Richer than all the hoarding miser's pelf: All this she brought me, for she brought herself,' While at Kimbolton, Lord John received the first letter from his father which has been preserved. In it the Duke says: I enclose you £5, the greater part of which you will probably have occasion for before you leave Kimbolton. You will give a guinea to the man who takes care of your pony; half a guinea to the person who cleans your clothes; and five shillings to the housemaid; and pay your washing bills. The Duke's instructions were faithfully carried out. account-book a few days later is the following entry : In the A fortnight before the marriage, the party at Woburn got up some private theatricals, playing 'The Mayor of Garratt' and 'The Village Lawyer,' first to the company and the servants, and second to the neighbourhood. Lord John played Roger in 'The Mayor of Garratt,' and took part in the epilogue, a dialogue between a county manager (Mr. Cartwright) and a London actor (Lord J. Russell). The play was successful; and on December 31, 1805, and on January 2, 4, 7, 1806, it was followed by new performances of 'The Mayor of Garratt,' preceded by 'John Bull.' Still later, on January 10 and 11, the company gave 'The Rivals,' in which Lord John played the minor part of Lucy; and, in setting out the dramatis personæ in his diary, Lord John records his opinion that 'The Rivals' I was the best acted on the whole. It is remarkable that Lord John-a boy of thirteen-both wrote and spoke the prologue to these performances. It is preserved in 'The Works of John Russell' as 'Prologue to "John Bull," spoken by Lord J. Russell in the character of a fox-hunter;' and as, in his scrap medley, Lord John has als VOL. I. B preserved an epilogue written by Mr. Whitbread, and spoken by himself in the same character, it may be inferred that he spoke the epilogue also. These theatricals were probably, in Lord John's opinion, the greatest, as they were also the last, incident in his long holiday. Six days afterwards he left Woburn, and, after staying four nights in London, on three of which—the fourth was a Sunday he went to the theatre, he returned to Woodnesboro'. The month in which he returned was a memorable one in English history. Two days after Lord John reached his tutor's Mr. Pitt died; and Lord Hawkesbury, it was reported, had some chance of becoming Prime Minister. The rumour inspired Lord John with a parody of the famous dagger scene in 'Macbeth.' He made Lord Hawkesbury say : : Is this a place I see before me? The offer tow'rds my hand. Come, let me clutch thee. A place in my mind's eye of false creation I see thee yet in gold more palpable Lord Hawkesbury, however, refused the offer; the Talents Administration was formed; and the Whig tutor gave his Whig pupils a whole holiday to celebrate the return of the Whigs to power. Saturday, February 8.-We did no business 1 on Mr. Fox's coming into the Ministry. I shot a couple of larks beyond Southerden. In the new Administration Lord H. Petty, who afterwards, as Lord Lansdowne, was Lord John's close friend and colleague, began his career as Chancellor of the Exchequer, and the name suggested to Lord John his first epigram : Lord John's usual expression for a whole holiday. In vain for strength and energy we seek, The fall of the Tories, however, suggested to the future Prime Minister a much more ambitious poem. In his later days he wrote of it as 'a very bad satire directed against the leaders of the Opposition.' Here are a few extracts from it :— Once on a time, by fate or fortune led, In Downing's well-known Street I chanced to tread. 'What's this?' I cried, 'what new parade of State?' The quondam Ministers will soon come out. Good and great men, they gave my eldest brother A sinecure, and promised me another.' Mr. Pitt's colleagues pass one after another through the Street. The gentle rabble sighed in sympathy. Of grief for Pitt there not a single trace is. These mourn their lost, and those their promised, places. Consequent upon the change of Ministry, the Duke of Bedford was made Viceroy of Ireland. Wednesday, March 12.- -T[avistock] and I set off after dinner to take leave of my father before he went to Ireland. The boys reached London after being very nearly snowed up at Sittingbourne on the following evening; stayed there eight nights, on five of which Lord John went to the theatre; and, after bidding their father good-bye, returned to Woodnesboro', where Lord John remained till the following June. During these months, the boy was gradually acquiring fresh pursuits. Woodnesboro, Saturday, February 1, 1806.—I went out shoot 1 In 1806 the child-actor, Master Betty, was drawing crowded houses to Covent Garden. ing for the first time with Mr. Smith's gun. I got eight shots at little birds, and killed four of them. Sunday, March 2.—I rode William's pony for the first time about the fields. He carried me very well. Saturday, April 5.-I rode with Tavistock about here. He made me leap some places I was afraid of. Thenceforward the boy's expeditions were longer, and his knowledge of the country and his confidence on horseback grew. Ponies, however, were not the only live-stock at Woodnesboro'. Lord Hartington in 1805 brought to his tutor's his dog 'Chance.' In 1806 Lord John kept at the Vicarage another dog, 'Mrs. Witty.' It was characteristic of the boy that the first thing he did on obtaining his new pet was to write what he knew of her history :— THE HISTORY OF MRS. WITTY This renowned heroine was born in the summer of 1803. Her father's name was Jehasabaz, belonging to Major Fuller of the 10th Light Dragoons, but in reality an independent regimental dog. Her mother was a little black poodle of whom we have been able to trace no documents from an authentic source. At her coming into the world, together with her brother and sisters, there are no accounts of the heavens appearing otherwise than they did on any other day. They were all given by the abovementioned Major directly to his groom, who sold the subject of the present memoir to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales's hussar for the sum of half a guinea, and it is chiefly owing to his instruction and care that she is such an accomplished lady. The first mention of 'Mrs. Witty' is in the accounts for September 1805: September 12.-Basket for Witty. S. d. 10 But after Lord John's return to Woodnesboro' in February 1806, he writes : Sunday, February 23.-I had a letter from J. Marsden to say that Witty, who had six puppies the 25th February (?), had suckled four. April 1.-I walked to Sandwich in hopes of finding Witty there, as I had written to Brooks to send her, but she was not come. Caroline's [the second Miss Smith's] birthday. She is thirteen years old. Wednesday, April 2.—I went to Sandwich and found Witty. Thursday, April 3.-I had Witty clipped all over by Southey. And the following entries in the account-book have evident reference to 'Witty': Received. Paid. S. d. 20.-Lash to my little whip In case any good-natured person should think that the boy. had exhausted all his pocket-money in supplying his dog's wants, it may be well to add the following entry :— After the holidays in 1806 there is the following : Thus 'Mrs. Witty' was, on the whole, an expensive dog. Thenceforward, however, 'Witty' was her master's constant companion till, at the end of 1807, his diary for that year closes with the brief entry, 'Witty was killed.' 'No docu 1 The Right Hɔn. William Adam was the Duke's agent. |