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.

15Jan1867, Female Suffrage: Odious

HOLKER, January 15th, 1867.
—The subject of female suffrage (odious and ridiculous notion as it is) is actually beginning to be spoken of without laughter, and as if it was an open question. I trust we are not coming to that. Bright and certain of his vilifiers have been throwing mud at each other in the papers, in a most objectionable fashion, which some years back would have led inevitably to a duel.

S. John's Day, 1866, Reading and Writing

HOLKER, S. John's Day, 1866.
—We read Hooker, and began a little Shakespeare ("King John"). I wrote to the Eddies, to Florence. Heard from Aunt Emy. Froude's 2 new vols. of Elizabeth's reign must be very odious reading ; he blackens Mary Queen of Scots' character at great length and in indescribable ways.

20Dec1866, Some Mourning Things

HICKLETON, December 20th, 1866.
—Ly. Halifax and I drove to Doncaster, where I got some mourning things for old Lady Chesham who has just died.

19Dec1866, Thoughts on Confession

HICKLETON, [FN: Lord Halifax's house.] December 19th, 1866.
—Dr. Pusey is waging a war in The Times upon Private Confession and Absolution, which he advocates most strongly, tho' not condemning those who differ from him. It seems to me wrong to oppose private confession if it is quite voluntary ; but it is all but inconceivable to me. Many things it would be entirely impossible to put into spoken words, and so one would be false ; then under or over-statement of others would be inevitable ; as to motives, one would get into hopeless perplexity ; and then there is forgetfulness. My strong feeling (and I know it is not pride) is "0 keep the softening veil in mercy drawn, Thou Who canst love us, though Thou read us true" ; and no special confession to man, that I can imagine, could be to me what the silent appeal of one's soul is, lying with tears at His feet Who sees all, and pities all. "0 Lord, Thou knowest." Then comes the message of the priest, as if straight from Heaven—more consoling and reuniting, to my mind, than if the preceding confession had been a set one to him.

16Dec1866, Made One a Ritualist by Rebound

OSSINGTON, December 16th, 1866.
—Dank. Church an 80-year-old meeting-house, too dreadful, and the clergyman's attire, which was simply that of a particularly dirty chorister, made one a ritualist by force of rebound !

14Dec1866, Galloping on a Glorious Horse

OSSINGTON, December 14th, 1866.
—Delightful mild day. Spent most of it galloping on a glorious horse, with F. and the Speaker, amid the wide glades and grand trees of Welbeck and Thoresby.

13Dec1866, Lady Dorothy Nevill

OSSINGTON [FN: Speaker Denison's house.], December 13th, 1866.
—Mr. and Ly. Dorothy Nevill came : she is a quaint, piquant, clever little woman, like a funny old picture.

12Dec1866, A New Maid

CHATSWORTH, December 12th, 1866.
—To my inexpressible relief and comfort, my odious little maid went off, and gentle, pleasant-looking, quiet little Mrs. Parry came, who will probably turn out a Felon, but is meanwhile very soothing.

11Dec1866, Lady Fortescue Dies

CHATSWORTH, December 11th, 1866.
—A terribly sad thing has happend : the death of Lady Fortescue in her confinement, leaving 13 children, the eldest only 18. It takes me back to '57, and awakes in me afresh the sense of what a piteous thing it is—so many orphaned.

10Dec1866, Valsing at the Servants' Ball

CHATSWORTH, December 10th, 1866.
—A delightful servants' ball came off in the Banqueting-room. I valsed. [FN: As a girl she had not been allowed to valse.]

08Dec1866, Queen Unveils a Statue

CHATSWORTH, December 8th, 1866.
—The Queen has sent Wolverhampton into an ecstasy by going there herself in full state, open carriage and all, to unveil a statue of the Prince Consort. It is the first time (in England) since his death, that she has taken such public part on a festive occasion.

04Dec1866, Duchess of Manchester, Too Beautiful

CHATSWORTH, December 4th, 1866.
—I am shivering all over with a miserable scene with my maid who squabbles with all the servants. The Duke and Duchess of Manchester came. Most of us walked. Battle in the evening. [FN: The Duchess of Manchester became subsequently Duchess of Devonshire. In the next day's entry she is described as "too beautiful and winning, with the most perfect manners—-high-bred, gentle, and intelligent."]

03Dec1866, I Do Hope and Hope

CHATSWORTH, December 3rd, 1866.
—With Lou and Emma to see the infant-school ; the bright little faces set me longing as usual. Poor Emma [FN: Lady Edward had had a stillborn baby.] goes to see tiny children whenever she can. She is really only just beginning to regain spring and liveliness, but I can almost envy her, for knowing what it is to be a mother ; and then she can hope more than I can do, tho' I do hope and hope. We must "wait patiently."

29Nov1866, Gov. Eyre, Ritualists, One Church

CHATSWORTH, November 29th, 1866.
—The papers go on fighting over Gov. Eyre, whom one party is going to try for murder, which I can't think right, as he was a high-minded man, wishing to act for the best, and carried away by the panic around him ; and the other party getting up a Defence Fund, and defending him thro' thick and thin, which is a shame and disgrace to English people, who would not bear the wholesale vengeance if it had been upon whites, but cannot see the harm of unlimited killing and flogging when negroes are in question. The Ritualism controversy is hot ; many of the extreme school openly professing disloyalty to our Prayer Book, and disavowing the name of Protestant altogether. Now it is odious, I think, to let "Protestant" be our chief name, or to sink in it the noble name which carries with it all the glory of Christ's one Church—"catholic"—and plume ourselves upon a mere negative which we share with every sect of Christianity, or non-Christianity ; but it is wrong and miserable to disavow it altogether, and with it the whole principle of the Reformation. But the Ritualists are consistent, for many have ceased to protest against any Roman error, unless it be Papal Supremacy. Still, tho' this is bad and dangerous indeed, I do hope that nothing violent will be done : it is a great stir and enthusiasm ; much in it is great and true, full of love to Christ, work for the poor, and yearning for union ; and I can't but hope that what is wrong will counteract itself, and the good remain and abide.

26Nov1866, Engagements

CHATSWORTH, November 26th, 1866.
—Poor squinny dwarfish little Lord Milton is desperately in love with Lady Mary, daughter of Lady Ormonde, who won't have him. Lady V. Cecil, one of the best and nicest of girls, is engaged, after 2 years of ardent attachment on her part, to a little Mr. ________, a widower 30 years older than herself.

24Nov1866, Byegone Stories of Chatsworth

CHATSWORTH, November 24th, 1866.
—I sat by Sir Augustus [FN: Sir Augustus Clifford] at dinner, and, tho' he seems to be an empty-headed old gentleman, he entertained me much by his byegone stories of old Chatsworth and Althorp days.

23Nov1866, Discussing Lavinia, Lady Spencer

CHATSWORTH, November 23rd, 1866.
—I have delightful sits and trolls and "sweet converse" with old Tallee, whose goodness and charm to my mind give her grace and beauty that wins me more than a lovely face ! We walked, she and I and Lou, and talked, amongst other things, of the lady who was grandmother to Tallee, great-great-aunt to Lou, and great-grandmother to me [FN: Lavinia , daughter of the 1st Earl of Lucan and wife of the 2nd Earl Spencer. Her face is well known from Reynolds' portrait, so often engraved.]

19Nov1866, Admired by Mr. Bright

CHATSWORTH, November 19th, 1866.
—Bright, on the strength of our meeting, announced to Mr. Trevelyan that he admired me much, and contrasted me favourably with Mrs. Lowe, a compliment that doesn't turn one's head.

18Nov1866, Thirty Walk to Church

CHATSWORTH, November 18th, 1866.
—Alas it poured and blew so that I could not coax Fred to let me go to Church ; it certainly would have damaged him, as he is rheumatic. We read the service together. Cleared later and we all walked, 30 of us ! Chapel service at 6.

15Nov1866, Indoor Tennis-Battledore

CHATSWORTH, November 15th, 1866.
—Rained nearly all day. Womankind staid at home, and some of us had three furious games of tennis-battledore in the banqueting room. Gentlemen drove to the shooting place and then—drove back again.

07Nov1866, Maid Troubles

CHATSWORTH, November 7th, 1866.
—I am worried by my new maid turning out dreadfully huffy with the Duke's household, and unmanageable when I tell her to show my gowns to other people. She is going. It perplexes me sadly how all I say and do, though it is not without prayer, seems to fail utterly with one maid after another. This is the 4th I have had that has behaved ill in her rapports with some fellow-servant or other, and they have not a notion that they can be in the least to blame, though by their own showing (certainly in this one's case) all grows out of the pettiest jealousy and pride. There is a code of morals among them which not only is nowhere in the Bible, but flat against the whole tone of the N. Testament from beginning to end ; the supreme and pre-eminent commandment of this code being : "Thou shalt never let thyself be put upon; and thou shalt attribute the meanest motive to the conduct of thy fellows." I wonder how they understand our blessed Lord's words about the peace-makers, the poor in spirit, the meek and lowly. It makes one fear that one may be doing something like it, according to one's different temptations, with the same self-complacency ; but then one does learn a little to mistrust oneself.

06Nov1866, Agonistes into Greek

CHATSWORTH, November 6th, 1866.
—I am copying the text of Samson Agonistes for Papa who has translated it into Greek.

14Oct1866, Cession of Venetia to France

HARDWICK, October 14th, 1866.
—Sir James [FN: Lacaita] told us a capital story, which he said was highly characteristic of the two men. When news was brought to Card. Antonelli of the cession of Venetia to France, and France's intention of handing it on to Italy (an arrangement, by the bye, that the Italians kicked at, from pure pride, rightly or wrongly), the Cardinal sat horrified and dumbfounded ; then, covering his face with his hands, said, "Dio mio !—cade it cielo" He settled with the news-bringer that he (the latter) must go and break the fact to the Pope, he (the Cardinal) not having the courage to do so. But when the other told the Pope the news, the Pope in a radiant state exclaimed, "Benedetto Dio!—non udiremo piu parlay della questione di Venezia"

12Oct1866, Moliere

HARDWICK, October 12th, 1866.
—I am enjoying some Moliere.

06Oct1866, Arrived Safely

HARDWICK, October 6th, 1866.
—The hounds met at the back of the house, and Emma and I drove about there. My own Fred arrived safely before 1 o'clock ; and I had such happy bits of talk and felt my heart satisfied ! He and Eddy rode with the hounds (it was only pottering after cubs) and afterwards shot ; poor Freddy sleepy enough in consequence. Emma and I visited 2 or 3 folk at Rowthorne.

05Oct1866, He's Coming Home

HARDWICK, October 5th, 1866.
—At last, at last, the day is come ! But he won't be here till past 1 at night ; leaving Lancaster this morning, going to a public dinner at Knaresborough, and riding from Chesterfield. It is a starless, moonless night, but fine, I hope.

Michaelmas Day, 1866, Visiting the Locals

HOLKER, Michaelmas Day, 1866.
—Freddy wrote it isn't likely he can come to-morrow. 0 dear ! My tête-à-tête dinner was rather awful. I did a good deal of text. Visited Sarah Carter and Alice Haddatty (the most fearfully dirty, witch-like old woman), Sarah Bradby, Widow Dickinson, at Flookburgh ; Sarah Newby at Cark ; Mrs. Walker, and another Dickinson (Mrs. Birkett's sister) at Quarry Flat. Missed my Fred terribly.

28Sep1866, Yeoman Fred

HOLKER, September 28th, 1866.
—One of my black days, my Fred going off to do yeomanry at Lancaster for a week. Such a long day as it felt ! but I am a ridiculous fool to mind so much, especially as he will make a flit back for Sunday.

11Sep1866, £1 Per Word

HOLKER, September 11th, 1866.
—The 2 Atlantic telegraphs are now in perfect order. They charge £1 a word for messages, and yet they pay enormously. While the '65 cable was lying broken at the bottom of the sea, 3 miles deep, natural causes set the electric fluid in motion continually, and fragments of words and incoherent sentences used to be spelt out at the shore-end.

20Aug1866, Swarms of Grouse Killed

BOLTON, August 20th, 1866.
—Soft rain most of the day, in spite of which we bumped valiantly up to the Roggan House, and saw two drives. The swarms of grouse killed become a perplexity in the disposing of them : 400 brace to-day.

10Aug1866, At York For the Show

ESCRICK, August 10th, 1866.
—We went again into York for the Show, as did the Prince and Princess, and saw numbers of fine horses. The hunters jumping a hurdle very good fun. Lord Zetland (who is here) escorted Miss Foljambe and me to York and back in his clarence. He is smitten with Carry, and wants his nephew Mr. Dundas (also here) to make up to her. But the youth looks shyissimus. F. and I deliberately shirked a big Royal ball at York, whither everybody went except us, Lord Macclesfield, Sir Watkin, Sir John Trollope, blind Mr. Foljambe, and one or two other gentlemen whose talk was of fox-hounds. I am glad to hear the Gladstones have left London ; for brave Auntie P. was straining her nerves and strength to the utmost, going almost daily to the London Hospital. The terrible thing spreads fast in London. Young Lord Downe is here, a very handsome, agreeable youth. I should think clever but rather head-turned by his position. Also nice little Lord Ellesmere.

09Aug1866, York Topsy-Turvy for T.R.H.

ESCRICK, [FN: The house of her cousin, Lord Wenlock.], August 9th, 1866.
—We drove to Bishopsthorpe, a dragfull and four, to dinner, to meet the Prince and Princess of Wales, to honour whom all York is turned topsy-turvy. Fifty-four people dined and it was very well done. T.R.H. each talked to me afterwards : the Princess looks lovely, but thin and tired ; I do think we trot her about too much ; the Prince has a good-natured face, improved by beard and whiskers ; but he looks 10 years older than he is, and is likely to smoke himself to death.

31Jul1866, Slate Quarries

HOLIER, July 31st, 1866.
—We all 3 went to the slate quarries. . . .
The factotum Mr. Eddy made all the quarrying details quite clear to me. I could have wished he had not been pleased to call me Lady Fred!!

28Jul1866, Transatlantic Telegraph

LONDON, July 28th, 1866.
—The greatest of pacific events (I did not mean a pun, "which it's the Atlantic" besides !) has come to a triumphant conclusion. After 2 failures last year and in '58, the Transatlantic telegraph cable has been successfully laid, and had its shore end landed in America yesterday ; the Great Eastern having done the whole business in . [FN: A blank in MS.] Cyrus Field is the man who has accomplished this.

26Jul1866, Hyde Park Riots

LONDON, July 26th, 1866.
—All London talks about the Hyde Park riots ; and I am put into a violent rage by people's unfairness. To be sure I should state that it is undoubtedly the right of Government to close the Park which is Crown property ; and it would be a pity to make it a usual place for political meetings ; but the present occasion was one of all others for granting the people's wish as a favour. The Trafalgar Sq. meeting the other day was orderly enough to prove that no rioting would have taken place ; and the last Government (in the person of Sir G. Grey) having declared they would not allow the meeting in Hyde Park is a fact that ought to have made the Conservatives take the opposite course. It would have been very open to objection for the Liberals to have allowed what might have been called an agitation to bolster up their own measure ; but nothing could have been more graceful and high-minded than for the Conservatives to have allowed it. Everybody has been blunderpated : the members of the "Reform League" drew off peaceably when they were stopped at the gates, and the row was entirely caused by the riff-raff. The rails are prostrate, coping-stones and all, nearly all the way from Hyde Park Corner to Bayswater ; and the wretched police, enormously outnumbered, are said to have hit savagely. But the accidents are very few ; and on Monday night I believe the flower-beds were carefully kept from harm. Mischief and blackguardism now prevail every evening. Mr. Walpole, the Home Secretary, whose feebleness has caused the whole thing, won the heart of a deputation of Reformers by bursting into tears ! !

23Jul1866, We Might As Well Be French

LONDON, July 23rd, 1866.
—I went to a meeting at Stafford House for promoting Saturday half-holydays. Then to see Emma, who was yesterday not at all well, but is all right to-day. The "populace," poor souls, having been goaded all the summer for not making any demonstration in favour of Reform, wished to hold a big meeting in Hyde Park to-day to express such an opinion. In a most un-English fashion the meeting was forbidden, the gates of the park shut at 5, and all the police had to come out to guard them. There was not the smallest pretext for believing there would have been any riot ; but naturally this tyranny produced one among the roughs, who uprooted the rails (probably they were pushed down, being rotten), and remained masters of the field. The Life Guards were called out, which was not done in '48, and which was truly absurd as they did nothing whatever ; and the people dispersed in time after some knocks had been exchanged. We might as well be French authorities, screwing down the safety-valve ! and very nice and high-minded it will read on the Continent. Auntie P. went to the London Hospital to-day, and was dismayed at the number of cholera patients. She went down their ward. A ton of ice a week is used for them. God help them !

21Jul1866, Reading "Sir Charles Gradison"

THE COPPICE, July 21st, 1866.
—Sir R. [FN: Sir Robert Phillimore, whose house The Coppice was.], to please me, spouted after dinner the beginning of "Sir Charles Gradison" ; I was amused with it beyond measure. Unless the book is the grossest exaggeration, what a state of society it was 100 years ago ! On the one hand, to be sure, there was dignity, stately courtesy, manners finished to a point that must have made them a study in themselves ; but oh dear ! on the other hand, what uselessness and wordy frivolity and unconscious coarseness in the women, and what tinsel and sham and depth of vice in the gold-laced men !

20Jul1866, Lou is Perching !

LONDON, July 20th, 1866.
—We dined at D. House, and went thence with Lou (who is perching !), Emma ! (very spirited of her), and Cavendish (F. and Eddy hansoming) in barouche to Chiswick ; where was a swell but rather dull function, in the garden, with Royalties. Home at 1.

17Jul1866, The Annual Bore

LONDON, July 17th, 1866.
—To the House, where the annual bore about Ballot was up, followed by Mill standing up for women-suffrage.

16Jul1866, A Regular At Home Going On

LONDON, July 16th, 1866.
—F. having his Cornmitteeums, I went to luncheon at the Houghtons, and to my horror found a regular At Home going on, and had to plunge into French to make myself agreeable to a Portuguese Comte and Comtesse and Prince Borghese. Manning was there, and I am rather proud of having "had speech" of him ; though it was strictly confined to the weather. He has a fine, intellectual, bald head, and a handsome, ascetic, mournful countenance.

15Jul1866, Meriel Talbot, A Stalwart Child

LONDON, July 15th, 1866.
—We went to Christ Church in our smart clothes (F. in his wedding frock-coat !) for the christening of darling "Meriel Lucy Talbot," [FN: Now Dame Meriel Talbot.] who behaved and looked like an angel : F. godfather, to my great delight ; only my longings for a baby of our own were a little intensified by the proceedings. I took up little Meriel to her godfather for a kiss, which he administered with much precaution near the eyebrow. He gave her a fine Bible and Prayer Book in one, which, if she is a stalwart child, she may be able to lift in 10 years' time. After tea we walked to D. House and refreshed ourselves with nectarines.

12Jul1866, Picnicky Little Business

LONDON, July 12th, 1866.
- I had a real treat and refreshment after luncheon : driving to Pembroke Lodge [FN: In Richmond Park, lent by the Queen to Lord Russell.] with my Fred (in a ducal brougham too, so as to relieve our minds of our much put-upon horse) to a picnicky little business there. The glorious green summer beauty and sweetness of everything was delightful ; and took away the cockney cloud of hot street atmosphere. Ld. Russell appeared, much hidden by an enormous white beaver hat : he looked extremely placid and light-hearted, and cracked some little jokes. I believe he has got over the defeat now.

09Jul1866, Lansdowne Dies Suddenly

LONDON, July 9th, 1866.
—Ld. Lansdowne died suddenly the other day, being seized one night with a stroke while playing at cards, at White's : she was sent for, and getting home and finding him speechless, in her agony tore off her necklace, so that the pearls were found scattered over the floor. They were to have given a party the same day, and we had just got a card for it.

08Jul1866, Equally Bad For All

H.M.S. VICTORY, July 8th, 1866.
—The Service on board would be as nice and hearty as possible, if the Chaplain was not terribly dull and inefficient, preaching a sermon that would have done for Dukes, or undergraduates, or labourers, or anybody ; and been equally bad for all.

06Jul1866, On Board the Victory

H.M.S. VICTORY,[FN: Where she was the guest of her sister-in-law Lady Louisa Egerton, wife of Captain Egerton.] July 6th, 1866.
—The 4 a.m. gun is a startling event, and made me jump. We went with Frank early to see the Block machinery, which delighted me ; also on board a hideous splay-shaped monster called the Royal Sovereign, one of the turret ships. Her luckless turret has been a good deal smashed by experiments with a 12-ton gun. But the Captain (Herbert) showed off the wounds with more pride than grief, being over the moon at the steel plates having been only smashed, not cracked. Afterwards we went (all of us) by train to Southampton, and were a good deal impressed and bewildered by information about Ordnance Survey maps ; and were shown a mysterious process, half-photography, half-engraving, called zincography, lately invented.

05Jul1866, Some Civilities for the King of the Belgians

LONDON, Thursday, July 5th, 1866.
—I drove with Emma. Atie. P. begged for a lift to M. Van de Weyer's, wishing to set some civilities on foot for the King of the Belgians, who has come for Pss. Helena's marriage, and is not only quartered at an hotel, which is the poor Queen's way now, but left without even a Royal carriage.

04Jul1866, Big Party at D. House

LONDON, July 4th, 1866.
—Big party at D. House: I chaperoned Mary Wortley and Charlotte Farquhar ! We dined there ; Cavendish pretended to weep over his fall : I am very cross at it ; for he was doing his duty famously, as all sides say more or less.

02Jul1866, Prince of Wales Knocked Over

LONDON, July 2nd, 1866.
—We rode. A runaway man and horse, we heard, came full tilt against the Prince of Wales, who was riding with the Princess and the Queen of the Belgians, and knocked him clean over, horse and all. He rode home, and dined out this evening ; so I suppose he is not much hurt, but it seems hardly possible. We dined at Ly. Newburgh's (?) meeting the Duke, the Cokes, a little Prince Borghese, Ld. Clanwilliam, Count Pahlen, and the Duchess of Buccleuch . It was too swell ! and rather silent. Afterwards to Ly. Welby-Gregory.

01Jul1866, Fred Visits the Paupers

LONDON, July 1st, 1866.
—I took Fred to see the poor old paupers, to their great delight.

30Jun1866, Never Go There Again

LONDON, June 30th, 1866.
—I took Agnes to a party at Ly. Derby's, and fervently resolved never to go there again, such were the stick-in-the-mud arrangements of the comings and goings.

29Jun1866, The Times Makes A Rumpus

LONDON, June 29th, 1866.
—The Times makes a rumpus about the cheers and groans of "the mob" and Auntie P. coming out to them on the balcony the other night. Who could resist it, if they were cheering one's husband, and one knew he deserved it !

27Jun1866, Uncle W. and Auntie P. are Cheered

LONDON, June 27th, 1866.
—We had a great excitement, hearing a continuous roar of cheers, beginning at Trafalgar Square, where a meeting has been going on, culminating in front of No. 11, where a good crowd collected to cheer Uncle W., who was dining out ; I drove, and went to Stratton St., where Granny was entertaining her great-grandchildren, helped very pleasantly by Harry Lyttelton, who seems to have much that is nice about him : is more like his mother, to look at and to listen to, than ever. Auntie P. came out on the balcony, with the girls, and bowed to the crowd.

26Jun1866, The Liberal Ministry Has Resigned

LONDON, June 26th, 1866.
—The Liberal Ministry has resigned ; and now we shall see what sort of hash the Tories will make of things. Their Adullamite majority will give them more terror and trouble than it is worth, or very possibly won't work with them at all. The war on the Continent is regularly afoot, and poor Italy has been badly beaten. The nice young Prince de Condé, who danced with me at Charles' coming of age, has died in Australia of typhus. Poor Auntie P. came to see me this morning, more miserable and taken out of than I have often seen her. Freddy and a good luncheon set her up a little again ! and then to-night, when the House was up, Uncle William was well cheered by a crowd in Palace Yard.

25Jun1866, Universal Complaint

LONDON, June 25th, 1866.
—We left Latimer early, and I went to the Ladies' Association Service at St. James', where the Bishop of London preached very earnestly, and we all received the Holy Communion together. . . .
The poor Queen's terrible fault in remaining (or indeed being) at Balmoral has given rise to universal complaint, and much foul-mouthed gossip. She is travelling up to-night.

22Jun1866, The Queen is to Blame

LONDON, June 22nd, 1866.
—The Queen is seriously to blame for staying at Balmoral till Monday ; nothing can be settled without her presence, and rumours run wild : resignation, dissolution, and a vote of confidence being all on the cards.

19Jun1866, The Fate of the Bill

LONDON, June 19th, 1866.
—Government beaten last night by 11 ; and I have really felt unhappy all day at the fate of the poor Bill which is like a child dying of the chickenpox after it has got through measles, scarlet-fever, and whooping-cough. The Queen unluckily at Balmoral, so nothing was done to-day but an adjournment till Monday ; and nobody knows if a resignation or a dissolution will be the upshot. The defeat is caused by horrid Adullamites.

Little George [FN: George Talbot, now Mr. Justice Talbot.] 5 to-day ; I gave him a carpenter's box. I went to Lord's to see the Oxford and Cambridge match which we lost by 14 after a good fight ; a grim day, altogether ! We dined en famille at D. House where there was afterwards a big drum. It was got up partly as a proper civility for the Secretary of War [FN: Lord Hartington had just entered the Cabinet as Secretary at War.]; and under the circumstances felt rather like inviting people to see Cinderella after 12 had struck !

14Jun1866, That Person... Bright!!

LONDON, June 14th, 1866.
—Dined with the Amberleys, meeting only one person, and that person . . . Bright ! ! (Oh that one could become a Boswell now and then !) He was very agreeable, but only upon the one topic of politics, having little to say, for instance, when we started the new question of the establishment of central pauper infirmaries, instead of the present wretched system for the sick. He was certainly as violent and one-sided in his execration of Tories as any of them say ; and said of the Adullamites that he hopes not one will ever be re-elected by their constituencies. He spoke of the Bill for allowing real property to be divided among the children in cases of intestacy ; and said that the present tendency to accumulate land in few hands would lead to compulsory and equal subdivision (of which he said he disapproved) by the force of a strong reaction. He defended the Ballot ; but I could not understand. I was struck by his ease, and unaffected, simple manner. Afterwards I went to the House and saw a riotous but very victorious division upon a concession of Uncle W.'s. A letter telling Bright of this concession came to him at dinner and made him angry. He spoke against it in the House, and wouldn't vote, whereat the Opposition cheered derisively. F. didn't vote.

12Jun1866, Prince Alfred Very Short

LONDON, June 12th, 1866.
—We dined at the Gladstones', meeting Falmouths, Wharncliffes, Amberleys, Count Strilezecki, the Duke, and Uncle Dick. Afterwards a little tail. Ball at Lady Blantyre's. The Duchess of Manchester there, looking rather ill and more middle-aged. Prince Alfred (who has just been created Duke of Edinburgh—a funny title) was there, looking somewhat handsome, but very short.

11Jun1866, The Bakers of Africa

LONDON, June 11th, 1866.
—I went to Ly. Amberly's, and saw the famous Bakers who have been in the depths of Africa. He dismayed me by the description he gave of the hopeless materialism and brutality of the people, who are without any religion, sense of duty, or even natural affection.

05Jun1866, Rather Bored at the Ball

LONDON, June 5th, 1866.
—We dined cosily in, Stratton St., going afterwards with Aunt Coquitty to hear Mr. Brookfield read "Hamlet," which he did very well, especially the comedy parts. Queen's Ball, where we were rather bored ; Ld. Sefton was there with his bride-elect, and Ld. Brecknock with his ; neither very pretty, if I was right in shooting them. Princess of Wales looked lovely, though thin ; the Prince's looks are improved by an advancing yellow beard.

03Jun1866, Read Some Old Letters

CHISLEHURST [FN: Lord Richard Cavendish's house.], June 3rd, 1866.
—After 2nd church, we walked on to the Common, and sat there some time, listening to birds and chiming bells. I read some of the old letters to F. He says it is curious to be hearing about his mother from his wife ; I do like that. After dinner, I sat alone in the garden ; and read a fine sermon of Robertson's, on God's Revelation of Heaven. The other two came out too. It was very delicious.

31May1866, Treason in the Liberal Camp

LONDON, May 31st, 1866.
—The Conservatives have been and gone and done it to-day ! for they have been supporting a proposal for an educational franchise versus the modest Government rental one for no other conceivable purpose than to defeat Government : if they had divided and won they would have had to come in pledged to a franchise that points straight to universal suffrage ! Bright is not such a Radical ! his ideal being household suffrage ; and he made a conservative speech opposing this. I suppose Uncle Wm. is wanting in tact ; for there is treason through the camp ; and the oddest fermentations and combinations of parties against him.

27May1866, Remembering 1st Communion

CHATSWORTH, May 27th, 1866. Trinity Sunday.
—The anniversary Sunday of my 1st Communion. It was sad not to find it administered to-day. I remember that happy, blessed Trinity Sunday so vividly ; and grieve to think how fresh and pure and strong my feelings were then to what they are now, on the greatest things. The happiness of my married life is such an absorbing happiness ! I fear it binds me round more closely than it ought ; it is difficult in heart and mind to ascend, when I have such great treasure on earth. God grant us to love Him above all things.

21May1866, Blue With Hyacinths

HAGLEY, May 21st, 1866.
—We walked to Wychberry wood, which was blue with hyacinths, up to the obelisk and home by the Birmingham approach. All the place is decked out in every shade of green, and is radiant.

20May1866, Heart Happiness

HAGLEY, May 20th, 1866.
—The services very nice. The beautiful "Veni Creator" carried me back to '64 especially. After church we sat for a little on the octagon bench as we did then ; the same glorious springtime ; the same heart-happiness, and yet a very different one. We walked with Papa through the park and up Clent Hill.

16May1866, Milman, Fawcett, Ecce Homo

LONDON, May 16th, 1866.
—The poor Westminster bank where all Meriel's kitchen money and other charities bank, has shut up like the others. . . .

We dined at Ld. Taunton's, meeting Dean Milman and Mr. Fawcett. The latter very agreeable, only rather too talkative for a young M.P. He seems to take his blindness very cheerfully. The new book which is making the most wonderful noise, and of which nobody knows the author—"Ecce Homo"—was discussed. It has been put down to all the notable writers of the day, pretty nearly. People differ widely about it ; some thinking it most pernicious, aiming at undermining belief in the Divinity of our Lord ; others thinking it noble, and likely to build people up in the Faith. Papa and Uncle Wm. are of the latter opinion : I long to read it but the Talbots dissuade me. Mr. Fawcett held forth against the Bank Act ; and against Uncle Wm.'s plan of paying off the National Debt, which he considers no better than the old sinking fund. There is much talk of our coal ceasing to pay for the expense of getting it, in 3 generations !

15May1866, Lord Overstone Against All Charities

DIARY, MAY 1866—JUNE 1868

LONDON, May 15th, 1866.
—We dined at the Loyd Lindsays [FN: Afterwards Lord and Lady Wantage. Lady Wantage, who inherited Lord Overstone's fortune, had certainly no "monomania against charities."]. I sat next Ld. Overstone, who put me into a rage by crowing over his sagacity in snubbing begging-letters. He is choked up with money, and has a monomania against all charities.

12May1866, Lou Lives on the Victory

H.M.S. VICTORY, May 12th, 1866.
—We had the fun of coming with the D. to see Lou and Frank on board their harbour ship—the old original Victory, with the brass plate marking where Nelson fell ; but not much of the actual old ship left. She has never made a voyage since Trafalgar. Lou has made her fine big cabin look charming with wedding presents and Hatchford flowers ; and we are delightfully lodged in a ridiculous little corner where F. marches about ducking like a goose under a barn door. Certain naval and marine persons dined. There is a mysterious little urn on the dining-room chimney piece, which I suggest contains Nelson's ashes.

End of Volume I.

28Apr1866, Speeches on the Reform Bill

LONDON, April 28th, 1866.
—Fred came to bed at ¼ to 5 in the morning, announcing a majority of 5 for the 2nd reading. One didn't expect more. It is impossible, I suppose, for the poor Bill to survive Committee and pass the Lords. Dizzy spoke for near 3 hours, and was dull, they say, wishing to exhaust the House ! as he well might, the atmosphere being frightful in the heat of the weather. Uncle W. got up at one, and spoke for 2 hours, magnificently, so as to poke up great enthusiasm even at that time of night, and after the endless debates. He was dead tired all day. F. had tea at No. 11, and said he seemed strung up and excited, and indignant with Dizzy, who had sent Uncle W. word he meant to speak 1 hour and then spoke 3. Uncle W. said (N.B. not in the House !) that Dizzy had generosity and temper, but was hopelessly false.

19Apr1866, The Longleys at Lambeth

LONDON, April 19th, 1866.
—I drove with old M. to Campden Hill, and to call on the Longleys [FN: The Archbishop of Canterbury was then Archbishop Longley (1862-8).] at glorious old Lambeth which I never saw before. It seemed to take one "above the smoke and stir of this dim spot," which indeed is in a stir just now.

18Apr1866, Whigs and Tories Inter-marry?

LONDON, April 18th, 1866.
—We had luncheon at Devinshire House where Ld. Richard had turned up. Who should come to luncheon but Ld. Grosvenor [FN: Afterwards the 1st Duke of Westminster. He was active at this time among the Whigs who were opposing the Government Reform Bill.] ? He told us his boy Belgrave [?] (14 or 15 years old) asked him, "Do Whigs and Tories ever inter-marry?"

17Apr1866, Charles a Horrid Old Tory Still

LONDON, April 17th, 1866.
—Charles dined with us ; he is immensely interested in the political crisis, and seems to weigh all sides ; but I fear he is a horrid old Tory still : he don't commit himself much.

16Apr1866, Terrified Toryism

LONDON, April 16th, 1866.
—Having been poked up by a sneering article in the Spectator upon the "Xtian Year," I wrote a little rejoinder ; but F. and the Mesds. Talbot, tho' they think it rather good, think I had better not send it ! Drove with the ladies shopping. The Government prospects are very doubtful, owing to deserters among the slow-coach Whigs, against whom my Fred indulges in violent language. I went in lonely dignity to Ly. Taunton's ball ; Sir Walter Farquhar poured terrified Toryism into my ear.

14Apr1866, To the Crystal Palace with Meriel

LONDON, April 14th, 1866.
—I drove with the John Talbots to the Crystal Palace ; that is, alone with M. there, and with all coming home. It was very nice. We squabbled over politics a little.

13Apr1866, J.S. Mill and the Claims of the People

LONDON, April 13th, 1866.
—This is my never-to-be-forgotten day. Auntie P. and I did St. G. in the E., taking flowers there. I read to a roomful of oakum-picking women. We went to the House afterwards, quite on the chance ; and had the immense luck of hearing the famous Mr. J. S. Mill make a most perfect speech in favour of the Franchise Bill. In spite of the cry-down humour the Tories are in, it was striking to have this small-voiced philosopher listened to with the greatest possible attention and respect ; and indeed the speech was irresistibly fair, profound, and trenchant. Three or 4 times he made a dead pause of more than a minute, but only to produce some new, cogent argument armed at all points and perfectly expressed ; though he was keenly satirical once or twice, the whole tone of his speech was gentle and temperate to a degree. The Opposition held their tongues as if bewitched ! He followed Sir Bulwer Lytton, who made a slashing, clever speech. I found myself a good deal struck and moved, coming straight out of one of the depths of misery and pauperism, to hear the claims of the people so grandly brought forward : those "dumb" thousands, as Bright called them, among whom there must be so many feeling, as none of us can feel, for all this degradation ; and voiceless in the nation whom they might help to rouse to the most noble of battles.

12Apr1866, Speeches at the House

LONDON, April 12th, 1866.
—I spent a good deal of time at the House, where Uncle W. moved the 2nd reading of the Bill, in a spirited, eloquent speech. Lord Grosvenor moved his amendment (that the Bill was incomplete without redistribution being considered at the same time), and was seconded by Lord Stanley. I could hear little of either as Ld. G.'s voice is weak and low, and Lord S. tumbles over his tongue in an odd way ; but I believe Lord S.'s speech was very effective. Cavendish spoke after dinner : his 1st speech not upon Armyums : he hesitated a good deal, and seemed nervous : no wonder, for the Opposition chose to hoot and howl and roar with laughter in a way rather peculiar to after-dinner occasions and thoroughly disgraceful. There was stuff in his speech.

09Apr1866, Left Dear Holker

LONDON, April 9th, 1866.
—Lovely radiant morning the hills all sorts of violet shades. After packing, letters, etc., I went out at 12, picked daisies in the garden, and a lot more primroses in Watham : Fred rode on the sands, where he said it was beautiful. Left dear Holker, which made me sad at heart, at 2. Got home about 10½.

06Apr1866, Best Novel: "Sylvia's Lovers"

HOLKER, April 6th, 1866.
—Finished "Sylvia's Lovers" in floods of tears ! and think it one of the best novels I ever read ; but a cruel one ; a thing it is really bad for one to have a heartache over.

02Apr1866, Dreading the Duke

HOLKER, April 2nd, 1866.
—My Fred away all day, doing a monster Reform Meeting at Leeds, where he moved the 1st resolution in a 25-minutes speech. I should like to have heard him ! Got very successfully through my tête-à-tête meals with my Papa-in-law, which I dreaded considerably.

27Mar1866, Making Rounds at Holker

HOLKER, March 27th, 1866.
—Went to see Mrs. Pollard, also Mrs. Mackreth the woodman's wife, and Mrs. Telfer the huntsman's ; Aggy Hastings, Hannah Hewitson, John Brookes, and Mrs. Wilson in the cottages near Mr. Drewry's ; and Jenny Wilman at the lodge. All very cordial and nice to me.

26Mar1866, A Lonely Day

HOLKER, March 26th, 1866.
—I have not spent such a lonely day for a long while. F. went off at 8¼ to Leeds, high gee a meeting precursory of a big Reform meeting, and was only back for 8½ dinner. I went through breakfast and luncheon tête-à-tête with my Papa-in-law in a state of great trepidation ; and feel sure he wished me at the bottom of the Baltic.

Lady Day, 1866, Warmer Out Than In

HOLKER, Lady Day and Palm Sunday, 1866.
—A heavenly early-spring day : much warmer out than in. The very walk to the poor little hideous chapel along the muddy road was pleasant ! How much more Middle Bigland Scarr, Hobarrow and Ellerside. To Morgan, began the dear old "Warnings of the Holy Week."

20Mar1866, Distributed Peppermints

LONDON, March 20th, 1866.
—I did St. Martin's workhouse in the morning, S. George's with Mrs. Spiers in the afternoon. Read 2 P.M. [FN: I.e. Parochial Mission.] stories to some women at work with great success. Distributed peppermints.

19Mar1866, Fast-day for Cattle Plague

LONDON, March 19th, 1866.
—Auntie P. popped in before dinner, with the news that the House had actually divided upon Uncle Wm.'s motion that the committee and petition business should be put off till 2 to-morrow, viewing it is the fast-day for the cattle-plague in this diocese. So it is to be ; but it was rather disgraceful that it was not an unanimous opinion.

15Mar1866, Ly. Augusta and Dean Stanley

LONDON, March 15th, 1866.
—Had luncheon with M. at Ly. Augusta Stanley's. I should think no couple in the world were so unlike as Dean Stanley and his wife. She, big, vigorous-looking, very dark and ugly and coarse-featured (but with a nice good face all the same) ; he, wonderfully shrunk, small and squinny, with little sharply-cut features and light complexion. They are devoted to each other. We had luncheon in the very room where I sat waiting in my veil on my marriage-day, with my Fred beside me, and everybody else looking like a dream.

13Mar1866, To Marlborough House

LONDON, March 13th, 1866.
—F. shirked Marlborough House ball in the coolest way, not to miss the debate ; but I went, and curtseyed to the Princess of Wales and Princess Helena : the latter looks as happy as a queen.

07Mar1866, Meeting Lowe and Carlyle

LONDON, March 7th, 1866.
—We dined at Mr. Bob Lowe's, which was very pleasant. He is immensely clever, agreeable, and humorous, but rubbed me up the wrong way with his bitter, low view of people and politics. Afterwards for a little while to Ly. Russell's drum, against my grain ; but it was a necessary civility. Was introduced to Carlyle who launched into a broad Scotch troll on Reform to F. An odd, shrewd, rough, weatherbeaten face, and an astonishing choker ! . . .

We dined at Ly. Cowper's, meeting her sons and daughters, Lord Houghton, Mr. Trevelyan, Mr. Barrett Browning , Mr. Stanhope , and Froude the historian who looks very clever and great, and is young and handsome, which I shouldn't have expected. F. to the perpetual House after dinner : I stayed on into a small party that dropped in, and talked to Mr. Cowper, Froude himself, and a Yankee called Lockwood, of agreeable manners.

06Mar1866, Bride: Measles, Groom: Gout

LONDON, March 6th, 1866.
—We dined at Ld. Granville's ; his little wife is a most winsome, pretty creature, with a bright sunshiny manner, and I should think plenty of character. It isn't proper for a bride to have the measles, and a bridegroom the gout ! but it has been their case. We met clever young Mr. Trevelyan (I should like to know once for all how to spell his name !).

03Mar1866, A Party During Lent

LONDON, March 3rd, 1866.
—Had to go, as an inevitable civility, to a party at Lady de Grey's as we had refused 3 other invitations of hers. I had the Lentums, and didn't like it at all ! Dinners feel much less frivolous to me : connected quiet talk, saving of trouble (and expense !) at home, and early getting away, and no squash or roar, or crowd of footmen, linkmen, and unwashed, gaping and shouting outside. I am glad to say we saved Sunday by ½ a minute.

02Mar1866, Glimpses of the Deep, Wide Misery

LONDON, March 2nd, 1866.
—Many calls in the afternoon ; last but not least, upon George, Mary, Agnes, and Bertram Talbot ; who were all at home and delighted to see me and a picture-book I brought. They were sitting like olive-branches round about the table, at tea : all blooming, merry, and rosy. O such contrasts to a poor tiny whose mother came this morning for a beef-tea ticket ; and whose little year of life seemed to have been all suffering and cold and starvation. I have been thinking of it revived by the good beef-tea ; but it is terrible to know that I only see glimpses of the deep, wide misery all round us, and can hardly do any good.

27Feb1866, Refreshed by One's Comforts

LONDON, February 27th, 1866.
—I drove with Auntie P. and a Miss Smith in an excellent Greek Madame Ralli's carriage, she coming too. We went 1st to the London Hospital, where we talked and read to divers poor men and some poor little children ; then to the workhouse, a paradise of freshness, good order, and comfort compared with S. Martin's. I am to have a ward of decrepit old men, who enjoyed some peppermints I brought. There are 850 in the House. The chaplain showed me the oakum-picking room, crowded with women, some looking horrid enough, poor souls !
We dined at D. House : I hope it is not wrongly selfish to feel refreshed by one's comforts and pleasant refined things after going a little into the depths. One knows the poor people do not crave for these things, and one has been trying to cheer them ; still, it feels selfish.

26Feb1866, St. George's-in-the-East

LONDON, February 26th, 1866.
—London House. I have undertaken to go once a fortnight to St. George's-in-the-East workhouse.

22Feb1866, Funds for Princess Helena

LONDON, February 22nd, 1866.
—I got smuggled into the House, and heard Uncle Wm. speak upon the Queen's messages about granting money to Princess Helena on her marriage, and to Prince Alfred on his coming-of-age. He did it well, speaking of what Princess Helena had been to the Queen, which I know something of. She is to have £6,000 a year, and £30,000 down, which is rather stingy, considering how poor her marriage is : Prince Alfred £15,000 a year. Then Uncle Wm. delivered "a fine panegyric" on Lord Palmerston, proposing a monument to him in the Abbey. He did it very well. Then came Jamaica and Cattle-plague ; dull enough. We dined quite promiscuous at Ly. James' ; as did the Gladstones, and I enjoyed hearing and seeing something of Uncle Wm. again. He is certainly not yet overdone by the Leadership ! but in great force.

18Feb1866, Cockney Damsels

LONDON, February 18th, 1866.
—Bright pleasant frost : a real enjoyment it was. Mazy and I fired away a class at one of the S. Martin's schools ; I was a good deal taken off my legs by the coolness and talkativeness of my pale-faced cockney damsels who were very ready to put me in the right way. The row was great, and my numbers unmanageable, so I did not make a satisfactory start. S. Martin's in the morning (as it always is, unless I say to the contrary) ; Mr. Helps called, and made us late for 3 o'clock Abbey ; so we poked in upon M. and then pounded off to S. Paul's, where was a big congregation. Two pretty baptisms which brought tears to my eyes, so foolishly did I long to see a baby of our own christened.

16Feb1866, Cattle Plague Rages

LONDON, February 16th, 1866.
—Cattle-plague rages in the House : a very stringent Bill is being passed, forbidding all movement of cattle along railways, and ordering the immediate slaughter of all diseased beasts. It is poor, science having entirely failed to find a remedy. There is rather a plausible one up just now, discovered by a Mr. Worms ; a mixture of onions and asafoetida (nice it must be !), but people don't trust it. We dined at home, then F. to the House till 1.

13Feb1866, The Lower Class and the Upper Class

LONDON, February 13th, 1866.
—I crammed my day pretty full. First did books ; then went to Mrs. Humphrey's who took me to see their capital schools ; mem. especially, a little school held in the roof of a mission-chapel lately built in a squalid street, where they get hold of wretched neglected children. At, 12 I found myself with the Mesd. Talbot in their delightful soup-kitchen, which they have set up in Westminster. Poor people (not beggars) are given tickets, on showing which and paying a sum not exceeding 2d. they get good meat, soup, beef-tea, or pudding of at least twice the value of what they pay. Fred is going to be treasurer. Got home to luncheon, where we entertained Mr. St. Aubyn who is going to be married. May Lascelles came to see me about 4, after which I smiled for a few minutes upon a little tea-business at Auntie P.'s, and then drove off to S. Ann's National Schools, Limehouse, where a most charming, successful "mission tea-party" was held, under the auspices of my dear Miss Lilley, and the other good folk. Was glad to see Sarah Dorrington the 2nd mission woman looking busy and bright, but, alas ! not well. There were 210 women and 49 babies ! I poured out for one table. Had to go off directly after tea, hearing only one chorus, to my grief : but as it was, in spite of getting home by superhuman exertions in 35 minutes, I arrived after 8, with His Grace the Duke of Devonshire, the Secretary of War, the Lord-Lieutenant of Worcestershire, and Mr. Charles Howard, M.P., to entertain at dinner. I was a little jeered. But would not have missed the tea-party.

12Feb1866, Ambassador Charles Adams

LONDON, February 12th, 1866.
—We had luncheon at the Speaker's, meeting the Adams (American Minister) and Dr. Vaughan. Mrs. Adams tickled me by saying "vāgăries" and "dēcŏrous." . . . Workhouse. Went to the House to hear Cattle-plague debate. We dined snug together, then F. to the House again, and I to Dudley House ball with the Gladstones, which felt rather mad. Ly. Dudley too lovely.

10Feb1866, Religion-that-will-suit-all-creeds

LONDON, February 10th, 1866.
—Wonderfully warm : the poor silly buds are on the burst. We chose a pretty quaint bit of old china for a tardy wedding-present to Lady Granville. F. dined in full figg at the Speaker's. I sponged a dinner at the G.'s, where were Glynne uncles ; the Rev. one high gee Convocation, as is his wont ! I can't but be sorry (daresay I'm wrong) at Convocation snubbing down all and any "conscience" clause by a great majority. The plain justice of giving dissenters (whose tax-paying goes to support the school) the option of withdrawing their children from the religious instruction of a Church school, while they profit by the secular, in the few cases where it is impossible for them to have a school of their own, seems undeniable. The mass of the clergy will stop their ears to the whole thing. If they won't propose or admit any right "conscience" clause like what I have described, they will have some horrid religion-that-will-suit-all-creeds one forced upon them willy-nilly [FN: "Came too true" (added later).].

07Feb1866, Cavendish to the War Office

LONDON, February 7th, 1866.
—Cavendish got a mysterious scrap from Ld. Granville yesterday or the day before, containing the words : "Of course I congratulate you." Not being aware that he was going to be married, the Markiss was puzzled ; but lo and behold ! the cat is out and he succeeds Ld. De Grey in the War Office, to the satisfaction of all parties, which is a fine thing for a man of 32. He has gained a well-deserved character for hard work and knowledge of his business as Under Secretary. Lord Dufferin succeeds him. The Duke dined with us, and looked over the moon and very proud ; also Uncle G.and Eddy dined, and we were very snug.