| Transcriber's note: The etext replicates the printed book.A few obvious typographical errors havebeen corrected; a list follows the text. |
MISS EDEN’S LETTERS
MACMILLAN AND CO., LIMITED
LONDON · BOMBAY · CALCUTTA · MADRAS
MELBOURNE
THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
NEW YORK · BOSTON · CHICAGO
DALLAS · SAN FRANCISCO
THE MACMILLAN CO. OF CANADA, LTD.
TORONTO
MISS EDEN’S LETTERS
EDITED BY
HER GREAT-NIECE
VIOLET DICKINSON
MACMILLAN AND CO., LIMITED
ST. MARTIN’S STREET, LONDON
1919
COPYRIGHT
PREFACE
IT is difficult to express one’s gratitude. Mine I owe to my brother, R.E. Dickinson, to Mrs. Ernest Farquhar (granddaughter of Lady TheresaLewis), to Sir Guy Campbell, Mrs. W. Rendel, and Sir Arthur Stanley, forthe loan of letters in this book. I also thank Mr. Claud Paget and Mr.W. Barclay Squire for the help they have given me.
Doubtless, through want of experience, I have been guilty of leaving outmuch that might have been left in, and leaving in much that might not beof interest.
The pleasure of knowing Lady Campbell through her letters has beendoubled by the kindness I have met with from her daughters, Mrs. Ellisand Mrs. Percy Wyndham.
Lord Cromer before his death in 1917 had been interested in readingthese letters. It is due solely to his encouragement that they are nowpublished, though lacking the Introduction he was good enough to offerto write.
A friend of mine read some of the proofs. I found on three occasionsthey induced sound sleep within a few minutes, which leads me to hopeperhaps other readers may find them equally soothing.
V. D.
July 1919.
INTRODUCTION
IN the autumn of 1913 a Life of Lord Clarendon[1] was published, andamong many of his letters were a few written to him by an old friend,Miss Eden. It was thought that a further selection of Emily Eden’sletters might be of interest.
She was a keen politician of the Whig order, clever, amusing, critical,an excellent friend and a devoted sister. Her father, William Eden,[2]was the third son of Sir Robert Eden, Bart., of West Auckland, Durham,and he married in 1776 Eleanor Elliot, a sister of the 1st Ear