Untitled - Electric Scotland

i 4 LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP TAIT [CH. i.
miles from Sir Hay Campbell s home at Garscube near
Glasgow. The Archbishop frequently declared that this
quaint old house, with its wonderful turreted gateway,
its hideous carved faces grinning from every corner, and
its trim old-fashioned garden, was the very first recollec
tion of his life. His early reading-lessons were under
the charge, not only of his eldest sister Susan, whose
hands must have been more than full, but of Betty
Morton, no despicable instructress, and one rigidly accu
rate in exacting the daily quota of lessons.
In the autumn of 1818 Susan Tait was married to Sir
George Sitwell of Renishaw, near Chesterfield, and Archie
began a few months later to make acquaintance with the
beautiful Derbyshire home which was to be the scene of
many of his holidays for thirty years
to come. Soon
after her marriage Lady Sitwell invited her four youngest
brothers to pay a long visit to Renishaw. Slow was their
method of conveyance thither. Under the faithful charge
of Betty Morton they were put on board a smack at
Leith. A dead calm soon came on, and seven days and
eight nights were passed upon the sea before the travellers
in hungry plight reached Hull, whence they had to journey
When
up the Humber to Gainsborough, and thence post.
the visit came to an end, a plan was carried out, at Lady
Sitwell s instigation, which materially affected the whole
life of the future Archbishop. Time and skill had hitherto
done nothing towards curing the lameness of the two
little boys. Campbell s right leg was shrunk and feeble,
while Archie s feet were, to all appearance, hopelessly
deformed. Sir George and Lady Sitwell were bent on
sending the two children to Whitworth, in Lancashire,
where dwelt two doctors, famous for their general skill,
but especially for their cures effected upon twisted or
broken limbs. The father s consent was obtained, and