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the fatal accident which prevented his visit to his native shores. His
account of his misfortune and his lonely condition was so pathetic
that Mrs. Mackenzie and her daughter put themselves into the Edinburgh
steamer, and rushed to console his sofa. They occupy your bedroom and
sitting-room, which latter Mrs. Mackenzie says no longer smells of
tobacco smoke, as it did when she took possession of your den. If you
have left any papers about, any bills, any billets-doux, I make no doubt
the ladies have read every single one of them, according to the
amiable habits of their sex. The daughter is a bright little blue-eyed
fair-haired lass, with a very sweet voice, in which she sings (unaided
by instrumental music, and seated on a chair in the middle of the room)
the artless ballads of her native country. I had the pleasure of hearing
the 'Bonnets of Bonny Dundee' and 'Jack of Hazeldean' from her ruby lips
two evenings since; not indeed for the first time in my life, but never
from such a pretty little singer. Though both ladies speak our language
with something of the tone usually employed by the inhabitants of the
northern part of Britain, their accent is exceedingly pleasant, and
indeed by no means so strong as Mr. Binnie's own; for Captain Mackenzie
was an Englishman, for whose sake his lady modified her native
Musselburgh pronunciation. She tells many interesting anecdotes of him,
of the West Indies, and of the distinguished regiment of infantry to
which the captain belonged. Miss Rosa is a great favourite with her
uncle, and I have had the good fortune to make their stay in the
metropolis more pleasant, by sending them orders, from the Pall Mall
Gazette, for the theatres, panoramas, and the principal sights in town.
For pictures they do not seem to care much; they thought the National
Gallery a dreary exhibition, and in the Royal Academy could be got to
admire nothing but the picture of M'Collop of M'Collop, by our friend of
the like name; but they think Madame Tussaud's interesting exhibition of
waxwork the most delightful in London; and there I had the happiness of
introducing them to our friend Mr. Frederick Bayham; who, subsequently,
on coming to this office with his valuable contributions on the Fine
Arts, made particular inquiries as to their pecuniary means, and
expressed himself instantly ready to bestow his hand upon the mother or
daughter, provided old Mr. Binnie would make a satisfactory settlement.
I got the