Authors, English -- 19th century -- Correspondence; Eden, Emily, 1797-1869 -- Correspondence
MY DEAREST THERESA, I do not consider that _hash_ of Mrs. Villiers’ and
yours a fair answer to my letter. You said actually nothing, and she
left off just as she was coming to the pith of her discourse. But I must
write to somebody to-day, else I shall die of a reflection of
astonishment and indignation. I shall blow up, I shall go off, I shall
break down, I shall boil over, all about Lord Goderich;[256] and yet it
is twelve hours since I have had George’s letter, and I dare not write
to him for fear I should differ entirely in my view of the subject from
him. He states facts only (cunning dog!) and not his opinion; but only
to think of Lord Goderich being Prime Minister, and Lord Lansdowne under
him; and if he is Prime Minister, what is Sarah? Queen of England at
least. I still think the arrangement will all fail when it comes to
particulars; but still the mere idea is so odd. Even at the beginning of
the session, Robin was considered highly presumptuous to aspire to being
Leader in the House of Lords, and at the end of it there was not a doubt
anywhere, I thought, of his total want of Talent. And yet he is to be
Prime Minister! All the poor little children who read History 100 years
hence will come to the Goderich administration, and as they will never
have dined in Downing Street, or lived at Nocton, they will not have an
idea what a thorough poor creature he is.
Thank Goodness, I have never been taken in by history. But our poor
King! I have pitied him all the week, and now I pity him still more,
because as he lays his old head on his pillow he must feel that he has
outlived the talent of England--that, in fact, he has not a decent
subject to produce. Hateful as those Tories are, I declare I think it
would have looked better to Foreign Powers to have produced Mr. Peel and
the Duke of Wellington again. I wonder if the King knows anything of
Sarah, and what a poor wretch Robin is? But it is so like her luck! She
has always all her life had what she wished, even to a child. Not but
what her confinement is now put off again till the middle of November,
by authority; and in the meanwhile she sees nobody.
_Lady Campbell to Miss Eden._
LIMERICK,
_August 28, 1827_.
Glad to see you, my own Emmy?--I think I shall be glad indeed.... The
past four months of my life I would not wish to my Enemy’s dog, but I am
better now, and can jog on a little. Emily, it will be too much delight
seeing you here, particularly if I can have you in the house. My only
fear is that you and Lord Auckland will not be comfortable. So many
children, not a very good cook, an uncertain climate, and a Life
Guardsman who cannot wait, and to whom I dare not speak, as my
remonstrances agitate him so much. I actually hear him perspire behind
my chair.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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