THE EUROPEAN JOURNALS 22/ 



to get them. More or less company came daily to see 

 my drawings, and I finished a drawing for Mr. Selby of 

 three birds, a Lapwing for Mrs. Selby, who drew fully 

 as well as I did, and who is now imitating my style, and 

 to whom I have given some lessons. Also I finished a 

 small picture in oil for the charming elder daughter 

 Louise; the others are Jane and Fanny. So much at home 

 did we become that the children came about me as freely 

 as if I had long known them ; I was delighted at this, for 

 to me to have familiar intercourse with children, the most 

 interesting of beings, is one of my greatest enjoyments, 

 and my time here was as happy as at Green Bank ; I can 

 say no more. The estate is well situated, highly orna- 

 mented, stocked with an immensity of game of the country, 

 and trout abound in the little rivulets that tumble from~ 

 rock to rock towards the northern ocean. To-morrow I 

 leave this with Captain Mitford for his country seat. 



Mitford Castle, near Morpeth^ Northumberland, April 11, 

 1827. I rose as early as usual, and not to disturb my 

 kind friends, I marched down the staircase in my stock- 

 ings, as I often do where the family are not quite such 

 early risers ; instead of opening the hall door I sat down 

 in the study, and outlined a Lapwing, in an extremely 

 difficult position, for my friend Selby, and did not go 

 on my walk until the servants made their appearance, 

 and then I pushed off to the garden and the woods to 

 collect violets. I felt quite happy, the fragrance of the 

 air seemed equal to that of the little blue flowers which 

 I gathered. We breakfasted, and at ten o'clock I bid 

 farewell to Mrs. Selby; good, amiable lady, how often 

 she repeated her invitation to me to come and spend 

 a goodly time with them. Mr. Selby and the children 

 walked down to the lodge with the captain and me, and 

 having reached the place too early we walked about the 

 woods awhile. The parting moment came at last, all too 

 soon, our baggage was put on the top of the " Dart," an 



