Looking Westwards

‘I scrawl you a few lines to say that I am well and in better spirits than I have been for some months since,’ wrote Charles Elliot to his sister on 23 March 1840. And he continued,

Thinking it may answer you I send you an extract of a private letter which I had written to Lord Auckland with whom my public relations are just now drawing closer. Upon second thoughts, however, I thought that I had better not mix up such matter with schemes of campaigns, but I shall not be sorry if you drop it upon some of the great people in Downing Street. It is [not?] a bit less true for being whimsically said.

With Clara gone, and the expeditionary force on its way to China, Elliot’s focus began to include other branches of his extended family such as his cousins George Eden (Lord Auckland, Governor General of India and newly appointed commander-in-chief of the force), and Admiral George Elliot. These links, which included Clara, provided a bridge and a consolation for the separated spouses. Another consolation was that, although they were a month’s sailing time apart, they were on the same route to Emma at Charlton and could read and add to the same letters. Charles finished his to Emma:

Kiss my darlings for me, and tell them to be good, and diligent. Letters from my dearest Clara at Singapore on 17th February. She was well and happy. Ever your darling affectionate brother Charles Elliot.

[ps] Do write to poor old Ned.

[pps] Have no apprehension about results here, and try to learn through Fred, what they think at the FO [Foreign Office] of my prospects of adjustment [advancement?] Poor old Maitland’s death was a sad stroke to me for he was very kind to me. I could have managed him more easily than I may be able to do Cousin George who will probably follow him. He is a good fellow but I have no opinion of his capacity. His gravity indeed is considerable, but gravity is only the varnish of wisdom.

Charles’s remarks about his 56 year old cousin George Elliot were to be more prescient than even he could have expected – more on the grounds of health than competence. But there is a small clue to the Admiral’s lack of well-being contained in a letter he wrote home to an acquaintance from the Cape of Good Hope the day before Charles’s to Emma: ‘All my family here are well,’ he wrote. ‘You may have heard that we lost our youngest girl, Addy, last September…’ ¹