in any difficulty, the duke was invariably sent for, and was relied on to the last for sure counsel in all dilemmas.

September the 14th, 1852, the greatest general of his age terminated his career of glory, aged eighty-three years.

Wellington's best fame rests on the confidence in his plain dealing, and direct, straightforward views of public duty, and of obligation to truth and fairness, with which he had the ability to inspire men of all grades, and in all circumstances, throughout the whole of his career, in private and in public, and alike in a military and a civil capacity.

Sir Robert Peel pronounced a noble eulogy on his illustrious friend, in which, with the instinct of a great and wise man, setting forth truth as the most glorious of all virtues, he said, the duke 66 I was the truest man he had ever known." This was a great eulogy; the duke's memory may dispense with any other.

LETTERS FROM THE LATE DUKE OF WELLINGTON TO LADY

BLESSINGTON.

"London, March 3d. "MY DEAR LADY BLESSINGTON,-Notwithstanding the circumstances which I mentioned to your ladyship yesterday, and that I, in fact, have no personal knowledge of your brother, which always renders it difficult to recommend to another the person in respect to whom one labors under this disadvantage, I have, at your desire, written the inclosed letter to Sir Hudson Lowe, which I hope will answer the purpose of drawing his attention to him. Ever your ladyship's most faithful servant,

66

WELLINGTON."

"London, February 6th, 1830.

"I am going out of town myself to-morrow morning, but I have desired my servant to attend you with this note, and the only drawing that I have of Lady D———— which has not been engraved.

"Ever yours, most faithfully,

WELLINGTON."

"London, December 15th, 1837.

"I inclose a letter for Sir John Hervey. I am afraid that it will not be of much use to Captain P——, as I am not much Hervey. Believe me ever yours, most sincerely,

acquainted with Sir John WELLINGTON."

"London, May 24th, 1838.

"I am delighted to learn that my recommendation of Captain P― to Sir John Hervey has been of use to him.

"I received with gratitude your beautiful present, and perused it with delight.

"I have been very remiss in having omitted to thank you for sending it to

me.

I beg you to forgive me, and to thank you now for the gratification which the perusal of this work gave me.

66

Believe me ever yours, most sincerely,

WELLINGTON."

"London, June 12th, 1838.

Nothing will give me greater satisfaction than to receive any body that you recommend to me.

“Foreigners are not exactly aware of our habits: they think that we sit up to receive visits and compliments as they do. Unfortunately, I don't find the day long enough to be able to receive all who are really under the necessity of seeing me. However, I will receive Mons. Rio, or any body else you will send to me.

"I return Monsieur de Chateaubriand's account of [ "Believe me to be yours, most sincerely,

].*

WELLINGTON."

"London, June 14th, 1838.

"It has given me the greatest pain to have been under the necessity of sending away Mons. de Rio without receiving him.

"I know how unpleasant it is to a gentleman to [ ],† and as I had so many people with me and waiting, I thought it best to request him to call on any other day.

"I can not but feel, however, that there is no time so uselessly employed by a visitor, and him upon whom the visit is inflicted, as in these visitations of ceremony. Believe me to be yours, most sincerely,

WELLINGTON."

"January 16th, 1839.

"I am much flattered by your ladyship's recollection, evinced by your recommendation of a gentleman to be appointed Provost of Worcester College, Oxford.

"Since I heard of the vacancy in that office, which it becomes my duty to fill, in my capacity of Chancellor of the University, I had been considering the qualifications of the several candidates, not less than seventy in number, and consulting with archbishops, bishops, and the heads of the University in respect to the choice to be made.

"I acknowledge that it never occurred to me to refer to the ladies, and I return my thanks to the one who has assisted me with her counsel.

"I am apprehensive, however, that I can not hold out expectations to Mr. Landor that he will be appointed.

"The Provost of Worcester College has the government of that institution. * Word illegible all but two first letters, He.-R. R. M. Three words illegible.-R. R. M.

The qualifications required to enable him to perform the duties of the office are various, and quite different from those which have attracted your attention toward Mr. Landor. In the choice which I shall make, I must satisfy not only the college and its visitors, but the University, the Church, and the public at large.

"I hope, therefore, that you will excuse me if I decline to attend to your wishes upon this occasion.

"Believe me ever your most faithful servant,

WELLINGTON."

"London, March 2d, 1839.

"You are one of that kind part of the creation which don't feel the difference between conferring a favor and asking a favor.

"You are right. He from whom the favor is asked ought to be as much delighted with the occasion afforded of gratifying the fair solicitor, as he would be by the favor conferred.

"I am very much amused by your recollection of my note upon your recommendation of Mr. Landor.

"I return my best thanks for your present. I will peruse it with much interest. Believe me ever yours, most faithfully, WELLINGTON."

"London, April 5th, 1844.

"After I had written to you yesterday, or rather sent my note, I learned last night that my daughter-in-law is going out of town, and I inclose a note directing my housekeeper to show my house to Monsieur P― on to-morrow, Tuesday.

"Since writing the above, I have received your note of the 4th. I will certainly go and see the statue of Napoleon at the first leisure moment I may have—this day, if possible. Ever yours, most faithfully, WELLINGTON.”

"London, August 3d, 1844.

"I have this evening received your note of yesterday. "My daughter-in-law is now inhabiting the apartments in this house in which the pictures are placed.

"And I should certainly prefer that she should not be disturbed by persons coming to look at them. She will probably go out of town in a short time, and I will then send you an order directing my housekeeper to show the house to Monsieur Pleyel.

"If, however, she should be going away, I will send you an order forthwith for the admission of

"Believe me ever yours, most faithfully,

WELLINGTON."

"London, November 22d, 1844.

"I am very grateful for the beautiful work which you have been so kind as to send me.

“I should be delighted to see the new work of art just finished by Count D'Orsay would you be so kind as to tell me where I could see it?

"Believe me yours, most faithfully,

WELLINGTON."

"London, February 21st, 1845.

"I was very sorry that I had not the pleasure of finding your ladyship at home when Count D'Orsay was so kind as to show me his beautiful sketches some days ago.

"I have delayed to thank you for your kind note, in hopes that I might be able to call upon you at a particular hour.

“But I am sorry to say I can not yet do so; but I hope that it may be in my power to do so by to-morrow morning.

"Believe me ever yours, most faithfully,

"I am very much obliged to you.

WELLINGTON."

"London, June 19th, 1845.

Count D'Orsay will really spoil me,

and make me vain in my old age, by sending me down to posterity by the exercise of every description of talent with which he is endowed. "I will certainly call upon you at the very first moment I can. "Ever yours, sincerely,

WELLINGTON."

"London, July 22d, 1845, at night.

"I have just now received your note of this day upon the melancholy death of Lord C. I had learned, with much concern, of his pecuniary embarrassments, occasioned by the fire in 1834. It appears to me that you are mistaken in supposing that, when he was created a peer, provision was made for him by the grant of a pension from the Civil List. As well as I recollect, the of -, his father, had been enabled to grant to him the reversion of an office in the of, the emoluments of which were then considered in making the usual provision for him when he should no longer be the

of

"But my recollection of the transaction is very imperfect; and, after all, I judge from your statement that, when he retired from the

the usual provision was made for him from the Consolidated Fund, under the authority of the provisions of an act of Parliament. I am certain that the grant could not have been given from the Civil List, because I know that the total that the minister can grant in any one year from that fund is £12,000 a year. You have done quite right in applying to Sir Robert Peel. No grant can be made from the Consolidated Fund excepting under authority of the provisions of an act of Parliament, which act must originate in the House of Commons. But the House will not take into consideration the investigation of a grant of money which is not, in the first instance, recommended by the crown. I am not aware of any precedent of a grant from the Consolidated Fund to the widow of a deceased grantee, and, whatever the merits and services of

Lord "" I think it very probable that Sir Robert Peel might think it unreasonable to expect to prevail on the House to make such a grant to Lord -'s widow and child, in addition to the provision made from the same fund to his son, who succeeds to the title, and not consistent with a due performance of his duty to the queen to make the attempt.

"In respect to your desire that I shall suggest to Sir Robert Peel to make this arrangement, I am convinced that Sir Robert Peel requires no suggestion from me to induce him to adopt every measure in his power, and consistent with his duty, to mark the respect for the memory and affection for the person of the late Lord C. I have told you what I think of the nature of the case, and of the difficulties in which Sir Robert Peel may find himself placed; if he should think it necessary, and that my opinion could be of any use to him, I am certain that he will speak to me, knowing, as he does, the regard I have always felt for my departed friend.

"But feeling, as I do, that in my position in the House of Lords I can do nothing which can relieve him from the pressure of the difficulties which will exist in the House of Commons, it appears to me that I ought not to interfere unless and till Sir Robert Peel should require my opinion and assistance. Solicitation is out of the question. It is not desired by you, and would not be listened to by Sir Robert Peel; and as I know I can do nothing to assist him and overcome the difficulties of the case, I am convinced I do that which is best for the case as well as most becoming, by delaying to make a suggestion till I shall be required.

"Believe me ever yours, most sincerely,

WELLINGTON."

"London, January 19th, 1847, at night. "I received your note of this day when I returned home, at too late an hour to communicate on this day with Mr. Tuffett; but I will do so on Monday. You are quite right. Count D'Orsay's work is of a higher description of art than is described by the word portrait! But I described it by that word, because the likeness is so remarkably good, and so well executed as a painting, and that this is the truest of all artistic ability, truest of all in this country. I am really not a judge of the effect of my name in the newspapers, but I am sensible of the effect produced by any manifestations of interest in an officer I might wish dealt with favorably.

"Believe me, my dear Lady Blessington,

WELLINGTON."

"London, June 19th, 1847.

"I shall be delighted to see a good engraving of Count D'Orsay's picture of the queen on horseback.

"But I should prefer not to take any steps to attain that object till it is seen what the queen and the prince themselves do as to the object of your wishes. "Unless it should be decidedly disadvantageous to the count to wait a little longer, I would recommend him to do so. Let me know what he determines. Ever yours, most faithfully, WELLINGTON."