The Letters of the Duke of Wellington to Miss J. 1834-1851 Part 25

Field Marshal the Duke of Wellington presents his Comp^ts to Miss J. He is very sensible of her kindness in writing to him. He merely mentioned as a fact that the accident to which she referred had occurred in the preceding week!

He is happy to learn that Miss J. is improved in Health!

In Miss J.'s next she reprimands the Duke for having misdirected the envelope of his last note to her, and inquires if he ever received her letter on the death of _Charles_ Arbuthnot, as she now calls him.

WALMER CASTLE, Sept. 24, 1850.

F. M. the Duke of Wellington presents His comp^ts to Miss J.! He has received Her note without Date in which she encloses the Cover which the Duke returns!

He regrets much that he made a mistake; which has given her the trouble of writing again!

The Duke does not recollect to have received a letter from her upon the Subject of the Death of Mr. Arbuthnot!

But he thanks [_sic_] for having thought of writing to him upon the melancholy occurrence.

There were no letters exchanged after this for many weeks. Miss J.'s health improved slowly, and through her sister funds were supplied for her maintenance. The next entry of any interest in the Diary is dated November 9th:--

"I have felt _dreadfully shocked_ to day at reading a report of the Duke's death which thank G.o.d, is false! [Endnote 13] O that I may be enabled to write to him expressions of my feelings, if such be The Lord's will! I find I feel more than I had imagined was possible! having suffered exceedingly at this report and at length have addressed him as follows: 'O My dear Duke, for I cannot use formality under my present excited, distressed feelings, having been so shocked by that dreadful Advertis.e.m.e.nt in the Times of this day, saying you were gone forever! This G.o.d in His infinite mercy has proved to be false, having spared you, I trust, for a far more glorious end than the one therein described. For this I can never thank him sufficiently, subscribing myself consequently with additional grat.i.tude

"'His devoted Child and Servant

"A. J.

"'P.S. I have been six weeks confined to my room, inflammation having taken place on the day after I wrote you last. O that G.o.d in these troublous threatening times may guide and counsel you to act as He would have you do to Whom I beseech you to look for the same most prayerfully.'"

As Miss J. received no reply to the above, she wrote again. This time her epistle was in sharp contrast with her preceding semi-affectionate note. She arraigned the Duke for his silence, and succeeded in provoking a response:--

STRATHFIELDSAYE, Dec. 21, 1850.

Field Marshal the Duke of Wellington presents His Compliments to Miss J.! He understood from a former letter; that it was Miss J.'s desire never to hear from the Duke again!

Therefore he did not write! nor should he write now! excepting a mere matter of Courtesy! He thus finally takes His leave!

WELLINGTON.

CHAPTER XII.

CONCLUSION.

Miss J. was in nowise dismayed by the crus.h.i.+ng reply she received from the Duke.

She wrote again and again, and yet again. These letters, of which she has left copies, are made up in about equal parts of accounts of her health, verses of Scripture, and reproaches to the Duke for his silence. She at last extorted an answer:--

LONDON, January 17, 1851.

It is very satisfactory to me to learn from the receipt of this Day of a Letter of the 16^th that Miss J. is better! And I write to thank her for giving me the satisfactory Information!

I hope to hear of her continued convalescence and perfect Recovery of her Health!

Most faithfully Her Obedient Humble Servant

WELLINGTON.

The Duke's next note was less amicable:--

LONDON, January 21, 1851.

In order to avoid to create irritation in the Mind of Miss J. and the receipt of a Note expressing such irritation in strong terms!

I write to acknowledge the receipt of Miss J.'s letter! written on four sides of letter paper; in the Night of the 19^th of January! I entreat her to avoid the Irritation of writing again!

Most faithfully Her Obedient Humble Servant

WELLINGTON.

All the entreaties of the Duke proved futile, however, when Miss J. had convinced herself that it was her duty to write. The occasion she desired soon came. She says in her Diary for February 6th:--

"I have been pondering over the account given in the Times paper of this day wherein the Queen's visit to the House of Peers is noticed and among other things the following remark in reference to the Duke--'His Grace appeared to shrink from the attention and respect of which he was the object.'--This induced me to marvel whether The Great Lord of lords has not at length begun to exercise His G.o.dly Power over his precious soul, making him consequently feel the nothingness of all things in comparison therewith!"

Upon the strength of this impression Miss J. wrote to the Duke, asking him if he recollected where he was and how he was occupied at the time she mentions. His answer came promptly, although Miss J. did not find it at all satisfactory.

LONDON, Feb. 8, 1851.

I have received Miss J.'s Letter! And I hope that Her Health continues to improve! But she does not mention it! I thank her; I am quite well!

I was employed on Tuesday in the usual Manner in giving attendance upon the Sovereign when she opened Parliament! I perform all my worldly Duties to the best of my ability! Miss J.

despises things of this world, but I fear that if all followed her good example strictly they would suffer.

Her Humble Servant.

WELLINGTON.

Miss J.'s reply begins as follows:--

"Alas! My Lord Duke! it is grievous to me to find that the remarkable expression in the Newspaper on Wednesday referred to in my last, namely; 'His Grace appeared to _shrink_ from the attention and respect of which he was the object' did not come from the impression I had hoped of Regeneration--or Divine Grace having begun its work in your precious Soul, to which at present you are so evidently a stranger. Judging by the latter portion of your reply you never desire or expect to be otherwise, as you seem to imply if all were to follow my example you fear you should not be improved. This a.s.sertion is but too true except the Great Lord of lords put forth His Almighty Power for that purpose."