Page:Passages from the Life of a Philosopher.djvu/190

174 I now perceive, when it is too late, that a rigid adherence to that rule has deprived me of the power of relating circumstances of the greatest interest to survivors, and of the highest credit to himself. I should not even have adverted to the subject in the present work, had I not observed in the fourth volume of the life of the late General Sir Charles Napier of Scinde a passage which, if not explained, might lead to the erroneous inference that I had myself proposed to speak to the Duke of Wellington on a certain military subject, whereas I only did so at the repeated desire of Sir Charles himself.

The following is a portion of a letter from General Sir Charles Napier to his brother, General Sir William Napier, extracted from "The Life of Sir Charles Napier," vol. iv., p. 347:—

"May 2nd.

" I Babbage at Miss Burdett Coutts. He talked about the 'Birkenhead,' and was very eager, saying, 'Cannot you speak to the Duke of Wellington?' 'No; it would seem a criticising of his conduct.' 'Well, I, as a civilian, may.' 'Yes ; and you will do good, for the Duke alluded to the subject at the Royal Academy dinner an hour ago.' Babbage did so at once, asking him to move in the matter; and the Duke said he would. I also spoke to Hardinge, who told me he had had a mind to allude to it in his speech at the dinner, but feared it might seem a reflection on the Duke."

"I have been told that the Duke is only awaiting an official despatch from Harry Smith, or Cathcart, about the '