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[Page 298]
8
The one chosen is that of your declining to admit his youngest Brother into your family circle ; and by assuming this as the avowed motive, he at once shows that he has eagerly sought a pretext and not found a cause ; for it must be borne in mind that three years ago, when his Sisters came to London, you adopted the same line of proceeding towards them, and wrote to Mr. William Leslie, on the 30th April 1841, that had he arrived at the moment as was expected, you had resolved to recommend him also to suspend intercourse with you until he should have communicated with his Parents. Now when the same cause exists in a stronger degree, from accumulation of time and aggravation of circumstances, the adherence to the same line of conduct is to be considered as something new, a suddenly discovered mine of 'animosity,' a reason for breaking a solemn engagement, an excuse for committing a moral robbery. Can any thing be more plain than Mr. Leslie's predetermination to get rid of his pledge of placing your Son in the Canton House ? The proceedings all along have indicated it ; this proves it. I am sure that your having acted up to your principles, and not hesitated when called upon to sacrifice your interest to them, cannot be a subjects of regret."
The writer of the above observations very naturally treats the affair as a robbery; but to constitute such, a certain and fixed value must belong to the commodity abstracted; whereas, I candidly confess, that I can attach none whatever to my loss, having taken mu resolution on the 5th September, (as was intimated at the time to two of my most confidential friends, as well as to my Son himself), to abandon all thoughts of entrusting him to my Nephew's care, in consequence of my dissatisfaction with the sentiments and principles which a closer intercourse with him, had enabled me to discover to be the leading guides of his conduct. These impressions were greatly strengthened by the fact that, not alone was no attempt made ot bring Mr. Lancelot Dent and myself together, but on the contrary, a studious predetermination evinced to prevent any communication between us. My Nephew has well known ever since March last, how much I had desired, and how long since I had earnestly invited such a reasonable satisfaction; but it never was granted; nor any communication whatever, either verbal or written, ever made to me on Mr. Dent's behalf, notwithstanding my letter of the 5th December 1842, (page 3), and the message I charged my Nephew to convey to him at the moment of our parting in Paris.
In corroboration of the correctness of my conclusions, I refer to the following letters :-
That of 13th June, where it is stated, "I spoke to Dent about Gilbert, and he will do what you want, no doubt, and intends seeing you in London."
That of 23rd July, intimating that my letter of the 3d of that month had been transmitted to Mr. Dent "that he might see my views and wishes in my own words," and leading me to expect a reply very shortly.
Next, to that of 27th July, where Mr. William Leslie said " I will write again in a day or two; " yet not one of these pledges was ever redeemed, although I studiously reminded him of the last of them in my letter of the 5th August.
To crown the whole, comes the fact of the establishment of a complete barrier to the possibility of any friendly or agreeable intercourse between Mr. Lancelot Dent and myself, as evinced in the following passage of my Nephew's letter to me of the 30th September.
"Lancelot Dent has promised to afford my Brother any assistance in his power, as Patrick is a stranger to London, and London customs." I complain not of the act itself, but of the indecency with which it was announced to me.
The letter of 24th October I treated with the silent and contemptuous neglect, befitting so uncalled-for an insult, on the part of one who has so often acknowledged to owe me a debt of gratitude-one of whom I now take leave more in sorrow than in anger, being perfectly satisfied to commit the matter into the hands of an overruling Providence. If Mr. William Leslie's own heart can acquit him of deceit and double-dealing, and he can believe that he has exercised candour and straight-forward dealing throughout the late negotiation with me, a charitable construction of motives may screen him from some of the obloquy, and I am content that peace should reign within; if otherwise, the bitter reproaches of conscience must ultimately prevail, when pity will greatly preponderate in my breast over Resentment, however just and natural.
W.S.D.