[1] In Marriage the gourmet physician to Lord Courtland, and “the living portrait of hundreds, though never before hit off so well.”

[2] Miss Becky Duguid.

Mr. Blackwood again says:—­

“You have only to go on as you are going to sustain the character Sir Walter gave me of Marriage, that you had the rare talent of making your conclusion even better than your commencement, for, said this worthy and veracious person, ’Mr. Blackwood, if ever I were to write a novel, I would like to write the two first volumes, and leave anybody to write the third that liked.’”

In the following note, Lister, author of Granby, also expresses his admiration in graceful terms, and with a copy of his own novel for Miss Ferrier’s acceptance:—­

T.  H. Lister to Miss Ferrier.

“17 Heriot Row, Feb. 3, 1836.

“My DEAR MADAM—­I should feel that, in requesting your acceptance of the book which accompanies this note, I should be presuming too much upon the very short time that I have had the honour of being known to you, if Mrs. Lister had not told me that you had kindly spoken of it in approving terms.  I hope, therefore, I may be allowed, without presumption, to present to yon a book which you have thus raised in the opinion of its writer, and the composition of which is associated in my mind with the recollection of one of the greatest pleasure I have derived from novel-reading, for which I am indebted to you.  I believe the only novel I read, or at any rate can now remember to have read, during the whole time I was writing Granby, was your Inheritance.  —­Believe me, my dear Madam, your very faithful, T. H. LISTER.”

From Mrs. Lister (afterwards Lady Theresa Cornewall Lewis) Miss Ferrier also received the following complimentary note:—­

Mrs. Lister to Miss Ferrier.

“Thursday Night. 17 HERIOT Row.

“My DEAR MISS FERRIER—­I cannot leave Edinburgh without a grateful acknowledgment of your very kind and flattering gift.  Mr. Lister called upon you in hopes of being able to wish you good-bye, and to tell you in person how much we were pleased with the proof you have given us that we are not unworthy of enjoying and appreciating your delightful works—­pray accept our very best thanks, and I hope as an authoress you will not feel offended if I say that they will now have an added charm in our eyes from the regard which our personal acquaintance with the writer has engendered.  I knew that, to those who do not mix much in society, the acquaintance with strangers is often irksome:  we therefore feel the more obliged to you for having allowed us the pleasure of knowing you, and I hope that if we return in the course of the year that we may find you less suffering in health, but as kindly disposed to receive our visits as you have hitherto been.  We feel very grateful for all the kindness we have met with in Edinburgh, and amongst the pleasant reminiscences of the last five months we must always rank high the having received from you as a token of regard so acceptable a gift.—­Believe me (or, indeed, I ought to say us), my dear Miss Ferrier, yours most sincerely,