I heartily wish you a pleasant holiday, and hope that rest and change of scene may thoroughly restore your health and strength.
Believe me,
Sans rancune,
Yours very truly,
J. Chamberlain.
Lord Randolph Churchill to Mr. Chamberlain.
2 Connaught Place, W.: November 27, 1884.
My dear Mr. Chamberlain,—I hasten to answer your very kind letter, which caused me the greatest pleasure.
I had always hoped that the friendship which existed between us and which, for my part, I most highly valued, might at all times be altogether unaffected by any Parliamentary conflicts, however brisk, and even sharp, the latter might be.
It is indeed very pleasant to me to know from the generous expressions in your letter that my hopes are in no way illusory, and as long as I continue in politics it will be a source of pride to me to endeavour to the best of my abilities to mitigate the asperities of party warfare as far as you and I are concerned. I am not likely to forget that in the last Parliament you gave me the most valuable and effective support in a matter in which at that time I was greatly interested, without which support I should have been unsuccessful.
I like to think that it is neither impossible nor improbable that political circumstances may from time to time find us again in agreement; and although your position and power will be far above mine, I shall be on the look-out for those occasions.
Believe me, I am very sensible of your amiable wishes as to the results of my travels to India, and that I hope always to remain
Yours very sincerely,
Randolph S. Churchill.