To Charles Babbage
Friday, 1 November [1850]
Ashley
Dear Babbage. I have delayed writing, intending to send you a long letter. I have not time to do this yet, so I had better delay no longer letting you know the invalid is certainly better from Erasmus Wilson’s medicines. But the health is so utterly broken at present, that I wish to follow the plan you suggest; & to have the examination & enquiries by yr medical friend – as soon as return to Town shall admit of it.
I think this of great importance. Some very thorough remedial measures must be pursued, – or all power of getting any livelihood in any way whatever, will be at an end. –
Yrs in haste
A.L.
To Annabella
Tuesday, 5 November [1850]
Ashley
Dear Annabella. You have never told me [?] about Nelson, – which I very much wonder at! – Nor indeed about any live thing. The animal department has been much neglected.. –....I enclose your communication from the Zoological Society, which came 2 or 3 months ago for you. Mind you understand it.
There is a Birthday present which you will have after our return: none the worse I hope for being after date. –
While you were abroad I looked for several books which you had had in London but they could not be found either at Horsley or London. The Handbook of Games was one; & the Horsemanship in 3 vols (Mr. H. Babbage’s) another, & Staunton’s Chess Books.
By the bye I wish you would read the Horsemanship carefully. –
Could you find me the Dice (in the Backgammon Board), & send by post. . .
Ever yrs affectly
A.A. Lovelace
Crystal Palace
Ada went to the Glass House, the Crystal Palace, where she “spent some hours, – & was not the worse, tho’ it was a most trying day, & bitter cold & fog.” Babbage had suggested she dress warmly. At the end of the month she wrote to Agnes Greig thanking her profusely for taking Annabella to the Continent. She asked Mrs Greig to send her the accounts of what she and Woronzow had put out for both Annabella and Ralph as she wanted to reimburse them. She invited them to come to Ashley Combe for Christmas. Ralph came a few days before Christmas and she packed him up to return to Esher for Christmas there. Ada ended her letter to her mother: “How does this weather suit you? . . I think we shall let our house in May, & go to the Pyrenees. I am not joking. I reflected on yr suggestion, & soon got accustomed to it. It frightened me at first. It would set me up for years, (& set our purses up too). -”
This last reference is an enigma. William had written a description of Newstead Abbey to Lady Byron. His description read like a current-day real estate agent’s assessment of a property. He analyzed the income from tenants, the size of the property and need for repairs, and supplied a list of what needed to be done. The whole letter conveyed the impression that he was interested in buying the property.
At this time the relationship between the Lovelaces and Lady Byron was very fragile. The Newstead Abbey visit, which revived old wounds, was not the only reason. Lady Byron was involved with a popular evangelist, Mr Robertson, which further alienated the Lovelaces from her. By April, Ada no longer minced words about her feelings towards her mother. After her visit to the Zetlands’, she expressed her increased interest in horses and racing. William reported to Lady Byron that Ada even considered breeding race horses (a destiny fulfilled by Ada’s descendants).
Certain events in Ada’s life in early 1851 can only be guessed at because no letters survive from Ada to her so-called “sporting friends.” The few letters to Ada that survive about horse racing evoke illusions that Lady Byron, and later Ralph, were very anxious to promote after Ada’s death. There are letters that leave enticing images from Richard Ford, a friend of Babbage’s, mentioning John Crosse, Malcolm (not the Zetlands’ physician), Childs and Fleming, and the Nightingales (who were also close friends of Lady Byron’s).
The information that remains about Ada’s gambling comes from a secondary report, though in many biographies it is quoted as a primary source, leaving the reader to assume that the report was written by a witness. It was not. It was written by Ada’s son Ralph decades later (he was eleven years old at this time), based on information garnered from some of Ada’s so-called sporting friends after she died. Ralph was brought up by Lady Byron and considered himself her defender. He blamed Ada and William for all his problems and rarely spoke to his father after Ada’s death. The “sporting friends” alleged that Ada had owed them money, but both Greig and Lushington, Lady Byron’s attorney, thought they were a pack of liars. Greig encouraged William, after Ada’s death, to sue the lot of them. In fact, Ada was involved in gambling on horses and was very successful. Greig reported later that she had won £1000 in early 1851.
Gambling, though dealing with numbers, is often a passion. Ada’s grandfather was an addictive gambler. It led to his financial ruin. Although Ada’s father had renounced gambling because he could not afford it, he liked gamblers and found the activity exhilarating. He wrote: “I have a notion that Gamblers are as happy as most people, being always excited. Women, wine, fame, the table, even Ambition, sate now and then: but every turn of the card, and cast of the dice, keeps the Gamester alive . . .”
Ada found excitement in letters from a man, most likely Malcolm, in January 1851, who wrote her: “I am anxious to hear what is definitely proposed about Childs, I don’t quite know if opening a list means taking an office & giving the odds after the Davies fashion.” Davies was a prominent bookmaker at the time.
The following Monday, the writer made excuses about not calling on Ada because: “your uncertain invitation & £3000 this year! How my mouth waters at such draught... But by what magic is such a sum to be obtained and how has Childs become so suddenly combined with depository of thousands from not having half a penny. I will call you tomorrow morning between 10 and 11 to hear the solution of this golden mystery.” The following letters do not answer the mystery because other events were occurring in Ada’s life.
A month before the most important horse race on 17 May Ada wrote a fascinating letter to her mother. This was followed 11 days later, by another report about how ill Ada felt. After the race Ada wrote a letter she titled Doomsday, and the question became what would her future bring?
To Lady Byron
Thursday, 10 April [1851]
Gt C. Place
I was distressed & shocked by yr few lines recd last evg, – altho’ far from surprised. Indeed in my heart I expected as much.
I have been extremely busy the last week upon matters connected with our worldly & pecuniary affairs, (& still am so); & between this, & the daily expectation of hearing from you about the Interview, I think I have not written to you for a century. –
I am sorry that Interview has even taken place, & (as you must have seen) I was uneasy & vexed even, about it from the first. –
I almost wish now that I had ventured on what I did not think right towards a Parent, viz: strongly to urge & remonstrate. I never felt so tempted to step out of all the usual bounds of filial propriety – I feared so for yr health & peace.
That filial relation is always hanging like a Mill-stone round my neck.
But I believe that even if I could have succeeded in persuading you, you were already committed when you first told me about it.
Pray do not be angry at my having the idea (never likely to be practically attempted) of ever persuading you to anything! It is only an idea, – a wish! –
I am rather unhappy about it all.
Every year of my life of late years I have been happier, so on the whole I think I do very well, & I dare say shall do very well. –
I really don’t exactly know what I do or do not believe. How can one?
These are not matters upon which we can get at certainties. I think my own belief goes only so far as this: I do not see certainty where a good many do, but I feel there may be a certainty tho’, I do not see it.
Besides which, at present I am rather occupied in living, & find that quite enough to do. – When I do die, I have no doubt I shall be occupied with that, heart & soul (if I have any then) – But I am sure I could find out nothing certain about it by occupying myself now with the dark page (as it is to me)! –
By the bye am I to come on Satdy or Sundy?
To Lady Byron
21 April [1851]
London
I have been so ill with cough & influenza, & am so ill, – that I scarcely can put pen to paper. I have also an awful amount of writing to do at present, & sometimes have scarcely time to recollect my own existence. This great pressure is owing to particular circumstances at present, which will not endure for ever.
There is great probability of my letting the house on the 20th May, but nothing is yet settled.
Admiral Dundas speaks of Byron as “an active zealous mind,” – & from another quarter we heard it had been said he was likely to be an “ornament to his Profession.”
Miss Smith’s character of me from the writing is I suppose pretty good, excepting the absence of imagination, which I think quite wrong. God knows I have enough of it, & a great plague it often is. –
Oh! I am such a sick Wretch! I shall soon be better now I suppose. . .
The following letter is fascinating because it has often led to misinterpretation. 17 May is Lady Byron’s birthday.
To Lady Byron
(Doomsday)
17 May 1851
I scarcely like to recollect or allude to today, with my views of life & death &c &c! It is a dreadful thing to get on thus towards extinction. And yet, as I hope to live as long as possible, I must hope to be as old some day as you are.
The Voltigeur defeat distresses me less than yr age. I was a good deal prepared for it, & expected that the Flying Dutchman would have it this time, & in fact strongly expressed this opinion to some of the party. –
I hope to go down to you tomorrow afternoon (to return to Town by the late train in the evg), unless I am countermanded by you, for which there may be causes unknown to me *. – Ralph looks very well. Perhaps I may bring down Annab. tomorrow.-
Pray believe how sincerely I commiserate you. In all respects at this moment you appear to me to be a lamentable example of my blackest views of life! –
*You know I always believe myself to be in the way, unless there is strong demonstration of the contrary.
Poetical Science
One of the first questions I was asked when I did a presentation about my book was: “If Ada were alive today, what would she be doing?” I think she would be a commodity trader or perhaps deal with those esoteric derivatives. I do not believe that Ada’s involvement in betting on the horses was addictive, but it certainly was a passion. Her gambling on the horses does make a good story or “myth” to sell even scholarly books. It appears she was involved, but not to the point that it was the motivating force in her life. Her interest was similar to the kind of interest that many people today have in investing in the stock market, hoping that careful analysis might give them a better than random chance; both activities involve the manipulation of numbers. Today, both the stock market and legalized betting houses in Great Britain use sophisticated statistical techniques, such as regression analysis, to predict performance outcome. When I was studying those techniques at Berkeley, someone in my class used such variables as the weight of the horse, past performance, and genetic background to predict the winner of a race.
Many investors do use both technical analysis (advanced statistical techniques) as well an intuitive approach. Integration of the two is poetical science, or common sense.
24
The Great Exhibition, Not £5 in My Purse, Give the Despots a Shove
[1851]
A Gallery at the Great Exhibition
The month of May 1851 was an extraordinary month not only in Ada’s life, but in the history of the Industrial Revolution. Thomas Hardy in The Fiddler of the Reels wrote the only exhibition that would impress his imagination was the Great Exhibition of 1851. The year formed in many ways “as an extraordinary chronological frontier or transit-line.” Several books describe this great event. Asa Briggs’s magnificent Iron Bridge to Crystal Palace, Impact and Images of the Industrial Revolution summarizes in words and pictures as Hardy did in words the importance of this event in the history of civilization.
I have developed a time-line of Ada’s and William’s activities during this month because Ada’s biographers have taken this month out of context, focusing on her downfall at the races and totally ignoring her joy, and her friends’ and family’s joy—at the opening of the Great Exhibition. The newspapers reported on the Lovelace’s activities during this month.
The month could not have started with greater promise for Babbage, Ada, William, and Annabella. They were all involved. Babbage had already shown Ada the Crystal Palace when it was under construction in Hyde Park the previous December, and on 1 May the Great Exhibition opened. It was the largest display ever gathered of the fruits of the Industrial Revolution. The Crystal Palace was constantly filled with huge crowds viewing everything from jewels to machine tools. William won an award for brick making. Annabella wrote Byron long letters about her many visits. The Great Exhibition symbolized the hopes and aspirations of the Industrial age. Ada and all her friends—Babbage, Brewster, Faraday, and Crosse were caught up in the excitement. It was a month that Ada would not forget.
The week of 13 May began with Ada’s attendance at the York races. The Times vividly described that event, noting that such excitement had never been seen before and perhaps never would be seen again. The roar of the people could be heard for miles.
Ada’s social activities continued non-stop. On Saturday evening Lord Lovelace attended the Royal Society dinner along with Sir David Brewster, Dr Locock, Babbage, Wheatstone, and Quêtelet. The next day Ada paid a duty call on her mother, bringing along Sir David Brewster. She did not stay long for that evening was “the Gala occasion”—Queen Victoria gave a ball at Buckingham Palace in honor of the Great Exhibition. More than 2000 people attended. The dancing started at 10:00 p.m. with the Great Exhibition Quadrille. Dinner was served at midnight, and people did not leave the palace till dawn. Ada and William were listed as attending, as were their friends the Zetlands and the Bessboroughs.
The Doomsday Ada was referring to in the last chapter was not the Derby but her Mother’s birthday which was 17 May. The Derby was held on 21 May at Epsom Downs. The Times stated that the Zetlands and Bessboroughs were present, but there was no mention of the Lovelaces being present. Teddington, a chestnut horse, won a surprising victory by a length. According to Ada’s son Ralph, she lost £3200 (once again Ralph had no direct knowledge of this). She settled the losses a few days after the Derby. Exactly how she covered them on her annual income of £300, which appeared to be covering other expenses, I am not sure. She borrowed £600 from Ford, and according to Greig, she had won money throughout the spring. How much money was involved is not known. As noted in the previous chapter, Malcolm alluded to Ada’s winning £3000.
I have included the next two letters to Babbage because they contain a reference to a book thought to be a Mathematics Scrapbook; however, according to one biographer, Maboth Moseley, it might have referred to a “book” in gambling terms. The British Library dated these two letters in either late 1844 or 1845. I believe they are incorrectly dated. Ada mentions Sir David Brewster, who, in addition to being a pioneer in the field of optics, was the author of the Martyrs of Science (biographies of scientists who sacrificed themselves for the sake of science) and the inventor of the kaleidoscope.
Sir David Brewster
To Charles Babbage
11 1/2 o’ clock, Mondy morning [most likely May 1851]
Dear Babbage. I cannot spare the book at all today, which I am very sorry for. I want it for a constant reference, – but I think you can have it tomorrow evg, – & you could send it down to Horsley per coach on Weddy.
Could Sir D.B. [David Brewster] call on me at 10 1/2 o’ clock tomorrow (Tuesdy) morg.
Yrs
A.L.
To Charles Babbage
10 minutes to 11 o′ clock [May 1851?]
Dear Babbage. I quite fully engaged this morg – but I will send you the Book directly, & you can say, when you receive it, how long you will want to keep it.
I will let Sir D. B. [David Brewster] know this afternoon. I must communicate with others before I can settle the day.
Yrs
A.L.
To Charles Babbage
Tuesday morning, 27 May [1851]
G. C. P.
Dear Babbage
We want you & Sir D. B [Brewster] to dine with us today to meet Quêtelet.
Pray manage this.
No party.
A.L.
A few weeks after the Derby, Ada had massive hemorrhages, probably in early June; however, since she was not listed as being present at the Epsom Downs race, it might have been in May at the time of the race. Her physician wrote Lord Lovelace of the severity of Ada’s condition. On 20 June William, totally distraught, went to Leamington Spa, about 100 miles from London, to see Lady Byron, who was ill and taking a cure. When William informed Lady Byron of Ada’s illness and betting losses, which he clearly stated had been covered, Lady Byron chose to ignore the gravity of Ada’s illness. She filed a statement with her attorney blaming William for Ada’s gambling and further stated that she knew nothing of Ada’s involvement with gambling.
Ada, the Enchantress of Numbers:Poetical Science Page 21