Professor Stowe's duties in America being very pressing, he had
intended returning at once, but was detained for a short time, as will
be seen in the following letter written by him from Glasgow, August
29, to a friend in America:--
DEAR FRIEND,--I finished my business in London on Wednesday, and
intended to return by the Liverpool steamer of to-morrow, but find
that every berth on that line is engaged until the 3d of October. We
therefore came here yesterday, and I shall take passage in the steamer
New York from this port next Tuesday. We have received a special
invitation to visit Inverary Castle, the seat of the Duke of Argyll,
and yesterday we had just the very pleasantest little interview with
the Queen that ever was. None of the formal, drawing-room, breathless
receptions, but just an accidental, done-on-purpose meeting at a
railway station, while on our way to Scotland.
The Queen seemed really delighted to see my wife, and remarkably glad
to see me for her sake. She pointed us out to Prince Albert, who made
two most gracious bows to my wife and two to me, while the four royal
children stared their big blue eyes almost out looking at the little
authoress of "Uncle Tom's Cabin." Colonel Grey handed the Queen, with
my wife's compliments, a copy of the new book ("Dred"). She took one
volume herself and handed the other to Prince Albert, and they were
soon both very busy reading.
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