408 <?/* cn. XIX.
' Hookwood, October 26, 1858.
'My dear Colebrooke,—I am very much obliged for Air.
Samuells' letter. It is by far the best view of the general
posture of our affairs that I have seen. I agree in all his
opinions except about delaying the amnesty, and even on that
head I have some doubts, because I wish that when granted it
should be complete, except as to a few individuals who should
be named.
' I am afraid, from what I hear on all sides, that Lord
Canning is open to some of the objections made to him; but
what other man have we now from whom we could expect
greater perfection ? The accumulation of despatch boxes, and
the stagnation of business, is a lively copy of the picture one
used to have of the most brilliant of his predecessors during the
crisis of the war with Holkar (1805). We must remember
also that he was on a scene entirely new to him, and that, from
the inseparable combination of the political and military affairs,
he was obliged to keep both in his own hands ; while it was
justly thought an instance of the utmost boldness and vigour
in Lord Wellesley to entrust the whole of his own powers to
the commander of the army in the held, so that " General
Harris carried with him to the gates of Seringapatam the
whole powers of the British Government in India." I hope
that military operations will be over before the new year, and
that we shall once more have at least apparent tranquillity,
though never " that sweet sleep which we owed yesterday."'
The preceding letters show no sign of failing powers.
Though unequal to any sustained effort, his mind retained
much of its vigour, and all its freshness, to the last. With
increasing years came new infirmities ; and I find in the later
journals many allusions to failure of memory, of voice, and of
hearing, which precluded him from the same enjoyment of the
society of friends as in former years. They are mentioned in no
querulous tone. The only complaint that I have met with is
addressed to himself, akin to his old self-reproaches which I
have had to remark upon in a former volume. There are
some passages referring to the loss of friends. So far back as