The Conversations of the First Duke of Wellington with George William Chad. Edited by the 7th Duke of Wellington

Arthur Wellesley, first Duke of WELLINGTON

Published by Cambridge: Saint Nicolas Press, 1956

About this Item

Cloth-backed boards. Lower cover slightly marked, some foxing of endpapers. Edition limited to 1000 numbered copies printed by the 23-year-old Nicolas Barker, this copy inscribed by Bryan Guinness, second Baron Moyne, to Reynolds and Janet Stone, "Reynolds & Janet from Bryan July 1957. To be inscribed by the Printer & Publisher: [tiny signature of Nicolas Barker]".

George William Chad (1784-1849) was a diplomat and apparently, writes the seventh Duke, "a man of the utmost insignificance"; further, "if the Duke had known that Chad was remembering and writing down his remarks, he would never have seen him again. He regarded the repeating or recording of private conversations as unforgivable." Chad accompanies the Iron Duke in 1821 to the battlefield of Waterloo - "Where was the Tree you stood under Duke?" - and, at Apsley House in 1836, discusses his published Dispatches. "They are very valuable," offers Chad, "- I had no idea of all the variety of knowledge necessary for a Commander in Chief - I wonder how you could suffice." Duke: "I never should if I had not been very young in Command - They are valuable as a professional book, more so than Caesar's Commentaries because Caesar wrote afterwards for effect. These are a collection of Instruments used at the Time - they were all written in my own hand."

Reynolds Stone made an engraving of the Moynes' Wiltshire seat, Biddesden, for a postcard in 1960 (and engraved a bookplate for Nicolas Barker in 1975).

Seller Inventory # 35M100383

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Conversations of the First Duke of Wellington with George William Chad. Edited by the 7th Duke of Wellington
• Publisher: Cambridge: Saint Nicolas Press
• Publication Date: 1956
• Language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: Very Good
• Signed: Signed by Author(s)