LETTERS FROM THE MARQUESS WELLESLEY TO LADY "Kingston House, June 9, 1839. "My Dear Lady Blessington, "Your little volume of wisdom, genius, and just sentiment, has delighted me; I have read it with great admiration, and (although in my seventy-ninth year) with instruction, and I hope with self-correction. "It is very amiable to think of me so often in the midst of all your higher occupations; but your thoughts are chiefly directed towards the happiness of others, and I am proud of the share which your kindness allots \o me. "If your definition of a Bore be correct, you never can have encountered one of those Pests of Society. For ' when were you thinking only of yourself?1 "Ever your most grateful "And devoted servant, "Wellesley." "Kingston House, November 9, 1839. "Mt Dear Lady Blessington, "Your beautiful and magnificent present contains such a crowd of wonders, that it will require almost a season before I can finish my wonderments at the whole collection. "The poetry (which I have read, none of your Ladyship's) is very beautiful and interesting; the plates, printing, binding, all chefs-d'oeuvre of their kind. "I have not been able yet to appreciate the prose. A thousand thanks for your kindness in thinking of me. As to the play, I do not admire it, and I do not wish to criticise it. "I have not been well lately, otherwise I should much sooner have acknowledged your Ladyship's goodness and munificence. "lam truly grateful for your protection of my dear young friend, Alfred Montgomery, who is truly grateful for it, and I sincerely believe'truly worthy of it. "lam too happy always to render any service to your Ladyship; and I regret the approaching expiration of the privilege of franking, principally as it will deprive me of the pleasure of obeying your commands. "Ever, my dear Lady Blessington, "Your faithful, obliged, "And devoted servant, "Wellesley." "Kingston House, January 1, 1840. "My Dear Lady Blessington, "I have suffered such continual pain, that I have been unable to offer my heartfelt acknowledgments for all your kindness and favour. Writing on this day, it would be impossible to omit the most ardent wishes for nlany happy returns of this season to you; if half the happiness you dispense to others is returned to yourself, you will be among the happiest of the human race. This is no great demand upon the gratitude of the world, to compromise your just claims, by the payment of one half. "Your commendation of my humble tribute to the adored 'Shrine of my Education,' has raised me in my own estimation. The sentiments flow from the very source of my heart's blood, and therefore must be congenial with the feelings of one whose works abound with similar emotions. 1 am sure you understand the Latin; you could not write as you do, if you had not approached those pure springs of all beauty, sublimity, virtue, and truth. "I feel most gratefully the honour you confer on me, when you desire to publish my verses in your beautiful annual collection; but I am averse to any publication ; and I therefore hope that you will not attribute my declining this distinction to any want of a sense of its high value. "Your protege^ Alfred, is still in Staffordshire, hunting and shooting with Lords Anglesey, Hatherston, &c. 1 expect him this week. "Believe me ever, "My dear Lady Blessington, "With true attachment and gratitude, "Weli.esi.ey." "Kingston House, March 27, 1840. "my Dear Lady Blessington, "Being anxious to obey your Ladyship's kind command, I send you some verses, which I have lately addressed to my dear and highly-respected friend, Lord Chief Justice Bushe (though nominally to his grand-daughter, Miss Fox). You will not understand them, unless you first read the Packet (No. 1) containing a letter from the Chief Justice, with some verses from Miss Fox. "If your Ladyship thinks my verses worth notice, they are at your disposal. "They have been sent to Ireland, of course, but with a notice, that they are not published. It is, however, to be expected that the Chief Justice will be desirous of communicating them to his friends. "If your Ladyship should think them worthy of your notice, I think I could obtain permission from the Chief Justice to publish his letter, and his grand-daughter's verses, and my original letter to his Lordship at the same time .... "Wellesley." "Kingston House, May 10, 1840. "My Dear Lady Blessington, "You must think me very insensible, or worse, to have left your beautiful poetry unpraised for so long a time; nothing less than absolute inability to write could excuse me; but the sad truth is, that I have been in such a state of suffering from pain for some time past, (although my complaints are said not to be dangerous), as to be quite disqualified for human society. "I am restrained from giving utterance to all estimation of your verses by their excessive kindness to me ; although I know your sincerity so well, that I am sure you think all you say; and I have too much respect for your judgment to be disposed to dispute its justice, when pronounced in my favour. "Military laurels, by common consent of mankind, occupy the pinnacle of the Temple of Living Fame; and no statesman should envy a living hero, particularly if the great Captain should happen to be his own brother. But the page of history is wide enough to contain us all; and posterity will assign his proper place to each. "I think Mrs. and Miss Fox a great deal too squeamish. The verses are really creditahle to the young lady's genius; and the puhlication of them is my act, and not hers; therefore, there is no question affecting her modesty. "Mrs. Malaprop (the original from whom Sheridan drew his character) resided at Bath; and there, somebody having mentioned a young lady, twelve years old, who was perfect in all accomplishments, she observed:—'For my part, I don't like those praycooshus young ladies.' This the Chief Justice told me in the council chamber, Dublin Castle. "Your Ladyship may be assured that I will omit no effort to obtain the Chief Justice's consent; and if I should fail (which I do not expect), you may rely on my endeavours to make ample amends, and fully to discharge so clear a debt of honour. "Ever, my dear Lady Blessington, "Your truly devoted servant, "Wellesley." "Kingston House, August3, 1841. "My Dear Lady Blessington, "I return the verses, with a high sense of the value of your approbation; they were an Etonian exercise in the fifth form, which was sent up for good. I translated them the other day (or rather sleepless night), at the desire of Lady Maryborough. "I am very much better, but I shall never think myself recovered, until I have been able to pay my duty to you. "Ever, dear Lady Blessington, "Your grateful and devoted servant, "Wellesley." 13 CHAPTER II. THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON. ARTHUR WESLEY, third son of the Earl of Mornington, was born May the 1st, 1769,-but not at Dangan Castle, co. Meath, Ireland, as Burke erroneously states.” #** In the Public Register, or Freeman's Journal, of Saturday, May |