he is more, he is full of patriotic eagerness—­I could not write all this....  Thanks for your sympathy about Johnny—­we were very sorry, I need not say[71]....  I don’t at all mind the beating, which has been a glorious one in every way, but I immensely mind his not being in Parliament....

    Your most affectionate sister, F.R.

[71] Lord Amberley was defeated in the General Election.

    Mr. Charles Dickens to Lady Russell

    GAD’S HILL PLACE, HIGHAM BY ROCHESTER, KENT

    Saturday, December 26, 1868

MY DEAR LADY RUSSELL,—...  I cannot tell you how highly I esteem your kind Christmas remembrances, or how earnestly I send all seasonable wishes to you and Lord Russell and all who are dearest to you.  I am unselfishly glad that Lord Russell is out of the turmoil and worry of a new Administration, but I miss him from it sorely.  I was saying only yesterday to Layard (who is staying here), that I could not get over the absence of that great Liberal name from a Liberal Government, and that I lost heart without it.

    Ever faithfully yours,

    CHARLES DICKENS

    Lady Russell to Lady Victoria Villiers

    PEMBROKE LODGE, February 4, 1869

We have had such a gay time of it—­that is, from Saturday to Monday only; but we have had such a quiet life in general that that seems a great deal.  The Gladstones with daughter Mary to dine.  Gladstone was unanimously pronounced to be most agreeable and delightful.  I never saw him in such high spirits, and he was as ready to talk about anything and everything, small and great, as if he had no Ministerial weight on his shoulders.  He carries such fire and eloquence into whatever he talks about that it seems for the moment the most important subject in the world.

    Lady Russell to Mr. Rollo Russell

    37 CHESHAM PLACE, March 2, 1869

    London is extremely agreeable now, not rackety, but sociable—­at
    least to the like of us who do not attempt to mix in the very gay
    world....

Arthur Russell called last night after hearing Gladstone’s great speech [on Irish Disestablishment], well pleased himself and expecting the country to be so—­the country, Ireland, more especially. On the whole your father is satisfied, but not with the whole; he does not approve of the churches being left to the Protestants for ever, as there is nothing granted to the Roman Catholics.  Neither does he like the appropriation of national money to charities. [72]

[72] The Bill transferred to the new disestablished Episcopal Church all the churches, all endowments given since 1660, while the remaining funds were to be handed over to the Government for the relief of poverty and suffering.