

I844-S4- HOLIDAY SEASONS. 2 17 



in each spring and autumn most welcome to George. In 

 spring especially, the effects of previous v/ork became pain- 

 fully manifest, showing themselves frequently in great mental 

 depression and sadness. Frequently he was so overpowered 

 that he would scarcely speak at all, after returning home, 

 during the whole evening; and he shrank from even his 

 dearest friends. At such times he would say to a sister, 

 " Let us go to some quiet place, where we shall meet no 

 one we know." For this there was no remedy but change 

 and rest ; and these were thoroughly enjoyed, and generally 

 produced the desired results. Many of such holiday sea- 

 sons were spent in favourite retreats, among which may be 

 named Morningside (a suburb of Edinburgh), Dirleton, 

 Melrose, Innerleithen, and Bridge of Allan. It was not 

 from lack of desire that his holidays were not spent among 

 more interesting and exciting scenes. To see new places, 

 things, and people, was ever a delight to him. Continental 

 trips were frequently planned, but when the time approached 

 for their fulfilment his strength was found unequal to the 

 demands they were likely to make on it; and medical 

 advisers invariably counselled the avoidance of much tra- 

 velling, especially by sea. Even the occasional business 

 journeys, which were unavoidable, were not without danger, 

 from the fact that disease had been present in his lungs - 

 from the time of their first affection in 1843. While absent 

 at holiday times, it was his custom to write frequently to his 

 mother to beguile her solitude. Those letters usually went 

 by the name of "George's nonsense." A few specimens 

 will be given occasionally. Here, for example, are one or 

 two from Bridge of Allan : 



" April tfh. 



" This is a most lazy place ; nobody does anything but eat 

 and sleep and lounge, and we follow the universal example. 



