time, as will hereafter appear, the Poet himself became entitled to a considerable legacy, which is now enjoyed by his son, Thomas Telford Campbell.

:

Alexander, the youngest of the three sons of Archibald Campbell, and father of the Poet, was born in 1710. He was educated with a view to mercantile pursuits; and early in life went to America, where he entered into business, and resided many years at Falmouth, in Virginia. There he had the pleasure of receiving his brother Archibald, on his first quitting Jamaica to settle in the United States and there also, some ten years afterwards, while he was making his way in business very satisfactorily, he formed an intimate acquaintance with Daniel Campbell, a clansman, but no blood relation of the "Campbells of Kirnan." He was the son of John Campbell, and his wife Mary, daughter of Robert Simpson. John Campbell was a merchant in Glasgow, nearly related to the Campbells of Craignish, an old Argyllshire family. The Simpsons had been for many generations residents in the city, or immediate neighbourhood of Glasgow, where they possessed several small estates. An old tradition, still current among the collateral descendants-for Robert Simpson died without male issue-states, that the progenitor of the Simpsons was a "celebrated royal armourer" to the King of Scotland. In that capacity, it is said, he fashioned two broad-swords, of exquisite temper and workmanship; one of which he presented, on the first centenary anniversary of the battle of Bannockburn, to the Duke of Albany, Regent of Scotland: the other he retained as an heir-loom in his own family, where it is still preserved. It is a plain but handsome blade, with the date 1414 stamped upon it.*

* The present custodier of this family relic, is the Rev. James Gibson, to whom it descended, in right of marriage, at the death of the late Rev. John Campbell, D.D., one of the ministers of Edinburgh, and maternal cousin of

Shortly after making the acquaintance of Daniel Campbell at Falmouth in Virginia, Alexander Campbell took final leave of the United States; and, in the company of his friend, returned to Glasgow, where they entered into co-partnership as Virginian traders, under the firm of Alexander and Daniel Campbell. This connexion proved very satisfactory. The partners became more and more known and respected as men of probity and experience; every way deserving the success which, for several years, rewarded their industry, and gained for them unlimited confidence in the trade. Daniel Campbell, the junior partner, had a sister named Margaret, born in 1736, and at this time about the age of twenty. To her Alexander Campbell, though by repute a confirmed bachelor, and then at the mature age of forty-five, paid his addresses; and before another year had expired, the mercantile connexion between the two friends was cemented by a family tie. Alexander Campbell and Margaret Campbell were married in the Cathedral Church of Glasgow, on the 12th of January 1756, in presence of their respective families. They began their domestic cares in a large house in the High-street, which has long since disappeared under the march of civic improvement. In this house the Poet was born.

From the date of his marriage, in 1756, to the first outbreak of war with America, in 1775, Mr. Campbell continued at the head of the firm, and every successive year added something to the joint prosperity of himself and his partner. But at the disastrous period, when the flag of war was unfurled between kindred people, the tide of prosperity began to flow with less vigour into the Clyde.

the Poet. The twin-blade was recognised by the brother of Dr. Campbell, among the ancient armour in the Tower, some years ago, and found to bear a strict resemblance to the other, in fashion, size, and date.

The Virginia trade, heretofore so profitable, immediately changed its current; and among the first who felt, and were nearly ruined by the change, was the now old and respectable firm of Alexander and Daniel Campbell. Their united losses, arising from the failure of other houses with which they were connected, swept away the whole, or very nearly the whole, amount of forty years' successful industry; in fact the savings of a long life, spent in this branch of mercantile pursuits. Our Poet's father, at this time, was in the sixty-fifth year of his age. His daughter Mary, eldest of his ten surviving children, had not completed her nineteenth year; and the difficulties of his present position, greatly increased by the sad prospects as to their future establishment in life, may be more easily imagined than described. The actual loss sustained by the senior partner, Mr. Alexander Campbell, in this unforeseen disaster, has been variously estimated. After a careful examination of the accounts with which I have been furnished by living representatives of the two families, I find it cannot have been much less than twenty thousand poundsequivalent in those days to what was considered an ample independence-particularly in the west of Scotland, where industry and frugality were leading features in the domestic life of a Glasgow merchant; and when luxury and ostentation were very little known or practised, even by the wealthiest of her citizens.

Daniel Campbell, the junior partner in the firm, always estimated his own individual loss at "eleven or twelve thousand pounds;" which might also be considered as a liberal provision. But being a younger man, with a smaller family to provide for than his brother-in-law, he could look to the future with more confidence, and take more decisive measures for repairing his ruined fortune. To Alexander Campbell, now well stricken in years,

and the father of a very numerous family, the test by which his moral character was to be tried, was not more sudden than it was severe. Yet he submitted to it with equanimity, or even cheerfulness; and made such efforts as his age and circumstances allowed, for improving the very scanty residue which had been saved from the wreck of his former affluence. In these efforts he was ably seconded by his wife, whose natural strength and energy of character were strikingly developed by the new cares and anxieties in which she was now involved. Of the prudence with which, as a wife and a mother, she conducted her domestic affairs during the long struggle that ensued, there is the most pleasing and authentic testimony. To her, indeed, much of the high merit of having supported and educated her family upon an income, that in the present day would barely suffice to purchase the common necessaries of life, is unquestionably due. Among her contemporary relatives, she had always been considered as "a person of much taste and refinement." She was well educated for the age and sphere in which she moved,* with considerable family pride, as the daughter and wife of a Campbell, and with much of a fond mother's ambition, to see her young family make their way in that respectable station of life to which they were born. She was passionately fond of music, particularly sacred music, and sang many of the popular melodies of Scotland with taste and effect. With the traditional songs of the Highlands, particularly Argyllshire, she was intimately

* It is well known, however, that until the middle of the last century, female education was very deficient in some parts of Scotland: and in such uncouth spelling were their thoughts expressed, so late as 1746, that ladies of rank, even an accomplished countess," could write of "beautys and gentil pritty wimen and many bows who sies them," &c., and date from the modern Athens.-Specimens of "Old Highland Letters" in the Inverness Courier, Dec. 1846.

acquainted; and from her example, it seems probable, the love of song was early imbibed and cultivated by her

children.

From the moment that the aspect of domestic concerns had changed, all the better features of Mrs. Campbell's character appeared in strong relief. Every indulgence which previous affluence had rendered habitual and graceful in the station she then occupied, was firmly and conscientiously abandoned. In her family arrangements a system of rigid economy was so established, that no unreasonable expense on one occasion might increase the difficulties of the next. "She was," to use the words applied to her by all who knew her intimately during these years of trial, “an admirable manager, a clever woman.” It is pleasing to add, that her unwearied exertions to prepare her children, by a good solid education, for a respectable entrance on the duties of life, were crowned with success; and during the last years of her long life, afforded her matter for great thankfulness and procured for her many comforts.

It is frankly acknowledged, however, that, among the amiable weaknesses so generally ascribed to fond mothers, over-indulgence entered into no part of Mrs. Campbell's system. She is said to have been at times "unnecessarily severe, or even harsh," in the exercise of her authority; and that the maternal castigation was not always proportioned to the offence. But if severe, her severity was not misplaced, as a safeguard against the effects of that paternal indulgence with which her worthy husband, "good easy man," regarded every individual of his family ; and to which the Poet himself has borne grateful testimony in his Letters. But it was thus that the father's indulgence and the mother's severity mutually checked and tempered each other, and produced those salutary effects in the discipline of their children, which nothing but the happy