.
. He is seventy-three or seventy-four, but looks not a minute older
than fifty. He has a fine head and forehead, and most agreeable and
courteous manners, rather of the old school. As he could not rise
to receive me he kissed my hand. Mrs. Jeffrey is an intelligent and
agreeable woman but has been much out of health the last year. She
was Miss Wilkes of New York, you know. The house was an old
castellated and fortified house, and with modern additions is a most
beautiful residence. Capt. Rutherford told me that when he received
the Lord Advocate's letter announcing that we were coming, he went
to see Lord Jeffrey to know if he would be well enough to see us,
and he expressed the strongest admiration for Mr. Bancroft's work.
This may have disposed them to receive us with the cordiality which
made our visit so agreeable. Mr. Empson, his son-in-law and the
president editor of the Edinburgh Review, was staying there, and
after talking two hours with Lord and Mrs. Jeffrey we took with him
a walk in the grounds from which are delightful and commanding views
of the whole environs, and never were environs so beautiful.
LETTER: To W.D.B.
TARBET ON LOCH LOMOND, August 28, 1848
Dear W. . . . Being detained here by rain this morning I devote it
to you and to my journal. . . . The next day was Sunday but the
weather being fine we concluded to continue our journey, and
followed the Tay seeing Birnam Wood and Dunsinane on our way up to
Dunkeld, near to which is the fine seat of the Duke of Athol. We
took a delightful walk in the beautiful grounds, and went on to
Blair Athol to sleep. This is the chief residence of the Duke of
Athol and he has here another house and grounds very pretty though
not as extensive as those at Dunkeld. . . . When the innkeeper found
who we were he insisted on sending a message to the Duke who sent
down an order to us to drive up Glen Tilt and met us there himself.
We entered through the Park and followed up the Tilt. Nothing could
be more wild than this narrow winding pass which we followed for
eight miles till we came to the Duke's forest lodge. Here were
waiting for us a most picturesque group in full Highland dress: the
head stalker, the head shepherd, the kennel keepers with their dogs
in leashes, the piper, etc., etc. They told us that the Duke had
sent up word that we were coming and he would soon be there himself.
In a few moments he appeared also in full Highland costume with bare
knees, kilt, philibeg, etc. He told us he had then on these
mountains 15,000 head of dear, and thought we might like to see a
START, as it is called. The head stalker told him, however, that
the wind had changed which affects the scent, and that nothing could
be done that day. The Duke tried to make us amends by making some
of his people sing us Gaelic songs and show us some of the athletic
Highland games. The little lodge he also went over with us, and
said that the Duchess came there and lived six or seven weeks in the
autumn, and that the Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch rented it for
many years while he was a minor. If you could see the tiny little
rooms, you would be astonished to find what the love of sport can do
for these people who possess actual palaces.
After dining again upon salmon and grouse at the pretty little inn,
we took a post chaise to go on to Taymouth, a little village
adjoining Lord Breadalbane's place. We did not arrive at the inn
till after eight and found it completely full. . . . We were sent to
the schoolmaster's to sleep in the smallest of little rooms, with a
great clock which ticked and struck so loud that we were obliged to
silence it, to the great bewilderment, I dare say, of the scholars
the next day. Before we were in bed, there was a knock at the door,
which proved to be from Lord Breadalbane's butler, to say that he
had been commissioned to enquire whenever we arrived at the inn, as
his Lordship had heard that we were in Scotland and wished us to
make them a visit.
Next morning before we were up came a note from Lord Breadalbane
urging us to come immediately to the Castle. . . . Taymouth Castle,
though not more than fifty years old, has the air of an old feudal
castle. . . . As we were ushered up the magnificent staircase
through first a large antechamber, then through a superb hall with
lofty ceiling glowing with armorial bearings, and with the most
light and delicate carving on every part of the oaken panelling,
then through a long gallery, of heavier carving filled with fine old
cabinets, into the library, it seemed to me that the whole Castle
was one of those magical delusions that one reads of in Fairy Tales,
so strange did it seem to find such princely magnificence all alone
amid such wild and solitary scenes. I had always the feeling that
it would suddenly vanish, at some wave of an enchanter's wand, as it
must have arisen also. The library is by far the finest room I ever
saw. Its windows and arches and doorways are all of a fine carved
Gothic open work as light as gossamer. One door which he lately
added cost a thousand pounds, the door alone, not the doorway, so
you can judge of the exquisite workmanship. Here Lady Breadalbane
joined us, whom I had never before met. . . . During dinner the
piper in full costume was playing the pibroch in a gallery outside
the window, and after he had done a band, also in full Highland
dress, played some of the Italian, German as well as Scotch music,
at just an agreeable distance.
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