Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 10980-h.htm or 10980-h.zip: (http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/1/0/9/8/10980/10980-h/10980-h.htm) or (http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/1/0/9/8/10980/10980-h.zip) LADY JOHN RUSSELL A Memoir with Selections from Her Diaries and Correspondence EDITED BY DESMOND MACCARTHY AND AGATHA RUSSELL WITH TEN ILLUSTRATIONS, OF WHICH SIX ARE IN COLOUR SECOND EDITION 1910 PREFACE The manuscripts which have supplied the material for a memoir of my mother deal much more fully with the life of my father than with her own life. Mr. Desmond MacCarthy has therefore linked into the narrative several important incidents in my father's career. The greater part of the memoir is written by Mr. Desmond MacCarthy; the political and historical commentary is almost entirely his work. The impartial and independent opinion of one outside the family, both in writing the memoir and in selecting passages from the manuscripts for publication, has been of great value. My grateful thanks are due to His Majesty the King for giving permission to publish letters from Queen Victoria. I am also grateful to friends and relations who have placed letters at my disposal; especially to my brother, whose helpful encouragement throughout the work has been most valuable. Mr. Justin McCarthy, who many years ago recorded his impressions of my mother in his Reminiscences, has now most kindly contributed to this book a chapter of Recollections. My cordial thanks are also due to Mr. George Trevelyan for reading the proof sheets, and to Mr. Frederic Harrison for giving permission to publish his Memorial Address at the end of this volume. AGATHA RUSSELL ROZELDENE, HINDHEAD, SURREY October, 1910 CONTENTS CHAPTER I. 1815-34 Early years--Paris--Lord Minto appointed Minister at Berlin-- Germany--Return to Minto CHAPTER II. 1835-41 Lord Minto First Lord of the Admiralty--Life in London--Bowood--Mrs. Drummond's recollections--Friendship with Lord John Russell--Putney House--Minto--Admiralty--Her engagement CHAPTER III. 1841 Marriage--Sketch of Lord John's career before marriage--His conversation with Napoleon--Moore's "Remonstrance" CHAPTER IV. 1841-45 Wilton Crescent--Endsleigh--Chesham Place--Birth of her eldest son--Anti-Corn Law agitation--Her illness--Lord John's letter from Edinburgh--He is summoned to Osborne--Attempts to form a Ministry CHAPTER V. 1846-47 Illness in Edinburgh--Letters between Lord and Lady John--Repeal of the Corn Laws--Ireland and coercion--Lord John Prime Minister CHAPTER VI. 1847-52 Pembroke Lodge--Difficulties of the Ministry--Revolution in France --Chartism--Petersham School founded by Lord and Lady John--The Papal Bull--Durham Letter--The Queen and Lord Palmerston--The _Coup d'État_--Breach with Palmerston--Defeat of the Russell Government--Literary friends CHAPTER VII. 1852-55