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

tinued her epistles steadily, undeterred by the tartness of the Duke's last note, of December 3d. His first billet of the New Year is friendly in tone, while the brusqueness of the

he 4th Inst., having before received many for which I really have not had the time to enable me to write and thank you as

therein dating it Jan. 14th-'I have scarcely time for rest or meals. You must excuse me! I cannot do it! Sur

table in the library, where he ate alone, surrounded by his papers. His correspondence was enormous, owing to his practice of answering all his letters himself. He occasionally availed himself of a lithographed form in reply to some correspondents, and also sometimes adopted a sharpness of tone in answering irrelevant communications, in the hope that he might thus hi

y ashamed of being under the necessity of repeating over again what I have stated so repeatedly, that I hav

to you. I doubt it, because I cannot make out how it happens that you do not notice or believe what I tell you in ever

letters, the last this day, dated Wednesday, March 18th. I should have answered th

dsaye, Apr

serve that I have again offended you by quitting London without going to pay you a visit

he disposal of my time does not depend upon

ot written answers to them; or to thank you

ed me that you intend to quit your Re

side in future I will go to pay you a vis

have sent my Servant

into the Post, the Hour was passed at which it would be received at th

jecture. I know noth

Miss J. Yours

lin

e. But I have always considered Patience an eminently Christian virtue-I assure you again that my time is so much occupied! I have dined but once since last Sunday! These are well

to your question whether it is probable that I can go to see you before the 1st of July I answer that I will if it should be in my power but I cannot be certain or now fix the time. Till this night I have not dined since last Sund

as not to be! Therefore however much I may and did suffer, such I trust will be permitted to rank among the 'All things that are to work together for Good to them that love God, to them that are the ca

will copy throughout as it refers to his affli

t softer side of the Duke's nature, generally lost si

July 1

has recovered. But at one time I was apprehensive that the grief of the Mother who was nursing the youngest child would have affected Her Health; and that we should have lost that Child; and eventually the Mother. But thank God! Both are now safe

faith

lin

of concern at my having caught cold, adding; 'I am very sorry

hat you like your situation there. I am still very much occupied by my duties in London but hope the Parliament will soon be prorogued and that I may be enabled to quit London and move to other pa

5th, he writes; 'I am under the necessit

1st,

ondon early Monday morning which I could not have performed if I had not travelled on Sunday. However you shall not again have reason to complain of disappointment. I announce to you that I will write no more. If you could have attended to anything so trif

hat saith and it cometh to pass

J. told him of the transaction, in her usual involved style, and asked his opinion of the matter. The rest of the note was, as usual, filled with incoherent reproaches for his lack of promptness in writing. The unfortunate Duke probably perused the letter hastily, and comprehended nothing but that Miss J. found fault with him about something,

Sept.

t of repeated Letters expressing the same; I determined

answer Her Letters regularly; but nothing would do, Sh

r from me! She has now mentioned to me that she had written to me to desire that I would

assistance she can require from me; when she will let me

hat I never will write

lin

fore hast Thou thought proper to let Satan try

for the last twelve years of my life, and above all by what he has now so insultingly done in pretending to think that I have written to him for a Loan, which Thou knowest, for Thy honor and glory I would not

e to acquaint you thereof feeling still influenced to let you know how things are going forward respecting it. Which Loan he will be at liberty to deduct out

had purposed condescending receiving any Loan from his hands, which I would rather starve than do! and so I would! Yes, I would if I had no other means of subsistence die with starvation sooner than ask any favor of that kind from him! knowing as I do that Christ's Great Holy Name would be so dishonored thereby. Consequently, since it would be for His Holy Name sake, as well as knowing what was due to my high calling in Him, starvation would be comparatively sweet! rejoicing in being considered worthy, whilst so unworthy, so utterly unworthy of suffering for

ting the above, I will now attempt to describe th

my attention to so remarkable a Scripture, namely. 'The preparation of the heart in man and the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.' HE permitted me sensibly to feel His 'strength made perfect in weakness,' othe

with that and the one just before received, which she viewed in like manner, considering it disgraceful treatment in his daring to write to me thus. She only waits his reply to mine (which I read to her and

fleeth when no man pursueth, but the righteous are bold as a lion,' encouraging me to

disadvantage, and a prayer in which she beseeches the Almighty to "take

able side to the affair as well. One cannot help feeling compassion for the poor old man,-seventy-seven years of age now,-even while one laughs at the absurdity of the situation. Miss J., as usual, could not let

ed or required by me, I am solicitous to relieve myself from the burthen they necessarily become under present circumstances. Consequently, after considering or reflecting that it may perhaps be more for the

tention to return these gifts of the Duke's. Mrs. L., however, who was constantly taking the part of a

apology arrived on M

kindness in sending me not only a letter from my Guardian wi

27,

ed this Morning from Miss J., that I was so unfortunate as

equently happens to me to be unable to make out Miss J.'s handwriting! and I sometimes do not exactly comprehend

for thinking it possible that she might want to borr

's Most

le S

lin

er offend again

l days, but finally sent off the following epistle, which

3rd,

en reluctant to resume my pen since the day on which I received your merited apology, when I hastily answered it. But that reply was not permitted to be forwarded, therefore I sealed it up

ting your request respecting my forgiveness. This I now do and sincerely hope God will forgive also! and far more perfectly and freely than I alas! as a Cr

one hitherto so devotedly bestowed upon you by Himself,-but any and every other transgre

ed Child

.

in the same lodging, my Cottage not yet being ready for our reception, nor will it be until Thursday the 8th

to place it in your power in that case to obtain such by adding that the address with which you are so familiar will always find me or

she did not hear from him again for two months. Even then he only wrote because of her re

15th,

have back a paper enclosed to Him, he has invariably complied with her desire immediately on his having perused it. Letters addresse