Scotland.
One son had land, and the other son land, and another business
training. All was material success, and I am sure I did not grudge it
to them, but when I took stock of real things I had not the least
glimmering of a wish to exchange. One generally desires a little more
money than one has; but even that may cost too much. I think my dear
old Aunt Reid felt that the Spences had gone down in my father's
terrible smash in 1839, and the C---- family had steadily gone up, and
she was pleased that a niece from Australia, who had written two books
and a wonderful pamphlet, and, more important still in the eyes of Mrs.
Grundy, had money to spend and to give, was staying with her in
Melrose, and wearing good and well made clothes. Old servants--the old
laundress--old schoolfellows were visited. My father's old clerk, Allan
Freer, had a good business in Melrose, though not equal to that of the
Tory firm. I think the portioners were all sold out before he could
enter the field, and the fate of these Melrose people has thoroughly
emphasized for me the importance of having our South Australian
workmen's blocks, the glory of Mr. Cotton's life, maintained always on
the same footing of perpetual lease dependent on residence. If the
small owner has the freehold, he is tempted to mortgage it, and then in
most instances the land is lost to him, and added to the possessions of
the man who has money. With a perpetual lease, there is the same
security of tenure as in the freehold--indeed, there is more security,
because he cannot mortgage. I did not see the land question as clearly
on this 1865 visit, as I did later; but the extinction of the old
portioners and the wealth acquired by the moneyed man of Melrose gave
me cause for thinking.

CHAPTER VIII.

I VISIT EDINBURGH AND LONDON.

A visit to Glasgow and to the relatives of my sister-in-law opened out
a different vista to me. This was a great manufacturing and commercial
city, which had far outgrown Edinburgh in population and wealth; but
the Edinburgh people still boasted of being the Athens of the north,
the ancient capital with the grandest historic associations. In Glasgow
I fell in with David Murray and his wife (of D. & W. Murray
Adelaide)--not quite so important a personage as be became later. Not a
relative of mine; but a family connection, for his brother William
married Helen Cumming, Mrs. J. B. Spence's sister. David Murray was
always a great collector of pa