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AUTHORS. 



blessing, and wish I were kissing 

 your sweet rosy lips, or your fat 

 finger tips ; and that you were here 

 so that I could hear your stammer- 

 ing words, from a mouthful of curds; 

 and a great purple tongue (as broad 

 as it's long) ; and see your round 

 eyes open wide with surprise, and 

 your wondering look to find your- 

 self at Craigcrook ! To-morrow is 

 Maggie's birthday, and we have 

 built up a great bonfire in honour 

 of it ; and Maggie Eutherfurd (do 

 you remember her at all?) is coming 

 out to dance round it ; and all the 

 servants are to drink her health, and 

 wish her many happy days with you 

 and Frankie ; and all the mammas 

 and papas, whether grand or not 

 grand. We are very glad to hear 

 she and you love each other so well, 

 and are happy in making each other 

 happy, and that you do not forget 

 dear Tarley or Frankie when they 

 are out of sight, nor Granny either, 

 or even old Granny pa, who is in 

 most danger of being forgotten, he 

 thinks." 



Here is another exquisite letter 

 to one of his grandchildren, when 

 its writer was in his seventy-fifth 

 year: 



" Craigcrook, June 21, 18i7. 



"A high day ! and a holiday ! the 

 longest and the brightest of the year; 

 the very middle day of the sum- 

 mer, and the very day when Mag- 

 gie first opened her sweet eyes on 

 the light ! Bless you ever, my dar- 

 ling and bonny bairn. You have 

 now blossomed beside us for six 

 pleasant years, and been all that 

 time the light of our eyes and the 

 love of our hearts ; at first the cause 

 of some tender fears from your weak- 

 ness and delicacy, then of some little 

 provocation from your too great 

 love, as we thought, of your own 

 will and amusement, but now only 

 of love and admiration for your 

 gentle obedience to your parents, 

 and your sweet yielding to the 



wishes of your younger sister and 

 brother. God bless and keep you 

 then for ever, my delightful and 

 ever-improving child, and make you 

 not only gay and happy as an angel 

 without sin and sorrow, but meek 

 and mild like that heavenly Child, 

 who was once sent down to eartlx 

 for our example. Well, the sun is 

 shining brightly on our towers and 

 trees, and the great bonfire is all 

 piled up and ready to be lighted, 

 when we come out after drinking 

 your health at dinner ; and we have 



got a great blue and yellow flag 

 ung out on the tower, waving 

 proudly in the wind, and telling all 

 the country around that this is a 

 day of rejoicing and thanksgiving, 

 and wishes of happiness, with all 

 who live tinder its shadow. And 

 the servants are all to have a fine 

 dinner, and wiue and whisky to 

 drink to your health, and all the 

 young Christies (that is, the new gar- 

 dener's children) will be taught to 

 repeat your name with blessings; 

 and when they are drawn up round 

 the bonfire will wonder a little, I 

 dare say, what sort of a creature 

 this Miss Maggie can be, that we 

 are making all this fuss about ! and 

 so you must take care, when you 

 come, to be good enough and pretty 

 enough, to make them understand 

 why we all so love and honour you. 

 Frankie and Tarley have been talk- 

 ing a great deal about you this 

 morning already, and Granny is 

 ;oing to take them, and Mary 

 lutherfurd and her brother, down 

 to the sea at Cramond, that they 

 may tell the fishes and the distant 

 shores what a happy and a hopeful 

 day it is to them, and to us all. 

 And so bless you again, my sweet 

 one, for this and all future years. 

 Think kindly of one who thinks 

 always of you, and believe, that of 

 all who love you there is none who 

 bas loved you better or longer, or 

 more constantly, than your loving 

 Grandpa." (Life of Lord Jeffrey.) 



