James Irving, IV

From "James Irving of Ironshore and His Descendants," by Sir Aemilius Irving, 1916:

He was a delicate boy, a great reader and possessed a

remarkable amount of knowledge for his age, about almost everything, still he did not know London as well as I did, and his father was delighted at the account of a day James and myself spent together, first to the Tower and then over St. Paul's, winding up with a shilling dinner at 333 Strand, a somewhat Recherche Chop House, of which I had read, and I had to go over to Mr. Irving the Bill of Fare, which included Turtle Soup and Salmon, all of which he repeated in the Drawing Room with much humour.

James the Fourth in due time was entered at Cambridge, but it was too much for his strength.

On 13th July, 1841, from 10 Brunswick Place, Southampton, his father wrote thus: "James has picked up wonderfully since his return from Cambridge when he came in an over fatigued state from too much application." But James did not recover rapidly on the whole, and again a milder climate was sought,

and in the year following his father again wrote :

Bagni di Lucca, 19th July, 1842.

"Poor James' illness again made me a wanderer, when I

had hoped never to have stirred again. I do not expect that he will ever be able to live in a northern climate and this induces me to look more carefully to Jamaica, than I otherwise should, as it will always be a home to him during his life, and his superintendence will be a great advantage to all of us, both on his mother's side and ours.

"He has excellent principles, and has never given us in

money matters one moment's uneasiness. He has a horror of debt — no expensive or ambitious views — his books alone occupy him. I therefore think if his life be spared nothing seems better adapted to his health and circumstances than the life of a Jamaica Planter.

"This winter will be well occupied in studying botany and

chemistry at the University of Pisa so that his time may not be thrown away. It will always count should he return to Cambridge or make up his mind to take out a medical diploma, Robert will go into the Army as soon as his age will allow and we can get him a commission."