1883-92 AN OLD FRIEND 263 



never forgot those friends with whom his 

 younger days were intimately associated, and in 

 this connection a letter from Mr. William White 



Cooper is interesting : — 



May 28, 1886. 



1 My very dear Friend, — I think it due to you 

 as my oldest and most valued friend to com- 

 municate direct to you the information that I 

 have this day received from Mr. Gladstone — the 

 announcement that the Queen intends to confer 

 upon me the honour of knighthood. . . . When 

 I look back upon the incidents of my life I am 

 struck with the part played by you in them : 

 How you went down to Derby to my wedding 

 and gave away my dear wife ; how I owe to 

 you the delightful tour we had together in 

 Germany, of which memory recalls so many 

 little incidents ; how we " faced" one another in 

 the ranks of the H.A.C. at the Coronation ; how 

 we went to the Grand Review at Woolwich and 

 saw the great people, including old Soult, and 

 saw the big gun fired, the report of which gave 

 me a kick in the stomach ! But I must stop. It 

 has been my proud lot to see you receive the 

 honours so justly your due, and at a very humble 

 distance I follow ! . . . . 



' I am ever most sincerely yours, 



' W. White Cooper.' 5 



5 Mr. White Cooper's death knighthood could be actually 

 took place very shortly after- conferred upon him. 

 wards ; before, indeed, the 



