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

was a ridiculously slight matter. Miss J. was a stickler for all forms of deference, and carried this weakness to the verge of

ently acknowledged with the feeling that a want of apparent respect where the deepest is merited ought to call forth ... My feelings were I not afraid of offending God would incline me to seal up all the

buted to the Lord were in fact derived from quite another sou

e, and did so before breakfast, when I took it to the Post Office myself, leavi

he letter i

15th

ssed to you by yesterday, three; One, written on Thursday, another on Friday and the last on Saturday.

tters? If either of these changes sprang from disrespect or want of confidence in my integrity, confidence, Christianity and friendship, I shall without hesitation or delay return Your Grace every letter I have in my poss

irst letter signed W. reached me. But this I overcame, fancying you were in the habit of doing so to all your correspondents of any and every rank, and imagining you superior to the capability of taking advantage of circumstances. If I am mistaken with regard to this being a general habit, I am justified i

sue, praying in the mean time to be directed by Him Who knows all the secr

re Christi

.

r your name or seal is so increased that I beg to decline receiving

with another no less severe. In her Diary she describes the fe

y hitherto spent; 'growing up in Him as a tree planted by the waterside' bringing forth fruit plentifully, knowing that 'it is written' 'He that abideth in ME and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit,'-Be with me graciously and mightily when I hear from the Duke today-if I do-and especially tomorrow when the reply comes to that sent off yesterday, strengthening me 'in the inner man' to treat it as Thou wouldst have m

' that it is impossible to be sufficiently thankful. No letter has arrived from the Duke. However I suppose tomorrow will bring with it the anticipated answer. O may I be strengthened additionally t

er the Lord sees fit to allow me to receive a letter today from the Duke in reply to my two last which have received no answers yet. O ma

es are in His Hands and that He can snatch them away at any moment. To see the Duke thus presumptuously reckoning on several weeks to come proves how little what I have written on that subject is alluded to, showing me still further the inefficacy of all man's endeavors until accompan

ss J.'s effusions followed on

dsaye, Sep

were its Contents. I never much considered the Signature; provided I kne

writing I generally sign my Initials. I don't always seal my own Le

etter to you with a blank Seal. But it is very extraordinary if it is so, as I don't believe I have such a thing! You will find this Letter however signed and sealed

old you heretofore that I thought you had better burn them all. But if you think proper to se

ver Yours mo

lin

Initials was sent off last Sunday night from Hartford Bridge and

dsaye, Sep

er Letter complaining of Disrespect in His having been in the habit of signing the Initials of His Name to the Letters

ich she wrote on Tuesday she might have been satisfied with the reason

seal which it is probable was used by accident. He apologizes for having used it. At

e of the Letters from the Duke; that she will direct it to Him in Picc

letters, and went so far as to put them up in a parcel pr

send away 60 letters, recei

came to this place 'I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.' I have just risen from my knees, after spreading the Duke's letters before the Lord, beseeching Him to do under present circumstances whatever seemeth good in His sight for Christ's sake. And I feel, as a prayer-hearing God He will-causing even this unkindness to work together for g

those words were powerfully applied at the commencement of my correspondence, 'The haugh

etters should be returned, for Providence interposed in

to take a walk, dear Mrs. L. arrived, and on my telling her all strongly advised my not returning the Duke his let

taken respecting his Men's Book Bill. Thank God my feelings are so subdued as to be resigned to His divine Will concerning seeing or hea

s it stands in the Lord's Hands. Having cast my burthen upon the Lord all I now have to do is to dedicate my time more exclusively to my usual daily duties as before intended, endeavoring to recall perfectly to memory all my hymn

es. O may the Lord bless him by quickening his dead soul an

this morning, on again calling upon Him to direct me these words seemed to follow-'Be still and know that I am God, I will be exalted in the heavens, I will be exalted in the earth.' So, as this is the case, it is my duty quietly and patiently to submit to the way He may condescendingly choose for that glorious purpose. In the mean time, in order to satisfy my feelings towards the poor dear Duke I can indulge in writing them at all events

e to become the source of deep spiritual consolation to his precious soul, by being unto me a mouth and w

towards you consistent with my "high calling in Christ Jesus," consequently shall not have cause to reproach myself of neglect when that AWFUL period arrives which MUST bring us once more together, however separated on earth by His all wise decrees, "Whose paths are in the deep waters and Whose footsteps are not known,"-and Who knoweth FAR better what is GOOD for us than we do for ourselves. Consequently it is our duty, and doubtless for our future and eventual happiness under any and all circumstances, ho

ful Christ

.

nclosed is

OF TIME AND

Maker of

he number

o know how

e remnant to

e shorter

oint my li

at best is

ALL his hop

BITION, NOI

cares Which r

treasures MI

d leaves the

OBLER por

ow before

eting treas

hopes on

all just as forwa

preserved is dated October 5, and contains

tle, Octob

received her letter without date; in which Miss J. apprizes the Duke that she i

eive Her Letters with pleasure; and that he will answer them regularly. But that he must be permitted

t send back the Paquet containing the Duke's Letters to her. As the Duke stated upon a former occasion,

he has not yet received them. They may however be in His House in L

h of a report of the Duke's indisposition that has

stle, Nov

ton presents his Co

ning Miss J.'s Letters of

Health. The Duke was unwell for one day; of which the Newspapers obtai

style of His Notes. She was not satisfied when he wrote to her in a form

any letter which she may think proper to addre

rnals in all that pertained to himself. These finally irritated him to such an extent that, against the advice of wise friends, he sued the "Morning Journal" for libel, and succeeded in obtaining the punishmen

of the letters was concerned, although the formal mode of address was still retained, greatl

ce I wrote to him concerning that plain seal he writes; 'The considerations urged

s on religious subjects, which under circumstance

g that Miss J. writes to him.' The next from the Duke is dated November 10th wherein he writes; 'The Duke will have great

ke; and she writes to him with so much earnestness and feeling that it is impossible that he s

f November he returns me m

es-'It appears that for some reason with which Miss J. states it to be her intention at so

rs to my dating my letters on the outside. He writes 'Franks are d

nsion to superiority,' reminding me of a circumstance which took place at the commencement of our acquaintance when I told hi

e) I had formed the wish to have a letter of mine returned-which letter I fo

o which I decline subjecting myself. I consider a reply and a very different one to those lately received due to me in the sight of That God Who created such an interest

myself justified in spending my time in future by penning such to have them committed to the flames. Therefore I shall decline troubling you with a repetition of this kind, until you consider them sufficiently valuable to retain instead

rd Duke, so lon

ful Christ

.

ich implies I wrote to the Duke on the death of the Countess of S., as he wri

a truth elicited through wishing one of them returned, which consequently it was not in his power to do-conside

ly to this is

dsaye, Dec

Saturday and finished on Monday. He is much concerned to learn that Miss J. has been indisposed; and he hope

ension upon bygone subjects. He has no feeling upon any of them excepting a

pinions contained in that Letter. He assures her however that he has perused it as he Does a

and they succeed each other rapidly. If the Duke was to keep them, they might be seen by

d feelings, for she makes no further reference at t

xpresses concern at my il

count of my health was not satisfactory-which I suppose m

er kindly expresses anxiety concerning m

the Duke during the yea

es Miss J. to write to him. He would have wished to receive from her some account of Her Health as well as her opinion upon other mat

London he has received her letter of the 11th Inst. He sincerely rejoices at and cong

alth and the next is dated Jan 13th wherein he writes thus; 'He will wait upon her after having notified His inten

ch to learn that she has

of the 17th received this morning and the printed Enclosures.' What these printed

hanks for her letter, and he is very happy to hear that Miss J. is s

refore he did not receive her first note till last night, and this day the second which Miss J. has written to

hich he returns his thanks.' Again on the 19th of March the Duke writes-'The Duke of Wellington presen

r of the 20th and its Enclosures.' To which he adds-'The Duke is happy

ke of Wellington presents his Compliments to Miss J. and retur

e writes-He 'returns his thanks for he

s, one received on Good Friday and the other written on Good Friday,-which last, of

e again writes 'He has receiv

eturns me, as requested, a letter I had sent for his perusal and consid

hat Miss J. is in good Health. He was apprehensive that she was unwell, and had gone out of Town, as so much time had elapsed since she had written to the Duke.' I need scarcely remark that this was the

hymns and tracts Miss J. constantly showered upon him. There seems a tone of resignation, if not

acknowledges the receipt of, and thanks her for her letter of the 19th inst. and enclosures. Miss J. does not advert

e means in what is called the Regent's Park, in the neighborhood of the Street in which she lives.' Which was the case yet of which

s-'Miss J. complains of the change of the style of the Duke's letters; alt

nding the Duke's letters when written in the third perso