ALS on British Legation, Lisbon stationery from diplomant's wife, Mrs. Maurice de Bunsen to Mrs. Anstruther

Lisbon , 1905. First Edition. Letter. Very good. Dear Mrs. Anstruther, I was charmed with your nice lines. Indeed it will be our own fault if we don't enjoy our tree top, where there will always be a branch for you. You must really come and perch on it when you can. Your father has also written me a charming letter. We had some pleasant walks and talks together last summer. Alas! Cintra [Sintra] has no possible counterpart in Spain. Will you thank your husband very much for his letter to me? I hope we may meet in London 'ere long. Very sincerely, [--]De Bunsen served as British Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at Lisbon in 1905, then in 1906 began as British Ambassador to Spain. The proximity of these wives of diplomats to pivotal moments is of interest. In de Bunsen's story, taken from Wiki: On 16 July 1914, reporting on what he had been told the previous day at a lunch with Count Heinrich von Lützow, who had learned of the planned aggression against Serbia and was trying to derail what he saw as a coming war, de Bunsen told Sir Edward Grey that "a kind of indictment is being prepared against the Servian Government for alleged complicity in the conspiracy which led to the assassination of the Archduke" and that "the Servian Government will be required to adopt certain definite measures in restraint of nationalistic and anarchistic propaganda, and that Austro-Hungarian Government are in no mood to parley with Servia, but will insist on immediate unconditional compliance, failing which force will be used. Germany is said to be in complete agreement with this procedure." An old hand at the diplomatic game, Von Lutzow made a friend of Bunsen feeling obliged to disclose the truth.However he was a thorough, diligent public servant, and an efficient administrator, who would prove an exemplary wartime record. Reserved, modest and decorous, Sir Maurice would later be forced to resign, but he showed a shrewd alertness to the July crisis. So when he visited Berchtold at his country estate, Buchlau on the 17th they shared a passion for horses. He cabled Sir Arthur Nicholson from Vienna warning him that it was a very grave situation; Austria intended to "compel" Serbia to yield. His wife recorded in her diary: A strong note with ultimatum Lutzow told M is to be sent in the next week probably not acceptable to Serbia. [4]p., folded leaf, two pages written.