LITERARY AND DOMESTIC LIFE. 2G9 



May the usual happy party filling " His Majesty's Royal Mail" set 

 out for the Lakes. Travelling in those days was a matter of more 

 serious consideration than now. The journey to Westmoreland 

 was taken as far as Carlisle per coach ; the remaining distance was 

 posted. The arrival at Elleray generally took place between eight 

 and nine o'clock in the evening, long after sunlight had left the 

 skies. A number of trivial associations are remembered in connec- 

 tion with the approach to this beloved place. The opening of the 

 avenue-gate was a sound never to be forgotten. The sudden swing 

 of the carriage at a particular part of the drive, when it came in 

 contact with the low-lying branches of trees (seldom pruned), drip- . 

 ping with a new fallen shower of rain, would send a whole torrent 

 of drops upon the expectant faces that were peeping out to catch 

 a first glimpse of the house, which, lighted up, stood on its eleva- 

 tion like a beacon to guide travellers in the dark. 



This new Elleray was as much indebted to natural position as 

 was the old. Trellised all over, there was no more than the space 

 for windows uncovered by honeysuckle and roses. In a very short 

 time it became as great a favorite as the old cottage ; which, had 

 it been lost sight of altogether, might have been more regretted. 

 A letter from Mr. Blackwood will show what the Professor had in 

 contemplation for this summer's work. 



" Edinburgh, 6th May, 1824. 



" My dear Sir : — I had so much to do yesterday that I had not 

 time to write you; I hope you got all safe to Elleray, and as the 

 weather is so delightful, I expect to hear in a day or two from you 

 that you have fairly begun to the ' Foresters,'* and are driving on 

 it and every thing else to your heart's content. That you may see 

 what I am doing, I send you what I have made up, and the slips of 

 a long article by Dr. M'N"eill,f which I received a few days ago. I 

 am not sure if there will be room for it in this number, but we shall 

 see. It is curious and valuable. 



" I wish very much you would write a humorous article upon 

 that thin-skinned person Tommy Moore's ' Captain Rock.' This is 

 the way the book should be treated. We have plenty of the seri- 

 ous materiel in Mr. R.'s article, and if you would only take up the 



* One of Wilson's tales. It was not published until the following June, 1825. 



t The Professor's brother-in-law, no.v Sir John M'Neill, G. C. B. ; at that time in Persia. 



