THE BRIDGE OF ARDROSS. 89 



less I felt myself dying, and were assured I would die 

 under its shadow. Many, many thanks, dearest, for 

 your kind sweet letter. It is just what a letter should 

 be, with heart and imagination and pretty easy words in 

 it, and yet it is an unsatisfactory thing after all. In- 

 stead of consoling me for your absence, it only, makes 

 me long the more for you. It" is but a pouring of oil 

 on a flame that burnt fiercely enough before. 



' I have seen one of the scenes you describe so 

 sweetly, the bridge of Ardross ; but it is a good many 

 years since, and it was after I had just returned from the 

 western Highlands of Ross-shire, where I had visited 

 many scenes of a similar character but on a much larger 

 scale. And so I was not so much impressed by it. I 

 still remember, however, the dark rocks and the foaming 

 torrent, and the steep slopes waving with birch and 

 hazel, that ascend towards the uplands, and the abrupt 

 heathy summit of Foyers overlooking the whole. I 

 trust your guides did not forget to point out to you the 

 two majestic oak trees of this wild dell, that are famed 

 as by far the finest in Ross-shire. One of them has 

 been valued at 100 ; and not many years since, when 

 the late Duke of Sutherland purchased the estate of 

 Ardross on which it grows, there was a road cut to it 

 that he might go and see. You are now in the parish 

 of Urquhart with good Mr Macdonald. There is not 

 much to be seen in your iminediate neighbourhood. Do 

 not omit visiting, as it is quite beside you, the ancient 

 burying-ground of Urquhart. See whether there be not 

 yet an old dial-stone on the eastern wall beside a little 

 garden. I saw it there fourteen years ago, and the 

 thoughts which it suggested have since travelled far in 

 the stanzas beginning " Grey Dial-stone." 



' I am happy, dearest Lydia, that you are not going 



