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94 Piccadilly - offer of Chair of Modern History at Cambridge

Letters to RIchard Monckton Milnes from: Lord Palmerston, 22 Jan. 1850 and 28 Feb. 1850; Sir Henry Bulwer, 1850.

London. - Thanks Milnes for assistance in unsuccessful application; Palmerston might not have favoured Bathurst as his only connections are opposition ones; hopes he may be more kindly disposed in triumph.

20 Inverness Road, Bayswater. - Is a friend of George Mathew; seeks Foreign Office appointment equivalent to abolished post; Palmerston may be too preoccupied to remember his claims; six years' toil in foreign postings; now has a family and is in indifferent health.

C[arlton] G[ardens]. - Will nominate Frederic Lloyd as Home Messenger, but does not have the power to appoint him.

Birdsall, York. - Curacies held; now wishes to marry and seeks a Living; once dined in Houghton's company at Escrick Rectory; would Houghton approach the Prime Minister on his behalf?

Bideford. - Agrees Lord P[almerston] must be told his antecedents; has asked [Lord?] Stanley to give opinions; believes his wife's Parliamentary relatives [if Froude stands for Oxford History Professorship?]; hopes Vaughan will not resign after all - he is odd but very able.

On embossed notepaper for the Royal Geographical Society, 15 Whitehall Place, S.W. - The 'genial artist' John Burnet is in great want; encloses copy of an application for funds on his behalf. Enclosure: copy of application from members of the Royal Geographical Society to Lord Palmerston, 30 Jul. 1860, seeking a pension for John Burnet, with appended lists of his publications and engravings.

Kensington. - Saxe Bannister believes present moment to be perfect for mentioning his name; he refers to a project which will be beneficial to Palmerston; 'how good and troubled a man he is'.

94 Piccadilly. - Milnes is mistaken; Palmerston presided at a Literary Fund dinner about five years ago.

Broadlands. - On the death of Robert Pemberton Milnes, 'one of my earliest Friends, whose brilliant Talents excited universal admiration, at a Time of Life when young men in general are only beginning to feel their way in their public Career.' Conveys regards of his wife.

42 Rutland Gate, S.W. - Answers Frazer's letter inquiring about the fear of death, suggests that Meadows Taylor had a phrase about the fear of death being a European maladay; recollects Lord Palmerston stating that Chinese men would offer themselves for execution if their funeral rites were paid for and a good dinner offered; cites 'Julius Caesar'; is heading to Rome and Sicily in November.

Whixley Hall, York. - Sends poems [no longer present] by his sister, who was ruined after entrusting £6000 to a relative. Palmerston granted her £100 from Queen’s Bounty but refused a pension; believes her literary merit equals that of other pensioners. Previous attempts to advance her claim as granddaughter of Judge Blackstone. Asks if Houghton can assist. Likes her ‘Colensiad’ despite his regard for the Bishop which his sister does not share.

Empty envelopes only.

42 Rutland Gate, S.W. Dated October 18, 1902 - Answering Frazer's letter inquiring about the fear of death, suggests that Meadows Taylor had a phrase about the fear of death being a European maladay; recollects Lord Palmerston stating that Chinese men would offer themselves for execution if their funeral rites were paid for and a good dinner offered; cites 'Julius Caesar'; is heading to Rome and Sicily in November.

Baden. - Has applied for Francis Molyneux's vacant post at Frankfurt; it is not a promotion but ideally suited to writer's talents; would Milnes put in a good word with Lord P[almerston]; saw 'the Vicar of the Empire make his public entry' at Frankfurt; 'your friends the G-s [Germans?] are shewing "scant well" in general. I still have great misgivings as to their Unity, but shall be perfectly satisfied if the split does not turn out to be too favorable to their Western neighbours'; liberals are inclined to be illiberal to others.

6 Victoria Terrace, Bridlington. - Likes this place, 'Scarbro' being a little London - There are 1, 000 visitors, mainly from Hull & Sheffield'.

Wonders whether Richard meant what he said in the debate [on length of speeches in Parliament] 'to apply to Palmerston - he, whom Gladstone poetically described as having spoken from the setting, to the rising, of the sun, & to his own endless fame'. The Speaker [of the House of Commons, Charles Shaw-Lefevre] sent [David?] Waddington to Robert at Boodles to be introduced,; he asked Robert's opinion of those speaking. Robert replied that none of the 'leading men' had met his expectations, and that 'it was visible they were not men of the substance we were - half the House, in top boots'. Remembers Pitt 'always in nankins & blue silk stockings'. Found [William Johnson] Fox the 'most remarkable-looking' man today; the Speaker commented that he was 'as remarkable as he looks, & I always like hearing him'. Robert was also taken with Frederick Peel; 'he has a conceited look', but 'spoke admirably'. Has Richard's letter saying that Evelyn Denison is to be Education Minister; Denison asked Marmaduke Wyvill if he could be introduced to Robert, and they talked for some time. 'Duke said he is so dislik'd in the House, Ld P[almerston] could not take him, but that it was agreed he was far before Vernon Smith in ability'.

Discussion of the case of the murderer William Dove; article from the Leeds Mercury originally enclosed which is 'powerfully written, & may decide Sir G. Grey. Still I should be for hanging'. Dove's family were from Pontefract; his father, or perhaps grandfather, was one of Robert's 'steadiest supporters' [in elections]. Would be glad to hear Jane's opinion on the Mercury article, 'knowing your intelligence in that branch of law'. Asks if she is aware that 'the most atrocious monster ever sent to Botany Bay was also from Pontefract': he was a 'particular friend' of Robert's, and often came to Fryston; he was 'one of the smallest men, not 5 feet, & lived in the Horse Fair'. Howe was transported for stealing, and 'betook himself in the Bush near Sydney, & way-laid & murder'd above thirty travellers...' There was a 'history of his adventures in the Edinburgh Review a while ago.

Jane should tell Richard that 'his well-compos'd articles are thrown away in that periodical - It has scarce one literary reader', or at least for every one there are 'fifty illiterate - who never heard of Heine'. Richard should certainly bring a party to Fryston, Louisa will agree 'it is an abuse of our bestowment, if advantage is not taken of Fryston's vicinage to the St. Leger'; Robert may have some guests, but this should not interfere with Annabel.

Trinity College - WW will be glad to propose RJ's queries to Sir John Malcolm. He wishes RJ would let WW give Lord Palmerston's Committee 'at least one of your works. I do not think it will be a disagreeable business for the university to turn him out upon that senseless obstinacy of feeling against the Catholics; and to turn him out for a man like Copley [John S. Copley - Lord Lyndhurst] whose talents are too much entangled with a character of doubtful honesty to make him a respectable member'.

On the subject of revising the College statutes.

10 Downing Street. - Lord Palmerston has added Mr Simpson to the list of candidates for pensions.

Trinity College - WW is surprised that he has not heard from RJ: 'I hope someday to have an opportunity of convincing you that I have ten times as much reason to be angry and weary and dissatisfied with my life as you have '. WW gives an account of the progress of Attree [William W. Atree - RJ's nephew] at Trinity. WW is sorry that RJ has 'promised not to come and vote for Lord Palmerston. I shall think the worst of the University if he is turned out upon that eternal no Popery cry which I do not think impossible. I cannot however persuade myself to care very much about the matter and am almost sick of hearing of that or any other subject of politics. Principally I believe because I can find no general principles at all to my liking and therefore cannot have the pleasure of applying them. If I could get rid of my tiresome occupations here and find time for some glimpses into your world of moral speculations I should at least have the pleasure of theorizing'.

Library of the H[ouse] of C[ommons]'. - Need not tell his uncle how much he felt on hearing about his illness, and how 'heartily glad' he was to see his handwriting again. This morning was declared to be 'duly elected for Calne' by an Election Committee chaired by Charles Wynne [sic: Charles Williams-Wynn]; the petition of Colonel Cheyney [sic: Edward Cheney, defeated candidate] 'narrowly escaped being voted frivolous & vexatious'.

Brougham's 'elevation [to the House of Lords] - or rather descent, for such it really is - leaves the empire of the H of C to be scrambled for, and I shall certainly take part in the scramble'. Gave 'that impudent Croker a dressing some days ago which the house received very well'. Differs a little from his uncle on Lord Althorp's qualifications for the post of leader: Althorp has 'improved within my own memory as a speaker' and is therefore probably much better than in his uncle's time, and 'A mind more perfectly sound and just - stronger principles and greater clearness in explaining a point - are not to be found in the House of Commons'. Further praise of Althorp. Would 'never have done for us to act under Palmerston, coming in as we do, on the question of reform, to which he is a very recent, and as yet very suspected convert'

253: press cutting with quotation from Thiers on Palmerston attached.