The letters of Queen Victoria, vol. 1, 1837-1843

by Queen of Great Britain Victoria

Footnote 77: Lord Breadalbane's house. The Queen left London on 29th August for Scotland by sea, reaching Edinburgh on 1st September.

Footnote 78: Scone Abbey was granted to Sir David Murray (afterwards Viscount Stormont) by James VI. of Scotland, whose cup-bearer he was, and whose life he saved.

Footnote 79: Afterwards George, sixth Duke of Atholl (1814-1864).

Footnote 80: John, second Marquis of Breadalbane, K.T. (1796-1862).

Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne.

DRUMMOND CASTLE

Taymouth, 10th September 1842.

It has been long the Queen's intention to write to Lord Melbourne, but we have seen and done so much, it has been impossible. Everything has gone off so well at Edinburgh, Perth, and elsewhere. This is a princely and most beautiful place, and we have been entertained by Lord Breadalbane in a magnificent way. The Highland Volunteers, two hundred in number (without the officers), keeping guard, are encamped in the park; the whole place was twice splendidly illuminated, and the sport he gave the Prince out shooting was on the largest scale.

The Highlands and the mountains are too beautiful, and we must come back for longer another time. The Queen will finish this letter at Drummond Castle,⁸¹ as we leave this in half an hour.

Drummond Castle, 11th.—We arrived here yesterday evening at seven, having had a most beautiful journey. We went with Lord Breadalbane up the Loch Tay (by water) to Ochmore⁸² (I don't know how it is written), a cottage belonging to Lord Breadalbane, close to Killin. The morning was very fine, and the view indescribably beautiful; the mountains so high, and so wooded close to Killin. It is impossible to say how kind and attentive Lord Breadalbane and poor Lady Breadalbane (who is so wretchedly delicate) were to us. We were so sorry to go away, and might perhaps have managed to stay two days longer at Taymouth, were we not fearful of delaying our sea voyage back too much. However, we mean to visit him for longer another time; the Highlands are so beautiful, and so new to me, that we are most anxious to return there again.