Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 7.djvu/339

 US. VII April 26,4913] NOTES AND QUERIES. 331 in 1846, contents himself with telling us that she was not related to the famous Madame Roland. Madame Patterson-Bona- parte, the American wife of Jerome Bona- parte and sister-in-law of the second Mar- chioness Wellesley, wrote in 1826 that Mile. Roland was an " Italian singer," but this may mean that she had sung in Italian opera. Whatever her origin, there is no doubt her husband's affection for her lasted much longer than the ' Annual Register' suggests. Apparently their liaison began about 1785, and our most authentic news of the family is to be found in the Dropmore letters (Hist. MSS. Commission), which contain many letters from the Earl of Morn- ington to Lord Grenville, his oldest and dearest friend. The earliest reference is on 18 Jan., 1791, when Lord Mornington writes from Naples thanking his old friend for visiting my little children." He goes on : "For many obvious reasons I have never men- tioned them to you, although I thought it my duty to them to name you as one of their guardians in my will. I can never forget either the manner or the time you have chosen to set my mind at ease on a subject sufficiently anxious from its own nature, and (I am sorry to add) rendered much more bo by the conduct of my brother Pole, who has never even seen three of my children Whatever may have been the folly which produced these little children, I am sure you have too much real feeling not to agree with me that they are a charge as dear and as sacred as if they had been born under the most solemn engagement. I am persuaded you are of my opinion by the affectionate language in which you speak of them, which I assure you went to my very heart." It was three years after this touching letter that Mornington married Mile. Roland, and they lived together until, in 1797, he had to leave his family to go out as Governor- General of India. His letters to Lord Grenville continue filled with affectionate references to his wife, and his confidence that his friend Would watch over his children, of whom Richard is mentioned by name. In November, 1798, Lord Mornington writes from India thanking his old friend for his kindness to his family, " of which I have received particular accounts from Lady Mornington." At the same time he suggests that Lady Mornington shall come out to him : " There is now no objection to her appearance, as my authority and character are perfectly estab- lished, and I believe you know enough of her cha- racter to be satisfied that no part of her conduct will ever be injurious to me. Her society here is absolutely necessary to my comfort, and without her I fear I shall not have the fortitude to remain here long enough to accomplish all my grand Finan- cial, Political, Military, Naval, Commercial, Archi- tectural, Judicial, Policial reforms." The husband writes that he will leave his friend to " judge of the necessity of her society" by telling of the labours of his day, and the dullness and vulgarity of Anglo-Indian society. Then he touches on a delicate matter :— " If Lady Mornington should come out to me, it would be very desirable that the Queen should be prevailed upon to reoeive her at Court before her departure. I know you will give any assistance you can to carry this point I need not recom- mend my boys to your protection in the event of Lady Mornington leaving them." Then the writer says that his rank in the peerage ought to be raised, and continues :— " Perhaps it might then be practicable and desir- able to obtain the remainder for Richard in default of legitimate male issue, and it might also be proper to give my daughters their rank as though legitimate, as was done in the case of Lady Mary Churchill." In February, 1799, Lord Mornington writes of " this magnificent solitude, where I stalk about like a Royal tiger without even a friendly jackal," and adds that his only society is that of his brother Henry, " having left everything that is dear and valuable to me in England." I suspect that Queen Charlotte's known strictness of decorum prevented her from receiving at Court a peeress who had been her husband's mistress before marriage. In any case the idea which the husband so longed to realize is suddenly dropped, for in August, 1799, Lord Mornington writes to Grenville that he has determined not to send for his wife:— "The voyage and the climate might injure her health, ana it is my duty not to separate her from my children. Many thanks for your kindness to Richard, of whom I hear satisfactory accounts." In March, 1800, he writes that he has asked to be allowed to return in January, 1801, because " the truth is that I cannot support longer absence from my family and friends." It was not until January, 1806, that the Marquess Wellesley reached England, and on his landing he writes from Portsmouth to Grenville :— " My obligations to you are innumerable, but the first is your attention to Richard, who surpasses even my very sanguine expectations." But by this time the references to his wife cease, and in the volumes of Dropmore MSS. at present issued by the Hist. MSS. Commission there is no light upon the causes of their separation. Mr. R. R. Pearce in his ' Memoir ' says that Lady Wellesley had a separate income of 4.000Z. a year, which reverted to her husband at her death. It ia amusing to find in the ' Creevey Papers '