Even the assurance that Mr. Oliphant will remain at Glenalta, which is hailed as a blessing by the people, cannot prevent the bitterness of their lamentations; and these have such an effect in depressing the spirits of our little party, that I long till we are absolutely _under weigh_; I will not write again till we reach our journey’s end, as you may easily suppose how completely I shall be occupied in the interim. The sisters will depend on me for shewing them every thing worth seeing as we go along, and I must try and not disappoint their expectations of my skill in quality of _cicerone_. Adieu. All unite in loves. Ever your affectionate, F. DOUGLAS. LETTER XXXI. MISS DOUGLAS TO MISS SANDFORD. Dearest Julia, Here is my last letter from Glenalta, but as I promised to _stake the course_ for you from hence to Turin, you may expect short notices at least from every resting place, and thus be enabled, as you affectionately wish, to enter into all the feelings of your friends, as they proceed in a journey which would be such unmixed happiness in prospect, were we not leaving sorrowful hearts behind, and taking with us a beloved relation whose fading form presents continual comment on the vanity of human joys. I look upon my dear uncle’s expressive countenance, and sometimes fix my thoughts so intently on the world of spirits, while I contemplate the mild intelligence of that deep-sunk eye, that I lose all idea of an earthly travel, and could fancy that he is setting out upon a heaven-ward pilgrimage, in which it is graciously permitted us to be the companions of his way. In some sort surely, this reverie is not the work of mere imagination; for that he is not long for this world I begin to believe. That he is destined for communion with the just made perfect in another, I cannot doubt. He has an angel to pilot his progress, and in all things he obeys that voice which calls upon him to follow in the only path that leads to a life of immortal blessedness. Mamma is for ever employed in reading to, and conversing with him; and it is impossible to conceive any thing more interesting than the dialogues to which I am sometimes a listener.