The Life and Letters of John Gibson Lockhart
Chapter 23: 1853-54
John Gibson Lockhart to James Hope-Scott, 20 March 1854
“Rome, March
20, 1854.
“Dear Hope,—I think
it very probable that you have had some communication, since you reached town,
with Mr. Strutt, and will therefore hear,
without surprise, what he now communicates to me, viz., that my resignation as
auditor of the Duchy of Lancaster will be acceptable with reference to certain
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proposed reforms, &c., &c., but
that Prince Albert desires me to receive a
retired allowance equal to the salary. This is exceedingly gracious, and I have
of course written accordingly to Mr. Strutt.
“This will in no inconsiderable degree lighten my
difficulties as to arranging for the future course of my domesticities, and I
trust William and you will bestow some
reflection on it with that view. I do not wish such matters to be talked of
generally, but I will thank you to mention the occurrence confidentially to
Holt, Fergusson, and Christie, also to Mr. Murray, when you are next passing Albemarle Street. I mean
to take steamer on the 29th at Civita Vecchia, and, D.V., to reach London some
ten days later.
“You will be happy to learn that Monteith is thought to have decidedly got the
turn. He has not yet heard of the child’s death. Manning has just been here with this news, and
is to dine with me solo at 1.30 on Wednesday, which will
be a great treat to me. I asked him to invite Vaughan or W. Lockhart,
both of whom I am as fond of as he is, but he preferred a two-handed talk for
once.—Yours affectionately,
Jonathan Henry Christie (1793-1876)
Educated at Marischal College, Baliol College, Oxford, and Lincoln's Inn; after slaying
John Scott in the famous duel at Chalk Farm he was acquitted of murder and afterwards
practiced law as a conveyancer in London. He was the lifelong friend of John Gibson
Lockhart and an acquaintance of John Keats.
Sir William Fergusson, first baronet (1808-1877)
Scottish physician educated at Edinburgh University; in 1840 he was appointed to the
professorship of surgery at King's College, London.
James Robert Hope-Scott (1812-1873)
The son of General Hon. Sir Alexander Hope; in 1847 he married Charlotte Harriet Jane
Lockhart, daughter of the editor of the
Quarterly Review. He was a
barrister and Queen's Counsel.
John Gibson Lockhart (1794-1854)
Editor of the
Quarterly Review (1825-1853); son-in-law of Walter
Scott and author of the
Life of Scott 5 vols (1838).
William Lockhart (1787-1856)
Of Germiston and Milton-Lockhart, the elder, half-brother of John Gibson Lockhart; he was
Conservative MP for Lanarkshire (1841-56).
William Lockhart (1819-1892)
The son of the Rev. Alexander Lockhart (1788-1832) and cousin of John Gibson Lockhart;
educated at Exeter College, Oxford, he was the first of the Tractarians to go over to
Rome.
Cardinal Henry Edward Manning (1808-1892)
Educated at Harrow and Balliol College, Oxford (where he was tutored by Herman Merviale),
he converted to Catholicism under the influence of John Henry Newman (1851), becoming
archbishop of Westminster in 1865.
Robert Monteith of Carstairs (1811-1884)
The son of Henry Monteith (d. 1848); at Trinity College, Cambridge he was a member of the
Apostles; he converted to Rome in 1846 and was a prominent Christian socialist.
John Murray III (1808-1892)
The son of the Anak of publishers; he successfully carried on the family publishing
business.
Edward Strutt, first Baron Belper (1801-1880)
The son of the cotton manufacturer William Strutt (d. 1830); educated at Trinity College,
Cambridge, he was a Liberal MP for the borough of Derby (1830-47) and chancellor of the
duchy of Lancaster (1852-54). He became a peer in 1856.
