Thursday, December 31, 2009

25Jan1869, Reading List

HOLKER, January 25th, 1869.
—Horrible wet gloomy day. No outing. Little William began to crawl ! I am reading Jeremy Taylor's "Liberty of Prophesying" and Lockhart with F., Senior's Journal (instead of "Greater Britain") to the Womankind, Hume, Cowper's Life and Letters and Mr. Suckling's Life to myself, and an occasional bit of Froude with B.

09Jan1869, Going Away

HAGLEY, January 9th, 1869.
—Darling Alfred took me to the station ; he turns my head by expressing affection ! and being so sorry I am going, in the most winsome way.

31Dec1868, Low and Pathetic Today

HAGLEY, December 31st, 1868.
—I believe nobody ever had the dayums as I have ; I feel low and pathetic today, and shall be in high spirits to-morrow !

08Dec1868, Postmaster Cavendish

CHATSWORTH, December 8th, 1868.
Cavendish telegraphed that he has accepted the Postmastership-General, with a seat in the Cabinet ; and he also wrote by post that Uncle W. had been very cordial, not pressing him to take Ireland, tho' saying that he thought it an important post just now, and showing that the want of a seat in Parliament was the only thing that made a difficulty about the Cabinet. This is supposed to be not insuperable, and the upshot was that he was offered the Home Office. But Mr. Bruce has evidently a higher claim to that, and Cavendish said that he would not stand in his way. Then the Post Office was settled.

07Dec1868, Another Proposed

CHATSWORTH, December 7th, 1868.
He telegraphed "Ireland over ; another proposed." This is exciting. I rode with Lord George, Louey, and Mr. Strutt. Empress chose to kick.

06Dec1868, Offer Far From Suitable

CHATSWORTH, December 6th, 1868.
Cavendish got a private letter from Uncle W. offering him the Lord-Lieutenancy of Ireland, regretting that his being out of Parliament prevents his entering the Cabinet. The letter kind and cordial, but it is a considerable blow, as Cavendish's successful and steady work at the War Office in '66, and the Duke's 4 great contests just now, seemed to give him a claim. But there are many men of longer standing and higher claims, and this offer is of course a great compliment failing the Cabinet ; only it is far from suitable for a young bachelor ! The thing was kept as nearly secret as was compatible with Freddy, Eddy, Lord George, and Lou being married people ! Cavendish went up to London by the night train, intending to decline unless much pressed.

27Nov1868, Lies About Popery

CHATSWORTH, November 27th, 1868.
—The two beaten brethren, Cavendish and Eddy, came home ; both cheery about it, but it was a great blow to both. Poor Emma much grieved ; and we are all rather rabid. "No Popery" has served Dizzy well in the counties ; the discoveries are remarkable anent it ; Mr. Gladstone and his wife are papists, one of his daughters is an abbess, and the Cavendishes for years past have been the tools of the Pope ! ! ! !

The Eddies delighted with their baby, who is indeed charming, always crowing and chirping with fun, and smiling all over his face like Eddy ; while his kicks are untiring.

25Nov1868, Eddy Defeated

CHATSWORTH, November 25th, 1868.
—We heard just before dinner last night the wretched news of Eddy's defeat by 120 ; and we do feel small and miserable. The counties are outrageously Tory.

21Nov1868, Cavendish Beaten

CHATSWORTH, November 21st, 1868.
—A grievous disaster ! Cavendish beaten yesterday by 1,400 after all his hard work and F.'s canvassing and the indefatigable labours of friends and agents. We had not much hope, but didn't expect anything so hollow. The worst of it is, that it is as good as farewell, politically speaking, to N. Lancashire, after his 11 years' connexion with it and all the home ties.

20Nov1868, Nominated at Bradford

ESHTON, November 20th, 1868.
—Our nomination was at Bradford, where, in spite of the borough having just ended its own desperate fight, about 2,000 people collected in front of the hustings. They were rather dull and silent during Sir F. Crossley's speech, but it was delightful to see them warm up into great enthusiasm during F.'s speech, which was the best I ever heard him make, vigorous, earnest, pointed, and with the sort of eloquence which comes out of deep conviction. He was trembling, not with nervousness, but enthusiasm. I nearly burst ! Afterwards came a big luncheon, when he was very warmly cheered. We got home for dinner, and were met by the capital news of Frank's and Mr. Strutt's victory.

14Nov1868, A Stump Speech

HOLKER, November 14th, 1868.
—Enjoyed myself much, going with Cavendish (tête-à-tête killing ! F. to Preston) to Ulverston, for his last meeting before the nomination. He spoke better than ever, said everybody, and indeed it was an excellent speech, exhaustive, well-argued, straightforward, spirited, and only just short of eloquent in parts, his only fault on the stump seems to be rather over-much gravity ; but the Lancashire people don't dislike that. I got highly excited, and so did the meeting. The energetic Mr. Fell entertained us at luncheon ; his little girls of 3 and 4 were over the moon, expecting to see a coach with bright-red flunkies ; I fear they were sadly disappointed.

02Nov1868, Holker in the Glow of Autumn

HOLKER, November 2nd, 1868.
—Splendid day of many colours and glorious W. wind. F. to Barrow, but came home to luncheon and rode with me quite late in a stormy afternoon to Grange ; it was very nice ! and I enjoyed a tremendous spatter of rain when we were full go. In the morning, Mary [FN: Mary Gladstone.] and I went to Humphrey Head, and had a grand fight with the wind ; the sea quite uppish ; we went down to the extreme point and were such babies as to do a little paddling barefooted in the waves. I never saw this place in the full glow of autumn before, and it is a treat.

21Oct1868, Marriage of Whig and Tory

HOLKER, October 21st, 1868.
Edith Campbell [FN: Daughter of the Duke of Argyll.] is to marry Ld. Percy! [FN: Afterwards 7th Duke of Northumberland.] a nice, good, pleasant youth, just grown up ; Presbyterian and Irvingite, Whig and Tory, I wonder how it will do.

08Oct1868, Reading Mansfield Park

HAWARDEN, October 8th, 1868
. . . . Afterwards to the Rectory to hear Granny spout "Mansfield Park" ; I coaxed Fred to stay and hear a bit, and he was impressed with her beautiful reading. Her dear voice is as musical as ever ; if there is any change it gets lower, instead of quavery as most old people.

05Oct1868, A Good-natured Lion

HAWARDEN, October 5th, 1868.
Uncle W. has now written his address : a very dignified and downright one. He went off all the lighter-hearted for having it off his mind, to cut down a tree with Willy. Lord Napier of Magdala [FN: Lately home from the Abyssinian Expedition and the storming of Magdala.] came, and was received with volunteers, band, and cheers, and the village-people and school-children turned out in the park. He is very quiet and simple in manner, and is rather like a good-natured lion with its claws in.

01Oct1868, Uncle W. Cuts Down a Tree

HAWARDEN, October 1st, 1868.
Uncle W. in shirtsleeves and stick-up collar cutting down a tree was a pleasing sight this afternoon. He has an axe with W. E. G. on the haft, and is like a schoolboy over it.

02Sep1868, Heart of the Enemy's Country

HOLKER, September 2nd, 1868.
—My Fred came home to dinner, quite excited over Cavendish's success at his meetings near Preston (the heart of the enemy's country). He seems to have spoken capitally ; and was received with enthusiasm. I had the treat of telling this to the Duke, who was much delighted.

26Aug1868, Electioneering

HOLKER, August 26th, 1868.
Cavendish and all his gentlemen went off electioneering ; F. to Bradford to do the civil to his constituents. Emma and I drove to Grange Hotel to call on the Wilson Pattens, and saw Col. P. himself. He was quite moved at the notion of our calling upon them, apparently thinking his coalition with Captain Stanley against Cavendish would make bitter enemies of us all.

14Aug1868, The First Private Execution

Holker, August 14th, 1868.
—Yesterday took place the 1st private execution within the prison yard, only officials and reporters being present. A thing to return thanks for, the doing away of the horrible mob-scenes.

11Aug1868, Back to Dear England

HOLKER, August 11th, 1868.
—Hot night, but rainy and overcast all day : a great comfort, as the burnt-up state of the country is really dreadful. Whole tracts of railway-embankments, heaths, moors, and even cornfields have been set on fire by sparks from engines or cigars, and people in many parts are in distress from want of water. We got prosperously to dear old Holker ; thank God. Find Lou, the Duke, Cavendish, and the D. of Buccleuch. All of course have the electionums ; there is great fear for Cavendish's seat ; Frank's is pretty secure ; we as yet have no opposition. Dear England, you are not bad to come back to, with your nears and dears, your excellent washing arrangements, and your Tea !

09Aug1868, Not a Sunday

AACHEN, August 9th, 1868.
—Not to be counted as a Sunday at all, a horrid fact, as one hasn't too many Sundays in even the longest life. We went into the curious Cathedral ; crowded with dirty people : a sort of congregation that always makes one envious. . . .

We fitted in a fragment of our service in a horrible chapel, which had the pulpit jutting out of the wall above the altar, like the centre and object of worship.

31Jul1868, A Jolly Evening

Ems, July 31st, 1868.
—We had a jolly evening, supping with the Ashleys ; Ly. Louisa Charteris was too delightful, becoming an asthmatic old Norfolk man and woman, besides crowing, purring, bleating, and gobbling to perfection. We laughed till exhaustion supervened, and did not act up to the name we have all given ourselves as lone lorn women, the reverse of Jolly Dogs, viz., the Dismal Cats.

24Jul1868, High and Broad Church

Ems, July 24th, 1868.
—We drove up to the Pavilion, whence the view is lovely. Argued a good deal on the way about High and Broad Church, B. contriving to be both in a way that a little aggravates me.

14Jul1868, Meeting the King of Prussia

Ems, July 14th, 1868.
—I had the privilege of seeing the King [FN: The King of Prussia, afterwards the first German Emperor.] at the spring in the Curhaus ; an ugly red-nosed old gentleman.

08Jul1868, To Brussels

BRUSSELS, July 8th, 1868.
—It does seem bewildering to be on the Continent again : writing my journal in an inn (Bellevue) at Brussels — the very same where we launched forth on our honeymoon 4 years ago. B. [FN: Beatrice Lascelles, sister of Lady Edward Cavendish, afterwards wife of Archbishop Temple.] joined us at Charing X. at 7.15 ; we had a perfect passage from Dover to Calais ; and got here before 7. We feel rather unprotected with only English servants, viz., Head, the Grim one, and B.'s Wilkinson.

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.

Tuesday, November 03, 2009

25Mar1868, Dizzy's Party for the Shaky Liberals

LONDON, March 25th, 1868.
Dizzy gives a grand party tonight for the Prince and Princess ; is said to ask only such Liberals as are shaky ! N.B. We are not asked.

19Mar1868, A Wonderful Set of Frumps

LONDON, March 19th, 1868.
—We dined with the Carews, meeting a wonderful set of frumps, but it wasn't very bad.

18Mar1868, A Workhouse and a Drum

LONDON, March 18th, 1868.
—We went to the East "by sea," as Atie. P. calls it, viz., embarking at Hungerford and landing at the Tunnel ; then conducted to the workhouse by a dirty little boy who was enchanted with a bit of bread and butter out of my basket in payment. . . . Dined at the Gladstones' ; drum, to which came Lord Dizzy !—he will be that next, I suppose. It was a sight to see him chaffing Agnes !

17Mar1868, Auntie P's Orphanage

LONDON, March 17th, 1868.
—Yesterday at the L. House meeting, a little statement drawn up by Caroline Smith and me about Auntie P.'s orphanage was read : I had hardly realised before what a gallant good work it was. She took over 150 poor tinies straight to her arms ; all orphans and many weak after cholera themselves ; all friendless and without even clothes on their poor little bodies. Of these not one has died at the Home, which she got in a hurry for them at Clapton ; and she has provided for a great many in different ways ; but 57 remain on her hands.

08Mar1868, Lou's Baby

LONDON, March 8th, 1868.
—Lou was promoted to a sofa, and was "at home" to F. and me. The baby came in to see her while we were there, and it gave me a tiny pang of envy to see its darling little head cuddled up to her ; however, it shortly flew into a rage and dissipated sentiment.

06Mar1868, A Most Powerful Sermon

LONDON, March 6th, 1868.
—Service at St. James's : the Dean of Westminster preached a most powerful sermon on "Eli, eli, lama sabachthani ?" speaking as if from his very heart of the darkness and perplexities of life, and how we should be sustained in them by the knowledge that our Saviour went through that awful moment of apparent desertion. He ended by appealing to one to abide patiently, sure of peace and light in the end, as our Lord in His next utterance confided His Spirit to His Father, though an instant before He had felt Himself forsaken. It made me cry, partly from the intense way I knew the pain the great perplexities give one, partly from feeling how he spoke from his own experiences, which must be, alas those of a man of faint and doubtful faith ; but at the same time, of strong love.

05Mar1868, Helping a Girl in a Fit

LONDON, March 5th, 1868.
—Saw a poor miserable girl lying quite rigid on her back in a fit in a smart part of Belgravia ; if we had not come up, I suppose she would be there now, everybody "passing by on the other side" like priests and Levites ! We sent for a policeman, who brought her round, and after a time she was well enough to walk feebly away, refusing to go in a cab : only lately out of an infirmary.

Friday, October 02, 2009

03Mar1868, Smart Little Party

LONDON, March 3rd, 1868.
—Smart little party with singing at Stafford House that we were obliged to go to, against my will ; the Prince and Princess there, she wonderfully well, and walking with only a little stiffness ; I believe she expects another baby !

28Feb1868, The Flirting of Married Women

LONDON, February 28th, 1868.
—St. James's, where Lord Arthur Hervey preached, making a lashing attack upon the state of society, the fastness and extravagance and absence of modesty in dress and manner ; the flirting of married women and all the mass of self-indulgence and pleasure-seeking. I don't mean he used these very expressions, but he was plain-spoken ; and it is all terribly true.

25Feb1868, Dizzy: Lord High Conjuror

LONDON, February 25th, 1868.
—Great news ! Lord Derby has resigned, owing to broken health ; and the Lord High Conjuror has got to the top of the ladder, viz., Dizzy is Prime Minister ! ! His party take it with a bad grace. I wonder how the Queen likes it.

04Feb1868, Limehouse Distress

HOLKER, February 4th, 1868.
—I heard from Miss Lilley ; the Limehouse distress has been terrible; men fainting at their work when they got a job, or having to stay at home next day from exhaustion ; and yet the neighbouring districts have been worse off. God help them.

01Feb1868, Reluctant Sons

HOLKER, February 1st, 1868.
—The energetic Duke carried off his rather reluctant sons to brave storms, shooting Ellerside.

13Jan1868, Notions About Ireland

MARSEILLES, January 13th, 1868.
—Last Saturday F. told me of some notions of his about Ireland. This miserable Fenianism makes one think much of its rights and wrongs, though of course it is the outbreak of only the worst and most reckless people. He has always been for the disestablishing of the Church, on the simplest ground of justice to the large majority. The other great grievance being the land tenures, and the thing to be aimed at being the giving the Irish an interest in the soil and some security of tenure, he would make them permanent tenants, as long as they paid fixed rents, to be settled upon according to income-tax.

25Dec1867, High Mass

ROME, Christmas Day, 1867.
—We went to the 9 o'clock celebration of the Holy Communion at our own ch. and then to S. Peter's for the High Mass. The elevation, and all the showing of the consecrated ele¬ments to the people, was excessively painful to one ; I followed the service as well as I could in a missal, and, the more one was able to join and feel with the service, the more distressing was the terrible shock that the notion of Transubstantiation gives one. The ceremonial is certainly impressive, but would be much more so, I think, if they would only do away with the ward¬robe part of it, and leave the Pope and Cardinals in gorgeous vestments if they please, but in statu quo. It is impossible too not to see that all the outward worship (except of the Host) centres in the Pope. The music was lovely, but altogether I was pained and grieved, and tired out with conflicting feelings.

24Dec1867, Unbonneting of the Pope

ROME, Christmas Eve, 1867.
—We went to S. Pietro in Vinculo and the Lateran again, Sta Croce in Gerusalemme and S. Martino in Monte ; at 3 to the Papal Vespers in the Sistine Chapel, very unimpressive and wardrobey, with the perpetual bonneting and unbonneting of the Pope, and mutual bowings and curtseyings. The singing fine, but music very stiff and crabbed ; the Pope intoned well.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

22Dec1867, An Audience with Pope Pius IX

ROME, December 22nd, 1867.
—The Pope gave us the honour of a private interview, but was so unkind as to fix the hour so as ingeniously to cut us off from both our own afternoon Services, and Benediction at the Trinità, which we wished to hear. He is a nice old man, with snowy hair, ruddy face, twinkling keen dark eyes, an amiable smile and a most pleasing, kind manner, but not dignified. He is short and rather fat, speaks good French and was wonderfully lively and cheerful. He said, "Dieu vous benit. Dio vi benedica," as we came up the room, and gave us his hand which we kissed with our best bow and curtsey ; but kneel we did not. He began almost at once upon politics, said as briskly as possible à propos of the risk and crisis his affairs had passed thro', "Mais néanmoins—cela marche!" and gave one the notion of great fearlessness, and confidence in the justice of his cause. He launched out upon the inefficiency of the King's government and the absence of any distinguished politicians—a lucky line for him to take, as we were able to agree with him unfortunately ! He spoke of Uncle W., and I made a terrible slip, saying, "Il aime beaucoup l'Italie et l'Italien," forgetting that "Italy" now means the kingdom ; but he didn't seem hurt, thank goodness. He spoke very warmly of Lord Clarendon, whom he seems to think he may convert ! but whether he meant politically or religiously, I don't know. He said, "Lord Gladstone est . . . Pooseyite, n'est-ce pas ?" to which I said, "Oui, S. Pere, et moi aussi !" at which he was much amused, saying, "Nous nous rapprochons done un peu plus . . . it faut que vous poussiez un peu plus loin !" ; whereat I felt a little insulted. Apparently he liked Lord Clarendon best of the big-wigs he saw last year, and said he hoped to see him again this year, and see what he thought of his friends (the King's people) ; perhaps he (the Pope) might convert him ! All this he came out with very chattily and with plenty of gesticulation and humour. He dismissed us very gracefully, saying to F., "Eh bien, Monsieur, je vous recommande cette Pooseyite," and we bowed out, much pleased with him.

18Dec1867, Justify the French Occupation

ROME, December 18th, 1867.
—Afterwards went to see Monsignor Talbot, a civil old gentleman in a long violet frock, distressingly like a prize-pig, who produced with great pomp a stage-property-looking pike and halberd and a little revolver, which he declared Garibaldi had hidden in thousands about Rome to kill priests, Pope, and all with. It isn't quite true, but they make out all the danger they can to justify the French occupation, and the fortifications which are still kept up.

08Dec1867, Terrible Worship

NAPLES, December 8th, 1867.
—Walked about, peeping into churches (Feast of the Imm. Conc. ; terrible worship was going on at the feet of smart dolls in a blaze of tapers).

02Dec1867, French Troops All Cleared Out

ROME, December 2nd, 1867.
—The French troops all cleared out of the town to-day. According to the Contessa, they are a good deal stung by this state of things. One of the old officers said to her, "On nous envoie combattre pour cette prétraille, leur gagner les batailles ; ensuite, quand ils n'ont plus besoin de nous, ils nous disent : fichez votre camp !—c'est un joli role que nous avons joué là." There is some talk of disturbances now they are gone, but it doesn't seem likely that this degraded, unarmed people should be able to do anything against the large papal army ; and as for outsiders, the town walls and gates are regularly fortified.

27Nov1867, News from Home

ROME, November 27th, 1867.
—We have taken to omit luncheon, as we can't spare the middle of the day ; letters and Murray, etc., keep us in till about 12. The wretched Fenians who attacked a prisoners' van at Manchester and let out a fellow-Fenian, shooting the policeman in charge dead, have been condemned to death ; and out of the 5, 3 have been executed. It is very sad and terrible, as they are the 1st who have been executed for a political offence ; but it seemed inevitable. There have been deputations and demonstrations against the sentence in London. Foreigners think England must be in danger ; somehow one can't feel that a bit. Never did I take in better the immense strength we have in our fearless freedom of press, opinion and discussion, than now, when there are anxieties and disturbances and an impending revolution in national power. Parliament has met about the Abyssinian war.

26Nov1867, Rome: Death-in-Life

ROME, November 26th, 1867.
—Spent the fragment of the day left before sunset in a delightful drive and tie to the Villa Mellini. We were longing for a good view over the city and the Campagna, and it was perfect in the lovely serene light ; the endless plain, the many-shadowed mountains, the many-domed town, and St. Peter's like a mighty king above it all. How beautiful and peaceful it all looked ! but it is terrible to think of the last state of degradation and the hopeless bondage underneath. There seems to be a mysterious death-in-life in which Rome exists ; all earnest striving after truth crushed remorselessly out of her, political and religious freedom alike poisoned, and the terrible results crying to Heaven. And yet there is life too ; because (as I can't help believing) the true Eternal Catholic Faith still is stirring beneath all the fearful accumulated corruptions. But one fears that the Papacy, with its tyranny of ages, will drive out all that is true at last, and that a crash will come.

22Nov1867, A Foot's Pace From Leghorn

ROME, November 22nd, 1867.
—To prevent arrival at Rome being too intoxicating we came at a foot's pace from Leghorn, the incapable engine getting more incapable after we had passed the Papal frontier. We took 14 hours over what one does in 6 in England. Two young Italian men (not papal) expressed themselves hotly at the strict fumbling their bags were put through at Civita Vecchia (ours being quickly passed) ; they would not be allowed to stay in Rome without some tedious and elaborate passporting. How any nation can stand it I can't think. Several poor young Garibaldini prisoners were picked up at Civ. V., and sang patriotic songs. Our Italians indulged in much mocking of priests and papal dominion, but in a slip-sloppy dialect that I could hardly make anything of. The station arrangements forlorn and unkempt beyond anything ; we got away ourselves in a rickety little "trap," but the luggage, in spite of its "lascia passare," didn't turn up for an hour afterwards.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

14Nov1867, A Good Stare at Famous Statues

FLORENCE, November 14th, 1867.
—Rainy, but pleasant in the afternoon. We did the Palazzo Vecchio and the Palazzo del Podestà. In spite of the arrangements being evidently very hasty and temporary, it is astonishing how much more conveniently the members are accommodated in the Pal. Vecchio (which is now the Salle des Députés) than ours are in either House of Parliament. But I think they might have managed it better in the great (not too great) Hall of the Podestà which would not have wanted the horrid partition they have had to put up in the Pal. Vecchio. We then had a good stare at the famous statues of the Piazza della Signoria and the Loggia ; N.B. remarkable likeness of Neptune to Mr. (Inspector) Bellairs. I can't appreciate Michaelangelo's David, whose head really is much too big. At the Podestà is the lovely little bronze Mercury springing up from the puff of a wind, by John of Bologna, of which there is a copy at Chatsworth, nothing like as spirited. Uffizi, pleasant drive with Mr. Trev [FN: I.e. Trevelyan, now Sir George Trevelyan. Sir George writes to me : "In the November of that year we dined together, we three and no one else, at Doney's restaurant every evening for at least a fortnight, and then my great friendship with them was cemented and consolidated."], to Bello Sguardo, dinner with him at Doney's. Opera (Hernani) with Grosvenors ; very pretty.

09Nov1867, Finished "Jane Eyre"

FLORENCE, November 9th, 1867.
—We finished "Jane Eyre," which is, I think, the most powerful novel I ever read : the authoress turns oneself and one's opinions round her thumb. I thought my principles were pretty well established with regard to bigamy, but I might have been heard at one moment fervently wishing that circumstances had kept Jane ignorant of the 1st wife's existence ! ! N.B.—I repented afterwards !

29Oct1867, Sight-seeing in Venice

VENICE, October 29th, 1867.
—Another glorious, perfect day, spent in wonderful enjoyment. The Doge's Palace took us all the morning, and fully came up to anything I ever dreamed of ; afterwards delightful gondola expeditions to S. Giorgio Maggiore, Redentore, and Madonna di Salute ; all very grand and stately, though I am only just beginning to appreciate any style but Gothic, and still think these styles fitter for Polytheism than Christianity. Ended our doings with going up the campanile of S. Mark's at sunset ; the view very curious and interesting of the crowded town with its many towers, and the lovely light ! I dined at the table d'hôte, more lively than usual, with Yankees discussing their politics, the nomination of General Grant to succeed President Johnson, etc. Afterwards to the scrubby little theatre Malibran, all boxes and pit ; very funny to see the most unassuming shirt-sleeves occupying the boxes opposite ! The pit full of all sorts of people, who all roared between the acts. But one charm of Italy is that one hardly ever hears a harsh voice. The melodrama turned out to be dull, incomprehensible and improper, which was distressing. We walked home through the crazy little labyrinthian paved ways and across innumerable hunchbacked bridges ; had an ice at a cafe ; snug read of "Jane Eyre," in the midst of which I was overtaken by sleep ; sight-seeing has that effect, I find.

12Oct1867, Dined in Great Luxury

PARIS, October 12th, 1867.
—We dined in great luxury and enjoyment with the Lascelles' [FN: No doubt the Frank Lascelles ; he was brother of Lady Edward Cavendish, and cousin of Lord Frederick ; afterwards Ambassador at Berlin.] at the Café Durand, and then went together to the Théâtre Français, where "Hernani" is being played, and enchanted us.

09Oct1867, Female Heathens

LONDON, October 9th, 1867.
—I paid a flying visit to the workhouse, went for an hour to a Female Heathen Educational Association meeting (it looks like Mrs. Pardiggle in "Bleak House" !) ; we wrote letters and scrambled through odd jobs, bade farewell to peggies and Head, and set off on our travels. Our charming honeymoon courier Hoffman is with us, as convinced as ever that we are about 5 years old and not to be trusted to take our own tickets. Crossed from Folkestone to Boulogne ; a good deal of rain and wind, but somehow F. did not succumb, and I am all right in anything short of a violent, prolonged gale. All is fun to me ; the little wizzy mob-capped neat-as-a-pin peggy, the jabbering voices on the landing.

08Oct1867, Comments on New Vestments

LONDON, October 8th, 1867.
—I went to see poor Joshua Dutch in the All Saints' Home : he won't die after all. Went into the church to have a few quiet minutes, and found the Holy Communion being administered. The priest was consecrating the elements. It was my first sight of "the vestments," and it is honest truth that at first sight of the figure in green cope and long surplice I took it for a woman in a shawl, in the dim light. The "raiment clean and white" will, I think, always look more solemn and priestlike to me ; and the Bible and first ages give us no thought in primitive times of the narrow stole. It was a quiet, solemn thing, those few minutes in the near Presence of our Lord in the midst of the busy day.

28Sep1867, An Earl of Oxford Bull

HOLKER, September 29th, 1867.
—I walked to see an Earl of Oxford bull with the gentlemen.

Sunday, August 16, 2009

28Sep1867, The New Steam-Plough

HOLKER, September 28th, 1867.
—Walked to see the new steam-plough, which did remind me vividly of Tennyson's old farmer's description : "Huzzin and maazin the blessed fealds wi' the divil's own teàm." However, in spite of a hitch or two, it did manage to do 4 deep furrows at a time, which no doubt is striking.

26Aug1867, Famous Lyttelton Cricket

HAGLEY, August 26th, 1867.
—Got to old Hagley before 12. The Bromsgrove side were in, hitting very well. Papaa in flannels taking immense pains, fielding (I think) at short slip [FN: This was one of the matches played by eleven Lytteltons.]. Uncle Spencer, in magenta flannels, sitting on a bench as a distant long-stop, did two balls the honour of fielding them. Uncle B. running about rather vaguely. All the boys fielding capitally (except Bob who was no great shakes) ; little Edward really admirable, never missing a ball, and throwing them in as neatly and quickly as possible. Papa, to his infinite delight, caught out the last wicket, and we went in with 151 to get. Alfred's batting was truly excellent ; his defence being wonderful. They began sending him slow balls out of kindness, but soon found he was up to anything. Arthur made two or 3 very fine slashing hits, especially a drive which showed great strength.

24Aug1867, Playing Cricket Scientifically

BLITHFIELD, August 24th, 1867.
—Hot and lovely. Another thrilling cricket match ! The H. Meynells came over and I had the honour and gratification of bowling him out twice with a scientific, slow shooter ! !

21Aug1867, Papa's Episcopate Bill

BLITHFIELD, August 21st, 1867.
—The idiotic Peers have thrown out Papa's episcopate Bill as it came up from the Commons, because they won't have Bishops without a seat in the H. of Lords. It is a true, bitter criticism on this, that it is clear the wretched Peerage is the valuable thing about a Bishop !

17Aug1867, Remembering Mother

HOLKER, August 17th, 1867.
—The holy day to us all sacred to the blessed memory of what is past for ever. Ten years ago ! and yet at any time I can open the full tide of tears over the precious record of those last Days. [FN: Her mother died August 17, 1857.]

13Aug1867, A Delirious Scream

HOLKER, August 13th, 1867.
—We have begun "The Claverings." Also F. spouted to me a wonderfully delirious scream by Carlyle in Macmillan called "Shooting Niagara and after?"

11Aug1867, Lovelyissimus Major

HOLKER, August 11th, 1867.
F. and I went between services to Middle Bigland Scar, and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. It was lovelyissimus : beyond lovelyissimus major.

05Aug1867, Good-bye to My Poor Old Men

LONDON, August 5th, 1867.
—I said good-bye to my poor old men. Some I shall never see again. One, who suffers terribly and patiently, liked hearing me read the beautiful bits in Revelation to him, and said at the end : "Light—always light !—no sorrow—no pain," and I know the words were as ointment poured forth to his poor heart. These things are more to one than all the sermons in the world.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

03Aug1867, A Cockney Expedition

LONDON, August 3rd, 1867.
—We failed to get the Devonshire House carriage, and found ourselves at 5 with nothing to do with our holyday. What should Fred hit upon but a delightful cockney expedition by boat to Greenwich ! where we kicked our heels in the park and toodled about very pleasantly, and wound up with a fish dinner, my intense enjoyment of which I am quite ashamed of !

01Aug1867, Kick-up in the H. of Lords

LONDON, August 1st, 1867.
—I have never stayed in London straight on into August before ; it is owing to the kick-up in the H. of Lords. . . .
There have been other amendments, including an unlucky one of Papa's, that nobody should vote who could not write a legible hand. The joke against him was that the clerk had to ask him to read the amendment, as he could not decipher it ! F. had thought of a similar proposal, but would have put it : "that all votes should be given in writing." However the notion is snuffed out. There is a strong party in the Lords' in favour of cumulative voting. Uncle W. is against it, F. for it. Bright violent against it.

23Jul1867, Birthdays

LONDON, July 23rd, 1867.
—Birthday of little Edward and of Cavendish [FN: Her brother Edward and her brother-in-law, Lord Harlington]. I wrote to the former, and sent the latter a little gift of Hymns Ancient and Modern for his pocket.

19Jul1867, Like Babies to the Zoo

LONDON, July 19th, 1867.
—My Fred's holyday : we went like a couple of babies to the Zoological Gardens, to my great enjoyment, and topped up with a really capital play, "The Lady of Lyons." N.B. It brought two tears down Freddy's iron cheek.

17Jul1867, The Review for the Sultan

H.M.S. " VICTORY," July 17th, 1867.
—Howling day with heavy storms ; but between acts beautiful sunshine and picturesque lights. Where these naval people put us all, it would be difficult to say. There are here, we two, Lady Ellesmere, Lady Enfield, Ld. Ellesmere, Mr. Egerton, the Duke, Mr. Jervoise Smith, and to-night come a Mr. Hope and Cavendish. The review came off in a wet and windy fashion, but was amazingly successful nevertheless. Only Alice Enfield of the womankind braved the ocean. Lou, Ly. Ellesmere, the Duke, F., and I contented ourselves with land views. We went to the Victuallers' Yard and saw the potentates arrive ; the Sultan, a thin-faced, fat-bodied, shrewd-looking creature, whom one would take for 60 whereas he is said not to be 40 : no ! I find I took the interpreter for him ! he is good-looking. Gorgeous persons in red and gold and Albanians in white petticoats attended him. The Prince of Wales came with him. They embarked in the Osborne, and the Queen, in spite of the weather, came from the Isle of Wight to meet him in the Victoria and Albert, took him on board, and invested him (more's the pity, and great the scandal, to my mind !) with the ribbon of the Garter there and then, taking it off Prince Louis of Hesse for the purpose. What would Edward III have thought ?

16Jul1867, Last Visit to the Victory

H.M.S. "VICTORY," July 16th, 1867.
—We came for a last visit to the Victory, for the naval review in honour of the Sultan to-morrow.

15Jul1867, The Sultan and Viceroy of Egypt

LONDON, July 15th, 1867.
—Big swell drum at Stafford House in honour of the Viceroy of Egypt ; for, by the bye, all London is turned out of window to welcome him and the Sultan. I am a little exasperated at such a splash for 2 scampish old Turks, when nothing has been done for any Christian potentate ; however, it is a good thing to see Buckingham Palace doing duty, and the Queen coming forward with gracious civilities.

13Jul1867, The Housekeeper Drinks

FALCONHURST, July 13th, 1867.
—Miserable catastrophe again in our household ; the housekeeper drinks, and has wretched health. Kind Dr. Clark came to see her for me. I gave her warning. My life feels shortened by these things.

11Jul1867, Lady Churchill's Little Boy

LONDON, July 11th, 1867.
Lady Churchill brought her wonderful little boy to see me ; born after 12 or more childless years of married life : a strapping, sharp, ugly little fellow.

Sunday, August 09, 2009

06Jul1867, Flung in the Mud by a Riderless Horse

LONDON, July 6th, 1867.
Fred's holyday, so we went together to the Portrait Exhibition, and afterwards had a ride. I had so narrow an escape as to fill one with trembling, awestruck thankfulness. Coming home at a foot's pace, a riderless, runaway horse came full gallop against my poor horse's off side. Over we went a regular "culbute." I was flung clear off on the near side, flat on my back in the mud, and poor Ossa rolled completely over on to her back, but, somehow, mercifully she did not touch me, and I was up in a moment, quite unhurt. My poor Fred came up white and frightened ; his horse plunged and kicked so that he could not come near me for a minute, the runaway having nearly bumped him too. I was a perfect mud plaster, horrible to behold, my head and face, however, all right. What to be done with me would have been a question if dear Aunt Lou had not dropped from the clouds in her open carriage, and taken me home from the midst of an admiring circle. I am stiff and achy, but don't feel at all shaken. It is a serious thought to me, how close I cling to all my happiness. The thankfulness, when I thought of Freddy, rushed over me like a flood. God help me to love Him more !

02Jul1867, A Monster Cavalcade of Swells

LONDON, July 2nd, 1867.
—A monster cavalcade, got up by Auntie P. (who but she !), consisting of 9 carriages, containing about 30 picked swells, was actually induced to travel all through N.E. London to Snaresbrook, where the many-coloured party dispread themselves about the garden of the Home, and inspected our 19 convalescents. After which we went on to a to-do at Mrs. Warner's, where high jinks were kept up till night-fall. I had to get home for dinner-time, as had some others ; we dined at the Calverts', meeting dear dear "Mr. Claughton," [FN: Bishop of Rochester.] whom I laboriously and elaborately called My Lord about 3 times. Before luncheon we paid a rapid visit to Lord's where the Oxford and Cambridge match was going on. We saw the 5th Oxford wicket go down (2nd innings) for 124, and shook in our shoes ; but the remaining wickets went down fast, and Cambridge went in with 110 to get. This was done with 5 wickets to go down, Spencer taking his bat for 20.

01Jul1867, Refreshing Service at Fulham

LONDON, July 1st, 1867.
—There was a beautiful, refreshing service at Fulham, for the members of the Ladies' Association ; a short earnest sermon from the Bishop (who had to deliver it sitting), and the Blessed Communion. The happy feeling came strongly over me that, under all the miserable disagreements, there is in the Church a deep foundation of mysterious, holy union ; the belief, whether defined in this way or that, of the near and consoling Presence of our Lord when we receive His Sacrament. Thank God for that Blessed Faith, uniting His whole visible Church each member to each, and all to Him.

30Jun1867, Wedding Ring Off for First Time

LONDON, June 30th, 1867.
—Have just been much put about by discovering I had unbeknown pulled off my wedding-ring for the very first time. Made my Fred put it on again, as I remember Mamma used to make Papa.

27Jun1867, Hearing Dean Magee at the Abbey

LONDON, June 27th, 1867.
Nevy and I went to an S.P.G. service at the Abbey and heard Dean Magee again. It was a grand torrent of eloquence ; he stumbled over his words from the very overflow of them, and yet his burning thoughts seemed to outrun them. His gesticulation is so admirable that it makes his little ugly figure impressive ; he pushed the cassock-sleeves as far back as they would go as if to give himself freedom. His voice wonderful. Drove to Heal's to buy a washhand-stand for Charles whom we have actually encamped in one of the pretty bright rooms that we hoped to see gladdened with faces of our little children.

Wednesday, August 05, 2009

25Jun1867, A Smart Gown of High Fashion

LONDON, June 25th, 1867.
—I with Papa to the Royal Ball, where I danced with Althorp ! Wore a smart yellow gown of high fashion ; clinging to one's hips, perfectly flat in front and magnificently tailed behind.

22Jun1867, Dining Without F

LONDON, June 22nd, 1867.
—Wretched me had to dine alone at the D. of Cleveland's (F. having imagined he should be with his Yeomanry, which Parliament prevented). Lord Clanricarde took me in ! Afterwards together (not Lord C. and I !) to Ly. M. Beaumont's.

19Jun1867, Luncheon with the Hon. and Rev. Stanley

LONDON, June 19th, 1867.
—Who should come to luncheon with me but first Aunt C., and then the Hon. and Rev. Algernon Stanley [FN: Now Bishop of Emmaus, and Canon of St. Peter's at Rome], who used rather to like me. He has been Curate at Kidderminster under dear Mr. Claughton, and presents the bewildering spectacle of a High Church Stanley of Alderley. Liked him much.

18Jun1867, Lecky and Rationalism

LONDON, June 18th, 1867.
—Dined at Mr. Phillips's, meeting Professor Tyndall, a very agreeable Scotch enthusiastic man of science, and Mr. Lecky, author of what I have an intuitive feeling is a shallow tho' clever book on "The Progress of Rationalism" ; a rather affected-looking fair man, with long hair and over-innocent expression ! [FN: Lecky kept just this appearance to the end of his life, and so provided great play to the caricaturists when he was in the House of Commons] Concert at the Palace ; Princess Alice did the honours ; is very thin, but looks nice.

16Jun1867, No Celebration at Baslow

CHATSWORTH, June 16th, 1867.
—The anniversary of my first Communion. Alas ! there was no Celebration at Baslow. God help me to be more full of faith and earnestness, as I was then ! I walked with the gentlemen by Calton Leas. Up through Lindup which was still gloriously blue with hyacinths.

Friday, July 03, 2009

04Jun1867, Reynolds and Gainsboroughs

LONDON, June 4th, 1867.
M., Granny, and I went in M.'s open carriage to the Exhibition ; we did little but the Sir Joshua Reynolds and Gainsboroughs, but spent a good while there, Granny as fresh and pleased over it as possible, and recognising many rolling-collared, swathed-necked, tight-coated, knee-breeched people from her own recollection of them. She knew Gibbon at once, tho' I fancy she was only a tiny child when he taught her English dates at Althorp, not long before his death.

29May1867, Three Great Orators

LONDON, May 29th, 1867.
—Small tea-party at Auntie P.'s. Dinner there, meeting the Bp. of Oxford, Dean Stanley and Ly. Augusta, the Spencers, Mrs. Norton, Mr. Glyn, Ld. Cowper and — Bright ! ! ! Notable to have the 3 greatest English orators present [FN: This is a curious remark. Most people would have placed the Duke of Argyll, and many Disraeli, above Bishop Wilberforce.]. They all talked of speechifying : Bright said he well remembered learning a speech by heart, and being in such an agony of nervousness that he vowed he would never learn a speech again ; and never did. He spoke of the Government Bill as being extremely democratic, and said it would plunge us into the Ballot. "I hope not," said Mr. Gladstone. " You'll think differently," said B., "when you have studied it as much as you have studied Homer !"

28May1867, Very Mad Did I Feel

LONDON, May 28th, 1867.
Emma and I went together alone to Lady Vane's ball ; and very mad did I feel when I found myself dancing, vis-à-vis to Emma, with young Mr. Cecil Parker. I was to have taken poor pussy-cat [FN: Her sister Lavinia who was ill.]; but we must give up all thoughts of her coming out this year. She isn't allowed to get up at all yet.

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

27May1867, Royal Babies

LONDON, May 27th, 1867.
—A little Teck princess, and a Dudley son-and-heir are just born ; the latter a good deal the biggest event of the two [FN: So perhaps it seemed at the time. But the "little Teck princess" is now Queen of England.]. I believe I have never mentioned Princess Helena's son, who is just christened Christian Victor : it sounds like "Pilgrim's Progress" ! The little Wales Princess is Louise . They were in great alarm for her eyesight at first : something wrong from her mother's fever ; but it is said to be all right now. Certain Fenian ringleaders have been tried and condemned for high treason, with the old hurdle and quartering sentence : there is much feeling in the country that they should be let off with penal servitude for life, and the Queen is against hanging them. But this precious Government first sat upon the Queen to carry out the sentence, she, of course, yielding, as is her constitutional duty ; and now, after giving out authoritatively that the man was to be hung, they have chopped round on the strength of a large deputation.

17May1867, Out Visiting and a Ball

LONDON, May l7th, 1867.
—Drove down to Clapton and Snaresbrook in Mrs. Loyd Lindsay's carriage. First to the cholera orphanage at Clapton. We went upstairs, and a door being opened, out tumbled a swarm of tiny 5 and 3 and 2 year-old boys, as fresh and clean as pinks, all with outstretched arms to be taken up and hugged ; climbing on one's back, clinging round one's neck, and chattering all at once. It was too pretty ! The Convalescent Home very flourishing, with 10 charming recovering men in it ; and oh, such tea and bread and butter ! We dined at Mr. Leveson's, meeting Henry Scotts [FN: Lord Henry Scott, afterwards 1st Lord Montagu.], quaint Mary Boyle [FN: I suppose the Mary Boyle of Tennyson's well-known poem.], Cawdor, etc. I went for a last bulletin to Stratton St., thence, alone and forlorn without my pussy [FN: Her sister Lavinia who was ill.], to Duchess of Cleveland's ball, where I sat with the wallflowers and felt a little dismal.

10May1867, Mr. Fawcett's Little Bride

LONDON, May 10th, 1867.
—Visited Mr. Fawcett's little bride [FN: Dame Millicent Fawcett.], her pretty fresh face rather a waste for a blind man!

04May1867, Paxton's Chatsworth

LONDON, May 4th, 1867.
Emma came in the morning, with lovely Chatsworth flowers, and went to the workhouse with me. She saw an old man who had been a smart gardener, and knew all the flowers' Latin names, and said "Oh, Paxton's [FN: Sir Joseph Paxton, who designed the Crystal Palace, had been superintendent of the gardens at Chatsworth.] place !" when she mentioned Chatsworth.

29Apr1867, Cavendish Donates

LONDON, April 29th, 1867.
—I had the intense break of an answer from Cavendish to a begging letter of mine, sending me a cheque for £100 ; £50 donation to the C. H., £25 annual to P.M.W. [FN: I.e. Parochial Mission Women.], £25 for me to dispose of. Wrote him an intoxicated thank you.

20Apr1867, Easter at Hagley

HAGLEY, April 20th, 1867, Easter Eve.
—This peaceful day is always a little spoilt here by the necessity of working pretty hard at decorations. I should like to spend it almost alone, in some deep country stillness, and make myself feel as if cares and pleasures alike were suspended, and the "Land very, far off" were close at hand. Oh, if one could make these thoughts of Christ become real communion with Him !

13Apr1867, The Last of the Whigs

LONDON, April 13th, 1867.
—We went to No. 11. She told us she had never seen him so knocked down : that he could hardly speak when he got home. The so-called Liberals whose desertion was the cause of the defeat are 43 ; but only 2 or 3 are good, thorough Liberals. The others are Whigs and Adullamites, and people with all sorts of mean alarms about their constituents. It is the last of the Whigs as a party, and I am inclined to be glad of that. I am not such a blue political woman as might seem to be the case ! but it is proper to put down what one can of a time like this. Most willingly do I fly into dear old Hagley's loving arms.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

12Apr1867, Breakup of the Liberal Party

LONDON, April 12th, 1867.
—The downfall and breakup of the Liberal party is the miserable event of to-day. The debate [FN: On Mr. Gladstone's Amendment to Disraeli's Reform Bill.] lasted till 2. It was unsatisfactory and lukewarm throughout. The speeches on both sides were most of them disappointing. Bright, even, was rather laboured and constrained till the end of his speech when he made a fine appeal to the honest feeling of the House. Unhappily there is no such thing, except in a small minority. Dizzy I thought most inconclusive, though cunning enough. Mr. Hardy spoke vigorously and appeared in earnest, but it is in a sense entirely new to him. Mr. Forster was striking, downright and manly, which did one good. When Uncle William got up, he knew the game was up ; but I am not sure that his speech was not all the grander. He began (in answer to a wretched taunt of Dizzy's that he (Uncle W.) was to be taken as distinct from his party) by claiming to be their chosen spokesman and refusing to be dissociated from them ; so making a tacit appeal to the traitors in the camp. He was very striking throughout his speech, and contrasted more forcibly than I can say, in his strong, earnest conviction, with the wiles of his foe whom he followed. We had all been deceived, and had no notion that defeat was probable, dreading only a small majority ; but as the members were pouring out of the House and back again, something made our hearts fail. Poor Auntie Pussy turned white to her very lips as the tellers came in, or even a little before. Then we saw a horrid quiver of delight run through the Government side, and heard a subdued clapping, as 2 or 3 members rushed up to look at the numbers. We gave it up then ; and it was only a finishing stroke when the words came "The Ayes to the right, 289 ; the Noes to the left, 310." But it is a heart-break. We came home hardly knowing what we were about. When I saw Freddy I had a regular cry ; and he was even more cut-up than I was, knowing more fully the rotten state of things it reveals, and the greatness of the defeat.

10Apr1867, Countess Carlisle's Children

LONDON, April 10th, 1867.
—Went to see Rosalind, who is still very weak ; her little Mary [FN: Now Lady Mary Murray, wife of Professor Gilbert Murray.] the prettiest darling ; the baby an ugly fellow, but very thriving.

06Apr1867, A Fine Dinner

LONDON, April 6th, 1867.
—We dined at the Cardwells', meeting Ly. Waterford, no longer young, whose looks grievously disappointed me, till she rose up and walked across the room—a very Queen !—Argylls, Mr. Milner Gibson, Dean Stanleys, and the Gladstones; he took me down and was delightful, and in great force. We amused him largely with what I heard the other day ; that he and Dean Stanley, who were at a private school together, were reported to their respective fathers as dolts in the matter of arithmetic ! ! I believe it is still true of the Dean ; Uncle W. said himself he never took to it till he had worked hard at mathematics, to which also he had a dislike at first, but which his father urged him into.

05Apr1867, Uncle Wm. on Suffrage

LONDON, April 5th, 1867.
Uncle W. . . . will unmake and remake the Bill, . . . letting the Conservatives get the credit of it ! It is refreshing to hear that the good country Tories are enraged with Dizzy, and don't take kindly to their new war-cry of Household Suffrage. "The Liberals have a deal of hypocrisy, ultra-Toryism, and self-seeking among them," said Uncle W., "or they wouldn't be such faint friends to their cause, such cowards upon the question, and so taken up with little personal alarms and affronts."

04Apr1867, The Duke Home from Ireland

LONDON, April 4th, 1867.
—The Duke dined with us ; he got home to-day from Ireland, where he has received a very hearty and loyal deputation of tenantry. Fenianism is in the neighbourhood, however. Two soldiers were said to have been fighting each other viciously, about which should have somebody else's land ! ! The Duke underwent the convent as usual, and sat 1/2 an hour with 12 nuns all of a row giggling in front of him, which appears to have somewhat tried him.

Monday, June 22, 2009

03Apr1867, A Very Busy Day

LONDON, April 3rd, 1867.
—A very busy day. At 10½ I paid a flying visit to the workhouse. Soon after 11 went with Auntie P. and Mrs. Hampton shopping for the Convalescent Home : got coal-scuttles, crockery, coffee-mill, knives, forks, and spoons, canisters, etc., etc. N.B. stone ware cup, with its saucer, price 2d. ! ! Luncheon, and at 2½ I drove off to Westbourne Terrace to call on Mrs. Martineau ; found Mrs. Monsell (the Great) with her ; learnt useful text-painting particulars ; looked in at St. Paul's, Knightsbridge, but the service was just ending ; visited Aunt Caroline (who is just come home from abroad), who was out, and Lady Albemarle whose daughter sang most delightfully ; sagged to Paddington to meet Mazy, but, being a few minutes late, missed her. And finally we dined at Lady Estcourt's, meeting Robartes's.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

01Apr1867, Mrs. Scott-Siddons Reads Shakespeare

LONDON, April 1st, 1867.
—A young Mrs. Scott-Siddons, about 20 years old, and great-grand-daughter to the great Mrs. Siddons, recited some Shakespeare and Tennyson at the Hanover Square rooms. She is beautiful, and sometimes like the famous pictures of the Tragic Muse ; her voice lovely ; soft, but clear and ringing ; all was good, but the tragedy parts really excellent. Such grace, and pathos, and passion ! but always natural, and with no rant. I cried dreadfully over Constance and Arthur ; finishing with a good hearty howl when it was over ! But what promises most of all by far is her acting. I feel as if the dream I have had all my life of what should be on the stage is to be realized.

27Mar1867, Labourers on Strike

LONDON, March 27th, 1867.
—The engine-drivers on the Brighton line and elsewhere, and the wretched starved Buckinghamshire labourers, are on strike ; the latter only demanding 12s. a week.

24Mar1867, Sermon by Magee

LONDON, March 24th, 1867.
—Went off in a hansom to St. Paul's Cathedral, inside which neither of us had ever been : grand and stately it is, but crying out for splendid rich decoration. Thousands of people. Magee , Dean of Cork [FN: Afterwards Bishop of Peterborough.], preached a glorious, eloquent sermon, outpoured with great fire and earnestness without a single note. His voice and action perfectly beautiful—unaffected and persuasive and powerful.

23Mar1867, Dined at the Argylls'

LONDON, March 23rd, 1867.
—Dined at the Argylls', meeting a rugged, clever old Scotch Lord Colonsay, Mr. C. Howard, and George [FN: Afterwards 9th Earl of Carlisle.] (who gave a better account of Rosalind, and said his baby was like the Stanleys, which is rather sad, if it ever lives to be Lord Carlisle), etc. I made acquaintance with Edith Campbell [FN: Daughter of the 8th Duke of Argyll ; afterwards Duchess of Northumberland.] who is just out, and would be lovely but for her tiny shrunk figure ; beautiful Evy ; Elizabeth, who is less pretty, but has a better figure and very delicate features ; Lorne [FN: Afterwards 9th Duke of Argyll. Married Princess Louise, daughter of Queen Victoria.] and Archie very pleasant, taking, gentlemanlike fellows, Lorne seeming very clever ; has just written a book about Travels in America and Jamaica.

18Mar1867, Household Suffrage

LONDON, March 18th, 1867.
Susan and I went to the House of C. before prayers (with which I was not edified : such an inaudible mumble, and nobody pretending to follow ; yet the crowd of members standing up together and keeping entire silence was striking). Dizzy made a painful, laboured speech, bringing forward his badissimus bill : Household Suffrage, with actual personal, as distinguished from compounded, rate-paying, and a marvellous scheme called "duality of votes," which Uncle W., who followed in a more vehement, bitter onslaught than I have ever heard him make, called "a gigantic engine of fraud." Household Suffrage pure and simple would perhaps have been accepted by the Liberals, though many of them do not think the country ripe for it ; but Dizzy dursn't do that as a leader of the Conservatives ! and now they are nevertheless, many of them, as discontented as possible : Sir W. Heathcote and others spoke against the Bill, and it is supposed not to have a chance. Never shall I forget the fire and scorn and vehemence of Uncle W.'s speech : he glared from one side to the other, gesticulated with both arms, often spoke with a kind of bitter laugh, stumbled over the formal phraseology of the House, in his violent feeling ; but the whole gave such an overwhelming notion of righteous indignation stirred up by moral convictions that there was no effect of temper about it.

17Mar1867, Withering, Shivering Blast

LONDON, March 17th, 1867.
—Withering, shivering blast, drying up one's miserable throat and making one like a nutmeg-grater inside and out. Also a keen frost. I never could feel, with Dr. Watts, the pleasure of reflecting upon the "starving wretches," in contrast with my comfortable self on a night like this. It is almost maddening to think of anybody out-of-doors in tattered clothes ; and oh ! I wish it would rain seal-skins !

Sunday, June 14, 2009

16Mar1867, A Visit to Chiswick

LONDON, March 16th, 1867.
Emma and I drove to Chiswick. I can never go there (especially without a load of people) without our golden days all coming back upon me. The Duchess was visiting Lady Blantyre, and we waited an hour for her. She looked very well and queenly, and made me as shy as usual ! Snug home dinner, after which a drum at the Speaker's. The Duke of St. Albans is to marry Sybil Grey.

10Mar1867, Obstreperous Ragamuffins

LONDON, March 10th, 1867.
—School, where I was driven nearly wild by 8 obstreperous ragamuffin boys.

06Mar1867, Sermon by Dr. Pusey

LONDON, March 6th, 1867. Ash Wednesday.
Freddy had odious meetings all the morning. I went to All Saints', which was crammed full as Dr. Pusey preached. It was a striking, solemn sermon, upon the saved "suffering loss" at the Last Day, from the "wood, hay, and stubble" of their works on earth being tested by fire, they being themselves saved nevertheless by Infinite Mercy. I hardly understand the text in the same way. I think it means that if only we have built upon the One Foundation, the imperfections of our works will be forgiven, the fire will cleanse them, and only what is good and true will remain. But I don't know. I was glad to find sitting-room on the steps of the font, and heard with difficulty. He has a good, gentle face, though ugly ; his voice sounded rather weak and as if his chest hurt him. We had luncheon at Devonshire House where was Netty. I went to see Kate Amberley, and Granny who got down her Bible and entered the lists with Dr. Pusey so well !

03Mar1867, School and Workhouse

LONDON, March 3rd, 1867.
—School and workhouse. The old bodies made a great joke of F.'s bringing me to the door of the workhouse.

Saturday, June 13, 2009

02Mar1867, John Parry and German Reed

LONDON, March 2nd, 1867.
—I went with Grauntcoquitty [FN: I.e. "Granny" and "Aunt Coque" and "Aunt Kitty" : the Dowager Lady Lyttelton, Hon. Caroline Lyttelton, and Miss Pole-Carew.] , Meriel, and Mrs. Robartes (very childish of such old matrons and maids !) to see John Parry and German Reed. Laughed till I was exhausted !

21Feb1867, Visiting the Very Poor

LONDON, February 21st, 1867.
—At the poor dinner was a pretty, bright-eyed little pussy-girl of five, whose remains of dinner I carried home for her, for fear she should come to grief with the plate. She showed me the way, trotting fearlessly along down a squalid street and court, up to the top of a wretched house. On the last landing, a door opened and out peeped another darling little girl. This was "home," and I went in. Father and mother, 4 children, and a baby were in the tiny place ; the little things all pretty and chubby, but the parents pinched and starved-looking: it was a tidy room considering ; I felt ashamed of myself, coming back to this big house, where there is not even one little baby to take up room.

We successfully entertained at dinner the Eddies, the Forsters, Agnes, Mr. Charles Howard , Mr. Tom Hughes. There was some discussion about the volunteers, who were called out illegally to, defend Chester from the Fenians the other day, and are really supposed to have saved the town from attack. The question is, whether it ought to be legal to arm them in cases of civil riots. Mr. Hughes was against it, saying they were and ought to be perfectly free to choose either side ! ! and so it might be awkward.

20Feb1867, Poor People's Dinner

LONDON, February 20th, 1867.
—Yesterday and to-day I have been to preside at a poor people's dinner just set going in this parish : went afterwards, with a little dot of a girl who had dined, to the district school in Bedfordbury, where were over 100 little creatures, the lowest of the low, in a nice airy room at the top of the building, which has a chapel for its basement, and another school and a mission room "au second."

16Feb1867, Macleod and Canterbury

LONDON, February 16th, 1867.
—We went to Lady Augusta Stanley's, and were introduced to Dr. Macleod, the editor of Good Words, whose Liberalism and penchant for painted windows has affronted certain stiff kirk-people ; but he is a Presbyterian all the same : a big burly man, with a great face full of power, very like my idea of Dr. Johnson. The Dean of Canterbury (Alford) was talking to him ; such a contrast, with his spare figure and thin, sensitive features.

15Feb1867, Maid Parry is Expecting

LONDON, February 15th, 1867.
—To my bewilderment and dismay last night, my poor maid Parry, who is married, announced in a tremulous voice, that, when she had been with me only a few days, she suddenly and unexpectedly discovered that she was several months gone with a luckless baby ! My head span, but I hope to manage a stop-gap, and take the poor thing back.

12Feb1867, Uncle W. Much Disgusted

LONDON, February 12th, 1867.
Uncle W. looks blooming after his holyday. He is as much disgusted and bothered by the course of the Government as it's possible to be : when I said something about the emptiness of the Resolutions, he said, "But there is plenty of poison in them," and later spoke of the difficulty of dealing with "a tortuous policy." He has the profoundest faithlessness in Dizzy ; almost the only man of whom he does not think better than he deserves !

07Feb1867, Tea wth the Stanleys

LONDON, February 7th, 1867.
—Entertained at 5 o'clock tea Agnes, Ly. Augusta Stanley, and her little Dean, who got through an alarming amount of bread and butter. Later, had the honour of a visit from Cavendish who stopped till Freddy came home.

02Feb1867, Landseer's Lions

HOLKER, February 2nd, 1867.
Landseer's lions are actually mounted on the pedestals of the Nelson monument.

30Jan1867, A Plot Among the Whigs

HOLKER, January 30th, 1867.
—There are dismal indications of a plot among the Whigs against Uncle William's leadership of the Opposition, and some have dragged up Cavendish's name to take his place. He has heard nothing of it directly, and would have nothing to do with such a dirty job.

27Jan1867, Bread Riots

HOLKER, January 27th, 1867.
—Afternoon school. There is terrible distress in London. . . . There have been actually bread-riots in the E. ; bakers' and butchers' shops rifled : the Poor Law as usual at a dead-lock.

22Jan1867, Lady Herbert's Impressions of Spain

HOLKER, January 22nd, 1867.
—Bitter grey cold : snow again to-night. A poor postman near Compton Place was found frozen to death in his cart holding the reins, when the horse stopped at the post-office. And there have been several other deaths from the same cause. . . .

Finished a silly book upon Spain by Lady Herbert, chiefly filled with eulogies upon the state of religion there, which I suppose is about the most degraded in Christendom, Romanism having overlaid nearly all pure Catholicism. It aggravates me much ; for one who spent 40 years of her life in communion with our own Church, with Sidney Herbert for her husband, and the Bishop of Salisbury for her friend, and who, if she isn't quite a fool (which she isn't) must know something of the devotion and piety and zeal, yes and Catholicism, of the last 30 years in England—that such a one should coolly imply all through that all in England but the Romanist sect are under the sway of bare, cold irreligion.

20Jan1867, Thames Population Unemployed

HOLKER, January 20th, 1867.
—The distress in London is terrible ; all the Thames population being badly off for work, owing to the losses of the employers of dock-labourers last year in the Bank failures.

17Jan1867, Discontent with Keble

HOLKER, January 17th, 1867.
—A great discontent has arisen (in which I share) at an alteration having been determined on in the next edition of the "Xtian Year," because of an expressed wish of Keble's, which however he never lived to carry out. The words at present (in the Gunpowder Plot poem) are :
" . . . there present in the heart,
Not in the hands, th' Eternal Priest
Doth His true Self impart " ;

the subject being Holy Communion. It is to be altered to "As in the hands." It is said the present reading seems to go against the Real Presence, which of course Keble held ; but the proposed one is liable to an equally important misunderstanding (is far more liable) ; viz. it will certainly be understood by the many as plain Transubstantiation ; and the book, which has been beloved by thousands of all opinions, including dissenters, will frighten away many, even loyal, Churchmen.