Friday, April 17, 2009

24Oct1865, Old Accounts of Wellington's Death

FRYSTON, October 24th, 1865.
—Mild pleasant day. I looked through the newspaper accounts of the Duke of Wellington's funeral, which Lord Houghton has kept. I am so glad I can so clearly remember Papa looking into the old school-room out of his old little study to tell us of the Duke's death, and Mamma writing to us about the funeral which I longed to see. This death of Lord Palmerston's makes nothing like the same impression that that did, or the Prince's.

23Oct1865, A Visit to Lord Houghton's

FRYSTON, October 23rd, 1865.
—We left beautiful Castle Howard, and came here, to Lord Houghton's, in time for luncheon. Drove with Ly. H. afterwards : the country flat, but with one pleasant wide view. I made great friends of the 3 children, Anicia, Florence, and Robin [FN: Now Marquess of Crewe.]. Three nice old moths are here, aunts of Lord H. The Queen has appointed Ld. Russell to form a ministry, to the violent rage of the Times. Letters : to and from Papa and Lou.

22Oct1865, Unsatisfactory Church Arrangements

CASTLE HOWARD, October 22nd, 1865.
—We went in the morning to an awful little apartment which calls itself Coneysthorpe Chapel, and which certainly adds another to my list of unsatisfactory church arrangements at great places. However, the place does not belong to Lord Carlisle. I felt as if I must have got into a meeting-house ! ...
I walked with F. to see the mausoleum, a terribly grim building, without anything about it to remind one of Christianity or of the Resurrection, unless it might be the lovely view from it.

21Oct1865, A Walk to the Pheasantry

CASTLE HOWARD, October 21st, 1865.
—Directly after luncheon I went to the station on the car, and brought back my Fred, and my sunshine of sunshine with him. We had a little walk to the pheasantry. Miss Kinnaird is here, a pleasant, agreeable old lady, of an old-fashioned depth of Low-Churchism which amuses me.

19Oct1865, Lord Palmerston Has Died

CASTLE HOWARD, October 19th, 1865.
Lord Palmerston died yesterday morning. He would have been 81 to-morrow ; and it is wonderful to think of a man's dying in office who was born before the fall of the old French monarchy, and was in office before Uncle William was born. He caught cold out driving, being already ill with disease of the bladder. It is piteous to think of poor old Lady Palmerston. She wished him to give up office in the summer. It is hoped that the Queen will send for Lord Russell ; but there is no one now to advise her, and how terribly she must want the Prince ! ...

The Guardian gave an awful account of the state of religion in Italy : Mariolatry more and more absorbing all the devotion of the people.

17Oct1865, She Dresses Madly, Unbecrinolined

CASTLE HOWARD, October 17th, 1865.
—Rained most of the day. Nevertheless I could take in a good deal of the beauty of the place, as the Admiral, [FN: The Hon. Edward Howard, son of the 6th and father (sic, he was an uncle) of the 9th Earl of Carlisle, afterwards Lord Lanerton.] Fred, and I walked about the gardens in the afternoon. The inside of the house disappointed me, as the hall and gallery seem to be the only fine rooms ; but the pictures are something. The outside I thought very handsome, and more graceful and ornamental than Chatsworth. We went over the house in the morning ; F. has not been here since just after the late Duke's death, when his grandmother Carlisle was still alive, in '58. I was introduced to Rosalind's baby, [FN: Now Lady Mary Murray.] a nice, fat, thriving thing, with a promise of pretty eyes, but otherwise not lovely ; very forward and lively, and delighted with her tub. Rosalind is only 20 : she is an original little person, and half attracts and half repels one with her ways and words ; she dresses madly in odd-coloured gowns with long trains, which cling around her unbecrinolined.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

16Oct1865, A Visit to Castle Howard

CASTLE HOWARD, October 16th, 1865.
—Came to Castle Howard of which I have heard so much since our marriage, especially from the Lascelles since Lord Carlisle's death, [FN: The 7th Earl, twice Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland.] that it saddens me to have no old memories of my own clinging to it. His life seems to have been one of those that gilds all the lives among which it is cast, as Mamma's and Aunt Lavinia's did.

15Oct1865, A Peal in Honour of Lou

HARDWICK, October 15th, 1865.
—Afternoon sermon on the godly helped in temptations. They sang a wedding hymn and rang a peal in honour of Lou. A yellow dog appeared in the pew, and would make himself agreeable, the more he was requested to withdraw.

12Oct1865, Palgrave and Pusey

HARDWICK, October 12th, 1865.
Palgrave, Milton. I am reading with immense interest a book by Dr. Pusey, just out, written to Keble in answer to an attack of Manning's on the English Church, and called "The Truth and Office of the Eng. Ch. : an Eirenicon."

09Oct1865, Blessings and Sunshine are Outpoured

HARDWICK, October 9th, 1865.
—A little before 6 took place the exciting arrival of Frank and Lou from Chatsworth. Two little arches greeted them, and they were dragged up to the house door, and famously cheered. Nothing could look happier and brighter than dear Lou, and it is too nice and refreshing to see her just like herself and falling back into her old ways, with only the difference of so much new happiness. Blessings and sunshine are outpoured upon us all round !

08Oct1865, A Prayer for the Cattle-Plague

HARDWICK, October 8th, 1865.
—A prayer was used by authority, for deliverance from the cattle-plague, and from the threatened cholera. God grant it !

06Oct1865, Regal Style

HARDWICK, October 6th, 1865.
—We came to Hardwick, in the same regal style as last year : special train, swarms of horses, dogs, carriages, and servants, and barouche and four to meet us at Chesterfield.

02Oct1865, Sixteen Flookburghers

HOLKER, October 2nd, 1865.
—I went with Mr. Rigg to about 16 Flookburghers ; liked many of them. Old Geoffrey Thompson, who is over 90, said he could remember the time of Sir William Lowther, but I fear it is a delusion, as he died more than 100 years ago. "Lords?" he said: "I remember 5 lords at Holker."

I saw a terrible sight : a child of 12 or 13, who has been wasting away for nearly a year : does not look more than 6, and her poor little arms and legs were like claws : no flesh whatever : the large joints and the bones barely covered with skin : I could not have believed thinness could be so fearful to look at.

29Sep1865, New Bessemer Process of Making Steel

HOLKER, Michaelmas Day, 1865.
—Rather raw and nasty. Eddy and Emma, Freddy and I, May, Walter, Lord Richard, and Mr. Grey went to Barrow and saw the new Bessemer process of making steel out of Haematite iron ore : too interesting and wonderful, especially the great blast of air by which the carbon is driven out of the ore : the contact of the two gases making the most tremendous white-hot fire. The hammering delightful too. The town is spreading out and springing up vigorously, and gathers population tolerably fast. The great docks making strides.

28Sep1865, Letters from Lou

HOLKER, September 28th, 1865.
—I had a great treat of a nice, dear, warm letter from Frank, in answer to a bit to Lou that I went and wrote as soon as her back was turned. He said she was so overtired and excited as to be almost hysterical yesterday, poor dear ; but he had made her lie down on the sofa, where she had gone sound asleep. His letter was full of tenderness for her, and of happiness. F. made me take it to the Duke in his room : the 1st time I have gone to him there ! but despair and bewilderment of soul made me desperate ! and I marched in. The letter quite overcame him. He gave me a dear one from Lou to him to read, which was full of happiness ("I am very, very happy"), but also full of loving sorrow at leaving her father. Now one may think of her calmed down and resting in the wonderful joy that is like no other.

Monday, April 13, 2009

26Sep1865, Lou and Frank are Married


HOLKER, September 26th, 1865.
Frank and Lou were married in Cartmel Church, and, 0 dear, I am almost too tired and pompé to say anything about it. But must. The weather quite perfect ; warm and serene and sunny, and with breeze enough to wave the flags with which house, church, and villages were adorned. Nothing could have been nicer than the feeling shown by all the people : it went through and through one. The day, of course, managed to be endless ; every hour taking 2 hours to pass ; owing to the big intervals between acts. The church was carpeted with red-cloth and looked its best. I did not expect to be upset by the service which is a calming thing, I think ; but when dear Lou came up the choir with the poor Duke, to the sound of a beautiful wedding-hymn, and one looked at her dear, tall, bending figure standing by her father, to whom she has been all the world !—Cavendish's face, too, struck me and moved me exceedingly—full of deep feeling which I had never seen called forth in him before. My poor Fred's love for her I knew all about, and pretty well Eddy's too ; so that I did not wonder at their regularly crying—and could only be a little glad that they have wives to comfort them ! I can't go into all the details of the cheers, the crowds, and the triumphant arches : everything meant the same : true, loving enthusiasm. It was a pretty compliment to Frank, the sticking up in the arches divers little ships, full rig—but he was rather distressed at one being a merchantman. When we got home, following immediately after the Duke (who drove back with Cavendish and Eddy—without her, 0 dear !), and I came upon him standing alone in the corridor, if you had shot me I couldn't have helped it, I went up and kissed him and squeezed his hand. It was the very spot where he kissed me so kindly when Freddy first brought me to Holker, and ever since Lou has been a sister to me. Then I made Frank kiss me, which he did very warmly. She kept herself composed with some difficulty, and broke down more than once in private ; especially when Cavendish went to her room before, and was much overcome himself. Most of us went to the tenants' dinner which I would not have missed for anything. The Duke could not trust himself to go, so Cavendish returned thanks for him, his voice trembling, and his face quite white. What he said was perfect, in its simplicity and depth of feeling : it gives me a new affection for him, showing me how tender his heart is. Freddy and Eddy each had to say a word or two of thanks for their healths being drunk. Fred spoke very well. At last came the going away, and I realized fully for the first time how terribly we shall all miss her, and Freddy and I went upstairs and cried frightfully. The three kept much with their father, and it was very comforting to see them with him, and to know that they are almost like daughters to him.
For about 24 hours, I should say, judging by the exhaustion that followed, we stood on a bench against the garden wall, being great audience to games ; and finally the evening blew up in fireworks, and that's all I can put down about it. P.S.---Lord Granville was married to his 18-year-old bride to-day : and they telegraphed congratulations, which were returned.

25Sep1865, Honour to the Grim Last Evening

HOLKER, September 25th, 1865.
Emma and I appeared in all our diamonds, to show the Duke, and to do honour to this grim last evening.

24Sep1865, We Were a Vast Army

HOLKER, September 24th, 1865.
—Our big numbers divided themselves between Cartmel and Flookburgh : I walked to Cartmel. Escorted old Lady Ellesmere to Flookb., in the afternoon ; was a little afraid of her, but found her a kind, decided, pretty old lady. Lou paid me a little visit in my room. We were a vast army streaming in to prayers from 2 ends of the passage. These days are rather dreadful and bewildering, and I shan't dislike finding myself in next week. Read some "Pensées de Pascal," with which I was much delighted.

23Sep1865, Lou's Wedding Gifts

HOLKER, September 23rd, 1865.
—Arrived the two Ladies Ellesmere, Lord Ellesmere, Ly. Blanche, the Enfields, and Uncle Richard ; and we are 27 in the house. Presents of the kind that sink deepest into one's heart came in : a beautiful quaint little gold tea-service and a silver tray from Keighley and other places, an ivory Prayer Book from the Flookburgh school, and a diamond and ruby necklace from Chatsworth ! We all dawdled rather : sat outside, entertained arrivals, etc. Fawcett, [FN: 2 I.e. his "Political Economy."] however ! The table at dinner had to be put with one end in the bow-window.

19Sep1865, Lou's Trousseau Arrives

HOLKER, September 19th, 1865.
—Folk drove, couples coupled. We had a delightful series of scampers on a fine long strip of sand near Park Head : Kinataloon gave Lou's horse a slight kick, but no harm came of it. Palgrave and dear Paradise Lost. . . .
Lou's trousseau has arrived, and causes great excitement : she showed off to us a specially charming plush gown, in colour very like a mouse-coloured Scotch bullock. It is curious how quietly and humdrummily we manage to slip on from day to day.

12Sep1865, Lord Russell's Book a Bore

HOLKER, September 12th, 1865.
—We had 2 pulls at discarded Lord Russell [FN: That is, a book of his.] who is rather a bore.

09Sep1865, Dismay Over Lord Granville's Marriage

HOLKER, September 9th, 1865.
—I meditated over money matters, for once, with agreeable results. . .
There is some dismay over Lord Granville's marriage : such frightful disparity of years : the poor little body will be in all human probability a widow before she is 40 ; they say she is full of fun and high spirits.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

08Sep1865, Lord Granville Engaged, Rather Awful

HOLKER, September 8th, 1865.
—We heard of a very interesting marriage : Lord Granville to a pretty Scotch Miss Campbell, only 17 and just out. 33 years between them ! rather awful. Lou put out her wedding presents ; the upper servants have given her a pretty silver inkstand, the under ones here a charming wooden blotting-book cornered with silver.

07Sep1865, Cavendish Sees Our Room

HOLKER, September 7th, 1865.
—I poked up Cavendish, and we took him to see our dear little room after tea ; he had not seen it before. Was struck. We had a pleasant brotherly little dinner.

05Sep1865, My Old Birthday

BOLTON, September 5th, 1865.
—My old birthday, making me 24. I am not quite ½ way to 30 from 20, which proves that I am not so old as might be. And being married has in some ways made me feel younger —partly from the long holyday so much of my new life has been, partly from being the youngest of my new nears and dears (in both which respects things make a great contrast with my Hagley life), but perhaps mostly from the blessed satisfied sense of dependence on one who is as my own self to me, and without whom I should feel lost. Ah ! how difficult it is to keep this great blessedness subordinate to the feeling akin to it, but higher and more divine !—the Love which leads to the Peace that passeth understanding, and for which, over and above all this wealth of human love, one's inner soul is for ever hungering and thirsting.

04Sep1865, More News on the Atlantic Cable

BOLTON, September 4th, 1865.
—Shooting not out of the common : Charles did well at Nelly Park, killing right and left, twice running. Total bag, 120 brace. Have I ever mentioned what was amiss with the Atlantic cable? It broke in mid-Atlantic, from fraying against a part of the machinery, while being hauled in to mend a fault ; again and again they grappled for it, and dropped it after dragging it up a great distance, the hauling ropes breaking, till all the rope was exhausted. And now we are to try again next spring, and, failing the present one, to buy another. All went well but for certain defects in the hauling-in machinery. Two defects in the cable itself had been set right.

03Sep1865, Eastern Church Communion

BOLTON, September 3rd, 1865.
—Some of the Eastern Church have lately admitted English Churchmen to Communion : a blessed thing. No Holy Communion here to-day, alas !

30Aug1865, Bleak Stories in the News

BOLTON, August 30th, 1865.
—There have been fearful cholera ravages at Constantinople. Constance Kent has made a detailed confession of her cool, well-planned, and most devilish murder of her baby-brother ; hideous enough ; the genuine repentance of such a nature is little short of a miracle, and will make a lasting impression, one may well hope, after the silly panic about popery, sisterhoods, and confessionals has died out. There have been other murders, too heart-sickening to comment on : a woman called Windsor convicted, who made a trade of killing babies for a few pounds, when wretched mothers wished to get rid of them ; another woman murdered her infant by breaking one of its bones daily ; a man has killed his wife and child and his three illegitimate children, with the barest shadow of motive.

28Aug1865, Cattle Epidemic, Nevy at Sea

BOLTON, August 28th, 1865.
—The Duke had to go to a Skipton meeting, with a view to taking steps about the frightful new cattle epidemic which is spreading over the country. (À propos of that, there is also much fear of cholera, which has been making one of its marches over Europe ; and the harvest is in danger from the late rain, so there are breakers ahead ; and the prayer against plague, pestilence, and famine has terrible meaning.)

The other gentlemen shot about Aigill, and got nearly 100 brace ; F. much the best : 27½ brace. I have a heart-pinch this evening, thinking of Nevy's first night at sea. It will possibly be 4 years before we see him again, and what may they not bring forth !

25Aug1865, More Birds Killed

BOLTON, August 25th, 1865.
—It was Crook Rise again to-day, and still more birds were killed : about 508. F. the 2nd biggest bag : 68.

20Aug1865, Cake in our Pockets

BOLTON, August 20th, 1865.
—Drove to call on Mrs. Holmes and Mrs. Benson, the latter of whom treated us to gooseberry wine and sponge cake. We disposed of most of the cake into our pockets surreptitiously.

19Aug1865, The Great Crook Rise Day

BOLTON, August 19th, 1865.
—At last, a lovely serene day without a drop of rain. Very fortunate, for the great Crook Rise day. They set off at 9½ ; we drove to Thorpe Fell and came in for the last drive before luncheon, which did not come off till 3. We saw 3 drives afterwards. The sport was glorious, and the total the biggest ever known here : viz. 2502 brace. Fred's was the 3rd best bag : 37½ brace. We did not dine till 9.

16Aug1865, Unpolished Ways Preferred to Semi-Gentility

BOLTON, August 16th, 1865.
Lou and I did not go up to the moors, but paid visits to 10 cottages : the folk at Halton most pleasant, attractive people, their nice unpolished ways a good deal more to my taste than Worcestersh. propriety and semi-gentility. One poor old, old man cannot at all get over the death of his wife in the spring, and sobbed piteously at the sight of Lou who took me to see them both last August. They had been married above 50 years.

15Aug1865, Reading 'Policial Economy' and 'Arabia'

BOLTON, August 15th, 1865.
—Rained with little cessation till past four : no shooting. F. and I had some tiny honeymoon sits and a walk to the Terrace. I have begun Fawcett a 2nd time, meaning really to give my mind to as much as it is up to of Political Economy. Also we read together Palgrave's "Arabia." Womankind drove in 2 vehicles, and walked, to the Strid, the Valley of Desolation, and round by Barden. The waterfall was at its best, foaming and leaping down : the bottled-porter colour exactly !

10Aug1865, Investing in Haematite

HOLKER, August 10th, 1865.
—Heavy rain a great part of the day. F. and the Duke off again, upon Haematite steel business in which big sums are being invested. Would that I could see any prospect of mastering either railwayums or Haematiteums enough to be properly interested !

08Aug1865, No Longer Terrified of the Duke

HOLKER, August 8th, 1865.
—Arrived after sunset, a lovely evening, about 8½. I little thought last August 8th of arriving here that day year with Eddy married and Lou engaged ! Certainly it is better than if I was only just launched ; I think the Duke is a little fond of me now, and at all events I have ceased to be terrified at him! I am sure it is a break to him when F. and I turn up.