History of the Fife Pitcairns

3 i2 THE FIFE PITCAIRNS.
flourishing, and that you were satisfied with their appearance in
general, as I know you are a good judge, and would not flatter.
We have not been fishing much, and only went to see some friends
on the Nansen for the inside of a week. We had very bad sport,
and I can quite see that if the Norwegian Government do not
do something to stop the great increase of stake and other nets
in the sea, in a very few years it won't be worth any one's while
coming out to Norway to fish for salmon. The weather here this
year has been very changeable, but we have had some very fine
days. We leave southwards to-morrow for some fishing in the
Nord Fjord, said to be good, and go thence to Bergen, and so on
to England, where I hope to find Annie and the children, please
God, very well at Blenheim. There seem to be a good many
English of one kind and another travelling about this country this
year, and I see a great change in certain ways in Norway, though
things move much slower here than in England. I don't hear
anything of my grouse yet ; they were doing very well when I left,
and I hope we may be able to send you some later on. I don't
think I shall begin to shoot this year until later in August than
formerly, as I fancy the House may sit pretty late, and one of my
guns may be detained there. From what I see in the papers of
Politics, things don't seem going on over well for Government. I
for one am dead against the Irish Bill and the Hares and Rabbits,
both of which I hope may not pass. Pray remember me most
kindly to your wife and daughters, and believe me, — Ever yours
affectionately, Roxburghe.
From Lady Charlotte S. Russell to The Rev. Canon Pitcairn.
26 Rue de la Madeleine, Paris,
30th Dec. 1880.
My dear Cousin, — I send you a word of most sincere fond
New Year wishes from us both for you and all yours. It is quite
dreadful to think I have not answered till now your most kind letter
I got at Dieppe after your visit to my mother. Don't think me
horrid : I put off, always a bad thing to do. The boys are now
here for their Christmas, well, happy and affectionate, bringing good
characters. I don't know what they will be ; it is a difficult matter
to settle. I do not much mind myself, as long as they do well,
and are able to get a taste of the needful. I should like to show
you my small Lilian, who is standing by me ; she is a sweet, bright
little darling. I have good accounts from my mother. I think
her stay in the Highlands did her great good in many ways. She
has Hays now with her, and has a waiting the end of January. We
had a very lovely summer for nearly four months at Dieppe, and a