CHAPTER V.

FIRST VISIT TO LONDON.

A FEW months after George's death, Mr. Chalmers, having occasion to go to Liverpool, received and accepted an invitation to proceed onward, and spend a week or two with his brother James in London. The following extracts from his journal reveal the ardour with which he availed himself of the opportunities by the way which this journey afforded, and the diligence with which, during his first visit to the great metropolis, the work of sight-seeing was prosecuted.

"Edinburgh, April 17th.-Had nearly missed the coach. It broke down at the end of the town, and the accident detained us at least an hour. * * Arrived in Carlisle at two in the morning.

April 18th.-Found in the coach from Carlisle this morning, a lady and gentleman from Carlisle. The former disposed to be frank and communicative, but apparently under some control from the gentleman, who had probably prepared her to expect a very vulgar company. He had the tone and the confidence of polished life, but I never in my life witnessed such a want of cordiality, such a cold and repulsive deportment, such a stingy and supercilious air, and so much of that confounded spirit too prevalent among the bucks and fine gentlemen of the age. They give no room to the movements of any kindly or natural impulse, but hedge themselves round by sneers, and attempt to awe you into diffidence by a display of

their knowledge in the polite world. Give intrepidity to weather them out. I sustained my confidence. I upheld the timidity of the company, and had the satisfaction of reducing him at last to civility and complaisance.

April 19th.-Left Lancaster at seven in the morning, and arrived in Liverpool at six in the evening.

*

"April 20th.-Went with a party from Mr. Maccorquodale's to the Botanic Garden. *** I christened his daughter at three o'clock, and we sat down to dinner at four. Mr. Yates, and a son of Dr. Currie's, were of the party. The former assailed me with an application to preach for him, which I have had the simplicity to consent to, a circumstance which I dislike exceedingly from the extreme awkwardness of my provincial dialect. Mr. Currie is a merchant of this place, combines liberalism and fashion, is an admirer of the Edinburgh school, and carries in his manner a great deal of the chastened amenity of a cultivated temper. They are both warm admirers of Mr. Stewart, a circumstance in which I took the liberty of differing from them. I lament the provincialisms of my tone and conversation, but must study to get over it by a proper union of confidence and humility.

Tuesday, April 21st.-Accompanied a party to a pottery about a mile and a half up the river. Was delighted with the elegance and simplicity of the process, [which is most minutely and graphically described.] * * * Went to the School for the Blind, a truly admirable institution. *** They have an hour for music-the effect was in the highest degree interesting, and the allusion to their own situation most pathetic. Dined in Mr. Maccorquodale's. The only stranger was a Mr. Duncan Maccorquodale, a military gentleman, of an appearance rather unfashionable, but accompanied with a most interesting modesty. To such as these I feel attached by an impulse the most kindly and benevolent, and cannot but spurn at the heart

less formality of those who would triumph in the timidity of the inexperienced. Oh, how I like the untrained originality of nature! Oh, how I dislike the trammels of a cold lifeless and insipid formality!

Friday, April 24th.-Spent the forenoon with Dr. Traill, a chemical lecturer and practitioner, with a great deal of ardour and philosophic simplicity. He showed me his chemical apparatus. The most interesting was—1. An apparatus for decomposing water, [minutely described and diagramed;] 2. A glass apparatus for decomposing water by galvanism, [the form of two vessels drawn, and the manner of using them detailed.]

Saturday, April 25th.-Walked to the Botanic Garden, and spent two hours in it. Found it of this form and dimension. [Here follow plan and measurements, with notices of its rarest plants.*]

Sunday, April 26th.-Preached in the forenoon for Mr. Kirkpatrick on the comforts of religion, and in the afternoon on drunkenness, the former with far more effect and impression than the latter. In the afternoon we met at three o'clock, after dinner, which has the effect of making both a drowsy preacher and a drowsy audience. Mrs. H. evidently reluctant in her testimony of approbation-disposed to overrate the deficiencies of manner and pronunciation, and asleep in the afternoon. "Monday, April 27th.-Drove out in the curricle with Mr. M'C., from six to nine in the morning. After a charming round of sixteen miles, returned with him to breakfast.

* Besides the Journal from which the extracts given above have been taken, a separate Botanical Journal was kept during this journey. This Journal has been submitted to the inspection of Professor Balfour, who, from the graphic description given of its general appearance, even where the class and order are not given, had little difficulty in detecting what plant or flower was meant. For about a year, indeed, Botany appears to have been the science which was in the ascendant. His knowledge of it was very rapidly acquired. His attention having been attracted to it at a meeting of Presbytery, he set himself to learn it, and at the very next meeting appeared to be quite familiar with its details.

Went to the Athenæum. *** Accompanied Mr. M'C. to dine in the river with Captain Tucker on board the Union Guineaman. We reached the vessel-she was going out of dock, where we proceeded to an anchorage about a mile and a half off from Liverpool. We had the music of benevolence to drown all the relentings of nature, and ladies waved their handkerchiefs from the shore to sanctify what was infamous, and deck the splendid villany of the trade.

ing.

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Tuesday, April 28th.-Left Liverpool at seven in the morn* Reached Birmingham by about ten at night. Wednesday, April 29th.—[Various manufactures, toy, button, gun, spade, &c., visited, and all the processes particularly noted down.]

Thursday, April 30th.-Left Birmingham for Woodstock at seven in the morning, where I arrived at four in the afternoon. There was only another passenger in the coach, and he was inside, a sensible, discreet, cultivated man, whom I afterwards learned to be a Fellow of Oxford, and who had evidently a little of the rust and embarrassment of a learned profession. I parted with him at Woodstock. I was immediately conducted by a person from the inn to the gate of Blenheim. For a particular account see Guide, which seems to be written with great taste and power of description. The pleasure I felt was heightened by a variety of circumstances which supplied associations of grandeur. In addition to the stateliness of actual display, I had the recollection of its origin, the immortality of its first owner, the proud monument of national glory, the prospect not of a house, or scene, or a neighbourhood, but the memorial of those events which had figured on the high theatre of war and of politics, and given a turn to the history of the world. The statue of Louis XIV. placed upon the south front, and taken from the walls of Tournay, gives an air of magnificence far beyond the mere power of form or of magnitude. It

is great not as a visible object, but great as a trophy, great as it serves to illustrate the glory of England, and the prowess of the first of warriors. I spent two hours in the garden. Never spot more lovely-never scenes so fair and captivating. I lost myself in an elysium of delight, and wept with perfect rapture. My favourite view was down the river, from the ground above the fountain. The setting sun gleamed on the gilded orbs of Blenheim; through the dark verdure of trees were seen peeps of water and spots of grassy sunshine; the murmurs of the waterfall beneath soothed every anxiety within me, the bell of the village clock sent its music across the lake on my left. I sat motionless, and my mind slumbered in a reverie of enchantment.

Friday, May 1st.-Started from Woodstock at seven, and walked to Oxford. I was rather surprised at the small number of students I met; but the appearance of one at times, with the garb of his order, had an interesting effect among these ancient solitudes. The Fellows, I was informed by one of my guides, are sometimes very noisy, and keep it up till two in the morning. It is impossible to carry away anything but a confused recollection of the different objects. The mind is overpowered with the dazzling variety that presents itself, and a guide for after-perusal is a most necessary accompaniment to all these various and extensive exhibitions. I returned to dine. in my little mansion after a fatiguing walk of five hours, and in the evening took a rambling and irregular walk through the different streets of Oxford. I was delighted with the academic air and costume of the place; and amid the grossness of a mercantile age, it is the delight of my spirit to recur to the quiet scenes of philosophy, and contemplate what our ancestors have done for learning, and the respect that they once paid to it. Threw myself into bed at ten in the evening.

Saturday, May 2d.-Left Oxford at seven in the morning, * * * and landed in Ludgate Hill about seven in the evening.