LITERARY AND DOMESTIC LIFE. 285 



mere we were received with the warmth of old friendship by Mr. 

 Wilson and one whose grace and gentle goodness could have found 

 no lovelier or fitter home than Elleray, except where she now is."* 



All honor was done to the illustrious guest, and my father ar- 

 ranged that he should be entertained by a beautiful aquatic specta- 

 cle. It was a scene worthy a royal progress, and respnibled some 

 of those rare pageants prepared for the reception of regal brides 

 beneath the dazzling sunshine of southern skies. "There were 

 brilliant cavalcades through the woods in the mornings, and deli- 

 cious boatings on the lake by moonlight, and the last day ' The Ad- 

 miral of the Lake' presided over one of the most splendid regattas 

 that ever enlivened Windermere. Perhaps there were not fewer 

 than fifty barges following in the Professor's radiant procession 

 when it paused at the Point of Storrs, to admit into the place of 

 honor the vessel that carried kind and happy Mr. Bolton and his 

 guest. The three Bards of the Lakes led the cheers that hailed 

 Scott and Canning ; and the music and sunshine, flags, streamers, 

 and gay dresses, the merry hum of voices, and the rapid splashing 

 of innumerable oars, made up a dazzling mixture of sensations, as 

 the flotilla wound its way among richly-foliaged islands, and along 

 bays and promontories peopled with enthusiastic spectators."! 



My father invited various friends from Scotland at this gay and 

 notable time, to join in the general welcome given to Scott ; among 

 others, he asked his old and esteemed friend the Professor of 

 Natural History, Mr. Jameson, J who was reluctantly detained by 

 his duties as editor of Hie Edinburgh, Philosophical Journal : his 

 letter is of sufficient interest to be given here : — 



"My dear Sir: — I have delayed from day to day answering 

 your kind letter, in exj^ectation of being able to make such arrange- 

 ments as would allow me the pleasure of visiting you, but in vain ; 

 and now I find, from unforeseen circumstances, that I must forego 

 the happiness of a ramble with you tliis season. My sister, or 

 rather sisters, who were to accompany me, and who beg their best 

 washes and kindest thanks to you for your polite invitation, wish 

 all printers, and printers' devils, at the bottom of the Red Sea. 

 They have been in a state of semi-insurrection against me for some 



* Life of Scott. t Ildd. 



X Professor Jameson died in 1S53, cetat eighty. 



