Charles Philip Yorke, Fourth Earl of Hardwicke, Vice-Admiral R.N. — a MemoirBiddulph, Elizabeth Philippa, Baroness
History
Charles Philip Yorke, Fourth Earl of Hardwicke, Vice-Admiral R.N. — a Memoir
Biddulph, Elizabeth Philippa, Baroness
Hardwicke, Charles Philip Yorke, Earl of, 1799-1873
Lady Grey is very kind to me, and I am much obliged to her
for permitting me to come. One thing here, however, is disagreeable to
me as I have never been used to it, and that is, the sitting so long
after breakfast and dinner. We breakfast at ten o'clock and sit till
twelve. Then if the weather is fine, which it is not to-day, we take a
walk, if not, retire to our own apartments. From half-past two till
four is spent in dressing. From four till past six at dinner. Then
coffee, afterwards working, looking at prints, talking and preaching
till ten. Then I go to bed, and supper is announced. Everybody is in
bed at eleven; before breakfast Mama and I have some little time, as we
get up at eight. I always take a walk in the garden before breakfast.
Before that time everyone but Lady Grey and my Lord go into the
Library, which is a noble apartment.
'My brother has come home delighted with having found in Ireland a hard
name to puzzle everybody to death with. This was the name of a young
lady at Limerick, not more than 6 foot 4 inches without her shoes. What
do you think of Miss Helena Macgillokilycuddy? This name is always in
his mouth, but I believe he has added four syllables to the real word.
As to Charles, he was charmed and captivated with another young lady at
Limerick, a Miss Fitzgerald, whom he danced with and thought the most
amiable of the company. In short, they are much pleased with their
journey, and are ready to break a lance with anyone in favour of the
Irish. I must not forget to tell you that they ran away from Dublin
with two new coats, without ever paying for them. I have no news to
send you.'
* * * * *
Lady Grey mentioned in this letter married the second Lord Hardwicke,
who had no son.
There is an interesting allusion to Wimpole and its associations in one
of Lord Melbourne's published letters to Queen Victoria. After giving
Her Majesty some particulars of the place, and mentioning incidentally
that he was 'very partial to Lord Hardwicke,' Lord Melbourne says:
'The cultured but indolent Lord Harley, afterwards Earl of Oxford, had
married Lady Henrietta Cavendish Holles, who brought him £500,000, most
of which he dissipated. Their only child Margaret, "the noble, lovely
little Peggy" of Prior, married William Bentinck, second Duke of
Portland. Lady Oxford sold to the nation the Harleian Collection of
Manuscripts, now in the British Museum (to hold which the gallery at
Wimpole was built). There is much history and more poetry connected
with it. Prior mentions it repeatedly, and always calls the first Lady
Harley, daughter of the Duke of Newcastle, "Belphebe." If Hardwicke
should have a daughter he should christen her "Belphebe." The Lady
Belphebe Yorke would not sound ill.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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