350 REVISITS ESKDALE. PART VIII. 



mised himself a visit to his dear Eskdale, and the many 

 friends he had left there ; but more especially to see his 

 infirm mother, who had descended far into the vale of 

 years, and longed to see her son once more before she 

 died. He had not forgotten her. He had printed many 

 letters to her, and had taken constant care that she should 

 want for nothing. She formed the burden of many of 

 his letters to Andrew Little. " Your kindness in visiting 

 and paying so much attention to her," said he, " is 

 doing me the greatest favour which you could possibly 

 confer upon me." He sends his friend money, which he 

 urges him to lay out in providing sundry little comforts 

 for his mother, who seems to have carried her spirit of 

 independence so far as to have expressed reluctance to 

 accept money even from her own son. " I must request," 

 said he, " that you will purchase and send up what things 

 may be likely to be wanted, either for her or the person 

 who may be with her, as her habits of economy will 

 prevent her from getting plenty of everything, especially 

 as she thinks that I have to pay for it, which really hurts 

 me more than anything else." l He expresses an anxious 

 wish to see her ; but, what with one urgent matter of 

 business and another, he fears it will be November before 

 he can set out. He has to prepare a general statement as 

 to the navigation affairs for a meeting of the committee ; 

 he must attend the approaching Salop quarter sessions, 

 and after that a general meeting of the Canal Company ; 

 so that his visit must be postponed for yet another month. 

 " Indeed," said he, " I am rather distressed at the thoughts 

 of running down to see a kind parent in the last stage of 

 decay, on whom I can only bestow an affectionate look, 

 and then leave her : her mind will not be much consoled 

 by this parting, and the impression left upon mine will 

 be more lasting than pleasant." 



1 Letter to Mr. Andrew Little, Larigholm, dated Shrewsbury, 16th Sept., 

 1794. 2 lbid< 



