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

I am very sorry; but my Time is so much occupied; and while the Almighty will Deign to permit me to live, will be so occupied; as that I shall not have leisure to pay visits. I have frequently expressed my regrets; that it shd be so; and repeat them now. I received a letter on Saturday night last; commenced that morning; and ended in the afternoon. I wrote an answer; and just as I was about to close it and send it off on Monday; I received the Report of the occurrence of a severe Family misfortune; which prevented the execution of my purpose.

I received a second note from you last night dated yesterday afternoon, and I am delighted to learn that your Eyes are better. I wish to thank you for these Letters. But I cannot hold out any prospect of being able to go to see you. I will not deceive you. I am employed every day at this time by Candle Light from six in the Morning till twelve at night! After all! God Almighty has so framed all His Creatures, that even that noble, Animal Man! requires refreshment food & Rest as well as others.

At my Age I feel that I require it: and I asked you not to press me to do that which I cannot do; without neglecting Duties which I have engaged to perform. I will go to see you; notwithstanding that I tell you fairly that nothing can be more disagreeable to me than to be followed by a Mob; as I invariably am; when I go to the part of the Town in which you reside.

But I don't care: I will go to see you when I find that I can do so; and I will give you previous notice as usual.

Ever My Dear Miss J.

Yours most faithfullyWellington.

In spite of this sudden resumption of cordiality, Miss J. did not hear from the Duke again for over five months. But the letter then is kindly, bearing no trace of the harshness that marked his epistles written a couple of years earlier.

London, July 31, 1849.

My dear Miss J.,—I have been at Windsor Castle since Monday from whence I have only now returned. I have to acknowledge the receipt of several letters from you written with your usual kindness, of motive as well as of sentiment and expression.

I congratulate you upon your success upon Mrs. L.'s Nephew!

I hope that you may go to the Seaside during the period of the fine season. Whether you are to derive benefit from the air or Bathing; it will be more beneficial during fine weather than after or even during the Storm of the Equinox.

It is impossible for me to say at what period Parliament will be prorogued.

I thank you for the beautiful Lines which you have sent me.

One of your Letters was written on Sunday the 28th, another on Monday the 29th, and a third on Tuesday the 30th.

I hope that this may reach you this evening. But it is late, and I am afraid it may not.

Ever yours most faithfullyWellington.Walmer Castle, Sept. 7th, 1849.

My dear Miss J.,—I have this day received your letter dated Wednesday; as you did not know the day of the month. I am writing to you on Friday the 7th You ought to receive this on Saturday the 8thInst.

I had not heard of the Indisposition, still less of the death of your Guardian! But I have been for some time absent from London and it is possible that letters may have been missent. But they will reach me at last.

I sincerely condole with you upon the loss which you have sustained! I hope that this loss will not be an inconvenience to you in the management of your pecuniary affairs.

I am concerned to read in this same letter received this Morning the report of the illness of your friend Mrs. L.; and that of your young and protected companion Jane! and even that you had not yourself been well! I trust that the Almighty will restore them to Health as well as by His favor your Health may likewise be reestablished and secured.

I have been quite well! and am as strong and hearty as ever.

Believe me ever yours most faithfullyWellington.

Miss J. appends a word of explanation to this letter:—

"The Lady here referred to by the Duke is older than myself, therefore the Duke is in that respect mistaken, never having seen her."

Walmer Castle, Sept. 13, 1849.

My dear Miss J.,—I received your Letter dated Saturday 8th and this morning that of the 11th in which you communicate to me the sad Intelligence of the loss which you had sustained in your friend Mrs. L.! I sincerely condole with you! She was a good and sincere friend of yours and I felt sincere respect and esteem for Her Character! You do not mention your young friend Jane; who was suffering also when you wrote before. I sincerely hope that she is better and progressing towards recovery as you could wish!

Believe me My Dear Miss J.

Yours most faithfullyWellington.

"I presume by the Duke's next letter, dated Sept. 26th, that I made previous enquiries concerning some letters previously forwarded as he writes; 'I cannot now lay my hands on that letter but I must have received it. I think that you need not make yourself uneasy about any letter which you may address me.'"

The caustic tone common in the Duke's letters now reappears. Miss J.'s habit of enclosing to him letters she had written to others, with the request that he would read and return them, had long been a source of annoyance to him; and now his irritation breaks bonds.

Walmer Castle, October 22, 1849.

My dear Miss J.,—I have received this evening your Letter dated September 30th which was Sunday, Inclosing in a colored cover, two Letters addressed to Miss Coutts which I return in the same cover according to your desire without loss of time.

I have not received a book, and considering the uncertainty of receiving a letter from you; which you have only to direct, stamp; and put into the Box at the Post Office; which it is not certain that you can do with precision! I don't recommend you to endeavour to send me a Book. I am happy to learn that you will see your sister!

Believe me Ever Yours most faithfullyWellington.

"In the Duke's next letter, dated Nov. 15th, he writes—'I have no recollection of having failed to write an answer to any letter of which you desired to receive an acknowledgment.

"'I receive thousands of letters, a vast proportion of which I am under the necessity of answering, and I am of course desirous of avoiding to write more than is necessary; particularly to a person so particular as you are in respect to the forms and contents of the letter addressed to you.'

"The Duke's next letter is evidently an angry one. It is dated Nov. 21st, wherein he writes—'I have received your letter of the 17th Inst. in which you have enclosed certain letters which you have written to Sir Robert Peel which I return! I am not the Post Man! nor the Secretary of Sir Robert Peel nor your Secretary!'"

Miss J. retained a copy of her answer to the last.

November 25th, 1849.

My Lord Duke,—Your unmerited angry letter astonished me inexpressibly, being a reply to one as kind and affectionate as my heart could dictate. Nor had I the most remote intention of taking the unwarrantable liberty of considering you in either of the characters you mention, but simply in that of a valued and beloved friend whose kind advice I was desirous to receive before taking a step which I had feared may otherwise vex you. This feeling my Letter to Your Grace plainly expressed, nor could I have believed after such affectionate disinterested devotedness to you for the last sixteen years such a simple confidential request would meet with the answer received. That letter, as is my custom in the time of perplexity, distress and trouble, I prayerfully spread before The Great "Lord of lords," beseeching Him to undertake for me, showing me how I ought to act under such circumstances, relying upon Him accordingly. Since then I made an attempt to address you not wishing you to remain ignorant of the safe arrival of those enclosures, but had I been given worlds I could not proceed. Consequently I laid aside my pen, fancying The Lord did not mean me to write at all. However, finding myself this morning thus influenced, I purpose, if HE permit forwarding what I write, promising should it be His good will and pleasure ever to allow me to intrude on Your Grace again, to procure such paper, etc., etc., as you require, apologizing for any apparent want of respect on such points, which, loving you as I have done, I did not consider was expected. But as "it is written," "Honour to whom honour," I shall sedulously avoid every repetition of the kind, such being the command of Him "with Whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning," "Who is the same yesterday, to-day and forever," consequently One I must ever love above all remaining to the latest moment of my existence,

His devoted Child and ServantA. J.

This note did not call forth a reply of equal amiability from the Duke.

"I have felt no displeasure nor anger and was not even surprised by your letter complaining of my answer in which I returned the volumes of letters which you had sent for my perusal. Considering the Numberless occasions which you have quarrelled with me because of some omission of Seal or Signature or even of a word or a letter. I thank God that I am never angry with anybody; upon any subject.

"Many would think on reading the above that I had treated the Duke unkindly, but as I can appeal to Him Who seeth not as man seeth, I have nothing to fear from any erroneous impressions, having depended upon The Great Lord of lords throughout my acquaintance with him to direct and influence my heart and pen to fulfil all His good will and pleasure by working in me for that purpose, for His Holy Name sake! which I trust will be glorified and Magnified accordingly!"

The Duke's last letter for this year is not marked by increased suavity:—

Strathfieldsaye, Dec. 14, 1849.

My dear Miss J.,—I have nothing to add to what I stated in my former Letters regarding your sending me your Letters addressed to others!

I beg that you will not do so.

To read one letter from you is as much as I can do.

Ever Yours most faithfullyWellington.

Miss J. adds:—

"This in all probability was the case, as he advanced in years, consequently I never intruded any others upon him afterwards."

CHAPTER XI.

THE FINAL RUPTURE

Early in 1850 Miss J. accidentally received a painful blow in the breast. A tumor soon developed, that caused her great suffering. Frequent references to her "affliction" are found in her Diary for this year and the next. She wrote an account of the occurrence to the Duke, and received the following reply, quoted from the Diary:—

"'I was much concerned on receiving this intelligence, but I hope that the consequences will not be so serious as I had apprehended. I hope that you will take care of yourself and not move at this severe season from your comfortable dwelling till you will be well.'

"Anyone would perhaps conclude by the Duke's remark that he had seen my house but as such was never the case I presume my description thereof had made this impression, alluding to it accordingly, for however much I may and did wish it to be honored with his presence, I found such was not apparently His will Who declares the Way of man is not in himself.

"In the Duke's next letter, dated March 18th, he refers to my dear Sister being with me as follows—'I am very sensible of this last circumstance and of the kindness and necessity of her attention to you during your illness.'

"A parcel from me having been left at the Duke's house he writes referring to the same."

Strathfieldsaye, April 3, 1850.

My dear Miss J.,—I received a letter from you yesterday evening; another this morning dated the 2nd Inst, both about a Parcel left at my House by your Sister!

I am very much concerned that the regulations which I have been under the necessity of making and enforcing in respect to the Reception of Parcels at my House should have been inconvenient to you or your sister.

But I have been under the necessity of ordering my Servants not to receive parcels; without previous orders from me! in order to prevent my private dwelling being made the Deposit of all the Trash that is written, invented, or in any manner made up! You find that I am frequently out of town. You wrote me that you would send a parcel but I received the notification only last night, and this morning one later; complaining that the Porter refused to take the Parcel. I am very sorry for any thing that can annoy you!

But I cannot prevent this now that my Duties and avocations call me to a distance from London! But I have not yet acquired the practice of being in two places at the same time: that is to say in London to receive your letters and Parcels or those of your sister; and in the Country, about my Duties and avocations.

If you will only reflect upon this! You will relieve yourself from great anxiety, and me from the vexation of annoying you.

Ever Yours most faithfullyWellington.

I will review the contents of the Parcel as soon as I shall return to London in some days hence.

London, April 5, 1850.

My dear Miss J.,—I returned to London this day and immediately enquired for the Parcel. I will peruse the Books which you have sent as soon as I shall have leisure.

Ever yours most faithfullyWellington.

"This largest book was a book of my brother-in-law's on Prison discipline. What other books accompanied it I have forgotten.

"In the Duke's next letter, dated April 26th, he writes—'I anxiously hope that you will soon be quite well.' Again, in his next letter, dated April 29th, he writes—'I hope that this fine weather which may be expected at this season of the year will altogether reestablish your health.'

"By the Duke's next letter, dated May 21st, I must have referred to some thoughts of leaving England—as he writes—'I can understand your desire to avoid separating from your sister. I hope that you will let me know of your safe arrival in the United States and State your correct address in legible Hand writing if you should wish that I should write to you.'"

London, June 5, 1850.

My dear Miss J.,—I have this morning received your Note directed to me, in which you ask to know whether I had before received a letter to inform me that your Voyage to the United States had been set aside.

I had answered every letter I had received. I do not recollect to have received a letter containing this information!

I am very glad to learn that you had set aside this Intention.

Ever Yours most faithfully.Wellington.

"In the Duke's next letter, dated June 15th, he writes 'I have just now received your letter of the 15th. As I receive thousands of letters in a week it is impossible for me to say whether I received one from you put into the Post Office Friday Week.'

"'I answer invariably, as I do this night at midnight, as soon as I receive your letter if due. I am much concerned but hope that you may recover entirely.'

"It is very evident that from this period Satan was permitted to work in the Duke's mind, weakening consequently the power I had been permitted to exercise, by rendering my communications tedious, for in his next letter, dated May 14th 1850 he writes, 'Knowing your extreme sensitiveness about letters, their contents, the manner in which signed, sealed and folded up, I have always been most cautious about any letters sent you! Indeed, such Caution is quite laborious!'"

London, July 4, 1850.

My dear Miss J.,—I am very sensible of your kindness in recollecting that I should feel exceedingly the loss of Sir Robert Peel!

I assure you that I write to you whenever there is occasion and that I can have a moment's leisure! But a person who does not see it can have no notion of the Numbers of letters which I receive at all times of the day and night. Every body who hears of this applies to me; the least that I can do is to read and take care of and return the required acknowledgment. I am not surprised that you should be disappointed and complain! But I really write when I can!

Your most faithful Servant,Wellington.

"In the Duke's next letter, dated July 9th, he writes—'I am much concerned to learn by the perusal of your Note of the 8th that you are still suffering. I am very sorry to hear that you are likely to lose the society of your Sister.'

"In the Duke's next letter, dated July 12th, he writes—'I entreat you to write legibly and to avoid fatiguing yourself by writing too much.'

"Part of the Copy of a letter written to the Duke, July 8th, 1850, in reference to my dear Sister's leaving me.'

"'I dare not on this occasion indulge the hope of my dear Sister's continuation in England, she having this morning received a letter which renders it necessary that she should return home and I must pray to God to give me grace and strength to bear such a separation, Who alone can prevent my sinking under these various surrounding perplexities, for when she is gone I shall not have anyone but Himself to look to, with the exception of yourself to whom I have much to say if I could but consider it His Will that I should repose in you accordingly. O that HE may direct me and influence you to receive all I have to communicate in whatever way to His unerring Will prays yours devotedly.'"

The final quarrel was now approaching. The account of it is best given in Miss J.'s own words, omitting, as heretofore, a large proportion of the Biblical quotations.

"May The Lord enable me to proceed as HE would have me do for His great holy name sake! for when, or how, to commence a description of the circumstances in which I was placed with regard to pecuniary matters, I know not. However, having besought the Lord to aid me I will at once state that my own Income, limited at best, had become still more so through a fire which took place on the property mortgaged, rendering it so small that it was impossible to live upon it without further help added! Meanwhile, the landed property we had expected to possess appeared, through a Will drawn out at a later date to belong to the younger branches of our family, which was a dreadful disappointment to my beloved Sister. She had buoyed up her hopes that her portion thereof, united to mine would compensate for hopes which could now no longer be anticipated. This rendered her grief on my account additionally distressing, causing her to reason with and beseech me to spread the whole affair before the Duke. From the very thought of this I recoiled unutterably, thus inducing her to reproach me with a want of due affection and consideration for herself, as my death would be insupportable and must necessarily take place if she left me in England so situated. At length, considering as she had justly remarked that the Duke's abundant riches were bestowed upon him by God to do good with when in his power and that any aid afforded me could never be sufficiently great to admit of his feeling the loss thereof; also considering the gold and silver are The Lord's Who could consequently dispose of it accordingly, … therefore it appeared a duty due to God and man to appeal to the Duke Who in God's sight may justifiably have been expected to become a father unto me under such circumstances. That, too, as above observed, without feeling the consequences thereof any more than the Ocean would miss a bubble that had appeared on its surface and then vanished forever.

"O that I could pass over this part of my life in silence! But such does not appear to me consistent with the will of God. Therefore I must proceed and prepare to introduce the letter first addressed to His Grace on this subject.

"July 11, 1850.

"After waiting all day yesterday, desirous to resume my pen, yet unable to do so through conflicting feelings, I deferred it until to day, hoping to make a commencement to the details and complete it by degrees as my strength may admit. First of all, I thank you for your prompt reply to my last, which becomes my encouragement for thus intruding upon you particulars to which nothing but the most absolute necessity could ever have reconciled me....

"I resume my pen after a brief interval to tell you that a remark made in one of your letters after my dear Mrs. L.'s death,—namely, 'I do not know your circumstances,' combined with the remembrance of your never to be forgotten kindness in once affectionately exclaiming 'My Child!'—unite in encouraging me to think that you have but to know them (the circumstances,) in order to take such into due consideration and act thereon accordingly. O that God may enable me to relate and you, My dearest Duke, to receive the relation in whatever way is most agreeable to His unerring will! And may any and every valued attention extended to me be regarded by Him in the light which is calculated to call down upon your precious head eventually the consequences springing from those blessed words. 'Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these My children, ye have done it unto ME.' 'Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord!'

"When I had arrived thus far I was too much affected to proceed and was relieved by a burst of tears,—for who among all your earthly friends will feel half so rejoiced at your being so distinguished by the Great 'Lord of Lords' as one who has loved you so disinterestedly and devotedly? But since my own feelings as well as your wishes require brevity I must proceed.

"At my beloved Mother's death, a Deed of Gift entitled me to a small Income which afterwards for my advantage was placed on a Mortgage by my Trustees, but which through a dreadful fire proved the reverse eventually, as I have found since my poor Guardian's death that the expenses or losses deriving therefrom were deducted from the principal of the Property. This leaves me, consequently, when again sold into the Funds, entitled to an Income quite inadequate to my support, although hoping that some landed Property would sell advantageously and become compensation for the same. My Sister felt most anxious that at such a time as this I should have every advantage, my life depending upon nourishment and support. She therefore wrote to make enquiries concerning the sale of the Property, when to our disappointment a letter arrived showing that neither my sister or self were entitled to any portion thereof, it having been at a later period made over to the younger branches of the family. Consequently all her fondest wishes to render me through such means all that aid which her affectionate heart could desire have been hereby frustrated, leaving her in the greatest distress of mind at the thought of being obliged to quit me thus situated, namely, with two wounds arising from the blow and another about to break. These occasion a drain on my constitution which threatens to take away all my strength, reducing my frame accordingly.

"The Medical Gentlemen impress upon my dear Sister the idea that I must die if I do not receive sufficient nourishment to supply the loss such occasion. These produce the most violent and continued perspirations, requiring the most strengthening things, namely, jellies, wines, soups, etc., etc., as they say it is a complete battle between the disease and the constitution. Which will conquer remains for Time to prove. Dr. P. further tells her that I may go on thus for three years and yet recover if great care is taken of me, as the lump since it has broken is considerably smaller. It is hoped that the linseed poultices will eventually draw it entirely away if my strength can only cope therewith. He also says that I ought to have a Nurse with me by night as well as by day, continually, as I am much too exhausted and debilitated to be left alone. This expense would in itself be more than the whole of my Income is adequate to defray. Consequently, it would appear that it is the will of God to place my life humanly speaking, in your hands, as the friend, next to Himself most dear to the heart of—

"Yours Devotedly,

"A. J."

The Duke's reply was energetic and to the point:—

London, July 12th, 1850.

My dear Miss J.,—I have just now received from you a letter dated July 11th written upon four sides of letter paper, and I am concerned to learn, after a most difficult Perusal thereof that your Health is still in a bad and precarious state! and your pecuniary affairs very much deranged! You had never before mentioned this last to me! You frequently named to me in your letters Your Guardian and your receipt through his hands of your Dividends, and I therefore concluded that your worldly affairs were well managed, while your Mind was occupied by reflecting on the future! But I have seldom read of such a state of pecuniary affairs as that you give in the letter which I have at last been able to read and to which I am endeavoring to write an answer!