The Emir remained for some time under surveillance at Constantinople, when, through the strenuous exertions of Lord Cowley, a small pension was obtained from the Government. Some time after this, when I was in England, I received some letters and enclosures from him.
After perusing the whole of the letters, I came to the resolution of delivering one intended for Sir Charles Napier personally. Sir Charles received me with the rough cordiality of an English sailor, and after a long conversation about the affairs of Syria, told me, that now he much regretted the part he had taken in Eastern politics, and promised to exert himself in favour of the Emir Beshir Kasim, and of Syria, at the same time exhibiting great interest for the welfare of its inhabitants. He applied to Lord Palmerston in behalf of the prince, and through his influence, after a long correspondence, instructions were forwarded to Sir Stratford Canning to exert himself in his favour; but, during this interval, a severe illness had deprived my unfortunate friend of his sight. At length, through the kindness of Aali Pasha, the then minister for foreign affairs, permission was obtained for his return to Syria, upon the Emir undertaking to live there strictly as a private individual, and to interfere in no way with the politics of the country. He is now living on Mount Lebanon, where, at the advanced age of about eighty years, he exerts himself as far as age will permit, in promoting the happiness of those around him. But to return to my narrative.
During my stay at Constantinople, I was fortunate enough to make the acquaintance of many warm friends, and among others, of the late lamented Lord William Clinton, who, at that time, was fulfilling the duties of secretary to the embassy, also of Mr. Wood and Mr. Allison, a gentleman distinguished by his profound acquaintance with the languages, customs, and manners of the East, also attached to the embassy, Mr. Cumberbatch, the consul-general, and his brother. I further had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of the late Doctor Bennet, chaplain to the embassy, a truly good man, and one who did credit to his creed.
Dr. Bennett had a large family of sons and daughters, all scattered about over the world. One is, I believe, now high in the East India Company’s service in Bengal, another attached to the consulate at Varna; and there is one, I believe, in England, who has embraced his father’s profession and entered the ministry. Mrs. Bennett was a most exemplary wife. From her I received my first impression in favour of English wives; her never-tiring and affectionate attendance upon the good doctor when seized with his last fatal illness, seemed to me, who was then unaccustomed to the devotion displayed by English women in time of sickness, truly angelic, and quite disheartened me when drawing a comparison between them and my own countrywomen, ignorant of reading and writing, though doubtless, if educated, susceptible of all the more refined feelings of civilisation.