Page:Margaret Fuller Ossoli (Higginson).djvu/246

228 Dance of the reapers in the barn, Highland strathspey and fling? Enormous price of fruit in Edinburgh; total want of it in the country. Quote of Sir W. Scott the feelings of Fitz James about treachery, etc., in his dream; speak of his character and quote concluding lines in ‘Lady of the Lake.’

“Observation on figures of men and women engaged in the Highland dances. Labor alone will not develop the form.

“Next day. Saturday, 12th September. Ascent of Ben Lomond. Lost, and pass the night on a heathery mountain. All the adventures of the eventful twenty- hours to be written out in full. Love Marcus and Rebecca [Spring] forever.

“Sunday. Sick all day from fatigue or excitement. Dinner given by M. [Marcus Spring] to the shepherds. Their natural politeness and propriety of feeling. Peter Cameron. Monday. Still ill, but walked out in the afternoon and saw the purple hills and lake, with what delightful emotions. I seemed to have become acquainted with their genius as I could not in any other way. Inquiring lady thought it must have been ‘awkward’ for me on the hill between 12 and 1! Tuesday. Leave Rowardennan. Steamboat with its execrable fiddle, à l'ordinaire. Tarbet. Rowed along lochs through pass of Glencrae to Cairndow. Boat to Inverary on Loch Fine. Night there. Read ‘Legend of Montrose.’

“Wednesday morning. Duke of Argyle’s place. Highland servant in full costume, stupid as the stones he trod on. Noble park. Black Highland cattle. Cross in the market-place from Iona.”

Margaret Fuller’s note-book closes abruptly, like that of many a traveler, just as she reaches