150 A Journey to London in 1840. 



We stopi^ed at Euston Station, which is near Euston Square and 

 not far from the University College. I immediately got into a 

 cab and drove to my friend Mr M'Culloch's at the Stationery 

 Office, James Street, Westminster, about 200 yards from Buck- 

 ingham Palace, where the Queen was then residing. I made the 

 best use of my eyes possible, and could at this moment, after a 

 month's interval, enumerate not a few of the streets and squares I 

 travelled through. I was most grateful when the cab entered the 

 Bird Cage Walk, as it is called, which is part of St. James's Park, 

 <at least, it is only separated from it by an iron railing. I admired 

 the rich verdure of the park, its lofty and umbrageous lines of 

 elms, and its romantic lake. The day was fine and the number 

 of persons walking considerable. Altogether I felt much excited. 

 I know that I possess the organ of locality, as it is called, to a 

 very marked extent. I am not acquainted with anyone who feels 

 more delighted in visiting new places or who remembers all about 

 them with more accuracy and minuteness. My ecstasy accord- 

 ingly on my entering London for the first time may be more easily 

 imagined than described. It was extreme. 



On arriving at the Stationery Office, I found Mr M'Culloch 

 at home, and I was received by him with the most affectionate 

 welcome. His excellent wife and family were equally kind, in- 

 deed I believe that of all their Scotch friends none ever paid them 

 a visit whom they were more glad or as glad to see. We had been 

 familiarly acquainted since the year 1817. When they lived in 

 Edinburgh we were much together, and I believe that Mr 

 M'Culloch opened his mind to me in a more confidential way and 

 to a greater degree than to any other person. His mother, 

 Mrs Dempster, who is still alive at the venerable age of 76, 

 resides in Edinburgh, and it has been arranged between her and 

 'her son that on her death I am to represent him, conduct the 

 funeral, and act as chief mourner.^ I mention this in order to 



6. Mrs Dempster died on the 7th August, 18-tO, aged 76. She 

 had been almost entirely bed-ridden for about three years. Water 

 in the chest was her most serious complaint, but this was ultimately 

 either wholly subdued or nearly so, and her death may be said to 

 have resulted from no specific disease but old age. Mrs M'Culloch, 

 understanding that the old lady was rapidly failing, was present at 

 her death, having arrived about ten days before. Miss M'Culloch 

 was also present. They sent frequently for me during the evening 

 on which jVIrs Demp.ster died, but, unfortunately, I was out at 



