II.--To YUNAFF.
The lady to whom the affectionate and touching lines you have quoted
were addressed was Miss Louther, a sister of Sir James Louther; rich,
highly accomplished, and most amiable. Wolfe was to have been married to
her, had he returned from Quebec. She was very averse to his accepting
the command. But nothing could stay his military ardour, even though in
indifferent health. Well might the epithet be applied to him--"favourite
son of Minerva."
Miss Louther was an object of general sympathy, after her brave lover's
fall; and some of the periodicals of the day contain beautiful verses,
addressed to her, appropriate to the occasion. This lady's _name_ is not
mentioned in any of Wolfe's letters in my possession; but an _allusion_
is made to her incidentally. She was a favourite with the old general
and Mrs. Wolfe. In one of the early letters a graphic description is
given by young Wolfe of another lady of rank, with whom he was much
smitten. That was before he paid his addresses, however, to Miss
Louther. But I do not feel at liberty to break the seal of confidence
under which this information was communicated in Wolfe's letter, though
at the distance of one hundred years, by mentioning farther particulars.
May I ask if the verses in your possession are signed by Wolfe; or in
his autograph; and dated? It would be very interesting to have precise
information, tending to identity Wolfe as the author of these lines.
III.--To W. A.
I shall be glad to know the contents of the petition, dated February,
1746, and of the six letters mentioned by you. They may throw some light
on Wolfe's history. Will you allow me to communicate with you on this
subject, by letter, through the Editor, as I reside at a distance from
London?
IV.--To J. H. M.
The packet of Wolfe's letters in my possession was never shown to
Southey. They were discovered only three years ago. I believe Southey
intended to write a memoir of Wolfe, but I am not aware that he carried
his intentions into effect. The letters in my care were published in
_Tait's Edinburgh Magazine_, December, 1849, under the title "Original
Correspondence of General Wolfe." I shall feel obliged by any
information you possess regarding the _other_ collection of Wolfe's
letters which you believe to exist. Pray, where are they to be seen?
[Gh.]
P.S.--Since expressing my acknowledgments to the other gentlemen who
have kindly answered some of my inquiries respecting Wolfe, I have had
the pleasure to peruse the information communicated by J. R. (Cork), and
I beg to thank him for his courtesy. The sketch he has given of Wolfe's
ancestors is very interesting, the more so, as J. R. mentions he is
himself connected with Wolfe's family. Would J. R. be kind enough to
supply information on the following additional points, viz.:
1. In which of the English counties did Captain George Wolfe, who
escaped after the siege of Limerick, settle?
2. Was the son of this officer (father of General Edward Wolfe) also a
military man, or a civilian; and what was his Christian name?
3. The birth-place of General Edward Wolfe, father of the hero of
Quebec.
Answers to these Queries would connect some of the broken links in the
history of one of the most gallant and skilful young generals that
England ever entrusted with her armies.
[Gh.]
General Wolfe's executor was General Warde, of the family of Squerries,
near Westerham, by whom the epitaph was written, which is now over the
south door of Westerham church. General Warde's nephew and executor was
General George Warde, who by that means became possessed of several very
interesting objects, viz., an original portrait of Wolfe, representing
him with his natural red hair. After some time the natural red was
converted, by water colours, into a powdered wig; consequently a sponge
and clean water would restore it to its original state. Another portrait
of Wolfe painted after his death by West; he is represented sitting and
consulting a plan of military operations. West has given him the same
countenance in which he appears in the celebrated picture of his death.
When West was offered the original portrait on which to form this
picture, he declined making use of it, as he had already committed
himself in the historical portrait, and it would not do for him to alter
it, and send out in his name two different portraits. Gen. G. Warde also
possessed Wolfe's short sword and black leather letter-case, and a
collection of original letters; among which was one of much interest,
where Wolfe, mentioning the flattering terms in which he was spoken of
by the public and high military authorities, says, that unwarranted
expectations were raised, and that to maintain his reputation he might
be driven into some desperate undertaking.
I write all this from memory, but my details cannot be very far from
correct.