Miss Eden's Letters Part 10

I send you, my Darling, a small Heart with my hair in it. Put it on directly and wear it. I know it is a comfort to have a little something new when one is ill, as I learnt when I had the chicken-pox, and found great benefit in some gilt gingerbread Kings and Queens. Lucy used to bring me them twelve years ago; they were hideous, useless, and not eatable, but still they made a break in the day....

I wish I could instil in you a little of that respect and mystic reverence which I never could feel myself for Doctors, and Pestles and Mortars--that blind devotion which is so necessary to make the stuff efficacious, for by faith we are saved in these cases, as in cases of conscience.

I am sorry they have made you have hysterics, and won't let you have the Elliots, and conversation. That bluff Chilvers,[148] with his Burgomaster appearance, as if he was magistrate of our vitals and poor bowels! I hate him ever since he offered me the insult of a blister, that first blister of hateful memory.

Write, or don't write, as it suits you. Lucy and Sir Guy are such friends, they quite doat on one another, and understand each other.

Therefore wipe away all I said for nothing. That is my comfort with you, I can tell you and then scratch it out again as I please, and that is the only way to be constant in this changeable world, to be able to follow the changes of those we love, so as to be always the same with them.

_Lady Campbell to Miss Eden._

[BUTE,]

_March 15, 1821_.

...We have been a day at Mount Stuart since I wrote, to meet a Sir Gregory and Lady Way--such bores! Oh! no, never. His brother is the great Jew-converter, and has now left his wife and house and estate and is gone a converting-tour into Poland. Some Israelites played him an ungrateful trick. He invited them to his house in Buckinghams.h.i.+re to render thanks in his private Chapel for their redemption, but alas! they had not cast off their old man, for they stole all Mr. Way's plate, which he has found it impossible to redeem, they having most probably converted it into money and made off. These people are strictly pious characters, and on Lucy saying she had heard of Mr. Way, Sir Gregory replied: "An instrument, Madam, merely an instrument!"

Lady Way is too heavy, and so dressed out--all in a sort of _supprime_ way, and wears a necklace like a puppy's collar....

Did you see those pretty nice Feilding children[149] when the Feildings were in London? I hope that nasty woman[150] will not spoil them.

Have you had Mary Drummond in comfort since you have been shut up and ill?--like the indulgence of barley sugar with a cough; no remedy, but yet it is pleasant. Does f.a.n.n.y still keep up "brother and sister" with Edward Drummond?[151] I don't think even f.a.n.n.y could do it. Sir Guy knows the one in the Guards (Arthur is not his name), and liked him better than Drummonds in general, for there is no denying that Drummonds are Drummonds to the greatest degree.... Send me your low letters, and your gay letters, and all you write, for I love it all.

_Lady Campbell to Miss Eden._

_March 22, 1821._

...Jane Paget's[152] business shocked, but did not surprise me. I never saw any poor girl so devoured by Ennui, and I have so long found Bore account for all the unaccountable things that occur, that it solved Jane's marriage to me. She cannot exist without excitement, for she is completely _blasee_ upon everything. Blasee is the genteel word; you would call it besotted or stupefied, if she had accomplished this vitiated destruction by dram-drinking or opium; but the effect, call it what you please, is exactly the same. I pity that poor Mr. Ball truly, for I don't suspect him of being equal to rule a wife and have a wife....

I forget to tell you a good idea of Lucy's, about Jane Paget's marriage. She said it was such a pity to see good articles selling off at half-price like ribbon in Oxford Street, to make room for a new spring a.s.sortment.

We are doing our Mount Stuart again. We have a Mr. and Mrs. Veetchie (a Commissioner of the Customs and has been in the army) and Lady Elizabeth and Mr. Hope. Mr. Hope can be pleasant now and then, but as dulness was paramount during our intercourse, I suspect the agreeableness to be a little gilding he has got from living with the wits of Edinburgh. There seems no source--mere cistern work. Your old Burgomaster Chilvers is clever, and I think as much of him as of any of them. But go on mentioning all he does, whether you are drenched in drugs.

_Lady Campbell to Miss Eden._

_April 1, 1821._

...Tho' I know they are all taking care of you with all their might, I feel I should do it better, because I want to be with you so very too much, that I feel cross with those who can be about you. Sir Guy thinks you are a lucky woman in being allowed only ten minutes of everybody's company; at least the chances are in your favour for escaping bores.

I hear of nothing but crash upon crash in London. Leinster[153] and Mary Ross[154] are obliged to join to help Lady Foley.[155] Lord Foley is so completely ruined, it is supposed it will be impossible to save anything for his six unfortunate children, and Lord and Lady Foley cannot have the satisfaction of throwing the blame on one another. He has gambled, and she has had six guineas-apiece handkerchiefs. She has enjoyed the bliss of boasting she never tied a ribbon twice, or wore her sattin three times. I thought I had made a poor marriage, and was content, but I begin to believe that I am a rich individual.

I think you are right about William,[156] I am sure he has taken a quirk about my marriage, because you see, my dear Emmy, it splits upon one of the very rocks of prejudice he has in his character. I would almost say the only one, but then it is a considerable stone, his _worldliness_. He would not have had me marry a regular established fool even he was rich, because again, the world might think the worse of me; but if I could, have met a rich quiet man without bells to his cap, made a good figure in London, and of whom some people might indulgently say--in consideration of his fortune, "Such a one I promise you has more sense than one would think, he is not such a fool as people give him credit for." If I had run the usual race of London misery with such a man, William would not have objected.

It is a crooked corner in him, I have often observed he has a childish respect to the opinion of London; and Paris has done him no good in giving him a notion that it don't signify what people do, so they keep it quiet, and make no open _scandale_. I have often wondered at this, because we mortals always try and trace a consistency in character, which is an ingredient never to be found in any composition, foreign to human nature altogether, which we still hunt after, and refer to and talk of, as if it was not as ideal as the philosopher's stone, a tortoise-sh.e.l.l Tom cat, or any other impossibility you like to think of.

_Lady Campbell to Miss Eden._

_April 10, 1821._

I have been again at Mount Stuart. Saw a civil Mr. Campbell of Stonefield, whom of course I ought to have called Stonefield _tout court_, but this seemed to me so improper and affectionate. I would not expose my conjugal felicity to such a slur, and I believe I affronted the Laird. He is a great man, having been at Oxford, of course the refined thing in education in Scotland; just as Lansdowne was sent to Scotland to give him a better coating of education. I suppose on the principle that the longest way about is the shortest road home. I see all those who are taken most pains with make the plainest figure. This man seems, however, to have preserved his whole row of Scotch prejudices unshaken, proud, and touchy.

_Lady Campbell to Miss Eden._

THAMES DITTON, _July 16, 1821_.

DEAREST EMMY, I have been so pestered and worried. I should only have worried you if I had written to you in the midst of my various bothers.

I find I have about one half of my baby linen to get made, Aunt Charlotte[157] having handsomely provided the caps and frocks and fineries, but turned me off with only half-a-dozen of everything needful, and not an inch of flannel. You are enough of a mother to enter into my feelings on the occasion.

I have had scene after scene to undergo with Aunt [Lady Sophia FitzGerald] upon the unkindness of my not remaining to be confined here within the compa.s.s of a sixpence, and taking everybody's advice, sooner than hers, and, in short, not having her in the room with me. As I should have died of that, self-preservation gave me firmness to resist, and I declared I could not. All this was to be kept smooth to Sir Guy, for Aunt chose to be sulky with him. In short I have found the kindness of the house the cruellest thing on earth. I have not had a quiet moment, the neighbourhood have poured upon me.... Lucy is gone mad, for she is preparing to go to the Coronation.[158] Your affectionate and own

PAM.

_Lady Campbell to Miss Eden._

_Tuesday, August 14, 1821._

...I am settled in Town since Sat.u.r.day evening, and if Eastcombe has had reminiscences of me for you, Grosvenor Square has reminisced you to me, our evening walks, and Lady Petre, and Penniwinkle. Every valuable Bore I possess has by instinct discovered me in Town, and I have been surrounded with Clements,[159] Cootes, and Strutts.[160] However I had a visit from Bob[161] as a palliative which supported me under the rest.

It is quite impossible to give an idea of the hurry and scurry of the people in every direction, and as if the rain only increased their ardour. Women with drooping black bonnets and draggled thin cotton gowns, and the men looking wet and _radical_ to the skin. I catch myself twaddling and moralising to myself just as I went on about poor Buonaparte. They say fools are the only people who wonder, and I believe there is something in it, for I go on wondering till I feel quite imbecile.

However I own I am shocked (not surprised in this instance) that not a single public office or government concern should be shut. No churches at this end of the town either open, and no bells tolling.[162]

Your small parcel delighted me and is the smartest I had. I have given every direction as to that being the first article worn, for I should not love my child unless it had your things on.

_Miss Eden to Miss Villiers._

WOBURN, 1821.

MY DEAR THERESA, There never was a house in which writing flourished so little as it does here, partly that I have been drawing a great deal, and also because they dine at half-past six instead of the rational hour of seven, and in that lost half-hour I know I could do more than in the other twenty-three and a half. After all, I like this visit. It was clever of me to expect the d.u.c.h.ess[163] would be cross, because of course, that insures her being more good-natured than anybody ever was.

I am only oppressed at being made so much of. Such a magnificent room, because she was determined I should have the first of the new furniture and the advantage of her society in the mornings, though _in general_ she makes it a rule to stay in her own room. In short, you may all be very, very good friends, but the only person who really values my merits is--the d.u.c.h.ess of Bedford, and once safe with her the house is pleasant enough.

We have had the Duncannons.[164] I like her; she is so unlike Lady Jersey. Miss P. is something of a failure in every way, except in intrinsic goodness; but she was terrified here, and at all times dull, and as nearly ugly as is lawful. They have been the only ladies. Then, there are dear little Landseer, Mr. Sh.e.l.ley, so like his mama in look, and a great rattle; Lord Chichester, Lord Charles Russell, etc.; and a tribe of names unknown to fame, headed by a Mr. Garrett, who is a rich shooting clergyman with the most suave complacent manners!--one of those appurtenances to a great house I cannot abide.

Eliza[165] is in the greatest beauty, and is a very nice person altogether. I think Lord Chichester succeeds here, and there is no denying that he is a creditable specimen of a young gentleman of the reign of George IV.[166] We have been on the point of acting, but the Providence that guards _les fous et les ivrognes_ evidently keeps an eye on Amateur actors and preserves them from actually treading the boards.

Your most affectionate

E. E.

_Lady Campbell to Miss Eden._

D'ARQUES, PReS DIEPPE, _Le 16 Juillet, 1822_.

MY DEAREST EMILY, I have been robbed and pillaged and bored and worried, and hate France as much as ever I did, and so does Guy. Mama[167] has made us a comfortable visit, but alas I cannot stay any longer, and conceive my joy! we let our house here, and return to England for my _Couche_. It almost makes up to me for the business. I shall be in London in August, there to remain six months. To show you how entirely and utterly false it is that you have not always and always had that very large den in my heart, let me beg and entreat that, if you can, you will be in or _near_ Town, if you can manage it, during my confinement.