r,
to breakfast, and I was greatly delighted with the information of the
latter. A barrister of extended practice, if he has any talents at all,
is the best companion in the world.[182]

Dined with Lord Alvanley and a fashionable party, Lord Fitzroy Somerset,
Marquis and Marchioness of Worcester, etc. Lord Alvanley's wit made the
party very pleasant, as well as the kind reception of my friends the
Misses Arden.

FOOTNOTES:

[158] For an account of this monument see Nicolson and Burns's _History
of Westmoreland and Cumberland_, vol. ii. p. 410, and "Notabilia of
Penrith," by George Watson, _C. and W. Transactions_, No. xiv.

[159] Lady Eleanor Butler and the Hon. Miss Ponsonby. An amusing account
of Sir Walter's visit to them in 1825 is given by Mr. Lockhart in the
_Life_, vol. viii. pp. 47-50.

[160] The visit to Kenilworth in 1815 is not noticed in the _Life_, but
as Scott was in London for some weeks in the spring of that year he may
have gone there on his return journey. Mr. Charles Knight, writing in
1842, says that Mr. Bonnington, the venerable occupant of the Gate
House, told him that he remembered the visit and the visitor! It was
"about twenty-five years ago"--and after examining some carving in the
interior of the Gate House and putting many suggestive questions, the
middle-aged active stranger slightly lame, and with keen grey eye,
passed through the court and remained among the ruins silent and alone
for about two hours. (_Shakspeare_, vol. i. p. 89.) The famous romance
did not appear until six years later, viz. in January 1821, and in the
autumn of that year it is somewhat singular to find that Scott and his
friend Mr. Stewart Rose are at Stratford-on-Avon writing their names on
the wall of Shakespeare's birthplace--and yet leaving Kenilworth
unvisited.--Perhaps the reason was that Mr. Stewart Rose was not in the
secret of the authorship of the Novels.

[161] In the _Annual Register_ for July 1834 is the following notice:
"Lately at Warwick Castle, aged ninety-three, Mrs. Home, for upwards of
seventy years a servant of the Warwick family. She had the privilege of
showing the Castle, by which she realised upwards of L30,000."

[162] _Merry Wives_, Act I. Sc. 1.

[163] _As You Like It_, Act II. Sc. 7.

[164] Sir Walter remained at this time six weeks in London. His eldest
son's regiment was stationed at Hampton Court; his second son had
recently taken his desk at the Foreign Office, and was living a