CHAPTER XII 1840-1842 319 CHAPTER XIII 1842-1849 359 CHAPTER XIV 1849-1863 380 INDEX 405 ILLUSTRATIONS PAMELA FITZGERALD (LADY CAMPBELL) _Frontispiece_ From a painting by Sir William Napier. FACE PAGE MRS. LISTER (LADY THERESA LEWIS) 203 From a painting by G. S. Newton. ELEANOR, COUNTESS OF BUCKINGHAMSHIRE 331 EMILY EDEN 397 From a drawing by George Richmond. CHAPTER I 1814-1819 _Hon. Emily Eden (aged 17) to her Sister the Countess of Buckinghamshire (aged 37)._[6] EDEN FARM, BECKENHAM, KENT, _Monday, September 26, 1814._ We have been very much surprised by a letter from Miss Milbanke[7] to Mary[8] informing her she was engaged to marry Lord Byron, a “person of whose character she has had the best opportunity of judging, and who, as he merits her greatest esteem, possesses her strongest attachment.” That last sentence certainly sounds very well, but, that she does not seem to be acting with her usual good sense is Mama’s opinion, as by all accounts Lord Byron is not likely to make any woman very happy. It is particularly unlucky, at present, as Mary’s letters to her about “Lara,” the “Corsair,” etc., have not expressed much admiration for their author.... _September 30._ Mr. Van.[9] came here to dinner to-day and goes away to-morrow. I wish you would tell me what to say to him just now, for he looks as if he wanted some one to talk to him. Mary and George[10] are so busy at chess, and Mama is so interested in the _Anarchie de Pologne_,[11] and I am so tormented by a real, large, green, crawling caterpillar which has found its way to the table and keeps hunting me round it, I have not presence of mind enough left to make out one topic. Mary has just received Sarah’s[12] letter. You perhaps may not know that she [Sarah] is going to change her character to that of a good-natured shilly-shally fellow. She is also thoroughly to understand politics, and is studying Junius, and for want of better society is to get into great habits of intimacy with me. If we were not to change our characters sometimes, there would be rather a sameness in our lives. George is going to Dropmore and Shottesbrook, but will return home to receive the Colviles, stay here a week longer, and then go for six weeks to Melbury. He will be a great loss to us, and I cannot but look forward with dread to the long evenings, which used to be so happy, and which will seem so lonely without _Him_,[13] who enlivened them so much. Good-bye, my dearest Sister. Do not trouble yourself to answer my letters, as a letter to any part of this family does as well for the rest. _Miss Eden to Lady Buckinghamshire._ EDEN FARM, _October 25_ [1814]. MY DEAR SISTER, Charlotte[14] has had a good night by the account we received this morning. The baby is wonderfully well.