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CYLCHGRAWN LLYFRGELL GENEDLAETHOL CYMRU THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF WALES JOURNAL VOLUME XI. Winter, ig6o. NUMBER 4. THE WADDINGTONS OF LLANOVER 1791-1805 REMINISCENCES OF BARONESS BUNSEN, nee FRANCES WADDINGTON (PLATES XI. 6—9) In September 1874, when Baroness Bunsen, sister of Lady Llanover, was eighty-three years of age, she wrote an account of the early years of the Waddington family at Llanover, for the benefit of her children and grandchildren. A large part of these reminiscences was included in The Life and Letters of Baroness Bunsen by Augustus Hare,1 but he edited, transposed and abridged these so arbitrarily, without giving the slightest indication that he had made any alterations, that they became an expression of his own personality and opinions, rather than those of his subject. In several cases he suppressed opinions of which he disapproved, and in one instance, even went so far as to alter what Baroness Bunsen had written to be the exact opposite! He also ruthlessly cut out almost everything which was of special interest to Welsh readers, and in< spite of occasional repetition, it has seemed desirable, therefore, to give Baroness Bunsen's reminiscences exactly as she wrote them, even to the old-fashioned spelling- especially of proper names-and the long 'esses'. It is true the first part of Baroness Bunsen's reminiscences has little direct bearing on the early years of the Waddingtons at Llanover, but the relatives and friends met on visits to Ilam, Calwich, Bath, Clifton and London remained in close touch not only with Mr.2 and Mrs. Waddington,3 but with their youngest daughter, Augusta, and her husband, Benjamin Hall (afterwards Lord and Lady Llanover). Most of the people mentioned in the reminiscences, with their 1 2 Vols. published 1879. 2 Benjamin Waddington (1749-1828). Third son of Joshua Waddington (1711-1870), Vicar of Harworth and Walkeringham, Notts., and his wife, Ann Ferrand. 3 Georgina Mary Ann Port (1771-1850), daughter of Mary D'Ewes, who married John Port of Ilam (formerly Sparrow). Georgina was the grand-daughter of Ann Granville, the favourite sister of Mrs. Delany (nee Mary Granville), and was brought up by Mrs. Delany.