310 MEMOIR OF JOHN WILSON. 



Elleray on that day, and kept furnishing me with his talk till one 

 o'clock in the morning — the girls being at the Miss Bartons'. On 

 Thursday, I went again to Ambleside, with William and George 

 Fleming, to see the wrestling. It was very good. A man from 

 Cumberland, with a white hat and brown shirt, threatened to fling 

 everybody, and ' foight' them afterwards. The ' foighting' I put a 

 stop to. He stood till the last, but was thrown by a schoolmaster 

 of the name of Robinson, cousin to the imp who used to be at Elle- 

 ray, who won the belt with a handsome inscription — 'From Profes- 

 sor Wilson.' We had then a number of single matches, the best of 

 three throws ; and Collinson of Bowness threw Robinson easily, he 

 himself having been previously thrown by the Cumbrian for the 

 belt. One Drunky, who had also been thrown for the belt, then 

 threw Collinson, and a tailor called Holmes threw Cumberland. A 

 little fellow about the size of Blair, or less, threw a man about six 

 feet high, and fell upon him with all his weight. Holmes, the 

 tailor, threw Rowland Long. The wrestling, on the whole, ' gave 

 the family great delight.' On Friday, we all sailed with Captain 

 Stamp in the ' Emma,' and ran aground at the water-head, but got 

 off in about an hour without damage. The 'Emma' is an excellent, 

 safe, roomy boat, and draws more water than the ' Endeavor.' On 

 the same Friday, we dined with William Garnet, and at tea met 

 some young ladies, the Miss Winyards, and Lady Pasley. We 

 rode home in the dark and the wet. On Saturday we gave a party 

 in the evening to the Flemings, Bellasses, and Miss A. Taylor from 

 Ambleside. We had the band, and danced, and the party was 

 pleasant. On Sunday we stayed at home, the day being blowy ; 

 and Miss A. Taylor is still with us. To-day some gentlemen dined 

 at Elleray ; so you see we are very gay. To-morrow we are all 

 going a pic-nicking on the Lake. God bless you, my dear Johnny ! 

 Mind all your dear mother says, and be kind in all things, and at- 

 tentive to her till we return. Love to Blair and Umbs. Your 

 affectionate father, John Wilson. 



" The cross lines are for your mamma." 



" My dearest Jane : — I intend riding into Kendal on Wednes- 

 day, to meet our Edinburgh friends, as it will be satisfactory to 

 hear how you all are. I shall be kept here a few days longer than 

 I intended, because of the want of the needful, which I want to 



