A Journey to I>ondon in 1840. 163 



^oung men of his years', he did not deny himself the social com- 

 forts of life, or rather he indulged in these to an extent more like 

 a former generation than the one in which he lived. He always 

 was, as he still is, given to sobriety, and he was at all times pos- 

 sessed of perfect self-command even when in the most liberal 

 company, but he was fond of boisterous mirth and all that fun 

 and frolic which prevail amid deep drinking. He did not exactly 

 like to send his guests from his house tipsy, but they could not 

 Bit too late for him, or prolong to too great an extent the 

 uproarious enjoyment in which he so evidently deliglited. He, or 

 rather perhaps his mother and step-father, had a large party at 

 dinner on the occasion of his reaching liis majority. I had not 

 the privilege of being of the number, because at that time I had 

 not been introduced to him, nor liad I heard of his name. But 

 this I know upon his own authority that the occasion was a 

 "glorious" one, and that some of those present sat till four 

 o'clock next morning, that is, for twelve hours. 



He went into Wigtownshire, or rather to Whithorn, for that 

 was his headquarters, in August, 1811, the year after he liad 

 attained his majority. He had not been there since he first left 

 the district, so that his return was rather interesting both to him- 

 .self and others. He saw all his old friends and schoolfellows, 

 and I know on the best authority he was most liberal in treating 

 them in the way they possibly liked best. While in the country 

 at this time he paid iiis addresses to Miss Isabella Stewart, 

 daughter of a most excellent and respectable widow, Mrs Stewart, 

 whose husband had been a shopkeeper in Whithorn, but who at 

 the time to which I refer kept an inn. If I mistake not, Mr 

 M'Culloch lived under her roof at first as a customer and not as a 

 private friend. Before he left the neighbourhood, namely, on 

 tlie 11th November, he was united in marriage to Miss Stewart, a 

 union, tliough it was hastily formed, as productive of happiness 

 to both parties as perhaps any conjugal relation e\er was. Amid 

 all the circumstances of his fate he ever regarded and treated her 

 with mildness, deference, and affection, while her extreme good 

 sense, good principles, and tact have enabled her to act her part 

 nobly and properly under circumstances, if not trying, at least 

 very different from those to which she had previously been accus- 

 tomed. 



Immediately after the marriage he brought his wife with him 



