The day after Peel made his speech he was thrown from his horse on Constitution Hill, and on July 2nd he died.

    Lady John Russell to Lady Mary Abercromby

    June 20, 1850

...  Day of great political excitement.  After dinner I took John to the House and have utterly regretted since that I did not go up to hear him—­for he made what I am quite sure you and Ralph will agree with me and all whom I have yet spoken to, was a most perfect answer; and I should have dearly liked to hear the volleys of cheering which he so well deserved.  Now we shall either go out with honour or stay in with triumph—­welcome either.

    Lord Charles Russell [35] to Lady John Russell

    July 13, 1850

As you were not here to hear John move the monument [of Sir Robert Peel], I must tell you that he succeeded in the opinion of all.  Dizzy has just, in passing my chair, said, “Well, Lord John did that to perfection.  My friends were nervous, I was not; it was a difficult subject, but one peculiarly fitted for Lord John.  He did as I was sure he would, and pleased all those who sit about me.”

[35] Lord John’s stepbrother.

    PEMBROKE LODGE, July 17, 1850

For the first time since the session began John spent a whole weekday here, and such a fine one that we enjoyed it thoroughly.  Our roses are still in great beauty, but it is a drying blaze.  In the evening we cried over “David Copperfield” till we were ashamed.

    Lady John Russell to Lady Melgund

    MINTO, October 5, 1850

This whole morning having been spent fox-hunting, and the afternoon doing something else, I do not exactly remember what, I am obliged to write to you at the forbidden time (after dinner), instead of making myself agreeable.  What a quantity I have to say to you, and what a pity to say it all by letter, or, rather, to say a very small part of it by letter, instead of having you here, as I had hoped and looked forward to, enjoying daily gloomy talks with you, such as we always find ourselves indulging in when we are together....  Though I have scarcely walked a step about the place from obedience to doctors, I have driven daily with Mama—­and such lovely drives!  Oh! the place is in such beauty.  I think its greatest beauty—­the trees red, yellow, green, brown, of every shade, so that each one is seen separately, and the too great thickness on the rocks is less perceived.  This was one of the brightest mornings, and you know what a hunt is on the rocks when the sun shines bright, and the rocks look whiter against a blue sky, and men and horses and hounds place themselves in the most picturesque positions, and horns and tally-hos echo all round, and everybody, except the fox, is in spirits.  The gentlemen had no sport, but the ladies a great deal, and I saw more foxes than