Three generations

266 MEN AND WOMEN MET BY THE WAY
in the matter of education, as I had been eighteen
months — a year before I was seven, and six months
after I was thirteen — in attendance at public schools,
while she had only gone to a regular school for one
year.
I invited Miss Taylor, when our acquaintance was
well matured, to make a stay with me and my sister
Margaret in London, referring to her in the course
of the correspondence as " the cleverest woman in
Scotland." Certainly she was one of the cleverest,
if she was not the head of the sisterhood. I had the
following reply :
" The cleverest woman in Scotland presents com-
pliments to Miss H. K. Munchausen, and begs to say
that for her own credit, and that of Miss H. K. Mun-
chausen, it would be necessary she should remain in
her native country in case it be discovered that she is
the greatest dunce in England.
II The C. W. sympathizes very deeply with the grief
and vexation she is causing, but hopes that her kind
friends will pull through with life at least. Still, she
can't help a feeling of escape in that the depths of her
stupidity will not be plumbed by metropolitan wits.
She concludes with best thanks for an invitation she
will always think of with pleasure, and looks forward
to meeting Miss H. K. M. when her foot is on her
native heath and her name once more Miss H.
Keddie."
Isabella Bird (Mrs. Bishop) was one of the three
ladies, the two others being Miss Gordon Cumming
and Miss Marianne North, who elected to class them-
selves as the three women "globe-trotters" who at
least once met together and compared notes. Miss
Mary Kingsley, who might have made a distinguished