It began to rain again before we arrived at Rhyl, and we were driven into
a small tavern. After staying there awhile, we set forth between the
drops; but the rain fell still heavier, so that we were pretty well
damped before we got to our lodgings. After dinner, I took the rail for
Chester and Rock Park, and S----- and the children and maid followed the
next day.
September 22d.--I dined on Wednesday evening at Mr. John Heywood's,
Norris Green. Mr. Mouckton Mimes and lady were of the company. Mr.
Mimes is a very agreeable, kindly man, resembling Longfellow a good deal
in personal appearance; and he promotes, by his genial manners, the same
pleasant intercourse which is so easily established with Longfellow. He
is said to be a very kind patron of literary men, and to do a great deal
of good among young and neglected people of that class. He is considered
one of the best conversationists at present in society: it may very well
be so; his style of talking being very simple and natural, anything but
obtrusive, so that you might enjoy its agreeableness without suspecting
it. He introduced me to his wife (a daughter of Lord Crewe), with whom
and himself I had a good deal of talk. Mr. Milnes told me that he owns
the land in Yorkshire, whence some of the pilgrims of the Mayflower
emigrated to Plymouth, and that Elder Brewster was the Postmaster of the
village. . . . . He also said that in the next voyage of the Mayflower,
after she carried the Pilgrims, she was employed in transporting a cargo
of slaves from Africa,--to the West Indies, I suppose.
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