When Miss Owenson at length came to London to arrange with the publishers about her Missionary, she took up her abode with Captain and Mrs. Patterson, who resided in good style in York Place, Portman Square, a residence more convenient to her than Stanmore Priory. She mixed eagerly and freely with the best people in London, and was particularly at home with the lions and lionesses. At this time she made the acquaintance of Lord Cochrane, then just home from his glorious exploits in the Basque roads. A note to Lady Stanley will also show that she had also become an acquaintance of Nelson’s Lady Hamilton—“the famous”—as she calls her, by way of distinction from the Lady Hamilton of Stanmore Priory. The letter is franked by Lord Cochrane.
Your letter made me roar. I was in Berkshire when it
arrived, and only got it three days back, but
| 420 | LADY MORGAN'S MEMOIR. |
Lady Morgan used to tell a story about herself in these
early days of her first introduction to fashionable society. She had little money, and but
a slender wardrobe of smart things. In those days, dress was expensive, and white satin
shoes were specialites that every young lady did not command. One evening, at some party,
the company were practising the waltz, then very recently introduced into England;
Lord Hartington was Miss
Owenson’s partner; she was dancing with energy, when her foot slipped,
and in the effort to recover herself, one of her white slippers, the pride of her
heart—her only pair—was split beyond retrieval. She felt so mortified at the
accident that she burst into tears. Lord Hartington was distressed,
and entreated to know the cause of her sudden affliction.
| VISIT TO LONDON. | 421 |
He was then on the point of starting for France, and he was good as his promise. The shoes came in the next ambassador’s bag, and were sent to her with the following note.
I send you the long-promised shoes, which, however, without your encouragement last night, would not have dared present themselves to you. They are not what I intended, being like all other shoes; but Paris could never produce anything like the vision of a shoe that I had in my mind’s eye for you. I depend upon your sending me Luxima, and beg you to believe me, dear Miss Owenson,
In the reply which she sent to this gallant epistle, Miss Owenson referred to the loss of her liberty—meaning that she had made up her mind to close with Lady Abercorn’s offer, and go into her household
| 422 | LADY MORGAN'S MEMOIR. |
Before The Wild Irish Girl was aux abois, and taken alive in the snare that has been artfully laid for her, she begs to lay at your grace’s feet the last offerings of her liberty; and by whatever name your Grace may prefer of the four you bestowed on me—whether Puck or Glorvina, Luxima or Mother Goose, she invokes your acceptance of the trifle which accompanies this.
She is ignorant whether her keepers mean to exhibit her for her intelligence or ferocity, like the learned pig at Exeter Change, or the beautiful hyena at the Tower, which never was tamed. But whatever part she is destined to play in her cage, it is certain that she will often look forth with delight to those days of her freedom, when, untaught and untamed, she contributed to your Grace’s amusement, and imbibed those sentiments of respect and esteem for your character, with which she has the honour to subscribe herself your
There is some mystery about Miss Owenson’s relations to Sir Charles Ormsby at this time, which is not wholly explained in Lady Morgan’s papers. Among them is a letter endorsed in her own handwriting:—
“Last farewell letter to Sir C. Ormsby, returned with the rest of my letters and my ring after his death, which took place in 1816.”
| VISIT TO LONDON. | 423 |
I am told you have had the kindness to call more than once since your arrival in town at my door. I should have anticipated the intention and endeavoured to prevent it; but the fact is, I did not wish to intrust a letter to another person’s servant, and still less to send my own to your house.
It is with inexpressible regret that I am obliged to decline your visits. I have no hesitation in declaring that I prized your society beyond any enjoyment within my sphere of attainment, and that in relinquishing it for ever, I do a violence to my feelings which raises me in my own estimation, without reconciling me to the sacrifice I have made.
The only intercourse that could subsist between us, proximity has destroyed. I thought your circuit would have lasted five weeks. I thought I should have been in England before your return, and all this would have been spared me. Were I to tell you the motive that detains me in Ireland longer than I wish or expected, you would give me your applause. At least do not withdraw from me your esteem, it is the only sentiment that ever ought to subsist between us. I owe you a thousand kindnesses, a thousand attentions; my heart is full of them. Whilst I exist, the recollection of all I owe you shall form a part of that existence.
| 424 | LADY MORGAN'S MEMOIR. |
The affair between Miss Owenson and the bien aimé had cost her a good deal of trouble and anxiety—and it had been for some time on a very unsatisfactory footing. They met in society afterwards, and he always retained a strong and friendly interest in her career.
Miss Owenson went from York Place to the Priory and remained there some little time. During this visit, Lord Castlereagh, who had been favoured with hearing some of the MS. read aloud—which he greatly admired—offered to take Miss Owenson to town in his chariot, and to give a rendezvous’ to her publisher in his own study; an offer which was, of course, accepted. Stockdale was the publisher with whom she was then in treaty.
He was punctual to his appointment, and was naturally impressed by the
environments, which gave him a higher opinion of Miss
Owenson’s genius than he had felt before. The opportunity to make a
good bargain was improved by Miss Owenson, Lord Castlereagh himself standing by whilst the agreement was signed. His
lordship was, perhaps, the greatest admirer the Missionary ever found; it was not so popular as her
other novels. She had read up a great deal for Indian customs, history and antiquities; but
India was India to her; and the manners and customs, races and
| VISIT TO LONDON. | 425 |
I ought to have announced my arrival to you before this;
but I have been involved, engaged, dazzled, and you who are a philosopher, and
see human nature just as it is, will account for and excuse this, and say, she
is not ungrateful nor negligent, she is only human. My
entré here was attended by every circumstance
that could render it delightful or gracious to my feelings. A coach-and-four
was sent to meet me thirty miles off, and missed me. I remained a day or two in
London with my very kind friends the Pattersons. I hold my place of first
favourite, and the favour I for-
| 426 | LADY MORGAN'S MEMOIR. |
Among the visitors at Stanmore Priory was Sir Thomas Lawrence, who painted the exquisite sketch of Miss Owenson prefixed to this volume; the story of which is told in his graceful epistles:—
If you knew how little at this moment I am master of my time, you would readily pardon me for the freedom I take with the Marchioness and yourself, in naming Wednesday next for my waiting on her ladyship, instead of the appointment fixed for to-morrow. The considerations you have mentioned, do, indeed, make it necessary that the drawing should be finished in the next week, and upon my word of honour to you, if the Marquis and Marchioness permit me to go to the Priory on Wednesday, the drawing shall be finished within the week.
You write to me with so much good humour, and so far below your claims on my thankfulness, for allowing me to attempt this gratification to your friends and the public, that I am the more vexed at my ill fortune, in dooming me to begin it with so ill a grace.
The temple you speak of is a pretty, fanciful building, but there is something very cold and chilling in that said “vestibule,” If another door opens, let me go in with you!
Believe me, with the greatest respect,
My evil genius does haunt me, my dear madam, but not in your shape—on the contrary, I believe that it takes you for my good one, for it is very studious to prevent my seeing you. To morrow I cannot, Sunday I cannot; but I will make it as early in this ensuing week as my distractions will admit.
“Doldrums and bother”
are weak terms for ladies of your invention—at least, they touch not my
state
| 428 | LADY MORGAN'S MEMOIR. |
I have seen Mr. Campbell,† who is more anxious than you are for the meeting. But I will tell you of his admiration, delight, impatience, &c., &c., &c., when we meet, which I repeat shall be as soon in the next week as possible.
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* The Marchioness of Cornwallis. † The poet and author of the Pleasures of Hope. |
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