The Letters of the Duke of Wellington to Miss J., 1834-1851: Edited, with Extracts from the Diary of the LatterWellington, Arthur Wellesley, Duke of
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The Letters of the Duke of Wellington to Miss J., 1834-1851: Edited, with Extracts from the Diary of the Latter
Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, Duke of
Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, Duke of, 1769-1852 -- Correspondence
The Duke is unfortunately for him not sufficiently informed to
enable Him to write upon some of the Higher and more sacred
Topicks of Miss J.'s Letters. But he considers it quite useless
to write to Miss J. at all; if he should omit to state His
opinion when he sees that she has taken an erroneous view of that
of which he has a knowledge. He submits these opinions with great
deference and Respect; and he is much concerned when any of them
give Offence.
LONDON, March 14th, 1840.
The Duke of Wellington presents His Compliments to Miss J. He has
just received Her Note of Friday evening the 13^th Ins^t.
The Duke is very sensible of Miss J.'s offer of Service in case
the Duke should be sick or afflicted. The Duke is much obliged to
Her. He is quite well. He has no reason to believe that he will
have occasion to trouble Her upon any object whatever.
Indorsed in Miss J.'s hand. "Let NOT Him that girdeth on his harness
_boast himself_ as he that putteth it off. 1 Kings XX. 11.
"Alas! I tremble for you."
"The Duke's next letter is dated March 30th expressive of his
thanks.
"The Duke's next letter is dated April 3rd in which he writes 'The
Duke assures Miss J. that neither the form, manner nor substance
nor even a Word in any letter of hers has offended him.' The Duke's
next letter is dated April 4th in which he thanks me for my letter
of that day. The Duke's next letter is dated the 4th of April in
which he writes--'The Duke is much concerned to learn that Miss J.
has been indisposed.'
"The Duke's next letter is dated April 10th in which he writes 'He
understands that Miss J. wishes him to enclose to Mrs. L. the
answers addressed to Herself although that is not stated as usual.'
"The Duke's next letter is dated April 18th in which he writes 'The
Duke has never been better than for the last month and most
particularly for the last few days. He is aware that reports are
continually circulated to the contrary but they are entirely
undeserving of credit.'"
The cause of this coolness between the Duke and Miss J. is not clear.
Her Diary throws no light upon the subject, and the only clew to the
dissension must be found in the Duke's letters. From these it would
seem that Miss J. has again criticised his manner of writing, or
resented some fancied liberty. The quarrel begun so promisingly in
March is still vigorous late in April, and the Duke is making energetic
but futile efforts to break off the correspondence.
STRATHFIELDSAYE, April 24, 1840.
The Duke of Wellington presents His Compliments to Miss J. He has
received her letter of the 21^st Ins^t for which he returns His
thanks being convinced that Her Letters to the Duke are dictated
by the best Motives.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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