A glimpse of Wellington

I've been very remiss here because I've been first finishing a book and then rushing through the copy edit before leaving for a month in England.... Pause for breath.

However, here's one bit from the letters of Maria Edgeworth from 1819.

"April 2, 1819.

I left off abruptly just as the folding doors were thrown open, and the
Duke of Wellington was announced in such an unintelligible manner that I
did not know what Duke it was, nor did I know till we got into the
carriage who it was--he looks so old and wrinkled."

How disappointing! He looks rather handsome in some of his earlier portraits and he was only about 50 in 1819.

I'll try to post more, and if I have internet access in England I might find something blogworthy there.