| 90 | R. PLUMER WARD. |
Several of the letters in this section refer to a controversial
pamphlet by Mr. Ward, published anonymously, in
December, 1838, in reply to some strictures in the “Edinburgh
Review” on his work entitled “Essay on the Revolution of 1688.” As
Mr. Ward thought it essential to his object that he should
strictly preserve his incognito for a time, I willingly undertook all the business details
connected with this matter, in which, as will be seen by the subsequent letters, he felt a
strong interest—as, indeed, his temperament impelled him to do in everything in which he
seriously occupied himself. I am not sure whether he afterwards avowed the authorship of
this brochure
beyond the circle of his immediate family and private friends. But as there can be no
conceivable reason for any longer concealing a step which the nature of the attack almost
compelled him
| R. PLUMER WARD. | 91 |
“My dear Patmore,—I have
taken a liberty with you, which I hope and trust, from your long shown
friendship, you will excuse. The very silly arguments and gross
misrepresentations of the ‘Edinburgh Review’ on my ‘Essay on the Revolution,’ joined
to its general rudeness, made me resolve to do, what you will perhaps think a
foolish thing,—review the
review. But as I did not like to do this in my own name, nor wish to
go to the expense of printing it in a separate form, I addressed it to
——, without my name, to publish it
in his magazine, if he chose; if not, to send it to your house. If you get it,
I do not venture to ask you to read it, for the subject is not to your taste;
| 92 | R. PLUMER WARD. |
“Should —— address any note to the author, will you forward it here, where, you will be glad to hear, I am revelling in a house and a real country life very much to my taste, which Gilston, with all its charms, was not. I am only sorry that its distance (150 miles) precludes, I fear, my hope that you will come to see me. The place belongs to my step-son, and to us till he is of age, eight years hence.
“We shall be in town, in Chesterfield-street, in February.
“Have you done anything with your tale, or your play? I want to see both in print.
“Pray write and tell me what you are doing, and believe me always much yours,
The opening paragraph of the following letter refers to Mr. Edmund Reade’s beautiful poem of “Italy,” then just published:—
| R. PLUMER WARD. | 93 |
“My dear Patmore,—I find I am indebted to your partiality for a book of poems, exhibiting, I think, warmth and genius, though perhaps wanting some pruning. The book was sent me by Mr. Reade, with a flattering letter, owing, I fear, more to your kind opinion than ‘Tremaine,’ though attributed to both. Well, thank you for this and many other instances of your kindness.
“I wrote you some time ago with a twofold view, of knowing what had become of a certain tale and comedy, neither of which ought to be hid under a bushel; also to apprise you that I had sent a review of the ‘Edinburgh Review’ of my political work, to ——, with a request that if he did not publish it, he would send it to you to be returned to the author, for I did not tell my name. As there was scarcely time to publish it in the last magazine of ——, and I have heard nothing from you about it, it is possible he retains it for his next publication; but I should like to know if you have heard anything about it.
| 94 | R. PLUMER WARD. |
“Tell me what you have been about, and where. Perhaps you are abroad, or enjoying the sun (if you can find him, at least) out of London. My sun is only that of my imagination, for the real one is nowhere here. We have, however, a delightful coal-pit, which almost does as well.
“If you will answer this letter, and excuse the trouble it gives you, you will make me very glad.
“I will not add to it more than to say I am much yours,
“My dear Patmore,—Your letter, as all your letters do, only added to my obligations to you. I cannot thank you enough for the trouble you have taken for me with ——, who may be a very good Tory, but certainly understands little of good manners. I am neither surprised nor disappointed by his thinking the papers not available, for I did not expect they would suit his publication. Still he might have returned them with less delay.
| R. PLUMER WARD. | 95 |
“The question is, what is to be done; for I own I think the Edinburgh wight so ignorant and cowardly in his critique, as well as so malapert, that I wish much for the publication, late as it is. I would be very glad, therefore, to profit by your more extensive experience and judgment in these matters, and would give you a carte blanche as to the means of bringing out the critique, short of revealing my name, which, if I did, I would do it in form, as a regular answer; but this many things forbid.
“Upon this I would ask your advice how to proceed, though the work, I fear, is too long for a magazine, and too short for a pamphlet. If, however, you think it may do, and you have interest to effect it (which you, of course, have, so well and advantageously known), London or Edinburgh would be the same to me. I fear this would give you the trouble of looking into it, which I by no means wished to impose upon you.
“As to your own MS., I am quite sorry to perceive your
unwillingness or fear to bring them out. I sincerely think you ought to do so,
both for your own and the public’s
| 96 | R. PLUMER WARD. |
“I am here still in my hollow-tree—a most comfortable
one—caring nothing for the world, which I have outlived. Why should I, when I
am absolutely so blessed by Heaven at home? How lucky, too, that I am fond of
all our connexions who abound
| R. PLUMER WARD. | 97 |
“P.S.—Do you remember Lady Louisa Anson the day you dined with me? The Anson family are all going to have rare doings on her marriage, in a week or two, at Shugborough, her father’s fine place. Whether from philosophy or fear of rheumatism, I have declined going, but duly send my family and wife. Yet I should like it, for there will be many Lady Lauras there, though I fear not one Isabel.
“By the way, did I ever tell you who Isabel was? Partly (whether you believe it or not) ——; chiefly, however, Lady ——, the earl’s wife, whom I met in Nassau, and not a word too much for her.”
The “Lady Laura” and
“Isabel” referred to in the postscript
of the foregoing letter are two characters in “Illustrations of Human Life,” the latter
one of the most exquisite creations of a pen that has never
| 98 | R. PLUMER WARD. |
“My dear Patmore,—I wish, among the many benefits you have conferred upon me, you would tell me how to thank you as I ought, for I cannot do it myself. In human affairs, whatever it may be among the angels, I do not accede to the sentiment of Milton, that by owing we owe not—at best a sort of quibble; so that, unless you can teach me how to acquit myself, I must continue to owe.
“Meanwhile, all I can do is cordially to thank you. You have had a sad deal of trouble, but I know it will have been lightened by your good will. Like ‘Macbeth’ I can say—
“‘I know this is a joyful trouble to ye, But yet ’tis one.’ |
| R. PLUMER WARD. | 99 |
“You are most good in offering to superintend the proofs. Were the distance from this shorter, I would by no means think of imposing that additional burthen upon you; but after all the delays that have occurred, I am fearful of more; which certainly could not be avoided, where there is not time to answer a letter by return of post; so that if you are not tired out, my dear Patmore, I will thankfully accept your offer.
“In all this I give you carte blanche, and only feel happy in having so able as well as so kind an associate.
“Though I have not said half enough, I will not say more, at present at least, than that I am most truly,
“I don’t know whether you have looked at the
pamphlet. If you
have, I hope you do
| 100 | R. PLUMER WARD. |
The pamphlet, entitled “The Reviewer Reviewed,” was ultimately published by Mr. Churton, of Holles Street.
What Mr. Ward, in the following
letter, smilingly calls my “attempts on his vanity,’ refer, I suppose,
to something I had said while suggesting (at his special request) a subject on which to
employ his pen during the happy leisure that he was now enjoying at Okeover Hall. The
subject I had proposed to him was his own political “Life and Times.” How
singularly well qualified he was to treat such a subject, whether with a view to solid
information or light amusement, has been since conspicuously shown in the copious extracts
from his political diary, which form so important and interesting a feature of Mr. Phipps’s book. But there is no
denying that the social tact which was so marked a trait of his intellectual character,
directed him to the right decision on a question which had evidently engaged much
| R. PLUMER WARD. | 101 |
I may mention here, that another work which Mr. Ward seriously contemplated about this time was a Life of Bolingbroke,—a true history, which, under his hand, would have been likely to grow into an issue not merely “stranger than fiction,” but more romantic and attractive. Probably the same feeling deterred him in this case as in the other.
“And now, what shall I say of your
| 102 | R. PLUMER WARD. |
“As to the subject you propose, I think you once proposed it before; and, in truth, it is a very tempting one, being full of interest. But, after thinking of it often, I always find myself obliged to give the same answer—I know too much and too little (particularly the last), to undertake it. Besides, if it were not so,
“‘Periculosæ plenum opus
alea
Tractas.’ |
“After what I have been writing of Burnet, too! No; my life is too tranquil here to risk its continuance, and so ‘no more of that, if you love me, Hal.’
| R. PLUMER WARD. | 103 |
“Meantime, I am not altogether idle, and make a great many notes, if no regular work.
“Though so much farther from town, I am really better off for neighbours than at Gilston. I had yesterday a party of fourteen, all thorough ladies and gentlemen, which is more than I could always say of the cockney county I have left. As Johnson (who, by the way, is remembered here) used to say, “we had good talk.” In fact, I am fond of real rural thanes, the native noblesse, if well educated, which the Boothbys, Davenports, Bromleys, and Fitzherberts, who roost all about me, are.
“There is a mixture, however: some with no blood, but immensely rich; some with high blood, and immensely poor. Among the first, however, Watts Russell bears his faculties so meekly, that he is deservedly popular. He inhabits and possesses the ‘happy valley,’ which gave Johnson the scene of his ‘Rasselas;’ and, also, a hollow tree, in which, it is said, Congreve wrote ‘The Double Dealer.’
| 104 | R. PLUMER WARD. |
“And, now, adieu. I hope you got a basket with certain Christmas commodities, which I ordered to be sent you.
| ≪ PREV | NEXT ≫ |
