Indorsed by Miss J. "Who is he that saith and it cometh to pass when THE Lord commandeth it not?"
And now came the storm, springing from a misunderstanding pitifully out of proportion to the furore it excited! Miss J. and her friend Mrs. L. had engaged a cottage, and were about to move into it. Miss J. wrote to her guardian, desiring him to advance her funds for the furniture of her new abode. A day or so later, in writing to the Duke, Miss J. told him of the transaction, in her usual involved style, and asked his opinion of the matter. The rest of the note was, as usual, filled with incoherent reproaches for his lack of promptness in writing. The unfortunate Duke probably perused the letter hastily, and comprehended nothing but that Miss J. found fault with him about something, and that she wished a loan from somebody. His patience had been worn threadbare by much carping and criticism, and he answered her letter in that given below. The whole affair is so absurd, as sketched in Miss J.'s Diary, that the account is given in her own words, only omitting a few of the superfluous and irrelevant quotations from Scripture.
London, Sept. 23, 1846.
In order to prevent Irritation; and to avoid the receipt of repeated Letters expressing the same; I determined that I would inform Miss J. that I would write no more.
I had before repeatedly assured her, that I could not answer Her Letters regularly; but nothing would do, She continued to be angry and to complain with bitterness.
I have therefore been under the necessity of announcing that she is not to expect to hear from me! She has now mentioned to me that she had written to me to desire that I would assist Her with a Loan of Money. I have not received the Letter containing that Desire.
But I answer at once; that I will give her any reasonable assistance she can require from me; when she will let me know in clear distinct Terms what is the Sum she requires.
But I announce again; that I never will write upon any other Subject.
Wellington.
"Friday, September 26th, 1846. O my God, Wherefore hast Thou thought proper to let Satan try and distress me in this unanticipated manner?