LORD  BYRON  and  his  TIMES
Byron
Documents Biography Criticism
The Life and Letters of John Gibson Lockhart
Chapter 22: 1850-53
John Gibson Lockhart to Charlotte Lockhart Hope, 4 October 1850
INTRODUCTION & INDEXES
DOCUMENT INFORMATION
GO TO PAGE NUMBER:
Vol. I. Preface
Vol. I Contents.
Chapter 1: 1794-1808
Chapter 2: 1808-13
Chapter 3: 1813-15
Chapter 4: 1815-17
Chapter 5: 1817-18
Chapter 6: 1817-19
Chapter 7: 1818-20
Chapter 8: 1819-20
Chapter 9: 1820-21
Chapter 10: 1821-24
Chapter 11: 1817-24
Chapter 12: 1821-25
Chapter 13: 1826
Vol. II Contents
Chapter 14: 1826-32
Chapter 15: 1828-32
Chapter 16: 1832-36
Chapter 17: 1837-39
Chapter 18: 1837-43
Chapter 19: 1828-48
Chapter 20: 1826-52
Chapter 21: 1842-50
Chapter 22: 1850-53
Chapter 23: 1853-54
Chapter 24: Conclusion
Vol. II Index
Creative Commons License

Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.
Produced by CATH
 
“Sussex Place, October 4, 1850, Friday.

“Dear Cha,—I return the note about dogs,1 for which I hope success. I know nothing of the channel through which information had reached Mr. B. Smith. No word from Germany, and of course no news is ill news—very bad indeed they seem to me. I have exhausted my reasonings and appeals of every sort—and despair. While this

1 Probably Dandie Dinmonts for the Queen.

DEER-STALKING341
state of miserable uncertainty continues I can have no heart for moving. The only resource I find is to try to be busy about something else.

“The Christies are here again, and I dined there yesterday—only themselves. Murchison called—he had been at I know not how many great lords’ houses, and on mountain-tops without end, in Scotland and the North of England, and was going to join the ——s in Hants—I suppose at Lady Featherstonehaugh’s—the usual winter quarter. He gave a funny account of Lord J. Russell at the Black Mount. There was such a day for the harts as does not come once in thirty years—a still day after a storm, when they separate into twos or threes, and don’t herd as usual. Johnny was alone to use the rifle—he had been dressed, by Mrs. William Russell’s directions, in perfect style, and was mounted and attended suitably. The ranger took him, without almost any fatigue, within twenty-five yards of fourteen fine harts in succession, and the result was no harm to one. The old ranger told Sir Roderick, ‘What could make the Queen choose sae wauf a bit body? If ye could tie up a stag by the head and let him come and fire away for a forenoon, maybe he might hit at last.’ Next day ——1 himself killed a fine animal, and reports great sulks in the Premier, who would not try again. But he seems to have done better afterwards at some other place. —— has, however,

1 Name indecipherable.

342 LIFE OF J. G. LOCKHART.  
a grievance. It seems he wrote to propose himself for Drumlanrig, and got no answer. I could only suggest accident, &c., &c., but suppose he had no such acquaintance as to warrant an offer, and that the good Duke was nettled for once. —— in dudgeon deep meanwhile. Oh, to think of a bearded man exposing himself to such chances!—Ever yours,

“J. G. Lockhart.

“P.S.—Brougham brings this good anecdote. Normanby, who worshipped Lamartine in his power, has cut him latterly; but called a week ago, and found Monsieur Lamartine seated at his writing-table, with a grand portrait of himself over the fire en face. Lord Normanby said something about the glorious physiognomy. Lamartine paused and took snuff, and then said, ‘Oui, cest Byron, plus l’homme d’état!”