The Highland Lady in Ireland: Journals 1840-50

Canongate Classics #41

by Elizabeth Grant, Andrew Tod

'They have made an Irishwoman of you now, and may they know the value of the daughter they adopted into their country.' Elizabeth Grant's sister

The early life of Elizabeth Grant of Rothiemurchus, so memorably recorded in her Memoirs of a Highland Lady has had an avid readership since the book's first publication in 1898. This volume takes up the story after she arrives in Ireland, following her marriage to Colonel Smith of Baltiboys.

This journal, begun in 1840, will be recognisable to her many followers by the charm, vigour and intelligence that fill every page. They vividly depict the day to day life of her family, her immense efforts to improve the Baltiboys estate and how she coped with the terrible ravages of famine. Her sharp observations of all classes of society however, from corrupt landowners to the poor and often dissolute farm-workers, make this book a memorable and important chronicle of her times and a unique contribution to the social history of Ireland.

592 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

Elizabeth Smith born Elizabeth Grant or Grant of Rothiemurchus was a Scottish diarist. Over the course of her life, she lived in Scotland, England, India, Ireland, and France. She is known today for the journals that she wrote from the 1840s when she was living in France. However she published in magazines anonymously during her life to supplement her family's income.

Reviews

[Sally George · Rating 4 out of 5]

Human nature does not change as this diary shows and it was written nearly 200 years ago. There are so many similarities to today and to me on a personal level. The book Elizabeth Smith mentions she is reading to her children - the life of Wilberforce - is the book my husband is reading! She reads Jane Eyre the year after it was published and can't possibly let her girls read it due to 'the warmth of the love passages'! Also it was a difficult time during the potato famine and there was no money to keep the laundry maid. This brought to mind the luxury of the washing machine, which is my laundry maid! As I have written a diary myself for 46 years, I just love historical ones, which mine is fast becoming.

[Catherine Jeffrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third volume of the Highland Lady diaries that I’ve read. I love reading diaries and the Ireland diaries are particularly interesting as they cover a variety of topics such as the period of famine in Ireland, the publication of Jane Eyre, her disputes with the local priests and the marriage of her daughter.