TO MR. BLACKWOOD.
We have quite made up our minds about going abroad, and are working towards that end now, — a troublesome operation enough, as it will be a temporary breaking up of our household.
I enclose the proof: all my superlatives apply to Irving himself rather than to his genius. I knew nothing whatever of him till his ‘Last Days’ fell by chance into my hands. Try the ‘Orations’ and you will come over to my opinion: it is Irvingism which has smothered them, but Irvingism has very little in common with Irving.
I agree partially with what you say about the Disruption, — partially, for my prejudices are all on the other side.
If you wish me to take up Mr. Caird’s Sermons I will be glad to do it. I think myself that there is a little want of human experience in them, — the troubles of this life — which one thinks the more of by a natural selfishness when one seems to have a double portion of them. This deterred me from offering to review them, but I don’t doubt that there are excellences which quite make up for this.
I think it is rather a feather in my cap to have produced a MS. undecipherable even to you: printers fortunately can read everything,2 but I did not know the Christopher was worse than usual. We shall get away, I trust, in about three weeks. We should be glad of some kind of introduction to the English Minister at Florence, — could you help us in that? I daresay we could manage it otherwise, but you are in and influential.
We were much obliged by the introduction you kindly obtained for us. Many thanks. I suppose we may consider the country specially pledged to pick us up out of all scrapes when we carry credentials from so great a person as the Foreign Minister.
I have had some correspondence with Mr. Drummond, and almost think we shall run down to Albury one day next week to see him. A dear old friend and relation of ours, who is the sister of the late Mrs. Irving, is very anxious that I should undertake a life of Edward Irving: she has all the materials within her power. However, this is far in the future. But it makes me more disposed to find out what Mr. Drummond has to say on the subject.
We hope to get away next Saturday, Mr. Oliphant having now got all his work completed and nothing but arrangements to make.
We spent Wednesday and the morning of the next day with Mr. Drummond. He is an interesting old man — I have no doubt, as you say, a very good type of an English country gentleman, and almost too tempting a study for a novel-writer. To listen seriously while a man of indisputable mind and knowledge of the world talks with the most serious good faith of people possessed with devils, and the manner of exorcising familiar spirits, is no small exercise of one’s self-control, and a very piquant variation upon ordinary life. I am afraid I am committed to the Life of Irving, which I think a noble subject, but I shall not think of entering upon it till we return.
Mr. Drummond lives rather in the grand style, his son-in-law and daughter, Lord and Lady Lovaine, sharing his household. He seems one of those happy men who are interested about everything, and ready to speculate upon any subject from an election up to the greatest of spiritual mysteries. These last formed the bulk of my conversations with him, and his explanations were more odd than I can describe. He smiles at the mere idea of anything less than perfect belief of the Spiritual Utterances, which still, it appears, guide the Church which bears the name of Irving, but which has gone far beyond anything in his intentions — and assumes the reality of these with a confidence which one can only wonder at, though, I confess, under strong temptations to smile. He is evidently full of speculation of the oddest character, supported partly on very good sense and good reason, and partly by the most delightful non sequitur which takes away one’s breath. He was extremely kind, as were his daughters. We spared the time with great difficulty, but I was glad we had done so.
We will get away, I trust, some day next week, though I cannot exactly say which. Mr. Oliphant has been and continues very indifferent in health, but we have great hopes from the doctor that he wants chiefly rest and change.