320 ANECDOTES. [1805. 



Some years afterwards, and after Mr Pitt's death, 

 she told Xapier a more melancholy story in which 

 Lord Liverpool played a part. A young fellow of 

 Deal had been engaged in smuggling, and got in- 



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volved in a fray in which a sailor was killed, but not 

 by him ; and there were, besides, circumstances of 

 extenuation: however, he was apprehended, tried, and 

 condemned to death. His old mother went to Lady 

 Hester, beseeching her aid ; and Lady Hester without 

 hesitation went to Lord Liverpool, stated all the 

 circumstances, and made out, as she fully believed, a 

 case for pardon. Napier said she described her inter- 

 view with the most bitter sarcasm. His maudlin 

 lordship, she said, listened with great interest to her 

 story, admitted it to be a case for commiseration, and 

 that the plea she had urged in the man's favour was 

 very powerful ; but added that, before he could give 

 an answer, he must consult his housekeeper ! He 

 went down -stairs, remained half an hour with his 

 adviser, and, returning to Lady Hester, told her 

 " they had wept together over the sad case, but that 

 the man must be hanged!" All this seems incredible, 

 but Xapier assured me it was positively so stated 

 to him by Lady Hester, and that she had told him 

 many other stories about this housekeeper, and of her 

 marvellous influence over Lord Liverpool. Of Sir 

 John Moore she always spoke with great admiration, 

 and said that Mr Pitt had so high an opinion of him 

 that he never received from him the most ordinary 

 note without showing it to whoever was then with 



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