Page:English laws for women in the nineteenth century.djvu/73

61 ''lively imagination, fond of company and conversation, and whose celebrity and superiority have necessarily created many enemies. Depend upon it, if a reconciliation is feasible, there can be no doubt of the prudence of it. It is so evident that it is unnecessary to expatiate upon it. Lord Holland, who is almost the only person who has mentioned the subject to me, is entirely of that opinion.''"Yours, Melbourne."

"South street, April 1836. &hellip;&hellip; "''If, for the sake of your children, you think you can endure to return to him, you certainly will act most wisely and prudently for yourself in doing so. I advise you, however, to take no step of yourself without the advice of Seymour and Graham; and if you determine upon writing to Mr Barlow, send your letter open to them, giving them a discretionary power either to send or to withhold it.''

"Keep up your spirits; agitate yourself as little as possible; do not be too anxious about rumours and the opinion of ' the World/ being (as you are) innocent and in the right, you will, in the end, bring everything round."Yours, Melbourne."

These four letters were all written before it occurred to Mr Norton, or had been suggested to him, to speculate on the advantage of making Lord Melbourne himself appear the cause of our quarrel, by bringing an action against him. The chances were all favourable; for either large damages would be given, if successful, or, if the scandal was one the Prime Minister dared not face, probably a large sum might be given as a compromise to prevent the suit being brought at all. The astounding intelligence having been communicated to Lord Melbourne; I received from him the following note.

"South street, April 23rd, 1836. "''I send you a letter which I wrote yesterday with the intention of sending it. I hope you will not take it ill, if I implore you to try, at least, to be calm under these trials. You know that what is alleged (if it be alleged) is utterly false,''. The