CONTENTS
OF
THE SECOND VOLUME.

CHAPTER I.
Lady Hester Stanhope’s descent—The Author’s first introductionto her—Her reasons for quitting England—Anecdotes ofher childhood and womanhood—Her motives for going to livewith Mr. Pitt—Mr. Pitt’s opinion of Tom Paine—Lady Hesternoticed by George III.—Anecdote of Sir A. H.—Of Lord G.—OfLord A.—Impertinent questioners—Anecdote of the Marquis* * *—Mr. Pitt’s confidence in Lady Hester’s discretion—andin her devotion to him—His opinion of her cleverness,and of her military and diplomatic abilities—Her tirade againstdoctors—Her reflections on prudery—Anecdote of GeneralMoore—Of the Duc de Blacas, &c. [1]
CHAPTER II.
Sir Nathaniel Wraxall’s Memoirs—The three duchesses—Anecdoteof Mr. Rice—How Prime Ministers are employed onfirst taking office—The Grenville make—P—— of W——at Stowe—Mr. Pitt and Mr. Sheridan—Duke of H—— —Mr.Pitt’s disinterestedness exemplified—His life wasted inthe service of his country—Mr. Rose—Mr. Long—Mr.—— —Groundsat Walmer laid out by Lady Hester—Mr. Pitt’sdeportment in retirement—His physiognomy—How he gotinto debt—Lord Carrington; why made a peer—Extent ofMr. Dundas’s influence over Mr. Pitt—Mr. Pitt averse toceremony—Mr. Pitt and his sister Harriet—His dislike tothe Bourbons—Lady Hester’s activity at Walmer—LordChatham’s indolence—Mr. Pitt’s opinion of Sir ArthurWellesley [45]
CHAPTER III.
Duchess of Gontaut—Duc de Berry—Anecdotes of Lord H.—SirGore Ouseley—Prince of Wales—The other princes—TheQueen’s severity—Men and women of George the Third’stime—The Herveys—Lady Liverpool’s high breeding—LadyHester’s declining health [76]
CHAPTER IV.
Conscription in Syria—Inviolability of consular houses—Panicand flight of the people of Sayda—Protection affordedby Lady Hester—Story of a boy—Mustafa the barber—Crueltyto mothers of Conscripts—Conscription in the villages—LadyHester’s dream—Inhabitants of Sayda mulcted—LadyHester’s opinion of negresses—Severity necessary inTurkey—Case of Monsieur Danna—Captain Y.—MustafaPasha’s cruelty [101]
CHAPTER V.
Rainy season—Lady Hester’s despondency—Her Turkishcostume—Turkish servants—Terror inspired by Lady Hesterin her servants—Visit of Messieurs Poujolat and Boutés—LadyHester’s inability to entertain strangers—Her dejectedspirits and bad health [127]
CHAPTER VI.
The Delphic priestess—Abdallah Pasha’s ingratitude—Hiscowardice—Lady Hester’s spies—Her emaciation—Historyof General Loustaunau [154]
CHAPTER VII.
Lady Hester like the first Lord Chatham—Her recollectionsof Chevening—Her definition of insults—Her deliberateaffronts—Her warlike propensities—Earl C—— Marquis ofAbercorn—Logmagi—Osman Chaôosh—Letter from ColonelCampbell—George the Third’s flattering compliment to LadyHester—Her Majesty Queen Victoria—Lord M.—Prophecyof a welly—Lady Hester’s poignant affliction—Her intractability—Hernoble and disinterested benevolence [181]
CHAPTER VIII.
Lady Hester’s system of astrology—Sympathies and antipathies—People’snijems or stars—Mesmerism explained—LordSuffolk—Lady Hester’s own star—Letter to the Queen—Letterto Mr. Speaker Abercrombie—Messieurs Beck andMoore—Letter to Colonel Campbell—The Ides of March—LadyHester’s reflections on the Queen’s conduct to her—Letterto Sir Edward Sugden—What peers are—Junius’sLetters—Spies employed by the first Lord Chatham—Mr.Pitt’s opinion of the Duke of Wellington—Lady Hester’sletter to his Grace, &c. [223]
CHAPTER IX.
Lady Hester in an alcove in her garden—Lucky days observedby her—Consuls’ rights—Mischief caused by Sir F. B.’sneglect in answering Lady Hester’s Letters—Rashes commonin Syria—Visit of an unknown Englishman—Story of HanahMessâad—Lady Hester’s love of truth—Report of her death—MichaelTutungi—Visit from the Chevalier Guys—Hisreception at Dayr el Mkhallas—Punishment of the shepherd,Câasem—Holyday of the Korbàn Byràm—Fatôom’s accouchement—LadyHester’s aversion to consular interference—Eveningsat Jôon—Old Pierre—Saady [276]
CHAPTER X.
Visit of Mr. Vesey Forster and Mr. Knox—Lady S. N.’spension and Mr. H.—Lady Hester undeservedly censured byEnglish travellers—Mr. Anson and Mr. Strangways—Mr. B.and Mr. C.—Captain Pechell—Captain Yorke—ColonelHoward Vyse—Lord B. [314]

MEMOIRS
OF
LADY HESTER STANHOPE.

CHAPTER I.

Lady Hester Stanhope’s descent—The Author’s first introduction to her—Her reasons for quitting England—Anecdotes of her childhood and womanhood—Her motives for going to live with Mr. Pitt—Mr. Pitt’s opinion of Tom Paine—Lady Hester noticed by George III.—Anecdote of Sir A. H.—Of Lord G.—Of Lord A.—Impertinent questioners—Anecdote of the Marquis * * *—Mr. Pitt’s confidence in Lady Hester’s discretion—and in her devotion to him—His opinion of her cleverness, and of her military and diplomatic abilities—Her tirade against doctors—Her reflections on prudery—Anecdote of General Moore—Of the Duc de Blacas, &c.

It probably will be known to most readers that Lady Hester Stanhope was the daughter of Charles Earl of Stanhope by Hester, his first wife, sister to Mr. William Pitt, and daughter of the first Earl of Chatham. He had issue by this first wife three daughters—Hester, Griselda, and Lucy. The earl married a second wife, by whom he had three sons: the present earl; Charles, killed at Corunna; and James, who died at Caen Wood, the villa of his father-in-law, the Earl of Mansfield.

I became acquainted with Lady Hester Stanhope by accident. The chance that introduced me to her was as follows:—I was going to Oxford to take my degree; and, having missed the coach at the inn, I was obliged to hurry after it on foot, for the want of a hackney-coach, as far as Oxford-road turnpike, where I overtook it, and mounted the box in a violent perspiration. The day was bitterly cold, and, before night, I found myself attacked with a very severe catarrh. The merriment of a college life left me little time to pay attention to it; and, after about fifteen days, I returned with a troublesome cough, to London, where I took to my bed.

Mr. H. Cline, jun., (the son of the celebrated surgeon) being my friend, and hearing of my indisposition, came to inquire after my health very frequently. One day, sitting by my bedside, he asked me if I should like to go abroad. I told him it had been the earliest wish of my life. He said, Lady Hester Stanhope (the niece of Mr. Pitt) had applied to his father for a doctor, and that, if I liked, he would propose me, giving me to understand from his father that, although the salary would be small, I should, if my services proved agreeable to Lady Hester, be ultimately provided for. I thanked him, and said, that to travel with such a distinguished woman would please me exceedingly. The following day he intimated that his father had already spoken about me, and that her ladyship would see me. In about four days I was introduced to her, and she closed with me immediately, inviting me to dine with her that evening. Afterwards, I saw her several times, and subsequently joined her at Portsmouth, whence, after waiting a fortnight, we sailed in the Jason, the Hon. Captain King, for Gibraltar.

The reasons which Lady Hester assigned for leaving England were grounded chiefly on the narrowness of her income. Mr. Pitt’s written request, on his deathbed, that she might have £1500 a year, had been complied with only in part, owing to the ill offices of certain persons at that time in the privy-council, and she received clear, after deductions for the property-tax were made, no more that £1200. At first, after Mr. Pitt’s death, she established herself in Montague Square, with her two brothers, and she there continued to see much company. “But,” she would say, “a poor gentlewoman, doctor, is the worst thing in the world. Not being able to keep a carriage, how was I to go out? If I used a hackney-coach, some spiteful person would be sure to mention it:—‘Who do you think I saw yesterday in a hackney-coach? I wonder where she could be driving alone down those narrow streets?’ If I walked with a footman behind me, there are so many women of the town now who flaunt about with a smart footman, that I ran the hazard of being taken for one of them; and, if I went alone, either there would be some good-natured friend who would hint that Lady Hester did not walk out alone for nothing; or else I should be met in the street by some gentleman of my acquaintance, who would say, ‘God bless me, Lady Hester! where are you going alone?—do let me accompany you:’ and then it would be said, ‘Did you see Lady Hester crossing Hanover Square with such a one? he looked monstrous foolish: I wonder where they had been.’ So that, from one thing to another, I was obliged to stop at home entirely: and this it was that hurt my health so much, until Lord Temple, at last, remarked it. For he said to me one day, ‘How comes it that a person like you, who used to be always on horseback, never rides out?’—‘Because I have no horse.’—‘Oh! if that is all, you shall have one to-morrow.’—‘Thank you, my lord; but, if I have a horse, I must have two; and, if I have two, I must have a groom; and, as I do not choose to borrow, if you please, we will say no more about it.’—‘Oh! but I will send my horses, and come and ride out with you every day.’ However, I told him no: for how could a man who goes to the House every day, and attends committees in a morning, be able to be riding every day with me? And I know what it is to lend and borrow horses and carriages. When I used to desire my carriage to go and fetch any friend, my coachman was sure to say, ‘My lady, the horses want shoeing;’ or the footman would come in with a long face, ‘My lady, John would like to go and see his sister to-day, if you please:’ there was always some excuse. All this considered, I made up my mind to remain at home.”