{"id":14009,"date":"2025-01-19T10:47:09","date_gmt":"2025-01-19T10:47:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/szechenyilevelezes.abtk.hu\/uncategorized\/edward-john-littleton\/"},"modified":"2026-06-04T16:10:28","modified_gmt":"2026-06-04T16:10:28","slug":"edward-john-littleton","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/szechenyilevelezes.abtk.hu\/en\/friendships\/edward-john-littleton\/","title":{"rendered":"Edward John Littleton"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

J\u2019ai[1]<\/a> eu votre[a]<\/a> Lettre[b]<\/a> avec infiniment de plaisir. J\u2019aurais pari\u00e9 cent contre un que vous m\u2019oubli\u00e9riez en sortant de la ville de Vienne \u2013 et que vous auriez peine de retrouver mon nom. Ce n\u2019est point parceque j\u2019ai plus mauvaise id\u00e9e de vous, que j\u2019en ai g\u00e9n\u00e9ralement de mes amis et de mes amies[2]<\/a> surtout, mais parceque vous n\u2019et[3]<\/a> pas plus triste qu\u2019eux, et certainement pas plus solide et raisonnable. \u2013 Je dois me f\u00e9liciter donc doublement que j\u2019ai eu[4]<\/a> le talent, ou plut\u00f4t le bonheur, parceque je n\u2019ai du talent,2<\/sup> de vous avoir conserv\u00e9 \u2013\u201e d\u2019avoir conserv\u00e9 un ami L\u00e9ger, gai et peu raisonnable \u2013\u201e Vous savez que je n\u2019aime pas les solides,2<\/sup> les raisonables,[5]<\/a> en un mot les tristes, p\u00e9dants et ennuyeux \u2013 Il me faut de la distraction de la joie et du plaisir! \u2013 Il y avait un tems[6]<\/a> ou je \u2013 n\u2019ai pas parl\u00e9 de cette facon, h\u00e9las, il en fut un. Mais depuis que nous nous4<\/sup> sommes vus \u2013 j\u2019ai totalement chang\u00e9 \u2013 et pas \u00e0 mon avantage, si vous cherchez dans vos amis, ce que je fais profession de cherchez dans les miens. J\u2019ai eu plusieures pertes irr\u00e9parables \u2013 et il n\u2019y a que quatre semaines que mon excellent p\u00e8re a fini de vivre.[c]<\/a> \u2013 Je me trouve absolument isol\u00e9, sans liens \u2013 et pour ainsi dire seul.\u2013 But I see that you wrote to me in a different langwist,[7]<\/a> and that I did not apologize in the beginning[8]<\/a> of my Letter, that I took the french amongst all the different tongues, we two one speaking and writing in so great a perfection. I hope how ever to obtain your pardon, so much the more as I see that yourself, you don\u2019t take too much paines in writing Letters. I have not the least perfection to write either the french or the english \u2013 that I can assure you \u2013 and I take the opportunity to tell you, that I will feel very happy, if you wont be d\u00e9courag\u00e9 to tell me sometimes how you are \u2013 et comme Me<\/sup> de Littleton[d]<\/a> et vos enfants se postent. \u2013 For my sake I\u2019ll send you Letters as often as you please \u2013 not being disappointed in the least if, through, my not knowing english, I shall express myself in odd calembourgs[9]<\/a>\u2013 or perhaps not at all \u2013. Le qui est tr\u00e8s sure a moins ce j\u2019que nous nous entenderons toujours parfaitement bien, m\u00eame si par hasard nous nous comprenions pas ce que nous[10]<\/a> voulons nous4<\/sup> dire. \u2013 Je n\u2019ai pas de projet fixe pour le moment5<\/sup> \u2013 on ne peut quitter le service militaire dans ce moment2<\/sup>[e]<\/a> \u2013 enfin on ne saurait se d\u00e9cider dans ce moment.2<\/sup> \u2013 Je ne parle jamais de politique, je n\u2019en pense pas ce qui plus est \u2013 parceque je suis un vrai soldat, c\u2019est \u00e0 dire un homme pay\u00e9, disciplin\u00e9, sold\u00e9. T\u00e2chez de me comprendre. L\u2019heureux2<\/sup> et le fort2<\/sup> \u00e0 toujours raison, c\u2019est la seule chose que je vois assez clairement. \u2013 Je m\u2019en f\u00e2ch\u00e9 aussi de tems6<\/sup> en tems,6<\/sup>  mais inutilement \u2013 et ma juste col\u00e8re n\u2019est pas toujours remarqu\u00e9e. \u2013 Avec tout cela j\u2019ai assez de volont\u00e9,2<\/sup> je veux mille choses, je desire une quantit\u00e9, je souhaite beaucoup \u2013 mais le vent et la mar\u00e9e s\u2019y opposent \u2013 je recule au lieu d\u2019avancer, et c\u2019est surtout en amour. \u2013 Votre pays me conviendrait par excellence \u2013 je l\u2019avoue \u2013 et votre bont\u00e9 de m\u2019inviter de venir vous voir \u00e0 la campagne me touche sensiblement. \u2013 Ne craignez rien, vous m\u2019aurez plus que vous ne voudrez. Je me ferai votre ins\u00e9parable:2<\/sup> si une fois mon ange tutelaire me permet de passer chez vous, aimable habitant de la fi\u00e8re Albion \u2013 Le Prince Lichtenstein[f]<\/a> sera assurement charm\u00e9 de la r\u00e9c\u00e9ption qu l\u2019on lui \u00e0 faite. Mais n\u2019avez pas pens\u00e9 que je ne suis que Comte? et qu\u2019il y a une tr\u00e8s grande diff\u00e9rence entre Prince et Comte? Je vois que vous y allez  d\u2019une mani\u00e8re bien l\u00e9g\u00e8re \u2013 h\u00e9las je ne vous vois point corrig\u00e9.      <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Votre Lettre qui est digne d\u2019\u00eatre gard\u00e9e, parceque elle est charmante, et me servira toujours comme un gage de votre amiti\u00e9 \u2013 \u00e0 mis 3 mois de Londre a Vienne. Si la mienne n\u2019est pas plus press\u00e9e \u2013 notre correspondance ne marchera pas trop \u2013 C\u2019est \u00e9gal elle marchera toujours, si vous me reponderez tout de suite apris que vous avez eu la mienne. Je natendrerai jamais un demie heure pour repondre aux votres. \u2013 Arriv\u00e9 en Angleterre je ne me s\u00e9parerai plus de vous, et nous t\u00e2cherons de magnetiser tout le monde, par notre amabilit\u00e9 par notre savoir et surtout par notre gait\u00e9. \u2013 \u00c9tes vous des miens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

       Vous voulez que je vous dise les aventures, les comm\u00e9rages et les intrigues de Vienne: je n\u2019en connais pas. Le clima est trop10<\/sup> rude pour l\u2019amour,2<\/sup> qui, comme vous savez, ne peut pas \u00e9tre trop habill\u00e9 \u2013 Les aventures sont d\u2019un genre triste et les comm\u00e9rage d\u2019un genre si peu digne de vous que je m\u2019en passerai de vous les r\u00e9p\u00eater.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Si vous m\u2019\u00e9crivez, mettez vos Lettres tout uniment \u00e0 la poste \u2013 on ne nous fera jamais l\u2019honneur \u00e0 moi et \u00e0 vous d\u2019ouvrir nos lettres et de les trouver dangeureuses. Ne me parler surtout pas de politique parceque votre Reine, dont vous me parlez malheureusement beaucoup, et notre Roi ne m\u2019int\u00e9ressent pas plus qu\u2019une bonne perdrix d\u2019Eisenstadt[g]<\/a> dont j\u2019en ai tu\u00e9 plusieures en pensant \u00e0 vous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

       Mon phisique ne[11]<\/a> pas mieux que mon moral \u2013 et je maigri et comme je maigri! depuis que je ne dine plus chez vous! J\u2019esp\u00e8re vous voir en Angleterre avant que l\u2019ann\u00e9e soit \u00e9coul\u00e9e. Comment et pourquoi? Je l\u2019ignore. Apr\u00e8s10<\/sup> avoir magnetis\u00e9 tout le monde nous nous embarquerons a holy head[h]<\/a> pour les \u00eatats unis2<\/sup> pour y voir la chute de la niagara! \u2013 N\u2019est-ce pas? \u2013 N\u2019en dites rien \u00e0 Mme<\/sup> de Littleton parceque sans cela elle me recevroit bien mal. \u2013 N\u2019est-ce pas mon cher heureux mortel? Je suis enchant\u00e9 de sa sant\u00e9. Dites lui que je suis toujours\u2019 pr\u00eat \u00e0 me faire couper ce certain doigt pour lui \u00eatre5<\/sup> utile: mais n\u2019en fait pour […][12]<\/a> plaisanterie, car, vous savez, elle me donne […] le cauchemar. \u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n

       Si je relis ma lettre, (c\u2019est ce que je ne ferai pas) j\u2019ai peur de l\u2019envoyer. Elle ne sera pas lisible \u2013 parceque Je l\u2019envoie toujours, prenez et appr\u00e9ciez la bonne volont\u00e9 et pensez a moi de tems6<\/sup> en tems.6<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

       \u00c9crivez moi tout de suite et croyez moi votre bien attach\u00e9 ami.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sz\u00e9ch\u00e9nyi<\/p>\n\n\n\n

       Vienne 14 de Janvier 1821<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

[1]<\/a> The letter was collected by Ervin Feny\u0151, a literary historian and Sz\u00e9chenyi researcher, during his first research trip to England. The text of the letter was transcribed and translated by Eszter M\u00f3zes, a teacher of French and history and a clinical child psychologist; the translation was edited by Andr\u00e1s Szered\u00e1s, a dramaturg and literary translator. The summary was prepared based on their translation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[2]<\/a> Sz\u00e9chenyi\u2019s underlining with straight line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[3]<\/a> Instead of n\u2019\u00eates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[4]<\/a> Interlining afterwards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[5]<\/a> Sz\u00e9chenyi\u2019s underlining with wavy line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[6]<\/a> Instead of temps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[7]<\/a> Instead of language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[8]<\/a> Corrected word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[9]<\/a> Instead of calembours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[10]<\/a> One word deleted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[11]<\/a> Missing word: va.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[12]<\/a> This section of the text is illegible due to a tear in the letter paper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

[a]<\/a> Edward John Littleton (1791\u20131863) Baron Hatherton, British Tory and later Whig politician. There is no record of when he met Sz\u00e9chenyi, presumably during the count\u2019s first trip to England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[b]<\/a> The letter is not known, but Sz\u00e9chenyi refers to it in his diary as having been received on the 13th. SzIn 2. 114. Gyula Viszota mistakenly identified the baron as Wood of Littleton, husband of Caroline, daughter of the Viennese envoy, Lord Stewart, (Lord Stewart\u2019s daughter Adelaide Emelina Caroline Vane [c. 1830\u20131882] was born later, and ran away with her brother\u2019s tutor, the Reverend Frederick Henry Law, bringing shame on the family.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[c]<\/a> Count Ferenc Sz\u00e9ch\u00e9nyi died on 13 December 1820. However, Sz\u00e9chenyi\u2019s dramatic situation here is not only due to the loss of his father. A few months earlier, his young love, the wife of his brother P\u00e1l, Caroline Meade (1794\u20131820) died, and he felt responsible for her death throughout his life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[d]<\/a> Baron Hatherton\u2019s first wife, Hyacinthe Mary Wellesley (1789\u20131849).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[e]<\/a> Although he often thought about independence, he did not want to leave the military yet, he wanted to be promoted to major.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[f]<\/a> Most likely General Prince Wenzel Liechtenstein (1767\u20121842), a friend of Sz\u00e9chenyi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[g]<\/a> Kismarton (Sopron County), one of Prince Mikl\u00f3s Esterh\u00e1zy’s estate centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[h]<\/a> A town on the island of Anglesey, Wales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recommended reference:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Istv\u00e1n Sz\u00e9chenyi to Edward John Littleton, Vienna, 14 January 1820. Edited and annotated by Szilvia Czinege. Published in Correspondence of Istv\u00e1n Sz\u00e9chenyi. Digital edition. Edited by Szilvia Czinege and Zolt\u00e1n F\u00f3nagy. https:\/\/szechenyilevelezes.abtk.hu\/ Abbreviation for further references: SzIL-Digit.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sz\u00e9chenyi thought his friend would forget him as soon as he left Vienna. He does not like stubborn, sober, unhappy, ignorant people, he needs fun, happiness. Since he met him, he has changed profoundly, but not for the better. Since his father’s death, he has felt isolated.
\nHe apologises to him for writing in French and also for not writing perfectly in either French or English, but he will be happy if his friend writes to him about his family. He has no plans for the future; he cannot leave his military service. He does not think about politics because he considers himself a real soldier. Prince Liechtenstein is sure to be well received.
\nIt took three months for his friend’s letter to arrive in Vienna, and if his letter arrived as slowly as his, their correspondence would not progress very fast.
\nHis friend would like him to tell him about the gossip in Vienna, but Sz\u00e9chenyi says it is not worthy of him, so he does not write about it. Next time he writes to him, he will ask him not to mention politics, because he is not interested.
\nHe hopes to see his friend in England before the end of the year. But he asks him not to tell his wife, as she might take it badly.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3449],"tags":[3418,3706,4656,3417],"language":[3705],"addressee":[4654],"place_of_writing":[3397],"qualification":[3383],"place_of_keeping":[4655],"place_of_publication":[2292],"class_list":["post-14009","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-friendships","tag-emotions","tag-meeting","tag-plans","tag-travel","language-french","addressee-edward-john-littleton-en","place_of_writing-vienna","qualification-original","place_of_keeping-staffordshire-record-office-d260-m-f-5-27-2-17a-en","place_of_publication-319-en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/szechenyilevelezes.abtk.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14009","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/szechenyilevelezes.abtk.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/szechenyilevelezes.abtk.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/szechenyilevelezes.abtk.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/szechenyilevelezes.abtk.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14009"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/szechenyilevelezes.abtk.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14009\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14012,"href":"https:\/\/szechenyilevelezes.abtk.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14009\/revisions\/14012"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/szechenyilevelezes.abtk.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14009"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/szechenyilevelezes.abtk.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14009"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/szechenyilevelezes.abtk.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14009"},{"taxonomy":"language","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/szechenyilevelezes.abtk.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/language?post=14009"},{"taxonomy":"addressee","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/szechenyilevelezes.abtk.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/addressee?post=14009"},{"taxonomy":"place_of_writing","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/szechenyilevelezes.abtk.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/place_of_writing?post=14009"},{"taxonomy":"qualification","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/szechenyilevelezes.abtk.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/qualification?post=14009"},{"taxonomy":"place_of_keeping","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/szechenyilevelezes.abtk.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/place_of_keeping?post=14009"},{"taxonomy":"place_of_publication","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/szechenyilevelezes.abtk.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/place_of_publication?post=14009"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}