The following days I was by Lady Hester’s bedside from three to five hours every morning, and after dinner in the saloon with her from eight or half-past eight until twelve, one, or two o’clock. She repeated over again many of her stories with a view of impressing them, as I suppose, on my memory: for, having told her one day that if she would give herself the trouble of writing her Memoirs, she might pay her debts from the sale of such a work, she only laughed, and said, “Ah, well! when I get better, I shall tell you a few more anecdotes to make a book of, since you think it would be so profitable:” and, whenever, after dictating a letter, I wrote it out fairly, and gave the foul copy, together with the fair one, to her, she would take the latter, and say, “You may keep the other:” or, if she had reasons for wishing the contents to remain a secret, she would take them both, and put them by in her portfolio, and then I heard no more of the foul copy. It was thus she sometimes told me Eastern stories, after I had made some accidental observations on the charm that these little stories seemed to possess for European readers, as was manifested in the praises bestowed on those in M. Lamartine’s work. Had her health been good, and had the course of events gone on peaceably, I am inclined to think she would have listened to my suggestion, and have dictated her memoirs to me. On some occasions, it was her custom to say—“Now, don’t go and write that down:” on others, “You have kept no copy of such and such a letter of mine,” and “You have destroyed such a paper; give me your word:” when I was obliged to answer categorically.

I was at last worn out with fatigue from long sittings and these various occupations, not the least of which was to put her affairs in such order, that, when she shut herself up, she should be in want of nothing, have nothing to pay, nothing to write, meet with no interruptions to her seclusion, and be dead to the world. All this I did, as far as I was able.

July 20.—Lady Hester dictated the following letter to Sir Francis Burdett, in answer to the one she had received on the 6th ultimo.

Lady Hester Stanhope to Sir Francis Burdett, Bart.

Jôon, July 20, 1838.

My dear Burdett,

I am no fool, neither are you: but you might pass for one, if in good earnest you did not understand my letter. You tell me what is self-evident—that I have no right to inherit Colonel Needham’s property, &c.: neither had your daughter any right to inherit Mr. Coutts’s property: but, in all probability, his wife, being aware that you and your family stood high in his estimation, paid that compliment to his memory. Lord Kilmorey, who had no children, being aware of General Needham’s partiality towards Mr. Pitt, might, by his will, have allowed the property to return to the remaining branch of the Pitt family. Do not be afraid that I am going to give you any fresh trouble about this affair, notwithstanding I believe that you were some time hatching this stupid answer; but I do not owe you any grudge, as I know that it does not come from you:—I know where it comes from.

A lion of the desert, being caught in the huntsman’s net, called in vain to the beasts of the field to assist him, and received from them about as shuffling an answer as I have received from you, and previously from Lord H********. A little field mouse gnawed the master-knot, and called to the lion to make a great effort, which burst the noose, and out came the lion stronger than ever.

I am now about building up every avenue to my premises, and there shall wait with patience, immured within the walls, till it please God to send me a little mouse: and whoever presumes to force my retirement, by scaling my walls or anything of the like, will be received by me as Lord Camelford would have received them.

Hester Lucy Stanhope.[35]