1835-1837] A Visit to Edinburgh 275 



down ?" I began teaching him to read, which he did not 

 much like but never rebelled. . . . 



Emma, accompanied by her brother Jos, went to Edin- 

 burgh this winter to pay a visit of about two months to her 

 cousin Lady Gifford, who was then living there. 



Emma Wedgwood to her sister-in-law Mrs Hensleigh 



Wedgwood. 



1, ATHOLL CRESCENT, EDINBURGH, 



Tuesday [Jan. 24, 1837]. 



. . . We found Harriet [Gifford] blazing with gas in a 

 handsome house, and she gave us a very pleasant, cordial 

 reception. We are quite surprized at the wonderful civility 

 of all Harriet's friends, calling upon us and inviting us out 

 just as if we were somebody, and I think their manners are 

 so much more civil and cordial than English people's. We 

 have the Celtic ball on Friday and that is all our gaiety 

 at present. We found all the family here just recovering 

 from the influenza and looking ill. 



Godfrey's picture turned out very successful ; Mr Holmes 1 

 has carried him off and means to put him in the Suffolk St. 

 exhibition. It is much more beautifully painted than Mr 

 Richmond, but I don't believe he has so much talent. Indeed 

 he is such a perfect little idiot that one can't imagine how he 

 has sense enough to do anything. He used to say, 'I'm 

 just a going to walk round your beautiful river " [meaning 

 the pool], till one day Shot fell upon him and tore his cheek, 

 and he would not venture out again. We were very sorry 

 for the poor little man, for the fright put him quite out of 

 spirits, and I don't think he will ever venture to face a dog 

 again, as he seems to think they have a particular spite to 

 him. And I think it must be so, or what could have pos- 

 sessed Shot ? Lord Gifford is coming next week, which I 

 am sorry for, as I hate a boy of that age [19], one has nothing 

 to say to them. I don't think I shall want any clothes but 



1 James Holmes (1777 1860), water-colour and miniature painter. 

 He had many distinguished sitters, amongst others Lord Byron. 



