ii.] YOUTHFUL TRAVELS, 1826-27. 33 



du Dieu, on pent le faire." .... We did not leave Cha- 

 mouni till half-past six, and as we drove slowly down the 

 valley I felt that it was with more regret that I left this 

 interesting spot than any town or any scene that we had 

 visited in our travels/ 



The following is the record of arrival at home : 

 ' We left Dunbar at twelve ; we proceeded at a rapid 

 pace with happy hearts towards home. Before reaching 

 Musselburgh our eyes were greeted with the sight of 

 Edinburgh, Arthur Seat, the Calton Hill, and Inch Keith, 

 noble objects which never can be mistaken. Without 

 prejudice I consider that Edinburgh combines more 

 beauty and majesty as a town, than any five cities we 

 have visited put together. I cannot conclude this jour- 

 nal without observing how grateful I felt for this happy 

 return to home and all its peaceful joys, and how much 

 more grateful for that protection and guidance from hour 

 to hour bestowed upon us in every change of time and 

 circumstance, to which during our long absence we have 

 been subjected/ 



A year of finer, more varied, and impressive education 

 than the one thus passed, could hardly be conceived. 

 Forbes was at the very age when impressions come most 

 quickly, and stamp themselves most deeply into the 

 .^ination and character. The above extracts show 

 how open his mind lay to influences from every side, 

 how it enriched itself by imagery, gathered from every 

 quarter, classical, mediaeval, and romantic. But while 

 he was thus alive through all his being, the one master 

 bias was never forgotten ; the undercurrent of his 

 thoughts kept flowing strongly and steadily in that 

 one direction in which it had l>ng since set. The 

 first sight of Chamouni, as we have seen, called 

 li that scientific interest combine" I with love of 

 adventure which was so deeply rooted in him. \\\\\ 

 a more definite record of the fixed purpose of In.- 

 is found in the following entry in his astronomie.d 

 nal : 



D 



