202 A Century of Family Letters [CHAP, xiv 



affection for Caroline Darwin, than on the loss I have sus- 

 tained, which I endeavour to think as little of as possible. 

 And for that I drive the image of my little idiot for the 

 present out of mind as much as I am able, but it is an ob- 

 stinate little toad that holds its place very tenaciously. 



If you are like me, you will like to have a very minute 

 account of our days since you left us. Soon after quitting 

 a place I like to know the disposition of every moment if 

 it were possible, so here is a little journal for you. Sismondi 

 and I sat down to our tete-a-tete dinner for the first time 

 since the 17th of May, 1826, 13 months and 10 days exactly. 

 I cannot say that either of us enjoyed it. It was soon inter- 

 rupted by the return of Edward before we had risen from 

 the table, his manner gentle and affectionate as one that was 

 to supply a loss. We all walked to the distant field and sat 

 down on the hay, very silent and not very rejoicing. 



Tuesday, 3rd. We have this morning had Suriotes to 

 breakfast; he was one of the Greek deputies in London, 

 through whose hand our poor loan slipped, Lord knows how, 

 for I am sure he does not ; he is a clever man and his conversa- 

 tion was very agreeable. He is on his road to Greece; he 

 seems to think that Greece is lost as far as fighting goes 

 a remnant might still be saved by negotiation, but he 

 seemed discouraged more than he was hopeful. We have 

 just too had a visit from Lady Cawdor, 1 looking very fine 

 and handsome, and she was agreeable too, but for the little 

 laugh that accompanies all the sensible things she says. 

 She told us she had just received a letter from Lord Carlisle 

 that the Corn Bill had passed the second reading in the House 

 of Lords, so that is well finished. She said Lord Lansdowne 

 had given great trouble by his indecision and weakness, but 

 that she believed he would take office presently. He would 

 have Ld. Dudley's place, who only held it temporarily out 

 of friendship to Canning, and she always thought Mackintosh 

 would come in with him. I wish he may, but I dwelt a good 

 deal on the hardship of overlooking him, in hopes she may 



1 Lady Cawdor, daughter of the second Marquis of Bath, and one 

 of the great ladies of Pembrokeshire, was an old friend of the Aliens. 



