he said, "not more than your Grace," and they parted. But every now and then the Duke saw the cob-man riding about in the smoke, and at last having nobody to send to a regiment, he again beckoned to this little fellow, and told him to go up to that regiment, and order them to charge-giving him some mark of authority the colonel would recognise. Away he galloped, and in a few minutes the Duke saw his order obeyed. The Duke asked him for his card, and found in the evening, when the card fell out of his sash, that he lived at Birmingham, and was a button manufacturer! When at Birmingham, the Duke inquired of the firm, and found he was their traveller, and then in Ireland. When he returned, at the Duke's request he called on him in London. His Grace was happy to see him, and said he had a vacancy in the Mint of 8007. a-year, where accounts were wanted. The little cob-man said it would be exactly the thing, and the Duke installed him-much to his Grace's honour.

Of the Duke's perfect coolness on the most trying occasions, Colonel Gurwood related this instance. He was once in great danger of being drowned at sea. It was bed-time, when the captain of the vessel came to him, and said, "It will soon be all over with us." "Very well," answered the Duke, "then I shall not take off my boots."

To the oft-repeated question, Was the Duke ever wounded? we may quote the following, from the Life of General Sir William Napier, published in 1864:

"After dusk, at the battle of Salamanca, the Duke rode up alone behind my regiment, and I joined him; he was giving me some orders, when a ball passed through his left holster, and struck his thigh; he put his hand to the place, and his countenance changed for an instant, but only for an instant; and to my eager inquiry if he was hurt, he replied, sharply, 'No!' and went on with his orders. Whether his flesh was torn or only bruised I know not."

The Duke is known to have been an early riser; the advantages of which were illustrated throughout his long life. His service of the Sovereigns and the public of this country for more than half a century,-in diplomatic situations and in councils, as well as in the army, has scarcely a parallel in British history. His Despatches are the best evidence of his well-regulated mind in education. No letters could ever be more temperately or more perspicuously expressed than those famous documents. They show what immense results in the aggregate were obtained by the Duke, solely in virtue of habits which he had sedulously cultivated from his boyhood-early rising, strict attention to details, taking nothing ascertainable for

granted, unflagging industry, and silence, except when speech was necessary, or certainly harmless. His early habit of punctuality is pleasingly illustrated in the following anecdote: "I will take care to be punctual at five to-morrow morning," said the engineer of New London Bridge, in acceptance of the Duke's request that he would meet him at that hour the following morning. "Say a quarter before five," replied the Duke, with a quiet smile; "I owe all I have achieved to being ready a quarter of an hour before it was deemed necessary to be so; and I learned that lesson when a boy."

Whoever has seen "the Duke's bedroom" at Apsley-house and its plain appointments, will not regard it as a chamber of indolence. It was, a few years since, narrow, shapeless, and ill-lighted; the bedstead small, provided only with a mattress and bolster, and scantily curtained with green silk; the only ornaments of the walls were an unfinished sketch, two cheap prints of military men, and a small portrait in oil: yet here slept the Great Duke, whose "eightieth year was by."

"THE TENTH OF APRIL."

The great Chartist Demonstration of 1848 was brought to a ridiculous issue, by the unity aud resolution of the Metropolis, backed by the judicious measures of the Government, and the masterly military precautions of the Duke of Wellington. "On our famous 10th of April, his peculiar genius was exerted to the unspeakable advantage of peace and order. So effective were his prepara

tions that the most serious insurrection could have been successfully encountered, and yet every source of provocation and alarm was removed by the dispositions adopted. No military display was anywhere to be seen. The troops and the cannon were all at their posts, but neitheir shako nor bayonet was visible; and for all that met the eye, it might have been concluded that the peace of the metropolis was still entrusted to the keeping of its own citizens. As an instance, however, of his forecast against the worst, on this memorable occasion, it may be observed that orders were given to the commissioned officers of artillery, to take the discharge of their pieces on themselves. The Duke knew that a cannot-shot too much or too little might change the aspect of the day; and he provided by these remarkable instructions, both for imperturbable forbearance as long as forbearance was best, and for unshrinking action when the moment for action came."-Memoir; Times.

WATERLOO QUERIES.

Haydon asked the Duke of Richmond if there ever was a moment when he desponded at Waterloo. He said: 66 Never. For an in

stant some young officers might fear, when the cavalry were on the hill, that they had got possession of the artillery; but all old ones knew that cavalry getting possession of artillery was nonsense.'

When Haydon dined at Lord Palmerston's, he sat next to Lord Hill, and this conversation ensued: "I said, "My Lord, I feel great interest in seeing your Lordship after reading so much about you.' Ah!' said Lord Hill, those days are past.' 'But,' said I,not forgotten.' He seemed pleased at my attention, and came home with me to see the picture.

"While in the carriage I said, 'My Lord, was there ever any time of the day at Waterloo when you desponded?' 'Certainly not,' he replied. "There never was any panic?' No. There was no time of the day.' I said, 'I apologise; but Sir Walter Scott asked the Duke the same thing, and he made the same reply.' Lord Hill said, in the simplest manner, 'I dare say.'"

A coincidence rarely remembered, may be mentioned here. During the visit of the Allied Sovereigns to this country, George IV. (then Prince Regent) was entertained at a costly banquet at Guildhall, London, with Alexander, Emperor of Russia, and Frederick William III., King of Prussia, June 18, 1814; and on the first anniversary of this festival, June 18, 1815, was fought the battle of Waterloo.

THE WELLINGTON FAMILY AND TALLEYRAND.

Talleyrand, it is told, suggested to Bonaparte, after the battle of Leipsig, 1813, the idea of raising the Duke of Wellington to the throne of England! The details are thus related in Rovigo's Memoirs:-"The Emperor asked him to explain himself, and M. de Talleyrand continued: "There is in England a family which has acquired a distinction favourable to the encouragement of every kind of ambition. It is natural to suppose that it possesses ambition, or at least, that, by showing a disposition to second its ambition, we may excite in it the desire of elevation; and also, that there are in England a sufficient number of adventurous men to turn the chances of its fortune. At all events, such a proposition could do us no harm. On the contrary, if it were listened to, it might bring about changes which would soon place us in a state in which we would have little to repair. Another consideration is, that, your allies have failed you, you can do nothing solid except with new men connected from the beginning with the conservation of your system.' The Emperor listened to M. de Talleyrand, but desired him to speak out more plainly, remarking that he was always the same, and that there was no knowing what he would be at. Thus pressed, Talleyrand mentioned the Wellesley family, and said,

'Look at Wellington, who may be supposed to have something in view. If he submit to live on his reputation, he will soon be forgotten. He has several examples before his eyes; and a talent such as his will not be stopped, so long as there is something to be desired.' The Emperor did not adopt these suggestions. observed, that before helping the ambition of others, it was fit that he should be in a condition to make himself respected in his government; and added, that at the present moment he could give his attention to nothing else. M. de Talleyrand, however, told me, that the Emperor appeared much impressed with what he had stated. He indeed expected that the Emperor would have again spoken to him on the subject."

THE MARQUESS WELLESLEY.

Lord Wellesley's prosperous career of civil service was more flattering to his ambition than productive of emolument. His father's debts were paid by him voluntarily, but he was unable to preserve the family estates. On the fall of Seringapatam, the sum of 10,000. was set apart for the Marquess-a grant which, on his suggestion, was abandoned to the army.

He

The Marquess, unlike his illustrious brother, the Duke of Wellington, was a lover of dress, and carried the spirit of foppery so far, that he would often play the coxcomb for his own amusement. would sit in his own room for hours with no other spectator than what he saw reflected in the mirror, dressed in full costume, and decorated with the blue riband and the Garter, as if meant to appear at a chapter, or a royal levée.

O'CONNELL AND HAYDON.

The painter, during O'Connell's sittings to him, contrived to draw from him some interesting talk about the politics of the time, of which Haydon, with his accustomed tact, made the following entries in his Diary :

"At twelve I went to O'Connell's, and certainly his appearance was very different from what it is in the House of Commons. It was, on the whole, hilarious and good-natured. But there was a cunning look. He has an eye like a weasel. Light seemed hanging at the bottom, and he looked out with a searching ken, like Brougham, something, but not with his depth of insight.

"I was first shown into his private room. A shirt hanging by the fire, a hand-glass tied to the window-bolt, papers, hats, brushes, wet towels, and dirty shoes, gave intimation of 'Dear Ireland.' After a few moments O'Connell rolled in in a morning-gown, a loose

black handkerchief tied round his neck, God knows how; a wig, and a foraging-cap bordered with gold lace. As a specimen of character he began, Mr. Haydon, you and I must understand each other about this picture. They say I must pay for this likeness.' 'Not at all, sir.' This is the only thing of the sort that has hap

pened to me.

"He sat down, and I sketched him. He talked of Repeal. 'What did ye think of me when I first started the question?' 'That you were mad,' said I. 'Do you not think, sir,' I said, 'that Ireland being the smaller, must always be subject to England, the larger Ireland?' 'No,' said O'Connell. 'Is not Portugal a smaller country than Spain ?' 'Yes; but she is a separate country.'

"One great mistake of the Liberals,' said he, is their infidelity. Now, there are no infidels in Ireland.' 'No,' said I; they are too poetical.' O'Connell looked at me as if he thought that was new and true. I succeeded in his head. It is a head of hilarity and good humour, while his nose and eyes denote keen cunning. His voice is melodious and persuasive, and there is a natural poetry about his mind that renders him interesting. There were no less than five papers in the room, in which O'Connell read alternately. He said, 'I got a scolding from Peel last night. I told him I spared him this once-but the next time

Of another sitting: "O'Connell came in his best wig, and looking in great health and vigour. O'Connell has a head of great sentiment and power, but yet cunning. The instant he came in he looked at the picture, and said, 'Ah, there's Stanley, with a smile I never yet saw on his countenance-Melbourne, Graham, Russell,Grey, but too handsome;-Althorp, the bitterest enemy of Ireland, but he shall never legislate for her.'

"O'Connell was in great good humour, and I begged him to give me a history of his early life. He did so immediately, explained their first meeting to consider the grievances of the Catholics-their being interrupted by a company of soldiers, &c. The poetical way in which he described the crashing of the muskets on the stones at 'Order arms,' was characteristic. I said, 'It is somewhat ungrateful, after getting emancipation, to turn round, and demand repeal.' 'Not in me,' said O'Connell; 'I always said repeal would be the consequence of emancipation, and I always avowed such to be my object.' 'Do you think you will carry it?' 'Not a doubt of it,' said O'Connell. If you get repeal, what will you do?' 'Have an Irish Parliament directly. But an Irish Parliament,' said I,' was always corrupt.' 'Yes,' said he, 'in borough-mongering times; but now there is a constituency, Besides, corrupt as it was, it carried important measures.'