September 9.—­This is a superb place of Corehouse’s.  Cranstoun has as much feeling about improvement as other things.  Like all new improvers, he is at more expense than is necessary, plants too thick, and trenches where trenching is superfluous.  But this is the eagerness of a young artist.  Besides the grand lion, the Fall of Clyde, he has more than one lion’s whelp; a fall of a brook in a cleugh called Mill’s Gill must be superb in rainy weather.  The old Castle of Corehouse is much more castle-like on this than from the other side.

Left Corehouse at eight in the morning, and reached Lanark by half-past nine.  I was thus long in travelling three miles because the postilion chose to suppose I was bound for Biggar, and was two miles ere I discovered what he was doing.  I thought he aimed at crossing the Clyde by some new bridge above Bonnington.  Breakfasted at Lanark with the Lockharts, and reached Abbotsford this evening by nine o’clock.

Thus ends a pleasant expedition among the people I like most.  Drawback only one.  It has cost me L15, including two gowns for Sophia and Anne; and I have lost six days’ labour.  Both may be soon made up.

N.B.—­We lunched (dined, videlicet) with Professor Wilson at Inverleithen, and met James Hogg,[39]

September 10, [Abbotsford].—­Gourgaud’s wrath has burst forth in a very distant clap of thunder, in which he accuses me of combining with the ministry to slander his rag of a reputation.  He be d——­d for a fool, to make his case worse by stirring.  I shall only revenge myself by publishing the whole extracts I made from the records of the Colonial Office, in which he will find enough to make him bite his nails.  Still I wonder he did not come over and try his manhood otherwise.  I would not have shunned him nor any Frenchman who ever kissed Bonaparte’s breech.

September 11.—­Went to Huntly Burn and breakfasted with Colonel Ferguson, who has promised to have some Indian memoranda ready for me.  After breakfast went to choose the ground for a new plantation, to be added next week to the end of Jane’s Wood.  Came to dinner Lord Carnarvon and his son and daughter; also Lord Francis Leveson Gower, the translator of Faust.

September 12.—­Walk with Lord Francis.  When we return, behold ye! enter Lady Hampden and Lady Wedderburn.  In the days of George Square, Jane and Maria Brown[40], beauties and toasts.  There was much pleasure on my side, and some, I suppose, on theirs; and there was a riding, and a running, and a chattering, and an asking, and a showing—­a real scene of confusion, yet mirth and good spirits.  Our guests quit us next day.

September 13.—­Fined a man for an assault at Selkirk.  He pleaded guilty, which made short work.  The beggarly appearance of the Jury in the new system is very worthy of note.  One was a menial servant.  When I returned, James Ballantyne and Mr. Cadell arrived.  They bring a good account of matters in general.  Cadell explained to me a plan for securing the copyright of the novels, which has a very good face.  It appears they are going off fast; and if the glut of the market is once reduced by sales, the property will be excellent, and may be increased by notes.  James B. brought his son.  Robert Rutherford also here, and Miss Russells.