LADY GEORGIANA FULLERTON'S LIFE.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."] SIR,—Your reviewer of the " Life of Lady G. Fullerton " is unjust to my valued friend, Mrs. Craven, in supposing that she could possibly have " misled " me into the mistake concerning " the Grenadier Guards,—the Blues." I am surprised at this, since your reviewer had the French to refer to, which the critic of the Morning Post—who originated the remark—had not.
The mistake is entirely mine ; and I cannot even plead ignorance as an excuse. By an accident, I had been turning over some old books of Mr. Fullerton's, and had seen, or thought I had, the words " Grenadier Guards " written on the fly-leaf, with his name. The word " Grenadier " was thus inserted in the text without my thinking of cancelling the epithet, " the Blues," which was already there.
I hope this mistake may not give rise to a legend, and that Mrs. Craven may not live in the memories of some readers as the French writer who spoke of the " Grenadier Guards, the Blues."—I am, Sir, &c.,
July 21st. H. J. COLERIDGE. [Readers of Mrs. Craven's " Life of Lady G. Fullerton " will certainly acquit her, as the mistake only occurs in Father Coleridge's " free and independent" adaptation. No one acquainted with herself or her writings is likely to attribute to her blunders when she writes of English society. In a new edition of Father Coleridge's " Life," the phrase can be amended.—En. Spectator.]
Previous page
