LETTERS & JOURNALS OF
ANNE CHALMERS
Anne, Eliza, and Grace, daughters of the
Reverend Thomas Chalmers, D.D., D.C.L.
Ages 9, 6, and 3 respectively.
(From an oil painting by Andrew Geddes.)
Letters & Journals
ANNE CHALMERS
Edited by Her Daughter
THE CHELSEA PUBLISHING CO.
16 Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea, LONDON
MDCCCCXXIII
Printed and made in Great Britain
FOREWORD
IT was fortunate that the letters written by Anne
Chalmers to her life-long friend Anne Parker
(afterwards Lady Card well) were preserved, and
also her journal of the year 1830, for they gave intimate
and vivid glimpses of one of the greatest of Scotsmen
Dr. Chalmers. Anne was the eldest of Dr. Chalmers's
six daughters, and was born in Kilmeny on May 5th,
1813. She married Dr. Hanna, who for a time was
colleague to Dr. Guthrie in St. John's Free Church,
and afterwards wrote 'The Life of Dr. Chalmers.'
She lived all her life among the men who create opinion
and mould events. She died in 64, Great King Street,
Edinburgh, in 1891. There are many evidences in
her letters that she was a unique personality. ' I
believe it is the case that in a family intensely Free
Church she never really approved thoroughly of the
Disruption, and always said she, and she alone, had
not " come out " ' so writes her grand-daughter,
Mrs. J. Bennet Clark. ' The Disruption took place
while my father (Dr. Hanna) was minister of Skirling,'
writes her daughter, Mrs. A. W. Blackie (who has
edited her mother's letters), ' and although both her
father and her husband " came out," my mother's
heart was never in the Free Church. . . . She
was a member of the Church of Scotland at the time
of her death and for many years before.'
The letters written by Anne Chalmers to her girl-
friend from St. Andrews show that at the age of 15
she could form a clean-cut impression of the atmosphere
in which she lived.
8 FOREWORD
For in those days when her father was Professor
of Moral Philosophy, St. Andrews, like all little towns,
was full of personal conflicts. Even to this day the
last place in Scotland which a perfervid Evangelist
would select as the sphere for exercising his gifts would
be St. Andrews, for there the ground is so hard frozen
all over that no live coals can thaw it. Now, Anne
Chalmers visualises all that in an anecdote recording a
conversation between Chalmers and Edward Irving.
' Mr. Irving says he will come to St. Andrews to convert
the Professors, Dr. Chalmers replies he is happy to
hear he is to have such a long visit of him/
The most romantic figure in Anne Chalmers's
letters is undoubtedly her father's former assistant,
Edward Irving. How that giant of a man, with the
' diabolical squint ' (as Sir Walter termed it), and the
head like a Greek god, and the dark complexion, giving
him the air of a bandit, captures the imagination !
What a loveable man he was as Anne Chalmers saw
him ; always ' teasing, playing, romping with us.
He would set us on the mantelpiece, and threaten to
leave us there.' It was Irving who procured the
Chalmers children lighter books to read than history,
sacred and profane. ' He said one day to papa
" These children ought to have more amusing books ;
you should give them the ' Arabian Nights.' '
In 1830, Dr. Chalmers went to London to give
evidence before the Commission on Pauperism, and
he took his wife and Anne with him. The diary of
Anne gives glimpes of a vanished life. It is not
often that a young lady describes the effect of mixing
her drinks. This is Anne's description of the fatal
course : ' During dinner I experienced a sensation I
never had before. I had only drank a little wine and
FOREWORD 9
a very little champagne, and taken a draught of beer,
as I thought, but I am sure now it was strong ale. I
felt as if my head was chaos, and something appeared to
be rushing with immense force and rapidity through it ;
but still I continued mechanically, though a sense of
shame and horror overpowered me. My advice to
every Scotsman is to beware of asking beer in London,
for they invariably get either ale or porter ! ' Many
distinguished men flit across the pages Wilberforce,
Mr. Perceval, Brougham, and many more. But most
attentive of all to the young lady was Mr. Spring Rice,
afterwards Lord Monteagle. One of the characteristic
features of Dr. Chalmers was his loyalty to the
Throne. ' Walked through the court of St. James's
Palace, where papa showed us the identical spot at
which he received a courtesy to himself alone from
Queen Charlotte many years ago.' When George IV
came to Edinburgh Chalmers waited all night on the
pier to see him land, and when His Majesty came at
last, kept saying, ' What a fine man he is ! ' Mrs.
Hanna describes seeing the King then. ' I saw
George IV, but what a transitory pleasure it is to
see a passing King. I knew he was there because
of the intense excitement of papa, who waved his hat
and cheered with an enthusiasm no one could be near
without being carried along with it. And after half-
a-century I felt it still.' On this visit to England,
Anne Chalmers had her first drive on a steam engine.
And, curiously enough, she always seems to be else-
where when her father preaches ! The visit that most
impressed her was one to Coleridge. The poet talked
for half -an -hour on Irving and the Book of Revelation.
' The effect of his monologue was on me like that of
listening to entrancing music. I burst into tears when
io FOREWORD
it stopped, and we found ourselves suddenly in the
open air.'
Tomes of debates and dates would never give a
vivid idea of men and events that these letters and
diaries give. It is to be hoped that Mrs. Blackie
will do for the later letters what she has done for the
early ones. Mrs. Hanna had so vivid a joy in life
that she shrank from death. ' I know even the tables
and chairs here, but what will it be like there ? ' she
said shortly before her end. A wonderfully vital
Scotswoman this, the eldest daughter of Dr. Chalmers.
NORMAN MACLEAN.
The Foreword appeared in The Scotsman when this book was
first issued, for private circulation only.
CONTENTS
Foreword, 7
Biographical Notes, 13
Letters from St. Andrews (1826-
1827), 35
The Journal of 1830, 83
Autobiographical Notes written in
1880 by Anne Chalmers (Mrs.
Hanna), 175
Genealogical Note by Mr. John
Chalmers, of Anstruther, 195
Letter about Mr. Gladstone, 199
Obituary Note, 205
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES
OF the Introductory Biographical Notes,
the first is written by Mrs. A. W. Blackie,
the daughter of Anne Chalmers (Mrs.
Hanna) ; the second by Mrs. T. Bennet
Clark, grand-daughter of the latter.
Biographical Notes
ANNE CHALMERS
ANE CHALMERS was born at Kilmany
on May 5th, 1813, and was the eldest of the
six daughters of the Rev. Dr. Thomas
Chalmers and his wife n6e Grace Pratt.
Daughters were welcome in that household. On
the birth of each, their father said, ' The better
article ' or ' Another of the best.' Each of the little
girls had a fanciful name, given them according to
the place of their birth. Anne's name was ' The
Fifeshire Fairy ' or ' The Fair Maid of the Eden.'
The next sister, who arrived in Glasgow, was ' The
Glasgow Girl,' and so on. Fifeshire was Anne's
home for a very short time. Dr. Chalmers got a call
to Glasgow, and after some years of hard work there,
changed his pulpit for the chair of Moral Philosophy
in the University of St. Andrews, where he remained
for ten years. These six years between the ages of
nine and fifteen were always looked back upon with
pleasure by my mother. She loved the old historical
interest of the place, and to the end of her life would
say she enjoyed climbing on the rocks and ruins, and
believed she still could do so were she there.
The lifelong friendship with Anne Parker (after-
wards Lady Card well) began at a very early age, and
my mother's letters to her girl friend were evidently
18 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
valued by her, and preserved, and all returned after
her death. I feel sure that Lady CardwelTs surviving
relatives (she left no descendants) will not object to
our using them as we have done. These were the
days of long and interesting letters, postage being so
dear. The art of letter-writing was a characteristic of
my mother's all her life. When in Edinburgh, Mr.
Gladstone used to frank her letters when he break-
fasted in her father's house. At that time, though
already an M.P., he was still a student at the
Edinburgh University. Long years afterwards, near
the end of her life, my mother wrote to Mr. Gladstone,
pointing out what she thought to be an error on
his part, and received one of his usual postcards in
reply.
In 1828 the family left St. Andrews and went to
Edinburgh, where Dr. Chalmers became Professor
of Divinity in the University. These were very busy
days for the eldest daughter, who then met many
notable people and helped to entertain them. I
think she used to be rather bored by the students
when they came to breakfast or evening parties ; she
found some of them dull and loutish. All the same,
she married one of them, William Hanna, son of the
Rev. Dr. Hanna, of Belfast. One supposes she found
him different from the others she criticized ! She
married in 1836 at the age of twenty-two, and, for
some years after, her life was spent in the country at
East Kilbride, and then at the small, pretty village of
Skirling. During these years, private and public
events occurred. Several sons were born, for she did
not carry on the family tradition of ' the better
article.' Of these, only the eldest survived. The
deaths of these babies deeply affected her, and
OF ANNE CHALMERS 19
helped her to enter into the feelings of other mothers
when they too were grieving over a young life
snatched away too soon. At the same time my
mother was not a universal adorer of all infants. A
cousin of hers once told me that when her mother
had a young baby, and was showing it with pride to
mine, after duly admiring the little person, my
mother said, ' Now let us send away the baby and
get the cat.' She wasn't very practical in her up-
bringing of children. I remember at a very young
age enjoying macaroon cheese-cakes and sips of
negus in bed. She continued to have vague ideas
about food for us. When my own eldest child was
about a year old, and we were having crab pie for
lunch, a message came from her to say, ' Be careful
when you give the crab pie to baby ; there may be
bones in it ! '
The Disruption took place while my father was
minister at Skirling, and although both her father
and her husband ' came out,' my mother's heart was
never in the Free Church, and many of her intimate
friends remained in the old Church. She often quoted
her father, saying ' that he left with pain a vitiated
Establishment, and would return with joy to a purified
one.' My mother was a member of the Church of
Scotland at the time of her death, and for many years
before. She was rather fond of ritual, and when
abroad liked to visit Roman Catholic churches,
where she took holy water and made the sign of the
cross with it. I objected to this (it was our only
subject of disagreement), and she used to say, ' Oh,
you Low Church child ! '
She was very fond of music, and played the piano
with a clear touch and expression. I can remember
20 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
her taking music lessons when she must have been
fifty years of age.
Languages were among my mother's interests, and
her house was much frequented by all kinds of
foreigners, except Germans. She always disliked
them, and was ardently on the side of the French in
the Franco-German war. I remember her annoyance
with Thomas Carlyle, next whom she sat at a dinner
party at that time. He said, ' The Germans are
a moral and a religious people, and the French are
immoral and irreligious.' My mother entirely
disagreed, and subsequent events have, I think, proved
her to have been in the right.
Her health was somewhat feeble she had a severe
bronchial cough but her spirit never failed, and I
fancy I can see her now, sitting up in bed surrounded
by her letters and papers relating to public as well as
private affairs, and interested in all.
She dressed very badly, caring nothing for her
personal appearance. One day a cousin met her in
Princes Street, dressed in a green dress and a bonnet
made entirely of cr&pe. ' Anne, why are you dressed
like that ? ' she asked. ' Because I am in mourning
for Mr. J. ... He was only a cousin's husband
and no relation, so as I had the bonnet I am just
wearing it.' She carried out her ideas in the dressing
of her only daughter. When I was a baby, she
got me a bright orange-coloured pelisse, quite unlike
other children, so that she might easily identify
me in the street.
Youth is always ashamed of any eccentricity on
the part of its relations, and I remember feeling rather
uncomfortable when we were making calls, and my
mother, feeling tired, sat down on the steps until
OF ANNE CHALMERS 21
the door was opened ! She would not, however, have
adopted the present-day fashion of easy familiarity
and indiscriminate use of Christian names. To the
end of her life she called my father ' Mr. Hanna/ and
when he remonstrated with her for coldness of address,
said she didn't know him well enough to call him
by his Christian name !
A sad change took place when my father died in
1882. He was such a kind, genial man. I never
heard him say a cross word. My mother's sense of
loss was extreme. For the rest of her life she re-
mained with her sister Eliza, widow of the Rev. John
Mackenzie, at 64, Great King Street, Edinburgh.
These two old ladies passed their last years together.
They were congenial in temperament. They were
both interested in what went on around them,
though themselves confined to the house. My
mother's mind was as clear at seventy-seven as at
seventeen, when she passed away on the 27th March,
1891. On the day of her death she discussed many
public events. She also repeated the Twenty-
seventh Psalm, having just learnt it by heart. Like
many others, she dreaded death. ' I know even the
tables and chairs here, but what will it be like
there ? ' she used to say. When death came, she
simply fell asleep. I have always felt that no one
else ever had so interesting a mother as I had, and
I believe that many of her descendants feel as I do :
that her memory is always green, and that the
' Great Divide ' has not entirely separated us from
one another.
M.G.B.
22 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
II
IT has often been said that there are few, or no,
instances of great friendships between women.
I am not sure that the saying is true, but if it is,
all the more reason why the friendship which existed
between Anne Chalmers and Anne Parker should
not go unchronicled. The letters, the earliest of
which are now being printed, were written by Anne
Chalmers to Anne Parker, and date from 1826 to
1886. They are now in the possession of Mrs. Blackie
daughter of Anne Chalmers. They were faithfully
kept during all these years by Anne Parker, first
during her girlhood, and then after her marriage
to Mr. (subsequently Viscount) Cardwell. For
sixty long years Lady Cardwell preserved these
letters from her friend, and after her death, her
executors sent them back to my grandmother,
Anne Chalmers, then Mrs. Hanna. I remember
very well her speaking of them to me when I, her
grandchild, was a very young girl, and the pleasant
feeling of importance it gave me to be consulted
about their ultimate destination. Along with
them, there was sent back the gold locket with hair
in it, which my grandmother had given her friend
sixty years before. It has been a labour of love to
my aunt and myself to read the letters through,
and, in thus reading them, the various actors in
them have become astonishingly alive to us, and we
feel that others besides ourselves might like to know
of the doings and sayings of these two little girls of
a hundred years ago. So far, we have only arranged
the earliest of the letters, when the two little girls
were both full of their education.
OF ANNE CHALMERS 23
My grandmother, Anne Chalmers, was the eldest
daughter of Thomas Chalmers, D.D., LL.D., D.C.L.,
known to Scotsmen as a great churchman, and the
leader of the movement which culminated in the
Disruption, and the foundation of the Free Church
of Scotland. Dr. Chalmers was a member of a large
family, so his children had many cousins and aunts
and uncles, who are often referred to in the
letters, usually, in the quaint manner of the time,
as ' Mr. and Mrs. Chalmers,' ' Mrs. McLellan/
etc. Dr. Chalmers married in 1812, Grace Pratt,
daughter of Captain John Pratt, of the Atholl
Highlanders. Mrs. Chalmers had one sister,
Helen, who married Alexander Chalmers, brother
of Dr. Chalmers, and one brother, Thomas, who
followed his father's profession of soldiering, and
who became later Sir Thomas Pratt, K.C.B.,
and Commander-in-Chief of H.M. Forces in
Australia. This uncle was much beloved by his young
nieces, and is referred to with great affection as
' Uncle Pratt.'
When Anne was one year old the family moved
to Glasgow, where Dr. Chalmers was minister in
St. John's Parish Church. It was during their time
in Glasgow, that he became specially renowned as a
great preacher and as a great social reformer. The
church was so thronged with people anxious to hear
his farewell sermon on his departure for St. Andrews,
and the crowd at the church door was so terrific, that
some one in authority actually sent for the military to
keep order ! It was there also that he and his family
first knew the family of the Parkers. Mr. Parker was a
West India merchant, well known and much thought
of, and the large family of boys and girls became very
24 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
great friends of the Chalmers'. Besides Mr. Parker's
town house of Blochairn, they had a country place,
Fairlie, which is still in the possession of their
descendants. Anne Parker was the youngest
daughter, and about the same age as Anne Chalmers.
Mr. and Mrs. Parker were very much attached to
Dr. and Mrs. Chalmers, and it seems to have been
the usual custom that they, and one or two of their
children, should stay with the Parkers for a week or
two in summer at Fairlie. To Anne Chalmers,
Fairlie was a place full of delights. It is situated
on the Clyde, and evidently the sea shore, the
fishing, the romantic scenery, and the life of a large
and clever family, appealed very strongly to her
imagination. All these young people, both Parkers
and Chalmers, were unusually gifted. The eldest
daughter of the Parkers, Susan, married pretty early,
and she and her husband, Major Duncan Darroch,
of Gourock, often returned to the old home. The
sons of the family were mostly out in the world
at the time these letters begin, but came back to
make holiday at Fairlie. James, the second son,
was a very rising young barrister, and afterwards
became Vice-Chancellor of England at an unusually
early age, and died in his forty-seventh year, after
holding his office for only ten months. The other
sons were settled near Liverpool, and all of them left
descendants to carry on their names, except Anne,
who never had any children. I must not forget
another member of that happy circle, Miss Parker,
their governess, who was so much beloved, and who
was of their name but not of their blood.
Anne Parker married in 1838 Mr. Edward
Card well, the distinguished statesman, who was
OF ANNE CHALMERS 25
afterwards made Viscount Cardwell. I have heard
that in later life, Anne (Lady Cardwell) became a
very stiff, somewhat prim old lady, much concerned
with her housekeeping, and fearful lest all should
not be properly ordered in her large house in Eaton
Square. That seems unlike the somewhat boisterous
girl, of whom we get glimpses in my grandmother's
letters and journal, the girl who was so tremendously
in love with Byron, that she had to be exhorted by
her friend about her passion for him. These happy
summer visits continued until Anne Chalmers's
marriage in 1836 to the Rev. William Hanna,
afterwards Dr. William Hanna. In her letters he is
usually referred to as ' H.' or ' Mr. H.'
The young couple, Mr. and Mrs. Hanna, set up
house first at East Kilbride, where my grandfather
was parish minister ; but their stay there was short,
as they very soon moved to Skirling, where he
ministered for four years. Here my father's child-
hood was spent, and his two baby brothers were
born and died. During that time the Disruption
took place, and my grandfather left the Church of
Scotland, and he and his flock (for all his parishioners
but two ' came out ' with him) formed the Free
Church congregation at Skirling. Then came a call
to be colleague with Dr. Guthrie in St. John's Free
Church in Edinburgh, and the Hannas finally
settled in Edinburgh again. It was while they were
in Edinburgh that their youngest child and only
daughter, Matilda Grace (now Mrs. Blackie), was
born. Dr. Hanna retired pretty early from the
ministry, and devoted himself to literary work. In
later years, owing to his wife's ill-health, they spent
many winters abroad.
26 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
How very difficult it is to describe in words (and
especially written words) a personality ! But that is
just what I should like to try to do, so that my
children, and possibly their children, may have some
little idea of the woman their great-grandmother
was. I remember her very well, and though it never
struck me as a child that she was good-looking, still
I think she must have been. She was always frail of
body, but so vivid and eager of mind. In my
recollection, she was always most interested in
impersonal things, historical events, and celebrated
people. Even stories seemed to fill her mind, so that
her own affairs never appeared to bulk largely with
her. This was all the more the case when she grew
older and still frailer ; in the last years she was able
to throw herself out of her suffering frame into
outside engrossing interests. She never gave any
one who went to see her in bed (as she was chiefly
latterly) time to ask how she was, but at once
plunged into the midst of one of these subjects. Not,
indeed, that she was uninterested in our affairs,
but her mind often found relief and pleasure in wider
fields. She very often took an unusual view of the
questions of the day, and certainly never was swayed
by the conventional view. In spite of this uncon-
ventionality, she was conservative, and what would
be called Tory in her ideas, and I believe it is the
case that in a family intensely Free Church she
never really approved thoroughly of the Disruption,
and always said she, and she alone, had not ' come
out.' I sometimes wonder if she saw further afield
in this matter than many of her day and generation.
She lived in conventional days, for the Victorian age
was intensely conventional, and all her lapses from
OF ANNE CHALMERS 27
conventionality were much commented upon. I
remember being told in a shocked sort of way, that
when she went out to a dinner party she often went
to sleep in the drawing-room when with the ladies.
That she woke up whenever the men came in, and
that they all clustered round her eager to talk to
some one so bright and amusing, only added to the
enormity of her offence. I believe she was entirely
innocent herself of any consciousness of giving
annoyance, for she often told me how tired she was
with sitting still at a dinner party, and that she felt
she must sleep for a minute or two.
My grandparents lived for a good many years in
Castle Terrace in Edinburgh, their house looking
out on the Castle Rock. I have always thought they
must have felt very much in the centre of what was
going on. Edinburgh was an interesting town in
those days, when people seemed to have more leisure
for real enjoyment of life than they have now. While
living in Castle Terrace, Dr. and Mrs. Hanna made
their house the centre of a literary circle, Dr. John
Brown, Dean Stanley, Thomas Carlyle, Professor
Blackie, Dr. McGregor, Professor Campbell Fraser,
and many others constantly meeting there, and my
grandmother has herself often told me how she
enjoyed walking along Princes Street in the forenoon
and meeting some of these notabilities, and inviting
them to come to an informal evening party the
same day.
So long as I can remember, my grandmother never
got up for breakfast. It was always something
of an adventure for us to go as little children to her
room in the mornings, where she slept with her
windows tight shut, the shutters closed, and the
28 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
curtains, not only of the windows but of the four-
post bed, drawn and pinned together. I have a
distinct recollection of getting up on the sofa at the
foot of the bed, unpinning the curtains and looking
in on my grandmother in bed. She was wearing a
white nightcap and a sealskin jacket, in which attire
she had passed the night. (I believe she also had on
an eiderdown petticoat, but that was not visible.)
In this warm, if stuffy garb, she had her breakfast,
read and wrote her letters, and received a stream of
visitors, more often male than female. The grand-
parents of the present day, who play tennis and golf
with their grandchildren, seem separated from mine
by a great gulf.
My grandmother had a whimsical mind. The
last, or nearly the last, time she was out of doors,
she took me with her in a cab to visit ' the cemetery.'
It was a raw cold day in November, just the sort
of day when Edinburgh looks its worst. I believe
I started under the impression that we were going
to visit my grandfather's grave, and did not like
to ask questions, so I was surprised when we went
to another of the old city cemeteries, and still
more surprised when I was told we were going to
visit the grave of an old friend of her own, recently
dead, and that her old friend, had in his youth,
twenty years or more previously, embezzled a large
sum of money, and had fled from justice, living the
remainder of his life as an outlaw. Indeed, I do not
think he had ever returned to his old home until he
was brought there dead. My grandmother said she
had always felt sorry for him, and knew no one was
likely to visit his tomb or to sorrow over his grave.
This was explained while we walked down various
OF ANNE CHALMERS 29
pathways, and it was some time before we found what
we were looking for, as there were only two letters,
initials of his name, marked on the stone. I have
never been back there, and I wonder if any one now
knows or thinks about that nameless grave.
It seems a long way between the old lady I knew
and the bright young girl of the letters and the
journal, the one beginning and the other ending life.
It was both long and short, for the experiences of life
had set a deep gulf between the two ages, yet the
same personality remains true to itself throughout.
Anne Chalmers had all through the same power of
attracting love and devotion. Few women can have
had more ; not only her friend, Anne Parker, but her
sister Eliza and her daughter, all loved her with an
absolute singleness of devotion that is very, very
rare, and by all her descendants her name is held in
honour and esteem. It is as a memorial of a great
friendship as well as for their own sake that these
letters and journals are now printed.
A. C. B. C.
ST. ANDREWS
EDUCATION
JL HE letters which follow are the earliest of the many
written in the course of the sixty years' -long correspon-
dence between my mother and the friend to whom they
are addressed. They were written when the writer was
fourteen years of age. The exact spelling and phrasing
of the originals have been retained. It will be noticed that
for reasons of economy in postage the letters are apt to be
accompanied by a number of enclosures for different
people. For the same reason they were often crossed and
sometimes recrossed.
Of the Journals, the first was written for young friends
in Scotland, when Anne Chalmers was seventeen.
The second a retrospect, was written some fifty years
later.
I wish to thank my niece Annie (now Mrs. T. Bennet
Clark] for her valuable assistance in the arranging of
the Letters and Journals. Without her encouragement,
I am sure I should never have attempted the task.
M. G. B.
12 Eglinton Crescent,
Edinburgh.
ST. ANDREWS-EDUCATION
St. Andrews,
iqth Octr. 1826.
My dear Ann,
I am much ashamed of having been so long of writing to
you. I was agreeably surprised by a letter from Susan,* a
few days before I received yours. It was so kind of her when
she was so much engaged". I was very much surprised by
Mr Henry Wood's death. He walked with us to the coach
that was to take us to Newhaven and was in perfect health
I believe, a few minutes before his death. Papa did not
come so soon as I did ; he had been visiting at some places ;
he did not hear of it till he got to St. Andrews. An old
acquaintance of mine is come to be a boarder at Mrs
Cowan's. f I was very intimate with her in Glasgow. Her
name is Miss McNeesh. Mrs Cowan's eldest daughter died
about three weeks ago, therefore the school was deferred for
a week. We have been begun a fortnight. I have given up
Geography this year and in its stead have begun globes. On
Wednesday the 4th October I got a little sister, we think
we'll call it Helen + Jemima. Mamma is pretty well, she has
been up for three days. Papa would have written sooner but
he wished to see first how Mamma was. Give my love to
Georgina and I thank her for her kind note or rather
postscript. Eliza has not been well for two days. She
complains of headache and sore throat. Eliza is learning
her lessons very perfectly and hopes to be able to secure a
prize. Do write soon & Believe me
Your afft. Friend
Miss Ann Parker. A. CHALMERS.
* Susan Parker, afterwards, Mrs. Darroch.
f Headmistress of a school at St. Andrew's.
J Helen, fifth daughter of Dr. Chalmers, died unmarried in 1887.
Eliza, second daughter of Dr. Chalmers, married 1839, Rev. John
Mackenzie, Son of Sir George Mackenzie, Bart., of Coul, and died in
1892.
36 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
St Andrews,
Decbr. 1826.
My dearest Ann,
I really do not know how to begin, I have been so very
long of answering your kind letter. I am in the same
predicament with Susan and Miss Mary Wood of Edinburgh.
I have no idea where Susan is. She has been a long time away
from home. Whenever I understand she has returned I will
write to her. I wrote a very long letter to Miss R. Hill
lately by her sister ; there were no less than seven pages of it.
I heard with surprize the event which you mention in your
letter. I hope Rosa and the pups are doing well. I am sorry
I was so deficient in my duty as to neglect Rosa in my last
letter ; an omission which I did not think of till my letter was
dispatched. I also forgot to tell you that we have now a
French Governess, Madamoiselle Mathey. We have begun
the exercises in the Grammar again and when we make no
mistakes we get Tres bien at the end of the exercise but when
we miss an accent it is counted half a fault. I have had tres
bien very often of late. I was at one of Mr Charlsford's
practisings about a month ago, as a spectator. He is to have
another on Thursday. I do not know whether we shall go
or not.
I am very sorry we are at war. I do not know whether
my uncle will be sent to Spain or not. Margaret* is unwell
just now and we think it is hooping-cough which is now in
town. All the cases have been very mild however. Eliza
sends her best love to you. Give my best respects to Miss
Parker. f I hope you will be able to make out St. Andrew's
this winter. I shall be very much disappointed if you do not.
Believe me,
Yours afftely,
ANNE CHALMERS.
Miss Ann Parker.
* Margaret, fourth daughter of Dr. Chalmers, married in 1853 Mr.
Wm. Wood, C.A., Edinburgh, and died in 1902.
t Governess to the Parker family.
OF ANNE CHALMERS 37
St. Andrews,
igth April 1827.
My dearest Anne,
I shall not attempt to vindicate myself for delaying so long
an answer to your letter. I hope however when you receive
this, your generosity will move you to forgive me. There
was a sale in Dundee lately for which I made several things.
We have a holiday the first Monday of every month to make
any little ornament we choose. There is a rule in school now
that we are to speak French constantly and there is a large
wooden mark fastened round the neck by a ribbon, which
badge I have at present the pleasure of wearing. The person
who has it watches all the others of her class and if she
detects any unfortunate girl speaking English she immedi-
ately transfers the mark (as it is called) to her. Our class is
the highest and there are only six in it but they are so very
careful that it is very difficult to ' pass the mark ' to them.
The account you gave of the concert is a very amusing one.
Have you heard of the death of Beethoven. He was in very
poor circumstances I believe. I have been playing his
symphony. Miss Hutcheson is with us at present. She
thinks the world in a very strange state and has terrified me
completely with talking of a revolution. I have been reading
Mme de la Bochejaguelein's account of the French Revolu-
tion and am at present in a state of great alarm. Do write
to me to cheer me. I think it must be delightful to get
letters on my birthday which takes place on the 5th of May.
Give my love to Susan and tell her so. I hope both of you
will take the hint. With love to everybody Believe me
Yours afftely,
ANNE CHALMERS.
P.S. I have been trembling ever since I heard of this
revolution.
38 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
St. Andrews,
i^th May 1827.
My dearest Anne,
I was very glad indeed to receive your letter which
arrived on my birthday. It was very kind of Susan to write
to me when she was in such a hurry. I shall like very much
to shew you all the places about St. Andrews and all the
walks. I am in school from eleven till 12 and from | past i till
| past 3 except on Mondays and Thursdays when I go at ten
in the morning and leave at | past i . Besides I have to prac-
tise 2 hours at home and to learn my lessons. We are obliged
the first Monday of every Month to go to school for fancy
work. If you are here on that day I hope you will come
with us and make something. I have a pincushion from
the Edinburgh bazaar in the shape of a lyre, and one I got
from a young lady in Cupar in the shape of a doll. I hope
you got the novel finished in time. I am sure you will have
much pleasure in seeing Edinburgh. You will of course see
the museum with which I am sure you will be delighted. It
is fit for the study of weeks ; there are so many different
things in it. At one visit you can only notice slightly the
various curiosities. Pray give my love to the young stags
under the glass and also to the young lion which by Professor
Wallace's desire I took in my arms but he told me to put it
down quickly lest Dr. Jameson should be angry. Present my
affte. regards to Miss Parker. I hope Susan may have a
pleasant jaunt. I shall expect an account of it afterwards.
Excuse this ill-written letter and believe me
Yours very affectly.
ANNE CHALMERS.
Miss Anne Parker.
(In Dr. Chalmers's handwriting)
Tuesday, gth October. 1827.
I daresay you would have no objection to change your
royal blood for poor Job Chalmers' on reading this letter.*
* Some joke I do not understand. M. G. B.
OF ANNE CHALMERS 39
My dearest Ann,
I received your letter this morning when I was sitting in a
favourite tree of mine with Fanny* in my arms. It is one I
have great pleasure in taking a book to & I know you
would like it. We have a large room at the end of one of the
long galleries in which there are two beds & if you were to
come we could sleep all together in it so nicely. I got your
parcel & your note the other day, it did not reach us in
Glasgow as I suppose had been intended. You wish to know
how Mr McKirdie entertained me. If you have got my
notes I am sure you cannot be mistaken as to one very
powerful method he took for that effect ; I mean the ginger-
bread snaps, &c. I could not at first make out how Jamesf
could know that Mr McKirdie came to comfort me but
now I recollect that I went to stand on the place we went on
that day at Arran & Mr McK. told me I should not go ;
it was so windy & I suppose James saw him come. He
assisted me to decipher Mr Sconesby's poem & spoke to me
& pointed out the seats we passed & made himself very
agreeable in different ways. I left Dr. Rainy'sJ at six o'clock
on Tuesday for Mrs Ramsay's. There were a great many
people there at tea who teazed me with that everlasting
question Whether do you like Glasgow or St. Andrew's best ?
Then I am sure I did not like either of them, as I thought of
nothing but Fairlie. After tea we played at a game called
Lottery. A Lady called Eliza & I into a room & gave us
each bags in a present & also sent a little box for Grace. I
was very much amused at different parts of your letter. I
suppose it was because when people are melancholy they see
everything through a darkened medium that you even
suppose the very sea blubbers looked sad or perhaps they
might regret me who had taken such an interest in them.
Do you recollect the one we saw when we were on the wharf
and that we poked with sticks ? What happy days to spend !
Do you remember when we used to stand upon your wharf &
* A favourite dog.
f James Parker.
J Dr. Rainy, of Glasgow, and father of the late Principal Rainy.
Grace, third daughter of Dr. Chalmers, died unmarried in 1848.
40 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
watch the Crabs ? Will you ever try to catch them now ? I
have not seen any in St. Andrews but whenever I see them
it will remind me of the happy days we used to have with
them. Last week when I came home (which we did on
Thursday) I thought every day of what I had done & where
I had been that day week, but now I must think of what I
did a fortnight ago.
I went to school on Monday & to-day I begun drawing
after practising strait lines &c. I got an old Castle to
draw so very like the Fairlie one. Eliza is to learn Music
with Miss Hills* who is much better than she used to
be I understand.
Professor Leslie is coming to dinner today & Papa has
told Eliza & I to take care of our hearts, he is so very
handsome. I believe he has purple hair which you know will
be quite captivating. It is so much prettier than black or any
other colour ' after dinner.' It is a great shame Mr Leslie
wears a wig and I have not seen his purple hair. I am
amused at your intention of keeping the sweeties till next
summer. There are so few of them & they are not Dundee
sweeties. I will bring with me another bag when I come.
Mamma says we cannot come in Spring and says it too in
rather a decided manner. It makes me so melancholy when
I think of the immense space between me & the dear
inhabitants of Fairlie. Fanny is very nice. I have not
ventured to take her much out in the streets. I took her one
day as far as the library but she does not seem to have the
habits of well trained dogs. She flies so quickly that one is
quite afraid of losing her. Mamma wishes her to sleep in the
kitchen but she always comes to the door of our room & if she
does not succeed in obtaining admission, sleeps there all
night. I daresay if she knew I were writing she would send
love to Rosa.f Give my kindest regards to Miss Parker & to
Susan whom I expect to have the pleasure of seeing in
November, a period I look forward to with delight.
Remember me also to George J and Mrs Parker. Do write
to me soon. I am so happy when I get a letter from you.
* Miss Hills, music mistress, at Mrs. Cowan's school, and very
cross ! M. G. B.
t Rosa, the Parkers' dog.
J George, another Parker brother.
OF ANNE CHALMERS 41
I could say a great deal more if I might but I must leave
room to write to Marianne.*
Believe me
I remain
Ever yours sincerely
ANNE CHALMERS.
(Enclosures with the above Letter.}
My dear Marianne,
I am afraid that by the time this reaches you you will have
left Fairlie but you may leave word for Anne Parker to read
it for you. How I wish you were here. We could have such
delightful fun. There are such long galleries in the housef &
green doors & all kinds of frightful things. Green doors
always remind me of the covered picture in the Mysteries of
Udolpho. I hope you will not fulfil your threat of leaving
Fairlie on the tenth, for if you do this letter will never have
the good fortune to be seen by you I was very much obliged
to you, my dear Marianne, for your letter. I am so happy
when I hear from distant friends. I daresay you will laugh
at the ridiculous size of my paper but I had so much to say
that I knew it would not be contained in an ordinary sheet.
' Everything must have an end ' (as the man said when he
finished the venison pasty) & so must my paper. ' Good
bye ' as the theif said to the hangman &
Believe me
Your very affect. Friend
ANNE CHALMERS.
* Marianne Wynne, a friend of the Parkers.
f The house was St. Leonard's, now part of the well-known girls'
school of that name.
42 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
My dear Anne,
The children were very much delighted with the toys ;
the top of Margaret's clock is broken off.
I remain,
Yours affectionately,
E. CHALMERS.
P.S. I send my love to Marianne.
My dear Rosa
I hope you are well and not so fat as you were.
Yours,
FANNY.
P.S. I am as fat as you.
Papa saw my letter lying & took it up & read it & was
much amused at the ' quantity of sentimentality lavished
upon sea blubbers and Crabs ' & particularly at the expression
I used in saying we had spent such happy days with the
Crabs.
Tuesday : I have begun to feel a dislike to have too many
correspondents, that is to say, correspondence with people
whom I have only known and met in school & whom I
might not care for when I grew up. So I had determined
never to ask any body to write to me. or to give them the
slightest encouragement to do so but everything proves
ineffectual. When I was in Glasgow Miss Ramsay asked me
to write to her & so did Miss Mirrlees (whom I saw for a
few moments) but I internally determined not to write to
either. You can easily comprehend why I should not like
to be involved in a correspondence with Miss Mirrlees.
However today a letter arrived all the way from London
from a Miss Ramsay whom I had known in school & who
would certainly have been the last person I should ever have
thought of writing to as I did not think her very nice. And
what compels me to answer it is that she has sent a very
handsome necklace for which it is necessary I should thank
her. How I wish I were in Fairlie !
OF ANNE CHALMERS 43
Tuesday. I have been drawing a Cross & a gate leaning
against another & some trees today. The trees are such
frights. They could scarcely be known to be trees. I should
like to be able to take sketches when I come to Fairlie next
Summer. I cannot help talking as if I was sure of coming. I
hope I shall. I look forward to Susan coming in Winter with
the greatest pleasure. I hope she will come when Mrs Pratt*
is here. She is to be Mrs Pratt soon I suppose. I only wish
you were coming too. I believe George is. I am sure you
would like my favourite tree so much. I often sit in it &
fancy that some of my friends are coming & think I see
them enter in at the garden door.
Miss Hills asked me the other day if Miss Parker had been
practising much during the hot days, I mean during the
Summer. Strange to tell I have neither seen Mr Knox nor
Miss Jane Mowat since I came home. I daresay Miss Mowat
will say ' I hope you left Miss Parker well. She was a great
favourite of mine ; I thought her a fine lassie ; ' and Mrs
Knox I suppose will call me Missy as she used to do. I hate
so to be called Missy. Farewell for a few days. I could
say a great deal more if I might.
Believe me,
Yours sincerely,
ANNE CHALMERS.
I saw some beautiful shortbread on the table a little while
ago. Private.
Miss Ann Parker.
Tuesday, y>th Oct. 1827 A.D.
My dearest Anne,
I received your very kind letter this morning with the
greatest pleasure. Your letters are to me everything that is
refreshing, they are like water in the sandy desert ; like a
glass of beer after a trip to Bute. However, there is one
thing I do not understand. You say it is the 5th letter you
* Mrs. Pratt, wife of Captain, afterwards Sir Thomas, Pratt, was
a Miss Cooper.
44 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
have written me while it is in fact only the 2nd I have
received. Your other letters have never reached me & for
a long time I have been wondering every day why you had
not written. However I hope I shall receive them some time
as I conjecture you have sent them by a parcel which may
arrive. Better late than never, you know, as the old
toothless man said when he bought a toothbrush. I envied
you so much when I read the account of the fun you had had.
It is so provoking that I should never have seen Miss Caroline
Goold whom I wished so much to see. I often dream I am at
Fairlie. Sometimes I have very pleasant dreams on the
subject & at others very melancholy ; indeed I often think
I am having it & you & all my friends with me. What fun
you must have had that night at the Goolds. How I wish I
had been there. I would have enjoyed it so much ! How
very Irish it was of Mr Frederick to have thrown himself on
his face. It would never do in a Scotch man but people
always make allowances for national vivacity in his case.
Poor Marianne ! Will you give her my very kindest love
when you write next. I very often think of her. You
know we were always particular friends. We expect Uncle
& his lady on Saturday week. By the time you get this
they will be married. The ceremony is to take place on
Thursday, first Novr. I suppose Susan & they will be here
at the same time. I will be very happy. I am prepared
to like Fanny* extremely. With some additions our circle
would be complete. It would be so delightful if j'ou were
to come. I know you would like it. You would see Dumby
Hunter as often as you chose. I see him almost every
day. Do not you envy me ? I am going tonight to Mrs
Cowan's to tea. The last time I was there you were with
me. How very ill I am writing. I fear you will not be
able to understand, I mean, to read it. The Misses Swanf
have not yet come. They are expected this week. Fanny J
has a cough which arises I think from being bathed in
cold weather. I took her the other day to the seashore &
* Fanny was Mrs. Thomas Pratt's Christian name,
f Misses Swan were school friends of Anne Chalmers.
I The dog.
OF ANNE CHALMERS 45
bathed and when I was going about with her I saw a thing
which would have shocked you as it did me extremely.
Some people came with a great dog which they took to the
end of a rock & put him into the sea & shot him there.
I heard his cries distinctly. They fired 3 times with a
pretty long interval between them & in these times I saw
it going backwards & forwards. I ran away as fast as
I could but could not escape hearing all the pistols. A
sailor told me he supposed it was mad but I do not think
that possible as before it was shot it was going about quite
loose. By the by Fanny is very ill-natured & snappy.
I cannot understand her at all. When Mamma comes
into the room she jumps on her & seems quite glad to see
her but if she attempts to touch her she begins to growl.
The children dare not touch her yet except at dinner time.
She is chained in the kitchen every night although she
much prefers our room & every morning she comes to the
door and scratches to get in. To sum up her good qualitites
she is as fat as Rosa & very like her in temper. I dont
think you mention whether Mr O'Leary danced that night.
I should like to see him dancing. I suppose it is in
consequence of your great communications with Irish
people that you have begun to make bulls. You say
Marianne is to get a letter from you by the rest of the Goolds.
I am in anxious expectation of your three letters. I expect
to have a great deal of amusement in the perusal. Fanny
has just jumped upon me & looks very inquisitively at
me. It is very fond of Eliza & so I think if the others
were to go boldly to it it would not snap at them. It one
day ruffled the skin of Margaret's hand. I hope dear
Susan will be here soon. Will you give my kindest regards
to Miss Parker & tell that I follow her advice in things viz.
in walking a little every morning before breakfast & in
writing out French for myself at home independently of
my school exercises. The book I use for that purpose is
Mon. Le Baron de Stael's Views of England. Both Eliza
&l will ever remember with affection the kindness with
which she treated us in Fairlie. I spoke to Miss Mathey
on the subject of Corinne in French & Mrs Cowan says
that she thinks it is now time for me to enjoy the beauties
of Mad. de Stael's style so I am at present reading her
46 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
Allemagne, after which I shall read Corinne. It is near
post time or I could finish the sheet with the greatest ease.
Remember me kindly to Mr and Mrs Parker & James
when you write to him. George & Catherine send love
to Margaret. Goodbye, My dearest Anne
& Believe me,
Yours affectly.
ANNE C.
My dear Anne,
I am going to tell you about the toys ; the leg of the
lion is broken off that I prophesied ; and the head of the
swan on Margaret's clock is lost and the dial-plate of
Gracie's is broken off, the chairs are all broken, one all the
legs and back, the other only the hindlegs. The candle-
sticks are squeezed and Margaret says ' only the dolls are
not broken that are in the glass case.' Oh ! how I wish
you were here.
Yours affectionately,
ELIZA CHALMERS.
I said what Margaret said.
Excuse Eliza's bad Grammar.
Miss Anne Parker.
St. Andrews,
Monday (1827).
My dearest Anne,
I intend to write a little every day this week. I am
going to School just now. I shall resume my letter when
I come back.
Tuesday. I had not time to write any more yesterday
for when I came from school Susan and Fanny and I went
to the Maiden rock from which Susan took a sketch of
St. Andrews. I should have said began to take, for a mist
arising from the Tay spread over the city before she had
completed it. On Saturday, Papa & Mr Me Vicar & Susan
OF ANNE CHALMERS 47
& I and Fanny went to the Kinkeld Cave & the Rock &
Spindle. We wished you had been with us. I hope it is
a pleasure in Store for you. To return to the history of
Monday. A large party came to tea. Mr McVicar
accompanied Susan on the violincello. He is going to
write some poetry in my Album. He has written some
very pretty lines for Susan. I am netting a red claret-
coloured purse for Uncle. I must be very diligent. I am
going on with Italian. There are some slight differences
between the Grammars. Ours says that the article lo is
used before words beginning with s followed by any other
consonant as lo studio. I think yours says it is only
words begining with sfi. Fanny has left us tonight !!!!!!
She has distinguished herself by numerous petty ill-natured
acts. Nobody dares touch her that is not well acquainted
with her. Several people were at dinner here last week
& a lady, although Fanny growled & Eliza told her not to
touch it, brought her hand into too close contact with
Fanny's mouth. The consequence was her glove was
torn through & her hand a little lacerated. Fanny is
certainly cross but she is very fond of us & that makes us
like her. She is to be boarded with an old servant of
Grand Mamma's about a mile from us so that we can walk
to see her often if we want her in for two or three days we
may go for her. I have been reading over tonight all the
letters you have written since we left Fairlie. They
revive many recollections of our Fairlie amusements &
conversations. I hope you will write often for the pleasure
of reading your letters is somewhat similar to that of
reading Corinne.
Wednesday afternoon. They have all gone out to dinner
& we are left to amuse ourselves as we can. I have been
playing Duncan Grey and John Anderson my joe. I
believe they are favourites of yours & of mine also. I
must now relate to you a little adventure Eliza & I had
today. We could not support Fanny's absence so we walked
to see her. There were two roads which branched off &
all we knew of the person we were going to see was that
she was boarded at a wright. So we enquired of a person
we saw which of the roads it was & she told us the one to
the right. So we went on until a girl directed us to cross
48 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
a field. On coming to the house we heard a dog's bark
& saw a black dog approach us whom we supposed to be
Fanny. But a moment was sufficient to undeceive us !
It was a large ugly dog that came to frighten us away. I
had some pieces of sugar that I had intended for Fanny
which I determined to give it if it came too near but however
it kept at a good distance. Upon enquiry we discovered
we were quite at the wrong place & were shown a way
across some stubble fields by which we could get to the
right place. There were cows in the field & Eliza had on
her tartan mantle but we kept at a distance from them.
At last we arrived at the house & Fanny was so glad to see
us. I don't think she will like a cottage so well as a large
house. I think it was this day nine weeks that a number
of people came to tea. I made a boot pincushion that
night. I will send you thoughts by Henry Keele as I
believe you did not finish them in your Album. I have
written them in mine.
Friday. Has not Eliza sent you some very elegant
lines commencing with ' 'twas Judy Shee You'll all agree ? '
She has put them in my Album as an accompaniment to
' Paddy was an Irishman.' I finished my purse last night.
I have only taken a week to it. It looks very well. Last
night I slept with Susan as my Uncle Alexander* had
come during the day. What a melancholy day tomorrow
will be. It will resemble the sorrowful day of our parting
at Fairlie. I hope you will come with Susan to St. Andrews
in Summer, then you may visit Kinkeld cave and perhaps
we may be allowed to go back to Fairlie with you. I daresay
when we meet next we shall have become very grave and
dignified ladies and shall look with an air of great contempt
upon such childish amusements as catching Crabs or
sailing little boats. You know I shall then be 15. I like
the idea of going to Edinburgh ; we shall be so near each
other & we can meet in a day's journey, but I fear we shall
not have such long visits as formerly.
Friday night. I have been solacing myself with playing
' Isabel ' (Mrs. Pratt has often seen her) ' Cam ye by Athol '
and ' The Castilian Maid.' We are all writing such
* Alexander Chalmers, M.D., younger brother of Dr. Chalmers.
OF ANNE CHALMERS 49
numbers of letters. Eliza is writing several to you and I
am writing. Grace & Margaret are writing to their cousins
& I believe they are to write to you & Eliza & I are writing
Cards of acceptance for tomorrow night to a party at
Mrs Cowan's. Some body had been calling at the house
Fanny lives in & been told that she had cried all day after
we left her. Poor Fanny ! I think we are to call on her
tomorrow. How is the ' dog of fame ? ' Remember me
affectionately to Mr and Mrs Parker, George & James when
you write to him. Perhaps I ought to be as reserved to
the two latter as Eliza was (I think this day nine weeks)
when she sent her best respects to James by Susan. I
daresay you recollect it. Mrs Pratt has written some
beautiful lines in my Album. They begin with
' Oh there is a dream of early youth
And it never comes again ;
Tis a vision of life & light and truth
That flits across the brain.'
She has written them in Susan's too. I cannot bear
to think of tomorrow. It will be so melancholy. Uncle
and Aunt will not be back from India for at least 5 years.
I hope we shall see Susan next Summer but it seems very
long at present. I must now end my long letter and leave
room for Grace and Margaret. Farewell.
I remain, My dear Ann,
Yours affectly,
ANN CHALMERS.
Miss Parker will excuse me mentioning her in the
postscript when she remembers that the postscript is
generally the most important part of a Lady's letter. Give
her my very kindest love. I am quite ashamed of having
written this so ill but when one begins a long letter one has
not patience to write it carefully.
I shall put down exactly what they tell me.
50 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
(Enclosures with the foregoing letter] :
Nov. 1827.
My dear Anne,
Uncle and Aunt you may suppose are come long ago. I
wrote to Cousin Ann tonight. Uncle promised me a black
girl and a blue bird. The girl is only to be eight years old.
He said at first he would give me a black boy and a monkey
but I rather chose a black girl. I think monkeys are
mischievous creatures. I am very much obliged to you
for the toys you sent me. Both the doll and the shovel
are yet remaining. Margaret and I changed dolls but I
have changed them back again.
I remain,
Your affectionate Friend,
GRACE CHALMERS.
My dear Ann,
Uncle has to give me a black boy and a monkey. I go to
school. I am sewing a handkerchief. I a reading
' My broth is as thin as milk.' I have sheep and I have
geese. They are toy sheep and geese. Grace has scent-
bottles.
I remain,
Your affectionate Friend,
MARGARET PARKER CHALMERS.
Miss Ann Parker.
St. Andrews,
Tuesday (1827).
My dearest Anne,
I received your letter today. I mean Mamma received
it when I was at school and I was quite delighted upon
going into her room to find a treasure which I had had so
little notion of. I have likewise a good deal to tell you
and I shall begin with the most important thing. Now I
verily believe you will be the first person in Glasgow who
OF ANNE CHALMERS 51
has heard of it. Well ! it is the addition of another to my
large stock of sisters. I am sure I shall like it very much.
I am so glad that its name is to be Fanny Agnes Cooper
Chalmers.* I'll like her for Aunt's sake. It is such a
little thing ; about the size of Margaret's doll and it has
such an old-looking face. They all say it is very pretty
but I could never discover beauty in a thing of half an
hour old. On that most melancholy Saturday that they
all left us I received your parcel with the Amulet. I was
much obliged to Miss Parker for her kind letter and yours
also. I fear we shall not go from home next summer. Miss
Mowat was here a little ago. She sends her love to you
and says you are a great favourite of hers. She always says
that when we go to Edinburgh we'll sometimes sigh for the
retirement of St. Andrews. I am sure I shan't, for there
is nobody here I would sigh in parting from. There are
some very nice people I daresay, but still I don't care much
about it. From the way they speak I suppose we shall
always come every spare moment to St. Andrews. They
say ' Oh you must come to St. Andrews for sea-bathing
quarters ' or ' You'll come every Christmas to eat your
Christmas goose.' Mrs Cowan has very few boarders.
Miss Arnot, Misses Swan, Miss Innes, Miss Methuen,
Miss Laing, Miss Tod, Miss Somerville, Miss Dickson,
Miss Barbara Hills, a sister of the great Miss Hills, not
the one that was here before. I don't recollect any more
at present.
Peggy has just come into the room and told Miss Eliza
that the baby has arrived at the extraordinary accomplish-
ment of sucking its fingers. She seems lost in amazement
at such an endearing accomplishment coming so soon. I
think I shall hear from Aunt Pratt tomorrow. Mrs.
M'Lellanf is coming at Christmas I believe. I hope you
will take this last opportunity of coming to St. Andrews.
We would be so glad if you could come in summer. I hope
you will be very diligent all this winter and try to make
amends for your St. Andrews idleness. These two words
* Fanny Chalmers, sixth daughter of Dr. Chalmers, died unmarried
in 1860.
f Mrs. M'Lellan, sister of Dr. Chalmers.
52 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
St. Andrews and idleness I think are almost inseparable.
Mrs Knox was here today when I read your letter and when
I came to the part where you say you do not like Sarabella
Knox* I could not help laughing at Sarabella's name being
so much honoured as to be in any letter written by you.
When you write next will you send me two very beautiful
verses in your scrap book ? the title is A Storm commencing
by ' Hark the loud thunder.' In one of the Blackwood
magazines there is a very nice affecting story called
' Chapters on Churchyards ' about a Swiss lady, Blanche
d'Alphi. Have you read it ? Grace sends love to Ann
Rainy and you. Eliza and I join her. I hope you will
always cross your letters as I can read them perfectly and
I like so much to read your letters. Goodnight. I'll have
a little more conversation with you tomorrow.
igth Decbr. Mamma had a good night and is pretty
well today. How do you like ' Rousseau's Dream ? '
I remember being scolded by Miss Hills at that piece.
As Mr Webster is better natured than Miss Hills I hope
your fate will be happier than mine.
I don't understand about your letter being so long of
coming here. It is dated the 6th and it came here the
loth. I daresay Susan is gone home now. Give my love
to her and Miss Parker and any body you choose besides.
I have not yet given your love to Mrs Cowan's young
ladies, as you have begun to call them. I saw Dumby
Hunter today, apparently in good health and spirits. I
did not speak to him. This climate is too severe for
catching Crabs although Eliza and I sometimes speak of our
happiness in pursuing that occupation at Fairlie. It is
very windy today. Did I ever point out to you what a
lightening of expense it will be in Edinburgh to have a
penny or 2d. taken off the postage of our letters ? How
nice it will be to be able to go in a day, but I am afraid we
shan't have such long meetings as here. Do write soon.
I think it was after I had dispatched one of my folio sheets
that I read somewhere about the huge volumes some
young ladies were in the habit of writing to each other.
* Sarabella Knox, descended from a brother of John Knox, and an
old friend of the Chalmers family.
OF ANNE CHALMERS 53
However I hope you will write as long and longer than
ever and Believe me to be
A.C.
Miss Anne Parker.
St. Andrews,
i^th Jan. 1828.
My dearest Anne,
Your most welcome letter arrived last week and I am
going to write as long and I think a longer letter, making
allowances for my small writing. Mamma is pretty well
and the baby is a very pretty child, they all say, and
particularly Uke Miss Parker, especially about her mouth.
I have been at Kirkcaldy since I wrote to you. On
Friday before New Year's day Papa & I went & staid at
Grandpapa's. * Next morning Papa went over to Edinburgh
when he did not enjoy himself much as he was obliged to
keep his bed almost all the time he was there with a gum
boil. He is now pretty well & meets his class every morning.
But to return to Kirkcaldy : I enjoyed myself very much
there. There was a young lady there, a niece of Mrs Pratt
(senior) with whom I often talked of what we used to do
at Fairlie. I told her a great many of our amusements
there. She was a nice enough girl from all I could see of
her. There were a number of nice books there, among
others I read one Frederick & Louisa and another The Nine
Days' Wonder. The former was in letters, but a very
nice story. I would not like to read Kenilworth Castle if
it is so melancholy. I one day saw it lying & took it up at
the last part, just where the countess falls into the dungeon.
Eliza has been making poetry which (she told me) is perfect
both in rhyme & rhythm. She has addressed it to Grace
as follows.
NURSERY RULES
Stop stop my child and do not run
Without a bonnet in the sun.
* ' Grandpa ' was Captain Pratt. M. G. B.
54 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
Do not my sister be so rude
For it to you will do no good.
3
Suck not your tongue, pinch not your neck
Or of the habit you'll ne'er break.
4
Put not your finger in your mouth
For fear they send you to the south.
But this has not been her only attempt at composition.
She is writing a fairy tale and she made a serious complaint
to me last night that there were so many fairy tales like hers
that she would be accused of being a ' Copier ! ! ' It begins
thus ' There was once a man who had two sons called Tom &
Jack. Tom was 6 & Jack 5 when their father died. He
left them little or nothing and, young as they were, they
resolved to seek their fortune. Tom took some bread &
cheese & went out. At last he came to a forest where he
saw a beautiful young lady who spoke to him thus " My
little boy, know that I am a fairy & that I can make your
fortune. Shut your eyes and turn round three times &
open them again." He did as he was bid and no sooner had
he done so than he found himself in a beautiful garden
surrounded by young ladies and in the midst of them to
his great surprise he saw his brother Jack.' She has not
made any more.
i6th. Wednesday. We are now at the dancing with
Mr Charlsford. I believe at one time you determined
never to learn dancing lest it should spoil your natural
grace. You might with great safety learn it here ; at least
there would be no danger of your natural grace being
destroyed by the introduction of an artificial one. It is
the most ludicrous thing I ever saw. To-day they were
dancing waltz, a great number of them ; and by the time
the air was finished they had not got to then- places, so
that there was a general run to their places. And then
there is such a jostling and pushing to get through that I
OF ANNE CHALMERS 55
am kept in a state of risibility all the time. We are reading
Hull's Voyages to Foochow in the evenings. Do you ever
read one of Constable's Miscellanys containing an account
of the Rebellion ? It certainly heightens Fairlie in my
esteem (notwithstanding all Mr Mackay would say to the
contrary) that our dear Prince Charles Edward Louis
Phillippe Cassimir Stuart has graced it with his presence.
Fairlie has many attractions for me, but this adds another
to the rest. I would so much like again to mount the
broken staircase of the little Castle. I wonder if the Prince
ever ascended it. The Misses Swan wrote each a piece
of original poetry in the scrap book you gave me. Albums
are descending fast, Grace and Margaret have each little
paper things that they call their scrap books. Eliza has
a very nice one. The children like very much the pieces
you wrote in my scrap book especially ' He got all the
wood.' When you see the Misses Semple tell them that
Miss Chalmers and ' little Miss Eliza ' send their love to
them. I am very busy at present. Dancing takes up a
great deal of time, as the Shrimps said. I am drawing
two dogs just now. I dislike animals very much and
such poor forlorn creatures as mine are were never seen.
I like landscapes very much.
Friday loth. I was going to tell you that the Misses
Swan had written poetry for me but I find I have told you
already. Miss Jane's is termed ' The Muses Lamentations.'
I have read the Bachelor's Treat ! You ask me to tell you
why I do not wish to write to Miss Mirrlees ? Well ! I
have begun lately to be very particular as to the people
I promise to correspond with (which makes it a much great
compliment to those I admit into that happy number)
whereas formerly I used to think it nice to get as many as
I could ; the more the better was my idea on the subject.
Now suppose I were to begin to write to Miss Mirrlees, it
would be awkward to be the first to break off and if I
were to continue till I grew up it would be rather curious
to be writing to a person of whom I know so little and for
whom I cared so little. Now do you not think I have
demonstrated to you in a very satisfactory manner the
reason for not writing to Miss Mirrlees ? However you may,
if you see her again, give her my best respects. I daresay
56 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
you have been wondering what in the world has put it into
my head to write in red ink,* but I recollect Mr Wood
saying last winter that his sister Mary crossed sometimes
with it to make it more legible ; if it has the effect pray
tell in your next letter. You talk of a piece of Bryon's
called Monday which you admire so much. The quotation
you have given from it viz.
' When the last sunshine of expiring day
In summer twilight wipes itself away : '
I do not like the simile. It puts me too much in mind of
that most unpoetical of all objects, Peggy wiping the
crumbs off the table at tea-time. Talking of tea, there
are a number of students coming to-night, whom I suppose
I must entertain at least with tea & shortbread. You
cannot think how tiresome they are. Mrs McLellan is
here but I have to make tea and sit at the head of the
table though I hope she will take that duty Irom tonight.
I daresay you will now say ' Of all the ridiculous things
in the world the most ridiculous is Anne at the head of a
table.' But I can assure you I preserve an appearance
of great dignity. I am not quite sure whether black ink
be not quite as good as red, but do you tell me when you
write. I believe you do not like Sarabella Knox, neither
do I ! I shall send this letter by Mrs Collins, who is I
believe coming to-morrow and will depart on Monday.
I wish you were here. We should have such fun at the
dancing. I generally dance with Fanny Chevelisky, a
little girl in whom I take a great interest. I will tell you
about her to-morrow.
Monday : I see I promised to tell you about Miss
Chevelisky. Well, her father was a Dane and he was
massacred once when if the people had not mistaken him
for an Englishman he would have escaped. Her mother
was very beautiful and died when she was very young.
Fannjr will be a countess, people say, and she is the prettiest
(in my opinion) in St. Andrews, either big or little. I think
there is a kind of romance about her story, which gives
* This part of the crossed letter is written in red ink and is almost
undecipherable. M. G. B.
OF ANNE CHALMERS 57
her an interest in my eyes. Mrs McLellan left us on
Saturday for Anstruther, intending to return in the morning,
but we had a note from her saying that the baby of the
lady she had gone to visit was dying and she could not
come. She is going to Kirkcaldy soon. My uncle there
has been unwell & my cousin too. On Saturday Mr
Me Vicar was at tea, he had taken Eliza & my scrap-books
(I don't think that is good grammar) to write something
in them. Whenever he comes there is always instructive
& interesting conversation. He told a story of having
last summer caught a crab and put it into a box and this
winter there are a number of mushrooms growing on its
back. Mr Collins is not come yet. Tell Susan that I
have had a letter from Mrs Pratt to-day and that she is
soon going to write to her (Susan). I have not told you
that Fanny spent a day or rather a night with us lately,
she & her gouvernante came in to St. Andrews to tea the
other week. Fanny's joy was most ecstatic ; she ran
screaming upstairs into our room. Oh by the by will you
tell James that I was looking at Johnston's Lives of the
Poets and saw his favourite poem ' Lycidas ' called very
ridiculous & absurd and had treasured it up in my own
mind against him, until looking at Hayley's Life of Cowper
I find that Cowper says in one of his letters that Johnston
had been very unjust in decrying that beautiful poem
' Lycidas ' in the way he has done, thereby shewing himself
destitute of all sense of harmony. I hope James is better.
I hope when James is Lord Chancellor he will not be laid
up so much, as it will be very much against the happiness
of the nation, but then the papers will be filled with notices
of his health and it will be such a pleasure to his humble
friends to tell everybody when they read it ' Oh that is
melancholy : the Chancellor* is no better ; well I am
sure I never saw anybody so patient under sickness as my
friend the Chancellor.'
Wed. 22nd. I have been in the Cedar garden to-day
walking. I went into the summer house and sat down on
the same places as I had done when we had our strawberry
* A curiously prophetic remark in view of the early death of James
Parker when Vice-Chancellor. M. G. B.
58 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
feast. I went also to the little tower and entered the
rooms that we went into then and on the mantel piece
lay the identical beans that you took some of. Do you
remember the seagulls ? Mr Lyon Cambuk took a fancy
to one of them & transplanted it into his own garden, where
it died for want of water. The other still remains and had
a duck for a companion, which, however, it has completely
under its power. There is a little crow or jackdaw which
some of the gardener's children picked up on the seashore
that Grace took a fancy to and used to go down to feed it,
so the Gardener gave it to her in a present and I go down
to fill its little brown bowl with bread & milk every day.
On these occasions I have frequently tried to make friends
with the sea-gull and duck, but they were so frightened
that they would not let me approach within 5 yards of
them but now they have got very tame and run to me
when they see me enter the garden. I feel so proud of
having gained a victory over their natures. The duck is
so very stupid in not laying hold of the opportunities I
afford of getting something to eat that to-day I caught
myself saying involuntarily ' What a goose that duck is.'
It is amusing to see the gull after it has finished everything
that was in the cup letting the duck approach and eat the
crumbs. The crow is so tame that it would do your heart
good to see it. Mr McLelian has come to-day ; Mrs McL.
came the day before yesterday. I am sure this letter is
long enough ; you will not be able to find the place, but I
have marked the end of all the pages with figures to show
you where to go next. Mr Collins has not arrived. I
would advise you to read a quarter of an hour every day
any time you can spare, till you have finished the letter.
I have been reading Hayley's Life of Cowper. It is a book
that I always take into my head to read once a year, or
rather into my hand. He writes nice letters. I wish I
could write them as interesting ; they would be more
worthy your acceptance. But what's lacking in quality
is made up for in quantity. I only hope you'll be able to
read this, especially that nasty red part. I do not think
that speculation will succeed. Mr Davis was at breakfast
but I did not see him because I had to go to School at 9
o'clock. I shall now take my leave, that you may not
OF ANNE CHALMERS 59
grieve nor think as a fetter the length of this letter but if
it should come into my head it is probable that I may add
a little bit more but you need not deplore for as I am throng
it will not be long.
Believe me to be Yours truly
A. C.
St. Leonard's, 28 March 1828.
My dearest Anne,
I received Marianne's letter (I shan't say with pleasure,
however true ; it is so hacknied), but I received it walking
along the long gallery between Mamma's room & my own
as it was on its way to the former who would doubtless have
had the pleasure of reading it first had not I happened to
pass at the moment. Will you write to me before the
end of April to tell me Marianne's direction as I think I
may have an opportunity by that time. The dancing
ended a week ago, & since that time I have every day
intended to write to you, but somehow or other, it has
been put off. I am very sorry the dancing is over ; I am
so fond of it. It concluded with a ball, which I attended,
not to exhibit, of course, but as a spectator ; and I danced
a little after the scholars were done. There have been
a number of eccentric people here of late ; among the
rest I have had the honour of making tea twice for
ten Gentiles and a Jew, or Shoe as he would call himself.
Last night there was at tea a determined phrenologist.
He examined all our heads and told us our characters
exactly. I have conscientiousness ; so have you, I
believe.
2qth March. He said both Grace & I have too much
romance & that there must be nothing but reality ! reality !
reality ! for us. No fiction but all truth. I don't relish
that much, because the chief pleasure in life is living in a
ideal world & giving yourself up to your imagination. I
daresay I am wrong, however, in that and there are
certainly pleasures in reality, but a little romance I think
is very pleasant. There were a great many people when
60 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
he examined us, so it was lucky there was nothing very bad
in our character. After my examination, whenever I
happened to get near Mr Davis he always began to tell
me I must not read anything but history & taking up some
magazines he pointed to a picture and said it was the
worst thing possible for me . There is a strange old gentleman
of 60 come to CoUege. He attends Classes all day and has
such a cockney way of speaking. He talks of Airon
^alterations, indentions, &c. .Since I wrote to you I have
heard a man play on the musical glasses. It somewhat
resembles an Eolian Harp. It is a wild sweet sort of melody
but there is something not tangible about it. The same
man (who is blind and has invented a method of teaching
the blind music) played on four instruments at one time.
Two violins, a violincello, and an instrument somewhat
resembling a Jew's Harp. If he had kept to one he would
probably have done better. I have had an idea for some
time that Mrs McLennan* that was at Fairlie is dead.
I do not know whether I have heard it or dreamt it. Will
you be so good as tell me if it be true. A month or two
ago when I went into the little house at the bottom of our
garden I saw the identical beans on the Chimney piece
that were there on the night of the strawberry feast. The
pigsty is now, alas, a ruin, but it is changed to another place.
Our house adjoins that of Dr Jackson, f P.N.P. and his
nieces' room is next ours so that we can speak to each other
perfectly. We sometimes try who will dress first in the
morning, but I regret to say that they are much more
regular than we, and are sometimes dressed before we
awaken.
Mamma had a letter from Uncle the other day. Mrs
Pratt is going to write to me soon. Mr Mac Vicar wrote
some very pretty original verses in my Album & some
funny ones in Eliza's. Hers begin thus : ' My dear Miss
Eliza 'Tis enough to surprise a Man & much more a wife
To see little girls, Not yet papering their curls, Take to
Scrapbooks to while away life.' Eliza was quite indignant
* Mrs. McLennan, probably a friend of the Parkers.
t Dr. Jackson, Professor of Natural Philosophy at St. Andrews.
OF ANNE CHALMERS 61
at his supposing she had not begun to curl her hair. Pray
write to me sooner than I wrote to you. There is to be a
number of young people here tonight. I wish you could
come & bring Pat & Marianne. Remember Marianne's
direction, for I think I shall have an opportunity* to
Dublin when the Session closes. How quickly the winter
has passed away ! I hope you will come this summer.
It is the last opportunity. I shall be a little sorry to leave
St. Andrews. Do not think this letter short, but consider
how much matter is in it. A Dieu.
HANNAH CHALMERS.
Miss Anne Parker.
iyth April, 1828.
My dearest Anne,
Your letter came about half a day too late to write to
Marianne. I had thought Mr Davis would not leave St.
Andrews till the end of the session, but he went away on
the I4th at 6 in the evening, and your letter came next
morning. I thought of writing under cover to Mrs Gould,
but I did not like to take that liberty. I am glad I did
not for I should not like to intrude on Marianne at present.
Poor Mr Wynne ! he was such a nice venerable looking
old man. What a change it must be from the festivities
of his daughter's marriage. Marianne is in great distress
I am sure. I think I shall write to her in a month or two
but not at present. You complain of my last letter being
too short. I do not think it was very short considering
how small my hand is, how closely it was written and how
every corner was filled up. I think this sheet is larger than
my last and if necessary I shall cross it. 1 have not
added anything to your poesy as I do not feel my imagination
of feelings much roused by the subject you have given me.
I suppose the next verse ought to detail the probable
consequences of them in the Erin casting their lot, such
* An opportunity to send a letter by hand. M. G. B.
62 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
as ensuing sea-sickness etc. I like your aphorisms very
much, they are very good.
8 o'clock. They have all gone out to tea but Papa and
me. Papa has a gumboil, and I had a good excuse to stay
6 make tea for him. But to-night I had an opportunity
of performing an experiment which I have been revolving
in my mind long, viz. making tea with milk instead of
water. So after one water tea, when Papa was reading an
essay, I got some milk and boiled it in a pan, but to my
consternation it boiled up suddenly at such a rate that I
was quite frightened. However I made the tea &_ liked
it very well. Papa had been roused by the hubbub of
boiling over to a consciousness of what was going on and
declared it a most ridiculous idea ; however he tasted it
but did not like it much. There is an enormous pile of
books on the table just now that have come in to Papa,
for prizes. As he was studying, I got leave to undo the
package. They are very beautiful ; Papa's prizes are
generally the handsomest. The students are going to give
him a token of esteem before he goes, viz. a large Bible in
7 languages. They once thought of giving him a piece of
plate, which proposal was ably seconded by a Mr. Spiers
of Ellerslie, who said that Dr. Chalmers had a great number
of daughters and that a piece of plate might be useful to
them but that a bible would not. But alas ! Mr. Spiers
was over-ruled. It was a good argument but not very
applicable. I don't precisely see what use plate would
be to us. You have not much reason to regret the
dancing. Mr Charlsford gave Quadrilles, Country Dances
and all sorts of nice things. I attended one of the Public
practisings & the Ball and danced at both after the scholars.
I am sure I should hate exhibiting pas seuls or pas de deux
trots quatre etc. before such a number of people. I think
I told you about the last Musical Glasses I attended. We
have had another exhibition of the kind but better attended
than the last. The room was crowded. Everybody was
there. The whole College attended almost. The man
sang several songs but very ill. He sang ' Charlie, Charlie
wha wadna ; ' it was rapturously applauded, and after it
was done, Dr. Playfair, a stout middleaged gentleman whom
Susan has seen here, advanced to the front seats to speak
OF ANNE CHALMERS 63
to a Lady near me, at the same time calling out to the
students ' Oh, you're all such Jacobites there, you'll always
ruff for Prince Charlie,' much to their delight. He sang a
Comic Song about the Glasgow Baillies going to see the King,
but I did not like the grimaces he made both in that & the
Laird of Cockpen ; in both he sometimes pretended to take
a pinch of snuff, which I did like. He had an optical
exhibition afterwards. I liked it the best, but it ended by
a skeleton which jumped about and whose scull changed
places ; it was in very bad taste. I had another drawback
at that time. Happening to look round to speak to a young
lady, I espyed a student whom I recollected having seen
at St. Leonard's, so I thought it my duty to bow to him.
But alas ! it was the beginning of my torment. He
commenced chattering & continued it all the time of the
optics to my great annoyance. He was talking of the
Music and, there being a rush among the students who
were standing, I exclaimed ' But don't you think some of
these people will be murdered ? ' I suppose he did not
hear aright for his answer was 'Oh yes very nice, delightf ul ' ! !
I could not help laughing but he was so tiresome. ' Oh
look Miss Chalmers ! How fine that baloon is. That's
beautiful. Isn't it ? It appears to recede, you know,
but that is only appearance not reality that's very fine.
Isn't it now ! ' etc. etc. the whole night. By the by one
of my acquaintances here is at present fitting out for
India. She is a very nice girl. I cannot help thinking
it a sacrifice of her to send her out. I am thinking of going
out myself to Uncle ; what do you think of that plan ?
Can you find out why a lean Monarch is like a man
meditating ? I am reading in French Mde de Stael's
Allemagne, in Italian Novelle Morale di Soave, in English
Philosophy in Sport and Josephus which last I have nearly
finished. I am going to begin Tales of a Grandfather by
Walter Scott. The woman that had Fanny sent the
other day to say that she had been stolen or lost. Eliza
is very sorry & laments over having taken her from
Fairlie. I hope she will be found. I had a walk out to
see her a few days before it happened. Come si porta
la Rosa ? Little Theodore Wood of Edinburgh was being
taught by his eldest sister to say Comment vous portez
64 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
vous ?but he always said ' Come on you porter you.' My
birthday will be on the fifth of May when I shall be
15 years of age.
I think I shall be sorry to leave St. Andrews and this
nice house. But we shall meet much oftener than at
present in Edinburgh. I do not think there is any chance
of my getting to Fairlie this summer, but I hope you will
come here. The reason I signed my name Hannah was
that in a French dictionary I saw that Hannah was the
English of Anne so concluding they were the same I signed
my name constantly for a while as Hannah and the children
sometimes still call me so. I do not know what you
supposed the reason was, but what I have told you is the
true one. But I shall not sign myself so again. Miss
Jackson thought my name was Hannah from a note I
wrote to her once. We continue to talk to each other
through the wall. 1 am going to paint an immense
work box in black & white. It is a great plague but
somebody has given it to Mamma & it must be done before
we go to Edinburgh. I want to finish my frock too and I
am at present working it.
I hope you will write soon to me & I am afraid it will
appear selfish to ask you to write on the large paper after
having sent you small but I think I get as much into my small
as you into the large for my hand is smaller & I write
closer than you.
Believe me to be A. C.
P.S. When I wrote last to you it was the morning of the
day we were to have a party. The two Hallidays were
there who brought us oranges & sweeties. They are quite
grown up now. I saw Dumby Hunter yesterday & shook
hands with him. I have not seen your friend Donald
Sutherland this year.
OF ANNE CHALMERS 65
Friday ^oth May.
St. Leonards.
My dearest Anne,
I am going to be very expeditious in answering your
letter which I have received this morning.
I should be so happy to come to Fairlie this summer but
Mamma's negative seems pretty decided. I wish you could
come here. I shall not quite despair of seeing you this
summer. I see Dumby Hunter very often & he always
holds out to me the right hand of amity. A saw Mr Donald
Sutherland the other day. - You must have been glad
of your cousin getting so many prizes. The morning before
our prizes were distributed the servant brought in to Papa
a document which she had found pinned in the inside of
the gate and which I have carefully preserved. It ran
thus : ' To Let the head of a learned professor. For
further particulars enquire within. N.B. If nine tailors
make a man how many will make a Professor L.L.D. ?
Answer : f of a tailor.' The only thing is that Dr Jackson
our neighbour is L.L.D. and Papa is not. However, that
very day they brought him by way of furnishing his head
a large Biblia Polyglotta. It is a very handsome book
and Papa has been reading it ever since. The students
asked the Professors if it might be given in the Parliament
Hall when the prizes were distributed, but, as I heard,
several of the Professors declared if it were they must leave
the room. I wish they had given it there. It would have
been so excellent to have seen them stumping out. I
believe they are jealous about it. We went to see the
prizes distributed. Papa is in Edinburgh at present.
Mr Irving* has created a great interest there. Papa went
to hear him but could not get in, there was such a crowd.
One evening Mr Irving was at the house where Papa is
at present when Papa was engaged out. When he came
home he was told there had occurred rather a strange
thing. A Gentleman told Mr Irving he preached false
* Edward Irving, one time assistant to Dr. Chalmers. He was
very well known later as founder of the Irvingite Church, and a great
preacher.
5
66 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
doctrine. Upon which Mr. I. replied characteristically :
' Who art thou Oh Man ! that smites me with thy words ? '
Mamma and the babies & Catherine* are going to Edinburgh
on Monday. Eliza & Margaret are to go as far as
Kirkcaldy & remain there till the others return. Grace
is going to Mrs Cowan's for a week so I shall be left quite
alone with three servants.
Saturday yist. I think nothing would be so delightful
as if you were to stay with me next week. We should have
rare jinketings by ourselves should not we ? Now that
the idea has entered my imagination I feel filled with it.
Our room is very large and besides, being alone, we could
have romps in the drawing room. Oh, it would be so
delightful. Do you remember our biscuits and beer and the
last feast we had. Well might the poet sing ' All that's
sweet was made but to be lost when sweetest.' I read
somewhere lately of a young lady of 17 who had a large
fortune but who to her other charms added the faculty of
being an excellent boon companion. In vain her friends
tried to dissuade her on account of her shape from her
ale-bibbing propensities. She said by continuing she
could only lose a husband while a pot of good ale was the
soul of her existence. Eliza has had an idle time of late.
She has been delicate this winter, so Mamma has taken
her from School for some time. She goes on with Music
still however. She is doing very well in that department
this winter. Miss Hills promised if she had a ticket 12
Music lessons together she would draw something in her
Scrap-book, but months have passed away but Miss Hills
has still the book and Eliza thinks she'll be obliged to ask
for it when she leaves St. Andrews. A month ago I got
great additions to my album inasmuch as I had the good
fortune to have a poet a whole night at my service. A real
poet and one who has published a volume. He repeated
Piece after Piece to me and I in common civility was obliged
to ask him to put it in. So he carried off my book & sent
it back with 6 or 7 pages filled. Some of his pieces are
pretty but I confess I have not read them all yet. I admire
* Catherine Forbes, their nurse, who remained in the family until
her death.
OF ANNE CHALMERS 67
your extracts from Byron. I certainly admire him the
most of the English poets. I feel I am not yet able to
appreciate Milton sufficiently. But Scott's Lady of the Lake
is beautiful. The following lines were quoted in the news-
papers upon occasion of the Duke of York's death : ' When
a Prince to the fate of a peasant has yielded, The tapstry
waves dark thro' the dim lighted hall, With escutcheons
of silver the coffin is gilded, And pages stand mute by the
canopied pall. In the courts at deep midnight the
torches are gleaming, In the proudly arched Chapel the
banners are beaming, Far down the long aisle sacred
music is streaming, Lamenting a chief of the people
should fall.'
I am going to Miss Swan's next week. We have not
yet found our poor Fanny. A great many beggars took
fancies to her or tried to get her so I suppose one of them
may have stolen her. A lady has just gone who has insisted
on me taking a novel kind of pet viz. six silkworms. They
are nasty ugly creatures but Grace declares that they are
beautiful. I am afraid of not taking proper care of them.
I am taking a view of the ruins from the dear little tower
at the foot of the garden. It is a very elegant thing, as you
may believe ; but I want to practise drawing from nature
as I do not see the use of copying. I fear everybody
will take such pity on me for being left alone that I shan't
have peace to stay a single night in this delightful solitude.
Mamma desires me to say that if you see Mrs Dewar she
would be much obliged to you, I mean your Mamma or
Susan or Miss P., if you could interest her on behalf of a
Miss Graeme as Mistress of Millar's Charity. Miss G. is
applying at present. I hope you don't think it is indiffer
ence to Marianne that prevented me finishing your poem.
I do not remember saying I had lost all interest in her,
although I could not be expected to feel her leaving Fairlie
on my account as I was not there myself, so much as if she
had been with me. When you go to Fairlie write to me &
tell me how all our ancient walks & haunts look. Teh 1 me
what condition the wharf is in. Do you remember one day
when we sat in a boat at that wharf and when I threw one
of Patrick's* flounders into the sea ? Do you think you
* Patrick, another brother of Anne Parker's.
68 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
will ever attempt to cross the Lady's Bridge ? I have
finished Josepkus ; it is very interesting especially towards
the conclusion. To human eyes it seems to have been
almost an impossibility to have taken Jerusalem ; indeed
the Jews were worse than the Romans. Mamma hopes
you will be able to make out a visit to St. Andrews this
summer. Remember me afftly to Miss P. & Susan. Do
persuade your Mamma to let you all come.
I am A. CHALMERS.
P.S. As I shall have an opportunity for this letter I shall
enclose it.
Papa got lately some blocks of the Giant's Causeway.
He sent some to Uncle Alexander and the Carrier Woman
who took them said ' It was a pity to be paying sae muckle
for stanes when they could get every bit as guid on the
shore at Kirkcaldy.' Eliza is at present meddling with
those nasty little ugly pets of mine and I really believe she
will stab them through with a pin. An Irish gentleman &
his family have come to town. He was in the Leith Church
but left it from conscientious motives, so they are to be
dressmakers and he wishes to form a class of Hebrew. I
thought of going but I have enough to do without. He is
very gentlemanly ; much more so than the young people.
I had such elevated ideas of what they would be, ' Melancholy
& ladylike ; ' but my bright fancies have been destroyed.
I like the Frenchman, his remark is shrewd : ' How sweet
how passing sweet is solitude, yet grant me but one friend
in my retreat, To whom to whisper solitude is sweet.' But
as I cannot have you I don't want any other friend though
I may have people to tea every night if I please. I intend
going on Monday to get a song from Miss Duff, she invited
me to come any night. Adieu ma chere Cousine, as Miss
Bell Black says. Je suis moi-meme.
A CHALMERS.
I have read Bluestocking Hall.
OF ANNE CHALMERS 69
St. Andrews,
Monday, June i8th 1828.
My dear Anne,
When I last wrote I was going to be solitary in which
condition I remained a week. I liked it very much. Then I
went to pay a visit to the Swans whom you know. I came
home on Wednesday & found them all home but I was not
permitted to come into the house as Margaret has the
scarlet fever. I am with Mrs Cowan and I go down to St.
Leonards every day to speak to them from the window.
Margaret is not very ill. Probably by this time you may
have heard of the accident in Kirkcaldy occasioned by the
falling of the gallery. Eliza & Mrs Alexander,* Mrs Pratt, f
and her niece, Miss Mitchell and Mamma's cousin Miss
Young were in it and came down. Mamma was sitting
under the opposite gallery and saw them fall but retained
her presence of mind to sit still until the crush was over,
and when everybody had left the church she walked
deliberately from one group collected round the dead &
dying to another expecting to find her own friends among
them. In one group she saw a lady stretched on the ground
dressed in the same manner as my Aunt and when she
came near she heard them say ' It's no use. She is quite
gone.' Then she felt a chill come over her and was
uncertain whether to look at her or not. At last she thought
it would be wrong to spare her own feelings and to leave
her sister. She looked at her face & found it was not her.
Eliza was taken out of church and she sat down on a grave
and called out ' Is this real ? Am I alive or dead ? ' She
says she felt quite frantic ; & that she ran up and down
asking if people were killed. Eliza felt her side a little
afterwards but all our friends were preserved. Aunt was
sunk up to the neck in rubbish and felt herself sink when a
gentleman pulled her out. About 30 were killed and many
* Mrs. Alexander was Mrs. Alexander Chalmers, sister of A. C.'s
mother, and married to a brother of Dr. Chalmers.
t Mrs. Pratt was Captain Pratt's third wife, and thus step-grand-
mother of Anne Chalmers.
70
wounded. A number of people were quite frantic & tried
to jump from the windows. Mr Irving saw one woman
throw herself out, who was killed on the spot. He caught
30 people in his arms ; whenever he saw anybody throwing
himself out he told them to let himself drop down and he
would catch him. It is striking that only two instances
are known of death caused by the falling of the gallery.
Grandmamma had just said that it would be dreadful if
it were to fall when it did go down. It is remarkable that
about a fortnight before there were doubts expressed about
entering another church on account of a prophecy of
Thomas the Rhymer who said a church in Fife should fall
in 1828. I am afraid to cross the North Bridge in Edinburgh
as there is a prophecy that it will fall 3 times. It has fallen
twice & there is a crack in it. I have been rather provoked
to hear people blame Mr Irving for the accident. One
lady said boldly to me that she thought Mr Irving must
be a great goose ! ! There was a strange paper in the Sun
(a newspaper) which seemed to me below contempt, as
there happened to be nothing in it but a tirade about
mountebanks, but you would have been amused to hear
the effect it had upon Eliza. Perhaps you remember once
in our room at St. Andrews her indignation for some
offence of ours. Somewhat similar was it against the
unfortunate editor of the Sun ; happy was it for him he
was not within her reach, he would have run no small risk
of annihilation. ' Asses ! Fools ! Really it was quite
ridiculous, I cannot help laughing ' exclaimed she bursting
into a scornful laugh. ' Oh that I had a sword ' was at
other times her way of venting her indignation, or else
' Oh ! I know it is just envy for his black hair. I have great
mind to send them a black wig.' I was amused at Eliza's
first words to me when I entered her room after returning
from Abercrombie : ' Anne, I fell with the gallery and I
have crushed my new bonnet and it is to be for a school
bonnet.' Mr Irving was in St. Andrews on Saturday & he
called upon me in Mrs Cowan's. Miss Mowat saw him come
down the lane & happened to come to call on Mrs. Cowan
just at the time. I believe a gentleman was going out of
his house in South St. and was surprised to see a number
of people running to their doors & windows & looking up
OF ANNE CHALMERS 71
the street to discover the cause saw Mr Irving coming
along with Papa. There is a pretty good anecdote in the
neswpapers only 'tis not true ; it is a conversation between
Dr Chalmers and Mr Irving. Mr I. says he will come to
St. Andrews to convert the Professors, Dr C. replies he is
happy to hear he is to have such a long visit of him. But
I must tell you how I liked my solitude. I was a week alone
but I had often friends in with me. On Wednesday I had
Grace & her companions, on Thursday I actually refused 3
invitations to dinner that I might be alone. The Misses
Jacksons were in 2 or 3 times so I was not ill off. At the
end of the week I went to Abercrombie, I liked it pretty well.
One night we had a ridiculous frolic. Mrs Swan did not
believe our resolution would continue else she would not
have lent her countenance to it. It was to sit up the whole
night ! We did it & employed ourselves in looking at the
stars, reading Italian till four o'clock, when we issued out
by a window to see the sun rise and took a walk. We did
not go to bed till 9 o'clock next night. Mrs Swan was not
pleased at the sortie from the window and has desired me to
be silent about the whole business as she fears for the
character of her house. But I got the leave to tell you, so I
thought that it would do to let you know that we did so.
I got a letter from Mamma before I heard anything about
the accident to let me know they were all safe. The Swans
concealed it from me.
Have you told Susan about the Music ? Oh ! the Swans
have a cousin named Susan who staid a day or two with
them ; she is English and a very pretty & accomplished
girl ; she is a blonde but having very fine features and
altogether one of the prettiest girls I ever saw. My paper
draws to a close, I am just going to St. Leonard's as I have
not seen them to-day. Margaret is just going on very
mildly, none of the others have taken it yet. I am yours
ANNE CHALMERS.
72 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
(In Dr. Chalmers' handwriting.)
Dr Chalmers with best & kindest regards to Miss Anne
Parker begs to say that he means very shortly to reply to
Miss Parker's kind letter. He is sorry that he will have
to negative her friendly proposition but he will enter into
the reasons for it afterwards & hopes to convince her that
they are good.
Sunday,
St. Andrews.
My dearest Anne,
I got your letter this morning and yesterday morning
Mamma told me of the affliction which has been laid upon
you.* What a shock it was for all of us. It is indeed
a very heavy loss when the head of the family is taken away
so unexpectedly. How you must have felt next day !
To me it seems rather like a dream than a reality. The
certainty of it seems to fade away and then I often picture
to myself your dear Papa as he was when I saw him last
and forget for the moment that I shall never see him again
on this side of the grave. If Miss Parker has not come
home what will she not feel when she hears of it. And
poor Charles & James will be very much distressed. It
ought to be a warning for all of us for we know not what
a day may bring forth. A few hours before your father's
death how little anyone thought of what they should hear
that night. Oh how differently I was writing to you on
Friday night from what I am now. I little thought of
what had happened then. I cannot bear the idea that I
shall never see him again here. If we meet, as I hope we
will soon, it will be so new not to see your dear Father
with you. Oh my dear Anne, how trivial and unimportant
these great afflictions make all the things we distress
ourselves about every day appear. I hope your dear Mother
may be supported under this trial. It will be very heavy
for her but she has consolations in a higher source ; I
hope you may all be enabled to bear up under it. It must
* Death of Mr. Parker, father of Anne Parker.
OF ANNE CHALMERS 73
be very comfortable for Susan to have had that conversation
with him. It really seems like a dream, I can scarcely
believe it possible. Do you remember the lines he wrote
for me before I left Fairlie ? I am happy he did, for I
shall keep them as a memorial of him although the hand
that wrote them is now cold. Dear, dear Mr Parker !
When I was so sorry at leaving Fairlie I did not think I
had such a cause. But in honouring lost friends let us
not forget to thank God for those he has left us. When
a blank is made in a family I think it must link those that
remain still closer together. Do you remember Miss
Pringle that was at Mrs Cowan's ? Her father died last
winter. She was very much attached to him and must
have felt it very deeply. She was of a nature that made
me often very melancholy. Give my kindest regards to
dear Susan & Pat & James & the rest of the family. I
hope they may all be able to support this trial. Give my
kind love to Miss Parker when she comes. I hope you
may be able to see Papa when he comes. Poor Miss
Hutchinson is in great distress, I am certain, for she was
very fond of your Papa. Adieu my dear Anne. That
you may be supported under this heavy affliction is the
fervent wish of your ever affectionate friend
ANNE CHALMERS.
6th Aug. 1828
My dearest Anne,
I am sorry I have not a large sheet but Papa has lost the
key of the paper cabinet and there is not any large paper
out. I feel very deeply your kindness in remembering
me even in the very distressing affliction you have sustained.
I hope you may all be enabled to sustain it and that it may
be of benefit to all of us. It is indeed an awful lesson
and one that we ought to profit by. It has perhaps been
sent to awaken us from the sleep of death we have so long
remained in and I hope its effect may be permanent. I
was yesterday at Leuchars. When I went into the garret
I remembered that the last time I had been there was
with you. Do you remember going there on a Sacrament
74
Sunday & hearing ' While humble shepherds watched
their flocks ' in the cart ? Perhaps it is selfish in me but
I do wish very much you would come with James. Mamma
thinks you would be better of a change of place. I do
not think you would like staying after James as you have
so seldom his company.
From your account of your love of Lord Byron's poetry
it must have gone to such a height as to become almost a
disease. I remarked that in almost every letter you had
a great many quotations from him, most of which I thought
very beautiful but I did not know you read it so constantly.
How little we know what changes time may make in our
opinions ! How little time has intervened between your
recommendation to me to read Lord Byron & your earnest
entreaty that I should not. When your letters came I
began to read one and Mamma took up some of the others
and happened to read the one about Lord Byron ; you
may remember it was not till the end that you desired me
not to speak of it so Mamma did not know till she had
finished all about it, that you did not wish it to be known.
I hope you will not mind her knowing it as she will not speak
of it to anybody. Will you tell me when you write who
Gertrude is ? You have mentioned her several times of
late. How are your Mamma & Susan & ah 1 the others ?
Eliza is pretty well although the shock of the gallery falling
has made her a little nervous so that she almost screams
at the least sound she hears. Margaret has quite recovered
from the scarlet fever & none of the rest has caught it.
My Aunt & cousins are here just now. I went with them
to the mouth of the Eden to-day. The last time I was there
was with you & Miss Parker. How happy we were then !
A year ago at this time we were at Fairlie. A great
affliction teaches us to be contented & not to mind all the
lesser grievances of life which so often break in on our
felicity. I remember I was so sorry when I left Fairlie &
when Uncle & Mrs Pratt & Susan went away from St.
Andrews.
Do write soon, dearest Anne, & tell me what you think
of coming to St. Andrews. I fear your friends will not
like to part with James, and in that case you know we
only meant you to come if you thought you would be the
OF ANNE CHALMERS 75
better of it. It is very natural that at such a time you
should wish to keep all together but perhaps change of air
would raise your spirits a little. What a sudden stroke
it must have been to James when he first opened the
letter. The moment before, never dreaming of what had
happened. I daresay next morning you felt as if you had
had a frightful dream. I could not persuade myself the
first day that it was certain that it had really happened.
Even yet it seems incredible. Your dear father's loss
must have been deeply felt throughout Glasgow. I have
heard many people here speak of it. What a blank it will
make in the village at Fairlie and among such people as
Nurse Gray & John Shearer.
I must conclude now. I am yours,
A. C.
St. Andrews, Sept. loth.
My dearest Anne,
I have as you see, taken a large sheet in hopes that the
sight of it may in some measure mollify you, as I am
sensible I have behaved very ill to you. It almost frightens
me to think how long it is since I wrote to you.
I am glad you have come to that decision about Lord
Byron as I think you are at last in the right. It had
certainly gone to too great a height your reading Lord
Byron, still there is a medium. I cannot think it can
possibly do any harm when taken in moderation. I am
sorry you do not come to St. Andrews but in your
circumstances of course it is better for you to stay with your
Mamma who I hope is better now. What a long time it
will be before we meet ! To be sure it is passing very
quickly. I have always an idea that Edinburgh & Glasgow
are so near that I do not think I shall have patience to wait
a week in Edinburgh without driving to Blochairn to see
you. I hope we shall meet very often then.
Do you remember Mrs McKay's walks with us ? I
have the little Steuart tree yet. Mrs McKay's memory
76 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
for the dates and marriage & intermarriages of Kings and
Princes was truly astonishing. I am reading A dele et
Theodore or Lettres sur I'Education at present. It is a
small book in three volumes, by Mad. de Genlis. It is very
interesting but those French people have such strange
ideas particularly about religion. The lady who is so
particular about educating her children writes to tell her
friend about the religious sentiments she instilled into
their minds. It consisted in a tutelary angel with a fair
complexion and light transparent azure wings constantly
flying round each person and trying to keep them from
harm, so that the little Adele used to say when she had been
very good, ' Dieu me protege et mon bon ange est content
de moi.' I am reading besides in French Mad. de Stael's
Allemagne and in English Philosophy in Sport and Hume's
England and Memoirs of Mrs Susan Huntingdon, and Mrs
Erskine's new work. I heard young Aspall play the other
day, he plays remarkably well and he is such a very nice
little boy. He is 13 but he is little for his age and he is very
playful and not at all vain. I hope he may not be spoilt ;
he is so much made of everywhere. He did not seem to
have ever broken his leg. Did you ever hear him ? Grace
sleeps in our room now and is become one of us, that is
she enters into all our Consultations and is in short become
quite a young lady. Indeed she would disdain entering
the nursery at all, so sensible is she of her issuing from the
estate of Childhood. Indeed Catherine says ' Miss Grace
will never come in to see me now.' If you had come you
would have slept in our room which is very large, I daresay
more than twice as large as the one in the former house.
It has only one window and that is so shaded over with the
large leaves of a fig tree that the room is rather dark. This
garden is so very delighftul that we shall be sorry to leave
it. We shall not have a garden in Edinburgh, only a court
to which the access is by the dining room window about
5 feet above the ground & which the old woman who
showed Mamma the house said would be very ' handy.'
Do write soon to me as we are all very anxious to know
how your Mamma & Susan are.
Who is that teasing tiresome Captain Wishart ? He
must be very silly and very intolerable and very insipid.
OF ANNE CHALMERS 77
Will you remember me to Miss Parker, Susan, James etc. ?
Papa & Mamma send kind regards to Mrs Parker, Miss
Parker, your sister & brothers & yourself. Mamma hopes
you will write soon as she is anxious to know how Mrs
Parker is. I have missed this day's post which I am sorry
for as it is of some consequence at present, especially as
I have been so shamefully long of writing. How delightful
the feeling of vicinity will be in Edinburgh. Let us not
turn a deaf ear to the judgments of God. May this last
awful dispensation you have met with be accompanyed
with mercy to all your family.
Believe me, dear Anne,
Yours affectly.
ANNE CHALMERS.
Oct. qth, Friday.
St. Andrews,
My dear Anne,
It was really very good of you to write so soon after my
delinquency as I always forget 50 things when I write at
a sitting. So you admire Mr Welsh. I am glad you do
for from what I have seen of him I have a very favourable
impression of him. You did not know I had the pleasure
of his acquaintance. In 1826 after our residence at Mount
Greenan Papa & I went to the south countrie to Mr
McLellan's where we spent an evening. He spoke of
phrenology with very great enthusiasm. Afterwards we
spent a night at Sir Alexander Gordon's and in the morning
we were to have breakfasted at Mr Welsh's, however I
declined to accompany Papa as I wanted to stay with Sir
Alexander's granddaughter. Papa has, I think, Welsh's
Life of Dr. Brown ; at least Papa has a great admiration
of Dr. Brown, and I believe applied for a monument to
him. How is Rosa ? I suppose you will keep the little
white dog.
Monday. I have just time to tell you that we are
all in a hubub to-night, it is near twelve o'clock,
78 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
and the Tennants & Eliza, Grace & I have all been
enjoying a glorious aurora borealis. Papa says he never
saw so fine a one. It was really superb. But I must
now leave you.
Tuesday. It is more than a week since I wrote the above
and I should explain to you that Mrs Tennant, Christina
& Ellen have been staying with us sometime but have
departed this morning. Also two young ladies, the Miss
Fortunes, have been with us and Miss Goodsir (you will
perhaps remember our display of our vocal powers) is here
at present. Besides there are a lady & gentleman and their
daughter 4 years old who is much more troublesome than
the Miss Semples and much more deserving the honourable
appellation we gave them. She tells me she can ' kick and
bite ' me if I touch her. We are going next week to Mrs
Morrison's of Naughton, then to Mr Erskine's of
I really forget the name of the place ; and lastly to Mrs
Melville's of Logic. To this last I shall certainly deliver
the message you sent me in one of your letters. We leave
St. Andrews in 3 weeks, then stay a week in Kirkcaldy.
I don't think I'll send off another letter to you until we are
in Edinburgh. I wish we were there. I do not leave a
person behind me I can in the least regret, which is
very pleasant else I might have been sorry to go.
Do you remember my telling of my having adopted
silk worms as pets ? 3 of them alone attained the age
of making silk and these 3 after having formed beautiful
yellow cones and gone through the states of a chrysalis
and a butterfly have run their short course and
are now dead. Do you think you would like some
for next year ? If you would I can give you as many
as you choose, you will not like them at first, they are so
ugly and troublesome.
Wednesday. But I must say your pains are well rewarded
when they begin to spin. After that they do not eat but
you will like to watch them moving their heads about.
I will try to send you the silk of one of them. Certainly
they have not a prepossessing appearance at first but one
gets reconciled to them. I think the present state of
Ireland shows the justice of your views with respect to
Roman Catholic Emancipation. Papa thinks that if they
OF ANNE CHALMERS 79
are not emancipated everything threatens a civil war. I
believe some of them said that if a single Roman Catholic
were injured there would be a general massacre of the
Protestants throughout Ireland. I am glad Uncle and Mrs
Pratt are out of it. On such occasions the duty is very
disagreeable for the military. When you first spoke to me
of the Catholic religion I had a little flimsy structure of
argument against it, but 5 minutes' conversation with Papa
convinced me how very frivolous all I had to advance
against it was. Now I entirely agree with you on that
point.
Saturday. My dear Anne we are just going to set off for
Naughton. The carriage came to town some time ago and
I expect to be called every instant. However I wish to
send off my letter to you before I go. I shall I think begin
a letter to you while I am in the country if I see anything
worth telling you. Mr Erskine has been at Rome & has I
believe a number of curiosities. I remember you & I had
one day a dispute whether you or we had the greater number
of books. I am now able to give you a correct estimate of
the number of them. Papa has 1000 volumes and we
have 140. I must conclude now. Believe me (with the
hope of being 50 miles nearer you in a fortnight).
Your very affectionate
ANNE CHALMERS.
I hope the silk will not be destroyed.
Kirkcaldy.
loth Nov.
My dearest Anne,
I am quite ashamed of the immense gap there has been
between my last letter and this one. Half an hour after I
finished that I left St. Andrews accompanyed by Papa,
Mamma & Eliza (by-the-bye to say accompanyed would
seem as if they were all mere attendants upon my
superior self) to visit Mrs Morrison, relict of the late
80 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
James Chalmers Esq.* alias Bethune of Blebo, being cousin
german of my grandfather. There were staying with them
some other mutual second cousins & Colonel & Mrs Bethune of
Blebo, the three Misses Maxwell & 2 dogs, Fanny and Pinchie.
The last time I was there there was nearly the same
company and one of the old young ladies addressing herself
to the dog with the endearing phrase ' Fanny doggie, Fanny
doggie ' etc. another immediately caught the expression &
continued it. We then crossed the Tay for the first time
since we went to Dundee together. Oh ! how sick Miss
Parker was that day ! There was a very interesting lady
at the same time we were Mrs Rich, daughter of Sir James
Mackintosh & widow of Mr Rich, British resident at
Bagdad. She lived 9 years in that city whose name calls
up so many ideas of Caliphs, Viziers and genie to those
who have read the Arabian Nights. The last number of
the Edinburgh Review takes up an account of Bagdad by
Mr Rich, her husband, and I believe they are mentioned
in Sir Porter's travels. In her bible opposite the I3th
Chap, of Isaiah 2ist and 22nd verses she has written a note
at Babylon mentioning how literally the prophecy had been
fulfilled that the people there dared not go near the ruins
at night, as fearful sights had been seen there and the
natives say that creatures half human half animal have been
observed. I do not know whether it was their imagination
or not but it is certainly a striking fulfilment of prophecy.
I would advise you to look at the verses, I think there is
something very solemn in them. In the Italian Bible
it does not appear to me to be so expressive. Mrs Rich
is very pleasant & was always kind in answering any
questions that were put to her concerning the regions
of eastern romance which she alone of all our society had
visited.
* James, or, more correctly, William J. Chalmers, W.S., of Radernie,
son of the Rev. John Chalmers of Radernie, married successively two
heiresses First, Margaret Bethune of Blebo, and on that marriage
assumed her name of Bethune of Rlebo. She died, leaving him all
her property, and he then married Isobel Morrison of Naughton,
Falfield, etc., and took the name of Morrison. There was only one
child of the marriage, a daughter, who died in Paris in 1818, aged
twenty-three. Mrs. Morrison left property to her own nephew and her
husband's nephew and his first wife's relations. M. G. B.
OF ANNE CHALMERS 81
But to speak of present affairs, we are now in Kirkcaldy
residing in the house of my grandsire where we have been
more than a fortnight ; we were to have departed to
Edinburgh last Friday then it was arranged we were to
stay to Tuesday (yesterday) then Thursday or perhaps even
Saturday. My temper was, I can assure you, well nigh
worn by the delays. To-day a letter has come from Papa
to say that we are to go to-morrow if the weather is fine ;
if not, to go to my grand uncle in Burntisland to stay all
night and cross over next morning. I believe my uncle's
memory is very much gone ; last time I was there it was
with Uncle Pratt, who told him my name first ' Anne,'
upon which he exclaimed ' Enne, what kind of a name is
Enne ? I would not wonder if it was Anne he meant.'
Oh they're a strange set the sodgers. Be sure, Anne, never
to marry a sodger. (Look to the crossing). I have been
reading aloud The Fair Maid of Perth to my grandpapa,
I like it very much. He has chosen a very interesting
period of history viz. the barbarous murder of the Duke of
Rothesay son of Robt. 3rd. by his uncle of Albany & the
account of the Highland wars of that period. While I
read of the duke's sufferings Eliza's indignation was strong
and her mouth was compressed & her hand clenched while
she muttered ' I would kill them.' Oh by the bye it was not
the editor but the proprietor of the Sun who was at St.
Leonard's and he said he was very sorry for what had been
in his paper concerning Mr Irving. He said the paper had
been injured by it. When Eliza was told that not being
editor he was not answerable for what was in his paper,
she summed up his character in the emphatic words ' He is
a very nonsensical man.' In three days I shall be very
near you. I am delighted at going to Edinburgh. I cannot
help wondering I regretted St. Andrews so little. Leaving
it did not cost me one sad thought. I have the last piece
Bryon ever wrote. I shall not tire soon of hearing of
him so you may safely write as much about him as you
like. I heard an anecdote concerning him from a lady who
used often to see him running past to school in the morning
at Aberdeen. A lady wrote to her mother asking her
about a family who lived there viz. Mrs & Mr Byron, as
she had been witness of a very strange scene concerning
82
them. She and Mrs Byron and a number of young ladies
were at a party when a fortune teller came in, and among
others foretold to Mrs Byron, then unmarried, that she would
marry the gentleman then paying his addresses to her,
but that the consequences would be great misery to herself ;
that she would have one son & that he should be deformed.
Now this was exactly the case, for Mr Byron behaved very
ill to her so that they were the talk of Aberdeen, and the
young George had a club foot. By the bye I daresay the
name was Gordon, not Byron. Dear Anne excuse this short
letter, I have not time to lengthen it as I have to send it
by a lady who goes to Glasgow tomorrow morning. Adieu
ma cherc. Hoping to see you soon Believe me to be yours.
A. CHALMERS.
(In Eliza's hand) :
My dearest Anne,
I am very sure you will not be able to make out half of
this letter ; Anne has such a habit of making mistakes. I
hope you like Sir Walter Scott. I cannot bear to read any
other novels than his except perhaps Miss Porter's. I like
Byron's poetry very much. I long to hear about the doge
of Venice & his family. Adieu Fair Maiden.
From thine,
E. CHALMERS.
THE JOURNAL OF 1830
THE JOURNAL OF 1830
ON Saturday, ist of May, Papa, Mamma, and
I embarked in that celebrated steamship the
United Kingdom for London. Miss Colquhoun,
a lady in delicate health, was to travel with us. On
coming on board we found she had already arrived
with her mother and brother, who left her to our
care. We were surprised to find our friend Mr.
Ridolph on board.
Shortly after our arrival some ladies, who used to
be playmates of mine many years before, came on
board. These were the Misses Buchanan and Mrs.
Abney, daughters of Lady J. Buchanan, who lived
near Ardincaple. Seven or eight years had trans-
formed them from romping girls who used to build
houses on the sand with me into good-looking
women, with a little of the Glasgow dash in their
manner. As for their brother, he is one of those men
who strut about with moustaches, with some good
nature but few ideas. We had a number of fellow
passengers, but I did not observe many of them
but shall give a slight sketch of those whom I
particularly noticed. Miss Stewart was (I suppose)
a young lady, and evidently meant to be a fine lady.
She and her friend Miss Anstruther kept most of the
people in the ladies' cabin awake for three hours one
night while they discussed sandwiches and talked
nonsense, wondering whether the people were asleep,
for they were very quiet, as if it were possible to
sleep while they talked so loud. Miss S. is very
pernickety, spent quarter of an hour in adjusting her
chair, and took especial care to have everything
86 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
exactly right. Miss Anstruther was silly and good-
natured. There were two simple country-looking
girls who were acquainted with Jeffrey, Leonard,
Homer, and some of these literati. Miss Fredenberg
was introduced to Papa, but having been sufficiently
lengthy in my descriptions already, I shall not
mention any of the nondescripts, but shall only add
my recantation of all the ill-natured remarks I may
have made. We found the ship very comfortable,
the saloon splendidly furnished, the beds comfortable,
and the weather very favourable. On Sunday, Papa
preached in the saloon. The passengers seemed
attentive. It is difficult to settle down to Sunday
reading in a boat. Most of the passengers appeared
to be reading novels.
We passed Whitby, the architecture of whose
cathedral is very beautiful, also Scarborough, the
castle of which is situated on a bold precipice. We
saw the figures of men projected on the sky who
were standing on the rock, to which circumstance
Papa called my attention, as being the first time I
had seen English men standing on English ground.
The coast of Yorkshire is proudly ramparted with
rocks about 400 ft. high, in the crevices of which
the wild bird builds her nest. The quantity of chalk
in these rocks gives them a curious appearance. I
counted a hundred vessels at the mouth of the
Humber. On Monday morning we found ourselves
as far as the coast of Essex. We passed a fleet of
colliers on its way to that great consumer London.
Just a week before I had seen Lord Elgin's coals
shipped. Perhaps these might be the same. On
entering the Thames, the borders only of Kent and
Essex were visible to us. They are flat, scattered
OF ANNE CHALMERS 87
over with trees, but on the whole uninteresting to a
Scottish eye. But as the river narrowed, we descried
some beautiful spots. As we passed Woolwich, we
heard its musical bells ' tolling the knell of parting
day.' When we reached Greenwich, most of the
passengers left the ship, and we witnessed the curious
operation of hoisting horses and carriages from the
hold into the small boats. The horses were enclosed
separately in cages, and the carriages presented a
very singular and unusual spectacle raised in mid-air,
like flying dragons.
Tuesday, ^th. Papa, Mamma, Miss Colquhoun,
and I landed and breakfasted with friends of Miss
C.'s, Mr. and Mrs. Lockier, who are connected with
the Greenwich Hospital, and live within its walls.
After breakfast our kind entertainers accompanied
us through the hospital, showed us the schools, which
seem very well conducted. The boys went over
some mathematical problems with great precision.
Greenwich Park is a most beautiful piece of scenery.
We left spring in Scotland, and found summer here ;
the foliage is luxuriant, the verdure rich, and
altogether Greenwich Park is the most beautiful
piece of scenery I have seen. We visited the
Observatory, saw Mr. Bond (the astronomer) and
his lady ; they form great contrasts to each other,
the one being very quiet and the other having rather
an overwhelming manner. Mr. Bond's assistant
showed us the camera obscura. On returning, the
Greenwich boys displayed some extraordinary feats
of gymnastics for our amusement. They are not so
severely disciplined as the Heriot boys in Edin-
burgh. It is worthy of remark that, the week before,
I entered a coal mine for the. first time in my life,
88 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
and this day entered England for the first time. We
left Greenwich in the forenoon for London. I
remarked several differences between Scotland and
England : first, the houses were all built of brick,
some plastered over to resemble stone, with neat
verandahs painted green. There are a number of
clever little boxes of that sort in the suburbs
to which the London cits retire during summer.
Second, hawkers are everywhere dispersed with
gingerbeer, oranges, and all the comforts that would
be desired on such a hot day. The weather is indeed
very hot, and the vegetation very far advanced on
this side of the Tweed. Our lodgings in London are
in a narrow street, and are dirty, sooty, and un-
comfortable. The paper of the sitting-room has
glaring yellow roses upon a red ground, and the
bedrooms are musty and airless. They say, to make
things better, that it is a very fashionable street, but
what is fashion ? I can't tell, but you may ' ask of
Folly, for she her worth can best express.' I sat
moping and exclaiming against London all the rest
of the evening.
Wednesday, the $th of May, is my birthday.* I have
reached a most venerable antiquity. Papa, Mamma,
and I walked to Westminster Abbey and were
conducted over it by the guide. We saw the tombs
of many of the kings, nobles, and poets of former
days, and wax figures of Charles II, a Duke of
Buckingham, Queen Elizabeth, William and Mary,
Ann and Nelson (who is like life). Elizabeth has a
most disagreeable expression of countenance. Mary
and Ann are good-looking. Among other tombs we
saw that of Mary Queen of Scots. Her figure is
* Seventeenth birthday.
OF ANNE CHALMERS 89
represented in a recumbent posture on it. We also
saw the monuments of Edward I, Henry III,
Richard II and his queen, the two princes who were
murdered in the Tower, Milton, Dryden, Chaucer,
Watts, Horner, etc. In one of the apartments stand
the chairs on which the King and Queen sit when
they are crowned. To that of the King is fixed the
Scotch stone on which the Kings of Scotland were
once crowned before it was taken from Scone by
Edward I. The architecture of this Abbey is
splendid. We were in the chapel in which Divine
service is performed twice every day. A genuine
Scotchman who had been making the round of the
Abbey and making remarks with great simplicity on
what he saw, here inquired earnestly, ' But whaur's
the pulpit ; whaur does the minister and the precentor
sit ? ' After looking round the room he was satisfied
as to the position of the pulpit. After leaving West-
minster we walked through St. James's Park and sat
down by the pond in the centre of it, paying a penny
each for the refreshment of chairs. The road between
St. James's Park and the Green Park resembles the
Meadows very much. We were a little fatigued by
our excursion, and sat quietly for the rest of the
day in our lodgings, to which we began to get
somewhat reconciled and accustomed.
In the evening Mr. Irving and Mr. Nisbet called.
When Mr. I. was told it was my birthday, he said,
' Dear child, may it come often.' He is grieved
about the illness of his ' little dear child ! ' There
was nothing extravagant about his appearance. He
seems to believe in Mary Campbell's* miraculous gifts.
Thursday, 6th May. Heard as usual in the morning
* One of the Row ' heretics,' who believed in speaking in ' tongues.'
90 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
the varied intonations of the London cries, from the
staccato of the old clothes man to the long of the
men selling boxes. To-day for the first time I saw a
Bishop in his lawn apron. He was a fine-looking
man, upon whose countenance a pleasing smile was
lighted up as he crossed the street to speak to a
gentleman. This last turned out to be Mr. Lockier,
who called on us and told us it was the Bishop of
London we had seen, a very talented man. Walked
through the Horse Guard House and by the side of
St. James's Park and through the court of St. James's
Palace, where Papa showed us the identical spot at
which he had received a curtsey to himself alone from
Queen Charlotte many years ago.
We dined with Lord Barham.* I was particularly
interested by a Mrs. O'Brien, who seems a compound
of talent, naivete, and gaiety. She is the most
lovable person I ever saw. I like Lord Barham. He
looks melancholy, and though he is not old, he has
laid three wives in the grave. His last wife died
about six months ago. It is customary here to hang
the escutcheon of the family painted on a black
ground on the walls of the house when the head of
the family dies.
Friday, jth May. Miss Elizabeth Cowan and Mr.
Charles Virtue breakfasted with us. We had the
loan of Mr. Murray's carriage to go to Walworth.
We called on Mr. Chalmers f and saw Mrs. Chalmers
and her grandson, but Uncle was not at home. On
our return we went to St. Paul's, which I explored
very thoroughly. I went nearly as far as the ball
* Lord Barham was grandson to Admiral Lord Barham. whom he
succeeded.
f James Chalmers, eldest brother of Dr. Chalmers.
OF ANNE CHALMERS 91
that is, I ascended three ladders, but not the per-
pendicular steps. The monuments are beautifully
arranged, and almost all bear some sculptured
allegorical device. They are mostly the tombs of
those who died for their country in battle. After
leaving St. Paul's we went to a confectioner's, where
we had ice, gingerbeer, cakes, and a number of those
things that I like. From St. Paul's we have a very
good view of the city. Although the houses appear
so crowded that one can hardly imagine that they are
separated, still when seen from a height they have a
neat aspect, and the brick and red tiled houses are
clean looking, if not handsome. This was the first
time I had been in the city. We passed along
Ludgate Hill and the Strand and went out by the
Temple Bar, which the King cannot pass without
permission from the most worshipful the Lord Mayor
of London. I must not omit mentioning that we
saw the shop of that Waithman whose rising in
the House of Commons is the signal for a general
retreat. Papa stopped to talk to a gentleman to
whom he introduced Mamma and me. I did not
know till he was gone that he was Capt. Basil Hall.
If I had, I should have paid more attention to what
he said and observed him more particularly. He
lives next door to us, and we often see his wife and
children go out in the carriage. We found several
persons had called in our absence, among others,
Mr. Bruce. Dr. Nicol and Mr. Duncan came in in
the evening and sat some time with us ; also a Mr.
Hamilton, brother-in-law to Mr. Irving, who made
offer of his services in showing us the town.
Saturday, 8th May. Before we went out this
morning a number of people called, viz., Mr. Lockier,
92 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
Mr. Duncan, Capt. Gordon, who introduced Capt.
Vernon, son of the Archbishop of York, and an
Irish clergyman, and some others. The morning
being wet, we were deprived of a cruise on the
Thames, which we had promised ourselves. We
rode to Somerset House to see the Exhibition of
Pictures. The lower rooms were chiefly filled with
architectural designs ; in the upper rooms were a
great many portraits, some of which were interesting,
such as the King's, Duke of Clarence's, and Princess
Victoria's. But on the whole, I thought it inferior to
the Edinburgh exhibitions. One room was devoted
to sculpture. We afterwards drove to St. James's to
inquire for the King, and saw the bulletin which
purported that he had had a comfortable night and
slept several hours, but that the general symptoms
remain the same. Capt. Gordon drank tea with us.
We spent a very quiet evening, as we often do in
London. Mr. Spencer Percival* came in for some
time in the evening. He is a very pleasant person.
Sunday, gth May. We breakfasted with Mr.
Virtue and delivered letters to Miss E. Cowan, as
she was to go to Scotland that day. We all went to
hear Mr. Irving, and Miss Cowan could not remain
all the time, as the smack was to sail before service
was over. Mr. Irving read a chapter in Ezekiel,
interspersing it with his own remarks. His sermon
was long, but not so overwhelmingly lengthy as I
have heard he is often. After leaving church, Mr.
Irving offered me his arm to walk home with him,
which I declined on the plea of his height, upon
* Son of Mr. Spencer Percival, the Prime Minister, who was
assasinated by Bellingham in the lobby of the House of Commons
in 1811.
OF ANNE CHALMERS 93
which he beckoned to a young man, a Mr. Buchan,
to walk with me. I was forced to comply, though at
first I thought it a bore, but in two minutes I
accounted myself singularly fortunate, for I had
discovered that he was one of the Row heretics. I
am very much interested in that set of people ;
indeed, all their external circumstances are calculated
to interest in their favour. They have their origin in
a most beautiful and romantic country. Mary
Campbell herself has the beauty of a spiritual being,
and their holiness resembles that of the Primitive
Church more than anything I know of in this world.
They all seem so calm and mild and gentle, and so
patient of incredulity concerning these wonderful
gifts that one cannot think them under the influence
of excitement. Yet as Mrs. O'Brien says it may be
a delusion of Satan's to get these so far established as
miracles, and then destroyed, and thus take away the
authority of the miracles of the New Testament.
This person did not tell me any new things about it,
but merely attested his knowledge of these three
miraculous cures, and said that M. Campbell is quite
well and strong and that her pulse is all right. We
dined with Mr. Irving. He was exceedingly kind to
us. We returned part of our way in an omnibus, a
conveyance which I had a great desire to enter, but
which, having been in, I have no wish to re-enter.
Jhe company is too miscellaneous for my taste. Sir
George Phillips, Mr. Duncan, and Capt. Gordon
called in the evening. Capt. Gordon was so good as
to mend this pen for me. This day week I heard
sermon in a steamboat ; this day fortnight in Dun-
fermline Church ; and three weeks ago was confined to
Argyle Square in the morning, but went to Mr. Clason's
94 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
in the afternoon and called at Park Place on the
way home.
Monday, loth May. Mr. Rhind, Capt. Gordon,
Mr. Crummie, and Mr. Clark came in the morning
and staid some time. My uncle James called in the
forenoon. He somewhat resembles Mr. Mackay,
has grey hair and a forehead like Papa. He is not
like what I expected, but very quiet and mild. A
very dirty and rainy day. Trudged to St. James's
(because Mamma says the hackney coaches are as
wet as the clouds) and saw the bulletin. A comfortable
night (as usual), but the symptoms continue the
same. We then went to Westminster Hall, were
too late for either House of Parliament, and saw
nothing but a crowd of people in the entry, with here
and there interspersed robed and wigged lawyers.
However, we met Mr. Biddulph on the street. Papa
went to the Lower House, and Mamma and I spent
a very quiet (and at first dull and cold, but afterwards
enlivened by a fire) evening.
Tuesday, nth May. The first place we visited to-day
was a shop, in which we remained an hour and a
half, during which time Papa studied with his book
and pencil very quietly, notwithstanding the noise
and bustle of the shop and the frequent appeals of
the shopkeeper to his taste, such as ' This is a very
neat colour, sir ; only four shillings a yard ; very cheap
I assure you, sir.' To which sally Papa replied that
in Scotland the adjective ' neat ' was applied to form,
not to colour. ' Yes, sir,' said the man, ' we do not
always apply our words correctly ; we call this a quiet
colour,' pointing to a brown. If any of my readers
object to the above colloquy on the ground of its
being too highly coloured, let me assure them that I
OF ANNE CHALMERS 95
am a faithful reporter, more so than he of the Times
newspaper, who was cruel enough to prevent a poor
innocent man from enjoying his breakfast by the
insertion of a letter in his name. We proceeded to
Walworth and dined with my Uncle, and immediately
after dinner went to the House of Commons, found
Mr. Hay waiting for us, who conducted us to the
ventilator where ladies can hear the speakers and
even see them sometimes through the holes in the
roof. We found a good many ladies there, among
others two very gay ones who laughed in convulsions at
some of the members who came under their scrutiny.
' Oh ! Good God ! What a pair of eyes ! I declare
he is looking up ! La ! what frights in boots ! I
could speak better myself ! ' and various similar
instructive and amusing exclamations formed the
tenor of their conversation. But to return to the
business of the house. Its members do not sit gravely
and sedately on their benches as wise legislators
ought to do (I beg their pardon if I had said so
in their presence they would have bawled out
' Order ! Order ! ' until I had said ' as I should have
supposed wise legislators would have done from
their well-known prudence and discretion in all other
matters '). They walk about and talk to each other
unless an interesting person is speaking, and call out
' Hear ! hear ! Order ! ' I suppose at random, for they
certainly do not seem to pay much attention. Then
they like so much to exercise their privilege of wearing
their hats, and appear constantly in boots, so that
their general appearance is by no means dignified.
I saw one gentleman who sat quietly in a corner
dressed ' in blue and grey,' with yellow top-boots
and a whip in his hand. In short, in costume, manners,
96 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
and appearance each seems the personification
of what one would imagine a true John Bull to
be, bold and independent. I did not admire the
speaking very much, but none of the eloquent men
were there. At first a great many petitions were laid
on the table, and nothing was heard but the often
repeated Ayes and the Noes, ' The Ayes have it.'
Then we had a ' little animated debate ' between
Messrs. O'Connell and Doherty, which was very
interesting, after which followed a long discussion
about abolishing the Lord Lieutenancy of Ireland.
The motion was made by Hume in a diffuse speech
of about an hour and a half, then opposed by Lord
Leveson Gower, and thrown from one side of the
House to the other, till at last the strangers were sent
away (but not the ladies) together with our party,
while four gentlemen with four sticks counted the
other division, then the opposite side came into the
room in single files, and were counted as they passed.
The Lord Lieutenancy of Ireland was not abolished.
Then a Mr. Robertson stood up labouring to enlighten
the community upon Newfoundland, but alas,
nobody listened, and we left him to address the
speaker, for the others seemed not to be disposed to
settle down with attention to his long speech. Really,
Tuesday is a very eventful day to me, for the Tuesday
before was the day on which I first stood on English
ground, and the Tuesday before that the first time I ever
stood in a bucket on my way to the bottom of a coal pit.
Wednesday, izth May. Mamma was rather
fatigued, so resolved not to accompany Papa and I
to Richmond to visit Mr. G. Noel. We went in the
steamboat. As we approach Richmond the view
from the river is beautiful. We found Mr. Noel and
OF ANNE CHALMERS 97
Mr. Spooner, both English clergymen, waiting for us.
They took us to the top of Richmond Hill, as it is
called, but which is really a very slight elevation,
where the view of the Thames losing itself among
the luxuriant feuillage on its banks was very lovely.
On arriving at the residence of Mr. Noel we were
introduced to his wife and daughters. They are a
very pleasant family. I was much flattered by
hearing from one of the young ladies that Mr. Noel
retained a very livery remembrance of me under the
strange cognomen of Peter McFarlane. We dined
with them at three o'clock and returned to London in
the coach soon after. We were just in time to drive,
accompanied by Mamma and Capt. Gordon, to Mr.
Frederick Calthorpe's to dinner. We had a very
small party, consisting of Mr. Calthorpe and Lady
Charlotte, Capt. and Lady Mary Saurin, Lady
Blanche Somerset, Mr. Gordon, Mr. Flinch, Papa,
Mamma, and I. The people here have very small
dining-tables, a very good plan, as it limits the
numbers. Lady Blanche is a very interesting-looking
person, but I was so exceedingly sleepy that I could
hardly speak, and I was very glad when the coach
was ordered to take us home.
Thursday, i^th May. Mamma had a return of her
old complaint in the morning, so was forced to forgo
the pleasure of seeing again her acquaintance, Mrs.
Rich, and that of being introduced to Sir James
Mackintosh.* Papa and I (as it happened to be
agreeable to James) breakfasted with him. He has
great conversational powers. Did nothing but write
* Sir James Mackintosh (1765-1832), philosopher, held many
Government appointments. Married, secondly, Catherine Allen,
whose two sisters married Josiah and John Wedgewood. Sir James
was said by James Mill ' only to have lived for social display ' I !
98 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
my journal for the rest of the day, as I had a great
deal to make up. Mr. Duncan, Mr. Irving, and Mr.
Macgregor called, and also Mr. James Parker. The
sight of the latter called up in my mind a tram of old
feelings and associations. I have not seen him for
three years, and having been for a week in town
without seeing him I almost feared that one of the
reasons for which I most wished to come to London
would be frustrated.
Friday, iqth May. Mrs. Babington, Mrs. McCaulay,
and Mr. James Parker called. It was settled
that I should visit the Parkers in the beginning of
the week. Papa dined at Mr. Colquhoun's, and
they sent their carriage for Mamma and me.
What a comfort a comfortable carriage is instead of
those horrid London hackneys ! We found Miss
Colquhoun better. We saw our old acquaintance,
Mr. Shore, also Lord and Lady Radstock,* the latter
of whom Mamma knew some years ago. She seems
a very pleasant person, and although I did not speak
to her all night, I sat looking on her with esteem and
admiration. The Misses Powis introduced them-
selves to me, and Miss Colquhoun introduced a Miss
Hope. There was also a Mr. Hope, to whom I spoke
without introduction. Mr. and Mrs. Colquhoun are
very agreeable people indeed. There were also others
whose names I do not know, but our old friend for
such I feel him to be though the acquaintance is
only of a week's standing Mr. Lockier was there.
But I must proceed to the most celebrated person
of the party, Mrs. Heber, widow of the Bishop. She
* Lord Radstock (1786-1857), second Baron Radstock, married
Esther Caroline, daughter of John Paget of Totteridge. They were
much interested in charitable affairs.
OF ANNE CHALMERS 99
is not* married again, and was very indignant at the
reports of that nature which were circulated. I must
confine myself to describing her appearance, as I did
not hear a word of what she said. She has a tall figure,
and quite a regal aspect. She is not pretty, has very
black hair, and is not old-looking. She was dressed in
black velvet, with a wreath of flowers in her hair and
a necklace and gold chain. She sat majestically
surrounded by two or three people, to whose remarks
she assented with a graceful and dignified bend of the
head. Altogether, the company to-night seemed to
contain more stars of beauty and fashion than any
party I have been at since I came to town. The
Misses Powis are pretty. Mr. Colquhoun asked me
if I kept a journal. I suppose my answer must be
manifest to all who peruse these pages.
Saturday, i$th May. Mr. Virtue breakfasted with
Mamma and me, for Papa was at Sir George Philips's.
Miss Gordon, with another lady and gentleman, called
on us. At twelve o'clock, Mr. Gordon called and
introduced Mr. Baptist Noel. He came to take me to
the Anti-Slavery Meeting. It is the first of that kind
I ever attended. I was amused by seeing about the
doors black men with papers about their hats with
these words written on them : ' Am I not a man and
a brother ? ' The passages were crowded when we
entered, but I got a very comfortable seat beside
some ladies who had been at the House of Commons,
and who were very kind to me to-day. Mr. Gordon
went to the platform as the gentlemen are separated
from the ladies. The house was quite crowded,
as 3,000 tickets had been issued, though there was
room only for 1,500 persons. When Mr. Wilberforce
* She has since married a Greek count. A. C.
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entered the room the plaudits were long and
loud. He is very much distorted in his figure, but
has a most benevolent expression of countenance.
After he ascended the platform, there was some
delay before Mr. T. Clarkson came forward to move
him to the chair. In the interim a very active-
looking Quaker, who seemed to take charge, called
out several times, ' Thomas Clarkson, come forward !
Will you allow Thomas Clarkson to proceed to put.
Wilberforce in the chair ? ' At last, Mr. Clarkson
came on, and moved that Mr. W. should take the
chair, which was unanimously agreed to. Then Mr.
W. made a speech which was interrupted by the
cheering caused by the Bishop of Bath and Wells 's
entrance. After him, spoke Mr. Buxton, then
Lord Milton, who said among other things that
' Christianity is a religion of liberty ' ; at which Mr.
O'Connell, who was standing near me and on whom
I kept a sharp eye said ' Hear ! ' After Lord Milton
followed Tom Macaulay, who spoke very well, with
great fluency and very much to the point. Lord
Calthorpe followed ; his attitudes were good. Mr.
Wilberforce stood up then, but another gentleman
rose and called ' Mr. Chairman, Mr. Chairman, may
I say a few words ? ' To this, Mr. W. assented, but
a terrible hubbub of hissing and shouting and calls
to orders came from every quarter of the room. The
intruder was a tall man, with rather a handsome
countenance and white hair. A lady next me told me
he was the Radical Hunt.* He attempted to obtain a
* Henry Hunt (1773-1835) was a politician of the turbulent
order. He was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for miscon-
duct at a public meeting, but was welcomed with great enthusiasm
by his admirers on his release and presented with a piece of plate.
Romilly calls him ' a most unprincipled demagogue.'
10 1
hearing, but the noise was immense, and Mr.
Buxton begged they would listen to him. They,
however, continued the uproar, till Mr. Wilberforce
rose to say that any gentleman had a right to speak.
Upon which, they allowed Mr. Hunt to proceed ;
but before he had finished three sentences the
clamour broke out again, and a man in the gallery
appealed to the chair if the time of the meeting
should be filled up by extraneous matter. We were
rather in a dilemma here, for Hunt was determined,
so were the people, till at last their great favourite,
Brougham, rose, amid loud cheers, and in a very
well-managed speech brought them to reason, and
Hunt was permitted to go on, much to my satisfaction.
He seemed to say that this was rather a one-eyed
charity which went abroad for cases while so many
were in worse slavery in England. He adduced
some instances of great misery, but the patience of
the mob wore out, and he was again interrupted by
a commotion. Mr. Wm. Allen, the famous Quaker,
begged him to consider how precious the time of the
meeting was, which he said he was quite disposed to
do, and begged that all who thought an Englishman
should be allowed to speak would hold up their
hands. I fear no hand was raised, but he smiled
good-humouredly, and said he had very noisy
opposers. Again, a man in the gallery begged he
might be set down ; then Mr. Gordon rose and said
that if Hunt had a right to speak, he or any man
present might speak too. This was received with great
applause, and poor Hunt was forced to retire, and
Mr. Daniel Wilson, the eloquent English clergyman,
rose. There is a grave solemn expression on his
brow. He was listened to with good attention.
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Mr. Bennet was then requested to speak, which he
did very modestly, but was rather prosy, so the ill-
mannered people actually began to cough him down ;
so when he saw they were tired of him he concluded
with an apology for detaining them. Afterwards,
Chs. Brownlow, M.P., a young man with light hair,
spoke like Mr. F. Bruce. Then came the illustrious
Brougham, of whom I shall not attempt to express
my admiration, but shall only remark that he wore
a black velvet waistcoat and a black surtout.
Every word Brougham says thrills through one. Mr.
Rounall began in a daring style, for he dared to say
that Brougham had not spoken to the purpose, and
that if Mr. Hunt had spoken in the same way he
would have been hissed. The people were very
angry at the idea of censuring Mr. Brougham, but
I knew Rounall had something acceptable to say or he
would not have hazarded such a remark. Accordingly,
with great animation and energy he recommended
that time should not be lost, but a day should
be appointed immediately for freeing the negroes.
He spoke with immense zest and life, and was
applauded more than any of his predecessors, even
than Brougham. Many people waved their hats
in the enthusiasm of the moment, among these my
friend, Mr. O'Connell. He spoke capitally. Then
Henry Drummond seconded him con spirito. He is
a pale, clever-looking man, spoke with genius and
animation, and concluded by saying the negroes
would not be free till some black O'Connell or some
swarthy Bolivar rose from among themselves to
emancipate them. At this, Daniel smiled. Then
Mr. Butt said some things, then Mr. Buxton rose
to defend himself from the charge of coldness which
OF ANNE CHALMERS 103
he thought Rounall and Drummond charged the
Committee with. Then rose Brougham in rather
passion, though he commands himself wonderfully,
and talked of the insidious attacks made upon himself,
upon which Rounall called him to order. Mr.
Brougham thought them rather hasty, and said that
if they determined that every child born after 1831
should be free, from the necessary delays in getting
it through Parliament, it would hardly reach the
West Indies by that time ; that if they determined so
hastily in a fit of excitement they would think them-
selves very rash on Monday morning. Then Mr.
Drummond rose to defend himself from having made
any insidious attack, and Mr. Rounall said he meant
nothing personal, only he did think unless a time
were settled nothing would be done, that seven years
had passed without advantage, that he did not mean
to fix on 1831 in particular ; let it be 1832. He
did not believe that the people would think them-
selves in the least rash or that they would have
changed at all in their views on Monday morning,
to which they assented with loud cheering. Then
the cry for O'Connell rose, but Mr. Spring Rice
came forward and proposed modification, that they
should determine to fix a time but should not fix it
then. This measure was ultimately agreed to. But
now came O'ConnelTs turn. He saw no difficulty in
the matter. ' You may, if you like, fix that every
child born after the I4th April, 1829, should be free '
(a day he remembered with exceeding pleasure).
He has served apprenticeship to three agitations.
Protestant, Catholic, Presbyterian, Quaker and
Baptist should all unite in their great work. Let
England and Scotland unite ; he would answer for
104 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
emancipated Ireland ; from its mountains and
dells a voice will be heard louder than the thunder,
saying, ' Let the slave be free ! ' I have merely
written a few of the expressions of his speech that
I remember, but there was more feeling in it than
in that of any man there. He is a most admirable
speaker. He addresses himself to the feelings and
passions. Fowell Buxton told horrible stories, but
only addressed the reason. O'Connell for ever !
I watched him all the time of the meeting, and he
was very good humoured, talking and laughing to
those about him. I must not omit mentioning that
the man who first spoke about Hunt from the gallery,
and whom I remarked from his resemblance to Mr.
Davis (Henry Felix's cousin), was amazingly delighted,
and clapped his hands in ecstasy and with hearty
good will, desiring Daniel O'Connell, Esq., etc., M.P.'s
speech. He seemed very much pleased, too, with
Mr. Rounall's speeches. But there was tremendous
cheering at O'Connell's speech, as it well merited.
Then Mr. Hunt asked one question for the sake
of order, but I did not hear very well what it
was. Then Mr. Buckingham, the lecturer, spoke,
then Mr. Denman, one of the Queen's counsellors,
and considered one of the handsomest men in
Britain. He speaks with eloquence. Afterwards,
came Dr. Lushington, a lawyer and M.P., and a
very delightful and excellent man, as I was told. At
this period I left the meeting, and shall presently
take leave of the subject, begging my reader's pardon
(that is, if I am so fortunate as to have one at this
period of my history) for being so prolix about
this Anti-Slavery Meeting ; but it is chiefly for my
own satisfaction that I am so particular, as I wish to
OF ANNE CHALMERS 105
remember the facts. It is the first meeting I ever
was at, save the missionary meetings at St. Andrews,
and has been a most interesting one. How much
more room for eloquence there is in such a meeting
than in the dry debates in the House of Commons
Mamma and I went to tea at Sir Thomas Acland's*
at nine o'clock, Papa having been at dinner. The first
person I saw was Mrs. Colquhoun, and I sat by her
for some time. It was a large party. Mamma says
there were about a hundred persons, but I did not
think there were more than thirty or forty. For some
time I sat quite by myself, unknowing and unknown,
and not speaking to any one. At last I was accosted
by a young lady next me, whom I discovered to be
Miss Wilberforce. She introduced her mother to me.
Mrs. Heber was there ; she was dressed in white
to-night, and looked more attainable than last night. I
saw Mamma talking to her, but I did not go to them,
else I would have been introduced to her. I saw
Mr. Spencer Percival and Mr. Chs. Grant, a fine-looking
white-haired man. I also spied a Bishop or two.
How strange their costume is !
But a ridiculous thing was that I did not know Sir
Thomas, and when he spoke to me on his entering
the drawing-room I thought he had made a mistake
and looked strangely at him, and afterwards I thought
him a very odd man, but I like him excessively,
he is so very lively. He is rather like Chs. Cowan.
Lady Acland is nice enough, but I forget her now.
There were also Lady and Miss Butler and the
Countess of Morton, besides an immense number
* Sir Thomas Acland (1787-1871), politician and philanthropist,
married the only daughter of Sir R. Hoare. He was called the
' head of the religious party in the House of Commons.'
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of people whose names I forget. I enjoyed the
party exceedingly ; there was so much variety in
it, and no formality at all. Papa called it a rout. But
one great attraction was Mr. Wilberforce, who came
in as full of life and glee as possible, notwithstanding
his having sat seven hours at the meeting as chairman
in the morning. I was introduced to him. He
remembers with great interest that thirteen years ago,
when he heard Papa, ' poor Canning ' was there too.
He spoke with a tone of regret of him. I recognized
Ld. Calthorpe too, and I must give as my opinion
of him that he is a very pleasant man, and has, I
think, a very good manner, notwithstanding the
taunts sometimes thrown out against him. It was
altogether a very pleasant evening. The people were
collected in knots about the room, talking and
laughing, and Mr. Wilberforce went from one to
another shaking hands, and diffused the sunshine of
his benevolence everywhere. Altogether this was
more a day of excitement than any I have passed in
London, and certainly I should not have been inclined
to go through a mathematical problem at its close.
I suppose that is the test by which people may judge
whether they have allowed themselves to be excited
beyond their natural state.
Sunday, i6th May. Breakfasted at Mr. Virtue's.
Met there Mr. Spring Rice and his son, a boy of
fifteen. After breakfast, Mrs. and Miss Wilberforce
and Mr. Harford came to accompany us to church.
I walked with Mr. Rice, and he talked about the
meeting. He thought Mr. Rounall was too hasty,
that he was wrong ; but it was an amiable error, for
what would be the use of making all the children
born after the ist January, 1831, the freebom
OF ANNE CHALMERS 107
children of slave parents, unable to support them ?
They must of necessity starve unless some provision
be made for them, and time is necessary for that, to
get it through Parliament. Mr. Rice is a very
pleasant person, though Capt. Gordon says he is a
mere politician. Papa preached in Mr. Irving's.
The church was very full. After sermon, Mr.
Wilberforce came into the vestry. Mr. Fowell
Buxton delivered me my parasol, which I had left at
yesterday's slavery meeting, upon which Mr. W.
shook hands with me to congratulate me (I suppose)
on its recovery. Papa, Mamma, and I proceeded to
Mr. Virtue's, thence to Mr. Parker's, where we found
that Capt. and Mrs. Darroch had arrived from
France. Susan was looking very well, but Capt. D.
was unwell and looked very pale. They were so
surprised to hear that we were in London. James
brought in his little baby and held it quite with the air
of a connoisseur. Capt. Gordon came in the evening.
On going home from church we found Capt. Hall at
his door. He introduced us to Mrs. and Miss Hall.
Monday, ijth May. We left our confined lodgings
in James's Place for a house in Ulster Terrace,
kindly offered by the Misses Powis. It is in a
pleasant situation close by Regent's Park, so that it
seems quite in the country. As far as the eye can
reach from the front windows we see only green
fields, trees, and gentle eminences. It is a very good
house, containing a dining-room and parlour, two
drawing-rooms and bedrooms. Mamma and I went
from thence to call on the Colquhouns, and saw Mr.
and Mrs. and Miss Colquhoun, and either one or
two Misses Powis. Miss Colquhoun was not worse
from her exertion on the night we were there. When
io8 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
we returned we found a carriage waiting to take me
to Mr. Parker's. I found Mr. Darroch rather better,
but still poorly, and Mrs. D., Mr. and Mrs. James
all in their usual health. I must not omit to mention
that on my way to James's I met Mr. Duncan, and
also saw a curious procession of girls. I should have
called them nuns had I been in France ; but, as it was,
I suppose they were Quakers. They were dressed in
dark frocks, white tippets and long white gloves,
with caps close to the head. After dinner Mr. and
Mrs. Darroch, Mrs. Parker, and I took a walk in
Brunswick Square. Mr. Edwin Pearson, whom I
had seen at Fairlie, came to tea, but I don't think he
recognized me.
Tuesday, iSth May. I hope you know that I staid
all night at Brunswick Square. I walked out with
Mrs. Parker in the morning and called on her
cousins, the Misses Macaulay, daughters of Mr.
Zachary McC. Two of them were at home. Mrs.
Strath called in the forenoon, and in the evening, she,
her son, and Misses Fanny and Selina Macaulay (the
same whom we had seen in the morning) came to
tea. Before retiring for the night, Mrs. James
presented to me Byron's works in four volumes, from
James and herself. I am very much delighted with
them, and obliged to her and James. I never expected
to have Byron's works in my possession, since
Mamma cruelly prohibited me from purchasing
them, and it is remarkable that so many unexpected
things should happen on Tuesday, such as the coal-
pit England the House of Commons and Byron's
works.
Wednesday, igth May. Mr. James Watson, the
son of Mrs. Trail, of Liverpool, came to breakfast.
OF ANNE CHALMERS 109
Misses Fanny and Hannah More Macaulay called
on their way to Mr. living's. Returned with Mrs.
James Parker to Ulster Place, but found they had
all gone to church, so I was compelled to remain
alone, and as a refuge from ennui betook myself to
sewing cuffs. Mr. Herbert Smith sent a card, so I
desired that he should walk up. He remained for
some time, but as Papa did not return he went to
call on Sir Thomas Baring until Papa should make
his appearance. After his departure I found myself
so hungry that I was obliged to go to the dining-
room for some luncheon. However, Papa and Mamma
came in very soon, and presently afterwards Mrs.
Smith. We dined at Mr. Fowell Buxton's. There
were a good many people there, Mr. North (among
the rest) who was so severe upon O'Connell in the
House some nights ago. Mrs. Upchar, her two
daughters, and her son were there. I met her
at the House of Commons and the meeting. I
sat by one of her daughters, whom I had seen at
the House, and we are great friends. She told me
she only knew one person in Scotland, and upon
examination this was no other than Tom Leslie.
Another lady told me of a series of misfortunes she
had met with at her house, first breaking a decanter
of wine, then spilling coffee, then demolishing a pane
of glass. When I took leave of Emma Upchar she
said she feared it was for ever.
Thursday, 20th May. Mamma and I called at Sir
James Mackintosh's upon Mrs. Rich. We sat an hour
with her talking of the Row affair, and which she
seems inclined to believe. I recovered Mamma's
parasol, which I had left there. We also called on
Miss Hope, but did not find her at home. Mrs. and
no LETTERS AND JOURNALS
Miss Small called on us immediately on their leaving
us. We rode to the House of Commons, where we
took up Dr. Chalmers,* and thence proceeded to
Greenwich to dine with Mr. and Mrs. Lockier. It
was quite a clerical party, consisting of the Bishops
of Chester and Winchester (brothers), the Dean of
Salisbury, and Papa ; and I begin to like bishops very
much. I regard them with the eye of a naturalist as a
new species before unknown to me. Deans wear
aprons and single-breasted coats, the same as
bishops, but they have not the strangely-shaped wigs
nor the three-cornered hats which distinguish the
latter. These were very nice bishops to-night.
Winchester was at Sir T. Acland's the other night,
also Lichfield and Coventry. I saw a young bishop
at St. James's one day, but Bath and Wells who was
at the Anti-Slavery Meeting is the ugliest person of
the species whom I have seen. Winchester is ten
years younger, and handsomer than his brother
Chester, and is a richer and superior bishop, and
wears a badge ; but Chester is very agreeable, and
they are both good men. The Bishop of London is
very handsome. We returned to London about
twelve o'clock and found a number of nice people had
called whom I was very sorry to have missed. First
of these I will place Mr. Percival, then Mrs. and
Miss Upchar, Capt. and Mrs. Basil Hall, Lady and
Miss Baring, and in the morning a Lady Sitwell
called, who, I suppose, is some relation of Aunt
Fanny's Sitwell. I forgot to mention that in the
morning we saw Capt. Gordon and Miss Willis, and
that on our way to the House of Commons we were
struck by the sight of a thing we had heard of several
* Her father.
OF ANNE CHALMERS in
times in Scotland, which was a large cart going about
with ' William Wilberforce, Junr.,'* full length
on it. This is a son of Mr. Wilberforce 's, who is
engaged in a milk concern, and has his name used in
that style all over London . We also saw the funeral
of a child, attended only by four women with black
hoods and their handkerchiefs at their mouths. They
looked like nuns.
Friday, 2ist May. Messrs. Virtue and Shields
came to breakfast, and Mr. Carr brought us an
account of a letter from a Cambridge gentleman
saying that Mr. Meyer thought Mary Campbell's
ecriture Chinese, f but could not read it, being so ill-
written. Mamma and I called on Mrs. Rich for an
hour. She is to give the writing to Sir George
Staunton, who is an admirable Chinese scholar. Sir
Thomas Baring and Sir George Gray left cards, but
did not come in. Sir Harry Verny came in for a
short time, who said he had been at Sir T. Acland's
the night we were there. We dined at Lord Teign-
mouth's, who is a very pleasant benevolent old man.
The Misses Shore too are very agreeable. The party
consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Harford, Mr. Dunn,
Lord and Lady Teignmouth, two Misses Shore, Mr.
Charles Shore and his brother, Mr. Fred., with his
wife. Miss Grattan (daughter of the Irish Grattan),
and Lord and Lady Gifford (who were also at Sir
T. Acland's), came in the evening.
Saturday, zznd May. Mrs. J. Parker and Mr.
Duncan came to breakfast. Mrs. Upchar and her
daughters visited us early, lest we should have gone
* His name, not himself. A. C.
t Mary Campbell, one of the Row ' heretics ' who wrote in an
unknown tongue.
H2 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
out before they came. I think Mrs. Upchar the
most lady-like person I have seen since I left home.
We walked to the Zoological Garden in Regent's
Park. It is a most delightful spectacle, the animals
have so much more liberty than in common menageries.
The enclosures are large, and all except the wild
animals are kept in the open air during the daytime.
The tiger seemed to feel annoyed at being looked
on in what it esteemed a state of degradation, and
walked up and down its narrow prison as if it would
fain increase its boundaries, and the lion lay asleep
perhaps dreaming of its own native forests, or of a
delicious banquet which it tasted only once, but
remembers with continued zest, consisting of a young
negro which had been brought to it by its mother.
Many more animals and birds were there than I
can enumerate, but I shall mention the monkeys,
whose tricks were very diverting. I brought them
some nuts and biscuits, and whenever they saw
them there was a commotion in their cages, and
paws were stretched out in all directions for them.
While I was bending to give a weak one a nut,
which a superior was taking from it, my bonnet was
seized from a cage above and the front nearly torn
from it. The keeper let them out from their confine-
ment into large arbours in the open air, where were
hung swings and ropes, and certainly the gymnastics
of the Greenwich boys were far exceeded by these
agile creatures. They flung themselves from rope to
rope and to the side of the cage with immense celerity.
Next in agility to the monkeys were the bears,
though in a more clumsy style. They begged for buns,
and clambered up a long pole to amuse the bystanders,
who rewarded them with cakes. Mamma was quite
OF ANNE CHALMERS 113
pleased with the beaver for showing itself both on land
and water, she said it was very obliging and exceedingly
gentlemanly of it.
On leaving the Garden we met Sir James Mackintosh
on horseback. He looks very graceful. I suppose
he feels his wife's death, of which he heard the
very day we were with him. We met a little gig
in which we drove home the rest of the way. Among
the calling cards we found Mr. Spencer Percival's,
whom I was very sorry to have missed. Lady and
Miss Butler called. Miss B. proposed walking in
Regent's Park with me some evening. Afterwards,
Lord Teignmouth and the Misses Shore called.
Lady Teignmouth did not leave the carriage, as she
has been so much fatigued for two or three days.
After dinner we walked to the Colosseum, but found
it was just going to be closed, so we did not see it.
Mr. Gow came to tea. Messrs. Woodrow and Virtue
called after tea. I was disappointed of two pleasures
to-night. We had been invited to Lord Calthorpe's
to meet the Bishops of Chester and Winchester,
likewise to Sir T. Acland's, which I should have liked
very much, both because Sir Thomas is one of my
favourites and because we had such a delightful
evening at his house the week before.
Sabbath, 2yd May. (Motto, ' The Broom of
Cowden Knowes.') To-day we were to attend the
Temple Church, and Papa breakfasted with Mr.
Murray of the Temple, and it was determined that
Mamma and I were to call there before going to
church, as we had a plot to get introduced to a man
of great eminence, who was, as we were informed,
to be with Mr. Murray. So we sent for a coach, but
ere it had reached the door, Mrs. Upchar's carriage
114 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
arrived, of which she begged us to make use. We
availed ourselves of her kind offer and drove to
Mr. Virtue's, and taking him with us, first called at
Mr. James Parker's and then went to Mr. Murray's,
who lives in the Temple. Upon arriving, we found
that the constellation of which we were in search
(and which was no other than BROUGHAM) had
just gone to procure places for us in the church, and
that we must proceed thither immediately, which we
did with Mr. Murray, Papa having whispered to
him that in case of meeting B. he should introduce
us. Upon ascending certain steps, Mr. Murray
exclaimed, ' There is Brougham,' at the same time
adding, ' Brougham, this is Mrs. Chalmers, Miss
Chalmers,' upon which Mr. B. took off his hat and
made a low bow. We then proceeded onwards to the
Temple Church, which was saved from the Fire of
London, and in which the Knight Templars are
interred ; where we heard Dr. Benson. The ladies
were separated from the men, but I discovered
Brougham as he was standing in the centre of the
church and kept my eye on him all the rest of the
time. Mamma's features relaxed a little when I
whispered to her, ' I see the top of Brougham's
head,' and a little after, ' I see one of Brougham's
eyes.' When the service was over, Mr. Murray and
Mr. Virtue came to take us out of church ; but there
was some delay on Papa's part, who was waiting for
Brougham, as they said, so we advanced to meet him
through one of the aisles, and found him standing
beside the great Whig ; but I should not call him so,
for I understand he is trimming just now, and Papa
introduced me a second time to make it sure, when
Brougham actually shook hands with me and said he
OF ANNE CHALMERS 115
had had the pleasure of making my acquaintance
already. Then a large party of people, including
Lord and Lady Lansdowne, Capt. and Mrs. Basil
Hall, Sir James Scarlett, Brougham, Mr. Murray,
Genl. Ramsay, a descendant of Allen Ramsay's,
Mr. Virtue, and ourselves went over the different
rooms in the Temple. Brougham is very animated,
and seemed to take a great interest in the addition
that was to be made to the library, saying, ' It will
be a very great improvement.'
People may say if they please that Brougham is
ambitious, and that he has sinister designs about the
Anti-Slavery Meeting ; but still, his talents are to be
admired in public life, his amiability to be loved in
private. I believe few are exempt from political
ambition, and I think it the most natural thing in the
world. His smile is very benignant. His hair begins
to get grey, but he does not look very old perhaps
between forty and fifty. He is tall and has a good
figure, and a velvet waistcoat becomes him very
much. He was dressed exactly the same as at the
meeting, and wears a blue watch-ribbon. Were I
better acquainted I would suggest to him to wear
his watch suspended by a black ribbon round his
neck. Murray was very sorry we had not come to
breakfast, as we should have heard Brougham's
conversation. I was very sorry to take leave of him.
Scarlett is a portly gentleman who wore a brown
greatcoat. After leaving the Temple we drove to
Mrs. Upchar's, when we had luncheon, and then
Mamma and I proceeded to Ulster Place, and Papa
and the Upchars went to church, where Papa was
to preach. There was a good deal of thunder and
lightning in the afternoon. When Papa returned he
n6 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
told us of a little incident which had happened that
morning at Mr. Murray's. He and Genl. Ramsay
had been introduced to each other, but not in a
sufficiently audible voice, so that neither knew the
name of the other. In a short time Genl. Ramsay
said, ' What a piece of work Brougham and Scarlett
have had this week getting the organ arranged for
Lutheran psalm tunes for Chalmers.' And a little
after : ' I understand Chalmers is to preach this
afternoon,' upon which, being re-introduced to
Chalmers, he smote his brow with horror at his want
of ceremony. He was exceedingly attentive to us
afterwards, and accompanied us to the carriage, I
suppose, to make up for the mistake of the morning.
But my reason for introducing this is to show how
very kind and attentive Brougham was (and Scarlett
also) in endeavouring to accommodate the organ to
Papa. It shows a delicate attention which I
particularly admire, and we should never have known
it but by accident. I heard Mr. Murray ask Mr.
Brougham if that was the usual organist who
performed, to which he replied that it was not, that
he was the chief organist, who, I suppose, had been
ordered on Papa's account too. I remarked that,
although it is said that Brougham is a free-thinker,
he bowed when Christ's name was mentioned.
Mamma got an account of the last hours of Henry
Shore from Lady Teignmouth.
Monday, 2^th May. Papa, Mamma, and I rode
to Mrs. Rich's, and found her just getting off to take
us up, so we got into her carriage and away to the
British Museum. Rev. Mr. Forshall went with us
through it, also some aunts and cousins of Mrs.
Rich's sisters, and one of her brothers. Mr. Forshall
OF ANNE CHALMERS 117
explained everything to us. He showed us the
Alexandrian manuscript and a number of ancient
and foreign books, several brought from Babylon
by Mr. Rich, Lady Jane Grey's prayer book, with
some lines written by herself the night previous to
her execution, and a collection of letters of ancient
people, some of Charles II, some of James I and
Cardinal Wolsey, and a number of more ancient date.
Then we saw stuffed creatures, fossils, minerals, etc.,
but I was much interested by the seals and ring
which Mrs. Rich herself gathered among the ruins
of Babylon. There are a number of stones with
impressions, and quite ready to be set for seals lying
about there, but no one ventures to approach it to
gather any thing. Then we saw spoons, forks, and
utensils of various kinds from ancient Rome,
showing that Mr. Rentoul's aspersions against the
manners of the Romans, when he supposes they ate
with their fingers, were unfounded. We then went
to look over some prints, and afterwards lunched
with Mr. Forshall. Saw Mrs. F. and two little
masters F. for a little and then returned home. Mrs.
Rich told us she had been in the ventilator of the
House of Commons on the night that Mr. Robt.
Grant first brought on the Jew question, and that
in reply to his speech, Mr. Spencer Percival rose,
and with the utmost solemnity said, ' In the name of
the Lord Jesus Christ I protest against admitting to
our councils those who have crucified Him.' The
whole House was electrified by the solemn tone in
which he uttered these words.
We found on our return that Sir T. Acland and
Mr. Shore had called. I was sorry we did not see
them. Mr. Dunn, an Irish clergyman, whom I have
n8 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
often seen and whose features are perfectly familiar
to me, called for Papa. Just as we were dressing to
go to Lady Radstock's, Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton called
and staid some time. The Misses Waldergrave took
us to Ld. Radstock's in the evening. There we saw
Mr. and Miss Vernon, Mrs. Wall, a rich and benevolent
lady (and we wonder whether she can be the widow
of Govr. Wall who was hanged for killing a slave),
Mrs. Puget (Lady Radstock's mother), Lord Calthorpe,
and Lady Charlotte Calthorpe. I have named
all whom I saw, but Mamma bids me say there were
a Lord and Lady Kintore and Lord and Lady
Lorton, the latter of whom was like a ghost.
Lady Radstock somewhat resembles Miss F. Duff,
looks young and lively, and has a great deal of
simplicity.
Tuesday, 2$th May. Mr. Chalmers called, also
Mr. Smith Wright and Lady Sitwell, who is the
aunt of Mrs. Pratt's brother-in-law, Capt. Sitwell.
They are going to Scotland in a week to visit their
daughter. We then set out to make calls. Called at
Sir Thomas Baring's, Lord Calthorpe 's, Lord
Teignmouth's, Countess of Morton's, Capt. Hall's,
Sir T. Acland's, Mr. S. Percival's, none of whom
were at home save the last, but we did not go in, as
we have not seen Mrs. Percival, but Papa went in
and Mr. P. came to speak to Mamma. Papa went
into Lord Calthorpe's to write a note to him to see
if he could by any method get us into the House of
Lords to-night, but as it was an interesting question
he found it impossible, every place having been
engaged sixfold. It is a remarkable thing that on a
Tuesday we should have gone to the House of
Commons and failed in getting into the House of
OF ANNE CHALMERS 119
Lords, and that Sir T. Acland's eldest son was of age
to-day. We left Mary Campbell writing for Lady
Teignmouth, who hopes to find out whether it be a
language or not. The chief discomfort of to-day was
that we had an uncomfortable greasy gig which we
had picked up coming home from the Zoological
Garden, and which looked very well on a fine day,
but in a cold grey day was very disagreeable and
shabby. Then it shook so much that I am certain it
was a cart in disguise. We met J. Parker as we were
going into a shop. When we returned we found Mr.
Irving, who brought a letter from Mr. Henry
Drummond, whose speech was thought by many
(among others, by Spring Rice and the Misses
Macaulay) the best at the Anti-Slavery Meeting.
He talked of a black O'Connell and a swarthy
Bolivar being necessary to emancipate the blacks.
There was a very heavy shower, in the midst of
which a Mr. Ker and a Mrs. Macturk (I think her
name was) came to ask Papa to preach at Birmingham,
and told Mamma that every heart and house in that
city were open to receive us. Papa was at Mr. Leonard
Homer's at dinner. Mr. and Mrs. Virtue came to
drink tea with us. Mrs. Virtue is young, good-looking,
and more interesting than I should have supposed
a lady who got uneasy about her ' husband and her
house ' to be.
Wednesday, 26th May, was a very wet day. Mr.
Vernon called on Papa, and Miss Hope Munro on
Mamma. Mrs. Babington, Mrs. Macaulay, and
Mrs. Parker called, also a Mr. French, on Papa.
Afterwards, Lord Bertram, and Miss Noel called,
and then Mrs. Puget and Lady Radstock. It was
Lord Barham who called, but I thought all the time
120 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
that it was Mr. Baptist Noel. We dined with the
Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry. Lady Teignmouth
and all the Shores were there, also Lord Barham
and Miss Noel, and Mr. and Mrs. Harford. Just as
we were going, observed Capt. and Lady Mary
Saurin. Mr. Charles Grant and his wife were there,
and Lord and Lady Gifford. I do not know these
last, though we have come in contact with them
several times in our respective whirls.
Thursday, 2jth May. We breakfasted at Sir
James Mackintosh's ; Miss Allen, Dr. Holland, and
Mrs. Rich formed the party. Sir James told some
fine anecdotes of Burke and Fox. Our visitors in the
morning were Mr. Colquhoun (whom I did not see),
Mrs. Buxton, and the Archbishop of York. We
went to the Colosseum, and were first shown a room
full of sculpture, and then were taken into a small
room, and after paying sixpence each, the room and its
contents were hoisted up to the Panorama, and all to
save climbing seventy steps. The Panorama repre-
sented London as seen from the dome of St. Paul's.
It is very well executed. On ascending ninety-four
steps more we have a view of London from the top
of the building, which is well worth seeing. We saw
here the ancient ball of St. Paul's. On our return,
Sir John Walsh visited Papa, also Mr. J. Maxwell,
who is a most obliging man, for he is the first person
who ever offered me a frank. Mr. Lockier came to
take leave of us. Everybody will allow him to be a
very agreeable man. Then Mrs. Harford and her
mother, Mrs. Harte Davis, called. Mrs. Harford is
an exceedingly kind person. Mr. Paloucher also
staid a short time with us. Then Lord Calthorpe's
carriage came to convey us to the House of Peers.
OF ANNE CHALMERS 121
We called at his lordship's house en passant, but he
had left it, and we met him at the door of the House.
He took us through the different apartments, showed
us the King's entrance and the painted chamber,
which takes its name from the only part of it that
appears unpainted. We were then left in Sir Thomas
Tirreton's room till prayers were over, after which
we were put into Sir T. Tirreton's box, which has a
curtain, and which separates it from the House of Lords,
but there are holes for peeping through this curtain.
A number of strangers assemble about the throne,
also at our part of the room gentlemen were allowed
to stand separated from the peers by a rail. It
is amusing to see how bold people become by
practice. Mamma and I walked through the lobby,
which was filled with gentlemen, with the utmost
confidence, and sat in Sir Thomas's box with perfect
nonchalance, though it was quite open at the stranger's
side, and a perfect crowd of people there. We had
hardly seated ourselves when who should plant
himself by the side of our box but Sir Thomas Acland.
He went, he said, to bring Lady Acland and a friend
of hers to our box, as he thought there was room.
Mamma saw him go up with bills from the Commons
to the Lords, but I did not observe him, which I
regret, as I should have liked to have seen his half-
laughing countenance composed to an air of mock
solemnity as he stepped back with his triple bow
from the Chancellor. However, he soon returned
with Lady Acland and her friend, and staid a short
time with us, but was obliged to go, and took leave
of us. I suppose we shan't see him again before
we leave London. Lady Acland staid as long as
we did, nearly. At first a number of bills were
122 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
brought from the Commons which the Chancellor
must come forward to receive, and then several
petitions were presented, among which was one from
Lord Calthorpe, who made a speech ; at the same
time I spied Lord Barham walking up and down.
The bench of bishops looks more elegant than any
other part of the House. I do not mean that the
seats are better, but that the bishops who sit on
them present a finer spectacle. I observed Chester
and Winchester and Lichfield among them. They
wear lawn sleeves. The Duke of Cumberland was
sitting near us, with a grey hat and brown greatcoat
and a cane in his hand. He has horribly ugly flaxen-
coloured moustaches, very long and cut to a point.
I saw also the Marquis of Wellesley. After the
minor business of the House was concluded, ' The
Winchelsea,' as Sir T. Acland called him, made a
speech, and, I think, spoke well ; in saying so, I
allude to the manner, not the matter ; for, besides his
back being towards us, I was listening to Sir T.
Acland. I heard him regret that we did not know
better the nature of the King's ailment, which we
have been regretting for a month past. The debate
was upon the King's sign manual. Lord Wellington
rose to reply, and seemed rather angry. He speaks
in a straightforward decided manner. It was
pleasing to us to see Wellington and Winchelsea
opposed to each other, having heard so much of
the stupid fellows' enmity to each other last
winter, when they acted like ensigns of eighteen,
who, having been just emancipated from the nursery,
wanted to prove that they were no less brave
now than when they used to annoy their nurse by
shooting peas at her neat mob-cap. Then Lord
OF ANNE CHALMERS 123
Lansdowne rose to explain, and Lord Winchelsea
also, and I could hardly hear the speech of the
latter for the sonorous ' Hear, hear ! ' that Lord
Holland was always calling out. Lord Holland sat
near us, and we thought he contemplated a speech,
for he muttered the whole time. At the end of the
discussion Justice Park and another came in, thinking
they would be required, but they were not. They
and the Chancellor were robed and wigged, and a
man's air and manner look very odd in a gown. They
sat down opposite the Chancellor, and certainly the
three coarse ugly-looking men with the slight
swagger in their manners presented a curious spectacle.
I think the Chancellor a graceful man, however.
But we had not long time to observe them, as some
stupid business was coming on, and both Lord
Calthorpe and we had to depart. Lady Acland went
to the House of Commons and we got into Lord
Calthorpe 's carriage. He told us that Wellington
had quite mistaken Ld. Winchelsea's meaning, and
I thought from some of his expressions that he had
not a very high opinion of the former, which I attributed
to his sitting on the opposite side of the House.
Certainly Lord Calthorpe is one of the most innocent
men I ever saw, and indeed I think him almost equal
to Mr. S. Percival.
Friday, 2oth May. Mr. Dunn and Mr. Spencer
Percival came to breakfast. It is a pity that Sir
Robert did not invite me to dine with him, as Mr.
Percival is to be there. I think I must adopt Mr.
P.'s own plan and pursue the same course to meet
him that he did to meet Papa. Mr. Hale came about
three o'clock to convey us to his house in his carriage.
We are to stay with him for a day or two. He has
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one daughter and a son, who is an idiot. On going
in to dinner the latter was seated on the table, and I
saw at once the case. During dinner I experienced
a sensation I had never done before. I had only
drank a little wine and a very little champagne, and
taken a draught of beer, as I thought, but I am sure
now it was strong ale. I felt as if my head was chaos
itself, and something appeared to be rushing with
immense force and rapidity through it, but still I
continued mechanically the usual operations of dinner,
though a sense of shame and horror overpowered
me lest I should do anything extraordinary. I could
hardly see anything, but I was quite aware of my
state, and went regularly through my duties and
answered the questions that were put me with a
calmness, which I felt to be a horrible contrast to my
real feelings. Happily, all this subsided before dinner
was over, and my advice to every Scotchman is to
beware of asking beer in London, for they invariably
get either ale or porter. The Hales are very kind
people, but it sounded odd to hear Mr. Hale always
talking of the people at the West End. It reminded
me of Mrs. Bombazine, the great silk mercer's wife
of Ludgate Hill, of whom mention is made in the
Rambler. When we were separating for the night
at ten o'clock, he said, what was really the case, that
the ' folks at the West End ' would be drinking tea.
He is troublesomely kind, for one cannot sit down
in peace, for he discovers that you are sitting near
the door or in some particular part of the room
where he is determined (no one knows why) you
shall not sit. At dinner I said I would take cauliflower,
and positively I did not know that the dish before
me contained cabbage and not cauliflower, but he
OF ANNE CHALMERS 125
declared I should have some next day, though I
do not know the difference. Then, when one sits
down to write, he brings you better ink or new
blotting paper or a sharper penknife or more pens,
when one is in want of nothing. But he is excessively
kind and is ready to do everything to oblige us,
or that he thinks will in the least conduce to
our comfort.
Saturday, 2gth May. I was too late for breakfast,
as I generally am ; but to-day I had more excuse, for
they breakfast at half -past eight. But Mamma rated
me for breaking in upon the hours of a respectable
family. There were some people whose names I do
not know at breakfast. I employed the morning in
writing. After which I took a turn in the garden
trying to get rid of the remains of a headache acquired
the night before. We dined early and then rode
out to make visits. Mamma had a little cold, so
she did not accompany us. We left cards at Lady
Buller's and Mrs. Small's ; we inquired for Mrs.
Heber, but did not see her as she was dressing, and
Lord and Lady Teignmouth and all the Shores were
out. Papa left us then as he had to dine out, and Mr.
and Miss Hale and I proceeded to the Cosmorama,
which is well worth seeing, and gives a better idea
of the places it represents than anything I have seen.
One could quite imagine one's self on the spot. On
our way home I descried a figure passing along the
street which I thought I knew. I looked more
earnestly on it till at last it likewise showed signs of
recognition, when I discovered him to be Johnny
Callender. I forgot to state that we called at Mr.
Daniel Wilson's, that Papa went into his house, and
that Mr. Wilson came to the carriage door and spoke
126 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
to me and said he hoped to make my acquaintance
on some future day.
Sunday, ^oth May. Heard Papa in Mr. Irving's.
Sat before Mrs. Rich and Miss Allen, and saw Lord
Calthorpe and Miss Upchar and Mr. Ker ; observed
Capt. Loring leaving chapel, and Chs. Grant passed
quite close to me. We went to Mr. Virtue's and had
a glass of wine, then returned to Homerton and dined.
But I must mention that Mr. Irving introduced me
to Mr. F. Drummond in the vestry. He is a very
clever man, and at his house the prophets meet
to discuss on prophecy. Mr. Rice admires him
excessively. In the evening, Dr., Mrs., and Miss Rye
Smith, Mr. Bunting and Mr. George Bennet and
Mr. Montgomery, the poet, came to supper. We
flattered ourselves we should have some agreeable
conversation, as Dr. Smith is a very learned man,
and the poet's colloquial powers are agreeable, and
we expected to have some interesting information
from Mr. Bennet, who had circumnavigated the
world. But about three-quarters of an hour before
supper was announced, Mr. Bennet commenced a
detail of what each inhabitant of the Sandwich
Islands said to him, upon landing, and as they all
said the same thing, the interest of variety was
wanting. There was a deep silence in the room while
the sonorous voice of Mr. Bennet repeated ' Plenty of
room, plenty mats, plenty breadfruit, plenty yams,'
etc. At last, as there seemed to be neither point nor
conclusion to this story, Papa began to look impatient,
which only increased my great desire to laugh.
But when I discovered that Miss Hale was of the
same mind as myself, I felt the inclination quite
irresistible, when fortunately, just at this juncture,
OF ANNE CHALMERS 127
supper was announced, which broke in upon the
story, and I ran to my own room to indulge in the
heartiest fit of laughing I had enjoyed since I left
Scotia. I was placed next Mr. Bennet at supper, and
laughed heartily after, but I daresay he thought it
was with delight at his genius and wit, but the worst
part was that Mr. Montgomery sat opposite and
might not like to see his friend ridiculed. But
certainly those who take ridiculous friends should be
prepared to see them laughed at. When Mr. B.
related conversation he always gave the original,
whether Otaheitan or bad French, and translated it.
He likewise chose to give effect to his narrative by
pausing, while he performed certain theatrical shrugs
d la Franpais. What increased my risibility was the
remembrance of his having been coughed down at
the Anti-Slavery meeting, and certainly with cause.
As to Mr. Montgomery, he is a very interesting-looking
man, and the few words I heard him say were well
said, and from other sources I hear he has agreeable
colloquial powers, but we had no opportunity of
judging. At parting, Mr. Bennet said he was in
the habit of leaving a memorial with the children
he met, so gave me a document as a remembrance,
which it shall be to me of a most amusing evening.
Monday, 315^ May. Mr. Daniel Wilson breakfasted
with Mr. Hale. He spoke very kindly to me. After
breakfast we proceeded to Mr. Hoare's at Hampstead,
where we were to spend a day and a night. The
country is very pretty at Hampstead, and one
wonders to see so rural a situation so near London.
We saw an immense number of asses saddled,
which are let out for shilling rides. After calling
on the Hoares, we set out to visit Mr. Coleridge,
128 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
the Lake poet, and saw the asses we had before
observed cantering and trotting with children on
them, in a style which severe blows would not have
induced our ass to display last summer. We staid
half an hour with Coleridge, and I can give no idea
of the beauty and sublimity of his conversation. It
resembles the loveliness of a song. He began by
telling of his health, and of a fit of insensibility in
which he had lain thirty-five minutes, three weeks
before. Just as he came to consciousness, and before
he had opened his eyes, having heard the voice of his
physician, he uttered a sentence, which I regret that
I do not remember exactly, but it was about the
fugacious nature of consciousness and the extra-
ordinary nature of man. His nephew was quite
amused to find the ruling passion strong in death,
when he heard him utter a piece of metaphysics.
From this he went to a discussion on the soul and
the body, and brought in an ingenious little interlude
about a bit of wire. I did not understand him always,
but I admired him throughout. Then he inquired
for Mr. Irving, and upon this subject he was sublime.
He regretted that such a man as Irving should throw
himself away upon abstruse speculations while
thousands were hungering were perishing for the
common bread of life (Matt. xi. 28). This book on
the human nature of Christ was minute to absurdity ;
one would imagine the pickling and preserving was
to follow, it was so like a cookery book. The Holy
Spirit was the only respectable personage of the
three. Then he told us of his own idea of the Book
of Revelation, and that he had gone over the first
eight chapters of it with Mr. Irving, and explained
every word and every symbol ; that he asked him if
OF ANNE CHALMERS 129
he was satisfied, and that Irving said the idea was so
new to him that he felt stunned by it ; that he had not
seen Mr. Irving for a year and three months, but
heard in the meantime that he was launching out
into all sorts of vagaries. Talking of the Revelations,
he had some fine climaxes. He said Jesus did not
come now as before, meek and gentle, healing the
sick and feeding the hungry and dispensing blessings
around, but He came on a white horse, and who were
His attendants ? Famine, war, and pestilence. But I
can give no idea of his voice or eloquence. There was
a lady in the room who seemed to admire him as
much as we, and who wisely did not talk to us, but
left us at liberty to listen to him. I said to her that I
wished he would be induced to publish his scheme
of the Revelations, and she replied that they all
wished it. The contrast between Coleridge and
Rennet is amusing from its absurdity. They are both
engrossers, but the conversation of the one contains
nothing ; that of the other is replete with mind and
eloquence. I have heard people say that it showed a
disagreeable admiration of himself, Coleridge's flow
of talk ; but I should think that person very conceited
who, after having been admitted to an interview with
him, should feel inclined to talk rather than listen.
For my own part, I could have listened much longer.
We have now met three conversational men :
Coleridge, Sir James Mackintosh, and (begging
their pardon) Mr. Bennet. Worthy man ! It is really
ungrateful not to admire him, for he sent me a
present of shells the day after I had amused myself
at his expense. Coleridge is certainly the most
striking person I have seen. The colloquial powers
of Sir J. Mackintosh are very agreeable, but I do not
130 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
think I have seen him in full splendour, and Mr.
Bennet is the most amusing man, from his stupidity,
I ever met with. At Mr. Hoare's we met with the
dear Bishop of Chester, Miss Joanna Baillie, and
Mrs. Fry, who is Mrs. Hoare's sister. We met with
a number of Quakers, John Joseph and Samuel
Gurney, Mrs. Hoare's brothers and their wives, Mr.
John Joseph's little daughter, and the sister of Mrs.
John Gurney. All these whom I have mentioned,
together with Mrs. Fry, are Friends, and dress with
the simplicity and use the language of their sect. I
sat by Mr. Ian Gurney, and I liked to hear him
say, ' Will thee take some . . .' etc. One is apt
to imagine that using the second person singular
must give great formality to the speech of a Friend,
but it comes quite naturally and with perfect ease
from them. Mr. Fowell Buxton, who married a sister
of Mrs. Hoare's, Dr. Lushington (who spoke at the
Anti-Slavery Meeting), and Miss Gurney, were at
dinner. We had a very large party and quite a union
of sects Episcopacy, Presbyterianism, and Quakerism.
The latter, however, predominated.
Tuesday, ist June. We left Mr. Hoare's after
breakfast, accompanied by Mr. Hoare and John
Joseph Gurney, for Highwood Hill, the residence of
Mr. Wilberforce. The party there consisted of Mr.
and Mrs. Sykes, who left an hour after we arrived ;
Mr. and Mrs. and the two Misses Spooner, whom I
had met at Mr. G. Noel's ; Mr. and Mrs. Samuel
Wilberforce* and their baby ; Mrs. and Master Wm.
* Mr. Samuel Wilberforce, son of the Mr. Wilberforce, and after-
wards Bishop of Oxford and Winchester. His wife was Miss Sargent,
and her sister was Mrs. Manning, wife of Rev. Mr. Manning, after-
wards Cardinal Manning.
OF ANNE CHALMERS 131
Wilberforce ; Mr. Wm. came also in the evening, and
the Mr. Wilberforce, his wife and daughter. We
walked out in the evening. The two young Mrs.
Wilberforces are very pretty. We staid all night,
and next morning went to town with Mr. Wilberforce,
Papa, Mamma, and he being in the interior of the
carriage and I on the barouche. I amused myself
with looking at the scenery, which is very beautiful,
and with reading the Quarterly which Mr. Ian W.
had given me. At the doors of the cottages we saw
men seated on benches, and regaling themselves at
that early hour with ale and tobacco, which is, I
suppose, an effect of the Poor Laws, as in Scotland
they have no time for such idleness. On entering the
town, we took leave of Mr. W., and Mamma and I
went to Brunswick Square, where we found Capt.
and Mrs. Darroch in perfect health. We had
luncheon with Mrs. James P., during which Papa
arrived, and after having finished we went to Mr.
Noel's at Richmond. I was very glad to see them
again. After having dressed for dinner we went to
dine with the Marquis of Lansdowne, who has a
house at Richmond. There we met Mr. Spring Rice,
Sir James Mackintosh and Sir Charles Melton, Miss
Ricardo, daughter of the Ricardo, a daughter of Lady
Lansdowne's and her governess. Before dinner we
enjoyed the view of the valley from the balcony, while
the gentlemen walked down to the river. We spent a
very pleasant evening. I had a long talk with Mr.
Rice. Lady L. is a very pleasant person indeed. I
believe Mr. Rice told Mamma that Sir Thos. Acland
was a very good person, but had a great deal of
boyishness in his character, and that one day when
his son and Sir T. were jumping over tables Lord
132 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
Sidmouth's Secretary came in, and that he (Mr.
Rice), to show he did not keep bad company, was
obliged to talk of Sir Thos. as the member for
Devonshire, that the pompous secretary might be
satisfied. I have bungled this in telling it, but the
effect the whole story had on me was to increase my
admiration both of Sir T. Acland and of Spring Rice.
Sir J. Mackintosh did not unfold much this evening.
He was just beginning to be interesting when we
set off. He told an anecdote of Martin* : that one
night when he was being coughed down in the
House he expressed his regret that so general a
cold prevailed in the House, but that he would be
much obliged if any gentleman would cough distinctly,
that he might know with whom to sympathize in
particular. When we returned we found the Noels
ready to retire.
Thursday, yd June. Mr. Sam. Wilberforce came
to breakfast, besides several others. Afterwards, Mr.
Gerard Noel, several of his daughters, and Samuel
Wilberforce, sung Heber's poem, ' By Greenland's
icy mountain,' etc. I never heard anything so
beautiful as the style in which they sung it. It was
quite heavenly, if I may say so. The Miss Noel, who
played, made the air suit the words, and expressed the
winds and waters beautifully. When we got into the
stage for London we were agreeably surprised to find
Mr. Rice in it. We had two other fellow passengers,
a silent member and a talking one. The latter was a
* Richard Martin, M.P. for Galway. In 1822 his bill for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals passed and received the Royal
Assent. It had met with much ridicule and many jeers but
undaunted Martin persevered till success crowned his efforts. He
well deserves to be remembered, and his memory honoured.
OF ANNE CHALMERS 133
personification of John Bull, just like the pictures you
see of men on stage-coaches, with white hats and
brown greatcoats. He began to talk on political
economy, and I never heard such nonsense uttered
with an air of such sagacity before. It was quite
evident even to me that the man knew nothing about
the matter. Papa tried to insense him, but it was
impossible, and Mr. Rice argued with him, though
I could see, from the quiet smile that played on his
countenance, without much hope of success. There
was no convincing him that the price of a coat being
changed from 5 to 3 would not impoverish the
country. He said the tailors would starve, when Papa
said that the other 2 would get into circulation
through some other medium and might return to the
tailor. He said, ' Ah, but where do you get the 2 ? '
In short, he spoke perfect nonsense, and would not
keep out of the conversation either. On the arrival
of the coach at its destination we bid adieu to Spring
Rice. Non lo rivedro piu. Papa then went to the
House of Commons, after having left Mamma and
me at Sir Thos. Lawrence's exhibition of pictures.
We saw the portraits of several people whom we
knew. Mrs. Harford was very like. Marquess of
Landsowne very like also, and I thought I never saw
anything so inimitable as the portrait of the Chancellor ;
I could have imagined it would leave its frame.
Then there were two of Duke Wellington, admirable ;
and one of most of the Kings of Europe, of Pope
Pius VII, and also of several of the Royal Family,
viz. Dukes of York, Clarence, and Cambridge, and
Prince George, that of the little Dona Maria, Prince
Schwartzenbezeide. There was a picture of the
King on a sofa, which, after Papa had returned,
134 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
I began to praise to him with all my might, declaring
it ' the best that had been taken of him,' and alleging
the Bishop of Winchester as my authority. Just
as I said the words I looked round, and behold,
there were the Bishops of Winchester and Chester
within a few paces of us. After a little, to show
the Bishop of Chester how conversant I am with the
dignitaries in the House of Peers, I said, ' How
very like the Chancellor is.' ' I do not know that
gentleman,' he replied. I thought then he must
be deaf, for a few nights before I had seen him
gazing on the Chancellor in the House. Mamma
afterwards told me that Lord Winchester had said to
her that he never saw such a failure as that portrait of
the King on the sofa, which I had lauded so much in
his name ; that there was another very like, but that
was a copy, and had not succeeded at all. And
Bishop Chester had told her that I had been talking
to him about a picture at the end of the room, which
he supposed I had mistaken for the Lord Chancellor,
as the wig gave a great similarity of appearance, but
that this picture was of the Master of Rolls, not of
the Chancellor. So that my sagacity on the subject of
pictures has been pulled to the ground by these bishops,
whom I esteem and admire notwithstanding. It
is quite delightful to see the two brother-Bishops,
brothers in disposition, as well as by nature, alike
pious and amiable, going together through the
rooms. When I saw one wig I was certain the
other was not a yard distant. I was quite sorry
to say farewell to them. But certainly I can hardly
believe that the picture was not intended for the
Lord Chancellor, it was so exceedingly like him.
We saw, as we were leaving the exhibition, Mr. and
OF ANNE CHALMERS 135
Mrs. John Joseph Gurney. I believe painters have
some difficulty in disposing of arms, etc., but I admire
the easy attitudes which Sir Thos. Lawrence gives
them. There are two pictures of ' poor Canning/ one
of them in the act of speaking. From the exhibition we
went to Mr. Chalmers and dined with him. We bid
adieu to my Uncle, etc., and having left Papa at
Archbishop of York's, proceeded to the Parkers.
Saw Mr. and Mrs. Darroch for the last time in
London, as they go to-morrow to Scotland. After
leaving them, we returned to Mr. Hale's, for the
remainder of our stay in London. Found that Mrs.
Hale and her daughter, Mrs. Collingwood, had
arrived.
Friday, ^th June. Spent a good deal of time in
writing my journal, which had fallen into nearly a
week's arrears.
Saturday, $th June. After an early breakfast we
took leave of Mrs. and Miss Hale and Mrs. Collingwood,
and, accompanied by Mr. Hale, proceeded to the
coach office, where we had to wait a considerable
time before the Southampton stage arrived. At last
it came, and we, bidding adieu to Mr. Hale, took
our places for Winchester. I employed myself in
reading the Pictures of London, which I was very
sorry to leave, but was a good deal disturbed by the
conversation of a lady passenger, which she kept up
like a running fire for most part of the way. We
observed the Richmond passenger, whose name is
Capt. Saunders, on the coach. After some time, as
Papa had expressed a wish to go on the outside,
Capt. S. told him there was room, and he ascended to
it, from which direful consequences ensued ; for a
well-known informer was seen to pass and ask the
136 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
name of the proprietor, who discovered that there
was one too many on his coach, and that he was liable
to a fine of 10. He had not known before that Papa
had changed his place, neither was Papa aware that
there were too many, so the mistake was quite
innocent on all parts. The result was that Capt. S.
came inside until a vacancy should be made, and I
disliked him even more than at Richmond. He said
in his vulgar language that ' he had been a bit of a
rogue that day,' for he wished to draw out Dr.
Chalmers's arguments. I was very glad when he
departed. We dined hastily on the road, and
immediately on arriving at Winchester, we set out to
see the Cathedral, which the clerk assured us is the first
in England. Many of the Saxon monarchs are buried
in it, and William Rufus was the last king interred
there. Besides, the tombs of many bishops are
in the Cathedral, among them Bp. Gardiner, whose
head some zealous person has hewed off the stone
figure representing him. The dust of Canute is
contained in a copper chest in the choir. Bloody
Mary was married here, and the chair on which she
sat is shown. Between the chapelries of Bishops Fox
and Gardiner is a place where many small pieces of
sculpture, dug from about the Cathedral, and strange
barbarous-looking figures of four Saxon monarchs
are placed. Winchester is a small neat town, whose
whole character is quite English. It is very ancient.
Some say it was founded 1,100 years before Christ.
In one part stands the city cross, a very pretty little
piece of architecture. There are numerous arched
gateways at the entrances. This town was frequently
honoured by the presence of Royalty, and a house is
shown in which Charles II dwelt two years. The
OF ANNE CHALMERS 137
English small towns are as different as possible from
the Scotch, so much neater. Winchester and
Kirkcaldy are at Antipodes from each other.
Sunday, 6th June. We called on Dr. Dealtry in the
morning and were introduced to his lady, and
proceeded to church with them. We saw the young
men at Winchester College walk into church. The
organ of the Cathedral is very fine. Mr. Hoare
preached. To-day, both Dr. Dealtry and he wore
aprons. In Cathedral they wore their surplices. We
drank tea with Mr. Hoare in the evening, where we met
Dr. and Mrs. Dealtry. I am partial to English
clergymen. They are very agreeable, though generally
of short stature. They have such amiable smiles. The
inhabitants looked very smart to-day ; the men with
their clean white frocks and the women with their
smart dresses. After leaving Mr. Hoare's, we walked
a little about the town.
Monday, jth June. Messrs. Hoare and Dealtry
called for us in the morning and took us to Winchester
College. I think the accommodation is not equal
to that of the boys at Heriot's or at Greenwich, yet
the young men are the sons of gentlemen ! The
chapel is very fine and the windows beautifully
painted. There are some valuable works in the
library, among which is a history of the Grace family,
We walked round the cloisters. Near the kitchen
is a painting representing the personification of a
trusty servant, with a man's body, a pig's head, to
show he is not nice about his food, ass's ears for
patience, stag's feet for swiftness, a padlock in his
mouth to show he does not tell tales, etc. Mamma
and I left the gentlemen, as they were to call on an
old Bishop, and proceeded homewards. In a short
138 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
time, Papa and Dr. Dealtry came, then left us, then
returned again and left us again. We left Winchester
at three o'clock in the Southampton coach. After
arriving at Southampton and having tea, Papa and
I went out to stroll about town. This city has far
more a commercial air than Winchester, and contained
a great many shops. We went to the harbour, where
a man accosted us, offering to row us to a certain old
castle, which offer was declined. There are one
or two arched gateways and also some remnants of
what was (I suppose) the city wall. There is some
shipping in the harbour, and altogether the town
has a busy commercial air, very different from the
almost drowsy appearance of Winchester.
Tuesday, Sth June. At six o'clock in the morning
we set off in the Bridport coach, and after numerous
delays from horses falling and passengers coming,
we left Southampton. We had one other passenger
inside. Poor man ! He was sometimes in great pain
from spasms. We passed through the New Forest
and saw several parties of deer. Breakfasted at an inn
in the midst of it ; where was set before us a dish of
acorn-fed pork (for the people send their pigs to the
Forest to eat acorns), which Papa said my not tasting
showed a great want of genius. Upon arriving at
Bridport we joined my Uncle Patrick,* waiting for
us, who took us to Pymore, where we were introduced
to Mrs. Chalmers and her two little girls. Her son did
not come from school till the evening. Mrs. C. is
tall and handsome, and the children are very pleasant
looking. It is remarkable that I was introduced to
them on a Tuesday !
* Patrick Chalmers, younger brother of Dr. Chalmers, married
Miss Harriet Carige.
OF ANNE CHALMERS 139
Wednesday, gth June. I cannot remember the
names of the Bridport people, so shall not attempt
to designate them all. I employed myself all day
in making a smart frock with a petticoat, apron, and
a couple of veils for Eliza's doll. A boarding
school-mistress and her pupil (a blushing terrified
country girl) came to tea ; afterwards they went to
hear Papa preach.
Thursday, loth June. We went into Bridport and
first called at Dr. Roberts', the apothecary's, and
saw his curiosities. I never saw such a melange of
things cases of stuffed birds, lions' skins, leopards,
Indian gods, models of churches, antiquities, fantastic-
looking machinery (made by Dr. R. himself, who
seems quite a virtuoso), a large case filled with stones,
and here and there bits of glass twirling round meant
to represent a waterfall, a clock in which a bird
sings a German air, moving its beak with great
execution, etc. There we were introduced to two
ladies, who followed Papa the whole day after, and,
having discovered he was to be at Mr. Foster's at
tea, went without invitation there. After leaving
Dr. Roberts, Papa, Mamma, and my Uncle left Mrs.
Chalmers and I, and we went to several shops and I
was introduced to some of the shopkeepers, particularly
one, a Mr. Stephens, from whom we bought some
articles, and who is a Quaker, and into whose parlour
we went, to see his sister. We then called at Mr.
Strang's, who gave me a newspaper, as I wished to
read the debate. Mamma, Mrs. Chalmers, and I
dined at home, then went to Mr. Foster's, where we
met the aforesaid ladies, Mr. Stephens and a sister
of his, Papa and Uncle. Mrs. Foster is a rigid
Quaker now, though before she was married she
140 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
was the gayest of the gay. She asked ' Harriet
Chalmers' what was Mamma's name. Their son has
a most unquakerlike vivacity, and I think him a
very fine little fellow. Mrs. Chalmers and John and
I returned in the gig, and were stopped near the door
of the house by a Mr. Battescan, who wished us to
dine with him next day.
Friday, nth June. I made a blue frock for Helen's*
doll, which distressed Eliza* a little, as she much
preferred blue to green, which was the colour of hers.
They were both sent early to a boarding school, where
they are to be till their Mamma returns from Scotland.
The Miss Stevens, the mercer's daughters, called,
but I did not go into the room while they were there.
I read after dinner the debate on the Forgery Bill.
Then Mamma, Mrs. Chalmers, and I walked into
town to Mrs. Strang's, but first went to a toy-shop
to buy a doll for Helen. The shop-keepers are
Quakers, and while I was looking at their articles,
the mother and a daughter came in, and I was introduced
by Mrs. Chalmers, and they made such a hubbub
between cash and compliments, silver and civility,
that the quiet modest Miss Kenway behind the
counter and I could hardly get our affairs settled.
However, at last I got my articles and left them.
After tea L. took us home in the phaeton. But
before we were half our way, the shocking roads
dashed it about so that the spring broke, and we
had to get out. However, we arrived very safely
at home.
Saturday, I2th June. At seven in the morning after
a hasty breakfast, the carriage having been repaired,
Mr. and Mrs. and Patrick Chalmers, Mamma and
* Daughters of Mr. Patrick Chalmers.
OF ANNE CHALMERS 141
I left Bridport in the phaeton. It must be understood
that Papa had gone to Exeter the day before, and
that we expected to join him in Bristol in the evening.
The roads about Bridport are shocking. This is
a very hilly country, and during our whole journey
we alighted and walked up the rising grounds
for the ease of the horse. Indeed, I think I must
have walked nearly half way, perhaps about thirty
miles. Bristol is sixty-two miles distant from
Bridport. We passed Mr. Conway, a country squire,
on horseback, near the entrance to the house of Sir
Wm. Oglander. At a little distance we had a view
of a beautiful spot, the hamlet of Chiselburgh, whose
spire rises from a wooded glen at the foot of a hill.
On reaching the inn of the small town of Crewkerne,
we found Mrs. Chalmers there. But we were
hurried immediately to the house of Capt. Sims, who
insisted on our going thither. Spring broke at
Beauminster third time ; did not annoy us much,
being so much accustomed to it, but we sent it
immediately to a wright, while we walked forward
with the Sims family. Phaeton soon overtook us, when
we bid adieu to the Sims and drove off. We had now
entered Somersetshire, and we passed through the
village of Norton, which contains an old church. We
saw many asses feeding on the roadside. England
seems to abound with them. We travelled on till we
reached Martock, which contains a fine old church,
then on to Somerton, a pretty considerable town,
where we saw an Exeter coach in which Papa was
not, and a man came and told us some nonsense that
I did not understand about Mrs. Chalmers. I do not
know whether we reached Long Sutton or Compton
Dunden first ; they are both small villages, the former
142 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
containing a church and tower built on an ascent, the
latter a venerable, though very humble pillar, raised on
some grass-grown stone steps near the centre of the
village meant for the cross. Then we travelled and we
travelled and we travelled till we came to Street, and
landed in the inn. There Uncle went to see that the
horse was well treated, while Mamma, John, and I
ate an excellent cake which we found in the basket ;
then we went to a Quaker's family of the name of
Clarke to tea. I suppose they were small farmers or
yeomen ; by the dress of the gentlemen and by that
of the lady I suspect she was a wet Quakeress, for
her hair was curled and her cap had a frill, which
was very wrong. I do not like Quakers at all. I have
come round to Mr. Samuel Wilberforce's opinion
on that subject. I liked them when I had seen only
refined Quakerism, where it was accompanied by
elegance of manners in such people as the Gurneys
and Fosters, but when one comes to mercers and
tradesmen it is a very different affair. After leaving
Street we proceeded to Glastonbury, which contains
some very fine ruins of an abbey and a fine cathedral.
Then we passed through Wells, situated at the foot
of the Mendip Hills ; in the centre of one of its
streets is the cross, from which proceed four spouts
of water continually playing. I wished to have
driven near the Cathedral, but there was not time.
The Cathedral is very good. The interest of small
English towns is much heightened by the old grey
turreted churches, which are often seen in them. We
ascended the Mendip Hills and had a fine open view
from the top. The scene was quite English, very
much dressed with a number of small eminences.
We looked back upon the country we had traversed,
OF ANNE CHALMERS 143
and saw far behind us many of the objects which in
the morning we had seen depicted on the horizon
before us. The prospect was very beautiful, but we
soon lost sight of it ; for having, like the King of
France, come up the hill, we found it expedient to
go down again on the other side. We went very
rapidly down, for the horse did not seem at all fatigued
by its long journey. However, at the foot of the
hill we stopped at an inn to have it fed, and Mamma,
John, and I walked forward, while Uncle remained
with it. We walked on, hoping to see a baker's
shop, for we wished very much for a few biscuits,
but, alas, we did not see a house of any kind after
passing the little hamlet at which we had stopped.
At last the sun went down, and it began to get cold
and dark, and we thought Uncle very long of coming,
and I feared to go down the very lonely road that
was before us. At last we took courage, and walked
as far as some houses on the other side of the way,
but still Uncle did not come. Then we were really
anxious, and were walking back, when we heard the
car rattling down, and were soon seated in it, and
driving as fast as possible to Bristol. We had now
a fellow-traveller on horseback who seemed to be
going the same way. When it grew dark, we saw
the bright light of a glow-worm (the first I had seen)
shining at the side of the road. We were within a
mile of Bristol, when some men and a woman who
were standing on the footpath called to us to stop,
and on our doing so, said they were sitting up to watch
for a lady of the name of Colmar by the orders of
Squire Hare, and that, as she was to be in a one-horse
carriage, they thought we might be the people.
However, we told them they were mistaken, and
144 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
drove off. But in a little it occurred to me, that
Colmar, somewhat resembled Chalmers, and mentioning
it to Uncle, he thought it better to inquire a little
further into it, so hollaed to the people to speak to
him, upon which one of the men ran to us. We
asked if the name was not Chalmers, and he said,
as if suddenly recollecting, that he thought it was,
and, moreover, told us that an old gentleman and a
young lady had come to Squire Hare's already. Upon
asking what the old gentleman's age might be, he said,
' about fifty,' so we determined to return with him,
not knowing what was to be the issue of the adventure,
though the man said he was sure it was all right.
As we approached the gate, Papa came to meet us.
He had been anxious about us when it became
late. We were ushered into a comfortable well-
lighted dining-room, where a good supper was provided
for us, of which we were very glad, and were
introduced to Mr. and Mrs. Hare. We were told
that Mrs. Chalmers had retired. It was quite like
a fairy tale all of us travelling in different ways,
and meeting, unexpectedly, at a house of which we
had known nothing before, and with a family we had
never heard of. After eating a poached ' hegg ' at the
request of Mr. ' 'Are/ I went to Mrs. Chalmers, and
was told that the mail had been stopped, and she had
been brought in to Firfield. I was quite delighted by
the novelty of the adventure. Altogether we had
spent a very delightful day. I should like to traverse
England in an open carriage ; one sees so much more
of the country, and it is far preferable to the mail,
because one is not exposed to society. The horse
seemed as fresh at the end of the journey as at the
beginning.
OF ANNE CHALMERS 145
Sabbath, i^th June. We met at breakfast a Mr.
Wilson, a nephew of a philanthropist, who spends
20,000 a year on philanthropy. Mr. Hare is, I
find, a person of the same class as Mr. Hale, but I
prefer the former, for he has not any of that frightful
want of tact and delicacy that was so horrible in Mr.
Hale. ... He looks very good-natured and
benevolent, and has just finished building a Dissenting
chapel. But his language is not couched in the most
grammatical terms, and he misplaces his h's very
generally. Mrs. Hare is a very pleasant woman, and
is sister of Mr. Cottle. In the morning we heard
Mr. Leifschilds, and on the way home Mr. Wilson
argued with Papa against establishments. We have
got quite among a set of Dissenters at present. Mrs.
Patrick Chalmers' brother, Mr. Carige, came to dinner
and after dinner I walked out for the first time
among the grounds, which are very small but well
laid out. We visited the pond, in which the golden
fishes are contained, and the stag and the hermitage,
etc. The whole party, some in the carriage and the
others, including myself, in the phaeton, went to
drink tea with Mr. Joseph Cottle, ' rich Bristowar's
boast.' He is not in the least like what I expected.
He is an elderly man with a most benevolent and
placid expression of countenance. Both of his feet
are deformed. We met his sister and his niece, Miss
Saunders, also Mr. and Mrs. Clayton and their
daughter, who was set beside me to talk to me, but
found nothing to say, although she is twenty-four
years of age. There was a Miss Wilson, daughter of
Capt. Wilson, who went with the first missionaries
to Otaheite and (I suppose) brought Lee Bos to this
country, and a Miss Whyte and Mr. Forster, the
10
146 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
greatest man in Britain, or perhaps in the world.*
The party was very large, and we sat in a formal
circle round the room. After tea the young ladies,
viz., Misses Whyte, Wilson, Clayton, Saunders, and
myself, were sent off to church. Miss Saunders took
me to Mr. Cottle's studio, where were pictures of
John Henderson, Coleridge, and Southey, the two
last taken when young. On arriving at church, not
another person had yet come, and we were divided
into different pews ; and I was put into one by
myself, and had to sit all the time till service began,
doing nothing, for I had not a Bible ; and I certainly
thought it would have been quite as well to wait for
the others. Mr. Hall (who is about as great a man as
Mr. Forster) preached, Mr. Henderson having opened
the service. Mr. Hall speaks so low that it is hardly
possible to catch what he says. We returned directly
to Firfield, and after supper went to bed.
Monday, i^th June. The carriage and phaeton,
loaded with people, drove to Mr. Hare's chapel, and
we visited the Infant School, which is under the
same roof. It was a very interesting sight. There
were bairns as young as Fanny, and wiser I daresay,
though some of them began to squall and bawl.
When they get drowsy they are laid in a bed, and
while we were there one girl was soundly sleeping
on the mattress. The little monitors, with their
important countenances, sung the multiplication
table, ' two times two are four,' and the whole of the
others repeated it after them. They say pieces of
poetry after the teacher, and I should recommend
them to learn ' Multiplication is a vexation,' etc., as
* This opinion seems to be quite sincerely expressed. It is to be
feared that the gentleman who occasioned it has not left indelible
' footprints on the sands of time.' M. G. B.
OF ANNE CHALMERS 147
I think it would interest them and keep alive their
attention. It should always follow the multiplication
table. Mr. Carige joined the party just as we
entered Redcliffe Church. This is a fine building,
' old and grey.' We afterwards visited the Cathedral,
which is considered poor, but is very well, and
contains some interesting monuments, among others
that of Sterne's Eliza. We then proceeded to Clifton
to the house of Mrs. Hannah More, and were shown
into her drawing-room. She was very ill and in bed,
but her room communicated with the drawing-room
by folding doors. Two maiden ladies who live with
her and were quite like English elderly maiden
ladies, came to us and said that Mrs. More could
not see us all at once, but wished Papa and Mamma
to go to her. Afterwards I was taken in, when she
received me with great kindness. She has a most
pleasing countenance and a very kind manner.
Afterwards the others were admitted, and Mrs.
Hannah begged Papa to pray, when we all knelt
down and he offered up a short prayer, after which
she thanked him, and we took leave of her. But just
as we were going she called for the little boy (John),
and directed one of the old ladies to take from the
bookcase the Sacred Dramas and to present it to him.
When he gets a little older he will be able to appreciate
this gift, though now he thinks the book he got from
his schoolmaster as good as it is. This very interesting
interview being at an end we separated from Uncle's
party and went to visit another eminent, Mr. Robert
Hall.* His wife (who was a servant, for he possesses
* Possibly Robert Hall, Baptist minister, who died in 1831. and
was a prolific writer of tracts. The superlative terms in which he
and Mr. Forster are referred to in this Journal are a sad and melan-
choly instance of the transitoriness of human reputation. M. G. B.
148 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
the eccentricities with the flowers of genius) was
in the room. She is very different from him. He
soon entered, and reclined on some chairs, on
account of the tic douloureux, with his pipe in his
mouth. He wore a black dressing-gown. His
appearance denotes talent ; he has a striking
countenance, and he smokes all day long. When
we entered the drawing-room, it was evident that
he had been there from the smell of tobacco. He
said Sir J. Mackintosh was a very extraordinary
man. We staid a very short time with him, then
returned to Firfield, where we found Mr. and Miss
Cottle and the four young ladies I had seen the day
before. They dined with us, and I thought Miss
Clayton's intellect a little disordered, for being of
a very quiet temperament and hardly moving and
scarcely ever speaking. The smile, with which she
appeared to struggle almost constantly, made me
think there must be something wrong about her.
She has just recovered from a severe illness, which
may have weakened her mind. After dinner I
looked over prints and Mrs. Hare's album, which
contains the portraits of many celebrated men, such
as a profile of James Montgomery, very like, and
a picture of Sir James Mackintosh, and one of Mr.
Hall, not in the least like. Miss Cottle looked over
the book with me, and a portrait of Byron with
some hostile lines under it having turned up, she
looked at it with an expression of dislike and said,
' How I hate that Byron ! ' I was certain that the
Cottles would never forgive him for the attack he
made upon them. Misses Clayton and Saunders
played a little on the piano, and I played part of Nel
Silenzio. Mr. Wilson, father of the one who is
OF ANNE CHALMERS 149
staying here already, came about supper-time, and
will be Mr. Hare's guest for some time.
Tuesday, i^th June. Mamma was not very well,
and I sat in her room writing and working most part
of the morning. They all went to Bristol, while Papa
preached the first sermon in the new chapel. When
I entered the drawing-room before dinner I found it
quite full of people. I am certain all the Dissenting
interest in Bristol was there, Mr. Leifschilds among
the rest. There were a few ladies, but the bulk consisted
of gentlemen. There must have been more than
thirty people. The table was quite crowded at
dinner, but half a dozen persons sat at side tables.
(I forgot to mention that Miss Carige called for a
few minutes before dinner.) In the background,
Mr. Hall reclined on a sofa and dined in the Roman
style. I walked out for some time after dinner, but
soon the whole party, excepting Mamma and myself,
went to town to hear Mr. Clayton preach. I employed
myself in practising while they were away, and
Mamma went to her room to read some stupid book.
But no words can describe our vexation on being
told at supper by Mr. Joshua Wilson, that Mr. Hall
had reclined alone in the dining-room the whole
evening, and had only been gone a few minutes,
and for want of any other amusement had occupied
himself in reading seventy hymns ! There was a
golden opportunity gone that will probably never
return, for it is not likely we shall ever have such
an opportunity of conversing with him again. And
Mamma could have explained the Row miracles
to him, which Papa had been tilling him at dinner
time, and we should have had him all to ourselves for
three hours. It is the greatest mortification we have
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experienced since we left Scotland, and it is remarkable
too that it should have happened on a Tuesday.
Wednesday, i6th June. Went to Mr. Hall's. We
had been invited to breakfast, but did not go. I was
introduced to Miss Hall, who drove with us to Mrs.
Forster. It was extraordinary, that in the same
morning, we should call on the two greatest men in
England. Mr. and Mrs. Forster, her sister, Mrs.
Cox, and the two Misses Forster, were just setting off
to Mr. Hare's, where they were to dine. After sitting
a short time with them, we departed in our carriage
and they followed in Mrs. Cox's. After having set
down Miss Hall at her own house, we all went to
the floorcloth manufactory. They manufacture all
their materials, such as the canvas and the paint.
The stamping of the pattern is very interesting.
Then we were joined by Mrs. Patrick and Miss
Carige, who had spent the preceding night in
Bristol. Besides the party already mentioned, on
reaching Firfield we found Mr. Cottle and Miss
Saunders there. Mrs. Forster is (as Mr. Henderson,
who dined with us, says) as clever as Mr. Forster.
His daughters are very quiet and reserved girls, but
I had a great deal of conversation with the youngest,
which ended in her telling me a secret which is
inviolable on this side of the Tweed, but which I am
allowed to tell Ann Parker. During dinner, Mr.
Henderson attacked the Establishment, and he and
Mr. Forster were quite violent against it. Papa had
a tough argument with them. I never saw anything
like these Dissenters ; they would pull down Church
and State, and like the monkey in the Zoological
Garden, snatch the very wig from the Bishops'
heads. I never got so completely into their set
OF ANNE CHALMERS 151
before, and it is really vexatious to see such men as
Hall and Forster among them. I heard that two
English clergyman called in the evening, and I wish
I had seen them ; it would really have been refreshing.
The Misses Forster, etc., and I walked out after
dinner, visited the golden fishes, found one of them
dead, then proceeded to the stag, having first made
a man drive away some cows which were near it. We
soon returned to the house. Mr. Carige came to
tea and took away Miss C. in the evening. About
the same time the Forsters departed, also all the
visitors.
Thursday, ijth June. Papa, Mamma, Mrs. C.,
and myself set off for Blaire Castle ; Mr. Carige
joined us on horseback on the road. We called for
Mr. Cottle and Miss Saunders, who accompanied us.
We first drove to the hot wells and drunk a little
of the water. Here the scenery is very fine. The
river is bounded on one side by high cliffs, on the
other by wooded hills. Then we drove through some
very beautiful country, passed the house where little
Laura Fitzroy underwent the operation, and drove
through Lord de Clifford':- park, till we reached a
point, from which we had an open and commanding
view of the country, and of the hills on the other side
of the ' blushing ' Severn. After having admired a
sufficiently long time, we next visited the cottages
built by Mr. Harford. They are very beautiful. We
entered one of them, whose inmate was an old lady
who said she was of a very clerical family, being
related to many clergymen. We then proceeded to
Mr. Harford's house and saw his steward, who took
us to Blaire Castle, which is only occupied by an old
woman. From the top we have an extensive view.
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In one of the rooms, are the coats of arms of a number
of people, the King's, Lord Landsdowne's, and
Teignmouth's, etc. Besides, busts and pieces of
sculpture ornament the rooms. The grounds are
very well laid out. We passed an arbour paved with
horses' teeth. We visited the conservatory and the
flower garden, which is beautiful. In the centre is a
pond containing innumerable goldfishes, which all
collected in one spot when the steward threw some
crumbs in to them. Having returned to Bristol and
set down the Cottles, we went to Mr. John Hare's,
with whom we dined. After dinner they all went to
hear Papa preach, but Mamma, Mrs. C., and I did
not. We remained a very short time at Mr. Hare's,
which time I occupied in music, and then returned
to Firfield, and I did nothing particular the rest of
the evening save write my journal.
Friday, i8th June. At eight in the morning we left
Firfield for Bristol, where we got into the Birmingham
coach ; Mr. Carige came to the coach to see us off.
I observed a young man arrive who was very like
Mr. Vigil, but who was not he. The party had all
the interior of the coach, but being anxious to go
to the top, we desired the coachman to try whether
any one would change places with Mamma. At
the next stage he announced that a gentleman had
offered to come inside, so Mamma mounted, and
this person, who was no other than the young man
like Mr. Vigil, entered. He turned out to be a
Cambridge student who was fond of metaphysics,
and meant to take Orders soon, as he was bent on
reform, and wished with all his heart to lash the
High Church party. He appeared enthusiastic and
sanguine had been a reading man at Cambridge,
OF ANNE CHALMERS 153
and was upon the whole an agreeable young man.
To-day we passed through fine scenery both in
Somersetshire and Gloucester. We rode through the
pleasant towns of Tewkesbury and Gloucester (a
cathedral town), Cheltenham, Worcester, and Droitwich ;
our view was for some time bounded by the Malvern
Hills. At one time Papa left the inside and a poor
woman came in, and then this young man told us,
that he had not known before that he was travelling
with Dr. Chalmers, that he was well repaid for having
given up his place in his conversation, and that
he had read his astronomical discourses three times
on his last holidays. But he soon resumed his seat
on the outside, and a great fat man somewhat like
Henry Hunt came in. Soon after we arrived at
Worcester, where the people dined, but our party
went to a pastrycook's and ate ill-made ices, by
which we were very much refreshed. At the next
stage, Mrs. Patrick Chalmers and I went outside, but
I disliked it very much, for the man had stopped very
often for glasses of peppermint and drove very ill,
and I felt that the responsibility of the coach was
upon me ; so altogether disliking my situation, I took
the earliest opportunity of returning inside, where
the company consisted of the fat man, an Italian, the
student, and myself. There were few words from
any party, but I certainly thought my situation odd,
to be there by myself. But soon the foreigner and
student went, and Mrs. Patrick Chalmers and the
brother of the latter came in, till at last the carriage
being at the foot of a hill, the contents of the coach
were turned out to walk up, all except the ladies, so
Mamma and John rejoined us inside. And after
ascending the hill, Papa came in, so we had our own
154 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
party again, and rode quietly to Birmingham. The
country through which we passed to-day was very
beautiful, and the town exceedingly pleasant. The
spires or towers of churches, which occur so frequently
in English landscape, have a good effect rising from
the foliage. On arriving at Birmingham we found
Mr. Nott, the stationer, waiting for us (also Mr. Ker,
who called for us at Regent's Park, with Mrs. Macturk),
and were conveyed bag and baggage to Mr. Nott's
house. Having had tea, I was rather alarmed to
hear some one say that Mr. Ker had determined
upon me sleeping at his house, and that some Misses
Lloyd had also settled I was to stay with them,
and that Mr. Ker had conceded the point to them.
But I thought in my heart, ' Miss Chalmers shan't
go to either,' so declared that, if not inconvenient
to Mrs. Nott, I should prefer remaining with my
friends at her house. So they yielded the point to
me, but it seems these Misses Lloyd are to call on me
to-morrow to show me the town. I really wish I
could get to that happy town, if there be such in
the world, where there is nothing to be seen. There
were several obsequious men at Mr. Nott's to-night.
I only know Mr. and Mrs. Nott and her mother, Mrs.
Hare. I employed the evening in writing to Miss
Edie and my journal.
Saturday, igth June. Several gentlemen came to
breakfast ; whenever I was finished, I ran to the
drawing-room to read an Annual which I had seen,
but was soon followed by the old lady who had feared
I was ill. Then the Misses Lloyd called and offered
to take me about in their Uncle's carriage, so it was
settled they should call for me at two o'clock. At
twelve o'clock we all rode out with Mr. Nott, and first
OF ANNE CHALMERS 155
visited the button-manufactory, which is very simple
and interesting, but it would be useless to describe
the process. Thence we proceeded to the church, in
which is a monument by Chantrey of James Watt
executed in white marble. It consists of a basement
five or six feet high, on which is a figure of Watt as
large as life and very like him. The attitude is easy
and natural, and it is altogether the most perfect and
pleasing piece of sculpture I have seen. And as the
guide said, the coating of dust which it had acquired
served to bring out the shades better, and besides,
gave it a silky look. Mr. Chantrey had ordered that
it should not be touched, till he came to Birmingham
again. The church was very respectable for a country
parish. After leaving it, we called on a Mr. Turner,
who is in deep grief, having lately lost a daughter
who has left a husband and four children, the eldest
four years old. Her stepmother, Mrs. Turner, is
very deaf. Mr. Turner was much agitated when we
first entered, but the ladies went to the dining-room
for some refreshment, while Papa and Mr. Nott sat
with Mr. Turner and his son-in-law. When they
came to the dining-room we left it, as so many
strangers were too much for Mr. T., and Miss Richards
brought in two of the children very nice, pretty
children. After sitting some time with them, we
returned home and found that we had broken our
engagement with the Misses Lloyd, as it was after
four o'clock, and they had called twice for me, and
could not return. However, Mamma, Mr. Nott, John,
and I walked to Mr. Tomlinson's, where we saw a
variety of plated articles and a copy of the great
Warwick vase brought from Tivoli. This had been six
years in being constructed, and was very handsome.
156 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
On our way home we stopped at one or two shops,
particularly at a French shop, where we bought
several articles of jewellery. Here we met a strange-
looking man with stockings d la Tarn o' Shanter,
who rode home with us but did not come in. On
reaching home we met Mrs. Patrick Chalmers in full
dress, who told us that a large party had arrived to
dinner, and that we must don our apparel as fast as
possible. We did so, and going into the drawing-room
we saw a number of gentlemen, principally English
clergymen ; for, though the Notts are Dissenters,
they are not in the least bigoted, and do not feel
polluted by sharing their bread and salt with the
Mother Church. Among the visitors were Mr. Spooner
and his brother, Mr. Marsh and his brother, and
some others. Mr. Kennedy came in before we left
the dining-room, and the Misses Lloyd and their
cousin and the Misses Marsh came to tea. When
the gentlemen came upstairs we were much amused
by Mr. Kennedy. He gets so much excited and
speaks very loud, and repeats the same thing so often
that we could not help laughing. I could not resist
it, when I looked over to the youngest Miss Marsh,
whose risible faculties were very much excited by
him. At one time he began to beg a gentleman's
pardon for correcting what he conceived to be a
mistake, and about ten minutes after I heard him
continuing to repeat the same sentiment in different
words over and over. He is very good humoured,
and I like both him and the Messrs, and Miss Marsh
and Misses Lloyd.
Sunday, 20th June. We went to the Scotch chapel
in the morning, where Mr. McDonald opened the
service, and Papa preached. We had thought of
OF ANNE CHALMERS 157
going to the English church, but Mrs. Freere was
very much opposed, for she said the people would
all be anxious to see the Doctor's family. However,
we did not go for that reason, but because it was
more convenient, and I disliked the feelings that the
people's eyes were upon us. After service we spoke
to Miss McGregor, Miss Wilberforce and her friend,
with whom she is staying, not far from this, Miss
Palmer, Mrs. and Miss Spooner. We then went
to Mr. Ker's to lunch, where were a number of
people. After lunch all our party, except myself,
returned home, but I wished to go to church, so I
went into the parlour with Mr. Ker's children till
the gentlemen should be ready. There were seven
little girls, the eldest ten years old. They told me,
they were all very naughty children, and that a
school-fellow of theirs, Miss Phillips, was a very rude
girl. I soon left them for church, and was obliged
to go alone from the vestry to our pew. I observed
Mrs. and Miss Spooner and Miss Wilberforce in the
front seat. Mr. McDonald, as before, commenced,
and Papa preached, and after sermon, Misses
Wilberforce and Palmer accompanied us to Mr. Nott's
to dinnner.
Monday, 2ist June. We left Birmingham at eight
o'clock. Mrs. Patrick Chalmers and I being the sole
occupiers of the inside, and Papa, Mamma, and John
occupied the top, and Mr. MacDonald accompanied
them the first stage, as far as Lichfield, where we
were allowed twenty minutes to see the Cathedral.
We walked quickly through the aisle among the
lofty pillars that had stood for ages in solemn grandeur,
and had only time to see the chapter-house hastily,
and I observed Lady Mary Wortley Montague's
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monument as we were leaving, and would have
called the attention of the others to it, but just then
the horn blew and off we flew, each with their cloaks
flying in the wind, and Papa with his greatcoat,
like the picture of Christian or Hopeful climbing
the hill Difficulty. So we crossed the green, and ran
down the street till we reached the coach, and
skipping in, away it drove. Then we passed through
Abbot's Bromley, then Uttoxeter and Cheadle,
where we took in a little passenger, then Leek,
where the passengers appropriately dined, and where
we set out the little passenger, but took in a woman.
We were joined by an inquisitive man at Macclesfield,
to whom Mrs. Patrick Chalmers was very communica-
tive, and told him where she lived and where we
had been, and that Papa's and Mamma's watches
had stopped, and many other particulars, and he
began to question me, but I did not give him so
much information. We passed through Stockport,
the most disagreeable smoky town I ever saw, built
of red brick. There are houses all the way from
Stockport to Manchester, so that they almost appear
the same town. Manchester is a most horrible town,
built of smoky-looking red bricks. Its atmosphere
consists principally of the black smoke that issues
forth in dense clouds from thickly-scattered tall red
chimneys. We were met here by Mr. Barbour, who
took us to dwell at his house. They are Glasgow
people, and have the accent in perfection. His inmates
are his sister and brother-in-law, Mr. Allen ; his
brother came in the evening. Mr. B. is a widower.
Tuesday, 22nd June. After breakfast, Miss Barbour,
Mrs. P. Chalmers, Mamma, and I, accompanied by
Mr. Allen, set out to see some manufactories.
OF ANNE CHALMERS 159
We first visited the tape-making, and were shown
some machines going up and down and round and
round, which set in motion all the machinery in
about twelve rooms, and was the cause of as much
noise as might have deafened a mole. Then we saw
some pirns dancing the lancers, which produced
braid. Then we visited reed-making and the iron
foundry, and returned to have some lunch. Then
we went out with the intention of driving round the
town, but had only time to see the printing of cotton,
which is somewhat like printing floorcloths, and
then to call at Mr. Frederick's for Mrs. Morton.*
We saw there her daughter Catherine, who seems
a nice girl with a great deal of simplicity. I walked
round the garden with her. Mrs. Morton was
looking better. Mr. Grantf and Papa arrived as we
were going, and Mr. Grant rode part of the way
home with us. Another Mr. Grant, a ridiculous man
with a large party of gentlemen, dined at Mr.
Barbour's.
Wednesday, 2%rd June. I left Mr. Barbour's with
Papa in the coach for Liverpool ; our companions
were two ladies, one of whom was a great chatterbox,
and would not allow Papa to read. We were met at
the Old Swan by Messrs. Chs. and Patck. Parker
and Mr. Wilson, who took us to Aigburth in two
phaetons ; Papa and Chs. in one and us in the other.
We stopped to look at the railroad and saw one of the
engines move. I was met at Aigburth by Ann, who
received me characteristically by a shout of laughter.
We then dined, and after dinner saw the celebrated
* Sister of Dr. Chalmers.
f The Messrs. Grant were supposed to be the prototypes of
Dickens' Cheeryble Brothers.
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Eliza and her amiable brother, Charles. But now was
to come the formidable part my introduction to all
the Sandbaches,* who, Ann told me, were prepared to
find me very grave, and could talk of nothing but
botany and mineralogy and other scientific subjects.
So Ann, having instructed me how I was to behave,
took me to Woodlands, and in her boisterous manner
introduced me to all the Sandbaches, old and young,
and then made me jump over a railing to show them
that I was a romp. Then we walked over a hayfield,
and, in passing, Miss Castley, the governess, took
up a flower carefully and said, ' Do you know the
name of this, Miss C. ? ' so I told her I knew
nothing about, which I daresay surprised her, for
she supposed I would have said Urbs Edinburgum,
of the germs of which Juvenal speaks when he says,
' Femina sapit quae pauca loquitur ' etc.f So being
really amused by knowing that they were all
observing me particularly, I laughed and talked
very merrily, and at last Miss Castley said, ' Oh, you
are such a different girl from what I expected.' I
admire Miss Castley when her countenance is lighted
up by animation.
Friday, 2^th June. Ann and I having been with
difficulty rescued from the dominion of Morphy,
breakfasted at eleven o'clock, and then set off in a
carriage with Mr. Hoffender, Papa, and Mary Rose,
although it was pouring of rain, to have a drive in a
steam engine. Mr. Charles and Pat rode in the
phaeton. Upon arriving at the destined spot we
climbed a steep bank to await its arrival, but after
* Charles Parker married Miss Anne Sandbach in 1825.
f Somebody presumably wrote this, but it was not Juvenal.
M. G. B.
OF ANNE CHALMERS 161
standing in the rain for some time we were told it
had passed an hour before, so we returned the way
we came ; but before we had gone far we passed the
railroad and saw the steam engine in propria persona.
There had been some mistake about it which I did
not take the trouble to comprehend, but we got into
the waggon and rode five miles in it in ten minutes,
sometimes faster and sometimes slower, and once at
the rate of thirty-four miles an hour. The motion is
imperceptible, and the feeling of moving so quickly
most exhilarating ; we wrote each a sentence while
we were at full speed, and would have done so with
perfect ease had not the rain, which was very heavy,
blotted the writing. Afterwards we went to the
entrance of the tunnel and met there Mr. De
Cappleton and Mr. Scoresby. We here entered a
waggon, and being pushed off, the motion accelerated,
and we passed through the tunnel one mile and a
quarter in four minutes. It was very cold at first.
After leaving the tunnel, Pat, M. Rose, Ann, and I
were sent off in a post-chaise I mean in a crab (a
machine which moves sideways) to Aigburth. It
was most natural we should set about some piece of
mischief when we were left by ourselves, so in our
wisdom we thought it would be an excellent project
to have our hair dressed ; so setting at defiance all
prudence, and regardless of wet feet and dripping
bonnets, we ordered the coachman to drive to Mr.
Friseur's. But he was so tedious upon Ann's hair
that we got quite impatient, and saw that it was out
of the question that any of us should be curled. Pat
frequently remonstrated, but the friseur only told
him that a lady's hair was of more consequence than
a gentleman's time ; that it was an excellent thing for
11
162 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
gentlemen to spend several hours in the day with
ladies, as it taught them patience, which was an
admirable virtue ; and finished by a number of very
natural stories of men being first ready for balls and
then being so impatient as quite to disturb him in
his operations on a lady's hair. Pat said after that he
would have knocked him down, only it would have
taken time. On arriving at Aigburth we got lunch
and prepared for going to dine with Mr. Sandbach.
We went after they had begun dinner. The Misses
McCorquodale and their brother dined also at
Woodlands. We spent a very pleasant evening. I
liked Miss Sandbach very much ; she is so very mild
and gentle. Pat's conversation was much talked of
to-night by Ann and Miss Castley. We had been
conversing with them on the sofa very beautifully,
but when it was known that he possessed these
colloquial powers, and when we all gathered round
him and requested him to talk as Miss Castley
said ' the charm was fled.' We could not get a
regular talking-match instituted, for the ease of
conversation was past. Just then Mrs. Sandbach
came in from Aigburth, where she dined, with orders
to send us home ; but the night was very wet,
and Pat and Willy were sent to get leave for us to
stay all night. We walked up and down in the hall
till they returned (I being with Miss Castley), when
they brought in two bundles with our various
apparatus for the night, together with permission
to remain. Mary Rose slept with us, and Miss Castley
curled her hair beside us.
Saturday, 26th June. We breakfasted with the
Sandbaches, then went over to Aigburth in the
morning, and I packed. Mr. McCorquodale called
OF ANNE CHALMERS 163
(as he said) to shake me by the hand before going.
We lunched at Aigburth, and having taken leave of
all the Sandbaches (whom I will not dismiss from
these pages without offering my tribute to them as
being a most agreeable, amiable, and handsome
family), Papa, Ann, and I set off on the phaeton to
the Old Swan for the Manchester coach, at the same
spot where we had left it three days before. We had
not long to wait before it arrived, and taking leave
of Ann, we got in and found a Mr. Porter, an Irishman
whom we had seen somewhere about the steam
engine. He professed some of the chivalrous spirit
of his countrymen ; for, seeing that Papa took off his
hat at the first change of horses, he took from his
luggage his own travelling cap and begged Papa to
wear it, being, as he said, apprehensive lest he should
catch cold. However, the cap proved too small for
Papa's head, and the man had the Quixotism to cut
up part of it. But afterwards he insisted on Papa
taking it with him to Edinburgh, as he could return
it then easily, and Papa, to avoid an altercation about
it, accepted the offer, much to my distress, as I know
it must be mended before it is returned to Mr.
Porter, and if I had known before I should have
made violent opposition to its being ripped up.
Well ! without any particular accident we arrived at
Manchester at Mr. Barbour's, and Papa went out to
dinner, but I staid at home and drank tea with Miss
Barbour and Mr. George. Afterwards, while I was
sitting sewing gloves and talking about commercial
affairs, I heard a knock at the door, and a familiar
voice inquired for Dr. Chalmers. Mr. Barbour went
to talk to it, and it inquired for Mamma, so being
told she was in the country but that I was within, the
164 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
door opened, and the voice assumed form and substance
of Mr. Vigil ! * I hope I have given him as many
points of interrogation as I did James Parker. Indeed,
I think he deserves more, for I certainly was far
more surprised at seeing him than the latter. He
sat apart awhile with us, and told us that he was not
in France, and that Mr. Atherton's plans had been
changed, etc. He took leave before going in to
supper, as he had an appointment at that hour. Mr.
Allen was there when I went to supper, and soon
after Papa and Mr. Barbour returned from dining
at Mr. Daniel Grant's. Now it was discovered that
Papa had not his sermon for next day, and after
searching the boxes and cutting open the bag in
vain, we were forced to conclude that Mamma had
taken them with her to Mr. Grant's, who lived
thirteen miles from town. Papa was very much
vexed and annoyed by this unlucky circumstance,
and we were in a complete dilemma, till at last
Mr. Allen rose, declaring he would ride there
immediately. This chivalrous declaration was opposed
by all, and he was entreated to delay till morning,
but he was determined, and said he would be back
with the sermon in two hours, and so saying, strode
out of the room. He performed his promise. He left
Manchester at eleven o'clock and returned safely
with the precious documents (I believe, before two
o'clock).
Sunday, 2jth June. On going to the breakfast-room,
the first thing I saw was a newspaper surrounded
and intercolumniated with black. My worst fears
were confirmed by Papa telling me that the King
was dead !
* A young student of Dr. Chalmers'. M. G. B.
OF ANNE CHALMERS 165
We heard Papa in the morning in the Mechanics'
Institution. He preached upon death, and made
some allusion to our departed monarch. Mrs.
Hedderick and Catherine Morton were in church,
and I was surprised to see our old friend Mr. Bennet
there. After sermon we met Mamma and Mrs. P.
Chalmers, who returned to Mr. Barbour's with us.
Miss Thomson and Miss Sword called on us.
Then we dined, after which we called at Mr. Danl.
Grant's and were introduced to Mrs. John Grant
and Miss Grant and Miss Walkinshaw, whom I like,
because she is the only person I have seen who is
really sorry for the King as a man. Some regret him
on political grounds, others because they must buy
new black gowns, but few really feel for him. There
is an original picture of him in Mr. Grant's. We
had some thunder in the evening, at which I was so
frightened that I was obliged to fly to the back
drawing-room, where I found some pineapple which
Miss Walkinshaw cut for me, as I would on no
account have touched a knife myself, and I was
busily engaged eating it when the ladies entered, and
were much amused thereby. We heard that Mr.
Bennet was in the dining-room and had been
declaiming to the party, and soon after he came in and
was very hearty in his compliments. After having
shaken hands with Mamma and inquired for me, I
presented myself to him, when he informed me that
I was a very lovely girl and always had been, and
would always continue to be so. I heard a whisper of
his having partaken freely of the juice of the grape,
and am inclined to believe that, notwithstanding his
sanctity, his want of tact allowed him to overstep the
quantity prudence would have assigned. There was
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a very strange scene after dinner between his stupid
speeches and Mr. D. Grant's admiration of these. I
daresay there were never two men who would enter
more readily into each other's views in making each
other ridiculous with the utmost simplicity of heart.
Mr. Grant talked of the honour he had in entertaining
' his two distinguished friends, Mr. Bennet and
Dr. Chalmers,' etc. Miss Barbour and I went home
and were followed by the others, and as we were
going to church with a Mr. Smith, we met them in
the lobby with Mr. John Grant, who said he should
like to kiss me even through my veil, so I submitted
to the hug which followed up this speech and which
resembled that of a bear. Then Mr. Smith, Miss
Barbour and I went to the Institution to hear
Dr. C. At first I had my seat very low down,
but soon Miss Barbour beckoned me to come to a
higher and more agreeable seat. We had a most
eloquent sermon. I observed Mr. Vigil in church,
but I had not an opportunity of speaking to him, as
Mr. Smith hurried us out of church before the sermon
was well finished. I met him, however, as I was
going home with Mr. Allen. We rode in a crab to
call on Mrs. Morton, and stayed some time with her.
Heard we were to depart at an earlier hour than we
had expected on the morrow.
Monday, 2&th June. Made preparations in the
morning for leaving Manchester. As we were waiting
for the carriage, Mr. Vigil called and walked with
Mr. G. Barbour to the coach to see us off. We had
to wait some time before the stage was ready ; we
thought it best to sit in the carriage, and Messrs.
Vigil, G. Barbour, Allen, and Barbour and all the
others waited with us. We met Mrs. Morton and
OF ANNE CHALMERS 167
Miss Morton, and they, with Mrs. P. Chalmers and I
were in the inside of the coach, and Papa, Mamma,
and John, on the top. We hoped the weather might
be favourable, but soon after leaving Manchester it
began to rain heavily, accompanied by ' loud
thunder ' which ' rent the frightened heaven.' The
vivid lightning flashed through the sky, and we in
the interior all trembled not only for our own safety
but for those on the outside. We particularly disliked
Mamma's situation. Poor Cath. Morton got quite
frightened. I amused myself by turning over the
contents of my bag and reading the Pictures of
London. Upon reaching Preston we landed at the
inn that Mamma might change her stockings, which
being done we left Preston with better hopes of the
weather. But as I was watching the dark angry-
looking clouds, I saw a flash dart from them, and the
lightning continued until we reached Lancaster,
where we heard that a man had been killed by
lightning a short time before our arrival. This
was very melancholy news. We had a comfortable
enough evening in the inn and made a most
excellent tea.
Tuesday, 2gth June. Mrs. P. Chalmers and I went
to a shop upon which we had fixed our affections the
preceding night, but it disappointed our hopes and
we found it of no value. Then we all, except the
Mortons, went to the Castle and saw the prisoners,
male and female, felons and debtors. They seem a
very agreeable, sober, pleasant set of people. Several
men were working in the treadmill. We got into
John o' Gaunt's chair, and the place where the man
had been killed the day before was pointed out. The
church is a very handsome edifice. While we were
i68 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
there, a funeral, attended by women, entered, and
the priest began to pronounce the burial service.
The chapel belonging to the prison is a neat building,
and the prisoners are confined in railed partitions,
and those who are condemned to die have a door
from their pew which leads directly to the scaffold.
In the interior of their partition are written several
texts appropriate to their state. On our way home
we furnished ourselves with cakes, and the Carlisle
coach being ready, entered and drove off, the Mortons
Mrs. P. Chalmers, and I being inside as before.
We had good enough weather to-day, however.
On reaching Kendal, a crowd collected round us,
the occasion of which we discovered to be a felon
who sat opposite Mamma on the outside, and who
had broken into a jeweller's shop some time ago.
We passed through Penrith to-day, and part of the
scenery of Cumberland is very grand. It unites the
beauties of England and Scotland, having the hills
of Scotland and the trees of England. We spent the
night at Carlisle, and at half past four next morning
we left it for Dumfries.
Wednesday, y>th June. Papa, Mrs., and Miss
Morton were to follow us some days after, and Mr.
Napier was on the outside of the coach. We passed
Gretna Green, and entered Scotland, and found it a
bleak barren country. Positively there was hardly a
tree on the way to Dumfries, and hardly an object
was to be seen but low swelling eminences and
whitewashed cottages. I thought it a very disagreeable
country. We had a very pleasant drive ; the morning
was clear and pleasant, as it always is at that early
hour, and I had the impoliteness to laugh in the
face of Nature in the exuberance of my mirth. How
OF ANNE CHALMERS 169
glad every object one can see is, at that early hour,
but how rarely I enjoy it ! We breakfasted at
Dumfries, then walked about the streets, then got
into the mail and arrived in the forenoon at Castle
Douglas, where we met the Misses McLellan and
Eliza and Grace, with whom we walked to Kelton,
where we met Mrs. McLellan. We dined and drank
tea, and Mr. McLellan came to supper.
Thursday, ist July. The Misses Barbour called in
the morning. We went through all our meals as
usual, and I tried to make up part of my journal,
but did not finish it.
Friday, 2nd July. I came down to breakfast before
the others had quite finished. Occupied several hours
of the forenoon in dressing, then wrote my journal
and had a glass of buttermilk. We had some very
agreeable conversation in the drawing-room about
mourning for the King, and old gowns and caps, and
all the intricacies of the toilet, etc., and Mrs. McLellan
is very anxious that an amphibious black head-dress
of hers should be immortalized in these pages.
We dined at seven o'clock, I suppose, and after
dinner Mr. McL. and Mrs. P. Chalmers and Mamma
rode in the gig to Castle Douglas, while Miss McL.
and I walked. We lounged there in shops, buying
scraps of ribbon and cheap gloves for an hour, then
returned the way we came, but it rained very
heavily.
Saturday, yd July. I was downstairs before
Mamma and found the breakfast very good. The
others complained that there was salt in the tea, but
as I drank coffee I was exempt from that annoyance.
My dejeuner consisted of scones and coffee. Then I
sat down to work in the drawing-room and told
170 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
Mrs. P. Chalmers and Eliza (whose birthday this is)
several stories, particularly that of the accident the Pope
met with the other day when he was wounded by the
Great Mogul. Mamma, etc., rode through the country
in the evening, and Papa, Miss Margaret McLellan,
Eliza Grace, John and David Halliday, sailed on
the lake, but I stayed quietly at home with Mrs. McL.
I forgot to mention that Papa had arrived in the
forenoon from Woodhouselee. Mr. and Mrs. Crosbie
arrived to tea this evening.
Sunday, qkh July. I heard Papa preach in the
morning. Capt. Jones, whom I saw here the last
time Papa preached in Kelton, called at the Manse,
but with a different Mrs. Jones from the one he had
then. The first lady died ten months ago, and he has
been a month married. Several others whom I did
not observe came in. Mrs. Captain Dunn, Mrs. and
Miss Sinclair, and Mr. Williamson and Mr. James
Halliday dined here. I sat some time in the drawing-
room after dinner, then descended with my sisters to
my own room, where we read the second and third
Epistles of John, interspersing them with our own
remarks. I then learnt part of a hymn in ' The
Christian Year,' after which we went out to walk,
and John and Eliza, Grace and I promenaded in the
garden and avenue till it was very late. I had some
interesting conversation with Grace during our
walk. We then went in to supper, after which we
came to look at the moon, and walked as far as
the gate.
Monday, tfh July. We had some morning visits,
but I only saw Mrs. and Miss McLellan, who staid
to dinner. Mr. and Mrs. Crosbie, who dined with
us, and their nephew, Mr. J. Crosbie, came in the
OF ANNE CHALMERS 171
evening. I observed a Mr. Glover too, once, when
I went into the drawing-room.
Tuesday, 6th July. During the forenoon Col.
Gordon and Mrs. Lidderdale and Miss Hannay called,
after which we had lunch ; then made ready to
dine at Buitle Manse, the abode of Mr. Crosbie.
From motives of convenience a painted cart was
fixed on as the mode of our conveyance, in which
Mamma, Mrs. and Miss McLellan, Mrs. P. Chalmers
and I, with Mr. McLellan as charioteer, were driven
to Buitle. It jolted in an extraordinary way, being a
succession of little jumps. As we left Kelton, the
view of the lake, interspersed with small wooded
islands and Castle Douglas beyond it, was very fine.
Douglas Castle looked beautiful in the different
points of view in which we saw it in passing. Before
we had reached the Manse we were forced to betake
ourselves to our cloaks and umbrellas, as it began to
rain slightly. We, however, escaped the worst of the
shower. Mr. and Mrs. Croker and Mr. Crosbie, the
Minister of Parton, dined at Mr. Crosbie 's. A
boy and two little girls walked into the room after
dinner. We met also Mr. Sinclair and Papa, who
had been exploring the country during the earlier
part of the day. In going home at night an exchange
was made ; viz., as Mrs. Chalmers had been observed
on the point of fainting several times in the cart, it
was judged expedient that Mr. Sinclair should drive
her in his gig and Papa should come with us. We
had a very merry party in going home.
Wednesday, yth July. Papa, Mamma, Eliza, and
I left Kelton, after a hearty lunch, in Genl. Dunlop's
carriage, to visit him at Southwick. We saw Miss
Sinclair for a few minutes in Castle Douglas. After
172 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
passing Buitle and going through a great deal of
wild and rugged but romantic scenery, consisting
principally of wild hills and rocks covered with
heather and ivy, the Lover's Leap and Lot's Wife
(which is a tall rock standing by itself), and passing
through a small village, we reached the General's
house, where we met him and his daughter, for we
did not see Mrs. Dunlop till after she had dressed.
There was no one but ourselves at dinner, and
conversation rather lagged. The family is very
pleasant, and I think the General would rather fight
over again his political than his warlike campaign.
He takes great interest in what is going on in the
House of Commons. After dinner Miss D. showed
us several little curiosities, and I amused myself in
playing with two puzzles.
Thursday, 8th July. After breakfast, Miss Dunlop,
Papa, Mamma, Eliza, and I set out on a voyage of
discovery among the hills and woods which surround
the house, for it is beautifully situated. We were
enjoying ourselves very much when it began to rain,
but we persisted in our scrambling, hoping it would
soon pass away, but the grass got wet and the rain
heavier, and the ladies ran home as fast as they could
and left Papa to explore the country alone. After
taking off our wet things, I sat down to write in my
own room.
Mrs. Hindman and Miss Goldie, Mr. and Miss
Craik dined here to-day, and the former staid all
night. We amused ourselves with the puzzles in
the evening.
Friday, gth July. Left Southwick in the forenoon
for Broomlands. Explored the ruins of Sweetheart
Abbey, which I had visited four years before, and
OF ANNE CHALMERS 173
sat on the identical stone on which Mr. Thomson,
of Duddingston, sat to take a sketch of the ruins,
which are the finest I ever saw. The clergyman
accompanied us. Called at Mr. Stoddart's, where we
lunched. They have a number of fine children.
Arrived at Mr. Taylor's of Bloomlands, from where,
after having eaten strawberries, we set out with Mr.
T. to visit Burns' monument and Burns' widow.
We then called on Mrs. Milligan and Mrs. Clyde,
Dr. and Mr. G. Duncan, Mr. Begg, Mr. and Mrs.
Taylor, Miss Taylor.
Mr. Duncan and the student turned with us. We
then went to the top of the house to see the view.
We had some fine music from Mrs. Taylor.
Saturday, loth July. At seven in the morning we
went into Dumfries, where we met Mrs. Patrick,
John, Eliza and Grace with Mr. McLellan. The
first four set off with us in the coach for Edinburgh.
Passed the grand hills at Dalseen and near the foot of
Tintock, through the town of Biggar and through
Penicuik. On arriving at Princes Street, we found
John and David Chalmers* waiting. They ran home
to tell, and we got into a coach and were received
by a number of smiling faces at home. Mr. and
Mrs. Charles Chalmers f and their sons were there,
so we made an excellent tea amidst questions and
greetings. And here I find myself on the very spot from
which we set out on our journey.
* Nephews of Dr. Chalmers. M. G. B.
f Brother of Dr. Chalmers. M. G. B.
AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL
NOTES
Written in 1880 by Anne
Chalmers (Mrs. Hanna)
AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL
NOTES
Written in 1880 by Anne
Chalmers (Mrs. Hanna)
WE left Glasgow when I was ten years old. I
therefore do not remember seeing any
persons of distinction before that, except
that at a very early period of my life Sultan Katta
Gheri, a Tartar, was in our house. I was sitting on a
little stool hemming a handkerchief, which I told the
Sultan was for Grandmamma. I thought he said
' Are you hemming a handkerchief for Grandmama-
mosel ? '* and though they said not afterwards, I
always fancied he had.
The next person of note I saw was Miss Edge worth.
I was then ten years old, living at Blochairn, where
I found a copy of her ' Patronage/ which I devoured
eagerly. My father was invited to meet her at
dinner at Mr. Graham's. His own account of it
to me was that she had been wearying much to meet
Mr. Clarkson of the Anti-Slavery ; that at last they
were to be brought together that day at Mr. Graham's ;
that he had requested leave to bring me, that I
might see the authoress of so many nice stories.
He then explained how the lions in the Tower of
London gave rise to the soubriquet of Lions for
famous persons. Therefore there would be a Lion
and a Lioness. He added, ' Some people even go
* Evidently ' Mademoiselle.' M. G. B.
12
178 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
so far as to call your Papa a Lion/ I said, ' Oh,
Papa, that would be great nonsense.' I went to this
dinner, but felt very shy, never having been at anything
like it before. I kept as close as I could to Papa,
and so at dinner was placed between him and
Miss Edgeworth. She, misunderstanding my feelings
and wishing to sit next Papa, said, ' Now, my dear,
we shall change places in that way you will still
be as near to me, and I shall be nearer your father.'
She was little and plain and elderly. After dinner
she had to rest, and I still can see her little form
reclining on a sofa in the drawing-room. She had
two young sisters who looked pretty, and one of them
sang, to my father's delight. I have the song in my
desk copied by herself for Papa. It is ' The Lass of
Livingston.' I was then rather precocious, and
thought these young ladies wanted to play at very
childish games with me, who had just read
' Patronage.' I must thus have seen Clarkson too,
but the only impression that remains is that of Miss
Edgeworth and her sisters, which I feel to be something
gained after the lapse of half a century.
But all this while, was not Edward Irving's a
great name, familiar as he then was, teasing, playing,
romping, with us ? He would set us on the
mantelpiece and threaten to leave us there. I think
he made us impudent sometimes by his play. Once,
when I was eight or nine, we were at Ardincaple
Inn for the summer, and he stood with my father at
an open window, talking rodomontade to me playing
down below. I only remember ' my lovely Anne,'
and my throwing up gravel to stop him, my father
laughing at the scene. We thought him so strong.
He used to take off his shoes and stockings, and turn
OF ANNE CHALMERS 179
up his trowsers, and pull down the little boat into the
water, then carry us out and row us over to Roseneath.
Mr. Story, in his life of his father, describes a fete
champetre at Roseneath, where Mr. Irving was.
There was music under the trees, and I was one of
the children dancing there, as you can see in Mr.
Story's book. Another thing I remember of Mr.
Irving is this. He said one day to Papa, ' These
children ought to have more amusing books ; you
should give them the " Arabian Nights." I heard
him say this, and afterwards he brought us from
Ireland, in a present, the whole set of books belonging
to the Kildare Street Society, thirty-three in all.
This was for years our nursery library, where we
got all sorts of useful and entertaining knowledge
all about Captain Byron and the loss of the Bounty,
Capt. Bligh and Otaheite", Prince Lee Boo, The
Robins, Pecksy and Flapsy, the Butterfly Ball and
the Grasshopper's Feast. When I look back on it,
I am pleased to think we owed all this to kind Mr.
Irving, and am sorry to think that Kildare Street has
ended, like so many good institutions. I wish
besides to say that Mr. Irving was not only the
somewhat grandiloquent orator. He was very
playful in those days, and there was a physical
grandeur and strength about him that made him seem
heroic to us.
He came to stay with us at St. Andrews after the
Kirkcaldy gallery fell. Eliza fell in that gallery, as
did many other of our relatives. Capt. Pratt 's pew
was the front one where it began to fall. Mamma
and Uncle Sandy were below, but it stopped before
it reached them. Eliza said she felt as if she descended
slowly to the floor, and it may be it swayed before
i8o LETTERS AND JOURNALS
it went quite down. Mrs. Pratt held on by the
book board, which did not give way. I saw Mr.
Irving again in London in 1830. He was told one
day it was my birthday I was seventeen then. He
said, ' Dear child, may it come often.' That was just
when he began to be interested in the Row miracles
and I feel certain Papa was the first who told him
about them. Dr. C. brought from Scotland a bit of
unknown tongue-writing, to try if linguists knew
what language it was, but no one did.
No one who was in Edinburgh when George IV
visited it, can ever forget that scene. I was eight
years old, but I have never forgotten it. The
enthusiasm of loyalty was so fresh and true that,
young as I was, it thrilled my heart. It was met on
the part of the King with a royal grace peculiarly
his own. He wore tartan ribbons and had bunches
of heather ; there were medals too. Somewhere
about the east of Princes Street my eyes rested for
the only time on Sir W. Scott. He was walking
somewhat lame, between the two rows of soldiers on
each side of the street. The band was playing
' Highland Laddie,' which I had never heard. I
thought it a most beautiful tune. I saw George IV,
but what a transitory pleasure it is to see a passing
King ! I knew he was there because of the intense
excitement of Papa, who waved his hat and cheered
with an enthusiasm no one could be near, without
being carried along with it. And after half a century
I feel it still, when I think of these days.
Now I think we must leave Glasgow and pass on
to St. Andrews, after stating that I saw Robert Owen
of New Lanark. He made no impression on me, but
I heard my father tell how, when walking with Owen
OF ANNE CHALMERS 181
through New Lanark, a child ran from a cottage
door and gave a gooseberry to Mr. Owen, which
had an Arcadian look. We went to St. Andrews in
1823. I was still ten years old, when Mr. Young,
the great tragic actor, came to our house in South
Street on a Sunday evening, to talk about his son
Julian, then a student in my father's class. I heard
him say in a low and somewhat hesitating voice,
' You can perhaps understand how it is that, placed
as I am and with the associations I naturally have,
I do not like to have him much with me.' That was
in our long, low-roofed dining-room, where Julian
had dined some time before. Long after, for one
short year we knew him so well.
I had to receive the Duchess of Leeds, who came
with her daughter, Lady C. Whyte-Melville, one
day. She had been governess to Princess Charlotte.
Lord Elgin, the late Governor-General of India, and
his son James, staid a night or two with us on one
occasion. That was in the Market Street ; also I saw
the very good Lady Powerscourt, and the Rev. Mr.
Sheppard, who had some communication with Lord
Byron. There was a Dr. Mayo who wanted people
to learn things on the Restalozzi System, whatever
that was. But I must not forget a truly great man,
M. Alexandre, the ventriloquist. There were Mr.
and Mrs. Babington of Rothley Temple and their
daughter Mary. They staid in the house, I think,
for a day or two. Then at Fairlie there was Capt.
Scoresby of the whale fishing, afterwards the Rev.
Mr. Scoresby, who had some celebrity ; also a
brother of Bernard Barton's the poet. His wife had
died, and he looked very sad. Afterwards, we heard
it was because he had been refused by a young lady
182 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
he wanted to marry, which made us sympathize less.
Dr. Bell, who built Madras College, came to our
school and examined us. We had to say the Lord's
Prayer in sentences, each a phrase. I was very much
afraid of making mistakes in saying it that way.
Then he threw bags of sweeties for us to scramble
for. I can only say I never succeeded in getting any
of them.
Mr. Scott Russell, who built the Great Eastern,
was one of my father's students. He was a handsome
young man, and a favourite of my father's. Mamma
used to think he was one of those, whom Papa ruined
by over-estimating them, and paying them great
attention.
Mr. Charles Shore now Lord Teignmouth
staid a week with us at St. Leonard's our last house
in St. Andrews. Old Dr. Hunter, Professor of
Humanity, was a great name. I can see him still in
a bath chair, mild and venerable ; a beautiful sight
it was, near the College Church, as I remember him.
In 1829 we removed to Edinburgh. My father
had taken for us a house in the south-west corner of
Argyll Square, now included in the Industrial
Museum. He said it was suitable and academic to
live in that square, so near the College ; and that
Brown Square, which was not so good, had ' a Lord '
in it. This was Lord Glenlee. My father greatly
approved of his living in Brown Square, and walking
in his robes through the Cowgate to the Parliament
House. It was fitted, he said, to impress the
inhabitants with a sense of the majesty of the law
when they saw him thus, day by day, pass through
their quarter.
We now received many people more or less
OF ANNE CHALMERS 183
distinguished. I think Dr. Andrew Thomson and
Dr. Gordon were at supper the day my father completed
his fiftieth year. He said, ' I remember when I
was three.'
After that I accompanied him on a visit to
Broomhall, where we were received by Lord Elgin,
who is known as the collector of the Elgin marbles.
We spent a very pleasant week there. I never heard
my father converse on general subjects with so much
ease as he did there, owing to the congeniality and
intelligence of Lord and Lady Elgin. Mr. George
Forbes, too, was there, and contributed to the interest
of the visit. We went into a coal pit with Lord
Elgin one day. I was dressed in clothes belonging
to one of the women, while Papa and Lord Elgin
got men's things over their own. I remember the
lurid light down below, and his lordship being drawn
in a sort of bath chair through the caverns, conversing
kindly and genially with the colliers, who seemed
delighted to see him there.
On our return to Edinburgh we set off by the
United Kingdom steamer for London, where Papa
was to be examined by a Committee of the House
on Pauperism. My father, mother, and I were in
London six weeks, during which time we saw many
interesting people, and were very kindly received by
some. Among these were Mr. Spencer Percival, son
of the murdered Prime Minister a truly charming
person. He often called at our lodging and used to
speak of his misgivings about having more wealth
than others, and enjoying luxuries that many were
deprived of. I heard my father answer these scruples
of his, as Political Economy would answer them.
Mr. Spring Rice, afterwards Lord Monteagle,
184 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
was particularly kind to me. He entered so
sympathetically into my feelings as a young girl seeing
for the first time so many people I had heard or read
of. One Sunday I walked to church with him how
or why I scarcely know but he talked to me all the
way, and I felt him quite a friend. He told me
everything he thought would interest me.
Sir Thomas Dyke, Acland, who died not long ago
at a very advanced age, was delightful. We spent an
evening in his house . He came afterwards to Edinburgh
and gave Eliza and me each a little book. I am very
sorry mine has disappeared through I still have
the kind note that accompanied it. His son Baldwin,
who was afterwards drowned, used to visit our house
when he was at College one winter. He was a bright,
pleasant young man.
On this occasion I had the privilege of seeing Mr.
Wilberforce at an evening party at Sir Thomas
Acland's. He came in late, beaming with geniality ;
a short spare figure, as like as possible to the statue
in Westminster Abbey. He was surrounded by
people as he went through the room shaking hands
with friends, and his manner was sunny and benevolent.
We had been at an Anti-Slavery meeting that
morning, where I had lost my parasol. I also may
be said to have lost my heart to Mr. O'Connell, whom
I have still, after forty-five years, an admiration
for, so that loss was not found but the other was.
In the vestry after church next day, Mr., afterwards
Sir Thomas, Fowell Buxton, brought it to me
while Mr. Wilberforce warmly shook hands with
me in congratulation. We afterwards spent a day
with him at Highwood Hill, staying all night. On
our way we paid a visit of half an hour to Coleridge
OF ANNE CHALMERS 185
then living with Dr. Gillman at Highgate. It
appeared to me the most intense hah* hour I ever
spent in my life, owing to the beauty of his tones
and language, while he poured forth a monologue
on Mr. Irving, on the Book of Revelations, which
he described as a poem perfect in its metaphors, with
one exception. That exception I am not sure of,
but think it was the mighty angel that had one foot
on the sea, the other on the earth. The effect of his
monologue was on me like that of listening to
entrancing music. I burst into tears when it
stopped and we found ourselves suddenly in the
open air.
The first thing that threw cold water on my
enthusiasm was what Miss Wilberforce said when
we reached her father's house. She had no admiration
or sympathy for Coleridge indeed, she had no
poetry in her own nature and no toleration for the
caprices of genius. She was disgusted with his
treatment of his daughter, whom he hardly ever saw,
because he said his feeling for her was too intense to
permit him to indulge in so great a luxury without
harm. One can easily see how ordinary minds did
not see it in the same light. He called her his ' lovely
daughter.' She does not seem to have felt his neglect,
as her own memoirs show a great identity of feeling
with her father.
Mr. Irving used to go to Mr. Coleridge's weekly
soirees, and they were in some respects congenial. I
think it was by Mr. Irving my father was introduced
to Coleridge. I found in the memoir of Dr. Macvicar
of New York an account of one of those soirees at
Highgate, to which he went in company with Mr.
Irving. Before that he looked on Mr. Irving as a
186 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
charlatan, but it was pleasant to see how he gained
on the somewhat formal Churchman during the
drive to Highgate.
We found at Mr. Wilberforce's his eldest son
William and his wife, a daughter of Mr. Owen of the
Bible Society. Also Samuel Wilberforce and his
wife, who had been confined six weeks before, and her
sister, Miss Louisa Sargent. They were daughters
of Rev. Mr. Sargent who wrote the life of Henry
Martin, and were both very pretty. Miss Wilberforce
took me through the house, an old one with rambling
passages and doors. In doing this we came to a
door that would not open, being held in the inside
(it turned out) by Samuel Wilberforce, because his
wife was sitting up for the first time since her
confinement in that room. On finding it was his
sister, he let us in, and we staid a few minutes
with his interesting wife. He was then only a curate,
and, as the property had been diminished by the
speculations of the eldest son, there was anxiety as
to the future. Mr. Wilberforce wore a sort of jacket
over his coat when we all went into the garden, where
he sang and chatted and moved like a young boy,
so full of vivacity in spite of his delicate health.
Mr. and Mrs. Sykes were there when we arrived ;
he was an M.P., a very good man who had
made a reduction of the duty on soap a great object
of his parliamentary career, believing in the moral
good of cleanliness. There was an organ in the
hall, and there family prayers were held. Next
morning we returned to town in their carriage, I
sitting behind in the barouche. Samuel was afraid I
would be dull without a book. ' I must get you a
Quarterly' he said, and rushed into the house for one.
OF ANNE CHALMERS 187
He was kind by nature to everyone that made him
so generally popular, and perhaps envied by those
who saw his success. When we spent a day at Mr.
Gerard Noel's at Richmond, he came to breakfast
next morning, and after it he sang Heber's hymn,
' From Greenland's icy mountains,' with the Miss
Noels. I thought it lovely, both song and accompaniment .
The Miss Noels and he were very fond of Keble's
Hymns, which I had just got and carried everywhere.
I saw one of them clasp hers to her breast when we
were talking of it.
We met Miss Wilberforce again at Mr. Nott's at
Birmingham, where also her Radical uncle, Mr.
Spooner, M.P., dined with us. She then told that
on the day her brother's little boy was baptized the
Bishop of Winchester had sent him a presentation
to a living worth 500 a year in the Isle of Wight,
that this was a very great comfort and relief to their
anxieties for the future.
I saw Samuel Wilberforce once again at Dean
Ramsay's ; he had changed a great deal in his
appearance and was much stouter than in his earlier
days, more like his mother. I saw him again in 1873.
We were calling at the Baroness Burdett Coutts.
He came into the room, saying the Bishop of Winchester
was there, and wished to shake hands with us before
he left, which he did. I had him to myself for about
five minutes, and was able to tell him, as I had often
wished to do, how much I enjoyed his father's memoirs,
particularly his letters to Lord Muncaster. He
said he had been staying with the present Lord
Muncaster just before. The last meeting was quite
unexpected. I had gone for a week to visit the
Cardwells at Eashing, when he had to preach in a
188 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
neighbouring church where an organ had been
newly placed. He spent two days at Eashing. I
heard him preach that sermon. Both days there
were clergymen and their wives at dinner to meet
him, and through the day he had so many letters to
write that he was much in his own room. One day
I sat next him at dinner, and he talked very nicely
to me. He told me a story of a dog, that I had heard
Dr. Hanna tell on his authority, also how he walked
to church with his father the day the battle of Waterloo
was being fought ; how his father contrasted their
quiet and peace with what might be at the same
moment in Belgium. I also gathered that the baby
I saw at Highwood Hill had died after he was grown
up. Next morning I rose in order to be at prayers
and to receive his Episcopal blessing. I had been
ill. After prayers he stood up and asked for a
blessing on all present. We went to the door to see
him leave. I thought I would never see him again.
He did so much work, writing so many letters a day,
from a dozen to eighteen, and preaching almost
daily. His neck, too, was so short.
He died about six weeks after by a fall from his
horse, falling on his head, and his neck was dislocated
so I saw him near the beginning and near the end
of his varied career.
In 1830 my father, mother, and I were travelling
northwards from Birmingham to Manchester in a
coach. We had inside places, but my father often
went outside for the scenery. He was reading a book
inside when a young man entered, taking the fourth
seat, and somehow began at once a tirade against the
abuses of the Church of England. He got full of
OF ANNE CHALMERS 189
enthusiasm, said he hoped to be soon ordained, and,
when he had a curacy, to be able to attack these
abuses, which were the various grades and incomes
of the bishops and clergy. He ended by ' I long to
get a position so as to have power to attack them.'
Then the quiet reader laid down his book, and to his
astonishment answered his arguments, taking the
other side like one at home on the whole subject. I
do not think the young man rejoined. He listened
and soon went out, but came back when my father
went to top and I was alone. He said to me, ' I went
out to try to find out who it was, and saw the name
on the luggage. Do you know, I sat up a whole night
at Cambridge to read his " Astronomical Discourses " ?
I could not stop, and meeting him now interests
me more than I can say.' Another time a person
came into a coach with us who recognized my father
and spoke in a tone of admiring familiarity that
offended my dignity, which was a marked feature
in 1830. So I looked very cross. After a while
my father and the man went to the top, when the
former alluded to ' his wife and daughter.' 'Indeed,'
said the man, ' pray which is Mrs. Chalmers ? ' Mamma
was sure he took her for the daughter from her
pleasant appearance.
We left St. Andrews in 1828-9. While there, the
likeness of a little girl with large black eyes appeared
in shop windows playing on the harp. She was called
the ' Infant Lyra,' and made a great sensation, being
about four years old and playing out of her own head.
So I never forgot her, and when I was grown up and
visiting in a country house, spoke of her to the young
lady of the house. She said, ' Did you like her
igo LETTERS AND JOURNALS
playing ? ' I began to explain that I never heard her,
being at St. Andrews at the time. ' But you have
heard her she is in this house.' Then to my great
excitement I found that her young cousin, Izy Rudkin,
now about seventeen, had been the ' Infant Lyra.'
' So you know about me,' the girl said, quite pleased
to be able to talk of the past. She was the daughter
of an Irish proprietor, and had an uncle a baronet,
who went with her in part of her tour. She had
wonderful success ; they said the Princess Victoria
had walked up and down the room with her, their
arms round each other's waists. She got jewels
showered on her and had large audiences. But all
had melted away, the jewels sold, the money spent.
She had still the large black eyes, and the charm of
the Southern Irish with their careless ways. She had
not been instructed in the harp, so her playing was
not then remarkable. She married first her cousin
George Kingston, a clergyman in Ireland ; after him,
Mr. George Rainy, whom she survived. She is possibly
still alive, as I know her to be younger than myself
a good deal. I last saw her in London a stout
matron, still untidy and extravagant in giving to
Irish relations, but the same fine eyes.
(Later note. She died in 1888 after the above was
written.)
In 1846 we were in London. Home Rule was then
called Fenianism, and in Parliament there was an
Irish member, Mr. Smith O'Brien, who had several
times to be ordered off to prison. But he was one of
the Inchiquin O'Briens, and really a descendant of
Brian Boru, so, of course, he had a right to bluster,
even though his relations were grieved. I went to
OF ANNE CHALMERS 191
the Greigs (Mr. Woronzo Greig's) to spend the
afternoon. We were to have tea, with .beef -steak for
our dinner, when Mr. S. O'Brien arrived hungry
from the H. of Commons, and gladly joined in the
feast. The Greigs were going away next day, and
went to pack after tea, so I was left with Mr.
O'Brien, who was very pleasant. He read aloud
poems of a Fenian kind that he had presented to
Mrs. Greig, and told me he hoped Scotland would
join Ireland for a Repeal of the Union, which I
assured him we were too cautious to do. He told me
they had got far beyond O'Connell now. I said to
Mrs. Greig, ' How much interested I shall be in this
evening, when he is hanged.' She was much shocked,
but after all he had only penal servitude, for he did
not want to shed blood any more than O'Connell
did, and his ' cabbage garden ' was much ridiculed
for that reason. When he was allowed to return, I
was sorry to hear, that he could not understand that
his property was now not his own as before. He was
on a ticket of leave, and his family had it somehow,
but he had no control. His letters to Mr. Greig
were so abusive, that Miss Kinloch burnt them when
they got the house after both the Greigs died. Mr.
Greig had been his agent, and they were great
friends, but he must have been slightly insane always.
His mother was Lady O'Brien. I think their
family got the earldom of Inchiquin afterwards.
In these days Fenianism was less Radical than now in
1889. The poems were from a paper called The
Nation, which used to be sent to my father during
the F.C. controversy. Mr. O'Brien said he hoped
Scotland would rise in defence of the Church. I
remember one stanza :
192 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
' And let the orange lily be
Thy badge, my patriot brother ;
The everlasting green for me,
And we for one another.'
The Revd. Mr. Paterson of Kirkurd, was very
fanatical about the Free Church and all those who
did not ' come out,' as we used to call it. He had
been long in Germany, and was a striking preacher.
The presbytery of Strathbogie, on a case of veto,
chose to abide by the law courts rather than the
ecclesiastical. Therefore they were suspended by
the Church, and ministers sent to supply their places.
Just before, Dr. Chalmers had been in that district
on an extension tour, and this story was told to me
by Mr. Paterson in a very sardonic voice, after '43.
While the debates were going on, Dr. Bisset of
Bourtee (one of them), ' with a malignant expression
of countenance,' said he wished to ask Dr. Chalmers
what reception he met with when at Strathbogie so
lately. Immediately, cries arose in the assembly of
' Order ! ' and ' Silence ! ' amid which Dr. Chalmers
rose, seeming determined to speak. He begged to
say he had been most kindly received there, and
nowhere more so than by ' his brethren of Strathbogie/
I remember well Mr. Paterson's dislike to it all,
and was much interested in my father's love of truth
and generosity. After the F. C. was fairly
established, I think the second or third year, the
F. C. moderator was Dr. Guthrie, the Established
Church one was Dr. Bisset of Bourtee. I went
with John Gardiner to the closing address of Dr.
Bisset. Nothing could be more regretful over the
sad event that had occurred, the loss of so many,
OF ANNE CHALMERS 193
and in particular, Dr. Chalmers, his tones about him
being reverent and appreciating. We were in the
gallery, and nothing could be less malignant than
his face. The same night Dr. Guthrie vaunted much
the success of the F. C., the money raised, and the
personal character ; for I read it next morning.
Mr. Paterson was brother to Dr. B. Paterson of
the Manse Garden. He too was a fanatic, his
daughters less so, though married to F. C. ministers.
Dean Stanley was delighted with the kindness of
one of them, whom he visited in the South. Before
that we had talk with them at Helensburgh about
their uncle, whom they understood. Dean Stanley
called at the F. C. Manse of one of these daughters
on his way to visit the Abbey of Sweetheart. He was
charmed with her. She had no one to help her, but
went with corn to the field when the poney was loose
and managed to catch him, saying, ' You must ride
(for it was miles away) and come back to tea.' So
when he came, expecting tea, he found it with all
sorts of meat, cheese, and eggs, such as they have
in Kirkcudbrightshire. He told us this himself
with much appreciation.
Note. Probably the writer intended to continue these notes
which end thus abruptly. They have been included because,
though they go over much the same ground as the Journal of 1830,
they all bear on the writer's youth. M. G. B.
GENEALOGICAL NOTE
J3a
GENEALOGICAL NOTE
By Mr. JOHN CHALMERS, of Anstruther,
Grandfather of ANNE CHALMERS
JOHN CHALMERS was Rector of the Grammar
School of Cupar, Fife, in the end of the seventeenth
century. He was of a younger branch of the
family of Gadgirth in Ayrshire. (That estate is now
out of the family.) Said John Chalmers was married
to a daughter of Balfour of Barton, in Fifeshire ;
he was proprietor of lands in the neighbourhood
of Auchtermuchty in Fife, and of Pitmeddin in
Perthshire, to which his eldest son John succeeded.
The estates were afterwards sold by his son Robert.
His son James was minister in Elie in the beginning
of the eighteenth century. He married Agnes
Merchiston, who was daughter of James Merchiston,*
sometime Episcopalian curate at Kirkpatrick-Juxta
the end of the seventeenth century, from which charge
he was ejected. His was a branch of the family of
Merchiston of Merchiston ; theyf purchased the
estate of Radernie, to which their eldest son John
succeeded. Their second son, James was a merchant
in Anstruther and the father of the writer of these
remarks, John Chalmers, now merchant there.
* Mr. Merchiston was one of the deposed Episcopalian ministers
of the Revolution period, but he had so little High Church in him
that he resided during the remainder of his days with his son-in-
law at Elie and regularly attended the kirk. From genealogical
note by Anne Chalmers.
t ' They ' means Rev. James Chalmers, of Elie, and Agnes
Merchiston, his wife. It was said that Agnes Merchiston saved
the money for the purchase out of her household money. M. G. B.
198 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
Early in the seventeenth century there were four
brothers in Anstruther, wealthy and respected men,
viz. Robert, John, David, and William Alexander.
Said Robert Alexander mortified* as much money to
the Divinity College of St. Andrews as now yields to
two Bursars in the College fifteen pounds a year.
The second son, John, was great-great-grandfather to
the writer by a daughter named Bessy Alexander,
married to a merchant in Anstruther, James Lawson,
who had a daughter named Bessy, married to William
Anderson, Shipmaster in Anstruther, who had a
daughter named Barbara married to James Chalmers,
father of the writer. Said William Anderson was a
wealthy man, and left considerable property in lands
and money to his son James. Said James had one of
ye Bursaries mortified by Robert Alexander about
the year 1730, and my son Thomas had one of these
Bursaries in the last years of the eighteenth century.
[Continued by Margaret P. Wood\ :
Said John married Elizabeth Hall, and had a son,
Thomas Chalmers. Said Thomas married Grace Pratt,
and had six daughters, Anne, Eliza, Grace, Margaret,
Helen, and Fanny.
Said Thomas had eight brothers and five sisters.
* Mortified, meaning bequeathed. M. G. B.
EXTRACT from a LETTER
about Mr. GLADSTONE
EXTRACT from a LETTER
about Mr. GLADSTONE
'T'HE LETTER from which this extract is taken was
written by Anne Chalmers, then Mrs. Hanna, to
Mr. P. Stewart, concerning some remarks in a public
utterance of Mr. Gladstone, in the course of which he
criticized certain opinions of Dr. Chalmers. The writer
recalls the circumstances under which Mr. Gladstone
visited her father's house in early life, and points out
one or two inaccuracies of statement in his speech as
reported. The misstatement about the salaries of
Professors in the University of Edinburgh was doubtless
that which prompted her, as she mentions elsewhere, to
write and mention it to Mr. Gladstone, which service
he appreciatively acknowledged.
' Mrs. Mackenzie, read to me Mr. Gladstone's
remarks on my father ; they seem more fair than we
expected. I was that winter twenty, Mr. Gladstone
close upon twenty-four. Dr. Chalmers fifty-three.
It was in 1833 ; I naturally remember better after a
quiet life than he does. He forgets how he was
introduced to Dr. Chalmers. His father had built
a church in Leith, and was to endow it, but wished
the Patronage to be vested in his family. In this
way young Gladstone, when he came to visit his
father, was introduced by him to Dr. C. He was
never at breakfast with two long tables ; there was
no room. He may have heard that at students'
breakfasts there was one long table. He came daily
for about ten days to breakfast, and being very
202 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
congenial on church matters, church extension, and
the parochial system, and very conservative, my
father liked his society, and invited him to walk
with him. I do not think more than one or two ever
came the same day. In those days young M.P.'s
often came to converse on such subjects with my
father ; he would have said " Yours respectfully " to
any of them, for it was then a better position than
now.
' Now comes the interesting part to me.
' After breakfast he always said, " Can I give you
any franks ? " I see him now at the side table with
his notebook, for they had to take notes, having
only a limited number daily. I got several from him,
and two years ago, when Lady Card well died, a large
box came to me of my old letters. There I found one
he franked in a clear, bold hand in 1833 thus, I am
able to tell you how old we all were then. I looked
inside and read : " The young man who franks this
looks very young, about twenty- two. He is to
give me one for Jessie." I remember how amused
he was at Jessie's address it was so Scotch : DarrocA,
Gourock, Greenock ; three " ocks." No doubt it was
burnt long ago she died many years ago. The
Gladstones were in Edinburgh next year. Mr. Wm.
G. called. I only recognized him when he spoke of
franks for we saw many people then. I do not
think Dr. Guthrie had made any mark in Edinburgh
in 1833, nor do I know that three-fourths of the people
belonged to the Church of Scotland. That would
not have influenced my father at any period of his
life, and then he was too anxious to reach the lapsed
masses in " Manageable districts " not too large
to be attended to. At all events, Dissent was strong.
OF ANNE CHALMERS 203
Sir Henry Moncrieff was not at E. Kilbride then nor
till we left it in 1837.
' Mr. Gladstone mistakes what Dr. Chalmers
wished to explain about the footing on which the
salaries of Professors then were. They were under
the Town Council, which, being bankrupt, stopped
them entirely. The endowment of my father's chair
was about 200 a year to speak of 1,200 is, to say
the least, preposterous. Though we required in
Forres Street 800 a year in all, it was made up by
the students' fees and my father's private means to
that sum. I do not know exactly when a Royal
Commission came and set matters right so far. Since
then the salaries of Professors have been much
increased, as you would see in the newspapers lately ;
but even yet the Professor of Divinity has not above
500 a year from that source. Mr. Gladstone now
takes it up wrong in the same way as he is amused
at ' manageable districts." He has been interviewed
with considerable adroitness for his present object.
' Sir John Gladstone wished to be patron of his
quoad sacra church. My father would have no
objection in 1833, but, as time went on, the majority
against Patronage increased in the General Assembly.
Sir John was very angry, and blamed my father
for the veto, which he disliked much. After the
Disruption he got the Patronage. The Gladstones
gave in their name as taking . . .* when it was
established. Many patrons did not, such as Sir
Thomas Carmichael. But they have not yet got
any, as there has been no change of minister since
the law was made arranging the amount.
' Miss Gladstone was at an evening party in our
* Word undecipherable.
204 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
house. I admired her, for she was pretty, and dressed
in black velvet.
' She entered the Church of Rome, and after many
years I heard she entered a convent. She died not
long ago, leaving her fortune to the Church of Rome.
IN MEMORIAM
IN MEMORIAM
(From the ' Scotsman,' April ist, 1891.)
THE LATE MRS. HANNA
BY the death of Mrs. Hanna a notable personality
has passed from our midst. The eldest daughter
of Dr. Chalmers, and the most widely known
member of his family, she long held a distinctive
place in Edinburgh society, and gathered around
herself a peculiarly deep and affectionate interest,
which grew in intensity and tenderness to the last.
She had richly inherited many of the remarkable
qualities of the great Scottish divine, whom she
visibly resembled and continually recalled ; his
natural dignity, his benign expression in the inner
circle, his masculine understanding, his depth and
sincerity of conviction, his inner repose of feeling,
his impressive and commanding individuality. She
received the best education that St. Andrews could
furnish when her father was Professor of Moral
Philosophy there, and her musical and linguistic
faculty was highly cultivated ; but her strong character
and judgment owed most to the formative influence
of the social surroundings and movements of which
Dr. Chalmers was the centre in later years. Her
command of French and Italian enabled her to act
as interpreter between him and many distinguished
foreigners in those days, and she came at the same
time into contact with most of the leading ecclesiastics
of the day, as well as with many notable politicians,
including Mr. Gladstone, who was only then entering
208 LETTERS AND JOURNALS
upon public life. Her memories of the least incidents
of her father's life were cherished with a beautiful
affectionateness, and remained vivid and unfailing
to the end. It can easily be imagined what a charm
they gave to her conversation and judgments of
men and events that bulk so largely in the Scotland
of this century. In Dr. Hanna she found a husband
worthy of her noble and elevated nature ; and she
proved herself the worthy helpmeet of his beneficent
life, the earnest counterpart of his genial personality,
and the sympathetic sharer in all his ecclesiastical
efforts and literary triumphs. Few women have been
ever more revered and loved by the immediate relatives
and friends of the inner circle who share the routine
and trial of the common ordeal of everyday life ;
and fewer still have had the power to combine such
independence and individuality of character with
an unbroken fidelity and reverence towards the old
order. She was a true Scottish gentlewoman, loyal
to all the best traditions of her country, tender to all
common infirmity, resting calmly in her own inward
piety, and impatient only of unreality, insincerity,
and untruth. She held strong ecclesiastical and
political opinions, which became more conservative
as she advanced in years, and she had always the
courage of her convictions. She entirely disapproved
of the policy of Disestablishment adopted by the new
Free Church party, and latterly practically gave
her adhesion to the Church of Scotland. She also
strongly disapproved of Mr. Gladstone's politics,
but she followed his every movement with keen
interest. One of her last acts, when failing in strength
and with sight growing dim, was to write to Mr.
Gladstone correcting some statements he had made
OF ANNE CHALMERS 209
to an interviewer regarding Dr. Chalmers, which
he courteously acknowledged. Her serene and
courageous mind remained clear to the last, and her
end was peace. Her remains were interred in the
Grange Cemetery yesterday, beside those of Dr.
Chalmers and Dr. Hanna ; Dr. MacGregor, of St.
Cuthbert's, officiating with deep solemnity amid a
large company of mourners. The pall-bearers were
Mr. Thomas Chalmers Hanna, C.A., her son ; Mr.
Blackie of Liverpool, her son-in-law ; Sir William
Muir ; Mr. Archibald Constable; Rev. R. G. Forrest;
Rev. Dr. MacGregor ; Mr. T. Bennet Clark, C.A. ;
and Mr. David Chalmers. Among the mourners were
Professor Flint, Professor Masson, Dr. Thomas Smith
(Moderator-nominate of the Free Church Assembly),
Dr. Walter C. Smith, Dr. Alexander Whyte, Dr.
Dodds, of Corstorphine, and others. Of Dr. Chalmers'
family there still survive Mrs. Mackenzie, widow of
the Rev. John Mackenzie, with whom Mrs. Hanna
spent her last years ; and Mrs. Wood, wife of Mr.
W. Wood, C.A.
W. HASTIE.
HEADLEY BROTHERS,
PRINTERS,
ASHFORD, KENT ; AND l8, DEVONSHIRE STREET, B.C. 2.
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