142 MEMOIR OF JOHN WILSON. 



" I promised not to write any more ; but thinking you will not 

 be angry with me, I have ventured to scribble a few lines more. 



" My heel is in statu quo (two Latin words which Robert will 

 explain to you). 



"I tried a day's fishing in Loch Awe, and killed a dozen fine 

 ones. Yesterday I rode Achlian' s charger to Craig. All here are 

 well, and desire their love to you. Miss Campbell has been poorly, 

 but mends apace. I have received most hospitable welcome. I 

 slept last night in our old room. To-day I limped up to Molloy 

 with my fishing-rod. Mrs. M'Kay there has just been brought to 

 bed of a son, who is doing well. They inquired most kindly for 

 you, and were delighted to see me. What a fishing! In one pool 

 I killed twenty-one trouts, all of them about two pounds each, and 

 have just arrived in time for dinner at Craig, loaded so that I could 

 hardly walk. I have dispatched presents to all around. Miss 

 M'Intyre, with whom we dined, desires her love. Dr. M'Intyre is 

 from home. I shall stay here all night, being tired. On Wednes- 

 day, I leave Achlian on horseback, so depend on seeing me on Sat- 

 urday. That is our marriage-day. In you and in my children lies 

 all my bliss on earth. Every field here speaks of thee. Thine for- 

 ever, "J.Wilson." 



The next letter is two months later, the Court of Session having 

 sat in the interval. Very probably, however, he was not particular 

 in waiting till the last day of the summer sittings to start once more 

 for his favorite Achlian and Loch Awe. I suspect the idea of 

 eighteen dozen of trout out of the Aray would have influenced him 

 more in these fine days than the mere chance of another brief before 

 " the Lords" dispersed. 



" Achlian, Monday, 22d July, 1816. 



" Dearest Jennet : — Your letter of Thursday I received here on 

 Saturday, and as Sir Richard Strahan said when he fell in with the 

 French fleet, ' We were delighted.' 



" The day after I wrote last, namely, Monday, I walked up to the 

 wooden bridge and fished there, killing fifteen dozen. Unluckily 

 the family from home. On Tuesday I dined with Captain Archi- 

 bald Campbell and his fair daughters at their cottage. We visited 

 on Loch Fyne side, and met a pleasantish, smallish party. On 

 Wednesday I left Inverary at a quarter before four in the morning, 



