THE ORPHAN MAID. 57 



heart, while its brightest dreams are still objects of faith. It will 

 be seen from these letters how hard it must have been for him to 

 bend before obstructions, of whose reality and strength he was 

 loner in utter ignorance. 



Of all his letters to Margaret, the only one that survives of what 

 must have been an extensive correspondence, is one written soon 

 after his arrival at Oxford. Of hers to him there is, I regret to 

 say, none to be found. The pensive simplicity that jDervades it is 

 in entire harmony with the strain of the "Poems," and, like the 

 portrait by Raeburn, will perhaps surprise those who may have ex- 

 pected to find young Christopher North addressing the lady of his 

 love in the impassioned and eloquent style of a troubadour. The 

 thing was much too genuine for that : — 



"Magdalex College, Oxford, June 12, 1803. 

 " Next to seeing yourself, my dear Margaret, and the greatest 

 pleasure I know upon this earth, is that of seeing your writing ; 

 and I cannot describe what I felt when I read your letter, even 

 although it contained some little censure for not having written 

 you ere this. When I knew by the direction who it was from, my 

 heart leaped within my breast, and I read it over and over again 

 without intermission, so rejoiced was I to hear from one so dear to 

 me as you are. Indeed I must confess that I was always afraid 

 you would not write me, although this was more an unaccountable 

 presentiment than an apprehension for which, after your promise, I 

 could assign any reason. But where the strongest wishes are, 

 there also are the strongest fears. I see now, however, that you 

 really will write me, and that, I trust, often. What a wretch, 

 therefore, would I be, were I to deprive myself of such a blessing 

 by my own foolishness ! When I read your letters, I will be with 

 you in spirit, notwithstanding the distance between this place and 

 Dychmont. My silence was far from proceeding out of forgetful- 

 ness of my promise to write you. Before I could have forgot that, 

 I must have forgot you, which never will be to my dying moment ; 

 and should it ever happen, may my God forget me. The truth is, 

 I had several reasons for not writing you sooner. I w T ished first 

 to have seen your picture, which has not yet arrived, and indeed 

 has scarcely had sufficient time yet. But I should have written 

 you notwithstanding that, had I been able, but believe me when I 

 tell you, that hitherto I was not. 



