At Durham, beside all expectation, I met an old friend:  Miss Fordyce is married there to a physician.  We met, I think, with honest kindness on both sides.  I thought her much decayed, and having since heard that the banker had involved her husband in his extensive ruin, I cannot forbear to think, that I saw in her withered features more impression of sorrow than that of time—­

  “Qua terra patet, sera regnat Erinnys.”

He that wanders about the world sees new forms of human misery, and if he chances to meet an old friend, meets a face darkened with troubles.

On Tuesday night we came hither; yesterday I took some care of myself, and to-day I am quite polite.  I have been taking a view of all that could be shown me, and find that all very near to nothing.  You have often heard me complain of finding myself disappointed by books of travels; I am afraid travel itself will end likewise in disappointment.  One town, one country, is very like another:  civilized nations have the same customs, and barbarous nations have the same nature:  there are, indeed, minute discriminations both of places and manners, which, perhaps, are not wanting of curiosity, but which a traveller seldom stays long enough to investigate and compare.  The dull utterly neglect them; the acute see a little, and supply the rest with fancy and conjecture.

I shall set out again to-morrow; but I shall not, I am afraid, see Alnwick, for Dr. Percy is not there.  I hope to lodge to-morrow night at Berwick, and the next at Edinburgh, where I shall direct Mr. Drummond, bookseller at Ossian’s head, to take care of my letters.

I hope the little dears are all well, and that my dear master and mistress may go somewhither; but, wherever you go, do not forget, madam, your most humble servant.

I am pretty well.

August 15.

Thus far I had written at Newcastle.  I forgot to send it.  I am now at
Edinburgh; and have been this day running about.  I run pretty well.

XVII.—­To MRS. THRALE.

Edinburgh, August 17, 1773.

DEAR MADAM,—­On the 13th, I left Newcastle, and, in the afternoon, came to Alnwick, where we were treated with great civility by the duke:  I went through the apartments, walked on the wall, and climbed the towers.  That night we lay at Belford, and, on the next night, came to Edinburgh.  On Sunday (15th) I went to the English chapel.  After dinner, Dr. Robertson came in, and promised to show me the place.  On Monday I saw their publick buildings:  the cathedral, which I told Robertson I wished to see, because it had once been a church; the courts of justice, the parliament-house, the advocates’ library, the repository of records, the college, and its library, and the palace, particularly the old tower, where the king of Scotland seized David Rizzio in the queen’s presence.  Most of their buildings are very mean; and the whole town bears some resemblance to the old part of Birmingham.