Thursday, April 09, 2009

03Aug1865, Eddy and Emma are Married

LONDON, August 3rd, 1865.
—Which he did. Dear Eddy and Emma's wedding-day ; reminding me much of mine, especially as I wore for the 1st time since, the lovely gown and cloak I went away in ! It was at St. Michael's, Chester Square. A little faint sunshine struggled out just at the right time ; but most of the day was dark and pouring. Emma looked nicer than I have ever seen her. There was very little crying, and all went well but the weather ; I feel for them arriving at Chiswick (whither they drove, as we did) without being able to plunge into the glorious summer brightness and peace which greeted us. Oh, how I hope and pray for them that they may be as happy as we are !

02Aug1865, Happy Expectation

LONDON, August 2nd, 1865.
—Went to bed pretty tired, with the happy expectation of seeing my Fred turn up about 4 a.m.

28Jul1865, Idle But Moving Thoughts

HAGLEY, July 28th, 1865.
—This glorious summer has seldom failed to bring us bright days whenever we most wanted them : the morning was perfect, and the view was. After church, soon after 12, we all went up the dear obelisk hill ; and in the afternoon, Clent Hill. The view rather hazed over after 3, but it was very nice. A good deal cooler. I am very happy in the thought of Lou associating Hagley with all her own deep happiness now ; and have a feeling the old place, which has seen such a long sunny day of married blessedness in the past, must shed brightness over them. For the same reason I love to think of our own beautiful Whitsuntide here. The spire — 0 to think I haven't mentioned it !—is finished up to the golden cock at top, and one longs to tear down the scaffolding, which remains up for some last touches. From all sorts of points of view, it comes in beautifully (the spire, not the scaffolding !), and what a thing it is to see the dear church complete ! Very idle but moving thoughts cross one from time to time, of how it would please and interest darling Mamma to come down to us again for a little while, just to see the changes ; which, thank God, have been mostly such happy ones. How she would have loved Meriel's little children ! and the sight of her own boys growing up into such comforts to Papa — his great joy and pride. But such thoughts must not dwell with one, remembering how her own deep earthly affections, though not weakened or changed, were absorbed in the hope of what we now trust is her Everlasting Joy : the Presence of our Lord.

27Jul1865, Back Home to Hagley

HAGLEY, July 27th, 1865.
—The Duke, Lou, and Frank arrived by the same train as we did. Oh, how entirely mad and inside-out I felt ! half receiving them at Hagley, and half being a guest like them : so much a bit of Hagley still, that I am always saying "we" do this and that here, and yet in another point of view more belonging to them than to it.

23Jul1865, Sir Lacaita Reads "Cinque Maggio"

CHATSWORTH, July 23rd, 1865.
—I made Sir James [FN: Sir James Lacaita who was Librarian at Chatsworth. The "Cinque Maggio" is, of course, the famous poem of Manzoni on the death of Napoleon.] read us the "Cinque Maggio," which he did very finely ; but it was difficult to follow.

22Jul1865, Constance Kent Pled Guilty

CHATSWORTH, July 22nd, 1865.
—Drove one of a new pair of ponies, to be dubbed Sussex and Success in honour of Eddy ; Miss Success went very well. We drove over a poor little swallow (of all wonderful things to do !) which was lying, hurt I suppose, in the middle of the road. Constance Kent has pled Guilty, and been condemned to death, but will, I believe, certainly not be hung.

Wednesday, April 08, 2009

20July1865, No-poperyums

CHATSWORTH, July 20th, 1865.
The Royal Navy went away, Lou driving him to the station ; a very improper proceeding. Late in the evening came Cavendish, with hopeful accounts of U. Wm.'s S. Lancashire prospects. I walked about the kitchen-garden with the Duke, Fred, and the scientific Mr. Taplin ; and ate a good deal of fruit. The Guardian almost speechless with rage at the Oxford election. There is much fear that ridiculous old Locock (I only quiz him on this occasion : we owe him a great deal) will beat Sir John Simeon in the Isle of Wight ; folk have the No-poperyums to such a degree.

19Jul1865, On Terms of Great Intimacy

CHATSWORTH, July 19th, 1865.
—We three drove to Eyam, tucking a big R.N. Captain into the little dicky of the p. carriage beside Lou ; the said man and I are already on terms of great intimacy and mutual quizzing. I wrote to Granny fishing for an invitation to Hagley for him next week ! My Fred spouted to me a grand speech Uncle W. has made at a Liverpool meeting ; having gone to stand for S. Lancashire. He is late in the field ; but the enthusiasm was glorious.

18Jul1865, Uncle William Not Returned

CHATSWORTH, July 18th, 1865.
This naval person has brought rain and clouds in his train ; nevertheless he and Lou managed to find the weather fine enough for divers tête-à-têtes in the garden. We thought the less of them to-day from the election news being exciting. Eddy has won by nearly 200, therefore the 3 brethren are now all county M.P.s, and will all 3 distinguish themselves I trust. I build Castles in the air of Uncle W. Prime Minister, with Cavendish Secretary of War, Freddy Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Eddy Home Secretary [FN: This bold prophecy was nearly fulfilled. Gladstone became Prime Minister in 1868, Hartington Secretary of War in 1866, and Gladstone more than once said that if Frederick Cavendish had been alive in 1886 he would have offered him the Exchequer. And Hartington was offered the Prime Ministership in 1887.]; or, further on still, Cavendish Prime Minister. But to descend to earth meanwhile, the unworthy University has driven out Uncle William by 186 votes, after his 18 years' representation of it ; revealing that it is not worthy of the greatest statesman in England. Oh, it is disgraceful and pitiable ! Gathorne Hardy, a good, respectable, slow-coach Conservative, comes in with Sir W. Heathcote, who heads the poll by a great deal.

17Jul1865, This Horrible Interloper

CHATSWORTH, July 17th, 1865.
—Grey and ugly all day, which was unpoetical, as the romance came to an upshot, Captain Egerton turning up this afternoon and spending an incomprehensibly long time with Lou in the stately garden. Oh, dear me ! I could fancy the statues looking out of spirits at the sight of this horrible interloper ! but it is all right and good and happy. May and I watched the fly drive up, and the Captain puzzled us by marching to the Porter's lodge, collecting his thoughts maybe, or perhaps in search of the Duke. With whom by and bye he appeared in front of the perron. Duke, May, and I disappeared, and left the two with nobody but Fiz en tiers, at the Granville Corner. And so it is all settled, and I have had a cry, and mean to be—am—very happy at it. We talked electionums between acts, as F. and I used to talk Garibaldiums ! Sat very tight all the evening for news of Eddy and Sussex, but none came. And now in about 2 hours I am hoping and longing to see Fred, who didn't think Capt. Egerton could have turned up to-day, and to whom I trust I shall have the telling of the news.

Tuesday, April 07, 2009

16Jul1865, The Duke Invites the Captain

CHATSWORTH, July 16th, 1865.
—I came down first to breakfast, and, the Duke arriving next, I had the courage to speak of the great news, and to say something of what the loss to him must be. Indeed that is a thought I can't bear to face ; but one trusts it will be smoothed down to us all somehow ! and he is happy in her happiness, as who could help being ? The Duke wrote to the Captain recommending him to come here ; so we may expect a very interesting week. One can't manage aft. church, it being at the cruel hour of 2½, and the walk a 2 hour's one. Psalms and Lessons with my Fred. St. Thomas à Kempis.

15Jul1865, Fred is Elected, Lou is Engaged

HEADINGLEY, July 15th, 1865.—An exciting and wonderful day ! First, my Fred's election (unopposed) as one of the members for the new N. division of the W. Riding together with Sir F. Crossley. Fred spoke on the hustings for about ½ an hour, and was cheered immensely, and altogether most delightfully received. All he said was full of energy and conviction, and proved to one (what I knew already) the strength and depth and enthusiasm of his faith in the people, and of his love of truth and liberty. Perhaps he won't turn out eloquent : his style is too stern, and his voice, especially his curious "th" and "r," against him ; he expresses himself sometimes abruptly, and sometimes his ideas come too fast for his words and make him confused ; but at all events he is original, and eager, and to the point ; and by every tone and word shows that he means and feels what he says. Never have I gone through such excitement, or felt so proud ! The climax was dear old Mr. Thompson proposing 3 cheers for me, whereat I was ready to burst ! Old Fred brought pretty strongly before them his Liberalism ! but he has caution and humility and toleration as checks.

But all this is eclipsed by the news that greeted us here. Captain Egerton [FN: The Hon. Francis Egerton, son of the 1st Earl of Ellesmere, ; afterwards an admiral and M.P.] has written to the Duke asking to be allowed to ask Lou to marry him ; and darling Lou is as happy as happy can be.

He cannot be good enough for her ! but I do hope and believe will make her very happy ; and it is nice to find I am really most beautifully unselfish, for in spite of what the loss of her will be to me, I know too well the blessedness of the joy not to rejoice for her with all my heart. And I am too pompé to say anything more.

14Jul1865, Polling for Oxford

HEADINGLEY, July 14th, 1865.
—The Oxford polling has begun ; Uncle W. a little below Hardy, but only a few hundred votes are yet polled. It is frightfully close. My poor Fred had the speechums a little.

13Jul1865, Up to the Ears in Electionums

HEADINGLEY, July 13th, 1865.
—A contrast ! Here we are up to the ears in electionums. Arrived in Leeds which we found inundated by triumphant Blues, the Conservative candidate Beecroft having come in at the head of the poll ; Baines (proposer of a £6 franchise) next, and poor Lord Amberley being beaten rather hollow. Said Lord A. and his wife are staying here ; and take their defeat with admirable good temper and philosophy. We did not leave Bolton till 3. Walked before luncheon in pretty Wood, and back by the Terrace. Alas ! alas ! poor old John is beaten hollow at Malmesbury. Willy has come in for Chester, which I am glad of.

Monday, April 06, 2009

12Jul1865, Mill and Hughes Return

BOLTON, July 12th, 1865.
F. is over the moon at divers Liberals having been returned in London ; especially Mill the philosopher and Hughes the author of "Tom Brown." Mill's return notable from his having refused either to solicit votes or to spend a farthing himself. . . .
After luncheon, up we went to dear Glorious Hazlewood ; the view clearer than I ever remember seeing it, and my familiarity with it all, as is always the case with "things of beauty," making it strike and delight me more than ever. As in old music,

Ever in its melodious store
Finding a spell unheard before.

We had one delightful sit on the heather, which is beginning to blossom, when I lay back looking straight up into the lovely sky, conscious of the breezy, undulating expanse all round, and of my own happiness, so that my heart rather overflowed !

09Jul1865, Very Honeylunar

BOLTON, July 9th, 1865.
—We sat much in the dear little stone court before the house ; also on the terrace ; and walked to the Strid. Very honeylunar ! Read Goulburn, Keble, Thomas à Kempis ; all 3 with my Fred.

07Jul1865, A Good Drawing in Punch

LONDON, July 7th, 1865.
Cavendish dined, to my great satisfaction ; Auntie P. and Mary came in afterwards. There has been an exceedingly good drawing in Punch of "Mamma Russell and Mamma Gladstone" (the statesmen, in bonnets) teaching their respective babies to walk, alluding to Lord Amberley and Willy standing for Leeds and Chester.

05Jul1865, First Catch Your Hare

LONDON, July 5th, 1865.
—Had the accountums in the morning ; find we have spent £121 (inclusive of a good many small extras) on housekeeping since we set up. This I must cut down ! We dined at D. House, where was a family dinner, with a tail, in honour of Eddy and Emma ; as last year of us, when I remember undergoing much in the way of introductions. Hideous reports are about that the Conservatives are getting up a contest for us, but first catch your hare—they can't find anybody to undertake the inevitable beating ! Oxford, Chester, and Malmesbury are all frightfully doubtful : I had all but rather Fred was beaten than Uncle W. ; he will feel it deeply, and so will she.

Sunday, April 05, 2009

04Jul1865, Duke of Newcastle and His Miserable Daughter

LONDON, July 4th, 1865.
Lou picked me up at 2, and we went (with 40 or 50 other folk) to St. George's Hill [FN: St. George's Hill, near Weybridge, later Lady Louisa's own home, after her marriage.], a lovely heathy place, all fragrant with bracken and honeysuckle and firs, where Ly. Blanche Egerton and her brothers picnicked us. Old Ly. Ellesmere also was there ; and young Ld. Ellesmere ; and a very pretty, noble-looking, open-faced fair boy of 16. I saw much of Tallee, and had a little bit of capping with her. Also saw dear Miss Dennett, now a little old lady, with traces in her worn face of the wretched life she must have had, striving to make peace between the poor Duke of Newcastle in his fatal anger and mismanagement, and his miserable daughter, when her whole self-will was set upon that tragical marriage. Lovely little Lady Dalkeith [FN: Daughter of the 1st Duke of Abercorn and wife of the 6th Duke of Buccleuch. ] and certain pretty unmarried sisters of hers— etc., etc., were there.

02Jul1865, At Church with a Roman Catholic

LONDON, July 2nd, 1865.
—All Saints, where I sat by a poor woman, who said she was a Roman Catholic, and that "you Puseyites are almost the same as Catholics" ; to which I demurred. She joined in much of the Service when I gave her my book, and sung both the beautiful hymns very much out of tune, with great fervour.

01Jul1865, Nevy Returns to Hagley

LONDON, July 1st, 1865.
—I came back at 5½ to say good-bye to Nevy, who went to Hagley. He has been most delightful and companionable, what with his fun, his cleverness, his pleasant, good tone, and his love of music, which has resulted in the mansion echoing with all sorts, parts, and fragments of song and anthem.