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on Saturday； when I went to inquire after your health； how was I startled to
hear that dear James was gone！ Ah； what is this？ My dear benefactors；
doing so much good to many； to the Lord； suddenly to be deprived of their
most valued comforts！ I was thrown into great perplexity； could do
nothing but murmur； why these things were done to such a family。 I
could not rest； but at midnight； whether spoken ＇or not＇ it was presented to
my mind … 〃Those whom ye deplore are walking with me in white。〃 I
conclude from this the Lord saying to sweet Mrs。 Stevenson： 〃I gave them
to be brought up for me： well done； good and faithful！ they are fully
prepared； and now I must present them to my father and your father； to my
God and your God。〃 '
It would be hard to lay on flattery with a more sure and daring hand。
I quote it as a model of a letter of condolence； be sure it would console。
Very different； perhaps quite as welcome； is this from a lighthouse
inspector to my grandfather：
‘In reading your letter the trickling tear ran down ray cheeks in silent
sorrow for your departed dear ones； my sweet little friends。 Well do I
remember； and you will call to mind； their little innocent and interesting
stories。 Often have they come round me and taken me by the hand； but
alas！ I am no more destined to behold them。'
The child who is taken becomes canonised； and the looks of the
homeliest babe seem in the retrospect ‘heavenly the three last days of his
life。' But it appears that James and Mary had indeed been children more
than usually engaging； a record was preserved a long while in the family
of their remarks and ‘little innocent and interesting stories；' and the blow
and the blank were the more sensible。
Early the next month Robert Stevenson must proceed upon his voyage
of inspection； part by land； part by sea。 He left his wife plunged in low
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spirits； the thought of his loss； and still more of her concern； was
continually present in his mind； and he draws in his letters home an
interesting picture of his family relations：
‘WINDYGATES INN； MONDAY （POSTMARK JULY 16TH）
‘MY DEAREST JEANNIE； … While the people of the inn are getting
me a little bit of something to eat； I sit down to tell you that I had a most
excellent passage across the water； and got to Wemyss at mid…day。 I hope
the children will be very good； and that Robert will take a course with you
to learn his Latin lessons daily； he may； however； read English in company。
Let them have strawberries on Saturdays。'
‘WESTHAVEN； 17TH JULY。
‘I have been occupied to…day at the harbour of Newport； opposite
Dundee； and am this far on my way to Arbroath。 You may tell the boys
that I slept last night in Mr。 Steadman's tent。 I found my bed rather hard；
but the lodgings were otherwise extremely comfortable。 The
encampment is on the Fife side of the Tay； immediately opposite to
Dundee。 From the door of the tent you command the most beautiful view
of the Firth； both up and down； to a great extent。 At night all was serene
and still； the sky presented the most beautiful appearance of bright stars；
and the morning was ushered in with the song of many little birds。'
‘ABERDEEN； JULY 19TH。
‘I hope； my dear； that you are going out of doors regularly and taking
much exercise。 I would have you to MAKE THE MARKETS DAILY …
and by all means to take a seat in the coach once or twice in the week and
see what is going on in town。 ＇The family were at the sea…side。＇ It will
be good not to be too great a stranger to the house。 It will be rather
painful at first； but as it is to be done； I would have you not to be too
strange to the house in town。
‘Tell the boys that I fell in with a soldier … his name is Henderson …
who was twelve years with Lord Wellington and other commanders。 He
returned very lately with only eightpence…halfpenny in his pocket； and
found his father and mother both in life； though they had never heard from
him； nor he from them。 He carried my great…coat and umbrella a few
miles。'
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‘FRASERBURGH； JULY 20th。
‘Fraserburgh is the same dull place which ＇Auntie＇ Mary and Jeannie
found it。 As I am travelling along the coast which they are acquainted
with； you had better cause Robert bring down the map from Edinburgh；
and it will be a good exercise in geography for the young folks to trace my
course。 I hope they have entered upon the writing。 The library will afford
abundance of excellent books； which I wish you would employ a little。 I
hope you are doing me the favour to go much out with the boys； which
will do you much good and prevent them from getting so very much
overheated。'
＇TO THE BOYS … PRINTED。＇
‘When I had last the pleasure of writing to you； your dear little brother
James and your sweet little sister Mary were still with us。 But it has
pleased God to remove them to another and a better world； and we must
submit to the will of Providence。 I must； however； request of you to
think sometimes upon them； and to be very careful not to do anything that
will displease or vex your mother。 It is therefore proper that you do not
roamp ＇Scottish indeed＇ too much about； and that you learn your lessons。'
‘I went to Fraserburgh and visited Kinnaird Head Lighthouse； which I
found in good order。 All this time I travelled upon good roads； and paid
many a toll…man by the way； but from Fraserburgh to Banff there is no
toll…bars； and the road is so bad that I had to walk up and down many a hill；
and for want of bridges the horses had to drag the chaise up to the middle
of the wheels in water。 At Banff I saw a large ship of 300 tons lying on
the sands upon her beam…ends； and a wreck for want of a good harbour。
Captain Wilson … to whom I beg my compliments … will show you a ship of
300 tons。 At the towns of Macduff； Banff； and Portsoy； many of the
houses are built of marble； and the rocks on this part of the coast or sea…
side are marble。 But； my dear Boys； unless marble be polished and
dressed； it is a very coarse…looking stone； and has no more beauty than
common rock。 As a proof of this； ask the favour of your mother to take
you to Thomson's Marble Works in South Leith； and you will see marble
in all its stages； and perhaps you may there find Portsoy marble！ The use
I wish to make of this is to tell you that； without education； a man is just
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like a block of rough； unpolished marble。 Notice； in proof of this； how
much Mr。 Neill and Mr。 M'Gregor ＇the tutor＇ know； and observe how little
a man knows who is not a good scholar。 On my way to Fochabers I
passed through many thousand acres of Fir timber； and saw many deer
running in these woods。'
＇TO MRS。 STEVENSON。＇
‘INVERNESS； JULY 21ST。
‘I propose going to church in the afternoon； and as I have breakfasted
late； I shall afterwards take a walk； and dine about six o'clock。 I do not
know who is the clergyman here； but I shall think of you all。 I travelled
in the mail… coach ＇from Banff＇ almost alone。 While it was daylight I
kept the top； and the passing along a country I had never before seen was a
considerable amusement。 But； my dear； you are all much in my thoughts；
and many are the objects which recall the recollection of our tender and
engaging children we have so recently lost。 We must not； however；
repine。 I could not for a moment wish any change of circumstances in
their case； and in every comparative view of their state； I see the Lord's
goodness in removing them from an evil world to an abode of bliss