MISS BARNARD’S LOVE LIFE

IN FEBRUARY 1797 a small party and their servants left Plymouth aboard the Sir Edward Hughes, bound for a spell of duty at the Cape of Good Hope, which the British had wrested from Dutch control in 1795.

Andrew Barnard, an earnest young Irishman who had married Lady Anne Lindsay in 1793, was to serve as colonial secretary and she was to act as official hostess on behalf of the governor, Earl Macartney, whose wife stayed at home.

They were accompanied by Barnard’s cousin, Anne Elizabeth Barnard, 20, who hoped to attract an eligible suitor during her travels.

According to Lady Anne, her protégé was sweet, unaffected, mild and reasonable, beloved by everybody, strong of mind and feminine in her manners.

She received her first proposal a month into their voyage and found it agreeable, although she didn’t think it would succeed.

The offer was relayed to her cousin, who was obliged to ascertain the “true value” of the young man’s “mind and means” before giving a positive or negative response.

Her suitor was Lieutenant Keith, a good-looking aide-de-camp with a very fine set of teeth.

The two men discussed the proposal, but Keith didn’t have sufficient talent or manners to recommend him and confessed that his father could not settle any money on them at present.

Barnard rejected his suit, but left the door open to friendship.

Keith took this badly and Anne Elizabeth was unhappy to see his pain. The voyage had another five weeks to run and they dined together every day.

She feared that she would not be able to hold out.

Lady Anne endeavoured to “brace her resolutions” by telling her it would be imprudent to give him any encouragement or make a commitment before she had seen the world of choice opening before her in a garrison town.

“Do not allow yourself to be sighed out of your liberty,” she said, “and promise me you will never give any hope unless sanctioned by Mr Barnard.”

This didn’t sooth the young man’s sense of grievance, however, and Lady Anne intervened to tell him that their cousin had no fortune and would be a worse match for him than he was for her.

Instead of consigning himself to poverty, he should seek a sweet young woman with independent property who would give him an income and accept him for his own qualities and future prospects.

Faced with this harsh reality, Keith withdrew his suit and converted his passion into “respectful admiration”.

Realising that she was unlikely to be able to marry for love, Anne Elizabeth became guarded and cool with her subsequent suitors, rather to Lady Anne’s disappointment.

She did find a husband at the Cape, however, as we shall see next week.

Lady Anne’s protégé received her first proposal a month into their voyage and found it agreeable, although she didn’t think it would succeed