Lady Hester Stanhope to the Marquis (afterwards Duke) of Buckingham.Mount Lebanon, April 22, 1816.My dear Cousin,For years, in writing to you, I have been silent on politics: but as it is probable that this letter will reach you, I avail myself of this opportunity to give you my real opinions.You cannot doubt that a woman of my character, and (I presume to say) of my understanding, must have held in contempt and aversion all the statesmen of the present day, whose unbounded ignorance and duplicity have brought ruin on France, have spread their own shame through all Europe, and have exposed themselves not only to the ridicule but to the curses of present and future generations. One great mind, one single enlightened statesman, whose virtues had equalled his talents, was all that was wanting to effect, at this unexampled period, the welfare of all Europe, by taking advantage of events the most extraordinary that have ever occurred in any era. That moment is gone by: an age of terror and perfidy has succeeded. Horrible events will take place, and those who find themselves farthest from the scenes which will be acted may consider themselves the most fortunate.Cease therefore to torment me: I will not live in Europe, even were I, in flying from it, compelled to beg my bread. Once only will I go to France, to see you and James, but only that once. I will not be a martyr for nothing. The granddaughter of Lord Chatham, the niece of the illustrious Pitt,feels herself blush, as she writes, that she was born in England—that England, who has made her accursed gold the counterpoise to justice; that England who puts weeping humanity in irons, who has employed the valour of her troops, destined for the defence of her national honour, as the instrument to enslave a free-born people; and who has exposed to ridicule and humiliation a monarch who might have gained the good will of his subjects, if those intriguing English had left him to stand or fall upon his own merits.What must be, if he reflects, the feelings of that monarch’s mind? but it is possible that his soul is too pure to enable him to dive into the views of others, and to see that he has merely been their tool. May Heaven inspire him with the sentiments of Henry the Fourth, (a name too often profaned) who would have trod the crown under his feet rather than have received it upon the conditions with which your friend has accepted it!You will tell me that the French army—the bravest troops in the world, they who have made more sacrifices to their national honour than any others—would not listen to the voice of reason: and you think I shall believe you. Never! If an individual, poor and humble like myself, knows how to make an impression (as I have done) upon thousands of wild Arabs, without even bearing the name of chieftain, by yielding somewhat to their prejudices and by inspiring confidence in my integrity and sincerity, could not a king—a legitimate king—guide that army, to which he owed the preservation of his power, to a just appreciation of their duty? Without doubt he could, and would have done too, if he had been left free to act. What was to be expected from men, naturally incensed at the interference of those who, for twenty-five years, were held up to their minds as their bitterest enemies, but that which has happened? In a word, never did tyrant, ancient ormodern, act so entirely against the interests of humanity as those insensate dolts of our day, who have violated the holy rights of peace, and have broken the ties, which, under any circumstances, should connect man and man.And pray consider all I say as the real expression of my thoughts. Oh! if I said all I feel, I could fill a volume! but, just now, I am not very well in health, and to take a pen in hand confuses my head, as it has done ever since my attack of plague at Latakia. I have therefore begged the doctor to write this for me.You and James must let me know if you can come and meet me in Provence: for to Paris I will not go. The sight of those odious ministers of ours, running about to do mischief, would be too disgusting. Recollect that it is not what is called “Love” which takes me now to a prison, but that sentiment which I shall always feel for those whom I have loved:—a sentiment, which, in my bosom, is not inferior in intensity to the passion itself in the bosom of another. You may make faces or not—I care not a farthing; for there is no soul on earth who ever had, or ever will have, any influence on my thoughts or my actions.If you wish to write to me, send your letters to Paris, addressed to James, or to the care ofMessrs. Lafitte et Cie, Coutts’s correspondents. I shall take care that the bearer of this letter applies there before he leaves Paris to rejoin me. His stay will be from fifteen to twenty days.Adieu, my dear cousin. Be as proud and as angry as you please at my politics, but you will never change them: do not however, on that account, cease to love me, or forget,Your ever affectionateL. H. S.
Lady Hester Stanhope to the Marquis (afterwards Duke) of Buckingham.
Mount Lebanon, April 22, 1816.
My dear Cousin,
For years, in writing to you, I have been silent on politics: but as it is probable that this letter will reach you, I avail myself of this opportunity to give you my real opinions.
You cannot doubt that a woman of my character, and (I presume to say) of my understanding, must have held in contempt and aversion all the statesmen of the present day, whose unbounded ignorance and duplicity have brought ruin on France, have spread their own shame through all Europe, and have exposed themselves not only to the ridicule but to the curses of present and future generations. One great mind, one single enlightened statesman, whose virtues had equalled his talents, was all that was wanting to effect, at this unexampled period, the welfare of all Europe, by taking advantage of events the most extraordinary that have ever occurred in any era. That moment is gone by: an age of terror and perfidy has succeeded. Horrible events will take place, and those who find themselves farthest from the scenes which will be acted may consider themselves the most fortunate.
Cease therefore to torment me: I will not live in Europe, even were I, in flying from it, compelled to beg my bread. Once only will I go to France, to see you and James, but only that once. I will not be a martyr for nothing. The granddaughter of Lord Chatham, the niece of the illustrious Pitt,feels herself blush, as she writes, that she was born in England—that England, who has made her accursed gold the counterpoise to justice; that England who puts weeping humanity in irons, who has employed the valour of her troops, destined for the defence of her national honour, as the instrument to enslave a free-born people; and who has exposed to ridicule and humiliation a monarch who might have gained the good will of his subjects, if those intriguing English had left him to stand or fall upon his own merits.
What must be, if he reflects, the feelings of that monarch’s mind? but it is possible that his soul is too pure to enable him to dive into the views of others, and to see that he has merely been their tool. May Heaven inspire him with the sentiments of Henry the Fourth, (a name too often profaned) who would have trod the crown under his feet rather than have received it upon the conditions with which your friend has accepted it!
You will tell me that the French army—the bravest troops in the world, they who have made more sacrifices to their national honour than any others—would not listen to the voice of reason: and you think I shall believe you. Never! If an individual, poor and humble like myself, knows how to make an impression (as I have done) upon thousands of wild Arabs, without even bearing the name of chieftain, by yielding somewhat to their prejudices and by inspiring confidence in my integrity and sincerity, could not a king—a legitimate king—guide that army, to which he owed the preservation of his power, to a just appreciation of their duty? Without doubt he could, and would have done too, if he had been left free to act. What was to be expected from men, naturally incensed at the interference of those who, for twenty-five years, were held up to their minds as their bitterest enemies, but that which has happened? In a word, never did tyrant, ancient ormodern, act so entirely against the interests of humanity as those insensate dolts of our day, who have violated the holy rights of peace, and have broken the ties, which, under any circumstances, should connect man and man.
And pray consider all I say as the real expression of my thoughts. Oh! if I said all I feel, I could fill a volume! but, just now, I am not very well in health, and to take a pen in hand confuses my head, as it has done ever since my attack of plague at Latakia. I have therefore begged the doctor to write this for me.
You and James must let me know if you can come and meet me in Provence: for to Paris I will not go. The sight of those odious ministers of ours, running about to do mischief, would be too disgusting. Recollect that it is not what is called “Love” which takes me now to a prison, but that sentiment which I shall always feel for those whom I have loved:—a sentiment, which, in my bosom, is not inferior in intensity to the passion itself in the bosom of another. You may make faces or not—I care not a farthing; for there is no soul on earth who ever had, or ever will have, any influence on my thoughts or my actions.
If you wish to write to me, send your letters to Paris, addressed to James, or to the care ofMessrs. Lafitte et Cie, Coutts’s correspondents. I shall take care that the bearer of this letter applies there before he leaves Paris to rejoin me. His stay will be from fifteen to twenty days.
Adieu, my dear cousin. Be as proud and as angry as you please at my politics, but you will never change them: do not however, on that account, cease to love me, or forget,
Your ever affectionate
L. H. S.
Visitors of another kind made their appearance this year, but were not so cordially received. Thesewere swarms of locusts, which came to add to the distress in which the country was then plunged from the unusual drought of the season. The locusts first showed themselves in the middle of March, and flew chiefly along the border land between the mountains and the sea, forming a swarm of some miles in length. They would have gone onward, but the north wind happened to set in, and blew so strongly that, when they came to a point of land a few miles north of Sayda, past which there was no screen from the wind, they could not advance any farther; for once on the wing, so slight of body are they, that, whichever way the wind blows, they are carried irresistibly with it.
The poor husbandman slept for a few hours, and, on waking, found a track of stalks where lately he left a corn-field in full blade. Winter seemed suddenly to have succeeded spring, so completely were the trees and fields stripped of their verdure.
Locusts on the wing can be compared to nothing so well as a fall of snow. Their swarms obscure the air in just the same manner and as far as the eye can reach.
About this time news was brought that Her Royal Highness Caroline Princess of Wales had landed at Acre. Lady Hester had heard many weeks before of her approach, and, not intending to come in contact with her, had given out that she had meditated for some time past a journey to Antioch, and was resolvedto put it in execution this summer. Preparations and arrangements had therefore begun as early as the month of May; and she had written to Mr. Barker, British consul at Aleppo, to meet her at Antioch, for the purpose of settling their banking accounts and other matters. Many persons thought it an instance of great rashness on the part of Lady Hester to go into a district inhabited entirely by Ansárys, a race which had lately seen such mischief accruing to it at her instigation, on account of M. Boutin’s assassination.
Lady Hester’s preparations for her departure were now so far advanced that the vessel in which she intended to sail had been hired. I know not whether her ladyship had any reason, other than the mere probability of such a thing, for believing that Her Royal Highness would extend her journey towards Sayda; but, as she had resolved not to remain herself at Mar Elias to await the result of the princess’s movements, it was thought proper that I should do so, to offer her such accommodations and entertainment as the monastery could afford. Miss Williams was left for the purpose of household arrangements, and Hanýfy, the black slave, likewise stopped behind; probably to prevent her from forming an acquaintance with so fanatic a people as the Antiochian Mahometans, who hold it to be a sin for any believer to be bought and kept in servitude by a Christian. Lady Hester furnished me with a letter of introduction to Her Royal Highness; and desired me to go and meether as far as Tyre, supposing she came that way by land.
Lady Hester spent a few days, previous to her departure, in her cottage in the gardens of Sayda; and on the 18th July embarked on board of ashaktúr, which had been fitted up for the voyage. The vessel put into Tripoli, where she saw Mustafa Aga Berber, and other persons with whom she was in correspondence of business and friendship. Re-embarking, she arrived safely at Swadíah, and thence went to Antioch, where she was received with great honours by the authorities of the place.