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*

"My Dear Sir, Nairn, 28th August 1826. "I received your much-esteemed favour of the 26th inst. "yesterday, and regretted that being Sunday I could not im"mediately proceed, as far as memory enabled me, to give you an account of any thing that had occurred (out of the "common routine) in my brother's conduct, during the period "marked out by Professor Napier, that is to say since our la"mented friend Dr. Gordon's death. By referring to some "letters, I find that some of the most striking incidents re"garding him took place prior to that event, and were com"municated through him to Mr. Stewart, such as the escape he "made from being drowned, and his apparent fear of death "during the only severe illness he ever experienced. His "conduct at the time of my mother's death, I had the honour "of communicating directly to Mr. Stewart, in consequence "of your considering it proper for me to do so. It is there"fore only the occurrences that have happened since, that will "be new to Mr. Stewart, or the effects these circumstances ap66 pear to have had on his actions. Regarding the first men"tioned event, as naturally might be expected, it prevented "him for some time from visiting the shore altogether; but as "the recollection became fainter, he gradually resumed his "rambles on the beach. As far, however, as I have been able "to learn, he never resumed his station in any of the boats "under similar circumstances. Some time after he made as "narrow an escape of another description, which I do not re"collect having mentioned, and which has influenced his con"duct quite as much. On the day of the coronation of his present Majesty, an additional pair of horses were put to the "mail-coach, rode by a postilion unacquainted with James' de"ficiences. From this cause, and the crowded state of the 46 street, he was thrown down by the leaders, and was for a se"cond or two literally under them. He was taken up almost "insensible, as it appeared from the fright, for when he was "stript and examined immediately afterwards by Dr. Smith, "he was found to have received no actual injury, except on "one hand which was marked by one of the horse's shoes. "Soon after this accident, a gentleman coming into town in a 'post chaise, observed him to throw himself on the parapet "of the bridge the moment he became sensible, from the vi

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* Several of the letters here referred to have unfortunately been mislaid, and cannot at the present moment be recovered. For an additional communication concerning Mitchell, by Dr. Gordon, see Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Vol. VIII. Part first, p. 129.

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"bration, of the approach of some conveyance, and to remain "there until it had passed; and I have invariably noticed "since, that he makes a bolt to the nearest side of the street "the moment he is warned of the approach of a cart or carriage. "I think my mother's death has inflenced his conduct, and " even softened his temper more than almost any other event "in his life, particularly in cases where I am concerned. "During her life, when I refused compliance with any little "capricious wish or want, he generally made an appeal to her, "and that too successfully; but since her death, he has scarce"ly ever attempted asking any thing out of the common routine, and if at any time he has done so and been refused, he "has taken the first favourable opportunity of getting over "his displeasure and becoming friends with me again. For "instance, on one occasion on which he had broken his tobac"co-pipe before another had become due, he thought he might "be allowed to supply himself by some halfpence which "chanced to have been left in an open cupboard, and came hanging about me with the broken pipe, and a halfpenny "shoved into it; at length, when I found myself obliged to "notice him, I quietly signed to him to replace the halfpenny "in the cupboard, which he did immediately, but in very ill "humour, and left the room, slapping the door after him. "However he returned in a little time with a new pipe, hav"ing been more successful in an appeal he had made to some "of his out-of-door friends, (of whom he has not a few,) his "good-humour perfectly restored, showing me his prize, and "apparently expecting me to participate in his pleasure, an ex"pectation which it was not necessary for me to disappoint, "as what is given by strangers is received merely as an indul66 gence, but what is once given by me is on every similar oc"casion exacted as a right, so that I must adhere strictly to "rule in every thing. I therefore give him a fixed allowance "of pipes and tobacco, consisting of two pipes, and about the "third of an ounce of tobacco every day, at stated periods. "Two days ago he evinced a sense of justice, on one of these "occasions, as strong as any I have seen him exhibit. It is "usual to give him a new pipe after dinner, and it is generally "brought into the room a short time previous. As he knows " where it is laid, he sometimes amuses himself with it until "dinner comes. On the occasion alluded to, he broke the pipe, "either by accident, or from disliking it, and put the tobacco into an old one he had in his pocket. I remarked the action, "but took no notice of it until he turned round after dinner, as usual, for his pipe, when I took the two matches generally

"given along with it, and put them into his hand, and he very "quietly took them, and went and smoked with his old pipe, "and did not ask another, until it became his right in the usu"al routine after breakfast next morning. The most striking "effect my mother's death had on him was the evident fear of "losing me also. He actually, for a short time, appeared to "be unwilling to quit me even for an instant, and when I did "get away from him, he went through every part of the house "in quest of me. Even now, though not appearing to labour "under the same fear, the efforts he sometimes makes to se"cure my personal services are really odd. I have known "him sit for half an hour and upwards, watching the move"ments of our servant, until satisfied of her being fairly out "of the way, and then come for me to light his pipe, or to "render him any other little service, being certain of my im"mediate attendance in her absence, although I am unwilling "to render him so dependant upon me as not to accustom him "to receive her services when convenient. When I happen "to be from home also for a day or two, all the little repairs "which his clothes may require, are kept until I return, or if "he has been absent himself, he is almost certain to find out "some employment for me immediately on his return; and al66 though these, in themselves, are trivial circumstances, it is "only from such that we can, in any degree, judge of what is "passing in his mind. He continues to take an unabated inter"est in the employment of the various workmen in town, "and in the progress of their work, particularly masonwork "examining minutely what has been done in his absence, and fearlessly ascending the highest part of their scaffolding, in "which he has hitherto been most providentially preserved 66 from any serious accident. While the addition lately made "to this house was roofing, I remarked him ascending the "slaters' ladder, and getting on the roof. Laying himself down, and fixing his heel in a rough part of the surface, he "moved himself along, one foot after another, until the fear "of his slipping rendered me unable to remain longer to "look at him. I believe such is his common practice whenever any thing of the kind is carrying on. He is so perfectly inoffensive, that all classes contribute towards his safe"ty and even to his amusement; allowing him to enter their "houses and handle whatever he has a mind to, as he never "attempts carrying any thing away with him, nor injuring it "while in his possession. Indeed, except in one instance, I "never knew him exposed to any unpleasant treatment in "these unceremonious visits. It was in the case of a family

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"of the name of — who came to reside in this neigh❝bourhood about three years ago, and who were quite unac"quainted with his situation. When he went out as usual to "the house, (where with the former occupants he had been accustomed to range at pleasure,) and began feeling the um"brellas and other articles in the lobby, with the intent, as "they supposed, of carrying them off, they first remonstrated with him, and getting no reply, they then proceeded to turn him forcibly out of doors, which they effected after recei❝ving as many kicks and blows as he could bestow in the "struggle. He was afterwards seen by two gentlemen who "knew him, bellowing with rage. They wished to get hold "of him and sooth him, but found it impossible from the "furious rate at which he was going; and although regretting "his apparent irritation, they were not a little amused, upon "approaching the house, to see a domestic peeping fearfully "out at a half-open door, and the other members of the fami"ly, which consisted mostly of females, at the various win"dows whence they could obtain a view of the person who "had been the cause of so much fear and trouble to them. He "has given up going to church for the last four years, proba"bly because he found the confinement irksome. When he "knows that I am setting out to attend divine worship, he "very deliberately puts on his hat, and perhaps accompanies "me down the lane, and if I offer it, he gently declines car"rying the bible for me, which he used to do when wishing "to go along with me. He generally walks about very con"tentedly during the morning service, but expects the house "to be kept open for him during the afternoon, if at home, "which is not always the case, as it is frequently the day he "chooses for visiting Ardersier. One day this season, being "there earlier than usual, my aunt took him to church with "her, but I understand he has since taken care to pay his visit ❝at a later hour. I have thus, as far as my observation or re"collection has enabled me, mentioned those particulars that "have occurred to me respecting him, in the hope that you "may be able to select something for Mr. Stewart, and shall "not attempt any apology for the manner it is given in, as my "only anxiety has been to throw the greatest quantity of mat❝ter together in the shortest possible time. James' visit to "Relugas has several times occurred to me. The only thing "respecting it in which there could be misconception, is the "idea of his having thought of paying for his food, as I have "never been aware of his having any idea connected with "money, farther than its being a possible means of procuring

pipes or tobacco for him. I have been told that upon half"a-crown being given him by some passing stranger, he had 46 gone into a shop, and laid it on the counter, and the wished "for articles not being immediately given to him, he had ta"ken it and thrown it to the opposite side of the street, as "being utterly worthless. On another occasion I know he car"ried home a similar sum, and gave it to the maid servant, "who chanced to be the only member of the family he could "meet with. I know you will have the goodness to forgive "the liberty I take in alluding to the circumstance. Although "yours is the more natural conclusion, yet from all I know of "his habits, I consider the action as merely indicative of satis"faction.

"I remain, my Dear Sir, &c.

(Signed) "JANE G. MITCHELL." Addressed, SIR THOMAS DICK LAUDER of Fountainhall, Bart.

Having now given you Miss Mitchell's letter at full length, I shall proceed to detail the circumstance of the visit she alludes to. It was one day about noon, in the month of May last, that I saw him pass the window of the dining-room, where I was sitting, and immediately recognising him, I hastened to the house door, and met him in the porch in the act of entering. I took him by the hand, clapped him gently on the back, and led him to the room I had just left, and taking him towards Mrs. Cumin, who was the only person with me at the time, he shook hands with her. I then conducted him to a sofa, where he sat down, and being apparently a good deal tired, he leaned back in expectation of finding support, but the sofa being one of those constructed without a back, he was surprised, and instantly made himself master of its form by feeling it all over. I then took his hand and put it to his mouth, with the intention of making him understand that he should have something to eat. He immediately put his hand into his waistcoat pocket where he had some copper, as if with the intention of taking it out. It is to this circumstance that the concluding part of Miss Mitchell's letter refers. My impression was, that he meant to express that he could pay for food if it was given him. Miss Mitchell seems to think that it was an indication of satisfaction merely. I confess, however, that his action appeared to me to be so immediately consequent on mine, that I cannot yet doubt that it resulted from it. He may have misinterpreted my signal, and imagined that it referred to a pipe and tobacco, and this may perhaps reconcile our difference of opinion. I lost no time in ordering luncheon, and in the mean