E-text prepared by the Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made available by Internet Archive (http://www.archive.org) Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 38569-h.htm or 38569-h.zip: (https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/38569/pg38569-images.html) or (https://www.gutenberg.org/files/38569/38569-h.zip) Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive. See http://www.archive.org/details/fiftyoneyearsofv00jersrich FIFTY-ONE YEARS OF VICTORIAN LIFE All Rights Reserved [Illustration: Margaret Countess of Jersey] FIFTY-ONE YEARS OF VICTORIAN LIFE by THE DOWAGER COUNTESS OF JERSEY London John Murray, Albemarle Street, W. 1922 DEDICATED TO MY CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN Printed in Great Britain by Hazell, Watson & Viney, Ld., London and Aylesbury. "What is this child of man that can conquer Time and that is braver than Love? Even Memory." LORD DUNSANY. Though "a Sorrow's Crown of Sorrow" Be "remembering happier things," Present joy will shine the brighter If our morn a radiance flings. We perchance may thwart the future If we will not look before, And upon a past which pains us We may fasten Memory's door. But we will not, cannot, banish Bygone pleasure from our side, Nor will doubt, beyond the storm-cloud, Shall be Light at Eventide. M. E. J. CONTENTS CHAPTER I AN EARLY VICTORIAN CHILD The Duke of Wellington--Travelling in the Fifties-- Governesses--"Mrs. Gailey"--Queen Victoria at Stoneleigh--A narrow escape--Life at Stoneleigh--Rectors and vicars--Theatricals pp. 1-22 CHAPTER II A VICTORIAN GIRL Mentone--Genoa--Trafalgar veterans--Lord Muncaster and Greek brigands--The Grosvenor family--Uncles and aunts-- Confirmation--"Coming out"--Ireland--Killarney--The O'Donoghue--Myths and legends--The giant Benadadda pp. 23-50 CHAPTER III MARRIAGE Fanny Kemble--An old-fashioned Christmas--A pre-matrimonial party--Fonthill Abbey--Engagement-- Married to Lord Jersey pp. 51-64 CHAPTER IV EARLY MARRIED LIFE Lord Jersey's mother--In London--Isola Bella, Cannes-- Oxfordshire neighbours--Caversfield Church--Life at Middleton--Mr. Disraeli--Froude and Kingsley--James Russell Lowell--T. Hughes and J. R. Lowell--Mr. Gladstone on Immortality--Thought-reading--Tom Hughes and Rugby, Tennessee--Cardinal Newman pp. 65-93 CHAPTER V BERLIN AND THE JUBILEE OF 1887