On this same day Madame de Soyres brought me a packet from her majesty, and another from the Princess Elizabeth. The kind and gracious princess sent me a pair of silver camp candlesticks, with peculiar contrivances which she wrote me word might amuse the general as a military man, while they might be employed by myself to light my evening researches among the MSS. of my dear father, which she wished me to collect and to preface by a memoir.
Her mother's offering was in the same spirit of benevolence - it was a collection of all the volumes of "L'Hermite de
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la Chausse d'Antin," with Chalmers's Astronomical Sermons, and Drake's two quartos on Shakespeare; joined to a small work of deeper personal interest to me than them all, which was a book of prayers suited to various circumstances, and printed at her majesty's own press at Frogmore. In this she had condescended to write my name, accompanied by words of peculiar kindness. My poor ami looked over every title-page with delight, feeling as I did myself that the gift was still more meant for him than for me—or rather, doubly, trebly for me in being calculated to be pleasing to him!—he was to me the soul of all pleasure on earth.
What words of kindness do I find, and now for the first time read, in his Diary dated 2nd February! After speaking—hlas, hlas!—"de ses douleurs inouies," (321) he adds, "Quelle trange maladie! et quelle position que la mienne! il en est une, peuttre plus ficheuse encore, c'est celle de ma malheureuse compagne; avec quelle tendresse elle me soigne! et avec quel courage elle supporte ce qu'elle a souffrir! Je ne puis que rpter, La volont de Dieu soit faite!"(322)
Alas! the last words he wrote in February were most melancholy:— "20 Fvrier, Je sens que je m'afaiblis horriblement—je ne crois pas que ceci puisse tre encore bien long.(323) Chre Fanny, cher Alex! God bless you! and unite us for ever, Amen!"
Oh my beloved! Delight, pride, and happiness of my heart! May heaven in its mercy hear this prayer! . . .
THE GENERAL RECEIVES THE VISIT OF A PRIEST.
In March he revived a little, and Mr. Tudor no longer denied me hope; on the 18th Alex came to our arms and gratulations on his fellowship; which gave to his dearest father a delight the most touching.
I have no Diary in his honoured hand to guide my narrative in April; a few words only he ever wrote more, and these, after speaking of his sufferings, end with "Pazienza!