“Graceful ease, and sweetness void of pride.”

I was introduced to Dr. John Brown, who is reckoned one of the best exegetial scholars in Europe.  He is small of stature, sprightly, and pleasant in manners, but with a high bald forehead and snow-white hair.

There were also many members of the faculty of the university.  I talked a little with Dr. Guthrie, whom I described in a former letter.  I told him that one thing which had been an agreeable disappointment to me was, the apparent cordiality between the members of the Free and the National church.  He seemed to think that the wounds of the old conflict were, to a great extent, healed.  He spoke in high terms of the Duchess of Sutherland, her affability, kindness, and considerateness to the poor.  I forget from whom I received the anecdote, but somebody told me this of her—­that, one of her servants having lost a relative, she had left a party where she was engaged, and gone in the plainest attire and quietest way to attend the funeral.  It was remarked upon as showing her considerateness for the feelings of those in inferior positions.

About nine o’clock we left to go to the temperance soiree.  It was in the same place, and conducted in the same way, with the others which I have described.  The lord provost presided, and one or two of the working men who spoke in the former soiree made speeches, and very good ones too.  The meeting was greatly enlivened by the presence and speech of the jovial Lord Conynghame, who amused us all by the gallant manner in which he expressed the warmth of Scottish welcome towards “our American guests.”  If it had been in the old times of Scottish hospitality, he said, he should have proposed a bumper three times three; but as that could not be done in a temperance meeting, he proposed three cheers, in which he led off with a hearty good will.

All that the Scotch people need now for the prosperity of their country is the temperance reformation; and undoubtedly they will have it.  They have good sense and strength of mind enough to work out whatever they choose.

We went home tired enough.

The next day we had a few calls to make, and an invitation from Lady Drummond to visit “classic Hawthornden.”  Accordingly, in the forenoon, Mr. S. and I called first on Lord and Lady Gainsborough; though, she is one of the queen’s household, she is staying here at Edinburgh, and the queen at Osborne.  I infer therefore that the appointment includes no very onerous duties.  The Earl of Gainsborough is the eldest brother of Rev. Baptist W. Noel.

Lady Gainsborough is the daughter of the Earl of Roden, who is an Irish lord of the very strictest Calvinistic persuasion:  He is a devout man, and for many years, we were told, maintained a Calvinistic church of the English establishment in Paris.  While Mr. S. talked with Lord Gainsborough, I talked with his lady, and Lady Roden, who was present.  Lady Gainsborough inquired about our schools for the poor, and how they were conducted.  I reflected a moment, and then answered that we had no schools for the poor as such, but the common school was open alike to all classes.[K]