New-York tribune., 1903-06-21
WELLINGTON.
The Kind lier Side Of a Great Man s
Nature.
CORRESPOND bENCE OF LADY BURGHERsH
WITH THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON Edit
ed by her daughter, Lady Rose Weigall. With
Portraits. ll2mo, pp. VII. 20. Z z. Dutton & Co.


made public because, in the opinion of the edi |
tor il may serve to correct the impression, gen.
orally prevailing, that the Duke Of Wellington !
was q man of very cold nature, hard, stern !
and unsyEpt tthetic-one to be greatly admired |
and feared but not loved" II is doubtful if he /
ever will be loved by the world at large de !
hal austere traits Ito characterize them amia |
bly, posi- fle) and to readers of history it is
toIerably certain that he viii always remain
most unsymb pathetic figure. But if he had au-
steTe traits be had others which, TO those who
knew him " |ell, very attaching, and il the
CorrespondeH Ice with Lady Burghersh cannot
modify the accepted portrait of the Duke in es-
seut5als it Ian. at all events. remind that
there was a kindly side to his bleak nature.
Priscilla ! me was a daughter of the Right
Hon. Villa In Wellesley Pole, Earl of Morning
ton, and the niece of Wellington She married
Lord Burg tersh, who had served under the
Duke. and the two were regarded by him, down
10 the day ff his death, almost in the light of
z son and daughter" Lady Burghersh-Lady
WestmorlaI ID after the death of her husbands
falher-was always Dearest Priscilla" or My
Dear Prisc1 1la' to Wellington who had great
confidence II her intellectual powers and her
discretion, nd constantly discussed with her the
matters of Etate occupying his attention But
While there are echoes OF old political excite
ments in tlI book the chief value of the corre-
srondence tesides in the light which it throws
or the DuhE as private individual, loving Chil-
dren and u liking all manner Of trouble to give
pleasure an comfort those who belonged to
his inner q ircle- There is an old story about
party Of chi ldren raiding the fruit trees at Wal
mer and being warned off by the gardener.
Never miIId," said one of them, lets go 10 the
Duke; he Always allows everything and gives
you what you like directly" The gardener
aforesaid. Hy the way had been the Dukes or
derly and then the latter took him into his ser
vice on his discharge, and proposed TO make him
gardener. he objected that he knew nothing OF
gardening. No more do J." replied the Duke,
hut you IN learn" We must mention another
episode int tolying one of his servants. The
Duke ranJ the bell in the drawing room one
evening Eain and again, and became very
angry as DO servant appeared. When at last a
footnan q ame in Wellington stormed his
neglect Of Euty, only 10 be told, If Your Grace
will look Eou viii see the bell is broken and
never rang al all l only came in for something
else" The Duke examined the bell. and then
turned to the footman. saying. Yes, 1 was
wrong. I km very sorry, William. and 1 beg
your pardd n" To small child in the he
added, "A Iways own when you in the
wrong" He seems 10 have had many foolish
demands u ade upon his patience. Il know them
well; 1 ha Ne had to deal with them!" he ex-
claimed in despair over the insolence and ca
pacity fol annoyance of countless Britons. |
People we Re always writing him letters ABOUT
matters cbncernng which he knew nothing. |
Nevertheless IS he answered a good many of them, |
and, indeeF, always ready TO go as far as |
he could ih smoothing the way for others. He |
was an exb berienced peacemaker He complains |
that that which people will understand is |
that the whole labor and business and ceremony /
and everything else of the world cannot be |
thrown up bn one man. and that old one put /
he takes 4p the next task with a kind of re- |
signed godd humor.
Nevertheless he knew how be firm in per- |
sonal as Well as in public matters. There was
talk Of getting him to obtain a pension for his |
sisters dal lighter in order that she might marry. |
He fatty refused, giving his reasons to his
Priscilla 4nd adding: If Caroline really likes
this marriage she ought make it, and live /
upon her income, whatever it may be- They |
talk Of he having only $500 per annum. AS if |
hundreds Ibid not marry having less than that
income" Another matter III which he shows, if
lut III teldT at any rate a certain impatience,
the paih ting of his portrait Artists were for
ever pestd ring him. To many he gave sittings,
and in on case al least he repented of his good
I.ature. 4 Mr.. Lilley secured eighteen sittings
al Walme r. and then insisted upon nine more at
Straithhe ldsayeI This really is too much" pro
tests the lDuke and goes on: I positively /
SIT no LOGGER ] do think that having TO pass