159 



Through the kindness of Mr. Coward I am enabled to give a 

 critique upon this volume by Thomas Carlyle, in a letter which he 

 sent to Dr. Gibson in 1869. 



The opinion of Carlyle — born and brought up as he was at 

 Ecclefechan, near Lockerbie — has a peculiar value upon anything 

 relating to the'Border or the Cumbrian dialects. Carlyle's letter to 

 Gibson is as follows : — " I received your book on the Border 

 Dialects ; and have read it over with a pleasant feeling of satisfac- 

 tion of innocent entertainment and thanks for your gift. A really 

 nice little book ; indeed, I may fairly say, the best book I can 

 remember to have ever read on such a subject. Perfect under- 

 standing and expression of the thing in hand, workmanlike 

 treatment, variety, perspicuity, polite good humour, are nowhere 

 wanting. The bits of Cumberland song, especially, are of superior 

 excellence ; truthful, graceful, free, flowing, very spirited and 

 pretty, — considerable tmie in them and honest feeling of the thing 

 sung. On the whole it would not surprise me, if the writer of this 

 book — should leisure, perseverance, and determined wish superadd 

 themselves (which I fear they won't !) — were to come out someday, 

 with something really good and useful in wider fields of literature. 

 Accept at any rate my Eiige for what you have already done." 



Dr. Gibson left Coniston in January, 185 1. Before he left, the 

 sum of twenty -five pounds was collected, in many instances as the 

 unsolicited contributions of working-men, with which a gold watch 

 with its appendages, and a gold pencil case, were purchased and 

 presented to Dr. Gibson, by Mr. Roger Bowness, at a crowded 

 and most enthusiastic meeting which was held for the purpose at 

 the Black Bull inn* The watch bore the following inscription : — 

 "Presented to Alexander Craig Gibson, Esq., by 190 friends in 

 and near Conistone, including 90 of his poorest neighbours, in 

 testimony of their gratitude for his services, respect for his character, 

 and approbation of his conduct. Jan. i, 185 1." It was accom- 

 panied by an address, from which the following extract will serve 



* The reader may remember the Black Bull inn, at Coniston, as being the 

 extreme point which De Quincey describes himself to have reached when 

 making a pilgrimage to have an interview with Wordsworth, but where, struck 

 with dread at the thought of VVordsworth's greatness, he turned back. 



