on me to-morrow."[28]

[Footnote 28: _Memoirs, Journal, and Correspondence of Thomas Moore_,
edited by Lord John Russell, vol. iv., p. 239.]

Earl Stanhope, in his _Notes of Conversations with the Duke of
Wellington_, p. 182, writes as follows: "I mentioned with much praise
Lady De Lancey's narrative of her husband's lingering death and of her
own trials and sufferings after Waterloo. The Duke told me that he had
seen it--Lord Bathurst having lent it him many years ago." This
conversation took place on the 12th October 1839.

The two most famous literary men to whom Captain Basil Hall lent the
narrative, were, however, Sir Walter Scott and Charles Dickens.

Sir Walter Scott writes under date Abbotsford, 13th October 1825, that
his publisher, Constable, thinks that the narrative "would add very
great interest as an addition to the letters which I wrote from Paris
soon after Waterloo, and certainly I would consider it as one of the
most valuable and important documents which could be published as
illustrative of the woes of war."[29]

[Illustration: PART OF AN AUTOGRAPH LETTER OF SIR WALTER SCOTT.]

"I never read anything which affected my own feelings more
strongly, or which, I am sure, would have a deeper interest
on [_sic_] those of the public....

"Perhaps it may be my own high admiration of the contents of
this heartrending diary, which makes me suppose a
possibility that after such a lapse of years, the
publication may possibly (as that which cannot but do the
highest honour to the memory of the amiable authoress) may
[_sic_] not be judged altogether inadmissible....--Most
truly yours,

"WALTER SCOTT."[30]

[Footnote 29: Perhaps the _Memoires de Madame la Marquise de
Larochejaquelein_ of which four editions were published between 1814
and 1817--one of the noblest and most touching of autobiographies--is
the nearest parallel in literature to Lady De Lancey's narrative. The
French Marchioness describes her experiences in Paris in 1789, and
during the Insurrection of La Vendee in 1793.--ED.]

[Footnote 30: The complete letter will be found in Appendix A of this
volume.]

[Illustration: PART OF AN AUTOGRAPH LETTER OF CHARLES DICKENS.]

The following is a transcript of the most remarkable passages in
Dickens' letter:--

"DEVONSHIRE TERRACE,

_"Tuesday evening_, 16_th_ _March_ 1841.

"MY DEAR HALL, ...

"I have not had courage