for her a little cottage at Brunstane, which served as country quarters
for the family for several years.

In 1844 Dr Burton married Isabella Lauder, daughter of Captain Lauder of
Flatfield, in Perthshire. He then occupied a house in Scotland Street,
and his mother and sister left him to reside in the little cottage
called Liberton Bank. There his beloved and revered mother died, in
1848. His sister still lives in the cottage with a little flock of young
relatives which her kindness has gathered around her.

Dr Burton's first appearance in independent authorship was in 1846, when
he published his 'Life and Correspondence of David Hume.' This work at
once gained for him a recognised position among men of letters.

In 1847 he published a volume containing the Lives of Simon Lord Lovat
and Duncan Forbes of Culloden. This is an eminently readable work, as
are all his minor productions. Literary persons did not consider its
merits quite equal to the promise given in its predecessor. During these
years much of the spare time left by the need of frequent publication
was filled by the task of editing Mr Jeremy Bentham's literary remains,
to which Dr Burton was joint editor along with Dr (afterwards Sir John),
Bowring. He published, as a precursor to the greater work, one styled
'Benthamiana; an Introduction to the Works of Jeremy Bentham.'

In 1849 he wrote for Messrs Chambers a little book entitled 'Political
and Social Economy: Its Practical Application.' May the writer here be
permitted to state that she considers this small and little-noticed work
the best of all her husband's productions? Though the subject is usually
considered particularly dry, there is an ease, rapidity, firmness, and
completeness in this little book, which carries the reader on in spite
of himself or his prejudices.

The book was first published in two small paper-covered volumes. The
writer by chance got possession of the first, which ended without even a
full stop; she, then a young girl of not particularly studious habits,
having read it, its arguments so filled her mind, that she could not
rest till, out of her not over-abundant pocket-money, she had purchased
the other volume. The author was then unknown to her. He was afterwards
gratified by hearing this testimony to the value of a work which he
himself did not esteem so highly as his others. It may not be counted
impertinent to repeat it here, for this reason, that the little book in
quest