ir state is most deplorable and
haunts me day and night. The very best of Poor Laws must be quite
insufficient. Indeed, wherever there is a necessity for a Poor Law
at all there must be something wrong, I think; for if each
proprietor, farmer and clergyman did his duty there would be no
misery, and if they do _not_, no Poor Law can prevent it. You
cannot think how I long for a few acres of _our own_, in order
to know and do what little I could for the poor round us. It would
not lessen one's deep pity for the many in all other parts of the
country, but one's own conscience would be relieved from what,
rightly or wrongly, I now feel as a weight upon it; and without a
permanent residence one does not become really acquainted with poor
people in their prosperity as well as adversity; one only does a
desultory unsatisfactory sort of good. I have not seen Dickens's
letter about the ragged schools of which you speak. What you say of
the devotion of the Roman Catholic priests to the charities of
religion reflects shame on ours of a purer faith, but is what I
have always supposed. The Puseyites are most like them in that as
well as in their mischievous doctrines; but then a new sect is
always zealous for good as well as for evil.

_Lord John to Lady John Russell_

CHESHAM PLACE, _March_ 3, 1846

I am so happy to find you have had a good night and are stronger in
feeling. If you had not told me how weak and ill you have been I
should have been beyond measure anxious; but, as it is, and with
your letters, I have been very unhappy and exceedingly
disappointed. For my hopes are often extravagant, and I love to
look forward to days of health and happiness and gratitude to God
for His blessings.... Need I say after all I have suffered on your
account that while I am conducting my campaign in Italy [28] my
thoughts are always with you? ... I cannot bear your absence. The
interest of a great crisis, and the best company of London cannot
make me tolerably patient under the misfortune of your being away;
and it is you, and you alone who could inspire me with such deep
love.

[28] An allusion to Napoleon's letters to Josephine from Italy, which she
had been reading.

Peel had taken the first step towards feeding the poor at home. He had also
done his best to relieve the immediate distress of Irela