"I did not ask Thee to bestow the Duke upon me! I did not think of ever writing to him until Thou madest me do so! and therefore I marvel at his being allowed to torture me first in one way and then in another for the last twelve years of my life, and above all by what he has now so insultingly done in pretending to think that I have written to him for a Loan, which Thou knowest, for Thy honor and glory I would not do under existing circumstances, for a thousand worlds! And I bless Thee for influencing me to Copy the letter addressed to my Guardian, word for word in my Diary, commencing my letter to the Duke as follows:
"'Having just written to my Guardian requesting him to oblige me with a Loan to purchase the furniture required for my Cottage I resume my pen, My dearest Duke to acquaint you thereof feeling still influenced to let you know how things are going forward respecting it. Which Loan he will be at liberty to deduct out of my Dividends being by no means large as I propose furnishing it so simply, being all that is necessary living in such retirement as we shall always do,' etc.
"At which, the more I look, the more unlikely it would appear that the Duke would understand it in any light that would for a moment lead him to suppose I could so far forget myself or the honour I have for His great name Which is above every name as to bow down thus, God having declared, 'It is abomination for the righteous to bow down before the wicked.' Consequently my indignation at his insulting letter led at once to my treating it as it deserves, telling him that nothing upon earth could have astonished me more than such insult, conveying an idea that I had purposed condescending receiving any Loan from his hands, which I would rather starve than do! and so I would! Yes, I would if I had no other means of subsistence die with starvation sooner than ask any favor of that kind from him! knowing as I do that Christ's Great Holy Name would be so dishonored thereby. Consequently, since it would be for His Holy Name sake, as well as knowing what was due to my high calling in Him, starvation would be comparatively sweet! rejoicing in being considered worthy, whilst so unworthy, so utterly unworthy of suffering for His Great Holy Name sake. I have called upon the Duke to apologize to me as the unwarrantable insult offered to me demands. Having given this over with himself into God's Hands to undertake the whole cause for me in whatever way is most for His own honor and glory, He will doubtlessly make him do as HE pleases,—and if not, HE will deliver me, I hope from him for ever. After such a letter as this, displaying more of his character than I have ever yet seen, I have too much contempt for him to desire any further communication with him, despising him accordingly.—
"Having given a little vent to my feelings by writing the above, I will now attempt to describe the circumstances concerning this insulting letter.
"The first thing on awaking I was influenced to get up however unwell, in case a letter by the earliest Post should arrive from the Duke, little imagining what was in store for me, when God thought proper to attract my attention to so remarkable a Scripture, namely. 'The preparation of the heart in man and the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.' HE permitted me sensibly to feel His 'strength made perfect in weakness,' otherwise I should have sunk under the blow! But as his letter was put into my hands, such an upholding power was exercised over me that however astonished at its contents and indignant thereat, The Lord was with me....
"I lost no time in answering the Duke as he deserved, my heart glowing with all the holy indignation such an insulting offer so coarsely conveyed was calculated to call forth. I then hurried off to Mrs. L. with that and the one just before received, which she viewed in like manner, considering it disgraceful treatment in his daring to write to me thus. She only waits his reply to mine (which I read to her and on my return home enclosed and forwarded, hastening off myself to a Post Office for that purpose) and the Lord's influence in order to take up her powerful pen and address him as his offered insult deserves.
"On my return from the Post Office I opened my loved Bible at the words; 'The wicked fleeth when no man pursueth, but the righteous are bold as a lion,' encouraging me to think increasingly that my bold indignant fearless reply to the Duke was justified."
Then follow other "Scriptures," all applied to her credit and the Duke's disadvantage, and a prayer in which she beseeches the Almighty to "take this man into Thy Hands and compel him to do me the justice I deserve."
A tempest in a teapot! That the Commander-in-chief of the British armies, the greatest soldier of his age, should have been subjected to the attacks of a peevish woman's tongue, is ridiculous; but there is a pitiable side to the affair as well. One cannot help feeling compassion for the poor old man,—seventy-seven years of age now,—even while one laughs at the absurdity of the situation. Miss J., as usual, could not let matters rest, but prepared for another attack. Her Diary describes her sensations of suspense as she awaited a reply from the Duke, and "the Scriptures" with which she fortified her position. On Sunday she writes:—
"I have written another indignant letter to the Duke, in which I purpose enclosing his hair and picture, which last being made of sealing wax is of course of no value. These being the only things ever received or required by me, I am solicitous to relieve myself from the burthen they necessarily become under present circumstances. Consequently, after considering or reflecting that it may perhaps be more for the honor and glory of God to return them in silence, I have enclosed them in two blank covers, waiting now only to ascertain their weight in order that they may be stamped accordingly and reach him in safety."