‘My dear Rogers,—Little has occurred since I last wrote. I forget if I mentioned the evil consequences of an injudicious yielding to feelings, instead of following the course pointed out by sense and reason, in regard to Peel’s death. The Lords must needs have a talk upon the subject; we had one praising the deceased because he spoke the truth, and another describing his travels with him in a “hack post-chaise.” These subjects require to be handled by artists, and you never can keep off clumsy hands which expose you to the risk of ridicule.
‘Mrs. Meynell (née Pigou) was anxious to hear how you get on, and, I suppose, called, but I dare say did not see you.
‘Sir B. Brodie tells me that Peel’s accident proved fatal from splinters of the broken bone injuring the vessels near the heart, so that he died of internal bleeding. He suffered the greatest pain almost all the time he lingered.
‘The slaver of parasites is more mischievous than the tooth of enemies. Prince Albert will be hated as much as ever Prince was for this Exposition, and the consequent invasion of the park. A man in his very peculiar position should have the sense to know that repose and inaction is his only security against ridicule. But he must needs be disliked as well as laughed at.’
