“My dear Christie,—I
hope you will acknowledge the veniality of my neglect in not writing to you ere
I quitted our Athens on two grounds. 1st, That I was remarkably hurried during
the few days intervening betwixt my examination and my departure; 2ndly, That,
notwithstanding all the hurry, I actually found time to write you a pretty long
epistle, which I committed to the fiery flames in contrition for the
worthlessness thereof. This second circumstance indeed shows me and my own
modesty in such a charming point of view, that I cannot doubt they would
procure for me the forgiveness of a heavier offence. I went up to London with
Hamilton, and stayed long enough to
see new Miss Drury, and Rae in ‘Octavian.’ This actor is a very fine young man—not
accurately handsome, perhaps, but having a light, graceful, and energetic
figure, with a fine long muscular neck surmounted (to talk à la Riddell) by a noble countenance, shaded with long hair of the
most beautiful jet black. Miss Duncan I
saw also. She is married
| 66 | LIFE OF J. G. LOCKHART. |
“I have had a letter from Williams this morning in which the classification is detailed. However, Jenkyns is, it seems, to write me with all haste, a favour similar to what you have, I suppose, by this time experienced. I have no earthly thing to find fault with in all this affair except our common enemy, your breast complaint, which has, I perceive, been the sole cause of depriving me of a double gratification——1 I hear Traill has forsan proairetically scalded his leg by way of escaping the little wrath of our little hero, Jenkyns. Hamilton has spent the last two nights with me here, and went up this morning to his mother’s. I cannot write to Oxford till my father comes home, and enables me to discharge some debt contracted before I came off to Traill. He is in Selkirkshire, where I mean shortly to go; but in the meantime my mother and the bairns, including Mr. John, are going to Ayrshire for sea-bathing. Address for me nevertheless here, and believe me ever, your most affectionate friend,
|
1 A couple of lines obliterated by the seal. |
| STORY OF A MINISTER | 67 |
“P.S.—Hamilton has directed me to make Traill send you down several medical books left behind him, which if you have not already received, you may look for in a short time.”
