Bellamont makes no doubt that your attention, as it nearly concerns a reLordship retains a perfect recollec- spectable corps of Officers."-This, tion; it having been of that force as my Lord, is, as Lord Bellamont conto have obliged him to resign his em- ceives, an exact state of the reciprocal ployment in the army, in order that messages which passed between your he might be at liberty to call upon Lordship and Lord Bellamont; but your Lordship for ar adequate apo- as he did not take them down in writlogy, without incurring the King's ing, he cannot positively aver ech displeasure. But lest your Lordship syllable. This, however, he can poshould not have a minute recollection sitively affirm, that such was the matof that transaction at this distance of ter of the message, and the terms in time, Lord Belmont has stated it as which it was conceived, though mani follows: festly softened by the Aid-de-Camp, "When Lord Bellamont, after se- that the idea which it conveyed to veral repeated attendances, by ap- every person present, was that of an pointment, on all occasions be had intentional indignity, wantonly cast been put off without seeing your Lord- on Lord Bellamont by your Lordship. ship, did again wait upon your Lord- "Lord Bellamont conceives that ship by appointment, the Aid-de- an Aid-de-Camp is the authentic Camp in waiting, having gone down messenger of his superior, and, there to your Lordship and returned, ad- fore, that the message delivered by dressed Lord Bellamont in an audible the one, is as the litera scripta of the voice, and acquainted him, "that he other. Lord Bellamont considers need not wait any longer, for that your your Lordship alone responsible to Lordship would not be at leisure to him, and your Lordship the only persee him that day;" and at the same son with whom he is to account. time, turning to several other persons The injury is of public notoriety, and of different ranks and professions, he therefore an affront upon record, told them," that your Lordship re- which does not admit of any negocia quested they would wait, as your Lord- tion." ship would see them, however late it Lord Townshend having asked might be before you could finish with what apology Lord Bellamont rethem," or words to that effect. Lord quired? Lord Charlemont read the Bellamont replied to the Aid-de- following article: Camp, "His Excellency will be "The only apology which the napleased to ascertain at what time he ture of the offence will admit of, is will see me. I have already waited that of asking Lord Bellamont's parseveral times, by appointment, and don. Lord Bellamont does not mean have been sent away each time!" To to hurry your Lordship in any thing, which the Aid-de-Camp brought but expects your Lordship's answer back the following message to Lord in a reasonable time, at all events one Bellamont" His Excellency com- day at least before your Lordship mands me to inform your Lordship, leaves town." that he usually does military business Lord Townshend made answer: on Wednesdays, and any other busi- "I cannot ask pardon, as it would be ness on Thursdays; that if your Lord- an acknowledgement of an offence I ship comes on either of those days, never intended.” and that his Excellency shall be at Lord Charlemont replied--" I am leisure, he will see you among others not at liberty to take back any other in your turn." To which Lord Bella- answer to Lord Beliamont, than that mont replied, Sir, you will be so your Lordship asks his pardon, or degood as to inform his Excellency, that sires to take time to consider of ask as a Peer of the Realm, I have a right ing it. I therefore entreat your Lord to an audience; but if his Excellency ship will reflect before you lay me does not know what he owes to me, I know what I owe to myself, and therefore will not wait upon him here or elsewhere; I will write a letter to his Excellency, stating my business, to which I expect he will shew due under the necessity of delivering another message to your Lordship, which Lord Bellamont sends with the ut most regret, and which I shall deliver with equal reluctancy." Lord Townshend having persisted in his refusal, Lord Charlemont read to deliver to me, I must beg leave to to Lord Townshend the following call in Lord Charlemont, in order that, as Colonel Frazer was present message: "I am enjoined by Lord Bella- at the delivery of my message to Lord mont to tell your Lordship, from Townshend, Lord Charlemont may him, that be considers you divested be present at the delivery of Lord of every principle that constitutes the Townshend's message to me;" to which Lord Ligonier immediately character of a man of honour." Upon Lord Charlemont's delivery consented. Lord Charlemont being called in, of this last message, Lord Townshend begged his pe.mission to call in a Lord Bellamont said, the transaction friend to be witness of it. Colonel had, he supposed, been related to Frazer having come in, Lord Towns- Lord Ligonier on the part of Lord hend requested that Lord Charlemont Townshend. He wished it should be would agam read this last message. Lord Charlemont read the entire paper a second time, and being requested by Lord Townshend to carry back an answer to Lord Bellamont, Lord Charlemont, conformable to his private instructions from Lord Bellamont, replied, that any message Lord Townshend might have to send, might be sent by a messenger of his own. On Saturday, the 26th, at half an hour after eleven o'clock, Lord Bella. mout received the following letter from Lord Ligonier : "Dec. 26, 1772. "MY LORD-I have a message to deliver to your Lordship from Lord Townshend, and beg to know when I may be allowed to wait on you. I have the honour to be, My Lord, "Your Lordship's most obedient, "Most humble servant, "LIGONIER." "To the Earl of Bellamont." To which Lord Bellamont sent the following answer : "MY LORD-I this moment received the honour of your Lordship's letter, communicating to me that you have a message to deliver to me from Lord Townshend, and desiring to know when I shall be at home to receive your Lordship, I shall not go abroad to-morrow, but will wait at home to have the honour of receiving your Lordship, and any commands you may have for me. I have the honour to be, &c. "To Lord Viscount Ligonier." related by Lord Charlemont, on the part of himself, for he should be con cerned to be misconceived by Lord Ligonier, for whom he had a high respect; and the moment Lord Ligonier should have delivered my Lord Townshend's message, he did not think it proper for himself or friend to speak another word; of which Lord Ligonier having expressed his approbation, Lord Charlemont read the paper to Lord Ligonier, which he had, by Lord Bellamont's desire, read to Lord Townshend. Lord Ligonier then addressing Lord Bellamont, said, "What will your Lordship say, when, notwithstanding the force of this message, I tell you I am authorised by Lord Townshend to assure your Lordship he never meant to offend you?" Lord Bellamont, after a little pause, replied, "I confess, my Lord, this is more than I expected, but since then Lord Townshend's first care is to justify his intentions towards me, even under his present situation, let him do it in such a manner as to justify me in releasing him from that situation. The apology your Lordship has now delivered to me, is not yet entirely sufficient." Lord Ligonier desired leave to go back to my Lord Townshend, and shortly returned with the following message: "Lord Townshend has al ready assured your Lordship he never meant to offend you. He further assures you he is sorry for the affair." Lord Bellamont then said, "Before I proceed any further, I must desire that Lord Ancram be sent for, as he has this morning accepted the office of being my friend in the field, if I should be called upon." Lord Ancram being arrived, and 'nformed by Lords Charlemont and Ligonier of what had passed, the Lords Charlemont and Aucram declared that nothing more could be demanded, and these, with Lord Ligonier, said, that Lord Bellamont could not surely require that Lord Townshend should ask his pardon for an offence which he had now, in the most satisfactory manner, declared he had never committed. Lord Bellamont made answer, my Lords, I feel as you do, that every thing is implied in this apology, but it is necessary that it be fully expressed; and having desired leave to retire into another room, to consider the matter more clearly, he returned with the following written paper, which he gave to Lord Ligonier, telling him at the same time, that he did not tie him down to the letter, but that was the purport of the only reparation he could receive, viz. "Lord Townshend does admit, that the message delivered to Lord Bellamont by his Aid-de-Camp, was highly offensive; he therefore disavows it as such, and declares it was not his intention to give Lord Bellamont any offence, and that he is very much concerned for the mistake." lamont, which distinction I did not make to Lord Bellamont. "As I wished, from motives of humanity, to bring the affair to an honourable conclusion, without coming to extremities, I proposed returning to Lord Townshend; my view in so doing was that of promoting an accommodation honourable to both. "If I conveyed any other idea to the Lords on my return from Lord Townshend, than a confirmation that his Lordship had intended no affront or injury to Lord Bellamont, and that he disapproved the manner of the Aid-de-Camp, I have to regret that I had not the good fortune to explain myself according to my own ideas and those of Lord Townshend. "In justice to my Lord Towns, hend, I must beg leave to observe, that whatever expressions of concern he might make use of on this misun derstanding, arose from the regret every man of honour must feel under a supposition of having given offence. This is what I understand from Lord Townshend, and what I meant to convey. "I cannot but persevere in declinLord Ligonier accordingly waited ing to sign the paper, as I find, upon on my Lord Townshend with the consideration, that what I thought an said paper, and brought back to Lord explanation equally honourable to Bellamont an apology, consonant to both, may be construed into a subthe full and entire purport of it, con- missive apology which must appear' ceived in the most satisfactory terms, humiliating to my Lord Townshend. Lord Bellamont immediately request- What impressions may have been reed Lord Ligonier would assure Lord ceived from any expressions of mine Townshend, that as Lord Townshend in the many private conversations I had by that last apology done away have had on this painful event, I will the foundation of the message delivered from him to Lord Townshend by Lord Charlemont, he had very great pleasure in declaring it cancelled and annulled. CHARLEMONT. (L.S.) (L.S.) "I cannot refuse signing the paper delivered to me this morning without assigning my reasons for it, and I flatter myself the motive of my declining it will justify me to the world. "I assent to the facts and progressions as stated, but I was misunderstood if what I said relative to Lord Townshend was considered as a message from him. It certainly was not Lord Townshend's intention it should be so, though I was authorized to say it from Lord Townshend to Lord Bel not presume to determine; but I declare, upon my honour, I have had no other view than to terminate this affair to the honour of all parties; and shall lament, if my endeavours should be frustrated. Townshend." four and five, in Mary-la-bonne-fields, "In short, my dear son, and after the usual ceremonies had I have no manner of objection to taken place, Lord Townshend fired your obtaining any title whatever exfirst, and wounded Lord Bellamont, cept that of with a ball in the right side of his In 1792, on the death of Lord Orbelly, near the groin, while the latter ford, the Marquis was nominated Lord discharged his pistol without effect. Lieutenant of the county of Norfolk. Thir Lordships behaved to each other In the same year his Lordship was in the field with a politeness denoting also appointed to the command of the the most refined gallantry. Each was eastern district, and had his headarmed with a case of pistols and a quarters in the neighbourhood of small sword, but it was determined to Warley camp. use the former first. When they had In 1796, he was promoted to the taken their ground, Lord Bellamont rank of Field Marshal, and had only pulled off his hat; the salute was im- three above him on the list, two of mediately returned by Lord Towns- whom were blood royal. hend, who asked his antagonist which His Lordship, in person, was above of them he would wish to fire first? the middle size, and portly; when On this he desired Lord Townshend, dressed in regimentals he displayed a who instantly complied. Mr. Brom- martial air; and his hair, blanched field extracted the ball, and his Lord- with age, conveyed the appearance ship not only recovered, but lived to of a veteran inured to camps and a good old age. warfare from his youth. The seconds were, for Lord Bellamont, the Hon. Mr. Dillon; and for Lord Townshend, Lord Ligonier. His Lordship died in the 84th year of his age, at Rainham, on the 14th of September, 1807.-(See Universal Magazine for Oct. p. 337.) Lady Townshend having died Sept. 14, 1770, his Lordship about three By his first wife, Charlotte, Baroness years after that event (on May 19, De Ferrers, of Chartley, only daughter 1773,) married Miss Anne Mont- of the Earl of Northampton, he has gomery, daughter of Sir William left the Earl of Leicester, now MarMontgomery, Bart. a young lady of quis of Townshend, Lord JohnTownsgreat beauty and very amiable man- hend, and Lady Elizabeth Loftus.-ners, whom he became acquainted The Marchioness died most univerwith in Ireland, and by whom he has sally regretted during the Marquis's had five children: he had seven by viceroyalty in Ireland. His second his former marriage. marriage was with Miss Anna MontIn 1772 Lord Townshend was ap- gomery, the youngest daughter of pointed Master General of the Ord- the late Sir William Montgomery, nance, which he held for many years; Baronet; and by this lady the Marand in the course of the next summer quis has left six children, namely, acquired a considerable addition to his Lady Anne Hudson, the Duchess income, by the command of the se- of Leeds, two unmarried daughters, cond regiment of Dragoon Guards, and two sons. which he held at the period of his death. In 1787 he was created Marquis Townshend of Rainham. His Lordship was the last survivor of the groupe that sat for the celebrated print of the Death of General Wolfe. Lord de Ferrars, Lord Townshend's eldest son, having adhered to Mr. He has left his family in great opu Pitt, obtained an Earl's coronet, while lence. The Marchioness will have his father possessed only a Viscount's. altogether above 3000l. per annum, It was humourously stated in the con- with 30,000l. in ready cash, and en versation of that day, that Lord de F. immense property in plate, furniture, having written a letter, requesting &c. The children of the Marquis's Lord T.'s permission to accept his first marriage have 8000l. each, and new honours, received a very polite the females of the second marriage and jocular one in return, which con- 50001. each. cluded, after the usual congratulations, in the following manner: His remains were laid in the family vault at Rainham. The mournful ssion was awfully grand: one For the Universal Magazine. of the principal tenantry led SIR, the way; the coffin, covered with crimson velvet, highly embroidered, HAVING just returned from Lonand superbiy decorated, followed; of monthly publications, which had don, I have opened a large parcel after which came Lord John Towns- accumulated since I left here in Ochend, leading the widowed Marchio- tober. Among the rest, I looked ness; then followed Lady Elizabeth into your Magazine for a letter on Loftus, the Duchess of Leeds, Lady the Education of the Poor, which I Anne Hudson, supported by their expected to find in the Number for husbands; Lady Harriet Townshend November. Judge therefore my surnext; and then all the grand children prise at not being able to find it, and and great-grand-children of the Mar- at finding what I never wrote a line quis; then a number of his friends, of, though signed with my initials followed by the poorer tenantry and and three letters of the name of my servants innumerable. house, thus: H-f-d. (See p. 299 for October, on the "Blasphemy of Milton.") The portrait, which we have this opportunity of presenting our readers with, is esteemed an admirable likeness, being taken from an original painting procured expressly for our agazine. ON A PASSAGE in "GRAY'S ELEGY." THE stanza in Mr. Gray's Elegy in a Country Church-yard, alluded to by your correspondent H. G. of Bath "Oft did the harvest to their sickle yield, Their furrow oft the stubborn glebe has [afield! How jocund did they drive their team How bow'd the woods beneath their sturdy broke; stroke." I have always taken the liberty to alter, by substituting ploughshare* for furrow; and then it is neither obscure or nonsensical. As to the word furrow having any provincial application, I never heard that it had; and where the Elegy was written, which was near Cambridge, it certainly means what it does all over England-the trench made by the ploughshare for the seed. This little piece of criticism brings to my mind a line of Milton's, which appears to me to be palpably absurd; and I cannot find any other reading in all the editions of his works. It is in his L'Allegro : I am not at all desirous to detect the imposition; though it attributes to me a veneration for the scriptures which I certainly do not possess, considered as the work of divine inspiration, because I do not believe them so in spired, though I respect their anti- Hartford, near Morpeth, The Editor of the Universal MaMr. Burdon's letter, than to answer it in gazine has thought it better to insert which would probably render his dis the monthly notices to correspondents, avowal less public than his supposed letter already is. owes Mr. Burdon an apology for insertThe Editor certainly ing as his (at least presumptively so) hat in fact is not; but whoever has nions for Mr. Burdon, thoughi it equally thought it worth his while to forge opicurately: we regret that the letter is so to imitate his hand-writing most acdestroyed, or we should have felt plea sure in forwarding it to Mr. B. Such circumstances are necessarily unpleasant; and, to prevent a repetition, it would perhaps be adviseuble for Mr. Burdon to affix some pri.ate mark to his future communications, which may secure us This is a more exceptionable from a similar imposition. emendation than Mr. Parke's, which "lenc loathed melancholy! The letter on the "Education of the our correspondent “II. ." has justly Poor" Mr. Burdon will find at p.205, censured. Ed. in the Number for September. |