the place but already reckoned among the best class of people
there, a little Daughter whom they named _Jane Baillie Welsh_, and whose
subsequent and final name (her own common signature for many years) was
_Jane Welsh Carlyle_, and now so stands, now that she is mine in death
only, on her and her Father's Tombstone in the Abbey Kirk of that Town.
July 14th, 1801; I was then in my sixth year, far away in every sense,
now near and infinitely concerned, trying doubtfully after some three
years' sad cunctation, if there is anything that I can profitably put on
record of her altogether bright, beneficent and modest little Life, and
Her, as my final task in this world.'[3] The picture was never completed
by the master-hand; the 'effort was too distressing'; so all his notes
and letters were handed over to a literary executor.

At the time of Carlyle's introduction to Miss Welsh, she was living with
her widowed mother. Her father, Dr John Welsh, came of a good family,
and was a popular country physician. Her mother was Grace Welsh of
Capelgill, and was reckoned a beautiful, but haughty woman. Their
marriage took place in 1800, and their only child, Jane, was born, as we
have seen, the year following. Her most intimate friend, Miss Geraldine
Jewsbury, tells us that Miss Welsh had 'a graceful and beautifully-formed
figure, upright and supple, a delicate complexion of creamy white, with
a pale rose tint in the cheeks, lovely eyes full of fire and softness,
and with great depths of meaning.' She had a musical voice, was a good
talker, extremely witty, and so fascinating in every way that a relative
of hers told Miss Jewsbury that every man who spoke to her for five
minutes felt impelled to make her an offer of marriage. Be that as it
may, it _is_ certain that Miss Jane Welsh had troops of suitors in and
around the quiet country town. She always spoke of her mother with deep
affection and great admiration. Her father she reverenced, and he was
the only person during her girlhood who had any real influence over her.
This, then, was the young lady of whom Thomas Carlyle carried back to
Edinburgh a sweet and lasting impression. They corresponded at
intervals, and Thomas was permitted to send her books occasionally.

Edward Irving used to live in Dr Welsh's house when he taught in the
local school, and he led Jeannie--a winsome, wilful lass--to take an
interest in the classics. She entertained a girlish passion for the
handsome youth,