No wonder that a contemporary friend of the family describes him as saying very often, “My dear Sophy! My dear child!” in tones of absolute bewilderment. In the summer of 1850 Sophy made the tour referred to in the preceding chapter, and a liberal education it must have been. In April Mrs. Jex- Blake had written, “I hardly allow myself to look forward to the treat of going to Scotland; it seems almost too much pleasure,—and we shall be sure to find people who love Jesus and love the Bible there and that will add so very greatly to our pleasure.... Papa thanks you for your letter, he is surprised and pleased to learn that you are in Reduction.... Use daily as a prayer the substance of 1 Peter v. 5.” “18th June. Left Belmont at 20 minutes to 10 with Miss Teed, and met Papa and Mama at the Euston, and went to Rugby to pick up Brother.” So Sophy’s own diary begins, and an excellent conscientious piece of work it is. They visited Leamington, Warwick, Kenilworth: thence to Edinburgh, Stirling, Glasgow and the Lochs, Callander and the Trossachs, stopping at York on the way south. A pretty piece of doggerel shows the happy relations between Father and daughter at this period. It is scribbled in pencil on the back of a hotel-keeper’s note. The Father begins in his scholarly handwriting: “My little child, You’re very wild, Could you be still, And yet not ill, Then, little So, This I do know, You’d be a blessing, Worth possessing.” Whereupon Sophy comes hobbling on: “My dear Father, I had rather You’d believe me, And relieve me, When I say, As I may, That I’ll be good, As I should.” Of course it is she who recommences the game: “My dear Papa, Aha, Aha, Send me a letter, Then you can better Tell when we go, Off to Tarbet Oh! And all your wishes, With many kisses.” And the scholarly handwriting closes the page: “I kiss you! Why if I do I kiss a wild, And teasing child. But this short note, Papa has wrote To say at ten, We start again. Henceforth you should Be very good.”