Memoir of John Charles, Viscount Althorp, third Earl Spencer

Front matter

IS-ANCEI^ iCl g

NIVEItf//,

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Chapter I

John, first Earl Spencer — Marries Miss Poyntz — Character of Lady Spencer. Her death in 1814— George John, second Earl Spencer — Educated by Sir William Jones — Joins the Tory Party — Becomes Lord Privy Seal — Afterwards First Lord of the Admiralty — Success of his Naval Administration — Eesigns on the Catholic Question — Secretary to the Home Department — Pursuits' in his Eetirement— Marriage with, Miss Bingham — Her character — Her contemporaries. — (Mr. Thomas Grenville. — The Earl of Essex, notes.) . . . 1

CHAPTER II. Birth of John Charles,* Viscount Althorp - Early education

Letters from Harrow to his Father 29

Chapter III

Companions at Harrow— Hon. Frederick Eobinson — Viscount Duncannon — Lord De Mauley — Hon. Frederick Ponsonby — Viscount Eoyston— Charles Pepys (afterwards Earl of Cottenham) — Harrow Speeches — Leaves Harrow , » * , 43

Chapter IV

Lord Althorp goes up to Trinity College, Cambridge — Mr. Allen, his private Tutor — College examinations — Is placed in the first class in his first year — Is first man of his year in his second year .....,..,. 73

CONTENTS.

CHAPTEK V.

PAGE

Love of hunting and racing — Travels in France and Italy — Returned for Okehampton — Candidate for the University of Cambridge — Is defeated — Commissioner for the Treasury — Returned for St. Albans — Then for Northamptonshire — Break-up of the Whig Government — Retirement of Lord Spencer from politics . . S3

Chapter VI

Proceedings against the Duke of York — Part taken by Colonel Wardle and Mr. Whitbread— Excitement throughout the country — Lord Althorp's conviction of the justice of the accusations — He joins the minority opposed to the Duke of York — Defeat of Colonel Wardle' s motion and of Mr. Bankes' amendment — Resignation of the Duke of York — Resolution brought forward by Lord Althorp — His maiden speech — Resolution carried — Remarks on the Duke of York — Letters from Lord Althorp to Lord Spencer during the proceedings — Reasons for his joining the Whig Party .... 92

Chapter VII

Lord Althorp forms Liberal connections — Mr. Whitbread— Viscount Folkestone (Earl of Radnor) — Lord Archibald Hamilton— Sir Francis Burdett— Radical Party . . . . 113

Chapter VIII

Motion for Committee of Inquiry brought forward by Lord Folkestone — Motion defeated by large majority — The Whig Party splits into two sections — Reaction in the country in favour of the Government — The Duke of York reinstated at the Horse Guards— Vote of censure brought forward by Lord Milton— Its defeat— The Leather Duty— Speeches by Mr. Brougham and Lord Althorp — Peace Preservation Bill —Athletic Exercises— The Pytchley Hunt . . .124

CONTENTS. xi

CHAPTEE IX.

PAGE

Lord Althorp's marriage with Miss Acklom — Character and description of Lady Althorp — Brothers and sisters of Lord Althorp— Eesidence at Wiseton Hall 148

CHAPTEK X.

Death of Mr. Whitbread — Disturbances throughout the country — Lord Althorp strongly opposes the Ministerial measures — Dissolution of Parliament — Confinement and death of Lady Althorp — Grief of Lord Althorp — Seclusion at Wiseton — (Mr. Whitbread, note) . . . . .' . * . 162

CHAPTER XI.

Lord Althorp re-elected for Northamptonshire — Insolvent Debtors' Bill-— Passes the Commons — Thrown out in the Lords — Lord Althorp takes chambers in the Albany— His diligence in attending the House — Brings forward Bill for recovery of small debts — The Bill withdrawn . .. . . 181

CHAPTER XII.

Disturbances at Manchester — Proceedings in Parliament — Accession of George IV. — Death of the Queen — Revival of trade — Distress in the agricultural districts — Committee on the Corn Laws — The Report — Prorogation of Parliament . 190

CHAPTER XIII.

Mr. Canning — His Policy — Distrusted by Lord Althorp — Debates on Spain and on Ireland— Mr. Huskisson's Policy — Lord Althorp's position — Lord Liverpool's illness — The Coalitioq. — Lord Goderich forms a Government— Lord Althorp named Chairman of the Finance Committee — Dissolution of Lord Goderich's Government — The Duke of Wellington Premier — Speeches on Economical Reform — Mr. Poulett Thomson — Lord Althorp Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons — Accession of William IV. — Dissolution of Parlia-t tnent — Lord Althorp returned without opposition—Interest

CONTENTS.

PAGE

in County business — Increasing feeling throughout the country for Reform — Declaration of the Duke of Wellington against Reform— Lord Althorp's speech — Debate on the Civil List —Defeat of the Ministry — Lord Grey undertakes to form a Government— Lord Althorp Chancellor of the Exchequer and Leader of the House of Commons — Ministerial appointments— Lord Althorp returned for Northamptonshire without opposition— Death of Sir Robert Spencer . . . 207

CHAPTER XIV.

Lord Althorp's plan for the settlement of the Civil List— Dissatisfaction of the Whigs — The Budget — Abandonment of the Transfer Duties— State of Ireland— Law Reform . 269

CHAPTER XV.

The First Reform Bill— Details — The Bill brought forward in the House of Commons by Lord John Russell — Debate — Enthusiasm for Reform in the large towns — Second Reading of the Bill carried — General Gascoigne's amendment — Majority for the Opposition — Dissolution of Parliament . . . . 290

CHAPTER XVI.

The new elections — Lord Althorp's contest for Northamptonshire

— His return — Success of the Ministry in the elections . . 312

CHAPTER XVII.

Meeting of the new Parliament— Second Reform Bill brought in by Lord John Russell— Letters from Lord Althorp to his Father— Committal of the Reform Bill— Management devolves on Lord Althorp— The Chaudos Clause— The Reform Bill passes the Commons, and is read the first time in the Lords — Rejoicing in the country — Banquet given by Reform Members — Debate on the Bill in the Lords — Its rejection — Excitement in the country and in the Commons — Lord Althorp's Speech in the House— The Birmingham Political Union — Bankruptcy Act and Game Act .... 320

CONTENTS. xiii

CHAPTER XVIII.

PAGE

Political excitement — Differences in the Cabinet on the Peerage Question — Letter from Lord Althorp to Lord Grey — Letter from Lord Althorp to Lord Spencer . . . . . 365

CHAPTER XIX.

Meeting of Parliament— Negotiations between the Ministers and Tory Peers— The Third Beform Bill brought in by Lord J. Bussell — Sir Robert Peel's opposition — Second Beading of the Bill carried in the Commons — The Bussian Dutch Loan — The Beform Bill in Committee — Mr. Shell's motion — The Befonn Bill passes the Commons ' . •'••.-.« « • 376

CHAPTER XX.

Letter from Lord Althorp to Lord Grey respecting a creation of Peers — Lord Grey's reply — The Bill taken up to the Lords — Dialogue between Lord Althorp and Mr. Francis Baring — The Bill read a second time in the Lords — Ministry defeated in Committee — Besolution to resign — Efforts of the Tories to form a Government— Lord Ebrington moves an Address— Mr. Strutt seconds it— The Duke of Wellington accepts the Premiership — Becall of Lord Grey by the King — Secession of the Tory Peers— Third Beading of the Bill in the Lords — Boyal Assent given to the Bill — Irish and Scotch Beform Bills — Irish Compulsory Tithe Composition Bill — The Bussian Dutch Loan — The Budget— Dissolution of Parliament . . <. -i. . . • .»•'•• . . . 402

CHAPTER XXI.

Lord Althorp re-elected for Northamptonshire — Cabinet meetings — Difficulties in^ Ireland — Majority for the Liberals — Mr. Manners Sutton chosen Speaker — Debates on the State of Ireland — Irish Church Bill— Irish Coercion Bill — Sinecure Abolition Bill — The Budget — Amendments to the Budget — The Malt Duty — The Assessed Taxes— Besignation of Sir John Cam Hobhouse — The Bank and East India Company Charters— The Emancipation Bill— The Irish Coercion Bill — Differences in the Cabinet . . . . . .442 xiv CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XXII.

PAGE

Meeting of Parliament— Committee of Enquiry— Mr. Sheil and Mr. O'Connell— The Budget— The Church Eates Bill—The Poor Law Bill— General support given by the Tories to the Poor Law Bill — Mr. Ward's motion against the Irish Church — Resignation of Mr. Stanley and Sir James Graham — Adjournment of Mr. Ward's motion — New appointments in the Cabinet— Eenewed debates on the Irish Church Bill— The Appropriation Question — The Irish Coercion Bill — Mr. Littleton's communication with Lord Wellesley— Lord Wellesley writes that the clauses for the prohibition of public meetings are unnecessary— Lord Althorp's opinion that the clauses must be given up — Mr. Littleton's conversation with Mr. O'Connell — Lord Althorp is overruled in the Cabinet — He declines to propose the clauses — He afterwards withdraws his resignation — Irish Coercion Bill read the first time in the Lords — Debate in the Commons — Tender of resignation by Mr. Littleton — It is not accepted — Speech by Lord Althorp — Resignation of Lord Althorp— Resignation of Lord Grey — Dissolution of the Government —Remarks on conduct of Lord Althorp and of Mr. Littleton — Address to Lord Althorp — Lord Melbourne becomes Premier — Lord Althorp and Mr. Littleton return to office — Coercion Bill carried — Prorogation of Parliament — Lord Brougham's tour in Scotland — Death of Lord Spencer — The King dismisses the Government — Lord Althorp's final retirement from office . 477

CHAPTER XXIII.

Retirement of Lord Althorp from political life — The election of the Speaker — Lord Spencer urged by his friends to return to politics — Mr. Abercromby elected — Dissolution of the Tory Government — Refusal of Lord Spencer to take office — Interest in country pursuits at Althorp and Wiseton — The Royal Agricultural Society — Correspondence on agricultural subjects — Philosophical studies — Correspondence with former colleagues— Receives the offer of Lord Lieutenancy of Ireland — Moves the Address at the opening of the new Parliament in 1841— Proposes the Repeal of the Corn Laws — Sensation throughout the country — Farming pursuits — Lord Spencer's Speech on the Maynooth Bill — Is seized with illness during the Doncaster Races — His death- Character . 527

THE LIFE OF EAKL SPENCER

WRITTEN BY HIMSELF.

(A FRAGMENT.)

[THIS fragment from Lord Althorp's own pen was discovered among his papers, without date, and ending abruptly ; it is given here exactly as it was found.

From internal evidence it must have been composed in the winter of 1834-5. The writer survived that time more than ten years, and it would seem most unlikely that, with ample leisure, he should have at once and finally dropped a work which from his deliberate character he would not hastily have undertaken ; but the most careful search has failed to bring any more of it to light.]

I have long known, and often endeavoured to impress upon my mind, that there is only one object which is worthy of the ambition of a man of sense, and that is, to obtain the favour of God. Political pursuits and political rivalships are not the means to conduce to this end. I do not say that politicians may not obtain the favour of God ; on the contrary, I am confident that many of them have, xvi LIFE OF EARL SPENCER.

and many of them will continue to do so : but the occupations and the compliances which necessarily belong to a political man must, at least as far as my experience teaches me, have a tendency to diminish religious feelings. Notwithstanding my conviction of this truth, I know myself well enough to be aware, that, however thoroughly my reason is convinced that the only object I ought to have in view is to secure my eternal happiness, yet if ambition had been one of the passions which had much influence on my conduct, my mind is not yet sufficiently imbued with religion, to induce me to sacrifice ambitious pursuits, for the reason which I have stated: I retire from political life, from my own inclination only. But it is satisfactory to me firmly to believe and to be convinced, that by so doing I give myself greater facilities to become a religious man, than I should have possessed, had I continued to be in the new situation in which I was placed, as an active political partisan.

I am told I shall feel the want of political excitement, and be unable to find employment for my time. I do not think those who tell me this, know my character ; I believe that the pursuits which I followed in my country life, before I came into office, would be sufficient for my happiness now. But a part of the year was then occupied by my attendance in the House of Commons, and I think, therefore, it will be prudent for me to add to my former pursuits, literary occupation. I am aware that the deficiencies of my education, and the habits of all my past life, are impediments which I must overcome. In adopting this course, reading alone will not be sufficient ; it will be necessary for me to write, as well as to read. The difficulty I have to overcome here, is that there are no subjects on which I can fancy that I possess more information than other people. No original composition of mine, therefore, on any literary, political, or historical topic could instruct others, or satisfy

LIFE OF EAEL SPENCEE. xvii

myself; and, secondly, I have no habit of composition, I have no practice in putting sentences together, and even, therefore, if I did possess the requisite information, I should not be able to convey, it in a way which would induce the public to read what I had written. But I have lived, at least it appears to me, in times which must hereafter be most important in the history of England. I have been, more or less actively, engaged in politics more than thirty years. Even before I was engaged myself, I passed my boyhood at the Admiralty, during my father's brilliant administration of the Naval department : I was acquainted with Mr. Pitt and Mr. Fox ; and ever since their deaths I have been on the most intimate terms with all the leaders of the Whig party. I therefore think, that in putting on paper my own recollections of my past life, notwithstanding the defects in my style of writing, and the want of general information which may frequently appear in this composition, I am doing that which will be interesting to posterity.

My intention is to write down literally my own recollections. I have kept no memoranda to which I could refer ; and though I shall make use of my father's correspondence which he preserved, and of the few letters which I have preserved myself, where I think it desirable to do so, yet the main part, and almost the whole, of this work will consist of what I remember myself. I probably, therefore, shall frequently be inaccurate as to dates ; sometimes even, but not often, my recollection may deceive me as to facts themselves ; and it may also sometimes happen, that I may confound the impression which the event made upon me at a subsequent period, with that which it made upon me at the time when it occurred. But in the main, the information which I shall give will be authentic : it will be the testimony of an eye-witness, and I am determined it shall be honest. I intend to state, without any reserve, my xviii LIFE OF EAEL SPENCER.

opinion of the characters and motives of those whose actions will be brought under view ; and among others I shall most unreservedly state my opinion of myself, and avow all the motives, as far as I know them, which have operated on my conduct. In doing this, I shall endeavour to divest myself of all partiality, and I hope that the temper of my mind is such, that I am not likely to put a worse construction upon the motives of others, than their apparent conduct requires. I shall begin with my earliest recollections. These, of course, will apply to a period of my life which can be but little interesting ; but even this may be useful, as it will lead to a better appreciation of my own character, and may, perhaps, point out why it has been that a man without education, and possessed of such very slender natural abilities, should have risen to such high eminence as I have, and should have possessed the power, which, up to the period of my quitting the House of Commons, it was my fate to enjoy.

Before I begin to state my own recollections, it will be desirable that I should say something of those from whom I sprang, as far as my observation in later tunes has enabled me to judge of them.

My grandfather, Lord Spencer, died before I was one year old. I have, therefore, no recollection of him myself, but I have necessarily heard him described by others. My father, however, never said anything to me about his character, from which I could form any judgment of what his opinion of him really was ; and his opinion was the only one on which I should have been inclined to place any reliance. Lady Jones, who knew my grandfather very well, told me once, that he was the noblest man that ever existed. She was a woman of .very strong understanding, inclined undoubtedly to criticise rather than to praise others ; and therefore her opinion, when expressing such praise as this, would have been of great value, if her temper had not been

LIFE OF EABL SPENCEK. xix

such, as might have induced her to praise my grandfather, for the purpose of depreciating my father, if, at the time she spoke, he had given her any cause of offence.* My mother has also told me that my grandfather's manners, when he wished to please, were so fascinating 'that it was scarcely possible to resist his influence ; at the same time, she mentioned many instances which proved that he had no command of temper whatever. From what indeed is notorious, he must have been a man who never put any restraint upon himself. He succeeded to an enormous property in money, as well as land, before he was of age ; and he died at forty-nine years old, very much in debt. He spent extravagantly large sums in contested elections, and endeavoured to obtain great parliamentary influence, without, as far as I am aware, ever having been at all eager as a politician ; and he played very deep. I believe that he was a man of generous and amiable disposition, spoiled by having been placed, at too early a period of his life, in the possession of what then appeared to him inexhaustible wealth ; and irritable in his temper, partly from the pride which this circumstance had produced, and partly from almost continued bad health. Whether he was a religious man or not, I do not know; but it is clear, from the total absence of all self-command

* Lady Jones, with some peculiarities, had a warm heart ; as those who knew her, even in her old age, can testify. Her sense of the obligations which Sir William Jones had received from Lord Spencer probably coloured the view she took of his character. Sir William was certainly deeply attached to him. He says in one of his letters : " I rejoice with the truest sincerity that his lordship's health is so likely to be re-established ; for I cannot name a man of rank in the nation, in whose health the public and all mankind, as well as his family and friends, are more truly interested." (Lord Teignmouth's " Life of Sir William Jones," 219.) Granting due allowance for the fact that this letter was addressed to Lady Spencer, the expressions are entitled to great consideration; for Sir William Jones was no flatterer, and his letters breathe a spirit of independence highly honourable to his character. — AUTHOR.

xx LIFE OF EARL SPENCER.

which was exhibited in his conduct, that the true principles of Christianity could not have entered fully into his mind.

I knew my grandmother, Lady Spencer, very well, and I think I can form a true estimate of her character ; but I am aware that, from the circumstance of my mother never having liked her, my estimate will probably be more unfavourable than it ought. She was a woman who did not possess naturally any quickness of understanding, nor do I think that she possessed sterling good sense ; but she had taken great pains with herself, had read a great deal, and though herself far from brilliant in conversation, had lived in the society of clever people. This gave her a reputation for ability to which she was not entitled. The vanity which influences all mankind, even the best, influenced her.

DESUNT.

MEMOIR OF EARL SPENCER.

Chapter I. Lord Spencer's Ancestry

LITTLE need be added to what Lord Spencer has John, first said of his grandfather (the first Earl) in the fore- SpLcer. going Fragment. If that nobleman has been made the subject of rather indiscriminate eulogy, in the elegant epitaph prompted by the attachment of his son-in-law, the fifth Duke of Devonshire, it is only due to him to observe, that this is confirmed, as above stated, in many material points by the testimony of a much higher authority — the celebrated Sir William Jones.""" Many generous actions are related of him ; and he had at least the merit of being free from the intemperate habits which degraded his father, and too many of the English aristocracy, during the middle of the last century. He was averse to exertion, perhaps from temperament ; and though somewhat reserved in manner, was true and warm in his friendships, almost to a fault ; for I suspect it to be owing to this cause, rather than

* " Life of Sir William Jones ; " see also " Baker's History of Northamptonshire . ' '

W B to any decided views in politics— which his grandson justly doubts his having entertained — that he squandered such enormous sums in elections. The excitement also arising out of these contests, which none but those who have experienced it can appreciate, must have strongly operated on one by whom gambling was unhappily regarded almost as a necessity. * His connections in politics were creditable, for he owed his peerage to the recommendation of Mr. Pitt (the first Lord Chatham) ; and the only office he ever held was forced upon him by the Marquis of Rockingham, to whom he was deeply attached and adhered closely, during the protracted exclusion of their party from power. He did not long survive that nobleman, having died in October, 1783, at the early age of forty-nine.

Mames Horace Walpole sneers at Lord Spencer " for

Poyntz. having married the daughter of a nobleman's tutor ; " as if an alliance with the family of Mr. Poyntz, t who solely by his own merit had risen to be Minister Plenipotentiary in Sweden, one of the Commissioners at the Congress of Soissons, and a member of the Privy Council, could be regarded as any degradation, f If not nobly born, Lady Spencer, however,

* Althorp, in his time, became almost a gambling-house. The Christmas party used to sit up at high play, till what were called the little hours, two or three o'clock in the morning. — AUTHOR.

t Mr. Poyntz was highly esteemed in his day as a diplomatist. He belonged to a respectable family, which after having flourished for some centuries in Gloucestershire, had latterly settled in Berkshire. He happened in early life, shortly after he left college, to travel with the Duke of Devonshire, and hence the attack of Horace Walpole. He was afterwards governor of Prince "William. — AUTHOR.

J Mr. Spencer married Miss Poyntz on the 27th Dec., 1755. The as I am assured by one of her descendants, who has Character a vivid recollection of her, " was eminently high-bred Spencer. in air and manner : a winning sweetness, with great dignity and benevolence of expression, giving her a peculiar charm." This was in her decline : in youth she had been the delight of society by her innocent and graceful sprightliness, and that desire to please, which seldom fails when as in her case it has its origin in a pure heart, and a well-regulated mind. She married early; and the attachment of her husband, who was reputed the richest commoner of his day, placed every indulgence at her disposal. The jewels with which he presented her on their

marriage was strictly private, and an amusing account is given of it in a letter written at the time, which I shall transcribe, with some slight omissions: " They had been for some time attached to each other; and on the day that Mr. Spencer came of age, he told Mr. Poyntz, who happened to be on a visit to Althorp, that he was determined to make Miss Poyntz his wife, as soon as he was master of himself ; so he entreated they might be married the next day. His request was granted ; and it was managed that, although fifty persons were in the house, none of them knew anything about the matter, except Lord and Lady Cowper, Mrs. Poyntz, and her eldest son; and it was not declared till the Saturday after. On the 27th December, after tea, the parties necessary for the wedding stole by degrees from the company, into Lady Cowper's dressing-room, where the ceremony was performed ; and they returned different ways to the company again, and joined dancing with them. After supper, everybody retired as usual to their different apartments. Miss Poyntz and her sister lay, from their first going to Althorp, in the best apartments, and Miss Louisa resigned her place on this occasion."

" They have been most graciously received at court, and by my Lord Granville, who declares himself Mr. Spencer's rival, so at present there is as much happiness in that family as a mortal heart can contain. All enquired after you, and will take it very ill if you do not come in person to wish them joy. The town had married Miss Poyntz to Lord Fordwick, who, unluckily for a lover, is gone to school this very day." (MS. letter from Miss Granville, afterwards Mrs. Delany, to her sister, Ann, begun 14th and ended 17th January, 1756.) — AUTHOR.

MEMOIR OF EAEL SPENOEE.

marriage, were of a splendour that excited the admiration, perhaps the envy, of her female friends, one of whom, in a letter written at the time, describes them with an amusing particularity, and then adds, " all these things I have just seen at Mrs. Spencer's ; who looked at them with the utmost unconcern, not as insensible to their merit, as fine of their kind and pretty things, but as the least part of her happiness. A begging letter delivered to her at the same time, which brought tears » into her eyes, made her appear with more lustre than all her diamonds."""" Prosperity, indeed, never seemed a trial to her. She had no pride, no feelings of exclusiveness, none of the slavish subservience to etiquette, which then characterised the female aristocracy ; and yet her acquaintance was courted by the most fastidious of the class

* Another extract from the same letter may be inserted,' giving an account of the bride's toilet, which might be mistaken for an extract from " Sir Charles Grandison " : — " She was married in a white and silver, trimmed. I cannot remember the rest, only a pink satin with embroidered facings and robings in silver, done by Mr. Glegg. Her first suit she went to court in, was white and silver, as fine as brocade and silver could make it ; the second, blue and silver ; the third, pink, white, and gold colour, 61. a-yard ; the fourth, plain pink-colour satin. Her diamonds worth 12.000Z. : her earrings, three drops, all diamonds, no paltry scrolls of silver : her necklace, most perfect brilliants, the middle stone worth 1000?., set at the edge with small brilliants. Her cap, all brilliants, made in the fashion of a small butterfly skeleton, has a very good effect, with a pompion ; and behind, where you may suppose the bottom of the caul, a knot of diamonds, with two little puffs of diamonds where the lappets are fastened ; and two shaking sprigs of brilliants for her hair, six roses, all brilliants, for stags, set in the form of a star ; and a seal of a Mercury, cut in very fine turquoise stone, set as a standing for a spaniel dog, the body of a pearl of the size of the Duchess of Portland's dolphin, the head and neck made out with gold finely wrought, two little brilliants for its eyes, and a brilliant collar ; it cost seventy guineas." — AUTHOR.

MEMOIE OF EAEL SPENCEE.

to which she had been elevated. Lord March (afterwards Duke of Queensberry), a cynical courtier and an acute observer of life, writing to George Selwyn from Althorp, in 1767, says, "I wish you

were here The more I see of the mistress

of the house, the more I admire her ; and our landlord improves very much upon acquaintance. They are really the happiest people, I think, I ever saw in the marriage system. Enfin, cest le meilleur menage possible. I wish every hour of the day that you was with us ; they would like you, and I am sure you would like them.""" Her grandson is probably correct in his estimate of her abilities ; there is no doubt that they could bear no comparison with his mother's. Her published letters are not remarkable for originality of thought, or power of observation ; their merit lies in their good sense, ease, and simplicity, as well as in the amiable spirit which is said to have pervaded all she said and did.