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Memoir of Francis Hodgson
Duke of Devonshire to Francis Hodgson, 1 October 1838
INTRODUCTION & INDEXES
DOCUMENT INFORMATION
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Preface
Vol. 1 Contents
Chapter I.
Chapter II. 1794-1807.
Chapter III. 1807-1808.
Chapter IV. 1808.
Chapter V. 1808-1809.
Chapter VI. 1810.
Chapter VII. 1811.
Chapter VIII. 1811.
Chapter IX. 1811.
Chapter X. 1811-12.
Chapter XI. 1812.
Chapter XII. 1812-13.
Chapter XIII. 1813-14.
Vol. 2 Contents
Chapter XIV. 1815-16.
Chapter XV. 1816-18.
Chapter XVI. 1815-22.
Chapter XVII. 1820.
Chapter XVIII. 1824-27.
Chapter XIX. 1827-1830
Chapter XX. 1830-36.
Chapter XXI. 1837-40.
Chapter XXII. 1840-47.
Chapter XXIII. 1840-52.
Index
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My dear sir,—Excuse the splendour of my paper;1 it is like the stall of a cathedral, of which I selfishly do not wish to see you in possession. I received your letter to-day, with several others, stating that Paxton would be the bearer of them, but he has not made his appearance, and if he does not make haste this town may be in a state of siege, and I on the other side of the Alps. I am so pleased at your having inhabited Calton Lees.2 What a pretty

1 The paper had a gilt edging in an ecclesiastical pattern.

2 A hamlet in Chatsworth Park, in which Hodgson had taken refuge during the restoration of the rectory-house at Edensor.

LETTER FROM THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE.247
 village!—after all the beauties of Switzerland the same impression of it remains. I have been much more delighted with my tour than I expected; I had formed quite a different idea of the Swiss mountains, and did not suppose them to have so much wood and verdure and richness. The Lake of Thun is my favourite place. I had the drawback of not meeting the Burlingtons, who were delayed at Baden by the illness of their boy. He is now recovered, and we shall meet next week, on the Simplon or at Milan. I have made up my mind to pass the winter in Italy, with true regrets for Chatsworth; my time is passed in an idle, useless manner. My health will, I think, be improved by it, and I have got into very early habits, really getting up at daybreak. My acquaintances here are very few: Mr. Decandolle, the botanist, and M. Merle d’Aubigné, who has written a very clever history of the Reformation, are among them; the English and French travellers have hurried away, and troops are said to have left Lyons, all for a very foolish business about a very foolish fellow, the young Louis Buonaparte,1 who must be perfectly happy at being made of so much importance. Pray give my best remembrances to Mrs. Arkwright, when

1 Napoleon III.

248 MEMOIR OF REV. F. HODGSON.
you see “her (I hope she is well), and believe me, messages to your wife being always included, ever most truly and faithfully yours,

Devonshire.

I am ashamed of sending so dull a letter. Pray write to me; tell me village news. I have been grieved by the death of Lady Elizabeth Harcourt, at Milan,—four days’ illness from eating an ice after a ball. Another death, of the Duchess de Broglie, daughter of Mme. de Staël, has caused great affliction, and Lady Granville particularly laments her. She was a most pious, excellent woman. Both these ladies had daughters near their confinement, travelling in the south—Lady Norreys and Mme. d’Oponville. Just as my letter was going Mr. Paxton has arrived.