I have left your letter so long unanswered that I fear you will never believe how much pleasure it really gave me. The fact is I am always very busy & my time so fully taken up with home duties, that it is seldom I find time to write a letter that is simply one of friendship. There is one point in your last however that I ought to answer at once & that is the money that it seems is still due for the printed papers. I remember long carrying it in my pocket roled up in paper to pay directly I passed the house when in Bruges, At last never going that way I put it my desk. till called for - that was never done & it must have been the same sum part of which I found in my desk here having forgotten at last all about it. If I remember right 15f: is what I owe. I am told I can get a post office order now for Belgium so I will try tomorrow - Monday, & send it in thisp2letter. Everything you told me about poor old Bruges interested me much - Let me hear again - I was very glad dear old St Anne’s Church has been xx renovated, but am very very glad our good Curé was not changed while I was there.[2] I admired him very much as a Priest. What a grand triumph the Catholics have had over the Liberals in the elections,Now that they are the stronger number in Parliament I do hope they will be more courageous. If not they deserve to be punished, as they most assuredly run the risk of being before this fearful war is over![3] I am thinking very probably to day, the Emperor & King will begin in ernest,[4] they so often begin battles on Sundays I have noticed & I cannot think why England is very wroth as it has a right to be, on discovering the cool manner in which France & Prussia were disposing of Belgium & Holland[5] between them deceiving England all the while![6] There seems to be little doubt now, but that England will fight also. I expect first an army of occupation will be sent into Belgium to protect.[7] Secondly I expect when France has time, she will attack Englandp3& the Irish join France against us - Considering half our army is Irish we shall have not only enemies in front, but enemies in the rear & in the midst of us! - In fact it appears to me the accomplishment of what the propheycies[8] have so long foretold is at hand, & that a general European War more fearful than any that has ever been known will now take place[9] May God help us all, the poor, the widows, the orphans, Priests & Nuns, rich & poor all will suffer. The good suffering for the sins of others & the glory of God, the wicked as a punishment for the fearful wickedness that shatters the earth, & that they may be purged from off the face of the earth, & God’s church be purified before it is rendered glorious & triumphant! We who live in these days, need constant prayer & union with God to preserve us aright from the snares spiritual & temporal that surround us on all sides, those who survive will rejoice indeed at the defeat of God’s enemies & the triumph of His Church! - And in the commencement of this fearful strife, the great Council has quietly done its work, one great Dogma hasp4been clearly defined - Deo Gratias![10] Believing firmly as I ever have done in the infalability[11] of the Pope, I have listened in astonishment to Catholics disputing it![12] And still more surprised & sad did I feel to see my own Bishop Brother take part against its definition! May God forgive him. I have not heard from him since, & hope the next I shall hear will be that he is loudly preaching the Doctrine in his Diocese & making reparation for his previous want of faith - He called on me on his way to Rome. When I spoke so fervently about the Infallability I was surprised at his silence but attributed it simply to a worldly prudence.[13] I wonder if he will call on me on his return? -
We have had very hot weather here for a long time. We can only drink iced water & eat fruit. I have felt much my long daily walkes to Chapel though I rise at half past five & go in the cool of the morning, & late in the evening - But my poor ancles[14] at last swell & pain me so that some days I cannot go. We are going to the seaside however now to 19. Royal Crescent, West Cliffp5Ramsgate[15] for three weeks. We leave on Wednesday next. The sea air & sea bathing will strengthen us all. Maurice is very well studying still as he is determined to try again to pass for Honours in October - He made a retreat under the Redemptorist fathers at Clapham two weeks ago - under his own confessor which is always so much better that going to a stranger & has been very happy ever since. Mary, & Angela are at home, & Edward comes on Tuesday from Beaumont. Maurice has been invited there to Examen[16] the boys in Greek & Latin, at the public Examination. I was asked to accompany him, but as it is only the day before we leave for Ramsgate I must remain & attend to the packing &c. &c. for my numerous family - Dot is very much grewn & is a very clever & very good little thing I hope she will always continue so - Blanche is nearly the size you knew Dotty, she is a perfect lump of fun! She is always saying or doing something to make us laugh. She is very affectionate & tender hearted, & kisses the crucifix a makes little compassionate reflections over the sufferings of Jesus, that it is quite pretty to listen to, having her alone
If ever you come over to Englandp6mind you come and see us - Remember me very kindly to Mrs Berrington, & the Whitgreaves.[17] So you have never been to the dinner yet! Is the house furnished yet. Has he exhibited this year as Captain of the Gymnastic Band! What amusements have there been in Bruges - Any more boating? Remember me very kindly to the Caloeens.[18] By the bye about a month ago, I read a letter from the Priest[19] at Dover, announcing the arrival of Mary Margaret! & wanting to know if all she said of me & herself was true. She told the Priest I had adopted & been very kind to her & that she was in my service, when a woman enticed her away from me.
I suppose the rest of her story was that she was now very sorry & wanted to come back. However all the Priest said was that she had arrived there penniless, & out of compassion a Protestant gentleman had taken her into his house for three nights to give time to make enquiries about her. Not knowing my address he wrote to Burns & Lambert[20] who forwarded the letter to me. It was fortunate she did not know myp7address, or she would have begged her way straight here. Maurice answered the letter writing from the Middle Temple, so that she should not now know our address, & we have heard no more of her. Did you know of her leaving? Did she refuse to go into that house of refuge, I settled with you about?[21] If ever she turns up again & will go there I will pay the Nuns but I will never do anything else for her. How we laughed at the idea of coming to ask leave not to fast! She only being 20 - not 21 till next January. Being so delicate in her conscience on this point, & so indifferent in every other respect! -
Now I have written so long a letter I must detain you no longer -
To my surprise one day I met Monsgr Boone in the streets in London I drove back to his cab. & he got out & spoke a few minutes with us he was looking very well -
Do you know that Willy is engaged to be married to his cousin (second cousin) Miss Weld of Lulworth, on the 5th October next. But now that the French troops are leaving Rome he talks of going back as a Zouave. I hope he will, but of course now he is engaged to be married, his wife has the greater claim over him, so I fear to say much Oh. how I wish I were a man & could lead off a large army of young men at once to help the Holy Father, & that my three sons were the first to wish to join me in the expedition.[22] Edward I expect will be a Priest - I hope so. Oswald keeps steady to Farming so does Henry -