Part 9 (2/2)

”The letter written on Aug. 26th is as follows 'He has received and returns His thanks for her Note of Friday and the Tract enclosed therewith.'

”In the Duke's next letter dated Sept. 1st he writes--'He is happy to learn that her health is so far reestablished as that she can go to the Country.'

”The next letter from His Grace dated Oct. 5th, 1837, acknowledges the parcel referred to in mine as follows 'He returns thanks to Miss J. for Her Note of the 3rd inst. received this morning, with a Hymn for which he is very grateful. He received the Parcel containing Tracts etc, some time ago.'

”Finding a copy of the letter which called forth the above enclosed with it I am induced to give it a place herein, more especially as I perceive one portion is almost defaced, regretting exceedingly that I do not recollect the t.i.tle of the Hymn alluded to and forwarded.

”'Miss J. having promised His Grace the Duke of Wellington the accompanying Hymn, takes the present opportunity for sending it, however unsuited to the taste of any but the Regenerated Soul, which _blessed_ state Miss J. has no good reason for believing His Grace the Duke of Wellington has yet experienced. However, as there is nothing too hard for The Lord of Lords, it is not impossible that the period _may_ arrive when the accompanying Hymn will be _experimentally_ understood, _consequently_ admired and valued, being one of the most beautiful to be found.

”'Miss J. is not in the habit at present of seeing _any_ Newspaper, and is consequently unacquainted with His Grace's present proceedings. She concludes they are as worldly as ever, therefore calculated to draw from her pen nothing but a _repet.i.tion_ of what she has so frequently written, namely; ”What is a man profited if he shall gain THE WHOLE WORLD and LOSE his own SOUL? or what shall a man give in _exchange for_ his _SOUL?_” An important enquiry sent by her for a long time almost without interruption in every letter to His Grace,--but Alas! with how little effect!! Rest a.s.sured, the moment will arrive when a fervent desire will be experienced that such advice, entreaties, observations, Scriptures, etc, etc, etc, had been _practically_ attended to. Yes, there _is_ a period, and an _awful_ one which must induce the _trembling soul_ that has been swelled up by earthly splendor and earthly adulation, (BOTH _equally empty_ and _unsatisfying_) to exclaim in the words of Cardinal Wolsey, ”Had I but served my G.o.d with HALF the zeal I served my King, etc.”

”'That such may not be His Grace the Duke of Wellington's fearful state when the things of Time are giving place to those of Eternity, Miss J. continues fervently to hope, however _groundless_ at present such hopes may appear.

”'Nor would she hesitate to address him more frequently if she had not from long experience proved how little impression anything she writes or says is permitted to make either in his life or conversation, having no reason to imagine the slightest alteration has taken place in his worldly feelings from the moment she first beheld him to the present--on which account G.o.d seems to think proper to restrain her pen, and address--thus preventing her from being subject to receiving Notes as formal as they are unsatisfactory, the loss of which she cannot,--does not regret, being happier, infinitely happier when allowed by her gracious Heavenly Father to indulge in, and enjoy her former as well as present loved occupations. Yet when HE thinks proper to make her do either, she submits, and only then--as the pleasure once enjoyed on such occasions has long since fled, giving place to others more satisfying.

”'Miss J. does not for a single moment by the above acknowledgments mean to offend or displease His Grace which were she to find him labouring under any _serious_ afflictions either of body or mind she trusts her conduct would prove, as in the hour of necessity her desire would be to afford him comfort and consolation: and since he is so public a character as to insure such circ.u.mstances being _generally_ known Miss J. trusts they will be obliged to meet her eye or ear whenever G.o.d thinks proper to occasion the one or the other--which HE _can_ do at any moment, and to any extent, and WILL _if His Holy Name can be magnified thereby_.'

”I have underlined the above just as forwarded to His Grace.

”The Duke's next letter is dated Oct. 6th, in which he writes--'He returns his thanks for her letter of Sat.u.r.day just received' also the next, dated Oct. 11th contains his thanks.

”In the Duke's next letter of the 12th of Oct. he writes--'He returns many thanks for her letter of the 10th inst.,' and his letter of the 14th of Oct. acknowledges another from me.

”In the Duke's letter of Nov. 1st he writes 'The Duke is unable to give any other answer to Miss J.'s letters excepting His thanks for taking the trouble of writing them.'

”The next is dated Nov. 7th also containing his thanks, followed by one of the 15th, the last of that year.”

CHAPTER VII.

ASPIRATIONS AND REBUFFS.

”The first letter I find for this year is dated Aug. 21st 1838 which I see contains an Enclosure of three sheets addressed to Her Majesty Queen Adelaide, sent for the Duke's perusal, also to be delivered by him into Her Majesty's hands, which he felt under the necessity of declining, consequently returned it to me--having written therein as follows.

”'It is impossible for me to be at all instrumental in transmitting a letter to the Queen Dowager. Her Majesty has Chamberlains and Ladies in attendance upon Her Whose duty it is to receive and lay before H. M. the letters addressed to Her. I could not interfere in the performance of their Duties. I could not be instrumental in forwarding an anonymous Letter however proper, respectful and dictated by the Highest Motives. I could not say that I did not know that the Letter was sent; or the Writer thereof if enquiry should be made; and I should make myself liable to the Imputation of being instrumental in the forwarding to the Queen Dowager an anonymous letter! I hope therefore that you will excuse me for declining to forward this Letter and for returning it to you.

”'You are mistaken give me leave to observe in respect to the Subject to which this Letter relates. The House in which the Queen resides is Royal property; if not a Royal Palace! It is Her Majesty's Jointure House. The Royal Palaces used as such are not liable to the payment of Rates and Taxes. Her Majesty would not have been justified in making the payment on demand without reservation of the Right to Exemption. But she pays the money as a Gift which was improperly and illegally demanded as a Right. You will see it is the Parish and not the Queen which has contravened the Lord.'

”Having thus introduced so much of the Duke's letter it will be necessary to quote some pa.s.sages from that referred to by him, which as implied still remains in the same position and will continue to do so among my papers for further investigation should such be resorted to after my decease; with the six cards that accompanied it, upon which are written in full: Matt. ii. 28, 29; Luke xvi. 15; Romans xii. 2; Isaiah xliii. 21; Acts xiv. 22; Hebrews xii. 6; John iii. 3; 2 Cor. v. 17; Rev. iii. 12; 1 John v.

3, 4; and James iv. 4.

”After addressing Her Majesty _at length_ on the subject alluded to by the Duke with every desire to render 'honour to whom honour,' I next refer to the necessity of reverencing the Sabbath, adding; 'I recollect on one occasion seeing in a Newspaper that the Duke of Wellington quitted Your Majesty at Hastings for Dover on The Lord's Day and slept at the s.h.i.+p Inn, on his way home.

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