low has fallen upon you, who were already so sorely tried! Most
deep and sincere is my sympathy with you and Lord Russell, and I
cannot say how I feel for you. It is so terrible to see one's
children go before one! You will be a mother to the orphans and the
fatherless, as I know how kind and loving you were always to them.

Trusting that your health will not suffer, and asking you to
remember me to Agatha, who will be a great comfort to you, as she
has ever been, believe me always,

Yours affectionately,

V.R.

In March they began once more to see their friends. "Seeing those I have
not yet seen," she writes, "is like meeting them after years--so changed is
our world."

PEMBROKE LODGE, _March_ 15, 1876

The dear old beech-tree in the wood blown down, and with it
countless recollections of happy hours under its shade with merry
boys climbing it above our heads, and little Agatha playing at our
feet, and her elder sisters chatting with us and looking for nests
and flowers. All, all gone. The bitter gales of sorrow have blown
down our fair hopes and turned our joys to sorrow. Poor old
beech-tree! Like us, it had lost its fair boughs; like it, we shall
soon lay down our stripped and shattered stems.

PEMBROKE LODGE, _April_ 25, 1876

The loveliness of early spring--its nameless, countless tints, its
music and its flowers, never went deeper into my soul--but oh! the
happy springtide of life, where is that?

_Lady Russell to Lady Charlotte Portal_

PEMBROKE LODGE, _January 27_, 1877

Do not grieve too much over all our trials, dear Lotty. We have not
long to bear them now, and all will be made clear by and by. All
the sorrows of all the world will be seen in their true light, and
tears will be wiped from all eyes for ever. I often think, though I
try to drive away the thought, how unspeakably soothing and happy
it would have been to look back upon blows as must fall to the lot
of all who live long, instead of to a life of many strange and
unexpected and terrible shocks of many kinds. But oftener, far
oftener, I feel the brightness and blessedness of my lot; so bright
and so blessed in many wonderful ways; and never, never at any
moment would I have exchanged it for another. Dearest Lotty, your
loving letter has brought all this upon you, and it shall go with
all