LONDON, May 13th, 1858.
—We saw Cotton, Bishop of Calcutta , consecrated in Westminster Abbey, by Canterbury and 8 other Bishops. Most beautiful to see the united hands blessing the new Bishop, and much indeed does he need prayer and blessing for the weighty and responsible work before him, in that troubled and rebellious land.
The service lasted 5 hours, for there was a somewhat tedious sermon, and the Holy Communion, at which there were 400 ; it was very striking and perfect, in that glorious old Abbey, fit indeed for high services offered to God in the beauty of holiness, as to-day.
Thursday, March 02, 2006
10May1858, Princess Royal
LONDON, May 10th, 1858.
—We tramped waiting in vain for a sight of the Queen. The dear Princess Royal begged Lady Raglan to tell Granny how happy she was ; she is extremely popular, and loved by everyone. God bless her !
—We tramped waiting in vain for a sight of the Queen. The dear Princess Royal begged Lady Raglan to tell Granny how happy she was ; she is extremely popular, and loved by everyone. God bless her !
09May1858, The Miss Fortescues
LONDON, May 9th, 1858.
—We met the 3 eldest Miss Fortescues after service, all alike : sallow, long-nosed, brown-eyed individuals. The third is just out. Althorp was at church, and so was Miss Seymour, but we didn't see her, much to my disappointment.
—We met the 3 eldest Miss Fortescues after service, all alike : sallow, long-nosed, brown-eyed individuals. The third is just out. Althorp was at church, and so was Miss Seymour, but we didn't see her, much to my disappointment.
06May1858, Althorp is to Marry
LONDON, May 6th, 1858.
—There was a breakfast. [FN: This, I think, means a meeting of the Breakfast Club, a society of "intellectuals" who breakfasted together from time to time.] Poor Papa had an attack of influenza ; he has never been poorly so long together I should think. Now for a good bit of news. Althorp is to marry Miss Charlotte Seymour ! who is good, lovely, darkish, not over tall, and everything delightful. Edward T. is going on well, his pulse improving, and his appetite better. Such a blessing. A delightful concert at St. James's Hall which is most magnificent.
—There was a breakfast. [FN: This, I think, means a meeting of the Breakfast Club, a society of "intellectuals" who breakfasted together from time to time.] Poor Papa had an attack of influenza ; he has never been poorly so long together I should think. Now for a good bit of news. Althorp is to marry Miss Charlotte Seymour ! who is good, lovely, darkish, not over tall, and everything delightful. Edward T. is going on well, his pulse improving, and his appetite better. Such a blessing. A delightful concert at St. James's Hall which is most magnificent.
04Apr1858, Church Twice
HAGLEY, April 4th, Easter Sunday, 1858.
—Tolerably fine, more chilly. Such a sermon of Uncle Billy's, sounding inspired in parts, going into great heights and depths. Church twice.
—Tolerably fine, more chilly. Such a sermon of Uncle Billy's, sounding inspired in parts, going into great heights and depths. Church twice.
13Mar1858, Deep Blue Distance
HAGLEY, March 13th, 1858.
—Delightful stirring S. wind ; rainy, with flying clouds : deep blue distance ; snow disappearing ; my cold at a climax.
—Delightful stirring S. wind ; rainy, with flying clouds : deep blue distance ; snow disappearing ; my cold at a climax.
10Mar1858, Played at Battledore
HAGLEY, March 10th, 1858.
—We played at battledore and shuttlecock, went to the church, and to see a newborn family of rabbits. I read Is. LIII to Nanny. Mg. and Evg. services : a good sermon at the latter.
—We played at battledore and shuttlecock, went to the church, and to see a newborn family of rabbits. I read Is. LIII to Nanny. Mg. and Evg. services : a good sermon at the latter.
03Mar1858, A Visit to Althorp
ALTHORP, March 3rd, 1858.
—We came to Althorp, where we were last four years ago, just before Bobbie's (6th Earl Spencer) birth ; the account is in the first volume of my journal, which I have lost, alas ! We seem to have stood apart during these four years and watched the rapid changes. When we were here then, Aunt Yaddy was Tallee's friend Miss Seymour, Uncle Fritz sat at the head of the table, the house was full of company and amuse¬ment but at grave moments the shadows of the two first great griefs one might still fancy hanging over the place. Now, there is a young widow with two babies beside her, and Tallee is an orphan. And we, children then, grief never known to us, and feeling strange and grown up in being away from Papa and Mamma. Now, coming with Papa, alone, bringing our own heavy sorrow into this changed and sorrowful house. God be thanked we knew not what was coming !
Such dear little children. Victoria says next to nothing, but in a tiny bell-like voice, and compensates for her extreme ugliness by the most winning signs and movements, pointing and gesticulating with a pair of fairy hands, or with little rounded wrists. The baby fair and pretty, placid and happy with everyone.
—We came to Althorp, where we were last four years ago, just before Bobbie's (6th Earl Spencer) birth ; the account is in the first volume of my journal, which I have lost, alas ! We seem to have stood apart during these four years and watched the rapid changes. When we were here then, Aunt Yaddy was Tallee's friend Miss Seymour, Uncle Fritz sat at the head of the table, the house was full of company and amuse¬ment but at grave moments the shadows of the two first great griefs one might still fancy hanging over the place. Now, there is a young widow with two babies beside her, and Tallee is an orphan. And we, children then, grief never known to us, and feeling strange and grown up in being away from Papa and Mamma. Now, coming with Papa, alone, bringing our own heavy sorrow into this changed and sorrowful house. God be thanked we knew not what was coming !
Such dear little children. Victoria says next to nothing, but in a tiny bell-like voice, and compensates for her extreme ugliness by the most winning signs and movements, pointing and gesticulating with a pair of fairy hands, or with little rounded wrists. The baby fair and pretty, placid and happy with everyone.
02Feb1858, Peerage of 1854
HAGLEY, February 2nd, 1858.
—We have got a '54 Peerage, wherein I diligently insert alterations gleaned from The Times' births, deaths, and marriages, chiefly in the sanguine hope of improving my knowledge of people's families, titles, relations, and circumstances. To-day there was the birth of a son to Honble. Mrs. Brand, daughter-in-law of the house of Dacre, and the marriage of a great-niece of that of Mar and Kellie to a stick in Siam. There ! I trust I shall remember them.
[FN: What sort of gentleman a "stick in Siam" is I have no idea !]
—We have got a '54 Peerage, wherein I diligently insert alterations gleaned from The Times' births, deaths, and marriages, chiefly in the sanguine hope of improving my knowledge of people's families, titles, relations, and circumstances. To-day there was the birth of a son to Honble. Mrs. Brand, daughter-in-law of the house of Dacre, and the marriage of a great-niece of that of Mar and Kellie to a stick in Siam. There ! I trust I shall remember them.
[FN: What sort of gentleman a "stick in Siam" is I have no idea !]
29Jan1858, The Sepoys
HAGLEY, January 29th, 1858.
—Very good and interesting letter of Eddy Watson's ; only rather horrid his saying he could almost like to see the sepoys tortured : as Granny said, the logic of the day seems : " Oh, how horrible the conduct of these sepoys ! What diabolical cruelty ! what villainy ! Let's go and do exactly the same ! "
—Very good and interesting letter of Eddy Watson's ; only rather horrid his saying he could almost like to see the sepoys tortured : as Granny said, the logic of the day seems : " Oh, how horrible the conduct of these sepoys ! What diabolical cruelty ! what villainy ! Let's go and do exactly the same ! "
15Jan1858, Relief of Lucknow
HAGLEY, January 15th, 1858.
—Still more magnificent Sir C. Campbell's Relief of Lucknow, the whole population of which, garrison, women, children, wounded, and sick, he brought out, unhurt every one.
—Still more magnificent Sir C. Campbell's Relief of Lucknow, the whole population of which, garrison, women, children, wounded, and sick, he brought out, unhurt every one.
14Jan1858, The Siege of Lucknow
HAGLEY, January 14th, 1858.
—We read Inglis' account of the siege of Lucknow, which will be a great historical name, therefore I need not give details. It is more like the siege of Londonderry than anything, and gives one sure and exulting confidence in the nobleness of English hearts and hands.
—We read Inglis' account of the siege of Lucknow, which will be a great historical name, therefore I need not give details. It is more like the siege of Londonderry than anything, and gives one sure and exulting confidence in the nobleness of English hearts and hands.
01Jan1858, A Prayer
HAGLEY, January 1st, 1858.
—Do we but cling on to the Chain of Thine Everlasting Mercy, we are sure of the Blessing—through life, in death ; for neither life nor death can separate us from that unutterable Love which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. A day exactly like yesterday in weather, most beautiful.
—Do we but cling on to the Chain of Thine Everlasting Mercy, we are sure of the Blessing—through life, in death ; for neither life nor death can separate us from that unutterable Love which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. A day exactly like yesterday in weather, most beautiful.
29Dec1857, Uncle Fritz Dies
HAGLEY, December 29th, 1857.
—Alas ! Granny was too late. ! Uncle Fritz died an hour after she left Hagley, for he had no strength of constitution to resist the illness. And the short brightness of Althorp is clouded —sorrow has come upon them at the height of their happiness. Tallee and Althorp are lonely orphans, and the two little children are fatherless. Poor Aunt Yaddy, only two months ago rejoicing in her little son, who came to gladden his father's eyes, so short a time before they were to close
—Alas ! Granny was too late. ! Uncle Fritz died an hour after she left Hagley, for he had no strength of constitution to resist the illness. And the short brightness of Althorp is clouded —sorrow has come upon them at the height of their happiness. Tallee and Althorp are lonely orphans, and the two little children are fatherless. Poor Aunt Yaddy, only two months ago rejoicing in her little son, who came to gladden his father's eyes, so short a time before they were to close
27Dec1857, Granny Summoned to Althorp
HAGLEY, December 27th, 1857.
—A telegraph with most alarming accounts from Althorp summoning poor Granny.
—A telegraph with most alarming accounts from Althorp summoning poor Granny.
18Dec1857, Lord John
HAGLEY, December 18th, 1857.
—High soft wind. Papa rode with Lord John. He said there were ripe natural strawberries and raspberries a month ago. I walked with Miss Smith : began Thierry's " Norman Conquest." Lord John gave Charles (his godson) a perfect little leather case, containing Bible, Prayer Book, and Christian Year.
—High soft wind. Papa rode with Lord John. He said there were ripe natural strawberries and raspberries a month ago. I walked with Miss Smith : began Thierry's " Norman Conquest." Lord John gave Charles (his godson) a perfect little leather case, containing Bible, Prayer Book, and Christian Year.
05Nov1857, Beset With Dangers
HAWARDEN, November 5th, 1857.
—We feel like living beset with dangers ; great fears for St. John's, for a man keeps skulking about it. However they are on the watch. All the clergy are sending for 6-barrelled revolvers ; Uncle Henry has his gardener under his stairs, and Mr. Austin sows gunpowder on his window sills : he will probably blow up. The Rate gives 1000, (from editor: i.e. £1000 for restoration of the church) so there is over 3000. Such weather.
—We feel like living beset with dangers ; great fears for St. John's, for a man keeps skulking about it. However they are on the watch. All the clergy are sending for 6-barrelled revolvers ; Uncle Henry has his gardener under his stairs, and Mr. Austin sows gunpowder on his window sills : he will probably blow up. The Rate gives 1000, (from editor: i.e. £1000 for restoration of the church) so there is over 3000. Such weather.
Thursday, February 23, 2006
29Oct1857, A Fire
HAWARDEN, October 29th, 1857.
—The much-loved, time-honoured old mother church was set on fire between three and four in the morning, and before the afternoon was destroyed with the exception of the walls, tower, and chancel windows and stalls. The whole of the nave and aisle roofs fell in, and the chancel one will have to come down. The W. window, stone work and all, is destroyed ; the tracery of the others still stands ; all the glass shivered, except in the chancel. Miss S. awoke me at about 1/2 past 5 to tell me, news having been sent to the Castle of it. We scrambled on to the leads of the house, and from thence saw the red glow beating high into the sky above the trees. Before 7 1/2 we went to see. The flames were then being subdued, but the whole floor of the body of the church was a mass of burning beams and red-hot ashes : the columns blackened and stripped of their plaster (a good thing, by the way), the last of the nave rafters burning away in its place across the top of the chancel, and the broken mullions of the W. window alone remaining, the font a shapeless ruin, the roof of the chancel, which still stood, smouldering and occasionally breaking out into flame, the fire-engine fizzing, roaring, rushing, spouting, drenching, a line of schoolboys passing buckets, rather enjoying the fun, an excited crowd all round ; the beautiful Memorial windows looking down upon the wreck serene and unmoved in the morning light, and the old clock melodiously chiming the quarters as if nothing had happened. While we stood on the tombstones bouche béante, the last rafter gave way, and fell amid showers of sparks. Uncle Henry and Mr. Troughton were busy on the top of the chancel wall hauling up buckets, in the hope of saving the roof. The S. chancel aisle roof is saved. Uncle Stephen was there, almost niobe, as was Uncle H. ; Molly Glynne pink and green with dismay ; Miss Brown with her gown and shawl over her night-gown ; Mr. Brewster with his white hair in indescribable confusion, looking like a wild foreigner ; old Bennett helplessly wringing his hands. The engine was kept playing incessantly about the chancel, and at last the fire in the roof was put out, but not before the beams were charred and wasted, and the intermediate spaces done for. Then there was an alarm about the tower floor, the principal beam of which seemed almost self-supported, and true enough while they were spouting at it, crash came part of it, and nearly smashed young Waldegrave Brewster. We picked up particulars as we looked on, and later. The Grammar School master was roused a little after 4 by his dog barking, and saw flames breaking out of the W. window. He rapidly alarmed the village, Mr. Br. among the rest, who instantly sent to Chester for the fire brigade, which arrived promptly in 20 minutes. Meanwhile he, Uncle Henry, and Uncle William later, worked wonders at the church. Mr. B. crept on all 4s through stifling smoke into the vestry, and, with the aid of a maukin and Uncle H. who got in through the window, saved therefrom the parish registers. They penetrated into the chancel, brought out the seats of the choir, arrested the progress of the fire with mere buckets of water, had the organ fetched out, while the candelabras, altar-cloth, and a mass of books were also saved, either by them or by others. Now, the horrid part is that it is proved the church was fired on purpose, probably about 3 o'clock. For the organ was fired inside, and the W. end had also been set fire to. Moreover the poor-box was broken into, its staple was found on the ground, with the tool used. It is an act of diabolical wickedness : destroying the House of God, and a part of it too specially used for His praise, the noble organ whose voice has ever pealed through the church divine music, speaking to Him in what may well be thought echoes from the " Seraph choir," for there is something more than earthly and human in the voice of music.
—The much-loved, time-honoured old mother church was set on fire between three and four in the morning, and before the afternoon was destroyed with the exception of the walls, tower, and chancel windows and stalls. The whole of the nave and aisle roofs fell in, and the chancel one will have to come down. The W. window, stone work and all, is destroyed ; the tracery of the others still stands ; all the glass shivered, except in the chancel. Miss S. awoke me at about 1/2 past 5 to tell me, news having been sent to the Castle of it. We scrambled on to the leads of the house, and from thence saw the red glow beating high into the sky above the trees. Before 7 1/2 we went to see. The flames were then being subdued, but the whole floor of the body of the church was a mass of burning beams and red-hot ashes : the columns blackened and stripped of their plaster (a good thing, by the way), the last of the nave rafters burning away in its place across the top of the chancel, and the broken mullions of the W. window alone remaining, the font a shapeless ruin, the roof of the chancel, which still stood, smouldering and occasionally breaking out into flame, the fire-engine fizzing, roaring, rushing, spouting, drenching, a line of schoolboys passing buckets, rather enjoying the fun, an excited crowd all round ; the beautiful Memorial windows looking down upon the wreck serene and unmoved in the morning light, and the old clock melodiously chiming the quarters as if nothing had happened. While we stood on the tombstones bouche béante, the last rafter gave way, and fell amid showers of sparks. Uncle Henry and Mr. Troughton were busy on the top of the chancel wall hauling up buckets, in the hope of saving the roof. The S. chancel aisle roof is saved. Uncle Stephen was there, almost niobe, as was Uncle H. ; Molly Glynne pink and green with dismay ; Miss Brown with her gown and shawl over her night-gown ; Mr. Brewster with his white hair in indescribable confusion, looking like a wild foreigner ; old Bennett helplessly wringing his hands. The engine was kept playing incessantly about the chancel, and at last the fire in the roof was put out, but not before the beams were charred and wasted, and the intermediate spaces done for. Then there was an alarm about the tower floor, the principal beam of which seemed almost self-supported, and true enough while they were spouting at it, crash came part of it, and nearly smashed young Waldegrave Brewster. We picked up particulars as we looked on, and later. The Grammar School master was roused a little after 4 by his dog barking, and saw flames breaking out of the W. window. He rapidly alarmed the village, Mr. Br. among the rest, who instantly sent to Chester for the fire brigade, which arrived promptly in 20 minutes. Meanwhile he, Uncle Henry, and Uncle William later, worked wonders at the church. Mr. B. crept on all 4s through stifling smoke into the vestry, and, with the aid of a maukin and Uncle H. who got in through the window, saved therefrom the parish registers. They penetrated into the chancel, brought out the seats of the choir, arrested the progress of the fire with mere buckets of water, had the organ fetched out, while the candelabras, altar-cloth, and a mass of books were also saved, either by them or by others. Now, the horrid part is that it is proved the church was fired on purpose, probably about 3 o'clock. For the organ was fired inside, and the W. end had also been set fire to. Moreover the poor-box was broken into, its staple was found on the ground, with the tool used. It is an act of diabolical wickedness : destroying the House of God, and a part of it too specially used for His praise, the noble organ whose voice has ever pealed through the church divine music, speaking to Him in what may well be thought echoes from the " Seraph choir," for there is something more than earthly and human in the voice of music.
22Oct1857, Reading
HAWARDEN, October 22nd, 1857.
—We read "Waverley" in the evening ; it seems to me heavy and prosy, but improves as it goes on.
HAWARDEN, October 23rd, 1857.
—We read "Waverley" in the evening : it gets interesting.
—We read "Waverley" in the evening ; it seems to me heavy and prosy, but improves as it goes on.
HAWARDEN, October 23rd, 1857.
—We read "Waverley" in the evening : it gets interesting.
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