NEWMAN AT OXFORD 21 
 
 still more angry. Indiscriminate applause, he said, 
 was worse than none. But as the acting had 
 nothing salient about it discrimination was difficult. 
 
 The Coronation at Milan was a magnificent 
 sight, rivalling that which I had lately witnessed in 
 Westminster Abbey. There are few interiors of 
 cathedrals finer than the one at Milan, and when 
 the beautiful Empress walked majestically along 
 the aisle from the door to the altar, it was a sight 
 worthy of the gods, although somewhat impaired 
 by the insignificant appearance of the husband 
 by whose side she walked. One evening the 
 Cercle de Noblesse gave a ball in honour of the 
 Coronation. I led Lady Elizabeth Harcourt, 
 leaning on my arm, round the room, and her beauty 
 excited general admiration. Two days later she 
 was seized with an attack of cholera, to which 
 she succumbed. I need not say how much we were 
 grieved and shocked. We went out no more, soon 
 taking our departure for Paris. 
 
 It would weary my reader if I described in more 
 detail my life at Oxford. It seems strange to 
 me now that neither I nor any of my companions 
 paid any attention to what was called the Oxford 
 Movement, which had its origin about that time. 
 Some of us used to go to St, Mary's to hear 
 Newman preach. We were attracted by his 
 earnestness and the beauty and simplicity of his 
 language; so far as I can remember he rarely 
 touched upon dogma. 
 
 Our life was very pleasant, but must be con- 
 
22 EARLY LIFE 
 
 sidered to have been wasted, except by those who 
 look upon time affording much pleasure as not 
 absolutely thrown away. My chief amusement was 
 tennis. I sometimes went out with the drag. I 
 was president of an archery club, which, to the 
 peril of the neighbourhood, we converted into a 
 rifle club, and was on that account closed soon 
 after I left. I went to many wine-parties, where 
 there was no drunkenness, but perhaps more con- 
 viviality than would be at present approved of. 
 I played a good deal at whist, but for moderate 
 stakes. I read little, and relied on what I had 
 learnt at my private tutor's to get through my 
 daily work. We were on the whole a steady set, 
 but it was not a life calculated to promote success 
 in our future careers. 
 
 In my opinion my masters, whether at school 
 or college, were to a certain degree responsible 
 for my indolence. Not one of them sought to 
 interest me in my work, or pointed out the merits 
 of the authors we read. Nor did they bring home 
 to me the circumstances under which these authors 
 wrote, nor make any comparisons between ancient 
 and modern literature. It was very different with 
 a Frenchman who coached me during one of my 
 Oxford vacations. He pointed out beauties and 
 defects, and enlivened his lessons with many anec- 
 dotes and interesting facts bearing upon our studies. 
 It is fair to add that he had as a teacher a consider- 
 able reputation. I do not remember his name, 
 but he was tutor to the late Due de Broglie, the 
 
i8i9-4oj OXFORD TO PARIS 23 
 
 distinguished politician and author, whose father 
 recommended him to mine, and in later years he 
 became the tutor of the Prince Imperial. 
 
 It is odd enough that in England instructors of 
 the well-to-do classes never receive any training 
 in the art of teaching, while this is required of the 
 masters and mistresses in our elementary schools. 
 
 I left Oxford in the autumn of 1840 and joined 
 my parents at Paris. I remained with them until 
 the end of the following January, when I took up 
 my abode in London in order to study law. 
 
ABROAD 
 
 1841-42 
 
 MY legal studies were soon interrupted by my 
 being summoned to Paris, where my 
 father had been struck down with paralysis. I 
 believe this was the result of the anxiety he went 
 through during the previous autumn. England 
 and France were on the verge of war on the 
 Mehemet Ali question, and it was largely owing 
 to my father that peace was maintained. But the 
 strain put upon him was great, and undermined 
 his health. He gradually somewhat recovered, 
 but for the rest of his life remained an invalid. 
 He was very fond of me, and was unwilling 
 in his impaired state of health to part with 
 me. So my return to my legal studies was 
 postponed to the following year. This was most 
 welcome to me, as I dearly loved my father, and 
 preferred the gay life in Paris to reading Smith's 
 Leading Cases. There are two seasons in Paris — 
 one in mid-winter, before Lent, the other after 
 Easter. The latter is by far the pleasanter, as I 
 realised on this occasion. There were many balls 
 and other amusements, which I thoroughly enjoyed. 
 I attended the races at Chantilly with a pleasant 
 
 24 
 
1841-42] PARIS— LA JONCHERE 25 
 
 party. The Duke of Orleans gave a ball in 
 a part of the building which had been the stables 
 of former days, and had escaped destruction during 
 the French Revolution. The whole chdteau was 
 afterwards, as is well known, fully restored by 
 the Due d'Aumale. 
 
 Later on in this year, when the weather grew 
 warmer, my father rented a charming place not 
 far from Versailles, called La Jonchere. It was 
 formerly the residence of Ouvrard, the great 
 contractor in the time of the first Napoleon, and 
 one of Madame Tallien's lovers. The house stood 
 on an eminence, with a glorious view, the Seine 
 winding through the plain below, St. Germain with 
 its chdteau in front, and Marly with its woods and 
 aqueduct to the left. As my father got better 
 we saw more society, and many people came down 
 to sleep or only for dinner. One difference I 
 observed between our English and French visitors. 
 The former either admired or pretended to admire 
 the view ; the latter rarely looked at it. We got 
 up some theatricals in a small way. Madame de 
 Meyendorf and my sister Georgiana Fullerton 
 acted in perfection the scene between Cdlim^ne 
 and Arsinoe in Moliere's Misanthrope, and I took 
 a part in the bower scene of Much Ado about 
 Nothing. 
 
 During my various visits to Paris I came across 
 a number of remarkable persons. I saw Talleyrand 
 once or twice, and Thiers oftener. I frequently 
 shook hands with Guizot, and heard Mold converse. 
 
26 ABROAD 
 
 who was reckoned one of the most agreeable men 
 in France. I, saw Berryer, but never Lamartine, 
 except when speaking in the Chambers. I knew 
 Eugene Sue well, as he frequented the house of 
 one of my friends. When a dandy he wrote some 
 fashionable novels, and was the pet of various fine 
 ladies. One of his novels was founded upon a 
 story in real life. It was published in numbers, 
 the heroine being described as involved in dreadful 
 trouble from which his female friends entreated 
 him to extricate her. 
 
 This reminded me of an anecdote ci propos of 
 Clarissa Harlowe. The novel came out in suc- 
 cessive volumes, and at the end of the sixth she is 
 described as dying. Upon this some one wrote to 
 Richardson that he would give him a thousand 
 pounds if in the next volume he would restore her 
 to health. This Richardson refused to do. 
 
 Eugene Sue then wrote some stories full of 
 sympathy for the working classes. He consequently 
 obtained their favour, and was elected a deputy by 
 them, but in that capacity he met with no success. 
 
 I shall not attempt to enumerate all the lovely 
 women I at this time became acquainted with. 
 The Duchesse d'Istrie was the most beautiful, and 
 one of the few French women I ever met with who 
 could rival our principal English beauties. 
 
 The Duchesse de Galliera, a first cousin of 
 my sister-in-law Lady Granville, was remarkably 
 clever. She was rather plain, with a peculiar 
 absent manner, but had great finesse d' esprit, and 
 
1841-42] LA DUCHESSE DE GALLIErA 27 
 
 could hold her own with the distinguished men she 
 received in her salon. It was to her, I believe, 
 that some one remarked, " Aprh tout, madame, il 
 faut avouer que ce sont les gens d' esprit qui ont 
 perdu la France." — "Mais alors done, monsieur, 
 pourquoi ne nous avez-vous pas sauvSs ? " — Both 
 she and her husband were immensely rich, and 
 lived in the splendid Hdtel Monaco. I never 
 afterwards went through Paris without her asking 
 me to dinner, when I met distinguished company. I 
 made friends there with M. Legouv^, the dramatist 
 and academician. He was the author with Scribe 
 of "Adrienne Lecouvreur." When I told him I 
 had been charmed with a little piece which had 
 just appeared at the Gymnase called La Chaste 
 Suzanne, — "I am glad," he said, "you were 
 pleased with it, as I am the author." 
 
 At one of these dinners, which took place just 
 after the entry of Garibaldi into Naples, I ex- 
 pressed myself delighted with this event, not 
 knowing that among the guests was the Cavaliere 
 Canofari, who remained as Neapolitan Chargd 
 d' Affaires at Paris until the recognition of Italy by 
 the French Government. This caused me some 
 compunction, as he bore with so much good humour 
 my observations, which must have been most 
 offensive to him, and merely expressed his dissent 
 from my views. 
 
 The Gallieras were most generous. He gave 
 ;^8oo,ooo towards the improvement of the harbour 
 at Genoa. She built and endowed various institu- 
 
28 ABROAD 
 
 tions in France and in Italy. She and her son 
 handed over II Palazzo Rosso with all its priceless 
 treasures to their native town of Genoa. Her 
 son is a Socialist, and, considering all capital to 
 be robbery, was with difficulty persuaded to limit 
 himself to the miserable pittance of ^20,000 a year, 
 which I believe he distributes among others. His 
 mother, who held rather Liberal views, was de- 
 voted to the Orleans family, and proved her 
 devotion by giving a valuable estate in Italy 
 to the Due de Montpensier. When she offered 
 it he accepted it by telegram. She also left a 
 large sum to the Empress Frederick, with whom 
 she became acquainted on the Riviera, 
 
 During these years I frequently saw Princess 
 Lieven, who, when she had ceased to be Russian 
 Ambassadress in London, took up her permanent 
 abode in Paris after passing a winter in Russia. 
 She spent much of her time at our Embassy. 
 I often made up her rubber of whist, of which 
 she was very fond. The Tsar was indignant with 
 her for refusing to return to Russia, so much so 
 that at one time he stopped her allowance, and she 
 had to have recourse to her friends to enable her 
 to meet her expenses. My father delighted in her 
 conversation, and on this account my mother was 
 glad to welcome her to her house ; she also 
 pitied her, as she thought that, in spite of her 
 brilliant existence, she was an unhappy woman. 
 The Princess, in one of her letters to her brother, 
 Comte Benckendorf, which have been lately 
 
1841-42] PRINCESS LIEVEN 39 
 
 published, says that she preferred my mother's 
 society to that of any other woman in London, 
 which is all the more flattering as my mother did 
 not really feel much affection for her, and she was 
 the only person who took little interest in politics 
 whom the Princess cared for. 
 
 What the Princess chiefly suffered from was 
 intense boredom, which amounted almost to a 
 disease. If nobody called during the afternoon 
 she would roll on the floor from ennui. On one 
 occasion, when on her way from England, she 
 got so much alarmed at the prospect of travelling 
 alone from Calais to Paris, that she offered a seat 
 in her carriage to a respectable-looking clergyman 
 on board the steamer, which he joyfully accepted. 
 When seated beside her, he talked so incessantly 
 as nearly to drive her wild. She could only relieve 
 her feelings by putting her head out of the window 
 every ten minutes and screaming out to the winds, 
 " // mennuie — il m'ennuie!" Sometimes since, 
 when bored by some one to extinction, I have been 
 soothed by repeating those words to myself. 
 
 Though she looked very distinguished, with her 
 small head and graceful figure, she was not 
 handsome ; yet there never was a woman who 
 had at her feet so many men of mark. Prince 
 Metternich, Canning, Wellington, Aberdeen, Lord 
 Grey, and Guizot, as well as George IV. were 
 at different times devoted to her. It, however, 
 appears from some of her lately published letters 
 that she did not care much for any of them. 
 
30 ABROAD 
 
 but made use of them for her own political objects. 
 Her correspondence betrays duplicity with regard to 
 them. The only person she seems to have been truly 
 attached to was M. Guizot, who was her friend for 
 twenty years, and was faithful to her till she died. 
 
 I was once present on an interesting occasion 
 at her salon. All Paris was at that time wondering 
 whether the Emperor would marry Mademoiselle de 
 Montijo. The room was full when the dopr was 
 thrown open, and the Comtesse and her daughter 
 announced. Madame de Lieven immediately got 
 up from her seat and, brushing past the mother, 
 embraced the daughter, taking her by both hands. 
 Every one present at once knew that the engage- 
 ment had taken place. 
 
 Madame Appony, the Austrian Ambassadress, 
 was also a constant visitor at our Embassy. She 
 was a most amiable woman, but was to a tiresome 
 degree what the French call doucereuse, her words 
 melting in her mouth. Her eldest son married 
 Mademoiselle de Benckendorf, who was described, 
 before her arrival as a bride at Paris, to be blunt 
 and insolent. This made Monsieur Tschann, the 
 Swiss Minister, observe : "Si elle est brutale cela 
 sera rafratchissant." She afterwards became 
 Austrian Ambassadress in London, where she 
 was decidedly civil and popular. She was a niece 
 of Princess Lieven, and probably found out that, 
 being less clever, she had better not try and imitate 
 her aunt's imperious ways. 
 
 Later on I spent a short time in England, and 
 
1841-42] THE RIVIERA 31 
 
 afte /wards went to Nice, where my father had 
 been ordered by the doctor to spend the winter. 
 I found the whole family lodged in a charming 
 house close to the shore, near the Promenade des 
 Anglais. Lord Brougham had offered to lend 
 his villa at Cannes to my father, but he preferred 
 Nice as being more sociable. Lord Brougham's 
 villa and Mr. Leader's were then the only ones 
 at Cannes, and Nice and Genoa were the only 
 towns on the Riviera frequented by strangers. 
 Nice was very gay, with a distinguished and cos- 
 mopolitan society. My uncle, the, Duke of Devon- 
 shire, rented a house close to ours, and took an 
 active part in all that was going on. So did the 
 Grand Duchess Stephanie of Baden, with her 
 daughter the Princess Marie. The Duchess was 
 related to the Empress Josephine, and was the 
 adopted daughter of Napoleon. She was very 
 good-natured and without pretension. On Mardi 
 Gras, not recognising her, I pelted her mercilessly 
 with bonbons, which she did not in the least 
 resent. Another visitor at Nice was the handsome 
 and brilliant Duchesse de Dino, whom Prince 
 Talleyrand had obtained in marriage for his nephew 
 the Due de Talleyrand, who became the Due de 
 Dino. After the lapse of some years she left her 
 husband in order to live with his uncle, over whose 
 establishment she presided during the remainder of 
 his life. She accompanied him when he came to 
 London as Ambassador, and had great success in 
 English society, which, after some hesitation, 
 
32 ABROAD 
 
 received her well. Her daughter, Madame de 
 Castellane, who, with her husband, was staying 
 with her at Nice, was said, when a girl of 
 eighteen, to have reconciled Prince Talleyrand 
 on his deathbed to the Church, and was con- 
 sequently looked upon as a saint. She deserved 
 that appellation, not on account of that achieve- 
 ment, but because she was good, and bore well 
 some sad trials in life. Her daughter married 
 Prince Radziwill, whom I met in Russia just 
 after his engagement, and surprised by telling him 
 that I had once given a kiss to his intended. But 
 he was reassured when I explained that she was 
 at the time only two years old. The Duchesse 
 de Dino, upon her uncle's death, became devout, 
 and was for a time the bosom friend of the Arch- 
 bishop of Paris. After we met at Nice she 
 fell in love with a good-looking young German, 
 a Prince Lichnowsky, and was only deterred by 
 the prayers of her daughter from becoming a 
 Protestant in order to marry him. Some years 
 afterwards he lost his life in a riot at Frankfort. 
 
 One day the town was startled by the arrival 
 of Lord Douglas, the handsome son of the Duke 
 of Hamilton. He had come in lorder to propose 
 to the Princess Marie in obedience to his father's 
 injunction to marry a royalty. His advances were 
 well received, and we thought the affair was as 
 good as settled, when, to the young lady's indigna- 
 tion and to every one's astonishment, he suddenly 
 departed for Rome. The next summer in Germany 
 
1841-42] NICE 33 
 
 she all but accepted a friend of my brother, which, 
 coming to the ears of Douglas, roused his vanity, 
 and he again came forward and induced her to throw 
 over his rival and to become his wife. She would 
 have done better not to forgive him for his previous 
 behaviour, as he proved an indifferent husband. 
 
 Compared with its present condition, Nice was 
 then in a primitive state. For instance, I was 
 sometimes obliged to go to parties in a sedan-chair. 
 The streets were ill-lighted with oil lamps. There 
 was a good deal of poverty and numberless beg- 
 gars. Some one lamenting this in the presence 
 of the Governor of the town, he professed on 
 the contrary to be much pleased, as it induced 
 the rich to be charitable. The beggars, if they 
 were not impostors, probably viewed the matter 
 in a different light. The Governor was an 
 Ultramontane, and represented a government 
 which was at that time the most bigoted in Europe. 
 At the instigation of the Church every sort of 
 absurd restriction was imposed. Some years pre- 
 viously I was at Aix-en-Savoie, when the young 
 men organised a dance, and ordered a band from 
 Chambdry to play at it. The band duly arrived, 
 but as it was a Friday, was not allowed to perform. 
 So we had to dance to the beating of a drum until 
 twelve o'clock, when the music became permissible. 
 
 My brother, Lord Leveson,^ and his charming 
 wife came to Nice early in spring, and soon 
 afterwards I accompanied them to Rome in time 
 
 • Afterwards second Earl Granville. 
 
 3 
 
34 ABROAD 
 
 to be there during the Easter week. My sister- 
 in-law was remarkably cosmopolitan. Her father, 
 the Due de Dalberg, was originally a German 
 Baron at the head of a distinguished family, but 
 became naturalised in France, when the first 
 Napoleon conferred on him the title of Duke. 
 He took a prominent part in French politics, both 
 during the French Empire and during the Restora- 
 tion, when he was credited with Liberal tendencies. 
 Her mother was a Genoese of the noble family 
 of Brignole. Her first husband was Sir Richard 
 Acton, a son of the famous Neapolitan Prime 
 Minister, the friend of Nelson and of the English 
 Alliance. She was sister-in-law of Cardinal Acton, 
 and mother of the late Lord Acton, one of the 
 most learned men of his time. In consequence of 
 her many connections I found myself at Rome in 
 the midst of the leading society of the place. It 
 was of course reactionary and clerical. They 
 fasted strictly, and although the maigre food was 
 delicious, my brother and I sometimes slipped 
 away to a restaurant to fortify ourselves with a 
 little meat. I was given every facility to see the 
 Church ceremonies, which I admired without being 
 much impressed. I was a little too much behind 
 the scenes. I will not describe Rome, or, with 
 a few exceptions, any of the interesting places I 
 have visited. They are so well known, owing to 
 the many books of travel and guide-books that 
 have been written about them, that it would be 
 a waste of time to attempt it. 
 
SOCIETY 
 
 1840-46 
 
 I SOON afterwards turned my face homeward in 
 order to resume my legal studies. One of 
 my great privileges in early life was my intimacy 
 with Lord and Lady Holland. I was as a boy 
 a frequent visitor at Holland House, and during 
 her widowhood I saw a great deal of her in 
 London. I first made their acquaintance when 
 I was a schoolboy at Brighton. They used to 
 come there every year, when she often invited 
 the sons of their friends to visit them. She rather 
 alarmed us, and put to us questions which were 
 difficult to answer at once. One day she asked 
 Cosmo Russell, the Duke of Bedford's son, what 
 profession he would prefer. He answered without 
 hesitation, " The Church." — " What text, my 
 dear, would you choose for your sermon ?" — " The 
 wages of sin is death." — The answer was, perhaps, 
 more ready than tactful. 
 
 When later I stayed at Holland House Lord 
 Holland used to chat with me most pleasantly. 
 Lady Holland was particular about my going 
 to church, as she knew my mother would wish 
 it, especially as I was living in a house reputed 
 
 35 
 
36 SOCIETY 
 
 to be the temple of unorthodoxy. On returning 
 one day from church, I, in the innocence of 
 my heart, asked Lord Holland who the pretty 
 girls were who sat behind his pew. As he 
 never went there he could only answer with a 
 smile, " I do not know." What was remarkable 
 in him, beside his intellect and great culture, 
 was his good humour and the patience with 
 which he bore his wife's teasing ways. I see 
 him now, gesticulating and finishing a story, as 
 he was by her orders being wheeled backwards 
 by the footman out of the room ; and he re- 
 mained perfectly unmoved when, as would some- 
 times happen, she told the footman to take away 
 the unfinished food that was before him. 
 
 Lord Holland died in 1840, and left his widow 
 disconsolate. During many months I frequently 
 saw her in tears, and after my mother, who did 
 not like her, had paid her a visit on her return 
 two years later from abroad, she observed, " That 
 woman has suffered much, and I will never again 
 say she has no heart." She was a staunch friend 
 and always ready to do a service to those she liked. 
 It must, however, be admitted that she had no 
 great affection for her own children. Her son 
 Charles one day said to me, " I wish she loved 
 us as much as she loves all of you." I do not 
 think she ever resided at Holland House after 
 her loss, but she continued to entertain in Stanhope 
 Street all her former habituds, none of whom ever 
 failed her, which proved that they appreciated her 
 
1840-46] LORD AND LADY HOLLAND 37 
 
 good qualities. At that time I was living in a 
 small lodging in Charles Street, reading for the 
 law. Nothing could exceed her kindness to me. I 
 dined with her whenever I liked. I had only to 
 send word in the morning that I would do so, a 
 permission of which I frequently availed myself 
 Of course I never uttered a word at dinner, 
 but listened with delight to the brilliant talk, to 
 Macaulay's eloquence and varied information, to 
 Sydney Smith's exquisite jokes, which made me 
 die of laughing, to Mr. Rogers' sarcasm, and 
 to Mr. Luttrell's ^ repartees. — " Will you make a 
 little room, Mr. Luttrell?" — "It will have to be 
 made,'' he replied, " for it does not exist." 
 
 All the Whig ladies visited Lady Holland, and 
 many of them were charming and agreeable. She 
 was very fond of my cousins. Lady Carlisle's 
 daughters. One day she exclaimed, " What is the 
 use of education .? Your cousins know very little, 
 yet how perfect they are ! " I think she hardly 
 did them justice, as, without being learned, they 
 had cultivated minds. 
 
 I once asked Lady Holland whether it would 
 frighten her to see a ghost. — " Oh no ; it would 
 delight me, as proving the existence of a future 
 life." — She could not bear the idea of leaving 
 this one. She said shfe would exchange her 
 present position for that of a crossing-sweeper 
 
 ' Mr. Luttrell was believed to be a natural son of Lord Carhampton. 
 He had sat in the last Irish Parliament, and died about 1855 at a very 
 advanced age. 
 
38 SOCIETY 
 
 who was young. She never would allow the word 
 " death " to be uttered in her presence. I once 
 went with her to the play to see an after-piece. 
 We arrived too early, and the funeral in Hamlet 
 was being performed. She immediately left the 
 box. She entreated Lord Carlisle to raze to the 
 ground the beautiful mausoleum at Castle Howard, 
 which is visible to all the country round, and 
 which, she said, made her too sad. And yet I 
 was assured she met death with perfect calmness. 
 But she was not courageous, particularly in a 
 carriage. Her coachman once told her he could 
 go backwards, but could not go slower. When 
 he said, "no fear, my lady," she answered, 
 " Perhaps there is no danger, but there's a great 
 deal of fear." — She was the only person ever 
 known to have the drag put on when driving 
 along the boulevards at Paris. For a long time 
 she refused to travel by railway. At last she was 
 induced to go to Bowood by the Great Western 
 line, when she got Mr. Brunei, the eminent engineer 
 who had constructed it, to accompany her, and 
 held him by the hand the whole of the journey. 
 Mr. Brunei was a great friend of hers, and she was 
 much concerned when his life was endangered by 
 his swallowing a coin. At the time of this occur- 
 rence. Sir Arthur Aston, who had been our Minister 
 at Madrid, was dining with Lady Holland, when 
 he told in relation to it the following amusing story. 
 A youth at Madrid having swallowed a coin was 
 surrounded in the streets by a crowd, when efforts 
 
1840-46] LADY HOLLAND 39 
 
 were made to extract it ; upon which some one cried 
 out, " Send for the Queen-Mother, she will get at 
 it ! " Her Majesty was reputed to be very grasping, 
 and to be amassing a large fortune. 
 
 Lady Holland was much attached to Mr. Allen, 
 who was Lord Holland's private secretary and lived 
 during many years under their roof. He was very 
 learned, talked well, and gave one the impression 
 of great benevolence. But he was much abused 
 on account of his holding sceptical views. I can 
 only say that those who do not think that beliefs 
 are necessary for salvation would maintain that he 
 deserved it, for his life was blameless. One day 
 during his last illness he got much better and 
 was supposed to be out of danger, which put Lady 
 Holland in great spirits. " Let us imitate," she 
 said, "Tom Jones" — who, it maybe remembered, 
 got drunk upon Squire All worthy's recovery. But 
 Mr. Allen had a relapse and soon afterwards died. 
 
 She was not always respectful to her physician. 
 Sir Stephen Hammick. — "Where do you dine 
 to-day, Sir Stephen ?"— " At my club."— "What is 
 the name of your club ? " — " The Union." — " I have 
 never heard of it. Frederick, is there such a 
 club ? " 
 
 At one time she took to dining out, which she 
 had rarely done before. She went to many of 
 the most fashionable houses, whether Whig or 
 Tory. She often got me invited in order that 
 I might accompany her. We once dined at 
 Chesterfield House, after which she told her old 
 
40 SOCIETY 
 
 friends that she had never before understood what 
 constituted good society. I need not add that she 
 only said this to tease them, for never was there 
 known a more delightful society than that which 
 surrounded her. 
 
 I have always cherished a grateful recollection 
 of Lady Holland. I was much touched by her 
 leaving me a legacy of two hundred pounds with 
 which to purchase books, a graceful intimation 
 of her affection for me, which never varied. She 
 heard so much of the well-deserved popularity of 
 F. Charteris, when he first went into society in 
 London, that she was curious to see him, and 
 told me to bring him some day to dine with her 
 at Holland House. The invitation gratified him, 
 and we accordingly went, when she received him 
 graciously. Upon our taking our departure we were 
 already on the staircase, when she called me back 
 and whispered, " Never mind, my dear Frederick ; 
 good looks are not everything in this world." 
 
 I only hope that my remarks about Lady 
 Holland, which are perfectly truthful, may convey 
 a better impression of her than that which has 
 been generally entertained. People have been 
 forgetful of her merits, and paid too much attention 
 to her eccentricities. 
 
 I gradually became a great favourite with my 
 uncle, the Duke of Devonshire, who wished to 
 have me constantly with him. To pass my time 
 at Devonshire House, Chatsworth and Chiswick 
 was much more attractive than to study law in 
 
1840-46I SIR JOSEPH PAXTON 41 
 
 Lincoln's Inn. The Duke, as the owner of every- 
 thing that rank and fortune can give from the time 
 he came of age, had always the world at his feet. 
 He was clever and amusing, and, had he not been 
 very deaf, might have played a conspicuous part 
 in public life. In consequence of the adulation he 
 received he was socially rather dictatorial, but at 
 the same time very amiable and liking to see the 
 enjoyment of others, particularly if conferred by 
 himself. We were all much attached to him. 
 
 The relations which subsisted between the Duke 
 and his gardener, Paxton, were of a delightful 
 character. The Duke was fond of botany, and 
 spent much time in the Horticultural Gardens 
 which adjoined his villa at Chiswick, and which 
 the Society rented from him, when he often con- 
 versed with Paxton, who was there in a subordinate 
 position. The Duke was so much impressed by 
 his intelligence that he appointed him to the 
 important post of head gardener at Chatsworth. 
 According to the Duke, Paxton employed his first 
 morning there in the following manner. He 
 inspected the garden and saw all the gardeners, 
 instructing them as to their respective duties, and 
 he fell in love with the housekeeper's niece, whom 
 he subsequently married. There is another version 
 to the effect that at their first interview he pro- 
 posed to the lady and was accepted ; but that was 
 improbable. 
 
 He soon proved himself superior to an ordinary 
 gardener, and carried out many improvements 
 
42 SOCIETY 
 
 apart from his immediate duties. At Chatsworth 
 he rebuilt nearly the whole of Edensor, the 
 village at the park gates. He constructed the 
 great conservatory, the largest in the world, and 
 the " Emperor," the highest fountain. He laid 
 out the vast rock shrubbery, which, although of 
 doubtful taste in a country of rocks, was well 
 devised and is very pretty. Apart from Chats- 
 worth, he doubled the accommodation of Bolton 
 Abbey, and enlarged and improved Lismore Castle. 
 His principal achievement was, as is well known, 
 the building he designed in imitation of the 
 Chatsworth conservatory for the Exhibition of 
 185 1. The architects had failed to produce any 
 suitable scheme, and I believe it was due to 
 Paxton that it was possible to proceed with the 
 Exhibition. 
 
 During my absence in India my uncle most 
 kindly wrote for my benefit a most entertaining 
 daily journal. In it there are several references 
 to the Exhibition. The first mention of it is as 
 follows : 
 
 " I don't know who answered the question as 
 to what Prince Albert thought of affairs, but the 
 answer was — ' He thinks of nothing but his palais 
 en verve et contre toutj " 
 
 He subsequently says : 
 
 " The Exhibition becomes too interesting. 
 There is a colossal Amazon in bronze on horseback 
 about to spear a lion that has fastened on her 
 horse's neck, made at Berlin by one Kiss. I 
 was gazing at it when a small woman accosted 
 
1840-46] THE EXHIBITION OF 185 1 43 
 
 me, ' Ma'am ? ' said I — and Ecco ! it was the 
 Queen. She walks there most days among the 
 workmen and exhibitors and is very popular. 
 Albert looks stupified." 
 
 There is this other passage, written after the 
 Opening : 
 
 " I am hardly recovered from May Day 
 
 I was satisfied for Paxton, and so must he have 
 been when at the mention of his name Victoria 
 turned towards him and made a gesture of appro- 
 bation. She did her part astonishingly well, with 
 such composure and yet with joy in her face. 
 She was wonderfully well got up, and contrived 
 to be so dignified that it had the effect of beauty. 
 The climate was perfect, there was no crowd, there 
 was not a hitch except that you were not there, 
 with which well-turned compliment I shall conclude 
 my account. 
 
 " After the Queen had left I descended from 
 the gallery, where my capital place had been, to 
 parade the architect about. He wore his dress 
 and his cocked hat as if he had been so clad 
 through life. We were incessantly stopped and 
 surrounded with overflowing greetings. It tickled 
 John Ussher's^ fancy to hear those who did not 
 know him personally before saying ' Look, look, 
 there's Mr. Paxton ! ' in a very loud voice ; and 
 then, more gently, ' There's the Duke of Devon- 
 shire.' " 
 
 Soon afterwards Coventry sent Paxton as its 
 representative to Parliament, where he did not 
 play a conspicuous part ; but as he only spoke on 
 subjects he was well acquainted with, he was always 
 attentively listened to. His cockney pronunciation 
 
 ' A young friend of the Duke's. 
 
44 SOCIETY 
 
 and misuse of the letter h were a disadvantage. 
 He once said that his employer had the heye of 
 an 'awk, and when it was proposed to build a 
 church which was much wanted in his neigh- 
 bourhood he offered to 'eat it. Nothing could 
 exceed Paxton's devotion to the Duke, who was 
 much attached to him, and placed in him un- 
 limited confidence. Of this the following occur- 
 rence is an example. He one day asked the Duke 
 to lend him twenty thousand pounds, which he 
 promised to repay in a few days, but said he could 
 not tell him for what object he wanted it. The 
 Duke at once gave him a cheque for that amount 
 on his bankers, Messrs. Paul, and Paxton drew 
 out the money. The next day the bank failed, 
 and on the following day Paxton refunded the 
 money. He had been told, under the most solemn 
 promise not to reveal the fact, that the bank was 
 on the eve of failure. I am not certain that the 
 transaction was quite correct, but I am certain both 
 parties to it were convinced that it was. Paxton 
 became intimate with a group of literary men, 
 including Dickens, Mark Lemon, and Douglas 
 Jerrold, and joined in starting the Daily News. 
 The Duke consequently struck up a friendship with 
 them, and at one time saw a good deal of them. 
 This resulted in a play written by Douglas Jerrold 
 being acted by these authors at Devonshire House. 
 I once missed meeting Dickens at Chatsworth, 
 who left on the day of my arrival. Thackeray came 
 that same afternoon, and was anxious to hear about 
 
1840-46] THE RAILWAY KING 45 
 
 Dickens' visit. He wondered whether he had 
 toadied the Duke very much. My impression is 
 that, though professing to be friends, these two 
 great novelists did not care much for one another. 
 I once met Dickens at a large dinner at Mr. 
 Motley's,^ but did not get introduced to him. 
 Thackeray I often met, both in society and at 
 the Cosmopolitan Club, and it was always with 
 great pleasure, for, besides being an admirable 
 writer, he was a brilliant conversationalist. If I 
 were asked which of these two novelists I pre- 
 ferred I should consider it a difficult question to 
 answer, their merits being so distinct. But if 
 pressed I should perhaps say that Dickens is the 
 most humorous, but that Thackeray gives us a 
 truer representation of life. 
 
 The Duke gradually invited not only Paxton but 
 his family to his dinners and parties in town and 
 country, which was not approved of by some of the 
 vulgar fashionables, and was rather resented by the 
 doctor's wife, as she did not like to sit at the same 
 table with a man who had been an under-gardener, 
 and his wife, who was the niece of a house- 
 keeper. It was only by degrees that the Duke's 
 intimacy with Paxton grew. The Duke, writing 
 from Wynyard at an earlier date, said, " Paxton has 
 declined to come here till next week. I thought 
 he would not like to be my vis-a-vis at dinner." 
 
 Paxton introduced to the Duke the railway 
 king, Mr. George Hudson, which I think was a 
 
 ' The American Minister and historian. 
 
46 SOCIETY 
 
 mistake, but I fancy that his purchase of a portion 
 of the Duke's Londesborough estate had something 
 to do with it. Mr. Hudson's popularity was great 
 during the early period of his career. Banquets 
 were held in his honour, which were attended by 
 individuals of high character and station. The 
 chairman on one such occasion referred to him as 
 the chief supporter of railways, although no one 
 could describe him as a " sleeper." He was 
 welcomed in every quarter, and Sunderland sent 
 him to the House of Commons. If he had confined 
 his railway undertakings within reasonable limits, 
 his proceedings would have been legitimate, but 
 he did not do so. He started vast speculations, 
 which more than absorbed the annual savings of 
 the people, the only fund which enables public 
 works to be carried out. He, moreover, dis- 
 tributed a number of shares among influential 
 people, which was not business and was unfair to 
 the public. I was present at a large party at 
 Chatsworth to which he and Mrs. Hudson were 
 invited. I cannot say whether any of the 
 fashionable guests who were there assembled 
 partook of his bounty. 
 
 Mrs. Hudson was a homely old lady, to whom 
 were attributed many funny sayings. One of them 
 was that, " People in Turkey should do as the 
 Turkeys did." Another was that when ordering 
 a gdteau of a French confectioner she said to him, 
 in answer to his question, " De quel grandeur le 
 voulez-vous ? " — " Aussi grand que mon derriere." 
 
1840-46] THE QUEEN AT CHATSWORTH 4; 
 
 At last a crash came, which ruined Mr. Hudson 
 and a great number of people. His last days 
 were spent at Calais, where he every day awaited 
 the arrival of the steamer in the hope of meeting 
 some of his former acquaintances, to whom he 
 might confide his misfortunes and his hope that 
 he would soon retrieve his fallen fortunes by 
 some new speculations. 
 
 In 1843 I was present at a memorable gathering. 
 The Queen and Prince Albert did my uncle the 
 honour of paying him a visit at Chatsworth, and 
 he was good enough to include me among his 
 guests. The house was so full that I slept in my 
 brother's dressing-room. The party included Lord 
 Palmerston, Lord Melbourne and various other 
 distinguished members of his late administration. 
 The Duke of Wellington was also present at it. 
 Lord Melbourne was so much broken in health 
 that he was nearly in a state of second childhood. 
 I believe he had not met Her Majesty since he 
 ceased to be her Minister. Her manner to him 
 was very kind ; still, he bitterly felt the change in 
 the situation, and it was sad to see him with tears 
 frequently in his eyes. It was a splendid enter- 
 tainment, and everything very well done. One 
 evening there were fireworks, when I placed 
 myself in the embrasure of one of the drawing- 
 room windows in order to get a good sight of 
 them. I was soon joined by an individual who 
 seemed to enjoy the spectacle more than I did, and 
 gave way to exclamations of delight. This was 
 
48 SOCIETY 
 
 no less a personage than the Duke of Wellington, 
 who talked to me on a variety of subjects. I 
 wish I could remember what he said. This was 
 the only time I ever had the honour of conversing 
 with the great warrior. 
 
 After my father's return to England in 1843 
 he took up his abode in the first floor of his house, 
 Number 16, Bruton Street, leaving the ground floor 
 to be inhabited by my brother. Each lived as if in 
 a separate house and had a distinct establishment, 
 and they often invited each other to dinner, an 
 arrangement which was frequently, and may still 
 be, carried out in Paris. This house, in which I 
 was born, was formerly occupied by John, Duke 
 of Argyll, and therefore, if Jeannie Deans had been 
 a real person it was there she would have gone 
 when she appealed to him on behalf of her sister. 
 When we lived there a large escutcheon of the 
 Argyll arms was attached to the wall of the stair- 
 case, but has since been removed. 
 
 My father died in 1846, to the inexpressible 
 sorrow of his family. He was greatly beloved by 
 us all, and was the most indulgent parent — possibly 
 too indulgent. Himself a younger son, although 
 I cannot say that his own case was a hard one, 
 he sympathised with me for being one of that 
 unfortunate class. It may have been this feeling, 
 combined with much affection, that made him 
 leave me well provided for. He did not follow 
 the example of Lord Buchan, who boasted that 
 his brother, Lord Chancellor Erskine, owed his 
 
1840-46] DEATH OF 1ST EARL GRANVILLE 49 
 
 success in life to him ; and being asked in what 
 way he had contributed to it, said, " By steadily 
 refusing to increase his allowance when strongly 
 urged to do so." I much question whether if I 
 had been left to earn my bread by my own exer- 
 tions as a lawyer I should have succeeded. 
 
LAW 
 
 1841-48 
 
 IT was my father's wish that I should adopt 
 the law as my profession, which I believe 
 was partly due to the following circumstance. The 
 Prime Minister, Mr. Canning, to whom my father 
 was much attached, came to stay a few weeks at 
 the Paris Embassy during the autumn which 
 preceded his death. I was then quite a child. 
 He took much notice of me, and thought he 
 perceived in me some signs of intelligence. This 
 made him say to my father, " Bring that boy up 
 as a lawyer, and he will one day become Lord 
 Chancellor." I really believe this made my 
 father cherish the idea that this prophecy might 
 turn out to be true. 
 
 My first legal instructor was a Mr. Plunkett, 
 an eminent conveyancer and a genial Irishman, 
 who seemed to prefer to listen to my accounts of 
 my proceedings in society to explaining to me the 
 mysteries of Coke upon Littleton. But I observed 
 that he took greater pains with those pupils who 
 were more likely to profit by them. Among these 
 were Sir Stafford Northcote, who ultimately became 
 Lord Iddesleigh, and Mr. Farrer, who was created 
 
 5° 
 
1841-48] LEGAL STUDIES 51 
 
 Lord Farrer, In later years the latter became 
 my intimate friend and country neighbour. Their 
 industry was most commendable, but I am ashamed 
 to say it excited my admiration more than my 
 emulation. They abandoned the law, the first to 
 become a politician, the second a Civil Servant. 
 They both began life as Tories, but Lord Iddesleigh, 
 who was for a time Mr. Gladstone's private secretary, 
 was inclined to hold Liberal opinions, although 
 he never left his party. Lord Farrer became a 
 thorough Liberal, and was an admirable economist. 
 He did his country great service by destroying in 
 his letters to the Times many economic heresies. 
 He arrested that preposterous measure, the Sugar 
 Convention, which, I believe, if his life had been 
 spared, would not since have been carried out. 
 
 After studying with Mr. Plunkett I went to 
 Mr. Dodson (Dodson and Fogg, we called him), 
 a leading special pleader, who was deservedly 
 popular. Mr. Cardwell, of whom he thought very 
 highly, had been his pupil just before my time. 
 It was afterwards considered desirable that I should 
 study under some one in active practice in the 
 Courts, and I therefore read with Mr. Whitmore, 
 who had a good position on the Oxford Circuit, 
 which I soon after joined. I always respected 
 him for refusing the hand of a great heiress, which 
 was offered to him by her father, in order to 
 marry the girl he loved. The present Member 
 for Chelsea is his son. 
 
 I cannot say that I learnt much law, but I 
 
52 LAW 
 
 derived some benefit from my legal training. I 
 was taught the rules of evidence, and made to 
 recognise the great importance of accurate language. 
 This was of use to me, particularly when in the 
 House of Commons I acted as Chairman on many 
 Railway Committees. 
 
 Some time after this I went as Judge's Marshal, 
 first with Lord Denman and then with Baron Parke. 
 The former interested me with stories of his 
 earlier life. He once referred to Queen Caroline's 
 trial, in which he was junior counsel to Lord 
 Brougham. He averred that he always had been, 
 and still was, convinced of her innocence. When 
 I told this to someone who had been intimate 
 with her, he expressed his surprise that any 
 eminent lawyer could be so simple-minded. His 
 wife certainly was so. Being invited to meet the 
 Grand Duke Michael of Russia at Chatsworth, 
 she sat next to him at dinner, but never uttered 
 a word or answered his questions. Her husband 
 afterwards asked her the cause of this silence. — 
 " My dear," she replied, " I do not know Russian." 
 — It did not occur to her that he might be able 
 to speak some other language. 
 
 I went to Cambridge with Lord Denman, where 
 his son George resided. The latter persuaded me 
 to go with him by water to Ely to see its glorious 
 cathedral. He was a capital oar, but I was 
 not ; and perhaps on this account, or because of 
 an adverse wind, we found ourselves still on the 
 water when we ought to h£LV§ beep attending the 
 
1841-48] JUDGE'S MARSHAL S3 
 
 Judge's public dinner. Now for a Marshal to be 
 absent from one of these dinners was a serious 
 offence. Still, I trusted to my Judge's good-nature, 
 particularly as his son was particeps criminis, and 
 I hoped that he would deal with me leniently. 
 Happily, owing to the prolongation of a trial, the 
 time of dinner was postponed, and we were not 
 too late. 
 
 I afterwards became Marshal to Baron Parke. 
 He had, as is well known, an acute intellect ; 
 but I do not think it unjust to say of him that 
 he preferred law to equity. He held that a man 
 convicted of a crime he had not committed, had 
 no grievance against society, provided that all 
 concerned in his trial had done their best to arrive 
 at the truth ; he was only unlucky, as any one who, 
 walking along a street, happened to be killed by 
 a tile falling from a neighbouring roof. But what 
 charmed me in the Baron was his enjoyment 
 of the simple pleasures of life without the slightest 
 ingredient of vanity. He delighted in shooting, 
 although he rarely killed a bird, and he was fond 
 of whist, although he never played the right card. 
 He took an active part against the claim of 
 my nephew, Lord Brownlow, to the Bridgwater 
 property, and persuaded nearly all the Judges who 
 were consulted by the Law Lords about it to form 
 an adverse opinion. In spite of this the decision 
 in the House of Lords was given in my nephew's 
 favour in the proportion of five Law Lords out of six. 
 His mother, Lady Marian Alford, some years later 
 
54 LAW 
 
 invited the Baron and his wife, who had become 
 Lord and Lady Wensleydale, to Ashridge, where 
 he seemed to enjoy himself greatly. This induced 
 me to say to him, •' Baron, you must now rejoice 
 that my nephew gained his cause." — " Not at all. 
 I much regret it, but am very glad to be here." 
 
 It is curious how many men of great intellect, 
 such as the Baron, Prince Talleyrand, and Lord 
 Lyndhurst, were bad whist-players although fond 
 of the game. I saw a little of Lord Lyndhurst in 
 his old age, and sometimes went in the evening 
 to make up his rubber. He wa;s a great friend 
 of my brother's, and was always gracious to me. 
 He had a great charm of manner, and shone in 
 conversation. His principles in early life were 
 lax, both with regard to- politics and morality, 
 but attaining a great age, he outlived his early 
 reputation, and ultimately got to be generally 
 described as " the venerable Lord Lyndhurst." 
 The first Lady Lyndhurst was beautiful. The 
 second was a daughter of an employ^ of the 
 Foreign Office in a subordinate capacity in Paris. 
 In spite of certain disadvantages she at once 
 became a favourite in London society. Besides 
 being a devoted wife she was good-natured, clever 
 and amusing. Late in life she expressed to Alfred 
 Montgomery her surprise that she was not 
 mentioned in any of my mother's letters which 
 I published not long ago: "My predecessor is, 
 but not a word about me, who all my youth lived 
 at Paris and was married there." — The only 
 
1841-48] BROUGHAM AND DENMAN 55 
 
 remark Montgomery made was, " Frederick 
 Leveson is very good-natured." — This of course 
 was a joke, and only ventured upon because her 
 conduct had always been irreproachable. 
 
 About this time I frequently met Lord Brougham. 
 Mortally offended by his exclusion from office, 
 although it was due to his own folly, he plunged 
 into fashionable life. His conversation was beyond 
 measure entertaining, but he did not mind what 
 he said, even in the presence of women. But as 
 they could not help laughing, they were obliged 
 to put up with it. He was not supposed to be 
 devoted to his wife, whose first husband was a 
 Mr. Spalding. He was heard one day to address 
 the following words to Mr. Spalding's portrait, 
 which was hung up in the dining-room : " My 
 dear Jack, how much I feel every day what cause 
 I have to regret your sad loss ! " 
 
 The duties of a Judge's Marshal are slight. He 
 has in the first place to make an abstract of the 
 pleadings in the causes to be tried. On the first 
 occasion that I went as Marshal, Lord Denman 
 and his colleague. Baron Alderson, most good- 
 naturedly undertook to show me the proper way 
 of proceeding. But unfortunately they could not 
 agree about it, and rather a warm dispute ensued. 
 It amused me to see these two great luminaries 
 of the law lose their judicial calmness about so 
 small a matter. Another duty of the Marshal is 
 to swear in the Grand Jury, which I did so im- 
 pressively as to be bantered about it. The only 
 
56 LAW 
 
 other duty that I can remember was to carve at 
 the crowded dinners given at each assize town by 
 the Judges — on one day to the magistrates, on 
 another to the barristers. This was a very serious 
 obligation. Having been brought up abroad, 
 where dishes are always carved at the side-table, I 
 had never become a proficient carver. At most 
 dinners there was venison, sent by some neigh- 
 bouring magnate. The guests generally chose to 
 eat it. I was therefore sorely pressed, and made a 
 hash of it, not in a culinary, but a figurative sense. 
 The emolument received by the Marshal was 
 derived from the fees paid by the litigants, and 
 therefore the amount depended on the number of 
 causes. Consequently, on the Northern Circuit it 
 was considerable, but I went on the less important 
 ones, which were preferred by my elderly Judges, 
 and on these the Marshal's fees were very light. 
 I understand that they are now paid a fixed sum. 
 
 Besides the emolument, the position of a Judge's 
 Marshal has much to recommend it. It gives 
 him an early experience in the proceedings in 
 the Courts ; it makes him acquainted with men and 
 places, and is a pleasant manner of passing the 
 time. 
 
 It was, and I believe is still, the custom for 
 big-wigs living in the neighbourhood to invite 
 the Judges and their Marshals to their country 
 houses. On one occasion we were the guests at 
 Stowe of the Duke of Buckingham of that day. 
 Our reception was regal. There was a dinner 
 
1841-48] CALLED TO THE BAR 57 
 
 of eighty persons, with a dining-table of great 
 length, all covered with splendid plate. A year 
 or two later the Duke was ruined, and all the 
 contents of Stowe were sold. He was a staunch 
 Protectionist, and probably attributed his mis- 
 fortunes to Free Trade. But this could not have 
 been the case, as landowners during the following 
 years did not suffer from it. Rents rather rose 
 than fell. Just after the repeal of the Corn Laws, 
 Mr. George Bentinck, called by his friends " Big 
 Ben," wagered me twenty pounds that within 
 two years those laws would be re-imposed. He 
 said he could not lose by his bet, because if they 
 were not re-imposed he would not have wherewith 
 to pay me. As it turned out, at the end of these 
 two years he was better off than he had ever been, 
 and had to pay me my money. 
 
 I was called to the Bar early in 1846, and soon 
 afterwards joined the Oxford Circuit. It was 
 then noted for the number of agreeable barristers 
 who were on it. My two best friends among 
 them were Mr. Venables and Mr. John George 
 Phillimore. Mr. Venables had been one of the 
 Cambridge undergraduates who were known as 
 the Apostles,^ and who all in after life distinguished 
 themselves. He was extremely well read, and 
 
 ' The "Apostles," so called by others, is the name by which they 
 are known, and is a society of old standing (about a hundred years) 
 still existing, consisting of twelve members. They called themselves 
 originally the Cambridge Conversazione Society. Many, if not most 
 of them, were intellectually superior young men who met once a 
 week to discuss a paper written by one, and many of them became 
 men of eminence in after life. 
 
5 8 LAW 
 
 was the author of many brilliant articles in the 
 Saturday Review. 'He also for twenty-five years 
 wrote the "Summary of events in the past year" 
 which appeared in the Times at the end of 
 every December. He had charming manners, a 
 fine sense of humour, and his society was much 
 prized. Later in life he became a successful 
 Parliamentary advocate. 
 
 John George Phillimore was a very different 
 man. A vehement hater, abusing all he did not 
 like, he was not popular. On the other hand, 
 he was perfectly honest and straightforward ; he 
 loathed everything mean, and was enthusiastic for 
 everything -beautiful. His memory was prodigious. 
 One day I asked him whether he had ever read 
 the Dunciad. — " Read the Dunciad}" he answered. 
 "I do not think you could quote any passage in 
 it without my being able to repeat the lines that 
 follow it." — He was well versed in French, Spanish, 
 and Italian literature. His portmanteau was more 
 full of books than of clothes, and served as a sort 
 of circulating library for his friends on Circuit. He 
 advised me what to read, and was the person who 
 inspired me more than any one else with the love 
 of reading. I made my first tour of the Circuit 
 with these two friends. We posted the whole 
 way, as there were then no railways in that part 
 of the country, and etiquette did not allow 
 barristers to travel in stage-coaches for fear they 
 should come in contact with attorneys and try to 
 curry favour with them. It was very enjoyable to 
 
1841-48] PHILLIMORE AND VENABLES 59 
 
 travel over so much pretty country, and to visit 
 Ludlow, Raglan, and Hereford, with such pleasant 
 companions. Philllmore became Member for Leo- 
 minster, but he did not remain long in the 
 House of Commons, where he was too inde- 
 pendent to please the Whips, and too eccentric 
 to gain the favour of the House. He was after- 
 wards appointed Reader in Constitutional Law 
 and Legal History to the Inns of Court. In 
 1863 he published the first volume of the History 
 of England during the Reign of George the Third, 
 which was interesting and amusing, but considered 
 too abusive. 
 
 These two friends were very different in many 
 respects. Venables was of massive frame, with 
 a slow and measured utterance and a judicial turn 
 of mind. Phillimore was slight in figure, rapid 
 in speech, and adopted opinions without much 
 reflection. The contrast between them was rather 
 amusing. 
 
 Dr. Kenealy was another member of our Circuit 
 who had remarkable ability. When I joined he 
 was under a cloud on account of his having been 
 lately convicted of cruelly thrashing his son. There 
 were, besides, other delinquencies imputed to him. 
 No barrister on the Circuit would speak to him. 
 Some time afterwards he published a poem entitled 
 Goethe, which, though of unequal merit, was a 
 striking work and contained some beautiful lines. 
 It was much admired at the time, but its reputation 
 has not been maintained. Some of the barristers 
 
6o LAW 
 
 were so muck struck by it that they declared on 
 account of its great merit the author ought to be 
 forgiven his past misdeeds, and his position on 
 Circuit became to a certain extent improved. He 
 was afterwards chiefly known as counsel for the 
 claimant Orton, and became popular when so many 
 people took the part of that rascal ; but I do not 
 remember his ever being referred to at that time 
 as a good poet. On account of his popularity, 
 and from certain accidental circumstances, he some 
 time afterwards was elected for Stoke-upon-Trent. 
 His difficulty was to find any Member willing to 
 introduce him to the House. Mr. Bright told 
 me I ought to do so, not as a favour to the 
 individual, but as a compliment to my former 
 constituents, who had now elected him. I said 
 that it might be a duty, but it was one I would 
 not perform. Bright then consented to do it 
 himself He told the House he did not know 
 the new Member, but introduced him for the sake 
 of the constituency which had honoured him by 
 their choice. 
 
 The following criticism of Kenealy's poem was 
 contained in a letter which Phillimore wrote to me : 
 
 " You will be surprised to hear that Kenealy 
 sent me his poem, begging me, though he had 
 not the pleasure of my acquaintance, to accept it. 
 I read it with wonder and delight. In spite of a 
 good deal of ribaldry, some faults of taste and 
 more sins against feeling, it leaves no doubt in my 
 mind that its author is the greatest poet now living 
 in these islands. I could hardly believe my senses 
 
1841-48] DR. KENEALY 61 
 
 as I read. The versification so varied and har- 
 monious, full of deep thought and impassioned 
 eloquence. A lady found me at the Craven Arms 
 yesterday, and took me to her house. In the 
 evening I read a part of it to the ladies, and they 
 were in raptures. I am overcome, and shall do 
 what I can to get him into the Mess. It would 
 
 be hard indeed when and are members 
 
 of it, if we did not admit the only man of genius 
 among us into our society. It is full of poignant 
 satire and shows that its writer is disgusted and 
 embittered with the world ; but genius like every- 
 thing else on this side the grave is given with 
 alloy, and unless extremely well regulated, hurries 
 its possessor into paroxysms of indignation and 
 even moral obliquity. Great indulgence should be 
 shown to its possessor, for God knows he will 
 have enemies enough. Meanwhile, do get the 
 book and study it, and tell me if you do not agree 
 with me. I have never exchanged a syllable with 
 its author. But sins against genius are for me 
 the sins against the Holy Ghost, and I am always 
 ready to worship before its footstool. To talk of 
 Talfourd's ^ in comparison with this poetry is really 
 ridiculous." 
 
 ' The author of " Ion.'' 
 
SPANISH JOURNAL 
 
 1846 
 
 THE following pages are taken from a journal 
 I wrote at the request of my uncle, in the 
 autumn of 1846, when I made a delightful trip 
 to Spain. I had as my companion Mr. George 
 Stewart, who was closely connected with my 
 family and to whom we were all much attached. 
 We made a rapid journey through France, travel- 
 ling by malle-poste, which went at the rate of ten 
 miles an hour. We paid hurried visits to Rennes, 
 Nantes, and Bordeaux. In Spain we travelled more 
 leisurely. The pleasure of our trip was much 
 enhanced by the possession of Ford's handbook, 
 which had been lately published. It is a perfect 
 guide-book, full of the most varied information. 
 Nothing can be better than his descriptions of the 
 places of interest and their past history, or more 
 accurate than his witty remarks about the men 
 and manners of his time. Most guide-books are 
 only of use to those who travel in the countries 
 they describe. Ford's book could be read with 
 profit by those who have never visited Spain and 
 never intend to go there. 
 
 I suppose that no country in Europe except 
 
 $2 
 
1846] SPANISH INNS— BURGOS 63 
 
 Turkey has changed during the last fifty years 
 so little as Spain. Whatever improvement may 
 have taken place there is mainly due to the con- 
 struction of railways, and even these are worse 
 managed than elsewhere. A friend of mine told 
 me that he had once travelled there in an omnibus 
 train, which stopped so long at the different stations 
 that he was able to take rather prolonged walks 
 in their neighbourhood in order to botanise, and 
 that the conductor used to beg him not to hurry 
 himself, as they had plenty of time to spare. 
 When we visited Spain there were no railways, 
 nor was there any system of post-horses, so that 
 travellers were obliged to go in the diligences or 
 travel with horses either owned or hired by them. 
 In some respects I prefer this method of travelling 
 to the present one. It brought us in contact with 
 people of all classes, and our proceedings were 
 slightly more adventurous. 
 
 Except in a few of the larger towns, the inns 
 were very primitive, and the luxurious hotels which 
 I am told are now to be met with did not exist. 
 The inn at Burgos had no bedroom which contained 
 less than five beds, which guests were expected 
 to sleep in although strangers to each other, and 
 sometimes without any regard to sex. A pretty 
 lady of my acquaintance was in one of these inns 
 much upset when she woke in the middle of the 
 night to see in a bed next to hers a burly Spaniard 
 with a black beard. In the South the inns were 
 clean, and were not much the reverse in the North. 
 
64 SPANISH JOURNAL 
 
 The food was very scanty, and in none of the 
 towns — not even, if I remember rightly, in Madrid 
 — were the streets lighted with gas, which had 
 already been adopted in all the principal towns in 
 the rest of Europe. 
 
 I was most favourably impressed by the people^ 
 especially the women. I saw nothing of what is 
 called good society, except a glimpse of it in 
 Madrid, but I found all those I came across in 
 our wanderings, to whatever class they belonged, 
 delightful. They were courteous, obliging and 
 natural, and, what surprised me, generally merry. 
 
 JOURNAL 
 
 We admired the splendid cathedral at Burgo 
 and stately streets and gateways at Valladolid. 
 We went the whole way from that place to Segovia 
 in a tartana, which had the appearance of a 
 bathing-machine and was drawn by one mule. It 
 was the only conveyance we could get in that 
 famous old town, once the Capital of Spain. The 
 diligences were all full, there was no service of 
 post-horses, and voituriers were unknown. We 
 could not even get horses to ride. We admired 
 Segovia, with its Roman aqueduct and its pictur- 
 esque castle. We slept one evening at La Granja, 
 an uninteresting spot in spite of its historic associa- 
 tions. The next day we reached the Escorial, 
 which every traveller in Spain should visit, as he 
 will not see the like elsewhere. A huge square 
 building of massive granite, three sides without 
 any ornament, the fourth with a portico and 
 
1846] MADRID 6s 
 
 gigantic statue, a tower at each corner, and the 
 dome of the church on the front side. San 
 Lorenzo, the patron saint, was grilled on a gridiron, 
 which the building represents, the whole interior 
 being partitioned into square courts and a 
 hideous projection representing the handle. Its 
 situation at the foot of a barren mountain is 
 dreary beyond conception, but the view in front 
 of it magnificent. The church is lofty and im- 
 pressive. In the middle of it was a pall with 
 a crown on it in honour of Charles V., it being 
 the anniversary of his death. Peasants prayed 
 around it, who could not much care for his soul. 
 Under the altar is the burial-place of all the kings 
 and queens of Spain with only two exceptions 
 since Philip II. It is surprising to see the 
 tombs of so many kings with nothing but labels 
 to mark where they lie. In short, the Escorial 
 is a dismal place, which I was glad to see fading 
 from my sight as I sat later in the day on the 
 top of the Madrid diligence, scorched by sun, 
 smothered by dust, and chilled by the icy 
 blasts that came from the Guadarama Mountains. 
 We reached Madrid at sunset, and found a 
 charming apartment secured for us by my friend 
 Monsieur de Talleyrand, a nephew of his famous 
 namesake. We were served an exquisite little 
 repast and were in raptures with our quarters. 
 But appearances proved deceitful, for George came 
 into my room next morning with a woe-begone 
 countenance, exclaiming, " I have killed thirteen 
 and have not slept a wink ! " The waiter, who 
 declared it was impossible, turned pale when he 
 
 5 
 
66 SPANISH JOURNAL 
 
 saw the slaughtered. George consented to make 
 another trial, being confident that he had hunted 
 to death all the tribe. 
 
 The next day I called on Sir Henry Bulwer, 
 with whom I was intimate from his having been 
 Chargd d Affaires at Paris under my father. Sir 
 Henry had considerable ability, and a most en- 
 gaging manner ; his conversation was brilliant, 
 much more so than that of his celebrated brother, 
 Sir E. Lytton Bulwer; but his ways of life were 
 most peculiar. In Paris he sometimes asked 
 people to dine and forgot to order dinner. When 
 in London, two years after we had met in Spain, 
 a party was made up at Hampton Court for the 
 special object of his meeting Miss Wellesley, a 
 daughter of Lord Cowley, whom he subsequently 
 married. He was to join me at his brother's house 
 in order that we might drive down together. 
 He kept me so long waiting that we arrived at 
 our destination two hours late. Great was his 
 distress, but, on seeing the labyrinth, he said, " Let 
 us be supposed to have lost ourselves in it." 
 His last diplomatic post was that of Ambassador 
 at Constantinople, where he was said to be too 
 ready to accept favours from the Sultan. On his 
 return to England he was created Lord Bailing. 
 At Madrid his house was uninhabited and all his 
 furniture sold, and he resided with a friend on 
 the opposite side of the street, where I on most 
 days dined with him. He had hired several 
 villas in the neighbourhood, which he rarely made 
 use of He begged me, if I wished to ride, to 
 go to his stables and choose whatever horse 
 
1846] LIFE IN MADRID 67 
 
 suited me best. But I found he only possessed 
 one, and that one was dead lame. 
 
 After taking leave of Sir Henry I walked to the 
 French Embassy, which was at the other end of 
 the town and which was nearer the Palace, both 
 locally and diplomatically, than the English Legation. 
 It was an interesting time to be at Madrid, as the 
 marriages of the Queen and her sister had just been 
 arranged, which caused so much friction between 
 the English and French Governments and nearly 
 brought about a war. I found Baron Talleyrand 
 established in a charming apartment with a fine 
 view of the Guadarama Mountains and the vast 
 plain below, where bridges denote that a river 
 ought to flow. The guide-books say that when 
 it rains you must run and see the river before it 
 is gone. Talleyrand was most kind in his offer 
 of services, and he put boxes at the theatre and 
 horses at my disposal. 
 
 My time was fully occupied during my short 
 stay at Madrid. The mornings I spent in taking 
 Spanish lessons and in listening to gossip about the 
 royal marriages, with the French and English versions 
 of every detail. I met journalists at Bulwer's and 
 Prime Ministers at Bresson's. There was a Mr. 
 Sansom, an enterprising dandy, who three years 
 before arrived in Spain without a penny, and had 
 since made a large fortune. He had become the 
 head of a flourishing bank, had hired the finest 
 palace in the town, and was on familiar terms with 
 all the grandees. He gave me a place in a box 
 at the opera which he shared with Glucksburg 
 and Talleyrand, presented me with a box of 
 
68 SPANISH JOURNAL 
 
 cigars, and gave me introductions to every town 
 that lay in our route. I went with him one 
 night to the opera, where I was much amused. 
 Opposite was Salamanca, the greatest speculator 
 in Europe, the " Marquis de Carabas " of Madrid. 
 A few boxes off sat Madame Villagarcia, whom 
 I had known at Paris. She had been a great 
 beauty, but there were few remains of it. Beyond 
 was the Queen's betrothed, a perfect monster, with 
 a square face and turned-up nose.^ No wonder 
 that her mother had difficulty in persuading her to 
 marry him. It took her, they say, a whole night, 
 during which a French courier was at the door of 
 the Palace, ready to take the news of her consent 
 to Louis Philippe. Next to us was one of the 
 Madrid beauties, to whom Sansom introduced me. 
 It was a shy proceeding, as we disturbed every one 
 in the box — habituds, lovers, and Gonzalez Bravo. 
 The latter began life as editor of the Spanish 
 Satirist. He afterwards became Prime Minister, 
 and finally Ambassador to Portugal. Spanish 
 statesmen as a rule are not consistent politicians, 
 and abandon their principles and political friends 
 very readily. For this Gonzalez Bravo was con- 
 spicuous. When quite a young man he was a 
 furious demagogue, and his newspaper was as 
 scurrilous and sanguinary as was Marat's L'Ami 
 du Peuple in the French Revolution. A few years 
 
 ' On October loth, 1846, the Queen Isabella married ^\% fiance, 
 Don Francis d'Assisi, who was her cousin, being the son of her father 
 Ferdinand VII.'s younger brother. It was thought unlikely that he 
 would have any children, which was the reason why the match was 
 pressed by Louis Phihppe, whose son, the Duo de Montpensier married 
 her younger sister, Maria-Luisa. 
 
i846] SPANISH SOCIETY 69 
 
 later, having become a member of the Cortes, he 
 changed his opinions, and energetically defended 
 the cause of order. He became Prime Minister, 
 and ruthlessly suppressed all disturbances. At the 
 death of Narvaez he again became Prime Minister, 
 and in that capacity passed some useful measures, 
 amongst them the liberty of the press. 
 
 The owner of the box deserved her reputation. 
 She was a Mexican, with a lovely Creole face 
 and a perfect figure, besides charming manners. 
 Her husband was in the box and shook me by 
 both hands. He was a great friend of the English, 
 and therefore the following account of him, given 
 me by a Frenchman, should be received with 
 caution. He was driven out of Mexico for robbery, 
 and became a spy in London and Paris till they got 
 too hot to hold him. He then took up his abode 
 in Spain, where he ingratiated himself with each 
 successive puissance and made a gigantic fortune. 
 He was one of the many instances which prove that 
 Spain is a country where this can easily be achieved. 
 
 I was lucky in getting the following day a good 
 view of the Queen as she was driving by in an 
 open carriage. She looked bloated, but less ill- 
 looking than she had been described to me. The 
 Spaniards all talked with the greatest horror of 
 the French alliance, and we were told that if the 
 National Guard existed, or the people had either 
 arms or money, there certainly would have been 
 an insurrection.^ Frenchmen were hooted in the 
 
 ' The following was the version I heard of the case of the Mont- 
 pensier marriage, as it stood between Guizot and Lord Palmerston. 
 Guizot promised Lord Aberdeen that it should not take place till the 
 
70 SPANISH JOURNAL 
 
 streets, their Government messengers ill-treated, 
 and sorbets thrown in their faces at the caf^s. 
 But these were the only signs of opposition to 
 an alliance which they declared threatened the in- 
 dependence of their country. 
 
 We went one day to our first bull-fight. The 
 amphitheatre filled slowly till the last few minutes, 
 when there was a rush, and you could not see a 
 vacant place. It was a gay scene, more men 
 than women, but enough of the latter with their 
 fans to enliven it. I confess that I enjoyed myself, 
 and there was much more reality in it than I had 
 expected. I thought it had been mere bull-baiting 
 without any danger except through accident, instead 
 of a regular contest between man and beast, in 
 which the former owed his safety to his own 
 skill and activity. The representation began with 
 a procession of all the performers headed by the 
 Master of the Ceremonies in an old-fashioned black 
 dress with a white feather in his cocked hat. 
 Then came the picadores, men on horseback who 
 encountered the bull with lances. They were 
 dressed in yellow and silver, their bodies padded, 
 and their legs encased in iron. Then followed 
 
 Queen had issue, on the condition that Lord Aberdeen would not 
 promote the Queen's marriage to any one but a Bourbon prince. Lord 
 Palmerston, when he came into office, declared that he considered the 
 Coburg prince one of the (candidates. This Guizot pretended was a 
 breach of the engagement made by Lord Aberdeen, which consequently 
 left him at Hberty to bring about the Montpensier marriage without 
 informing England or any other power, and without allowing them 
 time to present their objections. The merits of this question have 
 never been quite cleared up. Lord Stanmore, in his interesting 
 memoirs of his father, Lord Aberdeen, tries to make out a case for 
 Guizot. I fancy Guizot did not break his word, but was not straight- 
 forward. 
 
1846] BULL-FIGHTS ;i 
 
 the chubs, who appeared to play at blind man's 
 buff with the bull, and had coloured cloaks with 
 which they irritated and dodged him. And lastly 
 the maiadores, the great heroes of the fight, armed 
 with scarlet cloaks and Toledo swords. Their 
 work was the most dangerous and their skill the 
 most esteemed. They earned fifi;y pounds a day, 
 and I was told often became the friends of the 
 fast men about town, as our prize-fighters were 
 formerly. The trumpets sounded and the fight 
 began. Parts of it were disgusting, and ought 
 to have made me dislike the whole thing. I 
 sat still and saw horses bleed to death, led blind- 
 fold to their fate without any chance of escape, 
 and the stunned men carried out, either to the 
 hospital or the confessor. But then, I saw the 
 bull's entry, the deliberate way he looks round the 
 arena for a foe, his first rush at the picador, 
 the dexterity with which the picador wards him 
 off with his lance, how the bull gets alternately 
 cowed and infuriated, how he bellows and paws 
 the ground previous to the next charge ; the 
 presence of mind with which the chulos turn him 
 off from the unhorsed picador; the activity with 
 which they avoid his pursuit, his horns seeming to 
 touch them as they vault over the barriers ; the 
 intrepidity with which they meet him with 
 banderillas , a sort of dart, which, as he lowers 
 his head to toss them, they stick into his neck, 
 and his consequent foaming rage. Then the last 
 act takes place. The matador places himself 
 before him, enticing him to rush upon the red 
 cloak and avoiding him as he does so till the 
 
72 SPANISH JOURNAL 
 
 opportunity occurs of piercing him in his back, 
 which, if dexterously done, lays this maddened 
 animal in all his dangerous fury and strength 
 prostrate at his feet. The band immediately 
 strikes up, mules in the gayest trappings carry 
 the dead bull away, and the door is hardly closed 
 upon them when another appears and the same 
 scene is re-enacted. Every instant presents a 
 picture which is engraven on my memory. 
 
 The excitement of the people was beyond descrip- 
 tion. Each little turn in the sport made the whole 
 crowd vibrate. If the matador pleased them they 
 shouted, waved their handkerchiefs, and threw their 
 hats and even their jackets into the arena after 
 him ; but if he shrank from an encounter they were 
 proportionately indignant. I was told of one man 
 who had hesitated to give the final thrust. A 
 relation, who was a chulo, tried to assist him. The 
 people cried out, " Leave him alone — he is a 
 miserable coward ! " and hissed and hooted. The 
 ■matador at last, losing all command of himself, 
 threw away the red cloth, waved his hand- 
 kerchief, and closed with the bull, who killed 
 him on the spot. If the bull is a furious one 
 and causes much havoc he wins their affection, 
 and they call him by endearing expressions, 
 such as torito, " the little bull " ; but they never 
 wish to have his life spared.^ 
 
 I dined one night at the French Embassy. I 
 was late, and was much distressed at their having 
 
 ' I have since felt rather ashamed of the pleasure I found in the 
 bull-fight. I can only say that I believe that what pleased me in 
 early life would later have disgusted me. 
 
1846] DUC D'OSSUNA 73 
 
 waited for me, particularly when I found that the 
 company consisted of all the celebrities of Madrid. 
 First there was Narvaez, who a few months before 
 had been obliged to fly from the Ministry, with 
 which he was then hand in glove. He was all- 
 powerful with the Army, and they were afraid of 
 him. People said that as he was there he would 
 soon be Prime Minister. He was a violent and 
 cruel man, but with exalted views and courage 
 and energy to carry them out. There was stern- 
 ness and decision in his countenance. Then 
 there was Munoz, Queen Christine's ^ husband, 
 a fine-looking man, of whom she was jealous, and 
 it was said not without cause. He was a Spanish 
 officer, but not of noble birth. One day he was 
 riding by the side of her carriage as one of her 
 escort. She was so much struck with his appear- 
 ance that she made his acquaintance, and was soon 
 afterwards secretly married to him. He was not 
 ambitious and kept aloof from politics, and either 
 on that account or because he was amiable became 
 generally popular. The Due d'Ossuna, the richest 
 man in Spain and the dullest to sit next to, was 
 also there. I was informed that he was a man 
 " avec du caractlre, un excellent officier qui s est battu 
 en duel plusieurs fois avec le sangfroid que vous 
 voyez." He was in love with Lady Clementina 
 Villiers, and corresponded with Lady Jersey. There 
 were besides at this dinner the whole Cabinet, 
 all ordinary looking with the exception of Mon, 
 a very remarkable man, who has since justified 
 what I heard in his favour. He was several times 
 
 ' Mother to Queen Isabella. 
 
74 SPANISH JOURNAL 
 
 Finance Minister, in which post he showed great 
 ability and redeemed as much as it was possible 
 the deplorable condition of the finances. He was 
 an excellent speaker and frequently crushed his 
 opponents in debate.^ 
 
 In addition to all these there were some of the 
 chief orators in the Chambers. They did not talk 
 much and I was glad to see them. Talleyrand, 
 who sat next to me, told me all about them. 
 Immediately after dinner the Ambassador offered 
 us cigars, which we smoked in one of the drawing- 
 rooms, a delightful custom which in England, with 
 all our pretensions to a civilisation, we have only 
 lately attained to. He later came and sat by me, 
 and was very civil, talking with great feeling 
 of my father and the kindness he had received 
 from him.^ 
 
 We started the next morning at six o'clock for 
 Toledo. I was sitting the day before with Mr. 
 Sansom at one end of his magnificent gallery when 
 I mentioned our intention of going there. — " You 
 are quite right, and I know what I will do for you. 
 
 Don ," he called to a man at the farther 
 
 end of the gallery, " come here. This gentleman, 
 my friend Don Leveson Gower, is going to 
 Toledo." — " What day ? " inquired the Spaniard. 
 — " On Monday." — " Very well, I will write."— 
 Sansom then turned to me and said, " This gentle- 
 man offers you the use of his house there. He 
 
 " Pidal y Mon, one of the present leaders of the Ultramontane 
 party, is his descendant. 
 
 ' In 1847 he was sent as Ambassador to Naples, where soon after 
 his arrival he committed suicide, to the surprise and regret of his 
 numerous friends. 
 
1846] TOLEDO 75 
 
 will write to announce you."— I did not know what 
 to answer, or whether this man was an inn-keeper, 
 lodging-house keeper, or grandee. I stammered 
 out some gracias, and when he had gone out in- 
 quired of Sansom whether I was to hire my lodging. 
 — " Good heavens, no ! This is the owner of a 
 large property about Toledo, and he has got a 
 pied-a-terre there in which he will be only too 
 happy to lodge you." 
 
 Toledo must have been a magnificent place in 
 the time of its glory. It rises above a perpendi- 
 cular rock, which is nearly surrounded at its base 
 by the Tagus. There are glorious sights ; the 
 palace from which Roderick first spied La Cava 
 bathing in the river, synagogues turned into 
 churches by perfidious Christians, a Moorish mosque 
 where they value the lovely stucco so little as to 
 offer to knock off" bits to give to travellers, the 
 beautiful church and still more beautiful convent 
 cloisters built by the pious Isabella to celebrate 
 the conquest of Granada, with the chains of 
 Christian captives found there hung against the 
 walls ; and last, but not least, the Cathedral. Its 
 interior is magnificent. Certainly in decoration the 
 Spanish cathedrals leave all others in the shade. 
 There is a richness and gorgeousness about them 
 which no churches, even in Italy, can equal. 
 
 We found there an English artist, and, liking 
 his drawing, got into conversation with him. He 
 begged us to drink tea with them. Who constituted 
 " them " we were curious to find out. George 
 guessed a lovely wife. It turned out to be a 
 matronly mother, who roughed it in Spain in order 
 
76 SPANISH JOURNAL 
 
 to procure her son his accustomed comforts. She 
 bought their food at the market herself. At parting 
 we promised to pay him a visit in London to see 
 the result of his labours. — " Mr. Lake Price, if you 
 will remember," were the last words of the old lady. 
 " At his birth he took my maiden name of Lake — 
 no dishonourable name, either," which meant that 
 she had a brother who was a Royal Academician. 
 
 George kept to a determination he had made 
 of going to the inn, where he fared very ill. 
 He was lodged next to a riotous set of students, 
 and was ill-treated by the women of the house, 
 who were more occupied with flirting with the 
 young men than with attending to his necessities. 
 I, on the contrary, delighted in my quarters, a 
 charming little house with a picturesque court- 
 yard to match, with trellis-work and balustrades, 
 a well, an old-fashioned lantern, and cleanliness 
 that did one's heart good. The food was plentiful 
 and generally delicious. The cook, as well as 
 the rest of the establishment, stood round to look 
 at me enjoying it, and encourage me to persevere. 
 My host was at Madrid, but his bailiff sest mis 
 en quatre to do the honours. It was distressing 
 but at the same time amusing to see him follow 
 George about with proffers of bed and food, and 
 every instant at the meals he exclaimed, " Y el 
 companero ! " — " Un poco loco " ( " A little mad "), I 
 assured him. 
 
 After losing our way and being shaken like 
 physic, we drove next day to Aranjuez, which 
 is hardly worth stopping to see. In the evening 
 we got into the Valencia diligence. We passed 
 
1846] VALENCIA ^^ 
 
 through a dreary country and suffered at night from 
 
 intense cold — a wind that pierced us through. 
 
 We made friends with our travelling companions. 
 
 Two of them were Valencians, who were never 
 
 tired of boasting of their native place. Such 
 
 beautiful women, such amusements, such exquisite 
 
 food — all to be obtained at the cheapest rate 
 
 — the climate heavenly, the inhabitants angels. 
 
 After I had fallen asleep they woke me to propose 
 
 a walk while the mules were being changed near 
 
 the Puerta de Almanz, which forms the entrance 
 
 into the " kingdom " of Valencia. Before reaching 
 
 it the whole way was dreary and the wind 
 
 intensely cold. Beyond it, only a hundred yards 
 
 further, there was the softest, balmiest air and most 
 
 luxuriant vegetation — vines, maize, aloes, canes, and 
 
 aromatic herbs in the greatest profusion. What a 
 
 heavenly night it was ! Such a moon, such stillness, 
 
 such repose after the late boisterous wind. 
 
 On the whole we thought our Valencian com- 
 panions had overrated their town and its attractions. 
 The streets were narrow — I could nearly have 
 jumped over the principal one. I did not remark 
 any of the much-vaunted beauty of the women. 
 On the other hand, the climate was delicious, and 
 there were some most picturesque old Moorish 
 houses with charming courts. We found two 
 young men of the name of Arcos, who had come 
 to Valencia to establish a bank. Talleyrand had 
 given me a letter to them. One of them called 
 on us in the evening. He was very agreeable, 
 had seen everything, had been to learn civil 
 engineering at King's College, London, had 
 
78 SPANISH JOURNAL 
 
 hunted ostriches over the Pampas, and had been 
 a flaneur at Paris. He talked politics, was a 
 Progressist, and thought anarchy must precede any 
 decided improvement in Spain — that the men then 
 in power had not the ability to do good ; the people 
 were heavily taxed and got no return for it — no 
 public works, no encouragement to enterprise.^ 
 
 I had another letter to the American Consul, 
 whose brother-in-law took me to see the pictures 
 of a man much celebrated in Valencia and its 
 guide-books — by name Pedro Perey, by trade a 
 barber, and by inclination a collector of an immense 
 number of pictures. He had just given up his 
 trade and become a gentleman, was at the head 
 of the Academy of Arts there, and wore a ribbon. 
 He lived in an out-of-the-way house. We mounted 
 a ladder and were admitted into two small rooms, 
 in which the walls, chairs and tables were covered 
 with pictures, one above the other. They all 
 appeared to me trash. My guide explained to 
 him that I had only half an hour to spare. — " In 
 that case he can see nothing. But I will hurry 
 as much as possible. You see there is a Rubens, 
 and by the side of it a Vandyke ; up there a 
 Murillo, and below it a Leonardo da Vinci." — So 
 he went on in these as well as in a dozen other little 
 rooms, giving to every daub the name of the 
 greatest master. If he ever allowed any to be 
 anonymous he added, " You will never again see 
 such a picture." My guide afterwards assured me 
 
 ' The Empress Eugenie afterwards took an interest in the two 
 Arcos, one of whom married Miss Vaughan, who has for many years 
 been devotedly attached to her. 
 
1846] ALONG THE COAST 79 
 
 there were very few originals. But there was a 
 delightful old gouvernanie, exactly like Mora in 
 Gil Bias ; she did all the work, brushed and moved 
 every picture, and opened and shut every shutter. 
 The calls for " Pepita" were incessant. She took a 
 great pride in the collection, and so she ought. 
 The old man buys a quantity of pictures wholesale, 
 and when they come home examines them with 
 Pepita and asks her by whom each is painted. — 
 " Oh, by Rubens, to be sure, and that other by 
 Murillo." And so they are noted down. — One day 
 the barber remarked to my guide, " What an 
 extraordinary talent that old woman has ; she 
 recognises all the great masters immediately." 
 At parting we had to write our names down in a 
 book, filled chiefly with the most fulsome flattery, 
 to which I added my mite. 
 
 We found ourselves next day in a delightful 
 steamer, large, clean, without vibration, and with a 
 cabin apiece. I was delighted with this part of 
 our journey. The sea was like a lake, the days 
 hot but with a fresh breeze, and the nights divine. 
 We always anchored before daybreak, and landed at 
 the various towns on our way — Alicante, Cartagena, 
 Almeria, and Malaga — all attractive places in their 
 different ways. The steamer only proceeded at 
 night, enabling us to spend our days on shore. 
 
 My servant, Pedro, a Spaniard I had hired in 
 Madrid, was in the seventh heaven, had made 
 many friendships, believed everything he was told, 
 and was firmly convinced that porpoises ate men. 
 Nevertheless, on my return to the boat from 
 Almeria I found him expatiating to George on the 
 
8o SPANISH JOURNAL 
 
 horrors of the place. No inns, no shops, no theatre. 
 Its African look, terraces, gardens, and wild popula- 
 tion had no charm for him, nor the country round, 
 with its palm-trees, fields of cactus, and hedges 
 of aloes. 
 
 The coast from Almeria to Malaga is magnificent, 
 perpendicular rocks rising straight from the sea, 
 and in the distance the Sierra Nevada. We 
 spent a charming hour at sunset on the Alameda 
 where, under the trees, all the inhabitants were 
 promenading. We saw for the first time the 
 Andalusian dress, the velvet jacket and breeches, 
 the gay sash and embroidered gaiters open at 
 the side, with small leather straps hanging from 
 them. The women were lovely, much prettier 
 than the much-vaunted women of Valencia ; and 
 the gypsies, with their bright-coloured shawls worn 
 like mantillas, formed a charming picture. The 
 evening was heavenly, and the scene enchanting — 
 the town all lit up, and the dark water of the port 
 occasionally gleaming with the silver phosphorus 
 as the boats shot across it. 
 
 On nearing Gibraltar I got up early and soon 
 after was on deck. The Rock loomed in the 
 distance, very indistinct, lit up by the pale crescent 
 of the moon. As we approached, the daybreak 
 helped us to distinguish its grand outline. 
 
 The first thing we did on arriving was to 
 leave our names on Sir Robert Wilson. A 
 fidgety young aide-de-camp then appeared bringing 
 an invitation from the Governor to dinner. Sir 
 Robert, the son of the portrait painter, Benjamin 
 Wilson, a man who was a miser and left a great 
 
1846] GIBRALTAR 81 
 
 fortune, entered the Army at the age of seventeen 
 and had a most remarkable career, greatly distin- 
 guishing himself by his courage and ability in the 
 numerous campaigns of that period. He was 
 present at the battle of Leipzig, where, according 
 to Prince Schwartzenberg, he contributed to its 
 success by his intelligence and able dispositions. 
 After the conclusion of the war he resided at Paris, 
 where, in conjunction with Michael Bruce, surnamed 
 "Lavalette" Bruce, and Captain Hutchinson, he 
 was instrumental in the escape of Count Lavalette 
 from prison, for which he was condemned to three 
 months' imprisonment and reprimanded by our 
 Government. He became a warm partisan of 
 Queen Caroline. At her funeral he commanded 
 the troops and prevented a collision between them 
 and the mob. For this he was turned out of 
 the Army by the Tory Government, and only re- 
 instated on the accession of William IV. Soon 
 after he was appointed Governor of Gibraltar. 
 
 In the afternoon we took a walk to Europa Point. 
 The batteries are endless ; most of them have been 
 erected in Sir Robert's time, and some are un- 
 finished. Every day he expected to see Joinville^ 
 arrive, and said he was prepared to receive him. 
 He fully expected a war with France and talked 
 of it with glee. The view from the Signal Point 
 beggars description — Africa at your feet, Tangiers 
 and Ceuta in sight, and the glorious Mediterranean 
 below, dotted with vessels of every size. 
 
 I afterwards paid a farewell visit to the Governor. 
 
 ' Prince de Joinville, third son to Louis Philippe and Admiral of 
 the French fleet. 
 
82 SPANISH JOURNAL 
 
 It was a long one, and he talked a good deal. 
 He was proud of the fortifications he had made, 
 and assured me that when he arrived at Gibraltar 
 it was untenable against battle-ships. He was full 
 of politics, and told me he had heard from Bulwer 
 that Sir Robert Peel as well as Lord Palmerston 
 had written to him to approve of his protest against 
 the Montpensier marriage. He boasted of the 
 discipline of his troops, and read to me some returns 
 to prove how much fewer court-martials had taken 
 place among them since they had been under his 
 command. He was an enemy to flogging, and 
 hardly ever allowed it, so that if his returns were 
 reliable, they proved its inutility. I was told he 
 was much beloved by the soldiers, both for his 
 leniency and his attention to their wants. He 
 rebuked one he met the other day carrying to his 
 chum on guard some coffee in a lidless coffee-pot. 
 — " How would you like when on guard to have 
 your coffee cold ? " — Such an anecdote makes a 
 man loved by a whole regiment. 
 
 The remainder of our Spanish trip was enjoyable. 
 We hired horses at Gibraltar and rode the whole 
 way thence to Granada, and from Granada to 
 Cordova, where we joined the diligence which took 
 us on to Seville. 
 
 Our first halting-place was Gaucin, which is 
 most romantically situated on the summit of a 
 mountain. It looks from below as if in the clouds, 
 and we at first took its white houses for snow. 
 The scenery around is delicious, Alpine in character, 
 with the addition of the most luxuriant and southern 
 vegetation, and towns where eagles' nests might 
 
1846] GRANADA 83 
 
 be. The view from Gaucin is, as Ford in 
 his hand-book on Spain describes it, glorious : 
 " Gibraltar rises like a molar in the distance, and 
 Africa looms beyond." The next night we slept 
 at Ronda, the most picturesque of towns ; the third 
 at Loja, and on the last we reached Granada. 
 After Loja our road lay along the Genii, not a 
 gentle river though with a willowed shore. 
 
 Gentle river, gentle river, 
 Lo, thy stream is stained with gore, 
 Many a brave and Christian warrior 
 Lies along thy willowed shore. 
 
 I will say nothing about Granada, with its 
 Generalife and the Alhambra, so well described by 
 Washington Irving and others. Beautiful as their 
 buildings are, they are inferior to the similar ones 
 at Agra and Delhi. Those in India are in marble, 
 whilst these are only plaster. We had for our 
 guide Mateo, el hijo del Alhambra (" the son of 
 the Alhambra "), whom Irving praised so much and 
 who was his authority for his " Tales." He was 
 an Esparterist, and very confidential with his 
 political opinions. He was unhappy because we 
 persevered in going to the Moderado Cafd, but 
 we continued to do so as we found there the best 
 coffee. 
 
 The country, as we afterwards learnt, was not 
 free from robbers, but we thought so little of them 
 that I never took my pistols out of my saddle-bag. 
 They say the safest way to travel is to appear 
 poor and to carry no arms. Some of the country 
 through which we passed was beautiful, some parts 
 mountainous, but gbiefly barren tracts with towns 
 
84 SPANISH JOURNAL 
 
 on high hills and Moorish castles on still higher ones, 
 some corn country and rich vega (plain). At last 
 we found ourselves on the banks of the Guadalquivir, 
 which we crossed in a ferry, and soon afterwards 
 reached Cordova. It is a curious old town, looking 
 especially mediaeval. Our inn was attractive. It 
 had a court with Moorish columns round it, some 
 of marble, others of stone, a fountain in the middle 
 with plants round it and an immense vine-tree, 
 making a complete awning overhead. 
 
 One morning we took the helper of the inn, 
 faute de mieux, as our guide to the mosque. You 
 first enter an immense court with colonnades at 
 each end and a grove of gigantic orange-trees in 
 the middle. The interior is a square of 400 ft., 
 with 850 columns at equal distance from each other, 
 supporting arches of the horseshoe shape. The 
 effect of this forest of marble is indescribable — 
 marvellous rather than beautiful. 
 
 We found all the places in the diligence from 
 Cordova to Seville were taken besides our own. 
 They were occupied by a Frenchman, a Spaniard 
 and his wife. The former turned out to be 
 courier to Lord Foley, who was touring about 
 with my cousin, John Fortescue, and Mr. 
 Vaughan. The Spaniard was a curious speci- 
 men of a man, but not an agreeable travelling 
 companion. He seemed in bad health, smoked 
 without ceasing, and kept spitting in every direction. 
 Still he was, like all his countrymen, very civil. 
 He complained of everything and everybody, but 
 chiefly of the want of honesty in his countrymen. 
 He aggysgd equally Ministers, clergy, custom-house 
 
1846] SEVILLE 8s 
 
 ofificers and inn-keepers. From the Queen to the 
 poorest beggar they were all a set of robbers. 
 When the conversation turned on Rome and the 
 Pope he said it was a great shame that the 
 Cardinals had ceased to elect a Spaniard, upon 
 which the courier remarked that it was no wonder 
 if they were all such robbers. The Spaniard's wife 
 was what George called " an armful of joy," with 
 a handsome face, fine eyes, fine teeth, and still 
 finer moustache. 
 
 We found our English friends, George Vaughan, 
 Lord Foley, and John Fortescue, installed at our 
 hotel at Seville, and we agreed to mess together. 
 We were lucky in meeting with them. Vaughan 
 was very amusing in his dry way, my cousin 
 Fortescue a general favourite, and Foley very 
 amiable. Our first visit next morning was to the 
 Cathedral, which is magnificent with its lofty aisles. 
 It looks more Protestant than Catholic, and has 
 not the gorgeousness of that at Toledo. We then 
 visited the Alcazar, preferred by some to the 
 Alhambra ; and lastly to see the Murillos at the 
 Hospital de la Caridad. Nothing can be finer than 
 his two large pictures there : one of Moses striking 
 the rock, which represents the joy of the people at 
 the sight of the water ; the other of the miracle 
 of the loaves and fishes. The group around our 
 Saviour distributing food to the Apostles is beautiful. 
 We also visited the Museo, where I became still 
 more an admirer of this great artist. In one picture 
 the Virgin is stretching out her hands from above 
 towards her Son. Her attitude, her beauty, and the 
 expression of her countenance are divine. Our guide 
 
86 SPANISH JOURNAL 
 
 was, as usual, full of anecdotes. — " Look at that 
 Virgin and Child at the end of the room. Is that 
 not beautiful? The porter of this convent re- 
 minded Murillo one day that he never had made 
 him a present. ' Lend me your pocket-hand- 
 kerchief,' said the painter ; and he returned next 
 day with that picture painted on it. It is one of 
 his chefs cfceuvre." — " But," said George, " it is 
 painted on coarse canvas, which never could have 
 served for a pocket-handkerchief." — " Oh, but it 
 was, and the picture was named ' De la Servilleta ' 
 in consequence." — " I do not care what it is called," 
 added George, " but do not think you will persuade 
 me that any one ever blew his nose in that canvas." 
 
 Our guide, nothing daunted, continued : " You 
 see that ' Ascension ' high up there ? That, you 
 know, is magnificent. The monks ordered it, having 
 bargained to give a hundred dollars for it ; but 
 when it was finished they did not like it, and asked 
 to be off with their bargain. But Murillo said, 
 ' Very well, but let me put it up in the place for 
 which it was destined before it is sent back.' When 
 half-way up the monks liked it better, at which he 
 said, ' I will now ask two hundred dollars ' ; and 
 when it had reached its proper place he would not 
 let it go for less than four hundred dollars, which 
 they readily paid." 
 
 At the gate of the Museo there was an amusing 
 equipage — a four-seated cabriolet, painted in the 
 gayest colours and of the most fantastic shape, to 
 which were harnessed seven mules, covered with 
 a profusion of red and yellow trappings. Its owner, 
 an ardent Free Trader, dressed in the smartest 
 
1846] SEVILLE CATHEDRAL 87 
 
 Andalusian costume, had brought it out to drive 
 Mr. and Mrs. Cobden, who at that time were travel- 
 ling in Spain. This civility, as he afterwards told 
 me, was much to his annoyance, for the jolting, 
 dust, and noise were ill-suited to his frame, ex- 
 hausted by his journey from Madrid. He, indeed, 
 seemed little equal to all the fatigue his foreign 
 admirers entailed upon him. I was delighted to 
 make the acquaintance of a man I hold in such 
 admiration.^ 
 
 The Cathedral at Seville is said to be no 
 longer the resort of lovers, but it certainly was 
 still the resort of beggars. They pestered one 
 in every direction. The last day I was there, a 
 well-dressed woman said something to me which 
 I took no notice of but passed on. She shouted 
 out " Hombre /" which is a Spanish oath, ran 
 after me, and gave me a smart tap on the shoulder 
 with her fan. I stopped, and the old story began 
 again of sickness and a distressed family. The 
 beggars in Spain, from the picturesque old man 
 with his tattered brown cloak and staff to the 
 broken-down gentlewoman with her fan, all claim 
 charity as a right, and if you give it they receive 
 it as if you were paying them a debt. They 
 were difficult to get rid of except by the use of 
 the words I had often read of, but whose magical 
 effect I had hardly believed. If you said respect- 
 fully to one of them, " Perdone Usted, por Dios, 
 hermanoV ("Forgive me, brother, for God's 
 sake ! "), he would invariably retire. 
 
 I got fond of our inn with its little Moorish 
 
 ' I got afterwards to know him well. 
 
88 SPANISH JOURNAL 
 
 court. Vaughan undertook to look after the 
 cooking department, and it was amusing to watch 
 his endless conferences with the inn-keeper, the 
 Welshman making fun of the single-minded 
 Spaniard. One day there were great preparations 
 for a dinner, to which Foley had invited the 
 Capitan-General, a pompous man and a distin- 
 guished officer. The whole household was thrown 
 into commotion. Vaughan was at his post the 
 whole morning, worrying the poor innkeeper, 
 whom such an honour and its attendant responsi- 
 bilities were nearly too much for. We hurried 
 home early to receive the great man ; but alas ! 
 at the very last moment a note arrived with the 
 General's excuses on account of pain from his 
 wounds. I could not help laughing, and had the 
 satisfaction of eating an excellent dinner ; but the 
 waiters were angry, and Pedro re-echoed to me 
 their indignation. — " Je vous assure, monsieur, qu'on 
 trouve cela tres peu poli." 
 
 Our guide, with his anecdotes and quaint 
 remarks, amused us, but we had reason to find 
 fault with him when, after promising to get 
 gypsies to dance before us, we found he had only 
 engaged some ballet-dancers whom we might 
 have seen every night at the theatre for com- 
 paratively nothing. They came with an immense 
 following of fathers, mothers and brothers, some' 
 very handsome, particularly La Campanilla, so 
 called from living in the Giralda, the beautiful 
 old Moorish tower at one end of the Cathedral, 
 She had a fine figure, which her dress, consisting 
 of a black velvet corset covered with spangles 
 
1846] CADIZ— LISBON 89 
 
 and a cherry-coloured petticoat, set off to advan- 
 tage. She danced with vivacity and grace. It 
 was a regular ball, with refreshments and sugar- 
 plums to be handed round to the performers. 
 
 From Seville we went to Cadiz and from Cadiz 
 to Lisbon ! How beautiful is the entrance into 
 the Tagus and the first view of Lisbon ! Our 
 fleet was anchored opposite to it. It was an 
 exciting time to arrive there, as the town was 
 surrounded by rebels who were expected every 
 minute to take it by storm. We were unable on 
 that account to go to Cintra. There is little to 
 be seen in Lisbon, which is inhabited by the 
 ugliest, filthiest population in the world. I have 
 since been there several times and it always gave 
 me the same impression. 
 
 From Lisbon we had a pleasant passage home 
 by sea. 
 
SOCIETY 
 
 1846-50 
 
 UPON my father's death my brother and his wife 
 were reluctant to leave their apartment on the 
 ground floor in Bruton Street, to which they had be- 
 come attached. They consequently let the first floor 
 to Mr. Charles Greville, a relation and intimate 
 friend. Mr. Greville was the son of Lady Charlotte 
 Greville, a daughter of the third Duke of Portland, 
 who had married the sister of the fifth Duke of 
 Devonshire. She was therefore my mother's first 
 cousin. In society Mr. Greville was inclined to 
 be silent, and never spoke unless he had some- 
 thing to say — to my mind a merit. But when the 
 topic discussed interested him he became very 
 animated. 
 
 It, of course, perfectly suited Mr. Greville to live 
 in a charming and spacious apartment in the centre 
 of the most social part of the town, and where he 
 had on most evenings only to go downstairs to find 
 himself in the midst of the pleasantest company 
 possible. My brother and Lady Granville had on 
 their side the advantage of living in close proximity 
 to so agreeable a person, with whom they were 
 
 always on the best of terms. Mr. Greville was a 
 
 90 
 
1846-S0] CHARLES GREVILLE 91 
 
 remarkable man. He was intimate with the 
 principal politicians. He had a literary turn of 
 mind. He was a frequent contributor to the Times 
 and a friend of its distinguished editor, Mr. Delane. 
 He published some clever books and pamphlets ; but 
 what has chiefly contributed to his fame are his 
 admirable journals, which he left to Mr. Henry 
 Reeve ^ to edit after his death. They have become 
 classical, and I know of no book of my time which 
 has been as much referred to by those who have 
 dealt with the history of the period. He was 
 broad-minded, but not always quite accurate or 
 consistent in his views. I should say that it was 
 on this account that in spite of his ability he never 
 had any political influence. His complaint of my 
 brother was that, although they lived in the same 
 house, he would never divulge to him what took 
 place in the Cabinet, and was less communicative 
 than some of his colleagues. The truth was, my 
 brother did not entirely rely on his discretion. He 
 was a great reader on every subject, and even liked 
 to dabble in theology. He was as well up in the 
 Bible as he was in the Racing Calendar. I cannot 
 say that he was a happy man, for he had no strong 
 family affections, and was, as can be seen from his 
 journal, much dissatisfied with himself. 
 
 His best point was his readiness, when any 
 occasion arose for it, to spare no effort to serve 
 a friend. But honesty obliges me to add that he 
 dearly loved to have a finger in every pie, which 
 
 ' For many years editor of The Edinburgh Review. 
 
92 SOCIETY 
 
 may have been an inducement to him to occupy 
 himself about his friends' affairs. When Miss 
 Raikes published her father's amusing diary he 
 helped her with her publishers, but made them 
 some concessions of which she disapproved. The 
 next time he called, to show her displeasure she 
 seized his hat, ran upstairs, and locked it up in her 
 bedroom ; and then came down and told him he 
 might go home bare-headed, which he was forced to 
 do. I do not know whether he ever forgave her. 
 
 He likewise assisted my sister. Lady Georgiana 
 Fullerton, with her novel Ellen Middleton. It 
 was her first literary attempt, and it was a great 
 advantage to get the advice of so excellent a 
 writer with regard to style. He took the greatest 
 possible interest in the book and spared no pains 
 about it. The novel had great success, not 
 only in England but throughout the Continent, 
 and was translated into every European language. 
 Lord Brougham also volunteered to help her, and 
 his advice proved very useful. In return he asked 
 her to do him the favour of reading a tale which 
 he said was written by a young friend of his, who 
 wished to publish it but had some doubt whether 
 it was worth it. He said he relied on her giving 
 him an honest opinion, by which he would be 
 guided in his advice to the young man. She, 
 not suspecting the truth, told him, after reading it, 
 that she thought it a poor performance, and that 
 it would be a mistake to publish it. It turned out 
 that he himself was the author, and, undeterred 
 
1 846- so] LADY GEORGIANA FULLERTON 93 
 
 by her verdict, he sanctioned its publication. No 
 sooner did it make its appearance than it was so 
 generally condemned that he at once stopped 
 its circulation, and bought up all the copies he 
 could lay his hands on. I do not know whether 
 any copy now exists. There is probably one in 
 the British Museum. But the amusing part of the 
 story is that he at once cut my sister dead, and 
 they only renewed acquaintance just before his 
 death. This is an instance of how very little a 
 great man may be. 
 
 The following is a letter I received from my 
 friend, Mr. John George Phillimore, respecting 
 my sister's novel. It is very appreciative, but at 
 the same time discriminating, and contains some 
 interesting remarks. 
 
 " I send back Ellen Middleton. Its perusal has 
 added to the many pleasant hours I already owe to 
 your acquaintance. In return — a most inadequate 
 return it is — I give you my opinion as to the merits 
 of the work. That I read it as I should have 
 read the work of a person indifferent to me or to 
 my friends I do not assert, but I am quite sure 
 that it is not the effect of partiality on my part 
 when I say that the work is one of very unusual 
 merit. It abounds in passages of real eloquence, 
 of touching pathos, of vivid and powerful descrip- 
 tion. The writer has, it is obvious, taken a far 
 wider view of manners and society than is common 
 among those who attempt their delineation. She 
 has a very quick perception of character, and a keen 
 sense of its vanities. Her conversations are lively 
 and natural, and succeed where lady writers 
 generally fail altogether — I mean in giving an idea 
 
94 SOCIETY 
 
 of dialogues among men, whether in ordinary life 
 or when excited by passion ; indeed the men are 
 excellent. The clergyman is perfect. Lovell is 
 most happily described in his two characters. I 
 have known his type. The Middletons are admir- 
 able portraits, though / think flattering ones, of 
 the firm, well-educated, right-thinking, high-minded, 
 but cold and bornd and undemonstrative English 
 gentleman of the patrician class. I am in love 
 with Mrs. Middleton ; Alice is a model of saindy 
 virtue ; Rose Moore is charming and draws the 
 line which is so apt to be overstepped and which 
 Walter Scott never clearly saw, between naiveti 
 and vulgarity. The description of Miss Varley 
 is very good and so is that of Mrs. Hatton, who 
 sees everything couleur de rose, and thinks it very 
 lucky we have any weather at all, doing from mere 
 benevolence of nature what others would do from 
 an unworthy motive. The author's skill in rescuing 
 her from the character of a sycophant is remark- 
 able. To this knowledge of men and manners 
 the author adds the love of nature, that unfailing 
 source of happiness, and it imparts to her pages 
 the buoyant and exhilarating tone of elastic pleasure 
 which makes one long as Milton says — ' to go 
 out and see Nature's riches, and partake of her 
 rejoicings with heaven and earth.' The contrast 
 between these passages and those of a darker hue 
 reminded me of a favourite passage in Macbeth, 
 where the interval between the meditated crime 
 and its perpetration is relieved by the remarks on 
 the pure air and pleasant site of the castle which 
 was to be its scene. How the lines on the ' temple- 
 haunting martlet ' and its habits enhance the effect 
 of those fearful workings of fierce passion and 
 troubled conscience, which precede and follow it. 
 I cannot help thinking that in writing some of the 
 passages to which I allude this wonderful proof 
 of Shakespeare's genju§ must have been present 
 
1846-S0] "ELLEN MIDDLETON" 95 
 
 to the author's mind. Among many passages of a 
 higher tone that on the sea shows great power of 
 style — as does another where Ellen resolves to 
 shine and glitter, at least, although her heart be 
 broken, and her peace for ever cast away. These 
 then, style and knowledge of character, I think 
 the great merits of the book. The fault is exactly 
 that which you would expect in a young writer, i.e. 
 the story. The knowledge of society, which has 
 guarded her against exaggeration in character, has 
 not quite saved her from giving rather an im- 
 probable and violent cast to some of the incidents 
 she has introduced. Such, for instance, is the 
 scene between Rose and the Ruffians, that told 
 by Lovell between himself and Esdail when he 
 pays the gambling debt, and the event which is 
 the hinge of the story is, for an act quite unpre- 
 meditated and not quite unjustifiable, followed by 
 too tragical a series of calamities. Poor Ellen is 
 visited too hardly ; something is wanted as Dryden 
 says ' to absolve the Gods.' Moreover, but this 
 is a subject on which I express myself with all 
 becoming diffidence, I cannot help thinking that 
 the way in which Lovell abuses his advantage 
 would have induced the lady towards whom such 
 unmanly violence was exercised, even were she less 
 high-spirited than Ellen, to everything rather than 
 endure the persecution of a being so detestable. 
 There is also another point on which perhaps you 
 will not think my opinion very important, but on 
 which after all I have said it would be want of 
 candour not to communicate it. I mean the 
 allusions made to the external parts and accidents, 
 so I consider them, of Divine worship. I hope 
 nobody feels more deeply than I do, or appreciates 
 more thoroughly the depth and purity of feeling 
 which almost every line of this work discloses with 
 regard to the most important of all subjects. I 
 recollect with delight the glorious lines in the 
 
96 SOCIETY 
 
 Penseroso and the eloquent denunciation of another 
 favourite writer against the dme reviche, I think he 
 calls it, on which the fretted aisle, and lofty arches, 
 and pealing organ, and fragrant clouds of our 
 Gothic cathedrals have no effect. But imposing 
 and awful as all this is, and difficult as it is to resist 
 the impressions of the senses at such a moment, 
 is it not going too far to suppose that they can 
 exalt or ennoble the relation between Man and his 
 Creator ? Can any work of human art, any rites 
 that it is in the power of man to invent, add 
 sublimity to ideas which are or ought to be solely 
 spiritual ? Ought we not to disclaim these ' rudi- 
 ments of the senses ' ? May not religion be as 
 sublime in a cottage as in a cathedral ? Would it 
 be religion were it not ? And when I recollect 
 that these edifices were raised and adorned in dark 
 and troubled times, by men inured to blood and 
 fraud, who imagined that by raising them they 
 atoned for a long life of oppression and injustice ; 
 and when I think how far more easy it is to raise a 
 splendid edifice or to practise any rites than to allay — 
 
 The troublous storms that toss 
 The private state and render Hfe unsweet, 
 
 or to keep pure the recesses of the heart, I own 
 that I am angry with myself for yielding to such 
 associations as the author labours so successfully 
 to awaken, and that I submit with patience to all 
 the epithets of domestic vituperation which the 
 mere hint of such opinions never fails to draw 
 down upon me from a great admirer of Ellen 
 Middleton.^ I cannot help thinking the old 
 Covenanters who worshipped in the wilderness, 
 or an Irish priest in a roofless cabin, an object 
 far more sublime and affecting to the imagination 
 than all the gorgeous ceremonies, baldachins and 
 
 ■ He alludes to his wife, who after his death became a Roman 
 Catholic. 
 
1846-S0] CHARLES HENRY GREVILLE 97 
 
 stately structures which man ever devoted to the 
 worship of Him who made us. 
 
 Entire affection scorneth nicer hands, 
 
 says Spenser, and if this be true of an earthly 
 being, it is far more true of Him we worship, and 
 Petrarch has hit the right key when He says (I 
 have not the book here, so the quotation is perhaps 
 inaccurate) — 
 
 Qui non Teatro, non Palazzi o loggia, 
 
 Fra I'erba verde un pino, un abate, un faggio, 
 
 Giove da terra al ciel porta intelletto; 
 
 and Dante in one of his most wonderful passages 
 makes Poverty say that she ascended the Cross 
 with the Saviour of the world. 
 
 " After this you will not be surprised if I enter 
 my protest against the Christian Year — the writer's 
 admiration for which is however more than atoned 
 for in my eyes by the many proofs of excellent 
 taste her work affords and her thorough knowledge 
 of the best writers in our language — my favourite 
 Spenser whom I rank next Shakespeare among 
 our poets being therein to my great delight included, 
 
 " To conclude, I cannot help saying that the 
 writer possesses qualities which entitle her to hold 
 a very conspicuous place among English authors. 
 I will add no professions of sincerity, for I think 
 our acquaintance, short as it is, ought to enable 
 you to form a judgment for yourself on that point." 
 
 There was a great difference between Charles 
 Greville and his brother Henry, who also passed 
 much of his time in Bruton Street. The latter had 
 much less ability and was rather frivolous. His 
 diaries, edited after his death by his niece, Lady 
 Enfield, contain much amusing gossip, but are 
 immeasurably inferior to his brother's journal. He 
 
 7 
 
98 SOCIETY 
 
 was, however, more amiable and better liked. He 
 sang charmingly and was a favourite of the fine 
 ladies, although less so with men. He was with us 
 at Paris as first attach^ at the Embassy, when he 
 always made himself agreeable. He passed the 
 latter part of his life in London in two successive 
 houses, which he furnished with great taste. He 
 gave the most delightful concerts, which the ilite 
 of society attended. His intimate friends, Signor 
 Mario and Madame Grisi, were the chief performers. 
 The witty Mr. Sneyd used to compare these parties 
 to a little cream in a Sevres cup. It was a proof 
 of Greville's amiability that he never turned his 
 back on his old friends, and at his very select con- 
 certs there was always a sprinkling of guests whom 
 the fashionables probably looked upon as rather 
 dowdy. He had the merit, rare in Englishmen, 
 of being full of zest, and of being very keen about 
 the favourite game of the hour. At Wrest ^ it 
 became dark before the end of a game of croquet, 
 when he had lamps brought into the garden to 
 enable the game to be finished by lamplight. 
 
 Another frequent visitor in Bruton Street was 
 Mr. Frederick Byng already referred to, and, as 
 he and his wife had peculiarities, some account of 
 them may be amusing. He was supposed to be 
 successful in his love affairs ; he was not good- 
 looking but had a pleasant face, a good figure, and 
 was reputed to be adventurous. He was called the 
 
 ' Lady Cowper's country house, which her son Earl Cowper has 
 inherited. 
 
1846-S0] "POODLE" BYNG 99 
 
 " Poodle " on account of his curly hair. He told me 
 he was given the name by some charming lady 
 he had courted. He eventually married his mother's 
 maid, which he did on account of a little girl 
 she had borne him, whom he tenderly loved. It 
 was very sad that the child died soon after he had 
 made such a sacrifice on her behalf. Mrs. Byng was 
 a good wife, but not refined. With her help he gave 
 little dinners, which were plain but excellent, and 
 which it was said she cooked herself My brother 
 was a favourite of hers, and she continued to embrace 
 him after he was grown up. On one such occasion 
 he involuntarily drew back, upon which she observed, 
 having just eaten a peppermint lozenge, " I see 
 you're not fond of peppermint." Though not re- 
 ceived in London, some of her husband's French 
 friends were kind to her. My father saw her on her 
 return from a long visit in France to a Madame de 
 Vatry, a charming person. Mrs. Byng expatiated on 
 the cordial hospitality they had met with. — " Only 
 think ! They had our linen washed free of charge ! 
 It was lucky, as Frederick brought with him a 
 lot of dirty linen." — It may be imagined that such 
 details did not much interest my father. 
 
 Mr. Byng's fault was inquisitiveness, which got 
 him the name of Paul Pry, a well-known character 
 acted by Liston in the amusing comedy of that 
 name. At the time of my eldest sister's engage- 
 ment he inquired of my mother what answer he 
 should give if he was asked whether her daughter 
 was going to marry Lord Rivers. — " Suppose, 
 
loo SOCIETY 
 
 Mr. Byng, you say you do not know." — On 
 his visits to his friends in the country he cross- 
 examined the servants about all the details of their 
 masters' establishments, and gave his entertainers 
 unacceptable advice. At Woburn he complained 
 to his cousin the Duke of Bedford of the conduct 
 of a footman. — " What did he do ? " — " He did 
 not look pleased when I tipped him." — " I suppose 
 you did not give him enough. At all events, I 
 cannot force him to look pleased when he isn't." 
 Mr. Byng meddled a good deal with London 
 parochial affairs, and both with regard to them 
 and to the domestic arrangements of his hosts, he 
 was no doubt actuated by the best intentions, and 
 did some good. After his appointment as Com- 
 missioner of Sewers Landseer drew a delightful 
 sketch of a poodle poking his nose into a sewer, 
 as illustrating his inquisitive activity. 
 
 There never was any one who had so many 
 acquaintances in every class. As I walked along 
 the street with him he was recognised by nearly 
 every person we met. He had had an early 
 introduction into fashionable life. He used to 
 boast of his admission into Devonshire House 
 when he was still in his teens. — " It must 
 have been delightful." — " Not at all. It was a 
 great honour, but I was bored to death. The 
 Duchess was usually stitching in one corner of 
 the room, and Charles Fox snoring in another." 
 
 My sister-in-law. Lady Granville, was a perfect 
 hostess. She had charming manners and a French- 
 
1846-S0] LADY COWPER— LADY H. BARING loi 
 
 woman's gift, when surrounded by a circle of clever 
 men, of addressing each of them by turn and en- 
 couraging them to talk. The company in Bruton 
 Street comprised many eminent Englishmen and 
 foreigners, chiefly politicians. There were also 
 many agreeable women, such as Lady Morley, the 
 grandmother of the lately deceased Earl, who in her 
 old age retained all the liveliness of youth, and was 
 extremely entertaining without ever uttering an 
 ill-natured word. Her sayings were often much to 
 the point. She called those who made unjust wills 
 " posthumous villains." I also remember there Lady 
 Cowper, the mother of the present Earl, who knew 
 more good stories and told them better than any one 
 I ever knew except perhaps her son Henry. Lady 
 Harriet Baring ^ was a woman of a different calibre. 
 She was more feared than liked ; she had not many 
 friends, but a few who were devoted to her. She 
 was celebrated for her wit and her power of quick 
 repartee. She spared no one, least of all those 
 who were worthy of her steel. She even chaffed 
 her husband, although she would not allow any one 
 else to do so. One day he observed that every one 
 was supposed to have a favourite ology, but that 
 he had none. — -" Yes, my dear, you have one. 
 You love tautology." (He was given to repeating 
 the same story). — When she reproached Monckton 
 Milnes with the revolutionary tendency of a 
 pamphlet he had just published, he said, " The 
 
 ' Daughter of the sixth Earl of Sandwich. Her husband was after- 
 wards the second Lord Ashburton, 
 
I02 SOCIETY 
 
 writings of your friend Carlyle are much redder." — 
 "You mean they are much more read." — My 
 mother wrote to her sister that she liked Lady 
 Harriet, but was aware that her preference required 
 some apology. 
 
 It was about this period that I first made ac- 
 quaintance with Mr. Thomas Carlyle, Lady Harriet 
 Baring's devoted friend. Lady Harriet was very 
 good to me, I fancy on account of my mother's re- 
 ception of her in Paris, and I was frequently a guest 
 not only at Bath House, but at the Grange and at 
 a farm they had at Addiscombe, and once at Alver- 
 stoke. I met Carlyle at these different places, and 
 sometimes Mrs. Carlyle. My recollection of the 
 latter is, sitting in a corner busy with her embroidery, 
 with no one speaking to her. One can easily 
 imagine how much so clever a woman must have 
 resented this neglect. I never was converted to 
 Carlyle's views, but I could not help being fascin- 
 ated by his eloquence, originality, and vehement 
 abuse of everybody and everything, which in most 
 people would be repellent, but in him was amusing. 
 Many years later I again saw something of him. 
 It was just after the death of his wife, when 
 Lady Marian Alford, hearing of his dejection, did 
 her best by every sort of attention to cheer him. 
 I saw him when he was staying with her at 
 Mentone, and afterwards at Belton, besides several 
 times in London. One day Louisa, Lord Ash- 
 burton's second wife, who continued to show him 
 the same kindness as her predecessor, asked Lady 
 
1 846-50] THOMAS CARLYLE 103 
 
 Marian Alford and me to meet him at dinner. We 
 were therefore a party of four, and all through 
 the repast the two ladies fervently worshipped 
 the great man, which he did not take amiss. 
 As I am not a hero-worshipper and disliked 
 some of his opinions, I maliciously introduced 
 the subject of slavery. Mr. Carlyle rose to the 
 occasion, defended slavery, and vilified the aboli- 
 tionists. The two ladies, who had tender hearts 
 and abhorred slavery from the bottom of their 
 souls, were much disturbed. — " Oh, Mr. Carlyle, 
 do not say that ! You cannot mean it. Have 
 you ever read Mrs. Stowe?" — "A poor, foolish 
 woman, who wrote a book of wretched trash 
 called Uncle Toms Cabin." — My purpose was 
 achieved, and for a short time the adoration 
 abated. Another day the same party met, when 
 after dinner our hostess said to Mr. Carlyle, " I 
 hope you will not mind our leaving you, as we 
 are going to the theatre to see Fechter act 
 Hamlet." To her astonishment he told her he 
 would like to accompany us. He had not been 
 inside a theatre for years, and his delight at the 
 performance was great. — " The fellow is not so 
 bad after all. Dear me ! That is capital ! " — All 
 this was said in so loud a voice that every 
 moment I expected the audience to call the 
 philosopher to order. 
 
 Mr. Baring, Lady Harriet's husband, was also 
 very kind to me, and invited me to bachelor dinners 
 which he liked to give. I have stumbled on a 
 
104 SOCIETY 
 
 letter I wrote to my mother in which there occurs 
 a, description of one of those dinners : 
 
 " Yesterday I had a curious dinner at Mr. 
 Bingham Baring's — Mr. Macaulay and three other 
 men I had never seen before. I took one of 
 them before dinner in the dark for a boy, he 
 was so small, till he talked and I saw his features. 
 All dinner I puzzled over whom he might be. 
 Disagreeable sharp manner, very acute, knowing 
 a good deal, assuming to know everything, main- 
 taining very startling opinions, certainly the 
 most peculiar man I ever saw. My host, when 
 I asked his name, was astonished that I did not 
 know Roebuck by sight." 
 
 According to the following anecdote Mr. Roebuck 
 was made a Privy Councillor without ever having 
 been in office. When Mr. Grote refused the peerage 
 which Mr. Gladstone offered him, Mrs. Grote wrote 
 to a member of the Government that whilst her 
 husband did not wish to become a peer, it would 
 gratify him to become a Privy Councillor. The 
 answer was that no one deserved it more, but 
 that he could not be made one as he had never held 
 office, it being forgotten that the case of Roebuck 
 formed a precedent. Times are changed — there 
 is no such difficulty at present. Tom, Dick, and 
 Harry now become Right Honourables. 
 
 Old men often remark that women have become 
 less beautiful than they formerly were. I confess 
 that I have sometimes had the same impression, 
 but it is an idea as groundless as it is easy to 
 be explained. Young men are more impression- 
 
1846-So] TWO SISTERS OF MERIT 105 
 
 able than old men, who also detect faults less 
 apparent to the eyes of the less experienced. 
 For instance, I always thought that there were 
 a greater number of good-looking women to be 
 met with at the parties in Bruton Street than I 
 have seen anywhere collected in later years. They 
 were too numerous for me to attempt now to name 
 them. I will only mention two sisters of con- 
 spicuous merit. Lady Canning and Lady Waterford. 
 Both were very handsome, although their parents, 
 Lord and Lady Stuart de Rothesay, were the 
 ugliest couple in Europe. Lady Canning was 
 the heroic wife of the Governor- General of India, 
 whom she so nobly sustained during the fearful 
 days of the Indian Mutiny. Lady Waterford was 
 the best amateur artist living, whose only fault 
 was excessive modesty, and to whom might well 
 be applied Waller's lines : 
 
 Small is the worth 
 Of beauty from the light retired. 
 
 Bid her come forth, 
 Suffer herself to be admired. 
 Nor blush so much to be desired. 
 
 It is remarkable that with scarcely an ex- 
 ception all the pretty women of this society bore 
 spotless reputations. There is no doubt that an 
 improvement in morals had taken place at that 
 time, which may to a great degree be ascribed to 
 Queen Victoria's silent influence. 
 
 In other respects various changes in society 
 occurred. The lady patronesses of Almack's ceased 
 
io6 SOCIETY 
 
 to exercise their despotic power. Lady Jersey,'^ 
 who had long been looked upon as the leader 
 of the fashionable world, had to give way to the 
 Duchess of Sutherland.^ This did not arise from 
 any wish of the Duchess to supplant her, but 
 merely from the force of circumstances. The 
 Duchess had great wealth and rank. She was 
 known to be a favourite of the Queen, and was 
 generally esteemed and admired. She had a sound 
 understanding, and in social matters, as well as 
 in politics, always took the generous side. Lady 
 Jersey was very jealous of her. Lady Tankerville 
 told me at a garden party at Chiswick that she had 
 spent most of the afternoon in trying to console 
 Lady Jersey, who was in floods of tears at not 
 having been asked to a party at Windsor the 
 following week, to which the Duchess had been 
 invited. " That woman," she said, " is cutting me 
 out in everything ! " Persons in humble positions 
 often imagine that those above them who appear 
 to possess everything they can possibly desire 
 must, in the absence of real sorrow, be content 
 with their good fortune. But this is not the case. 
 Royal personages have been known to fret because 
 they are not assigned the place at public functions 
 to which they think themselves entitled. For 
 similar reasons the wife of a younger son of a peer 
 is angry when a rich parvenue is sent in to dinner 
 
 ' Julia, daughter of Sir Robert Peel, wife of the sixth Earl of Jersey. 
 2 Harriet, daughter of the sixth Earl of Carlisle, wife of the second 
 Duke of Sutherland. 
 
1 846- so] CHESTERFIELD HOUSE lo; 
 
 before her, and a lady's-maid is unhappy if in the 
 housekeeper's room precedence is not given to her 
 in accordance with the rank of her mistress. Who 
 could imagine that the beautiful, the wealthy, the 
 much-envied Lady Jersey could be distressed at not 
 being invited to a party at Windsor ? She had, it 
 must be admitted, two defects — she was silly and 
 worldly. 
 
 The Lady Tankerville above mentioned was 
 the daughter of the Due de Gramont, and she and 
 her mother emigrated into Germany at the time 
 of the Revolution. She there met — like her famous 
 ancestress, Corisande de Gramont, whose Christian 
 name she bore — with a Royal admirer. The Comte 
 d'Artois, the future Charles X., fell desperately in 
 love with her, and to avoid his advances the 
 Duchess hurried her off to England. They were 
 there warmly welcomed by the Duchess of Devon- 
 shire, and for several years Devonshire House 
 became their home. It was from there that she 
 married Lord Tankerville. There was some delay 
 about it, because his father objected to have a 
 daughter-in-law who was both a Catholic and 
 a foreigner. 
 
 The Chesterfield House set was always para- 
 mount in racing circles, but became about this time 
 less conspicuous in other respects. I often went 
 there in the evening to join in a rubber of whist. 
 It was generally supposed that much gambling 
 went on there. This was not the case in my time, 
 nor do I think it ever was so. If I remember right, 
 
io8 SOCIETY 
 
 our stakes were half-a-crown points and five shillings 
 the rubber. Once when travelling by train with 
 Lady Chesterfield and some of her fi-iends we 
 passed the time in playing whist, when she ruled 
 that our stakes should only be a shilling because 
 it was so easy to cheat in a railway carriage. 
 
 I Used to wonder that Lady Chesterfield admitted 
 into her house that good-for-nothing fellow, Count 
 d'Orsay. He was handsome, clever, and amusing, 
 and I am aware that in the eyes of some people 
 such qualities cover a multitude of sins. But 
 his record was a bad one. No Frenchman would 
 speak to him because he left the French Army 
 at the breaking out of the war between his own 
 country and Spain, in order to go to Italy with 
 Lord and Lady Blessington, and his conduct with 
 regard to his marriage was infamous. Lord 
 Blessington's daughter was brought up in Ireland 
 by two pious old aunts in the principles of re- 
 ligion and morality. When she had reached the 
 age of sixteen her step-mother, Lady Blessington, 
 got her husband to order her to join them, and 
 not long afterwards brought about a marriage 
 between her and her own lover, Count d'Orsay, 
 in order that he might get hold of her fortune. 
 After the marriage she induced him entirely to 
 neglect his young wife. She moreover endeavoured 
 to undermine her faith and her morals by getting 
 her to read books calculated to do so, and what 
 was still worse, she promoted the advances of 
 other men, who made up to this inexperienced 
 
1846-S0] LADY BLESSINGTON 109 
 
 and beautiful ydung woman. Her life at Gore 
 House became at last so intolerable that she fled 
 from it, never to return. In spite of all this 
 Lady Blessington is described by some modern 
 writers as " the gorgeous Lady Blessington." 
 She was handsome, and had some Irish wit ; 
 but her literary performances were poor, and 
 only got into notice through being puffed by 
 penny-a-liners whom she entertained at her table, 
 I was never inside Gore House, but I was 
 told by others who knew it that with some few 
 exceptions the company was inferior, and to 
 compare it with that of Holland House, as has 
 sometimes been done, is simply ridiculous. Louis 
 Napoleon was a frequent guest, but he at that 
 time was of small repute. When he first arrived 
 in London his uncle Jerome asked the Duke 
 of Devonshire to invite his mauvais sujet of a 
 nephew to one of his large parties at Devonshire 
 House, "so that he might for once be seen in 
 decent society." Their relations were, I fancy, 
 limited to such invitations ; nevertheless, before 
 the Boulogne expedition the Prince asked the 
 Duke to lend him five thousand pounds. I cannot 
 say whether he told him for what object he 
 wanted the money, but I know that the request 
 was not complied with. I believe that that foolish 
 expedition was concocted at Gore House. 
 
 Lady Chesterfield came several times to Paris 
 with her sister, Mrs. Anson, where they were both 
 much admired. Her knowledge of French was 
 
no SOCIETY 
 
 imperfect. When playing at whist she called the 
 queen of hearts " la reine des cceurs," and the 
 knave of diamonds " le coquin de diamants." When 
 discussing the relative stoutness of French and 
 English women she observed, " Moi, Je ne suis 
 pas grosse maintenant, mais je Vdtais avant mon 
 mariage." And she told them that " Monsieur 
 de Rambuteau avail eu [ obligeance de lui envoyer 
 sa boite cL POpdra." Monsieur de Rambuteau, the 
 Prdfet de la Seine, was popular with all classes. 
 His chief delight was to devote himself to the 
 English beauties who came to Paris. He sent 
 them his boxes at the theatres, and in return they 
 allowed him to arm them about at receptions. 
 On each occasion Madame de Rambuteau was 
 heard to say in a low voice, to the amusement 
 of those who heard her, " Encore une victime." 
 
 Monsieur de Rambuteau behaved well at 
 the time of the Revolution of '48. He remained 
 at his post till the last moment. The mob would 
 not destroy the picture of " Le bon papa" but laid 
 it on Madame de Rambuteau's bed. 
 
 The following account of the state of Paris at 
 that time, written to me by my friend Lady Harriet 
 d'Orsay, ' may be found interesting. 
 
 " I thought that in the midst of all the excitement 
 caused by the wonderful events which have just 
 taken place, you would bear me in mind and feel 
 some anxiety about my fate. I admit with you 
 that this Revolution has been a fine thing, bravely 
 
 ' Only daughter of Lord Blessington already referred to. 
 
1846-50] PARIS IN 1848 III 
 
 and nobly done, though seen de prh it would not 
 seem quite as perfect as when you had the glowing 
 descriptions given in the French papers, never 
 backward in singing their own praises. I confess 
 that for my part, though I have heard of some 
 admirable traits of courage and disinterestedness, 
 yet I have not felt a gleam of enthusiasm or 
 pleasure. I had no love for Louis Philippe, and 
 the insolence and tyranny of Guizot and his acolytes 
 had become insufferable. But still, to see an old 
 man robbed of everything and turned out with 
 his family upon the pavement, the Tuileries 
 saccag^s, Neuilly burnt, and the Due d'Orl^ans' 
 statues taken down, his wife and child turned adrift, 
 and now disgusting calumnies heaped upon the whole 
 family, was pain and grief to my spirit. The 
 Republic may be a very fine thing, and I admit 
 that Lamartine is a very fine character, and I 
 believe quite sincere. But I fear that he is too 
 much of a poet, of a rive creux and sentimentalist, 
 for this age and this country. I think he has in 
 his head an ideal Republic, all patriotism, self- 
 sacrifice and noble disinterestedness. But will he 
 be able to establish things on this footing ? Will 
 his colleagues have the same lofty aim and generous 
 views ? Will not the spirit of intrigue, the love 
 of filthy lucre, all the mean, petty rivalships and 
 desire of personal aggrandisement and gain soon 
 rise up again to deface the fair structure of 
 Republicanism ? And then, if he is thrown down, 
 who is to take his place ? Who will stem the 
 torrent of Communism and brutal violence ? I 
 think with this fickle people his very excess of 
 popularity at this moment is alarming, though one 
 cannot wonder at it, for his courage, energy, and 
 self-immolation are beyond praise. 
 
 " I was rushing about in all directions from first 
 to last, and just missed the unfortunate fusillade 
 at the Capucines by five minutes. You have no 
 
112 SOCIETY 
 
 idea of anything so wretched as Paris looks. All 
 one's friends either ruined or scattered in every 
 direction. There is wonderfully little enthusiasm 
 even among those who have done all. The shop- 
 keepers would gladly have everything as it was 
 a fortnight ago. Their loss of course is immense, 
 as there is no society, and most people are re- 
 ducing their establishments by half. Rothschild's 
 losses have been tremendous. The poor Manuels 
 have also suffered severely, she being confined in 
 the middle of it all. The danger on Thursday night 
 before the new Government was organised, with 
 thousands of drunken men all armed about the streets 
 and among whom were all the formats and ruffians 
 in Paris was frightful to contemplate. Now every- 
 thing is perfectly quiet, but triste and desolate to 
 a degree. 
 
 " I am disgusted with the Princes for having 
 shown so little energy. Poor Joinville had 
 prophesied all this and was packed off" to Algeria 
 for having tried to enlighten the King. 
 
 " The Princess Lieven ran off before the 
 catastrophe, as did also Dow. Sandwich. Lady 
 Cowley was furious because the Princess had left 
 word she was at her house. The Princesse 
 Clementine spent Thursday night at Madame de 
 Lasteyric's.' Montpensier ran so fast that he 
 forgot his wife. She was much preoccupied about 
 her diamonds. It is said they have given Louis 
 Philippe 300,000 francs, that is ^12,000, pour 
 tout potage, and that he has no money in the 
 foreign funds. They burnt Rothschild's Boulogne 
 and Suresnes." 
 
 The Duchesse de Montpensier, who had lately 
 married, had all the liveliness of youth, as is proved 
 
 ' Madame de Lasteyric was the daughter of Lady Isabella Chabot, 
 the sister of the third Duke of Leinster. 
 
1846-50] THE REVOLUTION OF 1848 113 
 
 by the following incident. When the Royal Family 
 had to fly from Paris, she was confided to a gentle- 
 man of the Court to take charge of her to England. 
 When approaching Abbeville they learnt that there 
 was great excitement in the town and they thought 
 it prudent to send the carriage to the posthouse 
 and to await its return by the side of the road, 
 which they did in pouring rain. The gentleman 
 expressed to the Princess his great concern that 
 she should undergo so much discomfort. She how- 
 ever assured him that she did not much mind it — 
 indeed, that she preferred it to the round table 
 at the Tuileries. It seems that the Queen Marie 
 Am^lie used after dinner to preside at a table 
 round which the Princesses and the ladies of the 
 Court sat, all engaged in fancy work, and scarcely 
 any one uttering a word. 
 
 Lord Normanby was then Ambassador at Paris, 
 and having been in heated conflict with Monsieur 
 Guizot on the subject of the Spanish marriages, 
 he welcomed his fall and the Revolution which 
 followed. He in consequence went about talking 
 of " les ziros de Fdvrier," meaning of course " les 
 h^ros." 
 
 I saw but little of Lady Chesterfield in later life. 
 She occasionally asked me to dinner, and one 
 day I ifound a small party, composed entirely of 
 Lord Beaconsfield and some of his staunchest 
 adherents. They naturally looked upon me as 
 a black sheep, but he, to put me at my ease, 
 addressed himself to me during the whole of 
 
 8 
 
114 SOCIETY 
 
 dinner, taking litde notice of his own friends. 
 He was always courteous, but his courtesy was 
 a little overdone one day. I asked his leave to 
 go to Hughenden to look at the verandah tho-e, 
 which I thought of copying at my own home. 
 He immediately said that he was much distressed 
 to be unable to be there to receive me, but begged 
 me to go there, and to remain as many days as 
 suited me. He could hardly imagine my taking 
 up my quarters at his house during his absence. 
 I was much opposed to him in pohtics, but I 
 considered that England owed him a dd)t of 
 gratitude for his ha\Txig at the time of the American 
 Civil War refused to countenance the mad pro- 
 posals of many of his supporters to take the pan 
 of the South, which, had he encouraged it, might 
 possibly have happened. The most discreditable 
 incident in his career was his running the risk of a 
 war with Russia in order to uphold one of the worst 
 governments that ever existed, and which had just 
 before been engaged in the indiscriminate massacre 
 of men, women, and children in Bulgaria. This 
 war might have taken place if it had not been 
 averted by Mr. Gladstone in his splendid Mid- 
 Lothian campaign. Lord Beaconsfield's chief 
 merits were audacity and tmrivalled power of 
 sarcasm ; his chief defects, unrealir\- and want of 
 principle. "\ou must admit," a conspicuous 
 member of the Consenrative party said to me just 
 before Lord Beaconsfield left for the Berlin 
 Congress, " that he is a consummate actor," I 
 
1S46-S0] LIFE IN PARIS 115 
 
 occasionally met him in country houses and also at 
 Grillions Club. He did not strike me as very agree- 
 able. He was often silent, and when he spoke he 
 was stilted and his remarks were apt to be forced. 
 De mortttis mJ r.isi dottum is a good rule to obsen^e 
 just after the death of a conspicuous person, but 
 the truth should later be told. 
 
 My life during the four years after my dis- 
 appointment in being unseated for Derby on 
 petition was uneventful. I gradually gave up 
 my profession of the law and passed my time 
 in amusing myself. I frequently went abroad, 
 which a young man writing home described as 
 " that horrid place, and I paid several \4sits to 
 Paris, where I did net go out much into society. 
 but chiefly passed my time ar the theatres and 
 the Cercle de 1" Union. Our Ambassador, Lord 
 Cowlev, presented me at the Elysee to Louis 
 Napoleon when he was President of the RepubUc 
 His appearance was not prepossessing, with a 
 stumpy figure, nshy eyes, and an inexpressive 
 countenance. This was the only tame I ever 
 approached him. After the antp d't:^: I persistendy 
 reftised the Ambassador s kind offers to obtain for 
 me in\"itations to the Tuileries. because I had no 
 wish to shake hands again with one who, since 
 our first interview, had been guilt\- of that criminal 
 act. I ^-as not however actuated by the same 
 motives which made Mrs. Huskisson, the wue 
 of the statesman, wish to go to Paris during the 
 Peace of Amiens, in order that, by not asking to 
 
ii6 SOCIETY 
 
 be presented to the great Napoleon, she might 
 show him her disapproval of his conduct. 
 
 Oni'. of tlic worst consc(]uenccs of tlu- couf> (CHat 
 was the attc;mpt to siii)pr('ss (uiblic opinion, nut 
 only in tlu: [)r(\ss but in private life. Previously, 
 animated discussions were carried on evc-ry aller- 
 noon at my club by a number of members sittinjf 
 in a circle. Afterwards the police interfered, and 
 over every chimney-piece was alTixed, '' Ici on ne 
 park pas politique " — an injunction so far obeyed 
 that the general discussions ceased, although 
 members talked politics to one another. 
 
 Many years later I again saw Louis Napt)leon 
 at a distance at a magnificent ball given by him at 
 the Tuileries in honour of the various sovereigns 
 who came to Paris at the time of the Exhibition of 
 1867, which I attended at the request of my young 
 nephew, tlu; present Earl Brownlow. who was 
 anxious to go. 1 then caught the only glimpse 
 I ever had of Bismarck, who was following in 
 the suite of his master, and I was struck by his 
 commanding aj)pearance. 
 
 During one of my visits to Paris I made the 
 acquaintance of Mad(;moisi:lle Rachel. I afterwards 
 met her in London. 1 thought her charming, but 
 only saw her when slie assumed the manners of 
 une grande dame, which she did to perfection. 
 But I fancy that in all her phases she must have 
 been very attractive. Not long after I got to 
 know another much less gifted individual, but who, 
 having captivated a king, upset two Ministries, and 
 
1 846-50] LISMORE CASTLE 117 
 
 brought about a revolution in Bavaria, was entitled 
 to be looked upon as celebrated. This was Lola 
 Montez. After her flight from Munich she came 
 to London, and lived in a small lodging-house 
 in Half-Moon Street, to which she invited a few 
 men, including myself, to go in the evening. She 
 had lost much of her good looks, but her animated 
 conversation was entertaining. Soon afterwards 
 she left London and resumed her career of adventure, 
 which only ended with her life. I was an en- 
 thusiastic admirer of Madame Grisi, and I was 
 delighted at being invited after a concert given in 
 Paris to remain for supper, at which she was 
 present. But I was rather disenchanted when I 
 saw with what dexterity the divine Norma con- 
 trived to eat her food with her knif^ instead of 
 her fork.^ 
 
 In the autumn of 1849 I paid a visit of six 
 weeks to my uncle, the Duke of Devonshire, 
 at Lismore Castle. His chief motive for going 
 there was, I fancy, to alleviate by his expenditure 
 the poverty resulting from the previous calamities 
 of famine and disease, and to cheer the people 
 by his presence. But it was also the sort of 
 life he particularly enjoyed. To make people 
 happy and to be surrounded by a grateful crowd 
 of adorers gave him supreme delight. There 
 was a perpetual round of amusement — dinners, 
 concerts and balls. People came from very long 
 distances to attend them. They are, or at least 
 
 ' Norma was one of her favourite parts. 
 
ii8 SOCIETY 
 
 they were, different from what similar country 
 entertainments would be in England. Country 
 neighbours in England usually come to such parties 
 to show that they have been invited and not to 
 enjoy themselves ; they enter the room arm in 
 arm, and, being self-conscious, cast frightened looks 
 around them. In short, they are only happy when 
 the moment of departure arrives. But how different 
 it is in Ireland ! There the guests come in order to 
 enjoy themselves. They at once fall into groups, 
 and enter into lively conversations with their 
 friends ; and shyness, that offspring of vanity, is 
 unknown to them. Moreover, the women were 
 mostly pretty and the men full of fun. 
 
 I own it surprised me that the Irish, so soon 
 after the dire calamities which had afflicted their 
 country, could be in such good spirits ; in that 
 respect they somewhat resembled the French, who, 
 in the midst of their fearful Revolution, contrived 
 to be merry. 
 
 During the famine and the dreadful mortality 
 that followed it every effort was made on my 
 uncle's estates to help them. It seems curious 
 that Arthur Young in his book about Ireland, 
 whilst discussing the question of the cultivation 
 of the potato, says that, whatever its drawbacks, 
 it had the great merit of being a crop that never 
 failed. The total failure in the 'forties proved 
 how much he was mistaken, and it is remarkable 
 that ever since potatoes have been liable to 
 disease. 
 
1846-50] SUPERSTITION AND CREDULITY 119 
 
 The Irish are generally supposed to be excep- 
 tionally superstitious, and I am inclined to believe 
 that this is the case. Not long ago I sat at a 
 dinner party by the side of a distinguished Irishman 
 with whom I was not previously acquainted. In 
 the course of conversation 1 observed that it was 
 strange that so able a man as Mr. Pamell should be 
 influenced by silly superstitions — ^that he would not 
 sleep in a room with the number thirteen affixed 
 to it, and that he had a Bill re-drafted because 
 it had thirteen clauses. Upon which my neighbour 
 said it was not strange, as Mr. Pamell was an 
 Irishman, and all Irishmen believed in such things. 
 — "But do you?" — "Certainly. Nothing would 
 persuade me to be one of thirteen at a dinner- 
 party." — I looked round the room and saw that 
 we were thirteen. I called his attention to the 
 fact and advised him to go away. — " Alas," he said, 
 " it is too late. If you have once sat down, you 
 cannot by leaving avert the impending calamity." 
 Then he looked at the bill of fare and added : 
 " Besides, I see that an excellent dinner is in store 
 for us, so I think I shall stay." — I do not know 
 whether any serious consequences followed that 
 dinner. Every one ate heartily, so possibly some 
 of the guests suffered in consequence. 
 
 It is marvellous how credulous some people are ; 
 for instance, how many Protectionists are led to 
 believe that valuable commodities introduced into 
 a country impoverish it. It is still more so that 
 so many are convinced that a card-player can 
 
120 SOCIETY 
 
 improve his luck by turning round his chair, or 
 by sitting opposite the hinges of the table, or by 
 calling for a fresh pack of cards, and that if a 
 marriage takes place in May it will prove a failure. 
 This last superstition is very general, as may 
 be seen in the list of weddings that appear in the 
 columns of the Times in that month — an average 
 of about two a day, whereas in other months the 
 average is about twenty. The only reason I have 
 ever heard for this superstition is that June follows 
 May — that is, Sir Francis Jeune.^ I do not know 
 whether this superstition prevails among the 
 masses. If it does not it shows that in this respect 
 they are wiser than those who consider themselves 
 their superiors. 
 
 The following is a quotation from a journal my 
 uncle wrote for me at Lismore during my absence 
 in India, which takes the same view as I do of 
 Irish society : 
 
 " I arrived here on November ist, 1851, A 
 week at Lismore goes like an hour anywhere 
 else. My neighbours throng to see me, and all 
 are admitted. They have got a natural bonhomie 
 and a want of pretension that makes them very 
 captivating, never wanting to appear what they 
 are not. I think their affairs and prospects are less 
 gloomy, and they are always gay." 
 
 I will extract from the same journal an account of 
 a singular instance of the vicissitudes of fortune : 
 
 " Mrs. Connor, the widow of an Agent employed 
 here, had three nieces born and brought up in 
 
 ' Late Lord St. Helier. 
 
1846-S0] FAMILY VICISSITUDES 121 
 
 the lowest sphere of Irish life. They lived in a 
 rude cabin on the rocky coast between Ardmore 
 and Grange, where they used to serve food and 
 whisky to the smugglers and frequenters of the 
 paternal roof. The beauty of the two eldest was 
 remarkable, and one became Countess of Barrymore 
 the other Duchesse de Castries. The Duke was 
 an old imigrd, whose poverty she shared in London. 
 She was rather gay, but always devoted to him, 
 and when the Bourbons returned to Paris she 
 found herself grande dame in the H6tel de 
 Castries. Her son appeared to me afterwards to 
 be one of the most distinguished of the young 
 Frenchmen of the day. But the third sister's 
 history is still more strange — a small, half-witted 
 cripple about three feet high, supported, I believe, 
 by family contributions and living in a small abode 
 here at Lismore. She is apparently cared for and 
 attended by a Mrs. Gurley, who looks like a 
 retired housekeeper or lady's maid, and who 
 watches over the baby of seventy, relates her 
 sayings, is enchanted with her eccentricities and 
 contrives a happy existence for her. The little 
 blear-eyed creature is grateful. She is proud of 
 a miniature over the chimney-piece of a lady in 
 pink feathers, representing one of her sisters. She 
 says that if Aunt Connor was alive she would be a 
 good deal at the Castle. With a few coloured child' s- 
 books of prints I caused her as much joy as chests 
 of jewels might have given to her titled relations." 
 
 Here is another extract from the Duke's journal 
 concerning the visit of his niece to Lismore : 
 
 "November lyth. — The Duchess of Sutherland 
 and her beautiful daughter Constance ^ are to arrive 
 here to-day. They will come in the dark between 
 
 ' Engaged to be married to Lord Grosvenor (the late Duke of 
 Westminster). 
 
122 SOCIETY 
 
 seven and eight o'clock. If the illuminations of 
 this old Castle should be as fine a sight as I expect 
 there can never be anything more imposing than 
 their arrival by the Glen of the Onnashad." 
 
 The Duke of Devonshire also inserts a copy of 
 the following letter which the Duchess on this 
 occasion wrote to her mother, Lady Carlisle : 
 
 " It was dark soon after Cahir ; it is wild and 
 anxious driving. The post-boy was off once, 
 twice the traces broke. At some distance from 
 this place an outrider met us and a running 
 footman, who with a lantern displayed the worst 
 part of the road, where he said a man and horse 
 from Tipperary had rolled down. There was little 
 life left in me except that which made me con- 
 scious there was some danger. When, emerg- 
 ing from darkness, there was suddenly a vision 
 so bright and beautiful. It was gone and ap- 
 peared again. How shall I teU you of it : an oudine 
 which looked like Heidelberg, every window bathed 
 in light. The effect of the light among the ivy 
 and the grey old walls was beautifU, and at the 
 door that dearest, greatest Duke, that most puis- 
 sant Prince, your own, kindest brother. I cannot 
 say how touched I was at his giving us this 
 beautiful thing to see, 1 am only grieved that more 
 did not see it. The whole population was out, 
 and we crossed the bridge amidst great cheering 
 and then entered the Castle of Lismore." 
 
 The Duke also quotes the following note, which 
 his niece wrote to him after her departure : 
 
 " I must not leave Ireland without telling you again 
 and again how much my heart swells when I think 
 of you. It is not only in the County of Waterford 
 (where people told me they could not stop short 
 of loving you), but here in this neighbourhood 
 
1S46-S0] THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE 123 
 
 your more than kindness, your great hospitality, 
 your w^arming coolnesses and healing feuds are 
 known and felt as they should be.' 
 
 "This was written from Carton,"* adds the 
 Duke, "where she said Lord Otho* ought not to 
 have looked surprised when she told him of her 
 ha\ ing danced. And so he ought not, for though 
 this lovely grandmother of twelve children is 
 growing rather large, she moves with such dignity 
 that nothing can have better appearance than her 
 dancing. She saw a pretty ball here of 1:15 of my 
 best neighbours, who one and all were in raptures 
 with both mother and daughter. The former retains 
 a freshness and a bloom of youth which are quite 
 remarkable." 
 
 When my brother in 1S51 succeeded Lord 
 Palmerston at the Foreign Office he appointed me 
 his precis-writer. 1 was glad to sen-e under him, 
 and should have been still more so if I could have 
 been of any use to him, but I found my duties 
 decidedly irksome, as they consisted in copying a 
 number of dry despatches, chiefly concerning the 
 Schleswig-Holstein question, which neither I nor 
 indeed many Englishmen coxild unravel. I shudder 
 to think that the two principal Liberal statesmen 
 of the day. Lord Palmerston and Lord John 
 Russell, should have strongly advocated our 
 engaging on behalf of Denmark in a war with 
 Germany. \A^e were saved from this calamity by 
 the good sense of the rest of the Cabinet, backed 
 up by Queen \'ictoria and her husband. 
 
 • The residexice of the Duke of Leinster. 
 
 * Lord Otho Fiugerald, the second son of the Duke of Leinster, 
 ^o aitenvaids married Lady Londesborough. 
 
INDIA 
 
 1850-51 
 
 " II y a des p6riodes du pass6 qui me semblent des songes. Je 
 ne puis croire quelquefois que je sois celui qui ait fait ceci, ait 
 ete la." — Jacquemont, Correspondance pendant son voyage dans 
 I'Inde. 
 
 I CAN NOT undertake to recapitulate the momen- 
 tous changes which have taken place in India 
 since I visited it. The record of all the improve- 
 ments, as described by the late Sir William Hunter, 
 is one of which Englishmen may well be proud. 
 The blessings we have conferred on the inhabitants 
 of that vast dominion entitle us to their gratitude, 
 and I hope are more and more recognised by them. 
 The facilities of travel in India are now in- 
 finitely greater than they were fifty years ago. 
 There were then no roads except in the neighbour- 
 hood of large towns. During the greater part of 
 our journey we were carried by men in palanquins, 
 which were called " palkees," or we rode on horses, 
 or sometimes on camels or elephants. There were 
 no inns, only rest-houses, which afforded nothing 
 but shelter. On the other hand, we were hospit- 
 ably received in the houses of Europeans, even 
 
 124 
 
1850-Si] OPINION OF INDIA 1-5 
 
 when we had no letters of introduction, and some 
 of our hosts were men who had distinguished 
 themselves in \'arious capacities. There were then 
 few tourists in India, and strangers fresh from 
 England, w^ho interrupted the monotony of Anglo- 
 Indian life, were welcome guests. We were also 
 treated with much civility by some of the nati\e 
 grandees, who were perhaps stimulated thereto by 
 hearing- of the rank and wealth of one of our 
 party. 
 
 On my return to England I had some talk with 
 Lord Canning, who was not then aware that he 
 would be ever called upon to govern India, but 
 already took a g^reat interest in that country. 
 Among other questions he asked me whether I 
 \\-as in favour of the annexation of Oude. I replied 
 that I did not know enough of Indian politics 
 to form an opinion, but from what I had seen of 
 the condition of the inhabitants of Oude, as 
 compared with that of the people in our own 
 territories, and having witnessed something of the 
 disreputable Court at Lucknow, I could not help 
 wishing that its annexation might be decided on. 
 
 The impression I derived during our rapid 
 joumev through a great portion of India was that 
 the people did not suffer from such abject poverty 
 as in many places in Europe. This, of course, 
 chieflv arises from their easier conditions of life, 
 no fuel being needed except for cooking, food 
 being inexpensive, the need of clothing slight, and 
 very litde required in the way of a house. " Man 
 
126 INDIA 
 
 wants but little here below " applies much more to 
 them than to the inhabitants of colder regions. 
 
 There is a theory of much importance with 
 regard to the future prospects of India put forward 
 by the late Duke of Argyll, the late Sir William 
 Hunter and other men of ability, which I cannot 
 accept. They held that such calamities as war, 
 epidemics and famine acted as checks to popula- 
 tion, and that the mitigation or cessation of those 
 evils under our rule has brought about its undue 
 increase and thereby impoverished the people. 
 
 I cannot conceive a more dreadful notion than 
 the one that the better you govern a country the 
 more wretched it will be, and that such terrible 
 scourges as those I have mentioned are blessings 
 in disguise. This would lead us, as a logical in- 
 ference, to relax all efforts to overcome them. 
 
 Luckily this theory is erroneous and founded 
 on a mistaken view of the laws which regukte 
 the growth of population. This growth follows 
 the increase of the means of subsistence, and 
 does not precede it. As the population of India 
 has of late years greatly increased, there must 
 have been great increase of production, and such 
 has been the case. The main causes of this 
 increase have been improved cultivation, extensive 
 systems of irrigation, conversion of jungle into 
 arable land, and, in a less degree, the destruction 
 of wild beasts throughout most parts of the country, 
 not to mention the construction of railways and 
 the great increase of trade and manufactures. The 
 
I8SO-5I] CONDITION OF PEOPLE OF INDIA 127 
 
 consequence has been that the condition of the 
 cultivators, bad as it is, has to a certain extent 
 been improved. 
 
 Sir James Caird, who in 1879 was sent to 
 India to inquire into the matter, reported that 
 he could see no improvement in the condition 
 of the people, but did not assert the contrary. 
 The Indian Government, however, were not satis- 
 fied with his report, and appointed a Commission 
 to consider it, who came to the conclusion that 
 on the whole the people were slightly better 
 ofif Every one connected with India whom I 
 have consulted on the subject has without ex- 
 ception confirmed this opinion. The late Sir 
 William Hunter, however, doubted ' it. He held, 
 in common with our earlier economists, that the 
 most fertile land is always that which is first 
 cultivated, whereas, as the American economist 
 Carey long ago proved, it is as a rule the least 
 fertile. This disposes of the idea that as population 
 increases production must proportionately diminish. 
 Sir William also believed that population increases 
 spontaneously, independently of any increased 
 production. It was these two views, which I 
 hold to be erroneous, that gave him misgivings 
 about the future welfare of India. 
 
 I believe with Malthus that any undue en- 
 couragement of population, whether by bad 
 customs or bad laws, is mischievous, and my 
 further conviction is that in India, as elsewhere, 
 an increase of population, unless unduly promoted, 
 
128 INDIA 
 
 is in most cases a proof of increased prosperity 
 and not a cause of greater misery. 
 
 I must apologise for this economic digression, 
 which is hardly suited to this little book that 
 has no pretension to be of a serious character. 
 But ever since I travelled in India I have taken 
 so great an interest in its wonderful development 
 that I am tempted to try to attract public 
 attention to a question which is intimately con- 
 nected with its future destinies. It is certainly 
 a question which ought to be well threshed out, 
 and well considered by all who have any re- 
 sponsibility with regard to that country. I am 
 confident that those who will fully inquire into 
 the matter will come to the conclusion that peace, 
 health, and abundance — the results of good govern- 
 ment — are unmitigated blessings. 
 
 I will only add that I believe there is much 
 to be regretted in the past and the present govern- 
 ment of the country, and that many further 
 reforms are needed. I therefore give great credit 
 to those who are endeavouring to bring them about. 
 But I would urge them not to injure their cause 
 by exaggeration, or fail to recognise sufficiently 
 the wonderful achievements of the past 
 
 The following account of my trip is an abridged 
 copy of the journal I wrote in India, and which was 
 addressed to my uncle, the Duke of Devonshire. 
 
 My mother accompanied me to Waterloo Station 
 on October 19, 1850. 
 
I8S0-SI] THE START 129 
 
 I got into an empty carriage, in which I left 
 so depressed, that I soon joined Mrs. and Miss 
 Gore, who were in the same train, on their way 
 to a villa on Southampton Water. Their society 
 succeeded in cheering me. Miss Gore was very 
 agreeable and gay. She had been told I was 
 going to India without clothes or companions. 
 I assured her I was well provided with both. 
 She warned me against falling in love with an 
 Indian widow. This was a danger about which I 
 felt foolhardy. I dined with them that evening at 
 the Dolphin Inn.^ 
 
 I found at Southampton my two companions, 
 Grosvenor^ and Frank Egerton,^ as well as F. 
 Fitz-Roy,* who had been appointed aide-de-camp 
 to Sir William Gomm/ and Huston," who had come 
 to see us off. The leave-takings on board were 
 a painful sight. Mothers crying and in hysterics 
 at parting with the sons they would not see again 
 for years, and fathers struggling with their tears. 
 
 ' Mrs. Gore was a popular authoress, who produced more than 
 fifty novels. The public got rather tired of them, when she published 
 some anonymously and the interest in them then revived. Her 
 daughter had great success both in Paris and London, and had 
 most of the young men at her feet, to the discomfiture of other young 
 ladies, or rather of their mothers. She was not decidedly pretty, but 
 had a beautiful figure with a slim waist. Her mother was plump, 
 and they were nicknamed Plenty and Waste. Miss Gore soon after 
 married Lord Edward Thynne, who had a great charm of manner 
 but did not turn out an ideal husband. When above sixty he ran 
 away with another man's wife. 
 
 ' Earl Grosvenor, the late Duke of Westminster. 
 
 ' The late Admiral the Hon. Francis Egerton, brother of the second 
 Earl of EUesmere. 
 
 * Lord Frederick Fitz-Roy, son of the fifth Duke of Grafton. 
 
 ' A Peninsular and Waterloo veteran ; made Field Marshal in 1868, 
 and Governor of the Tower from 1872 to 1875. 
 
 ^ The Earl of Euston, afterwards sixth Duke of Grafton. 
 
130 INDIA 
 
 We started at half-past eleven. I looked out 
 with the telescope for Miss Gore, and saw her in 
 her garden waving her pocket-handkerchief.- 
 
 Later we passed close by a small yacht. I 
 afterwards learnt that it was Godolphin's, and 
 that he was in it. There were several officers 
 on board our ship, with whom we soon made 
 friends. I was glad to get F. Fitzroy to share my 
 cabin. 
 
 We reached Gibraltar on the morning of the 
 26th. Not feeling very well, I did not hurry on 
 shore. When I got there I found all the passengers 
 dressed in their smartest, scattered about the place. 
 Some were employing their three precious hours 
 in buying, in true sailor fashion, everything they 
 could lay their hands on ; others in seeing some- 
 thing of that most curious and beautiful Rock : all 
 enjoying themselves as if it were a holiday. 
 
 The Mediterranean was delightfully smooth and 
 the weather was divine. 
 
 On the Sunday following there were two services. 
 In the morning a Wesleyan minister officiated, 
 and scandalised the orthodox by omitting the 
 prayer for the bishops, and preaching heretically 
 about Baptism. In the evening a minister of the 
 Scotch Free Church delivered a noisy, ranting 
 sermon. He was returning to Madras, where they 
 say he has done wonders amongst the Hindus. 
 There was with him a Hindu whom he had bought 
 as a child for a shilling, and educated for the 
 ministry. They had been preaching together in 
 Scotland, and had collected a considerable sum of 
 money. The Scotchman was very offensive, told 
 
iSso-Si] MALTA 131 
 
 Captain Peel,^ a son of Sir Robert, who was on 
 board, that he had measured his calibre and found 
 it wanting, and forced an old colonel to recom- 
 mend him to be more humble. 
 
 The passengers by this time began to be 
 acquainted with one another ; there were several 
 pretty girls on board, and dancing took place 
 every evening. Dinner was a dreadful scramble. 
 We always sat in the same places, and I had on 
 one side of me an agreeable companion in Mr. 
 Cameron, a husband of one of Lady Eastnor's ^ 
 numerous sisters. He formerly filled a high post 
 in Calcutta, and was then on his way to his coffee 
 estates in Ceylon. 
 
 We came in sight of Gozo, the island adjacent 
 to Malta, on the morning of the 29th. When all the 
 passengers had made their preparations for landing, 
 intent on all the pleasures that awaited them, they 
 met with a great disappointment. At half-past 
 twelve the pilot came out to meet us. Every 
 one watched him with a little anxiety, and you 
 may imagine the general dismay when he shouted 
 out, " Quarantine harbour." There was no 
 announcement of the quarantine having been taken 
 off in Egypt, though there had been no cases 
 of cholera at Malta for more than a month. 
 So, for fear we might be refused admittance into 
 
 ' Captain Peel was a most gallant sailor, who afterwards dis- 
 tinguished himself greatly at Sebastopol and in the Indian Mutiny. 
 He was, when we met him, on his way to some out-of-the-way 
 place in order to convert the natives, and was excitable on religious 
 questions. 
 
 2 Virginia, daughter ot the late James Pattle, Esq., of the Bengal 
 Civil Service, married to Viscount Eastnor afterwards third Earl 
 Somers. 
 
132 INDIA 
 
 Alexandria, we had to spend our time in the dull 
 quarantine harbour, with a melancholy yellow flag 
 floating from our mast. 
 
 In spite of our misfortunes, the day I spent 
 in the quarantine harbour was the happiest of 
 any since England, for I received there my first 
 post, with letters full of affection and regret at my 
 departure from those I love best in the world, 
 and my day was well filled in reading and answering 
 them. We were allowed to go to the lazaretto, 
 where we purchased some trinkets of coral and 
 silver filigree, handed to us with the tongs. 
 
 We lay off Alexandria during the night of 
 November 3rd. I got up at daybreak to see the 
 sun rise. It was magnificent, and gave an Eastern 
 glow to Alexandria, which later did not keep its 
 promise, but presented a most uninteresting appear- 
 ance. A low, sandy coast, with nothing that looked 
 oriental to redeem it. 
 
 The entry into the town was an amusing 
 but difficult operation, owing to the enormous 
 crowd of donkeys and donkey-boys. Whenever a 
 traveller appeared at the hotel door a battle royal 
 commenced, a porter pitching into the donkey- 
 boys, and the master of the inn beating the porter 
 for his ill success in not dispersing them. The 
 thrashed sometimes cry, and beg for money 
 on account of a blow, which they never think of 
 returning. After visiting some baths charmingly 
 situated in a grove of date trees, of which we 
 ate the fruit, we drove about the place. First 
 to the palace, situated on the harbour. It is 
 nothing remarkable, being furnished in not the 
 
iSso-si] EGYPT 133 
 
 best French style. The floors of inlaid wood 
 are pretty. The attendants — a miserable set — 
 quarrelled over the end of my cigar, which I 
 had thrown away. Then of course to Pompey's 
 Pillar and Cleopatra's Needle, of which you know 
 as much as if you had seen them. We drank 
 a cup of thick, nasty coffee at the bazaar, where 
 everything was amusing and thoroughly Eastern. 
 The most curious sight is a lady of quality taking 
 her ride on her donkey ; all you see of her are 
 her two eyes peeping from a large domino blown 
 out like a balloon. I was also much struck with 
 the sight of a line of camels crossing the great 
 square. Their noiseless progress at night is very 
 ghostlike. 
 
 The next morning we embarked on the canal 
 which leads from Alexandria to the Nile. We 
 were in a barge towed by a steamer. The canal 
 for the first few miles was lined with good-looking 
 villas, and acacias grew on the banks ; later, 
 nothing but mud banks and mud villages, with 
 a flat, swampy country beyond. Much from its 
 novelty pleased me — a group of palm-trees, a lake 
 in the distance, which turned out to be a mirage, 
 and a man on horseback chasing a wild boar. 
 
 We soon took to whist on the companion, but 
 our rubber was interrupted by a sudden squall. 
 We saw it coming by the clouds of sand it raised, 
 but the sail was not got in soon enough. This 
 caused a great hullaballoo. The crew began to 
 jabber as niggers only can ; several climbed up the 
 slight mast, endeavouring in vain with their feet 
 and hands to draw in the sail ; [the bai^e dipped 
 
134 INDIA 
 
 considerably on one side, the women screamed, 
 and I believe we should have stuck in the bank 
 or been upset had not F. Fitzroy seized hold of the 
 rudder. As it was, the only result was the loss 
 of my umbrella and somebody's cloak. The squall 
 was over in five minutes, and we resumed our 
 rubber, having had the presence of mind to pocket 
 hands and tricks, and remember the lead and 
 trumps. 
 
 The canal joins the Nile at a place called Atfeh. 
 In spite of its flat banks and muddy waters, I 
 was pleased with the Nile, so full of life and so 
 gay, with the numberless small boats with sails 
 of the shape of a bird's wing — some with one 
 sail, others with two pointing in different direc- 
 tions. The first view of Cairo was striking, with 
 its numberless minarets and the rising ground 
 beyond. 
 
 We were given eight hours there. The first 
 thing I did was to bathe in the Turkish fashion. 
 I was amused and cleaned, and enjoyed a pipe and 
 a good cup of coffee. We then rode on donkeys 
 up to the Citadel, from which there is a magni- 
 ficent view over the immense city, the Nile, and 
 the Pyramids. Near this is the palace and the 
 new mosque, begun by Mohammed Ali and not 
 then finished. It is entirely of alabaster, and 
 is very lofty and beautiful. There is before it a 
 large court, likewise of alabaster. The labour 
 was compulsory, the best workmen being seized 
 upon, a system which makes it undesirable to 
 excel. 
 
 The Pasha is very indolent, and takes not the 
 
iSso-Si] TO SUEZ 135 
 
 slightest interest in the improvement of his people. 
 He dislikes information, being unlike Mohammed 
 Ali, who was always anxious to know what was 
 going on. The canal we came by from Alexandria 
 was made entirely by forced labour, and many 
 lives were lost in its construction. This shocks 
 us more than wars, which are mostly under- 
 taken without any useful result. We ended our 
 morning in the bazaars ; but I forget you have 
 been in the East, and that I need not describe 
 them or the solemn Turks at their stalls. Do 
 they at Constantinople insist on your taking a 
 puff at their pipes, and make you sit down on 
 their counter, as they display their goods ? 
 
 The journey across the desert was as agreeable 
 as a sleepless night allowed. Six passengers were 
 closely packed in small vans on two wheels, which 
 are wonderfully constructed as they rarely upset, 
 though severely tried. Any attempt to sleep in 
 them was vain, as it was invariably followed by a 
 strong jolt which knocked my head against the 
 wooden sides of the carriage, or on the hard 
 forehead of the opposite passenger. The road 
 was in parts good, but there were bits of deep 
 sand where we had to get out to push the wheels. 
 We had four horses, which we changed every six 
 miles. You may well ask in what I thought this 
 part of our trip agreeable. I believe it was owing 
 to the bracing air of the desert, the novelty of 
 everything, and the picturesque scenes at the 
 post-houses, lighted up by immense torches, with 
 the various types of negroes and the Arab horses. 
 There were three stations where we found excel- 
 
136 INDIA 
 
 lent food. The luggage is sent over on camels, 
 and there is no danger of losing any of it. 
 When first this line was opened, two camels were 
 cut off from the rest and carried away. The 
 Pasha had the whole country scoured by 10,000 
 men ; the camels were found in the possession of 
 thirteen men, who were immediately bowstrung, 
 without trial or proof that they were the robbers. 
 Since that time a writing-desk might be left in 
 the middle of Cairo and no one would touch it. 
 
 The inn at Suez, a large sort of barrack, was quite 
 full ; no hope of beds unless some of the women 
 would go on board ship, which they alone were 
 allowed to do. Of course most of them declined, 
 while the men were furious at not having the 
 option ; we however all contrived to get beds, 
 and I slept thirteen unbroken hours, in spite of 
 the gluttony of a host of bugs. I killed many 
 next morning. 
 
 We steamed away from Suez the next afternoon, 
 November the 9th. The views of the two shores 
 are beautiful ; the mountains high, with broken 
 shapes, and the colouring of sea and land most vivid. 
 Mount Sinai in spite of the panorama is not visible, 
 but each passenger chooses any two peaks he 
 fancies as Mount Horeb and Mount Sinai. 
 
 We soon lost sight of land. The heat on the 
 third day became very oppressive, and there soon 
 was perceptible a sudden lassitude amongst us 
 all ; there was nothing worth describing, not even 
 the sight of a single ship. A large fish kept 
 ahead of the vessel, and was shot by a man who 
 looked like Don Quixote, and flourished his pistols 
 
iSso-si] ADEN 137 
 
 alarmingly. As the fish could not be got, this 
 appeared to me cruel. The heat diminished as 
 we entered the Straits of Babelmandeb. The 
 coast here again is very beautiful and there was 
 a good view of Mocha. 
 
 We anchored off Aden on the evening of the 
 13th. The harbour is protected from the sea. 
 The place itself is a heap of lava, with several 
 hills of grotesque shape rising to a considerable 
 height. It is a peninsula joined to the main- 
 land by a strip of sand. It was taken from the 
 Arabs about ten years ago. They afterwards 
 made some ineffectual attempts to get it back. 
 The hotel is near the landing-place. The town 
 is three miles off in an old crater, the approach 
 to it through a narrow defile. The cantonments 
 are beyond, near the old Turkish wall, which 
 forms the boundary and was being repaired. 
 Except a few low bushes there is no verdure. 
 The provisions come in great abundance from a 
 fertile district about thirty miles off. The water 
 was brackish, but the residents get to like it, and 
 think other water insipid, which they remedy by 
 putting salt into it. 
 
 We dawdled all day about the hotel, which is 
 well adapted to the climate. It has large verandahs 
 filled with beds, having a trellis outside, which 
 gives the travellers who are resting the appearance 
 of beasts in a menagerie. There is a billiard-room 
 and a shop containing a great variety of wares, 
 very dear and very bad. There are plenty of 
 ponies to be hired. The boys in charge of them 
 are a wild-looking set, slim but active, verj"^ intelligent 
 
138 INDIA 
 
 and great rogues. They have picked up a good 
 deal of English: "Good pony, sir, make no harm 
 at all ! " They rode races for our amusement. One 
 said, "If my horse does not win I forfeit four 
 shillings." They however attacked one of the 
 winners, nearly deprived him of his winnings, and 
 quite deprived him in the struggle of the little 
 clothing he had round his loins. 
 
 Here we left twenty passengers, most of them on 
 their way to Bombay — one of them a very pretty 
 girl, the daughter of the Commander of Aden. 
 He had not seen her since she was three weeks 
 old, and could not suppress his pleasure, I was 
 told, at finding he had such a pretty daughter. 
 These separations are very common in India. 
 There was a young fellow on board who was on 
 his way to his father, whom he had never seen. 
 
 The third day Grosvenor became very unwell ; 
 but the doctor's attention and skill soon brought 
 him round. 
 
 The steamer was very crowded and uncomfort- 
 able and we signed an energetic remonstrance to 
 the P. and O. Company. 
 
 The first view of the green island of Ceylon 
 was beyond anything refreshing. Galle is a pretty 
 little Dutch town, exceedingly clean, with houses 
 that looked like toys, interspersed with trees. We 
 lodged at a comfortable boarding-house exposed 
 to the sea breezes. It was kept by the son of 
 the landlady of the inn. He refused at first to 
 take us in, as he had agreed not to deprive his 
 mother of her unmarried customers ; but she waived 
 her claim, which I thought amiable, though others 
 
I8S0-SI] CEYLON 139 
 
 suggested that her house was as full as it could 
 be. But she was certainly an obliging old lady. 
 She learnt that I had given too much for a comb, 
 sent for the seller, ordered him to refund the money, 
 which he did at once, and got me a better comb 
 for less money. Natives teased us to buy their 
 wares, which consisted of birds, monkeys, fans, 
 precious stones, tortoiseshell ornaments, cocoa-nuts 
 and every sort of fruit. 
 
 We remained two nights at Galle, and met with 
 hospitality from Captain and Mrs. Maclean, and 
 Gerard Talbot, a brother of John.^ The whole 
 country round for miles is covered with cocoa-nut 
 trees. 
 
 We paid a visit to the clergyman, who lives a 
 few miles off at a charming bungalow. He gave 
 us a botanical lecture, showing us the plants of 
 the native cinnamon and coffee. We found there 
 a pretty niece, who had been our fellow-passenger 
 and much admired by Egerton. She was suffering 
 from a swelled face and broken tooth. The fame 
 of her good looks had preceded her in the island, 
 where there is said to be a great dearth of beauty. 
 The faded Mrs. Maclean and her entourage, how- 
 ever, declared they were sadly disappointed by her 
 beauty, and preferred Miss Metcalfe, who was on 
 her way to Delhi, 
 
 On the 28th we started for Colombo in a com- 
 fortable barouche, given us by the mail contractor, 
 at G. Talbot's instigation. The country is ex- 
 ceedingly pretty. You must imagine to yourself 
 
 ' A great friend of my family, and a distinguished Parliamentary 
 barrister. He was the father of the present M.P. for Oxford University, 
 
I40 INDIA 
 
 the Chatsworth conservatory run wild. The road 
 is excellent, and skirts the sea by sand, surf, and 
 rock, occasionally intercepted by broad rivers that 
 looked like lakes, with views of distant moun- 
 tains. The tropical vegetation in the shape 
 of the trees and the delicacy of the flowers is 
 superior to what I expected, but the colouring 
 is monotonous. There is certainly a charm in 
 seeing in great abundance hedges of pine-apple 
 and groves of banana, which one had regarded as 
 rarities. This part of Ceylon is populous. The 
 whole road is lined with cottages, some very pic- 
 turesque, covered with mattings made of the leaf of 
 the cocoa-nut tree, with bananas hanging over them. 
 We reached Colombo in the afternoon. I took 
 an immediate dislike to it. The houses in the fort 
 have pretensions to architecture, with columns, but 
 the whitewash upon them has peeled off, which 
 gives them a mangy appearance. On one side of 
 the fort is the esplanade, where the races were held 
 before Lord Torrington's conduct put an end 
 to them. He is said to have called one of the 
 gentleman riders without the slightest foundation 
 a cheat, and then put him under arrest for saying 
 the accusation was not true. It was then the 
 fashion at Colombo to abuse Lord Torrington, 
 whether deservedly or not I cannot say. On the 
 other side of the fort are some lakes, and beyond 
 a district studded with bungalows, where most of 
 the English reside, the Cinnamon Gardens ex- 
 tending farther on for some miles. The native 
 town stretches some way along the sea shore 
 north of the fort. 
 
I8SO-5I] JUNG BAHADUR 141 
 
 During our stay in Ceylon, great excitement 
 was caused by the arrival of Jung Bahadur, the 
 Nepaulese Ambassador, who was on his way 
 back to India ; but there was likewise disappoint- 
 ment when he and his countrymen appeared in 
 plain white instead of the smart dress which was 
 so much admired in London. It seemed they were 
 in Court mourning for a Ranee. 
 
 Grosvenor and I were much surprised one 
 morning at the two brothers of Jung Bahadur 
 being announced. They came with a message 
 from him, earnestly entreating Grosvenor to pay 
 a visit to Nepaul, as Jung said he was most 
 anxious to repay the civilities he had received at 
 Grosvenor House. He promised good sport and 
 every facility for the journey. 
 
 We returned the visit the next day, but our 
 intercourse was confined to a shake of the hands, 
 as the interpreter was absent. 
 
 We dined one night at Sir Ant-hony Oliphant's, 
 the Chief Justice, and I sat next to the Governor, 
 Sir G. Anderson. I met there my Eton tutor, 
 Mr. Chapman,^ who had become Bishop of 
 Colombo. He surprised as well as touched me 
 by his cordiality. He seemed to have forgotten 
 the verses which I had copied out of a French 
 Gradus, a discovery which at school lost me all 
 
 ' Mr. Chapman was my tutor at Eton, and married the daughter 
 of the famous head master, Doctor Keate. He had the merit of 
 disliking flogging. He never had me flogged, nor, as far as I can 
 remember, any other boy in his house. He was very pompous, and 
 many absurd phrases_ were attributed to him, such as, instead of 
 " Shut the door," " Let the guardian of our secrets revolve on its axis " ; 
 and instead of " Snuff the candle," " Deprive the luminary of its 
 superfluity." 
 
142 INDIA 
 
 his esteem. After dinner there was a great party, 
 to which the Nepaulese and all the great people 
 of Colombo came. The verandahs were beautifully 
 ornamented with festoons of the leaves of the 
 cocoa-nut and its graceful flower, arranged by 
 the natives with much taste. The heat was intense, 
 which made me rejoice that the serious scruples 
 of Lady Oliphant, a clever, -agreeable woman, 
 would not allow us to dance. 
 
 We left Colombo on December the 3rd for 
 Kandy, Every bit of the drive is lovely, but the 
 most beautiful part of it was hid by a thick mist 
 and rain. Kandy is a cheerful place, surrounded 
 by luxuriant hills with gay bungalows here 
 and there. We were charmingly lodged in one 
 belonging to the Colonial Secretary on the side of 
 a hill, with an enchanting view over the valley 
 and a foreground of palm-trees and of rose-trees 
 in full bloom. 
 
 We dined the first day with Mr. Buller, the 
 Government Agent. Before dinner he took us 
 to see the temple in which the tooth of Buddha 
 is kept. This is a most sacred relic, and very 
 valuable, as the natives consider that its possession 
 confers the government of the country. They are 
 now never shown it, as its sight puts them into a 
 dangerous state of excitement. They have made 
 several attempts to get possession of it. The 
 Siamese, who are likewise Buddhists, oflfered 
 ;^ 50,000 for it. The temple is a small, ugly 
 building with several small courts, and grotesquely 
 ornamented. The tooth is kept in seven cases 
 of gold in the shape of bells, one enclosing the 
 
iSso-si] KANDY 143 
 
 other, and these again are locked up in an iron 
 cage. This has three padlocks, of which Mr. BuUer 
 keeps the keys. We were not shown the tooth, as 
 the unlocking of all these cases is a tedious cere- 
 mony ; but the outer case is covered with jewels, 
 and there were in the cage some other golden orna- 
 ments. Besides the priest several chiefs were 
 present, fat men with head-dresses like the caps of 
 French cooks. 
 
 Mr. Buller ordered them about unceremoniously 
 in spite of their rank. They were said to be puffed 
 up by the deference shown to them by the English, 
 but from what I saw on this occasion this cannot 
 be any longer the case. I was not sorry to get 
 back into the open air, on account of the perfume of 
 a sacred flower they have, and the noise of a sort 
 of drum which is called " tom-tom," accompanied 
 by some jingling instruments and a droning chant. 
 This constant charivari makes it a misfortune to 
 live near a temple. 
 
 Mr. Buller lives in the palace of the kings of 
 Kandy, a peculiar old building with thick walls, 
 low rooms, and curious figures. The outside, 
 with the verandah leading to the temple, is very 
 picturesque. 
 
 Early the next morning we walked round Lady 
 Horton's ^ walk, so called because she projected it. 
 
 ' Lady Horton was beautiful, and inspired Byron, who was her 
 husband's cousin, to write the well-known lines : 
 She walks in beauty like the night 
 Of cloudless climes and starry skies. 
 
 Sir William Horton was an agreeable and cultivated man, who was much 
 engaged in politics. He was much connected with the Canningite 
 party, and therefore intimate with my father. He was during seven 
 years Governor of Ceylon. 
 
144 INDIA 
 
 It extends three miles round one of the hills which 
 enclose the valley. The dififerent views from it 
 are quite beautiful. A broad river runs past an 
 extensive track of wild wood, with gigantic trees 
 reminding one of a picture of Salvator Rosa, 
 
 The next evening we went to the Botanical 
 Gardens, large, but ill-kept, with a beautiful group 
 of palms at the entrance. The superintendent 
 said he was disappointed in the flowers and insects 
 of Ceylon, both as to size and colour, but was 
 pleased with the shape and variety of the trees. 
 He thought tea might be profitably cultivated here, 
 which I believe is an error, as cheap labour would 
 be essential.^ 
 
 Having purchased three good ponies with saddles 
 and bridles for the moderate sum of ^12 each, we 
 left Kandy for Nuera-ellia on the 8th. 
 
 We reached our first resting-place, Papilara, 
 early the same morning. Here is the most perfect 
 climate in the island, perpetual summer, with bracing 
 air and no heat. Soon after our arrival we received 
 a visit from Mr. Worms, the owner of a small 
 estate near at hand, whose brother's acquaintance 
 Grosvenor had made at Colombo. They were 
 related to the Rothschilds, to whom some say the 
 estate belongs. 
 
 Mr. Worms seemed very shrewd, and talked a 
 good deal and energetically, whilst he balanced him- 
 self on a stick he held before him. His favourite 
 word was "frightful," which he applied to a variety 
 of objects, but it was accompanied with a shudder 
 
 ' We now know that he was right. 
 
 2 Also, I fancy, to the late Lord Pirbright. 
 
iSso-si] NUERA— ELLIA 145 
 
 when he spoke of the heat of the sun, or the fury 
 of the buffaloes, cheetahs and other wild animals. 
 He has no pretensions, and when told he was no 
 gentleman by some neighbours, whom he stopped 
 when they were hunting an elk over his land, he 
 said, " I know I am no gentleman, but only a 
 poor coffee-planter, and it is for that reason I 
 wish you not to destroy my coffee." We walked 
 over to his estate in the afternoon, examined the 
 buildings where the coffee was dried, and found 
 him paying his labourers. They get sevenpence 
 a day for picking two bushels of coffee, which is 
 good pay, as they want but little food, no fuel, 
 and only a rag for clothes. I do not wonder that 
 so many of our friends, as well as half Calcutta, 
 were ruined by coffee, as it seems a most uncertain 
 speculation. It only answers in the high districts 
 — the higher the better, so long as it does not meet 
 with frost ; it requires constant manure, which 
 cannot easily be got, and it thrives best on the 
 side of a hill, but where it is liable to be washed 
 away. 
 
 Mr. Worms gave us an excellent dinner at his 
 bungalow. It is inhabited, besides himself, his 
 nephew, and his excellent friend and manager, 
 Mr. Jones, by twenty-four dogs, and, I believe, 
 as many cats. The former, he said, were to keep 
 off the robbers, and the latter the rats. Dogs and 
 cats live harmoniously together, and some of the 
 latter sat with us at dinner, one of them wandering 
 over the table, which scandalised the nephew, who is 
 a dandy. 
 
 The road from Papilara to Nuera-ellia is through 
 
 10 
 
146 INDIA 
 
 the most beautiful scenery. The mountains here 
 rise to a great height, are covered with forest, 
 and many waterfalls fall from their summits. 
 
 Nuera-ellia is 6,000 ft. above the sea, and 
 we were delighted with its bracing air and the 
 wood fire we lighted. 
 
 The next morning Egerton and I mounted 
 to the top of Pedrotallagalla, a mountain hard 
 by, which is 8,000 ft. high and the highest 
 point in the island. The ascent was not steep, 
 but slippery, and through thick jungle. It was 
 pleasant, however, to have to make one's way 
 through a mass of purple flower with a delicious 
 perfume. The view from the top was not good, as 
 the country round was hid in clouds, but Adam's 
 Peak, which was long reckoned the highest 
 mountain in Ceylon, rose clear above them. In 
 the afternoon we rode some miles to see another 
 view over a wild district of down and jungle. We 
 were accompanied by three brothers of the name 
 of Baker.^ Two of them are settled here and 
 have a farm, where they try every sort of experi- 
 ment with unvarying ill-success. They are now 
 establishing a brewery, which ought to succeed 
 if all their beer be equal to what they gave us at 
 luncheon. 
 
 ' The life of the eldest brother, who became Sir Samuel Baker, is 
 too well known to need any description. His greatest achievement as 
 an explorer was the discovery of the Albert Nyanza. I knew his 
 second wife, who was a Hungarian. It often puzzled me how so 
 refined a woman could have gone through all the hardships and perils 
 she encountered during their expeditions. She always reappeared in 
 London as if she had never left her drawing-room. I never quite 
 forgave her husband for exposing her to such risks, although he did so 
 at her urgent request. 
 
iSso-si] RETURN TO KANDY 147 
 
 In the evening we received a note from Mr. 
 Palliser, a brother of our Lismore friends, the two 
 Miss Pallisers, inviting us to join in a search after 
 some elephants that had been heard of in the 
 neighbourhood. A subsequent note informed us 
 that the elephants were on the move, which would 
 entail a good walk, so that Grosvenor and I, 
 who were neither of us quite well, left Egerton 
 to undertake it alone. I asked the landlord if we 
 should be able to see the elephants. His answer 
 was, " You may possibly keep up with Mr. 
 Palliser, but few can. He is the most active man, 
 as well as the best shot, in the country.'' I was 
 sorry not to make his acquaintance, but glad not 
 to follow him through the jungle. 
 
 Grosvenor and I returned to Kandy the way we 
 came, with increasing admiration for the scenery. 
 The only incident was finding a snake in the road, 
 which my companion immediately attacked, first 
 with the driver's whip and then with a bill-hook. 
 The snake was about four feet long. As he got 
 angry his head swelled out, or rather flattened out, 
 to twice its original size, which proved it to be a 
 cobra-de-capello, one of the only two venomous 
 snakes in Ceylon. 
 
 Egerton joined us some hours after we reached 
 Kandy. He had had a fatiguing walk of fourteen 
 hours to no purpose. 
 
 The next day he and I took leave of Grosvenor, 
 who settled to remain in the cooler parts of the 
 island, whilst we went on an expedition after ele- 
 phants. We were accompanied by Valentine Baker,^ 
 
 ' A cheery young fellow and a pleasant companion, besides being 
 
148 INDIA 
 
 the youngest of the brothers, an officer in the 
 Ceylon Rifles. We set out in a "bandy," which is 
 a sort of one-horse fly. Our destination for the 
 night was Matald, distant about sixteen miles, and 
 renowned as the chief scene of the rebellion in 
 Lord Torrington's time. We had a broad river 
 to ferry over, a mountain pass to descend, and a 
 stream to ford, the bridge being under repair. It 
 was rather deep, and the horse stopped in the 
 middle of it ; the bottom of the carriage got filled 
 with water, and some of our powder and shot got 
 wet. With the help of some natives we reached 
 the opposite bank, and with the loss of one of 
 the doors of the carriage we arrived at our night's 
 quarters, the residence of Mr. Temple, the 
 assistant-agent for the district. With mistaken 
 hospitality he ordered a regular dinner to be 
 cooked for us. We did not sit down to it till 
 near ten, and during the previous hour, what with 
 hunger, fatigue and mosquitoes, I suffered dread- 
 fully from fidget, and before the end of dinner 
 was fast asleep. 
 
 The next day we arrived, after a tedious journey, 
 at the rest-house of Dambool, and early on the 
 following morning we walked up to the temple, 
 which is formed by a deep recess in a rock walled 
 in, and is not a cave. It is a very famous 
 temple, and in it the Pretender in the late 
 rebellion was alleged to have been crowned. 
 The whole of the interior is covered with rough 
 
 a very keen sportsman. I was grieved when, later in life, his promising 
 career in England was cut short by an inexcusable act of folly. He 
 afterwards did well in Turkey, but I cannot be enthusiastic about 
 anyi laurels gained in the service of such a potentate as the Sultan. 
 
1850-S1] MINERY 149 
 
 paintings, representing events in the history of 
 Ceylon, or else likenesses of Buddha. There 
 are numberless images of him placed round the 
 temple. Two are cut out of the solid rock, 
 representing him asleep, one being forty feet long. 
 All these images are hid by a dirty curtain hung 
 before them. It is a hideous place of worship, 
 but the view from it is fine. 
 
 The following day, with some sun, occasional 
 clouds, a shady road and a cool breeze, was most 
 enjoyable. The jungle I think beautiful — continual 
 forest, with fine trees, and now and then low cop- 
 pices and grassy glades ; hills with rocky summits 
 are to be seen on every side, jutting out in all 
 directions, and all kinds of birds, insects, and flowers 
 enliven the scenery. 
 
 The next rest-house, Habbourene, was a very 
 pretty one, in a small space cleared in the forest, 
 with three gigantic trees close to it. The land- 
 lord, a Portuguese, presented a melancholy spectacle 
 of the effects of fever, and told us that there was 
 much of it, as well as of measles, at Minery. Here 
 we left the Trincomalee road, and after winding 
 along a rugged path, emerged into the plains of 
 Minery. 
 
 The first view of the lake was unfavourable, 
 as it was at that end surrounded by swampy 
 ground, which looked as though it breathed malaria. 
 A number of Moormen, of Mussulman race, settled 
 in Ceylon from time immemorial and now its 
 most industrious and enterprising inhabitants, lived 
 in the neighbourhood. They build small temporary 
 huts, and bring their cattle a great distance to 
 
ISO INDIA 
 
 graze on the rich pasture. They informed us 
 that a herd of elephants came down to the lake 
 every evening, which made us pitch our tents 
 hard by on a very pretty bank, from which we 
 disturbed a good many monkeys. 
 
 At four o'clock in the afternoon we set out with 
 our guns, two apiece. We spied a herd of wild 
 buffaloes at the end of a slip of land projecting 
 into the lake, and we stalked them through 
 some long grass. They perceived us when we 
 got within two hundred yards of them, and imme- 
 diately rushed into the lake, bellowing loudly and 
 making a good deal of noise in splashing through 
 the water. About thirty yards farther they stopped, 
 turned and looked at us. We waded after them 
 through some shallow water, which made them go 
 further into the lake, so that it was useless to follow 
 them. I was rather glad, as when wounded they 
 rush at those who attack them and are very danger- 
 ous. The ground where we were would have 
 made it impossible to get out of their way, and 
 our guns, I have been assured, were not heavy 
 enough to kill them. 
 
 We then took a long walk through lovely glades 
 in search of elephants, but we saw no fresh trace 
 of any. 
 
 The next morning we left, having ascertained 
 that the Moormen had kept off the elephants. 
 We had a pretty ride, skirting the lake, and 
 pitched our tents at the other end of it. Here 
 we were in the midst of beautiful park-like scenery, 
 enhanced by perfect solitude. Beyond were seen 
 hills covered with forest, and on the horizon to 
 
i8so-si] SPORT IN CEYLON 151 
 
 the south mountains of pale blue and varied outline. 
 The weather was divine — an occasional cloud and 
 a constant breeze. 
 
 Before sunrise the next day we were on our 
 ponies, and after a ride of a few miles struck 
 upon a fresh track of elephants, which we followed 
 up on foot for several miles. It is curious how 
 accurately the natives can tell from their footmarks 
 the number and size of the elephants, as well 
 as the time that has elapsed since they made them. 
 This herd unluckily got into some thick jungle 
 just before we reached them, and it was useless to 
 proceed. We, however, pushed on and got close 
 to them. Egerton had a glimpse of one. We 
 heard them all about us, crashing through the trees 
 only a few yards off, and twice we were pretty 
 certain they were coming up to us. But something 
 alarmed them, and off they went right away, which 
 was a great disappointment. To be so near and 
 not have a shot ! Still it was something to see 
 how cleverly they are tracked, and to hear the 
 curious noise they make pushing their way through 
 the trees. They say it is easy to shoot them, but 
 it requires coolness. There are three places — the 
 forehead, the temple, and behind the ear — and if 
 you hit them in the ear they drop down like nine- 
 pins. Those in herds are never savage, unless you 
 kill a young one before its mother. The single 
 ones, which are termed rogue elephants and are 
 supposed to have been turned out of a herd, readily 
 rush on any one. The sportsmen deny that there 
 is much danger, though they like to relate the 
 narrow escapes they have met with. One of 
 
152 INDIA 
 
 the Bakers assured me there was no danger, but 
 added : " My brother had a narrow escape the 
 other day. An elephant rushed at him ; he jumped 
 out of its way, but it just caught him with its 
 leg and sent him spinning into some grass, which 
 was luckily very long. The elephant stopped, 
 stamped on the ground, and remained looking 
 about and, as it were, sniffing the air, and then 
 went away. If it had seen him he would certainly 
 have been killed." Another man said that it 
 was absurd to think it dangerous. Elephants, 
 to be sure, had often rushed at him, but he had 
 always shot them. " And if you had missed 
 them?" I inquired. "Oh, then I could not have 
 escaped." 
 
 The following morning, lured on by tales of 
 elephants, we removed to a fresh camping-ground, 
 some miles from the lake. 
 
 On our way we saw a herd of buffaloes in a 
 large plain studded with small trees. As we ran 
 after them they made a circuit round us. Egerton 
 wounded one, which I knocked over. Baker shot 
 another, which when he approached made a rush 
 at him, but he stopped him by a second shot, 
 which was lucky, for the man with his second 
 gun, in his fright, fired both barrels into the air. 
 After luncheon we had another fruitless walk after 
 elephants, and the next day we took leave of our 
 tents. As we were dressing an elk ran through 
 the middle of our encampment. 
 
 Tent life in fine weather is very enjoyable. 
 Thirty coolies carried the luggage, pitched the 
 tent, and built a little hut by fixing poles into 
 
iSso-Si] KANDY TO TRINCOMALEE 153 
 
 the ground and covering them with large talipot 
 leaves. Considering the short notice everything 
 was well organised. The greatest omissions were 
 sheets, towels, cofifee, and blankets ; but then, I 
 had my flannel dressing-gown, and we had good 
 tea, with bufialo milk, which is like cream, ex- 
 cellent curries, soda-water and Moselle, and a 
 daily dose of quinine to ward off fever. The 
 coolies lighted fires all round us, in order to keep 
 off any stray elephant. Near these fires they 
 sleep on talipot leaves, and under little tents made 
 with a couple of sticks and their turbans. 
 
 On our way from Kandy we decided to go on 
 to Trincomalee, and there hire a native boat to 
 take us to Galle. Baker, who had been quartered 
 at Trincomalee, assured us that this was constantly 
 done, and during the monsoon, which had set in, 
 did not take more than two days. Egerton, as a 
 sailor, declared that nothing was easier, and there- 
 fore, though not without misgivings, I consented 
 to the plan. 
 
 Our first station was Kandelai, near a lake of 
 that name, and a famous place for snipe. We 
 carried our guns, and mine caught in a tree and 
 landed me on the ground. In short, misfortunes 
 succeeded each other quickly. About half-way 
 we met Mr. Whiting, the Chief Magistrate of 
 Trincomalee and the father of the newly arrived 
 beauty. He was on his way to Galle in order to 
 fetch her, and went there by land as he had failed 
 in getting a boat. But my companions were bent 
 on their plan, and Egerton, as we rode away 
 from the station, declared he was as confident as 
 
154 INDIA 
 
 before of reaching Galle by sea in time for the 
 steamer. I was on the point of riding back to 
 Kandy alone, but there were difficulties, such 
 as want of small change of money and ignorance 
 of the language, which, coupled to irresolution, 
 deterred me. 
 
 On arriving at Kandelai we hurried to the snipe 
 ground. It was completely dried up, and only one 
 snipe to be seen. 
 
 I was called up in the dead of night by our 
 native servant, who came to tell us that our best 
 horse, the one that did not stumble much, was 
 taken ill, and we found the next morning that 
 the remedies Baker had prescribed had done 
 him no good, and that we should have to 
 take it by turns to walk for the remainder of 
 the road. It began to rain as we started. On 
 approaching Trincomalee my hopes were a little 
 revived by seeing several boats in the harbour, 
 and we heard from a native friend of Baker's 
 that the wind and current were in our favour. 
 After an hour's repose at the rest-house we were 
 invited to the Fort, where the officers received 
 us most kindly, and we were billeted among them. 
 But here we soon learnt the true state of the 
 case — that our plan of going to Galle by sea was 
 out of the question. One native offered to take 
 us in eight days for fifty pounds, another for 
 twenty pounds in four provided we could achieve 
 an impossibility, which was to get beyond a pro- 
 montory south of this place, properly called Foul 
 Point. We then determined to ride back the way 
 we came, but were dismayed by being told that 
 
I8SO-5I] TRINCOMALEE 155 
 
 there were no horses to be hired or bought. So 
 all our Indian expedition would be baulked, and 
 we had in prospect a sort of imprisonment in the 
 hottest and dullest hole in Ceylon, not to mention 
 a delay in getting English letters. We however 
 found one horse and two ponies to be hired, and 
 an officer lent us another. Baker provided us with 
 his, and we had one of our own remaining. These 
 we sent along the road, and stayed ourselves two 
 nights at Trincomalee. 
 
 It is a place well worth seeing. The Fort projects 
 into the sea, from which a rock rises perpendicularly 
 two hundred feet. 
 
 From the flagstaff at this point there is a 
 beautiful view, the country as at Galle being covered 
 with cocoa-nut trees. Near the flagstaff is a rock 
 on which is fixed a cross, erected to mark the 
 spot whence a Dutch girl jumped down into a 
 ship below which was carrying off her lover. 
 
 In the afternoon we drove to Fort Osnaburgh, 
 which is at the extremity of a tongue of land 
 three miles long which separates the harbour from 
 the sea. At the root of this tongue are the few 
 scattered houses which form the town. The 
 harbour is extensive and is embellished by some 
 wooded and hilly islands. North of this harbour 
 is a very large bay. It is a striking but melan- 
 choly place, the colouring of the jungle being of 
 a dark, monotonous green. 
 
 The following morning we got up at half-past 
 three, but only secured our ponies at five, when 
 moonlight was struggling with the rising sun. 
 Our ponies were execrable. Mine, smaller and 
 
IS6 INDIA 
 
 slower than a dOnkey, could only be induced to 
 go three miles an hour by the fatiguing use of 
 whip and spur, and refused to be led. The first 
 stage was twenty-five miles, to Kandelai. We 
 here swallowed some breakfast and proceeded on 
 our way, Egerton on a slow pony, I on a tall, 
 lanky horse which I had been assured would break 
 my neck. He would only follow the pony, and for 
 the first few miles did nothing but kick, jump 
 and shy, going the most uneasy paces, which, along 
 a bad, rocky road and under a burning sun, was 
 not agreeable. A smart shower then came on, and 
 we arrived wet through at Galior, a rest-house of 
 which the walls had been lately washed away by 
 a flood. Here we found our servant with the 
 coolies and our own two ponies, but we walked the 
 remaining ten miles by torchlight. How well I 
 slept that night on one of the ricketty bedsteads ! 
 The next day we rode thirty-two miles on 
 our own ponies, and the remaining sixteen on 
 some sent by Mr. Temple of Matale. His wife, 
 a cheery little woman, had arrived, and they were 
 kindness itself. At Kandy we put up at the same 
 bungalow, and dined with the Bullers without any 
 company. After dinner, however, they received 
 a visit from the wife of a Kandian chief. She 
 was the prettiest coloured woman I had yet seen, 
 with small features and graceful figure, which was 
 set off by her dress. She had a white muslin 
 shawl folded round her and then over one shoulder, 
 covering her breast, the other shoulder and arm 
 being left bare. She had a quantity of bracelets 
 and necklaces, and her hair was becomingly 
 
I8SO-5I] THE CINGALESE 157 
 
 arranged. She knew no English and was difificult 
 to entertain. Mr. Duller produced our Illustrated 
 London News, with which she was pleased, and 
 Mrs, Duller some religious tracts, which appeared 
 less acceptable. The rest of our journey by mail 
 from Kandy to Colombo and thence to Galle was 
 without incident. All whom we met expressed their 
 doubts of our getting in time for the steamer, 
 reminding us how fast she was. 
 
 We drove into Galle on Christmas Day, and 
 soon learnt that all was right. Grosvenor seemed 
 much the better for his stay in the mountains. 
 
 The evening of the 27th we shouted for joy 
 when we heard the gun which announced the 
 arrival of the steamer, and the next afternoon we 
 took leave of that vapour bath with anything but 
 regret. At the same time, I must say I enjoyed 
 my month's stay in Ceylon exceedingly. 
 
 In the lower districts by the sea the climate is 
 muggy, but in the mountains and the jungle of the 
 interior it is delicious. We had travelled over four 
 hundred miles, and had not seen one inch of ugly 
 country. 
 
 The inhabitants of the seaboard are an effeminate 
 race ; they wear their hair long and twisted up, 
 and fasten it with large combs, so that at first I 
 took them all for women. Nothing could be funnier 
 than the dress of the chiefs going to the Levde 
 at Colombo. They wore their hair done in this 
 manner, cotton petticoats with a gaudy pattern, 
 and the uniform of the old Dutch officers. The 
 inhabitants of the interior are more hardy, but 
 are rapidly decreasing, owing, I believe, to the 
 
1 
 
 158 INDIA 
 
 murder of female infants, and the practice of several 
 men sharing one wife between them. Brothers 
 have rarely more than one wife, and the children 
 talk of their eldest or their youngest father. 
 
 There is a variety of races in Ceylon. The 
 Moormen, whom I have already mentioned ; the 
 Veddahs, or wild men of the woods, who are 
 perfectly uncivilised, have no habitations, and fly 
 from the sight of men ; and the outcasts, who are 
 so because they eat beef, which, although it has 
 physically improved them, has so polluted them 
 that any intercourse with them is considered con- 
 tamination. There are also the coolies, the labourers 
 from India, who are beginning to settle in the 
 island ; and the Malays, a manly race of whom 
 the army is chiefly composed. 
 
 Henry Loch,^ a son of the M.P. for Sutherland 
 and a cavalry officer in the Company's service, was 
 among the passengers in the Hindostan, and I shared 
 his excellent cabin. 
 
 We had fine weather to Madras, which we 
 reached on the evening of the 31st. We three 
 went there in the purser's boat, and were the only 
 passengers that did so. There is a great deal of 
 surf on this coast, which makes it often difficult 
 
 ' Henry Loch, who eventually was created Lord Loch, was a great 
 friend of mine and a charming person. He had a noteworthy career. 
 His first advancement was, I fancy, partly due to the great interest 
 excited by the terrible incident of his captivity in China, when he 
 was confined in a cage and exposed to the most terrible suffering. 
 In all the important posts which he successively occupied, he did 
 himself great credit. His difficulties in South Africa we know were 
 very great. He told me he always mistrusted Rhodes, but he 
 managed to keep on friendly terms with him. He was fortunate in 
 his private life, as he enjoyed the blessings of a very happy home. 
 
1850-S1] CALCUTTA 159 
 
 to land. This time there was little surf, and as 
 the boats are well adapted to it, and rise with the 
 waves, we were rolled sideways on to the beach, 
 and carried in an armchair to dry land. At the 
 landing-place we found an Eton friend of Grosvenor's, 
 and Mr. Dalrymple, another brother-in-law of Lady 
 Eastnor's,^ to whom Mr. Cameron had written about 
 us. You must know that wherever you go in 
 India you meet with some member of this family. 
 Every other man has married, and every other 
 woman has been, a Miss Pattle. Our friends 
 took us to the club, a large building most com- 
 fortably fitted up, where we slept the New Year in 
 soundly. 
 
 We had a smooth and rapid passage to Calcutta, 
 which we reached at midday on January 4th. 
 The steamer stops at Garden Reach, about three 
 miles from the town. We found here a carriage 
 waiting for us, and offered a place in it to a dis- 
 tressed lady who had left a drunken husband at 
 Colombo, and was in search of an uncle in Calcutta. 
 Grosvenor looked ill at ease when carrying her 
 baby ashore, and the uncle appeared dismayed 
 when he heard of the unexpected arrival of his 
 niece. I pitied her ; she was handsome, and had 
 an expression full of gentleness and melancholy. 
 
 The first person I saw after our arrival was 
 Sir James Colville, one of the Judges. He is Lord 
 Auckland's nephew, whom I often met at old 
 Lady Holland's. He was very cordial, and I dined 
 with him frequently. His sister was pleasing, and 
 his house is thought the most agreeable in Calcutta. 
 
 • Virginia, widow of the third Earl Someis. 
 
i6o INDIA 
 
 We found here Sir William and Lady Gomm, 
 with all the aides-de-camp. He is in every respect 
 the reverse of his predecessor, Sir Charles Napier. 
 Four years ago he landed in Calcutta, fully per- 
 suaded he was Commander-in-Chief, with his 
 appointment in his pocket. He found Sir Charles 
 Napier already installed in his place, but he bore 
 this severe mortification with the greatest good 
 humour and dignity. 
 
 Our sight-seeing in Calcutta is soon described. 
 One day we went with the Colvilles to the Botanical 
 Gardens. Dr. Falkner, the man at the head of 
 them, showed them to us. I immediately asked 
 to see John Scott.^ He at once recognised me. 
 He is pleased with his situation, and the climate 
 agrees with him. 
 
 The Gardens are well kept ; there is in them 
 a beautiful banyan-tree, which for its age is the 
 finest in India, though its branches are trained with 
 too much regularity. The Amherstia flourishes, 
 and Scott assured me he had given Paxton a receipt 
 which would make it flower at Chatsworth. The 
 broad walks along the river are beautiful. The 
 Gardens are a favourite resort of the Europeans, 
 and they do much damage, as they pay no attention 
 to the remonstrances of the native gardeners. 
 
 We also went to the Mint, which is supposed 
 to be superior to that in London, though the 
 machinery seemed to me much the same. The 
 natives are very handy at this sort of work. 
 
 Henry Loch settled to go with us to Nepaul, 
 and as there was some difficulty in securing a 
 ' He had been a gardener at Chatsworth. 
 
iSso-Si] BARRACKPORE i6i 
 
 sufficient number of " dak " bearers for so many, it 
 was arranged that Grosvenor and I should start 
 first, accompanied by a native servant to interpret 
 for us, and that Egerton and Loch should follow 
 a day after. 
 
 At the last moment a Madrassee whom we 
 had engaged, and who was highly recommended, 
 sent word that he had to move his family into 
 a new house, and that he himself had a fever, 
 which meant that he had repented of his en- 
 gagement. After we left he had the impudence 
 to go to Colville to complain that we had thrown 
 him over, and had been persuaded at the club 
 to engage some one else. As it was, we were 
 forced to take a man we knew nothing about, 
 and who turned out such a fool and rogue that 
 we parted with him a few days later. He 
 stole all my loose money. At first he denied the 
 theft, and then pleaded that he had not taken so 
 much as I supposed. My servant, Holden, who 
 had hitherto been invaluable, I was obliged to leave 
 behind to go round by sea and meet us at Bombay. 
 As all the servants are natives, he would have 
 been in the way at the houses in which we stopped. 
 The Calcutta tradesmen were very hospitable to 
 him. He received for one day eight invitations 
 to dinner. 
 
 Sir John and Lady Littler invited us to make 
 our first halt at Barrackpore, which he occupies 
 as Deputy-Governor in the absence of the 
 Governor-General. He distinguished himself in 
 the Sikh campaign, but is now in his dotage and 
 unfit for his post, which is rendered so important 
 
 II 
 
i62 INDIA 
 
 by the continual absence of Lord Dalhousie. Lady- 
 Littler is a good-natured woman, loquacious 
 and shrewd, and wears her hair in little curls 
 like a doll. She overwhelmed Grosvenor with 
 presents, packed up our palanquins, and ransacked 
 her larder and kitchen for us. 
 
 Barrackpore is a fine house, built by Lord 
 Wellesley with that disregard of expense which 
 endeared him to the residents in India, though 
 not to the Court of Directors. It has enormous 
 rooms and verandahs and is beautifully situated 
 in a park on the banks of the river. It has a 
 pretty garden and an interesting menagerie, with 
 a fine tiger and a jet black monkey. 
 
 On the following afternoon we steamed up the 
 river to Hooghly. A little later, at dusk, the 
 river was covered with small lights placed in little 
 boats, each made of a leaf — the first thing I had 
 ever read about relating to India. 
 
 Soon after we reached a beautiful flight of steps 
 at Hooghly, where we found our palanquins, or, 
 as they are called, " palkees." 
 
 From Hooghly we slowly journeyed to the 
 kingdom of Nepaul, stopping at some interesting 
 towns on our way. At Gya Mr. Sanders, the 
 Resident Judge, took us to see a temple of great 
 fame situated in the middle of the town. It marks 
 the spot on which the god Vishnu rested one of 
 his feet when he first visited the earth. He had 
 a good stride, as he placed the other foot in Ceylon. 
 This Hindu temple, the first I had seen, consisted 
 of several courts with one pretty building with 
 black marble pillars. It was filled with priests and 
 
iSso-si] PATNA 163 
 
 pilgrims. The former were dressed like tumblers, 
 with tunics and a ribbon round their hair, and 
 are said to be a dissolute set ; the latter appeared 
 to be very devotional, one of them prostrating 
 himself before a sacred bull, several of which were 
 wandering about with garlands of flowers twisted 
 round their horns. We were not allowed to enter 
 the sanctuary, which encloses the god's footmark, 
 though Grosvenor very nearly did so in ignorance, 
 but was hastily pushed back. Near it was one 
 of those holy tanks of which we have since seen 
 so many. It was most picturesque, surrounded by 
 high houses, the residences of the priests, with 
 a broad flight of steps leading down to the water, 
 over which hung a large tamarind tree. 
 
 At Patna we were lodged by the Resident, 
 Mr. Gough, a nephew of Lord Gough. He lives 
 like a prince in a luxurious house, keeps a large 
 stable full of beautiful Arabs, has two sons in 
 expensive regiments, and yet wonders, in true Irish 
 fashion, why he has never been able to put by 
 money in India. 
 
 We saw what is called the " Gola," a building 
 like an enormous mole-hill, built by Warren 
 Hastings for the storage of grain as a provision 
 against famine. Outside a narrow and steep flight 
 of steps leads to the top. Up these steps Jung 
 Bahadur, the Nepaulese, rode on a pony when 
 on his way to England. 
 
 Close to the Gola lived some Thugs, who had 
 been convicted, but reprieved on condition of their 
 turning informers. This has been the only means 
 of putting an end to the system, and has been most 
 
i64 INDIA 
 
 effectual. Their sentence still hangs over them, 
 and would immediately be put into execution on 
 the slightest symptom of any return to their former 
 way of life. Six of them were called out for our 
 inspection. They had diabolical countenances. 
 They are proud of their crimes, and like to describe 
 them. One of these six said he had been present 
 at four hundred and fifty murders. They consider 
 murder for the sake of plunder their legitimate 
 means of livelihood, and not, as I previously sup- 
 posed, a religious duty ; but they make offerings 
 to their gods in return for a successful enterprise. 
 They adopted every sort of stratagem, and were to 
 be found in various positions of life. Mr. Gough 
 told us that, some years ago, one of these informers 
 had repeated to him the names of the principal 
 Thugs in the district, and that he had written their 
 names on a slip of paper. Three years later a 
 murder was committed, and several persons were 
 charged with it by the head policeman. The 
 evidence was not strong, and when Mr. Gough 
 heard the accuser's name, it struck him as the same 
 as one on his list. Sure enough, he found it there, 
 and the policeman, on being suddenly denounced 
 by him as a Thug, confessed that he was one, that 
 he had committed the murder, and had accused the 
 others to screen himself. Lord William Bentinck ^ 
 once told one of these informers to show him the 
 way they strangled their victims. He obeyed to 
 the letter, by seizing hold of a poor man near 
 him and putting him instantaneously to death. 
 
 ■ Born 1774, died 1839. Son of the third Duke of Portland. First 
 Governor-General of India, 1833-35. 
 
I8S0-SI] MUZAFFARPUR TO SEGOULAY 165 
 
 Egerton and Loch joined us at Patna and the 
 following evening we crossed the Ganges at dusk. 
 It looked most dreary, with its vast extent and its 
 banks of light brown mud. 
 
 At Muzaffarpur we met with more than usual 
 hospitality from Mr. St. Quentin, an agreeable 
 man, who told me much about India. He said 
 that at this station there was an excellent school 
 kept by a German missionary, at which three 
 hundred Hindu boys were educated by him and 
 a good many girls by his wife. There were only 
 fifteen boys at the Government school, which the 
 Hindus mistrust, although religion is forbidden to 
 be taught there. They imagine the Company 
 must have some sinister object in establishing 
 these schools. It seems the Mussulmans in this 
 part of India are very disaffected because of the 
 land tax, which was some years ago imposed 
 upon them. This is the richest part of India. 
 The land bears three crops during the year ; nothing 
 impoverishes it, and it is never left fallow. 
 
 The road to Segoulay lies through a succession 
 of indigo estates, and we were told to stop at 
 any one of the large houses of the planters to ask 
 for whatever we might want. We stopped at 
 one, where we were kindly but not luxuriously 
 entertained. Mr. Macleod, whom we had seen in 
 Ceylon, was staying there. He is Jung Bahadur's 
 agent, and had accompanied him to England. He 
 did the honours and was entertaining, telling us 
 much about Nepaul. 
 
 We had with us Dr. Oldfield,^ the Medical 
 
 ' His brother, Mr. Edmund Oldfield, subsequently married my niece, 
 the Hon. Susan Pitt, 
 
i66 INDIA 
 
 Resident at Khatmandu, whom Mr. Erskine had 
 sent to meet us. He was a most obliging man, 
 with a delightful enthusiasm for the beauty of the 
 scenery. 
 
 We dak'd all night, and at daybreak found 
 ourselves in a large marshy plain, in the kingdom of 
 Nepaul. At the first village we found a brother of 
 Jung's with some troops and a number of elephants ; 
 some way farther on we entered the " Terai " 
 or belt of forest which extends along the foot of 
 these mountains for some hundred miles, and is 
 here twenty miles broad. I did not think it as 
 fine or as luxuriant as the Ceylon forests, though 
 there were magnificent Saul-trees rising very high 
 like masts, with spurs jutting out at the base, and 
 the cotton-trees, with equally fine trunks and covered 
 with a large red flower. All this district is so 
 unhealthy that for eight months in the year it is 
 fatal for any Englishman to cross it, which must, 
 till the jungle is cleared, in a great measure isolate 
 Nepaul. 
 
 Having crossed the forest we reached the 
 mountains, and leaving our palkees, took to ponies ; 
 the road consisted of a broad, dry bed of a river 
 lying between wooded and rocky hills. It was 
 dark before we reached our first resting-place, a 
 village in a pretty little valley. Some Nepaulese 
 Sepoys were sent to escort us, and an officer in 
 a white dress with a red feather in his cap, which 
 inspired me with respect, though he turned out to 
 be only a sergeant. He was, nevertheless, a gentle- 
 man, with excellent manners. His chief pleasure 
 was firing. off his gun, which he did to little purpose. 
 
i8so-Si] NEPAUL 167 
 
 The villagers here, as elsewhere, brought us presents 
 of kids, chickens, eggs, oranges, bananas, and milk. 
 Our next day's journey was along a beautiful 
 valley. The third day we made our first ascent 
 up a very steep road. At the top was a small 
 fort with a couple of guns. The guard, an 
 awkward-looking squad, turned out to do us 
 honour, and we were taken into a long room by 
 the Commander, who was dressed in a silk robe 
 lined with white fur, and had a large emerald set 
 in a gold heart stuck in his cap. We sat for a 
 short time devouring oranges. 
 
 The next day, having crossed a bleak but fine 
 tract of country, with patches of cultivation and 
 well-built villages in every possible nook, we 
 began the ascent of this second mountain, and 
 pitched our tents 4,000 ft. above the level of 
 the sea. During the day we met a regiment 
 on their way to meet Jung. They added 
 much to the scenery, particularly when resting 
 in groups, with their guns placed cross-ways 
 before them. They wore their undress, which 
 is remarkably picturesque — light blue trousers, 
 a loose blue jacket, and a white scarf tied over 
 one shoulder. The whole road is detestable, being 
 a pathway taken straight up the mountains. The 
 Nepaulese will not improve it, as they are anxious 
 to make the approach to their country as difficult 
 as possible — so much so that they have condemned 
 an easier route which avoids some of the unhealthy 
 district. I do not wonder at this after our policy 
 in India. 
 
 An ascent of 4,000 ft. more brought us to 
 
i68 INDIA 
 
 the top of this second mountain, where one of 
 the finest sights in the world burst upon us, 
 which, Hke Niagara, cannot be described or com- 
 pared with anything else. At our feet lay the 
 valley of Khatmandu, and beyond rose the snowy 
 range, stretching out to the extent of three 
 hundred miles and appearing quite near, though 
 ninety miles off, comprising the three highest 
 mountains in the world. The atmosphere was so 
 clear that every crevice could be distinguished. 
 
 The descent was steep and slippery. At the 
 bottom we found some horses sent for our use 
 by the "Durbar" or Court of Nepaul, and here 
 we got a good view of the capital. The road, 
 along which we trotted briskly, was a raised cause- 
 way, between fields laid out in terraces for irriga- 
 tion and well cultivated ; the inhabitants were well 
 dressed, and everything wore the aspect of industry 
 and comparative civilisation. 
 
 The entrance into Khatmandu is by a long, well- 
 built bridge and through a grotesque arch. The 
 houses inside the town are high and of first-rate 
 brick-work, with projecting roofs supported by 
 pillars, with slanting eaves, and casements all of 
 the most intricately carved wood. There are 
 innumerable temples, most of which are like 
 Chinese pagodas, with a succession of roofs and 
 gilt cupolas. The buildings in the principal square 
 are painted in bright colours and ornamented with 
 griffins and grotesque images. Fountains abound ; 
 crowds of soldiers in scarlet uniforms are waiting 
 for parade, and the market is well supplied with 
 vegetables. On the other side of the town is 
 
I8S0-SI] THE RANEE OF LAHORE 169 
 
 a picturesque tank, with an old temple in the 
 middle and pagodas grouped round it. 
 
 Farther on we passed a large grove of orange- 
 trees heavily laden with fruit, and then reached 
 the house of Mr, Erskine, the Resident. Near 
 it are the abodes of the Assistant and the doctor, 
 and opposite the gate the barracks of the sixty 
 Sepoys he has at his disposal. Mr. Erskine's 
 house is an ugly building, comfortless and dilapi- 
 dated, but he gave us a cordial reception. In the 
 afternoon we took a stroll in the neighbourhood, 
 accompanied by two Nepaulese soldiers, who always 
 follow the Residents on the pretence of protection, 
 though in reality as spies. 
 
 Our first object the next day was Pushputty, 
 the most sacred place in the valley. On our road 
 there we passed a window where was sitting the 
 late Ranee of Lahore, on purpose, I believe, to 
 get a glimpse of us. She is the widow of Runjeet 
 Singh, and is the woman who raised the disturbances 
 previous to the last campaign. She was made 
 prisoner, but escaped from Benares, and is now 
 a pensioner of the Nepaulese Government. She 
 was beautiful and profligate. It is said her husband 
 was not the parent of her son,^ whom he adopted 
 and whose father was a handsome water-carrier. 
 This youth was placed on the throne of Lahore 
 by the English after the battle of Sobraon, 
 being then a prisoner in India. He is good- 
 looking and intelligent, has a romantic attachment 
 to our Queen, whose miniature, given to him by 
 Lord Hardinge, he always wears round his neck 
 
 ' The late Dhuleep Singh, who afterwards resided in England. 
 
I70 INDIA 
 
 He is anxious to go to England and to become 
 a Christian, and has lately created the most pro- 
 found sensation throughout the whole of Hindustan 
 by eating a piece of beefsteak. 
 
 Pushputty is situated on a narrow stream, and 
 is extremely picturesque. There are two bridges 
 close to each other, and numberless temples 
 line its banks, with large groves overhanging 
 them. 
 
 We next proceeded to Patan, which was formerly 
 the Capital of the country, and was the last place 
 taken by the Ghoorkas, the conquerors and present 
 rulers of Nepaul. None live there now but the 
 Newars, the former inhabitants, who now have 
 become the artisans and labourers of the country. 
 It is therefore neglected, and is rapidly falling 
 into decay. The principal square is filled, as at 
 Khatmandu, with temples ; but at Khatmandu these 
 are freshly painted, so as to give to the town the 
 appearance of a scene on the stage, whilst at Patan 
 they are of dark brick or of black stone, with 
 infinitely richer carvings, and of more beautiful and 
 varied architecture. They are in different states 
 of preservation — some very perfect, others tumbling 
 down, with shrubs growing out of the walls, and 
 gilt cupolas ready to fall. What a spot for an 
 artist ! What a subject for Prout would be a 
 group of these temples in the foreground, with 
 a peep of the Himalayas between the picturesque 
 old houses ; but nothing but a daguerrotype could 
 render the richness and grotesqueness of the 
 carving. I was very unwilling to leave a spot so 
 full of charm, and which I never shall see again, 
 
i8so-Si] DURBAR AT PATAN 171 
 
 unless, as an old man, I rail up to Khatmandu 
 and stop at the Patan Station. 
 
 Our third day was devoted to a state visit to 
 the Durbar. We were handed out of the carriage 
 by Jung's next brother, who, in his absence, is 
 Commander-in-Chief, and several of the great officers 
 of the State. They embraced us all round in 
 theatrical fashion, leaning their heads over our 
 shoulders, and then each took one of us by the 
 hand, and so conducted us up a low, narrow stair- 
 case, such as would lead to a hayloft in England, 
 into a long, narrow gallery, on each side of which 
 sat a row of grandees, beautifully dressed and 
 ornamented, and at the end of which was the 
 Rajah himself, seated cross-legged on an ottoman. 
 Over him large feathers were waved, and behind 
 were the ladies of his seraglio, whose features I 
 could not distinguish, though I heard them giggling. 
 We took our places on each side of the Rajah, 
 He wore a dress embroidered with gold tissue, and 
 was dazzling with jewels ; so were his courtiers, the 
 insecurity of property making every one anxious 
 to possess it in its most removable form. 
 
 The Rajah is about twenty years old, is said 
 to be a very poor creature, hardly ever leaves his 
 palace or his wives, and places everything in the 
 hands of his Ministers. Still, he is not without 
 power, as the Ghoorkas are a loyal race and would 
 obey him if he asserted himself After all I had 
 heard of his imbecility, I was agreeably surprised 
 by his appearance ; he was smiling and gracious, 
 with a pleasing manner — very like a little Italian 
 prince. I was next to a younger brother of Jung's, 
 
173 INDIA 
 
 who seemed remarkably intelligent. Captain 
 Nicholl, being asked what I was, wished to know 
 how he should describe me, and hesitated when 
 I begged him to say I was a lawyer. He after- 
 wards told me that it would never have done 
 to say so, as they have the greatest contempt 
 for their " vakeels " or advocates, but that he 
 said I was the Lord Sahib's (that is, Grosvenor's) 
 cousin, and would one day be a Judge. Con- 
 versation did not flag, what with the likeness of 
 F. Egerton in the print of Landseer's hawking 
 picture, which by a strange coincidence was 
 hanging just above him ; my eyeglass, which my 
 neighbour could not stick into his eye, and 
 Grosvenor's "Gibus" hat, which he managed to 
 knock out. There was not, as usual, any Nautch 
 dancing, in consequence of the Court mourning, 
 and I was glad when the presents were brought in 
 on a tray and handed to us by the Rajah. 
 
 Some elephants, with very splendid trappings 
 and uncomfortable howdahs, were sent the next 
 morning to take us to a review. The parade- 
 ground was in a pretty situation just outside the 
 town. In the middle were placed chairs for us 
 and the colonels of the different regiments which 
 lined the ground and made up about five thousand 
 men. They wore scarlet jackets, and, except their 
 naked feet, were dressed like European soldiers. 
 But the officers presented the most grotesque ap- 
 pearance. Old English uniforms of different dates, 
 cocked hats put on the wrong way and made top- 
 heavy with enormous feathers, trousers of every 
 colour and stuff with some of the buttons missing. 
 
i8so-Si] INDIAN HOSPITALITY 173 
 
 and slippers of the most slovenly description. The 
 Commander-in-Chief had on a common frockcoat 
 with enormous epaulettes a diamond bracelet out- 
 side the coat sleeve, and a red cotton neckcloth. 
 He gave his orders sitting down, and the word of 
 command was shouted out by an old adjutant, 
 who stood upon a chair and looked more like a 
 monkey than a man. There was a good deal 
 of firing and marching about, all of which they 
 performed respectably. 
 
 We then remounted our elephants and proceeded 
 to Jung's house, a large, conspicuous building. 
 All his relations were there to receive us. We 
 first walked hand in hand about the garden, 
 which has been lately planted out with orange- 
 trees. It was filled with different sorts of deer, 
 and there were otters in a pond who dived 
 after fish for our amusement. We were then led 
 into a gallery much larger and finer than that at 
 the Palace. In it was a strange collection of Euro- 
 pean curiosities, a pianoforte, some organs, rifles, 
 and saddles, a billiard-table, a book-case full of 
 English books, and some women's bonnets. Here 
 we sat for some time, and were peeped at by the' 
 women, whom we heard laughing and whispering 
 behind a door. A luncheon was laid out for us in 
 an adjoining room. A profusion of sweetmeats and 
 some curries, all perfectly nauseous, in little plates 
 made of leaves sewn together, to be thrown away 
 after such pollution. Our hosts in the meantime 
 disappeared, and returned in their native dresses, 
 in which alone they seemed at ease. Various 
 amusements then took place. Little boys dressed 
 
i;4 INDIA 
 
 in green tunics jumped in time to a polka played 
 by a military band ; a tiger was led about the court- 
 yard, too much frightened to eat what was offered 
 to him ; and buffaloes tied to stakes had their heads 
 cut off at a single blow. The European doctor 
 made an unsuccessful attempt, but two of the 
 brothers succeeded many times, and ferocious was 
 their expression as they took aim. 
 
 The members of the Durbar we attended paid 
 Grosvenor the compliment of sending him a feast. 
 They brought about five hundred dishes filled with 
 every sort of food produced in the country — corn, 
 fruit, vegetables and sweetmeats. These were laid 
 out on the lawn before the house, and the contents 
 became the perquisites of Mr. Erskine's servants. 
 
 After taking leave of our hospitable host, we 
 departed from Nepaul on the 2nd of February. 
 It was a lovely morning, and our last impression 
 of the valley was most favourable. As far as 
 scenery is concerned we have seen nothing equal 
 to it in our journey, and with regard to the 
 people I doubt whether there is any population 
 that is happier or better off^ No beggar was to 
 be seen, and the working people, I am told, are 
 well off. Their laws are very severe, but there 
 is wonderfully little crime of a petty description. 
 The first time a thief is taken his left hand is 
 cut off; the second time, his right hand ; and 
 the last, his head : and so ingenious are the thieves 
 that they sometimes continue thieving after losing 
 both hands, and so incur the last penalty. A man 
 who makes love to a woman of a higher caste than 
 himself is punished in a most cruel but efficacious 
 
I8SO-5I] JUNG BAHADUR i7S 
 
 way. I read an account of their code of law. The 
 machinery is very complicated, and there are many 
 guarantees against injustice, although I believe 
 bribery, except in a very obvious case, carries the 
 day. The most barbarous part of their code is the 
 resort to trial by ordeal, which is practised when 
 the validity of a deed or the veracity of a witness 
 is disputed. 
 
 On our second day's march we met the "Guru," 
 the Chief Priest of Nepaul. He had joined Jung 
 at Benares. I was much struck with the dignity 
 and benevolence of his manners. 
 
 The next morning, as we were just finishing our 
 toilet, Jung rode up unexpectedly to our tents. He 
 was dressed in the most theatrical fashion, a green 
 velvet coat, black satin breeches, and white boots 
 with gold trimmings and spurs, all brand new. He 
 was very cordial, free and easy, entirely emptying 
 my cigar case, sticking its contents in his belt. 
 He talked a good deal to the doctor. He spoke, 
 as he has done on all occasions, with the greatest 
 enthusiasm of England, and said there was nothing 
 to be compared with it to be seen in his own 
 country. He wishes to improve Nepaul, but said 
 it was difficult, as " I am its only eye, while in 
 England you are all eyes." He must not propitiate 
 his fellow countrymen if he holds the same language 
 to them, as they are proud and jealous. He 
 ordered his brothers about in the most authoritative 
 manner. Great were his regrets that we had not 
 joined him sooner, as he had just come from good 
 sport, having killed three tigers and caught four 
 wild elephants. He said he had left at Hettura 
 
176 INDIA 
 
 a good many tame ones for our use, and two 
 regiments to teat for us, and ordered the captain 
 of our escort to organise a hunting expedition there. 
 He was a remarkable man, and did much good to 
 his country.^ 
 
 I was given to read in Nepaul a curious account, 
 written in an oriental style, of the revolution which 
 placed him in his present position. It was confused, 
 and evidently written with the object of placing 
 him in a favourable view. The following is an 
 outline of the facts, though it may not be quite 
 accurate, as a fortnight had elapsed before I made 
 any note of it. 
 
 About six years ago^ the father of the present 
 Rajah was on the throne, but being fond of quiet 
 and devoted to the pursuit of knowledge, he 
 handed over the government to his wife. Her 
 favourite became Prime Minister, and was one 
 day without any alleged reason, murdered in his 
 own house. The grief of his protectress knew 
 no bounds. She rushed frantically out of the 
 palace with a naked sword in her hand, and went 
 to her Minister's house in order to mourn over 
 his dead body, in company with his wives and 
 children, entreating the former not to become 
 Suttees,^ and promising that she would not touch 
 food till his death was avenged and his murderers 
 executed. She then put into chains a man of some 
 note, who was a General and Minister, and ordered 
 him to be beheaded without trial ; but as there 
 
 ' He afterwards showed his wisdom by energetically assisting us 
 during the Mutiny. 
 2 I.e. 1845. 
 ' I.e. to be burnt with their husband's corpse on the funeral pyrp 
 
iSSo-Si] A REVOLUTION IN NEPAUL 177 
 
 was no proof of his guilt, and as she was acting 
 without the concurrence of her husband, no one 
 would carry out her sentence. The Rajah in the 
 meanwhile, distressed at these scenes, which made 
 him think he was living in Lahore, where a man 
 was no sooner Minister than he was murdered, 
 rode to the British Residency. 
 
 The Resident was in bed, and refused to leave 
 it. The " Moonshee," the learned man who acted 
 as interpreter, begged off too, suggesting that his 
 pony would take some time to saddle, but promising 
 that if the Rajah would go back to his Capital, 
 he would join him the first thing next morning. 
 The Rajah reluctantly assented, and on his return 
 to Khatmandu found the gutters streaming with 
 blood, which so horrified him that he rode off 
 to the frontier. It seems that in his absence the 
 Ranee had called together an assembly of the 
 great men. They were no sooner collected than 
 some troops surrounded the house they had 
 met in and massacred the chief part of thern. 
 Jung Bahadur was not present, but two of 
 his brothers were, and by their exertions were 
 able to save some of the intended victims. It is 
 insinuated that the massacre was by the Ranee's 
 order, though Jung is much suspected to have 
 had a hand in it, as all his friends and partisans 
 escaped. 
 
 He was then a General, commanding a regiment, 
 and was much beloved for his bravery. He was 
 the best shot and elephant-rider in Nepaul, and 
 once jumped from a verandah down upon a mad 
 elephant who was doing great injury in the town, 
 
 12 
 
178 INDIA 
 
 and completely mastered him. After the massacre 
 the Ranee appointed him Prime Minister. The 
 present Rajah, who was the heir-apparent, was not 
 her son, and she begged Jung to make away with 
 him, in order to set one of her own sons on the 
 throne. But Jung, who had been brought up with 
 and was much attached to the heir-apparent, on 
 the contrary proclaimed him Rajah, banished the 
 Ranee, and ordered twelve of her intimate friends 
 to be shot. On his refusal to comply with her 
 request she had tried to deprive him of his power, 
 but he was beforehand with her, and got the army 
 to side with him. I believe she is living at Benares, 
 and that her husband remains as a private individual 
 in Khatmandu. Ever since Jung's power has been 
 undisputed ; he has a good many brothers, all active 
 young fellows, who fill the most important posts. 
 
 He had on his return home from England a 
 triumphal entry. The Rajah, as well as his father, 
 the ex- Raj ah, came out some miles to meet him, 
 and were treated by him most cavalierly. His first 
 measure was to command that no one should take 
 off his shoes on entering the Durbar, a foolish 
 change, for it shocked the natives and produced no 
 good. They hold to nothing as much as etiquette, 
 of which there are more rules than at the Court of 
 Louis XIV. He then tried to persuade his wives 
 to wear the fashionable dresses he had brought 
 with him from Europe. This they positively re- 
 fused to do. He forbade the Colonels to sit at the 
 first review, and ordered them to keep with their 
 regiments. In short his conduct was anything but 
 conciliatory. 
 
iSso-Si] JUNG BAHADUR'S CAREER 179 
 
 He soon became aware that his position was 
 insecure ; and, indeed, there was danger brew- 
 ing. A few days later his eldest brother, Bum 
 Bahadur, who had filled his place during his 
 absence, revealed to him a conspiracy which he 
 had joined with the intention of betraying it. The 
 chief conspirators were a brother of the Rajah, 
 another of Jung's own brothers, the one who was 
 so friendly at the Durbar, and an intriguing cousin. 
 Jung, immediately collecting a few troops, rode to 
 the different houses of the conspirators in the middle 
 of the night and arrested them. They had decided 
 to assassinate him, but he, as a tribute to his late 
 visit to civilisation, refused to put them to death, 
 or even to put their eyes out. They have since 
 remained his prisoners. He applied to Lord 
 Dalhousie, asking him to take charge of them, but 
 this request was refused. Mr. Erskine, delighted 
 at this interruption to the monotony of his exist- 
 ence, was much consulted, and gave Jung his moral 
 support, but thought him a fool for his leniency. 
 Jung likewise discovered that an elderly man who 
 accompanied him to England had written thence 
 accounts prejudicial to his character, saying that 
 he had lost caste in every possible way. The tell- 
 tale was severely punished : an offensive liquor was 
 poured down his throat in the presence of the 
 whole army, a pollution that no money nor penance 
 can wash out. Jung became confirmed in his 
 power, projected various reforms, ordered machinery 
 to be sent out from England, and has had plans 
 made to construct a road into Hindustan. His 
 life ought to be written, 
 
i8o INDIA 
 
 Later the same day we met Colonel Kavanagh 
 and Laurence Oliphant,^ the son of the Chief Justice 
 in Ceylon. They had been delighted with their 
 journey and their sport. The wild elephant hunt 
 must have been very exciting. He is pursued 
 by men on tame elephants, who catch him by 
 throwing ropes over him and fastening him to 
 the tame ones, thus bringing him to a standstill. 
 It must be a curious sight, but I do not think 
 I should have liked to ride like Oliphant, on the 
 bare back of an elephant in full chase through the 
 forest. He was obliged occasionally to let himself 
 down either on the side of or behind the elephant 
 to avoid branches, or when the wild elephant 
 charged. 
 
 ' We found Laurence Oliphant an agreeable companion, and I struck 
 up a friendship with him which lasted during his life. He moved 
 about so much that we only occasionally met, but whenever we did 
 our relations were most cordial. It is difficult within the limits of a 
 note to give a sufficient account of such an interesting character. He 
 was very well known ; still, people might like to be told my 
 impressions about him. His chief object in life was to do good, for 
 which he was prepared to make any sacrifice. His energy and pluck 
 were marvellous ; to these qualities he added great simphcity, and 
 was perfectly unmoved by the adulation of society. His gentle 
 manners were in marked contrast to the rough work he often went 
 through. He was not highly educated. During our Indian journey 
 he asked me to lend him a book. Finding to my great surprise 
 that he had never read a word of Shakespeare, I lent him my 
 copy, and it was pleasant to see how thoroughly he enjoyed it. 
 But he was naturally very clever. He wrote well; his accounts of 
 his travels and his satirical novels were excellent. Unfortunately 
 he had not a well-balanced mind. I sometimes think that this 
 was owing to the attack made on him) when he was with Lord 
 Elgin in Japan, on which occasion he was badly wounded in the 
 head. But whatever may be the cause, his good judgment failed him ; 
 he became a mystic and put forward very wild religious views. At 
 last he placed himself under the complete control of an American 
 religious impostor, who robbed him of his money and wrecked his 
 life and that of his charming wife, 
 
1850-Si] BENARES i8i 
 
 The road was crowded with Jung's followers, 
 and being extremely rocky it was rather a difificult 
 job to get along. We hurried on at a most un- 
 necessary pace, pushing aside all the people and 
 upsetting some. The doctor, who led the way, 
 so alarmed one of the bearers of a palkee that, 
 to avoid him, he fell with the palkee into the river, 
 and so gave a ducking to an old lady who was 
 inside it. She was the duenna of Jung's new 
 bride, a little girl of eleven, the daughter of the 
 Rajah of Coorg. The old lady was seen after- 
 wards drying herself on the bank and scolding 
 vociferously. 
 
 At Ghazipur we saw a large stud of horses, 
 of Arab, New South Wales, English and Indian 
 breeds. This is one of the several studs in 
 the neighbourhood belonging to the Company, 
 and supplying the whole of their Bengal Army. 
 The Inspector told us he had inspected 9,000 
 horses in the district during the previous month. 
 
 We reached Benares on February loth. We 
 had travelled over vast plains, all under cultiva- 
 tion, with rich crops of wheat, " dol," with a bright 
 yellow flower, and with the white poppy, whence 
 opium is made. Large, isolated trees and beautiful 
 groves abound. Mango-trees line the roads, the 
 young ones being protected from wind and cattle 
 by cactus hedges. 
 
 At Benares we again separated. Loch and I 
 starting a day sooner than the others. I was 
 enchanted with Allahabad, our first resting-place. 
 It is charmingly situated at the confluence of the 
 two great rivers, the Ganges and the Jumna. 
 
i82 INDIA 
 
 As both rivers are very sacred, it is a spot 
 to which pilgrims come from great distances at 
 certain periods of the year. Formerly, a tax was 
 imposed on every pilgrim, but it was abolished 
 by Lord Auckland, and, strange to say, the 
 numbers of pilgrims have since considerably 
 diminished, and the reason given is that the 
 pilgrimage is now looked upon as patronised by 
 the Government, and therefore no longer holy. 
 
 At Cawnpore I found an old friend, Colonel 
 Ashburnham, who is Brigadier there. He gave us 
 dinner, and afterwards took us to listen to a good 
 native band, the daily occupation of the Europeans. 
 He was the first person I met in India who seemed 
 to take any interest in its antiquities, and was 
 well read in its histories and religion. I regretted 
 that I had refused his offer of a bed when I got 
 into a stinking one, with horsehair sticking into 
 me, at a nasty inn on the bank of the dreary 
 Ganges, the only inn I stopped at in the whole 
 of India. 
 
 The next day we made such good use of our 
 time that everything was ready for a start to 
 Lucknow when Grosvenor and Egerton arrived. 
 We had borrowed a little palanquin carriage. 
 Relays of horses were stationed waiting for us 
 along the road, by the orders of Colonel Sleeman ^ 
 and we had an escort of four horsemen, with 
 beautiful oriental dresses and the gayest trappings 
 for their horses. The country was flat and ugly, 
 
 ^ Colonel Sleeman was a distinguished Indian administrator. He 
 took a great part in the suppression of the Thugs. As Resident in 
 Lucknow he largely influenced Lord Dalhousie to annex the kingdom 
 of Oude. 
 
i8SO-5i] LUCKNOW 183 
 
 and not so well cultivated as before ; the villages 
 all little forts, surrounded with mud walls, with 
 a miserable population. We came in for a storm ; 
 lightning played about the horizon, and we drove 
 into Lucknow in pelting rain. 
 
 The Residency ^ is a large house, with immense 
 verandahs. We were received with some state 
 by Colonel Sleeman and several other residents. 
 We begged off dinner, got a comfortless tea, and 
 afterwards had a bad night's rest. We were lodged 
 in enormous rooms, with nothing comfortable 
 about them, and my scanty mosquito-net left me 
 an easy victim to that foe. 
 
 One morning we breakfasted with the King, a 
 great favour, as he is very averse to appearing 
 in public. At the door were a number of his 
 equipages, — a char-a-bancs, with eight horses ; a 
 carriage in the shape of a dolphin, which forms 
 the royal arms of Oude ; and two very gaudy cars, 
 each drawn by a couple of elephants, which made 
 them look most attractively oriental. The King 
 met us at the entrance, took Grosvenor by one 
 hand and the Resident by the other, and so led 
 them to the breakfast-table, where he sat down 
 between them. We had some difficulty in making 
 our way to some places opposite. The King appears 
 to be fifty — though in reality only twenty-nine ; is 
 bloated, and has a good-humoured countenance. 
 He wore a number of jewels of enormous size and 
 untold value. On one side sat his five sons, 
 including an idiot bridegroom, and one child four 
 years old, a great darling, who seemed oppressed 
 
 ' The scene of the famous siege. 
 
i84 INDIA 
 
 with his large gold head-dress. Beyond sat the 
 King's brother, a handsome man, and several of 
 his sons. No natives sat at table except those 
 related to the Royal Family. Behind, the grandees 
 of the country struggled in the crowd. There stood 
 the Prime Minister, and an interpreter — whose duty 
 it was to taste the King's food and wipe his mouth 
 with a napkin — and several eunuchs, who took 
 care of the children. The eunuchs were easily 
 recognised as Africans from their broad, flat faces 
 and thick lips. They were picturesque in spite 
 of their ugliness, and had by far the handsomest, 
 though most simple, dresses — with cashmere shawls 
 and plain gold turbans. These were the King's 
 chief favourites, and consequently are amassing 
 large fortunes. They are the patrons of the 
 Lucknow races, and one old monster was pointed 
 out to me as the owner of the best racehorse in 
 the country. The other guests were the English 
 officers and their wives. I wonder the latter 
 consent to appear on such occasions, as the Mussul- 
 mans look upon it as the grossest impropriety and 
 treat them accordingly with little civility. The 
 food was uneatable, and I could not swallow any 
 of the dish His Majesty politely helped me to, 
 which consisted of chicken silvered over, and 
 greasy, highly scented rice. During the meal some 
 horrid-looking men called actors spouted verses 
 behind us, making the most dreadful noise and 
 frightful grimaces, trying in vain to attract the 
 King's attention. 
 
 After breakfast we had some fights of animals. 
 First of elephants, with their mahouts upon them. 
 
iSgo-si] LUCKNOW i8s 
 
 charging and pursuing each other on a plain the 
 other side of the river. Then a fight between 
 tigers and buffaloes, with an uncertain result, and 
 one between two wild horses, who kicked, bit, 
 and reared, but were soon separated. These fights 
 are not so good as they used to be, for it is an 
 amusement which the present King, to his credit, 
 dislikes. 
 
 We took leave of him, to meet him again 
 the same evening at a dinner given in the Red 
 Palace in honour of the approaching marriage. 
 It was again a curious sight, but I was provoked 
 at being treated with very little civility, no place 
 being given me, and I was at last put, after standing 
 a long while, where I could see nothing. I, how- 
 ever, found myself among some officers, who treated 
 me hospitably, and shared with me the few knives 
 and forks they had brought with them, which were 
 of little use, as the meat was too tough to eat. I 
 contented myself with some good bread and some 
 very sweet champagne. A noisy band played 
 during dinner, and there were some Nautch girls 
 squatting on the ground close to where I sat, who 
 occasionally stood up to screech most unmercifully. 
 After dinner we had some bad fireworks. I was 
 delighted when an ill-directed rocket came right 
 into our platform and alarmed the courtiers. I 
 never saw a more sickening sight than this Court, 
 and I prefer the more manly, though less brilliant, 
 one of Nepaul, with its weak Rajah and sanguinary 
 nobles. The disgusting scenes which occur in the 
 Palace are daily reported to the Resident, and, he 
 says, beggar description. 
 
l86 INDIA 
 
 The King of Oude, who owes to the English 
 his elevation to the throne, is the most degraded 
 of men, lives entirely with eunuchs, mountebanks, 
 and women, and neglects the affairs of the 
 country, delivering the country-people over to the 
 tender mercies of his rapacious courtiers, and what 
 is more terrible, when his tyranny is resisted, we 
 lend him our Army to enforce it. He promotes 
 the lowest and most disreputable people to the 
 highest posts. He promised better things. He is 
 intelligent, and writes poetry and plays, which he 
 causes to be acted. But Lord Hardinge,^ in an in- 
 terview, warned him that if he continued to oppress 
 his country, our Government would be obliged to 
 interfere. He has since been only the more 
 reckless, and hates the English. Colonel Sleeman, 
 who had distinguished himself in organising the 
 suppression of the Thugs, and afterwards by his 
 administration of a large district near the Nerbudda, 
 was chosen for this post in the hope that he might 
 gain some influence over the Rajah, but is said 
 to have failed and to dislike his position. It is 
 whispered that his subordinate thwarts all his 
 plans and is in the pay of the King. On leaving 
 Oude I was pleased to see a striking difference 
 between it and the Company's dominions, where 
 a greater air of security and civilisation was 
 immediately perceptible. 
 
 Grosvenor and Loch started the same evening 
 for Agra, leaving Egerton and myself to be present 
 at the review the next morning. We saw four 
 
 ' The first Viscpunt Hardinge, Commander-in-Chief in India, 
 1844-48. 
 
1850-si] AGRA 187 
 
 thousand men ; they made no manoeuvres, but merely 
 marched by. It was the first time I had seen 
 European and Sepoy regiments together, and cer- 
 tainly the former are distinguished by their more 
 decided step and bearing. The officers, I after- 
 wards heard, were disgusted at being called out on 
 the occasion, as thinking us unworthy of the honour, 
 particularly since Grosvenor was gone. 
 
 On our way to Agra we were stopped by Mr, 
 Raikes, the Resident at Mynporee. He gave us 
 dinner and much useful information. He educated 
 his children in India, contrary to the general practice, 
 sending them every summer into the mountains. 
 They consequently appear thriving in mind and 
 body. He took us to see his gaoF, where he 
 taught the prisoners to read, and found them 
 eager scholars. 
 
 We reached Agra on the morning of the 22 nd, 
 and were lodged in the house of Mr. Thomason, 
 the Governor of the North-west Provinces, who 
 was absent. Mr. Woodcock, the magistrate, took 
 us at once to see his gaol, the model of all other 
 prisons in India. It was kept in beautiful order. 
 It contained no less than two thousand prisoners, 
 some of whom are hard to manage. The most 
 difficult were the Sikhs, who were political offenders. 
 They refuse to labour, and once nearly became 
 masters of the prison. They are remarkably 
 handsome, with long hair and beards. The next 
 most difficult to manage are the women, who are 
 very obstreperous. One we saw who had blinded 
 herself as an excuse for not working, which was a 
 common practice until the blind were, in spite of 
 
i88 INDIA 
 
 their blindness, made to work. A little washer- 
 woman had been for fourteen years too much 
 for the warders, until Mr. Woodcock sent for a 
 barber to cut off her beautiful hair. At this she 
 threw herself on her knees, and promised to do 
 anything so long as her hair was spared. During 
 the last four years she became one of the most 
 diligent. Mr. Woodcock talked of trying this with 
 the Sikhs, if shooting some of them should continue 
 to fail to keep the others in order. Several 
 female Thugs were pointed out to us, one of 
 whom was nursing a child to whom she had 
 become tenderly attached, and who had been 
 deserted by its mother. The prisoners are em- 
 ployed upon the roads and on other public works, 
 and manufacture the prison blankets, paper, tiles, 
 and matting. 
 
 Towards evening Dr. Murray took us to see 
 the Fort. It extends for half a mile along the 
 river, and is extremely imposing, with massive 
 walls of red sandstone, and fine gateways and 
 approaches. There is much to see in it. First, 
 a vast hall, now turned into an armoury, at the 
 end of which are placed the much-talked-of 
 Gates of Somnauth, which Lord Ellenborough ^ 
 had transported hither from Cabul ; they are not 
 of sandal wood, but of cedar, and are in no wise 
 remarkable. They only got thus far towards their 
 destination, when he became thoroughly ashamed 
 of them, seeing the indifference of the natives con- 
 cerning them. Beyond this hall is a succession 
 of courts, with colonnades and chambers all of 
 
 ' Governor-General of India. 
 
i8so-si] AGRA 189 
 
 white marble, and most richly inlaid and sculptured. 
 One little white mosque in which only women 
 prayed is called the Mosque of the Pearl, and a 
 tower overhanging the river, the Jessamine Tower. 
 Lord Ellenborough felt tempted to live here, till 
 he found it was too hot to bear. He delighted 
 to sit on a large marble slab, which is called 
 "Akbar's throne," and thence read and date his 
 proclamations. Still further are the ruins of the 
 old part of the Fort, supposed to have been built 
 before the Mussulman reign ; it is all of red stone, 
 and with quite different and grotesque ornaments, 
 such as are seen in the old Hindu temples. We 
 then crossed the river and went to the tomb of 
 Etwah Doulah, a favourite Vizier, a good-sized 
 building, richly ornamented. Nothing can give 
 you an idea of these buildings so well as an 
 observation of Bishop Heber, who said their 
 architects built like giants but finished like 
 jewellers. 
 
 Next morning we had further cause for admira- 
 tion — Secundra, the tomb of the great Akbar, a 
 magnificent red building, with such a gateway, 
 such terraces and balustrades ! Quite at the top 
 is a marble court surrounded with trellised panels, 
 all of white marble except the pavement, which 
 is red and white, and with Akbar's cenotaph in 
 the middle, likewise of white marble and most 
 delicately sculptured. 
 
 Still Dr. Murray kept repeating, " Reserve your 
 admiration for the Taj ; till then you have seen 
 nothing." At first I was rather disappointed, but 
 the more I examined it, the more I wandered 
 
190 INDIA 
 
 about it, the more I admired it — its dream-like or 
 rather fairy-like beauty, its exquisite detail, its 
 accurate proportions and its wonderful finish, not 
 a stone nor an ornament wanting. It was built 
 by one of the Mogul emperors, Shah Jehan, to 
 be the tomb of his favourite wife. It was her 
 dying request to have one superior to any other. 
 His own daughter is said to have drawn the 
 designs. At the back is a large garden, covering, 
 I should guess, twelve acres, with immense trees 
 and a mass of foliage, broad walks, fountains, and 
 peeps of cupolas and minarets in all directions. 
 The entrance is through a magnificent gateway. 
 The walk leading from this to the tomb is lined 
 with cypresses, and the contrast of the white 
 marble and the dark green foliage is beautiful. 
 We dined one night in a lovely but rather airy 
 apartment jutting out into the river from one of 
 the side mosques. At night we lighted some 
 blue lights, as a substitute for moonlight, by 
 which the Taj should be viewed aright, and placed 
 the lights in one of the minarets, thus strongly 
 marking the shadows. 
 
 At Agra, Loch, to our great regret, left us to 
 join his regiment. 
 
 On the morning of the 26th we drove to 
 Futtehpore Sikri. This place was formerly a 
 large town, and the old mud wall is six miles 
 in circumference, but very little of the space it 
 includes is at present built upon, the rest being 
 under cultivation. In the middle rises a hill, on 
 which is situated the ancient palace and mosque. 
 At its foot is a modern village ; all around are ruins 
 
I8SO-5I] BHURTPORE 191 
 
 and heaps of brick. We took up our quarters 
 in a little pavilion belonging to the palace, two 
 stories high, and beautifully carved inside and out. 
 The palace was built by Akbar, and was his 
 favourite residence. It contains numberless courts, 
 magnificent stables, the houses of his different 
 wives, the hall of audience where he received the 
 petitions of his subjects, and the chamber where he 
 practised his magical arts. The walls are carved 
 with animals of all sorts, which were afterwards 
 mutilated by his religious, and therefore iconoclast, 
 successor. The buildings and ornaments are of a 
 much heavier style than those of a later date at 
 Agra, and are chiefly remarkable for their extreme 
 massiveness. We strolled about this remarkable 
 place for two hours, following an old guide, who 
 was none the less garrulous from our inability to 
 understand a word he uttered. 
 
 We went after sunset on the same day to 
 Bhurtpore, which is renowned for its strength. 
 We rode about it on elephants, and saw where 
 Colonel Lake attempted to take it and where 
 Lord Combermere succeeded in doing so.^ The 
 town is rather pretty, over-shadowed by large 
 tamarind trees, and the Rajah was improving it, 
 and was building stone arcades. He is a model 
 Rajah, has no Prime Minister, but attends him- 
 self to all the business, improves his dominions, 
 and is beloved by his subjects. His appearance 
 was not prepossessing, as he was very fat, and 
 his face deeply pitted by smallpox. I liked his 
 dress, which was simple and without jewels, 
 
 * Created Viscount Combermere, 1827, for the capture of Bhurtpore. 
 
192 INDIA 
 
 though he possessed magnificent ones. He gave 
 us good food and many amusements. Wrestling 
 is his chief pastime. Himself a Hindu* he treats 
 impartially Hindu and Mohammedan wrestlers, 
 between whom great emulation exists. The best 
 wrestlers, who sat looking on in rich dresses, are 
 great favourites. Some were fine-looking men. 
 Afterwards antelopes and rams fought. I liked the 
 Rajah for his concern when a branch of a tree 
 broke on which some spectators were perched, 
 and his satisfaction when he heard that none 
 were hurt. 
 
 Three more days brought us to Delhi, which 
 from its size and its history has been the most 
 famous place in all India ; but there is not much 
 to see there. We were not allowed to enter the 
 huge palace, England's relations with the Mogul 
 being then already much strained. We were 
 assured it contained nothing interesting, which 
 I believe is not true. The Jumma Musjid is a 
 magnificent mosque, with its lofty minarets and 
 fine colonnades all in perfect proportions. In the 
 afternoon the streets became very gay, filled with 
 people of all countries in a great variety of 
 costumes — marriage processions, Nautch girls, 
 elephants, and tumblers. Sir Theophilus Metcalfe ' 
 invited us to his house, where we spent three 
 pleasant days. He had two agreeable daughters, 
 one of whom was married, the other having been 
 with us on board the Haddington. They were 
 pretty, musical, and merry. The house contained 
 
 » Sir Theophilus John Metcalfe, born 1828, died 1883 ; fifth Baronet 
 and nephew of Lord Metcalfe. 
 
iSjo-si] DELHI 193 
 
 the best library I had seen in India, a large 
 collection of prints, a billiard-table, a backgammon 
 board, and a whist-table. 
 
 The last day we spent at the Kutub, one 
 of the wonders of India. We drove there in 
 a carriage drawn by a couple of camels. They 
 went eight miles an hour, and would keep up 
 that pace for a great distance. The Kutub is 
 a tower of great circumference at the base, but 
 diminishing gradually, with storeys marked by 
 different styles of ornament and richly sculptured 
 balustrades. One storey is fluted, another with 
 projecting angles, and a third with alternate 
 angles and flutings. But this can give no idea 
 of its beauty and grandeur, which must be owing 
 to its fine proportions and its exquisite masonry. 
 At its base are scattered ruins of a Hindu 
 temple older than the column, a number of 
 pillars richly sculptured, and fine arches. There 
 is likewise the unfinished base of a second Kutub. 
 We breakfasted, and passed the hot hours of the 
 day in an old tomb hard by, fitted up most com- 
 fortably by Sir Theophilus with another billiard- 
 table and a profusion of books. On our way home 
 we saw several tombs — one with a tank into which 
 men and boys jumped from a height of sixty-five 
 feet, another of very beautiful marble, and the 
 immense one of Hummayoun, the father of Akbar, 
 which is large and stately, but without much 
 ornament and in decay. For fourteen miles round 
 were the ruins of the old town of Delhi, the 
 most desolate sight — nothing but mounds of brick, 
 with occasional deserted tombs and temples. 
 
 13 
 
194 INDIA 
 
 On our return to Agra we found Mr. Thomason 
 established there with his handsome daughter. He 
 had a high reputation for ability, and his adminis- 
 tration of the provinces under him was much 
 praised. Socially I found him sententious and 
 formal. His position was in some respects the 
 greatest in India ; his period of office was un- 
 limited, and he had nearly the whole patronage of 
 the immense district he governs. The court paid 
 to him is immense, and has, I fancy, from the 
 little I saw of him, turned his head. I paid a 
 last visit to the Taj, and was more enchanted with 
 it than ever. 
 
 On March gth we left Agra. Laurence Oliphant, 
 who came with Jung Bahadur to Nepaul, had agreed 
 to accompany us to Bombay. We made up a large 
 party. One hundred and twenty followers were to 
 go with us all the way to Poonah. One was a 
 cook, some were palkee bearers, and others carried 
 our luggage or torches. They were fine-looking 
 men, extremely civil, and never were guilty of the 
 least offence or offered the slightest difficulty, 
 although we could not speak their language. I 
 think it would be difficult to find such a well- 
 behaved set of attendants in Europe. 
 
 At Gwalior we received a cordial welcome from 
 Sir Richmond Shakespeare, which was doubly 
 agreeable after Mr. Thomason's cold reception. 
 Sir Richmond is a distinguished officer who has 
 seen interesting service. He took some Russians, 
 who had been seized at different times on the 
 Caspian Sea and sold to the Khivans, all the way 
 from Khiva to St. Petersburg. The gratitude 
 
I8SO-5I] GUNAH 195 
 
 of the poor prisoners, particularly one who had 
 been away from his native land sixty years, made 
 it, he said, a pleasing duty. There were more than 
 a hundred. Four only refused to return, having 
 married Khivan women. Sir Richmond, too, 
 was the officer who rescued the prisoners in 
 Cabul, among whom were Lady Sale and Lady 
 Macnaghten. At Gwalior we went to the Durbar. 
 The Rajah, Holkar, is only seventeen, very good- 
 looking, but dull, caring for nothing but shooting. 
 He has a stupid Minister, but a not ill-governed 
 country. 
 
 At Gunah we received a visit from Captain 
 Burlton, who commands a body of irregular cavalry 
 belonging to Scindia. He is a famous sportsman, 
 and proposed taking us in search of a tiger, assuring 
 us there was nothing to fear from the sun, 
 owing to our being more than 2,000 ft. above the 
 sea. We accordingly set out soon after breakfast, 
 three on an elephant and one on horse-back. 
 The elephant was a most captivating beast, so 
 gentle in its paces and so intelligent. Those 
 brought up for sport are in these respects very 
 superior. Immediately round Gunah there is a 
 good deal of cultivation, but beyond, a continual 
 open jungle on very undulating country. About 
 two miles off we dismounted, and were stationed 
 at different points, the beaters walking up to us 
 as in English cover-shooting. They had a couple 
 of drums and kept an excellent line. At the first 
 place I squatted under a bush with Captain 
 Burlton ; Oliphant was perched close to us on a 
 tree, and Egerton and Grosvenor were a hundred 
 
196 INDIA 
 
 yards ofif I was told to remain motionless, because 
 if I moved or spoke a tiger coming to us would 
 certainly turn. I was not on the whole sorry to 
 hear this. I got tired of watching and was be- 
 ginning to be absent, when my attention was 
 directed by a pull of my coat by a boy behind 
 me to a hyena who was trotting away about 
 twenty yards off. He was going a good pace. 
 He was a very large one, and at first from his 
 colour I thought he was a tiger, but soon recognised 
 him from the shape of his neck. My companion 
 levelled his gun, which made him turn quickly 
 round. We then both fired, and I hit him — but 
 alas ! in the least mortal part of his body ; and 
 though it made him flinch he pursued his way. 
 What a pity that I cannot modestly say at dinner- 
 parties, "We had no sport in India; I only killed 
 a hyena ! " 
 
 In the next beat we saw a large herd of wild 
 boars, but not quite near enough to fire. They 
 were so large that at a distance I thought they 
 were bears. Later Grosvenor shot a deer, and 
 we endeavoured to smoke a panther out of a cave, 
 but he knew better. 
 
 The next morning we started earlier. The first 
 few hours produced little amusement. One 
 "nylgharree" was shot by a Sirdar — a fine 
 animal, half deer and half cow, of a blue colour — 
 and Captain Burlton shot a deer. As we 
 were going to our breakfast-place we came upon 
 a river partly dried up, with a number of wild- 
 fowl about. Two barrels were let off at them, 
 which proved a misfortune. On the top of a 
 
i8so-Si] A TIGER HUNT 197 
 
 woody bank on the side of the river were a quantity 
 of small birds, hovering about and seeming dis- 
 turbed. Captain Burlton said, " There must be 
 some animal there. I should not wonder if it is 
 a tiger. It must either be one, or a cat or an owl." 
 He had just spoken when news came that a man 
 perched up in a tree had marked one in that 
 spot. Beaters in the greatest silence were sent 
 beyond the place, and we quickly scrambled up 
 the bank. The Captain made us each climb a 
 tree. He placed himself on a ledge of a rock, 
 which might have proved a dangerous position. I 
 had some difficulty in climbing up my tree, but 
 got ten feet from the ground. Above me, on the 
 top branches, was one of the Sirdars. The beaters 
 advanced, but no tiger appeared, and we then 
 had the mortification to discover that he had 
 slipped away, probably frightened by the report 
 of the two guns fired off at the wildfowl. No 
 more game was met with that day. We lamented 
 our bad luck, though for those who go after tigers 
 on foot I think a blank day may not be the 
 worst luck. But I believe the pluck shown by 
 Englishmen out sporting in India inspires the 
 natives with respect, and that their ridding the 
 villagers of such bad enemies earns their gratitude. 
 I enjoyed my two days' exercise extremely, 
 and at the following stage much regretted the 
 refreshing wind and innocuous sun of Gunah. 
 This was, too, a delightful break in this very 
 monotonous journey, for to be boxed up from 
 morning to night for thirteen successive days in 
 a small building is, in spite of companions, books, 
 
198 INDIA 
 
 backgammon and piquet, a wearisome business. 
 Our next break was at Indore, the Capital of the 
 dominions of Holkar, one of the great Mahratta 
 chiefs. A carriage sent by Mr, Hamilton, the 
 Resident, met us at a distance of twenty miles 
 from the town. He was particularly civil. We 
 had a bungalow to ourselves, but it smelt of paint, 
 and my bed was full of bugs, which made me regret 
 my comfortable palkee, which only harbours a few 
 fleas. There was nothing much worth seeing at 
 Indore. We remained there two whole days, to 
 allow our bearers to come up and get our linen 
 washed. One morning we took a ride about the 
 town, and visited some of the Royal tombs, which, 
 in comparison with the Mohammedan ones, are very 
 small. 
 
 One afternoon we paid a visit to the Rajah. 
 He was a young man of eighteen, who was put 
 on the throne by Mr. Hamilton. The previous 
 Rajah died without any offspring, and Lord 
 EUenborough was anxious to annex the country, 
 but desisted, having enough on his hands with 
 Scinde and Gwalior. So he made Mr. Hamilton 
 choose among the relatives some promising youth, 
 not an eldest son, so that he .should have no idea 
 of hereditary rights, and that he should feel he owed 
 everything to the English Government. The young 
 man chosen fulfilled these conditions, and was 
 educated under the superintendence of Mr. Hamilton, 
 who was all-powerful — in fact, the real king of the 
 country. He lived like a prince, though he had 
 lately reduced his establishment. I never saw such 
 a tribe of servants, who pestered us with their 
 
iSSo-si] INDORE 199 
 
 salaams, and there are thirty horses in his stables. 
 On Sunday evening we walked over to see them, 
 and were followed by six servants. How little 
 notion have we in England of the way in which 
 kingdoms are disposed of in this part of the world. 
 The Rajah is fond of reading, is very steady, 
 knows all about his affairs, and is a good shot 
 and rider. He lately made an excursion incog, to 
 Agra and Delhi, and his great ambition is to pay 
 a visit to England. He speaks English, but his 
 knowledge of our country is limited. He asked 
 Grosvenor if there were many elephants and tigers 
 there ; if the land did not all belong to the same 
 person ; if Lord Westminster had an income of 
 twenty lakhs of rupees (;^20o,ooo) ; if he had a 
 good many troops in his service ; and how many 
 elephants he owned. When Grosvenor had to 
 confess that his father possessed neither troops nor 
 elephants, he must have fallen in the estimation of 
 his questioner. We were first led upstairs, where 
 we sat cross-legged on the floor. A Nautch girl 
 was singing a favourite Indian song, the only one 
 I have heard at all like a tune, and reminding me 
 of Robin des Bois. We then descended into a hall 
 looking on the courtyard, where a curious scene 
 awaited us. There were several fire-engines, which 
 squirted a yellow and red liquid on successive sets 
 of men who came to pay their respects to the 
 Rajah. The first set of about a hundred squatted 
 contentedly on the ground whilst they were watered 
 like flowers, and then a quantity of red dust was 
 thrown over them. The other set stood up so that 
 no part of their persons escaped. We were offered 
 
200 INDIA 
 
 red balls to throw at the people, but refrained, as 
 we were warned that if we began they would 
 retaliate, and that we should be in an instant one 
 mass of red. Oliphant was sadly tempted, but I 
 entreated him to keep quiet, as I had only two 
 suits of clothes, and one had to be washed. This 
 ball-throwing ceremony takes place once a year, 
 and half the inhabitants go about with their clothes 
 stained. 
 
 The next morning we started at half-past five, 
 having forty miles to go in a carriage. Indore 
 is on high table-land, and about twelve miles from 
 it we reached two very steep descents through a 
 rather romantic country of hill and jungle. The 
 heat was trying between Indore and Asirgarh, and 
 Grosvenor was very unwell. The latter place 
 is perched on the top of a hill rising abruptly 
 800 ft., with but two very steep roads up to 
 it. We were taken in by Colonel Smee, the Com- 
 mander of the fort, where we spent three days in 
 order that Grosvenor might recruit his strength by 
 quiet and the cool breezes. We took a pleasant 
 walk round an old fort. I asked our host if there 
 was anything to be seen in it. " Yes," he said ; 
 " there is an old gun, and that is all except the 
 place where the English made the breach when 
 they took the fort." — " But are there no views?" — 
 " Oh yes. There are beautiful views on all sides, 
 if you like that sort of thing." — We were made 
 members of the mess, and fared there in a style 
 which might perhaps have awakened the anger of 
 Sir C. Napier. There was a drunken old Colonel, 
 and a German band-master, who has achieved 
 
iSso-Si] CAVES OF AJUNTA 201 
 
 wonders in making his men, who have no idea 
 of music, play better than the average of European 
 bands. 
 
 Some more nights without adventures or incidents 
 brought us to Fardapur, the nearest station to 
 the caves of Ajunta, where we found an empty 
 bungalow, belonging to Captain Gill, an officer of 
 the Madras army, who is employed by the East 
 Indian Company to make sketches of the caves. 
 He was not there, but had left the bungalow at our 
 disposal. It was rather late to go on to the caves 
 and return from them that morning, so we decided 
 on riding to them, a distance of three miles, in 
 the afternoon, taking with us our "resies," a sort 
 of stuffed coverlet and pillows, with materials for 
 making tea, intending to sleep in one of the caves. 
 These, which we only reached shortly before 
 dark, are all cut on one side of a ravine. They 
 extend about half a mile, one half looking east, 
 the others north. They are in a continuous line, 
 offer a strange but ugly appearance when first seen, 
 and certainly are not tempting bedrooms. We 
 fixed upon a very shallow one, which was the most 
 airy, and the least inhabited by birds or bats. It 
 was too dark to examine them that night. Our 
 horses were picketed below in the dry bed of the 
 river, with fires round them to keep off the wild 
 beasts. We had ours lighted near the entrance 
 of the cave to boil our water, got chairs and a 
 rickety table from a cave in which Captain Gill 
 had been working, lighted our candles, and were 
 very cheery. We chose our resting-places, laying 
 our resies on the rocky floor in front of a double row 
 
202 INDIA 
 
 of massive columns of beautiful and grand propor- 
 tions. I could not at first sleep in so strange a 
 resting-place. 
 
 When there was sufficient light we hurriedly- 
 visited the caves. They are of every variety 
 of shape, some with circular roofs in ribs, most 
 with verandahs with large square pillars all round. 
 Their shapes are imposing, and as you look 
 at them they seem to increase in size. The 
 smell from the bats in the largest one was so offen- 
 sive that I could not remain long in it. There is 
 much beautiful carving, with much, of course, that 
 is grotesque. The fresco paintings are in parts in 
 good preservation, and some of beautiful execution, 
 immeasurably superior to Indian art of the present 
 day. The history of these caves is unknown. 
 The learned differ about them in nearly every 
 respect, except that they belonged to the Buddhist 
 religion. It is supposed that the workmen came 
 from Egypt, as many of the ornaments are pre- 
 cisely similar to those in Egyptian temples. The 
 objection is that in Egypt there are nothing but 
 profiles, whilst at Ajunta there are full faces.'' 
 
 We left Ajunta the same evening, after seeing 
 a pretty mosque in which the Duke of Wellington 
 wrote his despatches after the battle of Assaye. 
 
 The next morning we reached a tent sent with 
 provisions and servants to meet us by Colonel 
 Twemlow from Aurangabad. The heat in it was 
 the worst we have known, ioo° Fahrenheit. I 
 
 ' There are few things in India better worth seeing than these caves, 
 and yet I find few travellers ever visit them — fewer now than formerly, 
 as they are distant from the line of the railway. 
 
I850-SI] CAVES OF ELLORA 203 
 
 always had my thermometer on the table, which is 
 the worst possible place, as the knowledge of the 
 temperature often makes it feel hotter. 
 
 On the 5th we reached a village lying just 
 above the caves of Ellora. Colonel Twemlow 
 received us here in an old tomb which has been 
 fitted up by the officers at Aurangabad, and 
 which, from its high dome, is cool. The view 
 from it over a large extent of country is one 
 of the finest I have seen in India. Immediately 
 under a place called Roza are cut the caves of 
 Ellora. They are twenty-three in number, and 
 extend for a mile and a half, being farther from 
 each other than those of Ajunta. We did not 
 visit all. The first we saw were regular caves — 
 one with a dome-shaped roof, another of two 
 storeys, and a third of three storeys, very simple, 
 with wide verandahs and large, square pillars. 
 These are less fine than the similar ones at 
 Ajunta. We then went to the greatest wonder 
 of all, the Kailasa. It appears that the Brahmins 
 objected to having their temples in caves — and 
 therefore cut round the Buddhist caves, making 
 them into temples standing apart from the rock. 
 The Kailasa is a large temple, thus sunk, as it 
 were, into a pit, the facing of the old temple 
 being left as a screen. It is an extraordinary place, 
 and the labour it must have cost to cut the whole 
 of this temple out of the solid rock is appalling 
 to think of We saw another, not so large 
 but as elaborately carved. It is a vast, square 
 cave, with forty gigantic pillars at equal distances 
 from each other, and all of similar shape. It 
 
204 INDIA 
 
 is approached through immense crevices and per- 
 forations in the rock. I have been on the whole 
 disappointed in these caves. They excite more 
 wonder at the labour they cost than at any 
 beauty they display. The Dherwara is the only 
 one at Ellora that appeared to me grand, and, 
 on the whole, I think these caves, though 
 more wonderful, less attractive than those at 
 Ajunta. 
 
 We started at two the next morning for the 
 fortress of Daulatabad. This is one of the most 
 famous of all the Indian forts. It is on a small 
 rock, rising abruptly, and its whole circumference 
 is scarped to the height of i8o ft. The only 
 way up to it is by steps, cut in the tunnels of 
 the rock. At the top of one of them is a sort 
 of iron cover. When we got down we were 
 rewarded by some of the most famous grapes in 
 India, but very inferior to those grown in England. 
 There is a large bit of ground enclosed at the 
 foot of the fort, with three distinct walls. A 
 beautiful tower reminds one of the Kutub, dimin- 
 ishing in girth as it rises and ornamented with rich 
 balconies and with blue tiles ; but is now falling 
 into decay. 
 
 The same morning we continued our way to 
 Aurangabad, where we spent a night, the first 
 I had passed for a whole month in what deserves 
 the name of a bed, and greatly did I enjoy it. 
 During the night a native sergeant was murdered 
 in the bazaar. A private cut his head off in 
 a fit of jealousy and was willing to confess his 
 crime, but in imitation of the wisdom of our law, 
 
iSso-Si] POONAH 205 
 
 was not allowed to do so. From Aurangabad 
 to Ahmadnagar we went in bullock-carts, which 
 are very disagreeable. Oliphant and I in one, 
 Egerton in another. Grosvenor prudently kept 
 to his palkee, which subsequent events made me 
 particularly glad of, for on arriving at the small 
 rest-house half-way he was taken very ill — a sore 
 throat which prevented his swallowing, great 
 retching, high pulse, and a sensation of numbness 
 in the limbs. He got worse and worse, and doubted 
 being able to proceed, which was most essential. 
 Oliphant and I started in the middle of the day 
 to find out the best doctor, or at least somewhere 
 to sleep, at Ahmadnagar, We got there in the 
 middle of the night. The Brigadier, to whom 
 we had a letter, was away, but we found a pleasing 
 young doctor, who offered to put up the invalid 
 in his only bed. Egerton and Grosvenor arrived 
 the next morning. You may conceive our relief 
 at finding there was no cause for anxiety — no fever, 
 but a sharp attack of bronchitis. The doctor's 
 house was cool ; he was a most kind and attentive 
 nurse, and Grosvenor soon got better. I left that 
 evening with Oliphant, and arrived at Poonah 
 next morning on our way to Bombay. 
 
 Poonah is extremely pretty, with a large artificial 
 lake with temples on its banks, a good deal of wood, 
 gardens bounded by walls, a very large temple like 
 a fortress on a commanding hill, and some moun- 
 tains beyond. I saw Keith, who came out with 
 us from England. His regiment is at a station four 
 miles beyond Poonah. He had a cool little house, 
 with plenty of soda-water. I went on in the middle 
 
206 INDIA 
 
 of the next day, and reached Panwel, on the edge 
 of the water, or rather mud, in time to be carried 
 on men's shoulders some way to a small boat which 
 took me to the steamer. Its decks were strewn 
 with natives asleep, and so closely packed that it 
 was afterwards necessary to walk upon them to get 
 along. I was shocked when daylight came to per- 
 ceive that half the natives whom I had trodden 
 upon, and whose noses I must have flattened, were 
 women. We only weighed anchor with the light. 
 The bay forms a most lovely lake surrounded 
 by mountains. A little more than an hour brought 
 us to the island of Elephanta and in sight of 
 Bombay. I got on shore by eight, and had some 
 difficulty in directing my palkee to Sir Erskine 
 Perry's bungalow. Along an esplanade by the 
 seaside were a number of bamboo houses, which 
 are put up at this season and taken down when 
 the weather becomes colder. It is the coolest 
 spot in Bombay. After an hour, when hunger 
 was overtaking me and I was losing my temper, my 
 servant H olden tripped in. A room was prepared 
 for me at Sir Erskine Perry's. He lives in the 
 courthouse, and I was perched very high up, most 
 comfortably, where sea-breezes abound. 
 
 The first evening I took a ride through the 
 native town, which is better built than any I have 
 seen, with houses three or four storeys high, 
 gaily painted, and verandahs with carved wooden 
 pillars. The Parsees form a large proportion of 
 the inhabitants. They are an energetic and in- 
 telligent race, and have been settled in this part 
 of India twelve hundred years, but have remained 
 
I8SO-5I] ELEPHANTA 207 
 
 a distinct nation. They are generally fair, and 
 have very peculiar, unmistakable features, long, 
 pointed, and projecting, and they wear high paper 
 caps. In the afternoon I drove to the Botanical 
 Gardens; then to the Government House, once 
 a Portuguese convent, large, and stuck in a hole 
 where sea-breezes cannot possibly come. The 
 Governor was by all accounts the most indolent of 
 men, and made no attempt to encourage improve- 
 ments, being fonder of billiards than of reform. On 
 Monday we made a delightful expedition to the 
 island of Elephanta. It is about seven miles off 
 across the bay. It is formed of two hills covered 
 with wood and is a lovely spot. The cave is fine, 
 and chiefly remarkable for one colossal three-headed 
 bust of the Hindu Trinity. We had an Irishman 
 with us who was intent on washing the cave, 
 and had brought a fire-engine with that object. 
 The natives were much amused with it, and in 
 ecstasies when he turned it on a fine group of 
 sculpture representing Krishna and his wife and 
 attendants. The figures looked very complacent 
 as they were douched, and the expression of 
 the faces was thereby improved. The sail back 
 by a glorious moonlight was very enjoyable. 
 The following day I accompanied Sir Erskine 
 to a meeting at a native educational college over 
 which he had to preside. It had been established 
 but three years. It was an interesting occasion, as 
 it was the first granting of diplomas. They were 
 allotted to eight scholars, who had passed more 
 severe examinations than are required in London. 
 They were of different races. Two were Portuguese, 
 
208 INDIA 
 
 two Parsees, and the rest Hindus. There were 
 many old natives, the principal merchants of the 
 place, who are ready to encourage improvement. 
 Evidently the medical profession is one of the more 
 powerful influences for the spread of civilisation. 
 Sir Erskine Perry in a long address alluded to my 
 being present, which, he said, was an unexpected 
 honour. He added that I should take back 
 with me this striking instance of the progress 
 of the Hindus in knowledge ; that they were 
 just awaking from a sleep of two thousand 
 years. Another speaker talked of their absurd 
 and cruel rules of caste. Sir Erskine declared 
 that the Bombay native magnates fully concurred 
 in these views. There were many present who 
 watched the proceedings with interest. Sir Jamset- 
 jee Jheejeebhoy, the rich Parsee, was not among 
 them. He was the great benefactor of the place — 
 built hospitals, schools, and made roads, entirely 
 at his own expense, and with considerable ostenta- 
 tion. He was pleased at being made a knight, but 
 his great ambition is that it should be an hereditary 
 title. I saw his son, who would make a respectable 
 baronet. They say the native doctors become 
 fully equal to the Europeans in knowledge, but 
 not in judgment, still less in pluck, particularly if 
 they are in attendance on a European. That 
 afternoon Grosvenor and Egerton arrived, to my 
 inexpressible relief, although the former had entirely 
 lost his voice and was very weak. In the evening 
 I rode along the delightful sands, and afterwards 
 listened to the band, round which were congregated 
 the few remaining fashionables. The following day 
 
i8so-Si] VOYAGE HOME 209 
 
 we drove out to Malabar Point, which is the 
 opposite point of the bay to the promontory of 
 Bombay. There were here a number of bungalows 
 inhabited by the Governor and his Court, and it 
 is to my mind a delightful spot, catching every 
 breeze. The drive there is extremely pretty, 
 skirting the bay, with rocks to the left, and re- 
 minding me of the road from Salerno to Amalfi. 
 We passed near the burying-place of the Parsees, 
 a high tower where they place their dead, leaving 
 them to be devoured by the vultures. 
 
 At 6 p.m. on Thursday, the 27th, we went on 
 board the Sesostris, a war-steamer belonging to the 
 Company, which carries the mail, and, by favour, 
 a few passengers to meet the Haddington at Aden. 
 We had an excellent passage, never extremely hot, 
 very calm, but with a breeze in the daytime. The 
 captain was a delightful man. We had but little 
 room, but slept on deck in very snug places. 
 There was a possibility of our finding the 
 Haddington started from Aden, which would have 
 been a fortnight thrown away in our lives. As 
 we approached we watched anxiously, looking out 
 for a steamer, and our spirits fell when no funnel 
 was to be seen. The Calcutta steamer, however, 
 had not arrived, and my joy was great the next 
 cnorning at this discovery. At five we took a ride 
 IS far as the Arabian frontier. Here the body 
 Df an Arab who had lately attacked a European 
 was hung up in chains. It was the second 
 3utrage within a short time. In the first an 
 officer was killed and another badly wounded, and 
 :he murderer escaped. In the second case the 
 
 14 
 
210 INDIA 
 
 officer, though wounded in several places, was able 
 to knock the Arab down, seize his dagger, and 
 kill him with it, and the corpse is hung up 
 on the frontier as a warning. They look upon 
 it as a most dreadful punishment, as they think 
 it precludes all hope of reaching Paradise. There 
 was, it was said, a conspiracy in a neighbouring 
 village to murder thirty Englishmen in revenge for 
 the death of some Arabs who not long ago attacked 
 the place, and the residents ride about armed. 
 
 On our return we met all the donkeys coming 
 from the hotel, a clear proof that the passengers 
 had left it. The wicked little urchins with them 
 screamed out, " Steamer gone off— no more 
 steamer." At the door of the hotel waiters were 
 shaking their heads, declaring that the gun 
 had some time ago been fired ; but fortunately, 
 we reached the steamer ten minutes before the 
 anchor was weighed. We found on board several 
 of the acquaintances we had made on different 
 occasions during our trip. The most unexpected 
 was the pretty and clever little woman who 
 was staying with the Colvilles at Calcutta. She 
 had a good deal to say for herself, and I was lucky 
 enough to get next to her at our meals, but I 
 soon learnt a most melancholy bit of news, which 
 quite damped the pleasure of her society and her 
 gaiety. As I was going down to dinner I got 
 a message to take care not to mention the death 
 of Mitchell. Now as I never had heard of his 
 existence, discretion was easy, but judge how 
 shocked I was at learning that he was her father. 
 The news was in the paper by the last mail. 
 
I8SO-5I] HOME AGAIN 211 
 
 but as she was not expected home she had received 
 no intimation of it. At that very dinner she had 
 expatiated on her love for her father, and her 
 ecstasy at the prospect of seeing him in London. 
 
 There were also on board Sir H. Blackwood, a 
 cousin of Lord Dufferin's and rather like him, and Mr. 
 Macleod, who said he was returning to England in 
 order to buy machinery for the Nepaulese. 
 
 The rest of our journey was prosperous. The 
 steamer from Alexandria to Trieste was ex- 
 ceedingly clean, comfortable, and rapid — the 
 Mediterranean and Adriatic looking like glass — 
 Corfu and Albania beautiful, the rail across Europe 
 uneventful, and the arrival in London ecstatic. 
 
MY JOURNAL IN RUSSIA 
 
 I8S6 
 
 " Youth on the prow and 
 Pleasure at the helm." 
 
 MY brother was sent on a Special Mission to 
 St. Petersburg on the occasion of the 
 Coronation, in 1856, of Alexander II. He was 
 good enough to include me in his staff of attaches, 
 and to invite my wife to accompany me. The 
 following is a curtailed account of our expedition. 
 A fuller description of it will appear in Lord Edmund 
 Fitzmaurice's forth-coming life of my brother. 
 
 On Sunday evening, towards the end of July 
 we^ railed to Dover by the last train. We put up 
 at the Lord Warden Hotel, where we were received 
 with bows and smiles, which we paid for. 
 
 The next morning our whole party assembled 
 on board the Princess Alice, which was waiting 
 alongside the pier to take us off to our big man- 
 of-war, the St. Jean d' Acre, which lay at anchor a 
 short distance off. Our party consisted of Sir 
 Robert^ and Lady Emily Peel, Lord Dalkeith," 
 
 ' I was accompanied by my wife, Margaret, the youngest daughter 
 of the second Marquis of Northampton, to whom I was married in 
 1853 (to which event I subsequently refer). 
 
 ' The late Sir Robert Peel, son of the Prime Minister; married 
 Lady Emily Hay, daughter of the eighth Marquis of Tweeddale. 
 
 ' Afterwards sixth Duke of Buccleuch. 
 
i8s6] H.M.S. ST. JEAN D'ACRE 213 
 
 Lord Ashley,^ Lord Seymour, Sir Arthur Hardinge,'' 
 Colonel Maude,' Mr. Gerald Ponsonby,' Mr. Lister, 
 Dr. Sandwith, and ourselves. 
 
 The smiling aspect of affairs with which we 
 started did not last long. As soon as we arrived 
 on board we were shown our accommodation. A 
 row of delightful cabins had been put where the 
 guns used to be along each side of the main deck. 
 They were charmingly furnished with a profusion 
 of pretty chintzes, and fitted with every convenience. 
 The Peels and ourselves were only allotted a 
 cabin apiece, and Sir Robert and I were ex- 
 pected to dress in the corner of our mess room, 
 divided off by a curtain. This was certainly an 
 inconvenient arrangement ; it was too public, and 
 any gust of wind might have betrayed our naked 
 charms to the world at large. I said nothing, 
 but very different was it when the Lord of the 
 Admiralty, the Secretary to our Embassy, and 
 the bearer of so great a name, saw what was 
 destined for us. He rated the Captain roundly. 
 In vain the poor Captain, in whom the dignity of 
 his position struggled with his awe of a Lord of 
 the Admiralty, proposed a wooden partition or offered 
 several vacant cabins. The Baronet would not- be 
 appeased. He would not stand such treatment, 
 to be worse off than any single man in the ship. 
 He would not remain there, but would go each 
 night to sleep on board the Princess Alice, 
 
 > Afterwards eighth Earl of Shaftesbury. 
 
 • Son of Viscount Hardinge, the Commander-in-Chief from 1852 
 to 1856. 
 
 ' Afterwards Crown Equerry. 
 
 * Son of the fourth Earl of Bessborough. 
 
214 MY JOURNAL IN RUSSIA 
 
 the steamer we were taking in tow. This threat 
 hung over our heads all day. I pitied Lady Emily. 
 She either was or pretended to be angry. I only 
 ventured to suggest to her that their sleeping in 
 the Princess Alice would annoy my brother, 
 but did not add would be punishing themselves. 
 At dinner the couple avoided the Captain. We all 
 rallied round him, as he had won our golden 
 opinions by not being strait-laced about smoking, 
 and by allowing us to dine in our morning dress. 
 
 Kiel, August 2i''d. — Nothing worth mentioning 
 occurred during our voyage here. The weather 
 has been beautiful, and good humour generally pre- 
 vailed. It was a merry party, "Youth on the prow 
 and Pleasure at the helm." Even Lady Stafifbrd's 
 coiffeur, Monsieur Plaisir, who was unhappy at 
 first, was pleased. The nights were noisy, a cock 
 incessantly crowing, a dog frequently barking, 
 people chattering, and that dreadful holy-stone, 
 which might well be literally translated into French 
 cette sacrde pierre. 
 
 The Granvilles reached Hamburg on Saturday, 
 and this place the next evening. I went to meet 
 them at the station. The addition to our party 
 besides the Granvilles were Sir John Acton,^ Lord 
 Lincoln,^ and Captain Robins, a Queen's Messenger. 
 
 The town of Kiel looks prosperous, although 
 it has not yet recovered from the injury done to 
 it by the Schleswig-Holstein War. At its termina- 
 tion two thousand inhabitants emigrated. The 
 people cannot reconcile themselves to Danish 
 
 ' Stepson to Lord Granville, afterwards Lord Acton. 
 • Afterwards sixth Duke of Newcastle. 
 
i8s6] CRONSTADT 215 
 
 rule. They will have no intercourse with any 
 Danish officer ; they spit on the ground after 
 a Dane has passed them ; and, what is more 
 remarkable, if true, they refuse Danish money. 
 They are fond of the English. We had their 
 best wishes during our campaign in the Crimea, 
 partly because the Danes were favourable to Russia. 
 
 I was not very well after we left Kiel ; my 
 spirits were depressed and I lost all energy. I 
 suffered from gout, which came out in the knees, 
 and made me hobble about the ship. I seemed 
 to cross in one day the Rubicon which separates 
 youth from old age. I liked Dr. Sandwith, though 
 his theory cannot be popular among patients ; as 
 he liked to leave cures to nature and prudence, and 
 had no golden rule. 
 
 My brother was in tearing spirits and encouraged 
 and joined in the amusements of the crew. There 
 was singing and acting, sling-the-monkey and 
 hi-cockalorum. All were cheery, and Sir Robert 
 was seen the last day patting the Captain on the 
 back. 
 
 On Friday, August the 9th, we cast anchor off 
 Cronstadt. A steam yacht that belonged to the 
 late Emperor Nicholas was placed at my brother's 
 disposal. In it he and most of the party started 
 off at once for St. Petersburg, where we arrived 
 in a thick fog. 
 
 On the following Monday we began to sight- 
 see in earnest. Count Nesselrode' showed us 
 over the Hermitage and the Winter Palace. In 
 
 ' Son of the celebrated Russian statesman, Comte Charles de 
 Nesselrode. He was afterwards Russian Minister at Athens. 
 
2i6 MY JOURNAL IN RUSSIA 
 
 the latter we saw the room in which the late 
 Emperor died — a small entresol simply furnished 
 with an iron bedstead without curtains, a table, 
 and a couple of chairs. On his bed lay the 
 dressing-gown and slippers he last wore. At 
 the head of the bed hung a portrait of his 
 daughter, the Grand Duchess Olga, dressed as 
 a hussar. 
 
 The following day we saw the Isaac Church, 
 which is magnificent. From the leads we got a 
 glorious view over the town. In the afternoon 
 Granville and I made another ascent up the 
 curiously shaped tower of the Admiralty, from which 
 there is a different view, but equally striking. 
 This tower reminded me of some of the Buddhist 
 temples in Nepaul. The Church of Kazan, which 
 we next visited, did not much impress me. 
 
 We hear the Russians take the numbers and 
 the rank of the members of our Embassy as 
 a compliment, but in the meanwhile the political 
 sky is overcast. They wish to know why the 
 English do not evacuate Kars, and why our 
 ships return to the Black Sea against the Treaty. 
 The clergyman who remained here during the 
 war tells me it was always unpopular among 
 the people, who suffered much from the con- 
 scription. On the other hand, I am assured 
 that the peace surprised and mortified the upper 
 classes. 
 
 One day we were taken to the principal palace. 
 My brother first had his audience with the 
 Emperor, which lasted some time. The attaches 
 were then ranged in a row according to their 
 
i8s6] THE HERMITAGE, ETC. 217 
 
 rank, and the Emperor came down the Hne, my 
 brother naming us to him. He said a few words 
 to each, most to the military attaches and Dr. 
 Sandwith, alluding to the Crimea and to the siege 
 of Kars. The ladies were then presented to the 
 Empress, who also came down our line, making much 
 the same observations as the Emperor. They both 
 look amiable, and she seems clever, which he does 
 not give one the impression of being. He has none 
 of the commanding look of his father. When Lady 
 Wodehouse ^ told a Russian how she had mistaken 
 him for an aide-de-camp, he observed : " Cela 
 naurait pas pu arriver du temps de son pere." 
 
 The next day, Margaret, Maude, and I returned 
 to the Hermitage to take a quiet view of the 
 pictures. I was much pleased with a Murillo 
 which came from Soult's collection, and with 
 some of the Dutch pictures, particularly some Paul 
 Potters. Morny ^ said the collection is full of copies. 
 
 On Sunday we went to the Leuchtenburg 
 Palace, a delightful residence with some good 
 pictures. We had no leisure to examine them, 
 as the Prince and Princesse de Ligne were there 
 with the whole Belgian Legation, and much time 
 was occupied in introductions and civil speeches. 
 Time has told, but gently, with the Princesse, 
 since I used to dance with her in Paris. 
 
 We were all of us glad when the time arrived 
 for going to Moscow. On Monday last the 
 
 1 Lady Wodehouse. Her husband, afterwards the late Earl of 
 Kimberley, was then our Ambassador at St. Petersburg. 
 
 " Afterwards Due de Morny, Special Ambassador from France to 
 the Coronation. The well-known statesman under Napoleon III. 
 
2i8 MY JOURNAL IN RUSSIA 
 
 Ambassador and Lady Granville, Maude, Lister and 
 Sandwith started, and I went to the station to see 
 them off. They were comfortably established in 
 what were rather rooms than carriages, with sofas, 
 arm-chairs and tables. 
 
 That afternoon I walked to the Citadel Church 
 to see the burying-place of the Czars. The tombs 
 are placed close to one another, with nothing about 
 the place to denote their greatness. This simplicity 
 reminded me of the burying-place of the ancient 
 Kings of Spain at the Escorial. 
 
 We left St. Petersburg for Moscow on Tuesday 
 morning amidst great confusion. Two sets of 
 luggage were upset in the middle of the 
 Newski Prospekt, and I caught up my faithful 
 servant, Musson,^ riding astride upon a heap of 
 luggage piled up on a rickety cart. Inside the 
 station matters were no better — luggage thrown 
 about a large waiting-room densely crowded by the 
 mob from the streets, couriers not knowing which 
 way to turn. On the platform there was greater 
 peace, most of the party being installed in their 
 carriages and mildly asking for their luggage. We 
 were then informed that it could not come in our 
 train, but would be conveyed in a later one, a 
 promise to my astonishment faithfully kept. Three 
 compartments were given to us, one for the ladies, 
 another for those who did not smoke, and a third 
 for the smokers. I need not say that the last 
 was the most filled. Lady Stafford^ gained much in 
 
 ' In my service for some thirty-nine years. He taught himself French, 
 German, and Italian, was a good fisherman, and a universal favourite. 
 ' Wife of the Marquis of Stafford, afterwards third Duke of Sutherland. 
 
i8s6] MOSCOW 219 
 
 my opinion during this railway journey, she was so 
 cheerful and obliging. The train stopped at every 
 station, sometimes for an hour, rarely for less 
 than half an hour. At each one the passengers 
 got out, both men and women, to eat and smoke. 
 It was a strange medley of people, Circassians 
 and wild-looking Russians. The journey took 
 twenty-two hours. Without the stoppages it would 
 have taken fifteen. 
 
 Moscow is a wonderful town, and were I 
 Emperor of Russia I would transfer my residence 
 to it, now that the railway has brought it nearer 
 to Europe. The Kremlin, from its quaintness, 
 its imposing size, and the splendid view from it, 
 is enchanting. I spent much time in the Tartar 
 bazaar, which reminded me of the East. The 
 second day we rode up to the manoeuvring 
 ground, where we found a great number of troops, 
 very fine men, one seven feet high. The officers 
 were very civil. There were reviews every day 
 after the arrival of the Emperor ; also trotting 
 races in "droshkies," which were rather amusing. 
 
 On August 25th we were presented in the small 
 palace in the Kremlin to the two Grand Dukes 
 Nicholas and Michael. We were ushered into a 
 small room, where Alexander II. was born. I 
 was charmed with the two young men, who played 
 their part with greater ease and simplicity than 
 the Emperor and Empress. Nicholas was hand- 
 some and with a pleasant countenance — Michael 
 not good-looking and re . ler rough in his manners, 
 yet natural and talkative when he got over his 
 shyness. They both look thorough soldiers. On 
 
220 MY JOURNAL IN RUSSIA 
 
 this occasion, as at Peterhof, our military men were 
 the chief objects of attention. 
 
 On August 26th the Prince and Princesse de 
 Ligne came to dinner. The Prince has taken 
 a small house and does not intend to give any 
 fetes. His Government only gave him ^1,000 
 for the expenses of his Mission. They always 
 choose him for such occasions, as he is rich and 
 does not mind being allowed so little. Prussia 
 manages the matter still more economically, as 
 a Royal Prince is always sent, who is received as 
 a guest at Court and therefore spends nothing. 
 This time Prussia is represented by the Crown 
 Prince of Prussia, the fiancd of our Princess Royal. 
 
 On the 28th we rode with the Ailesburys^ to 
 the Montagne des Moineaux, whence Napoleon first 
 saw Moscow. It commands a beautiful view. 
 
 The 29th was the day fixed for the Emperor's 
 entry. When I got up it was raining hard, 
 but by breakfast-time it had become quite fine. 
 At one o'clock we all set out for the Princesse 
 Kotchoubey's house, to which all the diplomats had 
 been invited to see the procession. In consequence 
 of the stupidity of the chasseur we went past the 
 door, and had to move on into a side-alley to allow 
 M. de Morny's equipages to pass. They were 
 splendid — carriages, horses, and liveries. The state 
 coach was perhaps too grand for the occasion, 
 all glass — which to my mind is only suited to a 
 procession — and the Ambassador was a trifle too 
 regal. He sat alone at the back of his carriage 
 
 ' Second Marquis of Ailesbury ; married Lady Mary, daughter of the 
 eleventh Earl of Pembroke. 
 
i8S6] THE EMPEROR'S ENTRY 221 
 
 with one attach^ sitting opposite and two officers 
 riding on each side. 
 
 We found all the diplomats assembled in a 
 long suite of rooms, which looked into the street 
 where the Emperor was to pass, but owing to some 
 projecting columns the view was not very good. 
 There were some balconies to which the ladies and 
 big-wigs got access. I shared a window with 
 Currie ^ and a Neapolitan Rothschild, who said he 
 thought the whole affair " very stylish." There 
 were about thirty coaches, all magnificent with six 
 horses and gold harness, some fine troops, and a 
 curious cavalcade of the representatives of the 
 Eastern tributaries of Russia. The Emperor wore a 
 simple uniform, and was followed by a brilliant staff 
 The procession took an hour and twenty minutes 
 to go by, and they did not once stop, nor was there 
 any hitch or interval. The worst part of it was 
 the ladies of the Court, who were generally old and 
 ugly. The Empress- Mother ^ looked well and was 
 extremely gracious to the crowd. She preceded 
 the reigning Empress, who sat stiffly in her carriage 
 with her second son by her side, the eldest riding 
 in his father's staff What was wanted to my 
 mind in this magnificent display were some repre- 
 sentatives of the nation. With the exception of 
 the Eastern tributaries, who were probably placed 
 in it on account of their costumes, the procession 
 consisted entirely of military and of people 
 belonging to the Court. The nobility were not 
 represented, nor were the industrial classes. The 
 
 ' The present Lord Currie. 
 
 ' Widow of the Emperor Nicholas I. 
 
222 MY JOURNAL IN RUSSIA 
 
 only exceptions were a dozen men in long shabby 
 coats, who were made to shufifle along on foot 
 between two troops of cavalry, and who seemed 
 to be placed there as it were in derision. These 
 I was told represented the commerce of Moscow. 
 Opposite to our house was drawn up a regiment 
 called Paulovski, formed by the Emperor Paul, all 
 the men having turned-up noses, and therefore 
 resembling him. It seems it was the fashion here 
 to compose regiments of men who have the same 
 sort of features. The late Emperor had recruits 
 sent to him, and told them off according to their 
 looks. What childishness ! There is one regiment 
 of men all marked with the smallpox. This 
 Paulovski regiment did one thing which amused 
 me. Just before the cortege came up they all blew 
 their noses with their fingers at word of command, 
 and this was in order that none of them might 
 sneeze when the Emperor passed, as their doing 
 so would bring him bad luck ! 
 
 On the 30th I drove about with Margaret, 
 leaving cards on the wrong persons. It is difficult 
 to find out where people live, as so many have 
 only taken houses for the occasion, and their 
 addresses are not known. 
 
 On the 31st there was a great review. Lady 
 Stafford, Margaret, Doctor Sandwith and I went 
 in the barouche with four horses, postilions and 
 an outrider, and our equipage was much admired. 
 We got an excellent place, and two Russian 
 officers told us which were the different regiments. 
 Go where you will, you are sure to meet civil 
 people, delighted to be of service. There were 
 
i8s6] A REVIEW 223 
 
 80,000 troops on the ground, all fine-looking, 
 well-equipped men, and the cavalry and artillery- 
 had excellent horses. The Emperor rode full 
 gallop along the line of troops, followed by his 
 staff. Some of our countrymen followed on horse- 
 back. One of them nearly deprived Russia of 
 its ruler through his horse rearing and striking 
 out his forefeet close to him. Another made 
 pirouettes just before the Empress, to every one's 
 amusement. The cavalcade then took their station 
 close to us, and we had a capital view of the 
 troops as they marched by. They were all what 
 we call Household troops, none of which had 
 been in the Crimea. They were kept as a reserve 
 either at Moscow, Warsaw or St. Petersburg. A 
 French general told me that there were great 
 complaints among their officers that none of these 
 Household troops had been sent to the Crimea. 
 On the other hand, it was hard upon those who 
 fought there that they were not represented at 
 these great reviews. I was sorry that General 
 Mouravieff was not there. I am told he is out 
 of favour, in consequence of his having connived 
 at the escape of a spy whom the Government were 
 anxious to get hold of, and that the admiration of 
 him in England has not been of service to him. 
 The finest sight at the review was the final charge 
 of the cavalry, which came full speed towards us 
 in an extended line. That over, we hurried home, 
 :overed with dust but pleased with our day. 
 
 After dinner we went to the Opera-house, which 
 ivas opened for the first time, the old one having 
 been burnt down three years ago. It is the largest 
 
224 MY JOURNAL IN RUSSIA 
 
 theatre in Europe and splendidly decorated. I was 
 sorry to have to come away in the middle of a song 
 of Madame Bosio, in order to get home in time 
 for my sister-in-law's first reception. It was well 
 attended by the diplomatic corps and the most inti- 
 mate of our Russian acquaintances. Three hundred 
 and fifty people came. There was very little 
 beauty among the women. Comtesse Schouvaloff 
 (a daughter of Princesse Kotchoubey), Mademoiselle 
 Panin (a niece of Count Pahlen), and the Princesse 
 Wittgenstein were most to be admired. I have 
 seen so many handsome Russian women in other 
 countries that this dearth of beauty surprised me. 
 I think those I saw must have been exported for 
 show. It is said, too, that in less exalted circles 
 beauty is more prevalent. My brother had ex- 
 pressed some regret at having no portrait of Her 
 Majesty, and Mr. Ker^ undertook to paint one 
 full length from memory.^ He had never done 
 anything of the sort before, and he finished it in 
 nine days. When seen from a distance it had a 
 plausible effect. The Russians expressed admiration 
 for it as a fine work of art. They are so amiable 
 that they will say anything, whether true or false, 
 if they think it will give pleasure. I will give 
 another instance of this custom. They often 
 abused the French to us, making comparisons 
 unfavourable to them. The Frenchmen assured us 
 they did the same to them about us. 
 
 On September the 2nd we were summoned to the 
 Kremlin to be presented to the Empress- Mother. 
 
 ' One of Lord Wodehouse's attaches. 
 
 ' Which was hung up in Lady Granville's room of reception. 
 
56] THE GRAND DUCHESS MARIE 225 
 
 he received us graciously, but appeared very weak, 
 be spoke to us all, but the effort was nearly too 
 uch for her. I came away with an impression 
 
 sadness. That feeble, sickly body covered 
 ith fine clothes and a profusion of diamonds, 
 fered a melancholy contrast. The Coronation 
 ust be to her a painful ceremony, but they say 
 le looks upon it as a religious duty. 
 Afterwards we went without our ladies to the 
 rown Prince of Prussia. He was most cordial, 
 :emed pleased to find himself among Englishmen, 
 id spoke to every one at some length. Several 
 russians were present. I was introduced to Prince 
 adziwill and his son. The latter is engaged to 
 daughter of Madame de Castellane, whom I knew 
 
 Nice as " Baba," 
 
 On September the 20th we were summoned 
 I be presented to the Grand Duchess Marie, 
 hom we had met at Chatsworth. She was very 
 )rdial both to Margaret and to me. She shook 
 e warmly by the hand, which, as I was in- 
 ructed to do, I endeavoured to kiss. I did not 
 icceed, as she kept her hand away with the 
 rength of a lioness. She told me she was so 
 ad to see Margaret again, and urged me to 
 olong our visit in Russia beyond the stay of the 
 mbassy. She has altered in looks and grown 
 tter, but is still handsome. She referred to 
 e pleasure her visit to Chatsworth had given 
 !r. 
 
 Our next and last presentation was to the Grand 
 uchess Catherine. Her dull husband came up 
 
 us first. As old Chatsworth acquaintances, 
 
 15 
 
226 MY JOURNAL IN RUSSIA 
 
 Cavendish ^ and I were prepared for a shake of the 
 hands ; but he did nothing of the sort, but stood 
 opposite, not saying a word. His plain wife was 
 equally formal, and has certainly none of her 
 mother's charm. 
 
 On September the 7th the Coronation took place. 
 A lovely day — an Italian sky without a cloud. The 
 whole diplomatic body met at Morny's at half-past 
 seven in order to go in procession to the Kremlin. 
 The French equipages were very handsome, but 
 my brother had the best horses. Esterhazy's ^ horses 
 were inferior, but their harness was gorgeous, and 
 he had twelve running footmen, which had a good 
 effect. We reached the church without any difficulty, 
 and found tribunes reserved for us in a good 
 situation. 
 
 Soon after our arrival the Emperor entered, 
 preceded by his numerous relatives. First the 
 Em press- Mother, led by her two youngest sons to 
 a seat close to the Empress. The rest were in a 
 line opposite to us. The Grand Duchess Marie 
 was most picturesquely dressed and looked un- 
 commonly well. So did her daughter, who was 
 with her, and whose likeness to her was striking. 
 Constantine remained the whole time at his brother's 
 elbow. The ceremony lasted three hours. It was a 
 touching sight to see the Imperial family, beginning 
 with the Empress- Mother, embrace the Emperor 
 and Empress. They did so with much apparently 
 real affection, and this part of the ceremony was 
 a great contrast to the excessive formality of the 
 
 ' The present Duke of Devonshire. 
 " The Austrian Ambassador. 
 
iS6] GRAVINATAIA PALACE 227 
 
 St of it. There was a general murmur of 
 imiration, and I heard several persons exclaim 
 Comme c'est beau." I shall not attempt to describe 
 e gorgeous church and the beautiful music, 
 othing could be worse than the behaviour of the 
 rps diplomatique, who laughed and talked most 
 
 the time. I saw the Emperor and Constantine 
 ance angrily towards our tribune on several 
 xasions. The English were the best behaved, 
 he Emperor looked unwell and melancholy, and 
 as devoid of dignity. The attitude of the 
 mpress, on the contrary, was most dignified, 
 he had no jewels on her head, except a little 
 amond crown, which was placed there during the 
 iremony. It fell off several times, and for some 
 hile she gave up trying to replace it. She 
 is lovely hair, which, as some one observed, is 
 1 ornament more beautiful than diamonds. 
 
 At the conclusion of the ceremony, whilst the 
 mperor was going the round of the churches in 
 le Kremlin, we made our way to the Gravinataia 
 alace. The enceinte was surrounded with tribunes 
 led with great people in Court finery, the middle 
 )ace being occupied by soldiers and people in every 
 iriety of costume, which, with bells ringing and 
 mds playing, made a most animated scene. In the 
 alace in one of those quaintest of old rooms we 
 und a hot luncheon prepared for the diplomats, 
 here was a table in the middle at which the 
 mbassadors and most of the ladies and persons of 
 iportance sat. After luncheon we stood about 
 large central hall called the Hall of St. Vladimir, 
 he ladies got chairs in a corner, and soon 
 
228 MY JOURNAL IN RUSSIA 
 
 attracted the notice of a large circle of men. Lister 
 suggested that they were looking at the jewelled coat 
 and hat of Esterhazy, who was sitting with them. 
 We then adjourned to the banqueting hall, and had 
 time to examine some very curious old plate set 
 out on the various tables, some lovely salt-cellars 
 on the table reserved for the Emperor, his carved 
 ivory chair and the two chairs studded with tur- 
 quoises destined for the two Empresses. The 
 guests, amongst whom were long-bearded priests 
 and very elderly Court ladies, gradually took their 
 places. Soon the Emperor came in and took his 
 seat between his mother and his wife. Wine was 
 then served to him, which was the signal for our 
 departure. We were hurried out by the chamber- 
 lains in the most undignified manner. While the 
 Emperor dined, his brothers stood behind his chair. 
 The rest of the Imperial Family watched the pro- 
 ceedings from a window near the roof. 
 
 In the evening we drove about to see the 
 illuminations, which made the Kremlin look like 
 a fairy palace. But Moscow generally is less suited 
 for an illumination than towns where the houses 
 are more closely packed. The Embassy was the 
 best lighted house, and a great crowd filled our 
 street all the evening. 
 
 On the night of September the 8th there was 
 a great ball in the Gravinataia Palace, if it can 
 be called a ball at which there was no dancing, 
 only polonaises. We assembled in the room where 
 the great banquet took place on the day of the 
 Coronation. From this old-fashioned room the 
 Imperial Family started on incessant promenades 
 
;6] TODLEBEN— NESSELRODE 229 
 
 •ough the rest of the Palace, each time changing 
 :tners. It gave us a good opportunity of seeing 
 2ry one, and was a pretty sight. Both Granville 
 d Marie were paid great attention to by the 
 ^alties. 
 
 On the loth of September General Todleben, who 
 iducted the defence of Sebastopol, dined with us. 
 rerybody liked him, and his head has been in no- 
 ys turned by the great reputation he has earned, 
 hen the war began he was only a lieutenant- 
 onel unknown and without favour. He had 
 irried the daughter of a Consul, who disapproved 
 the marriage and would not see his son-in-law. 
 hen he returned from Sebastopol, a general 
 i loaded with honours, the Consul relented, and 
 :eived him with open arms. After dinner we 
 nt to the spectacle gala, which the Imperial 
 mily attended. The theatre was lighted al 
 Tno, but not so brilliantly as what I have seen 
 Italy, 
 
 On the 13th I paid a visit to Count Nesselrode. 
 2 was separated from his wife, on account of 
 r liaison with Edmond About in Paris. She 
 leived a hint not to be in Russia during the 
 ronation, but she disregarded it. I saw her at 
 ; French play perched up in the upper tier of 
 xes, not being allowed to have a lower one. 
 IT mother, Madame Zahrenski, is likewise in 
 1 odour, and received a similar hint, of which 
 I likewise has taken no notice. Being the wife 
 the Governor of St. Petersburg, she takes the 
 d at all the fetes, which she does not adorn, 
 ben she dined at the Embassy my brother 
 
230 MY JOURNAL IN RUSSIA 
 
 took her in to dinner, and I found it difficult to 
 persuade any one to sit on the other side of 
 her. 
 
 Count Nesselrode, who is very amusing, talks 
 with apparent openness on many subjects. He 
 speaks of the late Emperor in a way he would 
 not have ventured to do in his lifetime ; and 
 this I find to be the case with several Russians. 
 He says that Nicholas was so bad a judge of 
 men that he never made a good appointment. 
 I expressed my astonishment at his saying so, 
 considering his father's position in the late reign. — 
 " O, mon pere, il I'a trouv^, il ne I'a pas nommi. 
 Aussi c'itait un mariage de raison, pas d" incli- 
 nation. Mon pere lui dtait ddvou4, mais il ny avail 
 pas de sympathie entre eux." — He added that in 
 this respect the son is superior to his father, and 
 that every appointment he had made had been 
 excellent. I said the Grand Duke Constantine was 
 supposed to be the cleverest. — "// a du brillant, 
 mais VEmpereur a du bon sens." — Nesselrode 
 told me that his father's fortune originated in 
 the snuff-boxes which he received as Minister 
 between the years 1812 and 181 5, and which 
 he sold for ^20,000. This sum he invested in 
 land, which has since increased in value to an 
 incredible degree. One estate that he gave 
 ^10,000 for now brings in that sum yearly. 
 
 The next evening we went to see the Camp 
 des Bourgeoises, which, though ill-acted, made me 
 laugh immensely. Godeonoff, the director of all 
 the theatres, allowed it to be acted with some 
 hesitation. He was vexed at receiving on this 
 
56] STATE BALL AT THE KREMLIN 231 
 
 ;casion no cordon. Mademoiselle Cerito^ was lately 
 art by something going wrong in the machinery, 
 hich Godeonoff made light of. Thereupon she 
 lid to him : " Puisquun cordon qui ri arrive pas 
 'esse tant, une corde qui frappe peui bien Hre 
 inibkr 
 
 The following mot was current at the time, 
 lluding to the initials of the two monarchs people 
 lid : " Oil, Nicholas avail des ennemis, Alexandre 
 
 des amis."''' 
 
 On Sunday, the 14th, we were invited to a great 
 tate ball at the Kremlin. Our Protestant ladies 
 referred not to go. Most of the attaches did not 
 lare their scruples, looking upon it as an official 
 uty, but three of them peremptorily refused. As 
 lese three never go to church and went to the 
 ices on Sunday, and as their ways were generally 
 ir from puritanical, my brother was provoked by 
 leir refusal, and gave them a piece of his mind, 
 t was a splendid f^te. The halls of St. George, 
 it. Alexander, and St. Andrew, were filled, but 
 ot crowded. Seventeen hundred people sat down 
 3 supper, and were served as well as if they were 
 nly ten. 
 
 On the 17th of September we went in a large 
 ody to L'Hopilal des En/ants Trouvds. We 
 rere received by directors in uniform and 
 irectresses in silks and laces. The place is said 
 D be admirably managed. A part of the estab- 
 shment is merely a school for the orphans of 
 Government employes, which is kept apart from 
 
 ' The well-known dancer. 
 
 ' It was said of Napoleon III., " // a des ennemis partouV 
 
232 MY JOURNAL IN RUSSIA 
 
 the foundling establishment. Any one may take a 
 child to the latter. The only question asked is 
 whether the child has been baptised. The person 
 bringing it then receives a ticket with a number. 
 On presenting this ticket and on paying a sum of 
 money he may claim back the -child. How much 
 some mothers must cherish this ticket ! What 
 despair if they lose it ! It is acknowledged that 
 many of the children are illegitimate, and it seems 
 to me that the institution must produce much 
 moral evil. Its enormous extension of late years 
 is said to have alarmed the late Emperor. Its 
 defenders point to the infanticide prevalent in 
 England, which they declare does not exist in 
 Russia. 
 
 A party of about thirty fashionables went to 
 Morny's the evening of the i8th. A professional 
 sang rather well and no one applauded her, but 
 when Madame Adlerberg sang out of tune every 
 one was in ecstasy. 
 
 On the 22 nd was the Bal de la Noblesse, held in a 
 magnificent ball-room with columns and galleries. 
 Here again a tribune was reserved for the royalties, 
 to which Margaret was invited, and where she 
 hatched mischief; that is to say, she accepted 
 Morny's offer of a horse for the next day's hunt. 
 For her, who had not ridden for ages, to mount an 
 unknown horse on so trying an occasion as a crowded 
 hunt alarmed me much. Being, however, assured 
 that the horse was like a lamb, and seeing how much 
 she wished it, what could I say ? But I slept very 
 little. All, however, turned out well. Margaret 
 got on famously, riding between Maude and me, 
 
1856] DEVEZIN CONVENT 233 
 
 and her seat on horseback was much admired. I 
 was well mounted on a horse of the Emperor's. 
 The sport was not famous. Many hares, a few 
 tame foxes and a still tamer wolf, all eaten up by 
 the hounds without any run or chance of escape. 
 But the Emperor was pleased and the little 
 Czarewitch much excited, so what could we wish for 
 more ? Besides, the huntsmen in red, the bright uni- 
 forms, and the fine hounds made it a pretty sight. 
 
 One day we drove with Marie to the Devezin 
 Convent. The nuns did her the honours, and 
 left the religious service in which they were engaged 
 in order to follow her about. Custine,^ in his 
 amusing but abusive work on Russia, reflects on 
 the morals of these nuns. They must have been 
 a prettier and younger set than they are now if his 
 account is to be believed, for a more repulsive set of 
 old women I never beheld, and there was nothing 
 in their dress to redeem their ugliness. 
 
 On September the 29th the grand fireworks, the 
 end of all things, took place. The Empress after 
 them tenait cercle, and we all went to make our 
 bows. I took advantage of the opportunity to take 
 a good look at the Emperor. 
 
 Only one day more, which we spent in shopping. 
 My brother and Margaret passed their last evening 
 at the French play. The title of the piece was, 
 " Faut-il que je te pince ? " Margaret did not like 
 it, particularly as she was in an open box, which 
 is very different from a shut one at the Palais 
 Royal. But she could not leave, as she was to 
 
 • Astolphe, Marquis de Custine, born 1793. A celebrated French 
 writer and traveller. He wrote La Russie en i8jg. 
 
234 MY JOURNAL IN RUSSIA 
 
 accompany Granville to Princesse Kotchoubey, 
 who gave a ball, the last, as she had given the first, 
 in Moscow. The Emperor went there alone and 
 impromptu, to flirt with a maid-of-honour he ad- 
 mired. He told Margaret he had seen her at the 
 theatre, and added, "Quelle drole de piece on nous 
 a donnL" 
 
 Our journey back to St. Petersburg was enjoyable, 
 and we were made as comfortable as possible. An 
 attentive guard was constantly opening our door in 
 the night to ask us in Russian what he could do 
 for us. As we none of us understood him, this 
 was a needless disturbance. The chasseur, too, was 
 very zealous. He was sent to fetch Mrs. Page,^ 
 Margaret's maid. She was in a carriage with no 
 steps and five feet from the ground. The chasseur, 
 nothing daunted, took her by the waist and 
 threw her like a bundle into the air, kicking and 
 struggling in vain, whilst Mrs. Malcolm, Marie's 
 maid, kept calling to her not to make the attempt. 
 This was the last thing she wished to do, but 
 the Russian chasseur did not think of consulting 
 her wishes. 
 
 On the evening of our arrival at St. Petersburg 
 we all supped at a restaurant, where we were given 
 some specimens of Russian cookery, which were 
 not bad. Next day we and the Ailesburys went by 
 rail to Tsarskoe Selo, which is a poor imitation of 
 Versailles. It was a lovely autumn day, the leaves 
 golden and the sky blue, and we were pleased 
 with our drive about the place. 
 
 ' A devoted friend and servant, vyho was for sixty-two years in my 
 wife's service and my own. 
 
i8s6] WE LEAVE RUSSIA 235 
 
 That evening we went with the Granvilles and 
 Acton to dine with the Grand Duchess Helene. 
 She has a fine palace, fiarnished with more comfort 
 and taste than is usual in Russia. It was a small, 
 pleasant dinner. The table was narrow enough 
 for people to talk across it. They are reckoned 
 the most agreeable dinners in St. Petersburg. Our 
 hostess conversed with me some time, and I in- 
 dulged in a little mild Radical talk, which she 
 did not mind. I told her free discussion was 
 everywhere a safety valve. She wished to know 
 what English she would find at Nice this winter, 
 and asked me whether Lady Ashburton was 
 young or old. I answered, " Neither one nor the 
 other."—" Is she fifty ? "— " About."—" Then I 
 know what you think of my age." — I said nothing, 
 as she looks older, but my Chatsworth friend 
 stepped forward and rebuked her for so calumni- 
 ating herself. 
 
 A few days later we took leave of Russia. I 
 felt quite at home again on board the Acre. At 
 Kiel we parted with many. The Granvilles went 
 thence to Carlsbad, where he was to complete his 
 cure, and which they will have all to themselves. 
 They were both in great spirits, relieved at Moscow 
 being over, and justly pleased with the success of 
 their Embassy. We accompanied them to Hamburg, 
 where we spent three days. I was glad to see it, 
 with its fine modern streets and its picturesque old 
 town. The look of comfort and well-being in the 
 inhabitants struck us much after Russia, where 
 there are comparatively few well-dressed pedestrians 
 to be seen in the street. 
 
236 MY JOURNAL IN RUSSIA 
 
 Our party continues to dwindle. Maude is 
 hurrying home to his wife, Lincoln to his Oxford 
 examinations. Lister and Ponsonby are on their 
 way to the Hanseatic towns in search, as usual, 
 of the picturesque. Cavendish, Dalkeith, Seymour, 
 Ashley, and Sir Richard King are all that remain 
 to come home with us by sea. Our voyage was 
 without incident. Lovely weather most of the time 
 till we were within sight of England, when we 
 were uncomfortably tossed about. Cavendish had 
 the jaundice, which he bore with resignation. Our 
 most intimate companion was a seal,^ which became 
 quite tame, the sailors carrying him about in their 
 arms. What good fellows they are ! One of them 
 died at Cronstadt, and his things were sold on 
 board for his widow's benefit, his fellow sailors 
 paying extravagant prices for them to give her 
 greater assistance. We reached Spithead on 
 October 17, and so ends my cursory account of 
 this very pleasant episode in my life. 
 
 ■ Bought by Sir Robert Peel at Hamburg. 
 
ELECTIONS 
 
 1847-80 
 
 IN the summer of 1847 Lord Bessborough died, 
 and his son, Lord Duncannon, who was member 
 for Derby, succeeded to the peerage, thereby 
 creating a vacancy in that borough. Up to that 
 time some member of the Cavendish family had 
 always held one of the seats, and my uncle on this 
 occasion gave me his support. He wrote to me 
 with regard to it : 
 
 " I am so very happy that you are pleased, and 
 your letter has gratified me very much. It is quite 
 true that you are the only person to whom I should 
 consent to prolong that sort of interest with 
 Derby." 
 
 All the workmen in the town were Chartists, 
 and one of their body stood against me. The 
 consequence was that at the nomination nearly 
 every hand was held up in favour of my opponent. 
 The Mayor, who was a Tory, but preferred even 
 a Whig to a Chartist, sternly cried out, " Non- 
 electors, put down your hands ! " They, taken 
 by surprise, obeyed him, and there remained a 
 sprinkling of hands in my favour. Thereupon he 
 decided that I had got the show of hands. The 
 
 237 
 
238 ELECTIONS 
 
 Chartists demanded a poll, but being unable to 
 produce the requisite guarantee money, the Mayor 
 declared me elected. I fancy his proceeding was 
 illegal ; at all events, as the Chartists could not be 
 made to obey him, if they had kept their hands 
 up, the show of hands could not have been 
 declared in my favour.^ 
 
 I returned to London and did not mind the abuse 
 I met with in some quarters for my advanced 
 opinions. All I know is that every measure I then 
 promised to vote for, with one exception, has since 
 become law. 
 
 A General Election occurred the next year, the 
 Tories and Chartists in Derby having in the mean- 
 time agreed to exchange their votes. I stood with 
 the old member, Mr. Strutt, and although it was 
 a sharp fight we won. But alas ! our triumph was 
 short-lived. Our agent, following the usual course, 
 had engaged voters as messengers. So little did 
 he imagine that it was illegal that he paid for their 
 services openly, and therefore, the evidence being 
 clear, the House of Commons Committee the 
 following year had no option but to unseat us. It 
 was a hard case, as there was no treating and the 
 election had been a pure one. Our joint expenses 
 did not exceed eight hundred pounds, much less 
 than what was in those days usually spent on 
 elections. It was particularly vexatious for my 
 colleague, whose seat was never in jeopardy ; but 
 
 ' Nominations and shows of hands were soon afterwards done away 
 with at elections, which made them much more peaceful. 
 
1847-80] ELECTION AT STOKE 239 
 
 he bore it with great good-humour. He soon 
 afterwards represented Nottingham, and in 1856 
 was created Lord Belper. 
 
 At the General Election in 1852 I, in conjunction 
 with Mr. Ricardo, opposed at Stoke-upon-Trent 
 Alderman Copeland, the other sitting member. 
 It was a hard fight. The Alderman had great 
 influence in the Potteries, and was backed up by 
 most of the other leading manufacturers. Mr. 
 Minton, however, who was the principal one, 
 was an exception and gave me his strenuous 
 support. The Duke of Sutherland was also my 
 well-wisher, and frequently during the contest wrote 
 to me to ascertain how I was getting on. But 
 his agent, Mr. Loch, shook his head and assured 
 me, without convincing me, that some return to 
 Protection was essential. The working-men had 
 then no votes. In many streets the publicans 
 were the only electors, but the working-men were 
 enthusiastic for Free Trade, and won the election 
 for us by threatening the publicans and shop- 
 keepers to withdraw their custom unless they 
 promised to vote for us. Their enthusiasm delighted 
 me, whereupon my colleague observed that there 
 was nothing like beer to create it. I had begged, 
 however, that there should be no treating, and 
 was much concerned to see how much drunkenness 
 prevailed on the day of the poll. There was 
 some talk of a petition, but nothing came of it. 
 
 My colleague, who was a nephew of his namesake, 
 the celebrated economist, was clever and amusing, 
 
240 ELECTIONS 
 
 but not ill-described as " Louis Ricardo, so full of 
 bravado." Five years later the Alderman had his 
 revenge. He was returned at the head of the poll, 
 leaving me a bad third. This was owing to the 
 respective votes of Ricardo and myself about the 
 Chinese War. I, unwillingly, voted for it, and 
 Ricardo voted against it, thus causing a split in 
 our party of which I was the victim, although 
 I had given the popular vote. If I had stood 
 independently I should have been returned, but it 
 would have been by the help of the Tories. 
 
 The Alderman's first entry into political life had 
 been a curious one. He sat in Parliament as 
 the nominee of O'Connell for an Irish borough, 
 and voted for Repeal. He was, I believe, the 
 only Englishman who ever did so. But when he 
 became member for Stoke he had grown into a 
 full-blown Tory. In justice to him I may say 
 that when I came in contact with him he stuck 
 manfully to his principles, and did not, in order 
 to catch votes, profess any which he did not 
 believe in, a proceeding which appears every day 
 to become more common. 
 
 In the course of the following autumn a vacancy 
 for the representation of Paisley occurred. I was 
 persuaded to go there as a candidate. The late 
 Commissioner Kerr, who was then a rising barrister, 
 most kindly offered to accompany me and be my 
 dry-nurse during my canvass. A Scotch gentleman, 
 Mr. Lamont, who afterwards became well known in 
 London, likewise came forward, professing the same 
 
1847-80] ELECTION AT PAISLEY 341 
 
 politics as I did. I remained in Paisley three weeks. 
 My prospects appeared fairly good, when Mr, Crum 
 Ewing, a former Member for the borough, where 
 he was very popular, after refusing to stand, was 
 ultimately induced to do so, which obliged Mr. 
 Lament and myself to withdraw.^ I did not regret 
 the three weeks I spent there ; it was a pleasant 
 time. I learnt much about Scottish politics, and I 
 liked the Paisley bodies, a name given them rather 
 contemptuously in the rest of Scotland. Their 
 intelligence was superior to what I generally met 
 with either in Derby or Stoke. They knew much 
 that was going on in the world, and discussed very 
 well the various questions of the day. They were 
 most cordial to me, and with the kindest intentions 
 pressed me to drink more whiskey than I could 
 well carry. I however resisted their importunity. 
 Their principal objection to me was my nationality. 
 The Scotch were on that point very illiberal, for 
 although several Scotchmen then sat for English 
 constituencies, Mr. Edward Bouverie was the only 
 Englishman who represented one in Scotland. 
 On one occasion I pleaded that my grandmother 
 was Scotch, which made some one in the crowd 
 stand up at the end of my speech and say, " We 
 should like to hear something more about that 
 grandmother." Another objection to me was my 
 connection with the Sutherland family. It was 
 strange that, after the lapse of so many years, what 
 were known as the Sutherland evictions were still 
 
 ' His son has just been elected for Buteshire. 
 
 16 
 
242 ELECTIONS 
 
 so keenly resented. I urged that those events 
 occurred long before I was born, and that my family 
 was only connected by marriage with the Countess 
 of Sutherland.^ I however added that I believed 
 those evictions, although possibly carried out rather 
 harshly, were determined on with a view to improve 
 the condition of the people, an improvement which 
 was certainly brought about. 
 
 My warmest supporter was Lord Glasgow, who 
 lived within a short distance of the borough. He 
 was eccentric, but popular, particularly in the racing 
 community. He was a Tory, but hated Disraeli, 
 and had a great regard for my brother, for which 
 reasons he was anxious for my success. Every 
 morning he walked into the town to learn how 
 matters stood. I occasionally dined and slept at 
 his house ; excellent food, but dull evenings. He 
 was not on speaking terms with his wife. They 
 sat at opposite ends of a long table, and alternately 
 spoke to me, but never exchanged a word with 
 each other. He was hot-tempered, and once flew 
 into a passion at the railway station, when the 
 booking-clerk asked him to write his name on the 
 back of the bank-note he was presenting, and, ob- 
 serving what he had written, cried out to him, 
 " You fool ! Write your name, and not the town 
 you live in ! " 
 
 In course of time, after my life of seclusion 
 
 > The second Marquis of Stafford, who was created Duke of 
 Sutherland in 1833, and was my father's half-brother; he married in 
 1785 Elizabeth, Countess of Sutherland in her own right. 
 
i847-8o] M.P. FOR BODMIN 243 
 
 referred to in the next chapter, my brother induced 
 me to try to get back to the House of Commons. 
 Through the intervention of Mr. Hayter, the Whip, 
 Mr. Robartes, the Member for the Eastern Division 
 of Cornwall, offered to get me returned for Bodmin. 
 He had considerable property in that borough, and 
 was besides much esteemed there, which enabled 
 him to secure at least one of the two seats for 
 any one he recommended. There never was a more 
 considerate patron, and nothing could exceed his 
 unvarying kindness. We held the same political 
 views, as he was a convinced Free Trader, an enemy 
 of all monopoly and privilege, and in every respect 
 a thorough- going Liberal. His tastes were very 
 simple, and he spent but little of his great 
 wealth on himself. He rarely saw any company, 
 which made the Tories describe his lovely old 
 place, Lanhydrock, as a house without cheer, a 
 park without deer, and a cellar without beer ; and 
 yet he was one of the most generous of men. 
 His acts of charity were boundless, all carried out 
 without ostentation, with the concurrence of his 
 admirable wife. An old friend of his used to say 
 that his charity was all the more meritorious 
 because he hated to give away money ; and I am 
 inclined to agree with this and to think that in the 
 same way that a coward who on a field of battle 
 behaves well is a hero, so more credit is due to 
 the man who, hating to spend money, gives it 
 freely, than to the spendthrift, who parts with it 
 readily because he loves expenditure. 
 
244 ELECTIONS 
 
 I was always allowed to put up at Lanhydrock 
 in the absence of the owners, as well as when 
 they were there. There was not much luxury, but 
 its simple comforts were perhaps preferable to the 
 silks and satins of other places. The charm of the 
 place was its picturesque avenue, its beautiful 
 park, its fine old gate-way and splendid gallery. 
 
 In 1869 a peerage was conferred on Mr. 
 Robartes, to the great satisfaction of the Cornish 
 Liberals. I do not think he would have cared for 
 a baronetcy. He told me that his uncle. Lord 
 Clifden, once said to him : " Thomas, whatever 
 misfortunes befall you in life, do not add to them 
 by becoming a baronet." 
 
 As soon as I had made up my mind on the 
 subject, I went down to Bodmin to offer myself 
 as a candidate. My brother-in-law, Lord William 
 Compton,^ to whom -I was much attached and who 
 was the most delightful companion, agreed to ac- 
 company me and help me in my canvass. Soon, 
 with his cheery sailor manners, he became so popular 
 that I said to him one day in jest, " You have 
 come to help me, but you will end by supplanting 
 me." One of our first visits was to Lady Moles- 
 worth, who was living at her place, Pencarrow, 
 which was only three miles from the borough. We 
 were at first refused admittance, being probably 
 taken for county neighbours, and were told that 
 Lady Molesworth could not receive us, as she was 
 ill in bed. We had not, however, gone far from 
 
 t Afterwards fourth Parcjuis of Northampton, 
 
1847-80] CORNISH HOSPITALITY 245 
 
 the house when the footman overtook us by a 
 short cut, and said his mistress would be glad to 
 see us. We found her in the library in perfect 
 health, conversing with a few friends. Ever since 
 that day the doors of that hospitable house were 
 open to me. Each autumn it was filled with much 
 of what is called the best society in London. 
 Wit, beauty and fashion abounded there, and there 
 was Royalty in the persons of the Comte and 
 Comtesse de Paris and the Due d'Aumale. Some- 
 times the house could not hold us all, and once 
 I was made to sleep in a bothy next door to 
 some snoring gardeners, who kept me awake all 
 night. I was not much appeased when at break- 
 fast next day my hostess asked me how I had 
 borne my out-door relief. I must add that she 
 apologised when she saw my displeasure, and 
 that never again was I subjected to such ill- 
 usage. It would have been so easy to let me go 
 back and sleep in my Bodmin lodgings. 
 
 Lady Molesworth was always true to my in- 
 terests in the borough, although surrounded by 
 those who at one time did not wish me well on 
 account of my devotion to Gladstone, and who 
 got up the last opposition to me as related else- 
 where. 
 
 It would take volumes to describe all the 
 kindness I met with, both in town and country, 
 during my long connection with Cornwall. Politics 
 made no difference. The Tories were well dis- 
 posed towards me, which might have been different 
 
246 ELECTIONS 
 
 if any Cornish country gentleman had stood against 
 me ; but they had no sympathy with any of my 
 successive opponents, who were not to their 
 Hking. One, a local doctor, who was deservedly 
 popular because of his kindness to the poor; 
 another a not very distinguished lawyer ; a third 
 a renegade Radical ; then a rather unscrupulous 
 demagogue ; and lastly a Scotchman, who could 
 not get accepted by any Scotch constituency. 
 
 Lord Vivian, the Lord- Lieutenant of the county, 
 who was good-looking, clever and agreeable, was 
 a favourite in his own immediate circle, but outside 
 it he was not popular on account of his ungovern- 
 able temper. He once told me he was aware of 
 this infirmity and much regretted his inability to 
 overcome it, an admission his friends declared he 
 had never before made. Mr. Henry Baring, driving 
 through the town on his way to Pencarrow, heard 
 the church bells ringing and asked the cause. It 
 was to celebrate the Lord- Lieutenant's defeat in a 
 lawsuit. But it is fair to add that it was won by 
 the Corporation. 
 
 Lady Vivian, on the contrary, was universally 
 popular. When I first saw her she was, curiously 
 enough, a grand-daughter and also a grandmother. 
 Her grandmother and mother were alive, and her 
 handsome daughter, Mrs. Tremayne, had a child. 
 
 Lord Vivian was nominally a Whig, but in opinion 
 a Conservative. However, in my earlier contests 
 he gave me his support, and was always very 
 good to me. On my first going down to stand. 
 
1847-80] LORD VIVIAN 247 
 
 he gave me some letters of introduction to three 
 of his friends. I met them, and imagining them 
 to be Liberals I thought they would be pleased 
 with my political opinions. But they did not seem 
 so, and when I said I was in favour of the Ballot 
 one of them exclaimed, " The devil you are ! " The 
 fact was that they were Tories at heart, but they 
 eschewed their own opinions, and we made friends 
 and remained so ever afterwards. They first 
 supported me because they disliked the little doctor 
 who was my opponent, and as I was recommended 
 by Lord Vivian they could not believe me to be 
 a very bad politician. 
 
 One day when I was out shooting with Lord 
 Vivian he said to one of his tenants, at whose 
 house we had lunched, that he hoped he voted 
 for me. — " Yes, my lord, of course I do ; I am 
 a thorough-going Radical." — " A thorough-going 
 Radical! How dare you say that to me!" Then 
 followed an amount of abuse that made me fear 
 my supporter might receive a notice to quit the 
 next day. 
 
 I was always made welcome at Boconnoc, the 
 residence of Mr. Fortescue, who had married my 
 cousin, Lady Louisa Ryder. It was then lent to 
 him by his aunt. Lady Grenville, who subsequently 
 bequeathed it to him. He was a most charming 
 man, and had in his bachelor days been a much- 
 sought-after dandy. Not being well off, he lived 
 very quietly, and went little into general society ; 
 but he delighted in talking to me about his early 
 
248 ELECTIONS 
 
 friends, some of whom I was old enough to 
 remember. He was, as befitted a nephew of Lord 
 Grenville, an ardent Free Trader, and although 
 differing from Mr. Robartes on other points, 
 strenuously supported him when he stood for the 
 Eastern Division of Cornwall. 
 
 I had also many valued friends in Bodmin. 
 During my long connection with it I became 
 ntimate with the Chief Constable, Colonel Gilbert, 
 and his wife. I much liked them both. They 
 lived in a small country house, adjoining the town, 
 named The Priory, which during those many 
 years they made my home whenever it suited me. 
 It was the place of rendez-vous of the county 
 magistrates, and the 4lite of Cornish society fre- 
 quented it. Many were the pleasant evenings that 
 I spent there. The Colonel was a nephew of 
 General Gilbert, who distinguished himself in the 
 Punjab, and was moreover a descendant of Sir 
 Walter Raleigh. Another friend of mine was Mr. 
 Hicks, who was at the head of the County Asylum. 
 Besides being an excellent man of business, he was 
 accomplished both as a draughtsman and as a 
 musician, and knew a number of amusing Cornish 
 stories, which he told so inimitably that they would 
 bear to be constantly repeated. He was a visitor 
 at most of the country houses, and thus broke 
 down in his own person the absurd barrier which 
 in the provincial world separates what is called 
 " county society " from the inhabitants of the 
 towns. Mr. Hicks always allowed me to canvass 
 
1847-80] FRIENDS IN BODMIN 249 
 
 the warders in the asylum. On these occasions the 
 patients surrounded me and seemed to take an 
 interest in the proceedings. When I once said to 
 one of the officials who happened to be a Tory 
 that they seemed friendly, he observed, "Certainly, 
 and I am convinced that if they had votes every 
 one of them would vote for you." 
 
 The aged Rector of Bodmin was an antiquarian 
 and much interested in everything relating to 
 Cornwall. I was assured that he would vote 
 for me because I was a descendant of Sir Bevil 
 Granville, the Cornish hero ; but he failed to do so. 
 His successor was an Irish clergyman who wished 
 to carry out some of his High Church views. I 
 told him that if he did not take care he would get 
 into hot water. — " Sure, it is hot water I like to 
 be in." — He boasted of his extreme tolerance. 
 " Mr. Russell, the Wesleyan minister, is a worthy 
 man, and I can assure you that meeting him in 
 Truro the other day I shook hands with him. Of 
 course, I could not do so in my own parish. 
 Moreover, I did not object to the presence of the 
 Independent minister in this room, where he came 
 to a meeting to discuss the temperance question, 
 in which I take a lively interest." I own these 
 two instances of tolerance did not much impress 
 me. 
 
 My agent, Mr. Collins, who was always vigilant 
 in my interests, amused me by begging me to sit 
 in Colonel Gilbert's pew instead of the Corpora- 
 tion's, because as it faced the altar I could not 
 
2SO ELECTIONS 
 
 then betray any preference by turning to the east 
 or refraining from doing so during the recital of the 
 Creed, and would thus avoid offending either the 
 High or Low Church party. 
 
 I must not overlook in the list of my friends 
 Mr. Stokes, the Clerk of the Peace, a highly 
 cultivated and noble-minded gentleman, for whom 
 I had especial regard. He published a good deal 
 of poetry, which was appreciated in the county, 
 partly owing to its strong local feeling, but which 
 was never much read beyond its borders. I asked 
 my London bookseller whether he had sold many 
 copies. — " A fair number, but all to you." 
 
 The constituency during my connection with it 
 was thoroughly Liberal. Jingoism never prevailed 
 there. But I do not say. that every one was en- 
 lightened. Soon after my first arrival at Bodmin 
 the railway was opened between it and Plymouth. 
 This caused the gentry in the neighbourhood to 
 make their purchases in Devonport instead of in 
 Bodmin. Thereupon a warm supporter of mine 
 asked me whether this was not a great shame, 
 and whether I could not introduce a Bill to prevent 
 it. I said the idea seemed to me excellent, but was 
 perhaps a little difficult to carry out. Nevertheless, 
 I now commend it to our modern Protectionists. 
 At another time nearly all the shopkeepers came 
 to complain to me of Civil Servants being allowed 
 to establish stores, thereby competing with honest 
 traders. My agent did not mend matters when 
 he said that it was a horrid shame that persons 
 
1847-80] (REFORM BILL OF 1867 251 
 
 who considered themselves gentlemen should de- 
 mean themselves by standing behind counters, an 
 observation which was not much appreciated by 
 the tradesmen he was addressing, who, however, 
 were rather amused by it. 
 
 There were many other Bodmin friends whom 
 1 should like to mention, but I fear the list has 
 already been too long. I will only say that I 
 entertain a most pleasing impression of my relations 
 with my constituents, who, with scarcely any 
 exception, treated me very well. On the other 
 hand, it saddens me to be reminded, whilst drawing 
 up the list, how very few of them have survived. 
 This is the chief drawback of a very long life. 
 
 The Reform Bill of 1867 deprived Bodmin of 
 one of its members, which caused me at the 
 following election to fight single-handed against 
 my former colleague, Mr. Wyld, who, luckily for 
 me, had lately given some Tory votes. Being 
 defeated, he brought in a petition against my 
 return, with what object I cannot say, as he had 
 no case. All I know is that on the eve of the 
 trial he offered to withdraw the petition on my 
 paying him no less a sum than ;^2,ooo. This 
 of course I refused to do. The Judge, in deciding 
 in my favour, said that from all the evidence 
 brought forward, he came to the conclusion that 
 Bodmin was one of the purest boroughs in England. 
 That had not been its reputation in former years. 
 It was rather scandalous that although full costs 
 were given to me, the trial cost me no less than 
 
252 ELECTIONS 
 
 ;^i,ooo — SO true is it that to obtain justice in 
 our Courts of Law is often a very costly pro- 
 ceeding. As the only weapon which I feared 
 might be used against me was perjury, I engaged 
 Sergeant Ballantyne, who was considered the best 
 cross-examiner at the Bar. My supporters were 
 disappointed by his not making a fiery oration. 
 I told him this, when he said it was better, with 
 a good case, to leave it in the hands of the Judge. 
 But according to Bowen, afterwards Chief Justice, 
 who was the Junior Counsel, the real reason was 
 that the Sergeant had not looked at his brief 
 before he entered the Court. Ballantyne was 
 very clever, but utterly unscrupulous, Bowen was 
 superior to him in every respect, and gradually 
 became appreciated as one of the most delightful 
 men of his day. I have never forgotten his smile 
 of congratulation to me when the Judge in the 
 course of his speech intimated that his decision 
 would be in my favour. 
 
 In the General Election of 1874, which was so 
 disastrous to the Liberal party, I succeeded in 
 retaining my seat. Mrs. Grote on this occasion 
 wrote to me as follows : 
 
 " The dissolution came upon us like a bombshell. 
 In my humble opinion it was wisely done, con- 
 sidering the disjointed condition of the party and 
 the wavering opinions of the more general public 
 outside. Remembering, as I do, the active and 
 earnest feeling formerly current thirty years ago 
 respecting politics, I am made more sensible of 
 the transition to a state of comparative indifference 
 
1847-80] MY LAST ELECTION 253 
 
 which daily observation brings before me. An 
 old friend, an inhabitant of West Kent and having 
 votes in five counties, was with me yesterday for 
 a couple of hours. ' I shall vote for West Kent,' 
 he said, 'but not for any other place. It seems 
 to me that the smaller Mr. G.'s majority, the 
 less risk we run of farther violent changes,' and 
 so forth. I fancy this is no unfair example of 
 the feeling among old Liberals of an instructed 
 stamp. The issue lies, in fact, between the Glad- 
 stone rashness and the Conservative inaction ; no 
 wonder the nation feels but slightly interested in 
 deciding it." 
 
 In a letter written after my election she said : 
 
 " What a tornado we have experienced in the 
 political atmosphere ! The working of ' the repre- 
 sentative system ' has seldom been displayed in a 
 more unsatisfactory shape, I must say. However, 
 Bodmin has done its duty amid the strife, and 
 this is a real comfort to your faithful servant and 
 neighbour." 
 
 My last contest, in 1880, was the most severe. 
 A foolish fellow with more money than brains 
 came down to oppose me, professing at first Jingo 
 opinions. But finding that they were unacceptable 
 to the constituency he gradually adopted all my 
 views. The Tories in spite of this paid me the 
 compliment of refusing to support me. They were 
 joined by all the riff-raff in the place, attracted by 
 my opponent's lavish expenditure, which amounted 
 to several thousand pounds. It was highly 
 creditable to this small community, where wealth 
 did not abound and the temptation to take a bribe 
 
254 ELECTIONS 
 
 was great, that the majority remained true to their 
 principles and placed me again at the head of the 
 poll. During the polling my opponent offered to 
 bet me a thousand pounds that he would be 
 returned, but, although confident of victory, I had 
 not the pluck to accept the bet. I might have 
 said to him what Mr. Sheridan said to an opponent 
 who threatened to knock out his brains, that he 
 would advise him if he did so to pick them up, 
 as he was sadly in want of them. 
 
HOUSE OF COMMONS 
 1847-85 
 
 I AM ashamed to say that during the thirty- 
 three years I sat in the House of Commons 
 I took but a small share in its proceedings. 
 When my brother remonstrated with me I pleaded 
 diffidence, but he ascribed it to indolence. There 
 was some truth in both these views. It might 
 almost be said that I was one of the numerous 
 class of silent Members who, in the opinion of 
 many people, particularly of the Whips, are more 
 desirable legislators than many who are more 
 loquacious. With a few exceptions my speeches 
 referred to questions connected with Political 
 Economy. My first was in favour of the principle 
 of Limited Liability, for which I got reproved by 
 the great capitalist, Lord Overstone. Experience 
 has proved how much mistaken he was and how 
 marvellously the country has benefited by its 
 adoption. 
 
 Lord Overstone was however always very good 
 to me. Mrs. Grote wrote to me of him, " I had 
 a long confab with Lord Overstone on Friday. He 
 is one of the wisest talkers I know, and eke an 
 honest citizen." He proposed me as a candidate 
 
 2SS 
 
2S6 HOUSE OF COMMONS 
 
 for the Political Economy Club. I myself pro- 
 posed for it Mr. Arthur Balfour, who, apart 
 from politics, has always been a general favourite. 
 Soon after his election he read to the Club, as 
 in duty bound, a paper in which he discussed 
 the question of trade following the flag, which 
 he himself strongly affirmed. His views were 
 generally condemned, and I do not think he 
 was pleased with the reception they met with. 
 Since then I never saw him at any of our 
 meetings. If he had continued to attend them 
 he might have formed more decided views on 
 such subjects than he seems now to entertain. 
 
 My next speech was when I seconded the 
 Address on the meeting of Parliament in the autumn 
 of 1854 in the midst of the Crimean War. My 
 duty was to interview previously Lord John 
 Russell, who was then the Leader of the House, 
 in order to receive his instructions. His words 
 were few. " I am glad you are going to second 
 the Address. You will know what to say. Good 
 morning." This was flattering, but a little more 
 guidance would have been acceptable. 
 
 I began by regretting that as far as I was 
 aware, it was the first time that a speech from 
 the throne alluded to only one topic, and I still 
 remember the hearty cheer with which Mr. Bright 
 greeted this remark. I then described the terrible 
 sufferings of our soldiers and the resignation with 
 which they bore them, consoling themselves with 
 the reflection that they had fought and suffered 
 
i847-8s] LORD FREDERICK CAVENDISH 257 
 
 on behalf of their country. I was afterwards 
 gratified to hear that these few words had caused 
 a dear relative of mine to shed tears. But she 
 had a tender heart, and was easily moved when 
 she heard of the sufferings of others. 
 
 On another occasion I was most unfortunate. A 
 debate on Italian affairs was coming on, for which 
 I had prepared an elaborate oration, collecting for 
 it many materials. On my way to the House I 
 called at the Privy Council Office to talk the 
 matter over with Frederick Cavendish, who was 
 my brother's private secretary. Unfortunately I 
 left my notes on his table, and when called upon 
 to speak, I felt for them in my pocket and found 
 it empty. My distress was great. I could not 
 sit down again, and was forced to struggle on as 
 I best could without any help from my notes. 
 The result was deplorable, and I was not consoled 
 by the Italian Minister being good-natured enough 
 to bestow upon my speech a few phrases of 
 conventional praise. 
 
 Lord Frederick Cavendish, who was murdered 
 in Phoenix Park, was as good as he was able, 
 and his sad death was a loss to his country. I 
 used to say of him that he was one of the few 
 persons I ever knew who might always think aloud, 
 he was so amiable and guileless. 
 
 Although they were humble performances, I 
 have had the satisfaction to find, on referring to 
 my speeches, that with one or two exceptions I still 
 agree with the views they contain. I however 
 
 17 
 
2s8 HOUSE OF COMMONS 
 
 think that I made a mistake in opposing the 
 purchase of the telegraph companies by the Govern- 
 ment, as I am now convinced that the public in 
 that instance has been better served than had it 
 been left in the hands of private companies. This 
 is an exception to the sound rule that such under- 
 takings are best left to private individuals. But 
 I always was true to the principles of Free Trade. 
 In one debate Mr. Disraeli, following me, tauntingly 
 observed that my speech was the only Free Trade 
 speech that had been made from the benches 
 opposite to him. 
 
 Mr. Gladstone twice offered me important posts, 
 one of Chief Whip, the other of Postmaster- 
 General, both of which I refused, because I thought 
 there were others who, from greater attention to 
 their duties, deserved promotion sooner than 
 myself. I am certain that Mr. Gladstone would 
 not have made me these offers if he had not 
 thought me sufficiently competent to perform the 
 work required of me, but I doubted whether such 
 would be the general opinion, and I feared it would 
 be thought a job. 
 
 My chief work in Parliament was to act as 
 Chairman of Railway Committees, a post which I 
 occupied for some years. It rather interested and 
 amused me. The Parliamentary Bar were with 
 a few exceptions excellent fellows, clever and 
 entertaining, chaffing each other pleasantly and 
 assuming when needful airs of indignation ; all 
 were elated, I fancy, by the thought of the 
 
1847-85] LIBERALS AND TORIES 259 
 
 large fees they were earning. I cannot say much 
 for the tribunal itself. The chairmen often differ 
 with each other about railway policy, some of them 
 being in favour of competition, others thinking most 
 of the interests of landowners and shareholders. 
 This causes an uncertainty as to the decisions which 
 may be arrived at, and thus encourages litigation. 
 And then the terrible expense. I sat six weeks 
 over a bill for a short railway, and was told that 
 it cost the company a hundred thousand pounds 
 to get it through Parliament, as they were opposed 
 by all the largest railway companies in the 
 kingdom. The result of this expense is that the 
 existing companies enjoy a practical monopoly, 
 and, in the absence of competition or of the fear 
 of it, become neglectful of the interests of the 
 community. 
 
 The amount of useful legislation carried out 
 during the period in which I was a Member of 
 the House of Commons is very remarkable, and 
 it is to the credit of the Liberal party that although 
 the Tories carried out many reforms, it was 
 with the help of their opponents, who initiated 
 most of them ; and it is satisfactory to find that 
 with the exception of the last Education Act, 
 few attempts have been made to reverse these 
 reforms. I once met Sir Robert Inglis at dinner, 
 an amiable man but an uncompromising Tory. 
 Being asked whether it had not been grievous to 
 him to see so many measures carried out which 
 he had strongly denounced, he admitted that it 
 
26o HOUSE OF COMMONS 
 
 was so, but that his consolation was that he and 
 his friends had done their best to hang heavy on 
 the wings of time, that they had defeated some 
 ill-advised proposals, and that they had retarded 
 others. 
 
SOCIETY 
 
 FROM 1856 ONWARDS 
 
 MY married life, which was one of uninter- 
 rupted happiness, only lasted five years, 
 coming suddenly to an end in 1858. This is a 
 subject which I am unwilling to dwell upon, and 
 will therefore content myself with this simple 
 reference to it. Of course, as a married man I 
 went much less into society than when I was a 
 bachelor. We made several trips abroad, but 
 chiefly resided in London. We also paid visits 
 to our near relations in their stately houses in the 
 country. We had the pleasure of meeting at 
 Chatsworth the Grand Duchess Marie of Russia, 
 who was the daughter of the Emperor Nicholas, 
 and the widow of the Due de Leuchtenberg. She 
 was very agreeable, and I had much conversation 
 with her, as most of the other guests were ill at 
 ease in French, which was the language she 
 preferred. Our chief topic was the conduct of 
 Louis Napoleon, about which we agreed. But 
 one day she said, " We have abused him sufficiently. 
 You must not forget that he was my husband's 
 first cousin." I fancy however that praise of him 
 would have been still more distasteful to her. 
 
 261 
 
262 SOCIETY 
 
 In the course of 1858 I took up my abode with 
 my mother at the Chiswick villa, which my uncle 
 with kindly thoughtfulness had left to her for life. 
 It is, as is well known, a beautiful place. The 
 house was built by the first Lord Burlington, who 
 also built Burlington House and was the friend 
 of Pope. His daughter married the fourth Duke 
 of Devonshire. Two Prime Ministers, Fox and 
 Canning, ended their lives there. My little boy 
 and I lived in it with my mother during the 
 remainder of her life. She loved him dearly, and 
 delighted in his babble as he learnt to talk, and 
 declared she had no more agreeable acquaintance. 
 May I add that, in my perhaps too partial opinion, 
 if she had lived until he had reached the age 
 of manhood she would have retained the same 
 favourable view of his conversational powers ? 
 
 During my retirement at Chiswick I occupied 
 myself in translating Bastiat's Harmonies JScono- 
 miques, a book which Monsieur Leroy Beaulieu 
 somewhere declares to be one of the best books 
 of the last century, and which is not so much read 
 as it deserves to be. It is the clearest exposition 
 of the doctrine of political economy I know, and 
 is both convincing and amusing. One day I took 
 my translation to a well-known publisher. It was 
 a rainy day, and when I entered his room splashed 
 with mud, I had all the appearance of a poor 
 author. My reception was not encouraging. I was 
 not asked to take a seat, and was curtly told that 
 translations were of no use, as nobody read them. 
 
LADY GRANVILLE AT CHISWICK 263 
 
 Rather nettled, I observed that I was encouraged 
 by my brother to publish mine. — " Pray, what is 
 the name of your brother?" — "Lord Granville.' 
 — " Are you a brother of Lord Granville ? I beg 
 your pardon ; pray take a seat ! " And there was 
 no longer any reluctance to discuss my proposal. 
 On the contrary, I believe we should have come 
 to some arrangement if it had not been that two 
 days later a translation of the work by a Mr. 
 Irving was announced in the newspapers. This 
 was a curious coincidence, as ten years had 
 elapsed since the original work had appeared in 
 France. 
 
 Chiswick suited my mother perfectly as a 
 residence. She occupied two small rooms in a 
 wing of the house, leaving the rest of it to be 
 enjoyed by her children. She dined apart, but we 
 alternately joined her after dinner. Besides her 
 children, she saw none but her nearest relations. 
 Several daughters of my eldest sister. Lady Rivers, 
 came out about that time, and for their sakes she 
 received a good deal of company. L too, towards 
 the end of our residence, when I had begun again 
 to go out into the world, gave a successful evening 
 entertainment. It began by a large dinner at 
 which Lady Constance Grosvenor,^ then in the 
 height of her beauty, and other charming people 
 were present. This was followed by an evening 
 party, to which I had invited all my acquaint- 
 
 1 Daughter of the second Duke of Sutherland, and wife of the first 
 Duke of Westminster. 
 
264 SOCIETY 
 
 ance. My friend, Lord Shelburne,^ sent me 
 from Bowood one hundred Chinese lamps which 
 were kept there for festivities. I bought and 
 hired about a hundred more. With these we 
 illuminated the beautiful Chiswick gardens. Strings 
 were attached from one tree to another, and lamps 
 suspended from them. There were also a band, 
 Bengal lights and other attractions. It was a gay 
 and pretty sight, so much so that Lady Cowper 
 exclaimed delightedly, "A moral Cremorne ! " 
 Cremorne was a public garden which followed 
 Vauxhall and Ranelagh, and at which the society 
 was far from select. My mother was at that time 
 somewhat ill in London, and the next morning I 
 found her in bed, when she threw her arms round 
 my neck and said, " It is rather silly of me, but 
 the success of your party gives me such infinite 
 delight ! " 
 
 Another large gathering of a different sort 
 took place at the villa. The Friendly Societies 
 in Hammersmith had requested my mother's 
 leave to celebrate their annual holiday in the 
 Chiswick grounds, which she, in spite of the 
 misgivings of the gardener and the disapproval of 
 the conservative part of the household, readily 
 granted. Some five thousand people, men, women 
 and children, arrived, and it enchanted my mother 
 to peep from behind her window curtains and see 
 so many happy faces. She was even not in the 
 least shocked by a distant view of the popular game 
 
 ' Father of the present Marquis of Lansdowne. 
 
DEATH OF LADY GRANVILLE 265 
 
 of " kiss in the ring." Beyond trampling down the 
 grass this large crowd did no damage. 
 
 My mother was much beloved not only by her 
 own relations, but by every one who approached 
 her. To account for this, I may be allowed to 
 quote a description of her from a private journal 
 written by Lord Dover in 18 17. He there speaks 
 of her in the following terms : " She is really the 
 most pure, the most angelic person I ever met. 
 Lady G. is really perfection in a human shape. 
 Virtuous, amiable, good, clever, agreeable — in short, 
 everything charming and excellent." Lord Dover 
 was well known for his literary attainments and 
 love of the fine arts. He was not at that time 
 connected with my mother, but some years later 
 he married her niece, the lovely Lady Georgiana 
 Howard. 
 
 During our stay at Chiswick a sad loss occurred 
 in our family. My sister-in-law, Lady Granville, 
 died, after a lingering illness, borne with great 
 resignation. Just before her death she begged me 
 to promote a second marriage for her husband, 
 which touched me much. 
 
 My beloved mother died at the end of 1862, 
 when I had to leave Chiswick and settle in London. 
 I took the house in South Audley Street, which I 
 have since inhabited. 
 
 It was a great pleasure to receive in it my 
 niece, Lady Carmarthen,^ and her husband, who 
 afterwards became Duke of Leeds, for a month or 
 
 * Daughter of the fourth Lord Rivers. 
 
266 SOCIETY 
 
 two during several seasons. This was an agreeable 
 break in my solitary life. Being hospitably in- 
 clined, I took to giving a succession of dinners. 
 Hospitality always appears to me to be praised 
 more than it deserves. At least, there was no 
 merit in my case. Somewhat like Tony Lumpkin, 
 who did not mind disappointing his friends by not 
 meeting them at the tavern, but was unwilling to 
 disappoint himself, I did not give dinners to please 
 my guests but to please myself. Altruism was not 
 my motive. The art of giving pleasant dinners 
 is not easy. Disraeli, who sometimes held his 
 supporters cheap, once remarked of his colleagues 
 on the Treasury Bench that they were a poor lot, 
 not one of them knew how to give a dinner. The 
 chief aim of a host should be to ask people who 
 like to meet one another. On one occasion that 
 most agreeable of men, Sir David Dundas, dined 
 with me, when I told him I had not invited Charles 
 Villiers, as I knew he was not a favourite of his — 
 " Frederick Leveson, I will never dine with you 
 again." — "Why not?" — " Because I cannot consent 
 to keep away from your table some one you wish 
 to ask." — I pleaded that I only invited those 
 who liked to meet one another. He eventually 
 relented, and often dined with me again, and was, 
 moreover, good enough one very hot summer 
 to lend me his charming villa at Richmond. 
 
 Hospitality is so prevalent in London that if 
 you wish to secure agreeable guests you must 
 invite them three weeks beforehand. If they 
 
DIFFICULTIES OF A HOST 267 
 
 accept, they are fastidious about the society they 
 meet. Once a friend who dined with me informed 
 me that he had refused six other invitations 
 since he had accepted mine. I could only beg 
 him to remember that I had not deprived him 
 of six pleasanter dinners, but only of one. The 
 difficulties of a host are great. It is no easy task 
 to collect together congenial guests, to secure the 
 proper proportion of men and women, to welcome 
 civilly those who come on the wrong day, and to 
 fill up the places of people who at the last moment 
 send excuses. This often caused me, like a 
 sportsman in search of game, to go the round of 
 my clubs in the hope of meeting some one to 
 fill up a vacant seat ; and when I succeeded I felt 
 like a fisherman when he lands a salmon. The 
 Duchess of Marlborough^ once sent me a printed 
 refusal, intending to send an acceptance. The 
 consequence was that twenty minutes after we 
 had all sat down the door opened, and the Duke 
 and Duchess were announced. They had been a 
 long time knocking at the door, which, as they 
 were not expected, there was no one to open. 
 At last, when they thought the case was hopeless, 
 a housemaid admitted them. Luckily one of my 
 guests had failed, which made it possible, with 
 some squeezing, to make room for the unexpected 
 couple. I was much distressed, but consoled 
 myself with the reflection that it would be all the 
 same fifty years hence — the best thing to be done 
 
 1 Wife of the seventh Duke. 
 
268 SOCIETY 
 
 in such circumstances. The Duchess maintained 
 she had sent the right card. Unluckily I had 
 destroyed the one I had received ; but she rather 
 gave herself away when she begged me not to 
 explain the circumstances to her husband, as he 
 constantly accused her of making such mistakes. 
 The Duchess was very good-natured and not easily 
 offended. Her fear of hurting the feelings of 
 any one is exemplified by the following story. At 
 a large dinner at Blenheim the Duke, as was his 
 wont, fell asleep during the repast. After dinner 
 the Duchess, in order to prevent the ladies who 
 sat next to him thinking that they had not been 
 treated by him with respect, told them that she 
 had seen him go to sleep with a Duchess on each 
 side of him. 
 
 My first French cook, although unpretentious, 
 did not cook badly, and took his duties very 
 seriously to heart. One morning, previous to a 
 small dinner, he came to me in great distress, as 
 the kitchenmaid was ill and he himself had cut 
 his hand. — "How will you manage?" — "Ah, 
 monsieur, le bon Dieu viendra d mon aide / " 
 — I cannot remember whether his reliance was 
 justified. 
 
 Monsieur de Flahault ^ procured for me my next 
 
 1 The Comte de Flahault took part in many of the campaigns of 
 Napoleon I., who made him his aide-de-camp and a General of 
 Division. He was twice an Ambassador — first at Vienna in the time 
 of Louis Philippe, secondly in London in the time of Louis Napoleon. 
 He ended his life as Chancellor of the Legion of Honour. He married 
 Miss Mercer, who was an heiress and the daughter of Lord Keith. 
 
COOKS AND COOKERY 269 
 
 cook, the second cook in the kitchen of the Due 
 de Morny, who greatly praised him, saying he 
 was superior to his chef, whom from length of 
 service he could not part with. My new cook, 
 Monsieur B^guinot, was a great success, and the 
 excellence of my dinners became generally known. 
 The result was that I became very popular ; shoals 
 of invitations poured in upon me, and distinguished 
 persons conveyed indirect hints to me that they 
 would be willing to honour me with their company. 
 In course of time Monsieur B^guinot left my 
 service for my brother's, and since obtained a 
 series of first-rate situations. He has now retired 
 from service, and devotes himself to a small 
 restaurant which he has started in the unfashionable 
 quarter of Soho, at 16, Old Compton Street. You 
 obtain there good and ample food admirably 
 cooked, for which he charges one-and-sixpence 
 for either luncheon or dinner. What pleases 
 Madame Bdguinot is that they have as customers 
 " une socidU choisie — rien d' Equivoque." It is difficult 
 to understand how they manage to eloigner la socidtS 
 Equivoque. 
 
 In 1874 Sir Henry Cole, whose fertile brain 
 was continually devising projects to benefit his 
 fellow creatures, proposed to start a National 
 Training School of Cookery, and formed a com- 
 mittee with that object, of which he persuaded 
 me to become the chairman, a position I held until 
 my resignation more than a year ago, although I 
 am still vice-president. 
 
270 SOCIETY 
 
 Considering that food is the principal want of 
 man, and that more than half the labour of the 
 world is employed in some form or other of its 
 production, it is remarkable how few efforts are 
 made, as far as its general consumption is concerned, 
 to learn to cook it properly. As a rule the 
 wealthy alone derive any benefit from good cookery, 
 and until our School was inaugurated, no systematic 
 attempt had been made to improve it. 
 
 Sir Henry's idea was therefore excellent, and it 
 has, in spite of some ridicule and prejudice, been 
 most extensively carried out. Schools on our 
 model have been started in most of the chief towns 
 in the country, and the work has steadily increased, 
 spreading all over the kingdom, as well as in 
 America and in our Colonies. 
 
 I am not writing a history of our School, but, to 
 give some idea of its importance, cite the following 
 facts. The King, with His Majesty's usual interest 
 in all institutions of national utility, has graciously 
 consented to be our patron. Since its opening 
 nearly 100,000 pupils have there received instruction ; 
 we have further awarded about 1,700 diplomas to 
 teachers, most of whom are now actively engaged 
 in giving instruction both in cookery and other 
 branches of domestic economy. As well as training 
 teachers in all domestic economy subjects to be 
 taught in elementary and secondary schools, we 
 are teaching sickroom cookery in the London & 
 Guy's Hospitals, to the Queen's Jubilee Nurses, in 
 the Royal Naval Hospitals at Haslar and Plymouth. 
 
SCHOOL OF COOKERY 271 
 
 We have a class of nine sailors and three naval 
 officers being instructed in the principles of good 
 plain cookery. We teach cookery to prison warders, 
 and inspect the cooking in the prisons from time 
 to time. In 1901 we revised the workhouse diets, 
 and published a Manual of Workhouse Cookery, 
 which the Local Government Board has issued 
 to Boards and Guardians of the Poor. When to 
 this is added what the other schools of cookery 
 have done, the benefit to the community must 
 already be incalculable. 
 
 With one exception our work has been practically 
 self-supporting. We received five thousand pounds 
 from the trustees of the Berridge trust, which 
 enabled us to pay off a mortgage of that amount 
 which we had raised in order to meet a part of 
 the expense of erecting our present premises, 
 which cost us ten thousand pounds. The other 
 half of this sum we met by the profits we made by 
 selling cheap dinners at the four South Kensington 
 Exhibitions. This was a marvellous achievement, 
 due to the great ability of Mrs. Clarke, the Lady 
 Superintendent of the School. 
 
 The good service we have done to the public 
 seems to me to be insufficiently recognised. With 
 the exception of about two hundred pounds, which 
 we obtained in order to pay for some necessary 
 repairs, neither private individuals nor the Govern- 
 ment have given the School any pecuniary assistance. 
 The wealthy with the best intentions subscribe 
 large sums to charities, some of which do more 
 
2;2 SOCIETY 
 
 harm than good by lessening the inducements to 
 industry and thrift, whereas they take little interest 
 in our work, which greatly benefits the poor and 
 pauperises no one. 
 
 In many ways we are useful to the Government, 
 of which I may mention one instance. We have 
 greatly promoted the knowledge of cookery in our 
 two Services. With regard to our soldiers it can 
 readily be imagined what a blessing it must be to 
 them when campaigning to be able to make eatable 
 the very indifferent food which is often all that 
 they can then procure. 
 
 Some years later, when I bought my country 
 house, I gave up giving dinners in London from 
 motives of economy. I cannot say how far in 
 consequence my popularity waned, but doubtless 
 the maxim " cutlet for cutlet," which a well-known 
 lady, of good birth and a peeress, who died some 
 years ago, used to declare she was guided by 
 when making out her invitations, has a certain 
 influence. She amused people by saying things 
 which a few other people think but keep to 
 themselves. For instance, she said it was her 
 rule to be civil to girls, because no one knew 
 whom they might marry. 
 
 It is curious to observe what small changes in 
 social habits gradually take place. When first I 
 went out in London the men at a dinner party 
 wore black ties, having white ones only when 
 Royalty was expected, and they received no 
 instructions from their hostess, who merely begged 
 
SOCIAL ETIQUETTE 273 
 
 each lady to go in to dinner, it being the duty 
 of the gentleman next in rank to offer her his arm. 
 I have sometimes seen the lady go some way 
 alone. It afterwards became the custom for each 
 gentleman to be told whom he was to take in, 
 but he was not informed where he was to sit. The 
 next change was the present custom of writing 
 the name of each guest on a card, and placing it 
 opposite the seat which he or she is to occupy, 
 and which they have to find when they enter the 
 dining-room. This was at first objected to, but 
 is now approved of, because the English, who are 
 generally shy, like to be told what they are expected 
 to do in society. A further improvement would 
 be to adopt what I believe is not unusual in 
 America, where every guest on arriving is given 
 a card with a plan of the dining-table, and the 
 names and places to be occupied by each guest. 
 This saves the hostess trouble, and prevents people 
 having to hunt round the table for the places 
 destined for them. It also makes known the 
 names of the other guests. You thereby cannot 
 sit at the same table with a celebrated beauty, an 
 inspired poet, and a thrilling novelist and not be 
 aware of their presence. 
 
 An amusing scene once occurred in connection 
 with this subject. The famous historian, Mr. 
 Motley, when American Minister in London, hired 
 a house in Arlington Street, where I was present at 
 the first large dinner he gave. He took much pains 
 about the arrangement of his guests, and consulted 
 
 18 
 
274 SOCIETY 
 
 me about it. At that time couples were sent in to 
 dinner in pairs, but nobody's place was fixed. Mr. 
 Motley told each guest by whom he was to sit, 
 and was well satisfied with the arrangement. 
 Unfortunately the Turkish Ambassador was allotted 
 to Lady Waldegrave, who did not care to have 
 him as her neighbour. She consequently told 
 him that his place was on the other side of the 
 table. He, with Oriental politeness, did as she 
 bade him, and sat down opposite to her. This upset 
 the whole arrangement. The couples wandered 
 about the room, not knowing where to go, and 
 were like sheep that are being driven out of a 
 field. Mr. Motley, who had every merit except a 
 good temper, went into a passion, and I nearly 
 died of laughing. 
 
 I saw a good deal of him at different times. The 
 fact that during the whole Civil War in the 
 States I had been in favour of the North drew 
 him towards me at the time when the attitude of 
 London society on the subject greatly exasperated 
 him. He was engaged to pay me a visit at 
 Holmbury, my country place, when he was taken 
 seriously ill. Upon his getting a little better I 
 persuaded Mrs. Motley to keep their engagement, 
 a proposal she was glad to carry out, as the doctors 
 wished him to leave London. I can see him now 
 entering my drawing-room, looking more dead than 
 alive, leaning on the arm of his daughter, Mrs. 
 Ives, who afterwards married the late Sir William 
 Harcourt. The pure air of Holmbury did wonders 
 
LONDON HOSTESSES 275 
 
 for him ; he at once recovered his appetite, and he 
 left me about a fortnight later so much better that 
 his life was prolonged for some two years. It has 
 always given me great pleasure to think that I 
 was of use to so eminent a man. 
 
 The chief entertainers in London society in 
 the third quarter of the last century were Lady 
 Molesworth and Lady Waldegrave. There was 
 a singular analogy between their two lives. Both 
 were born in a lower position than that to which 
 they subsequently attained. They both married 
 Cabinet Ministers, and both, during the lives of 
 their husbands and afterwards, in town and country, 
 exercised the most boundless hospitality. Neither 
 was what I should call intellectual, but they both 
 possessed considerable cleverness in the perform- 
 ance of their social duties. They ended by 
 attaining a considerable position in society. Most 
 of the women engaged in politics at that time 
 were different from the present leaders of political 
 society. They were formerly chiefly anxious to 
 promote the advancement of their husbands and 
 friends, and to further the interests of their 
 party, and cared less than they do now about 
 the political questions which at present excite in 
 so many of them the liveliest interest. 
 
 Lady Waldegrave, for instance, did not much care 
 for politics in the abstract, but was anxious to be of 
 use to the party to which her husband belonged, and 
 thus obtained a certain amount of political influence. 
 Her first husband was a Mr, Waldegrave, and she 
 
276 SOCIETY 
 
 afterwards married Lord Waldegrave, his legitimate 
 brother. She next married my cousin, Mr. George 
 Harcourt, to whom I have already referred as the 
 husband of Lady Elizabeth. Her last husband was 
 Mr. Chichester Fortescue, better known as Lord 
 Carlingford. The first time I met her was soon 
 after her fourth marriage. I sat by her at dinner, 
 when she suddenly said, " You do not like me 
 now, but the time will come when you will like 
 me." I of course said something civil ; nevertheless, 
 what she said was true. I was not inclined to 
 like her then, but ended by doing so. Her power 
 of attaching people was very remarkable. None 
 of her visitors, however eminent, ever deserted 
 her. The relations of her various husbands 
 always remained tame cats in her house, both 
 men and women. A bevy of Waldegraves, 
 Harcourts and Fortescues was generally to be met 
 there. Her talk was lively and pleasant, though 
 not brilliant. But her bonhomie — I know no 
 English word to express it — was irresistible, and 
 she showed much tact in her invitations. Lord 
 Carlingford was devoted to her, and inconsolable 
 at her loss. They did not appear well suited. 
 Besides being agreeable, he was singularly refined, 
 a merit her dearest friends could not claim for her, 
 and she did not share his intellectual tastes. But 
 he loved her dearly, and she made him very 
 happy. 
 
 I will not attempt to give anything more than 
 a very slight sketch of my son, as it would ill 
 
MR. G. LEVESON GOWER 277 
 
 become a parent to do so. I will merely say that 
 from the time of his birth, in other respects so 
 sad a one, he has been the chief object of my 
 life, and I have had the satisfaction of witnessing 
 how much beloved and esteemed he has been in 
 the various phases of his existence, at college, in 
 society, and in the House of Commons. Owing 
 to the great kindness of Mr. Gladstone, to whom 
 he was Assistant Private Secretary from 1880 to 
 1885, he occupied in the Administrations of 
 1886 and 1892 subordinate positions in the 
 Government, which had their advantages, and for 
 which he was grateful ; but which had this draw- 
 back, that it precluded him as a Whip from taking 
 any active part in the debates. I was however 
 assured that he performed well whatever duties were 
 entrusted to him. I received the following letter 
 from Sir William Harcourt about him in 1886 : 
 
 " I must write you a line of congratulation upon 
 George's Ministerial debut. He had by no means 
 an easy task to perform last night, but achieved 
 it extremely well. As you know, there are few 
 bills which are more disputed in the House of 
 Commons than these London Improvement Bills. 
 His speech was very clear and business-like in its 
 matter, and everything that could be wished in 
 manner. The House was pleased and satisfied, 
 and your friends and his will be much gratified 
 by this happy commencement of his Ministerial 
 career." 
 
 He lost his seat in 1895, ^"^ has since been 
 engaged in interesting work connected with the 
 
278 SOCIETY 
 
 North American Review. At my request he 
 published in 1901 a volume of poems which, 
 perhaps from paternal partiality, I much admired. 
 I was agreeably surprised at the favourable re- 
 ception they met with, because I feared, as I told 
 him, that no poetry which I could understand would 
 at the present time be acceptable. It seems to me 
 that obscurity is now considered essential in good 
 poetry. But for my own part, so long as I can 
 read and enjoy Shakespeare, Spenser, Milton, and 
 Pope, I can bear the reproach of not understanding 
 much that is written by the favourite poets of 
 to-day. I will only add that he is most happy 
 in his married life,^ and has two charming little 
 children, the greatest blessings any man need 
 aspire to. 
 
 After Eton, he went up to Balliol in 1876. By 
 the Master's advice he read for a month with Mr. 
 Bell, an Oxford tutor, previous to the examination 
 which every candidate has to undergo before being 
 admitted into the College. I went down to Oxford 
 for it, and was with Mr. Bell when George rushed 
 in with the papers containing the questions that 
 had been put to him and his replies. Mr. Bell, 
 as he perused them, made such remarks as the 
 following: "Surely you did not make this answer ?" 
 " How often did I warn you not to make this 
 mistake ? " Whereupon Mrs. Bell, having a kind 
 heart, could not help exclaiming, " My dear, what 
 
 1 He married, in 1898, Cicely, the youngest daughter of the eighth 
 Lord Monson. 
 
DR. JOWETT 279 
 
 is the use of crying over spilt milk ? " My relief 
 was therefore great when I learnt that George had 
 passed through his examination with flying colours, 
 being placed first in the list of the candidates. 
 
 Dr. Jowett took a lively interest in him, which 
 he proved by asking him to stay with him at 
 Malvern during some part of two vacations in 
 order that he might coach him. On one of these 
 occasions I paid him an enjoyable visit, when I 
 first became really acquainted with the Master. I 
 remember that we had some disputes about politics, 
 but they were so friendly that they rather confirmed 
 than impeded our friendship. He was extremely 
 open-minded and liked to hear both sides of a 
 question. I never could agree with him in his 
 admiration of Mr. Disraeli, or in his unfavourable 
 opinion of Mr. Gladstone. Although talking very 
 little, he was agreeable. His remairks were always 
 pointed, and he could compress an argument into 
 a few words. Mrs. Grote sometimes became 
 impatient with his silence. Inviting him one day 
 to meet at dinner a few of the cleverest men of 
 the day, she said to him, " Master, I insist on your 
 taking a share in the conversation. Nobody is 
 more capable of doing so, and there you remain 
 silent whilst other people talk." Upon which he 
 pleaded in his squeaky little voice that he was " a 
 very good listener." He enjoyed the company of 
 the pretty women whom he invited to Balliol, but 
 I never heard of his being in love. One day a 
 young lady told him it would make her so happy 
 
280 SOCIETY 
 
 if he would marry her. Upon which he assured 
 her that he was much touched by her proposal, but 
 that he could not entertain it as he had long given 
 up all thoughts of matrimony. She hastened to 
 explain that she was engaged to some one else, and 
 that she had only ventured to ask him to perform 
 the ceremony. 
 
 The Master was in the habit of giving week-end 
 parties, to whichheinvitedanumber of distinguished 
 persons, both men and women, and many of the 
 leading dons met at his table, irrespective of 
 differences of opinion, the High Churchman Dr. 
 Liddon and the Broad Churchman Dean Stanley 
 being frequently his guests. I often had the 
 honour of being asked to these parties, but of 
 course more rarely after my son left Oxford. 
 
 Among the many remarkable men I met there 
 was Browning. At one party he and I were the 
 only men, which brought us into close contact. 
 He was in high spirits, and at luncheon became 
 rather boisterous. He afterwards said to me, " I 
 know I am too noisy, but I cannot help it." I 
 perhaps somewhat unadvisedly urged him not to 
 control nature, for the absence of all pose in so 
 celebrated a poet seemed to me most refreshing. 
 I certainly on one occasion wished he had been 
 more controlled. I had become acquainted at Paris 
 with Monsieur Lanfrey, the author of the History 
 of Napoleon, a work I greatly admired. He soon 
 afterwards came to England, when he did me the 
 honour of dining with me. I had consulted my 
 
ROBERT BROWNING 281 
 
 sister-in-law, Lady Marian Alford, who promised 
 to meet him, as to whom else I should invite. She 
 suggested Browning, who, she said, besides being 
 an author of great repute, spoke French admirably. 
 He came, was very noisy, and spoke the most 
 abominable French. He was very unlike my 
 foreign guest, who was silent and retiring, and in 
 this respect unlike the majority of his countrymen. 
 They too often resemble a young Frenchman who, 
 coming to reside in England, received the following 
 advice from his father: " Tu es bite et tu n'es pas 
 beau ; sots insolent, cest ta seule chance" — a recom- 
 mendation he dutifully followed. 
 
 I also met at Balliol the poet and philo- 
 sopher Mr. Matthew Arnold. The occasion was 
 some function for which Archbishop Tait had 
 come there on a visit. He then preached, a most 
 touching sermon, in which he referred in a very 
 feeling manner to the events of his life since he 
 had left 'college. The chapel was crammed, and 
 being fatigued, I sat down on the altar steps 
 during the service, when the congregation were 
 standing up. On leaving the chapel Mr. Arnold 
 whispered to me how much he admired my 
 courage in disregarding conventionality, and that 
 he had wished to imitate me, but as he was the 
 son of a clergyman it was impossible. Till then 
 I was not aware that he allowed that circumstance 
 to constrain him. On the contrary, I admired 
 the freedom he allowed himself in all such 
 matters. 
 
282 SOCIETY 
 
 The following amusing incident occurred to him 
 once at Paris. My brother, who was President 
 of the Council, had commissioned Mr. Arnold when 
 a school inspector to go to France to report upon 
 its educational system. Mr. Arnold was dissatisfied 
 with the allowance for his travelling expenses, but 
 as the Treasury would sanction no more, he was 
 obliged to be content with it. I happened to be 
 in Paris at that time, when, going to dine with 
 a friend at the most expensive restaurant, I per- 
 ceived Mr. Arnold dining alone. I went up to 
 shake hands with him, when I was surprised to 
 perceive the fare that was before him. It seems 
 that he referred to this incident in a letter to 
 his wife. He said that, having lived most ab- 
 stemiously and economically during his journey, 
 he was determined before leaving France to give 
 himself a good blow-out. He consequently went 
 to the most famous restaurant, where he ordered 
 a capital repast. He added that he was rather 
 put out by seeing me, whom he took for my 
 brother, enter the room and look as he thought 
 astonished at seeing what a sumptuous dinner he 
 was eating. He added that Lord Granville must 
 have become then convinced that the sum allowed 
 him was insufficient for his expenses. 
 
HOLMBURY 
 
 FROM 1870 ONWARDS 
 
 IT had long been my wish to possess a home 
 in the country, and in 1870 I was advised 
 to buy Holmbury, in the Surrey hills, where I 
 at present reside. My ambition had always been 
 to live in some spot which commanded an extensive 
 view, and at Holmbury I found one of surpassing 
 beauty. The house stands on the slope of a high 
 hill, which protects it from the north and east, 
 and nearly the whole of Sussex lies before it. The 
 beautiful outlines of the South Downs form the 
 horizon, and the extensive plain beneath is mostly 
 covered with woods. There was a beautiful Lady 
 Foley who used to say that she had no doubt 
 there were better-looking women than herself, but 
 she had not seen one. So I say that there may 
 be finer views in the South of England than that 
 which I and my near neighbours enjoy in Surrey, 
 but I have not seen one. We are of course rather 
 jealous of each other's views, but I settle the 
 matter by saying that every one of us thinks his 
 own view the best. Some time ago the present 
 Lord Tennyson paid me a visit, and on departing 
 
 283 
 
284 HOLMBURY 
 
 told Miss Mary Boyle that he was greatly relieved 
 by finding my view so inferior to theirs at 
 Aldworth. On the other hand, his father, when 
 staying here with Sir James Knowles,^ who had 
 become my tenant, was found by his host pacing 
 up and down my terrace, exclaiming, " This view 
 beats mine hollow." The truth is that the beauty 
 of such an extensive view depends so much on the 
 lights and shadows of the moment. 
 
 It was my good fortune during the first twenty 
 years of my life at Holmbury to receive there an 
 infinite number of most distinguished guests. I 
 can claim little credit for it, as it was due to a 
 variety of circumstances. My brother delighted 
 in the place, and often came with his dear wife, 
 the second Lady Granville, to stay with me. His 
 genial manners and agreeable conversation, and, I 
 may add, his political position, made people only 
 too glad to meet him. To please him, who was 
 fond of going to races, I gave Derby parties during 
 some successive years. Epsom was as distant 
 from Holmbury as from London, but the road to 
 it was through charming country, and was not 
 inconveniently crowded. Some of my friends 
 drove and others rode. I rarely attended the races, 
 but often accompanied my guests most of the way 
 on horseback. The Spencers were generally at 
 these parties, and once the Westminsters. I 
 remember riding with the Duke nearly as far as 
 
 '■ The founder and present editor and proprietor of The Nineteenth 
 Century. 
 
A MISUNDERSTANDING 285 
 
 Epsom, and that on parting with him I called at 
 the Rookery, that pretty house near Dorking, which 
 was formerly occupied by the Economist Malthus, 
 but had become the property of Mr. Fuller, with 
 whom I had recently made acquaintance. The men 
 were all gone to the races, but I found a number 
 of ladies at luncheon, who civilly made room for 
 me at their table. A land surveyor called Mr. 
 Simpson was expected that day, and they took me 
 for him. They consequently addressed me by that 
 name. — " Mr. Simpson, may I help you to some 
 potatoes ? " or " Here is the mustard, Mr. Simpson." 
 — Being rather deaf, I did not hear this at the time, 
 and so did not undeceive them ; but my hostess, 
 whom I had never seen before, but who had read 
 my card, did so, and told them my name. Upon 
 this one of the party said that a kinsman and 
 namesake of mine was a great friend of hers, and 
 she would be glad if I would give her some news 
 of him. I had to confess that, although I had 
 heard of him, I had never seen him. I fancied 
 that upon this all around became less cordial, 
 until I wondered whether they took me for some 
 swindler who had introduced himself into the 
 house under a false name. Luckily, an old lady 
 asked me after the lapse of some minutes whether 
 we had not met twenty years before at Coolhurst, 
 the residence of my relatives, Mr. and Lady 
 Elizabeth Dickins. My reply satisfied her, and 
 I left the house with my character rehabilitated. 
 The thought of this little adventure made me 
 
286 HOLMBURY 
 
 smile as I rode home through the lovely woods 
 which cover Leith Hill. 
 
 Lady Marian Alford was one of my relations 
 whom every one was anxious to meet. She fre- 
 quently paid me long visits, and was often accom- 
 panied by her great friend, Miss Mary Boyle. No 
 party could be dull of which they formed a part. 
 Miss Boyle used to say, " After all, there is no 
 place like home — bury." I do not know whether 
 I am justified in stating what I felt about my 
 sister-in-law. Her unbounded kindness to me 
 from the moment we became connected might 
 well make me take a too favourable view of her, 
 but I do not think this is the case, as she was 
 much esteemed and beloved, not only by her 
 relatives but by every one who knew her. She 
 was most generous. To see suffering in others 
 seemed to give her almost physical pain, and this 
 sometimes led her to befriend people who scarcely 
 deserved it, particularly as she did not discriminate 
 character very well. This and her splendid 
 hospitality entailed upon her embarrassments from 
 which she ought to have been free. She was 
 extravagant as well as generous, which is a rare 
 combination. The spendthrifts are generally 
 selfish. A friend one day warned her against 
 burning the candle at both ends, when she parried 
 him by observing that surely that was the way 
 to make both ends meet. 
 
 I will give the following instance of her generosity. 
 When staying with her one winter at Rome I 
 
LADY MARIAN ALFORD 287 
 
 wished to take Italian lessons, and I asked 
 Dr. Pantaleone, a Liberal politician and a favourite 
 physician among the English, to recommend an 
 instructor. He told me of a young Italian who he 
 said would answer my purpose. He was clever, 
 very well informed, and could speak English. He 
 was in needy circumstances, owing to his advanced 
 political opinions, and had been shipwrecked on 
 his way from Leghorn, when he lost his portmanteau 
 and, among other things, a number of manuscripts, 
 He subsequently attempted to drown himself in 
 the Tiber. His lessons gave me satisfaction, but 
 he appeared sadly depressed, which I attributed to 
 his poverty and other misfortunes. Lady Marian 
 took an interest in him, and desired to help him. 
 She would not offer him money for fear of offending 
 him, but proposed to find him some employment 
 at her expense. It happened at that time that 
 Gibson, the sculptor, was engaged for Lady Marian 
 on a statue of Pandora. The question arose 
 whether she should hold in her hands a casket or 
 a vase. In England we talk of Pandora's box, but in 
 Italy she is represented with a vase. The Italian 
 undertook to write a memorandum on the subject, 
 but said it was an arduous task, which would 
 take some time. Two months after my departure 
 he brought his memorandum, which was worthless 
 except in his own eyes. He charged about two 
 hundred pounds, and pleaded as his excuse for its 
 being so large a sum the time he had employed, 
 the books he had purchased, the journeys he had 
 
288 HOLMBURY 
 
 undertaken, and his interviews with learned men. 
 Of course, Lady Marian refused to pay him such a 
 considerable amount. He then actually threatened 
 a lawsuit, but the matter ended by her making him 
 a small present, which she did as she thought he 
 was mad. 
 
 Punctuality was not one of her merits. As she 
 was one day taking her departure from Holmbury, 
 she proposed to the late Mr. Edward Cheney to 
 accompany her to the station. When they arrived 
 they found they had missed the train, upon which 
 Mr. Cheney, being rather put out, asked her foot- 
 man whether she was ever in time for the train. 
 He drew himself up and said, " Her ladyship is 
 always in time for the next train." 
 
 She was very fond of society, and both in London 
 and — during her eldest son's life and until her 
 second son's (the present Earl Brownlow's) marriage 
 — at Ashridge and Belton, received a good deal, 
 bringing together the best company. She herself 
 was well informed, particularly on subjects of Art, 
 and if she had devoted herself to any one branch 
 of it might have become an excellent artist. Her 
 conversation was brilliant and she was quick at 
 repartee. I have known cleverer women, but 
 hardly any one who united in herself so much to 
 make her society prized. As a hostess she had 
 one failing, which arose from her extreme good- 
 nature. She invited people to her parties in order 
 to give them pleasure without reflecting whether 
 they were well suited to her other guests. She 
 
ASHRIDGE 289 
 
 had another disadvantage, one I have often observed 
 in persons who talk well, which was that no one 
 ever bored her. A silent person has not the same 
 weapons to keep a bore in check. 
 
 She took a great interest in her son's estates, 
 and was most kind to the poor people upon them. 
 One of her favourites was the head gamekeeper 
 at Ashridge, who had begun life as a soldier and 
 who often entertained us with his quaint and blunt 
 sayings. When the volunteers were first started. 
 Lady Marian asked him to join the corps. The 
 next morning he came up to her and said, " I 
 understand that if the enemy landed we should 
 have to go and meet them. That, my lady, would 
 be rather awkward, in the egg season." He 
 used to call out to the beaters, " Circulate your- 
 selves, my boys." What he meant by it was not 
 quite clear, but it was probably an order to spread 
 themselves out. An amusing incident happened 
 one day when we were shooting partridges at 
 Ashridge. Count Szechenyi, a pleasing Hungarian, 
 slightly shot one of the beaters. This made him 
 say to Lady Marian at dinner that he was grieved 
 to have shot a peasant. She understood him to say 
 a pheasant, and that he was apologising for having 
 shot one in September. So she said, " Never 
 mind, we'll eat him." 
 
 An extract from one of Mrs. Grote's letters will 
 show in what estimation Lady Marian was held : 
 
 " I have for some years almost renounced 
 society, except such as I can enjoy within our own 
 
 19 
 
290 HOLMBURY 
 
 modest circle in this cottage. But, out of this 
 circle, there was one person whose acquaintance 
 it was my earnest wish to make, and I had even 
 made some endeavours to that end, though without 
 fruit. You will judge of my satisfaction when I 
 add that the lady in question is Lady Marian 
 Alford. Few among the unknown of my country- 
 women have been so often the subject of my 
 thoughts as she, and it is a most singular as well 
 as fortunate chance that her real self should emerge 
 from ' the wilds ' I behold from my windows ! " 
 
 Few visits gave me more pleasure than that 
 paid me in 1874 by the Prince and Princess of 
 Roumania, who are now King and Queen of that 
 country. I fancy he came to England in order 
 to obtain support in the crisis in Eastern politics 
 which was then approaching. He was disappointed 
 at not seeing our Foreign Minister, Lord Derby, 
 who had left London. 
 
 The Princess, when staying as a young girl at 
 Mentone with her aunt, the Princess of Waldeck, 
 had made the acquaintance of Lady Marian, who 
 was much charmed with her. They had congenial 
 tastes, and became fast friends. Soon after her 
 arrival in England the Princess came to Holmbury 
 in order to see her. She was already well 
 known as one of the most accomplished women 
 in Europe, and as a graceful writer under the 
 nom de plume of Carmen Sylva in prose and 
 verse. She at once captivated the small party she 
 found in my house. Her enthusiasm, tempered 
 by gaiety, was contagious, and so were her shouts 
 
THE KING OF ROUMANIA 29-1 
 
 of laughter when at lawn-tennis she failed to return 
 the ball. She had never before been in England, 
 but spoke English perfectly, and was well ac- 
 quainted with our literature. I remember the 
 joy she expressed when Lady Marian told her 
 she would invite Carlyle to meet her on her return 
 to London. — " Is it possible that I shall have lived 
 to have the pleasure of seeing that great man ? " 
 
 We were also much pleased with her sensible 
 and intelligent husband, and formed an opinion of 
 him which has been more than confirmed by his 
 subsequent noble career. He talked much about 
 his adopted country. 1 ventured to put in a word 
 for the Jews, who were there so much ill-used. 
 He said he lamented it, but that it was hard to cope 
 with it, as the hatred they inspired was much to 
 be accounted for by their own conduct, and that 
 they were very inferior to the Jews in the West 
 of Europe. I thereupon suggested that persecution 
 does not improve character. 
 
 During the 'sixties the Gladstones occasionally 
 dined with me, and I often met them in other houses, 
 but my first real intimacy with Mr. Gladstone 
 arose from the following circumstance. Harriet, 
 Duchess of Sutherland, was his great friend and 
 admirer, and he and Mrs. Gladstone were her 
 constant visitors both at Cliveden and Chiswick. 
 I was frequently asked to meet them, and thus 
 arose my friendship with him, which lasted as long 
 as he lived. He stayed with me after I settled 
 at my Surrey home at least once a year. My 
 
292 HOLMBURY 
 
 brother was generally of the party, and some of 
 his other intimate friends. But Mr. Gladstone did 
 not mind whom he met. He was courteous to every 
 one, and listened as attentively to a young curate 
 as to a Cabinet Minister or a distinguished author. 
 He greatly admired the surrounding scenery and 
 the fine specimens of trees which were to be 
 found in the neighbourhood, which I took him 
 long distances to see. He also delighted, as is 
 well known, in cutting down trees, which he did 
 several times at Holmbury. After the first 
 occasion my gardener came to inform me that 
 my neighbours were much displeased with me. 
 They thought it most unkind of me not to have 
 given them the opportunity of witnessing the 
 performance. I cannot say whether my illus- 
 trious guest would have objected to their presence. 
 I fancy not. 
 
 In the year 1880 I received a small but very 
 distinguished party. Besides my brother and Mr. 
 Lowell, it comprised the three greatest orators 
 in England, Mr. Gladstone, the late Duke of 
 Argyll, and Mr. Bright. I much regret that on 
 many occasions, particularly on this, I did not make 
 notes of the conversation. I remember that on 
 various subjects there was an exhilarating difference 
 of opinion. Mr. Bright disputed with Mr. Lowell 
 as to the correct use of words, and criticised the 
 Americans in this respect. Mr. Lowell, though 
 always gracious, even affectionate, in reference 
 to England, was very touchy about his own country. 
 
GLADSTONE AND BRIGHT 293 
 
 When Mr. Gladstone talked to him of his American 
 fellow subjects, he resented it, and observed, " There 
 are no subjects in our country — we are all citizens," 
 He seemed pleased one morning on entering the 
 drawing-room to find Mr. Bright reading to us his 
 beautiful lines on the death of Lincoln, whom I 
 was surprised to hear he had never seen. Mr. 
 Bright said to him, "You need not listen; this 
 will not interest you." 
 
 The Duke of Argyll contradicted every one, but 
 in so racy a manner that it was a pleasure to listen 
 to him. I liked him much, and always lamented 
 that his many great qualities should be occasionally 
 marred by what I considered a want of judgment. 
 I did not mind his self-assertion, which was 
 innate and not assumed, and I always felt much 
 admiration for him. 
 
 Mr. Gladstone was of course the life and soul 
 of the party. He listened to every one and added 
 something to every topic that was raised. He 
 was always light in hand, and his talk was more 
 concise than his speeches or his writings. 
 
 I once showed with pride to a pert young lady 
 the page in my visiting-book on which my illus- 
 trious guests had written their names. All she 
 observed was that the initials of their names formed 
 the word g-ad, of which no one could deny them 
 the gift. 
 
 Mr. G. was one of the most amiable men I ever 
 knew. He always put the best construction on 
 the actions of others. Indeed, he was inclined to 
 
294 HOLMBURY 
 
 rate too highly the merits of those whom he liked, 
 which led him to place more confidence in some 
 of them than they deserved. He was, moreover, 
 unaffectedly humble. After his most distinguished 
 career at Oxford he retained the most modest 
 opinion of his social position, and he never put 
 an undue value on himself; indeed, he under- 
 valued himself. My mother, when Ambassadress 
 at Paris, mentions in a letter to her sister his 
 having dined at the Embassy. I once asked him 
 whether he remembered having done so. " Of 
 course I do," he replied, "as it was the first large 
 dinner I ever attended, not having up to that time 
 mixed in London society." He offered to show 
 me the passage in his diary which referred to it. 
 He could not find it, although, in spite of my 
 remonstrance, he spent an hour in looking for it. 
 A year afterwards he wrote to me that he had 
 at last found it. I know no one else who would 
 give himself so much trouble to comply with such 
 a slight request. He describes in his diary the 
 awe with which he went to that dinner, which he 
 says was not lessened when he was made to sit 
 between my mother and my eldest sister, a position 
 to which he felt he was not entitled. But he adds 
 that his two neighbours treated him so kindly that 
 he got reconciled to it. 
 
 For many years, even after he had obtained 
 high office and had become one of the leading 
 statesmen of the day, I could with difficulty per- 
 suade him at any dinner party to leave the dining- 
 
MR. GLADSTONE 295 
 
 room before me, because he ranked lower in the 
 table of precedence. 
 
 He always had both in political and social 
 matters certain Conservative leanings. He was 
 opposed to the proposed repeal of the law of 
 primogeniture in the case of intestacy, about which 
 I ventured to argue with him, and to which I 
 believe he afterwards became a convert. He 
 always allowed me to speak freely to him, of 
 which the following is an amusing instance. Mrs. 
 Gladstone thought he was inclined to eat more 
 fruit than was good for him, which one day, 
 when, after a long walk, he was vigorously attacking 
 my gooseberry bushes, made me say to him that 
 I was expecting a number of guests who were 
 fond of the fruit, and that I was afraid that he 
 would not leave enough for them. I do not know 
 whether he thought me serious, but he at once 
 desisted. Mrs. Gladstone thanked me. 
 
 One day he suddenly asked me whether I 
 considered him ambitious, I said I thought him 
 very keen to carry out his own policy, but not 
 ambitious with regard to his personal position 
 — at least, less so than most of those who were 
 similarly situated. He was much pleased, and 
 said I had judged him rightly, but he added, 
 smiling, that he feared some of his friends would 
 not agree with me. 
 
 I was at Hawarden just before I made a tour 
 in Sicily. He then lent me a description he had 
 written of his trip there when a young man. He 
 
296 HOLMBURY 
 
 said that few persons had ever read it — only some 
 members of his family and Mr. Murray, who made 
 extracts from it in his guide-book. I thought it 
 delightful, the style being more simple than his 
 later writings. It was full of the most interesting 
 accounts of the condition of the island in both 
 classical and modern times. He wrote with en- 
 thusiasm of the scenery, and gave amusing de- 
 scriptions of some of his adventures. It certainly 
 ought to be published. His companion was Mr. 
 Arthur Kinnaird, an early friend with whom he 
 seemed to be on the best of terms. Yet there 
 never were two individuals who appeared so 
 different. But perhaps in a tHe-a-Ute journey, 
 as in matrimony, a difference of opinion and 
 character may occasionally relieve monotony. 
 
 There are slight indications in that journal that 
 the mind of Mr. Gladstone was already at that 
 early age drifting towards Liberal opinions. 
 He hotly denounced the Neapolitan system of 
 government, of course little foreseeing how much 
 he would in later life contribute to its downfall. 
 On my return he asked me many things about 
 my trip, and was scandalised to hear that I had not 
 attempted the ascent of Mount Etna. Considering 
 that I was then nearer seventy than sixty, and that 
 the time of year was mid-winter, the omission 
 seemed to me excusable. 
 
 During one of his visits, when he was unpopular 
 with the Irish, the Home Secretary sent down a 
 detective to look after his safety. This annoyed 
 
THIERS 297 
 
 him considerably, and he refused to let the man 
 accompany him. I, however, compromised the 
 matter, and got him to allow him to sit on the 
 box of the carriage when it was known where he 
 was going, whether to church or the station, when 
 alone there was any danger to be apprehended. 
 
 The following anecdote may amuse my readers. 
 Mrs. Gladstone, coming one day out of church 
 at Ewhurst, went up to an old man in a smock- 
 frock, which is still worn by some old people, 
 and said to him : "I like to see that old smock- 
 frock. It reminds me of old days. Have you been 
 to church ? " — " Yes, ma'am." — " Do you know 
 who was in church ? " — " No, ma'am." — " Mr. Glad- 
 stone was in church." — " Was he, ma'am ? "^ 
 "You have heard of Mr. Gladstone?" — "Never, 
 ma'am." 
 
 This reminds me of another instance of un- 
 recognised greatness. Monsieur Thiers, when 
 travelling in France, paid a visit to an old school- 
 fellow, who was living in some out-of-the-way 
 place, when he asked him whether he remembered 
 a boy of the name of Thiers at the school at Mar- 
 seilles. At first he did not, but presently said : 
 
 " Le petit Adolphe Thiers ? N'etait-ce pas un 
 petit gamin qui faisait toujours des niches ^ ? " 
 
 " £h bien, cStait moi." 
 
 " Et depuis, quest-ce que vous avez fait ? " 
 
 " Bien de choses. Entre autres, j'ai ^td 
 Ministre." 
 
 ' Niches = inc}s.s. 
 
298 HOLMBURY 
 
 " Protestant?" 
 
 Sur quoi Vhomme d'Etat s'dcrie, " Voild la re- 
 nomm^e!" 
 
 It would be an endless undertaking to describe 
 all the agreeable people who visited me. I have 
 already mentioned Mr. Lowell, who came constantly 
 to Holmbury. To have gained the friendship of 
 such a distinguished man, of whom his countrymen 
 were so justly proud and who had become so great 
 a favourite in England, gratified me exceedingly. 
 At the risk of being thought egotistical I am 
 induced to here insert the following graceful lines, 
 which were written when he was unable to pay 
 me a visit, and which show that he reciprocated 
 my feeling of friendship for him : 
 
 How gladly would I, if I might, 
 My Wheaton's dreary tome bury, 
 And hasten with the lessening light 
 To the warm arms of Holmbury ! 
 
 Homehuiy's the spelling I prefer ; 
 Oh, could I make a bee-line 
 Thither, to curl me up and purr 
 With comfort more than feline ! 
 
 Alas, it cannot be, for I 
 Am pinioned here in London, 
 A male Andromeda, to sigh 
 That pledges can't be undone ! 
 
 His view is Leveson's chiefest boast. 
 Unconscious that the part of it 
 His guests see gladliest is their host. 
 The sunshine at the heart of it ; 
 
LOWELL AND BISHOP WILBERFORCE 299 
 
 The friendly voice, the manners bland, 
 The culture — not too much of it — 
 I must forego, the honest hand. 
 With welcome in the touch of it ; 
 
 Across the void that hand I press. 
 And think, the surest rental man. 
 Mocking at Land Leagues, is the cess 
 All true hearts pay a gentleman. 
 
 Mr. Lowell thus wrote to me afterwards about 
 them : " You ought to have put my poor verses 
 into your waste-basket. I will write to you some 
 better ones one of these days." He may have 
 judged them rightly, but at all events, they gave 
 me much pleasure. 
 
 Bishop Wilberforce was more than once my 
 guest. He was the most agreeable man I ever 
 knew, combining in himself so many qualities con- 
 ducive to agreeableness, adequate knowledge, great 
 tact, infinity of fun and a charming manner. 
 In July, 1873, I asked him to come and meet 
 the Gladstones and the Granvilles. He accepted, 
 and arranged to ride with my brother over the 
 downs from Leatherhead, which is fifteen miles 
 off I did not like the idea of this long ride in 
 the great heat which then prevailed, but he would 
 not listen to me, and declared his unwillingness 
 to give up what he had been looking forward to 
 with so much pleasure. When the dinner hour 
 approached I was wondering why they did not 
 arrive. I went up to dress, and was soon after- 
 wards informed that my brother's groom was 
 downstairs and wished to see me. Much alarmed. 
 
30O HOLMBURY 
 
 I ran down the stairs to learn what had happened, 
 and the groom told me the terrible news that the 
 Bishop had been thrown from his horse, that he 
 left him unconscious, and did not know whether 
 he was alive or dead. We sat through dinner 
 without any one uttering a word. At dessert-time 
 my brother entered the room with a look of the 
 deepest dejection, and merely said, " It is all over ; 
 it was instantaneous death." My brother had gone 
 through the most dreadful ordeal. He had to send 
 away the groom to order some conveyance, and 
 was left alone with the Bishop, hoping against 
 hope that life was not extinct. The body was 
 conveyed to Abinger Hall, Lord Farrer's house, 
 which was not far off. It may be imagined how 
 much shocked was our small party, which included 
 Mr. Gladstone, the Bishop's attached friend, and 
 Canon Sapte, who had been his chaplain and 
 was devoted to him. I was afterwards told that 
 the Bishop had always wished to meet with a 
 sudden death, a feeling I cannot understand, as 
 I myself shall feel anxious before I die to take 
 an affectionate leave of those I love. 
 
 I had a curious conversation one day with the 
 Bishop at a dinner when, after the ladies had left 
 the dining-room, I sat next to him. He asked me 
 whether I thought it wrong to wish for any one's 
 death. 
 
 " That appears to me a question of which you 
 are a much better judge than myself It, however, 
 seems to me that if you in no way contribute to the 
 
HUBNER 301 
 
 death, the wish for it may not be blamable. But 
 might I ask you why you put the question ? " 
 
 " The reason is that I do wish for somebody's 
 death, but I have some misgivings whether I ought 
 to do so." 
 
 " Might I ask you whose death you desire ?" 
 " Certainly. I wish for the Pope's death." 
 " Poor old man ! Why do you wish him dead ? " 
 " From no feeling of hostility to him, but because 
 I am convinced that if his life be prolonged he 
 will make my brother-in-law Manning a Cardinal, 
 which will be bad for him and bad for other people." 
 The Pope did live on and made Manning a Car- 
 dinal, and people will differ whether the Bishop's 
 anticipations were fulfilled. 
 
 Mr. Gladstone was intensely interested in Mr. 
 Purcell's Life of the Cardinal, which he, contrary 
 to the general opinion, thought on the whole took 
 a favourable view of his character, although he ad- 
 mitted that it did not do so in some respects. 
 
 What struck me in Mr. Gladstone was the intense 
 interest he always took in the book he was reading 
 at the moment, whatever the subject might be, 
 whether fiction or history, philosophy or divinity. 
 If he did not like a book, he left off reading it. 
 If he liked it, it engrossed him. 
 
 I formed a friendship with Baron Hiibner, 
 whose name I am unwilling to omit from these 
 recollections. He was said to be connected with 
 Prince Metternich ; at all events, he advanced 
 rapidly in diplomacy. It was to him, as Austrian 
 
302 HOLMBURY 
 
 Ambassador, that Louis Napoleon addressed in 
 1859 his memorable speech which was tantamount 
 to a declaration of war. Since then the Baron 
 held no other diplomatic appointment, but he 
 received the title of Count. He lived much in 
 England, where his society was highly prized. 
 He wrote several delightful books of travel, 
 describing the journeys he took just before and 
 after he became eighty in every quarter of the 
 world. It was gratifying to his English friends 
 that, although an Ultramontane Catholic and a 
 Reactionary, he expressed great admiration of 
 our countrymen and of their achievements in every 
 part of the Empire. It was amusing to hear him 
 and Sir James Lacaita at one of our Breakfast 
 Club gatherings discuss their early experiences. 
 The Baron w^as appointed Commissioner at Milan 
 just before its evacuation by the Austrians. When 
 they left he was arrested and put under surveillance. 
 The Baron said • " Your friends the Liberals kept 
 me under surveillance for a hundred days." To 
 which Sir James replied : " That is better than 
 two days in a Neapolitan prison, which I owed to 
 your friend Bomba." ^ How much improved were 
 the times, when two men holding such opposite 
 views could thus pleasantly chaff each other. 
 
 One day Lady Eastlake ^ brought Madame Mohl 
 to luncheon, whose salon in Paris was so much 
 
 '■ The nickname of the last of the Bourbon kings of Naples. 
 ' An accomplished authoress, and the widow of Sir Charles Eastlake, 
 then President of the Academy. 
 
TENNYSON 303 
 
 frequented by English visitors. It was a glorious 
 day — all Nature smiling — when, stepping out on 
 to the terrace, she gazed on the lovely scene before 
 her and exclaimed, " How sorry you will be to 
 die ! " My answer was : " My consolation is that 
 my son will in all probability survive me." Her 
 mind was said to be then failing, but I saw in 
 her enough to make me understand how she 
 became, with the help of her learned husband, so 
 popular a maitresse de maison. 
 
 My first introduction to Tennyson was at 
 the Cosmopolitan Club, and I saw him after- 
 wards, but not very frequently. I once lunched 
 with him at Aldworth, and Mr. Knowles^ 
 invited me to meet him and the Gladstones at 
 dinner in London. Being somewhat indisposed, 
 he shirked the dinner, but in the evening sat in 
 an adjoining room, where we all by turns went 
 to pay our respects to him. If I remember right 
 Cardinal Manning was of the party. The next 
 morning I called upon Mr. Knowles to talk over 
 some matters connected with his becoming my 
 tenant at Holmbury. The eminent poet, who 
 was staying with Mr. Knowles, hearing that I 
 was in the house, expressed a wish to see me. 
 In the course of our conversation he suddenly 
 exclaimed that every time he met Mr. Gladstone 
 confirmed him in the opinion that he was the 
 most delightful person he ever knew. " But I 
 hate his politics and his dealings with the Irish, 
 
 ' Now Sir James Knowles. 
 
304 HOLMBURY 
 
 all of whom I wish were at the bottom of the 
 sea." — " Not all," I said ; and added, pointing to 
 his charming daughter-in-law, the present Lady 
 Tennyson,^ who was listening to us, " Surely you 
 would except her." — " Of course I would, as I love 
 her dearly, but I cannot admit that she is an 
 Irishwoman." — Certainly the Boyles are always 
 looked upon as Irish, although. the founder of the 
 family, the first Earl of Cork, was an Englishman. 
 
 I need hardly say that Tennyson's outbreak 
 against the Irish must not be taken too seriously. 
 
 Mr. Grote, the Greek historian, and his wife 
 were my near neighbours in the country. She 
 fully deserved her reputation of being an admir- 
 able talker. What she said was interesting, 
 original and amusing. She was thought by some 
 to be too downright. She was amiable and very 
 gracious to me. This made the ill-natured say 
 she won me by flattery — which is possible, because 
 I like flattery if it comes from a clever person and 
 if it can have no unworthy motive. Besides, to 
 be called " my young man over the hill " is not 
 displeasing to some one who has passed his fiftieth 
 year. During their early married life the Grotes 
 were the incarnation of Radicalism, but by the 
 time I knew them they had much modified their 
 views. He went the length of saying that he 
 had come to have some misgiving about the adoption 
 of the Ballot at elections, of which he had been the 
 chief promoter. 
 
 1 She was a Boyle, a descendant of the seventh Earl of Cork. 
 
MR. REEVE AND MRS. GROTE 305 
 
 Mrs. Grote had certainly a respect for rank, 
 I asked her one day whether she saw much of a 
 neighbouring baronet. — " How could I ? He is 
 an Irvingite!" — "But so is your great friend the 
 Duke of Northumberland." — " Oh, that is quite 
 another story." — So a Duke may hold opinions 
 which a Baronet may not. She was fond of 
 chaff One day Mr. Reeve complained of the 
 road leading up to her house being so steep that 
 his fly could hardly get up it. Upon which she 
 remarked that he had probably with him the last 
 number of the Edinburgh Review, of which he 
 was the editor. On another day they had a 
 dispute about some international question, which 
 made him sarcastically exclaim, "Another Grotius!" 
 She at once replied, "Another Pufifendorf!" — a 
 name well suited to his portly person. 
 
 Mrs. Grote paid me several visits at Holmbury. 
 On one of these occasions a touching incident 
 occurred. My neighbour and relative Lady Mac- 
 donald was making an afternoon call, when I 
 rather disturbed her by telling her that Mrs. 
 Grote was my guest. At that moment Mrs. Grote 
 stepped in from the garden, when, recognising 
 one another, they at once threw themselves into 
 each other's arms, and then sat together on the 
 sofa, recounting all their youthful recollections. 
 Nearly sixty years before they had been bosom 
 friends. They had never since met, and they 
 never saw each other again. 
 
 It was my good fortune to have another near 
 
 20 
 
306 HOLMBURY 
 
 neighbour, Mr. Farrer, to whom I have already 
 referred as a pupil of Mr. Plunkett. We agreed 
 upon most topics. We both lamented the undue 
 spirit of aggrandisement which has lately been so 
 detrimental to the country, and it would have 
 much grieved him to witness the revival of 
 Protectionist fallacies. He was the permanent 
 Under-Secretary of the Board of Trade when 
 Mr. Chamberlain became its President, He was 
 charmed with him, but was surprised to find how 
 ignorant he was of all economic questions. At 
 the same time, he was struck by his adroitness in 
 assimilating and reproducing arguments which he 
 did not understand. This was said when Mr. 
 Chamberlain still professed to be a Free Trader. 
 Farrer was much attached to his brother-in-law 
 Lord Iddesleigh. He had the highest opinion of 
 his ability, industry and good sense, as well as 
 of his many amiable qualities. But in one respect 
 he had some misgiving. He feared that when he 
 became the Leader in the House of Commons, 
 he would not have sufficient backbone for such a 
 position, which certainly proved to be the case. 
 
CONCLUSION 
 
 MY son started in 1886 with his friend Mr. 
 Shoobridge to make a tour in India and 
 Java. They wished me to accompany them, but 
 I felt too old to undertake so long a journey, and 
 feared I should be a burden to them. They were 
 to be away seven months, which was a long 
 separation from my son, from whom I had never 
 been parted for more than a few weeks. Never- 
 theless, I was glad that they were going, as I 
 remembered with what pleasure in after life 
 I looked back to my own journey to India. I 
 decided, in order to distract myself in his absence, 
 to visit a number of countries which I regretted 
 never to have seen. In accordance with the rule 
 I have laid down I will not attempt to describe 
 the various places I went to. Such descriptions 
 should be made on the spot, and certainly not after 
 the lapse of many years. But it would be difficult 
 to make any other tour which would comprise 
 more exquisite scenery and more interesting towns. 
 The view which during my journey enchanted me 
 most was perhaps that from the plain which lies 
 above Patras, on the Gulf of Corinth. 
 
 My dear nieces, the two Miss Pitts, consented 
 
 307 
 
308 CONCLUSION 
 
 to accompany me during the first part of my 
 journey. We spent two months in Sicily, one 
 of them at Palermo and the other at different 
 places in the island. We saw all that is worth 
 seeing except the Temple of Segeste and the ruins 
 of Selinonte, which we could not well manage at 
 that time of the year. A friend of mine was 
 nearly drowned on his way to the Temple of 
 Pegeste. The ten days we passed at Taorminia 
 were very enjoyable. Thence we went to Naples, 
 where we divided our time between it and its 
 enchanting environs. We found that the following 
 incident had occurred at our hotel since we had 
 left it on our way out. The waiters had one day 
 all struck work, leaving the manager with his house 
 full of guests with nobody to wait upon them. 
 He said the guests very good-naturedly submitted 
 to great inconvenience, and he did his best, with 
 the help of some friends, to cope with the difficulty. 
 However, this state of things could not last ; and 
 being a man of resource, he saw his way to meet 
 it. He read in the newspapers an account of 
 the dreadful earthquake which had desolated the 
 Riviera and destroyed many hotels there, and at once 
 telegraphed to Mentone to desire that a number 
 of the waiters who had lost their employment 
 should be sent off to Naples by the next steamer. 
 They arrived the next morning to take the place 
 of those who had struck. The new-comers were 
 all Germans, and the manager declared he would 
 never again employ Italians. The latter were not 
 
NAPLES 309 
 
 to be relied upon, and some of them had more 
 than once threatened to stab him. This is a 
 terrible blot on the Italian character. The Arm- 
 strong Company, of which I am a director, had 
 great difficulty when they first established their 
 works at Pozzuoli in dealing with their Italian 
 workmen. The first manager, a Swiss, told me 
 that among the workmen assassinations were fre- 
 quent. I was glad to find subsequently that these 
 were not assassinations, but cases of stabbing, which 
 did not prove fatal, though this was bad enough. 
 By degrees a superior class of men have been 
 obtained, who, being well paid, and therefore con- 
 tented, give no trouble, their efficiency being so 
 great that eight hundred men now do as much 
 work as twelve hundred did formerly. 
 
 My nieces, to my great regret, took leave of me 
 about the middle of April 1887. I was then most 
 hospitably received by the late Mr. George Rendel 
 (brother of Lord Rendel) and his amiable wife 
 at their enchanting Villa Marival, near Naples. 
 This was formerly known by the name of Villa 
 Strachan, having belonged to Lady Strachan, the 
 widow of Sir Richard. She became the chere 
 amie of Lord Hertford, Croker's friend, whom 
 Thackeray satirised in Vanity Fair. The following 
 squib, upon the disastrous Walcheren expedition, 
 has immortalised Sir Richard : 
 
 The Earl of Chatham, with his sword drawn, 
 Stood waiting for Sir Richard Strachan ; 
 Sir Richard, longing to be at 'em, 
 Stood waiting for the Earl of Chatham. 
 
3IO CONCLUSION 
 
 Mr. George Rendel was an able and charming 
 man, whose friendship I greatly valued. 
 
 From Naples I went to Leocaspide, Sir James 
 Lacaita's country residence near Taranto. It is 
 a most captivating abode, situated in a vast plain 
 full of ravines, and carpeted with wild flowers, 
 with a distant view of the Calabrian Mountains 
 and with glimpses of the beautifully blue sea. 
 The house, which is built upon the ruins of an 
 old convent, had an imposing appearance as I 
 approached it, looking like some important public 
 building. When I said this to Sir James he told 
 me that his friends called it " L'impostura." It was 
 pleasant to lounge in the extensive loggia in 
 front of the house when warmed by the mid-day 
 sun, but at night it was bitterly cold, with only 
 feeble contrivances to warm it. The arrangements 
 were primitive and the life of the master patriarchal. 
 Part of his domain was formerly owned by his 
 family, which, to his great satisfaction, he was 
 able to repurchase. He said there was a farm in 
 the neighbourhood which belonged to a man who 
 was directly descended from some one bearing the 
 same name who possessed it in Cicero's time, 
 and is mentioned in that author's Letters. We 
 paid some formal visits to some proprietors living 
 on estates which they had also inherited from a 
 long line of ancestors. They rarely left their 
 homes, knew little of the outer world, and only 
 cared for their own domestic concerns. They 
 took-'no heed of the wars and revolutions which 
 
SIR JAMES LACAITA 3" 
 
 had so constantly agitated their country, and 
 were chiefly anxious about the price of olives, 
 which varied so much in different seasons. One 
 day a large gathering of purchasers came to 
 Leocaspide in order to fix the price of the year's 
 crop. They argued about it a good deal, and it 
 was only after having been well feasted the whole 
 day that in the evening they made an offer which 
 the proprietor was ready to accept. This is a 
 primitive way of transacting business. 
 
 Sir James's career was a remarkable one. Bred 
 up to the law, he in early life became known for 
 his ability and great love of literature. Having, 
 moreover, charming manners, he was a great 
 favourite with the English colony at Naples. 
 Holding Liberal opinions, he became suspected by 
 the Neapolitan Government, who arrested him and 
 charged him with being a member of some 
 secret society. This he said he had never 
 been, although in his opinion, under existing cir- 
 cumstances, it would have been quite justifiable. 
 The only evidence brought forward against him 
 at the trial was a short note written by an English 
 lady which the police had found among his papers. 
 She had formed one of a party who, some time 
 before, had gone with Sir James on a tour in the 
 neighbourhood of Naples. It seems they had 
 agreed to call themselves a republic, as they would 
 have no leader, but every one was to have a 
 voice as to their plans. The expedition was en- 
 joyable, and the lady in the note referred to 
 
312 CONCLUSION 
 
 merely suggested that they should get up another 
 " republic." His judges considered this conclusive 
 proof of his guilt. In vain he explained to them 
 the true circumstances. They would not believe 
 his story, and sent him to prison, where he 
 would probably have remained some years if his 
 friend. Sir William Temple, then our Minister at 
 Naples, had not induced the Government to 
 commute his sentence of imprisonment into one 
 of banishment. His subsequent life is well known 
 — how he settled in England, and how he became 
 the friend of Mr. Gladstone, who appointed him 
 his secretary on his expedition to the Ionian 
 Islands, and in subsequent years consulted him 
 much on Italian affairs. At the request of his 
 friend, the Duke of Devonshire, he undertook to 
 make a catalogue of the splendid collection of 
 books in the Chatsworth library. Ultimately he 
 was created a Senator of his native land. He paid 
 me several visits at Holmbury, where he was 
 always welcome, and was very happy, playing all 
 sorts of pranks with my son. 
 
 The last time I saw him was at Florence, 
 where I found him very ill. He asked me to 
 stay on with him, which I have since regretted 
 that I was unable to do, as I never saw him 
 again. I told him in the course of conversation 
 that my portmanteau had been opened in the 
 train from Rome and some of my things had been 
 stolen, and I asked him whether he knew any of 
 the directors of the railway, from whom I could 
 
M. TRICOUPI 313 
 
 obtain redress ; upon which he confessed that he 
 was himself a director, but that he could not help 
 me. He had often urged his colleagues to adopt 
 some simple precautions against such robberies, 
 but they would do nothing. They evidently were 
 unwilling to interfere with what they considered 
 the proper perquisites of their employes. 
 
 My next move was to Athens, by way of 
 Brindisi and Corfu. I stayed some days in that 
 enchanting island. To call it fairyland is scarcely 
 adequate praise. Thence I went to Athens, where 
 I found my old friend, Sir Horace Rumbold, and 
 his agreeable wife. I have known him ever since 
 he and his brother, when children, ran about the 
 Paris Embassy. He did his utmost to make my 
 stay at Athens pleasant. He introduced me to 
 Monsieur Tricoupi, who was then Prime Minister, 
 with whom one evening I had an interesting 
 interview. He talked chiefly about English politics, 
 concerning which our views differed, but on all 
 subjects he seemed to me open-minded. The 
 Greeks were at that time sore because Mr. Glad- 
 stone had lately refused to take certain strong 
 measures which they desired. Monsieur Tricoupi 
 himself spoke in the most friendly tone about 
 England. He greatly admired Mr. Chamberlain, 
 who had just before been received with nearly 
 regal honours in Greece. He said he much 
 honoured any one who was ready to give up his 
 official position for the sake of his principles. I 
 agreed, but added that possibly personal ambition 
 
314 CONCLUSION 
 
 might have been Mr. Chamberlain's motive. Many 
 will think his subsequent career has justified this 
 doubt. 
 
 Sir Horace helped me in my sight-seeing, and 
 persuaded me to go to Nauplia, an expedition I 
 much enjoyed. 
 
 My next halt was Constantinople. To describe 
 it is beyond my ability, and is outside the scope 
 of these pages. All I will say is that no educated 
 person who has it in his power to go there 
 should omit to do so. Here again I met with 
 much hospitality. Our Ambassador, Sir William 
 White, had once come to Holmbury to meet Mr. 
 Gladstone in order to talk over Balkan afilairs. 
 It was then the question of the day, with 
 which Sir William was more conversant than 
 anybody. My first impression of him was un- 
 favourable. He arrived when dinner was nearly 
 over, having walked more than four miles from 
 the station in pelting rain, a boy carrying his 
 carpet-bag. He had refused to use the fly which 
 I had ordered to meet him because he thought 
 the charge was too high, and he left me under 
 the impression that my order had not been carried 
 out. I tell this story as a curious instance of the 
 tendency of many to act upon the maxim that if you 
 take care of the pence the pounds will take care 
 of themselves. But I would rather say, " Take 
 care of the pounds, and the pence will take care 
 of themselves." Many men will be generous in 
 large matters, but are very penurious in small 
 
LORD WESTMINSTER 31 S 
 
 things. I have known well-to-do men who prefer 
 an omnibus to a cab in order to save a few pence. 
 I never heard Sir William blamed for stinginess, 
 but yet he was ready to walk nearly five miles in 
 drenching rain rather than pay the flyman a shilling 
 more than what he thought was his due. 
 
 Lord Westminster, the father of the late Duke, 
 occasionally gave away large sums of money, but in 
 trifles was ludicrously stingy. When one of his sons 
 entered the Navy he asked his father to give him 
 a watch. — " Why do you want one ? " — " Because 
 all the other middies have one." — " In that case 
 you do not need any, as you can always ascertain 
 the hour from them." — When building his house 
 at Fonthill, his architect complained that, after 
 having persuaded him in the morning not to spend 
 a thousand pounds uselessly, they had nothing 
 between them for dinner except one roast rabbit. 
 There were many similar amusing stories told of 
 his miserly proceedings. He would pay large prices 
 for pictures, but it made him unhappy. One of 
 his daughters once said to me — and she was not 
 joking — " My poor father is much vexed because 
 he has been tempted this morning to buy a picture 
 for a greater sum than he can afford." 
 
 His son, the late Duke of Westminster, was 
 a very different man. It is true that when we 
 travelled together in India he was inclined to 
 follow his father's example. Although in delicate 
 health, he would not take a servant on account of 
 the expense, which made me take mine, who 
 
3i6 CONCLUSION 
 
 attended upon him and nursed him in an illness. 
 His tips, too, hardly amounted to what was expected 
 of the son of one of the richest men in England. 
 But this disposition entirely changed, and as he 
 grew older he was noted for his munificent gifts. 
 In every respect generous, he spared neither 
 trouble nor money in assisting every deserving 
 charity. 
 
 To return to Sir William White. While at 
 Holmbury he was so natural and full of information, 
 and his conversation was so extremely interesting, 
 that before the conclusion of his visit we all got 
 to like him much. At Constantinople he received 
 me with open arms. He spoke feelingly of what 
 he owed to my brother with regard to diplomatic 
 promotion, saying that it was in consequence of 
 his having sent him on a temporary Mission to 
 Constantinople that he held the post he then 
 occupied. He procured me facilities for sight- 
 seeing ; he gave me luncheon every day, and 
 organised picnics to Therapia and the islands. 
 He also drove me to the Sweet Waters, where 
 the Turkish ladies were not sufficiently veiled to 
 prevent our seeing their lovely black eyes, which 
 he said beamed upon us in consequence of the 
 presence of his chasseur on the box of our carriage. 
 I never dined with him, as he only gave official 
 dinners, a sensible plan for an overworked 
 diplomatist. I did not lose by it, as Sir Drummond 
 Wolff, who was at Constantinople on a special 
 Mission, asked me to dine with him every day, 
 
HOSPITALITY OF DIPLOMATS 31/ 
 
 and twice invited me to large banquets at the 
 Club. He was very entertaining, and we became 
 great friends in spite of the persistent attacks he 
 had made on my brother in the House of Commons, 
 which I looked upon as being only in the way 
 of business. 
 
 The kindness shown me by the various diplomats 
 I came across during this tour was very gratifying, 
 although I knew it was a good deal owing to the 
 regard which they entertained for my brother, who 
 had been for so many years their Chief Besides 
 those I have already mentioned were my cousin. 
 Sir Frank Lascelles, at Bucharest, Mr. (now Sir 
 William) Barrington at Pesth, Mr. Phipps at 
 Vienna, and last but not least, Sir Edward and 
 Lady Ermyntrude Malet at Berlin. 1 Frank Las- 
 celles boarded me and would have lodged me, had 
 his furniture all arrived from his last post, Sofia. 
 Barrington shared his small apartment with me 
 and took me about everywhere, introducing me 
 to various notable Hungarians, amongst whom were 
 the orator. Count Appony, and Professor Vambdry. 
 The latter has passed his life in trying to bring 
 about a quarrel between England and Russia, a most 
 mischievous endeavour, although perhaps natural 
 in a Hungarian. At Berlin I spent a whole week 
 at the Embassy, which gave me time to see the 
 principal sights of that interesting but unattractive 
 town. The event of the week was the christening 
 of the infant daughter of my friend and relative, 
 Mr. Arthur Leveson Gower. It was a grand 
 
3i8 CONCLUSION 
 
 affair, the Crown Princess and the Ambassadress 
 being Godmothers. Afterwards there was a 
 luncheon at the Embassy, at which I had the 
 honour of sitting next to Her Royal Highness, 
 who made herself very agreeable. I had previously 
 been presented to her in London at a small 
 afternoon party which my sister-in-law gave at 
 Alford House, where she was accompanied by 
 her husband and her son, the present Emperor. 
 He was then about fourteen years old, and ap- 
 peared to be a quiet and rather dull youth, an 
 impression which has been much belied by his sub- 
 sequent career. 
 
 After luncheon Lady Ermyntrude told me what 
 an effort it had been for the Crown Princess to 
 be present at it, as she had been informed that 
 morning for the first time of the serious nature 
 of her beloved husband's malady. But, on this 
 as on every other occasion, she never shrank 
 from performing anything she looked upon as a 
 duty. I met her several times afterwards, twice 
 at Homburg and once at Venice. The last time 
 I saw her she alluded to our meeting at Berlin, 
 and the painful circumstances in which it had 
 occurred. 
 
 Sir Donald Currie in 1895 invited Mr. Gladstone 
 to accompany him in his newly-built steamer, the 
 Tantallon Castle, to witness the opening of the Kiel 
 Canal. He was good enough, at Mr. Gladstone's 
 instigation, to include me in the invitation. It was 
 a delightful expedition. The vessel was splendid. 
 
HAMBURG 319 
 
 the weather glorious, and the company agreeable 
 There were no ladies except the immediate rela- 
 tives and friends of Sir Donald and of his chief 
 guest. The party comprised several of my intimate 
 friends, but I only knew a few of the rest of my 
 shipmates. It was chiefly composed of Members of 
 Parliament, authors and artists, with whom I was 
 glad to become acquainted. 
 
 Our first destination was Hamburg, a fine town, 
 much improved since I was there on my return 
 from Moscow in 1856. We were hospitably 
 received by the principal merchants and citizens. 
 They gave us a banquet at which I sat next to 
 a pleasant lady, who had still some remains of 
 beauty. She asked me among many things 
 whether I had ever seen their Emperor. I told 
 her I had done so at a party at the Prince of 
 Wales's. — " Were you at a party at the Prince of 
 Wales's ? That was indeed an honour ! " — Not to 
 appear boastful, I explained that it was a large 
 garden party, to which many people were invited. 
 — "Still, a party at the Prince of Wales's!" — 
 I might have told her that His Majesty when 
 Prince of Wales had once done me the honour of 
 dining with me, but she would have certainly not 
 believed it. She informed me that she was going 
 to Carlsbad, and I asked her what took her there. 
 She replied, " My stomach," which sounds more 
 crude than had it been expressed in any other 
 language but English. What is insufferable in 
 this sort of banquet in Germany is that speeches 
 
320 CONCLUSION 
 
 are made between each dish, a custom which I 
 cannot understand the Germans continuing. 
 
 At Hamburg Sir Donald proposed to Mr. 
 Gladstone that he should pay Prince Bismarck a 
 visit. This Mr. Gladstone declined to do, saying 
 that if invited he would be happy to go, but could 
 not propose himself. Sir Donald then asked me 
 and several others to accompany him and pay our 
 respects to the Prince at Friedrichsruhe. We all 
 consented. Impelled by curiosity to see a man 
 who had played so large a part in the history of 
 his country, I was glad to be one of the party, 
 although, having no great admiration for the Prince's 
 career, this was rather inconsistent. 
 
 We got as far as the porter's lodge, but no 
 farther. We were told that the Prince was asleep, 
 and that when he awoke our cards would be 
 given to him. We were from time to time, in 
 answer to our inquiries, assured that he was still 
 asleep, till the hour arrived for our return to 
 Hamburg. The next day the Prince wrote to 
 Sir Donald to express his regret that, owing 
 to the state of his health, he had been unable to 
 receive us. The newspapers on the same day 
 stated that he was perfectly well. Now which 
 excuse were we to believe — the sleep, or the state of 
 health ? This reminds me of what a young man in 
 Paris said to a charming lady who had got into 
 some scrape : " Ma chere, dites ce que vous voulez, 
 et nous vous croirons, pourvu que cela soit toujours 
 la meme chose." Prince Bismarck, however, the 
 
COPENHAGEN AND KIEL 321 
 
 following year sent a number of small oak saplings 
 to be distributed among the gentlemen who had 
 been good enough to call upon him the previous 
 year. My specimen now flourishes in a field in 
 front of my house. 
 
 From Hamburg we went to Copenhagen, which, 
 in spite of its historical associations, to my shame 
 did not interest me much. Its appearance in 
 comparison with most of the other Capitals in 
 Europe — to use a disagreeable epithet when 
 applied to individuals — is somewhat second-rate. 
 
 The King and several members of the Royal 
 Family came on board and were entertained at 
 luncheon, when Mr. Gladstone made a speech, 
 which was much applauded, but which I was too 
 far from him to hear. His Majesty seemed delighted 
 to meet our great statesman, who was always a 
 favourite with the Danish Court. The next day 
 what appeared to be the whole population was 
 allowed to inspect the ship. They came in crowds 
 and peered into every cabin, which made the place 
 intolerable. 
 
 Our next destination was Kiel harbour, which 
 was seen at its best, crowded with ships of every 
 description, men-of-war, merchant vessels and 
 yachts of all nationalities. The chief event was 
 the German Emperor's inspection of the different 
 fleets. There he stood, upright on the bridge of 
 his ship, quite alone and in an attitude which 
 betokened the monarch of all he surveyed. Some 
 of our company admired it, but I thought it a 
 
 21 
 
322 CONCLUSION 
 
 trifle theatrical. At one time his vessel seemed 
 to be directed straight towards us, which made us 
 think he was coming to pay a visit to our aged 
 statesman, which would have been a graceful act 
 on his part ; but his ship suddenly altered her 
 course, and he went off, as I was told, to see 
 some English friend who had come to Kiel in 
 his yacht. 
 
 There was little of an opening ceremony. At 
 least, all I saw were a few ships coming at long 
 intervals from a corner of the bay where the 
 entrance of the Canal was said to be. 
 
 We were desirous on leaving Kiel to go to 
 Stockholm, the only Capital in Europe which I 
 have never seen, but for some reason it could 
 not be managed. We went instead to the pretty 
 town of Gothenburg, which was all decorated with 
 green branches on account of some local festivity. 
 Our return home was prosperous, and we all 
 felt that we had made a most pleasant expedition. 
 There was much excitement among the passengers 
 when the news reached us at the mouth of the 
 Thames that the Liberal Government was out, 
 which was nuts to some but not to all. 
 
 About twenty years ago I met with a piece 
 of good fortune. The late Lord Armstrong, who 
 was then Sir William, proposed to me at the 
 suggestion of my friend, Lord Rendel, to join 
 the Board of Directors of his Company. I joyfully 
 accepted his kind offer. Besides benefiting me 
 financially, it has given me the interest of watching 
 
THE ARMSTRONG COMPANY 323 
 
 the marvellous development of this great concern 
 and the skill with which it has been brought 
 about. My relations with my fellow directors 
 both past and present have always been most 
 pleasant, and I have much valued their friendship. 
 Lord Armstrong himself I greatly esteemed, ad- 
 miring his modesty and unassuming manners, which, 
 considering his ability and successful career, were 
 very remarkable. 
 
 With regard to the business we are engaged in I 
 will only say that I abhor every war of aggression, 
 but consider it the duty of every Government to 
 be adequately prepared for defence. I once said 
 to the late Colonel Dyer that I should always 
 regret a war taking place, although it might be 
 to our advantage. He mildly observed, " Perhaps 
 you do not object to rumours of war." 
 
 Some years later Mr. Gladstone spent his last 
 winter at Lord Rendel's beautiful chAteau at 
 Cannes. He went there in the hope that a change 
 of climate would be beneficial, a hope which 
 unluckily was not realised. He suffered severely 
 during his whole stay there. 
 
 Lord Rendel thought that it would do him good 
 to see some society, and with that object invited 
 several of his old friends, including myself to 
 meet him. It was a sad visit, as it was so 
 distressing to see one to whom we were so much 
 attached endure so much pain. We saw a good 
 deal of him, as with the exception of breakfast 
 he was present at every meal. I do not know 
 
324 CONCLUSION 
 
 how he passed his time before luncheon, but in 
 the afternoon he took a drive, and after tea and 
 in the evening lay down on a sofa, listening to 
 music, which soothed him. Several ladies played 
 to him by turns ; they were angels by the sick 
 man's couch. 
 
 Lord Rendel urged me to try and draw him 
 into conversation in the hope of distracting him 
 from his sufferings. I endeavoured to do so by 
 putting questions and suggesting topics, such as 
 in former years he so charmingly dealt with ; but 
 now, finding it only wearied and annoyed him, I 
 had to desist. The only conversation I had with 
 him was when he sometimes after luncheon asked 
 me to give him my arm whilst we paced up and 
 down a long passage, as it was his habit to do every 
 day. He then talked to me freely. He was 
 perfectly resigned, but his words were sad. More 
 than once he expressed the hope that all might 
 be over before the next day. When finally I took 
 leave of him he gave me his blessing, whilst he 
 added, " We shall never meet again in this world." 
 His prediction turned out true, for although his 
 life of suffering was prolonged for a few months, 
 I never saw him again. 
 
 The weather during the whole of this visit was 
 enchanting — cloudless skies, glorious sunsets and 
 no mistral. With the exception of a few days 
 it has been much the same during the various times 
 I have visited Cannes. I have gone there every 
 winter, remaining never less than ten weeks, and 
 
AUTHORSHIP OF "WERNER" 325 
 
 one year I took a villa for four months. No words 
 can describe the kindness I have always there met 
 with in nearly every quarter. A young man looks 
 upon the hospitality he receives as a matter of 
 course, but it is very different with an old man — 
 at least, it is so with me. I am grateful for the 
 welcome often given me by Lady Alfred Paget, 
 Lord and Lady Rendel, and Lord Glenesk at their 
 respective chateaux of Garibondy, Thorenc and St. 
 Michel, all in their different ways delicious abodes, 
 and I heartily thank them and many other friends 
 at Cannes for their constant goodness towards 
 me. 
 
 Before concluding, I will, although with some 
 hesitation, venture to refer to the subject of 
 the authorship of Werner. In an article in the 
 August number of 1899 of the Nineteenth Century 
 I maintained that my grandmother the Duchess 
 of Devonshire and not Lord Byron wrote that 
 drama. It is a startling statement, but is borne 
 out by undeniable facts. I shall not here repeat 
 the substance of my article, but am convinced 
 that most people who take the trouble to read 
 it will arrive at the same conclusion about it. 
 Mr. Hartley Coleridge, the editor of Byron's 
 Poems in Mr. Murray's edition of his Works, deals 
 with my article in his notes to Werner. He does 
 not answer my arguments, but disbelieves my story 
 for the two following reasons. The first is that 
 there is ample proof that Byron just before its 
 publication informed his entourage that he was 
 
326 CONCLUSION 
 
 busy writing Werner. Surely if he contemplated 
 publishing as his own a poem written by some one 
 else, he would be anxious to make people believe 
 that it was his own production. You would not 
 say that the innocence of a man suspected of some 
 ofifence was proved by his having told his friends 
 that he had not committed it. The second reason 
 is on account of the parallel passages which are to 
 be found in Werner and in the works of Byron. 
 But this does not disprove my case, as Byron may 
 have inserted, and probably did insert, some lines 
 of his own in the original poem. Moreover, the 
 argument derived from parallel passages as to the 
 identity of authorship is not reliable, or else we 
 must believe that Bacon wrote the works of 
 Shakespeare, as so many parallel passages are to 
 be met with in their writings. 
 
 Byron did, at an earlier date, write the first act 
 of a drama founded on the plot of Werner. The 
 copy of it, in his handwriting, was mislaid in his 
 lifetime, and was only found the other day by Mr. 
 Murray. I wish Mr. Coleridge had printed it in 
 his notes to Werner, as I am sure that any one 
 comparing it with the first act of the published 
 version would see at once that the two could not 
 have been written by the same person. 
 
 Little attention was paid to my article, which I 
 partly attribute to its having appeared in the month 
 in which the Boer War began, when everybody was 
 engrossed by the events in South Africa. I am 
 therefore induced to make another attempt to point 
 
CONCLUSION 327 
 
 out what appears to me to be a curious incident 
 in the history of literature. 
 
 My escape to Cannes from fogs and short, damp 
 days in England during the last eight years has 
 probably prolonged my life, and thereby enabled 
 me to write this little book. For this I am 
 thankful. Although aware of its deficiencies — being 
 rambling patchwork ill put together — it has still 
 amused me to write it, and I hope that some of the 
 stories I tell may be found entertaining, and some 
 of my accounts, however trivial, of the great men 
 I allude to, not without interest. 
 
INDEX 
 
INDEX 
 
 Abbotsford, a visit to, 3 
 
 Aberdeen, Lord, 29 
 
 Abingdon, Lady, 18 
 
 Acton, Cardinal, 34 
 
 Acton, Sir John, afterwards 
 Lord, 34, 214 
 
 Sir Richard, 34 
 
 Adam's Peak, 146 
 
 Address, the, F. Leveson 
 Gower seconds, 256 
 
 Aden, 137 
 
 Adlerberg, Madame, 232 
 
 Agra, 187 ; the Taj at, 189 
 
 Ahmednagar, 205 
 
 Ajunta, the caves of, 201, 202 
 
 Albert, Prince, his claims to 
 marriage •with Queen Vic- 
 toria put forward by the 
 Duchess of Kent and the 
 King of the Belgians, 5 
 
 Alderson, Baron, 55 
 
 Alford, Lady Marian, 53, 281; 
 her attention to Carlyle on 
 his wife's death, 102 ; her 
 popularity and generosity, 
 286 ; her fondness of society, 
 288 ; her kindness to the 
 poor, 289 ; the estimation 
 in which she was held, 289, 
 290 
 
 Allahabad, 181 
 
 AUen, Mr., Lord Holland's 
 private secretary, 39 
 
 AmeUe, Queen Marie, her Ufe 
 at the Tuileries, 113 
 
 Andalusian dress, the, 80 
 
 Anderson, Sir G., 141 
 
 Anson, Mrs., 109 
 
 "Apostles," the, 57 n. 
 
 Appony, Count, 317 
 
 Appony, Madame, 30 
 
 Arcos, the two brothers, 77 
 
 Argyll, the [late] Duke of, a 
 visitor at Holmbury, 292 
 
 John, Duke of, the house 
 
 in Bruton Street occupied by, 
 48 
 
 Armstrong & Co., F. Leveson 
 Gower joins the firm of, 322 
 
 Arnold, Matthew, a meeting 
 with, at Balliol, 281 ; an 
 incident in his life, 282 
 
 Artois, the Comte d', after- 
 wards Charles X., 107 
 
 Ashburnham, Colonel, 182 
 
 Ashburton, Lady, asks F. Le- 
 veson Gower and Lady 
 Marian Alford to meet 
 Carlyle, 102, 103 
 
 Ashley, Lord, 213 
 
 Assisi, Don Francis d', 68 n. 
 
 Aston, Sir Arthur, his story at 
 a dinner at Holland House, 
 38 
 
 Athens, 313 
 
 Auckland, Lord, abolishes the 
 tax on pilgrims, 182 
 
 Aumale, the Due d', 245 
 
 Aurungabad, 204 
 
 Austria, the Emperor of, his 
 coronation as King of Lom- 
 bardy, 19-21 
 
 Baden, the Grand Duchess 
 
 Stephanie of, 31 
 the Princess Marie of, 31, 
 
 32 
 Bahadur, Bum, 179 
 
 331 
 
332 
 
 INDEX 
 
 Bahadur, Jung, 141, 175-179 
 
 Baker, the brothers, 146 
 
 Valentine, 147 
 
 Balfour, A. J., reads a paper 
 before the Political Economy- 
 Club, 256 
 
 Ballantyne, Sergeant, 252 
 
 Baring, Bingham, 103, 104 
 
 Lady Harriet, loi 
 
 Henry, 246 
 
 Barrackpore, 162 
 
 Barrington, William (now Sir), 
 
 317 , 
 
 Bastiat, the Harmonies Econo- 
 
 miques of, 262 
 Bath, Lord, his introduction to 
 
 Eton, 13 
 Beaconsfield, Lord, 113, 114, 
 
 266 
 Beguinot, M., 269 
 Bell, Mr. and Mrs., at Oxford, 
 
 278 
 Benkendorf, Comte, 28 
 
 Mademoiselle de, 30 
 
 Bentinck, George, 57 
 
 Lord William, 164 
 
 Berhn, 317 
 
 Berry, Mr., F. Leveson Gower's 
 
 private tutor, 6, 7 
 Berryer, 26 
 Bertie, Sir Francis, 18 
 Bessborough, Lord, death of, 
 
 237 
 
 Bhurtpore, 191 
 
 Bismarck, commanding ap- 
 pearance of, 116 ; a present 
 from, 320 
 
 Blackwood, Sir H., 211 
 
 Blessington, Lady, 108 
 
 Boconnoc, 247 
 
 Bodmin, Mr. Robartes ofiers 
 to get F. Leveson Gower re- 
 turned for, 243, 244 ; friends 
 in, 248 ; effect of the Reform 
 Bill of 1867 on, 251 
 
 Bombay, 206 
 
 Bordeaux, the Due de, 3 
 
 Bosio, Madame, 224 
 
 Bouverie, Edward, 241 
 
 Boyle, Miss Mary, 284, 286 
 
 Bravo, Gonzalez, 68 
 
 Bright, John, 292 
 
 BrogUe, the Due de, the tutor 
 
 to, 22 
 Brougham, Lord, ofiers Lord 
 
 Granville the loan of his 
 
 villa at Cannes, 31 ; his 
 
 conversation, 5 5 ; a novel by 
 
 him, 92 
 Browning, Robert, boisterous 
 
 spirits of, 280 
 Brownlow, Lord, his claim to 
 
 the Bridgwater estate, 5 3 
 Brunei, I., 38 
 
 Buckland, Dr., a lecture by, 17 
 Buddha, the tooth of, 142 
 BuUer, Mr., 142, 143, 156, 157 
 Bull-fight, a, 70 
 Bulwer, Sir Henry, 65 ; his 
 
 ways of life, 66 
 Burgos, the inn at, 63 ; the 
 
 cathedral at, 64 
 Burlington, Lord, 262 
 Burlton, Captain, 195 
 Byng, Frederick, i, 98 
 Byng, Mrs., 98 
 
 Caird, Sir James, 127 
 
 Cairo, 134 
 
 Calcutta, 159; sight-seeing in, 
 
 160 
 Cameron, Mr., 131 
 Camp des Bourgeoises, the, 230 
 Canning, George, 29, 50 
 Lady, the wife of the 
 
 Governor-General of India, 
 
 los 
 • Lord, a conversation with, 
 
 about India, 125 
 Canofari, CavaUere, 27 
 Carlisle, Lady, the daughters 
 
 of, 37 
 Carlyle, Thomas, 102 
 
 Mrs., 102 
 
 Carmarthen, Lady, 265 
 Castellane, Madame de, 32 
 Castle Howard, the mausoleum 
 
 at, 38 
 Catherine, the Grand Duchess, 
 
 225 
 Cavendish, Lord Frederick, 257 
 Cercle de Noblesse, the, ball 
 
 given at Milan by the, 21 
 Cerito, Mademoiselle, 231 
 
INDEX 
 
 333 
 
 Ceylon, races in, 158 
 Chantilly Chateau, restoration 
 of, by the Due d'Aumale, 
 
 25 
 
 Chantilly races, 24 
 Chapman, Mr., 141 
 Charteris, Frank, 9 ; at Nune- 
 
 ham, 16 ; Lady Holland's 
 
 graciousness to, 40 
 Chaste Suzanne, La, 27 
 Chatsworth, visit of Queen 
 
 Victoria and Prince Albert 
 
 to, 47 ; a visit to, 261 
 Cheney, Edward, 288 
 Chesterfield House set, the, 107 
 
 Lady, 108, 109 
 
 Chiswick Villa, 262 ; social 
 
 gatherings at, 264 
 Claremont, General, 7 
 Clarissa Harlowe, an anecdote 
 
 a propos of, 26 
 Cole, Sir Henry, 269 
 Coleridge, Hartley, his notes on 
 
 Werner, 325 
 Collins, Mr., my Bodmin agent, 
 
 249 
 Colombo, 140 ; a levee at, 157 
 Colville, Sir James, 159 
 Combermere, Viscount, 191 
 Commons, the House of, 
 
 speeches in, 255-260 
 Compton, Lord WUham, 244 
 Connor, Mrs., the nieces of, 120 
 Constantine, the Grand Duke, 
 
 230 
 Constantinople, 314 
 Copeland, Alderman, 239 ; his 
 
 first entrance into poUtical 
 
 Ufe, 240 
 Copenhagen, 321 
 Cordova, 84 
 Corfu, 313 
 Cowley, Lord, 115 
 Cowper, Lady, loi, 264 
 Currie, Lord, 221 
 
 Sir Donald, 318 
 
 Custine, Marquis de, the, his 
 
 work on Russia, 233 
 
 Daily News, the, start of, 44 
 Dalberg, the Due de, 34 
 the Duchesse de, 20 
 
 Dalkeith, Lord, 212 
 
 Dalrymple, Mr., 159 
 
 Dambool, 148 
 
 Daulatabad, the fort of, 204 
 
 Dawson, Vesey, 7 
 
 Delhi, 192 ; the Kutub at, 193 
 
 Denman, George, a visit to Ely 
 with, 52 
 
 Lord, at Cambridge with, 
 
 52 ; his difference of opinion 
 with Baron Alderson, 55 
 
 Derby, F. Leveson Gower's 
 connection with, 237, 238 
 
 Devonshire, the Duchess of, 325 
 
 the Duke of, at Nice, 3 1 ; 
 
 affection for his nephew, 40 ; 
 his relations with his gar- 
 dener Paxton, 41 
 
 Dickens, Charles, at Chats- 
 worth, 44, 45 
 
 Dickins, Mr. and Lady Eliza- 
 beth, 285 
 
 Dino, the Duchesse de, the 
 marriage of, 31 ; she be- 
 comes devout, 32 
 
 DisraeU. See Beaconsfield 
 
 Dodson, Mr., 5 1 
 
 Douglas, Lord, marriage of, 
 
 32, 33 
 Dover, Lord, 265 
 Duncannon, Lord, succeeds to 
 
 the Bessborough title, 237 
 Dundas, Sir David, 266 
 Durham, Dean of, the, on 
 
 Ruskin at Oxford, 9 
 
 Eastlake, Lady, 302 
 
 Eastnor, Lady, 131 
 
 Egerton, Admiral Hon. Francis, 
 
 129 
 Elections at Derby, 237 ; Stoke, 
 
 243 ; Bodmin, 244 
 Elephanta, the island of, 207 
 EUenborough, Lord, 188, 189, 
 
 198 
 Ellen Middleton, 92 ; J. G. 
 
 Phillimore's opinion of, 93 
 EUora, caves of, the, 203 
 Enfield, Lady, 97 
 Erskine, Mr., 169, 179 
 Escorial, the, 64 
 Essex, the Dowager Lady, 
 
334 
 
 INDEX 
 
 private theatricals at the 
 
 house of, 20 
 Eton, 5 
 Etwah Doulah, the tomb of, 
 
 189 
 Europa Point, 81 
 Euston, the Earl of (afterwards 
 
 Duke of Grafton), 129 
 Everard, Dr., his school, 3 
 Ewing, Crum, 241 
 Examiner, the, M. Fon- 
 
 blanque's articles in, 7 
 Exhibition of 185 1, the, 42 
 
 Falkner, Dr., 160 
 
 Fardapur, 201 
 
 Farrer, Lord, his views on the 
 relative importance of phy- 
 sical and mental labour, 
 II ; his attitude towards 
 economic heresies, 51, 306 
 
 Fitzgerald, Lord Otho, 123 
 
 Fitz-Roy, Lord Frederick, 129 
 
 Flahault, M. de, 268 
 
 Foley, Lord, 84, 85 
 
 Fonblanque, M., his articles in 
 the Examiner, 7 
 
 Fortescue, Chichester, 276 
 
 George, 247 
 
 John, 84, 85, 247 
 
 Lady Louisa, 247 
 
 Free Trade speeches, 258 
 
 Friedrichsruhe, a visit to, 320 
 
 FuUerton, A. G., goes to Milan, 
 
 19 
 — — Lady Georgiana, joins the 
 
 Roman Catholic Church, 1 8 ; 
 
 in private theatricals, 25 ; 
 
 her novel, 92, 93 
 Futtehpore Sikri, 190 
 
 Gaisford, Dean, his manage- 
 ment of Christ Church, 8 
 
 Galle, 138 
 
 Galliera, the Due and Duchesse 
 de, generosity of, 26, 27 
 
 Ganges, the, 165 
 
 Garibaldi, his entry into Naples 
 27 
 
 Gaucin, 82 
 
 Gentleman Commoners, the 
 privileges of , 12, 13 
 
 George IV., 29 
 
 George of Cambridge, Prince, 4 
 
 George of Hanover, Prince, 4 
 
 Germany, Empress Frederick 
 of, bequest to, 28 ; luncheon 
 at the British Embassy at 
 Berlin, 318 
 
 Ghazipur, a stud of horses at, 
 181 
 
 Gibraltar, 80 
 
 Gibson the sculptor, 287 
 
 Gilbert, Colonel, 248 
 
 Gill, Captain, 201 
 
 Gladstone, Mrs., a story of, 297 
 
 W. E., his dislike of the 
 
 removal of the privileges of 
 Gentleman Commoners, 13 ; 
 his opinion of gambling, 14 ; 
 friendship with, 291 ; his 
 visits to Holmbury, 292, 293 ; 
 his description of a tour in 
 Sicily, 295 ; opinion of Pur- 
 cell's " Life " of Cardinal 
 Manning, 301 ; his intense 
 interest in the book he might 
 be reading at the moment, 
 ib. ; winters at Cannes, 323 
 
 Glasgow, Lord, 242 
 
 Glenesk, Lord, 325 
 
 " Gola," the, 163 
 
 Gomm, Sir William and Lady, 
 160 
 
 Gore House, 109 
 
 Mrs. and Miss, 128, 129 
 
 Gothenburg, 322 
 
 Gough, Mr., 163, 164 
 
 Gower, Arthur Leveson, the 
 christening of his daughter, 
 
 317 
 
 Gower, FrederickLeveson, birth 
 of, I ; his father appointed 
 Ambassador to the Nether- 
 lands, 2 ; in Paris, ih. ; at 
 Oxford, 8 ; in India, 124-211; 
 in Russia, 212-236 ; Parlia- 
 mentary career, 237-260 ; a 
 candidate for Paisley, 240 ; 
 posts offered to, by Mr. 
 Gladstone, 258 
 
 George Leveson, 276, 277 ; 
 
 poems by, 278 ; tour of, in 
 India, 307 
 
INDEX 
 
 33S 
 
 Granville, Castalia, Lady, 284 
 
 Harriet, Lady, 262 et seq. 
 
 Marie, Lady, 20, 24 ; her 
 
 charms as a hostess, 10 1 ; 
 Ambassadress at Moscow, 
 224 ; death of, 265 
 
 Greville, Charles, 90 ; his '- me- 
 moirs," 91 
 
 Lady Charlotte, 90 
 
 Henry, takes part in theat- 
 ricals at Lady Essex's, 20 ; 
 diaries of, 97 ; parties of, 98 
 
 Grey, Lord, 29 
 
 Grisi, Madame, 117 
 
 Grosvenor, Earl (afterwards 
 Duke of Westminster), 129 ; 
 illness of, 205 
 
 Lady Constance, 263 
 
 Grote, George, his refusal of a 
 
 peerage, 104 
 
 Mrs. George, her conver- 
 sational powers, 305 ; her 
 visits to Holmbury, ib. 
 
 Guizot, M., 25 ; his devotion 
 to Princess Lieven, 29 
 
 Gunah, 195 
 
 Gwalior, 194 
 
 Gya, a temple at, 162 
 
 Haddington, the, 209 
 Hamburg, banquet at, 319 
 Hamilton, Mr., 198 
 Hammick, Sir Stephen, 39 
 Harcourt, George, marriage of, 
 276 
 
 Lady Elizabeth, 18 ; early 
 
 death of, 19, 21 
 Sir William, becomes pos- 
 sessor of Nuneham, 16 
 
 Vernon, Archbishop of 
 
 York, 16 
 
 Hardinge, Sir Arthur, 213 
 
 Viscount, 186 
 
 Harmonies Economiques, Bas- 
 
 tiat's, 262 
 Harrowby, Lady, 6 
 Helene, the Grand Duchess, a 
 
 dinner with, 235 
 Hicks, Mr., 248 
 
 History of Napoleon, M. Lan- 
 l^frey's, 280 
 Holkar, Rajah of Gwalior, 195 
 
 Holland, Lord and Lady, in- 
 timacy with, 35-40 
 
 Lord, death of, 36 
 
 Holmbury, the purchase of and 
 view from, 283 ; Derby race- 
 parties at, 284 
 
 Horton, Lady, the walk of, 
 
 143 
 Hiibner, Baron, friendship with, 
 
 301, 302 
 Hudson, George, introduced to 
 
 the Duke of Devonshire, 45 ; 
 
 his popularity, 46 ; his last 
 
 days at Calais, 47 
 Mrs., saying attributed to 
 
 her, 46 
 Hummayoun, the tomb of, 193 
 
 Iddesleigh, Lord, 50, 51, 306 
 India, a visit to, 124-2 11 
 Indore, 198 ; the Rajah of, 
 
 198, 199 
 Ingiis, Sir Robert, 259 
 Isabella of Spain, Queen, 68 
 Istrie, the Duchesse d', 26 
 Italian affairs, a debate on, 257 
 
 workmen, 309 
 
 Ives, Mrs., 274 
 
 Jerrold, Douglas, a play by 
 
 him acted at Devonshire 
 
 House, 44 
 Jersey, Lady, her jealousy of 
 
 the Duchess of Sutherland, 
 
 106 
 Jo watt, Benjamin, his interest 
 
 in G. Leveson Gower, 279 ; 
 
 his silence, ih. ; his week-end 
 
 parties, 280 
 
 Kandy, 142 
 
 Kavanagh, Colonel, 180 
 Kenealy, Dr., his Goethe, 59, 60 
 Kerr, Commissioner, 240 
 Kerrison, Sir Edward, elected a 
 
 member of the Mitre Club, 13 
 Khatmandu valley, 168 
 Kiel, 214 ; the harbour, 321 
 
 Canal, the opening of, 318 
 
 Kinnaird, Arthur, 296 
 Knowles, Sir James, rents 
 
 Holmbury, 284, 303 
 
336 
 
 INDEX 
 
 Kotchoubey, the Princess, 220 ; 
 
 a ball given by, 234 
 Kremlin, tbe, a summons to, 
 
 224 ; a State ball at, 231 
 
 Lacaita, Sir James, 302 ; his 
 house near Taranto, 310 ; 
 his career, 311 
 
 La Jonchere, 25 
 
 Lake, Colonel, 191 
 
 Lamont, Mr., 240 
 
 Lanfrey, M., his History of 
 Napoleon, 280 
 
 Lanhydrock, 243, 244 
 
 Lascelles, Sir Frank, 317 
 
 Legouve, M., 27 
 
 Leocaspide, 310 
 
 Leveson, Lord, 33 
 
 Lichnowsky, Prince, 32 
 
 Liddon, Canon, 280 
 
 Lieven, Princess, her distin- 
 guished career, 28, 29 ; her 
 letters, 29, 30 ; her attach- 
 ment to Guizot, 30 ; her 
 salon, ib. 
 
 Ligne, Prince and Princesse de, 
 217, 220 
 
 Lincoln, Lord (afterwards Duke 
 of Newcastle), 214 
 
 Lisbon, 89 
 
 Lismore Castle, a visit to, 117 
 
 Lister, Mr., 213 
 
 Littler, Sir John and Lady, 161 
 
 Loch, Henry, afterwards Lord 
 Loch, 158, 160 
 
 Lowell, 292 ; lines by, 298 
 
 Lucca, the Duke of, 3 
 
 Lucknow, 183 
 
 Luttrell, Mr., repartee of, 37 
 
 Lyndhurst, Lord and Lady, 54 
 
 Macdonald, Lady, 305 
 
 Maclean, Captain and Mrs., 139 
 
 Macleod, Mr., 165, 211 
 
 Madrid, 65 
 
 Malabar Point, 209 
 
 Malet, Sir Edward and Lady 
 
 Ermyntrude, 317 
 Malthus the Economist, 285 
 Manning, Cardinal, 301, 303 
 Manual of Workhouse Cookery, 
 
 A, 271 
 
 Marescalchi, Contessa, 20 
 Marie of Russia, the Grand 
 
 Duchess, 225, 226, 261 
 Marlborough, the Duchess of, 
 
 267, 268 
 Maude, Colonel, 213 
 Mehemet Ali question, the, 24 
 Melbourne, Lord, at Chats- 
 worth, 47 
 Metcalfe, Sir Theophilus, 192 
 Metternich, 29 
 Meyendorf, Madame de, 25 
 Michael of Russia, the Grand 
 
 Duke, 219 
 Milan, coronation of the Em- 
 peror of Austria at, as King 
 
 of Lombardy, 19, 21 
 Minery, the plains of, 149 
 Minton, Mr., 239 
 Misanthrope, Molifere's, 25 
 Mitre Club, the, 13 
 Mohl, Madame, 302 
 Mole, 25 
 Molesworth, Lady, 244, 245 ; 
 
 hospitality of, 275 
 Mon, 73 
 Montague des Moineaux, the, 
 
 220 
 Montez, Lola, 117 
 Monti] o. Mademoiselle de, the 
 
 engagement of, 30 
 Montpensier, the Due de, 68 «. ; 
 
 a bequest to, 28 
 
 the Duchesse de, 112, 113 
 
 Morley, Lady, loi 
 
 Morny, M. de, the carriages of, 
 
 at Moscow, 220 ; a party at 
 
 the house of, 232 
 Moscow, 219 ; a review at, 222 ; 
 
 the opera house at, 223 ; 
 
 coronation at, 226 ; Gravina- 
 
 taia palace, ih. ; ball at, 228 
 Motley, John Lothrop, a dinner 
 
 given by, 273 ; a visit from, 
 
 274 
 Much Ado about Nothing, 25 
 Munoz, 73 
 Murray, Dr., 188 
 Muzaffarpur, 165 
 
 Naples, 308 
 
 Napoleon, Louis, 109, 115, 116 
 
INDEX 
 
 337 
 
 Narvaez, 72 
 
 National Training School of 
 
 Cookery, the, 269 
 Nepaul, an expedition to, 160, 
 
 166 ; departure from, 174 
 Nesselrode, Count, 215, 229; 
 
 his conversation, 230 
 
 the Countess, 229 
 
 Newman, John Henry, the 
 
 preaching of, 2 1 
 Nice, a winter at, 31 ; Ufe in, 
 
 33 
 Nicholas II., Tzar of Russia, an 
 
 audience with, 216, 217 ; his 
 
 entry into Moscow, 221 
 Nicholas of Russia, the Grand 
 
 Duke, 219 
 NUe, the, 1 34 
 Normanby, Lord, 113 
 Norreys, Lord, 18 
 North American Review, the, 
 
 278 
 Northcote, Sir Stafford {see 
 
 also Iddesleigh), 50, 51 
 Nuera-ellia, 146 
 Nuneham, 16 ; the Archbishop 
 
 of York and the fox-hounds 
 
 at, 17 ; Lady Georgiana 
 
 FuUerton's account of, ib. ; 
 
 visits to, 18 
 
 Oakeley, Mr., 18 
 Oldfield, Dr., 165 
 OUphant, Laurence, 180, 194 
 
 Sir Anthony, 141 
 
 Orleans, the Due d', 25 
 Orsay, the Count d', 108 
 
 Lady Harriet d', no 
 
 Ossuna, the Due d', 73 
 
 Oude, the King of, breakfast 
 
 with, 183 ; degradation of, 
 
 186 
 Ouvrard, the former residence 
 
 of, 25 
 Overstone, Lord, 255 
 Oxford, 8 ; life at, 22 
 
 Circuit, the, 57 
 
 Movement, the, 21 
 
 Paget, Lady Alfred, wel- 
 come given by, 325 
 Paisley election, the, 240 
 
 Palazzo Rosso, the, gift of, to 
 
 Genoa, 28 
 Palliser, Mr., 147 
 Panin, Mademoiselle, 224 
 Pantaleone, Dr., 287 
 Papilara, 144 
 Paris, 2, 24 ; the Italian opera 
 
 house burnt, 1 5 ; the seasons 
 
 in, 24 ; in 1848, no 
 the Archbishop of, his 
 
 friendship with the Duchesse 
 
 de Dino, 32 
 
 the Comte and Comtesse 
 
 de, 245 
 
 Parke, Baron, 52 ; his enjoy- 
 ment of Ufe, 53 
 
 Patau, 170 
 
 Patna, 163 
 
 Paulo vski Regiment, the, 222 
 
 Paxton, Joseph (afterwards 
 Sir), his relations with the 
 Duke of Devonshire, 41 ; 
 represents Coventry in Par- 
 liament, 43 ; his devotion to 
 the Duke, 44 ; his intimacy 
 with literary men, ib. 
 
 PedrotaUagalla, 146 
 
 Peel, Captain, 131 
 
 Sir Robert and Lady 
 
 Emily at Valencia, 212 
 
 Percy, Pedro, the pictures in 
 Valencia of, 78 
 
 Perry, Sir Erskine, 206-208 
 
 PhiUimore, John George, the 
 learning of, 57, 58 ; pub- 
 lishes the first volume of his 
 " History," 59 ; his opinion 
 of Ellen Middleton, 93 ; of 
 Kenealy's Goethe, 60 
 
 Phipps, Mr., 317 
 
 Pitt, the Misses, 307 
 
 Plunkett, Mr., 50 
 
 Ponsonby, Gerald, 213 
 
 Poonah, 205 
 
 Princess Alice, the, 212 
 
 Prussia, the Crown Prince of, 
 225 
 
 Pushputty, 169 
 
 Rachel, Mademoiselle, 116 
 Radetzski, Marshal, 19 
 RadziwUl, Prince, 32 
 
 22 
 
338 
 
 INDEX 
 
 Radziwill, Princess, 225 
 Raikes, Miss, 92 
 
 Mr., 187 
 
 Railway committees, 258 
 Rainer, the benevolent rule of 
 
 the Archduke, 19 
 Rambuteau, M. de, no 
 Reeve, Henry, 305 
 Rendel, George, hospitality of, 
 
 309 
 
 Lord, 323, 325 
 
 Ricardo, Mr., 239 
 
 Rivers, Lady, 263 
 
 Robartes, Thomas (afterwards 
 Lord), 243, 244 
 
 Robins, Captain, 314 
 
 Roebuck, Mr., 104 
 
 Rome, 34 
 
 Rookery, the, 285 
 
 Roumania, the Prince and 
 Princess (now King and 
 Queen), visit of, to Holm- 
 bury, 290 
 
 Rumbold, Sir Horace, 313 
 
 Runjeet Singh, the widow of, 
 169 
 
 Ruskin, John, his friendships at 
 Oxford, 9-1 1 
 
 Russell, Cosmo, his choice of a 
 profession, 35 
 
 Lord John, 256 
 
 Russia, a visit to, 212-236 
 
 the Grand Dukes Michael 
 
 and Nicholas of, 219 ; the 
 Grand Duchesses Catherine 
 and Marie of, 225, 226, 261 
 
 St. Jean A' Acre, the, 212 
 
 St. Petersburg, a special mis- 
 sion to, 212 ; sight-seeing at, 
 215 ; pictures at the Her- 
 mitage, 217 ; the Leuchten- 
 burg palace at, ih. ; the 
 citadel church of, 218 
 
 St. Quentin, Mr., 165 
 
 Sand with, Dr., 213 
 
 Sansom, Mr., 67 
 
 Sapte, Canon, 300 
 
 Schleswig-Holstein question, 
 the, 123 
 
 Schouvaloff, the Countess, 224 
 
 Scott, Sir Walter, 2 
 
 Secundra, 189 
 
 Segovia, 64 
 
 Sesostris, the, 209 
 
 Seville, 85 
 
 Seymour, Lord, 213 
 
 Shakespeare, Sir Richmond, 
 
 welcome from, 194 
 Shelburne, Lord, 264 
 Shoobridge, Mr., 307 
 Sicily, a visit to, 308 
 Signal Point, the view from, 8 1 
 Sleeman, Colonel, 182, 183, 186 
 Smee, Colonel, 200 
 Somnauth, the Gates of, 188 
 Spain, a tour in, 62-89 ; Ford's 
 
 handbook to, 62 
 " Spankie," 6 
 Spencers, the, 284 
 Stafiord, Lady, 218 
 Stanley, Dean, 280 
 Stewart, George, 62 
 Stokes, Mr., 250 
 Stowe, a reception of the judges 
 
 at, 56 
 Strachan, Sir Richard and 
 
 Lady, 309 
 Sue, Eugfene, 26 
 Suez, 136 
 Superstitions, 119 
 Sutherland, Harriet, Duchess 
 
 of, 15, 121 ; her position in 
 
 society, io6 
 
 the Duke of, 239 
 
 evictions, the, 241 
 
 Tait, Archbishop, sermon by, 
 281 
 
 Taj, the (Agra), 189 
 
 Talbot, Gerard, 139 
 
 Talleyrand, Prince, 25, 31 ; his 
 reconciliation to the Church, 
 32 
 
 M. de, 65, 67 
 
 the Due de, 3 1 
 
 Tallien, Madame, 25 
 
 TankerviUe, Lady, 106, 107 
 
 Tantallon Castle, the, 318 ; 
 speech on board by Mr. Glad- 
 stone, 321 
 
 Teaching, the art of, 22, 23 
 
 Temple, Mr. and Mrs., 1 56 
 
 Tennyson, Lady, 304 
 
INDEX 
 
 339 
 
 Tennyson, Alfred, Lord, 284 ; 
 first introduction to, 303 
 
 Hallam, Lord, 283 
 
 Thackeray, W. M., at Chats- 
 worth, 44 
 
 Thiers, M., 25 ; a story about, 
 297 
 
 Thomason, Mr., 187 ; ability 
 of, 194 
 
 Tiger hunt, a, 195 
 
 Todleben, General, 229 
 
 Toledo, 75 
 
 Torrington, Lord, 140 
 
 Tricoupi, M., his admiration 
 for Mr. Chamberlain, 313 
 
 Trincomalee, 154, 155 
 
 Tsarskoe Selo, 234 
 
 Tschann, M., 30 
 
 Twemlow, Colonel, 202, 203 
 
 Valladolid, the streets of, 64 
 
 Vambery, M., 317 
 
 Vatry, Madame de, 99 
 
 Vaughan, George, 84 
 
 Venables, George Stovin, 57 
 
 Venice, an incident at a theatre 
 in, 20 
 
 Victoria, Queen, proposed mar- 
 riage of, with the Duke of 
 Cambridge, 4 ; coronation 
 of, 15 ; a painting of, 224 
 
 ViUagarcia, Madame, 68 
 
 Vivian, Lady, popularity of, 246 
 
 Lord, 247 
 
 Waldegrave, Lady, 274 ; 
 hospitahty of, 275 ; the 
 marriages of, 276 
 
 Waldegrave, Lord, 276 
 Ward, W. G., marriage of, 17 
 Waterford, Lady, the beauty 
 
 of, 105 
 Wellington, the Duke of, i ; his 
 ball in honour of the corona- 
 tion of Queen Victoria, 15 ; 
 visits Chatsworth, 47 ; the 
 mosque in which he wrote 
 his despatches after Assaye, 
 202 
 Werner, the authorship of, 325, 
 
 326 
 Westminster, Lord, stinginess 
 
 of, 315 
 
 the (late) Duke of, 315 
 
 Westminsters, the, 284 
 
 Wherstead, i 
 
 White, Sir William, visit of, to 
 Holmbury, 315 ; hospitality 
 shown by, at Constantinople, 
 316 
 
 Whiting, Mr., 153 
 
 Whitmore, Mr., 5 1 
 
 Wilberforce, Bishop, at Holm- 
 bury, 299 ; death of, 300 ; 
 conversation with, 300, 301 
 
 Wilson, Sir Robert, 80 
 
 Wittgenstein, the Princesse, 
 224 
 
 Wodehouse, Lady, 217 
 
 Wolflf, Sir H. Drummond, 316 
 
 Woodcock, Mr., 187, 188 
 
 Worms, Mr., 144, 145 
 
 Wrest, 98 
 
 Wyld, Mr., 251 
 
 Zahrenski, Madame, 229 
 
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