letters from england(貫哂蒙声栖議佚)-及21何蛍
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breakfast into the country to Hawthornden�察 �formerly the residence of
Drummond the poet�察�and to Lord Roslin's grounds�察�where are the ruins of
Roslin Castle and above all�察�of the Roslin Chapel。 。 。 。 After lingering and
admiring long we returned to Edinburgh just in season for dinner at Mr。
Gordon's�察 �where we found Prof。 Wilson�察 �and another daughter and son�察�
Mrs。 Rutherford�察 �wife of the Lord Advocate�察 �and Capt。 Rutherford�察 �his
brother�察�with his wife。 We had a very agreeable evening and engaged to
dine there again quite EN FAMILLE�察 �with only the professor�察 �whose
conversation is delightful。
The next morning we went out to Craigcrook�察�Lord Jeffrey's country
seat�察�to see and lunch with him。 He was confined to his couch。 。 。 。 He is
seventy´three or seventy´four�察�but looks not a minute older than fifty。 He
has a fine head and forehead�察�and most agreeable and courteous manners�察�
rather of the old school。 As he could not rise to receive me he kissed my
hand。 Mrs。 Jeffrey is an intelligent and agreeable woman but has been
much out of health the last year。 She was Miss Wilkes of New York�察�you
know。 The house was an old castellated and fortified house�察 �and with
modern additions is a most beautiful residence。 Capt。 Rutherford told me
that when he received the Lord Advocate's letter announcing that we were
coming�察�he went to see Lord Jeffrey to know if he would be well enough
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to see us�察 �and he expressed the strongest admiration for Mr。 Bancroft's
work。
This may have disposed them to receive us with the cordiality which
made our visit so agreeable。 Mr。 Empson�察 �his son´in´law and the
president editor of the Edinburgh Review�察 �was staying there�察 �and after
talking two hours with Lord and Mrs。 Jeffrey we took with him a walk in
the grounds from which are delightful and commanding views of the
whole environs�察�and never were environs so beautiful。
LETTER�此 �To W。D。B。 TARBET ON LOCH LOMOND�察�August 28�察�
1848
Dear W。 。 。 。 Being detained here by rain this morning I devote it to
you and to my journal。 。 。 。 The next day was Sunday but the weather being
fine we concluded to continue our journey�察�and followed the Tay seeing
Birnam Wood and Dunsinane on our way up to Dunkeld�察�near to which is
the fine seat of the Duke of Athol。 We took a delightful walk in the
beautiful grounds�察�and went on to Blair Athol to sleep。 This is the chief
residence of the Duke of Athol and he has here another house and grounds
very pretty though not as extensive as those at Dunkeld。 。 。 。 When the
innkeeper found who we were he insisted on sending a message to the
Duke who sent down an order to us to drive up Glen Tilt and met us there
himself。 We entered through the Park and followed up the Tilt。 Nothing
could be more wild than this narrow winding pass which we followed for
eight miles till we came to the Duke's forest lodge。 Here were waiting
for us a most picturesque group in full Highland dress�此 �the head stalker�察�
the head shepherd�察�the kennel keepers with their dogs in leashes�察�the piper�察�
etc。�察 �etc。 They told us that the Duke had sent up word that we were
coming and he would soon be there himself。
In a few moments he appeared also in full Highland costume with bare
knees�察 �kilt�察 �philibeg�察 �etc。 He told us he had then on these mountains
15��000 head of dear�察�and thought we might like to see a START�察�as it is
called。 The head stalker told him�察�however�察�that the wind had changed
which affects the scent�察 �and that nothing could be done that day。 The
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Duke tried to make us amends by making some of his people sing us
Gaelic songs and show us some of the athletic Highland games。 The
little lodge he also went over with us�察 �and said that the Duchess came
there and lived six or seven weeks in the autumn�察�and that the Duke and
Duchess of Buccleuch rented it for many years while he was a minor。 If
you could see the tiny little rooms�察�you would be astonished to find what
the love of sport can do for these people who possess actual palaces。
After dining again upon salmon and grouse at the pretty little inn�察�we
took a post chaise to go on to Taymouth�察 �a little village adjoining Lord
Breadalbane's place。 We did not arrive at the inn till after eight and
found it completely full。 。 。 。 We were sent to the schoolmaster's to sleep in
the smallest of little rooms�察�with a great clock which ticked and struck so
loud that we were obliged to silence it�察�to the great bewilderment�察�I dare
say�察 �of the scholars the next day。 Before we were in bed�察 �there was a
knock at the door�察�which proved to be from Lord Breadalbane's butler�察�to
say that he had been commissioned to enquire whenever we arrived at the
inn�察�as his Lordship had heard that we were in Scotland and wished us to
make them a visit。
Next morning before we were up came a note from Lord Breadalbane
urging us to come immediately to the Castle。 。 。 。 Taymouth Castle�察�though
not more than fifty years old�察�has the air of an old feudal castle。 。 。 。 As we
were ushered up the magnificent staircase through first a large
antechamber�察 �then through a superb hall with lofty ceiling glowing with
armorial bearings�察�and with the most light and delicate carving on every
part of the oaken panelling�察�then through a long gallery�察�of heavier carving
filled with fine old cabinets�察 �into the library�察 �it seemed to me that the
whole Castle was one of those magical delusions that one reads of in Fairy
Tales�察�so strange did it seem to find such princely magnificence all alone
amid such wild and solitary scenes。 I had always the feeling that it
would suddenly vanish�察�at some wave of an enchanter's wand�察�as it must
have arisen also。 The library is by far the finest room I ever saw。 Its
windows and arches and doorways are all of a fine carved Gothic open
work as light as gossamer。 One door which he lately added cost a
thousand pounds�察�the door alone�察�not the doorway�察�so you can judge of the
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exquisite workmanship。 Here Lady Breadalbane joined us�察�whom I had
never before met。 。 。 。 During dinner the piper in full costume was playing
the pibroch in a gallery outside the window�察�and after he had done a band�察�
also in full Highland dress�察�played some of the Italian�察�German as well as
Scotch music�察 �at just an agreeable distance。 I have seen nothing in
England which compares in splendor with the state which is kept up here。
We passed Wednesday and Thursday here most agreeably�察�and we rode
or walked during the whole days。 Lord Breadalbane�察�by the way�察�has just
been appointed Lord High Chamberlain to the Queen in place of Lord
Spencer。 I am glad of this because we are brought often in contact with
the Lord Chamberlain�察�but it is very strange to me that a man who lives
like a king�察�and through whose dominions we travelled a hundred miles
from the German Ocean to the Atlantic�察�can be Chamberlain to any Queen。
These feudal subordinations we republicans cannot understand。 。 。 。 We
stopped at the little town of Oban。 After reading our letters and getting a
dinner�察�we went out just before sunset for a walk。
We wished much to see the ruins of Dunolly。 We passed the porter's
lodge and found ourselves directly in the most picturesque grounds on the
very shore of the ocean and with the Western Islands lying before us。 Mr。
Bancroft sent in his card�察�which brought out instantly the key to the old
castle�察�and in a few moments Capt。 MacDougal and Mr。 Phipps�察�a brother
of Lord Normanby's�察�joined us。 They pointed out the interesting points in
the landscape�察�the Castle of Ardtornish�察�the scene of Lord of the Isles�察�etc。�察�
in addition to the fine old ruin we came to see。 We lingered till the
lighthouses had begun to glow�察 �and I was reminded very much of the
scenery at Wood's Hole�察�which I used to enjoy so much�察�only that could
not boast the association with poetry and feudal romance。 We then went
into the house�察�and found a charming domestic circle in full evening dress
with short sleeves�察�so that my gray travelling cloak and straw bonnet were
rather out of place。 Here were Mrs。 Phipps�察 �and Miss Campbell�察 �her
sister�察�daughters of Sir Colin Campbell�察�and to my great delight�察�Captain
MacDougal brought out the great brooch of Lorn�察�which his ancestor won
from Bruce and the story of which you will find in the Lord of the Isles。
It fastened the Scotch Plaid�察�and is larger than a teacup。 He described to