232 DIARY, &c., OF THE AUTHOR OF EVELINA. [PART VI. wounded companion, but sad, also, that I quitted so many dear friends, who had wrought themselves, by innumerable kindnesses, into my affections, and who knew not, for we could not bring ourselves to utter words that must have reciprocated so much pain, that our intended future residence was England. The most tender and generous of fathers had taken this difficult resolution for the sake of his son, whose earnest wish had been repeatedly expressed for permission to establish himself in the land of his birth. That my wishes led to the same point, there could be no doubt, and powerfully did they weigh with the most disinterested and most indulgent of husbands. All that could be suggested to compromise what was jarring in our feelings, so as to save all parties from murmuring or regret, was the plan of a yearly journey to France. PART VII. 1815, 16, 17. Arrival of M. and 'Madame d'Arblay in England-Madame de Staël's 'Germany'-Madame d'Arblay's son at CambridgeBlücher and Wellington-Honours accorded to M. d'Arblay by his Sovereign on retiring from his service-The English abroad-Sentence by the French courts on Sir R. Wilson and his associates-Sale of the Streatham Portraits-General d'Arblay visits France to return thanks for his promotionCharacter of his son-General d'Arblay leaves him the choice of studying in England or entering upon a military career in France-Madame d'Arblay's preference of Bath-Her son about to take a degree at Cambridge-Indisposition of General d'Arblay-Theatrical reminiscences-Visit to Mrs. PiozziOld friends-Ilfracombe-A Spanish vessel-Her captain, doctor, and cook-Appearance of ships in a storm-Indisposition of General d'Arblay at Paris. PART VII. 1815. Madame d'Arblay to Mrs. Lock and Mrs. Angerstein. Dover, Oct. 18, 1815. LAST night, my ever dear friends, we arrived once more in Old England. I write this to send the moment I land in London. I cannot boast of our health, our looks, our strength; but I hope we may recover a part of all when our direful fatigues, mental and corporeal, cease to utterly weigh upon and wear us. We shall winter in Bath. The waters of Plombières have been recommended to my poor boiteux, but he has obtained a congé that allows this change. Besides his present utter incapacity for military service, he is now unavoidably on the retraite list, and the King of France permits his coming over, not alone without difficulty, but with wishing him a good journey, through the Duc de Luxembourg, his captain in the Gardes du Corps. Adieu, dearest both!-Almost I embrace you in dating from Dover. Had you my letter from Trèves? I suspect not, for my melancholy new history would have brought your kind condolence: or, otherwise, that missed me. Our letters were almost all intercepted by the Prussians while we were there. Not one answer arrived to us from Paris, save by private hands. My kindest love to my dear Lady Martin. I waited a happy moment to write her my congratulations. Alas! I have been persecuted by disaster almost from the time I left England. Flights, illness, terrors, and grievous accidents have followed, or met me at every step. * December 24, 1815. My heart has been almost torn asunder, of late, by the dreadful losses which the newspapers have communicated to me, of the two dearest friends * of my absent partner; both sacrificed in the late sanguinary conflicts. It has been with difficulty I have forborne attempting to return to him; but a winter voyage might risk giving him another loss. The death of one of these so untimely departed favourites, how will Madame de Staël support? Pray tell me if you hear any thing of her, and what. In beginning her Germany,' in which I am only advanced to about a third of the first volume, I perpetually longed to write to her, but imperious obstacles are in the way; and next, to you, to tell you as the person most likely to sympathise with me sincerely— the pleasure, the transport rather, with which I read nearly every phrase: such acuteness of thought, such vivacity of ideas, and such brilliancy of expression, I know not where I have met before. I often lay the The Comte de Narbonne and Comte F. de la Tour Maubourg. |