СНАР. X. 1793. CHAPTER X. Domestic Life of Lord Kenyon-His Sons-Jones of Nayland-Sir (1793-1795.) BEFORE Continuing the narrative, it may be well to take a cursory glance at the domestic life of Lord Kenyon. A successful lawyer's holiday, in these days, is often somewhat circumscribed, but the Chief Justice, who was very rapid in transacting the business, was seldom detained long on his Circuit. He would generally start home the day his sittings were concluded, and the Long Vacation was almost invariably spent at his country house in Wales. At Gredington, where he had enlarged and improved his house, he passed the time with his family in the full enjoyment of well-earned leisure. Accompanied by his sons he would ride about his now extensive estate, and inspect his new acquisitions. There is still living one old man who can remember him riding somewhat unbroken colts about the lanes. He describes him as a very silent man, in a grey wig. The country was singularly suited for riding excursions. Gredington is situated in the detached portion of Flintshire which goes by the name of the Hundred of Maelor. The house is built on high ground, and overlooks the whole of the beautiful valley of the Dec, from Llangollen to Chester, with the Welsh mountains in the distance. The country, which is singularly beautiful, is mostly pasture-land, and was in those days, even more than at present, thickly studded with magnificent oak timber. Lord Kenyon's sons were now growing up to manhood. The two eldest had been entrusted to the care of the well-known scholar, William Jones of Nayland, a man whose sterling character eminently fitted him to be the companion of the young. His care and attention were always gratefully remembered, and Lord Kenyon was able to prove the sincerity of his friendship in a very gratifying way. As years grew upon him, Mr. Jones became less able to perform his duties, and as his means were small he was under some apprehension as to his future. 'Medicine is of little use,' he wrote one day to one of his pupils, so long as anxiety is preying on the spirits. I am certainly not in want at this time, but a black cloud hanging over my latter days is an ugly thing, and may have effects worse then fatal.'1 The gentleman to whom this letter was addressed, forwarded it through his friend Mr. Kenyon to the Chief Justice, who at once wrote to the Archbishop of Canterbury. The correspondence is so honourable to both, that I shall insert it here entire : Lord Kenyon to the Archbishop of Canterbury. Gredington, August 30th, 1798. My dear Lord,-I hope I shall not incur your displeasure by writing this letter. If I sha, I shall be 1 Extract from a letter from Rev. W. Jones to G. Downing, Esq., Aug. 20, 1798. T CHAP. X. 1793. CHAP. X. 1793. convinced I have acted improperly as well as impertinently; but my present feelings are so much alive I cannot forbear putting pen to paper. The inclosed letter to my son from a young friend of his occasions your Grace this trouble. I send it without his knowing anything of the matter, and without any comment upon it. I think the learned person who is the melancholy subject of it has considerable merit with the Church of England. If by your means the Chancellor or any B who has large patronage ca do something by way of additional preferment for such a man it would not disserve the cause of religion. If I had less profound respect than I have and ought to have for your Grace, you would not have been troubled with this. I do not by any means write to procure pecuniary help, otherwise than by way of Church preferment. I should feel myself degraded if it could be supposed that I solicited that wh if wanted I have myself the ability of conferring. 'KENYON.' The Archbishop of Canterbury' to Lord Kenyon. 'Worthing, Sept. 5th, 1798. 'My dear Lord,-Your letter with its inclosures respecting Mr. Jones of Nayland has reached me somewhat later on account of my absence from home. I am unwilling therefore to let this day's post return without thanking you, which I do most sincerely, for the communication, painful, very painful as it is to my feelings. If I had it to reproach myself with having neglected that worthy man, they would be intolerable. Dr. Moore, obiit 1805. X. 1793. But in truth I have long wished to serve him essentially CHAP. without having had the means of doing it in his own person. And therefore, on his mentioning to me his only son, a clergyman, about four years ago (as under strait circumstances), I relieved his anxiety at that time by a promise of giving that son a very considerable living, of more than 500l. a year, when it should become vacant, the incumbent being then 85 years of age. It is true, the man is yet alive; and I had no idea of such pressure upon Mr. Jones in point of circumstances as it now appears he labours under. I have more to say on this subject when I have the pleasure of seeing your lordship. In the meantime I have the opportunity just now of offering him a little sinecure, with some contingencies, which may happen even at his age to make it desirable, and this circumstance will occasion us to meet, and give me the opportunity of softening, I hope, the present apprehensions which distress him. The above-mentioned living for his son is within distance of one which he now has. The post is departing. I will therefore only add that I will do the best I can for Mr. Jones, and that I shall be silent about the information your lordship has given me. I return your inclosure, and am with the utmost respect, 'My dear Lord, 'Your very faithful servant, 'J. CANTUAR.' This preferment must have been very gratifying to the aged minister. He did not, unfortunately, live long to enjoy it. He died in the year 1800, in the 75th year of his age. CHAP. 1793. It was said of Mr. Jones that he was less than a bishop, but greater.' On another occasion, when one of his pupils was present, the discussion turned upon one of his new works: some one hazarded the remark that it was below par. 'No,' replied Will Stevens, 'Jones is never below Parr.' The following epigram was written by him on the second Lord Kenyon while at Nayland : Sum bonus, sum malus, (? at) si sim modo par mihi semper In his early days Mr. Jones had been very intimate with Lord Bute, and to him he thus pleasantly alludes in one of his letters: Lord Bute, when I most wanted help, very nobly offered me the use of any books and instruments I might have occasion for in the course of my philosophical studies. What he once said to me when we were alone, I have reason to remember from the great impression it then made upon me. It was agreed between us that there was no pleasure like that of a studious life. "There was a time," said he, "when I made myself teacher to my children, and followed my studies in the retirement of a remote situation in the north. The day was then too short for me, but since I came forward into public life and public business I have scarcely known one hour of enjoyment." Thought I, If you, who are at the top of the world, find so much dissatisfaction, what reason have I, who am at the bottom of it (ego homuncio), to complain that life is troublesome and favor uncertain?' 2 1 1 This was written out many years afterwards by Lord Kenyon, and is probably inaccurate. Jones's scholarship was undeniable. 2 Extract from a letter, Jan. 4, 1794. |