[2] Mr. Buckle, in Vol. V. of his "Life of Disraeli," quotes Mr. Montague Corry as writing (September 22, 1868): "Fergusson says no ingenuity can counteract the influence which certain priests and prelates have over him, chief among them being Monsignor Capel. The speedy result is inevitable." Sir James Fergusson, as Bute's guardian, probably felt it necessary to take this view in self-vindication. The fact, however, was, as is abundantly shown by the letter in the text, as well as by the authentic history of Bute's conversion as given in preceding pages, that the event was brought about by his own study, thought, and prayer, and was in no sense due to the influence of Capel, or of any other "priests or prelates." [3] Alexandrina Lady Portarlington (a daughter of the third Marquess of Londonderry) was sister-in-law to the seventh Duke of Marlborough, Bute's host at Blenheim. Lord and Lady North, who were received into the Church about this time, were not very distant neighbours of Blenheim, living at Wroxton Abbey, near Banbury. [4] Second baronet of Gatcombe, Hants. He died in 1869, in his eighty-third year. [5] A former curate of Dr. F. G. Lee at Aberdeen. He became a canon of Westminster and president of St. Edmund's College, Ware. [6] M.A. of Aberdeen University; afterwards the distinguished Jesuit writer and preacher. [7] Became a Jesuit, rector of Wimbledon College, and later first Master of Campion Hall, Oxford. [8] This was Aug. Theiner's "Vetera Monumenta Hibernorum atque Scotorum, historiam illustrantia, 1216-1547," published at Rome in 1864. [9] More than a dozen years later Bute wrote to his friend regretting her ignorance of "the dead languages," and recommending her to begin the study of Hebrew! [10] Miss Skene had lived with her father at Athens continuously from her eighteenth to her twenty-fourth year, and was well acquainted with the language and literature of modern Greece. [11] The allusion, no doubt, is to his projected translation of the Roman Breviary, published eleven years later. [12] The convent of _Marie Réparatrice_, founded at Harley House, Marylebone, in 1862. It was transferred in 1899 to Willesden, and a year later to its present site at Chiswick. [13] The temporary chapel, now used as the Sisters' community-room. Bishop Grant was at this time acting as chaplain to the nuns, and saying Mass for them daily. Bute attended this Mass for a week previous to his reception, breakfasting afterwards with the bishop (who was giving him a course of instruction) in the convent parlour. [14] _Ante_, Chapter I, p. 11. [15] Charles Scott Murray, who had just got his commission in the 1st Life Guards. [16] The writer was misinformed as to this. There had been a Catholic chapel at Rothesay since 1839; and a larger church (St. Andrew's) had been opened two years before Bute's conversion. The number of Catholics at this time was probably between two and three hundred.