In 1850 Thomas Carlyle attended a grand ball, "the only ball of any description I ever saw." Afterwards he wrote in his diary:
By far the most interesting figure present was the old Duke of Wellington, who appeared between twelve and one, and slowly glided through the rooms - truly a beautiful old man; I had never seen till now how beautiful, and what an expression of graceful simplicity, veracity and nobleness there is about the old hero when you see him close at hand. His very size had hitherto deceived me. He is a shortish, slightish figure, about five feet eight, of good breadth however, and all muscle or bone. His legs, I think, must be the short part of him, for certainly on horseback I have always taken him to be tall. Eyes beautiful light blue, full of mild valour, with infinitely more faculty and geniality than I had fancied before; the face wholly gentle, wise, valiant, and venerable. The voice too, as I again heard, is "aquiline" clear, perfectly equable - uncracked, that is - and perhaps almost musical, but essentially tenor or almost treble voice - eighty-two, I understand. He glided slowly along, slightly saluting this and that other, clear, clean, fresh as this June evening itself, till the silver buckle of his stock vanished into the door of the next room, and I saw him no more.
