falls of Lodore, which certainly are not worth looking at after Scotch waterfalls, nor would they be, even when swollen with rain, which now they are not. Afterwards I went half up a mountain and lay in one place for some three or four hours, and then was very sorry to move: the Lake looked so well stretched out below me, and all about me the most strange, fantastic, frowning crags, and far off on all sides of the Lake every variety of sullen-looking mountain; all the time there was a soft breeze smelling deliciously of fern and as pure as the water. Not a living thing within miles of me except sheep climbing about in the most uncomfortable way on perpendicular places. Do you know that bluebells here are quite different from all others, so much fairer and more blue? "

66

EDINBURGH, August 13th, 1851.

"I had a most delightful drive the day after I wrote to you from Keswick (on a four-horse coach) all along the banks of Ulleswater, which some people think the most beautiful of the Lakes, but I like Derwentwater better (Rydal is too small to compare with them). However, Ulleswater is very beautiful. After a long drive over breezy and heathery moors, and with mountains always in view, their sunny sides chequered with the shadows of the clouds which sometimes in silvery mist and sometimes in Olympian majesty floated over their tops, we came suddenly down a very steep hill upon the Lake. The road wound through oaks and nut-trees, and one side of the Lake was all woodland, but the opposite side all stern perpendicular mountain with the shortest possible grass and the most tremendous steeps. Then at the foot of the hill the road wound for miles quite close to the side of the Lake (sometimes there was only just room for the road between a tall overhanging rock and the water). I got off the coach at the end of the Lake so as to make a sketch of Ulleswater, and then walked on for five or six miles to Penrith. To-day I have been over again to Roslin and Hawthornden. There were a good many people went with

me in the omnibus from Edinburgh, and if I had only gone as far in the glen as they did, and as far as tourists generally go, I should have been much disappointed, but fortunately I followed a small winding path and soon got among some of the most beautiful though quiet scenes of rock, wood, and water, that I have ever seen. One rockycovered hill particularly pleased me, and I took a sketch.”

"BRIDGE OF ALLAN (STIRLING), August 18th, 1857.

"This is a nice little watering-place in fine weather. From just above the village you can see the whole ride of FitzJames-from Loch Vennachar to Stirling Castle."

“CALLANDER, August 15th, 1851.

"I walked this morning to Loch Katrine, and have been there the whole day alone, there being very few tourists about comparatively. The day has been beautiful. The Trosachs and the Lake in August look very different (I saw them before in October), but quite as lovely. The white stems of the birches are not so conspicuous, but then there is much more of the graceful, delicate foliage. This time I went up to the

Gray pass, where birches wave
On Beala-nam-bo.

It is very grand-precipitous, with heaps of gray rocks, and below lies the Lake in all its strange beauty. The more I see of the Trosachs the more sure I feel that there is no other such scenery in the world. I think now of going to-morrow by Stirling to Perth and then to Inverness, and by the Caledonian Canal to Fort William, Staffa, Iona, etc."

"DUNKELD, August 18th, 1851.

"I have just had a long look at the river (Tay), when it comes out from among the trees with their shadows in the water. It is a noble river, and the trees are much finer

But never

they turned me out of my room here to make way for a man evidently because he was Lord Dmind; he will have to pay for it!"

"SIDMOUTH, August 26th, 1851.

"I got here last night after a journey of four days from Blair Athol. My room is delightful-on the second floor, looking out to the sea, which is seen through the tall elms of the Rectory, and in the foreground the garden in all its fanciful and peaceful prettiness. These hills look very small after Scotland, but the heather mixed with the gorse, the purple and gold is wanting there.

"I have hardly had time to read Sir John Awdry's letter yet; but I think him hard upon Scott, who, in my view, is far superior as a poet to what he is as a novelist. There is no doubt that the 'Lay' is his best poem. Surely Mr. Naftel has overrated my sketches as to the 'feeling 'I know I always 'feel' a good deal when I draw such scenes, but one of my feelings is how absurd it is in me to attempt to do it justice."

"SIDMOUTH, September 2nd, 1851.

"I have observed more than ever this time what a beautiful variety there is in the face of the sea. One day it is restless and all colours except blue, and another the purest and most delicate sky-blue, with scarcely a ripple on it, so that there is not a speck of foam to ruffle the serenity of its meeting with the long white line of shingles that form such a beautiful setting to the view towards Salcombe and Lyme."

"SIDMOUTH, September 22nd, 1851.

"To look back upon it (our ten days at the Channel Islands) is like a pleasant dream. Of all things, driving about for whole days through beautiful scenery is what I

like most."

VOL. I.

E

"SIDMOUTH, December 24th, 1851.

"I think there is often more serenity in the sunshine of a winter's afternoon than at any other time of the year, and as we walked along the lanes every little tree seemed bathed in a soft rosy light, and every leafless twig on it was marked sharp and clear against the pure blue sky; and then as the sun went down in a rosy flush behind the Second Peak, a large and intensely bright star showed itself just over the horizon. I never before was so much struck with the beauty of a star.

"I have just been talking to C—about meeting those one loves in a future life; he says he would not much care if he and his greatest earthly friend did not meet again, for that he should meet Christ who would be all in all to him, and therefore he would want nothing else. He says, too, that it is better to curb one's affections for an earthly friend, lest we should lament his loss too much, and also because God is a jealous God. Now there is something in this, yet I cannot but believe that those who die in the Lord will meet again and recognise each other. It seems to me that the love for Christ, which in a future life will satisfy those who believe in Him, is a different sort of love to that which we have for an earthly friend, though of course it is of a far higher order, and that one of the great pleasures of those who are saved, will be the constant exercise of their love for God and Christ in the society of those who felt it with them while on earth. There is nothing in the Bible which forbids this, on the contrary, we are encouraged to hope it; and as to curbing our affections, which C thinks we should do, lest our hearts be diverted from God, my view is that the more we love an earthly friend (supposing our love to be such as it should be) the more we love God. I mean that such a love increases our love for God, and therefore cannot go too far."

"EDINBURGH, October 6th, 1850.

"You have no idea how solemn everybody is here on Sunday. The Scotch are a very religious people in one sense, that is, their religious observances are most sanctimonious and rigid, but whether they have any more real religion than the English I much doubt, though it may be so.

"To-day I have walked to Rosslyn, seven miles off (I arrived last night). . . . You will find in the last canto of the 'Lay' the following stanzas (of a song):

Seemed all on fire that chapel proud,

Where Rosslyn's chiefs uncoffined lie;
Each warrior, for a sable shroud,
Sheathed in his iron panoply.

"I admired this stanza intensely, and the 'chapel proud' I have seen to-day. Also you will find 'Caverned Hawthornden' (which is near the said chapel) mentioned in the poem. The chapel is most beautiful. It is very

small, quite miniature, but so rich, so exquisitely finished, altogether in such perfect taste, with enough of age, decay and historical association to give it great interest, but not to impair, rather to heighten its beauty, that I immediately fell desperately in love with it. I began sketching the small entrance door, but was told by the exhibitor that drawing on the Sabbath was not lawful (the Pharisee!), so my sketch is unfinished; indeed, I felt I was quite unequal to draw that most beautiful building. From the stanza above quoted, I fancied the chiefs were reposing on the floor of the chapel, but they are in vaults below. I wish I was learned in architecture, that I might describe the chapel to you; as it is, I cannot do so. I believe it is only one division of a much larger chapel or church originally designed; it belongs—and has always belonged— to the Earls or chiefs of Rosslyn. The scenery about there is lovely, but rain (alas!) came on, and I did not properly see Hawthornden; what I did see, it was not unlike Matlock, but bolder and more refreshing.