The Letters of the Duke of Wellington to Miss J. 1834-1851 Part 23

"The Medical Gentlemen impress upon my dear Sister the idea that I must die if I do not receive sufficient nourishment to supply the loss such occasion. These produce the most violent and continued perspirations, requiring the most strengthening things, namely, jellies, wines, soups, etc., etc., as they say it is a complete battle between the disease and the const.i.tution. Which will conquer remains for Time to prove. Dr. P. further tells her that I may go on thus for three years and yet recover if great care is taken of me, as the lump since it has broken is considerably smaller. It is hoped that the linseed poultices will eventually draw it entirely away if my strength can only cope therewith. He also says that I ought to have a Nurse with me by night as well as by day, continually, as I am much too exhausted and debilitated to be left alone. This expense would in itself be more than the whole of my Income is adequate to defray. Consequently, it would appear that it is the will of G.o.d to place my life humanly speaking, in your hands, as the friend, next to Himself most dear to the heart of--

"Yours Devotedly,

"A. J."

The Duke's reply was energetic and to the point:--

LONDON, July 12th, 1850.

MY DEAR MISS J.,--I have just now received from you a letter dated July 11^th written upon four sides of letter paper, and I am concerned to learn, after a most difficult Perusal thereof that your Health is still in a bad and precarious state! and your pecuniary affairs very much deranged! You had never before mentioned this last to me! You frequently named to me in your letters Your Guardian and your receipt through his hands of your Dividends, and I therefore concluded that your worldly affairs were well managed, while your Mind was occupied by reflecting on the future! But I have seldom read of such a state of pecuniary affairs as that you give in the letter which I have at last been able to read and to which I am endeavoring to write an answer!

I beg you to let me know what sum it is you wish, at what time or times to be paid? Whether an order at a Banker would suit you? If Payable at a Banker usually employed by you, will you be so kind as to let me know his Name? All this _legibly written!_

Ever yours most faithfully.

WELLINGTON.

I entreat you to write _legibly!_ and to avoid fatiguing yourself by writing too much!

This letter of the Duke's, if hardly gracious, is at least not unkind.

The answer he received was of a nature to drive a man of his practicality to the verge of distraction:--

MY DEAR DUKE,--As "for me to live is Christ, but to die is gain,"

you may rest a.s.sured however surrounded by pecuniary difficulties, I should have preferred the latter to making known my circ.u.mstances to you. Had I not been so continually urged by my dear Sister telling me that it would kill her, that she could never bear to leave me in England thus situated and that she hoped for her sake that I should use the only means in my power for prolonging my life I never could have told you such truths. I am not surprised that they drew forth the remark that you had never read of such a state of pecuniary affairs. Nor would I offer so great an insult to my Christianity as to do more than add that the same G.o.d Who has thought proper thus to situate me knows that I would never dishonor His great Name by the slightest misrepresentation. Therefore, My dear Duke, if you read that letter carefully you will be much better able to calculate what I require than I am to tell you. I would not do so, nor am I able to tell you by what means I am to receive it as I never did such a thing and know nothing of money arrangements. Consequently I must leave all to G.o.d and yourself, beseeching Him to guide, influence and direct you to treat me in whatever way is most agreeable to His unerring will and to bless you accordingly.

Your kind wish that I should not fatigue myself with writing too much is, rest a.s.sured, appreciated as it deserves, as every other mark of kindness and consideration shown to

Yours devotedly,

A. J.

A Harold Skimpole in petticoats! The ineffable condescension to the worldly-mindedness of the Duke, the tone of spiritual pride that pervades the letters, would be exasperating if they were not absurd.

That the humorous side of the affair was not apparent to the Duke is shown by his reply:--

LONDON, July 16, 1850.

MY DEAR MISS J.,--I am very sorry indeed if I should have offended you. But when you wrote to me a description of the State of your affairs, I concluded that you intended that I should form an opinion upon them and communicate the same to you!

It is very true that you and I are of a different opinion. I think that G.o.d having endowed Men with reason, and the Power of judging Right from wrong! Has made Him responsible for the care of _Himself_ and for good will to all!

You think that Man is responsible only for His Duty towards the Almighty! who charges Himself with the Rest! I dare say that I am mistaken! notwithstanding my Studies. You know more of this matter than I do!

Ever Yours most faithfully,

WELLINGTON.

Miss J. does not give a copy of her next letter to the Duke, but she remarks that it consisted princ.i.p.ally of observations upon complete reliance on G.o.d, and disregard of earthly means; taking as her text, "Seek FIRST the Kingdom of G.o.d and HIS righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you."

The Duke's answer does not savor of things spiritual:--

LONDON, July 23, 1850.

MY DEAR MISS J.,--I am very much concerned to observe from your last letter that notwithstanding that you feel that you require my Worldly a.s.sistance; and are willing to accept and receive the same, you will not state to me the mode in which I am to render the a.s.sistance required! I know that you have a Banker in London!

Why don't you then let me know His Name? or state in whatever mode of those stated by me you would wish to receive what I should send. You may rely upon it that unless precautions are taken you will not receive the money sent! It will fall into the hands of thieves!

Ever Yours most faithfully

WELLINGTON.

Miss J. writes:--

"In my reply to the Duke I a.s.sured him that I had no Banker in London to my knowledge, never having had to do more than occasionally receive my _Dividends_, when my Guardian transacted business, which generally speaking he forwarded by letter. But in order to give the Duke a clear idea how things stood, I promised to enclose two letters for his perusal, one from my Guardian _before_ his death and the other from his wife _after_ it! Alas! by doing this I brought upon myself more trouble and sorrow than can ever be forgotten, through the untoward, unlooked for circ.u.mstances that attended them. These I would willingly omit if faithfulness to G.o.d and the world did not call upon me to proceed regularly as occurrences took place, however torn and wounded my mind may be!...

I feel even now as I write that I wonder at myself for ever addressing the Duke again. However, I was then laid upon a bed of sickness and apparently approaching death, therefore it is probable that the eternal welfare of one to whom I had dedicated myself for so many years increased in importance in my estimation, if this were possible. Nor can I ever account for such devoted feelings to any individual beyond concluding that G.o.d had so decreed it.

"Of course I lost no time in sending the letters promised and required, but they miscarried."

Hearing nothing from the Duke, Miss J. wrote again:--

"July 23, 1850.

"As I cannot think it possible, My Dear Duke, that you _could_ treat me with so much cruelty in my present state as to have received two such letters as my last without noticing them, I write to enquire whether you have heard from me twice since I heard from you. I entreated you not to keep my mind in suspense, as I was not in a State to bear it.

"I have a Physician twice a week, and yesterday, on finding my pulse in such a State he seemed very dissatisfied, saying if my mind were not kept free from all anxiety it will kill me.

Therefore, My Dear Duke, you surely cannot hear this without using every means in your power to relieve it.

"You ask me in your Letter of the 12^th Inst. in what way I should like you to acquiesce with my wishes? or through what Bank? I answered that I should be guided entirely by your advice, yet not a word did I receive in your next on the subject, nor from that time to this have you referred to it. This to me is quite incomprehensible, as you in the same letter imply it is your intention that I shall have all that is necessary. I cannot help adding I consider this the least _G.o.d_ would have me expect from _Your_ hands, My dearest Duke, under present trying circ.u.mstances, feeling towards you as HE knows I have done so many years such disinterestedness dedication and affection."

The Duke's next letters show his irritation.

LONDON, July 25, 1850.

MY DEAR MISS J.,--I have received your Letter of the 24^th that is yesterday, but not the one which you state in that letter that you had written to me yesterday--it is on Tuesday--containing _two enclosures_ being a letter from your Guardian and another from his Wife.

These letters when forwarded will enable me to judge of what it is you require! and the mode in which I am to send you what you require!

It is indeed very difficult to supply the daily wants of those who will not state what they are; or adopt any means of receiving what she requires!

However I shall be able to form a judgment when I shall receive the letters you received from Mr. & Mrs. ----