. I was alone the whole of the day, so I
continued my mathematical and other pursuits, but under great
disadvantages; for although my husband did not prevent me from studying,
I met with no sympathy whatever from him, as he had a very low opinion
of the capacity of my sex, and had neither knowledge of nor interest in
science of any kind. I took lessons in French, and learnt to speak it so
as to be understood. I had no carriage, so went to the nearest church;
but, accustomed to our Scotch Kirk, I never could sympathise with the
coldness and formality of the service of the Church of England. However,
I thought it my duty to go to church and join where I could in prayer
with the congregation.

There was no Italian Opera in Edinburgh; the first time I went to one
was in London as chaperone to Countess Catharine Woronzow, afterwards
Countess of Pembroke, who was godmother to my eldest son. I sometimes
spent the evening with her, and occasionally dined at the embassy; but
went nowhere else till we became acquainted with the family of Mr.
Thomson Bonar, a rich Russian merchant, who lived in great luxury at a
beautiful villa at Chiselhurst, in the neighbourhood of London, which
has since become the refuge of the ex-Emperor Napoleon the Third and the
Empress Eugenie. The family consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Bonar,--kind,
excellent people,--with two sons and a daughter, all grown up. We were
invited from time to time to spend ten days or a fortnight with them,
which I enjoyed exceedingly. I had been at a riding school in Edinburgh,
and rode tolerably, but had little practice, as we could not afford to
keep horses. On our first visit, Mrs. Bonar asked me if I would ride
with her, as there was a good lady's horse to spare, but I declined.
Next day I said, "I should like to ride with you." "Why did you not go
out with me yesterday?" she asked. "Because I had heard so much of
English ladies' riding, that I thought you would clear all the hedges
and ditches, and that I should be left behind lying on the ground." I
spent many pleasant days with these dear good people; and no words can
express the horror I felt when we heard that they had been barbarously
murdered in their bedroom. The eldest son and daughter had been at a
ball somewhere near, and on coming home they found that one of the
men-servants had dashed out the brains of both their parents with a
poker. The motive remains a mystery to this day, for it was not robbery.

*