Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 8.djvu/590

 484 NOTES AND QUERIES. nts.viii.ivx* is. im. but it is not absolutely certain that he would hav. done so had his Certificate as a Bankrupt been signed. Many believe that he would. I beg pardon for troubling you with this detail, bul as I had stated the Transaction in such very flaming colours in his Favor, justice demanded some notice of the truer nature of the case. And now for the Letter which I ought long since to have written and which I am afraid you wil charge me with the Sin of Ingratitude for thus long delaying. If I cannot say with Horace " Opus aggredior opimum Cassibus " I can with great Truth observe that our Journey to this place has been rich in grand and beautiful Pros- pects : from the Highlands of Scotland to the County of Middlesex there is everywhere the most pleasing Appearance of a plenty! ul Harvest. You must see Loch Lomond on your way to Glasgow, and if you should travel (three) in a post-Chaise, dismiss the Vehicle as soon as you arrive at the Lake. You may procure a Boat and sail or row from one End to the other, and take your pleasure from Island to Island as long as you please at a moderate Expense. A Journey of six Miles on Foot from the side of the Lake opposite to Ruesden [sic] will bring you to Loch Long another beautiful Lake ; and from thence it can be no difficult matter to procure another Boat to Greenock or Port Glasgow. From want of this previous Information, and more especially from not knowing that post-Chaises were not to be procured beyond Stirling I was thrown into some expensive Difficulties. Imagining that my Distance from Stirling to Glasgow would be short, I incautiously engaged to feed the Horses and the Driver, and to pay Is. 3d. per mile. De- lighted with the magnificent Scenery I enlarged my Route, crossed over the Lake with the Horses and Chaise, making it upon the whole 78 Miles. Our postilion was a Negro, the best and the civile sb Driver that ever felicity Hunters were blessed with ; but the Rogue fleeced me at every Stage in the most 'unmerciful and abominable manner. He did it however always with so much native good humour, and drove us so safe and so well that it was impossible to be angry at anything but the folly of the Bargain ; and as that was entirely an Affair of my own in which Mrs S. had no share whatever, who could I possibly quarrel with but myself ? So I made up the Matter as well as I could in my own Mind and determined to enjoy the charming Scenes and to harmonise with the serenity of the Weather, and everything that was pleasing and delightful around me. I shall make no Attempt at Description, but merely inform you that you must not presume to see Mrs S. when you come to London if you neglect to take a view of Loch Lomond. The Weather continued warm and genial until we got to Moffat where a Fire and a great Coat became acceptable. This kind of weather con- tinued with the Interval of now and then a hot Day till we arrived at Enfield a fortnight since on a bitter cold Night, from hence I suppose that the predicted (spring) winter would visit you even after our Departure from Edinburgh. If I had not seen it I could not have easily believed that Scotland could boast of Rye Grass and Clover, Peas, Wheat, Oats, Barley and other Crops equal to any I have ever seen in the County of and in general nearly as forward. You will see Thousands and Thousands of Acres planted with Firs and other Trees but they do not in general appear likely ever to acquire any considerable size. Can you give a physical Reason why the Trees are short and stunted and the people large and tall ? The difference in both Respects will strike you before you advance ten Miles into England, the People diminish visibly in size and the Trees in- crease in a proportion that must astonish. You will find this observation respecting the Trees par- ticularly exemplified at Corby, a most delightful place four or five miles from Carlisle on the Banks of the River Eden. Apropos : when you come to Carlisle will you do me a favour call upon Doctor Harrington introduce yourself as a Friend of mine that knowing the high opinion which I have always entertained of his chemical Publica- tions and the Friendship which you imagine must subsist betwixt us, you have taken the Liberty to request he will accompany you te Corby (I should like to know how he will look and what he will say) you must know that he once offended me much respecting some trifling publications both of my own and his : he accused me in a letter of withholding his Remarks on the Scurvy from the Press in order to give priority of publica- tion to my own, I considered this as so serious an Offence that on my Journey through Carlisle when hejsent to desire I would call upon him I asked to be excused, and sent the following Note " Dr H. your last Letter to me was so unjust in its Accusations, and so ungrateful in its Nature as to afford suficient Excuse for my declining an Interview with you, I wish you well J. S." I have reflected on the Note since, which was written^in a Moment of ill Humour, and as I set out immediately for Corby where I was going, on my way to Penrith, there was not time to cool. I think he must be conscious that Resentment was due to him"; but I also am conscious that I carried my Resentment too far, and I am sorry for it. but to return from this Digression to the little Trees and the tall Men you know I have long made up my mind as to the larger growth of the human Species in Scotland. I conceive that when ever they suffer Doctor Johnson's foolish Definition of Oats (for which a Schoolboy of fifteen ought to have been whipp'd) to ridicule them out of ye Custom of feeding their Infants on Milk and Oatmeal Porridge, i.e., hasty pudding made of Oatmeal they will gradually dwindle down to the size of Cockneys. ' The Minster at] York repayed us well for the Trouble of deviating from the high Road, and the Races wch we fell in with by Accident amused me much. I scarcely need say that the hos- pitable Roof of my old Friend, Swan, at Ollerton,. the best tempered Fellow in the World, afforded us high gratification, a little clouded however by the unpleasing Reflection that an only Son on whom he has bestowed a very liberal and expensive Education repays him with Ingratitude ; but he bears it like a Man and a philosopher. As you have seen Kings Chapel and College, Cambridge, I need only tell you bhat I saw it in company with your Friend Mr Gymingham from whom we received the most polite and friendly Attention. It would give me great pleasure if upon any occasion I may have it