Lowe, formerly chaplain of Chelsea Hospital, and son of Humphry Lowe, who married a Jolliffe, and whose genealogy is traced in Dr. Nash's History under the head of Bromsgrove. The said Reverend Mr. Lowe married a daughter of Mr. Furye, Secretary to Chelsea Hospital. Your Lordship will smile to see by what a concatenation of events the family of Lowe continue a connection with this institution. Mrs. Lowe tells me that her son is the only surviving male representative of the Bromsgrove Lowes. He is just entered at Trinity College, Oxford, and I am to see him in the vacation, when he visits his mother, who has a house in Park-street, Grosvenor-square. Her maiden name was Hill, of Court Hill, near Ludlow."

"Dec. 9.-The picture your Lordship has drawn of the inhabitants of your neighbourhood is highly gratifying. May the same spirit of tranquillity, with its natural attendants, industry and plenty, soon diffuse itself throughout the rest of your kingdom, to which I hope the Union will be found materially to conduce, after all political jealousies have subsided. I condole with your Lordship on the death of Mrs. Isted. From the apparent state of health and cheerfulness of that lady no longer ago than last September, I had flattered myself with the hopes of again enjoying the pleasure of her society at my next visit to Bath. The Christian names of Mr. Lowe, the representative of the Bromsgrove branch, are Thomas-HillPeregrine-Furye; the two former from his maternal grandfather; the two latter from his father's uncle, who was his mother's brother, and son to a former secretary of Chelsea Hospital. I shall be very curious to see the ancient deeds your Lordship mentions, and shall look forward with impatience for the second meeting of the Imperial Parliament, which will restore me to the honour and the happiness of your Lordship's conversation."

"Bath, April 20, 1801.-Permit me to offer my congratulations on the marriage of Miss Percy with Mr. Meade. The return of a very sharp winter last week affected Mrs. Aust's health so much at Clifton, that she was glad to hasten back to the milder situation of Bath. The Duchess of York's residence here adds very much to the vivacity of the scene, and she makes herself very popular, by patronising every benevolent object. Her Royal Highness seems quite restored in her health by drinking these waters constantly, though she is still liable to faint

ing fits. The Duke passed the Easter week with her, quite en famille, and in that respect sets a second illustrious example."

"Chelsea, Dec. 14, 1802.-I should do great injustice to my feelings were I to omit my grateful acknowledgments for the very handsome expressions in your Lordship's letter, on the subject of our becoming known to each other. I may truly say that it is a circumstance which has made a considerable addition to the happiness of my life, and would very probably have occurred many years sooner, had not my close attention to public duties have secluded me in a great measure from all family concerns. Your Lordship's eminent character, however, could not be unknown to me; and I had long been one of the admirers of the elegant effusions of your genius, and particularly of the Hermit of Warkworth,' from the time of its first publication in 1770. With so just a prepossession in my mind, had I the least idea of the relationship in which I had the honour of standing with your Lordship, I should have eagerly embraced the first opportunity of submitting my claim to a share in your Lordship's friendship; and the candid urbanity with which you admitted my plea, when it was made, has given me the happy assurance that at no period would it have been made in vain. At the time of my being introduced to your Lordship at Brighton, by my friend Mr. Nares, I had no personal acquaintance with any branch of my mother's family; but I have since made another pleasing addition to that stock, of which your Lordship is already informed, in the person of Mrs. Lowe, of Court Hill, Salop, and her son, the representative of the Bromsgrove branch of the family of Lowe; a promising young man, just of age, and who has finished his education at Trinity College, Oxford."

"Chelsea, June 4, 1803.-I have just lost one of the best of wives, who expired last Tuesday in a paralytic fit, having been struggling ever since her first attack, which was six months before my introduction to your Lordship. After passing thirty-one years together, in as much harmony as generally falls to the lot of mortals, it is not in nature to avoid lamenting my separation from so dear a companion."

"Kensington, Nov. 6.-I think it incumbent on me to acquaint you that, on Tuesday last, I received the hand of

the Honourable Mrs. Murray, sister-in-law of the Earl of Dunmore, to whom I was attached in my youth, and whose conduct through life, with her amiable disposition and qualities, leave me little doubt, with the blessing of Heaven, of enjoying as much domestic comfort for the remainder of my life as can be reasonably expected at the age of 63,"

"June 2, 1804.-The season for travelling being now returned, I propose, in about ten days, to set out with Mrs. Aust on an extensive tour to Scotland, and back by the Lakes, to visit those scenes which she has described in two volumes, one published about three years ago, the other last autumn. Thus to me, who have never been further North than the hither borders of Yorkshire, she is well qualified to act the part of a living guide. The last volume (should it not have fallen in your Lordship's way) you will find handsomely noticed in the Monthly Review for last February. This tour may, possibly, occupy near three months.'

"Athol House, Blair, Aug. 16.—Mrs. Aust's publication, about which your Lordship has the goodness to inquire, is a 'Guide to the Lakes of Cumberland, &c., and the Highlands of Scotland, with a Description of their Natural Beauties,' published by Nicol, Pall Mall, one volume in 1799, and another last autumn, which includes the Western Isles, particularly Staffa.† The latter place has formed part of my present tour, and, having had the advantage of a very fine day, I was enabled to admire every part of that astonishing mass of basaltic pillars, resembling, I am told, the Giant's Causeway, but upon a larger scale. The lofty mountains, some of them with perpetual snow on their summits, and the extensive lakes in these Highlands, are, indeed, objects of wonder to a traveller who had never been beyond the southern border of Yorkshire. I confess, too, that I had formed a very erroneous opinion of this country. Instead of a sterile, uncultivated soil, and a wild uncivilised people, I found, in many parts, good crops of hay, corn, potatoes, and fruit in particular, more plentiful this season than in England; and the inhabitants, even of the lowest rank, well-educated, obliging,

*"A Companion and useful Guide to the Beauties in the Western Islands of Scotland and in the Hebrides. By the Hon. Mrs. Murray of Kensington. 2 vols. 158."

+ See Monthly Review, vols. XXXI. and XLIII.

and hospitable to strangers. In that part of the country where inns with suitable accommodations are hardly to be met, the middling gentry are always prepared to give the traveller a welcome reception, and they are even offended when their kind offers are rejected. Our journey was from Edinburgh by Glasgow, Callender, and Inverary, to Oban, where we took water for Mull, and, travelling through that island, we had a short ferry to pass to Ulva, where we again took boat for Staffa, with the most favourable wind and weather that could be wished. This is the best route for Staffa, especially if the traveller can make an acquaintance at Ulva House (which we had the good fortune to do), the residence of the charming family of the Macdonalds, proprietors of Ulva and Staffa. After our return to Oban, we proceeded by Balakeulish to the Three Forts, and to Inverness, where the new Caledonian Canal is going on, the other extremity of which we saw at Fort William. From Inverness by Forres to Elgin, and thence, crossing the country, we came by Aviemore and Pitmain to this hospitable and magnificent mansion, just as the season opened for the interesting sport (to the young and active) for deer and grouse shooting, of both which there is plenty in this neighbourhood. Our next course will be round by Rannock to Dunkeld, Braemar, by the banks of the Dee to Aberdeen, the Cairse of Gowrie, Perth, and Edinburgh. Among the many interesting objects which occasioned a deviation from our straight road we had the pleasure to include the Hermitage of Warkworth, which your Lordship's pen has celebrated."

"Kensington, Jan. 8, 1805.-As my wife is much attached to this neighbourhood, where she has been resident upwards of twenty years, and seeing no likelihood of finding a house suited to us, I have just engaged a piece of ground opposite the entrance into Hyde Park, in order to build one to our minds."

"June 28.-Your Lordship has been so kind as to anticipate the joint wishes of Mrs. Aust and myself, in permitting us to pay our respects at Dromore House towards the end of August. Our present plan is to set out about the middle of July to visit the Lakes in the North of England, and such other interesting objects as may engage our attention, so as to reach Port Patrick about the middle of August."

"Belfast, Aug. 16.-I arrived at this place with Mrs.

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Aust yesterday, having had a pleasant voyage to Donaghadee of four hours and a half on Wednesday, and enjoyed the first specimen of Irish hospitality that night at Mr. Arbuckle's, who with Lady Sophia* desire their compliments. I called on Mr. Robinson, and saw the picture of the Giant's Causeway, belonging to Master Isted, with another of Point Pleskin, both of which appear very resting. But what was much more gratifying to me, is a portrait of your Lordship; so striking a likeness that I knew it instantly."

"Portrush, Aug. 29.-Your Lordship's letter was delivered to me just after I had sent off mine from Belfast. Your Lordship anticipated my wishes in preparing Dr. Richardson to give Mrs. Aust and me that friendly reception which we have received here. We propose passing some days here, to take the fullest view of the interesting scenery around us. I shall with great pleasure attend to your Lordship's hint, by subscribing to the juvenile production of Mr. Robinson's wonderful son, whom I hope also to see at Belfast. Mrs. Aust is highly sensible of the advantage of being introduced to so able an instructor in her favourite pursuit as Dr. Richardson, who appears equally pleased with the ardour and diligence of his new pupil."

"Chelsea, Nov. 4, 1806.-Having mentioned to Mr. Bernard, a very active member of the Sunday School Society, the pleasure I felt last autumn in witnessing your Lordship's humane attentions for the instruction of the children of the poor, he requested I would give him a statement of what I had observed, with a view to his including it in some future Report; which I did, though imperfectly. He has returned it to me, in the hope of obtaining more particular information, which I entreat your Lordship to do for the public good."

Kensington, Jan. 9, 1807.—It was with inexpressible concern that I read in your letter of the 2d inst. the account of the loss you have sustained in your excellent Lady, and I beg to assure your Lordship that my wife and myself most sincerely sympathise in the sorrow which such an event cannot but occasion."

"Chelsea, Feb. 1, 1808.-We have been much pleased

*Lady Sophia Jocelyn, daughter of Robert first Earl of Roden, married in 1792 to James Arbuckle, esq. who died in 1824. Her Ladyship died Oct. 1825.