His wife died a short time ago, and his daughter wrote word to a
friend that had her father known how soon her mother would die, he
would not have behaved better to her! They must all be mad, I think.


Thomas Erskine, the third son of the 10th Earl of Buchan, was, in 1806,
appointed Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain and elevated to the
Peerage the same year by the title of Baron Erskine. Brilliant, eloquent
and witty, from his habit of invariably talking about himself and his
concerns, he was given the name of Chancellor Ego. Owing to his being of
opposite politics, the Stanhopes were disposed to view him somewhat
disparagingly, and owned, indeed, but slight acquaintance with him till
years afterwards when they met him at Holkham. It was on the occasion of a
dinner-party in London, however, that Lord Erskine once told John Stanhope
the following story, and which the latter used to recount as an instance
of the Chancellor's genuine kindliness of heart.

"In the days of my youth", Lord Erskine related, "I arrived in Edinburgh
one morning after a lengthy absence from Scotland, feeling delighted at
the prospect of re-visiting my old haunts and looking up my old friends. I
went first to a bookseller's shop which I was fond of visiting, and as I
was leaving it, to my surprise and pleasure I encountered an old butler
who had been for many years in my father's service. I noticed, however, to
my regret, that the old man looked greatly changed. He was pale, worn and
shadowy as a ghost. Moreover, when I greeted him genially he showed little
excitement at the unexpected encounter. 'I came to meet your honour,' he
said, very gravely, 'I want to solicit your interference with my Lord to
recover a sum of money due to me which the steward at the last settlement
would not pay.'