EDINBURGH, DOUGLAS HOTEL, _July 26, 1856_.
I hoped to have a letter from you either here or in Edinburgh, but none
has come. To make it worse, I am to be buried in the North, and I know
not where to tell you to address your letters. I am going with a
Scotchman to see his castle far beyond the lakes, but am unable to tell
you where we shall stop on the way. He promises to show me no end of
castles, ruins, fine views, and so forth. As soon as I have made a halt
I shall write again.
I spent three days with the Duke of Hamilton in an immense castle,
situated in a very beautiful country. Near the castle, less than an
hour’s journey, in fact, there is a herd of wild bulls, the last that
exists in Europe. They seemed to me as tame as the deer of Paris. In
every part of this castle there are paintings by the great masters,
Grecian and Chinese vases that are magnificent, and books with bindings
by the most noted amateurs of the last century. No taste is shown in the
arrangement of all these things, and it is evident that the owner
derives but little enjoyment from them.
I understand now why a Frenchman is a welcome guest in foreign lands. It
is because he takes the trouble to entertain himself, and in so doing he
entertains others. I felt quite sure of being the most entertaining of
any of the numerous guests of the house, and realised at the same time
that it was an honour which I scarcely deserved.
I have found Edinburgh entirely to my taste, with the exception of the
execrable architecture of the public monuments, which pretend to be
Grecian, justifying their pretence just as an Englishwoman does her
claim to appear Parisian, that is, by having her gowns made by Madame
Vignon. The accent of the natives is odious. I ran away from the
antiquaries after seeing their exposition, which is really beautiful.
The women are, as a rule, very homely. Short dresses are worn here, and
the women conform to the fashion and to the exigencies of the climate by
lifting their gowns with both hands a foot higher than their skirts,
leaving visible their muscular legs, clad in half-boots made of
rhinoceros leather, with feet _idem_. I am amazed at the proportion of
red-headed persons I meet.
The scenery is charming, and for two days we have enjoyed warm, clear
weather. In short, I am tolerably well off, except that I should like to
have you here. When I am bored, and the blue devils get the better of
me, I think of our days of friendly and intimate merriment, and can
think of nothing to compare to them. Upon reflection, write to me at the
Douglas Hotel, Edinburgh. I shall have my letters forwarded, if I do not
return soon.