372 THE LIFE OF JAMES D. FORBES. [CHAP. 



returned with his family to Scotland, and the rest of 

 the summer was spent in the cottage at Pitlochrie, which 

 had now become his home. 



The following letters will suffice to carry on the narra- 

 tive down to the close of the year 1857, and to the end of 

 the session 1857-58 : 



To DR. SYMONDS. 



* PITLOCHRIE, August 29th, 1857. 



' Your kind letter reached me when I was laid on my 

 back and unable to revolve through the smallest of the 

 aliquot parts of a right angle without a tremendous 

 twitch in the ribs. But during the few days which have 

 since elapsed, I have made happy progress especially 

 yesterday, and am now nearly convalescent, and hope to 

 be able to drive out on Monday. It is a week to-day 

 since my accident, which took place in the most innocent 

 way, of sliding down a grassy bank, while vigorously 

 engaged in making a trigonometrical survey of our 

 estate (!), whereby the oak handle of a heavy hammer 

 was dug into my ribs with a pressure due to the whole 

 weight of my body. ... I had enjoyed my country life 

 very much, and become engrossed in training rose-trees 

 and other horticultural operations; the extremely fine 

 weather making us live very much in the open air, to 

 the manifest benefit of our health. The acquisition of 

 this place is quite a new kind of interest to me, and 

 whatever may be my regrets at missing Switzerland, it is 

 undeniable that many important advantages have arisen 

 from our being on the spot. 1 



To the Same. 



'EDINBURGH, October 22, 1857. 



' . . . About the very moment that this torpid or deadly- 

 lively process will be going on in Alma Mater (11 A.M. 

 Nov. 3rd), I hear that a much more interesting and I 

 hope more lively solemnity will be taking place in your 

 house. We sincerely desire happiness to all concerned. 

 To part with a member of your cherished household must 



