Saturday, December 26, 2009

01Jul1868, Beautiful Garden Colours

LONDON, July 1st, 1868.
—Eastward and westward with Atie. P. With her and her girls at 5 to Holland House, the beautiful gardens very gay with all sorts of wonderful garments. This [FN: Sketches in the original.] is the kind of vagary one sees ! And 0 the dazzling hues ! Canary, copper tea-kettle, pea-green, strawberry-ice;-and salmon colour. Longfellow was there, I believe, but I didn't make him out.

27Jun1868, The Duke is Painted

LONDON, June 27th, 1868.
—The Duke's picture is well painted and a gentlemanlike likeness, but it does not do justice to his expression, and there is something to wrongs with the right foot.

23Jun1868, Spencer Bowed Out of the Eleven

LONDON, June 23rd, 1868.
—We are all in a frightful temper, Spencer having been bowed out of the 11 before the Oxford and Cambridge match, for not playing lately in "good form." (N.B. He got 25 runs t'other day, and, when he offered to resign after N. Zealand, it was not accepted.) He bears it with matchless philosophy ; but Papa says, "Such a thing has never happened to a son of mine before," and would have sunk under the trial, if he had not quite recovered his spirits and health.

20Jun1868, A Warning to Parry

LONDON, June 20th, 1868
—I went thro' the horrors of giving warning to Parry ; poor me, when shall I get a good creature who won't be tiffy with her fellows ?

14Jun1868, For the Sake of Coolness

LONDON, Sunday, June 14th, 1868.
—Abbey at 3 for the sake of coolness, but oh ! it took near 2 hours.

12Jun1868, Fred to the Yeomanry

LONDON, June 12th, 1868.
—My horrid week of all the year began : my Fred going to Lancaster for the Yeomanry : a playing at soldiers which I cannot away with ! Went with him to D. House early, and rode with him at 12½. Very lonely and unked [FN: I cannot find "unked" in the Glynnese Glossary. Lady Frederick appears to use it almost in the sense of " uncanny."] without him. . . .

Dined at D. House, meeting Howards, Charles, and Lord Georges. Lou and Frank out. The unlucky little Eddy [FN: The present Duke of Devonshire.] is doomed to be called Victor Christian William : Duke says he would like Abraham better than Victor.

11Jun1868, Service at St. Barnabas

LONDON, Thursday, June 11th, 1868. S. Barnabas.
Girls, Agnes, and I went to All Saints' at 11. They make no pause after the Church Militant prayer, as they wish non-communicants to remain in the Church ; this may be an innocent custom, (but ? as there is no hint in the Bible of the H. Communion being ever otherwise than a Feast to all attending it), but as its danger must be great, unavoidable, of leading people to believe in some sort of Sacramental good to be obtained by merely being present, it does seem to me very objectionable. We did not intend to communicate, so slipped out after the Nicene Creed, feeling very guilty. But it was interesting to see the vestments for the first time, the 3 officiating clergy all wearing them. I hardly thought I should like them, but I do, personally. Certainly I find I learn gradually to like much of the "advanced" ritual which I formerly should have been impatient at. It all depends on whether one sees, enters into, and approves of, the symbolism.

08Jun1868, Governor Eyre Acquitted

LONDON, June 8th, 1868.
—Governor Eyre has been acquitted before Judge Blackburn, the jury refusing to find a true bill. "Society" won't hear of Eyre being to blame, because the rebels were coloured whom he had to deal with ; but, tho' he was a high-minded man and acted for the best, it does seem shocking that he should have sanctioned hanging and flogging after announcing that the revolt was over.

01Jun1868, Eddie and Emma's Little Boy

HAGLEY, June 1st, 1868.
—Thank God, dear Emma's troubles are all over, and a fine little boy [FN: The present Duke of Devonshire] was born yesterday at 9 o'clock. It is nice to have this to enter in the same Vol. of journal which has the account of the sad disappointment 2 years ago. Now she has everything in the world. I feel rather heart-pinched in the lessening of our own hopes ; but it is the only thing wanting to us, and one ought to be full of thankfulness.

30May1868, Electionums

HAGLEY, May 30th, 1868.
—Talked incessant electionums ; it seems the enemy has been outrageously base and unscrupulous, spending shoals of money among the poor ignorant Black-country people, putting about all sorts of lies, and generally disgracing themselves ; also having 100 paid agents to Charles's 20. They say Laslett must have spent near £20,000 ; our side £6,000 ; a terrible incubus, but we hope it will be raised among friends.

29May1868, Charles Reelected

HAGLEY, May 29th, 1868.
—We left London at 10 ; F. got out at Birmingham to go to Charles's comm. room, I went on to dear old home. Blue placards and "Lyttelton for ever" stuck about ; and a polling-booth at the signpost. Servants in huge excitement. The place too lovely, in its "green and stately repose." How I enjoyed it all the lovely afternoon. About 4 turned up Uncle Stephen, who had been voting all straight at Droitwich. We walked up Milton's hill together, and I had some delightful moments full length on the grass, resting as if elections, London, hurry and worry were dreams. Willy and Mr. Heathcote came at 5, with cheery accounts, and Uncle Spencer came at 8, announcing VICTORY. Charles and F. followed shortly in a waggonette, pursued by 2 costermongers' carts at full speed, and a rout of dirty little boys, ooray, singing, tin kettles, and all the rest of it. Majority 279 ; very good, after what we had reason to expect.

28May1868, Dined Swellissimus

LONDON, May 28th, 1868.
—Dined swellissimus at Ly. Cowper's, meeting De Greys, Clarendons, Holfords, Ly. Cork, W. Cowpers, Mr. Wood, etc. Got so sleepy listening to old Count Strzlecki. . . afterwards that I wonder I did not roll off my chair with a crash.

19May1868, An Afternoon With the Prince

TEMPLENEWSAM, May 19th, 1868.
—We all went in state to Leeds about 11.30 amid great cheers and thousands of people all along the road and swarming in the town. The Prince, tho' with a bad cold, looked well, and did everything capitally with great grace, ease, and dignity ; his voice in reading answers to addresses as good and clear as the Queen's. He was endless audience to the pictures (in what is to be the infirmary), and what with them, the heat, the ceremony, and a most elaborate luncheon, how tired we all were! Some of us got off before him, and had an hour or so of rest ; then another gigantic dinner, and we bowled back to Leeds, and danced in the great Town Hall : very pretty and successful. The Prince danced with me, and I liked him much. He chaffed me about F.'s Radicalism, said he wouldn't dare to be a Radical if he were an eldest son, and appealed to Lord Fitzwilliam, but was rather in the wrong box there, as poor little Lord Milton pins on a little to F. ! Also he expressed himself as much disgusted with Mr. Ch. Buxton for pushing the prosecution of unlucky ex-Governor Eyre : "Why can't they let the poor fellow alone?" Beauty was contributed from Templenewsam in the shape of Duchess Sibyl of S. Albans, Constance [FN: No doubt Lady Grosvenor, afterwards Duchess of Westminster : first cousin of Lord Frederick.], the Fitzwilliam girls, and one of the Lumleys (Ly. Ida [FN: Now Dowager Countess of Bradford]). Ly. Scarborough looks like a girl herself. Also Ly. Dudley and Ly. Milton looked lovely. The Prince made Constance, Lord Downe (a pleasant, handsome youth), and I drive home with him : "You won't mind our smoking?" "Oh no, sir, certainly not!" Poor me my heart sank within me as I told this terrible fib. Luckily when he got beyond the cigarette stage into the most insufferable cigars, we had the carriage opened, and so drove home at 4 o'clock in the dawn ; sleepy policemen struck at the sight of Constance and me in diamonds. The Prince very well pleased with his evening, and too good-natured to allow us to quiz the Mayoress, wonderful sight though she was, or the Mayor either. I tried to coax Lord Dudley round about Charles ; but he is in a frantic "Protestant" state of mind.

18May1868, Antidisestablishmentarianism

TEMPLENEWSAM, May 18th, 1868.
Charles's election is evidently getting serious : it is beyond unlucky Lord Calthorp dying just now, with the tremendous question of the Irish Establishment dividing parties into 2 great armies as of old. Otherwise there is little doubt he would have been returned by Conservatives and Liberals alike... .

We left London about 2 and came thro' vile dust to this fine house, sadly spoilt by Leeds smoke, for the opening of the Leeds exhibition. The Prince of Wales came by the same train, and was well received wherever we stopped. Big dinner ; then lovely little concert conducted by Hallé ; then a ball in the long picture-gallery. Old Nevy turned up, on duty with part of his battn., a great break. Lord Dudley danced with me, and I tried to coax him round about Charles, but he is in horror about Disestablishment, and I fear can only be expected not to oppose actively. The clergy are against it as one man nearly, and will take up the perilous, suicidal ground of making the English and Irish Establishments stand or fall together.

13May1868, The Queen Outshines the Princess

LONDON, May 13th, 1868.
—I had a busy day ; went at 10 with M. to see the Queen lay the 1st stone of S. Thomas' Hospital on the S. bank of the river, which she did with great state, driving slowly in an open carriage and four with escort, outriders and postilions, and ½ a doz. other carriages, all thro' Westminster and Lambeth which had turned out bodily to see her. They say she had some fear of being shot at by a Fenian, but drove all the slower ! She went thro' the ceremony with all her old grace and wonderful dignity, ending with several deep curtseys to the audience ; a sight to see The reception was very good ; and really our little Queen in her deep black was not outshone even by the lovely, radiant Princess of Wales.

12May1868, The Girls Not Presented

LONDON, May 12th, 1868.
—I went early to the Nat. school. The girls and I spent most of the rest of the day struggling thro' the Drawing-room, which took us 4 hours. The Queen hardly stayed an hour, so we had the great blow of the girls not being presented to her. M., the Gladstones, and everybody else in the world, was there : Ly. Dudley, Ly. Craven, Ly. Bath, the greatest beauties.

25Apr1868, Duke Shot by Fenian

LONDON, April 25th, 1868.
—Dined at the D. of Cleveland's. A horrible thing has happened : the Duke of Edinburgh while at a charity picnic at Sydney in Austr. was shot in the back by a Fenian scoundrel, but is mercifully not dangerously hurt. As a makeweight the Prince and Princess of Wales left Ireland in a blaze of enthusiasm to-day, which has gone crescendo ever since they landed.

I sat at dinner between young Lord Joscelyn (a nice, handsome creature) and Lord Clarendon, who was immensely entertaining, giving me an account of his interview with the Pope this winter. He appears to have "upped" and advised the Pope to enter upon negotiations with the King, assuring him his spiritual power would be strengthened thereby ; to which the Pope protested that it was impossible for a "pauvre vieillard" to trust a man whose government was worthless and himself a liar. To this Ld. C. said that doubtless there would be difficulties, but so much the grander for the S. Père to conquer them. "Mettezvous done à ma place," says His Holiness. "Would you have me forgive all the insults—the injuries, etc., etc." "It is unnecessary for me," says Lord C., "to remind the head of Christianity that it is his part to present to the world the spectacle of sublime Christian charity." Which I should think "shut up" the Pope effectually !

Ld. C. was also great fun over Ld. Derby's anti-compulsory-Church-Rate-abolition speech the other night ; saying, "It's rather too bad to have this 'leaper in the dark' [FN: Lord Derby had candidly described his own Ministry's franchise Act, that of 1867, as a "leap in the dark."] coming forth one year at the head of democracy and the next at the tail of old Toryism!" and that he talked "retrograde rubbish." Says I, "What a pity you could not attack him in that fashion in the H. of Lords." "No!" says Ld. C. ; "he's too kind to Constance" (née Villiers, married to Ld. D.'s 2nd son) "for me to abuse him."

24Apr1868, The Quondam Slave

LONDON, April 24th, 1868.
—I went to Kate Amberley, who had a quondam slave to trot out : a poor, respectable-looking mulatto woman, with a handsome, ladylike white daughter, and a book with the heartbreaking story of her life. Such things to hear about make one go on one's knees, and thank the Mighty Hand that has scorched up for ever, by means of that tremendous war, the iniquity of generations.

14Apr1868, Scoundrel Fish

LISMORE, April 14th, 1868.
Cavendish hooked a fine fish, but, grievous to say, it got off after an hour's playing. The Duke was by, and came home very much aggravated—more so than the philosophical Markiss ! —kept breaking out with "That scoundrel of a fish!"

13Apr1868, Riding with the Duke

LISMORE, April 13th, 1868.
—A wonderful thing happened to me, viz., I rode with my papa-in-law, and was horribly shy ; have such a painful conviction that he must think me a fool and a bore.

27Mar1868, The Irish Establishment

LONDON, March 27th, 1868.
Uncle W. has given notice of Resolutions, of which one distinctly condemns the Irish Establishment. That such a grand act of justice and right should be on the horizon seems too good to be true ; but there is to be a fair fight, and there is great hope.