"
The friendship of Mr. Bentham was uniform and constant; and if it did
not preserve his friend from severe pecuniary privations and distress
in Colonel Burr's second residence in England, it was because the
extent of these privations was industriously and ingeniously concealed
from him. "The benevolent heart of J. B." (Burr remarks in his diary,
when apprehending an arrest for debt) "shall never be pained by the
exhibition of my distress." Bentham, long after Burr's return to the
United States, continued to correspond with him.
With William Godwin Mr. Burr also formed an intimate and friendly
acquaintance. In a visit to Edinburgh in the winter of 1809, he seems
to have been treated with great distinction; and his diary is
sprinkled with the names of visitors the most distinguished in rank,
fashion, and letters of the Scottish metropolis. He writes to his
daughter 12th February, 1809: "Among the literary men of Edinburgh I
have met M'Kenzie, author of the Man of Feeling, and Scott, author of
the Minstrel. I met both frequently, and from both received civilities
and hospitality. M'Kenzie has twelve children--six daughters, all very
interesting and handsome. He is remarkably sprightly in company,
amiable, witty--might pass for forty-two, though certainly much older.
Scott, with less softness than M'Kenzie, has still more animation;
talks much, and very agreeably.
Pages:
1051
1052
1053
1054
1055
1056
1057
1058
1059
1060
1061
1062
1063
1064
1065
1066
1067
1068
1069
1070
1071
1072
1073
1074
1075