Page:A General Biography of Bengal Celebrities Vol 1.djvu/192

 HIS PRIVATE LETTERS. 183 I shrink from meeting yon again on the field of correspondence, but | am assured of forgiveness, and have therefore deter- mined to make a new opening with you, without, how ever, promising to be a regular customer in the exchange of epistles. I enclose toyou a printed series of questions by our Society, to which we shall all expect ample replies from you. The Socie- ty, however, is almost dying. Two of the committee men have seceded, Mr Eemfrey, arid Mr. Crow ; and there is a feeling that it will not and can not work — the worst symptom of * fetal disease in such public institutions. LORD ELLENBOROUGH, For the first time I saw Lord Ellenborough the night before last at Barrack pur when a grand Ball and supper was given by the officers of the station in his honor. I was on the whole disappointed. There is nothing characteristically noble, great, or good in his features. He looks like a chafed lion, hampered and worn out Though more slovenly dressed than any gentleman in the Hall, yet you could discern in his suits and gestures that, he was once a voluptuary. There may bo intellect and brilliancy about him, but there is neither dignity nor the impressiveness of high principles, His speeches were good, --very good as far as fluency and choice of words went, but there was bad taste and worse principles. There was a degree of egotism, and in- flated vanity that would not go down with any class except the Army over which he puts forth his protecting wings, There was a stir amongst the company which was not becoming in their servant, (?) but worst of all was the principle ha advocated in these words— "By the swor<J we have won it, (India) and by the sword we shall keep it" At the conclusion of every sentence, there was tremendous cheering, but remember three- fourths of the company present were Military officers. &C &G &0.