4 \t MEMORIES OF OLD FRIENDS. ** I ivarmcd both hands before the fire of life ; Jt siuksy and 1 am ready lo depart,^^ W. S. Landor. /Ibemories of ©lb jfrienbs BEING EXTRACTS FROM THE JOURNALS AND LETTERS CAROLINE FOX OF PENJERRICK, CORNWALL fvom 1835 to 1871 EDITED BY HORACE N. PYM "All, all are gone, the old familiar faces" Charles Lamb THE PORTRAIT IS AN ETCHING BY HUBERT HERKOMER. A.R.A. LONDON SMITH, ELDER, 8c CO., 15 UAILKLUO PLACE 1882 ^Nl\ BAt.LANTVNE. HANSON AND CO. EDINBUKUH AND LONDON TO Buna /IDarta iFoj ECORDS OF HKR SISTI: ARE MOST AFFECTION ATKLV iDc&icatcO IIY THE EDITOR. Harley Street, iSSl. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. 1835- PAt-E Meets Davies Gilbert— Dr. Joseph Wolff— His account of Lady Hester Stanhope — Of Drummond of Albury — Visit to Derwent Coleridge . . . i CHAPTER II. 1836. Falmouth — Meets De la Beche — His geological maps — Bristol British Association Meeting— Tom Moore — Dr. Buckland— Wheatstone— John Martin — Professor Sedgwick — Carclew — Visit from Lady George Murray — Anecdotes of Koyal Family — Admiral Fitz-Roy — Lady Byron and her daughter — Sir Edward Belcher — Begum of Oude — Her conversation — Murray — George Combe — Cowley Powles — Molve Moliaiimicd — De la Beche's anecdotes . . 3 CHAPTER III. 1837. Sir Richard Vyvyan — De la Beche and the West Indies — George Wightwick — Snow Harris— Lord Cole — Visit to Grasmere — Hartley Coleridge — Words- worth — Poem by Hartley Coleridge — Liverpool — Sir David Brewster — Dr. Wheweil — Sharon Turner — Captain Ross — British Association Meeting — Dr. Lardner — Phrenology — Professor Airy — W. E. Forstcr — Davies Gilbert — Anecdotes of the Royal Society — Charles Fox — Henry Mackenzie . . 14 CHAPTER IV. 1838. Paris — Becquercl — Arago^Dr. D.ilton — Odilon Barrot — Anli-.Slavery Meeting in London — Lord Brougham's speech — Stormy discussion — Daniel O'Conncll — Visit to Deville — Royal Society's Rooms — Call at King's College — Sir Charles Lyell — Lister — Sir Fowell Buxton — Queen's Coronation — View from Athe- n.xum Club^Dr. Channing — S. T. Coleridge and the Gilmans — Sir John Bowring — Edhem Bey — Edward Lane — On Shelley and Byron — Mczzofanti . 26 CONTENTS. CHAPTER V. 1S39. PAGl Professor Sedg^vick — Wasliington Irving — Newstead Abbey — Sopwith — Chartists — Hope — Charles Mathews the Elder — Anecdotes — Curran — Bishop Philpotts — Sir John Soane — Trebah — Irvingism — Bishop of Norwich — Dr. Buckland's Lecture — Hutton — Lord Thurlow — Day & Martin — Fauntleroy — Charles Lamb — Malibran — Sir John Bowring electioneering — Fope Pius VIL — Mahomet AH ......... 33 CHAPTER VI. 1840. Robert Owen — Nadir Shah — John Moultrie — Hartley Coleridge's Poeliy — Southey — Meets John Sterling — Henry Mill and his family at Falmouth — Sterling's conversations — Dr. Calvert — Julius Hare — Sir Boyle Roche — Lord Macaulay — Penjerrick — S. T. Coleridge — Bentham — W. S. Landor — John Stuart -Mill arrives at Falmouth — His opinions and conversations — Count D Orsay — Thomas Carlyle and Edward Irving — Death of Henry Mill — Cunningham — Ashantee Princes — Letter from J. S. Mill to R. Barclay Fox — Carlyle — His Lectures on Hero-Worship— Prince Consort at E.\eter Hall — Speeches— Count and Countess Beust ..... 5c CHAPTER Vn. 1841. Dr. Calvert returns to Falmouth — His conversations — Sterling — His table-talk — He settles in Falmouth — Visit from John M. Lawrence — Dr. Calvert's increased illness — ^Joseph Bonaparte at Falmouth — Emerson — Wordsworth's opinions — Story of Webster — British Association Meeting at Plymouth — Sir Henry de la Beche — Professor Lloyd — Sir John Franklin — Visit from Colonel Sabine — Conybeare — Professor Owen at Falmouth — His conversation — Anec- dote of Lady Holland — Lecture by Dr. Lloyd — Story of Lord Enniskillen — Dr. Calvert dangerously ill . . . . . . .115 CHAPTER Vin. 1842. Jlects J. A. Fronde — Death of Dr. Calvert — Sterling's Epitaph upon him — Sterling's conversations — Letter from Mrs. Fry — News from Mill — Story of Lady Holland — Meets Professor Owen in London — An afternoon with the Carlyles — Conversation of Carlyle — Rev. Derwent Coleridge in Chelsea — Sees F. D. Maurice — Dinner at the Mills' — Attempt on the Queen's life — Amelia Opie — Meets Wordsworth — His opinions — Visits Coldbath Fields Prison with Elizabeth Fry — Sterling returns from Italy — A morning with Westmacott — Anecdote of Lady Byron — Anti-Slavery Meeting — Visits Han- well with Samuel Gurney — Meets Mrs. Schimmelpenninck— Her conversation — Letter from Carlyle to Sterling— Carlyle's opinion of Professor Owen — Story of Edward Irving and Carlyle — Herman Merivale — W. E. Forster at Falmouth — Carlyle on the Miner Verran — Letter from Carlyle . . 147 CONTENTS. CHAPTER IX. 1843- PAGE Letter from Carlyle — Michael Verran — Strange story of a Kiiend — Visit from Sir Edward lielcher — Mill's " Logic " published — King of Prussia and Tieck — Caroline Fox breaks small bloodvessel — Sterling leaves Falmouth — Caroline Fox's opinions on Emerson, Carlyle, and Schleitrrmacher — Espartero in Corn- wall — Trebah— Visit from W. E. Korster— At Norwich — Meets Bishop Stanley — SirT. Fowell Buxton — Storyof Admiral Fitz-Roy — George Borrow — Amelia Opie — Dinner atlhe Bishop's — A morning with Mrs. Carlyle — Professor Owen at home . . . . . . . . .175 CHAPTER X. 184.4. News of Verran — Letter from Carlyle — IJr. Arnold — London — Meets Mill — Visit to Carlyle — Andrew Brandram — Hartley Coleridge — Windermere — Hartley Coleridge's conversation — A morning with Wordsworth — His opinions . 187 CHAPTER XL 1845. William Tawell, the Poisoner — S. Kigaud and Louis Philippe — " Eothcn " — Sir G. B. Airy at Falmouth — " Serena," a Poem by Sterling . . .199 CHAPTER Xn. 1846. .Mrs. Barnicuat's bread-and-butter — Infant School experiences — Samuel Laurence — London — Meets Dean Trench — Evening with F. D. Maurice — I'rofessor Owen at the College of Surgeons — Dean Milman — Visit to the Mills — Carlyle's conversation — Geneva — Meets Merle d'Aubignc — Story of Long- fellow — Returns to London — Visits Sir Edwin Landseer — Ernest de Bunsen — Falmouth — Professor Lloyd and Dr. Ball — Archbishop Whatelcy — Anecdotes of bim — Humboldt — Carclew — Sir Roderick Murchison — Herman Merivalc 204 CHAPTER XIII. .847. James Spedding — Dublin — Morning with Robert Ball — Meets Dr. Ansler — Sir Arthur Helps — Story of Sir William Hamilton — Bristol — Mrs. Schimmel- pcnninck — London — Archdeacon Hare — Meets Bardn Bunsen — George Richmond — Mis. Carlyle — Her conversation — Gcialdine Jewsbury — Thomas Oskine — A Carlyle Monologue — Francis Newman — Hope's Gallery — Dr. Southwood Smith— At Westminster Abbey with Dean Bucklnnd — Storyof Napoleon L — Anecdote of Mrs. Carlyle — Burn.ird the .Sculptor — Meets Professor .Vlanis at Carclew — Chanlny and Lord Melbourne CONTENTS. CHAPTER XIV. 1848. FAGE Hare's " Life of Sterling " issued — Abdication of Louis Pliilippe — J. A. Froude — French Politics— Samuel Rundall— Guizot — Arthur Stanley — Professor Lloyd at Penjerrick — Captain Ross — ^Jenny Liud — Fichte . . . 22S CHAPTER XV. 1849. Death of Hartley Coleridge — George Wightwick's Lecture — Letter from Carlyle — " Nemesis of Faith " — Rush's Trial — J. W. M. Turner — Visit to the German Hospital — F. D. Maurice — His conversation — Lady Franklin — Guizot — Story of his escape — His opinions — Samuel Rogers — Hears Cobden's speech —Visit to Mrs. Carlyle— Meets Ehhu Burritt— S. T. Coleridge— At British Museum— Professor Owen — Visit to Flaxman's studio — Henry Hallam — Louis Blanc and Carlyle — Tennyson — Clara Balfour's Lectures — Alexander Scott .......... 234 CHAPTER XVI. 1850. George Dawson — His Lecture — Dr. Caspary — Account of Humboldt — Clara Balfour — Lord Byron and Mary Chaworlh — Laundry School specimen — Mezzofanti — General Heynau — Carclew — Professor Playfair . . . 259 CHAPTER XVII. 1851. Abbey Lodge — Chevalier Neukomm — Captain Barclay of Ury — John Bright — Wordsworth — Story of F. Cunningham — Ragged School Meeting — Dr. Gumming — Meets Kestner — Dr. Pauli — Evening at Baron Bunsen's — F. D. Maurice at St. Martin's Hall — Thackeray's Lecture— Faraday on "Ozone" — Macready — Paris troubles — Story of Sir John Franklin . . . 263 CHAPTER XVIII. 1852. Letters to K. T. Carne — Dublin — Laying foundation-stone of Professor Lloyd's nevf home^Chevalier Neukomm — Talleyrand— Visit to Lord Rosse — Account of his telescopes — Sir David Bievvster — Anecdote of Lord Rosse — General Sabine — British Association Meeting at Belfast — Discussion on the search for Franklin — Falmouth- Letters — Elihu Buiritt . . . 272 CONTENTS. CHAPTER XIX. '853- ■•AGE Lelteis — Story of Humboldt — Mazzini — Attacked by a bull — Accuunl of Emperor Napoleon and Deputation of London Merchants — Dr. Cumniinj; — Dr. Binney — Kossuth and Douglas J errold — Courtney Boyle— Death of Amelia Opie . 284 CHAPTER XX. 1854. MeeLs Charles Kingsley — Deputation to the Czar — Letter to E. T. Carne — Deaih of Talfourd — Madame de Wette — Story of her husband — Dean Milman — His opinion of S. T. Coleridge — Letters — " Te Deum," by R. Barclay Fox . 294 CHAPTER XXL 1855- Letters to E. T. Came — News of Barclay Fox at the Pyramids — Letters — His death .......... 300 CHAPTER XXn. 1856. Sir Charles Lemon— Lord Macaulay — Stories of the Cholera — Martin F. Tuppcr at Bury Hill— Letters — Death of Mrs. Schimmelpenninck — Gavazzi . 306 CHAPTER XXI] I. '857- George Smith — Ernest de Uunsen at Penjerrick — Professor Nichol — His Lecture — Florence Nightingale — Dublin — British Association Meeting — Paper read by R. \V. Fox— Story of Lord Carlisle— Dr. Barih— De I'Abbadie— Dr. Livingstone — At the Vice-kcgal Lodge — Falmouth — Mendelssohn — Dr. Arnold and the Duchess of Sutherland ..... CHAPTER XXIV. 1858. On Buckle's work— News of the Carlylcs— Kingsley— Ary Schcffer— Thomas Cooper's Lecture . . • • ■ ilb CONTENTS. CHAPTER XXV. 1859. PAGE Penjeirick — Meets Dr. Whewell al Carclew — His conversation — Tidings of Sir John Franklin's deatli — Letters . . . . . • 3'9 CH.APTER XXVI. i860. Ary Schefler — Visit from Tennyson — Francis Palgrave — Tlieir conversation — Holman Hunt at F.iIniouth — Val Prinsep — Miss Macaulay — Robertson — ■ Lord Macaulay — Death of Bunsen ...... CHAPTER XXVn. 1861-71. Meets John Bright— Letters — Buckle — Duke of Montpensier at Falmouth- Charles Kean — Meets Garibaldi— Visits Professor Adams at Cambridge — Popular Fallacies — Illness — Mentone — Visits Carlyle— His talk — Lady Ashburton — Her care of Carlyle — End of Journals .... 32S i MEMOIR. MEMOIR, ■ Speak of me as I am, nothing extenuate, Nor set duwn auglit in malice." — Shakkspeare. Thk Journals and Letters from winch the following Extracts have been chosen were written by Caroline Fox, of Penjerrick, between the years 1835 and 187 1. They speak so clearly for themselves that but few words of introduction or explanation are needed. The Editor's task has been rendered a pleasant one by the help and sympathy of those members of Caroline Fox's family who survive her and keep her memory green. Inasniucii as this book will probably reach the hands of many to whom the family history will be a terra incognita, it becomes necessary that the few following pages of prefatory Memoir should accompany her own "winged words." On the 24th of May 1819, the girl-child of whom we write was born, at Falmouth, into this tough world. She was one of the three children of distinguished parents — distinguished not only liy tluir fine old Ouaker lineage, but by the nianv beautiful (|ua!ities which belong to large hearts and minds. Her father, Robert Were Fox, was the eldest of that remarkable family of brothers and sisters whose fore- bears made Cornwall their resting-place two hundred years ago. The Brothers would have made a noticeable group in any eountrv, and were not less conspicuous from their public spirit and philanthropy tiian frt)ni their scientific acumen and attain- ments, their geniality, and the simplicity and modesty of their lives. Thev created a cluster of lovelv dwellimjf^ in and abo\it MEMOIR. Falmouth, which attract the traveller by their picturesque beauty and southern wealth of flower and tree. One of the most beautiful of these sheltered Cornish homes is Penjerrick, some three miles from that town, the summer residence and one of the dearly-Ioxcd homes of Caroline Fox and her parents. It was bv experiments and observations during a period of more than forty years that her father, Robert Were Fox, proved the increase of temperature in descending mines, converting Humboldt, a former antagonist, to his view. He was also the inventor of the "Deflector Dipping Needle," which has since been used in all the Arctic Expeditions. Upon his death in 1877, Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker, President of the Royal Society, said in his annual address that the Society had experienced a severe loss in "Mr. Fox, eminent for his re- searches on the temperature, and the magnetic and electrical con- dition of the interior of the earth, especially in connection with the formation of mineral veins, and who was further the inventor of some, and the improver of other instruments, now everywhere em- ployed in ascertaining the properties of terrestrial magnetism." In a very excellent sketch of his life and work bv Mr. J. H. Collins, F.G.S., published at Truro in 1878, these inventions and improvements extend into a pamphlet of nearly sixty octavo pages. To this valuable little book we should refer those who care to follow into greater detail the life-work of this excellent simple- hearted philosopher. The following extract from a letter written by Mrs. Schimmel- penninck in 1824 gi^'es a graphic description of the household as it then appeared : — " Having spoken of the house, I must now describe its inhabitants. Imagine Robert Fox, whom you knew as a lad, now a steadfast and established man ; the wise but determined and energetic regulator of his own, and the prop and firm support of his mother's large family. Picture to yourself his forehead, and the sides of his head with what Spurzheim used to call ' perpendicular walls of reason and of truth.' Patient investigation, profound reflection, and steadfast determination sit upon his thinking and bent brow. Generous and glowing feeling often kindles his deep- set eyes, whilst the firm closing of his mouth, the square bone of MEMOIR. the chin, and the muscular activity and strong form, show that it is continually compressed within by the cnerg)- of a self-governing character. Truth and honour unshaken, conscience unsullied, cool investigating reason, and irresistible force, seem to follow the out- lines of his very remarkable character. Maria is widely different. She has not the scientific tastes that distinguish her husband, but her heart and affections, her least actions and her very looks, are so imbued and steeped in the living waters of Divine Truth, that she seems to have come to the perfection of heavenly wisdom, which makes her conversation a rich feast and a blessed instruction. " She is a super-eminently excellent mother, always keeping a tender watch over her children without showing anxious care. On our arrival, the three little well-ordered children withdrew to their play on the verandah, and whilst she conversed cheerfully and cordially with us, still surrounded by their books and pictures, her watchful eye was constantly upon them. " In the earlv morning I used to watch her going with them to the beach, with a mule to carry the weary ones ; and they bathed in the midst of the rocks and caves, with no spectators but the shags and the sea-gulls. It was pleasant to me, as I was dressing, to watch them coming back, winding along the cliffs; and, as they drew near, Maria, seated on her mule, with little Carry in her arms, Anna Maria by her side, and the others surrounding her, repeating their hymns and psalms, they used to look like Raphael's picture of the Holy Family in the flight to Egjpt. Maria's maternal coun- tenance on these occasions I shall never forget; nor the sweet and tender emotion of her children. Little Carry especially used to enjoy the ride. 'O Mannnal' said she one day, 'do let me say my hymn louder, for the poor mule is listening and cannot hear me.' Their return I used soon to know by Carry or Barclay besetting me the moment I opened my door, to tell them stories of wild beasts." ' Caroline was born, and continued a member of the Society of Friends, in which Body her family have always occupied a foremost ' A portion of this IcUer appears in the Life of M. A. Schimmclpcnninck, edited by C. C, llaiikin. Longmana. 1858. b MEMOIR. position ; and she exemplified to a remarkable degree those charming qualities of simple purity, love of learning, and utter regard for Truth, which are some of the more strongly marked features of that community. Her parents were accustomed to pass the winter months at their house in Falmouth, where so many notable friends visited them, moving to Penjerrick for the summer, to revel in the perfect repose of their country life. As a child Caroline drew much attention by her winning ways and signs of an intelligence far above the usual order, and Mrs. Schimmelpenninck again says in another letter: " Caroline is quick, bright, and susceptible, with little black laughing eyes, a merry round face, and as full of tricks and pranks as a marmozet or Shakespeare's Robin Goodfellow." She was of a somewhat delicate constitution, and consequently was never called upon to face the often severe physical strain of a school education ; but in her mother's hands, and aided by the best masters obtainable, she made a progress with which few schools of that day could have successfully competed. She always found pleasure in study under those masters- who suited her fastidious taste, and soon learnt to discriminate between those under whose guidance she made real progress, and those who were not so suc- cessful in their endeavours. But the best part of her education was gained after the schoolroom door was closed and when she was mistress of her own time. Many and varied were the subjects taken up, and the books she read. All that was good in them she made her own, her fine nature rejecting everything else. In particular, the works of Cole- ridge exercised upon her a peculiar fascination, and stimulated her mind to greater efforts of thought. And it was remarked with what apparent ease she grasped the principles and detail of the most abstruse subjects, as well as the general topics of interest. Upon such a receptive nature the association with her Father's friends exercised the utmost fascination, and how thoroughly she appreciated and comprehended their conversation is shown in the many lucid notes in her Journals, in which she so well embodied these flvinff thouffhts of varied minds. And it makes a tender and MEMOIR. xix Striking picture — this voiing girl, with her deep reverence and \i\iil appreciation of ail the magic world of Thought in which she was permitted to roam, listening w ith delight to the utterances of wise men, and storing up their words in her heart. She would say with Steele, " If I were to choose the people witli whom I would spend my hours of conversation, they should be certainly such as laboured to make themselves readily and clearly apprehended, and would have patience and curiosity to understand me. When thoughts rise in us fit to utter among familiar friends, there needs but very little care in clothing them." Everv two years she visited London, the journey then consuming some three davs — davs filled with all the fun and excitement of a pleasant holiday. In 1840 commenced her friendship with the Mills and the Sterlings, much deeply interesting record of whicli will be found in iier Diaries; and it was a bitter parting when, in 1843, a sudden blow came in the death of Mrs. Sterling, followed by the removal of the bereaved family to the Isle of Wight. Her onlv brother, Robert Barclay Fox (who married Jane Gurney, daughter of Jonathan Backhouse of Darlington), and her sister Anna Maria, were her usual companions in her travels, as will be gathered by her frequent reference to one or the other. In reading these Journals it is worthy of notice how rajiidly Caroline Fox's character forms itself; attracting, rellecting, and assimilating from the stronger natures around her all that is note- worthy, high-toned, and deep-souled. The bright gaiety of tiie high-s]iirited girl is rapidly succeeded by the philosophic mind belonging to greater knowledge anil maturer years; whilst the quickly-recurring losses of dear friends and oKl companions, visibly deejicns and broadens the stream of her daily life, until, culminating in the Going-henee oi her only iJrother, she so pathetically cries — " For whom should I now record these entries of my life ? " ami then the gravity of Existence permanently settles upon her, with a not unwelcome foreboding, that her time is short, antl her Day is far spent. If we may say anything of her s])iritual life, it seenuil to those who knew her best tliat the intense reality of her faitli gave a joyousness to her bright days, and sustaineil her through dark and MEMOIR. perplexed times. Her quiet trust conquered all the doubts and conflicts which hung over her early yearSj and her submission to a Higher Will became ever more and more confident and satisfying — nay, one mav dare to sav, more triumphant. Her active sympathies with the poor and the sick were power- fully awakened under its benign influence ; and the struggle for " more light " through which this beautiful soul was passing, cannot be more forcibly set forth than in her own words, which were found in her desk after her death, but which were written when she was but one-and-twentv years of age : — " Juhj 14, 1 841. — As I think it may be a profitable employ- ment, and, at some future time when faith is at a low ebb, may recall with greater distinctness the struggle through which a spark of true faith was lighted in my soul, — I w ill attempt to make some notes of the condition of my mind in the summer and autumn of 1840. " I felt I had hitherto been taking things of the highest im- portance too nnich for granted, without feeling their reality; and this I knew to be a very unhealthy state of things. This conscious- ness was mainly awakened by a few solemn words spoken by Dr. Calvert on the worthlessness of a merely traditional faith in highest truths. The more I examined into my reasons for believing some of our leading doctrines, the more was I staggered and filled with anxious thought. I very earnestly desired to be taught the truth, at whatever price I might learn it. " Carlyle admirably expresses my state of mind when he speaks 'of the spasmodic efforts of some to believe that they believe.' But it would not do; I felt I was playing a dishonest part with myself, and with my God. I fully believed in Christ as a Mediator and Exemplar, but I could not bring my reason to accept Him as a Saviour and Redeemer. What kept me at this time from being a Unitarian was, that I retained a perfect conviction that though / could not see into the truth of the doctrine, it was nevertheless true; and that if I continued earnestly and sincerely to struggle after it, by prayer, reading, and meditation, I should one day be permitted to know it for myself. A remark that Hender Moles- w ortli one day incidentally made to me was often a gleam of comfort MEMOIR, to iiic iluriiig tliis time uf distress and warfare, lie said that hu thought 'a want of faitli was sometimes permitted to those who would otherwise luivc no trials; for vou know,' he added, 'a want of faith is a very great trial.' I did not tell him how truly he had spoken. "The first gleam of light, 'the first cold light of morning' which gave promise of day with its noontide glories, dawned on me one day at Meeting, when I had been meditating on my state in great depression. I seemed to hear the words articulated in my spirit, ' Live up to the light thou hast ; and more will be granted thee.' Then I believed that God speaks to man by His Spirit. I strove to live a more Christian life, in unison with what I knew to be right, and looked for brighter days ; not forgetting the blessings that are granted to prayer. " The next epoch in my spiritual life was an exposition of the lOth chapter of Hebrews, which John Stevenson was enabled to give, and I was permitted to receive. He commented on our uttir inability to fulfil the law, and the certain penalty of death we had thereby incurred. We no longer confided in the efficacy of the blood of bulls and goats to take away sin: on what then could we build any hope of escape from the eternal wrath of God ? When brought to this point of true anxiety about our salvation, our eyes are mercifully opened to see the Saviour ofl'ering Him- self as the one eternal sacrifice for sin; requiring, as the terms of our redemption, that the faith which had been experienced in the old Jewish sacrifices should be transferred to and centred in Himself. Thus the law was a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, to teach us faith in a sacrifice, the fulness of whose meaning Christ alone could exhibit. I was much interested in this at the time, but it had not its full effect till some days after. " I was walking sorrowfully and thoughtfully to Penrose, and in my wav back the description of Teufelsdrockh's triumph over fear came forcibly and vividly before me. Why (I said to myself) should I thus help to swell the triumph of the infernal powers by tampering with their miserable suggestions of unbelief, and neglect- ing the amazing gift which Christ has so long been oflering me? I know that He is the Redeemer of all such as believe in lliin; ;ind MEMOIR. I will believe, and look for His support in the contest with unbelief. My doubts and difHcuities immediately became shadowy, and my mind was full of happy anticipations of speedy and complete de- liverance from them. The next morning, as I was employed in making some notes of John Stevenson's comments (before alluded to) in my journal, the truth came before me with a clearness and consistency and brightness indescribably delightful; the reasonable- ness of some Christian doctrines which had before especially per- plexed me, shone now as clear as noonday ; and the thankfulness I felt for the blessed light that was granted was intense. I was able throughout to recognise the workings of the Holy Spirit on my heart, for I had often before read and listened to arguments equally conclusive, and indeed sometimes identical, with those which were now addressed with such evidence to my heart; but only this was the time appointed for their due influence. " I by no means regret the perplexities and doubts and troubles through which I have passed. They have increased my toleration for others, and given me a much higher value and deeper affection for those glorious truths which make up the Christian's hope, than I could have had if they had only been passively imbibed. The hard struggle I have had to make them my own must rise in my memory to check future faithlessness ; and the certain conviction that the degree of faith which has been granted was purely a gift from above, leads me with earnestness and faith to petition for myself and others, 'Lord, increase our faith.'" And some years after she writes : — " j4pril 13, 1855. — And now I must add a later conviction, namely, that the voluntary sacrifice of Christ was not undertaken to appease the wrath of God, but rather to express His infinite love to His creatures, and thus to reconcile them unto Himself. Every species of sacrifice meets, and is glorified, in Him ; and He claims from His children, as the proof of their loyalty and love, that perfect sul)jection of their own wills to His, of which self-sacrifice He is the Eternal Pattern ; and bestows the will and the power to be guided only by Himself." In the years 1844 and 1845 came a time of great sorro\\-, and MEMOIR. a considerable blank occurs in the Journals of these and some of the succeeding years ; what she wrote at this time containing, save so far as is extracted, nothing but a most sacred record of great personal sufllring and inward struggle. Hers was a nature to come out of sorrow, be it ever so deep or bitter, strengthened and ennobled by the lesson, and striving still more earnestly for the victory over self; and we find her Swiss travels in 1846 with her family, her brother and his wife, marked with the old power of observation and graphic force of expression, recording as before, all that seemed worthy of remark in the daily round of her resumed life. In 1848 she broke a bloodvessel, and a long convalescence ensued. Her almost miraculous preservation when pursued by a bull in 1853, when she lay insensible on the ground, the fierce animal roaring round but never touching her, evoked from her brother Barclay the following lines : — " Bow the head and bend the knee, Oh give thanks, how fervently, For a darling sister's breath ; Back my very blood doth shrink, God of mercies! when I think How she lay upon the brink Of an agonising death ! While the darkness gathers o'er mc, Clear the picture lives before me : There the monster in his wrath, And his lovely victim lying, I'raying inly— as the dying Only pray, — I see her lying Helplessly across his path. Oh the horror of that scene, Oh the sight that mi;;ht have been Had no angel stepped between The destroyer and his prey ; Had not God, who hears our cry, ' Save me, Father, or I die 1 ' Sent His angel from on High To save our precious one this day. MEMOIR. Gently came unconsciousness, All-enfolding like a dress ; Hush'd she lay, and motionless, Freed from sense and saved from fear ; All without was but a dream, Only the pearl gates did seem Very real and very near. For the life to us restored. Not we only thank thee, Lord ; Oh what deep hosannas rise From the many she hath blest, From the poor and the distrest ! Oh, the gratitude exprest By throbbing hearts and moistened eyes ! So living was her sympathy, That they dream'd not she could die. Till the Shadow swept so nigh, Startling with an unknown fear. Thus the day's untainted light Blesseth all and maketh bright ; But its work we know not quite. Till the darkness makes it clear." When her brother left England for his health in 1854, Caroline accompanied him to Southampton, and there bade him a last fare- well. He died near Cairo in the following March, and lies in the English cemetery of that city. The following extract from a letter written by Caroline upon the subject, is perhaps better placed here than in its order of date in the book. It is addressed to her cousin, Juliet Backhouse, and says, " We have agreed that his dear name shall never be banished from our midst, where he feels to us more vitally and influentially present than ever; he shall not be banished even to Heaven. Oh what it is to have had such a memory to leave to those who love you ! Almost nothing to forget, everything to remember with thankfulness and love. Surely memory will be carried on into the future, and make that bright too with his own dear presence; or is it not, will it not be, even more than memory ? This may be all fancy, and very foolish, but I cannot feel him far away, and the thought of him does not sadden me. It is stimulating, elevating, encouraging, the sense that one of ourselves is safely landed, all the toil and battle over. MEMOIR. the i-ml of the race attained, and God glorified in his salvation. Oh, it is all so wonderful, so blessed, that I have no time left for iTioiirning. I eoidd not have conceived the sting of death so utterly removed, not only for him, but for us. The same ' canopy of love ' is surely over us both, and we can but feel that it will take a long lifetime to thank our God and Saviour for the beautiful mercies which have glorified the whole trial, and which must always make it a most holy thing. He has himself been so evidently, though unconsciously, preparing us for it; telling us of his own child-like confidence, and committing his nearest and dearest to the same Fatherly care, in lovely words which often thrilled us at the time, but arc, how precious, now." In 1858 she lost her mother, who was a daughter of Robert Barclay of Bury Hill. Caroline passed the following spring, with her father and sister, chiefly in Rome and Naples. The death of her brother's widow at I'au, in i860, brought with its deep sense of loss a kindly compensation, as her four orphaned boys came to live at Penjerrick and Grove Hill, which were henceforward to be their homes, whilst the little daughter Jane found that wealth of parents' love she had lost so soon, renewed in all its fulness in the hearts of her Uncle and Aunt, Ldnuind and Juliet Backhouse. The ensuing years were now filled with a new interest to Caroline Fox, who watched with untiring care the development of her young nephews, entering with zest into many of their interests. In 1863 a journey to Spain was undertaken with her father, who had been chosen as one of the Deputies to plead for the freedom of Matamoros. Then came warnings of serious jihvsical weakness, and the usual weary search for health was undertaken, w hen the Riviera and other places were visited with but varying success. She was in Venice in 1866, and was sufliciently restored to sec the Paris Kxhibition held in that year, but each winter found her less able to cope with its severities. Her cheerfulness and interest in all around never abated, and her Journals still marked the daily events of her life. Notwithstanding all this, it must not be thought that she was a constant invalid. She was subject to wearisome attacks of chronic bronchitis, and rallied wonderfullv between them. Dur- ing the Christmas of 1870, when the snow lay on the grounil, uitli MEMOIR. sunshine and blue skies overhead, she looked blooming, and walked frequently a mile or two to the cottages around : l)ut when the thaw set in, her friends trembled for her ; the damp, chilly air never suited her, and it was a cause of distress to be cut off from her out-of-doors objects of interest. She took cold when going her rounds with New Year's gifts, and it quickly turned to a more severe attack of bronchitis than her lessening strength could struggle through ; and although the sense of illness seemed lifted off, the old rallying power was gone. This year was to be, in truth, a new one for her; and freed from every pang, nor called upon to say that awful word, " Fare- well," she entered into her New Life during sleep in the early morning of the I2th January 1871. To her bereaved Father the following words, written by his child when she was rich in the presence of both parents, were inexpres- sibly helpful and soothing: — "My precious Father and Mother must keep whatever of mine they may like to have. It is vain to attempt to thank them for all they have done for me. I have often, very often, been most provoking and irresponsive to their loving-kindness, but in the bottom of my heart not, I trust, ungrateful. Farewell, darlings all. If you can forgive and love me, remember with com- fort that our God and Saviour is even more loving, more forgiving than you are, and think of me with peace and trustfulness and thanksgiving, as one whom He has graciously taught, mainly through sorrows, to trust and to love Him utterly, and to grieve only over the ingratitude of my sins, the sense of which is but deepened by His free forgiveness." Ten years have passed since that parting day, and her memory is still fondly cherished. To some of her dear ones the Journals have been shown, but it is only in the last few months that her sister has consented to allow a larger circle to share in the perusal. Caroline Fox was unusually rieli in her friendships, and she had the power of graphically sketching scenes and conversations. It is hoped that nothing will ix- found in these pages which should seem like drawing aside the curtains that ought to be left coverinsr the inner life of all. Her criticisms, though often bright. MEMOIR. sharp, and humorous, arc never poisoned or cpulI ; and the friends who survive will not apprehend with dread the opportunities which her MSS. have given for stamping her impressions " like footprints on the sands of Time." The English world of thought to-day owes much to men whom Caroline Fox called friends, and words they uttered are not with- out present significance. Moreover, these records of so many years past, appearing now, interest us the more, because we can compare the thoughts, the wishes, the prophecies of these men with much that has since resulted from their teaching. The present generation is eager enough to con even passing expressions from Mill, Carlylc, Bunsen, and other members of that charmed circle ; and " human portraits, faithfully drawn," as Carlyle says, "arc of all pictures the welcomcst on Human Walls." The portrait which accompanies this book is an Etching by Hubert Ilerkomer, from the drawing made by Samuel Laurence when she was about twenty-seven years of age. And so we launch this little Boat into the Ocean, with some confidence that it will make its way to Shores where its freight of goodly " Memories," preserved for us by a keen intellect and warm heart, will be welcomed as a record of many who have passed " to where beyond these voices there is Peace." I MEMORIES OF OLD FRIENDS. CHAPTER I. " Home is the resort Of love, of joy, of peace and plenty, wliere Supporting and supported, polish'd friends And dear relations mingle into bliss." — THOMSON. Falmouth, March 19. — Davies GilbLrt' and others dined here. chap. i. He was full of anecdote, and interest as usual. One on the definition ,335. of " treadc " was good. It is really derived from " trad " (Saxon), a thing. When he was on the bench a man was brought before one of the judges on some poisoning charge, and the examination of a witness proceeded thus: Q. "Did you sec anything in the loaf?" A. " Yes; when I cut it open, I found it full of traed." Q. "Traed ; why, what is that ? " A. " Oh, it's rope-ends, dead mice, and other conibustii)Ics." March 30. — Heard at breakfast that the famous Joseph Wolff, the missionary, had arrived at Falmouth. He gave an interesting lecture on the subject of his travels in I'ersia, &c. He has encoun- tered many dangers, but "the Lord has delivered him out of them all." It was well attended. Lady Georgina Wolff is at Malta, as she does not like the sea. March 31. — At four o'clock Joseph Woltf came to dinner, and told us more about the various persons and places he has visited. ' Gi//vr/ (Davies), formerly named Giddy, bom 1797, educated at rcml>roke College, Oxford. M. P. successively for I lelslnn and Hudmin, and ['resident of llie Koyal Society. Celebrated as an antiquary and writer on Cornish topography, &c. lie died in 1S39. A JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. CHAP. I. Of Ladv Hester Stanhope he gave a very amusing account. When 1835. at Mount Lebanon he sent a message with which he was charged to a lady staying with her. On which Lady Hester sent him a most extraordinary but clever letter, beginning, " How can you, a vile apostate, presume to hold any intercourse with my family ? Light travels faster than sound, therefore how can vou think that your cracked voice can precede the glorious light of the Gospel, which is eventually to sliine naturally in these parts." He returned an appro- priate answer, but he noticed the servant he had sent \\ ith it came back limping, having been actually kicked and beaten by her ladyship in propria persona. Many passages in the Bible he cleared up by observation of the places mentioned. Respecting the prophecy about Babylon " that owls shall dwell there and satyrs shall dance there," he said that "satyrs" should be translated "worshippers of devils," and that once a year the Afghans, who worship little devilish gods, assemble there in the night and hold their dance. He sang us some beautiful Hebrew melodies. October 3. — At breakfast we were pleasantly surprised to see Joseph Wolff walk in, without being announced. He was full of affection, and wanted to kiss papa, who, retreating, left only his shoulder within reach, which accordingly received a salute. He joined us at breakfast, and described his late intercourse and correspondence with Drummond and many of the Irvingite party. Their want of Christian love speaks strongly against them, and their arrogating to themselves the titles of angels, prophets, and apostles shows a want of Christian humility. He embarked soon afterwards on his way to Timbuctoo, and perhaps we shall never see him again. October 15. — Papa and I spent the evening at the Derwent Cole- ridges' at Helston. It left a beautiful impression on us, and we visited the lovely little sleepers, Derwent and Lily, saw the library, and the silver salver presented by his boys, and, best of all, listened to his reading of passages from " Christabel " and other of his father's poems, with his own rare felicity. He talked of architecture with reference to George Wightwick's designs for the Falmouth Poly- technic, and mentioned a double cube as the handsomest of all forms for a room. Mary Coleridge was in all her beauty, and ministered to a bevy of schoolboys at supper with characteristic energy. ( 3 ) CHAPTER II. iSj6. " Form'd by thy converse happily to steer, From grave to gay, from lively to severe."' — PorK. Falmouth, ytpril 7. — Sir Charles Lemon, John Enys, and Henry chap. ii. lie la Bcehe * came to luncheon. The last named is a very entertaining ,835. person, his manners rather French, his conversation spirited and '^'"'" '^" full of illustrative anecdote. He looks about forty, a handsome but care-worn face, brown eyes and hair, and gold spectacles. He exhibited and explained the geological maps of Devon and Cornwall, which he is now perfecting for the Ordnance. Accord- ingly he is constantly shifting his residence that he may survey- accurately in these parts. I'apa read his new theory of " Veins ; " De la Beche thoroughly seconds his ideas of galvanic agency, but will not yield the point of the fissures being in constant progression; he says they were all antediluvian. They stayed several hours, and were particularly charmed with some experiments about tin and galvanism. ylpr'il 25. — Henry de la Beche and his daughter Bessie spent the day with us, and we took a merry country excursion, the geo- logical part of which was extremely satisfactory to all parties. Bessie is a bright aflectionate girl, devoutly attached to Ikt fatiicr, with whom she travels from place to place. She is about fifteen, fond of books, but her main education is in her father's society. They are now stationed at Redruth. ' Dt la Btcht (Sir Henry Thomas), the eminent geologist, bom 1796, educated at Gieat Marlow and Sandinirst, President of the Gcugraphical Society in 1847. In 1831 lie projected the plan of making a geological map of England on his own responsibility, com- mencing wiih Cornwall ; the result being that the Government instituted the Geological Survey. He established the School of Mines, was knighted in 1848, and died in 1855. JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. CHAP. II Bristol, August 22. — The gentlemen returned from tlieir sec- j^, tions of the British Association Meeting this morning very much atjt. 17. gratifiedj and after dinner we five started by the coach, and in the course of time arrived at the large British Babylon. It was a work of time to get into it most assuredly, and Uncle Hill- house thought of taking us all back again, in which case we should indeed have been taken all aback. However, the ladies, dear creatures, would not hear of that, so by most extraordinary muscular exertions, we succeeded in gaining admittance. We got fairish seats, but all the time the people made such a provoking noise, talking, coming in, and going out, opening and shutting boxes, that very little could we hear. But we saw Tom Moore in all his glory, looking, as Barclay^ said, " like a little Cupid with a quizzing- glass in constant motion." He seemed as gay and happv as a lark, and it was pleasant to spend a whole evening in his immediate presence. There was a beautiful girl just before us, who was most obliging in putting herself into the most charming attitudes for our diversion. jlugust 27. — After dinner to the playhouse, and a glorious merry time we had. The Meeting was principally employed in thanks- giving, individually and collectively. Sir W. Hamilton giving us a most pathetic address on his gratitude to Bristol and the Bristo- lians. Dr. Buckland declared he should be worse than a dog were he to forget it. There was a remarkable sameness in these long- winded compliments and grateful expressions. But when Tom Moore arose with a little paper in his little hand, the theatre was almost knocked down with reverberations of applause. He rose to thank Mr. Miles for his liberality in throwing open his picture- gallery. He proceeded to wonder why such a person as he was, a humble representative of literature, was chosen to address them on this scientific occasion. He supposed that in this intellectual banquet he was called for as one of the light dishes to succeed the gros morccaux of which we had been partaking, and he declared Science to be the handmaid, or rather the torch-bearer, of Religion. August ^\. — We were returning from the British Association ' Fox (Robert Barclay), only brother of Carobne Fox. JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. S Meeting, and Dr. Buckland was an outside compagnon de voyage, chap. ii. but often caine at stopping places for a little chat.' He was much igj^. struck by the dearth of trees in Cornwall, and told of a friend of his '^''"" '^' who had made the oflT-hand remark that there was not a tree in the jiarish, when a parishioner remonstrated with him on belying the parish, and truly asserted that there were seven. Last evening we were at Exeter, and had an interesting exploration of the old Cathedral before a dinner, after which our philosophers. Dr. Buckland, Pro- fessor Johnston, and papa, got into such deep matters that we left them in despair. Dr. Buckland says he feels very nervous in addressing large assemblies till he has once made them laugh, and then he is entirely at ease. He came on to the Polytechnic and stayed with us. One wet day he took his turn with three others in lecturing to an attentive audience in our drawing-room ; we listened with great and gaping interest to a description of his geological map, the frontispiece to his forthcoming Bridgewater Treatise. He gave very clear details of the gradual formation of our earth, which he is thoroughly convinced, took its rise ages before the Mosaic record. He says that Luther must have taken a similar view, as in his translation of the Bible he puts "ist" at the third verse of the first chapter of Genesis, which showed his belief that the tsvo first verses relate to something anterior. He explains the formation of hills with vallevs between them by eruptions undergroimd. He gave amusing descriptions of antediluvian animals, plants, and skulls. They have even discovered a large fossil fish with its food only partially digested. The lecture showed wonderfully persevering research aiid a great knowledge of comparative anatomy. Falmoitl/i, Stptrml'er lo. — Poor Dr. Hiukiand has sprained his leg, and we are taking care of him a little. He and other British Association friends had been excursing in the west, and took sundry Cornish pies w ith them. Buckland they treated to lime and cold water. He left us, antl a few days afterwards wrote to announce the happy birth of a daughter, and the request of his publisher to print a further edition of 5000 copies of his new work. He also ' /j«f.(-/a/i./ (William), Dean of Wtstminslcr, born 17S4. lie published many well- known works on B'^ology, and he died 1856. He was the father of Frank T. Buckland, Ihc naturalist, who died in 1S80. JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. CH\p II. speaks with much interest about A. Crosse's insects, which the 1836 papers describe his having observed whilst manipulating some quartz crystal. They were little anomalous forms at first, but gradually took the shape of insects, and this after a lavation in muriatic acid. Dr. Buckland supposes them to be fossil ovae of Sorleanus resuscitated by modern scientific activity, and reasons gravely on this theory. September 12. — Professor Wheatstone, the Davies Gilberts, and Professor Powell were ushered in, and joined our party. Wheat- Stone was most interesting at dinner; he knows John Martin in- timately, and says he is exactly like his pictures — all enthusiasm and sublimity, amazingly self-opiniatcd, and has lately taken a mechanical turn. He thinks him a man of great but misdirected genius. He gave some instances of monomania, and mentioned one extraordinary trance case of a man who was chopping down trees in a wood, and laid down and slept much longer than usual ; when he awoke life was a blank ; he was not in a state of idiotcy, but all his acquired knowledge was obliterated. He learned to read again quickly, but all that had passed previously to his trance was entirely swept away from his memory. At the age of fifty he slept again an unusual time ; on awaking, his first act was to go to the tree which he had been felling on the former occasion to look for his hatchet; the medium life was now forgotten, and the former returned in its distinct reality. This is well authenticated. September 23. — Just after tea "a gentleman" was announced, who proved to be nothing less than Professor Sedgwick ! ^ He had unluckily unpacked at the inn, and so preferred keeping to those quarters. He goes to-morrow with Barclay to Pendour Bay in search of organic remains, which he fully expects to find there, and does not think the Cornish have any cause to boast of their primitive rocks, as he has discovered limestone with plenty of organic remains, and even some coal in the east of the county. September 24. — After dinner we were joined by Sedgwick and Barclay, who had thoroughly enjoyed their morning, but had dis- ' Sedgzvick (Rev. Adam), ilie celebiated Woodwaidian Professor of Geology to the University of Cambridge. JOURNALS OP CAROLINE FOX. covered no organic remains but some limestone. A note came for chap. ii. Sedgwick from Sir Charles Lemon, which he read to us: "I hope ,^ if you have brought Mrs. Sedgwick with you that we shall have "'"'' ''• the pleasure of seeing her to stay at Carclew, and I will do my best to amuse her whilst you are flirting with primitive formations 1 " As Mr. Sedgwick is a bachelor, this was pronounced quite a capital joke of Sir Charles's, " who," said Sedgwick, "is always laughing at my desolate situation." September 30. — " Mrs. Corgic," tlie rightful Lady George Murray, arrived. She is a delightful woman, and told us many anecdotes of the late (^)ueen Charlotte, whom she knew intimately. ALany of the autograph letters of the Royal Family she gave me arc addressed to herself. The ^ueen (Charlotte) japanned three little tables; one she gave to the King, another to the Prince of Wales, and the third to Lady George, which she has (iilcd with the letters she has received from the Royal Family. She told us that aljout four years ago the Princess Victoria was made acquainted with her probable dignitv bv her mother's desiring that when in reading the history of Englanil she came to the death of the I'rincess Charlotte, she should bring the book and read to her, and on coming to that period she made a dead halt, and asked the Duchess if it were possible she would ever be queen. Her mother replied, "As this is a very possible circumstance, I am an.xious to bring you up as a good woman, then you will be a good queen also." The care observed in the Princess's education is exemplary, and everything is indeed done to bring about this result. She is a good linguist, an acute foreign politician, and possesses very sound common sense. October 3. — Captain Fitz-Roy' came to tea. He returned yester- day from a five years' voyage, in H.M.S. Beagle, of scientific research round the world, and is going to write a book. He came to see papa's dipping needle deflector, with which he was highly delighted. He has one of Sainby's on board, t)ut this beats it in accuracy. He stayed til! :ifter eleven, and is a most agreeable, gentlemanlike young man. He has had a delightful voyage, and ' J'l/z-A'oy (Admiral Robert), born 1S05. Ilis, .mil Ur. Charles Darwin's publitlicd accounts of this vo)'.igc are well known. 8 JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. CHAP. II. made many discoveries, as there were several scientific men on i^. board. Darwin, the " fly-catcher " and " stone-pounder," has decided a/ai. 17. ^j^^j. j.j^g coral insects do not work up from the bottom of the sea against wind and tide, but that the reef is first thrown up by a volcano, and they then surmount it, after which it gradually sinks. This is proved by their never finding coral insects alive beyond the depth of ten feet. He is astonished at the wonderful strides every- thing has made during the five years afore-passed. October 27. — Lady George Murray gave me an interesting account of Lady Byron, whom she challenges anybody to know without loving. The first present she made to Ada was a splendid likeness of Lord Byron, an edition of whose works is in her library, to which Ada has free access. She has done nothing to prejudice her against her father. The celebrated " Fare-thee-well " was presented in such a manner as rather to take off from the sentiment of the thing. He wrapt up in it a number of unpaid bills, and threw it into the room where she was sitting, and then rushed out of the house. Ada is very fond of mathematics, astronomy, and music, but possesses no soul for poetry. November 24. — Large dinner-party. Captain Belcher,^ an admir- able observer of many things, was very amusing. In 1827, when among the Esquimaux with Captain James Ross/ they were treated in a very unfriendly manner; he and five men were wrecked and their boat sunk, and they were obliged to betake themselves to the land of their enemies, twenty-four of whom, well armed with clubs, came down to dispute their proceedings. They had only one brace of percussion pistols amongst them and one load of powder and ball. The natives were aware of the terrible effect of these instruments but not of their scarcity, so Captain Belcher went out 1 Belc!u-r (Sir Edward), C.B., F.R.S., F.G.S., Vice- Admiral, born 1799, entered the Navy i8i2, acted as assistant-surveyor to Captain Beechey in 1S24 in his voy.-ige of dis- covery to Behring's Straits. He was employed in distingtiished service in the Arctic regions and the China War. He commanded the Franlilin search in 1852, and died in 1877. - Koss (Sir James Clark), R.N., born iSoo. In 184S he made an unsuccessful search for Sir John Franklin. His scientific attainments were very great, and received the acknowledgment of many English and Foreign societies. His attempts to reach the South Pole are mentioned later on in these Journals. JOURNALS OF CAROUSE FOX. of his tent just before their faces, as if looking for something, put chap. ii. his hand in his pocket, and drew out a pistol as if by accident and ,^ hurried it back again. The other sailors, by slightly varying the '*''"• '7- ruse, led the natives to imagine the presence of six pair of pistols, and so they did not venture on an attack. Shortly after this, having been repeatedlv harassed, they were thankful to see their ship ap- proaching; the Esquimaux now prepared for a final assault, and came in great numbers demanding their flag. Seeing the helpless- ness of his party, Captain Belcher said, "Well, you shall have the flag, but you must immediately erect it on the top of that hill." They gladly consented, and Captain Belcher fastened it for them on a flag- stafl'", but put it Union downwards. The consequence was that the ship's boats immediately put off and pulled with all their might, the natives scampered off, the flag was rescued, and the little party safely restored to their beloved ship. I should like to hear the Esquiniaux's history of the same period. Captain Belcher has invented a very ingenious instrument for measuring the temperature of the water down to "bottom soundings." lie is a great disciplinarian, and certainly not popular in tiic navy, but very clever and intensely methodical. December 2. — We called at Feonc's Hotel on the Begum of Oude, who is leaving England (where her husband is ambassador), on a pilgrimage to Mecca. Iler bright little Hindustani maid told us she was "gone down cappin's," so to Captain Clavel's wc followed her and spent a most amusing half-hour in her society. She was seated in great state in the midst of the family circle, talking English with great self-possession spite of her charm- ing blunders. Her dress was an immense pair of trousers of striped Indian silk, a Cashmere shawl laid over her head, over a close covering of blue and yellow silk, two pairs of remarkable slippers, numbers of anklets and leglets, a great deal of jewellery, and a large blue cloak over all. She was very conversable, showed us her orna- ments, wrote her name and title in English and Arabic in my book, anil offered to make an egg curry. At the top of the page where she wrote her name she inscribed in Arabic sign " Allah," saying, "That name God you take great care of." She sat by Mrs. Clavel, and after petting and stroking her for a while, declared " Love I vou." She lo JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. CHAP. 11. promised her and Leonora a Cashmere shawl apiece, adding, " I get ,8,6 them very cheap, five shillings, seven shillings, ten shillings, very <^'<''- '7- good, for I daughter king, duty take I, tell merchants my, make shawls, and I send you and miss." She has spent a year in London, her name is Marriam and her husband's Molv^ Mohammed Ishmael. Her face is one of quick sagacity but extreme ugliness. December 3. — The next day we found her squatting on her bed on the floor, an idiot servant of the Prophet in a little heap in one corner, her black-eyed handmaiden grinning us a welcome, and a sacred kitten frolicking over the trappings of Eastern state. We were most graciously received with a shriek of pleasure. Her observations on English life were very entertaining. She told us of going to " the Court of the King of London. — He very good man, but he no power. — Parliament all power. — King no give half-penny but call Parliament, make council, council give leave, King give half-penny. — For public charity King give one sovereign, poor little shopman, baker-man, fish-man, barter-man also give one sovereign. Poor King! — King Oude he give one thousand rupees, palanquin mans with gold stick, elephants, camels ; no ask Parliament." She and papa talked a little theology, she of course began it. " I believe but one God, very bad not to think so ; you believe Jesus Christ was prophet?" Papa said, "Not a prophet, but the Son of God." " How you think so, God Almighty never marry ! In London every one go to ball, theatre, dance, sing, walk, read ; no go Mecca. I mind not that, I go Mecca, I very good woman." She took a great fancy to Barclay, declaring him very like her son. She offered him a commission in the King of Oude's army and j^iaoo a year if he would come over and be her son ; she gave him a rupee, probably as bounty money. There are 300 English in her King's service, two doctors, and three aides-de-camp. She showed us some magnificent jewellery, immense pearls, diamonds, and emeralds, tied up so carelessly in a dirty handkerchief. Her armlets were very curious, and she had a silver ring on her great toe which lay in no obscurity before her. Then a number of her superb dresses were displayed, gold and silver tissues, satins, cashmeres, muslins of an almost impossible thinness, which she is going to give away at Mecca. She is aunt to the present, sister of the late, and daughter JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. n of the former. King of Oude. She has a stone house in which she chap. ii. keeps fifteen Persian cats. It is a great virtue to keep cats, and ,T^ a virtue with infinite reward attached, to keep an idiot ; the one '*''''■ '7- with her here she discovered in London, and was very glad to appropriate the little Eastern mystery. Aunt Charles' bonnet amused her, she wanted to know if it was a new fashion ; she talked of the Quakers, and said thev were honest and never told lies. December 5. — To-day the Begum began almost at once on theo- logy, asking mamma if " she were a religiaisc," and then began to expound her own creed. She took the Koran and read some passages, then an English psalm containing similar sentiments, then she chanted a Mahometan collect beautifully in Arabic and Hindustani. She made mamma write all our names that she might send us a letter, and then desired Aunt Lucy to write something, the purport of which it was not easy to divine. At last she explained herself, " Say what you think of Marriam Begum, say she religious, or she bad woman, or whatever you think." Poor Aunt Lucv could not refuse, and accordingly looked sapient, bit her pen-stump, and behold the precipitate from this strong acid, " We have been much interested in seeing Marriam Begum, and think her a religious lady." I think a moral chemist would pronounce this to be the result of more alkali than acid, but it was an awkward corner to be driven into. She was coming to visit us to-day, but had to embark instead, after expressing her hopes that we should meet again in Oude I December 15. — John Murray^ arrived, and was very amusing, describing all manner of things. He knows George Combe intimately, and says that at the B. A. Meeting at Edinburgh, he got in among the savants, and took phrenological sketches of many of them. He describes him as a most acute original person. With Glengarry he was also well acquainted ; he kept up the ancient Scotch habits most carefully, wore the dress and cultivated the feuds of an old laird, and if a Macleod tartan chanced to be seen, woe betide him I Glengarry went to George IV.'s coronation in his Scotch dress, and during the ceremony a very female marchioness, subject to vajiours, observed his hand on one of his pistols. Imagining a projected ' John Murray, lecturer and writer on the physiology of plants, &c. JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. CHAP. II. assassination of his new Majesty^ she screamed, and the Highland ig,i5 laird was arrested ; he showed^ however, that it was purely accidental, aiat. 17. ^YiQ pistols being unloaded and himself not disaffected, so they liberated him ; but the affair produced a strong sensation at the time. He died a year or two since in saving his daughters whom he was taking to a boarding school near London ; the ship was wrecked, and he being an excellent swimmer took one of them safe to shore, but just before landing the second, he struck against a rock, and died an hour after. With him died ancient Scotland. December 18. — Amusing details from Cowley Powles of Southey's visit at Helston. He has been delighting them all, rather with his wit than anything poetical in his conversation. He is very tall, about sixty-five years old, and likes mealy potatoes. He gives the following recipes for turning an Englishman into a Welshman or Irishman : For the former — he must be born in snow and ice from their own mountains, baptized in water from their own river, and suckled by one of their own goats. For an Irishman — born in a bog, baptized in whisky, and suckled by a bull. What a concatena- tion of absurdities ! The other day he took a book from one of the shelves, when Derwent Coleridge, who must have been in a deliciously dreamy state, murmured apologetically, " I got that book cheap — it is one of Southey's." It was quietly replaced by the poet ; Mary Coleridge exclaimed, "Derwent ! " and all enjoyed the joke except the immediate sufferers. William Coope tells us that he used often to see S. T. Coleridge till within a month of his death, and was an ardent admirer of his prominent blue eyes, reverend hair, and rapt expression. He has met Charles Lamb at his house. On one occasion Coleridge was holding forth on the effects produced by his preaching, and appealed to Lamb, " You have heard me preach, I think ? " " I have never heard you do anything else," was the urbane reply. December a8. — On coming home this morning, found Molv^ Mo- hammed, the Begum's husband, and his secretary, in the drawing- room. He has a sensible face, not totally unlike his wife's, and was dressed in the English costume. On showing him the Begum's writing in my book, he w^as much pleased at her having inserted his name as an introduction to her own. "Ha! she no me forget, I very glad see that." He added some w riting of his own in Persian, JOURNALS OF CAROLIXE FOX. 13 the sense of which was, " W liuii I was young I used to hunt tigers chap. ii. and lions, but my intercourse with the ladies of England has driven ,835. all that out of my head." He is said to be by no means satisfied '"^'' ''" w ith bigamy, and it is added that one of the motives of the Begum's English visit was to collect wives for the King of Oude. The De la Beches are now settled at Falmouth on our terrace ; they spent to-day with us, and were very merry, Henry de la Beche calling up the memory of some of his juvenile depravities and their fitting punishments. On one occasion he and several other young men saw an old coachman driving a coronetcd carriage into a mews. They soon brought him to his bearings, and insisted on his driving them to their respective homes. As it was a question of six to one, he was obliged to comply. Having lodged three of them according to their orders, he drove the others to the watch-house ; there they found an acquaintance. Lord Munster, who, however, could not effect a compromise, so, after much bravado, poor Henry de la Beche had to liberate them all at an expense of five pounds. He gave many Jamaica histories. When the thermometer is at 60°, poor Sambo complains, " Berry cold, massa, me berry much cold." Hunting alligators on the Nile is capital fun; they generally spear them, but once De la Beche attempted to shoot one with a long old swivel-gun fastened down to the boat with an iron bar; the machine burst, and the boat, not the alligator, was the victim. He illustrated his position that dress makes a marvellous change in the very ex- pression of a face, by cutting out cocked hats, coats, cigars, &c., and decorating therewith some of Lavater's worshipful portraits. The change was dreadful. He talked cleverly of politics, in which he goes to a Radical length. ( 14 ) atai. i8. CHAPTER III. iS37- " Then let me fameless, love, love the fields and woods, The fruitful watei'd vales, and running floods." — Thomas May. CHAP. III. Falmouth, Jamiary 7. — Henry de la Beche gave us an amusing 1837. account of his late visit to Trelowarren. Sir Richard Vyvyan was always beating about the bush, and never liked openly to face an adverse opinion, but was for ever giving a little slap here and a little slap there to try the ground, till De la Beche brought him regularly up to the point at issue, and they could fight comfortably with mutual apprehension. His metaphysical opinions are very curious ; indeed, his physical views partake very much of the nature of these, so subtilly are they etherealised. He has a most choice library, or as De la Beche calls it, a collection of potted ideas, and makes, I fancy, a very scholastic use of it. On looking at some of the bad hand- writings in my autograph book, De la Beche observed how much we read by inference, and how curious writing is altogether, it is purely thought communicatino; with thousiht. February 2. — Called on some of the old women. One of them said, " It was quite a frolic my coming to read to them." What different views some people have of frolics ! February 7. — De la Beche came in at breakfast-time and was a regular fun-engine, and about two we all went off to Gillanvase on a geological expedition. We went out for the sole purpose of finding " faults," and full many a hole did we pick in the characters of our neighbours the rocks. We generally found a decided "fault" when two "vein" characters came in contact, a natural result. Our raised beach was satisfactory evidence of the change in the sea-level. Traced various cross-courses, one ending in little in- definable streaks of quartz was very pretty. But I am not geo- CHAP, in 1837. JOURSALS OF CAROLIXE FOX. 15 logical, nor was a great deal of the talk. Henry de la Beche told innumerable stories, as is his wont. A French and English boaster were detailing the exploits of their several regiments : " With this '^''"' '' handful of men," said the latter, " we secured the demi-lune." " Oh," answered the Frenchman, "mais nous, nous avons pris une June entiere! " Two Frenchmen wishing to show off their English in a London coffee-house, remarked, " It deed rain to-morrow." " Yes, it was," promptly answered his friend. We examined the Castle and heard somewhat of the principles of fortification, De la Beche having been educated at a military school. The wall round a castle, to be effective, should not let any of the castle's masonry be visible. He dined with us, and we heard many strange stories of the scientific dons of the day, who if fairly sketched must be a shockingly ill- tempered set. Henry de la Beche drew a cartoon of the results of A. Crosse's system of revivifying the fossil life in an old museum, grotesquely horrible. February 8. — De la Beche wandered in at breakfast to give papa the two first fossil remains that have been found near a lode, w hich he drew forth from their hiding with his own authentic hands. One is the vertebra, the other the body of an encrinite. He read us some of a report he is now drawing up for Government, in which he does papa all manner of honour. He made some admirable observations on the oneness of human nature everywhere in all ranks and all countries, with only some little differences of "localisation." He says that all the beautiful Greek vases are formed of a series of ellipses, and he has sent for patterns from Mr. Phillips of the Woods and Forests, to give the Cornish better ideas of forms for their serpentine and porphyry vases. Feiruanj 2f. — John Enys told us that Henry de la Beche had spent some time in the West Indies, and tried to ameliorate the condition of his slaves, and abolished the practice of flogging, though the power was still vested in tlie overseer; he established a system of education and did much good. He was warmly opposed by the planters, but he pursued his way, and they theirs. On his return to England he had many troubles, which accounts for his low views of mankind, and for the artificial spirits in w hich he so often seems to be veiling his griefs and disappointments. (Btat. i8. i6 JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. CHAP. III. /ipril 37. — The De la Bechcs dined with us, and were pecu- 1837. liarly agreeable. A great deal of conversation went forward, on Ireland, the West Indies, the Roman Catholic and Protestant Churches, education, and phrenology. Once at a party De la Beche was much plagued by puzzling riddles, so out of revenge he proposed, " Whv is a lover like a turnip-top ? " They racked their heads in vain for the answer, and he left them unsatisfied. Long afterwards a young lady of the party met him, and asked imploringly, " Why is a lover like a turnip-top ? " only to receive the provoking replv, " I'm sure I don't know." Another lady, who imagined him botanically omniscient, asked him the name of a pet plant supported by a bit of whalebone, " Oh, Staylonia pulcharia" he suggested, and soon afterwards had the joy of seeing it thus labelled; however, he had the honesty to undeceive her. May 15. — About one o'clock Derwent Coleridge was an- nounced, quickly succeeded by George Wightwick,^ who blundered into the room on his own ground plan. Took them all over the Grove Hill gardens. Wightwick made a profound bow to the indiarubber tree as having often befriended him in his unguarded moments. He told us several anecdotes of the charming impudence of Snow Harris. Once when he (Wightwick) had been lecturing at the Athenaeum on the superiority of the Horizontal to the Pyramidical style of architecture, he thus illustrated the theory: "When the French army under Napoleon came to the Pyramids they passed on without emotion, but when they reached the Temple of Karnak, which is a horizontal elevation, they with one accord stood perfectly still." " Rather tired, I suppose," murmured Harris. yunc 22. — Henry de la Beche was particularly amusing in his black coat, put on in consequence of the King's death, complaining of tomfoolery in thus affecting to mourn when there was little real feeling. After the late Geological meeting they took supper with Lord Cole, and instituted a forfeit in case any science should be talked. Most of the party had to pay the penalty, which was, drinking salt and water and singing a song. Two hammers were • Wightwick (George\ the arcliitect. A friend of Charles Mathews the elder, and author of the " Palace of Archi'.ecture " and oilier works. JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. 17 trta/. 18. put on the table in case of any insurmountable differences of opinion, chap. iii. that the parties might retire into another room and settle their dispute. ^^ Spite of fair inferences, he declares they were not tipsy, but simply making good a pet axiom of his, " toujours philosophc — is a fool." Jii/i/ 10. — The De la Beches and a geological student for the evening; much talk on the West Indies and their concomitants, negroes and mosquitoes. He told us of a spectral illusion which had once befallen him, when he saw a friend whom he had attended on his deathbed under very painful circumstances. He reasoned with himself, but all in vain, whether his eyes were shut or open the apparition was ever before him. Of course he explains it as a disordered stomach. He gave me a mass of autograph letters and bestowed his solemn benediction on us at parting, as they leave Falmouth on the 31st. July 29. — The Coleridges dined with us ; the poet's son expounded and expanded Toryism after a fashion of his own, which was very fascinating. Papa spoke of never influencing votes at an election ; to this Dcrwent Coleridge objected, maintaining that people of superior education and talent should feel the responsibility of these possessions, as a call to direct the judgments of those less gifted, A bright argument ensued between the poet and the man of sense. Derwent Coleridge finds the world in a somewhat rctro£i;radiii Fox (Sarah Hustler), wife of the late Charles Fox of Trebah, near Falmouth. This gifted lady passed her girlhood in the Lake country, enjoying the friendship of the \\'ordsworths, Culeridges, Arnolds, and others of that charmed circle. She still lives at Trebah, surrounded by the love and care of four generations of descendants and friends. JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. 19 it cannot be — there must ever be this distinction between intellect chap mi. and science. He must have a large organ of coinbativeness, and he ,^ will never admit of your meeting him half way — if you attempt it he '^''"- '^• is instantly oft' at a tangent. So we idly talked and idly listened, and drank in meanwhile a sense of the perfect beauty and loveliness of the nature around us. We walked up to Rydal Mount, but Words- worth is in Hertfordshire, on his return from Italy. Mrs. Words- worth was very kind, took us over their exquisite grounds, which gave many openings for the loveliest views, congratulated us in an undertone on our rare good fortune in having Hartley Coleridge as a guide, and gave us ginger-wine and ginger-bread. We saw the last, and as Hartley Coleridge considers, the best portrait taken of Wordsworth in Italy, also a very fine cast from Chantrey's bust. In the garden at the end of a walk is a picturesque moss-covered Stone with a brass tablet, on which Wordsworth has inscribed some lines saying that the mercy of the bard had rescued this stone from the rude hand of the builders, and that he trusted when he was gcmc it might still be regarded for his sake.^ Hartley Coleridge then took us to the Rydal waterfalls and told us stories of the proprietors, the Fleming family. One of the falls, or forces as they call them here, was the most perfect I had ever seen. Our poet's recognition of the perpetual poetry in Nature was very inspiring and inspiriting. He drove with us to Ambleside; I gave him " Elia" to read, and he read "Detached Thoughts on Books and Reading" with a tone and emphasis and intense appreciation which Lamb would have loved to mark. At dinner he had a sad choking fit, so queerly conducted as to try our propriety sadly. Then when he had anything especially pointed to say, he would stand up or even walk round tlie dining- table. He says he should be far more likely to fall in love with mere ' " In these fair vales hath many a tree At Wordsworth's suit been spared ; And from the builder's hand this stone, For some rude beauty of its own, Was rescued by llie bard. So let it rest ; and time will come When here the tender-hearted May heave a gentle sigh fur him, As one of the departed." W . \V. JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. CHAP III beauty than mere intellect without their concomitants ; for the one 7~ is a negative good, the other by a little misdirection is a positive evil a^at. i8. ^qJ ("hg characteristic of a fiend. He much regrets the tendency of the present day to bestow more admiration on intellectual than moral worth, and entered into an interesting disquisition on Words- worth's theory that a man of genius must have a good heart. To make facts tally with theory, Wordsworth would deny genius right and left to Byron, Voltaire, and other difficult cases. We asked about Wordsworth's daughter — had she inherited any of her father's genius ? " Would you have the disease of genius to descend like scrofula ? " was his answer, and added that he did consider it a disease which amazingly interfered with the enjoyment of things as they are, and unfitted the possessor for communion with common minds. At the close of dinner he presented and read the following lines, which he had written whilst we were on Windermere, Aunt Charles being the inspirant : — " Full late it was last night when first we met, And soon, too soon, must part this blessed day ; But these brief hours shall be like jewels set In memory's coronet For the dear sake of one that's far away. Strangers we are, and strangers may remain, And yet the thought of her we all have lovedj Methinks by some unseen mysterious chain Will long detain. This one half-day when we together moved, Together moved beneath the self-same hills. And heard the murmur of the same sweet waters Which she, light-footed comrade of the rills And 'dancing daffodils,' Has loved, the blithest of all nature's daughters." Then he took us each by the hand, said good-bye, and was gone, just bequeathing to Aunt Charles the finishing sentence, "to see hei; I would go a great way." I can only aim at a shadow portrait. Conjure up unto thyself, O Caroline, a little, round, high-shouldered man, shrunk into a little black coat, the features of his face moulded by habit into an expression of pleasantry and an appreciation of the exquisitely ludicrous. Such as one could fancy Charles Lamb's. Little black JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. 21 eyes twinkling intensely, as if every sense were called on to taste chap. hi. every idea. He is very anxious to establish an Ugly Club and to ,^ be its chairman ; but really he is quite unworthy of the station, for '^''^- '®' odd enough he is, but never ugly, there is such a radiant light of genius over all. Barclay sent him the following lines: — " Child of a deathless sire ! with what a throng Of charms our friendship's childhood hath been fraught ! Born in a land of loveliness and song, Nursed 'mid dear scenes, and fed on radiant thought, And breathing images which came unsought. Though all too swift those gilded moments fled. Nor they, nor thou, shall ever be forgot ; Scion of Genius ! on whose favoured head His wondrous mantle fell ere the great owner fled ! " Liverpool, September 14. — Papa took us to the meeting of the British Scientific Association. Wheatstone came up to us in the gallery and was most agreeable and cordial ; he told us of his electric conversations which are conducted by subterranean wires between here and London in a second or two. He took us to the Physical Section, where Sir David Brewster and Whewell were discussing some questions about spectrum light. September 15. — Sharon Turner came to us and insisted on escorting us to the gardens. Before we got there he introduced us to Captain Ross and Lord Sandon, and on our way we picked up Sir William Hamilton and Colonel Sykes, the latter thoroughly cordial with his Cornish friends. Sir W. Hamilton is a delightful person, very different to what wc imagined from his pathetic speech at Bristol. He told us what they had been doing in Section A. At the chemical section he went to quarrel with the atomic theory, for he wishes the world to be resolved into a series of mathematical points, remarking that the nearer all the sciences approached Section A (Mathematics and Physics), the nearer they would be to perfection. I was presented to Lord Burlington, Dr. Lardner, and others, and wc walked about and ate ices and met Sedgwick, who was very delightful, and all the Dons were there. September 16. — Went to breakfast with S. Turner and his nieces. Sir William Hamilton, Lord Northaiii]iton, Lord Compton, and Liidy Marion were there. Lord Northampton sat by me, and we had a thorough set-to on phrenology ; Lord Compton was on the JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. CHAP. HI. other side, and rather disposed to take my part. Lord Northampton 1837. bringing up the old arguments of varying thicknesses of skull, and aiai. 18. j.j^j, foolish instances of bad men having large veneration, &c., he acknowledged the force of my arguments 1 and the instance of Voltaire was quite new to him of the misdirection of this organ. He contends that all the hackney coachmen in London should have immense locality, and I begged him to try the fact universally and report to the next meeting, which he promises to do. After break- fast went to the closing meeting, and heard various papers read and discussed. Then came forward our glorious chairman, Sedgwick: who after saying many soft things to the soft sex, gave the moral of the science, that if he found it interfere in any of its tenets with the representations or doctrines of Scripture, he would dash it to the ground, gave the whys and the wherefores in his own most admirable method, and sat down; the Synod was dissolved, and Sedgwick had disappeared. Falmouth, October 5. — Went to Enys; found them with the addition of Davies Gilbert; he looks well, and they have all excessively enjoyed their time on the Continent. Read us some of his new book,in which he speaks very handsomely of Papa and his doings. Drove on to Carclew; found Sir Charles Lemon and Lady de Dunstanville. Sir Charles told us that Professor Airy (whom he has invited to Car- clew) was so shy that he never looked a person in the face. A friend remarked to him, " Have you ever observed Miss 's eyes ? They have the principle of double refraction." " Dear me, that is very odd," said the philosopher. " I should like to see that ; do you think I might call ? " He did so, and at the end of the visit begged per- mission to call again to see her eyes in a better light. He, however, found it a problem which would take a lifetime to study, and he married her. Lady de Dunstanville was in the House of Peers when the Oueen first appeared. It was a most imposing sight. Her voice was full, clear, and sweet, and distinctly heard. We drove home to a quiet afternoon. W. E. Forster ^ has come to stay a little, and looks taller than ever. October 9. — Snow Harris gave us an account of Charles Kcmble > The Right Hon. William Edward Forster, M.P., Chief Secretary of State for Ireland. JOURNALS Ol- CAROLINE FOX. 23 going to see Niagara, where he stood lost in the sublime and vast chap. hi. extent of this majestic vision, when he heard a Yankee voice over ,^ his shoulder, " I say, sir, what an omnipotent row ! I calculate this ''''''• '^' is a pretty considerable water priviledge, enough to suckle that ocean considera-bly ! " Time this evening was very gracious, for it developed its dear impersonate Davies Gilbert. He had been holding his court and dining with his tenants. Soon after his arrival all the other gentle- men had to go off to a committee, so we had him all to ourselves. He repeated the admirable song of Trelawny with true Cornish encrg)', and gave us interesting accounts of his interviews with George IV., William IV., and the Queen ; the two former he visited in right of his Royal Society's Presidentship to get their signatures. To George IV. he went and requested that he would confirm the patent as his royal predecessors had done, and pointed out to him several of their signatures. "Would you show me Evelyn's?" said the King. " I have lately been reading his Memoirs with great interest." Davies Gilbert found and showed it, when the King remarked, " He was the founder of the Royal Society." Gilbert said it was His Majesty Charles H, who gave the first charter. " Very true," replied the King; "but that was on\y ex officio, any man who had happened to be in his situation would have done that; but Evelyn was the real founder, you may depend upon it." On leaving him Davits Gilbert remarked to his friend, Sir Evcrard Home, " If that had not been the King I should have remarked what an agreeable, intelligent man I have been conversing with," which delighted the King exceedingly on being told of it. Octoicr II. — Davies Gilbert very amusing on the subject of bringing up children. " Oh, indulge all their little innocent wishes, indulge them to the uttermost ; 'twill give them fine tempers and give yourself much greater pleasure ! " Once when in the House of Commons, a bill was brought forward by Fox to forbid the use of porter pots in Westminster ! Davies Gilbert opposed the bill as too absurd, and said he did not think it could be one that Mr. Fox himself apprf)ved, but that he was only bringing it forward in coni- pli.mce with the wishes of some of his constituents. Fox was not in tile house, but Sheridan innnediately rose and declared that as JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. CHAP. III. a friend of Fox's he must entirely deny a charge so injurious to the ,3j7 reputation of the honourable member. It was Fox's bill and worthy is^at. i8. p£ jj.g high origin. Davies Gilbert could only say that of course he bowed to conviction, and must therefore bear the weight of the responsibility of differing from Fox. The next day he met Sheridan, who accosted him. " It was all perfectly true what you said yester- day, but I thought I must say what I did to keep up Fox's credit." October i8. — Derwent Coleridge gave Barclay his own idea about Christabel. He thinks the poem all hinges on the lines — " And she in the midnight wood will pray For the weal of her lover that's far away," and that this is a Catholic idea of expiation, that the lover had fallen into some great sin, and Christabel was thus permitted to do penance for him by her own great suffering. November i8. — Captain Ross dined with us, a very agreeable well-disposed man. His North-west stories were most interesting. He has been in every one of the Northern voyages, six in number, and fully intends and hopes to go again. The climate he thinks particularly healthy, for in all ordinary expeditions the common average of deaths would be thirty-seven, but on these was but twenty-five. He described the first appearance of the Isabella. After an absence of five years, throughout which they managed to keep up hope. Captain Ross said to the look-out man, " What's that dark object in the distance? " " Oh, sir, 'tis an iceberg; I've seen it ever since I've been on watch." Captain Ross thought so too, but he could not be satisfied about it, and sent for his glass ; he had no sooner viewed it than his best hopes were confirmed, and at the top of his voice he cried, " A ship ! a ship ! " Not one of the crew would believe him until they had seen it with their own eyes. They were soon in the boat, but a little tantalising breeze would come and drive the ship on two or three miles and then cease, and this frequently repeated. In spite of all their signals they were too insignificant to be seen, until Captain Ross fired off his musket half-a-dozen times, and at last it was heard and a boat was lowered. As soon as the ship's boat met these forlorn objects, twenty in number, unshaven skin-clad sinners, they said, " You've lost your sliip, gentlemen ? " " Yes, we have," JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. 25 replied Captain Ross, "but what ship is this?" "The Isabella, chap. iii. formerly commanded bv Captain Ross," was the reply. " Why, I ^ am Captain Ross." " Oh no, sir, that's impossible ; Captain Ross '*''^* ''• has been dead these five years ! " Dead or alive, however, they brought them to Hull, where they felt the most miserable anxiety as to what changes might have taken place in their absence; and Captain Ross added, that in the following w-eck he was the only one of the party not in mourning. When they came to the place of the Fury's wreck, they found all the stores in a perfect state of preservation. Captain Ross had fortunately been beach-master when these were deposited from the Fury, and therefore knew exactly where each sort of provision and ammunition was to be found. Fifty miles before this delightful point, the party \\as so knocked up with hunger and fatigvic that Captain Ross and three or four of the strongest went on with a little sledge and brought them back some sustenance till they could come to it themselves. Captain Ross had an experimental evening with papa, and left us at ten. November 19. — Uncle Charles dined with us. lie was delighted and dazzled by the display on the Queen's day, and mentioned a right merry quibble perpetrated by my Lord Albemarle, who on Her Majesty saying, " I wonder if my good people of London arc as glad to see me as I am to see them," pointed out as their inunediate Cockney answer to the query, "V. R. ! " December 15. — The Right Honourable Holt Mackenzie, son of the "Man of Feeling," introduced by his friend Col. Machines, dined here to-day. He is a confirmed bachelor, travelling about with his own carriage and horses. He spends the winter at Penzance, and has lived twenty years in India. He used to attend Dugald Stewart's lectures, from which he thinks little was carried away; as far as he followed Reid he went well, but his speculations, he thinks, were obscure. He was a very shy man in company. Not so Lord Jeffrey, who is almost a lecturer in society ; so much so, that there was no room for any one to put in a word. Lockhart, too, much indulges his disposition for satire, and being a reviewer by profession, he is cynical in reality. The " Man of Feeling " was written when Mackenzie was only twenty. He spoke very little of him ; one can (piite believe him to be his father's son, the bodily essence of a man all nerve. ( 36 ) at at. 19. CHAPTER IV. 1838. " The names she loved to hear, Have been carved for many a year, On the Tomb."— O. W. Holmes. CHAP. IV. Paris, April 2. — Papa enjoyed his morning at the Academy, of which Becquerel is President.^ Our fellow-traveller, the Magnetic Deflector, excited strong interest; even Gamby admitted, though unwillingly, the superiority of papa's method of suspension. There was a brilliant and very kindly assemblage of savants. Becquerel called the next day, and was delighted by a further examination of the instrument ; and when papa showed him the clay with a Vein in it galvanically inserted, he not only did not doubt the originality of the experiment (which H has accused papa of borrowing from Becquerel), but it was not until after a full discussion and a thorough cross-examination of the Fact, that he could even admit it. He then made papa draw in his pocket-book the precise manner in which his "experiences" had been pursued, the relative position of wires, pots, and pans, with the intention of repeating it all himself. Nothing could be more satisfactory than the interview and conver- sation between these supposed rivals. April 4. — Papa and Uncle Charles spent the morning most plea- santly at Arago's.^ During their merry breakfast the "toujours philosophe — is a fool " was the accepted motto. Arago pleaded guilty to the definition of Tories imputed to him in England, which ' Becquerel (Antoine Cesar), the eminent French physicist, born 178S ; served in the army from 180S to 1S15, after which he entirely followed scientific pursuits. He was one of the creators of electro-chemistry, was elected a member of the Academic in 1829, and a foreign member of the Royal Society in 1837, and died 1S78. - Arago (Francois Jean Dominique), born near Perpignan in 17S6, died in Paris October 2, 1853. JOURWALS OF CAROLINE FOX. 27 originated, he said, in a conversation between Lord Brougham and chap. iv. himself on tlic doctrine of final causes. A noted Tory was referred ,^ to, and the question started as to his final cause. Arago thus solved '^''''- ''■ the problem, "That as astronomers like to have some point from which to make their calculations, so the Tory was to be a fixed point whence to mark the progress of civilisation and the develop- ment of the human mind." Speaking of Dr. Dalton, he said he could not take a joke at all. Once when he had taken a glass of wine, Arago, who does not drink any, remarked, "Why, you are quite a debauchee compared to me." The philosopher took it very ill, and did not recover for the evening. He was delighted with the specimens of artificial mineral veins which papa showed him, and asked, " Is there not some one who disputes your theorv — I forget his name ? " Papa suggested H , who proved to be the worthy referred to. Uncle Charles mentioned some of the circumstances of the case, on which Arago remarked, " That reminds me of the man who told his friend that some person hated him. 'That's strange,' he replied, ' for I don't recollect ever having done him a kindness.'" So our gentlemen greatly enjoyed their morning with Arago. On begging for an autograph for me, he wrote a very kind note, and sent me interesting specimens of Humboldt's and Odiion Barrot's writing. London, May 25. — Went to Exeter Hail, and, thanks to my dear brother's platform ticket and the good-nature of the police, we got a place on the platform close to the speakers. Lord Brougham was in the chair, and the subject of the meeting was Anti-Slaverv. We came in near the conclusion of Lord Brougham's speech, which was received with immense applause, so much so that very little could we hear, but I mean to get a printed paper. Sir G. Strick- land succeeded him, then G. Thompson, who was followed bv a Lincolnshire M.P., a Mr. Eardley, who entreated the meeting's attention for a few minutes whilst he avowed himself a warm sup- porter of the anti-slavery cause, but opposed Lord Brougham's speech, which was evidently against Ministers, particularly Lord John Russell, and was dictated by private i)i(|ue and disappointed ambition. Here he was burst upon by a tlunuler of abuse: "Hiss, hiss, hiss!" "Down with him!" "Take him ofl"! " "Stop him!" 28 JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. CHAP. IV. 1838. eclat. 19. " Hiss, 'iss, 'ss ! " he standing calm and erect till Thompson rose and begged for a little peace and quietness, assuring them that they need not be anxious about their chairman, as he was perfectly able to defend himself. This caused great clapping, and at Thompson's request the speaker was permitted to proceed. He went on to say that he had expected opposition, but not that the avalanche would so quickly descend and overwhelm the expression of his sentiments. He believed that he rose with a conscientious motive (hear ! hear 1 ), it was to vindicate in some degree the character of a really upright man (hear !) who had fallen under the Brougham-stick, Lord John Russell (agonies of abusive manifestations !), with whose vote he could by no means agree (hear ! hear !), but he viewed him as one on whom the Light had not yet shined, but who would embrace it as soon as he was fortunate enough to perceive it. Lord Brougham arose to declare, from what he could gather of the honourable gentleman — " Mr. What is the gentleman's name ? really it is one with which I am quite unacquainted " — he supposed that he wished to supplant him in the chair, which he thought a little unfair, as he had come in at the eleventh hour, whereas his (Lord Brougham's) opinions and efforts had been acknowledged ever since the first agitation of the subject. He dwelt eloquently for some time upon this point, and seated himself amidst deafening applause. Mr. Eardley arose and replied in the teeth of the multitude, and then Lord Brougham, with his usual nasal contortions, was very witty for some time, and proposed the election of another chairman that he might legitimately engage in self-defence. This was seconded and loudly applauded, till some one assured them that a personal quarrel between Lord Brougham and Mr. Eardley was not at all relevant to the business of the meeting. The cheerful auditory cheered still louder, and hissed the idea of Lord Brougham quitting his imperial seat for an instant. After much more discussion. Lord Brougham just rose to declare that so personal a dispute should trespass no longer on the time of the meeting, and therefore he would sum up and give a verdict in favour of the " counsel for the attack," and the people laughed very heartily. Sir George Murray then spoke in an agreeable, sensible, modest manner, his statements of the supineness of the legislature being very striking. But I JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. 29 must gft a paper, particularly for a report of the speech of the chap, iv "Member for Ireland" (O'Connell), which \vc could not distinctly j^ hear from his turning his head the other way and emphatically drop- '^''"- '9. ping his voice. He began witii a burst — " I was one of the ninety- six who voted for the Motion the other night, and this I desire may be set forth on my tombstone ! " He spoke with energy, pathos, and eloquence. His mouth is beautifully chiselled and his nose retroiiss/; he is an uncommonly strong-looking, stout-built man, who looks as if he could easily bear the weight of the whole House upon his shoulders. He gave a grievous account of the Coolie importation — but I absolutely must have a paper. /une 1. — A breakfast party of the Backhouses and William Edward Forster, after which we sallied forth to Dcville's (the phrenologist). A gentleman and lady were there when we entered, and he was explaining several of the casts with which his room was lined, notably a very interesting series of American boys; another of a man who put himself under Dcville's care for re- formation, who told him that there was a lady whose development he had taken, and it would precisely suit him, so he married her ! upon which one of our gentlemen said, "Oh, that's what makes your science so popular." Inquiries were made about large heads, and they proved to be generally lymphatic, small heads more energetic. VV. E. Forster asked for the casts of Richard Carlisle, having seen them there on a former occasion, but Deville said they had departed, which W. E. Forster believed to be a mistake. He asked twice for them and communicated his suspicions to us. At last, the gentleman and lady leaving the room, Deville said, "That was Mr. and Mrs. Carlisle ! " a singularly awkward coincidence. He is now, Deville says, going mad on religion ; the lady he has married, a very lovely one, having had a wonderful effect upon him, and he is preparing a new version of the Bible. /line 2. — At Davies Gilbert's invitation we went to his "haliitat" and were hailed at the door by the venerable philosopher. After a little visit to his sister, he got with us into our fly, and we drove to the Royal Society's Rooms at Somerset House. He is very busy establishing the standard of weights and nuasures, which was lost on the recent burning of the Royal Exchange. They are measured 30 JOURNALS OF CAROLINE POX. CHAP. IV. to a thousaiulth part of a grain. Duplicates are to be kept in all jg 8 our colonies antl the tiiff'erent European capitals, so that a similar loss <^'c!'- 19- need not be feared. He is going to-day to put the stars in order at Greenwich with Airy. Went first into the Council Room, having summoned the secretary, where was the reflecting telescope made by Sir Isaac Newton's own hands, the MS. copy of the "Principia" which went to the publisher, all in his neat hand and with his autograph, and there was an old portrait of hirri. In the library were two barometers which have just returned with Herschel from his expedition. Their assembly room is hung round with portraits of their presidents and great members and patrons, dear old Davies Gilbert smiling on his living representative in the centre of the room. A fine bust of Newton here, his face quite full of nervous energy and deep reflection. On the table was a very splendid gold mace, which Gilbert informed us was the identical one which Cromwell ordered away when dissolving the Long Parliament. /une 5. — Found yesterday Professor Wheatstone's card, with a note requesting a call to-day at King's College. Therefore, after a quiet morning, went there and found Uncle Charles with the Professor inspecting his electric telegraph. This is really being brought into active service, as last week they began laying it down between London and Bristol, to cost .^250 a mile. He then showed us his "Baby," constructed in imitation of the human organs of speech ; it can beautifully pronounce some words and can cry most pathetically. He treated it in a most fatherly manner. His " Syren " is an extraordinary little instrument, so called because it will act under water; its object is to measure the intensity of sound. He then played the Chinese reed, one of the earliest in- struments constructed, exhibited the harp, or rather sounding-board with additaments, which communicates with a piano two stories higher, and receives the sound from it quite perfectly through a conductive wire.i Wheatstone has been giving lectures, and in fact is in the middle of a course. No ladies are admitted, unluckily; the Bishop of London forbade it, seeing how they congregated to Lyell's, which prohibition so offended that gentleman that he ' Query. How far tliis was the origin of the telephone? JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. 31 resigned his professorship. We left our friend, promising to repeat chap iv. our visit, when he will have some experiments prepared. j^ June II. — Breakfasted with Lister. He is a great authority on '^''"' '* optics. Showed us varieties of fossil sections through his powerful chromatic — or something — microscope. June 12. — Dined at the Frys', and had the pleasure of meeting the Buxton family. Fowell Buxton described his non-election at Wey- mouth as a most pathetic time. When he made his parting speech he began in a jocose fashion, but soon saw that that would not do, as one old man after another turned aside to cry. On the Sunday he went to church and listened to a most violent sermon against himself, person and principle. He spoke afterwards to one of his party on the bad taste and impropriety of introducing politics into the pulpit; in this he quite agreed, but added, "You had better say nothing on the subject, as at all the Dissenting chapels they are telling the people that they are sure to go to a very uncomfortable place if they don't vote for you." He mentioned as a well-authenticated fact in statistics that two-thirds of all the matrimonial separations were of those who had been united by the runaway method. London, June 28. — Met Sir Henry de la Beche at the Athenajum amongst the crowd who came to see all they could of the Coronation. The De la Beche West Indian property is in a very flourishing state, thanks to the beautiful changes there. He has long used free labour, and found it answer well, though he was mightily persecuted for carrying out this system. A great deal of thoughtful talk on things as they are and things as they should be, on human nature, human prejudices, self-love, and self-knowledge. Whilst the Royal party were in the Abbey, we wandered across the Park to sec the ambassadors' carriages which were ranged there. They were very magnificent, the top of one being covered with what De la Beche called crowns and half-crowns; Souk's, one of the old Bourbon carriages, richly ornamented with silver; the Belgian very grand, but part of the harness tied together with string ! The servants had thrown off their dignity, and were sitting and standing about, cocked hats and big wigs off, smoking their pipes. It was an odd scene. hleUlon, Au'^ust 14. — Derwent Coleridge was luminous on 32 JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. CHAP. IV. architectural subjects ; he cannot bear a contrast being drawn between 1838. our own and foreign cathedrals in favour of the foreigner, and ^'aA 19- adduced a multitude of arguments and illustrations to show that, though parts of the foreign ones are more magnificent, yet the English far excel them in harmony of parts, consistency of design, and noble conception. Falmouth, December i. — An American gentleman breakfasted with us, a verv intelligent young man. I find all Americans are great readers, principally political ; each family also takes in two or three daily papers. He thinks the hot Abolitionists have done a great deal of harm to both master and slave. He has unfortunately much to do with the latter, and at the time of Thompson & Co.'s visit had to put several blacks in irons for insubordination. He cannot bear the principle of slavery, thinks Dr. Channing's letter unanswerable, says the Americans are waiting to see the result of our grand experiment in the West Indies, and that if that succeeds they will place the principle in working order amongst themselves. He met Miss Martineau with Dr. Channing at Philadelphia. Decemler 8. — Captain and Mrs. Ingram and others dined with us, S. T. Coleridge spent his last nineteen years in their immediate neighbourhood with the Gilmans, who have appeared quite different since the departure of the bard — their spirits broken, and everything testifying that Coleridge is dead. Captain Ingram used frequently to meet him there, and though as a rule not appreciating such things, spoke with rapture of the evenings with him, when he would walk up and down in the glories of a swelling monologue, the whole room hushed to deepest silence, that not one note might be lost, as they listened to the strains of the inspired poet. December 28. — Whilst paying a visit at Carclew, in came the butler stifling a giggle and announcing "Dr. Bowring^ and his foreign friend," who accordingly marched in. This egregious individual is Edhem Bey, Eg^'ptian Minister of Instruction, and 1 Bmiriiig (Sir John), K.C.B., LL.D., bom 1792. Philosopher, poet, political writer, translator, reviewer, M.P., and in 1854 governor of Hong-Kong, editor of West- minslir Reine-M, disciple of Jeremy Benlham, was his literary executor and editor, and died 1S72. JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. 33 Generalissimo of the Forces. lie was dressed in a large blue pelisse chap. iv. witii loose sleeves, and full blue trousers, with scarlet gaiters and ^^ slippers, a gold waistband a foot and a half in width, and on his '^''"- '9- right breast his decoration of the crescent in uncommonly large diamonds, said to be worth jf'jOjOOO ! He is a tall man and very stout, with a rich complexion and black rolling eyes, aged about thirty-four. He is married to a beautiful Circassian, and only one, whom he bought at twelve years of age and wedded at fourteen. He is accompanied by Dr. Bowring, late editor of the Foreign Quarterly, and Mr. Joyce, a civil engineer who has just refused a professorship at King's College. So these good people are come into Cornwall to inspect the mines and acquire what information they can, for the Bey is a remarkably intelligent man and bent on educating his countrymen. He talks French fluently. Sir Charles Lemon persuaded us to send our horses home and remain, a most pleasant arrangement. Dr. Bowring is a very striking-looking personage with a most poetical, ardent, imaginative forehead, and a temperament all in keeping, as evidenced by his whole look and manner. He declared Papa's name as much connected with Falmouth as the Kddystone lighthouse with Navigation. Dr. Bowring knows Dickens and Cruickshank well ; the former a brilliant creature with a piercing eye, the other a very good fellow with excessive keenness of perception. Dr. Bowring has no opinion of the Eg\'ptian miracles recorded by Lane,' but ascribes them to a practical knowledge of the lan- guage, leading questions, and boundless credulity. He says they arc now so much at a discount in their own neighbourhood, that when he was there he had not moral courage to investigate for himself. He has, however, seen the power exercised over serpents precisely similar to that described in Exodus as exhibited by the magicians. In a party he was at, a sorcerer declared, " I can strike any of you dumb;" so one was selected who took his station in the centre of the group, when with a wave of his hanil tlic magician ' lAine (Edward William), author of " The Modem Egyptians " and translator of "The Arabian Nijjhls;" born 1801, died 1S76. C 34 JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. CHAP. IV. proclaimed, "In Allah's name be dunih," when the man writhed j^ in apparent anguish, utterly unable to disobey the command. This (s/ai. 19. effect he attributes (not to electro-biology), but to a feeling in the patient that it was the mandate of Allah, and that disobedience would be equally criminal and impossible. The Bey talked about the Queen, whom he thinks a very inte- resting and dignified girl, but he laughs at her title as belonging far more properly to her ministers. He described many of the Egyptian musical instruments. Some pianos have lately been intro- duced, but his Excellency is specially fond of the harp. His long pipe was brought into the library by his servant Hassan, and we had a puff all round ; it has an amber mouthpiece set with diamonds. Opium and aromatic herbs are his tobacco, wine and lemonade his little by-play. Dr. Bowring seemed rather surprised at my ignorance of his " Matins and Vespers." He spoke a good deal of Joseph Wolff,^ who, he says, has by his injudicious proceedings retarded the progress of Christianity in the East by about a century and a half; sending a letter, for instance, to the Bey of Alexandria denouncing Mahomet as an impostor, instead of commencing on common ground. Lady Georgina Wolff said to Sir Charles Lemon, " You don't believe all my husband's stories I hope, do you ? " Dr. Bowring could not obtain an interview with Lady Hester Stanhope;^ everybody in her neighbourhood laughs at her, except her numerous creditors, who look grave enough. All consider her mad. One of her last delusions was, that under a certain stone guarded by a black dragon, governed by a sable magician under her control, all the treasures of the earth were concealed ; the query ' IVo.y (Joseph), D.D., LL.D., son of a Jewish Rabbi, born 1795, baptized in Roman Catholic Church 1812, expelled for want of faith 1S18, became Protestant and Missionary, married 1827 Lady Georgina Mary Walpole, daughter of the second Lord Orford. He died 1862. ' Slanhope (Lady Hester), eldest child of the third Lord Stanhope, by his first wife Lady Hester Pitt, sister of the great statesman William Pitt, with whom she lived until his death. In 1810 she took up her abode on Mount Lebanon, adopted the dress of an Arabian chieftain, and was regarded by the Bedouins as Queen of the Wilderness. Her temper was most despotic, and her charities, when she had the means, extensive. Her memoirs, as related by herself, aie most grai)hic and amusing. Slie died in Syria in 1839, aged sixty-three. JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. 35 naturally being, svliy she did not give the necessary orders and pay chap, iv her debts. Dr. Bowring knew Shelley and Bvron intimately, and ,^ possesses an unpublished MS. by the former, which he thinks one ""'"• '^■ of the most vigorous of his poems. It begins — " I met Murder on his way, And he looked like Castlereagh."' He repeated a good deal more which I cannot remember. In company Shelley was a diffident, retiring creature, but most beautiful, with an interpenetrating eye of intense feeling ; he had a fascinating influence over those who were much with him, over Byron especially. His unhappy views on religion were much strengthened, if not originated, by the constant persecution he endured, but these views had very little effect on his conduct. He also repeated some unpublished lines of Byron's, highly picturesque ; he thinks his was a genius much mellowed by time. Mary Howitt he calls a sweet woman, and apropos of her husband he gave an " apperfu" of his own very radical views. We argued a little about it, and ended by conceding on the one hand that Radicals and Radicalism according to their original meaning were very different things; and on the other, that to accomplish the greatest possible good by means of the least possible evil was a clear principle. ' Known as "llic Mask of Anarcliy." See vol. iii. p. 157 of Shelley's works, edited by II. Buxton Forman, who in the prefatory note says: "It was written in 1819, on the occasion of the infamous Tcterloo affair, and sent to Leigh Hunt, who isAUcd it in 1832, in a little volume with a preface of considerable interest." It commences — " As I lay asleep in Italy There came a voice from over the sea, And with great power it forth led nic To walk in the vision of poesy. I met Murder on the way, lie had a mask like Castlercagh ; Very smooth he looked, and grim, Seven bloodhounds followed him," &c., &c. Sir John Bowring was, therefore, incorrect in saying it was an unpublished MS. 36 JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. CHAP. IV. Mezzofaiiti' he knows well ; they have just made him a cardinal ; j^ he is not a clever man, but has a knack of imbibing the sound of etiai. 19. language independently of its principles and its application to reading foreign authors. On going to the Holy Land, the first voices Dr, Bowring heard were engaged in singing his hymn, " Watchman, watchman, what of the night ? " which had been imported and translated by the American missionaries. His " Matins and Vespers " were the means of converting a poor Syrian, who on being shipwrecked possessed that and that only, which copy is now in the possession of the Bishop of Stockholm. He spoke of the striking effect in Mahometan countries of the sudden suspension of business and everything else at the hour of prayer; this induced an animated discussion on the advantages and disadvantages of these positive signs of devotion — whether they did not rather satisfy the devotees with signs inde- pendent of the thing signified, or even familiarise the habit when the mind is not in a prepared state. The name of " Allah " is perpetually introduced in Oriental conversation, but still with a solemnity of intention and manner very different to our " God knows." We departed from this very interesting party in the evening, leaving the Bey absorbed in calculation consequent on his visit to the mines. 1 Mezzd/anii {Joseph Caspar), born 1774, celebrated as a linguist. One of the Hare brothers was his pupil. He lived at Bologna, his native town, and was spoken of as knowing forty languages. Lord Byron called him "a walking polyglot, a monster of languages, and a Briareus of parts of speech." In 1838 he was made Cardinal and Keeper of the Vatican Library. He died 1849, and was buried beside the grave of Tasso. ( 37 ) CHAPTER V. 1839. " I was all ear, And took in strains that might create a soul Under the ribs of death." — MiLTON. Falmouth, January 22. — T. Sheepshanks paid his respects to us. chap. v. He told us tliat some years ago a Miss James, an eccentric lady, 1839. was walking from Falmouth to Truro, and fell in with a very intel- ligent man in a miner's dress. She entered into conversation, and concluded by giving him a shilling. In the evening she dined out to meet Professor Sedgwick, and was not a little astonished to recognise in the Professor her morning's friend of the pickaxe. February 1 1. — Rode with Lady Elizabeth St. Aubyn to Flushing, She dcscril)ed Washington Irving, whom she met at Newstcad Abbey, as a quiet, retiring, matter-of-fact, agreeable person. He is unmarried; but time was when he was engaged to an American damsel, who caught a bad cold at a ball of which she at last died, but every night during her illness he would take his mattress out- side her door and watch there. ylf)r'tl 3. — Found Mr. Sopwith at home, writing a letter and waiting for Papa and Sir Charles Lemon. He is the great iso- metrical perspective man, and by degrees developed himself as a very agreeable and amusing one. He is come to help Sir Charles in organising his School of Mines. Sir Charles soon joined him here and paid a very nice visit. When Edhem Bey dined with him the other day, he had Sidney Smith to meet him. Sir Charles told his Excellency that he was " un ecclesiasticjuc tr^s distingue," so he was looked upon with the utmost reverence and devotion, until his stories and funnyisms of all descriptions entirely disjilaccd the Bey from his assumed centre of gravity. atat. 20. 3S JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. CHAP V. W^ were pleased to hear of the exile of the Chartists from j'Zl Devizes by the public spirit of its inhabitants. Talked about their principles and the infidelity they have been preaching everywhere, our mines included. Sir Charles Lemon said they have been de- claring that the difference between the rich and poor abundantly proved the non-existence of a God. Some one remarked that it is the rich, not the poor, who become infidels ; only those renounce a Providence who do not feel the want of one. April 6. — Whilst sitting quietly writing, George Wightwick most unexpectedly burst upon us. He criticised Hope's architec- ture. He (Hope) is a mere furniture fancier, and all the architec- tural illustrations he adopts are the transition series, specimens of the tadpole state of the arts before the shifting of the tails and assumption of the perfect symmetry of the frog. His own work is coming out soon, only waiting for the completion of the engravings, of which it is to be cram-full. His conversation was most interest- ing, comprising various details of the last days of Charles Mathews.^ He was quite aware of his nearness to death, saying to Snow Harris, who thought him a little better, "Yes, I shall soon be very much better." The day before his death they were anticipating his birth- day which would follow, when he would enter his sixtieth year. He said, " You may keep it, I don't expect to." He lived half-an-hour into it, when his wife, hearing him in pain from the next room, ran in to help, but by the time she reached the bed he was dead. During his illness he liked to have his friends about him, and was some- times so irresistibly funny, that even when he was in an agony they were obliged to laugh at his very singular expressions. Once they thought he was asleep and were talking around him, and one related how he had been in a fever and was so overcome with thirst that he seized a bottle by his side and swallowed its contents, which proved to be ink : Wightwick remarked, " Why, that was enough to kill him." The supposed sleeper yawned out, "Why no, he'd nothing to do but swallow a sheet of blotting-paper I " As he was once sitting by the window they saw him manifesting considerable ' Some of these appeared at the time in Frascr's Ma<;aziiie in a paper written by Mr. Wightwick. JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. 39 and increasing impatience. " Why, what's the matter, Mathews ? " " There, look at that bov, he's got a cloak on, little wretch ! a bov in a cloak ! I was a boy once, I never had a cloak, but see that little ruffian in a cloak ! Faugh 1 " Once Wightwick brought a modest friend of his to see him, who gave up his chair successively to every person who entered the room ; at last Mathews, growing irritable, called to Wightwick, "Do you know, your friend has given up his chair to every person who has entered the room and has never received a word of thanks from anv of them. Do go and sit by him and hold him on it. I am quite fatigued by seeing him pop up and down," He was much tried at his son Charles's want of success as an architect, saying, " It is all very well his getting good dinners and good beds at the Duke of Bedford's, but they don't give him houses to build." He is now on the stage, and acts in Vaudevilles and those French things. When in Dublin Mathews expressed a great desire to get an invitation to meet Curran ; Curran heard of it, and unlike most men, on meeting Mathews accidentally in the street, addressed him as follows : " Mr. Mathew s, I under- stand you have a desire to take my portrait ; all I have to rc(]uest is tliat you will do it to the life. I am quite willing to trust nivself in your hands, persuaded that you will do nie justice; may I offer you a ticket to a public dinner where I am to-day going to speak on the slave trade ? " He went, was thoroughly inoculated with the great orator's savoir fuire, studied the report of the speech, and gave it soon after in Dublin, Curran being present incog. He afterwards electrified London with the same speech, and infinitely increased its cflTect, his audience kicking each other's shins with excitement and crying "hear, hear" as if it was a genuine harangue. Wightwick has been a great deal lately with the Bishop of Exeter, whom he finds a very interesting, well-informed man. lie thinks his flattery rather a desire in action of making every one pleased with themselves, for docs he ever flatter a superior, does he ever flatter in the House of Lords ? His remarks about Sir John Soanc, the architect, were very characteristic. He was a highly nervous and, I should think, ratlur alVected person; he coidd not ai)ide truisms or commonplaces, and if any one made the common English challenge to conversation of "a CHAP. v. 1839. atat. 20. 40 JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. CHAP. V. fine day," he would either deny it flatly or remark, " Evidently the 1830. sun is shining and the sky is blue, there cannot be a question on the aiat. 20. subject." When Wightwick first went there he sent up his card, and soon followed it in person. Feeling nervous at being in the real presence of so great a man, he knew not how to begin, so said, " My name is Wightwick, sir," to be rebuffed by the reply, " Sir, I have your card ; I see perfectly what your name is." .Aitgust 9. — Went to Trebah, heard an interesting antl con- secutive account of the P family of G , who in the heyday of Irvingism were led into such wild vagaries by a lying spirit in the mouths of their twin-children of seven years old. These little beings gave tongue most awfully, declaimed against Babylon and things appertaining. Their parents placed themselves entirely under the direction of these chits, who trotted about the house, and every- thing they touched was immediately to be destroyed or given away as Babylonish ! Thus this poor deluded man's house was dismantled, his valuable library dissipated, and himself and family thoroughly befooled. At last the younglings pointed out Jerusalem as the proper place for immediate family emigration, and everything was packed up, and off they set. The grandfather of the sprites was infinitely distressed at all these goings-on and goings-off, and with a pretty strong power intercepted his son at the commencement of his pilgrimage, and confined him to the house, inducing him to write to Irving to inquire how they were to find out whether they were influ- enced by a true or false spirit. Just before this letter reached him, a Miss B , under whose care these children first became pos- sessed, had an interview with Irving, and instead of being received by him with open arms, heard the terrible sentence, "Thou hast a lying spirit ! " She flew into a vehement rage, and such a "spiritu- elle " scene took place between them as is quite indescribable. His remark was perhaps deduced from the fact that he had been informed of the failure of many of her prophecies. So he was prepared to write Mr. P a sketch of an infallible ordeal for his young pro- phets. He was to read them the text "Try the spirits" and several others, and see how they acted. The letter was received by Mr. P in his library. Lord R , Mr. W , and some other Irvingites being assembled to receive it with due honour. The children, ([uitc JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. 41 ignorantof the test preparing for them, were playing about the nursery, chap. v. No sooner had the library party opened and read the letter, than little ^JT master in the nursery flew into a most violent rage, tore downstiiirs ""''''• *°' on his hands and feet like a little demon, uttering in an unearthly voice, "Try not the spirits, try not the spirits," and in this style he burst in upon his fond relatives, and found thcni engaged in conning the test act. This opened their eyes at last pretty wide, and the papa said, " You're a bad boy, go up into your nursery and you shall be punished!" By a judicious discipline these two children were rescued from what is considered, with sonic show of reason, to have been a demoniacal possession. The father, however, became insane ultimately from what he had passed through, and died in that state. August 19. — A beautiful evening at Helston. Some reference to infant schools drew Derwent Coleridge forth from his retirement in an easy-chair in a corner, and he launched out into a Coleridgean screed on education. He, no more than his father, admires the present system of mutual instruction and its accessories : the nearer you approach the old dame-school principle the better; from that system how many constellations arose, but what result have we vet had from those of Bell and Lancaster? All mechanical systems he holds as bad ; wherever they appear to act well, it is from the influence of individual minds, which makes them succeed in spite of the system. To build up the intellectual man is the purpose of education, and this is not eflected by giving him a knowledge of the way in which one mass of matter acts on another mass of matter — though he hopes he can appreciate this branch of knowledge too — but first his memory is to be tiixed and strengthened, even before his judgment; this is to be followed by the exercise of the will : for instance, let him instead of being told the meaning of a word, search the lexicon and select from a number of synonyms the particular word which best suits his purpose; this induces a logical balancing of words. The advance made in knowledge of late years appears vast from being in the foreground of time, but compared with tlie iuunense mass before accunmlated, how little it is! Knowledge, he holds like a true Coleridge, can be best difl'used through concentration. Having thus built up our intellectual man, we looked at him in 42 JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. CHAP. V. 1839. his wawardncss and vagaries. The Plymouth Brethren came first on the field, amongst whom, to his great vexation and grief, atat. 20. ^pg many of his friends. He imagines their spiritual views to resemble closely those of the early Friends; he greatly doubts the verity of their self-denial, particularly in separating themselves from the ordinary world around them and consorting only with congenial spirits. He spoke very civilly of modern Quakerdom, congratulating them on their preference for the cultivation of the intellect rather than the accomplishments of the person ; also on having thrown aside the Puritanical spirit of their forefathers and distinguishing themselves instead by their own individual excellences and by their peculiar appreciation of the good and beautiful in others. Then we took sanctuary in the bosom of the Church from the hubbub of contending sectarians. She, it seems, ever since her first organisa- tion has been in a progressive state ; it would be too long a task to prove why it was not and could not be most perfect at its first arising. He took us into his library, a most fascinating room, heated by a mild fire, just up to the temperature of our poet's imagination; coffee for one on a little table, a reading-desk for the lexicon to rest on, and near it a little table covered with classic lore; in the centre the easy-chair of our intellectual man. August 22. — With the Barclays of Leyton took luncheon at the Coleridges'. Mary Coleridge was bright and descriptive : she read a letter from Macaulay describing the state of feeling into which one of Samuel Wilberforce's sermons had thrown him, who is now on a tour westward for the S. P. G. Derwent Coleridge talked about architecture — the folly and antiquity of the phrase, of a man being his own architect, an expression ridiculed by Livy but still claiming satire; he regrets that our family, having pretty places, have not houses regularly and professionally built to correspond. He spoke kindly of G. Wightwick, considering that scope is all he lacks for a display of his powers; dwelt on the advantage it is for a town to have a good style of building introduced, such as they have aimed at in Helston. He has just returned from Paris, but must visit It again to separate in his own mind between the new and the admirable; he thinks England vastly grander in every respect, and holds the Palais Roval to be the oulv reailv fine thins atat. 20. JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. 43 in Paris. We, however, borrow our ideas of taste from tluni, in chap v. patterns, dresses, furniture, &c. Throwing open the picture-galleries ,839. he conceives to be, not the cause, but the effect of a love of art: if the same system were pursued in England the nionied population would be excluded, as nothing here is valued for which money is not paid. Scplemler 3. — Mr. Gregory told us that, going the other day by steamer from Liverpool to London, he sat by an old gentleman who would not talk, but only answered his inquiries by nods or shakes of the head. When they went down to dinner, he determined to make him speak if possible, so he proceeded, " You're going to London, I suppose ? " A nod. " I shall be happy to meet you there; where are your quarters?" There was no repelling this, so his friend with the energy of despair broke out, " I-I-I-I-I-I'm g-g-g-going to D-D-D-D(ictor Br-Br-Br-Brewster to be c-c-c-cured of this sl-sl-sl-slight im-impedimcnt in my sp-sp-sp-sp-speech." At this instant a little white face which had not appeared before popped out from one of the berths and struck in, " Th-th-th-that's the m-m-m-man wh-wh-who c-c-c-c-c-cured me ! " Letter from E. Crouch, dated, like the negro when asked where he was born, "All along de coast." October 4. — Though the weather was abundantly unfavourable, we started at eight for Penzance. At Helston found Sir Charles Lemon, who had got wet through, and after drying himself was glad to accept a place in our carriage instead of his gig, and we had an exceedingly pleasant drive to the Geological Meeting. He has just left the Bishop of Norwich, who is gradually converting his enemies into friends by his uniform straightforwardness and en- larged Christian principle. One of his clergy who had been writing most abusively of him in the newspapers, had on one occasion some favour to solicit, which he liid with natural hesitation. The Bishop promised all in his power anil in the kindest manner, and when the clcrg)man was about to leave the room, he suddenly turned with, "My Lord, I must say how very much I regret the part I have taken against you ; I see I was quite in the wrong, and I beg your forgiveness." This was readily accorded. "But how was it," the clergyman continued, " you did not turn your back atat. 20. 44 JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. CHAP. V. upon me ? I quite expected it." " Why, you forget that I profess i^, myself a Christian," was the reply. Of Dr. Lardner he mentioned that, having quarrelled with his wife and got a divorce, and his name being Dionysius and hers Cecilia, has gained for him the august title of — Dionysius, tyrant of Sicily 1 October 8. — The Bucklands dined with us, after a Polytechnic morning. Mrs. Buckland is a most amusing, animated woman, full of strong sense and keen perception. She spoke of the style in which they go on at home, the dust and rubbish held sacred to geology, which she once ventured to have cleared, but found it so disturbed the Doctor, that she determined never again to risk her matrimonial felicity in such a cause. She is much delighted at the idea of sitting in St. Michael's chair, that she may learn how managing feels. Davies Gilbert tells us that Dr. Buckland was once travelling somewhere in Dorsetshire, and reading a new and weighty book of Cuvier's which he had just received from the publisher; a lady was also in the coach, and amongst her books was this identical one, which Cuvier had sent her. They got into conversation, the drift of which was so peculiar that Dr. Buckland at last exclaimed, "You must be Miss to whom I am about to deliver a letter of introduction." He was right, and she soon became Mrs. Buckland. She is an admirable fossil geologist, and makes models in leather of some of the rare discoveries. Dr. Buckland gave a capital lecture at the Poly- technic this evening — a general, historic, and scientific view of the science of geology, beautifully illustrated by De la Beche's map. Sir H. Vivian was chuckling over the admirable Ordnance map. " I got that map for you ; I was determined he should do my county first, and so I sent him down direct." Dr. Buckland compared the bursting of granite through the Killas — which is the almost constant condition — to a shawl wrapped round you, and to illustrate the cracks in all directions, he must needs suppose it a glass shawl, which would split in rays. Such illustrations are very characteristic of his graceless, but powerful and comprehensive mind. He supports the igneous theory and compared the world to an apple-dumpling; the apple JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. 45 is the fiery flop of which we are full, and we have just a crust to stand upon ; the hot stuff in the centre often generates gas, and its necessary explosions are called on earth, volcanoes. Some of those mineral combinations which can only be produced by heat, are even now being constantly formed by volcanic action. He tells us that some anthracite is to be found near Padstow, not enough, however, for commercial purposes. In announcing him- self in part a Huttonian,* he cautioned his hearers against running away with an opinion or statement beyond what the lecturer had warranted. Speaking of the modern tendency to fancy danger to religion in the investigations of physical science, he remarked, " Shall we who are endowed by a gracious Creator with power and intelligence, and a capacity to use them — shall we sit lazily down and say, Our God has indeed given us eyes, but we will not see with them ; reason and intelligence, but we will exert neither ? Is this our gratitude to our Maker for some of His choicest gifts, and not rather a stupid indifference most displeasing in His sight ? " He made some good allusions to Sir Charles Lemon's mining school, and mentioned the frequent evidence of the fact that barbarians of all nations (no allusion to Sir C. L. or Cornish miners) have hit on similar expedients for supplying their necessities; the old Celtic arms, for instance, are of precisely the same form as the axes and hatchets contrived by the New Zealanders. Speaking of the immense real value of iron, he remarked, " What a fortune for a man, cast into a country where iron was unknown, would the bent nail from the broken shoe of a lame donkey be 1 " and altogether the lecture was much more agreeable and less coarse than when he treats of the footsteps of animals and birds on the old red sand-^ stone. Davies Gilbert walked home with us, and was very bright after all the labours of the day. Gave us instances of his media- tion with papas in favour of runaway daughters, and mentioned as a good converse to his system the manner in which old Thurlow received the news of his dear daughter, who had taken her fate into CHAP. V. 1839. slat. 20. ' //ut/on (James), M.D, Ixjrn 1726, author of the "Plutonian Theory of Geology :" he published much, and upon some of his theories being vigorously attacked by Dr. Kir»an, Ihcy were as zealously defended by Professor John Playfair. He died 1797. 46 JOURXALS OF CAROLINE FOX. CHAP. V. 1839. aia/. 20, her own hands. " Burn her picture ! Break up her piano ! Shoot her horse ! " October g. — Snow Harris lunched with us; much pleasant con- versation on different modes of puffing. He mentioned that Day & Martin used to drive about in a gig in their early days all over the countrv, one as servant to the other, and at every inn the servant would insist on having his master's shoes cleaned with Day & Martin's blacking, " as nothing else was used by people of fashion," and so induced large orders, October 25. — G. Wightwick and others dined with us. He talked agreeably about capital punishments, greatly doubting their having any effect in preventing crime. Soon after Fauntleroy was hanged, an advertisement appeared, " To all good Christians ! Pray for the soul of Fauntleroy." This created a good deal of speculation as to whether he was a Catholic, and at one of Coleridge's soirees it was discussed for a considerable time; at length Coleridge, turning to Lamb, asked, " Do you know anything about this affair ? " "I should think I d-d-d-did," said Elia, " for I paid s-s-s-seven and sixpence for it ! " October 26. — Poor J B in distressing delirium, having taken in ten hours the morphia intended for forty-eight. He was tearing off his clothes, crying out, " Pm a glorified spirit I Pm a glori- fied spirit! Take away these filthy rags! What should a glorified spirit do with these filthy rags?" On this E said coaxingly, " Why, my dear, you wouldn't go to heaven stark naked ! " on which the attendants who were holding him were mightily set off. November 5. — A pleasant visit to Carclew. E. Lemon told us much of the Wolffs : he is now Doctor, and has a parish near Huddersfield. She was Lady Georgina's bridesmaid, and the wedding was an odd affair indeed. It was to her that Lady Georgina made the remark, after first seeing her future husband, "We had a very pleasant party at Lady Olivia Sparrow's, where I met the most interesting, agreeable, enthusiastic, ugly man I ever saw 1 " She is a clever, intellectual woman, but as enthusiastic, wan- dering, and desultory in her habits as himself. E. Lemon has been not long since at Venice. She told us that poor Malibran when atat. 20. JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. 47 she was tliere did not like the somI)rc regulation causing the gon- chap. v. dulas to be painted black, and had hers coloured green ; this, she ,330 was informed officially, would never do. " Then I won't sing I " was the prompt and efficacious reply, and the syren lulled to slumber the sumptuary law of N'enice. Dtcemler 8. — Barclay brought home a capital answer which a Cornish miner made to Captain Head (when travelling with him), who, looking at the Alleghany Mountains, asked him, " Can any- thing be compared to this ? " " Yes ; them things at home that wear caps and aprons 1 " said the faithful husband, December 13. — Papa and I were busy writing when, to our surprise, in walked Dr. Bowrlng. He is come to stand for this place, an enterprise in which Papa said what he could to discourage him. He promises to incur no illegitimate expenses, and therefore has not the least chance of success. He has just ruturncd from a di])lomatic visit to Berlin. December 14. — Dr. Bowring dined with us after addressing the I'enryn constituency and being rather disgusted by their appearance. The only thing in his speech that at all touched them was his declaration that he was half a Cornishman, his mother being the daughter of the clergyman and schoolmaster of St. Ives, Mr. Lane, whose memory, he understood, is still held in the odour of sanctity. Three years ago he had a very pleasant interview with the present Pope. He and Mr. Herries, a Tory M.P., went together and found him alone in a small room, dressed in pure white from head to foot, without any ornament but the gold cross on his shoe which the clerg)- kiss. The etiquette is for cardinals to kiss the St. Peter's ring on his finger, bishops to kiss the knee, and the lower clergy the cross on the shoe. Dr. Bowring on this occasion had a cardinal's privilege. The Pope gave an immediate and amusing proof of his fallibility by addressing Mr. Herries as a champion of liberty of conscience, and protector of the rights of the Catholics, mistaking him for Dr. Bowring, whom he mistook for an Irish M.P. Dr. Bowring told him he was not a Roman Catholic but a heretic, a Scotch i'resbyterian — which he then was. The Pope was very agree- able, and when Dr. Bowring spoke to him of Free Trade he said, " It's all very good, but I think my Monopoly is a better thing." atat, 20. 48 JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. CHAP. V. Dr. Bovvring had also formerly had an audience of Napoleon's 1839. Pope, a very pleasant man ; they talked on poetry, each repeating passages from Dante, who his Holiness informed the Doctor had lived in the very same cell which he once inhabited in a Carthusian monastery. The Pope's secretary, who ushered him into his presence, vi-as a lineal descendant of the Consul Publius Manlius, whose landed property had descended to him. He knows the Buxtons and Gurneys, and received an interesting letter from Sarah Buxton acknowledging a nosegay of flowers gathered at Bethlehem and Nazareth. When in the Holy Land he felt himself completely thrown back into gospel history and gospel times, so stationary are the customs of the people. Often were pas- sages of Scripture recalled to his mind by events passing around him, as when on the shore of the lake of Tiberias one of those sudden storms arose so beautifully described in the Bible. He was once at Sychar in Samaria, just at the foot of Mount Gerizim, and had been recommended to the High Priest, with injunctions to show him everything in his church. Amongst other treasures he showed him the oldest MS. extant, namely, the Samaritan version of the Bible, 3500 years of age. In this the High Priest pointed out to him a text, " On Mount Gerizim is the place where men ought to worship," which he said the Jews had purposely omitted in their version ; he inveighed against them in the very same spirit described 1800 years ago. In accordance with this text all the Samaritans assemble annually on Mount Gerizim and perform their worship there. Damascus is an extremely interesting city, everything kept as of yore — the street called Straight, the house of Ananias, the prison in the wall, through whose window Paul escaped in a basket ; every cherished event has here "a local habitation and a name" handed down by tradition. He was very anxious to see Lady Hester Stanhope, and wrote to her physician for leave to do so. Her reply was, " No, I won't receive any of those rascally English." She had a notion that the Scotch and Albanians were the only honest people to be found anywhere. She greatly blamed Joseph Wolff for apostatising from so old and respectable a religion as Judaism, and in a celebrated letter to him she says, " Can you for an instant think anything of Christianity if it requires the aid JOURX.iLS or CAROLINE FOX. 49 alut. 20. of such a vagabond adventurer as yourself to make it known ? " chap. v. Manv of the Druses are now becoming Christians, and as their ^ doing so disquahfies them from certain civil offices, Dr. Bowriiig wrote to Mahomet Ali, begging him not to let them suffer for attending to the dictates of conscience, and received this message in re pi V, from the Prime Minister: "His Highness's principles of toleration may ever be depended on." In the Egyptian burial- grounds repose millions of nuinimics, which any one may have for the trouble of digging. One which his boy opened slowly emitted, to their infinite horror, a live black snake. In Phoenicia the people eat cream just like the Cornish folk, which raised the question whether it was imported from Cornwall with the tin. December 16. — A government messenger has persuaded Dr. Bowring to resign his parliamentary views in favour of another who has a long purse and is willing to use it. He was low and vexed about the business, having had the trouble and expense of coming here to no purpose; however, he does not wish to split the Falmouth Reformers, and accordingly published his farewell address and retired. December 28. — News arrived to-day in an indirect manner of the death of poor, dear, long-loxid Davies Gill)cTt; no particulars but that it came suddenly at last. CHAPTER VI. 1S40. " lie \va5 indeed the glass Wherein the noble youth did dress themselves." — Shakespeare. CHAP. VI. Falmouth, January i. — Entered on another year. Happy expe- 1840. rience emboldens us to look forward with joyful anticipations to ieiiit. 21. ^j^g voyage of life; we have been hitherto in calm water indeed, and for this how thankful should we be, but we must e.xpect some gales before we drop our anchor. May we be prepared to meet them ! Alexander Christey left us after dinner for Nice vid London. He told us about Robert Owen (the Socialist), an old friend of his father's. He is making numberless converts amongst the manu- facturing districts. He and his family dwell in New Harmony in the United States, William Fenwick spoke of his grandfather having fished out Sir John Barrow from behind a linen-draper's counter, discovered his latent talents, had him taught mathematics, and finally introduced him to the world, in which he has made such good way, January 5. — After dinner Nadir Shah was announced, and in waddled this interesting soi-d'isant son of the late Sultan. He does not look nearly so distinguished as in native costume. He talks English beautifully, having been here three times, and described the manner in which he learned it in five months : took an English professor, made himself master of the alphabet, but resolutely resisted the idea of spelling, told his master, " I'll pay you ten times as much if you will teach me in my own way. I understand that Milton and Shakespeare are the finest writers in English, so you must now teach me in them." The plan succeeded, to the astonishment of tlie professor. He is acquainted with Edhem Bey, but speaks of his atat. 31. JOURS ALS OF CAROLINE FOX. 51 |ilaii for artificial inundations of the Nile as not feasil)1e, in consc- chap, vi t|uence of its having so many mouths, each of which would require ,^ a separate embankment. The idea has been before started. Spoke of Mahomet AH as a capital general, and a character of great pene- tration, — able, though not an original genius himself, to see and appreciate the talents, opinions, and advice of others, as useful a quality as originality. He shrugged his shoulders when Russia was talked of, and said he should act in the same manner as Nicholas if he had the power: he should try and extend his possessions. Spoke of the wonderful libraries they have in Turkev, old Arabic and Per- sian manuscripts; the Austrian Government has employed people to copy those in the various public collections for its own use, not for publication. January 10. — Received my last frank to-dav from Sir Charles Lemon. What a happiness for the M.l'.'s, that daily nuisance being superseded. January 23. — Went to Perran ' to breakfast, and found we had been preceded about five minutes bv Dcrwent Coleridge and his friend John Mt)ultrii-. The first half-hour was spent in petting the cats; but I should begin by describing the Leo Novo. Moultrie is not a prepossessing-looking personage, — a large, broad-shouldered, athletic man, if he had but encrg\' enough to develop his power — a sort of Athelstane of Coningsburgh — but his countenance grows on you amazingly; you discover in the upper part a delicacy and refine- ment of feeling before unrecognised, and in the whole a magna- nimity which would inspire confidence. But certainly his face is no directing-post for wayfaring men and women: "Take notice, a Poet lives here ! " He talks as if it were too much trouble to arrange his words, but out they tumble, and you gladly pick tlicin up and pocket them for better or for worse ; though, truth to tell, his conversation would not suggest the author of the " Three Sons." Dcrwent Coleridge was bright and genial — his mobile, refined, even fastidious countenance, so truly heralding the mind and heart within. Breakfast was fully appreciated by our hungry poets: ' Then the residence of Charles Fox and his wife, who afterwards moved to Trcliah, which at this period was only used as a summer residence. 52 JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. CHAP. VI 1840. something was said about the number of seals lately seen sporting off Portreath, and the idea was mooted that the mermaids were a-/ot so atat. 21. 88 JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. CHAP. VI. different to the general character of Cornwall. Much Eastern talk; 1840 ^^ recommends Shore's India, but begs us to ask him before be- lieving anything Shore says about the India House, and especially the political department thereof. When Shelley was at Cambridge, he and Hogg supported each other in their negative views, and Shelley asserted that Bacon thought w ith him on religious subjects, quoting passages to prove it. At length it was whispered that Hogg was his Bacon, and so he was. Leave-takings had to be got through, and they were gone 1 Cunningham showed us his portrait of J. S. Mill, which is very beautiful ; quite an ideal head, so expanded with patient thought, and a face of such exquisite refinement. ^pril II. — Dr. Calvert says he prefers Hartley Coleridge's poetry to his father's, because he finds in it more thought and less imagination. Speaking of Dr. Schleiermacher, whom he enthu- siastically admires, he described his death-hour, of which he was so conscious that he begged for the Sacrament, calling out, " Quick, quick ! " He administered it to himself and his family, and expired. This may be compared with Goethe's dying exclamation, " Light, more light 1 " j4pril 13. — Dr. Calvert described old Lord Spencer (whose travelling and family physician he was) looking over and burning one after another of the letters his wife had received from the most eminent persons of the day, because he thought it a crying modern sin to make biographies piquant and interesting by personalities not necessary to them ; he therefore resolved to leave nothing of which his executors might make this ill use. At length he came to one from Nelson, written just after a great victory, and beginning with a pious ejaculation and recognition of the Arm by which he had conquered. Dr. Calvert snatched it out of his hand — it was on its w'ay to the fire — and put it in his pocket, saying, "My lord, here is nothing personal, nothing but what everybody knows, and burn it must not." His lordship was silent. A few hours after, he said, "Doctor, where is that letter which you put in your pocket ? " " Gone, my lord." " Indeed ? I was wanting it." " I thought you probably would, so I immediately put it in the post- ofEce and sent it to a young lady who is collecting autographs." >5 ) CHAPTER VII. 1841. " I see the lords of humankind pass by." — Goldsmith. Falmouth, January 27. — To our great surprise and pleasure, chap, vii Dr. Calvert suddenly appeared amongst us; though only an hour ,3^, landed, he declared himself already better for Falmouth air: ccr- <^''"- 22. tainlv he looks better. January 30. — lie spent niueh of the morning with us, and he proved to us most satisfactorily that mankind, up to those who take wooden meeting-houses to kangaroo districts, and ranging down- wards without limitation, are not exempt from that sorrowful con- sequence of Eve's improper and useless conduct — a tendency to deceive and a liability to be deceived. January 31. — Dr. Calvert has been taking a malicious pleasure in collecting primroses and strawberry flowers to send to his sister as evidences of climate. Talked of Carlyle. lie found it would not do to be nuicli with hini, his views took such hold on him and affected his spirits. None but those of great buoyancy and vigour of constitution should, he thinks, subject themselves to his depress- ing influences. Carlyle takes an anxious forlorn view of his own physical state, and said to him one day, " Well, I can't wish Satan anything worse than to try to digest for all eternity with my stomach ; we shouldn't want fire and brimstone then." Filruary 2. — Dr. Calvert descanted on the vicarious nature of the system in physical life; the balancing power which exists in the body; if one part is weak, another is proportionally strong; il the cutaneous action goes on too vigorously, it draws on the stomach and there is bad digestion, and vice versd. If the brain is too much worked, the health gives way; the only method of adjusting this is. Ii6 JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. CHAP. VII. when you devote yourself to head-work, be doubly careful about 1841. diet, exercise, cleanliness, &c. He entered into much illustrative a-iai. 22. comparative anatomy. He described a curious old record he has lately picked up, the apocryphal books of the New Testament, con- taining an Apocalypse of St. Peter, divers epistles, and the germs of certain strand Roman Catholic legends. There is a fine tone of primitive Christianity discernible throughout, but after much grave debate it was not deemed of canonical authority. He talked with a certain Carlylesqueness of the clergy versus men of letters, and says that in Holland education is conducted on more liberal principles than in any other country, and there not a single clergyman has even a little finger in the pie. Fehriianj 8. — A thaw came on, and Dr. Calvert crept in. Talked much of the Germans : Goethe's definition of the pure ISla/ir- chen as a tale in which you are to be in nowise reminded of the actualities of existence; every passage must be supernatural, the persons all inhabitants of a witch-world. This he has illustrated in the one which Carlyle has translated. He made me a present of " Hermann and Dorothea." Papa and he agree in believing that the doings of this world, and the phenomena we call action and reaction, are but manifestations of some great cyclical law, pro- foundly unknown but not unfelt. February 12. — Instructive exhibition of the comparative anatomy of the stomachs of a Brent goose and a diver : the former lives on fuci, and is accordingly provided with amazingly strong muscles of digestion ; the other depends on fish, and though a much larger bird, its stomach is far smaller and less muscular. Dr. Calvert took seventeen fish out of it. February i8. — Our afternoon visit to Bank House was enlivened by Dr. Calvert's presence and occasional outbreak into words. He talked on medical subjects ; the prescription of red cloth for small- pox and some other diseases has only been discontinued quite lately. Dr. Jephson is no quack, he only trains the stomach to perform its functions rapidly ; the patient must take beef-steaks and porter, but then he must take plenty of exercise too : on leaving Leamington he is apt to remember only the first part of the pre- scription, and accordingly falls into a very sorry state of oppression JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. 117 (r/j/. 22. and discomfort. I am exceedingly enjoying Boz's " Master Hum- chap vii. phrey's Clock," which is still in progress. That man is carrying ,841. out Carlyle's work more emphatically than any; he forces the sympathies of all into unwonted channels, and teaches us that I'unch and Judy men, beggar children, and daft old men are also of our species, and arc not, more than ourselves, removed from the sphere of the heroic. He is doing a world of good in a very healthy way. March 3. — Dr. Calvert announces the coming of his friend Sterling next week. He talked of their first intercourse in Madeira. John Sterling had heard of him as eccentric and fancied him Calvinistic, and in fact did not fancy him. They met at the house of a very worthy lady, who argued v^ith Sterling on points connected with Calvinism. Dr. Calvert was a silent listener, hut at last shoved a German book which he was reading, right under John Sterling's nose, the significance of which made him start and see that he had read him wrongly. A warm friendship almost instantly resulted, and they soon took up their abode together. March 6. — Dr. Calvert told us interesting things of the Jesuits. When he was ill in Rome, one came to him and begged to be made useful in any way. "Thank you, sir, I have a servant; pray don't trouble yourself." " Sir, my profession is to serve." They are picked men from childhood, and brought u\i at every stage in the strictest school of unquestioning submission to authority and a fixed idea. The Roman Catholic priests are always better or worse than the Protestant clergy^-cithcr intensely devoted to God and their neighbour, or sly, covetous, and sensual. March 7. — Little Tweedy and Bastin, two beautiful boy- children, to dinner; the theory of the latter concerning his majority is, that in twenty months from this time (he being now of the mature age of four) he shall awake and find himself a man. He concludes he shall have to pass three days in bed whilst new clothes are being made. March 8. — In our ride to-day Dr. Calvert talked of Savonarola, his influence over all the highest minds at Florence and elsewhere. Luther was the first who revived the convictiim th.it it was the JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. CHAP. VII. inward principle, rather than the outward manifestation of forms or 1841. ceremonies, to which Christ claimed man's loyalty; the heart rather a/a/. 22. j[^,^,.| jj^g senses which should do Him homage. This sublime and all-important truth was only revealed to him by degrees: he began attacking abuses, and was mightily startled at finding that the Principle was in fault: he was frightened at the work before him, and not less alarmed as the work proceeded, fancying that he did more harm than good by the stir of thought which he had impelled throughout Europe. This alarm was perfectly natural, and it was natural too that evil should be evolved in the process — natural and almost necessary. There has been through all time a constant hankering after the Law as opposed to the Gospel ; it has been perpetually restored in some form or other : one Form wears itself out, then a master-mind arises, teaches a pure principle, and can only transmit it by a new Form, which in its turn wears out and dies, and another takes its place. Form is in its nature transitory, but the living Principle is eternal. March 13. — The Doctor at breakfast again; he actually drinks tea like any other Christian. He talks of going to Kynance or somewhere to rusticate for a little, probably as a place of refuge. He described the present Lord Spencer's mode of proceeding when his good nature has been grossly imposed on. A confidential butler was discovered to have omitted paying the bills for which he had received about ^2000; this came to light in an investigation preparatory to settling a life annuity on him. Dr. Calvert asked Lord Spencer, "Well, what shall you do now?" "Oh, I shall settle the annuity on his wife : I can't afford to lose a^aooo and my temper besides." In early life Lord Spencer was accustomed to give full sway to his passions, and his love of popularity was very conspicuous. He has taken a true estimate of his own character and made a fine stand against the evil part of his nature ; thus, an act like this was port wine and bark to his moral system. On the question being mooted, " Is such conduct morally right in a social system?" the Doctor replied, "Why, charity begins at home: if I should lose my temper in punishing a man, it would be an evil hardly countcrlialanccd by the advantage his suffering would be to society. I uouUl never punish a man till I was sure I would not JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. 119 CHAP. VII. 1841. disturb my temper, nor unless it were likely to do him good." This is, of course, very liable to abuse from weak, kind-hearted people, but what principle is not ? The difficulty of ascertaining the narrow '*''''• "• line of safety may never be a sound argument against a principle: the highest are the most beset with perils. March 16. — A nice long gossiping breakfast visit from Dr. Calvert. He has made up his mind to go to Penzance and see how it suits him. We shall miss him much. lie talked with some enthusiasm of the true Miihrchen nature of Tom Tluimh, Jack the Giant-Killer, &c. " As I have none to talk nonsense with but the dead, let me have such things as these to amuse some of my idleness. When a sedate friend has caught mc thus employed, and sharply rebuked me for such mal-occupation of my time, and I have gone home with him into his family and heard him talking the veriest nonsense to his children, I have felt fully countenanced in continuincr my amusement." March 18. — The Doctor went away this morning, leaving a farewell note. He speaks of half envying a simple friend of ours who told him this morning that she had never been further than Redruth, and on his asking her if she were born here (meaning Falmouth, not his house), she answered, " Oh no, sir, down below in the town." March 29. — Barclay heard from Sterling on his way to Torquay. He writes in the highest terms of Carlyle's volume of lectures; thinks it more popular, and likely to do more good than any of his other books. jipr'U I. — Charming letter to Anna Maria from J. Sterling, in which he compares the contemporary genius of Michael Angelo and Luther; something of the Coleridge versus Bentham sjiirit: both fine, original, and clear, though opposite and apparently con- tradictorv poles of one great force. jlpr'd 10. — At about seven o'clock, what was our delight and astonishment to meet John Sterling in the drawing-room, just come per Sir Francis Drake steamer, looking well, though anything but vigorous, and going almost directly to Dr. Calvert. We exchanged the warmest, kindliest greetings, and he agreed to lodge here ; so we had an evening with plenty of talk. I wish I could preserve some- JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. (Ctat. 22, CHAP. VII. thing of the form of Sterling's eloquence as well as the subject of it. 1841. '^'^ begin with a definition. Sterling is derived from Easterling, a trading nation of Lombards who settled in England ; hence pounds sterling, &c. He doubts whether there was one murder in Ireland on strictly religious grounds. With respect to the present con- dition of the Irish, he remarked, "It is a hard thing to convince conquerors that they are responsible for the vices of the conquered. More infidelitv has been learned from the reading of Church history than from any other source — from the weak and futile attempts to prove too much and to brand all dissentients with quackery or heresy." Guizot's " Civilisation in Europe " the highest history that has appeared in modern times ; a thorough acquaintance with that work alone would constitute an educated and cultivated man. Michelet a much more impulsive writer; falls in love with his own thickcoming fancies, and dallies with them to the fatigue of third parties ! Talked of Sir Isaac Newton and the sad meanness and jealousy of his character: he was desperately jealous of Leibnitz, and retracted an eulogistic mention of him in later editions of his works. Knows George Richmond well : he is painting portraits till he can afford to devote himself to historical painting and live in Italy. He has lately done one of Christ and the disciples at Emmaus, but there is not incident enough in the scene to explain itself without the words — an essential consideration. April II. — Got up at six o'clock to make coffee for Sterling. As the talk fell on Luther, he sketched a fine imaginary picture of him at the moment of seeing his friend struck by lightning. It must happen at the junction of two roads — one dark, but for the tree to which the lightning had set fire; frightened animals peering through the flames, painted indistinctly to remind us of fiends — his friend being in this road dead : the other road, which Luther takes, the sun shines upon, and you see it winding in the distance till it ascends to the monastery, at the top of which is a shining cross which the rays of the sun have caught. He spoke of Savonarola as a Roman Catholic Puritan, a hard and narrow-minded enthusiast. His influence over the high spirits of his age was the effect of his conscientiousness simply ; conscience ever must and will command and influence without limit; it was curious enoufrh that JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. tii he should be the great destroyer of pictures, and a portrait of him chap. vii. by Raphael was the amende honorable which the next Pope paid to ^^ his memory. Talked of the dry, hard spirit of modern Unitarianism, '''•''• ^'■ and recommended Wordsworth's poetry or Barclay's "Apology " for such a case. Cariylc has been staving in the Isle of Wight with his brother, Dr. Cariylc, who is a man of no paradox, prejudice, or genius like his brother, but possesses strong sense and sound judg- ment. With reference to the miraculous power pretended for some of the Fathers and their relics, it is curious that none of the Fathers themselves ever assumed the power; it was left for tradition and their bones. ylpril 19. — Between the hours of nine and ten. Sterling returned from Penzance. He is come to look at some habitations with an eye to inhabitancy. He told us Dr. Calvert has been depressed and poorly for some time. Spoke of ladies taking notes at Carlvle's lectures, of dates, not thoughts, and these all wrong. On the law having a right to inquire about belief in future rewards and punishments with refer- ence to administering the oaths. The idea of connecting religious belief with the law of the land, utterly preposterous; yet Sir Matthew Hale's narrow-minded dictum, that whoever would not subscribe to the creed could not be a good subject, has been a precedent for after lawyers. A drawing of Shelley being produced, he remarked, " W'hat an al)sence of soliditv in the expression of that face ! " When at college, Sterling had venerated and defended Shelley as a moralist as well as a poet, " being rather youthy." Whenever Shelley attempted to enter into a real human character, it was a monstrous one — the Cenei, for instance. He was only at home and freely breathing in a quite al)straet empyrean. Shelley's head was most strangely shaped — quite straight at the back. yiprit 20. — Sterling asked if we had seen "Trench on the Parables," a very interesting work, though he cannot sympathise with the idea that every exjiression and every feature in the parables is intended to bear a moral significance, but tliinks they are often added for the completeness and picturesqueness of the story. Some talk on capital punishment; his views much more worthy of him than last year. Of the many mysteries in Germany and elsewhere : after thoroughly examining the subject, he believes that Caspar JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. CHAP VII Haiiser was an impostor. The Iron Mask much more fascinating, 1841 '^"^ unluckily there was no prince in Europe missing at that time. ce/at. 22. Spoke complalningly of the critical spirit superinduced by trying to perfect his own writings. Of Mrs. Carlyle's quizzeries, he thinks she puts them forth as such evident fictions, that they cannot mis- lead with reference to the characters of others. Talked about men of science: he does not wish to attend the British Association; such would be the hurry and bustle, that it would only be like inter- course on a treadmill. He called Whewell (with whom he is well acquainted) a great mass of prose, a wonderful collection of facts. Whewell once declared that he could see no difference between mechanic and dynamic theories, and yet the man reads Kant, has domesticated some of his ideas, and thinks himsclt a German. Sedgwick he owns to be of a different stamp, a little vein of genius running through his granite. He knows the Countess Beust well ; she was the woman at Bonn whose manners he thought most cal- culated to make society agreeable. Schlegel had clear poetic feeling and a fine insight, which enabled him to give those masterly criti- cisms on Shakespeare, till Madame de Stael came in his way, and by her plaudits of " societe, esprit," &c., he learnt to think that for such things man was to live I He has therefore turned his energies all that way, and is now about the vainest man in Europe. Beau Brummel once plaintively remarked, "The ladies! they ruin all my wigs by begging locks." When Calvert reads " Tom Thumb," he (Sterling) betakes himself to Moli^re. He thinks "The Misan- thrope " his best, and considers that all the din and stir of French Revolutionism is prefigured in it. Speaking of the advantage of reading on familiar subjects in foreign languages, he said he knew a lady who learnt German on purpose to read Luther's Bible. At last the word was " Farewell," as he went to Perran with Aunt Charles. Jpril 26. — At about one o'clock J. Sterling entered and an- nounced that he had bought Dr. Donnelly's house I How little did we think of such a climax a month since, and even now I can't realise it. They intend moving early in the summer. We talked about motives ; he does not like too much self-scrutiny, and would rather advise, " Take the best and wisest course, do what you know is right, and then don't puzzle yourself in weighing your motives: alal. 22, JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. 123 forget yourself in the object of your striving as much as possible; chap, vii any examination that brings Self under any colours into the fore- ,^ ground is bad." I don't altogether agree with him here, for a heartv sincere inlook tends, I tliiuk, iu no manner to self-glorification. He talked of the strange breaking-up of sects and bodies every- where remarkable, with a half-melancholy sagacity, mixed with wondering uncertainty. There is so much of the destructive spirit abroad, that the creative, or at least the constructive, must be cherished. After a very interesting hour or two, we separated. ylpril 29. — Very bright note from Sterling with reference to his talk with Mamma about dress. He says, " I would cut off all my buttons to please her." May 5. — J. Sterling arrived last evening. We went all over his comfortable house with him, and were his assistants in choosing papers, positions of store cupboards, and other important arrange- ments. He spent the evening here. Much pleasant conversation, but little to record. Spoke of the influence of books, and of Carlyle's remark, "that every one who read a novel from the Minerva Press had his or her life more or less coloured by it;" this he made more precise by saying, " Though the pattern of the mind may not be changed, yet its tinting probably is, by every object that even temporarily takes hold on the feelings." He has such a genuine enthusiasm ff)r Art, and traces his love of sculpture to two figures in their Paris dining-room, which rooted themselves into his sympathies when quite a boy. How he revelled in the casts from the Elgin Marbles this evening! May 6. — Busy gardening at "Sterling Castle;" after which its Governor joined us in a sauntering ride. He was Uilkiiig much to-day of his own early life, when he took a step which he has never regretted. His parents designed him for the Bar, and raised their hopes high on this foundation ; but when he decided that he could not honestly accept this for his profession, because he knew well how specially dangerous to his temperament would be the snare of it, he had to disappoint them by telling them he must absolutely give up all thoughts of the Law for his career. He seems to consider that this choice or renunciation laid the foundation for a steady preference of the highest above all earthly and present ambitions and advau- 124 JOURNALS OF CAROUSE FOX. CHAP. VII 1841. {E/a(. 22, tages. He thinks Barclay's poetical power is deepening percep- tibly ; a greater steadiness of aim and less verbosity are its growing characteristics. Spoke of J. S, Mill and his wonderful faculties: "he is like a windmillj to which he can always apply water power;" this he attributes in great measure to his early education, when mental control was the thing aimed at. May 7. — J. Sterling busy gardening with us : talked over many people. Of Buxton's Civilisation Scheme: he has little faith that the savages of Africa will perceive the principles of political economv, when we remember the fact that the highly educated classes of England oppose the alteration of the Corn Laws. What he would recommend is the establishment of British Empire in Africa, to be accomplished by alliances with the natives in their different inter- national wars, though he does not expect us to agree with him here. Much discourse on special providences, a doctrine which he totally disbelieves, and views the supporters of it as in the same degree of moral development as Job's comforters. Job, on the contrary, saw further; he did not judge of the Almighty's aspect towards him by any worldly afflictions or consolations ; he saw somewhat into the inner secret of His providence, and so could say, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him." We must look for the hand of His providence alike in all dispensations, however myste- rious to us. Every movement here has its first impulse in Heaven; though, like a pure ether, it may be contaminated or altogether changed by collision with the atmosphere of this world, yet its origin is Divine. Thus, on the ruins of the doctrine of particular providences, may be built up our belief in the constant superintend- ence and activity of our Infinite Father; and though some highly extolled species of faith may lose their value for us, we shall, instead of them, see our entire dependence on Omnipotence for every gift, however trifling, and feel that He doeth all things transcendently well. Ma;/ 8. — To-day Father received a letter from Captain James Ross, informing him that they have discovered the South Mag- netic Pole, a result they could not have attained without Papa's Deflector, On Hartley Coleridge and his beautiful introduction to Mas- JOURNALS OF CAROUSE FOX. 125 senger : S. T. Coleridge once said to Sterling that Hartley often chap. vii. exhibited a sort of flat-sharpness, which he did not think he derived ,^ from him, but probablv picked up from Southey. He thinks that <^''''- "• about "Genius not descending like Scrofula" is a signal instance of it. On the horrible in Painting and Poetry : Sterling thinks it inadmissible in the former, because you can't get clear of the pain- ful impression by subsequent pleasing ones, as you can in Poetry. For this reason he thinks the Crucifixion an unsuitable subject for a picture, as physical suffering must be the prevailing sentiment. He has just been reading "Memoires sur Mirabeau," and increasingly thinks with Carlyle that his sins arc greatly exaggerated, that his cir- cumstances were so unfavourable for the cherishing of virtuous sensi- bilities, and so many influences urged, nay, almost drove, his proud spirit the other wav, that we should be lenient in our judgment. May 10. — Amusing day. J. Sterling has a friend and connec- tion here, a Mr. Lawrence,' an Indian judge, and he brought him to call. India the principal topic. Lawrence was describing an illness he liad, in which he was most tenderly nursed and borne with by his native servants. " Yes," said Sterling, " Patience, Submission, Fortitude are the virtues that characterise an enslaved nation; their magnanimity and heroism is all of the passive kind." Lawrence spoke of the stationary kind of progress which Christianity was making amongst them. When a native embraces this new creed he retains his old inveterate prejudices, and superadds only the liberty of the new faith. This Lawrence has repeatedly proved — so much so, that he would on no account take one of these converts into his service ; all his hope is in the education of the children, who are brigiit and intelligent. The Indians will, from politeness, believe all you tell them ; if you speak of any of Christ's miracles they make no difliculty, but directly detail one more marvellous, of which Mahomet was the author, and expect your civility of credence to keep pace with theirs. If you try to convince them of any absurdities and incon- ' l.auirence (John Laird Mair), Baron of tlie Punjaub and Gratcly. Born at Ricli- mond in Yorkshire, iSlI. For his services in repressing the Indian Mutiny he was created a Baronet, also receiving a G.C.B. and a grant of ;f2000 a year. In 1863 hi was created a Peer. Was Viceroy and Governor-Geneial of India, and dying in 1879, is buried in Westminster Abbey. atat. : 126 JOURNALS OP CAROLINE FOX. CHAP VII. sistencies in the Koran, they stop you with, "Do you think that j8^, such an one as I should presume to understand it?" Sterling remarked, " Have you never heard anything like that in England ? " May 13. — Of his friend Julius Hare, and the novelties of spelling which he has ventured on. Sterling remarked that his principle is to keep up the remembrance of the original root of the words ; thus, he would retain the ti in honour, to remind us of its French extraction. Our language wants weeding greatly, and the right meaning of words should be restored bv any one able and willing for the task. Voltaire did wonders for French in this way. May 16. — Pleasant visit from Sterling and Lawrence. Dr. Calvert has had a sad illness, and is coming here : Sterling will stay and nurse him. He has just heard from Carlyle, who says that the problem which of all others puzzles him is whether he is created for a Destroyer or a Prophet. (Is he not both, and must not every great man, if a Destroyer, be also a Builder ?) Sterling does not at all support his view of Cromwell as a man without ambition, filled to the last with the one idea of the presence and government of God, but takes the common and more rational view, that his aim was pure, but that circumstances turned his head. What one thing has Cromwell done for England, when he had it in his power to do so much ? Mai/ 20. — After a busy morning at Falmouth and Flushing, Sterling offered to take us back to Penjerrick in his car. He said, " You must see many eminent persons ; why don't you make notes of their appearance as well as their conversation ? " The idea being good, I'll try my hand. — John Sterling is a man of stature, not robust, but well-proportioned ; hair brown and clinging closely round his head ; complexion very pale, eyes grey, nose beautifully chiselled, mouth very expressive. His face is one expressing re- markable strength, energy, and refinement of character. In argu- ment he commonly listens to his antagonist's sentiments with a smile, less of conscious superiority than of affectionate contempt (if such a combination may be) — I mean what would express, " Poor dear 1 she knows no better ! " In argument on deep or serious sub- jects, however, he looks earnest enough, and throws his ponderous strength into reasoninei; and feeling: small chance then for the JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. 127 antagonist who ventures to come to blows! He can make him and chap vii his arguments look so small; for, trutli to tell, lie dearly loves this ^^ iiu!aniitai)le strength of his; and I doubt any lunnan power bringing '^''''- "• him to an acknowledgment of mistake with the consequent convic- tion that the opposite party was right. Sterling possesses a quick- ness and delicacy of perception quite feminine, and with it a power of originating deep and striking thoughts, and making them the foundation ol a regular and compact series of consequences and deductions such as only a man, and a man of extraordinary power of close thinking and clearness of vision, can attain unto. He is singularly uninfluenced by the opinions of others, preferring, on the whole, to run counter to them than make any approach to a com- promise. — We found no lack of conversation ; but really, as he has become a resident, I dare not pledge myself to continued noting. He oflcrcd to-day to have readings with us sometimes, in which his wife would join. This will be a fine chance for us. He spoke of there being but three men in England in whom he could perceive the true elements of greatness — Wordsworth, Carlyle, and the Duke of Wellington. We took poor Billy, the goat, a walk with us, when Sterling chose to lead it, and presented a curious spectacle — his solemn manner with that volatile kid ! Mai/ 24. — Dr. Calvert appeared at our Penjcrrick tea-table to our great surprise, and talked very much as if he meant to remain at Falmouth. He says, " I know when I come to you I need not talk unless I like it." Certainly he has rather lost ground during his stay at Penzance, but he has come to the conclusion that he is not to be well in any climate, which he says teaches him to make the best of, and be thankful for, the one he is in. He does not agree with Carlyle and others who think that we all have a message to deliver. " My creed is, that Man, whilst dwelling on the earth, is to be instructed in patience, submission, humility." He and II. Molesworth dined witii us, with John Lawrence — Dr. Calvert's mild wisdom flowing as usual in its deep and quiet channel. Joseph Bonaparte, his son, and grandson, in the Harbour. Bar- clay and Lawrence visited them under the shade of the American Consulate. Shook hands and conversed with the old man for some time, and admired cxccedin>rlv the little boy, who is the image of cEtat, : 1 28 JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX. CHAP. VII. Napoleon. His father, the Prince Charles Bonaparte de Canino, jg^j a fine-looking man, Maij 25. — The Suttons, Macaulays, and J. Sterling dined with us. Sterling quoted the Italian lady who was asked by Napoleon whether all the Italians were thieves — " Non tutti, ma buona parte ! " /une 2. — We had a nice talk with Sterling about Frederic II. of Prussia, whom he greatly admires, and thinks the greatest man that was ever born a king. In the controversy with Voltaire, Frederic shines in every respect. Voltaire's blackest spot was his hatred and jealousy of Rousseau. /line 6. — Uncle and Aunt Charles paid the Carlyles a delightful little visit when in town, the most interesting point of which was, that Carlyle ran after them and said, " Give my love to your dear interesting nephew and nieces ! " which had better be engraved on our respective tombstones. I walked ti'tc-exaltt'e the rest of the day consequentially ! On consulting Sterling on the singular fact of Carlyle remembering our existence, he said, " Oh ! he's interested about you ; he likes your healthy mode of Quakerism ; it's the sort of thing with which he can sympathise more than any other." Sterling is deep in Emerson's " Essays," and said, " It would answer your purpose well to devote three months entirely to the study of this one little volume ; it has such a depth and originality of thought in it as will require very close and fixed attention to penetrate." /line 8. — J. Sterling showed me Emerson's book, and drew a parallel between him and Carlyle ; he was the Plato, and Carlyle the Tacitus. Emerson is the systematic thinker; Carlyle has the clearer insight, and has many deeper things than Emerson. /line 9. — Anna Maria and I paid Dr. Calvert a snug little visit by special invitation. He is growing sadly weak, and every day more sleepy. " I used to find it a difficulty," he says, " to sleep one hour; now I find it none in the world to sleep twenty-four." He has formed an intimacy with a cheery-hearted old woman, Nancy Weeks, who busies herself with the eggs of Muscovy ducks ; they exchange nosegays, and he sits for much of his evenings with her and her husband. He has stuck a portrait of Papa over a painting to which he has taken a great antipathy, and spite of the raised,