Note 102 — Chapter VIII · LADY HESTER STANHOPE [82]
Reading edition
In a letter which I afterwards received from Lady Hester, she mentioned incidentally Lord Hardwicke, and said that he was “the kindest-hearted man existing—a most manly, firm character. He comes from a good breed—all the Yorkes excellent, with ancient French blood in their veins.” The underscoring of the word “ancient” is by the writer of the letter, who had certainly no great love or veneration for the French of the present day: she did not consider them as descended from her favourite stock.