Always devoted to his mother, Borrow sent her sums of money at intervals from the moment the power of earning came to him.

We shall never know, we can only surmise something of the self-sacrificing devotion of that mother during the years in which Borrow had failed to find remunerative work.

Wherever he wandered there had always been a home in the Willow Lane cottage.

It is probable that much the greater part of the period of his eight years of penury was spent under her roof.

Yet we may be sure that the good mother never once reproached her son.