An Autobiography, vols 1,2 | Page 4

courage? Have you not received endurance?--
EPICTETUS

PREFACE
When I began this book I feared that its merit would depend upon how
faithfully I could record my own impressions of people and events:

when I had finished it I was certain of it. Had it been any other kind of
book the judgment of those nearest me would have been invaluable, but,
being what it is, it had to be entirely my own; since whoever writes as
he speaks must take the whole responsibility, and to ask "Do you think
I may say this?" or "write that?" is to shift a little of that responsibility
on to someone else. This I could not bear to do, above all in the case of
my husband, who sees these recollections for the first time now. My
only literary asset is natural directness, and that faculty would have
been paralysed if I thought anything that I have written here would
implicate him. I would rather have made a hundred blunders of style or
discretion than seem, even to myself, let alone the world at large, to
have done that.
Unlike many memoirists, the list of people I have to thank in this
preface is short: Lord Crewe and Mr. Texeira de Mattos--who alone
saw my MS. before its completion--for their careful criticisms which in
no way committed them to approving of all that I have written; Mr.
Desmond MacCarthy, for valuable suggestions; and my typist, Miss
Lea, for her silence and quickness.
There are not many then of whom I can truly say, "Without their
approval and encouragement this book would never have been
written"--but those who really love me will forgive me and know that
what I owe them is deeper than thanks.

CONTENTS OF BOOK ONE

CHAPTER I
THE TENNANT FAMILY--MARGOT, ONE OF TWELVE
CHILDREN--HOME LIFE IN GLEN, SCOTLAND--FATHER A
SELF-CENTRED BUSINESS-MAN; HIS VANITIES; HIS PRIDE IN
HIS CHILDREN--NEWS OF HIS DEATH--HANDSOME LORD
RIBBLESDALE VISITS GLEN--MOTHER DELICATE; HER LOVE
OF ECONOMY; CONFIDENCES--TENNANT GIRLS' LOVE
AFFAIRS

CHAPTER II
GLEN AMONG THE MOORS--MARGOT'S ADVENTURE WITH A
TRAMP--THE SHEPHERD BOY--MEMORIES AND
ESCAPADES--LAURA AND MARGOT; PROPOSALS OF
MARRIAGE--NEW MEN FRIENDS--LAURA ENGAGED;
PROPOSAL IN THE DUSK--MARGOT'S ACCIDENT IN HUNTING
FIELD--LAURA'S PREMONITION OF DEATH IN
CHILDBIRTH--LAURA'S WILL

CHAPTER III
SLUMMING IN LONDON; ADVENTURE IN WHITECHAPEL;
BRAWL IN A SALOON; OUTINGS WITH WORKING
GIRLS--MARGOT MEETS PRINCESS OF WALES--GOSSIP OVER
FRIENDSHIP WITH PRINCE OF WALES--LADY RANDOLPH
CHURCHILL'S BALL--MARGOT'S FIRST HUNT; MEETS
ECCENTRIC DUKE OF BEAUFORT; FALLS IN LOVE AT
SEVENTEEN; COMMANDEERS A HORSE

CHAPTER IV
MARGOT AT A GIRLS' SCHOOL--WHO SPILT THE INK?--THE
ENGINE DRIVER'S MISTAKEN FLIRTATION--MARGOT
LEAVES SCHOOL IN DISGUST--DECIDES TO GO TO
GERMANY TO STUDY
CHAPTER V
A DRESDEN LODGING HOUSE--MIDNIGHT ADVENTURE
WITH AN OFFICER AFTER THE OPERA--AN ELDERLY
AMERICAN ADMIRER--YELLOW ROSES, GRAF VON-- AND
MOTIFS FROM WAGNER

CHAPTER VI
MARGOT RIDES HORSE INTO LONDON HOME AND SMASHES
FURNITURE--SUITOR IS FORBIDDEN THE HOUSE--ADVISES
GIRL FRIEND TO ELOPE; INTERVIEW WITH GIRL'S
FATHER--TETE-A-TETE DINNER IN PARIS WITH BARON
HIRSCH --WINNING TIP FROM FRED ARCHER THE JOCKEY

CHAPTER VII
PHOENIX PARK MURDERS--REMEDIES FOR
IRELAND--TELEPATHY AND PLANCHETTE--VISIT TO
BLAVATSKY--SIR CHARLES DILKE'S KISS--VISITS TO
GLADSTONE--THE LATE LORD SALISBURY'S POLITICAL
PROPHECIES

CHAPTER VIII
THE BEAUTIFUL KATE VAUGHAN--COACHED BY COQUELIN
IN MOLIERE-- ROSEBERY'S POPULARITY AND
ELOQUENCE--CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN BON-VIVANT AND
BOULEVARDIER--BALFOUR'S MOT; HIS CHARM AND WIT;
HIS TASTES AND PREFERENCES; HIS RELIGIOUS
SPECULATION

CONTENTS OF BOOK TWO

CHAPTER I
THE SOULS--LORD CURZON'S POEM AND DINNER PARTY

AND WHO WERE THESE --MARGOT'S INVENTORY OF THE
GROUP--TILT WITH THE LATE LADY LONDONDERRY--VISIT
TO TENNYSON; HIS CONTEMPT FOR CRITICS; HIS HABIT OF
LIVING--J. K. S. NOT A SOUL--MARGOT'S FRIENDSHIP WITH
JOHN ADDINGTON SYMONDS; HIS PRAISE OF MARIE
BASHKIRTSEFF

CHAPTER II
CHARACTER SKETCH OF MARGOT--PLANS TO START A
MAGAZINE--MEETS MASTER OF BALLIOL; JOWETT'S
ORTHODOXY; HIS INTEREST IN AND INFLUENCE OVER
MARGOT--ROSE IN "ROBERT ELSMERE" IDENTIFIED AS
MARGOT--JOWETT'S OPINION OF NEWMAN--JOWETT
ADVISES MARGOT TO MARRY--HUXLEY'S BLASPHEMY

CHAPTER III
FAST AND FURIOUS HUNTING IN
LEICESTERSHIRE--COUNTRY HOUSE PARTY AND A NEW
ADMIRER--FRIENDSHIP WITH LORD AND LADY MANNERS

CHAPTER IV
MARGOT FALLS IN LOVE AGAIN--"HAVOC" IN THE HUNTING
FIELD; A FALL AND A DUCKING--THE FAMOUS MRS. BO;
UNHEEDED ADVICE FROM A RIVAL--A LOVERS'
QUARREL--PETER JUMPS IN THE WINDOW--THE AMERICAN
TROTTER-- ANOTHER LOVER INTERVENES--PETER RETURNS
FROM INDIA; ILLUMINATION FROM A DARK WOMAN

CHAPTER V
THE ASQUITH FAMILY TREE--HERBERT H. ASQUITH'S
MOTHER--ASQUITH'S FIRST MARRIAGE; MEETS MARGOT
TENNANT FOR FIRST TIME--TALK TILL DAWN ON HOUSE OF
COMMONS' TERRACE; OTHER MEETINGS--ENGAGEMENT A
LONDON SENSATION--MARRIAGE AN EVENT

CHAPTER VI
THE ASQUITH CHILDREN BY THE FIRST
MARRIAGE--MARGOT'S STEPDAUGHTER VIOLET--MEMORY
OF THE FIRST MRS. ASQUITH--RAYMOND'S BRILLIANT
CAREER--ARTHUR'S HEROISM IN THE WAR

CHAPTER VII
VISIT TO WOMAN'S PRISON--INTERVIEW THERE WITH MRS.
MAYBRICK-- SCENE IN A LIFER'S CELL; THE HUSBAND WHO
NEVER KNEW THOUGHT WIFE MADE MONEY
SEWING--MARGOT'S PLEA THAT FAILED

CHAPTER VIII
MARGOT'S FIRST BABY AND ITS LOSS--DANGEROUS
ILLNESS--LETTER FROM QUEEN VICTORIA--SIR