,,the ,,genius ,,of ,,scotland2  ,or    
,sketches of ,scottish ,scenery1        
,literature and ,religion4  by  ,,rev4  
,,robert ,,turnbull  ,,fourth ,,edition4
        ,new ,york3 ,robert ,carter1 #eh
 ,canal ,street #ahdh4  ,entered1       
according to ,act of ,congress1 in the  
year #ahdg1 by ,robert ,carter1 ,in the 
,clerk's ,office of the ,district ,court
 of the ,united ,states for the         
,southern ,district of ,new ,york4      
,stereotyped by ,thomas ,b4 ,smith1 #baf
 ,william ,street1 ,new ,york           
,,preface4   ,having been born and      
educated in ,scotland1 and possessing a 
tolerable acquaintance with its ,history
 and ,literature1 the ,author of the    
following ,work felt that he had some   
facilities for giving to the people of  
this country a just idea of his native  
,land4 ,the plan of his work is somewhat
 new1 combining in a larger degree1 than
 he has hitherto seen attempted1        
descriptions of ,scenery1 with ,literary
 and ,biographical ,sketches1           

portraitures of character social and    
religious1 incidents of travel1 and     
reflections on matters of local or      
general interest4 ,hence he has omitted 
many things which a mere tourist would  
not fail to notice1 and supplied their  
place with sketches of more enduring    
interest4 ,he would particularly invite 
attention to the sketches of ,knox1     
,burns1 ,wilson1 ,chalmers1 ,bruce1     
',the ,ettrick ,shepherd1' and ,sir     
,walter ,scott4 ,his rambles through    
fair or classic scenes are thus         
enlivened with useful information4 ,in a
 word1 it has been his endeavor1 in an  
easy natural way1 to give his readers an
 adequate conception of the ,scenery1   
,literature1 and ,religion of ,scotland4
  ,,hartford1 ,,conn4     ,,contents    
,,page   ,preface                       
#a   ,,chapter ,i4   ,beauty an ,element
 of the ,mind--,our ,native ,land--,auld
 ,lang ,syne--,general  ,description of 
,scotland--,extent of                   
,population--,spirit of the             

,people--,the  ,highlands--,the         
,lowlands--,burns's ',genius of         
,scotland'--,natural and ,moral         
,aspects of the ,country--',the         
,cotter's ,saturday ,night'--,sources of
  ,prosperity                           
#aa   ,,chapter ,,ii4   ,the city of    
,edinburgh--,views from ,arthur's       
,seat--,the ,poems of  ,richard         
,gall--',farewell to                    
,ayrshire'--',arthur's ,seat1 a         
,poem'--,extracts--,craigmillar         
,castle--,the ,forth1 ,roslin ,castle   
and the ,pentland ,hills--,liberty      
#cb   ,,chapter ,,iii4   ,walk to the   
,castle--,the ,old ,wynds and their     
,occupants--,regalia of                 
,scotland--,storming of the             
,castle--,views from its                
,summit--,heriot's  ,hospital--,other   
,hospitals--,st4 ,giles's               
,cathedral--,changes--,the  ,spirit of  
,protestantism                          
#db   ,,chapter ,,iv4   ,john ,knox's   
,house--,history of the ,reformer--,his 

,character--,carlyle's                  
,view--,testimony of ,john ,milton      
#ec   ,,chapter ,v4   ,edinburgh        
,university--,professor ,wilson--,his   
,life and ,writings1 ,genius  and       
,character                              
#fb   ,,chapter ,,vi4   ,the ,calton    
,hill--,burns's ,monument--,character   
and ,writings of 'the  ,peasant         
,poet'--,his ,religious                 
,views--,monument of ,professor ,dugald 
,stewart--,scottish                     
,metaphysics--,thomas ,carlyle          
#gg   ,,chapter ,,vii4   ,preaching in  
,edinburgh--,the ,free ,church--,dr4    
,chalmers--,a ,specimen  of his         
,preaching--,the ,secret of his         
,eloquence                          #ii 
,,chapter ,,viii4   ,biographical       
,sketch of ,dr4 ,chalmers               
#aac   ,,chapter ,,ix4   ,dr4 ,john     
,brown of ,edinburgh--,rev4 ,john ,brown
 of ,whiteburn--,professor  ,john ,brown
 of ,haddington--,rev4 ,dr4             
,candlish--,specimen of his  ,preaching 

#abf   ,,chapter ,x4   ,ride into the   
,country--,the ,skylark--,poems on the  
,skylark by  ,shelley and the ',ettrick 
,shepherd'--,newhall--',the ,gentle     
,shepherd'--,localities and ,outlines of
 the ,story--,its ,popularity  in       
,scotland                               
#ach   ,,chapter ,,xi4   ,biographical  
,sketch of ,allan                       
,ramsay--,lasswade--,ramble along the   
banks of the ,north ,esk--,glenesk--,a  
,character--,anecdote of ,sir  ,walter  
,scott--,hawthornden--,drummond1 the    
,poet--,his ,character  and             
,genius--,sonnets--,chapel and ,castle  
of ,roslin--,barons of  ,roslin--,ballad
 of ,rosabella--,hunting ,match between 
,robert ,bruce  and ,sir ,william ,st4  
,clair                                  
#aeg   ,,chapter ,,xii4   ,ramble       
through the ,fields--,parish            
,schools--,recollections of ,dominie    
,meuross--,the ,south ,esk--,borthwick  
and ,crichtoun ,castles--,new ,battle   
,abbey--,dalkeith--,residence of the    

,duke of ,buccleugh--',scotland's       
,skaith1' by ,hector ,macneil--,his     
,character and ,writings--,extracts     
from the ',history of ,will and ,jean'  
#ahc   ,,chapter ,,xiii4   ,city of     
,glasgow--,spirit of the ,place--,trade 
and ,manufactures--,the                 
,broomielaw--,steam--,george's          
,square--,monuments to ,sir ,walter     
,scott1  ,sir ,john ,moore1 and ,james  
,watt--,sketch of the ,life of          
,watt--,glasgow                         
,university--,reminiscences--,brougham--
,sir ,d4 ,k4 ,sandford--,professor      
,nichol and others--,high ,kirk1 or     
,glasgow ,cathedral--,martyrdom  of     
,jerome ,russel and ,john ,kennedy      
#aig   ,,chapter ,,xiv4   ,the          
,necropolis--,jewish ,burial            
,place--,monument to ,john              
,knox--,monuments  of ,william ,macgavin
 and ,dr4                               
,dick--,reminiscences--,character and   
,writings of ,dr4 ,dick--,pollok and    
'the ,course of ,time'--,grave of       

,motherwell--,sketch of his ,life--,his 
,genius and ,poetry--',jeanie           
,morrison'--',my ,heid is like to rend1 
,willie'--',a ,summer ,sabbath  ,noon'  
#bji   ,,chapter ,,xv4   ,dumbarton     
,castle--,lochlomond--,luss--,ascent of 
,benlomond--,magnificent  ,views--,ride 
to ,loch-,katrine--,rob ,roy            
,macgregor--',gathering of ,clan        
,gregor'--,loch-,katrine and the        
,trosachs--,the ,city of                
,perth--,martyrdom  of ,helen ,stark and
 her husband                            
#bca   ,,chapter ,,xvi4   ,sabbath      
,morning--',the ,sabbath1' by ,james    
,grahame--,sketch of his                
,life--,extracts from his ,poetry--,the 
,cameronians--',dream of the  ,martyrs1'
 by ,james ,hislop--,sabbath ,morning   
,walk--,country ,church--,the  ,old     
,preacher--,the ,interval of            
,worship--,conversation in the          
,church-yard--,going ,home from         
,church--,sabbath ,evening              
#bdd   ,,chapter ,,xvii4                

,lochleven--,escape of ,queen ,mary from
 ,lochleven ,castle--,michael           
,bruce--,sketch of his                  
,life--,boyhood--,college               
,life--,poetry--',lochleven'--,sickness-
-',ode to ,spring'--,death--',ode  to   
the ,cuckoo'                            
#bfj   ,,chapter ,,xviii4               
,dunfermline--,ruins of the             
,abbey--,grave of ,robert               
,bruce--,malcolm  ,canmore's            
,palace--,william ,henryson1 the        
poet--,william ,dunbar--,stirling       
,castle--,views from its ,summit--,city 
of ,stirling--,george ,buchanan  and    
,dr4 ,arthur                            
,johnston--,falkirk--,linlithgow--,story
 of the ,capture  of ,linlithgow        
,castle--,spirit of ,war--,arrival in   
,edinburgh             #bhd   ,,chapter 
,,xix4   ,journey to                    
,peebles--,characters--,conversation on 
,politics--,scottish                    
,peasantry--,peebles--',christ's ,kirk  
on the ,green'--,a ,legend--,an old     

,church--,the ,banks of the ,tweed--,its
 ancient ,castles--,the ,alarm          
,fire--,excursion to the ,vales of      
,ettrick and ,yarrow--,stream of        
,yarrow--,st4 ,mary's ,lake and ,dryhope
 ,tower--',the ,dowie ,dens of          
,yarrow'--,growth of ,poetry--,ballads  
and ,poems on ,yarrow by ,hamilton1     
,logan and ,wordsworth                  
#bie   ,,chapter ,,xx4   ,hamlet and    
,church-yard of ,ettrick--,monument to  
,thomas  ,boston--,birth-place of the   
,ettrick ,shepherd--,altrieve           
,cottage--,biographical ,sketch of the  
,ettrick ,shepherd--,the ,town of       
,selkirk--,monument to ,sir ,walter     
,scott--,battle-field of ,philiphangh   
#cai   ,,chapter ,,xxi4   ,return to the
 ,banks of the ,tweed--,abbotsford--,the
 ,study--,biographical  ,sketch of ,sir 
,walter ,scott--,his ,early             
,life--,residence in the                
,country--,spirit of                    
,romance--,education--,first ,efforts as
 an  ,author--,success of               

',marmion'--,character of his           
,poetry--,literary  ,change--,his       
,novels--,pecuniary                     
,difficulties--,astonishing             
,efforts--,last ,sickness--,death and   
,funeral                                
#ccd   ,,chapter ,,xxii4   ,melrose     
,abbey--,the ,eildon ,hills--,thomas the
 ,rhymer--,dryburgh--,monuments  to the 
,author of ',the ,seasons' and ,sir     
,william ,wallace--,kelso--,beautiful   
,scenery--,a ,pleasant                  
,evening--,biographical ,sketch of      
,leyden1 ,poet1  ,antiquary1 ,scholar   
and ,traveller--,the ,duncan            
,family--,journey  ,resumed--,twisel    
,bridge--,battle of ,flodden--,norham   
,castle--,berwick  upon                 
,tweed--,biographical ,sketch of ,thomas
 ,mackay ,wilson1 author of ',the       
,border ,tales'--,conclusion--',auld    
,lang ,syne'                            
#cea     ,,genius ,,of ,,scotland4      
,,chapter ,i4       ,beauty an ,element 
of the ,mind--,our ,native ,land--,auld 

,lang      ,syne--,general ,description 
of ,scotland--,extent of                
,population--,spirit      of the        
,people--,the ,highlands--,the          
,lowlands--,burns's ',genius of         
,scotland'--,natural and ,moral ,aspects
 of the ,country--',the ,cotter's       
,saturday ,night'--,sources of          
,prosperity4   ,the theory has become   
prevalent among philosophers1 and even  
among literary men1 that beauty is more 
an element of the mind than of external 
objects4 ,things1 say they1 are not what
 they seem4 ,their aspects are ever     
varying with the minds which gaze upon  
them4 ,they change even under the eyes  
of the same individuals4 ,a striking    
illustration of this may be found in the
 opening stanza of ,wordsworth's ,ode to
 ,immortality4      ,there was a time   
when meadow1 grove and stream1     ,the 
earth and every common sight            
,to me did seem                         
,apparelled in celestial light1     ,the
 glory and the freshness of a dream4    

,it is not now as it hath been of yore2 
,turn wheresoe'er ,i may1               
,by night or day1     ,the things which 
,i have seen ,i now can see no more4    
,it is the mind then1 which transfers   
its own ethereal colors to the forms of 
matter1 and invests scenes and places   
with new and peculiar attractions4 ,like
 the light of the moon streaming through
 a leafy grove and transforming its     
darkness into its own radiant beauty1   
the spirit of man diffuses its own      
inspiration through the universe1       
,making all nature     ,beauty to the   
eye and music to the ear4  ,now if this 
theory be true1 it follows that no      
country will appear to us so beautiful  
as the one which happens to be endeared 
to our hearts by early recollections and
 pleasant associations4 ,no matter how  
rude and wild1--that spot of all others 
on earth1 will appear to us the sweetest
 and most attractive6 ',new ,england1'  
says a native of ,massachusetts or of   
,vermont1 'is the glory of all lands4   

,no hills and vales are more picturesque
 than hers1 no rivers more clear and    
beautiful4' ',visit ,naples1 and die6'  
exclaims the ,neapolitan1 proud of his  
classic home4 ',green ,erin1 my         
darling1' is the fond language of the   
,hibernian1 'first gem of the ocean1    
first flower of the sea4' ',here's a    
health1' shouts the native of           
,caledonia1 'bonny ,scotland to thee6'  
,others may speak disparagingly of the  
sour climate and barren soil of         
,scotland2 but to a native of that      
country1 the land of his fathers is     
invested with all the charms of poetry  
and romance4 ,every spot of its varied  
surface is hallowed ground4 ,he sees its
 rugged rocks and desolate moors mantled
 with the hoary memories of by-gone     
days1 the thrilling associations of     
childhood and youth4 ,therefore1 with a 
meaning and emphasis1 which all who love
 their native land will appreciate1 he  
appropriates the words of the poet3--   
,land of the forest and the rock1       

,of dark blue lake and mighty river1    
,of mountains reared aloft to mock1     
,the storm's career1 the lightning's    
shock1       ,my own green land forever6
     ,land of the beautiful and brave6  
,the freeman's home1 the martyr's grave6
     ,the nursery of giant men1         
,whose deeds have linked with every     
glen1     ,the magic of a warrior's     
name6  ,does not ,scotland1 however     
inferior1 in some respects it may be    
deemed to other lands1 possess a        
peculiar charm to all cultivated        
minds8#a ,what visions of ancient glory 
cluster around the time-honored name6   
,what associations of 'wild native      
grandeur1'--of wizard beauty1 and rough 
magnificence4 ,what gleams of 'poetic   
sunlight1'--what recollections of       
martial daring by flood and field1--what
 hallowed faith and burning zeal1--what 
martyr toils and martyr graves1         
monuments of freedom's struggles and    
freedom's triumphs in moor or           
glen1--what 'lights and shadows' of love

 and passion1--what ancient songs1      
echoing among the hills1--what blessed  
sabbath calm1--what lofty inspiration of
 the ,bible and covenant1--in a word1   
what dear and hallowed memories of that 
',auld lang syne1' indigenous only to   
,scotland1 though known throughout the  
world6 ,should this be deemed           
enthusiastic1 let it1 and all else of a 
similar character which may be found in 
this volume1 be ascribed to a natural   
and not unpardonable feeling on the part
 of the writer4 ,the remembrance of     
',auld lang syne' can never be          
extinguished4 ,except the hope of       
heaven1 it is our best and holiest      
heritage4  ,footnote #a3 ,the following 
eloquent passage from an address by the 
,honorable ,edward ,everett1 before the 
,scots' ,charitable ,society1 ,boston1  
well illustrates the fact referred to4  
,not to speak of the worthies of ages   
long passed2 of the ,knoxes1 the        
,buchanans1 and the early minstrelsy of 
the border2 the land of your fathers1   

sir1 since it ceased to be a separate   
kingdom1 has1 through the intellect of  
her gifted sons1 acquired a supremacy   
over the minds of men more extensive and
 more enduring1 than that of ,alexander 
or ,augustus4 ,it would be impossible to
 enumerate them all1--the ,blairs of the
 last generation1 the ,chalmerses of    
this2 the ,robertsons1 and ,humes2 the  
,smiths1 the ,reids1 the ,stuarts1 the  
,browns2 the ,homes1 the ,mackenzies2   
the ,mackintoshes1 the ,broughams1 the  
,jeffreys1 with their distinguished     
compeers1 both on physical and moral    
science4 ,the ,marys and the            
,elizabeths1 the ,jameses and the       
,charleses will be forgotten1 before    
these names will perish from the memory 
of men4 ,and when ,i add to them those  
other illustrious names--,burns1        
,campbell1 ,byron1 and ,scott1 may ,i   
not truly say1 sir1 that the throne and 
the sceptre of ,england will crumble    
into dust like those of ,scotland3 and  
,windsor ,castle and ,westminster ,abbey

 will lie in ruins as poor and desolate 
as those of ,scone and ,iona1 before the
 lords of ,scottish song shall cease to 
reign in the hearts of men4  ,for       
myself1 sir1 ,i confess that ,i love    
,scotland4 ,i have reason to do so4 ,i  
have trod the soil of the      ,land of 
brown heath and shaggy wood1     ,land  
of the mountain and the flood1  ,i have 
looked up to the cloud-capt summit of   
,ben ,lomond2 have glided among the     
fairy islets of ,loch ,katrine2 and from
 the battlements of ,stirling ,castle1  
have beheld the links of ,forth         
sparkling in the morning sun4 ,i have   
done more1 sir2 ,i have tasted that     
generous hospitality of ,scotland1 which
 her ,majesty's ,consul has so justly   
commemorated2 ,i have held converse with
 her most eminent sons2 ,i have made my 
pilgrimage to ,melrose ,abbey1 in       
company with that modern magician1 who1 
mightier than the magician of old that  
sleeps beneath the marble floor of its  
chancel1 has hung the garlands of       

immortal poesy upon its shattered       
arches1 and made its moss-clad ruins a  
shrine1 to be visited by the votary of  
the muse from the remotest corners of   
the earth1 to the end of time4 ,yes1    
sir1 musing as ,i did1 in my youth1 over
 the sepulchre of the wizard1 once      
pointed out by the bloody stain of the  
cross and the image of the              
archangel3--standing within that        
consecrated enclosure1 under the        
friendly guidance of him whose genius   
has made it holy ground2 while every    
nerve within me thrilled with           
excitement1 my fancy kindled with the   
inspiration of the spot4 ,i seemed to   
behold1 not the vision so magnificently 
described by the minstrel1--the light1  
which1 as the tomb was opened1          
broke forth so gloriously1     ,streamed
 upward to the chancel roof1     ,and   
through the galleries far aloof3  ,but  
,i could fancy that ,i beheld1 with     
sensible perception1 the brighter light1
 which had broken forth from the master 

mind2 which had streamed from his       
illumined page all-gloriously upward1   
above the pinnacles of worldly grandeur1
 till it mingled its equal beams1 with  
that of the brightest constellations1 in
 the intellectual firmament of ,england4
      ,as ',auld ,lang ,syne' brings    
,scotland one and all1       ,scotch    
plaids1 ,scotch snoods1 the blue hills  
and clear streams1     ,the ,dee1 the   
,don1 ,balgownies brig's black wall1    
,all my boy feelings1 all my gentler    
dreams     ,of what ,i then dreamt1     
clothed in their own pall1       ,like  
,banquo's offspring2 floating past me   
seems     ,my childhood1 in this        
childishness of mind2       ,i care     
not2--'tis a glimpse of ',auld ,lang    
,syne4'      ,,byron4  ,beautiful is    
,new ,england1 resembling as she does1  
in many of her features1 ',auld         
,scotia's hills and dales1' and moreover
 being much akin to her1 in religious   
sentiment and the love of freedom2 so   
that a native of either might well be   

forgiven for clinging with peculiar     
fondness to the land of his birth1 and1 
in certain moods of mind1 prefering it  
to all the world beside4 ,though far    
away1 and even loving the place of his  
estrangement1 he cannot1 if he would1   
altogether renounce those ties which    
bind him to his early home4 ,a 'viewless
 chain1' which crosses ocean and        
continent1 conveys from the one to the  
other that subtle1 yet gracious         
influence1 which is quicker and stronger
 than the lightning's gleam4 ,let no one
 then be surprised if a ,scotsman in    
,new ,england1 the cherished land of his
 adoption1 should solace his mind with  
the recollection of early days1 and     
endeavor to set before others the       
characteristic beauties and excellences 
of his native country4      ,o          
,caledonia1 stern and wild1     ,meet   
nurse for a poetic child6     ,land of  
brown heath and shaggy wood1     ,land  
of the mountain and the flood1     ,land
 of my sires6 ,what mortal hand1        

,can e'er untie the filial band         
,that knits me to thy rugged strand6    
,scotland1 as one of her own sons has   
expressed it1 is a wee bit country1 but 
possessed of muckle pith and spirit4    
,its surface is rough and mountainous1  
with beautiful patches of rich arable   
land along the courses of its streams1  
and extensive level meadows1 called     
,carses1 as the ,carse of ,falkirk1 and 
the ,carse of ,gowrie4 ,it is of unequal
 breadth1 being much indented with bays 
and creeks1 and stretches some two      
hundred and eighty miles in length1     
reckoning from its most southerly point1
 the ,mull of ,galloway1 to ,dunnet's   
,head1 its most northern extremity4     
,this probably would be a little farther
 than from ,maiden ,kirk to ,johnny     
,groat's1 the from ,dan to ,beersheba of
 ,scotland4 ,clustering around its      
western and northern sides are the      
,hebrides1 the ,shetland and the ,orkney
 islands2 wild and rocky isles1 with    
rude and primitive inhabitants1         

constituting the ,ultima ,thule of      
,great ,britain4 ,in ,scotland1 a       
considerable portion of the land is     
uncultivated1 consisting of heathy      
hills1 mountains and moors2 and the most
 of that which is cultivated has been   
rendered productive by the hand of art  
and industry4 ,like ,switzerland1 it is 
comparatively a poor country1 but has   
been made rich by the generative powers 
of mind4 ,her wealth consists in the    
brawny arms and vigorous intellects of  
her sons4 ,the climate is cold and      
variable1 though milder in winter than  
that of ,new ,england1 and in summer    
cooler1 and upon the whole1 more        
agreeable1 except when dense fogs and   
long-continued rains prevail4  ,the     
population is over two millions and a   
half1 and is gradually increasing1      
though the people1 like those of ,new   
,england1 are greatly given to          
migration1 and may be found in every    
part of the world4 ,its commerce and    
manufactures are1 for its size1 very    

extensive4 ,they have increased1 since  
#ahad1 from twenty-five to thirty per   
cent4 ,agriculture and the mechanic arts
 have been carried to a high degree of  
perfection4 ,while the people are       
characteristically cautious and slow1   
looking before they leap1 to quote one  
of their favorite proverbs1 they are    
bold and enterprising1 and thus leap    
long and successfully4 ,few nations have
 accomplished so much in literature or  
trade1 in science or the arts of        
industry4 ,their highest distinction1   
however1 consists in their spirit of    
love and fealty1 their leal-heartedness1
 their contempt of sham1 their          
passionate love of freedom1 their zeal  
for ,god and the truth6 ,obstinate and  
wrong-headed at times1                  
characteristically dogmatic1 and perhaps
 a little intolerant1 their very faults 
lean to virtue's side1 and go to the    
support of goodness4 ,their             
punctiliousness and pride1 their dogged 
adherence to what they conceive to be   

right1 and their vehement mode of       
defending it1 constitute the rough and  
prickly bark which defends the precious 
tree4 ,one thing is certain1 they are   
transparent as daylight1 and honest as  
their own heathy hills4  ,they are      
preeminently a religious people1        
protestant to the backbone1 occasionally
 rough and impetuous in the expression  
of their opinions1 but never formal1    
never indecorous4 ,a profound           
enthusiasm1 bordering on fanaticism1 a  
passionate1 though not boisterous or    
canting devotion1 a fine sense of the   
grand and beautiful1 intermingled with a
 keen conscientiousness1 an ardent love 
of freedom1 with a boundless trust in   
,god1 form the great elements of their  
religious life4 ,their theology is      
chiefly ,calvinistic1 apparently        
philosophical and dogmatic1 but rather  
less so than popular and practical4 ,of 
cathedrals1 old and dim1 of masses1     
chants and processions1 the pomp and    
circumstance of a magnificent ritual1   

they have none4#b ,but of old and       
glorious memories1 solemn temples among 
the woods and hills1 hallowed           
grave-yards1 blessed sacraments1 and    
national enthusiasm1 they have          
abundance4 ,their religion is a part of 
the soil4 ,it is indigenous to the      
country4 ,it grew up among the          
mountains1 was nursed by 'wizard        
streams1' and 'led forth' with the voice
 of psalms1 among 'the green pastures of
 the wilderness4' ,somewhat forbidding  
at first1 like the rough aspect of the  
country1 it appears equally picturesque 
and beautiful1 when really known and    
loved4 ,it is the religion not of form  
but of substance1 of deep inward        
emotion1 not of outward pretension and  
show4 ,neither is it a sickly           
sentimentalism which lives on poetic    
musings1 and matures only in cloistered 
shades and moonlight groves2 but it is a
 healthy1 robust principle which goes   
forth to do and to suffer the will of   
,heaven4 ,its head and heart are sound1 

and its works praise it in the gate4    
,beautiful as the visions of fancy1 it  
is yet strong as the everlasting hills  
among which it was reared4 ,in a word1  
it is the religion of faith and love1   
the religion of the old puritans1 of the
 martyrs and confessors of primitive    
times4 ,welling out forever from the    
unstained fountains of the ,word of     
,god1 it has marked its course over the 
fair face of ,scotland1 with the        
greenest verdure1 the sweetest flowers4 
,footnote #b3 ,this is spoken1 of       
course1 of the great body of the people4
  ,scotland is naturally divided into   
,highlands and ,lowlands4 ,the former   
includes1 besides the various groups of 
islands on the north and north-west     
coast1 the counties of ,argyle1         
,inverness1 ,nairn1 ,ross1 ,cromarty1   
,sutherland and ,caithness1 with        
portions of ,dumbarton1 ,stirling1      
,perth1 ,forfar1 ,aberdeen awa1 ,banff  
and ,elgin1 or the more northerly       
regions of the country1 protected and   

beautified by the mighty range of the   
,grampians1 commencing at the southern  
extremity of ,loch ,etive1 and          
terminating at the mouth of the ,dee on 
the eastern coast4 ,the ,highlands again
 are divided into two unequal portions  
by the beautiful chain of lochs1 or     
lakes running through the               
,glenmore-,nan-,albin1 or ,great ,glen  
of ,caledonia1 forming some of the      
wildest and richest scenery in the      
world4 ,to the north are the giant      
mountains of ,macdui1 ,cairngorm1       
,ben-,aven and ,ben-,more1 while nearer 
the ,lowlands1 rise the lofty           
,ben-,lomond1 and the hoary ,ben-,awe4  
,under their shadows gleam the storied  
lochs1 the wild tarns and trosachs1     
whose picturesque and romantic beauties 
have been immortalized by the pens of   
,burns1 ,scott1 and ,wilson4  ,to the   
south and east of the ,grampian range1  
and running parallel to them1 you       
discover a chain of lower and more      
verdant hills1 bearing the well known   

and poetical names of the ,sidlaw1      
,campsie and ,ochil hills4 ,these are   
divided by the fertile valleys of the   
,tay and ,forth4 ,between them and the  
,grampians lies the low and charming    
valley of ,strathmore4 ,the silver ,tay1
 one of the finest rivers in ,scotland1 
rises in ,breadalbane1 expands into lake
 ,dochart1 flows in an easterly         
direction through the vale of           
,glendochart1 expands again into the    
long and beautiful ,loch ,tay1 which    
runs like a belt of silver among the    
hills1 whence issuing1 it receives      
various accessions from other streams1  
passes on in a southerly direction to   
,dunkeld1 famous for its ancient ,abbey 
and lovely scenery1 skirts the ancient  
and delightful city of ,perth1 below    
which it is joined by its great         
tributary the ,earn1 which flows1 in    
serpentine windings1 through the rich   
vale of ,strath-,earn1 touches the      
populous and thriving town of ,dundee1  
and gradually widens into the ,firth of 

,tay1 whose clear waters mirror the     
white skiff or magnificent steamer1 and 
imperceptibly mingle with the waves of  
the ,northern ,sea4 ,further north1 the 
rapid ,spey1 springing from the 'braes  
of ,badenoch' near ,lochaber1 passes    
tumultuously through a rough and        
mountainous country1 lingering          
occasionally1 as if to rest itself in   
some deep glen1 crosses the ancient     
province of ,moray1 famous for its      
floods1 so admirably described by ,sir  
,thomas ,dick ,lauder1 passes ,kinrara1 
whence1 for a few miles1 it is attended 
by a series of landscapes1 alike        
various1 singular and magnificent1 after
 which1 it moves1 with a monotonous     
aspect1 and a steady pace1 to the sea4  
,portions of the country through which  
this river passes are exceedingly       
sterile and wild4 ,covered with the     
birch1 the alder and the pine1 varied by
 rugged rocks and desolate moors1 it    
admirably corresponds to our notions of 
,caledonia1 in her ancient and primitive

 integrity4  ,in the more remote and    
northern regions of the ,highlands1 and 
in most of the ,scottish isles1 the     
,gaelic1 or ,erse1 a primitive and      
energetic tongue1 somewhat akin to the  
,welsh or ,irish1 is spoken by a        
majority of the inhabitants4 ,in other  
parts of ,scotland1 the ,english1 with a
 ,scottish idiom1 is the prevalent      
speech4 ,the literature of the ,gaelic  
is exceedingly limited1 confined chiefly
 to old ballads1 songs and traditionary 
stories4 ,the poems of ,ossian are      
doubtless the production of ,macpherson1
 their professed translator1 while they 
probably contain a few translated       
fragments1 and some traditionary facts  
and conceptions afloat among the        
,highlanders1 ingeniously interwoven    
with the main fabric of the work4  ,the 
,highlanders are a simple-hearted1      
primitive race1 mostly poor1 and        
imperfectly educated4 ,those of them    
that are wealthy and well educated1 are 
said to be remarkably acute1 courteous1 

and agreeable4  ,the ,lowlands of       
,scotland comprehend the south and      
southeastern portions of the country1   
and though not the grandest and most    
romantic1 are by far the best           
cultivated1 and in some respects the    
most beautiful4 ,including the level    
ground on the eastern coast to the south
 of the ,moray ,firth1 they stretch     
along the coast through portions of     
,perthshire1 and the old kingdom of     
,fife1 towards the regions bounded on   
either side1 by the river and the ,firth
 of ,forth1 and thence to ,kircudbright 
and the ,english border1 including the  
principal cities1 the most fertile      
tracts of arable land1 the rivers       
,forth1 ,clyde and ,tweed1 and the range
 of the ,cheviot hills1 which extend    
from the north of ,england towards the  
north-west1 join the ,louther hills in  
the region of ,ettrick and ,yarrow1 with
 their 'silver streams1' pass through   
the southern part of ,ayrshire and      
terminate at ,loch ,ryan1 in the ,irish 

,channel4 ,the ,clyde is the most       
important commercial river in ,scotland4
 ,taking its origin among the mountains 
of the south1 not far from the early    
home of its beautiful and more classic  
sisters1 the ,tweed and the ,annan1 it  
runs in many capricious windings1 in a  
northwesterly direction1 leaps in       
foaming cascades first at ,bonnington1  
and then at ,cora ,linn1 rushes on      
through the fine country of             
,lanarkshire1 till1 joined by many      
tributary streams1 it passes through the
 large and flourishing city of ,glasgow1
 bearing upon its bosom the vast        
commerce and population of the          
neighboring regions1 flows around the   
walls of old ,dumbarton ,castle1 with   
its time-worn battlements and glorious  
memories1 in sight1 too1 of the lofty   
,ben ,lomond1 and the beautiful lake    
which it protects1 touches the ancient  
city of ,greenock1 expands into the     
,firth of ,clyde1 and gradually loses   
itself amid the picturesque islands     

which adorn the western coast of        
,scotland4  ,were it possible1 by       
placing ourselves upon some lofty       
elevation1 to take in at one glance1 the
 whole of this varied landscape of lake1
 river1 and mountain2 of tarn1 trosach  
and moor1 with verdant vales1 and woody 
slopes between1 we should confess that  
it was one of as rare beauty and wild   
magnificence as ever greeted the vision 
of man4 ,and were our minds steeped in  
ancient and poetic lore1 we should be   
prepared to appreciate the faithfulness 
and splendor of ,burns's allegorical    
description of the ,genius of ,scotland4
      ,green1 slender1 leaf-clad holly  
boughs1     ,were twisted gracefu' round
 her brows1     ,i took her for some    
,scottish ,muse1               ,by that 
same token1     ,and come to stop those 
reckless vows               ,would soon 
be broken4      ,a hair-brained         
sentimental trace1     ,was strongly    
marked in her face2     ,a wildly       
witty-rustic grace1               ,shone

 full upon her1     ,her eye e'en turned
 on empty space1               ,beamed  
keen with honor4      ,her mantle large1
 of greenish hue1     ,my gazing wonder 
chiefly drew1     ,deep lights and      
shadows mingling threw               ,a 
lustre grand2     ,and seemed1 to my    
astonished view               ,a well   
known land6      ,here rivers in the sea
 were lost2     ,there mountains in the 
skies were tost2     ,here tumbling     
billows marked the coast1               
,with surging foam2     ,there1 distant 
shone1 ,art's lofty boast1              
,the lordly dome4      ,here ,doon      
poured down his far-fetched floods2     
,there well fed ,irwine stately thuds3  
,auld hermit ,ayr staw through his      
woods1               ,on to the shore2  
,and many a lesser torrent scuds        
,with seeming roar4      ,low in a sandy
 valley spread1     ,an ancient borough 
reared her head     ,still as in        
,scottish story read1               ,she
 boasts a race1     ,to every nobler    

virtue bred1               ,and polished
 grace4      ,by stately tower or palace
 fair     ,or ruins pendent in the air  
,bold stems of heroes here and there1   
,i could discern2     ,some seemed to   
muse1 some seemed to dare               
,with feature stern4  ,now1 imagine the 
whole of this country1 studded at no    
remote intervals1 with churches and     
schools well supported1 and well        
attended by young and old4 ,think of her
 ancient and able ,universities1        
,edinburgh1 ,glasgow1 ,st4 ,andrews1 and
 ,aberdeen1 including in the last1      
,marischal ,college and ,kings ,college1
 with an average attendance of from     
#bejj to #cjjj students1 with their     
learned and amiable professors1         
extensive libraries1 and fine           
collections in ,natural ,history4 ,think
 of her innumerable high schools1       
private schools1 public and private     
libraries1 literary institutes and      
ancient hospitals1 some for the body and
 some for the mind1 and connect the     

whole with her heroic history1 her      
poetical enthusiasm1 her religious      
faith1 her fealty to ,god and man1 and  
you will have some faint conception of  
the beauty and glory of ,scotland4  ,but
 the impression would be deepened1 could
 you behold the land1 beautified and    
ennobled by her sabbath calm1 as once in
 seven days1 she rests and worships     
before the ,lord4 ,could you but hear   
the voice of her church-going bells1 and
 go to the house of ,god1 in company    
with her thoughtful but cheerful        
population2 could you sit in some auld  
warld kirk1 and hear some grey-haired   
holy man dispense1 with deep and tender 
tones1 the word of everlasting life2    
could you hear a whole congregation of  
devout worshippers make the hills ring  
again1 with their simple melody2 above  
all1 could you place yourself in some   
deep shady glen1 by the sweet burnie1 as
 it wimples among the waving willows1 or
 the yellow broom1 or sit down on the   
green brae side1 enamelled with gowans1 

on some sacramental occasion1 when      
thousands are gathered to hear the      
preaching of the gospel1 and with simple
 ritual1 to commemorate the dying love  
of the ,redeemer6 ,could you see the    
devout and happy looks of the aged1 and 
the sweet but reverent aspect of        
children and youth1 as the tones of some
 earnest preacher thrilled them with    
emotions of holy gratitude1 in view of  
the loving kindness of the ,lord1 you   
would instinctively feel that           
,scotland1--free1 ,protestant ,scotland1
 was a happy land1 and would be prepared
 to exclaim with the sweet singer of    
,israel3 ,blessed are the people that   
know the joyful sound1 they shall walk1 
,o ,lord1 in the light of thy           
countenance4      ,how with religious   
awe impressed     ,they open lay the    
guileless breast2     ,and youth and age
 with fears distressed                  
,all due prepare1     ,the symbols of   
eternal rest                   ,devout  
to share4      ,how down ilk lang       

withdrawing hill1     ,successive crowds
 the valleys fill2     ,while pure      
religious converse still                
,beguiles the way1     ,and gives a cast
 to youthful will1                   ,to
 suit the day4      ,how placed along   
the sacred board1     ,their hoary      
pastor's looks adored1--     ,his voice 
with peace and blessing stored1         
,sent from above1     ,and faith and    
hope1 and joy afford                    
,and boundless love4      ,o'er this    
with warm seraphic glow1     ,celestial 
beings pleased bow2     ,and whispered  
hear the holy vow1                      
',mid grateful tears2     ,and mark amid
 such scenes below                      
,their future peers4#c  ,footnote #c3   
,letter to ,robert ,burns1 by ,mr4      
,telford1 of ,shrewsbury1 a native of   
,scotland4  ,or you might leave this    
scene1 and study the ,scottish character
 with some shepherd boy on the hills1 as
 he reads ,god's word upon the          
greensward1 and meditates on things     

divine1 while tending his flocks far    
from the house of ,god1 on the sabbath  
day1 a circumstance to which ,grahame in
 his poem of the ,sabbath1 has          
touchingly referred1 and which ,telford 
has thus described3      ,say how1 by   
early lessons taught1     ,truth's      
pleasing air is willing caught6         
,congenial to the untainted thought1    
,the shepherd boy1     ,who tends his   
flocks on lonely height1                
,feels holy joy4      ,is aught on earth
 so lovely known1     ,on sabbath morn1 
and far alone4     ,his guileless soul  
all naked shown                         
,before his ,god--     ,such prayers    
must welcome reach the throne           
,and bless'd abode4      ,o tell6 with  
what a heartfelt joy     ,the parent    
eyes the virtuous boy2     ,and all his 
constant kind employ1                   
,is how to give     ,the best of lear he
 can enjoy1                   ,as means 
to live4  ,the scenes of the ,cotter's  
,saturday ,night1 one of the sweetest   

poems in any language1 are exact        
transcripts from real life1 as ,burns   
himself intimates4 ,his father was a    
godly man1 and was wont1 morning and    
evening1 to turn o'er1 wi' patriarchal  
grace1 the big ha' ,bible1 and worship  
,god1 with his family4 ,where in ,italy 
or in ,austria will you meet aught so   
beautiful or thrilling as the following8
        ,the cheerfu' supper done1 wi'  
serious face1         ,they round the   
ingle form a circle wide1       ,the    
sire turns o'er wi' patriarchal grace   
,the big ha' ,bible ance his father's   
pride3       ,his bonnet reverently is  
laid aside1         ,his lyart haffets#d
 wearing thin and bare3       ,those    
strains that once did sweet in ,zion    
glide         ,he wales a portion with  
judicious care2     ,and ',let us       
worship ,god6' he says with solemn air4 
,they chant their artless notes in      
simple guise1         ,they tune their  
hearts1 by far their noblest aim2       
,perhaps ,dundee's wild warbling        

measures rise1         ,or plaintive    
,martyrs worthy of the name1       ,or  
noble ,elgin beats the heavenward flame1
         ,the sweetest far of ,scotia's 
holy lays4       ,compared with these   
,italian trills are tame2         ,the  
tickled ears no heartfelt raptures      
raise1     ,nae unison hae they with our
 ,creator's praise4        ,the         
priest-like father reads the sacred     
page1         ,how ,abram was the friend
 of ,god on high1       ,or ,moses bade 
eternal warfare wage         ,with      
,amalek's ungracious progeny2       ,or 
how the royal bard did groaning lie     
,beneath the stroke of ,heaven's        
avenging ire2       ,or ,job's pathetic 
plaint and wailing cry2         ,or rapt
 ,isaiah's wild seraphic fire2     ,or  
other holy seers that tune the sacred   
lyre4        ,perhaps the ,christian    
volume is the theme3         ,how       
guiltless blood for guilty man was shed1
       ,how ,he who bore in ,heaven the 
second name1         ,had 'not on earth 

whereon to lay his head2'       ,how his
 first followers and servants sped2     
,the precepts sage they wrote to many a 
land3       ,how he who lone in ,patmos 
banished1         ,saw in the sun a     
mighty angel stand2     ,and heard great
 ,babylon's doom pronounced by ,heaven's
 command4        ,then kneeling down to 
,heaven's eternal ,king1         ,the   
saint1 the father1 and the husband      
prays1       ,hope springs exulting on  
triumphant wing1         ,that thus they
 all shall meet in future days3         
,there ever bask in uncreated rays1     
,no more to sigh or shed the bitter     
tear1       ,together hymning their     
,creator's praise1         ,in such     
society1 yet still more dear2     ,while
 circling time moves round in an eternal
 sphere4        ,compared with this how 
poor religion's pride1         ,in all  
the pomp of method and of art1          
,when men display to congregations wide1
         ,devotion's every grace except 
the heart2       ,the ,power incensed   

the pageant will desert1         ,the   
pompous strain1 the sacerdotal stole2   
,but haply in some cottage far apart1   
,may hear well pleased the language of  
the soul1     ,and in ,his book of life 
the inmates poor enroll4  ,footnote #d3 
,withered cheeks4  ,these are the       
elements of a people's greatness4 ,these
 are the perennial sources of their ruth
 and loyalty1 their freedom and virtue4 
,these guard the domestic graces1 these 
bind the commonwealth in holy and       
enduring bands4 ,better than splendid   
mausoleums and gorgeous temples1 better 
than costly altars and a pompous ritual1
 better than organ blasts and rolling   
incense1 better by far than mass and    
breviary1 confessional and priestly     
absolution6 ,for while the most imposing
 forms of ,religion are often heartless 
and dead1 these sacred rites of a       
,christianity pure and practical1 ever  
possess a vital power1--a power to      
quicken and save4        ,from scenes   
like these auld ,scotia's grandeur      

springs1         ,that makes her loved  
at home1 revered abroad2       ,princes 
and lords are but the breath of kings1  
',an honest man's the noblest work of   
,god4'             99       99       99 
99       99        ,o ,scotia6 my dear1 
my native soil6         ,for whom my    
warmest wish to heaven is sent1         
,long may thy hardy sons of rustic toil1
         ,be blest with health and peace
 and sweet content6       ,and oh1 may  
,heaven their simple lives prevent      
,from luxury's contagion1 weak and vile6
       ,then howe'er crowns and coronets
 be rent1         ,a virtuous populace  
may rise the while1     ,and stand a    
wall of fire around their much loved    
,isle4  ,but we have dwelt long enough  
on general topics4 ,if the reader will  
accompany us1 we will ramble together in
 some particular scenes1 meditating1 as 
we go1 on things new and old1 and       
chatting1 in lively or in sombre mood1  
as the humor may seize us4 ,first of all
 then1 let us visit ,auld ,reekie1 as   

the inhabitants often call it1 or more  
classically1 the modern ,athens1 the    
beautiful and far famed metropolis of   
,scotland4     ,,chapter ,,ii4          
,the city of ,edinburgh--,views from    
,arthur's ,seat--,the ,poems of         
,richard ,gall--,farewell to            
,ayrshire--,arthur's ,seat1 a           
,poem--,extracts--,craigmillar          
,castle--,the ,forth1 ,roslin ,castle   
and      the ,pentland ,hills--,liberty4
   ,we will enter the city on the west  
side1 as if we were coming from         
,glasgow1 pass through ,prince's        
,street1 with its elegant buildings and 
fine promenades1 skirting that enclosure
 of walks and shrubbery1 just under the 
frowning battlements of the ,castle1 and
 adorned with the superb statue of ,sir 
,walter ,scott1 rising rapidly to its   
completion2 then turn the corner at     
right-angles1 cross the ,north ,bridge1 
enter ,high ,street1 and thence plunge  
down the hill into the old ,canongate2  
and without waiting to look at the      

,heart of ,midlothian1 or even the      
beautiful ruins of ,holyrood ,house1 at 
the foot of the hill1 let us turn to the
 right1 and climb the rocky sides of    
,arthur's ,seat with its summit of      
verdure overlooking the city and the    
neighboring country4 ,for there the     
whole panorama of the city will spread  
itself before us1 surrounded with       
magnificent scenery1 stretching far and 
wide from the ,pentland ,hills on the   
one side to the ,firth of ,forth on the 
other1 from ,stirling ,castle on the    
west to the ,german ,ocean on the east4 
,here we are then1 on the very highest  
point of the mountain1 with the warm    
sunshine around us1 tempered as it is by
 the fresh westlin wind1 at once so     
sweet and bland4 ,aye1 aye6 this is     
beautiful6 ,what a landscape6 ,how      
varied and yet how harmonious6 ,not only
 beautiful exceedingly1 but ineffably   
grand and striking6 ,beneath us is the  
fine old city--new and old at the same  
time1 lying nearly square1 with its     

lofty buildings and elegant monuments1  
handsome parks and green shrubberies4   
,to the left is the older part of the   
city1 rising gradually from the palace  
of ,holyrood at our feet1 and crowned by
 the ,castle1 which is built upon a     
granite rock1 whose rough sides1        
terminating abruptly to the north and   
west1 hang over ,prince's ,street and   
the lower part of the city4      ,there 
watching high the least alarms1         
,thy rough rude fortress gleams afar2   
,like some bold veteran gray in arms    
,and pierced with many a seamy scar3    
,the ponderous wall and massy bar1      
,grim rising o'er the rugged rock2      
,have oft withstood assailing war1      
,and oft repelled the invader's         
shock4--,burns4  ,before us and         
stretching away towards the ,forth and  
the city of ,leith is the new town1     
surmounted on this side by the ,calton  
,hill1 on which stand the monuments of  
,dugald ,stewart and ,admiral ,nelson1  
the unfinished ,parthenon1 and the      

monument of ,robert ,burns1--beautiful  
and imposing objects1 reminding us of   
the ,acropolis of ,athens1 and affording
 fine relief to the long ranges of      
smooth and polished buildings beyond4   
,behind us are the ,pentland ,hills with
 their verdant slopes and historic      
recollections4 ,to the right lie the    
city and bay of ,leith1 the ,piraeus of 
,edinburgh1 the long winding shore in   
the direction of ,portobello1 and the   
dark blue deep of the ocean1 studded    
with white sails1 glistening in the     
summer radiance4 ,to the north1 at a    
distance of a few miles1 you see the    
majestic ,firth of ,forth1 and beyond1  
in cultur'd beauty1 the ,kingdom of     
,fife1 with the distant range of the    
,ochil and ,campsie hills4 ,from this   
point also you can see1 at a distance of
 some three miles1 the gray ruins of    
,craigmillar ,castle1 famous in the     
annals of ,scotland1 as the residence of
 ,queen ,mary1 and the scene of those   
secret machinations1 which ended in the 

tragedy of ,holyrood2 ,inch ,keith with 
its lofty lighthouse2 the isle of ,may1 
once consecrated to ,st4 ,adrian1 and on
 which stands another star of hope to   
the mariner2 and old ,inchcolm1 famous  
for its ancient convent founded by ,st4 
,colomba1 one of the patron saints of   
,scotland4 ,how gloriously1 light and   
shade1 land and ocean1 park and         
woodland1 old castles and hoary ruins1  
frowning rocks and smiling meadows      
mingle and blend in this rare and       
magnificent landscape4      ,traced like
 a map the landscape lies       ,in     
cultur'd beauty stretching wide2        
,there ,pentland's green acclivities1   
,there ocean1 with its azure tide2      
,there ,arthur's ,seat1 and gleaming    
through     ,thy southern wing ,dun     
,edin blue6     ,while in the orient1   
,lammer's daughters1       ,a distant   
giant range are seen1       ,north      
,berwick ,law1 with cone of green1      
,and ,bass amid the waters4    ,delta4#e
  ,footnote #e3 ,supposed to be ,dr4    

,moir4  ,here you can easily understand 
the reason why ,edinburgh has been      
thought to resemble the city of ,athens4
 ,mr4 ,stuart1 author of the            
,antiquities of ,athens1 was the first  
to call attention to this fact1 and his 
opinion has often been confirmed since4 
,dr4 ,clarke remarks that the           
neighborhood of ,athens is just the     
,highlands of ,scotland1 enriched with  
the splendid remains of art4 ,another   
acute observer states that the distant  
view of ,athens from the ,aegean ,sea is
 extremely like that of ,edinburgh from 
the ,firth of ,forth1 though1 he adds1  
certainly the latter is considerably    
superior4 ,the resemblance1 says ,j4 ,g4
 ,kohl1 the celebrated ,german          
traveller1 is indeed very striking4     
,athens1 like ,edinburgh1 was a city of 
hills and valleys1 and its ,ilissus was 
probably not much larger than the ,water
 of ,leith4 ,athens1 like ,edinburgh1   
was an inland town1 and had its harbor1 
,piraeus1 on the sea-coast4 ,the        

mountains near ,edinburgh very much     
resemble those near ,athens4 ,i have    
little doubt1 however1 that ,athens is  
more honored by being compared to       
,edinburgh1 than ,edinburgh to ,athens2 
for it is probable that the scenery and 
position of the ,northern are more grand
 and striking in their beauty1 than     
those of the ,southern ,athens4  ,by the
 way there is a beautiful poem in the   
,scottish dialect1 entitled ,arthur's   
,seat1 written by ,richard ,gall1 a     
young man of great promise1 the friend  
and correspondent of ,burns4 ,he        
struggled with poverty1 and like        
,fergusson and ,michael ,bruce1 was cut 
off prematurely1 but not before he had  
written some exquisite poems1 in the    
style of ,burns1 whom he greatly        
admired4 ,he was contemporary with the  
unfortunate but gifted ,tannahill of    
,paisley1 and possessed a kindred taste 
in song writing4#f ,his ,farewell to    
,ayrshire1 commencing--      ,scenes of 
woe and scenes of pleasure1             

,scenes that former thoughts renew2     
,scenes of woe and scenes of pleasure1  
,now a sad and last adieu6     ,bonnie  
,doon sae sweet at gloaming1       ,fare
 thee weel before ,i gang--     ,bonnie 
,doon where early roaming1       ,first 
,i weaved the rustic sang--  has been   
often printed1 on account of its        
locality and associations1 as the       
composition of ,burns4 ,he is doubtless 
greatly inferior to ,burns1 and not     
quite equal to ,bruce or even           
,tannahill1 but his verses possess great
 sweetness1 and contain some graphic and
 beautiful descriptions4 ,this is the   
case especially1 with ,arthur's ,seat1  
his longest and most elaborate poem4 ,as
 its sketches of scenery in and around  
,edinburgh1 are at once accurate and    
pleasing1 and as it is entirely unknown 
in ,america1 we will take the liberty of
 quoting some of its finest passages4   
,footnote #f3 ,tannahill was a weaver in
 ,paisley4 ,he excelled in song writing4
 ,under the pressure of poverty and deep

 depression of spirits he committed     
suicide4  ,gazing from ,arthur's ,seat1 
the poet invokes the genius of ,burns-- 
,to sing ilk bonny bushy bower1         
,adorned with many a wild-born flower2  
,ilk burnie singing through the vale1   
,where blooming hawthorns scent the     
gale2     ,and ilka sweet that nature   
yields1     ,in meadow wild or cultur'd 
fields2     ,the cultur'd fields where  
towering strang     ,the sturdy aik his 
shadows flang2     ,where lonely ,druids
 wont to rove1     ,the mystic tenants  
of the grove4  ,he aptly and strikingly 
interweaves historical and poetical     
allusions4 ,the following contains a    
fine contrast1 and a striking           
description of the ruins of ,craigmillar
 ,castle1 in the vicinity of ,edinburgh4
      ,yes1 ,,arthur1 round thy velvet  
chair1     ,ilk chequered picture       
blushes fair1     ,and mixed with       
nature's landscape green1     ,the      
varied works o' art are seen4     ,here 
starts the splendid dome to view1       

,mang sylvan haunts o' vernal hue2      
,there some auld lanely pile appears1   
,the mouldering wreck o' former years1  
,whose tottering wa' nae mair can stand 
,before fell ,time's resistless hand2   
,sic as ,craigmillar's ,castle gray1    
,that now fa's crumbling to decay1      
,a prey to ilka blast that blaws        
,an' whistles through its royal ha's--  
,where mirth ance burst with joyfu'     
sound     ,and melting music rang       
around1     ,ah6 there dull gloomy      
silence reigns1     ,the mossy grass    
creeps o'er the stanes1     ,and howlets
 loud at e'enin's fa'1     ,rejoice upon
 the ruined wa'4  ,craigmillar ,castle  
naturally suggests the name of the      
beautiful and unfortunate ,mary1 ,queen 
of ,scots1 who once resided within its  
lordly but now forsaken halls4 ,the poet
 therefore breaks out into the following
 animated and pathetic strains1 which1  
it has been said1 will bear a comparison
 with ,mr4 ,burke's celebrated rhapsody 
on the unfortunate ,queen of ,france4   

,there was a time when woman's charms   
,could fire the warlike world of arms1  
,and breed sic wae to auld and young1   
,as ,helen wept and ,homer sung1        
,but ,mary o' ilk stay bereft1          
,misfortune's luckless child was left2  
,nae guileless friend to stem her grief1
     ,the bursting sigh her whole       
relief4--     ,o ye whose brave         
forefathers bled1     ,and oft the rage 
of battle led1     ,wha rushing o'er the
 crimson field1     ,at ,bannockburn    
made ,edward yield2     ,ye wha still   
led by glory's flame1     ,make terror  
mix wi' ,scotia's name--     ,where     
slept your dauntless valor keen         
,when danger met your injured ,queen8   
,his descriptions of the ,forth and the 
neighboring regions1 of the ,pentland   
hills1 and the scenery of the ,esk1 are 
strikingly beautiful4      ,what varied 
scenes1 what prospects dear     ,in     
chequer'd landscape still appear6       
,what rural sweets profusely thrang     
,the flowery ,links of ,forth alang1    

,o'er whose proud shivering surface blue
     ,fife's woods and spires begirt the
 view2     ,where ,ceres gilds the      
fertile plain     ,an' richly waves the 
yellow grain1     ,an' ,lomond hill wi' 
misty showers1     ,aft weets auld      
,falkland's royal towers1     ,nor      
distant far1 upon the ear     ,the      
popling ,leven wimples clear1     ,whose
 ruined pile and glassy lake     ,shall 
live in sang for ,mary's sake4#g        
99       99       99       99       99  
,return fond muse frae haunts sae fair1 
,to ,lothian's shore return ance mair1  
,and let thy lyre be sweetly strung1    
,for peerless ,esk remains unsung4      
,romantic stream1 what sweets combine   
,to deck ilk bank and bower o' thine6   
,for now the sun1 wi' cheerfu' rays     
,glows soft o'er a' thy woody braes1    
,where mony a native wild flower's seen1
     ,mang birks and briars1 and ivy    
green1     ,an' a' the woodland chorists
 sing     ,or gleesome flit on wanton   
wing1     ,save where the lintie        

mournfully     ,sabs sair 'aneath the   
rowan tree1     ,to see her nest and    
young ones a'     ,by thoughtless reaver
 borne awa4'             99       99    
99       99       99      ,what         
saftening thoughts resistless start1    
,and pour their influence o'er the      
heart2     ,what mingling scenes around 
appear     ,to musing meditation dear1  
,when wae we tent fair grandeur fa'     
,by ,roslin's ruined ,castle wa'6#h     
,o what is pomp8 and what is power8     
,the silly phantoms of an hour6     ,sae
 loudly ance from ,roslin's brow#i      
,the martial trump of grandeur blew1    
,while steel-clad vassals wont to wait  
,their chieftain at the portalled gate2 
,and maidens fair1 in vestments gay1    
,bestrewed wi' flowers the warrior's    
way4     ,but now1 ah me6 how changed   
the scene6     ,nae trophied ha'1 nae   
towers remain2     ,nae torches bleeze  
wi' gladsome light1     ,a guiding star 
in dead o' night2     ,nae voice is     
heard1 save tinkling rill1     ,that    

echoes from the distant hill4  ,footnote
 #g3 ,the reference here is to the      
residence1 or rather imprisonment of    
,mary in ,lochleven ,castle4  ,footnote 
#h3 ,roslin ,castle1 on the banks of the
 ,esk1 about seven miles from           
,edinburgh4  ,footnote #i3 ,brow1 in    
,scotland1 is often pronounced as if    
spelt brue4  ,how exquisite1 and how    
entirely and peculiarly ,scottish is the
 following3      ,now tent the          
,pentlands westlin's seen1              
,o'erspread wi' flowery pastures green2 
,where1 stretching wide1 the fleecy     
ewes#aj     ,run bleating round the     
sunny knowes1     ,and mony a little    
silver rill     ,steals gurgling down   
its mossy hill2     ,and vernal green is
 ilka tree     ,on bonny braes o'       
,woodhouselee4  ,footnote #aj3 ,ewes1   
pronounced as if it were yowes4  ,the   
genius of ,scotland is one of freedom1  
of independent thought1 and unfettered  
action in matters civil and religious4  
,this produced the ,reformation2 this   

generated the recent secession from the 
',kirk2' this characterizes the         
literature of the nation4 ,we cannot1   
therefore1 refrain from making one more 
quotation1 which breathes the lofty     
spirit of freedom3      ,alas6 sic      
objects to behold1     ,brings back the 
glorious days of old1     ,when         
,scotia's daring gallant train1         
,that ever spurned a tyrant's chain1    
,for dearest independence bled1     ,and
 nobly filled their gory bed--     ,so  
o'er yon mountains stretching lang1     
,their shields the sons of ,freedom     
rang1     ,when ,rome's ambition wild1  
burst forth1     ,an' roused the        
warriors of the north1     ,when        
,,calgach urged his dauntless train1    
,and freedom rush'd through ilka vein1  
,and close they met the haughty foe1    
,and laid fu' mony a tyrant low2     ,as
 fierce they fought1 like freemen a'1   
,oh6 glorious fought--yet fought to fa'6
     ,they fell1 and thou sweet         
,,liberty1     ,frae ,grampia's         

blood-stained heights did flee1     ,and
 fixed thy seat remote1 serene1         
,mang ,caledonia's mountains green4     
,fair ,maid6 ,o may thy saftest smile   
,for ever cheer my native isle6         
,,chapter ,,iii4       ,walk to the     
,castle--,the old ,wynds and their      
,occupants--,regalia of                 
,scotland--,storming of the             
,castle--,views from its                
,summit--,heriot's                      
,hospital--,other ,hospitals--,st4      
,giles's ,cathedral--,changes--,the     
,spirit of ,protestantism4   ,let us now
 descend into the city4 ,we will not    
linger long in old ,holyrood ,palace1   
interesting as it is1 nor dwell upon the
 stains of ,rizzio's blood in ,queen    
,mary's room1 as these have been        
described a thousand times1 and are     
familiar to every one4 ,neither will we 
spend time in gazing upon the spot where
 once stood that quaint old gaol1 called
 ,the ,heart of ,midlothian1 made       
classic by the pen of ,scott1 in the    

beautiful story of ,jeanie ,deans4      
,neither will we visit the old          
,parliament ,house and the ,advocates'  
,library2 but we will pass right up     
through ,high ,street1 amid those       
colossal buildings1 rising1 on either   
side1 to the height of six1 seven1 and  
even eight and ten stories1 swarming    
with inhabitants2 and dive into one or  
two of those close1 dark wynds1 where   
reside1 in countless multitudes1 the    
poorest and most vicious of the people4 
,here1 it must be confessed1 are some   
strange sights and appalling noises4    
,yet it is not quite so bad as some have
 represented it4 ,all large cities have 
their poor and vicious inhabitants1 and 
although those of the ,scottish         
metropolis are tolerably dirty and      
vastly degraded1 they bear no comparison
 to the lazzaroni of ,naples and the    
beggars of ,rome4 ,some of the streets  
and wynds are narrow enough and vile    
enough1 but they contain1 after all1    
many worthy people1 who own a ,bible1   

and read it too2 and were you only to   
become thoroughly acquainted with them1 
you would be surprised to find how much 
of honesty and kindly affection still   
dwell in their hearts4 ,in ancient times
 the houses in these very closes or     
wynds were inhabited by the nobility and
 gentry4 ,hence ,grey's ,close1         
,morrison's ,close1 ,stewart's ,close1  
c4 ,they built their houses in these    
narrow streets in order to be more      
secure from the attacks of their        
enemies1 and to be the better able to   
defend the principal thoroughfares into 
which they opened4 ,in ,blythe's ,close 
may be seen the remains of the palace of
 the ,queen ,regent1 ,mary of ,guise4   
,in another stand the old houses of the 
,earls of ,gosford and ,moray4 ,one of  
the largest old palaces is now inhabited
 by beggars and rats4  ,it would be a   
great improvement if these miserable    
dwellings could be removed1 and replaced
 by better streets and houses2 a still  
greater one1 if the people could only be

 induced to abandon the use of whiskey1 
for then they would abandon their hovels
 as a matter of course4 ,their besetting
 sin is the love of strong drink1 though
 this has been gradually diminishing for
 the last few years throughout          
,scotland4 ,it is to be hoped that the  
pious and moral portion of the community
 will unite in a strong effort to       
reclaim this degraded class of their    
fellow-townsmen1 and that the time will 
speedily come when the only reproach    
which rests upon their fair fame shall  
be wholly obliterated4  ,but let us     
leave this region1 the only unpleasant  
one in the whole of this magnificent    
city1 and ascend to the old ,castle1    
where we shall see the ,regalia of      
,scotland1 preserved in a little room at
 the top of the ,castle4 ,these regalia 
consist of the crown of ,robert ,bruce  
the hero of ,bannockburn1 the sceptre of
 ,james the ,fifth1 a sword presented by
 ,pope ,julius the ,second to ,james the
 ,sixth1 and other articles of inferior 

note4 ,it is somewhat singular that the 
,regalia should have lain concealed from
 #agde to the year #ahah4 ,at the time  
of the ,union in #agjg between ,england 
and ,scotland1 they were walled up by   
some ,scottish patriots1 in order to    
prevent their being removed to ,london4 
,what recollections of the stormy but   
glorious history of ,scotland cluster   
around the mind1 while gazing at that   
antique-looking crown which adorned the 
head of the ,bruces and the ill-fated   
,mary4 ,the freedom and prosperity now  
enjoyed by the nation had a gloomy and  
tempestuous birth4 ,their very religion1
 placid and beautiful now1 was cradled  
amid the war of elements and the shock  
of battle4 ,but1 thanks to ,god1 it is  
all the purer and stronger for its rough
 and tempestuous youth4  ,draw near to  
the edge of that battlement1 and look   
down over the frowning rock4 ,would it  
be possible1 think you1 to storm the    
,castle from that side8 ,one would      
suppose it beyond the power of man4 ,it 

has been done1 however1 and the         
circumstance illustrates the spirit of  
hardihood and enterprise which has ever 
distinguished the people of ,scotland4  
,in the year #acac1 when the ,castle was
 in the possession of the ,english1     
,randolph1 ,earl of ,moray1 was one day 
surveying the gigantic rock1 when he was
 accosted by one of his men at arms with
 the question1 ,do you think it         
impracticable1 my lord8 ,randolph turned
 his eyes upon the speaker1 a man a     
little past the prime of life1 but of a 
firm well-knit figure1 and bearing in   
his keen eye and open forehead marks of 
intrepidity which had already gained him
 distinction in the ,scottish army4 ,do 
you mean the rock1 ,francis8 said the   
,earl2 perhaps not1 if we could borrow  
the wings of our gallant hawks4#aa      
,footnote #aa3 ,we give the version of  
,leitch ,ritchie1 who has thrown the    
facts into the form of a dialogue1 and  
given a false name to the hero2         
otherwise the narration is entirely     

authentic4  ,there are wings1 replied   
,francis1 with a thoughtful smile1 as   
strong1 as buoyant1 and as daring4 ,my  
father was keeper of yonder fortress4   
,what of that8 ,you speak in riddles4   
,i was then young1 reckless1            
high-hearted3 ,i was screwed up in that 
convent-like castle2 my sweetheart was  
in the plain below--  ,well1 what then8 
',sdeath1 my lord1 can you not imagine  
that ,i speak of the wings of love8     
,every night ,i descended that steep at 
the witching hour1 and every morning    
before the dawn ,i crept back to my     
barracks4 ,i constructed a light        
twelve-foot ladder1 by means of which ,i
 was able to pass the places that are   
perpendicular2 and so well1 at length1  
did ,i become acquainted with the route1
 that in the darkest and stormiest      
night1 ,i found my way as easily as when
 the moonlight enabled me to see my love
 in the distance waiting for me at the  
cottage door4  ,you are a daring1       
desperate1 noble fellow1 ,francis6      

,however1 your motive is now gone2 your 
mistress--  ,she is dead2 say no more2  
but another has taken her place4  ,ay1  
ay1 it's the soldier's way4 ,women will 
die or even grow old2 and what are we to
 do8 ,come1 who is your mistress now8   
,,my ,,country6 ,what ,i have done for  
love1 ,i can do again for honor2 and    
what ,i can accomplish1 you1 noble      
,randolph1 and many of our comrades can 
do far better4 ,give me thirty picked   
men1 and a twelve-foot ladder1 and the  
fortress is our own6  ,the ,earl of     
,moray1 whatever his real thoughts of   
the enterprise might have been1 was not 
the man to refuse such a challenge4 ,a  
ladder was provided1 and thirty men     
chosen from the troops2 and in the      
middle of a dark night1 the party1      
commanded by ,randolph himself1 and     
guided by ,william ,francis1 set forth  
on their desperate enterprise4  ,by     
catching at crag after crag1 and digging
 their fingers into the interstices of  
the rocks1 they succeeded in mounting a 

considerable way2 but the weather was   
now so thick1 they could receive but    
little assistance from their eyes2 and  
thus they continued to climb1 almost in 
utter darkness1 like men struggling up a
 precipice in the night-mare4 ,they at  
length reached a shelving table of the  
cliff1 above which the ascent1 for ten  
or twelve feet1 was perpendicular2 and  
having fixed their ladder1 the whole    
party lay down to recover breath4  ,from
 this place they could hear the tread   
and voices of the 'check watches1' or   
patrol1 above2 and1 surrounded by the   
perils of such a moment1 it is not      
wonderful that some illusions may have  
mingled with their thoughts4 ,they even 
imagined that they were seen from the   
battlements1 although1 being themselves 
unable to see the warders1 this was     
highly improbable4 ,it became evident1  
notwithstanding1 from the words they    
caught here and there in the pauses of  
the night-wind1 that the conversation of
 the ,english soldiers above related to 

a surprise of the ,castle2 and at length
 these appalling words broke like       
thunder on their ears3 ',stand6 ,i see  
you well6' ,a fragment of the rock was  
hurled down at the same instant2 and as 
rushing from crag to crag it bounded    
over their heads1 ,randolph and his     
brave followers1 in this wild1 helpless1
 and extraordinary situation1 felt the  
damp of mortal terror gathering upon    
their brow1 as they clung with a        
death-grip to the precipice4  ,the      
startled echoes of the rock were at     
length silent1 and so were the voices   
above4 ,the adventurers paused1         
listening breathless2 no sound was heard
 but the sighing of the wind1 and the   
measured tread of the sentinel who had  
resumed his walk4 ,the men thought they 
were in a dream1 and no wonder2 for the 
incident just mentioned1 which is       
related by ,barbour1 was one of the most
 singular coincidences that ever        
occurred4 ,the shout of the sentinel and
 the missile he had thrown1 were merely 

a boyish freak2 and while listening to  
the echoes of the rock1 he had not the  
smallest idea that the sounds which gave
 pleasure to him carried terror and     
almost despair into the hearts of the   
enemy4  ,the adventurers1 half uncertain
 whether they were not the victims of   
some illusion1 determined that it was as
 safe to go on as to turn back2 and     
pursuing their laborious and dangerous  
path1 they at length reached the bottom 
of the wall4 ,this last barrier they    
scaled by means of their ladder2 and    
leaping down among the astonished       
check-watches1 they cried their war-cry1
 and in the midst of answering shouts of
 'treason6 treason6' notwithstanding the
 desperate resistance of the garrison1  
captured the ,castle of ,edinburgh4     
,sit down here on the edge of this      
parapet4 ,that huge cannon there is     
called ,mons ,meg1 from being cast at   
,mons1 in ,flanders1 and reminds us1    
somewhat significantly1 of the terrible 
use to which all the arrangements of the

 ,castle are applied4#ab ,how singular1 
that men have to be governed and        
controlled like bull-dogs1 that castles 
and dungeons1 halters1 and cannon1 are  
necessary to keep them from stealing    
each other's property1 or cutting each  
other's throats6 ,surely mankind have   
ills enough to bear without turning upon
 each other like tigers4  ,footnote #ab3
 ,at present it is used as a barracks   
for soldiers and a magazine of arms4    
,many and sharp the numerous ills1      
,inwoven with our frame6     ,more      
pointed still we make ourselves1        
,regret1 remorse1 and shame2     ,and   
man1 whose heaven-erected face          
,the smiles of love adorn1     ,man's   
inhumanity to man       ,makes countless
 thousands mourn4      ,,burns4  ,but   
all is quiet now4 ,the tendency of the  
times is to peace2 and ,edinburgh       
,castle1 ,mons ,meg1 and the whole array
 of cannon bristling over the precipice1
 are but objects of natural curiosity or
 of poetical interest4  ,do you see     

yonder turreted building1 with high     
pointed gables and castellated walls1 in
 the ,elizabethan style1 just beyond the
 ,grass ,market4 ,that is ,george       
,heriot's ,hospital1 one of the proudest
 monuments of the city1 and one of the  
most beautiful symbols of its peaceful  
prosperity4 ,it was founded by the rich 
and benevolent ,george ,heriot1 jeweller
 to ,king ,james the ,sixth1 ,jingling  
,geordie1 as he is quaintly termed in   
the ,fortunes of ,nigel4 ,it is of vast 
extent1 as you perceive1 and presents a 
good specimen of the mixed style of     
architecture prevalent in the days of   
,queen ,mary4 ,the object of this noble 
institution is the maintenance and      
education of poor and fatherless boys1  
or of boys in indigent circumstances1   
freemen's sons of the town of           
,edinburgh4 ,of these1 one hundred and  
eighty receive ample board and education
 within its walls4 ,by this means they  
are thoroughly prepared for the active  
business of life1 each receiving at his 

dismissal a ,bible1 and other useful    
books1 with two suits of clothes chosen 
by himself4 ,those going out as         
apprentices are allowed #ej per annum   
for five years1 and #be at the          
termination of their apprenticeship4    
,boys of superior scholarship are       
permitted to stay longer in the         
institution1 and are fitted for college4
 ,for this purpose they receive #aej per
 annum1 for four years4 ,connected with 
this institution are seven free schools1
 in the different parishes of the city1 
for the support of which its surplus    
funds are applied4 ,in these upwards of 
two thousand children receive a good    
common school education4 ,the girls1 in 
addition to the ordinary branches1 are  
taught knitting and sewing4  ,in        
addition to these provisions for the    
education of the poor1 there are also   
ten bursaries1 or university            
scholarships1 open to the competition of
 young men1 not connected with the      
institution4 ,the successful candidates 

receive #ajj per annum for four years4  
,no wonder that ,sir ,walter ,scott felt
 authorized to put into the mouth of the
 princely founder of these charities the
 striking sentiment3 ,i think mine own  
estate and memory1 as ,i shall order it1
 has a fair chance of outliving those of
 greater men4  ,edinburgh abounds in    
charitable hospitals1 and particularly  
in free educational institutions1 in the
 support of which the citizens evince a 
laudable enthusiasm4 ,thus1 for example1
 we have ,watson's ,hospital1 the       
,merchant ,maiden's ,hospital1 the      
,trades' ,maiden ,hospital1 ,trinity    
,college ,hospital1 ,cauvin's ,hospital1
 a little out of the city2 ,gillespie's 
,hospital1 ,donaldson's ,hospital1      
,chalmers's ,hospital1 the ,house of    
,refuge1 the ,house of ,industry1 the   
,strangers' ,friend ,society1 the       
,institution for the ,relief of poor old
 ,men1 and another for the ,relief of   
indigent old ,women1 and many others4   
,below us1 on one side of ,high ,street1

 you see the fine old ,gothic ,cathedral
 of ,st4 ,giles4 ,it was founded in the 
twelfth or thirteenth century1 and named
 after ,st4 ,giles1 abbot and confessor1
 and tutelar saint of ,edinburgh in the 
olden time4 ,the ,scottish poet1 ,gavin 
,douglas1 bishop of ,dunkeld1 was       
sometime provost of ,st4 ,giles4 ,he    
translated ,virgil into ,english1 the   
first version of a classic ever made in 
,britain1 and was the author of ,the    
,palace of ,honor1 from which some have 
absurdly supposed that ,john ,bunyan    
borrowed the idea of the ,pilgrim's     
,progress4 ,this edifice is interesting1
 chiefly as connecting the past with the
 present condition of ,scotland1 and    
indicating the mighty transitions       
through which it has passed4 ,in the    
fifteenth century incense ascended from 
forty different altars within its walls2
 now it contains three ,protestant      
places of worship4 ,once it enshrined   
the relics of ,st4 ,giles2 now its      
cemetery contains the body of ,john     

,knox6 ,on the #acth of ,october1 #afdc1
 the solemn ,league and ,covenant was   
sworn to and subscribed within its      
walls1 by the ,committee of the ,estates
 of ,parliament1 the ,commission of the 
,church1 and the ,english ,commission4  
,the sacred vessels and relics which it 
contained1 including the arm-bone of the
 patron saint1 were seized by the       
magistrates of the city1 and the        
proceeds of their sale applied to the   
repairing of the building4 ,puritanism  
has thus often showed itself a rough and
 tempestuous reformer2 nevertheless it  
possesses wonderful vitality1 and has   
conferred upon ,scotland the blessings  
of civil and religious liberty4 ,its    
outer form is often hard and defective1 
and its movements irregular and         
convulsive1 but its inner spirit is ever
 generous and free4 ,its rudeness and   
excess none will approve2 its life1     
energy1 and activity1 all will admire4  
,it came forth1 like a thunder-cloud1   
from the mountains4 ,its quick          

lightning-flashes went crashing amid the
 old images of papal worship4 ,the      
atmosphere of spiritual pollution was   
agitated and purified4 ,upon the parched
 ground fell gentle and refreshing      
showers4 ,the sun of freedom began to   
smile upon hill and valley1 and the     
whole land rejoiced under its placid    
influence4     ,,chapter ,,iv4          
,john ,knox's ,house--,history of the   
,reformer--,his                         
,character--,carlyle's ,view--,testimony
 of ,john ,milton4   ,let us now descend
 from the ,castle1 and1 passing down    
,high ,street1 turn to the left1 at the 
head of the ,nether-bow1 where we shall 
see the house of that stern but glorious
 old reformer1 ,john ,knox4 ,there it   
is1 looking mean enough now among those 
miserable gin-shops1 paint-shops1 and so
 forth2 yet hallowed by the             
recollections of the past4 ,over the    
door is an inscription1 invisible from  
the numerous sign-boards that cover it1 
containing the spirit and essence of    

that lofty ,puritanism which ,knox      
preached3       ,,lufe 4 ,,god 4 ,,above
 4 ,,all 4 ,,and 4 ,,your 4 ,,nichbour 4
 ,,as 4 ,,yourself4  ,in this house     
,knox lived many years2 here also he    
died in holy triumph2 and from that     
little window he is said frequently to  
have addressed the populace4 ,a rude    
stone effigy of the ,reformer may be    
seen at the corner1 and near it1 cut in 
the stone1 the name of ,god1 in ,greek1 
,latin1 and ,english4 ,it is gratifying 
to know that measures have recently been
 taken to erect a monument to ,knox1    
near this spot1 which shall be worthy of
 his memory4  ,the character of ,knox   
has been terribly blackened by heartless
 and infidel historians1 and especially 
by sickly sentimentalists of the ,werter
 school4 ,nevertheless1 he was a        
noble-hearted1 truth-loving1            
sham-hating1 ,god-fearing1              
self-sacrificing man2 a hero in the     
proper sense of the word1 a minister of 
righteousness1 an angel of ,reform4     

,not1 indeed1 a soft1 baby-faced1 puling
 sentimentalist2 but a lofty1           
iron-hearted man1 who never feared the  
face of clay1 and did ,god's will1 in   
spite of devils1 popes1 and kings4 ,his 
history possesses the deepest and most  
romantic interest4 ,it is one of the    
most magnificent passages in ,scottish  
story4 ,bruce battled for a crown2 ,knox
 battled for the truth4 ,both conquered1
 after long toils and struggles2 and    
conquered mainly by the might of their  
single arm4 ,but the glory which        
irradiates the head of the ,reformer far
 outshines that of the hero of          
,bannockburn1 for the latter is earthly 
and evanescent2 the former celestial and
 immortal4  ,john ,knox was born in     
,haddington1 not far from ,edinburgh1 of
 poor but honest parents1 in the year   
#aeje2 grew up in solitude2 was destined
 for the church2 received a thorough    
collegiate education2 became an honest  
friar2 wore the monk's cowl for many    
years2 adopted silently and             

unostentatiously the principles of the  
,protestant ,reformation2 spent much of 
his time in teaching1 and in the        
prosecution of liberal studies1 of which
 he was considered a master2 was        
suddenly and unexpectedly called1 at    
,st4 ,andrews1 by the unanimous voice of
 his brethren1 to the preaching of the  
,word1 and the defence of their         
religious liberties2 after a brief      
struggle with himself yielded to the    
call1 nobly threw himself into the      
breach1 at the hazard of his life1      
attacked ,papal idolatry with unsparing 
vigor1 was seized by the authorities1   
and sent a prisoner to ,france in #aedg1
 where he worked in the galleys as a    
slave1 but evermore maintaining his     
lofty courage and cheerful hope2 was set
 at liberty two years afterwards2       
preached in ,england in the time of     
,edward the ,sixth2 refused a bishopric 
from the best of kings2 retired to the  
continent at the accession of ,mary1    
residing chiefly at ,geneva and         

,frankfort2 returned to ,scotland in    
#aeee2 labored with indomitable         
perseverance to establish               
,protestantism2 rebuked the great for   
immorality1 profaneness and rapacity1   
and succeeded in greatly strengthening  
the cause of truth and freedom4 ,at the 
earnest solicitation of the ,english    
congregation in ,geneva1 he went thither
 a second time2 there he published ,the 
,first ,blast of the ,trumpet against   
the ,monstrous ,regiment 7,government7  
of ,women1 directed principally against 
,mary1 ,queen of ,england1 and ,mary of 
,guise1 ,regent of ,scotland1 two       
narrow-minded miserable despots2        
returned to ,scotland in #aeei2         
continued his exertions in behalf of    
,christ's truth2 did much to establish  
common schools2 finally saw             
,protestantism triumphant in ,scotland2 
and died in #aegb1 so poor that his     
family had scarce sufficient to bury    
him1 but with the universal love and    
homage of his countrymen1 a conscience  

void of offence1 and a hope full of     
immortality4 ,he had a sore fight of an 
existence2 wrestling with popes and     
principalities2 in defeat1 contention1  
life-long struggle2 rowing as a         
galley-slave1 wandering as an exile4 ,a 
sore fight1 but he won it4 ',have you   
hope8' they asked him in his last moment
 when he could no longer speak4 ,he     
lifted his finger1 'pointed upwards with
 his finger1' and so died4 ,honor to    
him6 ,his works have not died4 ,the     
letter of his work dies1 as of all      
men's2 but the spirit of it never4#ac   
,footnote #ac3 ,carlyle--,hero ,worship1
 p4 #agd4  ,knox has been much abused   
for his violent treatment of ,queen     
,mary4 ,his addresses and appeals to her
 have been characterized as impudent and
 cruel2 but1 thoroughly inspected1 they 
will be found the reverse4 ,strong and  
startling they were1 but neither        
impudent nor cruel4 ,doubtless they fell
 upon her ear like the tones of some old
 prophet1 sternly rebuking sin1 or      

vindicating the rights of ,god4 ,mary   
was a woman of matchless beauty2 and had
 she been educated differently1 might   
have blessed the world with the mild    
lustre of her ,scottish reign2 but she  
was the dupe of bad counsels1 in spirit 
and practice a despot1 the plaything of 
passion1 and the reckless opposer of the
 best interests of her country4 ,her    
beauty and sufferings have shed a false 
lustre over her character2 above all1   
have aided in concealing the terrible   
stain of infidelity to her marriage     
vows1 and the implied murder of her     
wretched husband1 charges which her     
apologists can extenuate1 but not deny4 
,but1 forsooth1 it is an insufferable   
thing for a plain honest-hearted man    
like ,john ,knox to tell the truth to   
such an one6 ,she was young1 beautiful1 
fascinating2 and however recklessly1    
madly1 ruinously wrong1 he must not     
advise her--above all1 must not warn    
her6 ,now1 such a notion may possibly   
commend itself to your absolute         

gentlemen1 of very soft society1 full of
 most excellent differences and great   
showing2 indeed1 to speak feelingly of  
them1 who are the card and calendar of  
gentry2 but it cannot be imposed upon   
our plain common sense4 ,mary was a     
queen1 however1 and ,john ,knox a poor  
plebeian6 ,aye1 aye6 that is a          
difficulty6 ,kings and queens may do    
what they please4 ,the people are made  
for them1 not they for the people4 ,and 
sure enough it is a vulgar thing to     
oppose them in their ambitious schemes1 
or to tell them the honest truth        
be-times6 ,poor ,john ,knox6 thou must  
fall down and worship a painted bredd   
after all4 ,a beautiful queen must be   
spared1 if ,scotland should perish4 ,but
 looking at the matter from the free    
atmosphere of ,new ,england1 we maintain
 that ,john ,knox was of higher rank    
than ,mary ,queen of ,scots4 ,he was    
more true1 more heroic1 more kingly1    
than all the race of the ,stuarts4 ,he  
had a right1 in ,god's name1 to speak   

the truth1 to reprove1 rebuke1 and      
exhort1 with all long-suffering4 ,hence1
 though his words were stern and        
appalling1 they were uttered with a kind
 and generous intention4 ,madame1 said  
,knox1 when he saw ,mary burst into     
tears from vexation and grief1 in ,god's
 presence ,i speak2 ,i never delighted  
in the weeping of any of ,god's         
creatures1 yea1 ,i can scarcely well    
abide the tears of mine own boys1 when  
mine own hands correct them1 much less  
can ,i rejoice in your ,majesty's       
weeping2 but seeing ,i have offered unto
 you no just occasion to be offended1 ,i
 must sustain your ,majesty's tears1    
rather than ,i dare hurt my conscience1 
or betray the commonwealth by silence4  
,yes1 he was a stern old puritan1 a lion
 of a man1 who made terrible havoc among
 the painted bredds of ,popery1 and     
turned back the fury of wild barons and 
persecuting priests4 ,his single voice1 
says ,randolph1 could put more life into
 a host than six hundred blustering     

trumpets4 ,single handed1 he met the    
rage of a disappointed government and an
 infuriated priesthood1 and conquered by
 the silent might of his magnanimous    
audacity4 ,in the wildest whirl of      
contending emotion1 he never lost sight 
of the great end of his being1 as a     
servant of ,god1 nor swerved a hair's   
breadth from truth and right4  ,yet this
 stern old ,covenanter was not without a
 touch of gentleness and even of        
hilarity4 ,he loved his home1 his       
children1 and his friends4 ,an honest1  
quiet laugh often mantled his pale      
earnest visage4 ,they go far wrong1 says
 ,carlyle1 whose thorough appreciation  
of such men as ,luther1 ,cromwell1 and  
,knox1 is truly refreshing amid the     
vapid inanities or coarse prejudices of 
ordinary historians1 who think that     
,knox was a gloomy1 spasmodic1 shrieking
 fanatic4 ,not at all4 ,he is one of the
 solidest of men4 ,practical1 cautious1 
hopeful1 patient2 a most shrewd1        
observing1 quietly discerning man4 ,in  

fact1 he has very much the type of      
character we assign to the ,scotch at   
present3 a certain sardonic taciturnity 
is in him2 insight enough2 and a stouter
 heart than he himself knows of4 99 99  
,an honest-hearted1 brotherly man2      
brother to the high1 brother also to the
 low2 sincere in his sympathy with both4
  ,knox1 doubtless1 had his faults2 and 
what of that8 ,he made some mistakes6   
and what1 too1 of that8 ,was he not a   
true man1 and a true minister of ,god's 
,word8 ,did he not accomplish a great   
and beneficial work of ,reform2 and1    
having done this1 did he not die a sweet
 and triumphant death8 ,god has set his 
seal upon him1 and upon his work2 and   
that is enough for us4  ,we hesitate    
not1 with ,carlyle1 to name the         
,reformation under ,knox as the great   
era in ,scottish history1 as the one    
glorious event which gave life to the   
nation4 ,thence resulted freedom1       
activity1 purity of morals1 science1    
national and individual greatness4      

,previous to this event ,scotland       
possessed only a rough1 tumultuous      
physical life2 her politics--dissensions
 and executions2 her religion--a puerile
 superstition2--her literature--ballads 
and monkish legends2 her joy--hunting1  
fighting1 and drinking6 ,but the        
,reformation breathed into her the      
breath of a spiritual existence4 ,her   
national prosperity dates from that era4
 ,thence proceeded faith and order1     
education1 industry1 and wealth4 ,it was
 not a smooth business2 but it was      
welcome surely1 and cheap at that price1
 had it been far rougher4 ,on the whole1
 cheap at any price1 as life is4 ,the   
people began to live2 they needed first 
of all to do that1 at what cost and     
costs soever4 ,scottish literature and  
thought1 ,scotch industry1 ,james ,watt1
 ,david ,hume1 ,walter ,scott1 ,robert  
,burns4 ,i find ,knox and the           
,reformation acting in the heart's core 
of every one of these persons and       
phenomena2 ,i find that1 without the    

,reformation1 they would not have been4 
,or what of ,scotland8 ,the ,puritanism 
of ,scotland became that of ,england1 of
 ,new ,england4 ,a tumult in the ,high  
,church of ,edinburgh spread into a     
universal battle and struggle over all  
these realms2 and there came out of it1 
after fifty years' struggling1 what we  
all call 'the ,glorious ,revolution1' a 
,habeas ,corpus ,act1 ,free             
,parliaments1 and much else4  ,it has   
become fashionable of late1 in certain  
quarters1 to undervalue the             
,reformation1 and contemn those great   
and rugged spirits by whom it was       
accomplished4 ,a sentimental1           
baby-hearted1 superstition-smitten      
generation1 cannot appreciate those     
mighty men1 and mightier reforms of the 
olden time4 ,but how well and worthily  
does the large-hearted and ethereal     
,milton speak of it3 ,when ,i recall to 
mind1 at last1 after so many dark ages1 
wherein the huge over-shadowing train of
 error had almost swept all the stars   

out of the firmament of the church2 how 
the bright and blissful ,reformation1 by
 ,divine power1 struck through the black
 and settled night of ignorance and     
anti-,christian tyranny1 methinks a     
sovereign and reviving joy must needs   
rush into the bosom of him that reads or
 hears1 and the sweet odor of the       
returning ,gospel imbathe his soul with 
the fragrancy of ,heaven4 ,then was the 
sacred ,bible sought out of the dusty   
corners1 where profane falsehood and    
neglect had thrown it1 the schools      
opened1 divine and human learning raked 
out of the embers of forgotten tongues2 
the princes and cities trooping apace to
 the new-erected banner of salvation2   
the martyrs1 with the unresistible might
 of weakness1 shaking the powers of     
darkness1 and scorning the fiery rage of
 the red old dragon4#ad ,a noble        
testimony like this far outweighs all   
the cant of a whining sentimentalism4   
,its truth1 as well as its eloquence1   
all must admit4  ,footnote #ad3 ,of     

,reformation in ,england4 ,by ,john     
,milton4     ,,chapter ,v4              
,edinburgh ,university--,professor      
,wilson--,his ,life and ,writings1      
,genius and ,character4   ,we will now  
re-enter ,high ,street1 and thence turn 
at right angles into ,south-bridge      
,street1 and proceed to the ,university4
 ,it is a large and imposing structure1 
but fails to produce its proper         
impression from the circumstance of     
being wedged in among such a mass of    
other buildings4 ,we enter by a         
magnificent portico on the right1       
supported by ,doric columns1 twenty-six 
feet in height1 each formed of a single 
block of stone1 and find ourselves in a 
spacious quadrangular court1 surrounded 
by the various college edifices4 ,the   
buildings are of free stone1 beautifully
 polished1 and of recent erection1 the  
old buildings1 which were unsightly and 
incommodious1 having been taken down to 
make way for this elegant and spacious  
structure4 ,the ,university itself was  

founded by ,king ,james the ,sixth1 in  
the year #aehb1 and has enjoyed         
uninterrupted prosperity to the present 
time4 ,the average number of students is
 from ten to twelve hundred4 ,the ,rev4 
,dr4 ,lee1 one of the most amiable and  
learned men1 is at present ,principal of
 the ,university1 and the various chairs
 are filled by gentlemen of             
distinguished talent4 ,the students are 
not resident within the college1 but    
choose their boarding-houses1 at        
pleasure1 in any part of the city4 ,they
 are not distinguished1 as at ,glasgow  
and ,oxford by any peculiar badge2 are  
of all ages1 and enjoy the liberty of   
selecting the classes which they attend4
 ,those however who take degrees are    
required to attend a particular course1 
but this is not done by more than       
one-half or at most two-thirds of the   
students4 ,the government of the        
,university is not particularly strict4 
,the examinations are limited and       
imperfect2 and hence it is very possible

 for a young man to slip through the    
,university1 without contracting any    
great tincture of scholarship4 ,it is   
mainly the talent of the professors1 and
 the high literary enthusiasm they      
inspire1 which sustain the institution4 
,there are thirty-four foundations for  
bursaries or scholarships1 the benefit  
of which is extended to eighty students4
 ,the aggregate amount is about fifty   
dollars a year1 for each4 ,the ,annual  
,session lasts from ,october to ,may1   
with an occasional holiday1 and a week  
or two's vacation at ,christmas4 ,the   
rest of the year which includes most of 
the summer and autumn is vacation1 which
 gives the professors an opportunity for
 rest and preparation1 and the students 
facilities either for private study1 or 
for teaching and other employments4     
,this order prevails in all the other   
,scottish ,universities1 and is attended
 with many advantages4 ,but a truce to  
general remarks4  ,we have not time to  
visit the ,museum1 which is quite       

extensive and admirably arranged1 nor   
the ,library1 which is distinguished by 
its ample dimensions and beautiful      
decorations4 ,neither can we dwell upon 
the celebrated men who have encircled   
this ,institution with a halo of        
literary and scientific glory4 ,but we  
will step into that door in front of us1
 ascend the stairs1 and enter the       
lecture-room of ,professor ,wilson1 the 
far famed ,christopher ,north1 poet and 
novelist1 orator1 critic and            
philosopher4 ,the young gentlemen have  
assembled1 but the ,professor has not   
yet come in4 ,good looking but noisy    
fellows these6 ,some of them1 you       
perceive1 are very young1 others are    
considerably advanced in years4 ,most of
 them are well dressed1 some poorly so4 
,a few look studious and care-worn1 but 
the majority hearty and joyous4 ,how    
their clear loud laugh rings through the
 hall6 ,they are from all ranks of      
society1 some being the sons of         
noblemen1 others of farmers and         

mechanics4 ,most of them probably have  
wherewithal to pay their college        
expenses1 but not a few1 you may rely on
 it1 are sorely pinched4 ,the ,scots are
 an ambitious1 study-loving race1 and   
quite a number of these young men are   
struggling up from the depths of        
poverty2 and if they do not die in the  
effort1 will be heard of1 one of these  
days1 in the pulpit1 or at the bar4     
,but there comes the ,professor1 bowing 
graciously to the students1 while he    
receives from them a hearty ruff1 as the
 ,scots call their energetic stamping4  
,what a magnificent looking man6 ,over  
six feet high1 broad and brawny1 but of 
elegant proportions1 with a clear1      
frank1 joyous looking face1 a few       
wrinkles only around the eye1 in other  
respects hale and smooth1 his fine locks
 sprinkled with gray1 flowing down to   
his shoulders1 and his large lustrous   
eye beaming with a softened fire4 ,his  
subject is the ,passions4 ,he commences 
with freedom and ease1 but without any  

particular energy1--makes his           
distinctions well1 but without much     
precision or force2 for1 to tell the    
honest truth1 philosophical analysis is 
not his particular forte4 ,still1 it is 
good1 so far as it goes1 and probably   
appears inferior chiefly by contrast4   
,but he begins to describe4 ,the blood  
mantles to his forehead1 thrown back    
with a majestic energy1 and his fine eye
 glows1 nay1 absolutely burns4 ,and now 
his impassioned intellect careers1 as on
 the wings of the wind1 leaping1        
bounding1 dashing1 whirling1 over hill  
and dale1 rises into the clear empyrean1
 and bathes itself in the beams of the  
sun4 ,his audience is intent1 hushed1   
absorbed1 rapt6 ,he begins1 however1 to 
descend1 and ,o6 how beautifully1 like a
 falcon from the lift1 or an eagle from 
the storm-cloud4 ,and1 now he skims     
along the surface with bird-like wing1  
glancing in the sunlight1 swiftly and   
gracefully4 ,how varied and delicate his
 language1 how profuse his images1 his  

allusions how affecting1 and his voice1 
ringing like a bell among the mountains4
 ,at such seasons his style1 manner and 
tone1 are unequalled4 ,chaste and       
exhilarating as the dew of the morning  
in the vale of ,strathmore1 yet rich and
 rare as a golden sunset on the brow of 
,benlomond4 ,but listen1 he returns to  
his philosophical distinctions1--fair1  
very fair1 to be sure1 but nothing      
special1 rather clumsy perhaps1 except  
in regard to his language4 ,true1       
undoubtedly1 but not profound1 not      
deeply philosophical1 and to me1 not    
particularly interesting4 ,his auditors 
have time to breathe4 ,you hear an      
occasional cough1 or blowing of the     
nose4 ,a few of the students are        
diligently taking notes1 but the rest   
are listless4 ,this will last only a    
moment1 and now that he is approaching  
the close of his lecture1 he will give  
us something worth hearing4 ,there1     
again he is out upon the open sea4 ,how 
finely the sails are set1 and with what 

a majestic sweep the noble vessel rounds
 the promontory1 and anchors itself in  
the bay4#ae  ,footnote #ae3 ,the writer 
describes not an imaginary1 but an      
actual lecture of ,professor ,wilson's1 
which he heard some years ago4  ,we have
 honestly given our own impressions     
relative to ,wilson's metaphysical      
powers1 and stated simply what we heard 
and saw while attending his ,lectures in
 ,edinburgh ,university4 ,others however
 may have different impressions2 and we 
cheerfully append the following from    
,gilfillan as an offset to our          
strictures3  ,it is probable that the   
very variety and versatility of         
,wilson's powers have done him an injury
 in the estimation of many4 ,they can   
hardly believe that an actor1 who can   
play so many parts1 is perfect in all4  
,because he is1 confessedly1 one of the 
most eloquent of men1 it is doubted     
whether he can be profound3 because he  
is a fine poet1 he must be a shallow    
metaphysician2--because he is the       

,editor of ,blackwood1 he must be an    
inefficient professor4 ,there is such a 
thing on this round earth1 as diffusion 
along with depth1 as the versatile and  
vigorous mind of a man of genius        
mastering a multitude of topics1 while  
others are blunderingly acquiring one1  
or as a man 'multiplying himself among  
mankind1 the ,proteus of their talents1'
 and proving that the ,voltairian       
activity of brain has been severed1 in  
one splendid instance1 at least1 from   
the ,voltairian sneer and the           
,voltairian shallowness4 ,such an       
instance as that of our illustrious     
,professor1 who is ready for every      
tack1--who can1 at one time1 scorch a   
poetaster to a cinder1 at another cast  
illumination into the 'dark deep holds' 
of a moral question1 by a glance of his 
genius2 at one time dash off the picture
 of a ,highland glen1 with the force of 
a ,salvator1 at another1 lay bare the   
anatomy of a passion with the precision 
and force of an ,angelo1--write1 now1   

the sweetest verse1 and now the most    
energetic prose1--now let slip1 from his
 spirit1 a single star1 like the        
'evening cloud1' and now unfurl a       
,noctes upon the wondering world1--now  
paint ,avarice till his audience are    
dying with laughter1 and now ,emulation 
and ,sympathy till they are choked with 
tears1--write now 'the ,elder's         
,deathbed1' and now the ',address to a  
,wild ,deer1'--be equally at home in    
describing the ,sufferings of an ,orphan
 girl1 and the undressing of a dead     
,quaker1 by a congregation of ravens1   
under the brow of ,helvellyn4--,literary
 ,portraits1 p4 #bji4  ,instead of      
spending our time gazing at public      
buildings1 let us continue our          
conversation about the ,professor1 whose
 life has been a tissue of interesting  
and romantic events4 ,we shall find it  
profitable as well as pleasant1 to      
glance at the principal points in his   
history1 as they tend to throw light on 
the ,genius of ,scotland4  ,john ,wilson

 is the oldest son of a wealthy         
manufacturer in the city of ,paisley1   
and was born there in the year #aghh1   
and is now therefore fifty-eight years  
of age4 ,he was reared and educated1    
with almost patrician indulgence1 and   
inherited from his father a considerable
 amount of property1 variously estimated
 from twenty to fifty thousand pounds   
sterling4 ,of course he enjoyed the best
 facilities for acquiring a thorough and
 polished education4 ,his instructor in 
classical learning was ,mr4 ,peddie of  
,paisley1 to whom a public dinner was   
given in #ahca by his friends and       
pupils4 ,professor ,wilson was present1 
and on proposing the health of his      
venerable preceptor1 delivered a        
brilliant oration1 not the least        
interesting portion of which had        
reference to his somewhat erratic course
 at school4 ,sometimes1 said he1 ,i sat 
as dux--sometimes in the middle of the  
class--and ,i am obliged to confess1    
that on some unfortunate occasions1 ,i  

was absolutely dolt6 ,the confession was
 received1 of course1 with roars of     
laughter4  ,from this school he was     
entered at the ,university of ,glasgow1 
when he was little more than thirteen   
years of age4 ,but he was tall for his  
years1 and possessed an original and    
remarkably exuberant mind2 and though   
distinguished at this time1 more for the
 vigor of his physical constitution1 and
 the buoyancy of his spirits1 than for  
any particular attainments in           
literature1 he generally kept his       
standing among his fellow students1 many
 of whom were greatly his seniors4      
,from ,glasgow he was transferred to    
,oxford1 and here he first distinguished
 himself as a man of genius4 ,he        
contended in the annual competition for 
the ,newdigate prize of fifty guineas   
for the best fifty lines of ,english    
verse1 and though the contest was open  
to not less than two thousand           
individuals1 he carried off the palm    
from every competitor4  ,at ,oxford as  

at ,glasgow he was distinguished for his
 fine athletic frame1 his joyous and    
even boisterous spirits1 and his        
excessive devotion to all sorts of      
gymnastics1 field sports and frolicking4
 ,this however was blended with an      
extraordinary devotion to literature1   
and a peculiar simplicity and frankness 
of character1 which rendered him a      
universal favorite4 ,it is well known   
that at ,oxford great latitude is       
enjoyed1 especially by gentlemen        
commoners1 as they are called1 to which 
class ,wilson chose to belong4 ,it is   
expected that the gentlemen commoners   
shall wear a more splendid              
costume1--spend a good deal more        
money1--and enjoy various immunities1   
which amount occasionally to a somewhat 
unbridled license4 ,once launched on    
this orbit1 says a fellow student of    
,wilson's1 writing to a friend in       
,america1 ,mr4 ,wilson continued to     
blaze away for four successive years4 99
 99 99 ,never did a man1 by variety of  

talents and variety of humors1 contrive 
to place himself as the connecting link 
between orders of men so essentially    
repulsive of each other2 from the       
learned president of his college1 ,dr4  
,routh1 the ,editor of parts of ,plato1 
and of some theological selections1 with
 whom ,wilson enjoyed unlimited favor1  
down to the humblest student4 ,in fact  
from this learned ,academic ,doctor1 and
 many others of the same class1         
ascending and descending1 he possessed  
an infinite gamut of friends and        
associates1 running through every key2  
and the diapason closing full in groom1 
cobbler1 stable boy1 barber's           
apprentice1 with every shade and hue of 
blackguard and ruffian4 ,in particular1 
amongst this latter kind of worshipful  
society1 there was no man who had any   
talents1 real or fancied1 for thumping1 
or being thumped1 but had experienced   
some taste of his merits from ,mr4      
,wilson4 ,all other pretensions in the  
gymnastic arts he took a pride in       

humbling or in honoring1 but chiefly did
 his examinations fall upon pugilism2   
and not a man who could either 'give1'  
or 'take1' but boasted to have been     
punished by ,wilson of ,mallens         
7corruption of ,magdalen7 ,college4     
,whether the statement of ,wilson's     
pugilistic attainments is not somewhat  
exaggerated we have not the means of    
deciding4 ,all reports however go to    
confirm its general accuracy4 ,his      
career was certainly a wild and         
hazardous one1 and would have ruined an 
ordinary man4 ,but underlying the wild  
exuberance of ,wilson's nature1 there   
was a solid foundation of good feeling  
and good sense1 which ever and anon     
manifested itself1 and finally formed   
the principal element of his character4 
,besides1 he could never forget the holy
 instructions of his childhood4         
,scotland throws a thousand sacred      
influences around the hearts of her     
children2 and hence1 wild and wayward in
 their youth1 they not unfrequently live

 to be the safeguards of virtue and the 
ornaments of society4  ,it may be well  
supposed that on leaving ,oxford1 in the
 very hey-day of youth1 with an amazing 
exuberance of animal spirits1 and the   
command of an ample fortune1 he must    
have run a somewhat extravagant career4 
,he purchased a beautiful estate on the 
banks of ,windermere1 not far from the  
residences of ,southey1 ,coleridge and  
,wordsworth1 and yielded himself to the 
full enjoyment of every pleasure4       
,having built upon his estate a new and 
splendid edifice1 he furnished it with  
every appliance of taste and luxury1 and
 succeeded by his magnificent style of  
housekeeping1 in spending a large amount
 of his property4 ,he gave himself up to
 the most diversified pursuits1 now     
conning his literary treasures1 and now 
frolicking in sailor jacket and         
trowsers1 with the young men of the     
country4  ,the following1 from a writer 
already quoted1 will give a lively idea 
of ,wilson's habits and appearance1 at  

this period of his life4 ,my            
introduction to him--setting apart the  
introducee himself--was memorable from  
one circumstance1 viz41 the person of   
the introducer4 ,william ,wordsworth1 it
 was1 who in the vale of ,grasmere1 if  
it can interest you to know the place1  
and in the latter end of #ahjh1 if you  
can be supposed to care about the time1 
did me the favor of making me known to  
,john ,wilson4 ,i remember the whole    
scene as circumstantially as if it      
belonged to but yesterday4 ,in the vale 
of ,grasmere--that peerless little vale 
which you1 and ,gray1 the poet1 and so  
many others have joined in admiring as  
the very ,eden of ,english beauty1      
peace1 and pastoral solitude--you may   
possibly recall1 even from that flying  
glimpse you had of it1 a modern house   
called ,allan ,bank1 standing under a   
low screen of woody rocks1 which descend
 from the hill of ,silver ,horn1 on the 
western side of the lake4 ,this house   
had been recently built by a wealthy    

merchant of ,liverpool2 but for some    
reason1 of no importance to you or me1  
not being immediately wanted for the    
family of the owner1 had been let for a 
term of three years to ,mr4 ,wordsworth4
 ,at the time ,i speak of1 both ,mr4    
,coleridge and myself were on a visit to
 ,mr4 ,wordsworth1 and one room on the  
ground floor1 designed for a            
breakfasting room1 which commands a     
sublime view of the three mountains1    
,fairfield1 ,arthur's ,chair1 and ,seat 
,sandal1 was then occupied by ,mr4      
,coleridge as a study4 ,on this         
particular day1 the sun having only just
 risen1 it naturally happened that ,mr4 
,coleridge--whose nightly vigils were   
long--had not yet come down to          
breakfast2 meantime and until the epoch 
of the ,coleridgean breakfast should    
arrive1 his study was lawfully          
disposable to profane uses4 ,here1      
therefore1 it was1 that opening the door
 hastily in quest of a book1 ,i found   
seated1 and in earnest conversation1 two

 gentlemen1 one of them my host1 ,mr4   
,wordsworth1 at that time about         
thirty-eight years old2 the other was a 
younger man1 by at least sixteen or     
seventeen years1 in a sailor's dress1   
manifestly in robust health--fervidus   
juventa1 and wearing upon his           
countenance a powerful expression of    
ardor and animated intelligence1 mixed  
with much good nature4 ,mr4 ,wilson of  
,elleray--delivered as the formula of   
introduction1 in the deep tones of ,mr4 
,wordsworth--at once banished the       
momentary surprise ,i felt on finding an
 unknown stranger where ,i had expected 
nobody1 and substituted a surprise of   
another kind4 ,i now understood who it  
was that ,i saw2 and there was no wonder
 in his being at ,allan ,bank1 as       
,elleray stood within nine miles2 but   
7as usually happens in such cases7 ,i   
felt a shock of surprise on seeing a    
person so little corresponding to the   
one ,i had half unconsciously prefigured
 to myself4  ,mr4 ,wilson here appears  

in a comparatively grave and dignified  
aspect4 ,the same writer describes him  
in quite a different scene4 ,walking in 
the morning1 he met him1 with a parcel  
of young harum skarum fellows on        
horseback1 chasing an honest bull1 which
 had been driven off in the night from  
his peaceful meadow1 to furnish sport to
 these wild huntsmen4 ,about this time1 
also1 he was the leader of a boating    
club1 which involved him in great       
expense4 ,they had no less than two or  
three establishments for their boats and
 boat-men1 and innumerable appendages1  
which cost each of them annually a      
little fortune4 ,the number of their    
boats was so great as to form a little  
fleet1 while some of them were quite    
large and expensive4 ,one of these in   
particular1 a ten-oared barge1 was      
believed at the time to have cost over  
two thousand dollars4 ,in consequence of
 these and other expenses1 and perhaps  
the loss of some of his patrimony by the
 failure of a trustee1 subjected him to 

the necessity of seeking a change of    
life4 ,this led to his becoming a       
candidate for the chair of ,moral       
,philosophy in the ,university of       
,edinburgh4  ,previous to this he had   
formed plans of extensive travel4 ,one  
was a voyage of exploration to ,central 
,africa and the sources of the ,nile4   
,another was concocted with two of his  
friends1 with whom he proposed to sail  
from ,falmouth to the ,tagus1 and       
landing wherever accident or fancy might
 determine1 to purchase mules1 hire     
,spanish servants1 and travel           
extensively in ,spain and ,portugal1 for
 eight or nine months2 then1 by such of 
the islands in the ,mediterranean as    
particularly attracted them1 they were  
to pass over into ,greece1 and thence to
 ,constantinople4 ,finally1 they were to
 have visited the ,troad1 ,syria1       
,egypt1 and perhaps ,nubia6  ,but the   
reduction of his means1 and his marriage
 with a young and beautiful ,english    
lady1 to whom he was greatly attached1  

broke up these extravagant schemes4 ,his
 marriage took place in #ahaj4 ,two sons
 and three daughters were the fruits of 
it2 and the connection has doubtless    
proved one of the happiest events in the
 ,professor's life4 ,death however has  
entered this delightful circle4 ,how    
characteristic of him1 says ,gilfillan1 
and how affecting1 was his saying to his
 students1 in apology for not returning 
their essays at the usual time1 ',i     
could not see to read them in the       
,valley and the ,shadow of ,death4'     
,his application in #ahbj for the       
professorship of ,moral ,philosophy     
which he now fills1 was successful1     
notwithstanding he had for his          
competitor one of the profoundest       
thinkers1 and most accomplished writers 
of the age1 ,sir ,william ,hamilton1 who
 conducted himself in the affair with   
the greatest dignity and urbanity4 ,many
 things were said1 at the time1         
derogatory to ,wilson's personal        
character1 and his fitness to fill the  

chair of ,moral ,philosophy4 ,the matter
 probably was decided1 more with        
reference to political considerations   
than any thing besides1 as at that time 
party politics ran exceedingly high4    
,professor ,wilson has disappointed the 
expectations of his enemies1 to say the 
least1 and has been gaining in the      
esteem and good will of all classes of  
the community4  ,his splendid career as 
a poet1 editor1 critic and novelist1 is 
well known4 ,his poems1 the principal of
 which are the ,isle of ,palms1 and the 
,city of the ,plague1 are exquisitely   
beautiful1 but deficient in energy1     
variety and dramatic power4 ,he excels  
in description1 and touches1 with a     
powerful hand1 the strings of pure and  
delicate sentiment4 ,nothing can be     
finer than his ,address to a ,wild      
,deer--,a ,sleeping ,child--,the        
,highland ,burial ,ground1 and ,the     
,home ,among the ,mountains in the ,city
 of the ,plague4 ,his tales and stories1
 such as ,margaret ,lindsay1 ,the       

,foresters1 and those in ,the ,lights   
and ,shadows of ,scottish ,life1 are    
well conceived1 and charmingly written4 
,they breathe a spirit of the purest    
morality1 and are highly honorable not  
only to the head but to the heart of    
their eloquent author4 ,but it is in    
criticism and occasional sketching in   
which he chiefly excels4 ,in this field1
 so varied and delightful1 he absolutely
 luxuriates4 ,his series of papers on   
,spenser and ,homer are remarkable for  
their delicate discrimination1 strength 
and exuberance of fancy4 ,no man loves  
,scotland more enthusiastically1 or     
describes her peculiar scenery and      
manners with more success4 ,here his    
meteor pen1 as the author of the ,corn  
,law ,rhymes aptly called it1 passes    
like sunlight over the glowing page4    
,his descriptions of ,highland scenery  
and ,highland sports are instinct with  
life and beauty4 ,in a word1 to quote   
the eulogy of the discriminating        
,hallam1 ,wilson is a writer of the most

 ardent and enthusiastic genius1 whose  
eloquence is as the rush of mighty      
waters4  ,professor ,wilson's nature is 
essentially poetical4 ,it is sensitive1 
imaginative and generous4 ,it is also   
said to be deeply religious4 ,age and   
experience1 reflection1 and the ,word of
 ,god1 which he greatly reveres1 have   
tamed the wild exuberance of his youth1 
strengthened his better principles1 and 
shed over his character the mellow      
radiance of faith and love4 ,the main   
current of his nature1 says ,gilfillan1 
is rapt and religious4 ,in proof of this
 we have heard1 that on one occasion1 he
 was crossing the hills from ,st4       
,mary's ,loch to ,moffat4 ,it was a     
misty morning2 but as he ascended1 the  
mist began to break into columns before 
the radiant finger of the rising sun4   
,wilson's feelings became too much      
excited for silence1 and he began to    
speak1 and from speaking began to pray2 
and prayed aloud and alone1 for thirty  
miles together in the misty morn4 ,we   

can conceive what a prayer it would be1 
and with what awe some passing shepherd 
may have heard the incarnate voice1     
sounding on its dim and perilous way4   
,,chapter ,,vi4       ,the ,calton      
,hill--,burns's ,monument--,character   
and ,writings of the      ,peasant      
,poet--,his ,religious ,views--,monument
 of ,professor ,dugald                  
,stewart--,scottish                     
,metaphysics--,thomas ,carlyle4   ,let  
us take a walk on the ,calton ,hill1    
this afternoon2 we shall find some      
objects of interest there4 ,at the      
termination of ,prince's ,street1       
commences ,waterloo ,place1 in which are
 situated the ,stamp ,office1 ,post     
,office1 ,bridewell and the ,jail4 ,this
 also leads to ,calton ,hill1 and is one
 of the most delightful promenades in   
the city4 ,we skirt around the ,hill1 a 
little to the right1 pass the beautiful 
and spacious buildings of the ,edinburgh
 ,high ,school on the left1 one of the  
best educational institutions in        

,scotland1 continue our walk a short    
distance1 and come to a round building  
on the farther declivity of the hill4   
,that is ,burns's ,monument4 ,by giving 
a small douceur to the keeper1 we are   
permitted to enter the interior1 in the 
center of which stands a statue of the  
poet1 by ,flaxman4 ,beautiful and       
expressive certainly1 as a work of art1 
but it is not quite equal to one's      
conception of the poet4 ,the forehead is
 particularly fine--open1 massive and   
high1 with an air of lofty repose4 ,the 
mouth is unpoetical and vulgar--at least
 something of this is visible in its    
expression4 ,it wants the chiseled      
delicacy1 as well as gracious expression
 of noble and generous feeling which we 
naturally look for in the countenance of
 ,burns4 ,but the likeness1 we          
understand1 is defective4 ,in his best  
days1 ,burns had a noble1 and almost    
beautiful countenance4 ,in stature he   
was about five feet ten inches1 of great
 agility and muscular vigor4 ,his       

countenance was open and ruddy1 with a  
fine1 frank1 generous expression1 eyes  
large and radiant1 forehead arched and  
lofty1 with curling hair clustering over
 it1 and his mouth1 especially when     
engaged in animated conversation1 or    
lighted with a smile1 wreathed with     
intelligence and good humor4  ,burns has
 been termed the ,shakspeare of         
,scotland4 ,and certainly no poet has   
ever been regarded1 in that country1    
with such enthusiastic love and         
reverence4 ,with all his faults1 some of
 which were bad enough1 all classes of  
the ,scottish people1 from the noble to 
the peasant1 cherish him in their heart 
of hearts4 ,indeed he is a sort of      
national idol1 to whom all feel bound to
 do reverence1 notwithstanding his      
admitted failings4 ,nor is this a matter
 of surprise4 ,for1 taken as a whole1   
the poetry of ,burns is the poetry of   
nature--of the heart--and especially of 
the ,scottish heart4 ,it represents the 
genius of the nation--wild1 beautiful   

and free1 shaded by thoughtfulness1 and 
set off by devotion1 at once merry as   
her mountain brooks1 yet deep1 strong   
and passionate as the stormy ocean which
 encircles her coast4 ,tam ,o',shanter1 
or ,halloween1 the ,cotter's ,saturday  
,night1 or ,mary in ,heaven1 are the two
 extremes of the picture4 ,in ,burns1   
,scotland saw incarnated her poetry and 
song1 her music and passion1 her love   
and devotion1 her seriousness and       
merriment1 her strong-hearted adherence 
to integrity and truth1 her occasional  
recklessness and madness of spirit1 her 
love of nature1 her veneration for ,god4
 ,the grave and the gay1 the old and the
 young1 the religious and the reckless1 
all saw themselves represented in the   
glorious fragments of his witching      
poetry4 ,hence the enthusiasm with which
 his first volume of poems was received4
 ,it seemed as if a new realm had been  
added to the dominions of the ,british  
muse--a new and glorious creation fresh 
from the hand of nature4 ,there the     

humor of ,smollett1 the pathos and      
tenderness of ,sterne and ,richardson1  
the real life of ,fielding1 and the     
description of ,thomson1 were all united
 in delineations of ,scottish manners   
and scenery by the ,ayrshire ploughman6 
,the volume contained matter for all    
minds--for the lively and sarcastic1 the
 wild and the thoughtful1 the poetical  
enthusiast and the man of the world4 ,so
 eagerly was the book sought after1 that
 when copies of it could not be         
obtained1 many of the poems were        
transcribed and sent round in manuscript
 among admiring circles4 ,his songs are 
the songs of ,scotland4 ,a few have been
 furnished by ,tannahill1 ,fergusson1   
,ramsay and others2 but the main body of
 the most exquisite and most popular    
,scottish melodies are from the pen of  
,burns4 ,evermore they echo among her   
heathy hills and bosky dells4 ,you hear 
them by the sides of her bonnie burns1  
and along the shores of her silver lakes
 and rivers grand4 ,at evening gray1    

they are heard resounding from gowan'd  
braes and birken shaws1 in the shadow of
 haunted woods1 and hoary ruins2 and    
especially1 on winter nights1 and tween 
and supper times from her ten thousand  
happy inglesides4 ,in ,burns's ,cotter's
 ,saturday ,night are seen his reverence
 for religion pure and undefiled1       
combined with exquisite description and 
melodious verse2 in ,tam ,o',shanter1   
his vivid fancy and dramatic energy2 in 
,halloween1 his spirit of humor and fun2
 in his ,lines to a ,mountain ,daisy1   
his fine moral sense and tenderness of  
spirit2 and in his ,address to ,mary in 
,heaven1 his true heartedness1 and sweet
 lyric power4 ,his native country is    
beautifully pictured in all his poetry4 
,the ,banks of the ,dee1 ,edina's lofty 
seat1 ,old ,coila's hills and           
streams--the ,braes of ,yarrow--,allan  
,water--,bonnie ,doon--,sweet ,afton    
among her green braes--,auld hermit     
,ayr1 ,stately ,irwine1 ,the birks of   
,aberfeldy1--where summer blinks o'er   

flowery braes1 the lovely ,nith1 with   
fruitful vales and spreading            
hawthorns1--,gowrie's rich valley and   
,firth's sunny shores1 the clear winding
 ,devon1--,castle ,gordon1--where waters
 flow and wild woods rave1--the banks   
and braes and streams around the ,castle
 of ,montgomery1--,bannockburn1         
,ellerslie and ,sheriff ,muir2--these1  
and a thousand other beautiful or       
storied scenes1 mirror themselves in the
 stream of his sweet and varied verse4  
,some vulgar and foolish things he has  
written2 and we condemn them as heartily
 as others4 ,but his poetry embodies    
much that is pure and beautiful and     
true1 much of which ,burns had no       
occasion to repent1 even on a deathbed1 
and much of which his native country may
 well be proud4 ,he was somewhat        
intemperate1 but not to the extent which
 is generally supposed4 ,strong         
temptations1--the habits of the         
times--the folly of his friends1 who    
thoughtlessly introduced him to the     

gaities of the metropolis1 and then left
 him to contempt and penury1 broke down 
his constitution1 and consigned him to a
 premature grave4 ,but he was not a man 
of base and vulgar passions4 ,his was   
not the cold heart of the sceptic1 nor  
the envenomed spirit of the villain4 ,it
 was a wild and wayward heart1 ,i grant1
 but honest and true1 generous and kind4
 ,the temple was shattered by the       
lightnings of ,heaven1 but it was a     
temple still2 and from its broken altars
 ever and anon ascended the sweet       
incense of prayer and praise4 ,burns    
could never forget his good old father1 
and the hallowed influences of religion1
 shed upon his young heart4 ,he loved   
the ,psalms of ,david1 and the holy     
melodies of his native land2 and we     
presume often sang them1 of an evening1 
accompanied1 as he himself intimates1   
with the wild woodland note1 of his     
beloved wife4 ,several of his letters to
 ,miss ,dunlop and others indicate a    
strong conviction of the ,divine        

existence and the immortality of the    
soul1 his struggles against the doubts  
which haunted his spirit1 and his       
earnest longing for purity and          
perfection4 ,you may perhaps think it an
 extravagant fancy1 he says in a letter 
to ,mr4 ,aiken1 but it is a sentiment   
which strikes home to my very soul2     
though sceptical on some points of our  
current belief1 yet ,i think1 ,i have   
every evidence for the reality of a life
 beyond the stinted bourn of our present
 existence2 and then adds--,o thou      
great1 unknown ,power1 thou ,almighty   
,god6 who has lighted up reason in my   
breast1 and blessed me with immortality6
 ,i have frequently wandered from that  
order and regularity necessary for the  
perfection of thy works1 yet thou hast  
never left me nor forsaken me4 ,having  
expressed to ,mrs4 ,dunlop his strong   
conviction of the immortality of the    
soul1 he writes as follows1 ,i know not 
whether ,i have ever sent you the       
following lines1 or if you have ever    

seen them2 but it is one of my favorite 
quotations1 which ,i keep constantly by 
me in my progress through life1 in the  
language of the ,book of ,job1          
,against the day of battle and of war4--
  spoken of religion3      ',tis this my
 friend that streaks our morning bright1
     ',tis this that gilds the horror of
 our night4     ,when wealth forsakes   
us1 and when friends are few2     ,when 
friends are faithless1 or when foes     
pursue2     ',tis this that wards the   
blow1 or stills the smart1     ,disarms 
affliction1 or repels her dart2         
,within the breast bids purest raptures 
rise4     ,bids smiling ,conscience     
spread her cloudless skies4  ,one of the
 most beautiful letters ever written by 
,burns has reference to this subject1   
and was addressed to the same lady1 on  
,new ,year's day4--,this1 dear ,madam1  
is a morning of wishes2 and would to    
,god that ,i came under the ,apostle    
,james's description6--'the prayer of   
the righteous man availeth much4' ,in   

that case1 ,madam1 you should welcome in
 a year full of blessings3 everything   
that obstructs or disturbs tranquillity 
and self-enjoyment should be removed1   
and every pleasure that frail humanity  
can taste should be yours4 ,i own myself
 so little a ,presbyterian1 that ,i     
approve of set times and seasons of more
 than ordinary acts of devotion for     
breaking in on that habitual routine of 
life and thought1 which is so apt to    
reduce our existence to a kind of       
instinct1 or even sometimes1 and with   
some minds1 to a state very little      
superior to mere machinery4  ,this day1 
the first ,sunday of ,may1 a breezy1    
blue skyed noon1 sometime about the     
beginning1 and a hoary morning and calm 
sunny day about the end of              
,autumn1--these1 time out of mind1 have 
been with me a kind of holy day4 99 99  
99 99 ,i believe ,i owe this to that    
glorious paper in the ,spectator1 ,the  
,vision of ,mirza2 a piece that struck  
my young fancy before ,i was capable of 

fixing an idea to a word of three       
syllables4 ',on the fifth day of the    
moon1 which1 according to the custom of 
my forefathers1 ,i always keep holy1    
after having washed myself1 and offered 
up my morning devotions1 ,i ascended the
 high hill of ,bagdad1 in order to pass 
the rest of the day in meditation and   
prayer4'  ,we know nothing1 or next to  
nothing of the substance or structure of
 our souls1 so cannot account for those 
seeming caprices in them1 that one      
should be particularly pleased with this
 thing1 or struck with that1 which1 on  
minds of a different cast1 makes no     
extraordinary impression4 ,i have some  
favorite flowers in spring1 among which 
are the mountain daisy1 the harebell1   
the foxglove1 the wild brier rose1 the  
budding birch1 and the hoary hawthorn1  
that ,i view and hang over with         
particular delight4 ,i never heard the  
loud solitary whistle of the curlew in a
 summer noon1 or the wild1 mixing       
cadence of a troop of gray plover in an 

autumnal morning1 without feeling an    
elevation of soul like the enthusiasm of
 devotion or poetry4 ,tell me1 my dear  
friend1 to what can this be owing8 ,are 
we a piece of machinery1 which like the 
,aeolian harp1 passive1 takes the       
impression of the passing accident8 ,or 
do these workings argue something within
 us above the trodden clod8 ,i own      
myself partial to such proofs of those  
awful and important realities--a ,god   
that made all things--man's immaterial  
and immortal nature--and a world of weal
 or woe beyond death and the grave4  ,a 
fit comment on this and other passages  
of similar import in his letters is the 
following affecting poem1 entitled ,a   
,prayer in the ,prospect of ,death4 ,it 
seems to us to utter the deep throbbings
 of the poet's spirit3      ,why am ,i  
loth to leave this earthly scene8       
,have ,i so found it full of pleasing   
charms8     ,some drops of joy1 with    
draughts of ill between2       ,some    
gleams of sunshine 'mid renewing storms2

     ,is it departing pangs my soul     
alarms8       ,or death's unlovely1     
dreary1 dark abode8     ,for guilt1 for 
guilt1 my terrors are in arms2       ,i 
tremble to approach an angry ,god1      
,and justly smart beneath his sin       
avenging rod4      ,fain would ,i say1  
'forgive my foul offence6'       ,fain  
promise never more to disobey2     ,but 
should my ,author health again dispense1
       ,again ,i might desert fair      
virtue's way2     ,again in folly's path
 might go astray2       ,again exalt the
 brute and sink the man4     ,then how  
should ,i for heavenly mercy pray2      
,who act so counter heavenly mercy's    
plan1     ,who sin so oft have mourn'd1 
yet to temptation ran8      ,o thou     
great ,governor of all below1       ,if 
,i may dare a lifted eye to ,thee1      
,thy nod can make the tempest cease to  
blow1       ,or still the tumult of the 
raging sea2     ,with that controling   
power assist ev'n me1       ,those      
headlong furious passions to confine1   

,for all unfit ,i feel my powers to be1 
,to rule their torrent in the allowed   
line2     ,o aid me with thy help1      
,omnipotence ,divine6  ,after writing   
thus far1 we read for the first time1   
,the ,genius and ,character of ,burns1  
by ,professor ,wilson1 the richest      
garland yet wreathed around the poet's  
brow2 and we are happy to find the views
 expressed above fully corroborated by  
that distinguished writer4 ,it is true  
that ,wilson delineates the character of
 ,burns with enthusiastic admiration2   
but his views are so discriminating1 and
 withal backed by such an array of      
facts1 that no candid man can deny their
 correctness4 ,we cannot therefore      
resist the temptation of making the     
following extract1 in which the finest  
discrimination is blended with the      
largest charity4 ,long may the          
,literature of ,scotland be guarded by  
such a critic6 ,but one thing must not  
be forgotten here1 namely1 that no one1 
and especially one personally           

unacquainted with ,burns1 can pronounce 
in regard to his actual spiritual state4
 ,whether he was truly 'born of ,god1'  
and notwithstanding the errors of his   
life1 died a ,christian and went to     
heaven1 is happily not a question which 
we are called to decide4  ,we have said 
but little hitherto of ,burns's         
religion4 ,some have denied that he had 
any religion at all--a rash and cruel   
denial--made in the face of his genius1 
his character1 and his life4 ,what man  
in his senses ever lived without        
religion8 ,the fool hath said in his    
heart1 ,there is no ,god--was ,burns an 
atheist8 ,we do not fear to say that he 
was religious far beyond the common run 
of men1 even them who may have had a    
more consistent and better considered   
creed4 ,the lessons he received in the  
auld clay biggin were not forgotten     
through life4 ,he speaks--and we believe
 him--of his early ingrained piety      
having been long remembered to good     
purpose--what he called his idiot       

piety--not meaning thereby to disparage 
it1 but merely that it was in childhood 
an instinct4 ,our ,father which art in  
,heaven1 hallowed be thy name6 is       
breathed from the lips of infancy with  
the same feeling at its heart that beats
 towards its father on earth1 as it     
kneels in prayer by his side4 ,no one   
surely will doubt his sincerity when he 
writes from ,irvine to his              
father--,honor'd sir--,i am quite       
transported at the thought1 that ere    
long1 perhaps soon1 ,i shall bid an     
eternal adieu to all the pains1 and     
uneasinesses1 and disquietudes of this  
weary life2 for ,i assure you ,i am     
heartily tired of it1 and1 if ,i do not 
very much deceive myself1 ,i could      
contentedly and gladly resign it4 ,it is
 for this reason ,i am more pleased with
 the #aeth1 #afth1 and #agth verses of  
the #gth chapter of ,revelations1 than  
with any ten times as many verses in the
 whole ,bible1 and would not exchange   
the noble enthusiasm with which they    

inspire me1 for all that this world has 
to offer4 '#ae4 ,therefore are they     
before the throne of ,god and serve him 
day and night in his temple2 and he that
 sitteth on the throne shall dwell among
 them4 #af4 ,they shall hunger no more1 
neither thirst any more2 neither shall  
the sun light on them1 nor any heat4    
#ag4 ,for the ,lamb that is in the midst
 of the throne shall feed them1 and     
shall lead them unto living fountains of
 waters2 and ,god shall wipe away all   
tears from their eyes4' ,when he gives  
lessons to a young man for his conduct  
in life1 one of them is1 ,the great     
,creator to adore2 when he consoles a   
friend on the death of a relative1 he   
points the brimful grief-worn eyes to   
scenes beyond the grave2 when he        
expresses benevolence to a distressed   
family1 he beseeches the aid of ,him who
 tempers the wind to the shorn lamb2    
when he feels the need of aid to control
 his passions1 he implores that of the  
,great ,governor of all below2 when in  

sickness1 he has a prayer for the pardon
 of all his errors1 and an expression of
 confidence in the goodness of ,god2    
when suffering from the ills of life1 he
 asks for the grace of resignation1     
because they are thy will2 when he      
observes the sufferings of the virtuous1
 he remembers a rectifying futurity2--he
 is religious not only when surprised by
 occasions such as these1 but also on   
set occasions2 he had regular worship in
 his family while at ,ellisland--we know
 not how it was at ,dumfries1 but we do 
know that there he catechised his       
children every ,saturday evening2--,nay1
 he does not enter a ,druidical circle  
without a prayer to ,god4  ,he viewed   
the ,creator chiefly in his attributes  
of love1 goodness and mercy4 ,in        
proportion as we are wrung with grief1  
or distracted with anxiety1 the ideas of
 a superintending ,deity1 an ,almighty  
protector1 are doubly dear4 ,him he     
never lost sight of1 or confidence in1  
even in the depths of his remorse4 ,an  

avenging ,god was too seldom in his     
contemplations--from the little severity
 in his own character--from a           
philosophical view of the inscrutable   
causes of human frailty--and most of    
all1 from a diseased aversion to what   
was so much the theme of the sour       
,calvanism around him2 but which would  
have risen up an appalling truth in such
 a soul as his1 had it been habituated  
to profounder thought on the mysterious 
corruption of our fallen nature4        
,sceptical thoughts as to revealed      
religion had assailed his mind1 while   
with expanding powers it communed with  
the glorious universe2 and in #aghg he  
writes from ,edinburgh to a ,mr4 ,james 
,m',candlish1 student in physic1        
,college1 ,glasgow1 who had favored him 
with a long argumentative infidel       
letter1 ,i1 likewise1 since you and ,i  
were first acquainted1 in the pride of  
despising old women's stories1 ventured 
on 'the daring path ,spinoza trod2' but 
experience of the weakness1 not the     

strength of human powers1 made me glad  
to grasp at revealed religion4 ,when at 
,ellisland1 he writes to ,mrs4 ,dunlop1 
,my idle reasonings sometimes make me a 
little sceptical1 but the necessities of
 my heart always give the cold          
philosophizings the lie4 ,who looks for 
the heart weaned from earth2 the soul   
affianced to her ,god2 the              
correspondence fixed with heaven2 the   
pious supplication and devout           
thanksgiving1 constant as the           
vicissitudes of even and morn2 who      
thinks to meet with these in the court1 
the palace1 in the glare of public life6
 ,no3 to find them in their precious    
importance and divine efficacy1 we must 
search among the obscure recesses of    
disappointment1 affliction1 poverty and 
distress4 ,and again1 next year1 from   
the same place to the same              
correspondent1 ,that there is an        
incomprehensibly ,great ,being1 to whom 
,i owe my existence1 and that he must be
 intimately acquainted with the         

operations and progress of the internal 
machinery1 and consequent outward       
deportment of this creature he has      
made--these are1 ,i think1 self-evident 
propositions4 ,that there is a real and 
eternal distinction between vice and    
virtue1 and consequently1 that ,i am an 
accountable creature2 that from the     
seeming nature of the human mind1 as    
well as from the evident imperfection1  
nay positive injustice1 in the          
administration of affairs1 both in the  
natural and moral worlds1 there must be 
a retributive scene of existence beyond 
the grave1 must1 ,i think1 be allowed by
 every one who will give himself a      
moment's reflection4 ,i will go farther 
and affirm1 that from the sublimity1    
excellence1 and purity of his doctrine  
and precepts1 unparalleled1 by all the  
aggregated wisdom and learning of many  
preceding ages1 though to appearance he 
was himself the obscurest and most      
illiterate of our species3 therefore    
,jesus was from ,god4 ,indeed1 all his  

best letters to ,mrs4 ,dunlop are full  
of the expression of religious feeling  
and religious faith2 though it must be  
confessed with pain1 that he speaks with
 more confidence in the truth of natural
 than of revealed religion1 and too     
often lets sentiments inadvertently     
escape him1 that1 taken by themselves1  
would imply that his religious belief   
was but a ,christianized ,theism4 ,of   
the immortality of the soul1 he never   
expresses any serious doubt1 though now 
and then1 his expressions1 though       
beautiful1 want their usual force1 as if
 he felt the inadequacy of the human    
mind to the magnitude of the theme4 ,ye 
venerable sages1 and holy flamens1 is   
there probability in your conjectures1  
truth in your stories1 of another world 
beyond death2 or are they all alike     
baseless visions and fabricated fables8 
,if there is another life1 it must be   
only for the just1 the amiable1 and the 
humane4 ,what a flattering idea this of 
the world to come6 ,would to ,god ,i as 

firmly believed it as ,i ardently wish  
it4  ,how1 then1 could honored ,thomas  
,carlyle bring himself to affirm1 that  
,burns had no religion8 ,his religion   
was in much imperfect--but its          
incompleteness you discern only on a    
survey of all his effusions1 and by     
inference2 for his particular           
expressions of a religious kind are     
genuine1 and as acknowledgments of the  
superabundant goodness and greatness of 
,god1 they are in unison with the       
sentiments of the devoutest ,christian4 
,but remorse never suggests to him the  
inevitable corruption of man2 ,christian
 humility he too seldom dwells on1      
though without it there cannot be       
,christian faith3 and he is silent on   
the need of reconcilement between the   
divine attributes of ,justice and       
,mercy4 ,the absence of all this might  
pass unnoticed1 were not the religious  
sentiment so prevalent in his           
confidential communications with his    
friends in his most serious and solemn  

moods4 ,in them there is frequent1      
habitual recognition of the ,creator2   
and who that finds joy and beauty in    
nature has not the same8 ,it may be well
 supposed that if common men are more   
ideal in religion than in other things1 
so would be ,burns4 ,he who has lent the
 colors of his fancy to common things1  
would not withhold them from divine4    
,something--he knew not what--he would  
exact of man--more impressively         
reverential than anything he is wont to 
offer to ,god1 or perhaps can offer in  
the way of institution--in temples made 
with hands4 ,the heartfelt adoration    
always has a grace for him--in the      
silent bosom--in the lonely cottage--in 
any place where circumstances are a     
pledge of its reality2 but the moment it
 ceases to be heartfelt1 and visibly so1
 it loses his respect1 it seems as      
profanation4 ,mine is the religion of   
the breast2 and if it be not1 what is it
 worth8 ,but it must also revive a right
 spirit within us2 and there may be     

gratitude for goodness1 without such    
change as is required of us in the      
gospel4 ,he was too buoyant with        
immortal spirit within him not to credit
 its immortal destination2 he was too   
thoughtful in his human love not to feel
 how different must be our affections if
 they are towards flowers which the     
blast of death may wither1 or towards   
spirits which are but beginning to live 
in our sight1 and are gathering good and
 evil here for an eternal life4 ,burns  
believed that by his own unassisted     
understanding1 and his own unassisted   
heart1 he saw and felt those great      
truths1 forgetful of this great truth1  
that he had been taught them in the     
,written ,word4 ,had all he learned in  
the auld clay biggin become a blank--all
 the knowledge inspired into his heart  
during the evenings1 when the sire      
turned o'er wi' patriarchal air1 the big
 ha'-bible1 ance his father's pride1 how
 little or how much would he then have  
known of ,god and ,immortality8 ,in that

 delusion he shared more or less with   
one and all--whether poets or           
philosophers--who have put their trust  
in natural ,theology4 ,as to the glooms 
in which his sceptical reason had been  
involved1 they do not seem to have been 
so thick--so dense--as in the case of   
men without number1 who have1 by the    
blessing of ,god1 become true           
,christians4 ,of his levities on certain
 celebrations of religious rites1 we    
before ventured an explanation2 and     
while it is to be lamented that he did  
not more frequently dedicate the genius 
that shed so holy a lustre over ,the    
,cotter's ,saturday ,night1 to the      
service of religion1 let it be          
remembered how few poets have done      
so--alas6 too few--that he1 like his    
tuneful brethren1 must often have been  
deterred by a sense of his own          
unworthiness from approaching its awful 
mysteries--and above all1 that he was   
called to his account before he had     
attained his thoughtful prime4          

,speaking of ,burns's last sickness1    
,professor ,wilson says3 ,but he had his
 ,bible with him in his lodgings1 and he
 read it almost continually--often when 
seated on a bank1 from which he had     
difficulty in rising without assistance1
 for his weakness was extreme1 and in   
his emaciation he was like a ghost4 ,the
 fire of his eye was not dimmed--indeed 
fever had lighted it up beyond even its 
natural brightness2 and though his      
voice1 once so various1 was now hollow1 
his discourse was still that of a ,poet4
 ,to the last he loved the sunshine1 the
 grass1 and the flowers2 to the last he 
had a kind look and word for the        
passers-by1 who all knew it was ,burns4 
,laboring men1 on their way from work1  
would step aside to the two or three    
houses called the ,brow1 to know if     
there was any hope of his life2 and it  
is not to be doubted that devout people 
remembered him1 who had written the     
,cotter's ,saturday ,night1 in their    
prayers4 ,his sceptical doubts no longer

 troubled him2 they had never been more 
than shadows2 and he had at last the    
faith of a confiding ,christian4        
,leaving ,burns's ,monument1 we ascend  
the hill1 in the opposite direction1    
pass the unfinished ,parthenon1         
consisting only of a few elegant        
columns1 and intended to commemorate the
 battle of ,waterloo1 the ,observatory1 
and the ,monument of ,professor         
,playfair1 the celebrated mathematician 
and astronomer1 and reach the elegant   
though not imposing monument of         
,professor ,dugald ,stewart1 not the    
most acute1 but certainly the most      
finished and instructive of all the     
writers of the ,scottish metaphysical   
school4 ,let us linger here1 a few      
moments1 for the name of ,professor     
,stewart is peculiarly dear to          
,scotland4 ,no man was ever more        
enthusiastically regarded by his pupils1
 or more generally loved and revered by 
the community4 ,dr4 ,reid of ,glasgow   
,university1 the immediate predecessor  

and preceptor of ,stewart1 was a man of 
an acute and original mind1 though not  
possessed of half the grace and fluency 
of his illustrious pupil4 ,it was ,reid 
however that first gave clearness and   
method to the metaphysics of ,scotland4 
,his writings on first principles1 or1  
as he called them1 principles of ,common
 ,sense1 gave a death-blow1 at least in 
,scotland1 to the ideal theory of       
,berkeley and ,hume1 and greatly        
affected the course of philosophical    
investigation not only in ,england but  
in ,france4 ,in fact1 his philosophy    
supplanted1 for a time1 the infidel     
metaphysics of ,hume and the ,french    
rationalists4 ,it cut the roots equally 
of idealism and sensualism1 and was     
eagerly received by thoughtful men in   
,europe and in this country4 ,it can be 
seen running like a sunbeam1 through the
 speculations of ,royer ,collard1       
,constant1 ,jouffroy and even of        
,cousin4 ,based on the ,baconian method1
 it proceeded1 modestly and             

unostentatiously1 to ascertain1 and then
 to classify the facts of mind2 and1    
because it projected no splendid        
theories1 or blazing fancies1 it has    
been rejected by superficial and        
visionary thinkers1 with some degree of 
contempt4 ,after all1 it may yet be     
recognized1 by all genuine philosophers1
 as the only true scientific method4 ,in
 the hands of ,stewart and of ,brown1   
his colleague and successor1 it began to
 assume a lofty and attractive position2
 but alas6 it has remained stationary   
for the want of strong and true-hearted 
defenders4 ,stigmatized by the ,germans 
as pallid and insular--timid and cold1  
it has been forsaken1 of late1 by the   
more popular metaphysical writers1 for  
the brilliant and astounding1 but ever  
varying visions of the ,transcendental  
,school4 ,smitten with the love of      
,ontology1 or the doctrine of the       
absolute and the essential1 scorning the
 methods of ,bacon and ,newton as       
empirical and shallow1 and setting their

 foot on the modest1 perhaps timid      
speculations of ,reid and ,stewart1     
metaphysicians have plunged one after   
another into the abyss of an absolute   
,spiritualism1 where1 amid the          
glimmerings of a half-dark and lurid    
radiance1 may be seen the disciples of  
,kant and ,fichte1 ,hegel and           
,schelling1 floundering in the gloom1   
changing places continually1 now rising 
towards the light of heaven1 and then   
sinking in the abysmal dark4  ,the      
writings of ,reid1 ,stewart and ,brown  
have exerted a great influence on the   
thinking of ,scotland1 which1 even among
 the common people1 has a somewhat      
metaphysical turn4 ,combining with      
religion and poetry1 it has given to    
both a peculiar depth and earnestness of
 tone4 ,in some it is deeply practical1 
in others speculative and visionary4    
,thomas ,carlyle1 the product chiefly of
 ,scotland1 but partly also of          
,germany--or perhaps1 rather1 a         
magnificent lusus naturae1 has a large  

amount of ,scottish shrewdness1         
enthusiasm and speculation1 overlaid and
 burnished with ,german spiritualism and
 romance4 ,a native of ,annandale1 and  
imbued with the religion of the         
,covenant1 and the poetry of the hills1 
he has wandered off into the fields of  
metaphysical speculation1 where1 amid   
dreams of gorgeous and beautiful        
enchantment1 he is evermore uttering his
 burning oracular words1 of half pagan1 
and half ,christian1 wisdom4 ,a genuine 
,teufelsdroeckh1--he is yet a genuine   
,scot1 and cannot therefore forget the  
holy wisdom of his venerable mother1 and
 his ,annandale home4#af  ,footnote #af3
 ,the following graphic description of  
the residence1 personal appearance and  
conversation of ,carlyle is from the pen
 of ,elizur ,wright1 ,junr4 ,passing the
 long lines of new buildings which have 
stretched from ,westminster up the      
,thames1 and engulphed the old village  
of ,chelsea1 in omnivorous ,london1 you 
recognize at last the old ,chelsea      

,hospital1 one of the world-famous      
clusters of low brick palaces1 where    
,britain nurses her fighting men when   
they can fight no more4 ,a little past  
this and an old ivy-clad church1 with   
its buried generations lying around it1 
you come to an antique street running at
 right angles with the ,thames1 and a   
few steps from the river1 you find      
,carlyle's name on the door4 ,a ,scotch 
lass ushers you into the second story   
front chamber1 which is the spacious    
workshop of the world-maker4 ,here are  
lots of books--ponderous tomes in       
,latin1 ,greek1 and black letter        
,english1--some are on shelves occupying
 nearly all the walls1 and some are     
piled on tables and a reading rack as   
having just been read4 ,the furniture   
speaks of ,scotch economy1 and the whole
 face of things of more than common     
,scotch tidiness4 ,in fact1 a superbly  
wrought bell-rope indicates that the    
wife is a true hero worshipper4 ,carlyle
 is a mere man1 ordinary size1 lofty and

 jutting brow1 keen--exceedingly keen   
eye1 and modest unassuming manners4 ,his
 voice is melodious1 and with its rich  
,scotch cadence1 and rapid flow1 reminds
 you of ,thalberg's music in some       
strange out of the way key4 ,just set   
him agoing1 and he runs without         
stopping1 giving you whole masses of    
history1 painting and poetry1 and a     
great mass of the boundless system of   
,carlyleism4 ,there is nothing which he 
does not touch2 and figures of speech   
come tumbling in from all corners1 top  
and bottom of the universe1 as the      
merest matter of course4 ,doubt1        
hesitation or qualification have no     
place among his opinions1 he having     
kicked them all out of doors when he    
began his philosophy4  ,many inquiries  
have been made respecting ,carlyle's    
religious opinions2 but it is difficult 
to say anything very decisive in reply4 
,that he has a deep reverence for the   
,christian faith1--that he strongly     
inclines to a sort of transcendental    

orthodoxy1--that he loves1 moreover1    
true-hearted piety1 and is himself a    
model of integrity and affection cannot 
be doubted4 ,he often speaks of ,jesus  
as divine1--as the most perfect of all  
heroes--as the ,god man--as the ,divine 
man4 ,he possesses a profound sympathy  
for the higher and more beautiful forms 
of ,christian virtue1 and describes the 
lives and characters of good men with   
the liveliest relish4 ,we incline       
therefore to believe1 that              
notwithstanding his transcendental      
speculations1 and philosophical doubts1 
he has a true 7though not thoroughly    
defined7 heart faith in the essential   
doctrines of the ,christian system4     
,clouds and darkness hang upon the      
horizon of his spiritual vision1 but    
gloriously irradiated with light from   
heaven1 and here and there opening into 
vistas of serene and ineffable beauty4  
,many of his followers1 we think1 do not
 understand him1 and we fear1 will never
 reach his purity and elevation of mind4

 ,they are more likely to be led astray1
 by the magnificent illusions of his    
gifted but somewhat erring fancy4       
,instead of resting in the              
simple-hearted and heroic faith which he
 loves so much to describe1 they may    
plunge into the abysses of doubt and    
despair4     ,,chapter ,,vii4           
,preaching in ,edinburgh--,the ,free    
,church--,dr4 ,chalmers--,a ,specimen   
of his ,preaching--,the ,secret of his  
,eloquence4   ,edinburgh has ever been  
distinguished for its preachers4 ,in    
former times the classic ,blair1 the    
fervid ,walker1 the impassioned ,logan1 
the judicious ,erskine1 the learned     
,jamieson1 the exquisite ,alison1 the   
candid ,wellwood and the energetic      
,thomson delighted and instructed all   
classes of the community4 ,to these have
 succeeded a host of learned and truly  
eloquent men1 some of whom are members  
of the ,kirk1 others of the ,episcopal  
communion1 and others of the various    
bodies of ,presbyterian ,seceders1      

,congregationalists and ,baptists4      
,among the clergymen of the ,free       
,church1 ,dr4 ,chalmers of course is    
facile princeps2 ,dr4 ,candlish1 in     
effectiveness and popularity probably   
stands next1 while ,drs4 ,cunningham1   
,bruce1 ,gordon and ,buchanan1 the ,rev4
 ,james ,begg1 and one or two others    
form a cluster of influential and       
eloquent preachers4 ,among the          
,congregationalists1 ,rev4 ,william ,l4 
,alexander is the most learned and      
polished4 ,he has written ably on the   
,tractarian controversy and on the      
connection of the ,old and ,new         
,testaments1 and recently received a    
pressing invitation to become associated
 with ,dr4 ,wardlaw of ,glasgow1 as     
assistant pastor and ,professor of      
,theology4 ,he is a fine looking man1   
being some six feet high1 with          
expressive features1 dark penetrating   
eyes1 and massive black hair1 clustering
 over a fair and lofty forehead4 ,his   
manner is dignified and agreeable1 but  

not particularly impassioned4  ,among   
the seceding ,presbyterians1 ,dr4 ,john 
,brown1 minister of ,broughton ,place1  
and one of the ,professors of ,theology 
in the ,united ,secession ,church1 the  
,rev4 ,dr4 ,johnstone and the ,rev4     
,james ,robertson of the same communion 
are among the most effective preachers  
in ,scotland4 ,the ,baptists are justly 
proud of the learned and polished       
,christopher ,anderson1 author of an    
able work on the ,domestic              
,constitution1 and an elaborate ,history
 of the ,english ,bible--the ,rev4      
,william ,innes1 one of the most amiable
 and pious of men1 and the ,rev4        
,jonathan ,watson1 whose earnest        
practical discourses are well           
appreciated by his intelligent audience4
 ,mr4 ,innes at one time was a minister 
of the established ,church1 with a large
 salary and an agreeable situation1 but 
abandoned it for conscience' sake1 as he
 could not approve of the union of      
,church and ,state1 nor of some of the  

peculiarities of ,presbyterianism4 ,his 
pious1 consistent course1 and liberal1  
catholic spirit1 have won for him the   
admiration of all denominations of      
,christians4  ,bishop ,terrot of the    
,episcopal ,church is somewhat high in  
his church notions1 but is regarded as  
an amiable and learned man1 while the   
,rev4 ,mr4 ,drummond and others of the  
same church1 are able and influential   
preachers4 ,among those who adhere to   
the ,kirk as it was1 the ,rev4 ,dr4     
,muir is one of the most accomplished1  
and the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,lee1 of the         
,university1 the most learned and       
influential4  ,taken as a whole1 the    
,edinburgh clergy are fair              
representatives of the ,scottish        
preachers generally4 ,those therefore   
who wish to form a just estimate of the 
spirit and power of the pulpit in       
,scotland1 have only to hear them       
repeatedly1 in their respective places  
of worship4 ,they hold doctrinal views  
somewhat diverse1 though essentially    

one1 adopt different styles of          
preaching1 and in certain aspects       
different styles of life4 ,yet they     
manifestly belong to the same great     
family1 and preach the same glorious    
gospel4 ,they are remarkably            
distinguished for their strong common   
sense1 laborious habits1 pious spirit   
and practical usefulness4 ,occasionally 
they come into keen polemical strife2   
but it amounts to little more than a    
gladiatorial exhibition1 or rather a    
light skirmishing1 without malice       
prepense1 or much evil result4          
,generally speaking1 they are not       
pre-eminently distinguished for their   
learning1 though certainly well         
informed1 and devoted to the great work 
of their ministry4 ,they are more       
practical than speculative1 more devout 
than critical1 more useful than         
renowned4 ,they live in the hearts of   
their flocks1 and the results of their  
labors may be seen in the integrity1    
good order and industry of the people4  

,it is not our purpose to say much on   
the subject of the recent break in the  
,scottish church1 in which1 as the      
members of the ,free ,church assert1 the
 supremacy of ,jesus ,christ is         
concerned4 ,the intrusion by lay        
patrons1 of unpopular ministers upon the
 churches1 is certainly a vicious       
practice1 and ought to be abolished4    
,but this is only a fragment of a       
greater and more vital question1        
pertaining to the spirituality and      
authority of ,christ's church1 which    
must be settled one of these days4 ,the 
,free ,church movement has developed    
much fine enthusiasm1 and no small      
amount of self-denial2 and the results  
will doubtless be favorable to the      
progress of spiritual freedom2 but this 
is only a single wave of a mighty and   
ever increasing tide1 which is destined 
to sweep1 not over ,scotland alone1 but 
over the world4 ,in this place1 however1
 we cannot refrain from expressing our  
conviction that this division in the    

,presbyterian ranks is not properly a   
schism or a heresy4 ,it breaks up an    
existing organization1 but affinity     
remains4 ,the doctrines and discipline  
of the two churches are essentially the 
same4 ,the one may be purer and stronger
 than the other1 but they are members of
 the same family1 professedly cherish   
the same spirit1 and aim at the         
accomplishment of the same ends4 ,this1 
too1 may be said of nearly all the other
 sects2 so that in ,scotland1 there is  
more real unity among ,christians than  
there is in ,papal ,rome4 ,the latter is
 one1 only as a mountain of ice1 in     
which all impurities are congealed1 is  
one4 ,the unity of the former is like   
that of the thousand streams which rush 
from the ,alpine heights1 proceeding1 as
 they do1 from a common source1 and     
finally meeting and blending in a common
 ocean4  ,but enough of general         
speculation and description4 ,dr4       
,chalmers is to preach at ,dr4          
,candlish's church1 so let us go to hear

 him4 ,he has lost something of his     
early vigor1 but retains enough of it to
 make him the most interesting preacher 
in ,scotland or the world4 ,let us make 
haste1 or we shall fail of obtaining a  
seat4 ,already the house is filled with 
an expectant congregation4 ,the ,doctor 
comes in1 and all is hushed4 ,he is     
dressed in gown and bands1 and presents 
a striking and venerable appearance4    
,his serious1 earnest aspect well befits
 his high office4 ,he is of the middle  
height1 thick set and brawny1 but not   
corpulent4 ,his face is rather broad1   
with high cheek bones1 pale1 and as it  
were care-worn1 but well formed and     
expressive4 ,his eyes are of a leaden   
color1 rather dull when in a state of   
repose1 but flashing with a             
half-smothered fire when fairly roused4 
,his nose is broad and lion-like1 his   
mouth1 one of the most expressive parts 
of his countenance1 firm1 a little      
compressed and stern1 indicating courage
 and energy1 while his forehead is ample

 and high1 as one might naturally       
suppose1 covered with thin1 straggling  
grey hair4 ,he reads a psalm in a dry1  
guttural voice--reads a few verses of   
,scripture1 without much energy or      
apparent feeling1 and then offers a     
brief1 simple1 earnest1 and striking    
prayer4 ,by the way1 the ,doctor's      
prayers are among his most interesting  
exercises4 ,he is always simple1 direct1
 reverent1 and occasionally quite       
original and striking4 ,you feel while  
joining in his devotions1 that a man of 
genius and piety is leading your willing
 spirit up to the throne of ,god4 ,how  
striking1 for example1 when he calls us 
to remember that every hour that        
strikes1--every morning that dawns1 and 
every evening that darkens around us1   
brings us nearer to the end of our      
pilgrimage4 ,yet he has no mouthing or  
mannerism1 in this solemn exercise4 ,he 
is not making1 but offering a prayer4   
,his tones are earnest and solemn2 most 
manifest it is that his soul is holding 

intimate fellowship with the ,father of 
,spirits4  ,but he announces his        
text--#a ,john iv4 #af4 ,god is love--a 
text from which he has preached before2 
but no matter for that4#ag ,he          
commences1 with a few broken sentences1 
pronounced in a harsh tuneless voice1   
with a strong ,scottish accent4 ,the    
first feeling of a stranger would be    
that of disappointment1 and apprehension
 that the discourse was to prove a      
failure4 ,this was the case with        
,canning and ,wilberforce1 who went to  
hear ,dr4 ,chalmers1 when he preached in
 ,london4 ,they had got into a pew near 
the door1 when the preacher began in his
 usual unpromising way1 by stating a few
 nearly self-evident propositions1      
neither in the choicest language1 nor in
 the most impressive voice2 ',if this be
 all1' said ,canning to his companion1  
'it will never do4' ,chalmers went      
on1--the shuffling in the congregation  
gradually subsided4 ,he got into the    
mass of his subject2 his weakness became

 strength1 his hesitation was turned    
into energy2 and bringing the whole     
volume of his mind to bear upon it1     
poured forth a torrent of most close and
 conclusive argument1 brilliant with all
 the exuberance of an imagination which 
ranged over all nature for              
illustrations1 and yet managed and      
applied each of them with the same      
unerring dexterity1 as if that single   
one had been the study of his whole     
life4 ',the tartan beats us1' said ,mr4 
,canning1 'we have no preaching like    
that in ,england4'  ,footnote #ag3 ,in  
looking over the ,doctor's printed      
works1 we have found this discourse in a
 somewhat different garb from that in   
which we have presented it4 ,we were not
 at first aware of this1 or we might    
have selected some other discourse2 for 
it was our good fortune to hear the     
,doctor frequently4 ,this and other     
delineations1 however1 are taken from   
personal observation4  ,it may be well  
to state here that ,chalmers is a       

slavish reader1--that is1 he reads every
 thing he says1--but then he reads so   
naturally1 so earnestly1 so             
energetically1 that manuscript and      
everything else is speedily forgotten by
 the astonished and delighted hearer4   
,he proceeds with his subject--,god is  
love4 ,his object1 as announced1 is not 
so much to elucidate the thought or idea
 of the text1 as to dislodge from the   
minds of his hearers1 the dread and     
aversion for ,god1 existing in all      
unregenerate men4 ,he insists1 in the   
first place1 that it is not as a ,god of
 love1 that the ,deity is regarded by   
mankind--but simply as ,god1 as a being 
mysterious and dreadful1 a being who has
 displeasure towards them in his heart4 
,this arises from two causes--the first1
 that they are ignorant of this great   
and awfully mysterious ,being--the      
second1 that they have sinned against   
him4 ,this feeling then is displaced    
first by the incarnation of the ,deity  
in the person of his ,son1 so that we   

may know him and love him as a ,father  
and a friend2 and secondly1 by the free 
pardon of our sin1 through the sacrifice
 of the ,cross4 ,the division is rather 
awkward2 but it serves the purpose of   
the preacher1 who thus brings out some  
of the most sublime peculiarities of the
 ,gospel1 and applies them with         
overwhelming force and pathos to the    
sinner's heart4 ,under the first head1  
he shows1 in language of uncommon       
energy1 that it is impossible for man1  
in his present state1 to regard a being 
so vast1 so mysterious1 and so little   
known as ,god1 except with superstitious
 dread4 ,all regarding him1 says he1 is 
inscrutable2 the depths of his past     
eternity1 the mighty and unknown extent 
of his creation1 the secret policy or   
end of his government--a government that
 embraces an infinity of worlds1 and    
reaches forward to an infinity of ages2 
all these leave a being so circumscribed
 in his faculties as man1 so limited in 
his duration1 and therefore so limited  

in his experience1 in profoundest       
ignorance of ,god2 and then the         
inaccessible retirement in which this   
,god hides himself from the observation 
of his creatures here below1 the clouds 
and darkness which are about the        
pavilion of his throne1 the utter       
inability of the powers of man to reach 
beyond the confines of that pavilion1   
render vain all attempts to fathom the  
essence of ,god1 or to obtain any       
distinct conception of his person or    
being1 which have been shrouded in the  
deep silence of many centuries1 insomuch
 that nature1 whatever it may tell us of
 his existence1 places between our      
senses and this mighty cause a veil of  
interception4  ,it is not unnatural to  
dread such a being4 ,nature1 though full
 of ,god1 furnishes no clear and        
satisfying evidence of his designs2 for 
sunshine and shower1 green fields and   
waving harvests are intermingled with   
tempests and hurricane1 blight and      
mildew1 destruction and death4 ,while in

 one case we have the natural affection 
and unnumbered sweets of many a cottage1
 which might serve to manifest the      
indulgent kindness of him who is the    
universal parent of the human family2 we
 have on the other hand the cares1 the  
heart-burnings1 the moral discomforts1  
often the pining sickness1 or the cold  
and cheerless poverty1 or1 more         
palpably1 the fierce contests and mutual
 distractions even among civilized men2 
and lastly1 and to consummate all1 the  
death1--the unshaken and relentless     
death with which generation after       
generation1 whether among the abodes of 
the prosperous and the happy1 or among  
the dwellings of the adverse and        
unfortunate1 after a few years are      
visited1 laying all the varieties of    
human fortune in the dust1--these all   
bespeak if not a malignant1 an offended1
 ,god4  ,but this vague uncertainty and 
dread are corrected and displaced by the
 incarnation of the ,deity in the person
 of ,christ--the brightness of the      

,father's glory and the express image of
 his person4 ,the ,godhead then became  
palpable to human senses1 and man could 
behold1 as in a picture1 and in distinct
 personification1 the very              
characteristics of the ,being that made 
him4  ,upon this idea1 a favorite one   
with ,dr4 ,chalmers1 he dwells with the 
profoundest interest1 presenting it with
 a strength of conception and exuberance
 of illustration which makes it clear   
and palpable to the minds of all4 ,how  
his heart glows1 almost to bursting1    
with the sublime and thrilling idea that
 ,god is manifest in the flesh4 ,how he 
pours out1 as in a torrent of light1 the
 swelling images and emotions of his    
throbbing spirit4 ,we could not scale   
the height of that mysterious ascent    
which brings us within view of the      
,godhead4 ,it is by the descent of the  
,godhead unto us that this manifestation
 has been made2 and we learn and know it
 from the wondrous history of him who   
went about doing good continually4 ,we  

could not go in search of the viewless  
,deity1 through the depths and          
vastnesses of infinity1 or divine the   
secret1 the untold purposes that were   
brooding there4 ,but in what way could a
 more palpable exhibition have been     
made1 than when the eternal ,son1       
enshrined in humanity1 stepped forth on 
the platform of visible things1 and     
there proclaimed the ,deity8 ,we can now
 reach the character of ,god in the     
human looks1 in the human language of   
,him who is the very image and visible  
representative of the ,deity2 we see it 
in the tears of sympathy he shed2 we    
hear it in the accents of tenderness    
which fell from his lips4 ,even his very
 remonstrances were those of a deep and 
gentle nature2 for they are             
remonstrances of deepest pathos--the    
complaints of a longing spirit against  
the sad perversity of men bent on their 
own ruin4  ,not content with this clear 
and ample exhibition of his views1 he   
returns to it1 as if with redoubled     

interest1 and though presenting no new  
conception upon the point1 delights to  
pour upon it the exuberant radiance of  
his teeming imagination4 ,the hearers1  
too1 are as interested as he1 and catch 
with delight the varying aspects of his 
peculiar oratory4 ,in fact1 their minds 
are in perfect sympathy and harmony with
 his2 and tears start to every eye1 as  
he bursts out1 as if applying the       
subject to himself1 in the following    
beautiful and affecting                 
style3--,previous to this manifestation1
 as long as ,i had nothing before me but
 the unseen ,god1 my mind wandered in   
uncertainty1 my busy fancy was free to  
expatiate1 and its images filled my     
heart with disquietude and terror2 but  
in the life and person and history of   
,jesus ,christ1 the attributes of the   
,deity are brought down to the          
observation of the senses1 and ,i can no
 longer mistake them1 when1 in the ,son1
 who is the express image of his        
,father1 ,i see them carried home to my 

understanding by the evidence and       
expression of human organs--when ,i see 
the kindness of the ,father1 in the     
tears that fell from the ,son at the    
tomb of ,lazarus--when ,i see his       
justice blended with his mercy1 in the  
exclamation1 ',o ,jerusalem1            
,jerusalem6' by ,jesus ,christ1 uttered 
with a tone more tender than human bosom
 or human sympathy ever uttered--,i feel
 the judgment of ,god himself flashing  
conviction on my conscience1 and calling
 me to repent1 while his wrath is       
suspended1 and he still waiteth to be   
gracious6  ,but a more distinct and     
well-grounded reason for distrust and   
fear in reference to the ,deity arises  
from the consciousness of guilt4 ,in    
spite of ourselves1 in spite of our     
false theology1 we feel that ,god has a 
right to be offended with us1 that he is
 offended with us1 and not only so1 but 
that we deserve his displeasure4 ,this  
he shows is counteracted by the doctrine
 of the atonement3 ,herein is love1 not 

that we loved him1 but that he loved us1
 and sent his ,son into the world to be 
a propitiation for our sins4 ,by the    
fact of the incarnation1 a conquest is  
gained over the imagination haunted with
 the idea of an unknown ,god2 so also by
 that of the atonement1 a conquest is   
gained over the solid and well-grounded 
fear of guilt4 ,this idea the ,doctor   
illustrates with equal force and beauty1
 showing that by means of the ,sacrifice
 of the ,cross1 justice and mercy are   
brought into harmony1 in the full and   
free pardon of the believing penitent4  
,by this means the great hindrance to   
free communion with ,god is taken away4 
,guilt is cancelled1 for the sake of    
,him who died1 and the poor trembling   
sinner is taken to the bosom of         
,infinite ,love4 ,in the glorious       
spectacle of the ,cross1 we see the     
mystery revealed1 and the compassion of 
the parent meeting in fullest harmony   
with the now asserted and now vindicated
 prerogative of the ,lawgiver4 ,the     

,gospel is a halo of all the attributes 
of ,god1 and yet the pre-eminent        
manifestation there is of ,god as love1 
which will shed its lustre amid all the 
perfections of the ,divine nature4 ,and 
here it should be specially remarked1   
that the atonement was made for the sins
 of the whole world2 ,god's direct and  
primary object being to vindicate the   
truth and justice of the ,godhead4      
,instead of taking from his love1 it    
only gave it more emphatic              
demonstration2 for1 instead of love1    
simple and bending itself without       
difficulty to the happiness of its      
objects1 it was a love which1 ere it    
could reach the guilty being it groaned 
after1 had to force the barriers of a   
necessity which1 to all human           
appearance1 was insuperable4 ,with this 
fine idea the ,doctor concludes his     
discourse1 presenting it with a mingled 
tenderness and vehemence of style and   
tone perfectly irresistible4 ,the love  
of ,god1 he exclaims1 with such an      

obstacle and trying to get over it1 is a
 higher exhibition than all the love    
which radiates from his throne on all   
the sinless angels4 ,the affirmation    
that ,god is love1 is strengthened by   
that other1 to him who owns the         
authority of ,scripture1 that ,god so   
loved the world--,i call on you to mark 
the emphatic so--as to give his         
only-begotten ,son4 ',he spared not his 
own ,son1 but delivered him up for us   
all2' or that expression1 'herein is    
love1 not that we loved ,god1 but that  
he loved us1 and gave his ,son to be the
 propitiation for our sins4' ,there is a
 moral1 a depth1 an intensity of        
meaning1 a richness of sentiment that   
,paul calls unsearchable1 in the ,cross 
of ,christ1 that tells emphatically that
 ,god is righteousness1 and that ,god is
 love4  ,such is a feeble and imperfect 
outline of a rich and eloquent          
discourse1 from one of the richest and  
most expressive texts in the ,bible4    
,but we cannot transfer to the written  

or printed page the tone1 look and      
manner1 the vivida vis1 the natural and 
overwhelming energy1 the pathos and     
power of tone1 which thrill the hearer  
as with the shocks of a spiritual       
electricity4 ,it is this peculiar energy
 which distinguishes ,chalmers1 and     
which distinguishes all great orators4  
,his mind is on fire with his subject1  
and transfers itself all glowing to the 
minds of his hearers4 ,for the time     
being all are fused into one great      
whole1 by the resistless might of his   
burning eloquence4 ,in this respect     
,chalmers has been thought to approach1 
nearer than any other man of modern     
times1 the style and tone of            
,demosthenes4 ,his manner has a         
torrent-vehemence1 a sea-like swell and 
sweep1 a bannered tramp as of armies    
rushing to deadly conflict4 ,with one   
hand on his manuscript1 and the other   
jerked forward with electric energy1 he 
thunders out his gigantic periods1 as if
 winged with volleyed lightning4 ,the   

hearers are astonished1--awed1--carried 
away1--lifted up as on the wings of the 
wind1 and borne whithersoever the master
 listeth4     ,,chapter ,,viii4         
,biographical ,sketch of ,dr4 ,chalmers4
   ,as an evangelical divine1 a preacher
 of great strength and earnestness1 a   
man of a truly devout and generous      
spirit1 of great independence1 energy   
and perseverance1 a leader of the ,free 
,church of ,scotland1 and a successful  
advocate of the doctrine of ,christ's   
supremacy1 ,dr4 ,chalmers may be        
regarded as a fair embodiment of the    
religious spirit of his native land4 ,in
 his mode of thinking1 in his doctrinal 
belief and practice1 especially in his  
devout and fervid eloquence1 the ,doctor
 is eminently ,scottish4 ,his whole     
spirit is bathed in the piety of the    
,covenant4 ,on this account a brief     
sketch of his history will not be       
inappropriate in this place4  ,thomas   
,chalmers1 ,d4 ,d41 was born about the  
year #aghj1 in the town of ,anstruther  

in ,fifeshire1 the birth-place of       
another man of genius1 ,professor       
,tennant1 of ,st4 ,andrews1 the         
celebrated author of ,anster ,fair1 one 
of the most facetious poems in the      
language1 and making a near approach to 
the dramatic energy of ,tam ,o',shanter4
 ,young ,chalmers gave decided          
indications of genius and energy1 and   
was sent to the ,college of ,st4        
,andrews1 and soon became a             
mathematician1 a natural philosopher1   
and though there was no regular         
professor of that science at ,st4       
,andrews1 a chemist4 ,after having been 
licensed as a preacher1 he officiated   
for sometime1 as assistant minister1 at 
,cavers in ,roxburghshire4 ,he was      
subsequently called to the care of the  
parish church in ,kilmany1 beautifully  
situated amid the green hills and       
smiling valleys1 of his native county4  
,he was ordained on the #abth of ,may1  
#ahjc1 and soon displayed the vigor and 
activity of his mind4 ,in addition to   

his regular parochial engagements1 he   
devoted much attention to botany and    
chemistry2 lectured on the latter       
science and kindred subjects in the     
neighboring towns2 became an officer in 
a volunteer corps2 assisted the late    
,professor ,vilant in teaching the      
mathematical class in the ,college of   
,st4 ,andrews2 on the succeeding session
 opened a private class of his own1 on  
the same branch of science1 to which all
 the students flocked2 and wrote one or 
two books1 and several pamphlets on the 
topics of the day4 ,his first           
publication appeared at ,cupar in ,fife 
on what was called the ,leslie          
,controversy4 ,it was written in the    
form of a letter addressed to ,professor
 ,playfair2 and abounds in talent1 wit  
and humor4 ,it was published            
anonymously1 and for a long time was not
 known to be his4 ,he vindicates in it  
very powerfully1 the divines of the     
,church of ,scotland1 from the          
imputation of a want of mathematical    

talent1 a reproach which he thought     
,professor ,playfair had thrown upon    
them4 ,he also wrote a volume on the    
resources of the country1 which         
attracted much attention1 as a work of  
ability and eloquence4  ,from these     
statements it must be evident that ,dr4 
,chalmers had but little time to devote 
to the spiritual interests of his       
parish4 ,he performed his stated duties1
 it is true1 but devoted his energies   
chiefly to literary and scientific      
pursuits4 ,indeed he was in religious   
belief a rationalist1 and had not yet   
adopted those profound and spiritual    
convictions which subsequently formed   
the main-spring of his ministry4 ,in    
#ahje he offered himself as a candidate 
for the vacant chair of ,mathematics in 
the ,university of ,edinburgh1 with     
considerable chances of success1 but    
afterwards withdrew his name at the     
earnest solicitation of his friends1 who
 wished to retain him in the ,church4   
,when ,dr4 ,brewster's ,edinburgh       

,encyclopedia was projected ,dr4        
,chalmers was engaged as one of the     
contributors1 and wrote the article     
,christianity1 which was subsequently   
published in a separate form4 ,it was   
about this time that his mind underwent 
a radical change on the subject of vital
 religion4 ,he discovered the utter     
inefficiency of a utilitarian morality1 
for the renovation and guidance of man1 
and eagerly embraced those peculiar     
views of evangelical faith1 which       
recognize the sacrifice and intercession
 of ,christ as a ground of hope to the  
fallen1 the necessity of being born of  
the ,spirit1 and the ineffable beauty   
and blessedness of a life hid with      
,christ in ,god4 ,it is said that this  
change took place while writing the     
article referred to2 he then felt the   
necessity of acting upon his own        
principles1 of yielding his heart       
absolutely and forever1 to the truths of
 that ,revelation1 the reality and      
authority of which he was called to     

prove4 ,it will be remembered by those  
acquainted with the article in question1
 that he takes the ground that a divine 
revelation must necessarily be          
mysterious2 that coming from ,god1 it   
must belong to the infinite and the     
obscure1 and thus contain many things   
which shock our preconceptions1--that a 
priori objections to its doctrines are  
therefore null and void1 and that the   
whole must be received1 without         
exception or modification4 ,he insists  
that while we have experience of man1 we
 have little or no experience of ,god1  
that the thoughts of such a ,being must 
infinitely transcend ours1 and in all   
probability contradict ours1 especially 
with reference to the great problem     
touching the salvation of the guilty4   
,if then the genuineness and            
authenticity of the sacred books can be 
proved as historical facts1 we have     
nothing to do with the revelation which 
they contain1 but to receive it with    
adoring gratitude and submission4 ,the  

incarnation of the ,godhead1 the        
sacrifice of the ,cross1 justification  
by faith1 the re-birth of the soul by   
the ,holy ,spirit1 the resurrection of  
the body1 and eternal judgement are     
revealed facts or truths1 already       
proved1 and must therefore constitute   
the heart's-creed of every true         
believer4 ,these doctrines consequently 
were embraced by ,chalmers himself1 and 
formed thenceforward the subjects of his
 preaching to the people4 ,a great      
excitement ensued4 ,the community was   
aroused--multitudes were converted4     
,chalmers preached with the greatest    
fervor and unction1 and hundreds flocked
 to hear him from the neighboring       
parishes4 ,this produced inquiry1 and he
 found it necessary to give explanations
 in reference to the causes which had   
effected such a change in his ministry4 
,in this view the following will be read
 with interest and profit3  ,and here ,i
 cannot but record the effect of an     
actual though undesigned experiment     

which ,i prosecuted upwards of twelve   
years amongst you4 ,for the greater part
 of that time ,i could expatiate on the 
meanness of dishonesty1 on the villany  
of falsehood1 on the despicable arts of 
calumny--in a word upon all those       
deformities of character which awaken   
the natural indignation of the human    
heart against the pests and the         
disturbers of society4 ,now1 could ,i1  
upon the strength of these warm         
expostulations1 have got the thief to   
give up his stealing1 and the evil      
speaker his censoriousness1 and the liar
 his deviations from truth1 ,i should   
have felt all the repose of one who had 
gotten his ultimate object4 ,it never   
occurred to me that all this might have 
been done1 and yet every soul of every  
hearer have remained in full alienation 
from ,god2 and that even could ,i have  
established in the bosom of one who     
stole such a principle of abhorrence at 
the meanness of dishonesty that he was  
prevailed upon to steal no more1 he     

might still have retained a heart as    
completely unturned to ,god1 and as     
totally unpossessed of a principle of   
love to ,him as before4 ,in a word1     
though ,i might have made him a more    
upright and honorable man1 ,i might have
 left him as destitute of the essence of
 religious principle as ever4 ,but the  
interesting fact is that during the     
whole of that period in which ,i made no
 attempt against the natural enmity of  
the mind to ,god1 while ,i was          
inattentive to the way in which this    
enmity is dissolved1 even by the free   
offer on the one hand1 and the believing
 acceptance on the other1 of the ,gospel
 salvation2 while ,christ1 through whose
 blood the sinner1 who by nature stands 
afar off1 is brought near to the        
,heavenly ,lawgiver whom he has         
offended1 was scarcely ever spoken of1  
or spoken of in such a way as stripped  
him of all the importance of his        
character and offices1 even at this time
 ,i certainly did press the reformations

 of honor1 and truth1 and integrity     
among my people2 but ,i never even heard
 of any such reformations being effected
 amongst them4 ,if there was anything at
 all brought about in this way1 it was  
more than ,i ever got any account of4 ,i
 am not sensible that all the vehemence 
with which ,i urged the virtues and the 
proprieties of social life had the      
weight of a feather on the moral habits 
of my parishioners4 ,and it was not till
 ,i got impressed with the utter        
alienation of the heart in its desires  
and affections from ,god2 it was not    
till reconciliation to ,him became the  
distinct and the prominent object of my 
ministerial exertions2 it was not till  
,i took the scriptural way of laying the
 method of reconciliation before them2  
it was not till the free offer of       
forgiveness through the blood of ,christ
 was urged upon their acceptance1 and   
the ,holy ,spirit given through the     
channel of ,christ's mediatorship to all
 who ask him1 was set before them as the

 unceasing object of their dependence   
and their prayers2 it was not1 in one   
word1 till the contemplations of my     
people were turned to these great and   
essential elements in the business of a 
soul providing for its interest with    
,god1 and the concerns of its eternity1 
that ,i ever heard of any of those      
subordinate reformations which ,i       
aforetime made the earnest and the      
zealous1 but ,i am afraid1 at the same  
time1 ultimate object of my earlier     
ministrations4 ,to servants1 whose      
scrupulous fidelity has now attracted   
the notice and drawn forth1 in my       
hearing1 a delightful testimony from    
your masters1 what mischief ye would    
have done1 had your zeal for doctrines  
and sacraments been accompanied by the  
sloth and remissness1 and what1 in the  
prevailing tone of moral relaxation1 is 
counted the allowable purloining of your
 earlier days6 ,but a sense of your     
heavenly ,master's eye has brought      
another influence to bear upon you2 and 

while you are thus striving to adorn the
 doctrine of ,god your ,saviour in all  
things1 you may1 poor as you are1       
reclaim the great ones of the land to   
the acknowledgment of the faith4 ,you   
have1 at least1 taught me that to preach
 ,christ1 is the only effective way of  
preaching morality in all its branches2 
and out of your humble cottages have ,i 
gathered a lesson1 which ,i pray ,god ,i
 may be enabled to carry with all its   
simplicity into a wider theatre1 and to 
bring1 with all the power of its        
subduing efficacy upon the vices of a   
more crowded population4  ,in #ahae ,dr4
 ,chalmers was translated to the ,tron  
church of ,glasgow1 and here displayed  
all the resources of his brilliant and  
vigorous mind4 ,fired with a generous   
ardor for the salvation of souls1 he    
poured the truth of ,god upon rapt and  
crowded congregations4 ,in addition to  
the indefatigable performance of his    
ministerial duties1 he embarked with    
eagerness in plans for the amelioration 

of the condition of the poor4 ,he urged 
the importance of free school education1
 and although he had to encounter much  
prejudice1 he accomplished a large      
amount of good for the city of ,glasgow4
 ,his views upon this subject are       
developed in a large work1 published at 
the time1 on the ,christian and ,civic  
,condition of ,large ,towns1--a         
production somewhat elaborate and       
diffuse1 but abounding in important     
suggestions and earnest appeals4  ,in   
#ahaf he was invited to preach before   
the ,king's ,commissioner in the ,high  
,church of ,edinburgh4 ,his discourse on
 that occasion comprised the essence of 
his astronomical sermons1 and was       
probably as magnificent a display of    
eloquence as was ever heard from the    
pulpit4 ,the effect upon the audience   
was immediate and electric4 ,it broke   
upon them like a shower of light from   
the opening heavens4 ,by means of this  
discourse his fame was perhaps first    
widely established4 ,from that day      

crowds followed him wherever he went1   
and1 to quote his own words1 he began to
 feel the burden of a popularity of     
stare1 and pressure and animal heat4    
,in #ahai ,dr4 ,chalmers removed to the 
new church and parish of ,st4 ,john's1  
in which place the writer1 while a      
student at ,glasgow ,college1 had the   
pleasure of hearing some of his         
thrilling discourses4 ,he was then in   
the hey-day of life1 full of mental and 
bodily vigor1 and preached with a       
rapidity1 force1 and pathos perfectly   
overwhelming4 ,he continued to devote   
himself to the interests of the poor1   
and indeed took part in every plan which
 contemplated the welfare of society4   
,in #ahbc he was elected ,professor of  
,moral ,philosophy in the ,university of
 ,st4 ,andrews1 where he imparted a very
 different character to this course from
 the mere worldly cast which it too     
generally assumes in our universities4  
,firmly convinced of the great truths of
 the ,gospel1 he infused into his       

prelections the spirit of a profound and
 earnest godliness4 ,while here1 he also
 delivered a separate course of lectures
 on ,political ,economy1 as connected   
with the chair of ,moral ,philosophy4   
,it may be supposed from his frequent   
changes that ,dr4 ,chalmers was either a
 fickle or an ambitious man4 ,but those 
best acquainted with the circumstances1 
feel assured that this could not        
possibly have been the case4 ,he neither
 increased his income nor his popularity
 by means of these changes1 and all1 we 
doubt not1 were made with a view to     
greater usefulness4 ,in one instance1   
certainly1 he proved his                
disinterestedness by refusing the most  
wealthy living in the ,church of        
,scotland1 the west parish of ,greenock1
 which was presented to him by the      
patron4  ,he was more than once offered 
an ,edinburgh church1 but uniformly     
declined it2 as he had long conceived   
that his widest sphere of usefulness was
 a theological chair4 ,he was           

accordingly elected to this office1 in  
the ,university of ,edinburgh1 and soon 
attracted the attention of a large and  
enthusiastic class of students4 ,his    
lectures were able and brilliant2 but   
this1 in our judgment1 was not the      
principal cause of his success4 ,it     
consisted1 as we believe1 in his own    
ardor and enthusiasm1 and the consequent
 ardor and enthusiasm which he inspired 
in his pupils4 ,at one time the object  
of the young men seemed to be to evade  
attendance on the ,divinity ,lecture2   
now the difficulty became to get a good 
place to hear their eloquent instructor4
 ,by this means much good was           
accomplished for the ,church of         
,scotland1 by diffusing amongst its     
ministry a true evangelical spirit4     
,still we believe that ,dr4 ,chalmer's  
true sphere of labor was the pulpit1 and
 that here alone he could exert his     
widest influence4 ,it is true he        
preached occasionally while occupying   
the chair of ,divinity1 and gave a      

series of lectures on ,church           
,establishments1 which at that time he  
earnestly defended4 ,he considered that 
each established church throughout the  
land may be termed a centre of          
emanation1 from which ,christianity1    
with proper zeal1 be made to move by an 
aggressive and converting operation1 on 
the wide mass of the people2 whilst a   
dissenting chapel he views as a centre  
of attraction only for those who are    
religiously disposed4 ,recently the     
,doctor has found his centre of         
emanation sadly curtailed4 ,the union of
 church and state has proved1 even to   
him1 a prodigious hindrance and         
difficulty--a proof this1 that theory   
and fact are very different things4  ,it
 was while ,professor of ,theology in   
,edinburgh1 as we believe1 that he      
visited ,london1 and attracted so much  
attention by his sermons and lectures4  
,while there1 ,mr4 ,canning1 ,lord      
,castlereagh1 ,lord ,eldon1 the ,duke of
 ,sussex1 with several branches of the  

,royal ,family1 whom1 as the journals   
remarked1 they were not accustomed to   
elbow at a place of worship1 were found 
anxiously waiting to hear this modern   
,chrysostom4 ,caught by the irresistible
 charm of true genius and piety1 they   
listened with wonder and delight to his 
honest and earnest appeals4 ,they felt  
and acknowledged that his sermons1 as   
far transcended those of the mawkish    
productions to be frequently met with1  
as does the genius of ,milton or of     
,newton surpass that of the common herd 
of poets and philosophers4 ,it was a    
sublime sight to behold crowds of all   
ranks and conditions listening devoutly 
to the vehement exhortations of this man
 of ,god4                          ,can 
earth afford     ,such genuine state1   
pre-eminence1 so free1     ,as when     
arrayed in ,christ's authority1     ,he 
from the pulpit lifts his awful hand2   
,conjures1 implores1 and labors all he  
can     ,in resubjecting to ,divine     
command     ,the stubborn spirit of     

rebellious man8      ,,wordsworth4  ,dr4
 ,chalmers1 as all are aware1 is the    
principal leader of the ,free ,church   
movement4 ,he has uniformly asserted the
 supremacy of ,christ in his own church1
 and the right of the people to the     
election of their pastors4 ,this being  
denied and withheld by the legal        
authorities in ,scotland1 ,dr4          
,chalmers1 and the noble host of        
ministers and churches that agreed with 
him1 departed in a body from the        
,established ,kirk4 ,in #ahdc he        
relinquished his station as ,professor  
of ,theology in the ,university2 and    
since that time has occupied the same   
office1 in connection with the ,free    
,church of ,scotland4 ,he is now        
considerably advanced in years4 ,his    
head is silvered with gray1 and much of 
his natural strength is abated4 ,but his
 mind is yet clear and strong1 his heart
 calm and joyful2 and we can only hope  
and pray that he may be spared many     
years to come1 as an ornament to his    

country1 and an honor to the ,church4   
,it is not our purpose in this place to 
say much on the subject of the published
 works of ,dr4 ,chalmers4 ,these are    
quite voluminous4 ,the ,english edition 
of his works consists of twenty-five    
duodecimo volumes4 ,of these the two    
first volumes on ,natural ,theology1 the
 third and fourth on the ,evidences of  
,christianity1 the fifth on ,moral      
,philosophy1 the sixth1 ,commercial     
,discourses1 the seventh1 ,astronomical 
,discourses1 and the last four on       
,paul's ,epistle to the ,romans1 are the
 most interesting and valuable4#ah ,in  
style and arrangement1 in logic and     
definition1 they possess some obvious   
defects1 but ever indicate a genius of  
the highest order1 a heart burning with 
love and zeal1 a conscience void of     
offence toward ,god and toward all men2 
and a devotion1 akin to that of angels  
and the spirits of just men made        
perfect4#ai  ,footnote #ah3 ,all these1 
with the addition of four volumes of    

,sermons1 forming the ,theological      
,works of ,dr4 ,chalmers1 have been     
republished1 in handsome form1 by ,mr4  
,carter of ,new ,york4  ,footnote #ai3  
,in the introduction to ,vinet's ,vital 
,christianity1 ,i have given a more     
elaborate estimate of the mental        
peculiarities of ,dr4 ,chalmers1 in     
connection with those of ,vinet1 the    
,chalmers of ,switzerland4  ,since the  
above sketch was written ,dr4 ,chalmers 
has gone to his rest4 ,he died suddenly 
and unexpectedly on the #cast of ,may1  
#ahdg4     ,,chapter ,,ix4       ,dr4   
,john ,brown of ,edinburgh--,rev4 ,john 
,brown of      ,whiteburn--,professor   
,john ,brown of ,haddington--,rev4 ,dr4 
,candlish--,specimen of his ,preaching4 
,before leaving the ,edinburgh clergy1  
,i wish to give you some account of the 
,rev4 ,dr4 ,john ,brown1 minister of    
,broughton ,place ,chapel1 and          
,professor of exegetical ,theology in   
the ,united ,secession ,church1 one of  
the most amiable and accomplished of the

 ,scottish ministers4 ,he is the son of 
the ,rev4 ,john ,brown of ,whiteburn1   
and the grandson of the ,rev4 ,john     
,brown of ,haddington1 of whom ,i shall 
have something to say before the close  
of the chapter4  ,dr4 ,brown is between 
fifty and sixty years of age1 with a    
fine form and expressive countenance4   
,rather tall and slender1 he looks much 
as one might conceive the ,apostle ,john
 to have done4 ,his countenance is mild 
and dignified1 nose slightly aquiline1  
brow arched and high1 eyes dark and     
piercing1 and his mouth indicative of   
mingled firmness and delicacy of        
character4 ,his hair1 once dark as the  
ravens1 bears the marks of age and      
thought4 ,in his youth1 he was extremely
 vigorous and active2 but he is         
evidently passing into the sere and     
yellow leaf4  ,dr4 ,brown is a man of   
decided talent1 though distinguished    
more for clearness and strength of      
intellect1 than for genius and          
imagination4 ,his mind is highly        

cultivated1 but it seldom glows and     
sparkles4 ,his discourses are always    
interesting and instructive1 but not    
often thrilling or overpowering4 ,they  
never fall below mediocrity1 are always 
clear1 sensible and useful1 but perhaps 
never rise to the highest heaven of     
invention4 ,in this respect he much     
resembles the celebrated ,dr4 ,wardlaw1 
though1 as a speaker1 he is more        
effective4 ,dr4 ,wardlaw uniformly reads
 his sermons1 ,dr4 ,brown does not even 
use notes4 ,he preaches probably from   
memory1 as is the case with most of the 
,scottish clergy4 ,they practice the    
committing of their sermons from their  
youth1 and acquire astonishing facility 
in this exercise1 on which account their
 preaching is often distinguished as    
much for its accuracy1 as its energy and
 freedom4 ,dr4 ,brown appears to great  
advantage in the pulpit4 ,his ease1     
energy1 gracefulness and variety of     
tone1 attitude1 and expression1 are     
equally striking4 ,occasionally he      

hesitates for a word1 but never fails to
 find the right one4 ,his language is   
remarkably full and accurate4 ,his      
topics1 too are uniformly well selected1
 clearly divided and thoroughly         
discussed4 ,if he does not1 like        
,chalmers1 awe and subdue his audience1 
he seldom fails to interest and instruct
 them4 ,his style is lucid and          
vivacious1 and well adapted to useful   
practical preaching4 ,a tone of deep and
 fervid piety pervades the whole1 giving
 the impression that a man of ,god is   
addressing to you the messages of       
,heaven4  ,dr4 ,brown is orthodox1 but  
liberal in his views and feelings4 ,as a
 theologian he belongs to the school of 
the moderate ,calvinists4 ,in connection
 with the late amiable and accomplished 
,dr4 ,balmer of ,berwick1 he was called 
to account some years ago1 for his views
 of the atonement1 which he regards not 
as a restricted1 but as a universal     
blessing1 that is to say1 as a blessing1
 intended for the benefit not of a      

class1 but of the whole world4 ,this    
gave rise to a war of words1 and to much
 useless recrimination in the courts of 
the ,united ,secession ,church1 which   
have left the matter pretty much where  
it was before4 ,dr4 ,brown's views1     
however1 are becoming prevalent in      
,scotland4  ,dr4 ,brown has done much to
 promote the study of ,biblical         
,literature1 which has received         
comparatively little attention in       
,scotland4 ,as theologians the ,scottish
 preachers are sound and practical1 but 
with the exception of ,dr4 ,campbell of 
,aberdeen1 and ,dr4 ,mc,knight of       
,edinburgh1 they have not distinguished 
themselves for their critical           
investigations4 ,a new spirit begins to 
prevail among them4 ,the highly         
respectable denomination with which ,dr4
 ,brown is connected1 is making rapid   
advances in this interesting branch of  
,biblical study4  ,dr4 ,brown has taken 
an active part in the discussion of the 
question touching the seperation of     

,church and ,state1 and has published   
one or two pamphlets upon the subject4  
,in polemics he has always evinced a    
sober and generous spirit4  ,the family1
 from which the subject of these remarks
 is descended1 has been highly          
distinguished for its talents and piety4
 ,the most of its members have been     
eminent and useful preachers for several
 generations4 ,dr4 ,brown's father1 the 
,rev4 ,john ,brown1 of ,whiteburn1 was  
for many years one of the most devout   
and useful ministers of the ,secession  
,church4 ,indeed1 he was a perfect      
patriarch in the rural district1 where  
he exercised his ministry4 ,every one   
knew him and loved him1 as a man of     
singular goodness and apostolic zeal4   
,when a boy the writer used to attend   
his church1 and well does he remember   
his meek and venerable countenance1 and 
the thrilling tones of his musical      
voice4 ,he rode about his parish on an  
old white pony1 fat and good-natured    
like his master2 and never failed1 when 

he met one of his youthful parishioners1
 to stop and enter into conversation    
with him4 ,weel1 my lad1 he would say1  
patting my head1 how d'ye do--and how's 
your faither1 and how's your mither8    
,and a' the family1 are they weel8 ,gie 
them my compliments4 ,and now you maun  
be a good boy2 dinna forget to say your 
prayers1 and ,god will bless you4 ,gude 
day6 ,so off he would amble with a      
benignant smile1 leaving a sweet and    
holy impression behind him1 not         
forgotten to this very day4 ,in         
preaching1 ,mr4 ,brown had a peculiar   
tone or tune1 which at times was        
perfectly thrilling4 ,he frequently used
 the ,scottish dialect in the more      
pathetic and practical parts of his     
discourses1 and by this means produced a
 great impression upon his              
simple-hearted hearers4 ,his style1 too1
 was naturally quaint and terse1 and    
this1 set off by his benignant look1 his
 varied and tender tones1 often made his
 sermons very memorable4 ,some of his   

illustrations ,i remember now1 though ,i
 ceased to hear him preach in my eighth 
year1 having been removed to another    
part of the country4 ,the following are 
specimens1 perhaps not the best that    
might be given1 but certainly           
characteristic4 ,there are three sorts  
of folks in the world2 the butterfly1   
the wasp1 and the bee4 ,the butterfly is
 the gaudy fool1 the wasp is the        
malicious wicked1 but the bee is the    
gude ,christian6 ,imagine this1 and the 
following1 uttered with a peculiar      
sing-song and most expressive look and  
emphasis4 ,when ye see reek coming out  
at the chimney1 ye may conclude there's 
fire in the house2 so1 when ye hear a   
man cursing and swearing1 ye may be sure
 that the fire of hell is kindled in    
that man's heart6 ,o my friends1 hold on
 and persevere in the good ways of the  
,lord4 ,a few more losses and crosses1 a
 few more troubles and trials1 and we'll
 cross the swellings o' ,jordan1 and    
then1 ,o then1 we'll sit and sing       

thegither on the hills of ,zion6 ,fear  
not1 little flock1 it is your ,father's 
good pleasure to give you the kingdom4  
,o the heart of our heavenly ,father is 
a heart of tenderness and love4 ,he will
 never leave you1 nor forsake you4 ,why1
 only think on't--ye'r his ain dear     
bairns2 he'll tak you by the han'1 and  
lead you through the wilderness1 till he
 bring you safe to the ,heavenly        
,canaan1 the hame of his children1 the  
inheritance of his family6  ,good old   
man6 he has gone1 long since1 to that   
blessed hame where faithful ministers   
meet their beloved flocks1 and sing     
together on the hills of ,zion6  ,mr4   
,brown had a brother ,ebenezer1 minister
 of ,inverkeithing1 who was still more  
distinguished as a preacher4 ,in his    
boyhood he was a great rogue1 and used  
to teaze his douce and pious brother    
,john1 and occasion a good deal of      
trouble to his worthy father4 ,but he   
was converted when a young man1 and     
became an exceedingly devout and        

eloquent preacher4 ,i had the pleasure  
of hearing him preach once in the open  
air1 at a sacramental occasion connected
 with his brother's congregation in     
,whiteburn1 but have a very indistinct  
recollection of the discourse4 ,but ,i  
well remember his earnest look1 and the 
thrilling tones of his powerful voice4  
,he was of small stature1 but spoke with
 great force and vehemence1 and         
occasionally with the same sing-song    
voice1 common among the old ,scottish   
preachers4 ,the congregation was rapt3 a
 solemn stillness pervaded the          
atmosphere all around1 so that one could
 hear the chirpings of the grasshopper1 
and the song of the bird in the         
neighboring woods1 during the pauses of 
his long and earnest sentences4  ,the   
father of ,john ,brown of ,whiteburn1   
and grandfather of ,dr4 ,john ,brown of 
,edinburgh1 was the celebrated professor
 ,john ,brown1 author of the            
,self-,interpreting ,bible1 ,exposition 
of the ,assembly's ,shorter ,catechism1 

and other works2 and teacher of         
,theology in the ,united ,secession     
,church4 ,he was an extraordinary man4  
,when a poor shepherd boy1 he conceived 
the idea of learning ,latin and ,greek1 
and having procured a few old books1    
actually accomplished the task1 while   
tending his cattle on the hills4 ,so    
successful was he1 that some of the old 
and superstitious people in the         
neighborhood concluded that he must have
 been assisted by the evil spirit4 ,on  
one occasion he went to ,edinburgh1     
plaided and barefoot1 walked into a     
bookseller's shop1 and asked for a      
,greek ,testament4 ,what are you going  
to do with a ,greek ,testament8 said the
 bookseller4 ,read it1 was the prompt   
reply4 ,read it6 exclaimed the sceptical
 bookseller1 with a smile2 ye may have  
it for nothing if ye'll read it4 ,taking
 the book1 he quietly read off a few    
verses1 and gave the translation2 on    
which he was permitted to carry off the 
,greek ,testament in triumph4           

,professor ,brown was an eminently holy 
man4 ,he was equally distinguished for  
his simplicity and dignity of character4
 ,his preaching was much admired by old 
and judicious persons4 ,on one occasion1
 when he and others were assisting a    
brother minister in services preparatory
 to the celebration of the ,lord's      
,supper1 which services in ,scotland    
usually take place on the last days of  
the week preceding the sacramental      
sabbath1 and are frequently held in the 
open air1 a couple of gay young men had 
been out hunting1 and on their return   
home drew near to the large congregation
 who were listening at that moment to   
the preaching of an eloquent but        
somewhat showy divine4 ,after standing a
 few moments1 the one said to the other1
 ,did you ever hear such preaching as   
that8 ,no1 he replied with an oath1 but 
he don't believe a word of it6 ,after   
this preacher had closed1 there stood   
up1 in the tent1 7a temporary pulpit    
erected in the open air for the         

accommodation of the ministers17 an old1
 humble looking man1 who announced his  
text in a trembling voice1 as if he were
 afraid to speak in ,god's name4 ,he    
went on1 and became more and more       
interesting1 more and more impressive4  
,the young men were awed1 and listened  
with reverent attention to the close1   
when the one1 turning to the other1     
said1 ,and what d'ye think of that8     
,think of it1 he replied1 ,i don't know 
what to think4 ,why1 didn't you see how 
every now and then he turned round in   
the tent1 as if ,jesus ,christ were     
behind him1 and he was asking1 ',lord1  
what shall ,i say next8' ,this preacher 
was ,john ,brown1 the secret of whose   
pulpit eloquence was1 the inspiration of
 an humble and contrite heart1 touched  
by the finger of the ,almighty2 an      
eloquence as far transcending that of   
the mere orator as the divine and       
heavenly transcends the human and       
earthly4 ,this too1 was the eloquence of
 the early ,scottish preachers1--of     

,knox and ,rutherford1 of ,guthrie and  
,erskine1 of ,cameron and ,boston4 ,this
 fired the hearts of the people with a  
holy and all-conquering zeal2 this shed 
a glory over the death of the martyrs1  
and diffused among their descendants the
 love of the ,covenant and the love of  
,god4 ,may this ever continue to be the 
eloquence not only of the ,church in    
,scotland but of the ,church throughout 
the world6  ,there is one other preacher
 in ,edinburgh1 of whom it would be     
desirable to give a full-length         
portrait4 ,i refer to ,dr4 ,candlish1   
certainly one of the most popular and   
effective preachers in the ,free ,church
 of ,scotland4 ,but ,i am not in        
possession of the materials for such a  
portrait1 having heard him preach only  
once1 and being imperfectly acquainted  
with the events of his life4 ,he is     
probably about forty-five years of age1 
rather short of stature1 and not        
particularly imposing or prepossessing  
in appearance4 ,his face is rather long 

and sallow1 but set off by an immense   
forehead1 dark bushy hair1 and a pair of
 fine black eyes4 ,he stands bolt       
upright in the pulpit1 and speaks in a  
clear1 strong1 deliberate1 yet rapid    
voice4 ,judging from his published      
discourses1 and the single specimen     
which ,i heard1 ,i should think him     
destitute of pathetic power4 ,he is     
evidently most at home in the regions of
 ratiocination4 ,his language is        
copious1 energetic1 and harmonious4 ,in 
clearness and finish it is decidedly    
superior to that of ,chalmers1 and      
little inferior to ,robert ,hall's4 ,it 
possesses a stateliness1 combined with a
 bounding energy1 which render it very  
effective4 ,his method is remarkably    
lucid1 and his reasoning strong and     
convincing4 ,in fancy1 in touching      
pathos1 in overwhelming energy1 in the  
vivid lightning flashes of genius1 he is
 greatly inferior to ,chalmers2 but in  
clearness of definition1 in compactness 
and purity of style1 in strength of     

logic1 and in completeness of           
arrangement and finish1 he must be      
acknowledged superior4 ,his discourses  
are highly evangelical4 ,they abound in 
clear and instructive statements1 and   
defences of the cardinal truths of the  
,gospel4 ,if deficient1 it is in        
directness and pungency of appeal1 in   
holy pathos1 in solemn and subduing     
unction4  ,as a debater1 ,dr4 ,candlish 
stands pre-eminent4 ,he may not possess 
the ponderous strength of ,cunningham1  
the overpowering energy of ,chalmers1   
the quick and versatile humor of        
,guthrie1 or the eloquent polish of     
,buchanan4 ,but he possesses1 in unusual
 combination1 clearness of method1      
logical acumen1 force and beauty of     
style1 and an easy1 graceful1 commanding
 elocution4 ,when ,chalmers dies1 we    
predict that ,candlish will be the      
leader in the courts of the ,free       
,church of ,scotland4  ,dr4 ,candlish   
has published quite a number of         
occasional sermons1 and a volume of     

lectures on the record of the ,creation 
in the book of ,genesis4 ,these lectures
 are interesting and instructive1 but to
 our taste1 they are too diffuse and    
elaborate1 and not sufficiently         
critical1 or rather exegetical and      
compact4 ,they say much about a thing1  
without actually saying the thing       
itself4 ,but this is rather the fault of
 their design or plan1 than of their    
execution1 which as a whole indicates a 
high degree of talent4 ,they contain    
many fine passages1 and valuable        
suggestions4  ,among his published      
discourses1 one of the best is on the   
,incompetency of ,reason1 and the       
,fitness of ,revelation2 from ,acts     
xvii4 #bc4 ,whom therefore ye ignorantly
 worship1 him declare ,i unto you4 ,the 
following passage from that discourse   
will give a fair idea of his power4     
,speaking of the mournful condition of  
those who delight to investigate the    
works of ,god1 but have never found ,god
 himself1 he says3--,they may feel a    

proud and high satisfaction1 arising    
from the importance of the knowledge    
acquired in the successful employment of
 their powers and faculties of mind4    
,but brethren1 they scarcely meet1 in   
all the various and diversified tracks  
which they take1 and in all the endless 
varieties of objects which encounter    
their judgments--they scarcely ever meet
 their ,god2 they scarcely ever find him
 in the way2 they scarcely ever seek    
him4 ,in the wondrous elements1 the     
richly scattered treasures of power1 and
 wisdom and goodness1 through which they
 make their progress1 they cannot shut  
their eyes to the presence of ,god2 they
 must acknowledge a ,god3 but it is ,god
 with attributes of their own choosing1 
not the ,god of ,scripture1--the ,god of
 nature1 not the ,god of justice4 ,him  
they exclude from their view2 ,him they 
do not like to retain in their thoughts2
 and in the circumstances in which they 
cultivate the idea of a ,god1 if        
mingling in their researches at all1    

they strip their ideas of all which     
might remind them of their unsettled    
controversy with ,him4 ,conceive of a   
man in such a state1 so blind as to have
 exercised his powers of discovery1 in  
the full blaze of all the glory and the 
terrible majesty of a just ,god and a   
,saviour1 without really finding him1   
condemned to carry on his future work of
 discovery with a clear and startling   
apprehension of all the moral attributes
 of ,god--his holiness1--his            
justice1--his truth--all as manifested  
in the cross of ,christ1 and all still  
carried on in a carnal mind and a       
self-condemned heart4 ,where now will be
 the joy of his lofty inquiries8 ,where 
now the triumph of his lofty powers of  
knowledge8 ,every object he contemplates
 now1 is connected with the idea of a   
righteous ,god2 every subject he can    
examine now1 is fraught with the        
presence of a righteous ,god2 every new 
ray of light that meets his eye1 reveals
 to him a righteous ,god2 every sound   

carries to his ear the name of ,god1    
repeated by a thousand echoes4 ,he can  
make no experiment now that will not    
show him more of the wonders and terrors
 of ,god4 ,he can look at nothing1 he   
can think of nothing1 that does not     
speak to him of ,god1 and remind him of 
his justice3 and all the bold traces of 
his profound discoveries regarding      
nature1 now do but suggest reminiscences
 of nature's ,god as a ,god of judgment2
 and so the very faculty which was ever 
his pride and admiration1--the capacity 
of deep reflection and enlightened      
inquiry1 does but add new sting and     
torture to his reprobate mind1 by       
suggesting always1 everywhere1 and in   
all things1 new images and              
representations of that awful1 that     
,almighty ,being1 whom he has chosen to 
make his foe4     ,,chapter ,x4         
,ride into the ,country--,the           
,skylark--,poems on the ,skylark by     
,shelley      and the ',ettrick         
,shepherd'--,newhall--',the ,gentle     

,shepherd'--,localities and ,outlines of
 the ,story--,its ,popularity in        
,scotland4   ',tis a beautiful morning  
in early ,june4 ,the sun is peeping over
 ,arthur's ,seat1 and glancing from the 
turrets of the old ,castle4 ,the        
carriage is ready1 and ,sandy the driver
 is cracking his whip with impatience4  
,so1 take your place1 and let us be off4
 ,passing ',bruntsfield ,links' we      
plunge into the very heart of the       
country1 so rich and varied1 with park  
and woodland scenery1 handsome villas1  
and sweet acclivities4 ,yonder is       
,merchiston ,castle1 the birth-place of 
the celebrated ,napier1 the inventor of 
,logarithms4 ,a little further on1 we   
reach the smiling village of            
,morningside1 and pass some pretty      
country residences1 with pleasant       
grounds and picturesque views4 ,we enter
 a narrow and thickly wooded dell1      
through which tinkles a small rivulet1  
called the ,braid ,burn4 ,at the bottom 
we come to the ,braid ,hermitage1 as    

sweet a sylvan retreat as ever greeted  
the eye of the rural wanderer4 ,those   
rocky heights above us are the ,braid   
,hills1 from which can be enjoyed some  
of the most splendid views in ,scotland4
 ,leaving the carriage a few minutes we 
ascend that lofty eminence1 and gaze1   
with delight upon the vast and beautiful
 landscape1 including the city of       
,edinburgh1 the ,firth of ,forth1 with  
its emerald islands1 and the winding    
shores of ,fife in the distance4        
,blackford hill1 a little to the north  
of us is the spot mentioned in ,marmion3
      ,still on the spot ,lord ,marmion 
stay'd1     ,for fairer scene he ne'er  
survey'd1     ,when sated with the      
martial show     ,that peopled all the  
plains below1     ,the wandering eye    
could o'er it go1     ,and mark the     
distant city glow       ,with gloomy    
splendor red2     ,for on the smoke     
wreaths1 huge and slow1     ,that round 
her sable turrets flow1       ,the      
morning beams were shed1     ,and tinged

 them with a lustre proud1     ,like    
that which streaks a thunder cloud2     
,such dusky grandeur clothed the height1
     ,where the huge castle holds its   
state1       ,and all the steep slope   
down1     ,whose ridgy back heaves to   
the sky1     ,piled deep and massy1     
close and high1       ,mine own romantic
 town6      ,but northward far with     
purer blaze     ,on ,ochil mountains    
fell the rays1     ,and as each heathy  
top they kiss'd1     ,it gleamed a      
purple amethyst4     ,yonder the shores 
of ,fife you saw2     ,here ,preston    
,bay1 and ,berwick-,law1       ,and     
broad between them roll'd     ,the      
gallant ,firth the eye might note1      
,whose islands on its bosom float1      
,like emeralds chased in gold4          
,descending from the hill we resume our 
journey1 musing on the days of old1 when
 shrill fife and martial drum awakened  
the echoes of these peaceful vales1 now 
resounding with the melody of birds4    
,how delightful the gushing music of    

those sky-larks1 which descends upon us 
from heaven's gates1 like a shower of   
embodied gladness4 ,why1 it seems as if 
a hundred of them were soaring i' the   
lift1 and singing with a joyous energy1 
akin to that of the blessed spirits in  
heaven4 ,to me1 the lark is the noblest 
of all birds1 the most pure and         
spirit-like of all aerial songsters4 ,in
 ,scotland1 too1 she seems to sing the  
sweetest and strongest4 ,others may     
praise the nightingale1 if they please1 
and my own heart has often thrilled1 to 
hear1 at the witching time of night1 her
 wild and melancholy strain from some   
,english copsewood1 or ,italian grove4  
,but nothing so rich and beautiful1 so  
spirit-like and divine ever greeted my  
ear as the glad singing of the          
heaven-aspiring lark4 ,it seemed as if  
the very spirit of song had taken wings1
 and were ascending to ,god1 in a flood 
of melody4 ,but listen to the following 
strains written by ,shelley under the   
inspiration of the sky-lark's song3     

,hail to thee1 blithe spirit1           
,bird thou never wert1           ,that  
from heaven or near it                  
,pourest thy full heart     ,in profuse 
strains of unpremeditated art4          
,higher still and higher                
,from the earth thou springest1         
,like a cloud of fire6             ,the 
blue deep thou wingest1     ,and        
singing1 still dost soar2 and soaring1  
ever singest4            ,in the golden 
lightning             ,of the sunken    
sun1           ,o'er which clouds are   
brightening1             ,thou dost     
float and run2     ,like an embodied    
joy1 whose race has just begun4         
99       99       99       99       99  
,all the earth and air             ,with
 thy voice is loud1           ,as1 when 
night is bare             ,from one     
lonely cloud1     ,the moon rains out   
her beams1 and heaven is overflowed4    
,what thou art1 we know not4            
,what is most like thee8           ,from
 rainbow clouds there flow not          

,drops so bright to see1     ,as from   
thy presence showers a rain of melody   
,like a poet hidden             ,in the 
light of thought1           ,singing    
hymns unbidden             ,till the    
world is wrought     ,to sympathy with  
hopes and fears it heeded not4          
99       99       99       99       99  
,sound of vernal showers             ,on
 the twinkling grass1           ,rain   
awakened flowers1             ,all that 
ever was     ,joyous and fresh and clear
 thy music doth surpass4                
,teach me1 sprite or bird1              
,what sweet thoughts are thine3         
,i have never heard             ,praise 
of love or wine     ,that panted forth a
 flood of rapture so divine4            
,chorus hymeneal             ,or        
triumphant chaunt1           ,match'd   
with thine would be all             ,but
 an empty vaunt--     ,a thing wherein  
we feel there is some hidden want4      
,what objects are the fountains         
,of thy happy strain8           ,what   

fields or waves or mountains8           
,what shapes of sky or plain8     ,what 
love of thine own kind8 ,what ignorance 
of pain8            ,with thy clear keen
 joyance             ,languor cannot be3
           ,shadow of annoyance         
,never came near thee3     ,thou lovest1
 but ne'er knew love's sad satiety4     
,waking or asleep             ,thou of  
death must deem1           ,things more 
true and deep             ,than we      
mortals dream1     ,or how could thy    
note flow in such a crystal stream8     
,we look before and after1              
,and pine for what is not2              
,our sincerest laughter1                
,with some pain is fraught3     ,our    
sweetest songs are those which tell of  
saddest thought4            ,better than
 all measures             ,of delightful
 sound1           ,better than all      
treasures             ,that in books are
 found1     ,thy skill to poet were1    
thou scorner of the ground6             
,teach me half the gladness1            

,that thy brain must know2              
,such harmonious madness                
,from my lips would flow1     ,the world
 should listen then1 as ,i am listening 
now4  ,inferior to this1 but still very 
beautiful1 more natural1 and more       
especially ,scottish1 are the following 
lines to the ,skylark by the ,ettrick   
,shepherd3          ,bird of the        
wilderness1         ,blithesome and     
cumberless1     ,sweet be thy matin o'er
 moorland and lea6         ,emblem of   
happiness1         ,blest is thy        
dwelling place--     ,o to abide in the 
desert with thee6         ,wild is thy  
lay and loud1         ,far in the downy 
cloud1     ,love gives it energy1 love  
gave it birth4         ,where on thy    
dewy wing1         ,where art thou      
journeying8     ,thy lay is in heaven1  
thy love is on earth4          ,o'er    
fell and fountain sheen1         ,o'er  
moor and mountain green1     ,o'er the  
red streamer that heralds the day1      
,over the cloudlet dim1         ,over   

the rainbow's rim1     ,musical cherub1 
soar singing away6         ,then when   
the gloaming comes         ,low in the  
heather blooms1     ,sweet will thy     
welcome and bed of love be6             
,emblem of happiness1         ,blest is 
thy dwelling place--     ,o to abide in 
the desert with thee6  ,filled with     
these pleasant images1 we pursue our    
journey1 and wind along the edge of the 
,pentland ,hills1 with their thrilling  
memories of ,auld-lang-syne2 pass the   
bonnie braes of ,woodhouselee1 and reach
 old ,glencorse ,church1 bosomed high   
'mong tufted trees2 cross a bonnie burn1
 called ,logan ,water1 and get a glimpse
 of ,house of ,muir1 in the vicinity of 
which the old ,scottish ,covenanters met
 with a terrible slaughter1 from        
,general ,dalzell of ,binns1 the bluidy 
,dalzell1 as the ,scots call him to this
 day4 ,passing through the humble       
village of ,silver ,burn1 we reach      
,newhall1 once the residence of ,dr4    
,pennycuick1 a poet and an antiquary1   

and subsequently of the ,forbes family  
highly distinguished for their talents  
and virtues4 ,disposing of our carriage1
 let us ramble1 at our own sweet will1  
amid those beautiful grounds4 ,the      
mansion of ,newhall1 once a battlemented
 castle of the ,crichtoun family1 stands
 on the left bank of the ,north ,esk1   
within a curvature of the stream1 under 
the shadow of the ,pentland ,hills4 ,on 
either side is a deep ravine1           
terminating in the glen of the ,esk1 one
 of the most romantic spots in          
,scotland4 ,passing round on the eastern
 side1 we gaze down into the ravine1    
overhung by the remains of a small round
 tower1 and densely shaded with tangled 
trees4 ,a dark rill gurgles at the      
bottom1 here and there leaping into     
beautiful cascades1 and flinging its    
glittering spray among the dark woods4  
,passing to the other side1 we come to  
what was formerly the site of an old    
prison and chapel1 encircled by a       
pleasant walk4 ,the ravine beneath is   

filled with trees and shrubbery1 but has
 no stream4 ,from this point the eye    
glances up through the wooded glen1     
echoing with the songs of the mavis and 
the linnet1 and over to a mineral well1 
sheltered by copsewood and pines4  ,but 
,newhall1 and the grounds around it1    
derive their chief interest from their  
connection with the well-known pastoral 
poem of ,allan ,ramsay4 ,the very air   
seems redolent with the poetry of ,the  
,gentle ,shepherd4 ,leaving the house1  
we reach a little haugh1 or low         
sheltered spot1 where the ,esk and the  
rivulets from the ,harbour ,craig mingle
 their waters4 ,at the side of the      
stream are some romantic gray crags1    
directly fronting the south1 and looking
 up a turn in the glen4 ,these1 adorned 
with green birches1 shrubs1 and         
copsewood1 and shading the limpid stream
 which makes a curve1 and then glides   
underneath their overhanging cliffs1    
form a shady bield1 completely protected
 from observation4 ,in this spot is laid

 the first act of ,the ,gentle          
,shepherd4      ,beneath the south side 
of a craggy field1     ,where crystal   
springs the halesome water yield1       
,twa youthful shepherds on the gowans   
lay1     ,tenting their flocks ae bonny 
morn of ,may4  ,ascending the vale1 and 
just behind the house1 we come to a     
considerable holm or green1 with the    
babbling burn1 now gentler in its       
movement1 winding sweetly among the     
white pebbles4 ,at the head of this     
quiet retreat1 on the edge of the burn1 
are the ruins of an ancient             
washing-house1 protected by an aged     
thorn4 ,it was here that the twa lasses 
proposed to wash their claes1 unseen by 
their lovers4      ,a flowery howm      
between twa verdant braes1     ,where   
lasses use to wash and spread their     
claes1     ,a trotting burnie wimpling  
through the ground2     ,its channel    
pebbles shining smooth and round4  ,a   
little further up the burn we come to a 
hollow1 a little beyond what is called  

,mary's ,bower1 where the ,esk divides  
it in the middle1 and forms a linn or   
cascade1 called the ,how ,burn2 a small 
enclosure above is called the ,braehead 
,park2 and this hollow beneath the      
cascade with its bathing pool and little
 green1 its rocks and birches1 its wild 
shrubs and natural flowers1 and general 
air of sequestered and romantic beauty1 
in every respect corresponds with the   
poet's exquisite description of the spot
 called ,habbie's ,howe4      ,gae farer
 up the burn to ,habbie's ,howe1        
,where a' the sweets o' spring and      
summer grow1     ,there1 'tween twa     
birks out ower a little linn1     ,the  
water fa's and mak's a singand din2#bj  
,a pule breast deep1 beneath as clear as
 glass1     ,kisses wi' easy whirls the 
bordering grass4  ,footnote #bj3        
,singing noise4  ,ascending yet further1
 at a place called the ,carlops1 7a     
contraction of ,carline's ,loups1 so    
called1 in consequence of a witch or    
carline having been seen leaping1 at    

night1 from one rock to another17 two   
tall rocks shoot up on either side4     
,near this1 by the side of that old ash 
tree1 stood ,mause's ,cottage4      ,the
 open field1 a cottage in a glen1       
,an auld wife spinning at the sunny end1
     ,at a sma' distance1 by a blasted  
tree1     ,wi faulded arms and          
half-raised look1 ye see                
,bauldy his lane6#ba      ,a green      
kail-yard2 a little fount1       ,where 
water poplin springs2     ,there sits a 
wife#bb wi' wrinkled front1       ,an'  
yet she spins and sings4  ,footnote #ba3
 ,alone4  ,footnote #bb3 ,old woman4    
,with these localities in our mind1 let 
us sit down on this gowan'd brae1 and   
run over the story of ,the ,gentle      
,shepherd1 one of the most graphic      
pictures of ,scottish manners1 and one  
of the sweetest pastorals in any        
language4  ,patie or ,patrick1 a humble 
shepherd-lad1 born and bred in the      
region we have entered1 about the middle
 of the seventeenth century1 was a      

handsome fellow1 and remarkably         
distinguished for his good temper and   
rustic accomplishments4 ,he was of a    
gay-hearted cheerful disposition1 and   
made the woods and hills ring again with
 his mirthful songs4 ,moreover1 he was  
sensible and well-informed4 ,his mind1  
indeed1 was superior to his station2    
still he was contented and happy4       
,symon ,scott1 a worthy man and a       
wealthy farmer1 with whom ,patie had    
lived from his childhood1 was a tenant  
of ,sir ,william ,preston's1 owner of   
the neighboring lands1 who1 to save his 
head1 he having taken part with the     
royalists1 had fled his native country1 
and was living abroad1 no one knew      
where4  ,patie loved ,peggy ,forsyth1 a 
neebor lassie1 of excellent character   
and great beauty1 who fully requited his
 attachment4 ,this girl was the reputed 
niece of ,glaude ,anderson1 a           
comfortable farmer1 and a tenant of ,sir
 ,william's4 ,he had found her one      
summer morning1 at his door1 carefully  

wrapped in swaddling clothes4 ,being a  
warm-hearted man1 he had adopted the    
little stranger as his own relative4    
,the interviews and conversations of the
 lovers1 and their friends1 ,roger and  
,jenny1 who after some embarrassments   
from ,jenny's independence1 are found to
 be warmly attached to each other are   
related by the dramatist with great     
beauty and simplicity4 ,the reader sees 
them at early morn1 or amid the shadows 
of the gloaming1 wandering by the bonnie
 burnie's side1 and with hearts of      
innocence1 giving themselves up to the  
full enjoyment of nature's beauties and 
their own sweet affections4 ,glaude and 
,symon are fine specimens of the honest 
and hospitable farmers of ,scotland4    
,the house of the former is such as one 
often sees in the rural districts3      
,a snug thack#bc house1 before the door 
a green1     ,hens on the midden1 ducks 
in dubs#bd are seen4     ,on this side  
stands a barn1 on that a byre3#be     ,a
 peat stack joins1 an' forms a rural    

square4     ,the house is               
,glaud's2--there you may see him lean1  
,and to his divot#bf seat invites his   
frien4  ,footnote #bc3 ,thatch4         
,footnote #bd3 ,pools4  ,footnote #be3  
,barn for the cows4  ,footnote #bf3     
,turf4  ,the character and fate of      
,bauldy are graphically described4 ,he  
is a wealthy but vulgar minded farmer1  
attached to ,peggy1 and resolved1 if    
possible1 to withdraw her affections    
from ,patie and secure them for himself4
 ,for this purpose he has recourse to   
,mause1 a sensible and worthy old woman1
 but reputed a witch1 from her          
superiority to the common people4 ,mause
 agrees to assist him1 but secretly     
resolves to expose his ignorance and    
punish his effrontery4 ,the following is
 ,bauldy's account of the matter3       
,ah6 ,sir1 the witch ca'd ,mause1       
,that wins aboon the mill amang the     
haws1     ,first promised that she'd    
help me wi' her art1     ,to gain a     
bonnie thrawart#bg lassie's heart4      

,as she had trysted1 ,i met wi' 'er this
 night2     ,but may nae frien o' mine  
get such a fright6     ,for the curst   
hag1 instead of doing me guid1     7,the
 very thocht o'ts like to freeze my     
bluid67     ,raised up a ghaist1 or     
deil1 ,i kenna whilk1     ,like a dead  
corse1 in sheet as white as milk2       
,black hands it had1 and face as wan as 
death2     ,upon me fast the witch and  
it fell baith1     ,and got me down2    
while ,i like a great fool     ,was     
'laboured#bh as ,i used to be at school3
     ,my heart out o' its hool#bi was   
like to loup1     ,i pithless#cj grew   
wi' fear1 an' had nae houp1     ,till   
wi' an elritch laugh1 they vanished     
quite2     ,syne ,i1 hauf dead wi'      
anger1 fear and spite1     ,crap up1 and
 fled straught frae them4  ,footnote    
#bg3 ,wayward4  ,footnote #bh3          
,belabored4  ,footnote #bi3 ,place or   
socket4  ,footnote #cj3 ,powerless4     
,tidings had arrived that ,sir ,william1
 who had now been absent several years1 

might be expected home1 as the king was 
restored and the royal party was now    
predominant4  ,this tidings created the 
liveliest sensations of joy among ,sir  
,william's tenantry1 as he was much     
beloved for his kindness and generosity 
of disposition4 ,old ,symon ,scott and  
,glaude ,anderson were especially       
delighted1 and resolved1 each of them1  
to celebrate the event with a feast4    
,symon however had already begun to make
 preparations for a banquet1 to which he
 invited ,glaude and all the old and    
young people of the neighborhood3       
,it's ,symon's house1 please to step in1
       ,and vissy't#ca round and round1 
,there's nought superfluous to gie pain1
       ,or costly to be found4     ,yet 
a' is clean--a clear peat ingle#cb      
,glances amidst the floor#cc2     ,the  
green horn spoons1 beech luggies#cd     
mingle       ,on skelfs#ce foregainst   
the door4     ,while the young brood    
sport on the green1       ,the auld anes
 think it best1     ,wi' the brown      

cow#cf to clear their een       ,snuff1 
crack and tak their rest4  ,footnote    
#ca3 ,examine it4  ,footnote #cb3 ,a    
fire of peats4  ,footnote #cc3 ,in      
,scotland the old peasant houses have   
the fire in their centre4  ,footnote    
#cd3 ,cups of beech wood4  ,footnote    
#ce3 ,shelves opposite the door4        
,footnote #cf3 ,brown ale4  ,while they 
are engaged ,sir ,william appears among 
the young people on the green1 in the   
garb of a fortune teller4 ,jenny runs   
into the house and tells her father1    
who1 particularly good-natured and      
hospitable at such an hour1 replies3--  
,gae bring him in2 we'll hear what he   
can say1     ,nane shall gae hungry by  
my house the day4      ,exit ,jenny4    
,but for his telling fortunes1 troth ,i 
fear     ,he kens nae mair o' that than 
my grey mare4      ,glaud4--,spae       
men6#cg the truth o' a' their saws ,i   
doubt1     ,for greater lears never ran 
thereout4      ,jenny returns bringing  
in ,sir ,william2--with them ,patie4    

,symon4--,ye're welcome honest carle1   
here take a seat4      ,sir ,w4--,i gie 
ye thanks1 gudeman1 ,i'se be no         
blate4#ch      ,glaud4--,come1 t'ye#ci  
frien4 ,how far came ye the day8        
,sir ,w4--,i pledge ye1 neibour1 e'en   
but little way4      ,symon4--,ye're    
welcome here to stay a' night wi' me4   
,and tak sic bed and board as we can    
gie4      ,sir ,w4--,that's kind        
unsought4--,weel gin#dj ye hae a bairn4 
,that ye like weel1 an wad his fortune  
learn1     ,i shall employ the farthest 
o' my skill1     ,to spae it faithfully1
 be't good or ill4      ,symon 7pointing
 to ,patie74--,only that lad3 alake6 ,i 
hae nae mae     ,either to mak me joyfu'
 now or wae4      ,sir ,w4--,young man1 
let's see your hand2 what gars#da ye    
sneer8      ,patie4--,because your      
skill's but little worth1 ,i fear4      
,sir ,w4--,ye cut before the point3 but1
 ,billy1 bide1     ,i'll wager there's a
 mouse-mark on your side4  ,footnote    
#cg3 ,fortune-tellers4  ,footnote #ch3  

,bashful4  ,footnote #ci3 ,your health4 
,footnote #dj3 ,if4  ,footnote #da3     
,makes4  ,this being the case1 all are  
astonished at the old man's knowledge1  
who goes on to predict that ,patie1 one 
of these days1 will be a rich laird4    
,elspa4--,hear1 ye gudeman1 what think  
ye now8      ,symon4--,i dinna ken6     
,strange auld man1 what art thou8       
,fair fa#db your heart1 it's guid to    
bode o' wealth     ,come1 turn the      
timmer to laird ,patie's health4        
7,patie's health goes round47  ,footnote
 #db3 ,good befall4  ,old ,symon1 by the
 request of the spaeman1 goes out to    
meet him1 and they have much            
conversation together4 ,at length--     
,sir ,william drops his masking beard1  
,symon transported sees     ,the welcome
 knight1 wi' fond regard1       ,an'    
grasps him round the knees4  ,they      
converse concerning ,patie1 who is      
actually ,sir ,william's son and heir1  
and agree to make known his true        
position4 ,this is accordingly done1 and

 produces great excitement among the    
parties4 ,patie is glad and sorrowful at
 the same time1 and ,peggy sees nothing 
in it but disappointment and grief4 ,a  
gulf has intervened between her and     
,patie1 and she feels that she must give
 him up for ever4 ,but ,patie assures   
her of his constant affection1 and the  
puir thing absolutely greets for joy to 
hear his words sae kind4  ,next         
morning--      ,while ,peggy laces up   
her bosom fair     ,wi' a blue snood1   
,jenny binds up her hair2     ,glaud by 
his morning ingle1 taks a beek1#dc      
,the rising sun shines motty#dd thro'   
the reek1#de     ,a pipe his mouth1 the 
lasses please his een1     ,an' now and 
then his joke must intervene4  ,footnote
 #dc3 ,a glass of beer4  ,footnote #dd3 
,mottled4  ,footnote #de3 ,smoke4  ,but 
all parties are sent for to ,symon's    
house--      ,to hear and help to       
redd#df some odd debate     ',tween     
,mause and ,bauldy1 'bout some          
witchcraft spell1     ,at ,symon's      

house3 the knight sits judge himsell4   
,footnote #df3 ,clear up1 unravel4  ,all
 then are assembled--      ,sir ,william
 fills the twa armed chair1       ,while
 ,symon1 ,roger1 ,glaud1 and ,mause1    
,attend1 and wi' loud laughter hear     
,daft ,bauldy bluntly plead his cause3  
,for now it's tell'd him that the taz#dg
       ,was handled by revengeful       
,madge1     ,because he brak guid       
breeding's laws1       ,and wi' his     
nonsense raised their rage4  ,footnote  
#dg3 ,birch or strap4  ,bauldy1 however1
 confesses his wrong1 and adds--        
,but ,i had best     ,haud in my tongue1
 for yonder comes the ghaist#dh     ,an'
 the young bonny witch1 whose rosy cheek
     ,sent me1 without my wit1 the de'il
 to seek4      ,sir ,william 7looking at
 ,peggy74     --,whose daughter's she   
that wears the aurora gown1     ,with   
face so fair1 and locks o' lovely brown8
     ,how sparkling are her eyes8       
,what's this ,i find1     ,the girl     
brings all my sister to my mind4        

,such were the features once adorned a  
face1     ,which death so soon deprived 
of sweetest grace4     ,is this your    
daughter ,glaud8      ,glaud4--,sir1    
she's my niece1     ,an' yet she's not1 
but ,i shoud haud my peace4      ,sir   
,wil4--,this is a contradiction4 ,what  
d' ye mean8     ,she is1 and is not6    
pray thee1 ,glaud1 explain4             
,glaud4--,because ,i doubt1 if ,i shou'd
 mak' appear1     ,what ,i hae kept a   
secret thirteen year--                  
,mause4--,you may reveal what ,i can    
fully clear4      ,sir ,wil4--,speak    
soon2 ,i'm all impatience4              
,patie4--,sae am ,i6     ,for much ,i   
hope1 an' hardly yet ken why4           
,glaud4--,then1 since my master orders1 
,i obey4     ,this bonny foundling1 ae' 
clear morn o' ,may1     ,close by the   
lea-side o' my door ,i found1     ,a'   
sweet an' clean an' carefully hapt#di   
'round1     ,in infant weeds1 o' rich   
and gentle make4     ,what could they   
be1 thought ,i1 did thee forsake8       

,wha1 worse than brutes1 cou'd leave    
exposed to air     ,sae much o'         
innocence sae sweetly fair1     ,sae    
helpless young8 for she appeared to me  
,only about twa towmands#ej auld to be4 
,i took her in my arms2 the bairnie     
smiled1     ,wi' sic a look1 wad mak a  
savage mild4     ,i hid the story3 she  
has pass'd sinsyne#ea     ,as a poor    
orphan1 an' a niece o' mine3     ,nor do
 ,i rue my care about the wean1     ,for
 she's weel worth the pains that ,i hae 
tane4     ,ye see she's bonny2 ,i can   
swear she's guid1     ,an' am right sure
 she's come o' gentle bluid1     ,o'    
wham ,i kenna4#eb ,naething ,i ken mair1
     ,than what ,i to your honor now    
declare4      ,sir ,wil4--,this tale    
seems strange6      ,patie4--,the tale  
delights my ear6      ,sir              
,wil4--,command your joys1 young man1   
till truth appear4      ,mause4--,that  
be my task4 ,now sir1 bid a' be hush2   
,peggy may smile2 thou hast nae cause to
 blush4     ,lang hae ,i wish'd to see  

this happy day1     ,that ,i may safely 
to the truth gi'e way2     ,that ,i may 
now ,sir ,william ,worthy name1     ,the
 best and nearest friend that she can   
claim3     ,he saw 't at first1 an' wi' 
quick eye did trace     ,his sister's   
beauty in her daughter's face4      ,sir
 ,wil4--,old woman1 do not rave1--prove 
what you say1     ,it's dangerous in    
affairs like this to play4              
,patie4--,what reason1 ,sir1 can an auld
 woman have     ,to tell a lie when     
she's sae near her grave8     ,but how  
or why1 it should be truth ,i grant     
,i every thing that looks like reason   
want4      ,omnes4--,the story's odd6 we
 wish we heard it out4      ,sir        
,wil4--,make haste1 good woman1 and     
resolve each doubt4            ,mause   
goes forward1 leading ,peggy to ,sir    
,william4      ,mause4--,sir1 view me   
weel2 has fifteen years sae plow'd      
,a wrinkled face that you hae often     
viewed1     ,that here ,i as an unknown 
stranger stand4     ,wha nursed her     

mother that now hauds my hand8     ,yet 
stronger proofs ,i'll gie1 if you       
demand4      ,sir ,wil4--,ha6 honest    
nurse1 where were my eyes before8     ,i
 know thy faithfulness1 and need no     
more2     ,yet from the lab'rinth to    
lead out my mind1     ,say1 to expose   
her1 who was so unkind8            ,sir 
,william embraces ,peggy and makes her  
sit by him4      ,yes surely thou'rt my 
niece2 truth must prevail1     ,but no  
more words till ,mause relates the tale4
  ,footnote #dh3 ,ghost4  ,footnote #di3
 ,covered4  ,footnote #ej3 ,two years4  
,footnote #ea3 ,since then4  ,footnote  
#eb3 ,know not4  ,mause then relates how
 ,peggy's life being threatened by a    
wicked aunt1 who wished to take         
possession of her estate1 she herself   
had stolen her away1 in the dead of     
night1 and travelled with her some fifty
 miles1 and left her at ,glaud's door2  
that she had taken a cottage in the     
vicinity1 and had watched over the child
 ever since4 ,all of course are         

delighted with this discovery4 ,the     
betrothment of ,patie and ,peggy is     
sanctioned by ,sir ,william2 and even   
,bauldy                    the          
bewitch'd1 has quite forgot     ,fell   
,madge's taz1 and pawky ,madge's plot1  
and exclaims3      ,i'm friends wi'     
,mause1--wi' very ,madge ,i'm greed1    
,although they skelpit#ec me when woodly
 flied3#ed     ,i'm now fu' blithe1 an' 
frankly can forgive     ,to join and    
sing1 ',lang may ,sir ,william live4'   
,footnote #ec3 ,whipt4  ,footnote #ed3  
,sorely frightened4  ,sir ,william      
bestows upon faithful ,symon1 and kind  
,glaud1 and upon their heirs1 in endless
 fee1 their mailens1 or farms1 and takes
 old ,mause into his family1 in peace   
to close her days1     ,with naught to  
do but sing her ,maker's praise4  ,glaud
 consents to give ,jenny to ,roger1 who 
says2      ,i ne'er was guid o' speaking
 a' my days1     ,or ever loo'd to make 
o'er great a fraise2#ee     ,but for my 
master1 father1 an' my wife1     ,i will

 employ the cares o' a' my life4        
,footnote #ee3 ,fuss or perhaps         
flattering speech4  ,to which1 ,sir     
,william adds1 summing up the whole3    
,my friends ,i'm satisfied you'll all   
behave1     ,each in his station as ,i'd
 wish or crave4     ,be ever virtuous1  
soon or late you'll find     ,reward and
 satisfaction to your mind4     ,the    
maze o' life sometimes looks dark and   
wild2     ,and oft when hopes are       
highest1 we're beguiled4     ,oft when  
we stand on brinks of dark despair1     
,some happy turn1 with joy1 dispels our 
care4  ,thus ends the ,gentle ,shepherd1
 which with all its faults1 possesses an
 inimitable charm4 ,in ,scotland it is a
 sort of household poem4 ,every one1    
young and old1 reads it with delight4   
,indeed1 it is probably the most popular
 pastoral drama ever written4 ,the      
common people1 in the rural districts of
 ,scotland1 know it by heart4 ,the      
,bible1 the ,pilgrim's ,progress1       
,robinson ,crusoe and the ,gentle       

,shepherd are read by them a thousand   
times more than any other book4         
,,chapter ,,xi4       ,biographical     
,sketch of ,allan                       
,ramsay--,lasswade--,ramble along the   
banks of the ,north ,esk--,glenesk--,a  
,character--,anecdote of ,sir ,w4       
,scott--,hawthornden--,drummond the     
,poet--,his ,character and              
,genius--,sonnets--,chapel and ,castle  
of ,roslin--,barons of                  
,roslin--,ballad of ,rosabelle--,hunting
 ,match between ,robert ,bruce and      
,sir ,william ,st4 ,clair4   ,leaving   
,habbie's ,howe1 we will let ,sandy     
drive us along the banks of the river1  
through ,auchindinny1 ,roslin and       
,hawthornden1 to the pretty village of  
,lasswade1 where we will spend the      
night4 ,sandy can take the carriage back
 to ,edinburgh1 and to-morrow we will   
ramble on foot through the classic      
shades of ,roslin and ,hawthornden1     
visit ,dalkeith and some other places1  
and return to ,edinburgh by the railway4

 ,in the meantime ,i will give you some 
account of ,allan ,ramsay4  ,allan was  
born on the #aeth of ,october1 #afhf1 in
 ,crawford ,muir1 ,lanarkshire1 and died
 in the city of ,edinburgh1 in the year 
#aghd4 ,he was at first a wigmaker1 and 
afterwards a bookseller4 ,in #agbf he   
kept a little bookstore opposite        
,niddry's ,wynd in the city of          
,edinburgh1 whence he removed to        
another1 somewhat more commodious at the
 east end of the ,luckenbooths1 having  
exchanged his old sign of ,mercury for  
the heads of ,ben ,jonson and ,drummond 
of ,hawthornden1 whom he greatly        
admired4 ,his early education was       
limited4 ,he attended the village school
 at ,leadhills1 where1 as he himself    
informs us1 he acquired just learning   
enough to read ,horace faintly in the   
original4 ,of a vigorous constitution1  
and a cheerful temper1 he spent his time
 happily in the country1 till his       
fifteenth year1 though his lot seems to 
have been a hard one4      ,wading      

through glens wi' chorking feet1        
,where neither plaid nor kilt could     
fend#ef the weet2     ,yet blithely     
would he bang out o'er the brae1        
,and stend o'er burns as light as ony   
rae1     ,hoping the morn#eg might prove
 a better day4  ,footnote #ef3 ,keep    
off4  ,footnote #eg3 ,to-morrow4  ,he   
went to ,edinburgh1 a poor country boy1 
and gradually made his way to           
competence1 and respectability4 ,whether
 he was particularly successful as a    
wigmaker we are not informed2 but he    
found the trade of bookseller infinitely
 more congenial4 ,ensconced behind his  
counter1 he could study1 write poetry1  
chat with his customers1 and publish his
 own lucubrations4 ,his first principal 
poem was ,christ's ,kirk on the ,green1 
a continuation of ,king ,james's poem of
 the same name1 a rough but graphic and 
humorous picture of rustic revelry4 ,its
 indelicacy is rather gross1 but it has 
all the vigor and humor of ,hogarth's   
pictures4 ,his other poems1 containing  

songs1 fables1 pastorals1 complimentary 
verses 7of which he has a very large    
number17 stories and epistles are quite 
numerous4 ,they contain a large amount  
of trash1 with here and there some      
beautiful gems4 ,he is mainly successful
 in ,scottish verse4 ,his imitations of 
the ,english poets are rather poor4 ,the
 ,vision is one of his ablest           
productions4 ,the ,genius of ,scotland  
is painted with a touch of the old      
heroic ,muse3      ,great daring darted 
frae his ee1     ,a braid sword         
shaggled#eh at his knee1       ,on his  
left arm a targe2     ,a shining spear  
filled his right hand1     ,of stalwart 
make in bane and brawnd1       ,of just 
proportions large2     ,a various       
rainbow colored plaid       ,owre his   
left spaul#ei he threw1     ,down his   
braid back1 frae his white head         
,the silver wimplers#fj grew4           
,amazed1 ,i gazed           ,to see1 led
 at command1         ,a stampant and    
rampant           ,fierce lion in his   

hand4  ,footnote #eh3 ,dangled4         
,footnote #ei3 ,shoulder4  ,footnote    
#fj3 ,tassels or dangles4  ,but his most
 popular production is the ,gentle      
,shepherd which appeared in #agbe--;and 
was received with enthusiasm1 not only  
in ,scotland1 but in ,england and       
,ireland4 ,it was much admired by ,pope 
and ,gay1 the latter of whom1 when on a 
visit to ,scotland1 with the ,duke and  
,duchess of ,queensberry1 used to lounge
 in ,allan ,ramsay's shop1 and obtain   
from him explanations of the ,scottish  
expressions that he might communicate   
them to ,pope4  ,allan uniformly had an 
eye to the main chance4 ,he sedulously  
courted the great1 and managed to       
accumulate a good many pennies4 ,in the 
mingled spirit of prudence and poetry1  
he contrived      ,to theek#fa the out  
and line the inside     ,of many a douce
 and witty pash1#fb     ,and baith ways 
gathered in the cash4  ,footnote #fa3   
,thatch4  ,footnote #fb3 ,head4  ,he was
 foolish enough however to lay out his  

gains in the erection of a theatre which
 was prohibited by the magistrates1 as  
an injury to good morals4 ,so that      
,allan lost his cash and his pains      
together1 and not only so1 but his good 
temper4 ,this exposed him to much       
obloquy1 in part perhaps deserved4 ,he  
was somewhat ,jacobinical in his views1 
and hated the ,presbyterian clergy1 who 
were afraid of him1 as a half papist1   
and a some what licentious writer4      
,hence he lampooned them with great     
severity1 in consequence of which he was
 pretty well lampooned in his turn4     
,after all ,allan was a true poet1 and  
by no means a bad man4 ,he was honest1  
kind-hearted and cheerful4 ,some of his 
poetical strains indicate much elevation
 and tenderness of spirit4  ,in personal
 appearance he was somewhat peculiar4   
,the following amusing description he   
has given of himself3      ,imprimis1   
then1 for tallness1 ,i     ,am five foot
 and four inches high1     ,a black a   
viced#fc snod dapper fellow1     ,nor   

lean1 nor overlaid wi' tallow2     ,with
 phiz of a morocco cut1     ,resembling 
a late man of wit1     ,auld gabbet     
,spec#fd who was sae cunning1     ,to be
 a dummie ten years running4     ,then  
for the fabric of my mind1     ',tis    
mair to mirth than grief inclined3      
,i rather choose to laugh at folly      
,than show dislike by melancholy2       
,well judging a sour heavy face     ,is 
not the truest mark of grace4     ,i    
hate a drunkard or a glutton1     ,yet  
,i'm nae fae#fe to wine and mutton3     
,great tables ne'er engaged my wishes   
,when crowded with o'er many dishes2    
,a healthfu' stomach1 sharply set1      
,prefers a back-say1#ff piping het1     
,i never could imagine 't vicious       
,of a fair fame to be ambitious2        
,proud to be thought a comic poet1      
,and let a judge of numbers know it1    
,i court occasion thus to show it4      
,footnote #fc3 ,of a dark complexion4   
,footnote #fd3 ,does this mean          
,spectator8  ,footnote #fe3 ,foe4       

,footnote #ff3 ,sirloin4  ,allan never  
suffered his poetry to interfere with   
his business4 ,indeed he abandoned verse
 altogether in the latter part of his   
life1 rightly judging that he might not 
equal his earlier productions1 and      
feeling moreover that other and more    
serious engagements demanded his        
attention4 ,the following epistle to    
,mr4 ,smibert1 an eminent painter and   
intimate friend1 dated ,edinburgh1 #ajth
 ,may1 #agcf1 is highly characteristic2 
,,my ,,dear ,,old ,,friend3--           
,your health and happiness are ever ane 
addition to my      satisfaction4 ,god  
make your life ever easy and pleasant4  
,half a      century of years have now  
row'd oe'r my brow1 that begins now to  
be lyart2#fg yet thanks to my ,author1  
,i eat1 drink1 and sleep      as sound  
as ,i did twenty years syne2#fh yes1 ,i 
laugh heartily      too1 and find as    
many subjects to employ that faculty    
upon as ever2      fools1 fops and      
knaves1 grow as rank as formerly1 yet   

here and      there are to be found good
 and worthy men1 who are ane honor to   
human life4 ,we have small hopes of     
seeing you again in our world2      then
 let us be virtuous and hope to meet in 
heaven4 ,my good auld      wife is still
 my bedfellow2 my son ,allan has been   
pursuing your      science since he was 
a dozen years auld--was with ,mr4       
,hyffidg1 at      ,london1 for some     
time1 about two years ago--has been     
since at home1      painting here like a
 ,raphael--sets out for the seat of the 
beast1      beyond the ,alps1 in a month
 hence--to be away about two years4 ,i'm
      sweer#fi to part with him1 but    
canna stem the current which      flows 
from the advice of his patrons and his  
own inclination4 ,i      have three     
daughters1 one of seventeen1 one of     
sixteen1 and one of      twelve years of
 old1 and no rewayled dragle#gj among   
them1 all      fine girls4 ,these six or
 seven years past ,i have not written a 
line      of poetry4 ,i e'en gave over  

in good time1 before the coolness of    
fancy1 that attends advanced years1     
should make me risk the      reputation 
,i had acquired4       ,frae twenty-five
 to five and forty1      ,my muse was   
neither sweer#ga nor dorty1#gb      ,my 
,pegasus wad break her tether1#gc       
,e'en at the shagging of a feather2     
,and throw#gd ideas scour like drift1   
,streaking his wings up to the lift2    
,then when my soul was in a low#ge      
,that gart#gf my numbers safely row2#gg 
,but eild#gh and judgment gin#gi to say1
      ,let be your sangs and learn to   
pray4       ,i am1 ,sir1 your friend and
 servant1      ,,allan ,,ramsay4        
,footnote #fg3 ,wrinkled4  ,footnote    
#fh3 ,since4  ,footnote #fi3 ,loth4     
,footnote #gj3 ,uncouth sloven4         
,footnote #ga3 ,reluctant4  ,footnote   
#gb3 ,proud or stiff4  ,footnote #gc3   
,halter4  ,footnote #gd3 ,through4      
,footnote #ge3 ,blaze4  ,footnote #gf3  
,caused4  ,footnote #gg3 ,roll4         
,footnote #gh3 ,age4  ,footnote #gi3    

,begin4  ,in #agdc his circumstances    
were such as enabled him to build a     
small octagon shaped house on the north 
side of the ,castle ,hill1 which he     
named ,ramsay ,lodge1 but which some of 
his witty friends compared to a goose   
pie4 ,he told ,lord ,elibank one day of 
this ungracious comparison4 ,what1 said 
the witty peer1 a goose pie6 ,in good   
faith1 ,allan1 now that ,i see you in   
it1 ,i think the house is not ill named4
 ,he lived in this odd-looking edifice  
till the day of his death1 enjoying the 
society of his friends1 and cracking his
 jokes with perhaps greater quietness1  
but with as much gust and hilarity as   
ever4 ,he was a man of genius1 and has  
exerted great influence on the lighter  
literature of ,scotland4 ,he was an     
immense favorite with ,burns1 his equal 
in genius1 his superior in depth of     
feeling1 in tenderness and beauty of    
expression4 ,but ,burns doubtless owed  
something to the wood notes wild1 of his
 illustrious predecessor4 ,both have    

done much to illustrate and beautify    
their native land4  ,next morning at    
early dawn we are rambling in and around
 the pretty village of ,lasswade1 which 
lies so sweetly on the left bank of the 
,north ,esk4 ,the river runs in many    
charming sinuosities through the parish1
 now passing over a smooth ledge of     
rocks1 then wimpling over shining       
pebbles1 then gliding with a scarcely   
perceptible motion among the green      
braes1 now wetting the pendant branches 
of the birch and broom1 anon sleeping in
 a deep pellucid pool1 then leaping o'er
 a linn1 and then gushing with a hollow 
murmur1 among the loose gray rocks4     
,nothing can be more beautiful and      
picturesque4 ,many pretty cottages and  
handsome villas adorn the neighborhood4 
,de ,quincy1 the celebrated ,english    
opium eater lives here1 and ,sir ,walter
 ,scott at one time occupied a cottage  
in the vicinity4 ,the following is a    
happy description from his pen1 of the  
enchanting scenes through which the     

,north and ,south ,esk flow4 ,it is     
taken from his ballad of the ,grey      
,brother4      ,sweet are the paths--,o 
passing sweet6       ,by ,esk's fair    
streams that run1     ,o'er airy steep1 
through copsewood's deep1               
,impervious to the sun4      ,there the 
rapt poet's step may rove1       ,and   
yield the muse the day2     ,there      
beauty led by timid love1       ,may    
shun the tell-tale ray4      ,from that 
fair dome#hj where suit is paid1        
,by blast of bugle free1     ,to        
,auchindinny's hazel glade1       ,and  
haunted ,woodhouselee4      ,who knows  
not ,melville's beechy groove1          
,and ,roslin's rocky glen1              
,dalkeith1 which all the virtues love1  
,and classic ,hawthornden4  ,footnote   
#hj3 ,pennycuick ,house1 the romantic   
and elegant residence of ,sir ,george   
,clerk1 ,baronet4 ,it stands on a flat1 
in a curve of the river1 with a         
picturesque glen behind1 carrying up the
 view to the ruins of ,branstane        

,castle1 and the western extremity of   
the ,pentlands--a a little plain in     
front1 gemmed with a beautiful          
artificial pond1 and overhung by ascents
 which are mantled all over with        
wood--and swells and eminences on each  
side1 dissevered by ravines1 and moulded
 into many curvatures of beauty4 ,on the
 opposite side of the river1 at the end 
of an avenue at the top of a bank1      
stands an obelisk1 raised by ,sir ,james
 ,clerk1 to the memory of his friend and
 frequent inmate1 ,allan ,ramsay4  ,it  
is not surprising that multitudes from  
,edinburgh come to reside here in the   
summer time2 for what with the varied   
scenery of rock and river1 copsewood and
 fell1 the pleasant associations of the 
present1 and the thrilling memories of  
,auld lang syne1 no region can be more  
attractive and agreeable4  ,sauntering  
along1 we approach ,glenesk1 so called  
from the deep and charming glen1 formed 
by the winding river4 ,yonder is an old 
man at work in his garden1 who looks    

quite patriarchal1 and ,i dare say knows
 a good deal of the neighborhood4 ,let  
us accost him4  ,good morning1 sir6     
,gude mornin' gentlemen6  ,you seem to  
be quite early in your garden this      
morning4  ,ou aye1 we maun mak hay while
 the sun shines1 ye ken1 and this is a  
graund time for planting4  ,you have    
lived in the neighborhood a considerable
 time1 ,i presume4  ,a' my days4  ,well1
 it's a beautiful country4  ,ou aye1    
it's weel eneuch4 ,my faither before me 
lived in that bit housie out yonder     
amang the trees1 and he used aften to   
say1 gude auld man6 that the lines had  
fallen to us in pleasant places1 and    
that we had a goodly heritage4 ,for my  
pairt1 ,i like the country unco weel4   
,the burn there is verra pleasant1 its  
sae caller#ha like1 wimpling amang the  
rocks and bushes4 ,and what's mair to   
the pint1 it has got a fouth#hb of fine 
fish in 't1 though thae new fangled     
mills are frightening them awa4         
,footnote #ha3 ,fresh4  ,footnote #hb3  

,abundance4  ,trout1 ,i suppose4  ,yes1 
sir1 and fine anes too4 ,ah6 mony's the 
day ,i hae paidlt in that burn1 when a  
wee bit callant1 catching the trout     
amang the stanes1 when the water was    
low4  ,did you know any thing of ,sir   
,walter ,scott8 ,he used to live near   
,lasswade1 and ,i dare say often        
wandered this way to fish4  ,ken him6   
,that ,i did fu' weel4 ,and an honest   
freendly man he was4 ,he cam up the burn
 every noo and then1 sometimes wi' a    
fishing-rod1 and sometimes wi' a staff  
in his han4 ,he and ,i got weel acquaint
 after a time1 for he was nane o' your  
upstarts1 but an unco frank1 freespoken 
kind of a man4 ,not that he talked sae  
muckle himsel1 but he was aye askin     
about something or ither1 and kept my   
tongue waggin' a' the time4 ,ah yes1    
,sir ,walter was a canny man4 ,he knew  
the hail kintra side1 and used to spier 
a great many questions about the ways o'
 the auld folks4 ,one day he cam alang  
the burn side1 wi' anither gentleman4 ,i

 happened to be working down there4 ,his
 line got tangled in a stane1 and he got
 me to fetch it out4 ,he then coost it  
into the deep pule below1 making the    
flee skim alang the top o' the water1 as
 skeelfully as onything ye ever saw4    
,when up louped a muckle spotted trout1 
and in a moment dragged the line to the 
other side1 then spanked up the burn at 
an unco rate1 running the line aff the  
reel1 which birred like a spinnin'      
wheel4 ,sir ,walter hobbled after it as 
weel as he could4 ,he was lame1 ye ken1 
but managed to move pretty quick4 ,the  
trout plunged and flounced over the     
shallow water1 got into another deep    
pule1 and ran into the bank1 in the     
hollow of twa big stanes that were lying
 there4 ,now1 cried ,sir ,walter1 ,i    
have you my boy2 so he kept jerkin awa  
at him1 and out he cam again1 when ,sir 
,walter gave him a wallop1 and laid him 
flat amang the gowans4 ',twas a bonny   
sight1 ,i tell you4 ,the trout was nae  
less than a fit and a quarter lang1 as  

thick as my arm1 and spotted all o'er   
wi' shining spots1 like a leopard4 ,sir 
,walter was unco pleased--rubbed his    
hans'1 and every now and then broke into
 a smile1 as he cracked some joke about 
the trout4 ,hech6 it was a guid sight   
for sair een--to see ,sir ,walter after 
the trout1 and specially to see the     
trout walloping amang the gowans4  ,but 
don't you think that it was rather cruel
 sport8  ,cruel6 why man1 the fish kens 
naething ava1 and out o' its ain        
element1 it gets choked in a minute4    
,and1 for my pairt1 ,i dinna see what   
fish is guid for1 if not to be catch'd  
and eaten1 specially the big anes6 ,my  
gude auld faither used often to say to  
us1 ',boys1 ye mauna be cruel to the    
dumb beasts1 and when ye gang a fishing1
 be sure to let the wee fish gae4'      
,your father was a worthy man1 ,i dare  
say4  ,that he was1 ,i can assure you4  
,he was respeckit by the hail kintra    
side4 ,when auld and feeble1 he wud sit 
before the door1 on a divot seat1 the   

hail simmer day1 wi' a braid bonnet on  
his head1 and a lang staff by his side1 
reading the ,bible1 or maybe ',pilgrim's
 ,progress1' or takin' wi' the neebors  
wha cam to see him4  ,did he belong to  
the established kirk8  ,na1 na1 he was  
ane o' the auld ,covenanters1 and used  
to talk a deal about ,cameron and       
,mc,millen1 as unco powerfu' preachers4 
,he thocht the present times were       
wonderfu' degenerate1 that the solemn   
,league and ,covenant o' ,scotland was  
amaist forgotten1 and that the people   
now-a-days were a sort o' inferior race4
 ,but he was a gude man2 unco pleasant  
to look upon1 and unco pleasant to hear1
 when he talked o' the faithfulness o'  
,israel's ,god1 and the comfort and     
blessedness of being his children4 ,when
 he deed1 he seemed to fa' asleep4 ,a   
smile was on his pale face1 and his han'
 lay upon his breast1 as it were in     
token of resignation to the will o'     
heaven4 ,he lies buried in the auld     
kirk-yard1 o'er yonder1 wi' the words on

 his head-stane at his ain request1     
',blessed are the deed that dee in the  
,lord4'  ,are you too a ,cameronian8    
,why no1 to tell ye the honest truth4   
,the auld ,cameronians are amaist a'    
gane2 and ,i just gang o'er here to the 
free kirk1 where1 to my notion1 we hae  
as guid sound preachin as ye'll meet wi'
 in the hail kintra side4 ,i'm no sae   
gude a man as my faither2 but ,i canna  
forget his counsels and his prayers4    
,have you any family1 my friend8  ,ou   
aye4 ,a bit callant1 and twa strapping  
lasses1 one of whom is married4  ,well1 
that's a comfort4  ,a great comfort1    
sir1 in my auld days4 ,jeanie is weel   
married1 and has bairns o' her ain4     
,marion wad a been married1 but she was 
kind a skary1 and so she stays at hame4 
,the bit callant is no my ain1 but a    
neebor's son that we adopted frae pity1 
seeing his mither is puir1 and his      
faither was lost at sea4  ,and your     
wife1 is she well8  ,well6 ,aye1 that   
she is--in heaven6 ,she's been gane     

these five years--7here the tears       
started in the old man's eyes47 ,we maun
 a' dee4 7,a brief pause47 ,but1 as my  
gude auld faither used to say1 ',the    
,lord gave1 and the ,lord hath taken    
away1 blessed be the name of the ,lord4'
  ,yes1 my good old friend1 the hope of 
a ,christian1 which you seem to cherish1
 is a source of infinite comfort4 ,it   
sweetens the cares of life1 and robs    
death of its sting4 ,good morning4      
,gude mornin2 and the ,lord bless you6  
,ascending the river a short distance1  
we come to ,hawthornden1 once the       
property and residence of the celebrated
 poet and historian1 ,william ,drummond1
 the friend of ,shakspeare and ,ben     
,jonson4 ,the house1 originally         
constructed with reference to strength1 
surmounts the very edge of a precipitous
 cliff1 which rises above the river4    
,winding around it are charming walks1  
among the green foliage1 which fringes  
the summit and sides of the rock1 down  
to the very edge of the water4 ,wild    

tangled bushes1 flowering shrubs1       
birches and oak trees1 are mingled in   
most picturesque and delightful         
confusion2 while the gray cliffs here   
and there1 peep out from their sylvan   
garniture as if sunning themselves in   
the summer radiance4 ,below1 the stream1
 impeded in its course by huge ledges of
 rocks1 hurries unseen1 but distinctly  
heard1 amid the woods2 further on1      
emerges into the light of day1 and forms
 a broad clear pool1 on the banks of    
which you may see some industrious      
fisherman plying his rod4               
,the spot is wild1 the banks are steep1 
,with eglantine and hawthorn blossomed  
o'er1     ,lychnis and daffodils1 and   
hare-bells blue4     ,from lofty granite
 crags precipitous1     ,the oak with   
scanty footing topples o'er1            
,tossing his limbs to heaven2 and from  
the cleft1     ,fringing the dark brown1
 natural battlements1     ,the hazel    
throws his silvery branches down3       
,there starting into view1 a castled    

cliff1     ,whose roof is lichen'd o'er1
 purple and green1     ,o'erhangs thy   
wandering stream1 romantic ,esk1        
,and rears its head among the ancient   
trees4  ,standing in front of it you see
 certain artificial caves1 hollowed with
 immense labor1 out of the solid rock4  
,these communicate with each other1 and 
contain a well of prodigious depth bored
 from the court-yard of the mansion4    
,the caves are reported by tradition to 
have been a stronghold of the ancient   
,pictish kings1 and three of them bear  
respectively the name of 'the king's    
,gallery1 the king's ,bed-chamber and   
the king's ,guard-room4' ,they were     
doubtless hewn out1 as places of refuge1
 during the terrible wars between the   
,english and the ,picts1 or the ,english
 and the ,scots4 ,in the reign of ,david
 ,,ii1 when the ,english had possession 
of ,edinburgh1 they and the neighboring 
caves of ,gorton afforded shelter to the
 heroic ,sir ,alexander ,ramsay of      
,dalhousie and his adventurous band4    

,adjoining the house1 and overlooking   
the stream1 a kind of seat is cut in the
 face of the rock1 called ',cypress     
,grove1' where ,drummond is reported to 
have sat1 in the fine summer weather1   
and composed many of his poems4 ,the    
magnificent woods in the vicinity       
suggested to ,peter ,pindar the caustic 
remark respecting ,dr4 ,samuel ,johnson1
 that he      ,went to ,hawthornden's   
fair scene by night1     ,lest e'er a   
,scottish tree should wound the sight4  
,crossing the river at a suitable place1
 we will saunter towards ,roslin on the 
other side1 and while doing so1 will    
beguile the way by talking of ,drummond1
 whose genius haunts every nook and     
corner of the shady dell4  ,william     
,drummond was born in #aehe and died in 
#afdi4 ,his father1 ,john ,drummond1 was
 gentleman usher to ,king ,james4 ,he   
was hence educated in profound reverence
 for royalty and its prerogatives4      
,indeed his feelings upon this subject  
were entirely slavish2 and it is said   

that his strong grief at the death of   
,charles the ,first hastened his death4 
,he was well versed in classic          
literature1 and enjoyed the advantages  
of a refined and liberal education4     
,having studied civil law for four years
 in ,france1 he succeeded in #afaa to an
 independent estate1 and took up his    
residence in ,hawthornden4 ,its cliffs1 
caves1 and wooded dells were in harmony 
with his genius1 and he spent many happy
 years in this beautiful retreat4 ,his  
first publication was a volume of       
occasional poems1 of various merit1 to  
which succeeded a moral treatise1 in    
prose1 called ,cypress ,grove1 in       
allusion probably to the fairy nook on  
the face of the rock where he meditated 
and wrote1 and a second poetical work   
entitled ,flowers of ,zion4 ,he also    
wrote the ,history of the ,five         
,james's1 a production of no great      
merit1 in which he urges1 to an         
extravagant length1 the doctrine of the 
absolute supremacy of kings4 ,the       

,cypress ,grove contains reflections    
upon death1 written in a solemn and     
agreeable strain1 and contains some fine
 passages4 ,this earth1 says he1 is as a
 table book1 and men are the notes2 the 
first are washen out1 that new may be   
written in4 ,they who forewent us did   
leave room for us2 and should we grieve 
to do the same to those who should come 
after us8 ,who1 being suffered to see   
the exquisite rarities of an antiquary's
 cabinet1 is grieved that the curtain be
 drawn1 and to give place to new        
pilgrims8 ,and when the ,lord of the    
,universe hath shown us the amazing     
wonders of his various frame1 should we 
think it hard1 when he thinketh time1 to
 dislodge8 ,this is his unalterable and 
inevitable decree2 as we had no part of 
our will in our entrance into this life1
 we should not presume to any in our    
leaving it2 but soberly learn to will   
that which he wills1 whose very will    
giveth being to all that it wills4  ,the
 death of a beautiful young lady1 to    

whom he was betrothed1 affected him     
deeply2 and he sought relief to his     
wounded feelings in foreign travel4 ,on 
returning1 some years afterwards1 he met
 a young lady by the name of ,logan1    
bearing a strong resemblance to the     
former object of his affections2 on     
account of which he solicited and       
obtained her hand in marriage4          
,drummond was intimate with ,drayton and
 ,ben ,jonson4 ,the latter paid him a   
visit at ,hawthornden1 and they had much
 free conversation together4 ,drummond  
kept private notes of these             
conversations1 which subsequently saw   
the light1 and were found to be somewhat
 injurious to ,jonson's memory4 ,but    
,drummond himself had no hand in their  
publication4  ,as a poet ,drummond      
belonged to the school of ,spenser1     
though far inferior to the latter in    
strength of conception and splendor of  
imagination4 ,his poems are             
distinguished for their singular harmony
 and sweetness of versification4 ,they  

seem to partake of the character of the 
quiet romantic scenery amid which they  
were composed4 ,his ,tears on the ,death
 of ,moeliades1 7,prince ,henry1 son of 
,james ,i417 and his ,river ,forth      
,feasting1 have been much admired4 ,his 
sonnets1 however1 are his best          
productions4 ,they flow with as much    
grace and beauty1 7though not perhaps   
with the same variety17 as the romantic 
river which murmurs past his wooded     
seat4 ,his madrigals1 complimentary     
verses1 and other short pieces1 abound  
in foolish conceits1 and what is worse1 
in coarse and licentious language4 ,but 
he was one of the best poets of the age1
 and only inferior to two or three of   
his great contemporaries4  ,the         
following sonnet--,to ,his ,lute--is    
very sweet4 ,it was probably written    
after the death of the lady to whom he  
was betrothed2      ,my lute be as thou 
wert when thou didst grow1     ,with thy
 green mother1 in some shady grove1     
,when immelodious winds but made thee   

move1     ,and birds their ramage#hc did
 on thee bestow4     ,since that dear   
voice which did thy sounds approve1     
,which wont in such harmonious strains  
to flow1     ,is reft from earth to join
 the spheres above1     ,what art thou  
but a harbinger of woe8     ,thy        
pleasing notes be pleasing notes no     
more1     ,but orphan wailings to the   
fainting ear1     ,each stroke a sigh1  
each sound draws forth a tear2     ,for 
which be silent as in woods before2     
,or if that any hand to touch thee      
deign1     ,like widowed turtle still   
her loss complain4  ,footnote #hc3      
,warbling4  ,his sonnet ,in ,praise of a
 ,solitary ,life was written1 we can    
well imagine1 in his summer bower on the
 banks of the ,esk4 ,it is peculiarly   
harmonious3      ,thrice happy he who by
 some shady grove1     ,far from the    
clamorous world doth live his own1      
,thou solitary1 who is not alone1       
,but doth converse with that eternal    
love4     ,o how more sweet is bird's   

harmonious moan1     ,or the hoarse     
sobbings of the widowed dove1     ,than 
those smooth whisperings near a prince' 
throne1     ,which good make doubtful1  
do the ill approve6     ,o how more     
sweet is zephyr's wholesome breath1     
,and sighs embalm'd1 which new-born     
flowers unfold1     ,than that applause 
vain honor doth bequeath4     ,how sweet
 are streams1 to poison drank in gold6  
,the world is full of horror1 troubles1 
slights3     ,woods1 harmless shades    
have only true delights4  ,the          
following1 ,to a ,nightingale1 is still 
more beautiful3      ,sweet bird6 that  
singst away the early hours     ,of     
winters past or coming1 void of care1   
,well pleased with delights which       
present are1     ,fair seasons1 budding 
sprays1 sweet-smelling flowers3     ,to 
rocks1 to springs1 to rills1 from leafy 
bowers1     ,thou thy ,creator's        
goodness dost declare1     ,and what    
dear gifts on thee he did not spare1    
,a stain to human sense in sin that     

lowers4     ,what soul can be so sick as
 by thy songs     7,attired in          
sweetness7 sweetly is not driven        
,quite to forget earth's turmoils1      
spites and wrongs1     ,and lift a      
reverend eye and thought to heaven8     
,sweet1 artless songster6 thou my mind  
dost raise     ,to airs of spheres--yes1
 and to angels' lays4  ,but we have     
entered the vale of ,roslin1 and there1 
in its beauty1 stands the ,chapel of    
,roslin1 one of the most exquisite      
architectural ruins in ,scotland4 ,it   
was founded in #adhd1 or even earlier   
than that1 by the ,earl of ,caithness   
and ,orkney4 ,the whole ,chapel is      
profusely decorated with the most       
delicate sculpture both within and      
without4 ,the roof1 the capitals1       
key-stones and architraves1 are all     
overlaid with sculpture1 representing   
foliage and flowers1 grotesque figures1 
sacred history and texts of ,scripture4 
,the fine fluted column called the      
,apprentice's ,pillar1 so named from a  

tradition which no one believes1 and    
which therefore we do not repeat1 is    
exceedingly beautiful1 being ornamented 
with wreaths of foliage and flowers     
twining around it in spiral columns4 ,so
 perfect are these alto relievos1 that  
the author of a pamphlet describing     
them1 says that he can liken them to    
nothing but ,brussels lace4  ,how solemn
 a thing it is in this chequered light1 
to wander amid these sounding aisles and
 ancient monuments6 ,in the vaults      
beneath lie the ,barons of ,roslin1 all 
of whom1 till the time of ,james the    
,seventh1 were buried without a coffin1 
in complete armor4 ,this circumstance1  
and the vulgar belief that on the night 
preceding the death of any of these     
barons1 the chapel appeared in flames1  
has been finely described by ,walter    
,scott1 in his touching ballad of       
,rosabelle4      ,o listen1 listen1     
ladies gay6       ,no haughty feats of  
arms ,i tell2     ,soft is the note1 and
 sad the lay1       ,that mourns the    

lovely ,rosabelle4      ,moor1 moor the 
barge1 ye gallant crew6       ,and      
gentle ladye deign to stay6     ,rest   
thee in castle ,ravensheuch1       ,nor 
tempt the stormy ,firth to-day4         
,the blackening wave is edged with      
white1       ,to inch and rock the      
sea-mews fly2     ,the fishers have     
heard the water sprite1       ,whose    
screams forebode that wreck is nigh4    
,last night the gifted seer did view1   
,a wet shroud swathed round ladye gay6  
,then stay thee1 fair1 in ,ravensheuch2 
,why cross the gloomy ,firth to-day8    
',tis not because ,lord ,lindesay's     
heir1       ,to-night at ,roslin leads  
the ball1     ,but that my ladye mother 
there1       ,sits lonely in her castle 
hall4      ',tis not because the ring   
they ride--       ,and ,lindesay at the 
ring rides well--     ,but that my sire 
the wine will chide       ,if 'tis not  
filled by ,rosabelle4      ,o'er ,roslin
 all that dreary night1       ,a        
wondrous blaze was seen to gleam1       

',twas broader than the watchfire's     
light1       ,and redder than the bright
 moonbeam4      ,it glared on ,roslin's 
castled rock1       ,it ruddied all the 
copsewood glen1     ',twas seen from    
,dryden's grove of oak1       ,and seen 
from cavern'd ,hawthornden4      ,seem'd
 all on fire that chapel proud1         
,where ,roslin's chiefs uncoffined lie1 
,each baron1 for a sable shroud1        
,sheathed in his iron panoply4          
,seem'd all on fire1 within1 around1    
,deep sacristy and altar pale2          
,shone every pillar1 foliage bound1     
,and glimmer'd all the dead men's mail4 
,blazed battlement and pinnet high1     
,blazed every rose-carved buttress      
fair1--     ,so still they blaze1 when  
fate is nigh       ,the lordly line of  
high ,st4 ,clair4      ,there are twenty
 of ,roslin's barons bold1       ,lie   
buried within that proud chapelle2      
,each one the holy vault doth hold--    
,but the sea holds lovely ,rosabelle4   
,and each ,st4 ,clair was buried there1 

,with candle1 with book1 and with knell1
     ,but the sea caves rung1 and the   
wild winds sung1       ,the dirge of    
lovely ,rosabelle4  ,we now pass over a 
bridge of great height1 spanning a deep 
cut in the solid rock1 and reach ,roslin
 ,castle1 with its triple tier of       
vaults1 standing upon a peninsular rock 
overhanging the romantic glen of the    
,esk4 ,this castle was1 for ages1 the   
seat of the ,st4 ,clairs1 or ,sinclairs1
 descended from ,william de ,sancto     
,clare1 the son of ,waldernus de ,clare1
 who came to ,england with ,william the 
,conqueror1 and fought at the battle of 
,hastings4 ,the enumeration of their    
titles1 says ,sir ,walter ,scott1 would 
take away the breath of a herald4 ,among
 others1 they were ,princes of the      
,orcades1 ,dukes of ,oldenburgh1 ,lord  
,admirals of the ,scottish ,seas1 ,grand
 ,justiciaries of the kingdom1 ,wardens 
of the border1 ,earls of ,caithness1    
titularies of more than fifty baronies1 
patrons and ,grand ,masters of ,masonry 

in ,scotland1 c4 c4  ,of the grandeur   
and opulence of the family1 some        
conception may be derived from the      
following description1 given in a       
manuscript in the ,advocate's ,library1 
of the state maintained by ,william ,st4
 ,clare1 founder of the chapel4--,about 
that time 7#addj7 the town of ,roslin1  
being next to ,edinburgh and ,haddington
 in ,east ,lothian1 became very populous
 by the great concourse of all ranks and
 degrees of visitors that resorted to   
this ,prince1 at his palace of the      
,castle of ,roslin2 for he kept a great 
court1 and was royally served at his own
 table1 in vessels of gold and silver1  
,lord ,dirleton being his master of the 
household1 ,lord ,borthwick his         
cup-bearer1 and ,lord ,fleming his      
carver1 c4 ,he had his halls and other  
apartments richly adorned with          
embroidered hangings4 ,he flourished in 
the reigns of ,james the ,first and     
,second4 ,his princess1 ,elizabeth      
,douglass1 was served by seventy-five   

gentlewomen1 whereof fifty-three were   
daughters of noblemen1 all clothed in   
velvets and silks1 with their chains of 
gold and other ornaments1 and was       
attended by two hundred riding gentlemen
 in all her journeys2 and if it happened
 to be dark when she went to ,edinburgh1
 where her lodgings were at the foot of 
,blackfriars' ,wynd1 eighty lighted     
torches were carried before her4  ,the  
old castle is almost entirely gone1 and 
the present structure is a comparatively
 modern one4 ,it belongs to the ,earl of
 ,rosslyn1 descended from a collateral  
branch of the ,st4 ,clair family4  ,it  
is interesting to think of the          
magnificent old barons who kept state in
 the mouldering castles which everywhere
 adorn the ,scottish landscape4 ,some of
 them were noble specimens of humanity1 
but the greater proportion of them were 
but splendid barbarians4 ,they led a    
sort of rude animal life1 and were      
distinguished chiefly for their towering
 pride and ungovernable passion4 ,the   

following story of a hunting match      
between ,king ,robert ,bruce and ,sir   
,william ,st4 ,clair1 throws an         
interesting light on the spirit of the  
age and the history of the ,st4 ,clair  
family4 ,the king had been repeatedly   
baulked by a fleet white deer which he  
had started in his hunt among the       
,pentland ,hills2 and having asked an   
assembled body of his nobles whether any
 dogs in their possession could seize   
the game that had escaped the royal     
hounds1 ,sir ,william ,st4 ,clair       
promptly offered to pledge his head that
 two favorite dogs of his called ',help 
and ,hold1' would kill the deer before  
she crossed the ,march burn4 ,the king  
instantly accepted the knight's bold and
 reckless offer1 and promised himself to
 give the forest of ,pentland ,moor in  
guerdon of success4 ,a few slow hounds  
having been let loose to beat up the    
deer1 and the king having taken post on 
the best vantage-ground for commanding a
 view of the chase1 ,sir ,william       

stationed himself in the fittest        
position for slipping his dogs1 and in  
the true style of a ,romanist1 who asks 
a blessing upon a sin1 and supposes the 
giver of the blessing to be a creature1 
earnestly prayed to ,st4 ,katherine to  
give the life of the deer to his dogs4  
,away now came the raised deer1 and away
 in full chase went ,sir ,william on a  
fleet-footed steed2 and hind and hunter 
arrived neck and neck at the critical   
,march burn4 ,sir ,william threw himself
 in a desperate fling from his horse    
into the stream2 ',hold1' just at this  
crisis of fate1 stopped the deer in the 
brook1 and ',help' the next instant came
 up1 drove back the chase1 and killed   
her on the winning side of the stream4  
,the king1 who had witnessed the nicely 
poised result1 came speedily down from  
his vantage-ground1 embraced ,sir       
,william1 and granted him1 in free      
forestry1 the lands of ,logan ,house1   
,kirkton1 and ,carncraig4 ,sir ,william1
 in gratitude for the fancied           

interference of ,st4 ,katherine in his  
favor1 built the chapel of ,st4         
,katherine in the ,hopes4 ,the tomb of  
the wildly adventurous knight who was so
 canine in his nature as to reckon his  
life not too high a pledge for the      
fleetness and fierceness of his dogs1 is
 still to be seen in ,roslin chapel2 and
 it very properly represents the        
sculpture of his armed person to be     
attended by a greyhound1 as a joint     
claimant of the honor and fame of his   
exploits4  ,in the neighboring moor of  
,roslin is the scene of a great battle1 
in #acjb1 in which the ,scottish army   
gained1 in one day1 three successive    
victories1 a circumstance touchingly    
referred to by ,delta1 ,dr4 ,moir of    
,musselburgh1 author of ',casa ,wappy1' 
',wee ,willie1' and many other exquisite
 contributions to ,blackwood's          
,magazine4      ,three triumphs in a    
day6       ,three hosts subdued by one6 
,three armies scattered like the spray1 
,beneath one summer sun     ,who pausing

 'mid this solitude       ,of rocky     
streams and leafy trees1--     ,who1    
gazing o'er this quiet wood1            
,would ever dream of these8     ,or have
 a thought that ought intrude           
,save birds and humming bees8  ,how     
delightful1 as we wander amid these     
hoary ruins and leafy bowers1 so still  
and beautiful under the rich light of a 
summer noon1 to think that the old      
stormy times of feudal warfare have     
passed away forever1 and that peace1    
with balmy wing1 is brooding over this  
and other ,christian lands4  ,but in    
this everyday life1 the wants of nature 
must be met4 ,let us hie then to the    
village inn1 just beyond the chapel4    
,with our keen appetites1 a snug dinner 
there will relish better than the most  
splendid banquet of the ,st4 ,clairs4   
,,chapter ,,xii4       ,ramble through  
the ,fields--,parish                    
,schools--,recollections of ,dominie    
,meuross--,the ,south ,esk--,borthwick  
and ,crichtoun ,castles--,newbattle     

,abbey--,dalkeith--,residence of the    
,duke of ,buccleugh--,scotland's        
,skaith1 by ,hector ,macneil--,his      
,character and ,writings--,extracts     
from the ,history of ,will and ,jean4   
,recrossing the ,north ,esk1 we ramble  
through the country in a north-easterly 
direction1 passing through highly       
cultivated farms1 with large comfortable
 homesteads4 ,the fields everywhere are 
filled with laborers1 hoeing1 ploughing1
 and weeding1 most of them cheerful as  
larks1 and making the woods ring with   
'whistle and song4' ,that plain but     
substantial edifice1 under the shadow of
 the great oak tree hard by the old     
church1 is a parish school-house1 in    
which perhaps are gathered some fifty or
 sixty boys and girls1 from all ranks of
 society1 plying their mental tasks1    
under the supervision of an intelligent 
schoolmaster4 ,every morning in that    
school-house the ,word of ,god is       
reverently read1 and earnest prayer     
offered1 exerting upon all minds a      

healthful moral influence1 and producing
 impressions of a religious kind1 which 
may last forever4 ,any boy may be fitted
 for college1 or for commercial         
pursuits1 in such a school1 and the     
expense to the parent will be next to   
nothing4 ,what then must be the amount  
of good accomplished by the combined    
influence of all the parish schools in  
,scotland1 equally endowed1 and supplied
 with adequate teachers8 ,popular       
education has made great advances in    
,scotland within a few years4 ,the      
greatest zeal for learning exists among 
the people1 and they require no         
compulsive acts1 as in ,germany1 to     
induce them to send their children to   
school4 ,not to be able to read and     
write is regarded1 in ,scotland1 as a   
great disgrace2 and hence the poorest   
people are equally ready with the rich  
to avail themselves of the benefits of  
instruction4 ,good teachers are         
uniformly secured1 because they receive 
an ample compensation1 and none but     

well-educated and truly moral men would 
be accepted4 ,in this respect their     
situation is greatly superior to that of
 parish schoolmasters in ,germany or in 
the ,united ,states4 ,on this subject1  
,kohl1 the ,german traveller1 mentions  
an amusing conversation which he had    
with the parish schoolmaster at ,muthil4
 ,having stated to the latter that the  
situation of ,scottish teachers was far 
superior to that of teachers in his     
country1 he inquired what was the       
average pay of schoolmasters there4  ,it
 varies a good deal1 was the reply of   
,kohl4 ,some have a hundred1 some a     
hundred and fifty1 but many no more than
 fifty dollars4  ,how many pounds go to 
a dollar8 asked he4  ,seven dollars go  
to a pound4  ,what6 he exclaimed1       
springing up from his chair1 do you mean
 to tell me that they pay a schoolmaster
 with seven pounds a year8  ,even so1   
was the reply1 seven pounds2 but how    
much then do they get with you8  ,i know
 no one who has less than from forty to 

fifty pounds in all ,scotland2 but the  
average is seventy or eighty pounds2 and
 many go as high as a hundred and fifty 
pounds4  ,what6 cried ,kohl1 springing  
up in his turn1 a hundred and fifty     
pounds6 that makes one thousand and     
fifty dollars4 ,a baron would be        
satisfied in ,germany with such a       
revenue as that2 and do you mean to say 
that there are schoolmasters who grumble
 at it8  ,yes1 said he2 but recollect   
how dear things are with us4 ,sugar     
costs eighteenpence a pound2 coffee two 
shillings2 chocolate is still dearer1   
and tea not much cheaper4 ,and then how 
dear are good beef1 and pork1 and plums1
 and puddings1 and everything else6  ,i 
could not deny this1 adds ,kohl2 but ,i 
thought that our poor schoolmasters were
 content if they had but bread4  ,in    
former times the parish schoolmasters   
did not receive so much as they now do2 
but then they were clerks of the parish1
 frequently precentors in the church1   
and received a multitude of little      

perquisites4 ,their support has been    
made quite ample1 having an average     
salary of a hundred pounds1 with a free 
house4  ,but the sight of that          
school-house brings back the days of    
lang syne4 ,well do ,i remember the old 
parish school--a long thatched building1
 at the ,kirk of ,shotts1 where ,i      
received my preparation for college1    
under the free and easy1 but most       
efficient1 administration of ',dominie  
,meuross1' famed through all the country
 for his great classical attainments1   
his facetious disposition1 his          
kind-heartedness1 and his love of the   
pure ',glenlivet4' ,those were not the  
days of temperance societies1 and the   
,dominie had so much to do with         
christenings and weddings1 parish       
difficulties1 roups and law-suits1 that 
he was greatly tempted by the bottle4   
,but he was a worthy man1 and an        
enthusiastic teacher1 especially of the 
classics4 ,teaching ,a1 ,b1 ,c1 was     
rather a dull business to the ,dominie2 

but oh1 how merrily he would construe   
the ,odes of ,horace1 what jokes he     
would crack over our lessons1 and what  
effulgent light he would cast upon the  
classic page6 ,yet ,dominie ,meuross was
 a dignified man--no one more so4 ,the  
boys1 indeed1 enjoyed considerable      
latitude1 especially at that end of the 
school opposite the one in which the    
,dominie sat1 and many facetious tricks 
were played upon the duller boys1 the   
sumphs1 as we used to call them4 ,but   
the ,dominie had only to pull down his  
glasses from his forehead1 where they   
were usually perched1 and direct a keen 
glance to the other end1 instantly to   
bring us all to perfect order4 ,dear old
 man6 he has long ago gone to the yird1 
but his memory is green as the grass    
which waves upon his grave4  ,the school
 and the church1 the light of learning1 
and the light of religion1 form the     
glory of ,scotland4 ,these have twined  
around her rustic brow a wreath of      
fadeless glory4 ,these have given her   

stability and worth1 beauty and renown4 
,but we have reached ,dalhousie ,castle1
 with its charming and romantic grounds1
 situated on a branch of the ,south     
,esk1 a stream similar to the ,north    
,esk1 and running in the same direction4
 ,these streams1 after passing through  
scenery the most picturesque and        
beautiful1 and watering a hundred spots 
consecrated by song and story1 as if by 
a mutual attraction1 unite a little     
above ,dalkeith1 and fall near the old  
town of ,musselburgh into the ,firth of 
,forth4 ,behind us1 at the distance of a
 few miles1 are the celebrated ruins of 
,borthwick and ,crichtoun castles1 the  
one on a branch of the ,south ,esk1 the 
other somewhat to the right1 in the vale
 of ,tyne4 ,it was into ,borthwick      
,castle that ,queen ,mary retired after 
the death of ,darnley1 and her unhappy  
marriage with ,bothwell1 and from which 
she was obliged1 a few days afterwards1 
to flee to ,dunbar in the guise of a    
page4 ,crichtoun ,castle is beautifully 

described by ,sir ,walter ,scott1 in    
,marmion1 and as we cannot visit this   
interesting ruin1 take his description  
of it as the best substitute4      ,that
 castle rises on a steep       ,of the  
green vale of ,tyne2     ,and far       
beneath1 where slow they creep     ,from
 pool to eddy1 dark and deep1     ,where
 alders moist1 and willows weep1        
,you hear her streams repine4     ,the  
towers in different ages rose2          
,their various architecture shows       
,the builders' various hands2     ,a    
mighty mass1 that could oppose1         
,when deadliest hatred fired its foes1  
,the vengeful ,douglas' bands4          
,crichtoun6 though now thy miry court   
,but pens the lazy steer and sheep1     
,thy turrets rude and tottered ,keep1   
,have been the minstrel's loved resort4 
,oft have ,i traced within thy fort1    
,of mouldering shields the mystic sense1
       ,scutcheons of honor or pretence1
     ,quartered in old armorial sort1   
,remains of rude magnificence4     ,nor 

wholly yet hath time defaced       ,thy 
lordly gallery fair2     ,nor yet the   
stony cord unbraced1     ,whose twisted 
knots with roses laced1       ,adorn thy
 ruined stair4     ,still rises         
unimpaired below1     ,the court-yard's 
graceful portico3     ,above its        
cornice1 row and row1     ,of fair hewn 
facets richly show1       ,their pointed
 diamond form1     ,though there but    
houseless cattle go1       ,to shield   
them from the storm4     ,and shuddering
 still may we explore1       ,where oft 
whilom were captives pent1     ,the     
darkness of thy ,massy ,more2#hd        
,or from thy grass-grown battlement4    
,may trace1 in undulating line1     ,the
 sluggish mazes of the ,tyne4  ,footnote
 #hd3 ,the prison vault4  ,proceeding   
along the stream1 we pass ,cockpen1     
reminding us of the ,laird of ,cockpen  
and his amusing courtship1 when         
,dumb-founder'd was he1       ,but nae  
word did he gae2     ,he mounted his    
mare1       ,and he rade cannilie4      

,but aften he thought1       ,as he gaed
 through the glen1     ,she's a fule to 
refuse       ,the ,laird o' ,cockpen4   
,we linger a few minutes by ,newbattle  
,abbey1 founded by ,david ,i41 for a    
community of ,cistercian monks1 brought 
hither from ,melrose1 but now the       
residence of the ,marquis of ,lothian2  
and soon after reach the old burgh town 
of ,dalkeith1 most delightfully situated
 between the two ,esks1 and reminding us
 forcibly of ,mansie ,waugh1 the pawkie 
tailor of ,dalkeith1 whose amusing      
history we read in our boyhood4         
,dalkeith is a considerable place1 and  
has many elegant residences4 ,in its    
immediate vicinity is ,dalkeith ,palace1
 seat of the ,duke of ,buccleugh1       
standing on an overhanging bank of the  
,north ,esk4 ,here too1 in earlier      
times1 lived the ,grahams1 and the      
,douglases2 and into this strong        
retreat1 then called the ,lion's den1   
retired the celebrated ,regent ,morton1 
who was subsequently beheaded4 ,we might

 enter the house1 as this favor is often
 granted to strangers1 but we will not  
now2 though it boasts the possession of 
some fine old paintings1 and some       
exquisite pieces of furniture4 ,but the 
grounds around it are infinitely more   
attractive1 adorned1 as they are1 with  
magnificent trees and shrubbery1 and the
 serpentine windings of the two ,esks1  
whose waters unite in the park1 a little
 distance below the house4 ,how placidly
 the stream glides through the verdant  
meadows1 and mirrors the green foliage  
of the overhanging trees1 or the        
branching horns of some deer1 bent to   
drink its clear waters6 ,how softly and 
delicately the pencil rays of green and 
yellow light glimmer through those shady
 retreats to the right4 ,see the        
startled deer bounding through the      
woods6 ,how softly and lovingly sleeps  
the sunshine on that wide pool at the   
bottom of the green slope1 adorned with 
flowers and honeysuckles6 ,and see1     
through that shady vista the open sky in

 the distance1 so darkly1 deeply1       
beautifully blue4 ,the birds too1 mavis1
 lintie1 and bulfinch1 are caroling     
among the trees1 as if their little     
hearts were filled with boundless joy4  
,the cottage of ,jeanie ,gairlace1      
supposed to be conferred upon her by the
 ,duchess of ,buccleugh1 is placed by   
,macneil1 the author of ,scotland's     
,skaith1 in this beautiful vicinity4 ,as
 we have yet to wait some time for the  
rail cars that are to take us to        
,edinburgh1 let us sit down on this     
rustic seat1 and ,i will give you some  
account of ,macneil1 and his touching   
poem of ,will and ,jean4  ,hector       
,macneil was born in #agdf1 and died in 
#ahah4 ,he was brought up to mercantile 
pursuits1 but did not succeed in        
business4 ,he cultivated in secret his  
passion for the muses1 and published at 
intervals several poetical effusions1   
among which were ,the ,harp1 a          
,legendary ,poem1--,the ,links of the   
,forth1 or a ,parting ,peep at the      

,carse of ,sterling1 and ,scotland's    
,skaith1 or the ,history of ,will and   
,jean1 his most natural and successful  
production4 ,though not successful in   
lyrical effusions1 or in song writing1  
he is the author1 we believe1 of that   
exquisite ballad1 ,bonny ,wee ,mary o'  
,castlecary4 ,he also wrote some prose  
tales1 in which he laments the effects  
of modern changes and improvements4 ,in 
the latter years of his life1 he resided
 in comparative comfort1 at ,edinburgh1 
enjoying the congenial society of its   
refined and literary circles4           
,scotland's ,skaith 7curse7 or the      
,history of ,will and ,jean1 is intended
 to depict the ruinous effects of       
intemperance1 and the possibility of    
reform1 with the happiness thence       
resulting4 ,a happy couple1 in humble   
life are gradually drawn into the vortex
 of intemperance1 and at last are       
reduced to the deepest extremities4 ,the
 husband enlists as a soldier1 and the  
wife is compelled1 with her children1 to

 beg her bread4 ,in the commencement of 
the poem ,willie is represented as      
passing a rustic alehouse1 whose        
attractions prove too much for him4 ,the
 situation of the alehouse1 and the     
commencement of ,willie's career as a   
drunkard1 are admirably described4 ,the 
rhythm of the poem is peculiarly        
harmonious and lively4      ,in a       
howm#he whose bonnie burnie1            
,whimpering rowed its crystal flood1    
,near the road where travellers turn    
aye1       ,neat and bield#hf a cot     
house stood4      ,white the wa's1 wi'  
roof new theckit1#hg       ,window      
broads#hh just painted red2     ,lown#hi
 'mang trees and braes it reekit1#ij    
,hafflins#ia seen and hafflins hid4     
,up the gavel#ib end thick spreading1   
,crap the clasping ivy green1     ,back 
owre firs the high craigs cleadin1#ic   
,raised around a cosey screen4          
,down below a flowery meadow2           
,joined the burnies rambling line1      
,here it was that ,howe the widow       

,that same day set up her sign4         
,brattling#id down the brae1 and near   
its       ,bottom1 ,will first          
marvelling sees     ',porter1 ale1 and  
,british spirits1'       ,painted bright
 between twa trees4      ',godsake ,tam6
 here's walth for drinking6       ,wha  
can this new-comer be8'     ',hout1' quo
 ,tam1 'there's drouth in thinking--    
,let's in ,will1 and syne#ie we'll see4'
  ,footnote #he3 ,hollow1 or glen4      
,footnote #hf3 ,sheltered4  ,footnote   
#hg3 ,thatched4  ,footnote #hh3 ,boards4
  ,footnote #hi3 ,serene and lonely4    
,footnote #ij3 ,smoked4  ,footnote #ia3 
,half4  ,footnote #ib3 ,gable4          
,footnote #ic3 ,clothing4  ,footnote    
#id3 ,rattling1 or running4  ,footnote  
#ie3 ,then4  ,the two thoughtless       
friends have a jolly meeting1 and do not
 break up till 'tween twa and three next
 morning4 ,a weekly club is set up at   
the alehouse1 a newspaper is procured1  
and things move on bravely4 ,willie     
becomes a pot-house politician1 and a   

hard drinker1 the consequence of which  
is that he speedily goes to ruin4 ,his  
wife also1 to drown her sorrows1 takes  
to drinking4 ,the contrast between their
 past and present condition is          
touchingly described by the poet4       
,wha was ance like ,willie ,gairlace8   
,wha in neeboring town or farm8         
,beauty's bloom shone in his fair face1 
,deadly strength was in his arm4        
,when he first saw ,jeanie ,miller1     
,wha wi' ,jeanie could compare8         
,thousands had mair braws and siller4#if
       ,but war ony half so fair8       
,see them now6 how chang'd wi' drinking6
       ,a' their youthfu' beauty gane6  
,davered1#ig doited1#ih dazed#ii and    
blinking--       ,worn to perfect skin  
and bane4      ,in the cauld month o'   
,november1       7,claise1#ajj and cash1
 and credit out17     ,cowering o'er a  
dying ember1       ,wi' ilk face as     
white's a clout4#aja      ,bond and     
bill1 and debts a' stoppit1       ,ilka 
sheaf selt#ajb on the bent2#ajc         

,cattle1 beds1 and blankets roupit1#ajd 
,now to pay the laird his rent4      ,no
 anither night to lodge here--       ,no
 a friend their cause to plead6         
,he's ta'en#aje on to be a sodger1      
,she wi' weans#ajf to beg her bread6    
,footnote #if3 ,fine clothing and money4
  ,footnote #ig3 ,bewildered4  ,footnote
 #ih3 ,foolish4  ,footnote #ii3 ,stupid4
  ,footnote #ajj3 ,clothes4  ,footnote  
#aja3 ,cloth4  ,footnote #ajb3 ,sold4   
,footnote #ajc3 ,stubble field4         
,footnote #ajd3 ,sold at auction4       
,footnote #aje3 ,engaged4  ,footnote    
#ajf3 ,children4  ,fortunately1 ,jeanie 
attracts the attention of the ,duchess  
of ,buccleugh1 and obtains from her a   
pretty cottage1 rent free1 and such aid 
and protection as her circumstances     
demand4 ,willie loses a leg in battle1  
and returns a changed man1 with a       
pension from government4 ,finding his   
wife and family1 he is received to their
 embrace4 ,the soldier's return1 and the
 situation of the cottage are           

beautifully depicted4      ,sometimes   
briskly1 sometimes flaggin'1            
,sometimes helpit1 ,will gat forth2     
,on a cart or in a wagon1               
,hirplin#ajg aye towards the north4     
,tired ae e'ening1 stepping hooly1#ajh  
,pondering on his thraward#aji fate1    
,in the bonny month o' ,july1           
,willie1 heedless1 tent#aaj his         
gate4#aaa      ,saft the southland      
breeze was blowing1       ,sweetly      
sughed#aab the green oak wood2     ,loud
 the din o' streams fast fa'ing1        
,strack the ear with thundering thud4   
,ewes and lambs on braes ran bleating2  
,linties chirped on ilka tree2     ,frae
 the west the sun near setting1         
,flamed on ,roslin's towers sae hie4#aac
      ,roslin's towers and braes sae    
bonny6       ,craigs and water1 woods   
and glen6     ,roslin's banks unpeered  
by ony1       ,save the ,muses'         
,hawthornden6      ,ilka sound and charm
 delighting1       ,will 7though hardly 
fit to gang17#aad     ,wandered on      

through scenes inviting1                
,listening to the mavis' sang4          
,faint at length1 the day fast closing1 
,on a fragrant strawberry steep1        
,esk's sweet dream to rest composing1   
,wearied nature drapt asleep4           
',soldier1 rise6--the dews o' e'ening1  
,gathering fa' wi' deadly skaith6--     
,wounded soldier6 if complaining1       
,sleep na here1 and catch your death4'  
,footnote #ajg3 ,limping4  ,footnote    
#ajh3 ,carefully4  ,footnote #aji3      
,untoward4  ,footnote #aaj3 ,lost4      
,footnote #aaa3 ,way4  ,footnote #aab3  
,sighed4  ,footnote #aac3 ,high4        
,footnote #aad3 ,walk4  ,accepting an   
invitation to take shelter in a         
neighboring cottage1 slowfully and      
painfully he followed his guide4        
,silent stept he on1 poor fellow6       
,listening to his guide before1         
,o'er green knowe1 and flowery hollow1  
,till they reached the cot-house door4  
,laigh#aae it was1 yet sweet and humble3
       ,decked wi' honeysuckle round2   

,clear below ,esk's waters rumble1      
,deep glens murmuring back the sound4   
,melville's towers sae white and        
stately1       ,dim by gloaming         
glint#aaf to view2     ,through         
,lasswade's dark woods keek#aag sweetly1
       ,skies sae red and lift sae blue4
      ,entering now in transport mingle1
       ,mother fond1 and happy wean1#aah
     ,smiling round a canty#aai ingle1  
,bleezing on a clean hearth-stane4      
',soldier1 welcome6 ,come1 be cheery6   
,here ye'se#abj rest1 and tak' your     
bed--     ,faint1 waes me6 ye seem and  
weary1       ,pale's your cheek1 sae    
lately red6'      ',changed ,i am1'     
sighed ,willie till#aba her2            
',changed nae doubt1 as changed#abb can 
be2     ,yet1 alas6 does ,jeanie ,miller
       ,naught o' ,willie ,gairlace     
see8'      ,hae ye mark'd the dews o'   
morning1       ,glittering in the sunny 
ray1     ,quickly fa' when1 without     
warning1       ,rough blasts came and   
shook the spray8      ,hae ye seen the  

bird fast fleeing1       ,drap when     
pierced by death mair fleet8     ,then  
see ,jean1 wi' color deeing1#abc        
,senseless drap at ,willie's feet4      
,after three lang years' affliction1    
,a' their waes now hush'd to rest1      
,jean ance mair1 in fond affection1     
,clasps her ,willie to her breast4      
,footnote #aae3 ,low4  ,footnote #aaf3  
,gleam4  ,footnote #aag3 ,peep4         
,footnote #aah3 ,child4  ,footnote #aai3
 ,merry4  ,footnote #abj3 ,you shall4   
,footnote #aba3 ,to4  ,footnote #abb3   
,as much as possible4  ,footnote #abc3  
,dying4  ,but hark6 the first bell rings
 for the cars2 so let us be off1 and get
 our places4 ,the sun has slipped down  
behind the trees yonder1 and it will be 
gloaming1 if not ''tween and supper     
time1' before we get to ,edinburgh4     
,all is right1 and off we go1 whirring  
through the quiet and beautiful scenery 
of these highly cultivated regions4 ,we 
pass through ,samson's ribs1 that is1   
the granite rocks of ,duddingston1 by   

means of a tunnel1 glide along the base 
of ,arthur's ,seat1 on whose summit     
linger the last rays of evening2 and    
land at the upper end of the city1 well 
prepared to relish a ,scottish supper of
 substantial edibles1 and after that1   
tired nature's sweet restorer1 balmy    
sleep4     ,,chapter ,,xiii4       ,city
 of ,glasgow--,spirit of the            
place--,trade and ,manufactures--,the   
,broomielaw--,steam--,george's          
,square--,monuments to ,sir ,walter     
,scott1      ,sir ,john ,moore1 and     
,james ,watt--,sketch of the ,life of   
,watt--,glasgow                         
,university--,reminiscences--,brougham--
,sir ,d4 ,k4 ,sandford--,professor      
,nichol and others--,high ,kirk1 or     
,glasgow ,cathedral--,martyrdom of      
,jerome ,russel and ,john ,kennedy4     
,taking the steam-cars from ,edinburgh1 
we arrive at ,glasgow1 a distance of    
forty-four miles1 in a couple of hours4 
,as ,edinburgh is the representative of 
,scottish literature and refinement1    

,glasgow is the representative of its   
commerce and manufactures4 ,it is an    
immense city1 and contains a prodigious 
number of inhabitants4 ,at the period of
 the ,union it had a population of only 
twelve thousand3 since which time it has
 doubled this number twelve or thirteen 
times1 and now contains nearly three    
hundred thousand inhabitants4 ,it owes  
this unprecedented increase to its      
trade1 domestic and foreign1 which is   
almost unparalleled in its extent4      
,there is probably not a single inland  
town in ,great ,britain1 with the       
exception of ,london1 which can show    
such a shipping list4  ,glasgow has ever
 been distinguished for its mechanical  
ingenuity1 its industry and enterprise4 
,its situation doubtless is highly      
favorable1 but without an intelligent1  
ingenious and active population1 it     
could never have reached such a height  
of prosperity4  ,but it is not our      
intention to visit this commercial city 
as tourists4 ,there are enough such to  

describe her agreeable situation1 and   
handsome public edifices1 her long and  
elegant streets1 her beautiful green1   
and magnificent river4 ,at present we   
shall not fatigue ourselves with        
visiting the ,royal ,exchange1 the      
,royal ,bank1 the ,tontine and the      
,assembly ,rooms4 ,neither shall we     
trouble our readers to go with us       
through ,queen street1 ,st4 ,vincent    
street1 ,greenhill ,place1 or ,woodside 
,crescent4  ,it might be worth while    
however1 to look into some of those     
immense factories2 from which rise      
innumerable huge chimnies1 some of which
 overtop the steeples and towers of the 
churches1 and reach far up into the     
heavens4#abd ,thousands and thousands of
 spindles and power looms1 with         
thousands and thousands of human hands  
and heads are moving there from morn to 
night1 and from night to morn4 ,what    
masses of complicated and beautiful     
machinery6 ,what prodigious             
steam-engines1 great hearts of power in 

the centres of little worlds1 giving    
life energy and motion to the whole4    
,here is a single warehouse1 as it is   
called1 for the sale of manufactured    
goods1 containing no less than two      
hundred clerks4 ,what piles of silks and
 shawls1 cottons and calicoes6 ,the     
productions of ,glasgow reach every part
 of the world4 ,you will find them in   
,india1 ,china1 and the ,united ,states1
 in the wilds of ,africa and the jungles
 of ,burmah1 amid the snows of          
,labrador1 and the savannahs of         
,georgia4  ,footnote #abd3 ,one of these
 chimnies is said to be over #djj feet  
high4  ,but let us go down to the       
,broomielaw1 and take a look at the     
river ,clyde4 ,that mile of masts1 and  
those immense steamers1 plying up and   
down the river1 connect ,glasgow with   
every part of the ,british ,empire and  
the world4  ,what grand agency has      
accomplished all this8 ,steam6--steam1  
under the guidance and control of genius
 and enterprise4 ,the extended          

prosperity of ,glasgow commenced with   
the inventions of ,watt1 the greatest   
mechanical genius of the age1 and the   
first man that constructed a            
steam-engine of much practical use4     
,steam has raised all those huge        
factories which we have been admiring1  
and keeps their innumerable wheels and  
pistons1 spindles and power looms in    
motion4 ,steam it is which brings untold
 masses of coal and iron from the bowels
 of the earth1 and converts them into   
machinery and motive power4 ,yonder it  
comes1 rolling and dashing1 in a long   
train of cars and carriages filled with 
the produce and population of the land4 
,here it gives life and energy to a     
cotton mill with a thousand looms6      
,there it casts off1 from day to day1   
the myriads of printed sheets which     
spread intelligence through the country4
 ,all around us it moves the cranks and 
pullies1 ropes and wires1 wheels and    
tools1 which work such wonders in       
beating and grinding1 cutting and       

carving1 polishing and dyeing4 ,steam   
has added thousands1 nay millions to the
 annual income of ,glasgow4 ,it has     
augmented the resources of ,great       
,britain to such an extent that it saves
 seventy millions of dollars annually in
 the matter of motive power alone6 ,no  
pen can describe the additions which it 
has made in other parts of the world to 
their manufactures and commerce4 ,it has
 brought all nations into more intimate 
relations1 and is yet destined1 in many 
respects1 to revolutionize the world4   
,let us go then to ,george's ,square1   
near the centre of the city1 and look at
 ,chantrey's monument of the man who has
 done so much to bring about such a     
change4 ,the ,square contains also a    
fine monument of ,sir ,walter ,scott1 in
 the form of a fluted ,doric column1    
about eighty feet high1 surmounted by a 
colossal statue of the great magician of
 the north4 ,he is represented standing 
in an easy attitude1 with a shepherd's  
plaid thrown half around his body4 ,the 

likeness is said to be remarkably good4 
,it has that expression of shrewdness1  
honesty and good nature for which he was
 distinguished1 but none of that ideal  
elevation which graces the countenances 
of ,schiller1 ,goethe and ,shakspeare4  
,immediately in front of this monument1 
is a beautiful pedestrian statue in     
bronze1 by ,flaxman1 of ,sir ,john      
,moore1 the subject of ,wolfe's         
exquisite lyric1--      ,not a drum was 
heard1 not a funeral note1       ,as his
 corpse to the ramparts we hurried1     
,not a soldier discharged his farewell  
shot1       ,o'er the grave where our   
hero we buried4  ,sir ,john ,moore was a
 citizen of ,glasgow1 and his townsmen  
have erected this statue as expressive  
of their veneration for his memory4 ,to 
the right of this monument1 in the      
south-west angle of the square1 you see 
in bronze1 and of colossal magnitude1   
the noble figure of ,james ,watt4 ,he is
 represented in a sitting posture on a  
circular pedestal of ,aberdeen granite4 

,it is considered one of the happiest   
productions of the distinguished        
,chantrey4 ,the fine meditative features
 of the great inventor are strikingly   
developed4 ,watt was born in ,greenock1 
on the #aith of ,january1 #agcf1 but    
conducted his experiments chiefly in    
,glasgow4 ,he came thither in #ageg1    
first as a mathematical instrument maker
 to the college1 and subsequently as an 
engineer4 ,in early life he gave        
indications of his peculiar genius1 by  
various little mechanical contrivances4 
,at the age of six years1 he was        
occasionally found stretched on the     
floor1 delineating with chalk the lines 
of a geometrical problem4 ,at other     
times he greatly obliged his young      
companions by making and repairing their
 toys2 and before he had reached his    
seventeenth year he had amused them with
 the wonders of an electrical machine of
 his own construction4 ,he had also     
instructed himself by making experiments
 on the steam of a tea-kettle4 ,he      

subsequently stored his mind with the   
wonders of physics1 chemistry and       
medicine4  ,in the ,university of       
,glasgow1 ,watt was employed to fit up  
the instruments of the ,macfarlane      
,observatory1 which gave him an         
opportunity of becoming acquainted with 
,adam ,smith1 ,joseph ,black1 and       
,robert ,simson1 names immortal in the  
scientific annals of ,scotland4 ,here   
also he formed an intimacy with ,john   
,robinson1 then a student at college1   
and subsequently the celebrated ,dr4    
,robinson1 who first called the         
attention of ,watt to the subject of    
steam engines1 and threw out the idea of
 applying them to steam carriages and   
other purposes4  ,the steam-engine had  
existed before this time1 but it was    
extremely imperfect1 and1 moreover1 of  
no great practical use4 ,hence ,mr4     
,watt was not1 properly speaking1 the   
inventor but the improver of the        
steam-engine4 ,still his improvement was
 equal to an invention of the highest   

order4 ,it made the instrument available
 for the highest practical purposes4 ,he
 found the crazy machines of ,savery and
 ,newcomen laboring and creaking at our 
mine heads1 and occupying the same rank 
as prime movers with the wind-mill and  
the water-wheel2 and by a succession of 
inventions and discoveries1 deduced from
 the most profound chemical knowledge1  
and applied by the most exquisite       
mechanical skill1 he brought the        
steam-engine to such a degree of        
perfection as to stamp it the most      
precious gift which man ever bequeathed 
to his race4#abe  ,footnote #abe3       
,edinburgh ,review4  ,watt had a sore   
fight of existence1 at least in the     
early part of his career1 and he came   
near being deprived of the emolument    
which was his just due as a benefactor  
of his race4 ,but he eventually         
triumphed over all opposition1 retired  
from business1 and continued to reside  
during the rest of his life on his      
estate at ,heathfield ,soho4 ,he was    

exceedingly happy in his domestic       
relations1 though called1 in #ahjd1 to  
suffer a painful bereavement in the loss
 of his youngest son ,gregory1 who had  
given high promise of literary and      
scientific eminence4 ,in #ahjh he was   
elected a corresponding member of the   
,institute of ,france2 and in #ahad1 he 
was nominated by the ,academy of        
,sciences as one of its eight foreign   
correspondents4 ,in #ahai his health    
suffered a rapid decline1 and he himself
 felt that this was his last illness4   
,resigned1 himself1 he endeavored to    
make others resigned4 ,he pointed out to
 his son the topics of consolation which
 should occupy his mind2 and expressing 
his sincere gratitude to ,providence for
 the length of days he had enjoyed1 for 
his exemption from most of the          
infirmities of age1 and for the serenity
 and cheerfulness which marked the close
 of his life2 he expired at ,heathfield 
on the #beth of ,august1 #ahai4 ,he was 
interred in the parish church of        

,handsworth2 and over his tomb his son  
erected an elegant ,gothic chapel1      
containing a beautiful marble bust by   
,chantrey4 ,another bust by the same    
artist has been placed in one of the    
halls of ,glasgow ,college4 ,a colossal 
statue of ,carrara marble1 procured at  
great expense by public subscription1   
graces the recesses of ,westminster     
,abbey4  ,the most useful memorial of   
,watt1 however1 exists in ,greenock1 in 
the form of a large and handsome        
building for a public library1 erected  
by his son1 in which the citizens have  
caused to be placed a handsome marble   
statue1 with an inscription from the pen
 of ,lord ,jeffrey4 ,lord ,brougham     
concluded an eloquent speech on the     
merits of ,mr4 ,watt1 in the following  
striking terms3--,if in old times the   
temples of false gods were appropriately
 filled with the images of men who had  
carried devastation over the face of the
 earth1 surely our temples cannot be    
more worthily adorned with the          

likenesses of those whose triumphs have 
been splendid indeed1 but unattended by 
sorrow to any--who have achieved        
victories1 not for one country only1 but
 to enlarge the power and increase the  
happiness of the whole human race4      
,passing up ,high ,street1 we come to an
 arched gateway1 and find ourselves in a
 quadrangular court1 with antique       
looking buildings on each side4 ,beyond 
this we come to another quadrangle1 also
 surrounded by buildings of perhaps more
 recent date4 ,passing straight on we   
reach a handsome edifice of polished    
freestone1 directly in front of us1 and 
standing alone1 which is nothing less   
than the ,hunterian museum4 ,these then 
are the buildings of ,glasgow           
,university4 ,beyond us is the          
college-green1 ornamented with trees1   
and divided into two parts by a sluggish
 stream which passes through the centre4
 ,a number of the students1 having laid 
aside their scarlet gowns1 are playing  
at football1 a violent but delightful   

and invigorating exercise4  ,the        
,university of ,glasgow was founded in  
#adej1 in the time of ,james the        
,second4 ,bishop ,turnbull was then in  
possession of the see1 and his          
successors were appointed chancellors4  
,the history of the institution has been
 various2 but1 generally speaking1 it   
has enjoyed a high degree of prosperity4
 ,of late years the number of students  
has declined1 from what cause we know   
not4 ,the number1 in all the            
departments1 does not exceed a thousand1
 whereas1 in #ahbd1 when the writer was 
a student in ,glasgow1 there were from  
fourteen to fifteen hundred4 ,well does 
he remember the enthusiasm with which   
they welcomed their popular candidate   
for rector1 ,henry ,brougham1 ,esq41 ,m4
 ,p41 as he was then termed1 and the    
eager interest with which they listened 
to his inaugural discourse4 ,sir ,james 
,mc,intosh1 a fine hearty looking man1  
with bland expressive eyes1 and two of  
the sons of ,robert ,burns1 tall1 good  

looking young men1 but with no          
particular resemblance to their         
illustrious father1 were present1 with  
others1 to grace the occasion4 ,brougham
 was in the maturity of his strength1   
and the hey-day of his fame4 ,tall1     
muscular1 and wiry1 with searching      
visage1 dark complexion1 keen piercing  
eyes1 ample forehead1 and long          
outstretched finger1 he stood up the    
very personification of strength and    
eloquence4 ,but ,brougham has been      
frequently described1 and we therefore  
pass him by4 ,the next rector that was  
chosen was ,thomas ,campbell1 the poet1 
once a member of the college1 and one of
 its most distinguished ornaments4 ,a   
large portion1 if not the whole of the  
,pleasures of ,hope was written while he
 was a student at college4  ,many       
distinguished men have been professors  
in this institution4 ,among these ,dr4  
,reid and ,dr4 ,hutcheson1 ,dr4 ,simpson
 and ,dr4 ,moore1 ,adam ,smith1 and     
,professor ,sandford stand pre-eminent4 

,well does the writer remember the      
accomplished1 but unfortunate ,sandford1
 and the profound enthusiasm for the    
,greek classics which he inspired in his
 students4 ,he was a son of the         
venerable ,bishop ,sandford1 a          
distinguished graduate of ,oxford1 and a
 man of the highest attainments in      
,greek and ,english literature4 ,of     
small stature1 he yet possessed an      
elegant and commanding form4 ,his pale  
face1 finely chiselled mouth1 dark eyes1
 and marble forehead are before me now4 
,i hear his clear1 musical voice1       
rolling out1 ore rotundo1 the resounding
 periods of ,homer1 or the energetic    
lines of ,eschylus4 ,no man ever recited
 ,greek with such enthusiasm and energy4
 ,it was a perfect treat to hear him    
read the odes of ,anacreon or the choral
 hymns of ,eschylus2 to say nothing of  
his elegant translations1 or his fine   
critical remarks4 ,he was created a     
baronet by the government1 and bade fair
 to be one of the most distinguished and

 influential literary men in the        
country4 ,but he was seduced into party 
politics1 was sent as the representative
 of ,glasgow to parliament1 and         
failed--failed utterly and forever2 for 
his want of success in the ,house of    
,commons preyed upon his spirits1 and   
caused his death4  ,among the           
distinguished men now occupying places  
in this university we find ,mr4         
,lushington1 of ,trinity ,college1      
,cambridge1 professor of ,greek1 and    
,dr4 ,nichol1 author of the popular     
,lectures on the ,wonders of the        
,heavens1 professor of practical        
astronomy4 ,mr4 ,mylne1 professor of    
moral philosophy1 and ,mr4 ,buchanan1   
professor of logic1 are acute and       
learned men4  ,leaving the college1 we  
ascend ,high ,street1 and after reaching
 the top of the hill1 a little to the   
right1 we see before us the ,high ,kirk1
 or rather the old cathedral of         
,glasgow1 one of the finest remains of  
antiquity1 surrounded by a vast         

church-yard1 containing many rich and   
ancient monumental tombs1 and the       
mouldering bones of many by-gone        
generations4 ,it has a superb crypt1    
equalled by none in the kingdom1--once  
used as a place of worship1 but now as a
 place for burying the dead4 ,the author
 of ,waverley has invested it with      
additional interest by making it the    
scene of a striking incident in ,rob    
,roy4 ,the whole edifice has a most     
commanding appearance4  ,at the         
north-east end of the cathedral the spot
 is yet to be seen where papal bigotry  
and superstition lighted the fires of   
religious persecution4 ,there in the    
year #aech1 ,jerome ,russel1 a member of
 the convent of ,franciscan friars1 in  
,glasgow1 a man of considerable talents1
 and ,john ,kennedy1 a young man from   
,ayr1 of high family1 only about        
eighteen years of age1 were burned for  
having embraced the doctrines of the    
infant ,reformation4 ,they sustained the
 terrible ordeal through which they     

passed to glory with a becoming dignity 
and fortitude4 ,this is your hour and   
power of darkness1 said ,russel1 now you
 sit as judges1 and we are wrongfully   
condemned1 but the day cometh which will
 clear our innocency1 and you shall see 
your own blindness to your everlasting  
confusion--go on and fulfil the measure 
of your iniquity4 ,is it surprising that
 the reaction of reform which followed  
such proceedings should occasionally    
have gone to unjustifiable lengths1 and 
that the people should have torn down   
the rookeries1 which sheltered those    
birds of prey1 as the papal tyrants of  
that day might well be termed8 ,never   
were a nobler or more heroic set of men 
than the martyrs and confessors of that 
trying time6 ,knox1 ,melville1 and      
,wishart might be stern1 but they were  
men of godlike temper and heroic zeal1  
of whom the world was not worthy2 and   
whatever poetasters and novelists1      
sentimental journalists1 and infidel    
historians may say of them1 they will be

 found at last1 occupying an honored    
place1 at ,god's right hand4            
,,chapter ,,xiv4       ,the             
,necropolis--,jewish ,burial            
,place--,monument to ,john              
,knox--,monuments of ,william ,macgavin 
and ,dr4                                
,dick--,reminiscences--,character and   
,writings of ,dr4 ,dick--,pollok and    
'the ,course of ,time'--,grave of       
,motherwell--,sketch of his ,life--,his 
,genius and ,poetry--',jeanie           
,morrison4'--',my ,heid is like to rend1
      ,willie4'--',a ,summer ,sabbath   
,noon4'   ,east of the ,cathedral1 a few
 steps1 lies the ,necropolis1 on the    
brow of a hill which overlooks the city 
and the surrounding regions4 ,we pass   
over the ,bridge of ,sighs1 so named    
from its leading to the ,cemetery1 and  
consisting of a handsome arch1 spanning 
the ,molendinar ,burn1 a brawling       
rivulet1 whose waters1 collected into a 
small basin1 dash over an artificial    
cascade into the ravine below4 ,the     

,necropolis covers the rocky eminence   
formerly crowned with dark firs1 and    
supposed1 in ancient times to have been 
a retreat of the ,druids1 who here      
performed their fearful rites4 ,but how 
sweet and peaceful now1 ornamented with 
fine trees and shrubbery1 shady walks1  
and beautiful monuments1 a serene       
retreat for the peaceful dead4 ,in point
 of situation and appearance1 the       
,necropolis is superior to ,pere la     
,chaise1 though certainly inferior to   
,greenwood and ,mount ,auburn1 in our   
opinion the most attractive             
burying-places in the world4 ,still1    
each of these has a beauty of its own1  
well fitted to soften and subdue those  
feelings of grief and horror naturally  
excited by death and the grave4 ,such   
sweet and attractive places of burial   
are in harmony with the genius of the   
,gospel4 ,the ancient ,greeks1 from     
their very horror of death and their    
ignorance of futurity1 endeavored to    
invest the tomb with festal             

associations4 ,why1 then1 should not we1
 upon whom the light of immortality has 
descended1 lay those we love in scenes  
of quiet beauty1 where the wicked cease 
from troubling1 and the weary are at    
rest8 ,does not ,holy ,writ declare1    
,blessed are the dead that die in the   
,lord8 ,it is therefore meet to place   
their bodies only in scenes which remind
 us of rest1 of hope1 and of ,heaven4   
,the ,dead cannot grieve1     ,not a sob
 nor a sigh meets mine ear1       ,which
 compassion itself could relieve4       
,ah1 sweetly they slumber1 nor love1    
hope1 or fear2     ,peace6 peace is the 
watchword1 the only one here4  ,let     
affection1 then1 bury her dead and build
 her tombs amid the trees and the       
flowers1 which preach to us of the      
resurrection-morn and the paradise of   
,god4        ,the first tabernacle to   
,hope we will build1     ,and look for  
the sleepers around us to rise6         
,the second to ,faith which insures it  
fulfilled2     ,and the third to the    

,lamb of the great sacrifice1     ,who  
bequeathed us them both when he rose    
from the skies6  ,this cemetery was     
founded in #ahca1 and the first sale was
 to the ,jews1 who require a            
burying-place for themselves4 ,it lies  
in the north-west corner of the grounds4
 ,the enclosure contains the requisite  
accommodations for washing the bodies   
before interment as required by the     
,jewish law1 which also forbids one body
 to be deposited above another4 ,the    
place is ornamented with excellent      
taste4 ,on the left is a beautiful      
pillar1 in imitation of ,absalom's      
pillar in the ,king's dale4 ,on the     
front of this column1 and immediately   
under its capital1 is a piece of        
fret-work1 formed of ,hebrew letters1   
representing the words1 ,who among the  
gods is like unto ,jehovah8 ,on the     
shaft of the column are those touching  
stanzas from ,byron's ,hebrew ,melodies1
 concluding thus3      ,tribes of the   
wandering foot and weary breast1        

,where shall ye flee away and be at     
rest2     ,the wild dove hath her nest1 
the fox his cave1     ,mankind their    
country--,israel but the grave4  ,on the
 lower part of the column is the        
following3       ,leave thy fatherless  
children1 ,i will preserve them alive1  
and let      thy widows trust in me4    
,on the other side of the gateway are   
engraved the following verses3       ,a 
voice was heard in ,ramah1 lamentation  
and bitter weeping3 ,rachel      weeping
 for her children1 refused to be        
comforted for her children1      because
 they were not4       ,thus saith the   
,lord1 ,refrain thy voice from weeping1 
and thine      eyes from tears1 for thy 
work shall be rewarded1 saith the ,lord1
      and they shall come again from the
 land of the enemy4       ,and there is 
hope in thine end1 saith the ,lord1 that
 thy children      shall come again to  
their own border4  ,and on the opposite 
pillar is the following3       ,how hath
 the ,lord covered the daughter of ,sion

 with a cloud in      his anger1 and    
cast down from heaven to the earth the  
beauty of      ,israel1 and removed not 
his footstool in the day of his anger4  
,but though he caused grief1 yet will he
 have compassion according      to the  
multitude of his mercies4 ,for he doth  
not afflict willingly1      nor grieve  
the children of men4  ,on the summit of 
the hill1 and towering above the rest1  
is the commanding monument of ,john     
,knox1 intended to be commemorative of  
the ,reformation4 ,on a lofty square    
pedestal1 stands the statue of the stern
 old ,reformer1 with the ,bible in one  
hand1 and the other stretched out1 as if
 in the act of addressing the multitude4
 ,on one side of the pedestal is the    
following inscription3                  
,to testify gratitude for inestimable   
services           ,in the cause of     
,religion1 ,education1 and ,civil       
,liberty1                            ,to
 awaken admiration              ,of that
 ,integrity1 ,disinterestedness and     

,courage1                 ,which stood  
unshaken in the midst of trials1        
,and in the maintenance of the highest  
objects--                               
,finally1       ,to cherish unceasing   
reverence for the principles and        
blessings          of that ,great       
,reformation1 by the influence of which 
our             country1 though in the  
midst of difficulties1 has              
risen to honor1 prosperity1 and         
happiness1            ,this ,monument is
 erected by ,voluntary ,subscription1   
,to the ,memory of                      
,,john ,,knox1            ,the chief    
instrument1 under ,god1 of the          
,reformation                            
in ,scotland1                       ,on 
the #bb;d day of ,sept4 #ahbe4     ,he  
died rejoicing in the faith of the      
,gospel1 at ,edinburgh1 on the          
#bdth of ,nov4 #aecb1 in the #fith year 
of his age4  ,on the other sides are the
 following3       ,the ,reformation     
produced a revolution in the sentiments 

of      mankind1 the greatest as well as
 most beneficial that has happened      
since the publication of ,christianity4 
,in #aedg1 and in the city where his    
friend ,george ,wishart had             
suffered1 ,john ,knox1 surrounded with  
dangers1 first preached the             
doctrines of the ,reformation4 ,in      
#aeei1 on the #bdth of ,august1 the     
parliament of ,scotland adopted the     
confession of faith1 presented      by  
the reformed ministers1 and declared    
popery no longer to be the      religion
 of this kingdom4       ,john ,knox     
became then a minister of ,edinburgh1   
where he continued      to his death1   
the incorruptible guardian of our best  
interests4       ',i can take ,god to   
witness1' he declared1 'that ,i never   
preached      in contempt of any man1   
and wise men will consider that a true  
friend cannot flatter2 especially in a  
case that involves the      salvation of
 the bodies and the souls1 not of a few 
persons1 but of      the whole realm4'  

,when laid in the grave1 the ,regent    
said3 ',there      lieth he who never   
feared the face of man1 who was often   
threatened      with pistol and dagger1 
yet hath ended his days in peace and    
honor4'       ,patrick ,hamilton1 a     
youth of high rank and distinguished    
attainments1 was the first martyr in    
,scotland in the cause of the           
,reformation4 ,he was condemned to the  
flames in ,st4 ,andrews1 in      #aebh1 
and the #bdth year of his age4          
,from #aecj to #aedj1 persecution raged 
in every quarter1 many      suffered the
 most cruel deaths1 and many fled to    
,england and the      continent4 ,among 
these early martyrs were ,jerome ,russel
 and      ,alexander ,kennedy1 two young
 men of great piety and talent1 who     
suffered at ,glasgow4 ,william ,wishart 
returned to ,scotland1 from      which  
he had been banished1 and preached the  
,gospel in various      quarters4 ,in   
#aedf1 this heavenly-minded man1 the    
friend and      instructor of ,knox1 was

 committed to the flames at ,st4        
,andrews4  ,let the thoughtful ponder   
these interesting memorials1 and say    
whether the ,reformation in ,scotland   
was not a glorious event6  ,at a little 
distance from ,knox's monument1 is one  
to the memory of ,mr4 ,macgavin1 a      
banker in ,glasgow1 and author of the   
,protestant2 and another of great       
elegance and beauty1 to the memory of   
,dr4 ,dick1 late professor of theology  
in the ,united ,secession ,church4 ,say 
not that the good ever die1 and he      
sleeps a sacred sleep1 are engraven1 in 
,greek1 upon the sides of the monument1 
beautiful and appropriate sentiments for
 the tomb of a ,christian4 ,dr4 ,dick   
was pre-eminently a good man1 and not   
only so but a man of the highest        
attainments4 ,well does the writer      
remember his dignified bearing1 fine    
countenance1 and silver hair4 ,but a few
 years ago1 he sat at the feet of this  
venerable man1 as his instructor in     
theology1 and received from his lips    

lessons of holy wisdom4 ,while professor
 of theology1 the reverend doctor was   
also pastor of one of the largest and   
most influential of the ,secession      
churches in the city of ,glasgow4 ,he   
was greatly venerated1 both by the      
people of his charge and by his         
theological pupils1 for his dignity and 
purity of character1 his clear1 well    
balanced intellect1 his calm and        
consistent piety4 ,he wrote lucidly and 
elegantly on the ,inspiration of the    
,scriptures1 a work which a             
distinguished ,english bishop so much   
admired that he carried it about with   
him in his pocket4 ,his ,lectures on the
 ,acts of the ,apostles1 though inferior
 to the production just named1 is also a
 valuable work4 ,since his death1 his   
,theological ,prelections have been     
published1 and are much esteemed for    
their clear statement1 and defence of   
evangelical truth4 ,always lucid1 always
 logical and satisfactory1 he is never  
profound or original4 ,his style glides 

in pellucid beauty1 like a rivulet      
through the meadow1 mirroring in its    
calm depths the green foliage which     
adorns its banks1 and the blue heavens  
bending above it1 but never cutting     
itself a new channel1 or sweeping       
onward1 with majestic force1 like a     
torrent to the sea4 ,the labors of ,dr4 
,dick were pre-eminently useful2 and a  
host of young men1 educated under his   
influence1 now fill posts of the highest
 responsibility in ,scotland1 and in    
other parts of the world4 ,pollok was a 
student of the ,doctor's at the same    
time with the writer1 but was not known 
to be possessed of any extraordinary    
genius till after the publication of    
,the ,course of ,time4 ,he was          
considered a man of talent1 however1 and
 had written two or three sermons1      
containing passages of considerable     
power4 ,but his heart was in his great  
poem during the whole of his student    
life4 ,so intensely did he work upon it1
 that he had often to be assisted to    

bed1 from sheer exhaustion4 ,the ,course
 of ,time has many obvious faults1 but  
abounds in strokes of genius and power4 
,a great soul has poured itself into    
this rugged and sometimes gloomy        
channel1 which1 traversing the whole    
course of time1 finally loses itself in 
the ocean of eternity4 ,pollok was tall1
 well proportioned1 of a dark           
complexion1 sicklied o'er with the pale 
cast of thought1 with deep-set eyes1    
heavy eyebrows and black bushy hair4 ,a 
smothered light burned in his dark orbs1
 which flashed1 with a meteor           
brilliancy1 whenever he spoke with      
enthusiasm and energy4 ,he was born in  
#agih1 at ,north ,muirhouse1 in the     
parish of ,eaglesham1 ,renfrewshire1--  
',mong hills and streams     ,and       
melancholy deserts1 where the sun       
,saw as he pass'd1 a shepherd only here 
,and there1 watching his little flock2  
or heard     ,the ploughman talking to  
his steers4  ,his father was an honest  
farmer1 and his early home a scene of   

much domestic endearment4 ,to the trees 
which overshadowed the paternal mansion 
he thus pays homage in his verse3       
,much of my native scenery appears1     
,and presses forward1 to be in my song2 
,but must not now2 for much behind      
awaits1     ,of higher note4 ,four trees
 ,i pass not by1     ,which o'er our    
house their evening shadow threw2--     
,three ash1 and one of elm4 ,tall trees 
they were1     ,and old2 and had been   
old a century     ,before my day4 ,none 
living could say aught     ,about their 
youth2 but they were goodly trees2      
,and oft ,i wondered1 as ,i sat and     
thought     ,beneath their summer shade1
 or in the night     ,of winter heard   
the spirits of the wind     ,growling   
among their boughs--how they had grown  
,so high1 in such a rough1 tempestuous  
place3     ,and when a hapless branch1  
torn by the blast     ,fell down1 ,i    
mourned as if a friend had fallen4      
,pollok had just finished his studies1  
and was licensed as a preacher1 by the  

,united ,secession ,church1 when he     
published his poem which thrilled all   
hearts in ,scotland1 and struck his     
fellow-students with perfect amazement1 
not unmingled1 however1 with delight4   
,but he was then sick4 ,his over-wrought
 frame began to yield1 and he sought    
health in a foreign country1 which he   
did not live to reach4 ,he died in      
,england in the autumn of #ahbg1 the    
same year in which he had published his 
poem1 having lived just long enough to  
complete it1 and receive the applause of
 his countrymen4  ,before leaving the   
,necropolis1 we must visit a grave at   
one corner of the grounds1 in a quiet1  
shady spot1 as if retired somewhat from 
the rest4 ,there it is1 the grave of    
,william ,motherwell1 one of the        
sweetest of the ,scottish poets1 the    
author of ,bonnie ,jeanie ,morrison and 
,my ,heid is like to rend1 ,willie1 and 
many other poems of exquisite grace and 
pathos4  ,william ,motherwell was born  
in the city of ,glasgow in the year     

#agig1 and died there in #ahce4 ,in his 
eleventh year he was transferred to the 
care of his uncle in ,paisley1 who      
brought him up4 ,here he received a     
liberal education1 and commenced the    
study of law4 ,at the age of twenty-one 
he was appointed ,deputy to the         
,sheriff-,clerk of ,paisley1 a highly   
respectable but not lucrative situation4
 ,he early evinced a love of poetry1 and
 in #ahai became editor of a miscellany1
 called ,the ,harp of ,renfrewshire1    
which he conducted with much taste and  
judgment4 ,a relish for antiquarian     
research led him to investigate the     
subject of the ballad poetry of         
,scotland1 the results of which he      
published in #ahbg1 in two volumes1     
entitled ,minstrelsy1 ,ancient and      
,modern4 ,his introduction to this      
collection is admirably written1 and    
must form the basis of all future       
investigations upon this subject4 ,he   
seems to have been unusually successful 
in recovering many of the old ballads1  

which were never committed to writing1  
and known to very few persons4 ,some of 
these1 though rude and grotesque in     
thought or style1 are exquisitely       
beautiful4 ,allan ,cunningham1 another  
of ,scotland's sweetest poets1 had      
labored in this field1 but not with the 
same success4 ,but the genius of both of
 these poets was deeply imbued with the 
spirit of the old ballad rhymes4 ,they  
had conned them in their minds so       
frequently that they naturally wrote    
their own effusions in the same simple  
and touching style4 ,soon after the     
publication of his ,ancient ,minstrelsy1
 ,motherwell became editor of a weekly  
journal in ,paisley1 and established a  
magazine there1 to which he contributed 
some of his finest poems4 ,the talent   
and spirit which he evinced in these    
literary labors1 were the occasion of   
his being removed to the city of        
,glasgow1 to the editorial care of the  
,glasgow ,courier1 in which situation he
 continued till his death4 ,he conducted

 this paper with great ability4         
,motherwell was of small stature1 but   
thick set and muscular4 ,his head was   
large and finely formed2 his eyes were  
bright and penetrating4 ,in mixed       
society he was rather reserved1 but     
appeared internally to enjoy the feast  
of reason and the flow of soul4         
,somewhat pensive in his mood1 he lived 
much in the solitude of his own         
thoughts1 and at times gave way to a    
profound melancholy4 ,this spirit       
pervades his poetry4 ,the wailings of a 
wounded heart mingle with his fine      
descriptions of nature1 and his lofty   
aspirations after the beautiful and     
true4  ,in #ahcb he collected and       
published his poems in one volume4 ,he  
was also associated with the ,ettrick   
,shepherd in editing the works of       
,burns1 and at the time of his death was
 collecting materials for the life of   
,tannahill1 an humble weaver in         
,paisley1 but one of the finest         
song-writers ,scotland has ever         

produced4 ,accompanied by a literary    
friend1 on the first of ,november1      
#ahce1 he had been dining in the        
country1 about a couple of miles from   
,glasgow1 and on his return home1       
feeling indisposed1 he went to bed4 ,in 
a few hours thereafter he awakened1 and 
complained of a pain in the head1 which 
increased so much as to render him      
speechless4 ,medical assistance was     
speedily obtained2 but alas6 it was of  
no avail--the blow was struck1 and the  
curtain had finally fallen over the life
 and fortunes of ,william ,motherwell4  
,one universal feeling of regret and    
sympathy seemed to extend over society1 
when the sudden and premature decease of
 this accomplished poet and elegant     
writer became known4 ,his funeral was   
attended by a large body of the         
citizens1 by the most eminent and       
learned of the literary professions1 and
 by persons of all shades of political  
opinions4 ,he was interred in the       
,necropolis of ,glasgow1 not far from   

the resting-place of his fast friend1   
,mr4 ,william ,henderson4  ,though      
,motherwell's death was thus sudden and 
unexpected1 he seems to have had        
something like a premonition of it4 ,the
 following touching lines were given to 
a friend1 a day or two before his       
decease3      ,when ,i beneath the cold 
red earth am sleeping1                  
,life's fever o'er1     ,will there for 
me be any bright eye weeping1           
,that ,i'm no more8     ,will there be  
any heart still memory keeping1         
,of heretofore8      ,when the great    
winds through leafless forests rushing1 
,sad music make8     ,when the swollen  
streams1 o'er crag and gully gushing1   
,like full hearts break1     ,will there
 then one whose heart despair is        
crushing1                 ,mourn for my 
sake8      ,when the bright sun upon    
that spot is shining1                   
,with purest ray1     ,and the small    
flowers their buds and blossoms twining1
                 ,burst through that    

clay1     ,will there be one still on   
that spot repining1                     
,lost hopes all day8      ,when no star 
twinkles with its eye of glory1         
,on that low mound1     ,and wintry     
storms have with their ruins hoary1     
,its loneness crowned2     ,will there  
be then one versed in misery's story1   
,pacing it round8      ,it may be       
so1--but this is selfish sorrow1        
,to ask such meed--     ,a weakness and 
a wickedness to borrow                  
,from hearts that bleed1     ,the       
waitings of to-day for what to-morrow   
,shall never need4      ,lay me then    
gently in my narrow dwelling1           
,thou gentle heart2     ,and though thy 
bosom should with grief be swelling1    
,let no tear start2     ,it were in     
vain--for ,time hath long been          
knelling--                 ,sad one1    
depart6  ,these are mournful1 but       
somewhat hopeful strains2 for one who   
feels that time has long been knelling1 
sad one1 depart6 must1 if not a sceptic1

 have looked beyond the grave1 and      
descried in better worlds1 rest and     
solace for the aching heart4 ,here1 in  
his narrow dwelling1 he gently sleeps1  
while pilgrims from afar drop tears of  
sympathy upon its grassy mound4         
,motherwell was a man of pure genius4   
,his poems are distinguished for their  
deep tenderness and exquisite melody4   
,they are gemmed1 moreover1 with        
beautiful conceptions1 with original and
 striking expressions4 ,there is        
nothing1 in the whole range of ,scottish
 poetry1 except ,burns's ,highland      
,mary1 equal in beauty and pathos to    
,,jeanie ,,morrison4      ,i've wandered
 east ,i've wandered west1              
,through mony a weary way2     ,but     
never1 never can forget1       ,the luve
 o' life's young day6     ,the fire     
that's blawn on ,beltane#abf e'en1      
,may weel be black 'gin#abg ,yule1#abh  
,but blacker fa' awaits the heart       
,when first fond luve grows cule4       
,o dear1 dear ,jeanie ,morrison1        

,the thochts of bygane years1     ,still
 fling their shadows o'er my path1      
,and blind my een wi' tears3     ,they  
blind my een wi' saut1#abi saut tears1  
,and sair and sick ,i pine1     ,as     
memory idly summons up       ,the blithe
 blinks#acj o' lang syne4      ',twas   
then we luvit ilk#aca ither weel1       
',twas then we twa did part2     ,sweet 
time--sad time6 twa bairns at school1   
,twa bairns and but ae#acb heart6       
',twas then we sat on ae laigh#acc bink1
       ,to lier#acd ilk ither lear2     
,and tones1 and looks1 and smiles were  
shed1       ,remembered evermair4       
,i wonder1 ,jeanie1 aften yet1          
,when sitting on that bink1     ,cheek  
touchin' cheek1 loof#ace locked in loof1
       ,what our wee heads could think4 
,when baith bent down o'er ae braid page
       ,wi' ae buik on our knee1        
,thy lips were on thy lesson1 but       
,my lesson was in thee4      ,o mind#acf
 ye how we hung our heads1       ,how   
cheeks brent red wi' shame1             

,whene'er the schule#acg weans laughin' 
said1       ,we cleeked#ach thegither   
hame8     ,and mind ye o' the           
,saturdays1       7,the schule then     
skail't#aci at noon17     ,when we ran  
aff to speel#adj the braes1       ,the  
broomy braes o' ,june8      ,my heid    
runs round and round about1       ,my   
heart flows like a sea1     ,as ane by  
ane the thochts rush back1       ,o'    
schule time and o' thee4     ,o mornin' 
life6 ,o mornin' luve6       ,o         
lichtsome days and lang1     ,when      
hinnied#ada hopes around our hearts1    
,like simmer blossoms sprang6      ,o   
mind ye1 luve1 how aft we left          
,the deavin'#adb dinsome#adc toun1      
,to wander by the green burnside1       
,and hear its waters croon8#add     ,the
 simmer leaves hung ower our heads1     
,the flowers burst round our feet1      
,and in the gloamin' o' the wood1       
,the throssil#ade whusslit sweet4       
,the throssil whusslit in the wood1     
,the burn sang to the trees1     ,and we

 wi' ,nature's heart in tune1           
,concerted harmonies2     ,and on the   
knowe#adf abune the burn1       ,for    
hours thegither sat3     ,in the        
silentness o' joy1 till baith       ,wi'
 very1 very gladness grat4#adg      ,ay1
 ay1 dear ,jeanie ,morrison1            
,tears trinkled down your cheek1        
,like dew-beads on a rose1 yet nane     
,had ony power to speak6     ,that was a
 time1 a blessed time1       ,when      
hearts were fresh and young1     ,when  
freely gushed all feelings forth1       
,unsyllabled1--unsung6      ,i marvel1  
,jeanie ,morrison1       ,gin#adh ,i hae
 been to thee1     ,as closely twined   
wi' earliest thochts1       ,as ye hae  
been to me8     ,o6 tell me gin their   
music fills       ,thine ear as it does 
mine2     ,o6 say gin e'er your heart   
grows#adi grit       ,wi' dreamings o'  
lang syne8      ,i've wandered east1    
,i've wandered west1       ,i've borne a
 weary lot2     ,but in my wanderings   
far or near1       ,ye never were       

forgot4     ,the fount that first burst 
frae this heart1       ,still travels on
 its way2     ,and channels deeper as it
 runs1       ,the luve o' life's young  
day4      ,o dear1 dear ,jeanie         
,morrison1       ,since we were sindered
 young1     ,i've never seen your face1 
nor heard       ,the music o' your      
tongue2     ,but ,i could hug all       
wretchedness1       ,and happy could ,i 
die1     ,did ,i but ken your heart     
still dreamed1       ,o' bygane days and
 me6  ,footnote #abf3 ,holyrood day4    
,footnote #abg3 ,until4  ,footnote #abh3
 ,christmas4  ,footnote #abi3 ,salt4    
,footnote #acj3 ,gleams1 or flashes4    
,footnote #aca3 ,each other4  ,footnote 
#acb3 ,one4  ,footnote #acc3 ,low bench4
  ,footnote #acd3 ,to teach4  ,footnote 
#ace3 ,hand4  ,footnote #acf3 ,remember4
  ,footnote #acg3 ,school children4     
,footnote #ach3 ,clasped4  ,footnote    
#aci3 ,dismissed4  ,footnote #adj3      
,climb4  ,footnote #ada3 ,honied4       
,footnote #adb3 ,deafening4  ,footnote  

#adc3 ,noisy4  ,footnote #add3 ,murmur4 
,footnote #ade3 ,thrush or mavis4       
,footnote #adf3 ,knoll4  ,footnote #adg3
 ,wept4  ,footnote #adh3 ,if4  ,footnote
 #adi3 ,swells4  ,equally beautiful and 
still more pathetic1 is ,my ,heid is    
like to rend1 ,willie4 ,indeed1 we know 
of nothing so affecting as the last     
stanzas of this exquisite ballad4 ,the  
poor heart-broken girl gives abundant   
evidence of her profound penitence3     
,o6 dinna mind my words1 ,willie1       
,i downa seek to blame1--     ,but ,o6  
it's hard to live1 ,willie1       ,and  
dree a world's shame6     ,het tears are
 hailin' ower your cheek1       ,and    
hailin' ower your chin2     ,why weep ye
 sae for worthlessness1       ,for      
sorrow and for sin4      ,i'm weary o'  
this warld1 ,willie1       ,and sick wi'
 a' ,i see1--     ,i canna live as ,i   
hae lived1       ,or be as ,i should be4
     ,but fauld unto your heart1        
,willie1       ,the heart that still is 
thine1--     ,and kiss ance mair the    

white1 white cheek1       ,ye said was  
red lang syne4      ,a stoun#aej gaes   
through my heid1 ,willie1       ,a sair 
stoun through my heart1--     ,o6 hand  
me up1 and let me kiss       ,thy brow1 
ere we twa pairt4     ,anither1 and     
anither yet6--       ,how fast my life's
 strings break6--     ,farewell6        
farewell6 through yon kirk-yard         
,step lichtly for my sake6      ,the    
lav'rock#aea in the lift1#aeb ,willie1  
,that lilts#aec far ower our heid1      
,will sing the morn as merrilie         
,abune the clay-cauld deid2     ,and    
this green turf we're sittin' on1       
,wi' dew-draps shimmerin' sheen1        
,will hap#aed the heart that luvit thee1
       ,as warld has seldom seen4       
,but ,o6 remember me1 ,willie1       ,on
 land where'er ye be1--     ,and ,o6    
think on the leal1 leal heart1          
,that ne'er luvit ane but thee6     ,and
 ,o6 think on the cauld1 cauld          
mools1#aee       ,that file#aef my      
yellow hair1--     ,that kiss the cheek1

 that kiss the chin1       ,ye never    
sail kiss mair4  ,footnote #aej3 ,a     
darting pain4  ,footnote #aea3 ,lark4   
,footnote #aeb3 ,sky4  ,footnote #aec3  
,sings4  ,footnote #aed3 ,cover4        
,footnote #aee3 ,clods4  ,footnote #aef3
 ,soil4  ,as a specimen of ,motherwell's
 descriptive powers1 the exquisite grace
 of his diction1 and the deep-toned     
melody of his verse1 and not only so1   
but of his high devotional feelings1 we 
give the following3              ,a     
,,sabbath ,,summer ,,noon4      ,the    
calmness of this noontide hour1         
,the shadow of this wood1     ,the      
fragrance of each wilding flower        
,are marvelously good2     ,o6 here     
crazed spirits breathe the balm1        
,of nature's solitude6      ,it is a    
most delicious calm       ,that resteth 
everywhere1--     ,the holiness of      
soul-sung psalm1       ,of felt1 but    
voiceless prayer6     ,with hearts too  
full to speak their bliss1       ,god's 
creatures silent are4      ,they silent 

are2 but not the less       ,in this    
most tranquil hour1     ,of deep1       
unbroken dreaminess1       ,they own    
that ,love and ,power1     ,which like  
the softest sunshine rests1       ,on   
every leaf and flower4      ,how silent 
are the song-filled nests       ,that   
crowd this drowsy tree1--     ,how mute 
is every feathered breast       ,that   
swelled with melody6     ,and yet bright
 bead-like eyes declare1       ,this    
hour is exstacy4      ,heart forth6 as  
uncaged bird through air1       ,and    
mingle in the tide     ,of blessed      
things1 that1 lacking care1       ,how  
full of beauty glide1     ,around thee1 
in their angel hues       ,of joy and   
sinless pride4      ,here on this green 
bank that o'er-views       ,the far     
retreating glen1     ,beneath the       
spreading beech-tree muse1       ,on all
 within thy ken2     ,for lovelier scene
 shall never break1       ,on thy dimmed
 sight again4      ,slow stealing from  
the tangled brake1       ,that skirts   

the distant hill1     ,with noiseless   
hoof two bright fawns make       ,for   
yonder lapsing rill2     ,meek children 
of the forest gloom1       ,drink on1   
and fear no ill6      ,and buried in the
 yellow broom1       ,that crowns the   
neighboring height1     ,couches a      
loutish shepherd groom1       ,with all 
his flocks in sight2     ,which dot the 
green braes gloriously1       ,with     
spots o' living light4      ,it is a    
sight that filleth me       ,with       
meditative joy1     ,to mark these dumb 
things curiously       ,crowd round the 
guardian boy2     ,as if they felt this 
,sabbath hour       ,of bliss lacked all
 alloy4      ,i bend me towards the tiny
 flower1       ,that underneath this    
tree1     ,opens its little breast of   
sweets       ,in meekest modesty1       
,and breathes the eloquence of love1    
,in muteness1 ,lord6 to thee4           
99       99       99       99       99  
,the silentness of night doth brood     
,o'er this bright summer noon2     ,and 

nature1 in her holiest mood1       ,doth
 all things well attune1     ,to joy in 
the religious dreams       ,of green and
 leafy ,june4      ,far down the glen in
 distance gleams1       ,the hamlet's   
tapering spire1     ,and glittering in  
meridial beams       ,its vane is       
tongued with fire2     ,and hark1 how   
sweet its silvery bell1--       ,and    
hark1 the rustic choir6      ,the holy  
sounds float up the dell       ,to fill 
my ravished ear1     ,and now the       
glorious anthems swell1--       ,of     
worshippers sincere1--     ,of hearts   
bowed in the dust1 that shed            
,faith's penitential tear4      ,dear   
,lord6 thy shadow is forth spread1      
,on all mine eye can see2     ,and      
filled at the pure fountain-head        
,of deepest piety1     ,my heart loves  
all created things1       ,and travels  
home to thee4      ,around me while the 
sunshine flings1       ,a flood of mocky
 gold1     ,my chastened spirit once    
more sings1       ,as it was wont of    

old1     ,that lay of gratitude which   
burst       ,from young heart           
uncontrolled4      ,when in the midst of
 nature nursed1       ,sweet influences 
fell1     ,on childly hearts that were  
athirst1       ,like soft dews in the   
bell     ,of tender flowers1 that bowed 
their heads1       ,and breathed a      
fresher smell4      ,so1 even now this  
hour hath sped1       ,in rapturous     
thought o'er me1     ,feeling myself    
with nature wed1--       ,a holy        
mystery1--     ,a part of earth1 a part 
of heaven1       ,a part1 great ,god6 of
 ,thee4      ,fast fade the cares of    
life's dull even1       ,they perish as 
the weed1     ,while unto me the power  
is given1       ,a moral deep to read1  
,in every silent throe of mind1         
,eternal beauties breed4  ,it would be  
pleasant1 but we have not time1 to make 
the acquaintance of some of the ,glasgow
 clergy1 particularly of the classic    
,wardlaw1 the vigorous ,heugh1#aeg the  
accomplished ,king1 the energetic       

,robson1 the intelligent ,buchanan1 the 
eloquent ,willis1 the strong in knee'd  
,anderson1 and others of equal          
distinction4 ,a fair specimen of the    
,scottish clergy has been given in the  
ministers of ,edinburgh1 and that must  
suffice for the present4  ,footnote     
#aeg3 ,since the above was written1 the 
,rev4 ,dr4 ,heugh has gone to his reward
 in heaven4 ,he was a man of fine       
talents1 deep piety1 and most engaging  
manners4 ,we met him some years ago on  
the banks of ,lake ,leman1 whither he   
had gone for his health1 in company with
 ,merle ,d',aubigne1 ,joseph ,j4 ,gurney
 and others2 on which occasion ,dr4     
,heugh gave an interesting and graphic  
account of the ,free ,church movement1  
which was translated for the benefit of 
those who did not understand ,english1  
by ,professor ,la ,harpe4 ,never shall  
we forget that interview4 ,there were   
present1 ,french and ,english1 ,german  
and ,swiss1 ,scots and ,americans4 ,some
 of these were ,presbyterians1 others   

,episcopalians1 and others ,baptists1   
,lutherans and ,quakers2 but all were   
one in ,christ ,jesus4 ,joseph ,j4      
,gurney closed our interview with a     
prayer in the ,french language1 the most
 simple1 solemn1 and touching we ever   
heard4 ,ah6 little did we think that one
 of the most agreeable of that happy    
company was so soon to pass away from   
the scenes of earth4 ,the following     
sketch of ,dr4 ,heugh as a preacher1 is 
from a funeral sermon by ,dr4 ,john     
,brown1 of ,edinburgh4  ,as a preacher1 
he was judicious1 faithful1             
discriminating2 not exclusively         
doctrinal or practical1 or experimental1
 but all by turns1 and often all in the 
same discourse4 ,the matter of his      
discourses was drawn from the living    
oracles1 and his constant aim was to    
explain and to apply the saving         
doctrines of the cross--to bring the    
mind and hearts of men into harmony with
 the mind and will of ,god1 especially  
as those are revealed in the person and 

work of his incarnate ,son4 ,he was     
eminently a scriptural preacher1 both in
 substance and in form4 ,the commands of
 the ,master1 ',divide rightly the word 
of truth1' ',feed my sheep1' ',feed my  
lambs1' seemed to be ever present to his
 mind1 and to guide all his ministerial 
studies2 and hence it was that his      
pulpit services were marked by a lucid1 
pointed1 and affectionate inculcation of
 those varied truths which the          
circumstances of his hearers required4  
,there was nothing trivial or extraneous
 in his discussions4 ,he stated massy   
important thoughts1 wide and            
comprehensive views--the result of much 
reflection and experience--illustrative 
of his subject and suited to the        
occasion--in simple and appropriate     
words2 and the hearer was made to feel  
that he was not listening to human      
speculations1 but that ,christ was1 by  
the preacher1 unfolding his mind and    
will--'making manifest the savor of his 
knowledge4'  ,his manner in the pulpit  

was singularly easy1 graceful and       
pleasing4 ,all that he said and did was 
natural and becoming4 ,his fine open    
countenance1 his animated appearance1   
his fluency of utterance1 the pleasantly
 modulated tones of his voice1 his      
graceful action1 and the solemn         
devotional feeling which obviously      
pervaded all these1 rivetted attention1 
and threw a peculiar charm over his     
whole discourse4 ,there was no seeking  
for effect1 no going out of the way for 
ornaments1 no efforts to dazzle and to  
overwhelm4 ,he was occupied with his    
subject1 and sought to fill the minds of
 his hearers with it1 as his own mind   
was filled with it4 ,there were         
occasionally passages of great beauty1  
touchingly tender statements1 stirring  
suddenly the deeper emotions of the     
heart2 but the ordinary character of his
 eloquence was instructive and pleasing1
 rather than affecting or overpowering4 
,,chapter ,,xv4       ,dumbarton        
,castle--,lochlomond--,luss--,ascent of 

,benlomond--,magnificent ,views--,ride  
to ,loch-,katrine--,rob ,roy            
,macgregor--',gathering of ,clan        
,gregor'--,loch-,katrine and the        
,trosachs--,the city of                 
,perth--,martyrdom of ,helen ,stark and 
her      husband4   ,embarking in a     
steamer at ,glasgow1 we glide down the  
,clyde as far as ,dumbarton ,castle1    
which rises1 in stern and solitary      
majesty1 from the bosom of the river1-- 
,a castled steep1     ,whose banner     
hangeth o'er the time-worn tower     ,so
 idly1 that rapt fancy deemeth it     ,a
 metaphor of peace4  ,in ancient times1 
however1 those old battlements          
frequently stood the shock of invading  
war4 ,dumbarton was the ,alcluith of the
 ancient ,britons1 subsequently         
,dumbriton1 or the fortified hill of the
 ,britons4 ,the vale of the ,clyde was  
called ,strathclutha1 and here was the  
capital of the kingdom of the           
,strathclyde ,britons4 ,alcluith is the 
,balclutha of ,ossian2 balla signifying 

a wall or bulwark1 from the ,latin      
vallum1 a wall4 ,i have seen the walls  
of ,balclutha1 sings ,ossian1 in the    
poem of ,carron1 but they were desolate4
 ,the fire had resounded in the halls2  
and the voice of the people is heard no 
more4 ,the stream of the ,clutha        
7,clyde7 was removed from its place by  
the fall of the walls4 ,the thistle     
shook here its lonely head2 the moss    
whistled to the wind4 ,the fox looked   
out from the windows2 the rank grass of 
the walls waved round its head4         
,desolate is the dwelling of ,morna2    
silence is in the house of her fathers4 
,in the reign of ,queen ,mary this      
stronghold was taken by an escalade4    
,this was accomplished by ,captain      
,crawford1 an officer of great energy   
and talent1 who acted for the           
confederated lords who opposed ,queen   
,mary after the death of her husband1   
,henry ,darnley4 ,provided with         
scaling-ladders1 and whatever else was  
necessary1 ,crawford set out from       

,glasgow with a small but determined    
body of men4 ,the night was dark and    
misty1 when they reached the            
castle-walls4 ,crawford1 and a soldier  
who acted as a guide1 scrambled up to a 
ledge of rock1 where they fastened a    
ladder to a tree1 which grew on one of  
its cliffs4 ,ascending by this means1   
the whole party stood together with     
their chief on this natural parapet4    
,but they were far from the point which 
they hoped to reach4 ,again the ladder  
was planted1 and the ascent begun4 ,but 
all at once one of the foremost         
soldiers1 when half way up the ladder1  
was seized with a sudden fit1 and clung 
to the ladder stiff and motionless4 ,all
 further progress was at an end4 ,what  
to do they knew not4 ,to cut him down   
would be cruel1 and besides might awaken
 the garrison4 ,in this emergency1      
,crawford had the man secured1 by means 
of ropes to the ladder1 which was turned
 over and all passed up in safety to the
 foot of the wall4 ,day began to break1 

and they hastened to scale the wall4    
,the first man who reached the parapet  
was seen by a sentinel1 who was quickly 
knocked in the head4 ,the whole party1  
with furious shouts1 rushed over the    
wall1 and took possession of the        
magazine1 seized the cannon1 and before 
the besieged could help themselves1 had 
entire control of the ,castle4  ,but we 
cannot linger here2 so1 bidding adieu to
 ,dumbarton1 with its martial           
associations1 we strike off from the    
river at right angles1 and1 after a     
pleasant ride of four or five miles1    
through a peaceful and agreeable        
country1 we reach the south end of      
,lochlomond1 the ,queen of the ,scottish
 lakes1 where we find a little steamer  
in waiting1 which takes us1 and a       
company of sportsmen1 travellers and    
others1 over the placid waves of this   
magnificent sheet of water4 ,the lake is
 some thirty miles in length1 and of    
unequal breadth1 being sometimes four or
 five miles1 and then again not more    

than a single mile in width1 gorgeously 
begemmed with verdant and beautifully   
wooded islands1 of larger and smaller   
size1 to the number of thirty1 and      
shaded here and there by mountains1     
covered with verdure and trees to their 
summits1 or grim cliffs1 towering1 in   
solitary grandeur1 above the dark and   
heaving waters beneath4 ,how finely our 
little steamer dashes the water from her
 prow1 as if she really enjoyed the     
trip1 among the beautiful scenery of    
this charming lake6 ,what variety of    
light and shade6 ,what diversity of     
scene1 as isle after isle1 bold         
headland1 lofty cliff1 or wooded        
acclivity1 meets the gaze6 ,how earth   
and air and sky1 yon fleecy clouds that 
skirt the horizon1 wild crags1 and      
verdant slopes1 clumps of trees on the  
water's edge1 islands of green mirroring
 their foliage in the bosom of the lake1
 mingle and intermingle in ever varying 
forms of beauty and grandeur6 ,yonder1  
too1 is ,benlomond1 the genius of the   

place1 towering above the lesser        
mountains1 and looking down1 as if      
protectingly1 upon the lake he loves4   
,the shores are exceedingly beautiful2  
on one side lying low1 undulating with  
fields and groves1 where many a pleasant
 dwelling is embowered1 into lines of   
hills that gradually soften away into   
another land4 ,on the other side1       
sloping back1 or overhanging1 mounts    
beautiful in their bareness1 for they   
are green as emerald2 others1 scarcely  
more beautiful1 studded with fair trees1
 some altogether woods4 ,they soon form 
into mountains1 and the mountains become
 more and more majestical1 yet beauty   
never deserts them1 and her spirit      
continues to tame that of the frowning  
cliffs4 ,the islands1 continues         
,professor ,wilson1 from whom we make   
this fine extract1 are forever arranging
 themselves into new forms1 every one   
more and more beautiful2 at least so    
they seem to be1 perpetually occurring1 
yet always unexpected2 and there is a   

pleasure even in such a series of slight
 surprises that enhances the delight of 
admiration4  ,the southern part of the  
lake is the most beautiful1 but the     
northern the most sublime4 ,the channel 
narrows1 and the mountains rise higher  
and higher1 casting dark shadows into   
the water4 ,for a moment it seems       
gloomy1 but high up in the mountains you
 discover spots of green2 and the       
sunlight glancing down1 between the     
masses of shadow1 lights up the waves of
 the lake with a strange beauty1 as if  
it were something purer and more        
spirit-like than the beauty of the      
ordinary world4  ,but we will stop at   
the village of ,luss1 near the edge of  
the lake1 surrounded by mountain        
scenery1 in some places rough and bleak1
 but charmingly diversified by deep     
wooded glens1 and romantic ravines4     
,the sun is sinking behind the western  
hills--the evening shadows are resting  
in the vallies1 while the tops of those 
craggy heights around us are still      

burning with the last rays of departing 
day4 ,we wander towards the southern    
part of the parish1 with feelings       
subdued by the magnificent scenery which
 everywhere meets our gaze1 and the     
solemn stillness which reigns among the 
mountains1 broken only by the tinkling  
of a small stream winding its way to the
 lake1 as if seeking a home in its      
bosom1 like the soul of a true          
,christian1 which is ever tending onward
 to the infinite and immortal4 ,at      
length1 while the sweet and long        
continued gloaming of the ,scottish     
summer envelopes everything in its soft 
and dubious light1 we reach the remains 
of a large cairn1 a mound of stones and 
earth1 called ,carn-na-,cheasoig1 the   
cairn of ,st4 ,kessog4 ,here then1      
according to tradition1 lies the dust of
 ,st4 ,kessog1 who is said to have      
suffered martyrdom near the site of this
 cairn1 in the sixth century1 and who   
anciently was venerated as the guardian 
saint of ,luss4 ,was ,st4 ,kessog a true

 martyr8 ,we trust he was1 and can      
easily imagine the cruel but triumphant 
death of the holy man4 ,at such an hour1
 and in such a scene1 with the shadow of
 these great1 sky-pointing mountains1   
resting on our spirits1 we might almost 
believe anything2 anything1 at least1   
lofty and heart-stirring4 ,it is not    
surprising that the ,highlanders are    
superstitious3 but it is surprising that
 they are not more religious4 ,an       
infidel or a fanatic among the hills    
seems an impossibility4 ,nor are the    
inhabitants of these high regions       
inclined either to scepticism or        
fanatacism4 ,but they are ignorant of   
,christianity in its purer forms2 and   
hence are easily subjected to           
superstitious fears4 ,but we are not yet
 among the ,highlanders2 for ,luss and  
the regions around are naturally        
subjected to ,lowland influences4  ,next
 morning we pass over the lake in a     
small boat to ,rowardennan1 on the      
eastern shore1 whence we commence the   

ascent of ,benlomond1 which rises to a  
height of something more than three     
thousand feet4 ,the distance from       
,rowardennan to the top is generally    
reckoned about six miles4 ,wending along
 the sides of the mountain we gradually 
ascend to the bare and craggy summit1   
but not without resting here and there1 
and stopping to gaze upon the expanding 
landscape1 as it spreads further and    
further towards the distant seas4 ,we   
are somewhat fatigued1 but how          
refreshing the mountain breeze1 and how 
exhilarating the magnificent scenery    
which opens on every side1 and          
absolutely reaches from sea to sea6     
,there1 beneath us1 like a belt of      
liquid light1 stretches the long and    
beautiful ,lochlomond1 sparkling under  
the rays of the sun1 fringed with hills1
 rocks1 and woods1 and adorned with     
green isles1 reposing on its heaving    
bosom1 like gems of emerald chased in   
gold4 ,far off are the islands of ,bute 
and ,arran1 and nearer the fertile      

,strath-,clutha1 through which flows the
 river ,clyde1 adorned with villages1   
castles and country-seats1 the city of  
,glasgow1 covered with a misty vapor1   
the whole of ,lanarkshire1 the city of  
,edinburgh1 and the vast and delightful 
tract of country beyond1 the ,firth of  
,forth1 ,stirling ,castle1 and the links
 of the ,forth gliding in peaceful      
beauty through its green and wooded     
vale4 ,to the north a scene presents    
itself of wild and varied grandeur1 long
 ranges of ,alpine heights1 mighty crags
 towering to the sky1 dark lakes1 and   
deep-cloven ravines1 wild and desolate  
moors1 straggling forests1 and rich     
secluded vales4 ,near us rises the hoary
 ,benvoirloich2 and further north1 among
 inferior mountains1 ,bencruachan and   
,bennevis lift their lofty heads4       
,taking a wider range we get a distant  
glimpse of the wide ,atlantic1 and the  
coast of green ,erin1 the mountains of  
,cumberland1 and the ,german ,ocean1    
washing the north-eastern coasts of     

,scotland4 ,but the eye rests1 as if by 
enchantment1 upon the magnificent       
mountain scenery to the north1 inferior 
only in grandeur and beauty to the      
mountains of ,switzerland4      ,crags1 
knolls and mounds1 confusedly hurled1   
,the fragments of an earlier world2     
,and mountains that like giants stand1  
,to sentinel enchanted land4  ,how      
elevating such a position1 and such     
scenery4 ,how the soul dilates and      
rejoices1 as if it were a part of the   
mighty spectacle4 ,ah6 this were a place
 for angels to light upon1 and hymn the 
praise of that infinite ,being whose are
 the mountains1 and the vallies1 and the
 resplendent rivers4  ,but it is time to
 descend1 though it would be pleasant1  
doubtless1 to linger here till sunset1  
and see those mountain heights shining  
like stars in the departing radiance1   
while all beneath was covered with      
shadow2 and if the evening were still1  
to listen to the mingled murmur which   
ever ascends through the calm air1 from 

a region of streams and torrents4       
,coasting along the lake we reach       
,inversnaid mill at its upper extremity1
 and securing some ,highland ponies1    
little tough shaggy fellows1 sure-footed
 and self-willed1 we ramble through a   
lonely1 rock-bound glen1 the scene of   
the feats of ,rob ,roy ,macgregor4 ,in  
one of the smoky huts of this glen we   
are shown a long ,spanish musket1 six   
feet and a half in length1 said to have 
belonged to the famous outlaw1 whose    
original residence was in this lonely   
region4 ,we also pass the hut in which  
,helen ,macgregor1 his wife1 was born   
and brought up4 ,by forgetting a few    
years1 one can easily imagine the whole 
region filled with wild 'kilted'        
,highlanders1 shouting the war-cry of   
,macdonald1 ,glengarry1 or ,macgregor4  
,the spirit of these wild clans has been
 admirably depicted by ,sir ,walter     
,scott4 ,nothing can be more spirited   
than his ,gathering of ,clan-,gregor1   
which in this rough glen1 seems to      

gather a peculiar intensity of meaning4 
,the moon's on the lake1 the mist's on  
the brae1     ,and the clan has a name  
that is nameless by day2                
,then gather1 gather1 gather1           
,gregalich6      ,our signal for fight  
that from monarchs we drew1     ,must be
 heard but by night in our vengeful     
haloo2             ,then haloo1         
,gregalich1 haloo ,gregalich6      ,glen
 ,orchy's proud mountains1 ,coalchuirn  
and her towers1     ,glenstrae and      
,glenlyon no longer are ours2           
,we're landless1 landless1 ,gregalich6  
,but doomed and devoted by vassal and   
lord1     ,macgregor has still both his 
heart and his sword2             ,then  
courage1 courage1 courage1 ,gregalich6  
,if they rob us of name1 and pursue us  
with beagles1     ,give their roofs to  
the flame1 and their flesh to the       
eagles2             ,then vengeance1    
vengeance1 vengeance1 ,gregalich6       
,while there's leaves in the forest1 or 
foam on the river1     ,macgregor       

despite them1 shall flourish forever6   
,come then1 ,gregalich6 ,come then1     
,gregalich6      ,through the depths of 
,lochkatrine the steed shall career1    
,o'er the peak of ,benlomond the galley 
shall steer1     ,and the rocks of      
,craig-,royston1 like icicles melt1     
,ere our wrongs be forgot1 or our       
vengeance unfelt6             ,then     
gather1 gather1 gather1 ,gregalich6  ,we
 reach ,lochkatrine1 a narrow sheet of  
water1 ten miles in length1 winding1 in 
serpentine turns1 among the huge        
mountains which guard it on every side4 
,this1 and the wild glen called the     
,trosachs1 are embalmed in the poetry of
 ,sir ,walter ,scott1 whose ethereal    
genius has imparted to them a charm     
which they would not otherwise possess4 
,wild and grand the scenery certainly   
is1 secluded so far among the mountains1
 and guarded so wondrously by           
,rocky summits1 split and rent1  which1 
gleaming under the rays of the morning  
sun1 appeared to the eye of poetical    

inspiration1      ,like turret1 dome or 
battlement1     ,or seemed fantastically
 set     ,with cupola or minaret1       
,wild crests as pagod ever deck'd1      
,or mosque of ,eastern minaret4  ,and   
not only so1 but richly adorned with    
forest-trees and wild flowers among the 
rifted rocks and the smiling glades     
between1 lovelier by far than ever met  
any but a poet's eye4      ,boon nature 
scattered free and wild1     ,each plant
 or flower1 the mountains' child4       
,here eglantine embalmed the air1       
,hawthorne and hazel mingled there2     
,the primrose1 pale and violet flower1  
,found in each cliff a narrow bower2    
,foxglove and nightshade1 side by side1 
,emblems of punishment and pride1       
,group'd their dark hues with every     
stain     ,the weather-beaten crags     
retain4     ,with boughs that quaked at 
every breath     ,gray birch and aspen  
wept beneath2     ,aloft the ash and    
warrior oak1     ,cast anchor in the    
rifted rock2     ,and higher yet the    

pine tree hung     ,his shattered trunk1
 and frequent flung1     ,when seemed   
the cliffs to mount on high1     ,his   
boughs athwart the narrow'd sky4        
,highest of all1 where white peaks      
glanced1     ,where glistening streamers
 waved and danced1     ,the wanderer's  
eye could barely view     ,the summer   
heaven's delicious blue2     ,so        
wondrous wild1 the whole might seem     
,the scenery of a fairy dream4  ,the    
scenery at the east end of ,lochkatrine1
 where the lake narrows1 like a placid  
river1 under the eye of ,benvenue1 the  
lower parts of which are richly wooded1 
is exceedingly beautiful4 ,through the  
whole of this glen1 the ,highland guides
 point out the localities and incidents 
mentioned in the ,lady of the ,lake1 as 
if it were a historical verity4 ,such is
 the power of genius1 which gives to    
airy nothings a local habitation and a  
name4      ,oh6 who would think1 in     
cheerless solitude1       ,who o'er     
these twilight waters glided slow1      

,that genius1 with a time-surviving     
glow1     ,these wild lone scenes so    
proudly hath imbued6     ,or that from  
'hum of men' so far remote1       ,where
 blue waves gleam1 and mountains darken 
round1       ,and trees1 with broad     
boughs shed a gloom profound1     ,a    
poet here should from his trackless     
thought     ,elysian prospects conjure  
up1 and sing       ,of bright           
achievement in the olden days1          
,when chieftain valor sued for beauty's 
praise1     ,and magic virtues charmed  
,st4 ,fillan's spring2       ,until in  
worlds where ,chilian mountains raise   
,their cloud-capt heads admiring souls  
should wing       ,hither their flight1 
to wilds whereon ,i gaze4  ,leaving     
,lochkatrine1 we pass in a              
south-easterly direction1 through       
,callendar to ,auchterarder1 a parish   
famous in the annals of the ,free       
,church of ,scotland1 and thence1       
travelling through a delightful country1
 reach the bonnie town o' ,perth1 which 

lies so charmingly on the banks of the  
,tay4 ,surrounded by some of the finest 
scenery in ,scotland1 with ,kinnoul     
,house and ,kinfauns ,castle on the one 
side1 and ,scone1 the old palace in     
which the kings of ,scotland were       
crowned1 on the other1 clustering with  
memories of the olden time1 and withal  
being a well-built city1 with some      
venerable churches and handsome public  
edifices1 ,perth is one of the most     
interesting places in ,scotland4        
,moreover1 it was anciently the capital 
of the kingdom1 and contains a good many
 relics of its former glory4 ,here the  
doctrines of the ,reformation early took
 root1 and some of the citizens suffered
 martyrdom for ,christ's sake4 ,helen   
,stark and her husband1 for refusing to 
pray to the ,virgin ,mary1 were         
condemned to die4 ,she desired to be    
executed with her husband1 but her      
request was refused4 ,on the way to the 
scaffold1 she exhorted him to constancy 
in the cause of ,christ1 and as she     

parted with him1 said1 ,husband1 be     
glad2 we have lived together many joyful
 days1 and this day of our death we     
ought to esteem the most joyful of them 
all1 for we shall have joy forever2     
therefore1 ,i will not bid you good     
night1 for we shall shortly meet in the 
kingdom of ,heaven4 ,after the men were 
executed1 ,helen was taken to a pool of 
water yard by1 when1 having recommended 
her dear children to the charity of her 
neighbors1 her infant having been taken 
from her breast1 she was drowned1 and   
died1 says the historian of the town1   
with great courage and comfort4  ,perth 
rejoices in the possession of two       
beautiful ,commons1 or ,inches1 as they 
are called1 green as emerald1 and       
bordered by long avenues of magnificent 
trees4 ,the ,tay gleams through the     
verdant foliage1 and is seen winding1 in
 serene beauty1 far down among the rich 
meadows and smooth lawns which adorn its
 banks4 ,behind it are the ,sidlaw      
hills1 and looming up1 in the distance1 

the blue ridges of the ,grampians4 ,the 
lands around it are highly cultivated1  
and support a numerous race of farmers1 
many of whom have grown rich from the   
produce of the soil4  ,but the shadows  
of evening are beginning to fall upon   
the landscape2 to-morrow is the rest of 
the holy ,sabbath1 and a comfortable    
'tween and supper-time awaits us at the 
house of a friend at some distance from 
,perth1 which we must immediately leave4
     ,,chapter ,,xvi4       ,sabbath    
,morning-- ',the ,sabbath1' by ,james   
,grahame--,sketch of his                
,life--,extracts from his ,poetry--,the 
,cameronians--',dream of the            
,martyrs1' by ,james ,hislop--,sabbath  
,morning ,walk--,country                
,church--,the old ,preacher--,the       
,interval of ,worship--,conversation in 
the ,church-yard--,going ,home from     
,church--,sabbath ,evening4   ,sabbath  
morning dawns upon us1 bright and clear1
 and all around a hushed stillness      
pervades the air4      ,with silent awe 

,i hail the sacred morn1     ,that      
scarcely wakes while all the fields are 
still2     ,a soothing calm on every    
breeze is borne1     ,a graver murmur   
echoes from the hill1     ,and softer   
sings the linnet from the thorn2        
,the skylark warbles in a tone less     
shrill4     ,hail1 light serene6 hail1  
sacred ,sabbath morn6     ,the sky a    
placid yellow lustre throws2     ,the   
gales that lately sighed along the grove
     ,have hushed their drowsy wings in 
dead repose2     ,the hovering rack of  
clouds forgets to move1     ,so soft the
 day when the first morn arose4  ,thus  
sang ,leyden1 the celebrated scholar1   
poet1 and traveller1 who1 like all true 
sons of ,scotland1 revered the holy     
,sabbath1 regarding it as the best of   
days1 the sweetest1 purest1 calmest of  
the seven6 ,the same images1 borrowed   
not from ,leyden1 but from nature and   
his own heart1 are used by ,grahame1 in 
his delightful poem of ',the ,sabbath1' 
a production not without defects1 but   

one of the most popular in ,scotland4   
,how still the morning of the hallowed  
day6     ,mute is the voice of rural    
labor1 hush'd     ,the ploughboy's      
whistle and the milkmaid's song4        
,the scythe lies glittering in the dewy 
wreath     ,of tedded grass1 mingled    
with fading flowers1     ,that          
yestermorn bloomed waving in the breeze4
     ,sounds the most faint attract the 
ear--the hum     ,of early bee1 the     
trickling of the dew1     ,the distant  
bleating1 midway up the hill4           
,calmness seems throned on yon unmoving 
cloud4     ,to him who wanders o'er the 
upland leas1     ,the blackbird's note  
comes mellower from the dale2     ,and  
sweeter from the sky the gladsome lark  
,warbles his heaven-tuned song2 the     
lulling brook     ,murmurs more gently  
down the deep-sunk glen2     ,while from
 yon lowly roof1 whose curling smoke    
,o'ermounts the mist1 is heard at       
intervals     ,the voice of psalm1 the  
simple song of praise4  ,the ,rev4      

,james ,grahame1 the author of ',the    
,sabbath1' ',the ,birds of ,scotland1'  
',biblical ,pictures1' and so forth1 was
 born in #agfe1 in the city of ,glasgow4
 ,he studied law1 but afterwards took   
orders in the ,church of ,england1 and  
officiated as curate in the counties of 
,gloucester and ,durham4 ,he is said to 
have been a popular and useful preacher4
 ,possessed of great simplicity of      
character1 purity of morals1 and        
kindness of heart1 he won the affections
 of all his parishioners4 ,suffering    
from ill health1 he gave up his curacy1 
and returned to ,scotland1 where he     
acted1 we believe1 as a school-teacher4 
,his poems1 particularly that of ',the  
,sabbath1' attracted much attention in  
his native land1 which he dearly loved4 
,a deep religious vein pervades the     
whole4 ,attached to the ritual of his   
own church1 he could yet appreciate the 
solemn 'hill worship' of the            
,covenanters4 ,his descriptions of      
,scottish scenery are accurate and      

beautiful4 ,his ,sabbath is the ,sabbath
 of ,scotland4 ,all its pictures are    
drawn from real life4 ,his verse may    
seem prosaic at times1 but it is        
melodious as a whole4 ,nothing can be   
more natural or agreeable1 in its easy  
gentle flow4 ,moreover1 it often        
sparkles with original turns of thought1
 and felicitous expressions4  ,an       
interesting anecdote is told of ,grahame
 in connection with the publication of  
',the ,sabbath4' ,he had finished the   
poem1 and sent it to the press unknown  
to his wife4 ,when it was issued he     
brought her a copy1 and requested her to
 read it4 ,as his name was not prefixed 
to the work1 she did not dream that he  
had anything to do with it4 ,as she went
 on reading1 the sensitive author walked
 up and down the room4 ,at length she   
broke out in praise of the poem1 and    
turning to him said3 ,ah6 ,james1 if you
 could but produce a poem like this4    
,judge then of her delighted surprise   
when told that he was its author4 ,the  

effect upon her is said to have been    
almost overwhelming4  ,after describing 
the solemn and delightful worship of    
,god's house1 particularly the music1   
ascending in 'a thousand notes          
symphonious1' he touchingly adds3       
,afar they float1     ,wafting glad     
tidings to the sick man's couch3        
,raised on his arm1 he lists the cadence
 close1     ,yet thinks he hears it     
still3 his heart is cheered2     ,he    
smiles on death2 but1 ah6 a wish will   
rise--     ,would ,i were now beneath   
that echoing roof6     ,no lukewarm     
accents from my lips would flow2     ,my
 heart would sing3 and many a ,sabbath  
day     ,my steps should thither turn2  
or wandering far     ,in solitary paths1
 where wild flowers blow1     ,then     
would ,i bless his name who led me forth
     ,from death's dark vale1 to walk   
amid those sweets--     ,who gives the  
bloom of health once more to glow       
,upon this cheek1 and lights this       
languid eye4  ,his description of the   

shepherd boy's ,sabbath worship among   
the hills is a passage of great beauty4 
,it is not only in the sacred fane      
,that homage should be paid to the ,most
 ,high2     ,there is a temple1 one not 
made with hands1     ,the vaulted       
firmament4 ,far in the woods1           
,almost beyond the sound of city chime1 
,at intervals heard through the         
breezeless air2     ,when not the       
limberest leaf is seen to move1         
,save when the linnet lights upon the   
spray     ,when not a flow'ret bends its
 little stalk1     ,save when a bee     
alights upon the bloom--     ,then rapt 
in gratitude1 in joy1 and love     ,the 
man of ,god will pass his ,sabbath noon2
     ,silence his praise2 his           
disembodied thoughts     ,loosed from   
the load of words1 will high ascend     
,beyond the empyrean4     ,nor yet less 
pleasing at the heavenly throne1        
,the ,sabbath service of the shepherd   
boy6     ,in some lone glen1 when every 
sound is lulled     ,to slumber1 save   

the tinkling of the rill1     ,or bleat 
of lamb1 or hovering falcon's cry1      
,stretched on the sward1 he reads of    
,jesse's ,son2     ,or sheds a tear o'er
 him to ,egypt sold1     ,and wonders   
why he weeps3 the volume closed1        
,with thyme sprig laid between the      
leaves1 he sings     ,the sacred lays1  
his weekly lesson conned     ,with      
meikle care beneath the lowly roof1     
,where humble love is learnt1 where     
humble worth     ,pines unrewarded by a 
thankless state4     ,thus reading1     
hymning1 all alone1 unseen1     ,the    
shepherd boy the ,sabbath holy keeps1   
,till on the heights he marks the       
straggling bands     ,returning homeward
 from the house of prayer4  ,the hill   
worship of the ,covenanters is also     
described with much beauty and pathos4  
,with them each day was holy1 every hour
     ,they stood prepared to die1 a     
people doomed     ,to death--old men1   
and youths1 and simple maids4     ,with 
them each day was holy2 but that morn   

,on which the angel said1 ',see where   
the ,lord     ,was laid1' joyous        
arose--to die that day     ,was bliss4  
,long ere the dawn1 by devious ways1    
,o'er hills1 through woods1 o'er dreary 
wastes1 they sought     ,the upland     
moors1 where rivers1 there but brooks   
,dispart to different seas4 ,fast by    
such brooks     ,a little glen is       
sometimes scooped1 a plat     ,with     
greensward gay1 and flowers that        
strangers seem     ,amid the heathery   
wild1 that all around     ,fatigues the 
eye3 in solitudes like these     ,thy   
persecuted children1 ,scotia1 foiled    
,a tyrant's and a bigot's bloody laws2  
,there1 leaning on his spear1 7one of   
the array     ,that in the times of old 
had scathed the rose     ,on ,england's 
banner1 and had powerless struck        
,the infatuate monarch and his wavering 
host1     ,yet ranged itself to aid his 
son dethroned17     ,the lyart veteran  
heard the ,word of ,god     ,by ,cameron
 thundered1 or by ,renwick poured       

,in gentle stream3 then rose the song1  
the loud     ,acclaim of praise2 the    
wheeling plover ceased     ,her plaint2 
the solitary place was glad4     ,and on
 the distant cairns1 the watcher's ear  
,caught doubtfully at times1 the        
breeze-borne note4     ,but years more  
gloomy followed1 and no more     ,the   
assembled people dared1 in face of day1 
,to worship ,god1 or even at the dead   
,of night1 save when the wint'ry storm  
raved fierce1     ,and thunder peals    
compelled the men of blood     ,to      
crouch within their dens1 then          
dauntlessly     ,the scattered few would
 meet1 in some deep dell     ,by rocks  
o'ercanopied1 to hear the voice1        
,their faithful pastor's voice3 he1 by  
the gleam     ,of sheeted lightning1    
oped the sacred ,book1     ,and words of
 comfort spoke3 over their souls        
,his accents soothing came--as to her   
young     ,the heathfowl's plumes1 when 
at the close of eve     ,she gathers in 
her mournful brood1 dispersed     ,by   

murderous sport1 and o'er the remnant   
spreads     ,fondly her wings1 close    
nestling 'neath her breast     ,they    
cherished1 cower amid the purple blooms4
  ,this is finely pictured2 and1 coming 
from a member of the ,episcopal ,church1
 does honor to his heart and head4 ,sir 
,walter ,scott has somewhat injured the 
memory of the ,scottish ,covenanters1 by
 presenting the darker features of their
 character1 and forgetting utterly their
 earnest piety1 their generous fervor1  
their heroic endurance4 ,many of them1  
doubtless1 were deficient in high-bred  
courtesy and learned refinement4 ,others
 were narrow-minded and superstitious4  
,but the great mass of them were men of 
lofty faith1 of generous self-sacrifice4
 ,they feared ,god1 and perilled their  
lives for freedom1 in the high places of
 the field4 ,lately1 says a vigorous    
writer in ,blackwood's ,magazine1 the   
,mighty ,warlock of ,caledonia has shed 
a natural and a supernatural light round
 the founders of the ,cameronian        

dynasty2 and as his business was to     
grapple with the ruder and fiercer      
portion of their character1 the gentle  
graces of their nature were not called  
into action1 and the storm and tempest  
and thick darkness of ,john ,balfour of 
,burley1 have darkened the whole        
breathing congregation of the           
,cameronians1 and turned their sunny    
hillside into a dreary desert4 ,it      
requires men of no ordinary character to
 become martyrs for principle1          
especially when that principle is one of
 the highest order1 and has been chosen 
calmly1 deliberately1 and in the fear of
 ,god4 ,when such men go forth to defend
 the right1 and shed their life's blood 
for its enthronement1 their's is no     
vulgar enthusiasm1 no unnatural and     
infuriate fanaticism4 ,read the         
following from ,james ,hislop1 once a   
poor shepherd boy1 and afterwards a     
school-teacher1 written near the grave  
of the pious and redoubtable ,cameron1  
and several of his followers1 slain by  

tyrants in the moor of ,aird's-moss1 and
 say whether such martyrs for truth are 
worthy of our reverence6      ,in a     
dream of the night ,i was wafted away   
,to the muirland of mist where the      
martyrs lay1     ,where ,cameron's sword
 and his ,bible are seen1     ,engraved 
on the stone where the heather grows    
green4      ',twas a dream of those ages
 of darkness and blood1     ,when the   
minister's home was the mountain and    
wood2     ,when in ,wellwood's dark     
valley the standard of ,zion1     ,all  
bloody and torn 'mong the heather was   
lying4      ',twas morning1 and summer's
 young sun from the east     ,lay in    
loving repose on the green mountain's   
breast2     ,on ,wardlaw and ,cairntable
 the clear shining dew1     ,glistened  
there 'mong the heath bells and mountain
 flowers blue4      ,and far up in      
heaven near the white sunny cloud1      
,the song of the lark was melodious and 
loud1     ,and in ,glenmuir's wild      
solitude1 lengthened and deep1     ,were

 the whistling of plovers and bleating  
of sheep4      ,and ,wellwood's sweet   
valley breathed music and gladness1     
,the fresh meadow blooms hung in beauty 
and redness2     ,its daughters were    
happy to hail the returning1     ,and   
drink the delights of ,july's sweet     
morning4      ,but oh6 there were hearts
 cherished far other feelings1          
,illumed by the light of prophetic      
revealings1     ,who drank from the     
scenery of beauty but sorrow1     ,for  
they knew that their blood would bedew  
it to-morrow4      ',twas the few       
faithful ones1 who with ,cameron were   
lying     ,concealed 'mong the mist     
where the heathfowl was flying1     ,for
 the horsemen of ,earlshall around them 
were hovering1     ,and their bridle    
reins rung through the thin misty       
covering4      ,their faces grew pale1  
and their swords were unsheathed1       
,but the vengeance that darkened their  
brow was unbreathed2     ,with eyes     
turned to heaven1 in calm resignation1  

,they sung their last song to the ,god  
of salvation4      ,the hills with the  
deep mournful music were ringing1       
,the curlew and plover in concert were  
singing3     ,but the melody died 'mid  
derision and laughter1     ,as the host 
of ungodly rushed on to the slaughter4  
,though in mist and in darkness and fire
 they were shrouded1     ,yet the souls 
of the righteous were calm and          
unclouded1     ,their dark eyes flashed 
lightning1 as firm and unbending1       
,they stood like the rock which the     
thunder is rending4      ,the muskets   
were flashing1 the blue swords were     
gleaming1     ,the helmets were cleft1  
and the red blood was streaming1        
,the heavens grew dark1 and the thunder 
was rolling1     ,when in ,wellwood's   
dark muirlands the mighty were falling4 
,when the righteous had fallen1 and the 
combat was ended1     ,a chariot of fire
 through the dark cloud descended1      
,its drivers were angels on horses of   
whiteness1     ,and its burning wheels  

turned on axles of brightness4      ,a  
seraph unfolded its doors bright and    
shining1     ,all dazzling like gold of 
the seventh refining1     ,and the souls
 that came forth out of great           
tribulation     ,have mounted the       
chariot and steeds of salvation4        
,on the arch of the rainbow the chariot 
is gliding1     ,through the path of the
 thunder the horsemen are riding2       
,glide swiftly1 bright spirits6 the     
prize is before ye1     ,a crown never  
fading1 a kingdom of glory6  ,but we are
 forgetting ourselves2 and as we propose
 spending the ,sabbath in a small       
country hamlet1 at some distance1 we    
must be off immediately4 ,it would be   
gratifying to return to ,perth and hear 
some of the clergymen there1 ,dr4 ,young
 especially1 who is a preacher of great 
depth and energy2 but the ,sabbath will 
be sweeter amidst the woods and hills4  
,we enter a quiet unfrequented road1    
skirting around those fine clumps of    
trees1 and that green hill to the west1 

and after wandering a few miles1 we pass
 into a narrow vale1 through which a    
small wooded stream makes its noiseless 
way1 and adorned on either side with    
rich green slopes1 clumps of birches1   
and tufts of flowering broom4 ,as you   
ascend the vale1 it gradually widens1   
the acclivities on either side recede to
 a considerable distance1 and the road1 
taking a sudden turn1 runs over the hill
 to the left1 and dives into a sort of  
natural amphitheatre1 formed by the     
woods and braes around it4 ,on the      
further side you descry a small         
antique-looking church1 with two or     
three huge ash trees1 and one or two    
silver larches shading it1 at one end1 a
 pretty mansion built of freestone1 and 
handsomely slated1 at a little distance 
at the other4 ,approaching1 we find a   
few stragglers1 as if in haste1 entering
 the church door2 the bell has ceased   
tolling1 and the service probably is    
about to commence4 ,we enter1 and find  
seats near the door4 ,how tenderly and  

solemnly that old minister1 with his    
bland look1 and silver locks1 reads the 
eighty-fourth psalm1 and how reverently 
the whole congregation1 with book in    
hand1 follow him to the close4 ,a       
precentor1 as he is called1 sitting in a
 sort of desk under the pulpit1 strikes 
the tune1 and all1 young and old1 rich  
and poor1 immediately accompany him4    
,the minister then offers a prayer1 in  
simple ,scripture language1 somewhat    
long1 but solemn and affecting4 ,he then
 reads another psalm1 which is sung1 as 
the first was1 by the whole             
congregation1 and with such earnest and 
visible delight1 that you feel at once  
that their hearts are in the service4   
,the preacher then rises in the pulpit  
and reads the twenty-third psalm1 as the
 subject of his exposition1 or lecture1 
as the ,scottish preachers uniformly    
style their morning's discourse4 ,his   
exposition is plain and practical1      
occasionally rising to the pathetic and 
beautiful4 ,ah1 how sweetly he dwells   

upon the good ,shepherd of the sheep1   
and how tenderly he depicts the security
 and repose of the good man passing     
through the dark valley and the shadow  
of death4 ,his reverend look1 the       
tremulous tones of his voice1 his       
,scottish accent1 and occasionally      
,scottish phrases1 his abundant use of  
,scriptural quotations1 and a certain   
,oriental cast of mind1 derived1 no     
doubt1 from intimate communion with     
prophets and apostles1 invest his       
discourse with a peculiar charm4 ,it is 
not learned2 neither is it original and 
profound2 but it is good1 good for the  
heart--good for the conscience and the  
life4 ,old preachers1 like old wine1 in 
our humble opinion1 are by far the best4
 ,their freedom from earthly ambition1  
their deep experience of men and things1
 their profound acquaintance with their 
own heart1 their evident nearness to    
heaven1 their natural simplicity and    
authority1 their reverend looks and     
tremulous tones1 all unite to invest    

their preaching with a peculiar         
spiritual interest1 such as seldom      
attaches to that of young divines4      
,everything1 of course1 depends upon    
personal character1 and a young preacher
 may be truly pious1 and thus speak with
 much simplicity and power4 ,but1 other 
things being equal1 old preachers and   
old physicians1 old friends and old     
places possess qualities peculiar to    
themselves4  ,after the sermon1 prayer  
is offered1 and the whole congregation  
unite in a psalm of praise4 ,the        
interval of worship1 it is announced1   
will be one hour4 ,a portion of the     
congregation return to their homes1 but 
most of them remain4 ,some repair to a  
house of refreshment in the             
neighborhood1 where they regale         
themselves on the simplest fare1 such as
 bread and milk1 or bread and beer4     
,others wander off1 in parties1 to the  
green woods or sunny knolls around1 and 
seated on the greensward1 eat their     
bread and cheese1 converse about the    

sermon1 or such topics as happen to     
interest them most4 ,the younger people 
and children are inclined to ramble1 but
 are not permitted to do so4 ,yet the   
little fellows will romp1 'a very       
little1' and occasionally run off1 but  
not so far as to be beyond call4 ,a     
large number of the people have gone    
into the grave-yard connected with the  
church4 ,some are seated on the old flat
 tombstones1 others on the greensward1  
dotted all around with the graves of    
their fathers4 ,see that group there4   
,the old man1 with lyart haffets and    
broad bonnet1 looks like one of the old 
,covenanters4 ,the old lady1 evidently  
his wife1 wears a sort of hooded cloak1 
from which peeps forth a nicely plaited 
cap of lace1 which wonderfully sets off 
her demure but agreeable features4      
,these young people around them are     
evidently their children and            
grandchildren4 ,how contented they look1
 and how reverently they listen to the  
old man4 ,let us draw near1 and hear the

 conversation4  ,why1 grandfaither1 says
 one of the younger lads1 don't you     
think the auld ,covenanters were rather 
sour kind o' bodies8  ,sour6 replies the
 old man1 they had eneuch to mak' them  
sour4 ,hunted from mountain to mountain1
 like wild beasts1 it's nae wonder if   
they felt waefu' at times1 or that they 
let human passion gain a moment's       
ascendancy4 ,but they were guid men for 
a' that4 ,they were the chosen o' ,god1 
and wrastled hard against principalities
 and powers1 against the rulers o' the  
darkness of this world1 against         
spiritual wickedness in high places4    
,reading their lives1 ,i've aften thocht
 they must ha'e been kind o' inspired4  
,like the auld prophets and martyrs1    
they were very zealous for the ,lord    
,god1 and endured1 cheerfully1 mair     
distress and tribulation than we can    
well imagine4  ,weel1 weel6 says one of 
the girls1 ,i wish they had been a wee  
bit gentler in their ways1 and mair     
charitable to their enemies4  ,ah1      

,nancy1 is the quick reply of the old   
man1 ye ken but little about it4 ,a fine
 thing it is for us1 sitting here in    
this peacefu' kirk-yard1 wi' nane to    
molest us or mak' us afraid1 to talk    
about gentleness and charity4 ,but the  
auld ,covenanters had to encounter fire 
and steel4 ,they wandered over muir and 
fell1 in poverty and sorrow1 being      
destitute1 afflicted1 tormented4 ,but   
oh1 my bairns6 they loved and served the
 ,lord6 ,they endured as seeing him who 
is invisible2 and when they cam' to dee1
 they rejoiced that they were counted   
worthy to suffer for his name4 ,nae     
doot1 some of them were carnal men1 and 
ithers o' them had great imperfections4 
,but the maist o' them were unco holy   
men1 men o' prayer1 men o' faith1 aye1  
and men of charity of whom the world was
 not worthy4  ,this answer silences all 
objections4  ,but the bell1 from the old
 church tower1 begins to toll4          
,slowly the throng moves o'er the       
tomb-paved ground1     ,the aged man1   

the bowed down1 the blind     ,led by   
the thoughtless boy1 and he who breathes
     ,with pain1 and eyes the new-made  
grave1 well-pleased1     ,these1 mingled
 with the young1 the gay1 approach      
,the house of ,god--these1 spite of all 
their ills1     ,a glow of gladness     
feel2 with silent praise     ,they enter
 in2 a placid stillness reigns1         
,until the man of ,god1 worthy the name1
     ,opens the book1 and reverentially 
,the stated portion reads4  ,the        
services of the afternoon are much the  
same as those of the morning1 except    
that the preacher comments briefly on   
the portion of ,scripture read at the   
opening of the service1 and delivers a  
regular discourse1 from a single text4  
,the congregation follow the preacher   
with evident attention1 and look up in  
their ,bibles1 which all have in their  
hands1 the passages of ,scripture cited 
as proofs and illustrations4 ,this1 with
 an occasional cough1 and a little      
rustling from the children1 are the only

 sounds which break the solemn stillness
 of the scene4  ,dismissed1 with a      
solemn benediction1 all take their      
several ways homeward4 ,the sun is going
 down2 but its mellow light yet lingers 
upon the uplands1 and tinges the foliage
 of the trees with supernal tints4 ,a   
sabbath stillness reigns over hill and  
dale4 ,the very trees appear to slumber2
 the birds are silent1 except a single  
thrush1 which1 in the deep recesses of  
that shadowy copsewood1 appears to be   
singing her hymn to the evening4 ,a     
little later1 you might hear the voice  
of psalms from the low thatched cottage1
 on the hillside or in the glen4 ,for1  
in ,scotland1 family worship is         
generally maintained1 and singing1 in   
which the whole family join1 always     
forms a part of the exercises4          
,they chant their artless notes in      
simple guise2       ,they tune their    
hearts1 by far the noblest aim2         
,perhaps ,dundee's wild warbling        
measures rise1       ,or plaintive      

,martyrs1 worthy of the name1     ,or   
noble ,elgin beets the heavenward flame1
       ,the sweetest far of ,scotia's   
holy lays4  ,wandering thus1 through the
 fields1 with ,sabbath influences all   
around us1 it is impossible not to be   
grateful and devout4 ,a holy calm steals
 upon the mind--a heavenly beatitude1   
akin to that of angels and the spirits  
of just men made perfect4      ,oh      
,scotland6 much ,i love thy tranquil    
dales2     ,but most on ,sabbath eve1   
when low the sun     ,slants through the
 upland copse1 'tis my delight1         
,wandering and stopping oft1 to hear the
 song     ,of kindred praise arise from 
humble roofs2     ,or when the simple   
service ends1 to hear     ,the lifted   
latch1 and mark the grey-haired man1    
,the father and the priest1 walk forth  
alone     ,into his garden plat and     
little field1     ,to commune with his  
,god in secret prayer--     ,to bless   
the ,lord that in his downward years    
,his children are about him3 sweet1     

meantime     ,the thrush that sings upon
 the aged thorn1     ,brings to his view
 the days of youthful years1     ,when  
that same aged thorn was but a bush6    
,nor is the contrast between youth and  
age     ,to him a painful thought2 he   
joys to think     ,his journey near a   
close2 heaven is his home4  ,thus1 in   
his own simple and charming style1      
,grahame describes the ,sabbath evening4
 ,so beautiful it is1 so ,sabbath-like1 
in its spirit and tone1 that we venture 
one extract more4      ,now1 when the   
downward sun has left the glens1        
,each mountain's rugged lineaments are  
traced     ,upon the adverse slope1     
where stalks gigantic     ,the          
shepherd's shadow1 thrown athwart the   
chasm1     ,as on the topmost ridge he  
homeward hies4     ,how deep the hush6  
the torrent's channel dry1     ,presents
 a stony steep1 the echo's haunt4       
,but hark1 a plaintive sound floating   
along6     ',tis from yon heath-roofed  
shieling2 now it dies     ,away1 now    

rises full2 it is the song     ,which   
,he1 who listens to the hallelujahs     
,of choiring seraphim1 delights to hear2
     ,it is the music of the heart1 the 
voice     ,of venerable age1 of         
guileless youth1     ,in kindly circle  
seated on the ground     ,before their  
wicker door4 ,behold the man1     ,the  
grandsire and the saint2 his silvery    
locks     ,beam in the parting ray2     
before him lies1     ,upon the          
smooth-cropt sward the open book1       
,his comfort1 stay1 and ever new        
delight2     ,while heedless at his     
side1 the lisping boy     ,fondles the  
lamb that nightly shares his couch4     
,,chapter ,,xvii4                       
,lochleven--,escape of ,queen ,mary from
 ,lochleven ,castle--,michael           
,bruce--,sketch of his                  
,life--,boyhood--,college               
,life--,poetry--,lochleven--,sickness--,
ode to ,spring--,death--,ode      to the
 ,cuckoo4   ,pursuing our journey       
southward1 next day finds us on the     

banks of ,lochleven1 distinguished not  
so much from the beauty of its          
situation1 as from its poetic and       
historical associations4 ,it is adorned 
with four small islands1 the principal  
of which are ,st4 ,serf's ,isle near the
 east end1 so called from its having    
been the site of a priory dedicated to  
,st4 ,serf1 and another near the shore  
on the west side1 which immediately     
attracts the eye1 from its containing   
the picturesque ruins of ,lochleven     
,castle1 in which ,mary1 ,queen of      
,scots1 was confined1 and from which she
 made her wonderful escape4 ,here1 also1
 ,patrick ,graham1 ,archbishop of ,st4  
,andrews1 and grandson of ,robert the   
,third1 was imprisoned1 in consequence  
of a generous attempt to reform the     
profligate lives of the ,catholic       
clergy4 ,in this place he died1 and was 
buried in the monastery of ,st4 ,serf4  
,the keys of the castle1 thrown into the
 lake at the time of ,queen ,mary's     
flight1 have recently been found by a   

young man belonging to ,kinross1 and are
 now in the possession of the ,earl of  
,morton4  ,the castle1 with its massive 
tower yet standing1 looks dismal enough1
 but how much it is beautified by the   
fine old trees and shrubbery which      
encircle it1 and the mellow light which 
mantles its hoary sides6      ,gothic   
the pile1 and high the solid walls1     
,with warlike ramparts1 and the strong  
defence     ,of jutting battlements3 an 
age's toil6     ,no more its arches echo
 to the noise     ,of joy and festive   
mirth4 ,no more the glance     ,of      
blazing taper through its window beams1 
,and quivers on the undulating wave2    
,but naked stand the melancholy walls1  
,lash'd by the wint'ry tempest1 cold and
 bleak     ,that whistles mournful      
through the empty halls     ,and        
piecemeal crumble down the towers to    
dust4  ,this description is by ,michael 
,bruce1 whose early promise and         
premature death have awakened so much   
sympathy among all classes in ,scotland4

 ,he was born in the vicinity of        
,lochleven1 and has written a poem of   
considerable merit descriptive of the   
lake and surrounding scenery4 ,his ,ode 
to ,spring1 and especially his ,ode to  
the ,cuckoo1 now universally            
acknowledged to be his1 are among the   
most beautiful poems in the ,english    
language4 ,he was born at ,kinnesswood1 
parish of ,portmoak1 on the #bgth of    
,march1 #agdf4 ,by going round to the   
north-east bank of the lake1 we shall   
find this village1 insignificant in     
itself1 but sweetly situated on the     
south-west declivity of the ,lomond     
hills4 ,ascending a narrow lane1 we     
reach1 near its centre1 the house in    
which ,bruce was born4 ,it consists of  
two stories1 with a thatched roof4      
,michael's parents were very poor1 and  
occupied only the upper part of the     
house1 which served them at once for a  
workshop and dwelling4 ,a true nestling 
place of genius1 exclaims his           
biographer1 quoting the words of        

,washington ,irving respecting the      
birth-place of ,shakspeare1 which       
delights to hatch its offspring in bye  
corners4 ,mean as it is1 an angelic soul
 has been here1 and a charm lingers upon
 its homely walls4 ,dr4 ,huie of        
,edinburgh has given the following      
touching account of a visit which he    
paid to this place1 in company with one 
of ,bruce's old friends4 ,on returning1 
says he1 from ,portmoak church-yard1    
where ,bruce is buried1 ,i attended my  
venerable guide to the lowly dwelling   
where the parents of the poet resided4  
,we first entered the garden3 ',this1'  
said ,mr4 ,b4 'was a spot of much       
interest to ,michael4 ,here he used     
alternately to work and to meditate4    
,there stood a row of trees which he    
particularly cherished1 but they are now
 cut down1' added the good old man1 and 
as he said this1 he sighed4 ',here      
again1' said he1 'was a bank of soft    
grass on which ,michael was accustomed  
to recline after he became too weak to  

walk2 and here his father would sit     
beside him in the evening1 and read to  
amuse him4' ,we next entered the house4 
,i experienced an involuntary feeling of
 awe when ,i found myself in the humble 
abode1 where neglected worth and talents
 had pined away and died4 ,the little   
square windows cast but a feeble light  
over the apartment1 and the sombre      
shades of evening1 for the sun had now  
set1 were strikingly in unison with the 
scene4 ',there1' said my conductor1     
'auld ,saunders used to sit at his loom4
 ,in that corner stood the bed where the
 auld couple slept1 in this the bed     
which was occupied by ,michael1 and in  
which he died1' ,the good old man's eyes
 filled as he spoke4 ,i found it        
necessary to wipe my own4 ,i was not    
ashamed of my tears4 ,they were a       
tribute to departed genius1 and there   
was nothing unmanly in their flow4      
,saunders ,bruce1 as he was called1 the 
father of ,michael1 had eight children1 
and as the business of weaving has      

always been a poor one in ,scotland1 it 
was with extreme difficulty that he was 
enabled to give ,michael a suitable     
education1 though early perceiving in   
him the seeds of genius4 ,saunders was a
 pious thoughtful man1 universally      
respected1 and a sort of village        
chronicle4 ,he is supposed to be        
referred to in the poem of ,lochleven1  
in the lines commencing1--      ,i knew 
an aged swain whose hoary head     ,was 
bent with years1 the village chronicle1 
etc4  ,of his mother we have no means of
 forming a judgment1 and suspect that   
her character was not particularly      
marked4 ,it is his father to whom       
,michael himself1 and the friends that  
knew him1 chiefly refer in connection   
with his early studies and pursuits4    
,some indeed have intimated that the    
stern orthodoxy of the old man was      
called into requisition to repress the  
youthful aspirings of his son1          
particularly in the matter of books1 but
 of this not the slightest evidence can 

be adduced4  ,he succeeded in procuring 
copies of ,shakspeare1 ,pope1 ,milton1  
,fontenelle and ,young1 all of which he 
devoured with avidity and delight4 ,the 
,scriptures he read at home and at      
school1 and thus became familiar with   
the magnificent images and thrilling    
conceptions of oriental inspiration4    
,michael was a great favorite at school1
 and made rapid progress in his studies4
 ,but he was frequently called away from
 school1 partly by sickness1 to which he
 was subject at an early age1 and partly
 by his fathers straitened              
circumstances4 ,on this latter account  
he was employed for a time as a         
shepherd1 on the ,lomond hills1 which   
rise in verdant beauty behind his native
 village4 ,this1 however1 was rather a  
benefit than an injury to his mind as   
well as body4 ,his poem of ,lochleven is
 made up of reminiscences of the        
romantic scenes with which at that time 
he became familiar3--      ,where he    
could trace the cowslip-covered bank    

,of ,leven1 and the landscape measure   
round4  ,the late proprietor of the     
upper ,kinneston1 a small estate upon   
the south-west declivity of the ,lomond 
hills1 used to relate with much feeling1
 the amusing stories told him1 and the  
strange questions put to him by ,michael
 when herding his father's cattle1 and  
how he would offer his services to carry
 the boys' meals to the hill1 for the   
sake of having half an hour's           
conversation with this interesting      
youth4#aeh ,while his progress in       
learning was much interrupted in this   
way1 his mind was advancing1            
nevertheless1 by communion with nature  
and his own individual heart4 ,besides1 
his frequent absence from school was    
compensated by the prosecution of his   
studies on the hillside1 or by his      
father's ingle1 so that when he returned
 to school1 it took him but a few days  
to reach the top of his class4 ,though  
modest1 and even shy1 he had great      
influence with his school-fellows4      

,somehow they regarded him as a sort of 
superior being1 and his word among them 
was law4 ,this1 doubtless1 arose from   
the originality of his character1 which 
developed itself at a very early age4   
,footnote #aeh3 ,memoir of ,bruce1 by   
,dr4 ,mackelvie1 to which ,i am chiefly 
indebted for the facts of which the     
accompanying sketch is composed4        
,silent when glad1 affectionate though  
shy1       ,and now his look was most   
demurely sad1       ,and now he laughed 
aloud1 and none knew why1       ,and    
neighbors stared and sighed1 and bless'd
 the lad2     ,some deemed him wondrous 
wise1 and some believed him mad4        
,,beattie',s ,,minstrel4  ,the same     
deference1 it is said1 was paid him at  
home4 ,indeed1 he was the pet of the    
family1 and all vied to make ,michael   
comfortable and happy1 a homage to      
genius and worth infinitely more        
precious than the plaudits of the world4
  ,while attending school1 he formed    
some interesting friendships1           

particularly with ,william ,arnot1 a    
peculiarly amiable young man1 who died  
in early life1 and to whom ,bruce makes 
a touching reference in ,lochleven4     
,through the son he became acquainted   
with the father1 a wise and liberal man1
 who greatly assisted ,michael in his   
studies1 and gave him the free use of   
his library4 ,it is to him the following
 description refers4      ,how blest the
 man1 who1 in these peaceful plains1    
,ploughs his paternal field2 far from   
the noise1     ,the care and bustle of a
 busy world6     ,all in the sacred1    
sweet1 sequestered vale     ,of         
solitude1 the secret primrose path      
,of rural life he dwells2 and with him  
dwells     ,peace and content1 twins of 
the sylvan shade1     ,and all the      
graces of the golden age4     ,such is  
,agricola1 the wise1 the good2     ,by  
nature formed for the calm retreat1     
,the silent path of life4 ,learned1 but 
not fraught     ,with self-importance1  
as the starched fool     ,who challenges

 respect by solemn face1     ,by studied
 accent1 and high-sounding phrase1      
,enamored of the shade1 but not morose1 
,politeness1 raised in courts by frigid 
rules     ,with him spontaneous grows4  
,not books alone1     ,but man his      
study1 and the better part2     ,to     
tread the ways of virtue1 and to act    
,the various scenes of life with ,god's 
applause4     ,deep in the bottom of the
 flowery vale1     ,with blooming       
sallows1 and the leafy twine     ,of    
verdant alders fenced1 his dwelling     
stands     ,complete in rural elegance4 
,the door     ,by which the poor or     
pilgrim never passed     ,still open1   
speaks the master's bounteous heart4    
,then1 ,o how sweet6 amid the fragrant  
shrubs1     ,at evening cool to sit2    
while1 on their boughs     ,the nested  
songsters twitter o'er their young2     
,and the hoarse low of folded cattle    
breaks     ,the silence1 wafted o'er the
 sleeping lakes1     ,whose waters glow 
beneath the purple tinge     ,of western

 cloud2 while converse sweet deceives   
,the stealing foot of time6  ,he found  
an opportunity of acquiring the ,latin  
language and preparing for college1 with
 a ,mr4 ,dun1 who1 for the sake of his  
son1 formed a class of boys1 of which   
,michael was decidedly the best scholar1
 as all acknowledged4  ,but he was of a 
slender make1 and gave early indications
 of pulmonary consumption4 ,in his      
personal appearance he is said to have  
resembled ,shelley2 having yellowish    
curling hair1 a long neck and narrow    
chest1 skin white and shining1 and his  
cheeks tinged with red rather than      
ruddy4 ,he was early smitten with the   
love of song1 and began occasionally to 
write verses4 ,possessed of a fine      
musical ear1 he was impatient to get    
hold of all sorts of old ballads and    
songs2 and while the other children of  
the village or school were amusing      
themselves with play1 or spending their 
money on trash1 he was poring with      
delighted eyes over ,chevy ,chase1 or   

,the ,flowers of the ,forest4 ,when he  
had made himself familiar with the music
 and sentiments of these ballads1 he    
would endeavor to supply his lack of    
novelty with verses of his own4 ,it is  
in this way1 probably1 that his fine    
ballad of ,sir ,james the ,ross1 and    
some of his pastorals originated4       
,after he had left school1 and saw no   
way of pursuing his studies1 a relative 
left him the sum of two hundred merks   
,scots1 about sixty dollars1 when it was
 resolved forthwith that ,michael should
 repair to ,edinburgh ,university4 ,mr4 
,arnot encouraged him in this           
enterprise1 and promised some           
assistance1 in the shape of provisions  
and so forth4 ,accordingly he set out   
for the metropolis1 and entered college4
 ,but he was often subjected to severe  
privations4 ,some of his fellow students
 who suspected his poverty were willing 
to share their meals with him1 but he   
could not bear the thought of being fed 
out of pity1 and whenever he imagined   

the invitation to proceed from this     
feeling he uniformly declined it4 ,he   
was high-spirited2 and yet he was truly 
pious4 ,indeed1 he had devoted himself  
to ,heaven in his boyhood1 and never    
swerved from the high principles of     
,christian integrity4  ,at college      
,bruce became acquainted with several   
young men who subsequently acquired     
distinction4 ,dr4 ,lawson and the ,rev4 
,john ,logan were his fellow students   
and warmly attached friends4 ,his       
relations with ,logan subsequently      
became involved1 much to the discredit  
of the latter1 who is suspected of      
having dealt ungenerously with his      
friend's poems1 which1 after the death  
of ,bruce1 were committed to his care4  
,he is charged particularly with        
purloining the ,ode to the ,cuckoo1 and 
publishing it as his own4 ,logan was a  
singular man--an orator of a high order1
 an accomplished scholar1 and an elegant
 poet4 ,some of his poems1 particularly 
his ,visit to the ,country in ,autumn1  

,the ,braes of ,yarrow1 ,the ,lament of 
,nature1 and other odes and hymns1 are  
beautiful and finished productions4     
,some of his discourses1 preached at    
,leith1 though not profound1 are        
eloquent and effective4 ,but he was     
imperfectly imbued with the high        
principles which he endeavored to       
recommend to others1 and he has greatly 
tarnished his fair fame by the use which
 he is supposed to have made of the     
labors of ,bruce4 ,it is probable1      
however1 that the ,ode to the ,cuckoo   
was only drafted by ,bruce1 and         
subsequently polished into its present  
state of perfection by the classic pen  
of ,logan4  ,the companion to whom1 of  
all others1 ,bruce became the most      
attached at college1 was ,mr4 ,william  
,dryburgh1 from ,dysart4 ,like ,bruce1  
he was possessed of piety and genius1   
and like him1 too1 suffered from        
pulmonary disease1 and died in early    
life4 ,both had a presentiment that they
 were destined to a premature grave4    

,and this1 with their bright hope of a  
blessed immortality1 was the frequent   
subject of their conversations4         
,dryburgh died in his eighteenth year1  
and ,bruce followed him in less than a  
year after4 ,how keenly he felt this    
separation may be gathered from the     
following letter to a friend1 written on
 receiving the intelligence of          
,dryburgh's death3--  ,i have not many  
friends1 but ,i love them well4 ,death  
has been among the few ,i have4 ,poor   
,dryburgh6--but he is happy4 ,i expected
 to have been his companion through     
life1 and that we should have stepped   
into the grave together2 but ,heaven has
 seen meet to dispose of him otherwise4 
,what think you of this world8 ,i think 
it very little worth4 ,you and ,i have  
not a great deal to make us fond of it2 
and yet ,i would not exchange my        
condition with any unfeeling fool in the
 universe1 if ,i were to have his dull  
hard heart into the bargain4 ,farewell1 
my rival in immortal hope6 ,my          

companion1 ,i trust1 for eternity6      
,though far distant1 ,i take thee to my 
heart2 souls suffer no separation from  
the obstruction of matter1 or distance  
of place4 ,oceans may roll between us1  
and climates interpose in vain--the     
whole material creation is no bar to the
 winged mind4 ,farewell6 through        
boundless ages1 fare thee well6 ,may'st 
thou shine when the sun is darkened4    
,may'st thou live and triumph when time 
expires6 ,it is at least possible that  
we meet no more in this foreign land1 in
 this gloomy apartment of the universe  
of ,god4 ,but there is a better world in
 which we may meet to part no more4     
,adieu4  ,but the grief of a true poet  
embodies itself in verse4 ,the following
 lines1 on the death of ,dryburgh1 were 
found among ,bruce's papers4      ,alas6
 we fondly thought that heaven designed 
,his bright example mankind to improve2 
,all they should be was pictured in his 
mind1       ,his thoughts were virtue1  
and his heart was love4      ,calm as   

the summer sun's unruffled face1        
,he looked unmoved on life's precarious 
game1     ,and smiled at mortals toiling
 in the chase       ,of empty phantoms1 
opulence and fame4      ,steady he      
followed virtue's onward path1          
,inflexible to error's devious way1     
,and firm at last1 in hope and fixed    
faith       ,through death's dark vale  
he trod without dismay4      ,whence    
then these sighs8 ,and whence this      
falling tear       ,in sad remembrance  
of his merit just8     ,still must ,i   
mourn6 for he to me was dear       ,and 
still is dear1 though buried in the     
dust4  ,bruce's father made great       
efforts1 by means of saving and         
borrowing1 to assist his son during his 
college course1 and ,mr4 ,arnot         
continued to send him occasional        
supplies from his farm and dairy4 ,but  
he was sadly straitened in the matter of
 books4 ,the following letter upon this 
subject is characteristic and striking4 
,edinburgh1 ,nov4 #bg1 #agfd4--;,i daily

 meet with proofs that money is a       
necessary evil4 ,when in an auction1 ,i 
often say to myself1 how happy should ,i
 be if ,i had money to purchase such a  
book6 ,how well should my library be    
furnished1 'nisi obstat res angusta     
domi1'      ',my lot forbids1 nor       
circumscribes alone     ,my growing     
virtues1 but my crimes confines4'       
,whether any virtues would have         
accompanied me in a more elevated       
station is uncertain1 but that a number 
of vices of which my sphere is          
incapable1 would have been its          
attendants1 is unquestionable4 ,the     
,supreme ,wisdom has seen this meet1 and
 the ,supreme ,wisdom cannot err4  ,the 
annual session in the colleges of       
,scotland lasts only from six to eight  
months1 and thus leaves considerable    
time for relaxation and private study1  
or for other occupations necessary to   
recruit the students' exhausted         
finances4 ,at the end of each of these  
terms1 ,michael returned home1 much     

exhausted by his application to study4  
,his system1 however1 soon recovered its
 wonted energy in the congenial scenes  
of his boyhood1 and the kind attentions 
of the proprietor of ,portmoak4 ,still  
he was seldom in perfect health1 and    
often complained of headache and        
depression of spirits4 ,most of his time
 during the summer months1 the season of
 vacation1 was spent either in reading  
or in writing poetry4  ,during his last 
session at ,college1 ,michael accepted a
 proposal to teach a small school at    
,gairney ,bridge1 which lies on a small 
stream running into ,lochleven4 ,he     
finished his collegiate studies         
honorably1 having distinguished himself 
chiefly in rhetoric and belles lettres4 
,at ,gairney ,bridge he had some thirty 
or forty pupils under his care1 whom he 
governed entirely without the rod1 then 
pretty thoroughly used in ,scotland4    
,but the compensation was a mere trifle1
 not exceeding more than sixty or       
seventy dollars a year4  ,it was in this

 place that he wrote several of his     
poems1 and became deeply attached to a  
beautiful young woman in the            
neighborhood1 to whom1 however1 he never
 declared his passion4  ,about this time
 he joined the church in ,kinross1 under
 the pastoral care of the ,rev4 ,mr4    
,swanston1 recently appointed professor 
of ,theology in the ,united ,secession  
,church4 ,this learned and amiable man  
conceived a strong attachment for       
,michael1 and ever treated him with the 
greatest consideration and kindness4    
,subsequently he engaged to teach a     
school at ,forest ,mill1 a dreary sort  
of place1 with miserable school         
accommodations4 ,his health too1 was    
declining4 ,while fording the ,devon on 
horseback1 the horse stumbled and       
immersed him in the stream1 a           
circumstance which greatly aggravated   
his consumptive tendency4 ,moreover he  
was disappointed in his school1 and his 
health and spirits rapidly declined4 ,in
 a letter to ,mr4 ,arnot1 he says1 ,i   

expected to be happy here1 but ,i am    
not4 ,the easiest part of my life is    
past4 ,i sometimes compare my condition 
with that of others1 and imagine if ,i  
was in theirs it would be well4 ,but is 
not everybody thus6 ,perhaps he whom ,i 
envy thinks he would be glad to change  
with me1 and yet neither would be better
 for the change4 ,since it is so1 let   
us1 my friend1 moderate our hopes and   
fears1 resign ourselves to the will of  
,him who doeth all things well1 and who 
hath assured us that he careth for us4  
',si res sola potest facere et servare  
beatum     ,hoc primus repetas opus1 hoc
 postremus omittas4'  ,things are not   
very well in the world1 but they are    
pretty well4 ,they might have been      
worse1 and such as they are may please  
us who have but a few short days to use 
them4 ,this scene of affairs1 though a  
very perplexed1 is a very short one1 and
 in a little while all will be cleared  
up4 ,let us endeavor to please ,god1 our
 fellow creatures and ourselves4 ,in    

such a course of life we shall be as    
happy as we can expect in such a world  
as this4 ,thus you1 who cultivate your  
farm with your own hands1 and ,i who    
teach a dozen blockheads for bread1 may 
be happier than he1 who having more than
 he can use1 tortures his brain to      
invent some new methods of killing      
himself with the superfluity4 ,in this  
letter1 worthy of ,cowper or of ,foster1
 we see a brave spirit struggling with  
the direst misfortunes1 poverty and     
disease1 and overcoming both by the     
silent might of a believing spirit4     
,another thing which greatly afflicted  
,bruce at ,forest ,mill1 was the total  
want of agreeable scenery1 and it was   
only by an effort of memory and         
imagination that he could1 in some      
measure make up this deficiency1 by     
recalling the delightful scenery of his 
early home4 ,to this combination of     
unfavorable circumstances he touchingly 
refers in the poem of ,lochleven1 which 
was actually produced under their       

influence1 as a means of relaxation and 
enjoyment4      ,thus sang the youth    
amid unfertile wilds1     ,and nameless 
deserts1 unpoetic ground6     ,far from 
his friends he strayed1 recording thus  
,the dear remembrance of his native     
fields1     ,to cheer the tedious night1
 while slow disease     ,preyed on his  
pining vitals1 and the blasts     ,of   
dark ,december shook his humble cot4    
,lochleven is his longest1 and in most  
respects1 his most beautiful poem4 ,it  
has defects1 obvious enough to a        
critical eye1 but its general excellence
 strikes every reader4 ,its descriptions
 and delineations are natural and       
striking1 its imagery is simple and     
poetical1 and its measure sweet and     
melodious4 ,nearly the whole of it has  
been used up1 in beautiful extracts by  
different writers of distinction4  ,but 
the composition of this poem seems to   
have been too much for ,bruce's         
shattered frame2 for he was compelled   
almost immediately to relinquish his    

school4 ,he had just strength to walk   
home to ,kinnesswood1 a distance of     
nearly twenty miles1 resting only a     
short time at ,turf-hills on the way4   
,though nowhere on earth could he be    
happier than in the humble cottage of   
his parents1 it was yet the worst place 
in the world for his disease4 ,the      
vapors rising from the lake1 says his   
biographer1 particularly in spring1 keep
 the atmosphere constantly in a state of
 moisture1 whilst in the mornings and   
evenings the eastern haars1 as the fogs 
which come up from the sea are called by
 the inhabitants1 come rolling down the 
hills1 and hang suspended over          
,kinnesswood like a dripping curtain4   
,he had expected1 in the quiet of his   
father's home and in the vicinity of his
 dear ,lochleven1 a restoration of      
health2 but in this hope he was         
disappointed4 ,the mark of death was    
upon him4 ,the heart of the beauteous   
tree was poisoned by disease1 and all   
its leaves faded and fell to the ground4

 ,it was under the consciousness of this
 fact1 that he wrote his beautiful and  
affecting ,ode to ,spring1 which he sent
 to a dear friend to apprise him of his 
approaching dissolution4 ,the following 
are its concluding stanzas4      ,now   
spring returns3 but not to me returns   
,the vernal joy my better years have    
known2     ,dim in my breast1 life's    
dying taper burns1       ,and all the   
joys of life with health are flown4     
,starting and shivering in the          
inconstant wind1       ,meagre and pale1
 the ghost of what ,i was1     ,beneath 
some blasted tree ,i lie reclined1      
,and count the silent moments as they   
pass3      ,the winged moments1 whose   
unstaying speed       ,no art can stop1 
or in their course arrest2     ,whose   
flight shall shortly count me with the  
dead1       ,and lay me down in peace   
with them at rest4      ,oft morning    
dreams presage approaching fate2        
,and morning dreams1 as poets tell1 are 
true2     ,led by pale ghosts1 ,i enter 

,death's dark gate1       ,and bid the  
realms of light and life adieu4      ,i 
hear the helpless wail1 the shriek of   
wo2       ,i see the muddy wave1 the    
dreary shore1     ,the sluggish streams 
that slowly sleep below1       ,which   
mortals visit1 and return no more4      
,farewell1 ye blooming fields6 ye       
cheerful plains6       ,enough for me   
the church-yard's lonely mound1         
,where melancholy with still silence    
reigns1       ,and the rank grass waves 
o'er the cheerless ground4      ,there  
let me wander at the shut of eve1       
,when sleep sits dewy on the laborer's  
eyes2     ,the world and all its busy   
follies leave1       ,and talk with     
,wisdom where my ,daphne lies4          
,there let me sleep1 forgotten in the   
clay1       ,when death shall shut these
 weary1 aching eyes2     ,rest in the   
hopes of an eternal day1       ,till the
 long night is gone1 and the last morn  
arise4  ,he intimated his approaching   
death to another friend1 in prose1 as   

affecting as his poetry1 and if         
possible1 more instructive4  ,a few     
mornings ago1 as ,i was taking a walk on
 an eminence which commands a view of   
the ,forth1 with the vessels sailing    
along1 ,i sat down1 and taking out my   
,latin ,bible1 opened by accident1 at a 
place in the ,book of ,job1 chap1 ix3   
#bc1 ',now my days are passed away as   
the swift ships4' ,shutting the book1 ,i
 fell a musing on this affecting        
comparison4 ,whether the following      
happened to me in a dream or waking     
reverie ,i cannot tell1 but ,i fancied  
myself on the bank of a river or sea1   
the opposite side of which was hid from 
view1 being involved in clouds of mist4 
,on the shore stood a multitude1 which  
no man could number1 waiting for        
passage4 ,i saw a great many ships      
taking in passengers1 and several       
persons going about in the garb of      
pilots1 offering their service4 ,being  
ignorant1 and curious to know what all  
these things meant1 ,i applied to a     

grave old man who stood by giving       
instructions to the departing           
passengers4 ,his name1 ,i remember1 was 
the ,,genius ,,of ,,human ,,life4 ',my  
son1' said he1 'you stand on the banks  
of the stream of ,,time4 ,all these     
people are bound for ,,eternity1 that   
undiscovered country whence no traveller
 ever returns4 ,the country is very     
large1 and divided into two parts1 the  
one is called the ,land of ,glory1 the  
other the ,kingdom of ,darkness4 ,the   
names of those in the garb of pilots1   
are ,religion1 ,virtue1 ,pleasure4 ,they
 who are so wise as to choose ,religion 
for their guide1 have a safe1 though    
frequently a rough passage2 they are at 
last landed in the happy climes where   
sorrow and sighing forever flee away4   
,they have likewise a secondary         
director1 ,virtue2 but there is a       
spurious ,virtue1 who pretends to govern
 by himself2 but the wretches who trust 
to him1 as well as those who have       
,pleasure for their pilot1 are either   

shipwrecked or are cast away on the     
,kingdom of ,darkness4 ,but the vessel  
in which you must embark1 approaches1   
and you must be gone4 ,remember what    
depends upon your conduct4' ,no sooner  
had he left me1 than ,i found myself    
surrounded by those pilots ,i mentioned 
before4 ,immediately ,i forgot all that 
the old man said to me1 and seduced by  
the fair promises of ,pleasure1 chose   
him for my director4 ,we weighed anchor 
with a fair gale1 the sky serene1 the   
sea calm4 ,innumerable little isles     
lifted their green heads around us1     
covered with trees in full blossom2     
dissolved in stupid mirth1 we were      
carried on regardless of the past1 of   
the future unmindful4 ,on a sudden the  
sky was darkened1 the winds roared1 the 
seas raged2 red rose the sand from the  
bottom of the deep4 ,the angel of the   
waters lifted up his voice4 ,at that    
instant1 a strong ship passed by2 ,i saw
 ,religion at the helm4 ',come out from 
among these1' he cried4 ,i and a few    

others threw ourselves out into his     
ship4 ,the wretches we left were now    
tossed on the swelling deep4 ,the waters
 on every side poured1 through the riven
 vessel4 ,they cursed the ,lord2 when   
lo6 a fiend rose from the deep1 and in a
 voice like distant thunder1 thus       
spoke3--',i am ,abaddon1 the first-born 
of death2--ye are my prey4 ,open thou   
abyss to receive them6' ,as he thus     
spoke they sunk1 and the waves closed   
over their heads4 ,the storm was turned 
into a calm1 and we heard a voice       
saying1 ',fear not1 ,i am with you4     
,when you pass through the waters they  
shall not overflow you4' ,our hearts    
were filled with joy4 ,i was engaged in 
discourse with one of my new companions1
 when one from the top of the mast cried
 out1 ',courage1 my friends1 ,i see the 
fair haven1 the land that is yet afar   
off4' ,looking up1 ,i found it was a    
certain friend1 who had mounted up for  
the benefit of contemplating the country
 before him4 ,upon seeing you1 7the     

friend to whom he was writing17 ,i was  
so affected that ,i started and awaked4 
,farewell1 my friend1--,farewell6  ,see 
that fragile form1 then1 with the       
glowing spirit within1 panting for      
freedom and its native skies1 borne     
along in the vessel of ,religion1 upon a
 calm and sunny sea4 ,he looks aloft1   
and anticipates with serene and joyful  
trust1 his entrance into the port of    
everlasting peace4 ,the vessel glides1  
with increasing velocity1 her sails all 
set1 and gleaming in the reflected      
radiance of the spirit-world4 ,now she  
enters the port1 and nears that blessed 
shore1      ,where tempests never beat1 
nor billows roar4  ,the few days which  
remained to ,michael on earth1 he spent 
in correcting his poem of the ,last     
,judgment1 and in pluming his spirit for
 its upward flight4 ,his bodily strength
 was exhausted1 and he was obliged to   
keep his bed4 ,his mind was meditative  
and hopeful1 dwelling almost wholly upon
 various passages of ,holy ,writ1 which 

he would repeat and comment upon to his 
friends4  ,mr4 ,george ,lawson1         
afterwards ,dr4 ,lawson1 professor of   
theology in the ,secession ,church1     
being called to preach for a settlement 
in the neighborhood of ,kinnesswood1    
hastened upon his arrival there1 to see 
his friend ,bruce4 ,he found him in bed1
 with his countenance pale as death1    
while his eyes shone like lamps in a    
sepulchre4 ,the poet was delighted to   
see him1 and spoke with as much ease and
 freedom as if he had been in perfect   
health4 ,mr4 ,lawson remarked to him    
that he was glad to see him so cheerful4
 ,and why1 said he1 should not a man be 
cheerful on the verge of heaven8 ,but1  
said ,mr4 ,l41 you look so emaciated4 ,i
 am afraid you cannot last long4 ,you   
remind me1 he replied1 of the story of  
the ,irishman1 who was told that his    
hovel was about to fall1 and ,i answer  
with him1 ,let it fall1 it is not mine6 
,this cheerfulness continued during his 
illness1 till his mother1 one morning1  

announced to him1 just as he was awaking
 out of sleep1 that ,mr4 ,swanston was  
dead4 ,he looked at her with a fixed    
stare1 as if stunned by the             
intelligence4 ,upon recovering he       
satisfied himself as to the correctness 
of the statement1 and was never         
afterwards seen to smile6 ,still we do  
not attach much importance to this      
circumstance2 for it often happens that 
when the countenance is cold and        
ghastly1 the heart within is warm and   
serene4 ,he lingered for a month1       
manifesting little interest in what was 
said or done around him1 and on the #eth
 of ,july1 calmly and imperceptibly fell
 asleep1 aged twenty-one years and three
 months4      ,so fades a summer cloud  
away1       ,so sinks the gale when     
storms are o'er1     ,so gently shuts   
the eye of day1       ,so fades a wave  
along the shore4      ,life's labor     
done1 as sinks the clay1       ,light   
from its load the spirit flies1         
,while heaven and earth combine to say1 

,how bless'd the ,christian when he     
dies6  ,his ,bible was found upon his   
pillow1 marked down at ,jer4 xxii3 #aj1 
,weep ye not for the dead1 neither      
bemoan him2 and on the blank leaf this  
homely but expressive verse was         
written3--      ',tis very vain for me  
to boast1     ,how small a price my     
,bible cost2     ,the day of judgment   
will make clear1     ',twas very cheap  
or very dear4  ,he was buried in the    
church-yard of ,portmoak1 in the very   
centre of the scenes hallowed and       
beautified by his muse4 ,a monument has 
been erected to ,bruce through the      
subscription of his friends1 of which   
the following is the simple but         
appropriate inscription3                
,,michael ,,bruce1               ,born  
in #agdg at ,kinnesswood1               
,in the ,county of ,kinross1            
,died at the age of twenty-one4         
,in this brief space1        ,under the 
pressure of indigence and sickness1     
,he displayed talents truly             

,poetical4         ,for his aged        
mother's and his own support            
,he taught a school here4     ,the      
village was then skirted with old ash   
trees1               ,the cottage in    
which he dwelt             ,was         
distinguished by a honeysuckle          
,which he had trained round its         
,lashed window4          ,certain       
inhabitants of his native county1       
,his admirers1                  ,have   
erected this stone                      
,to mark the abode                      
,of                     ,genius and     
,virtue4  ,bruce was designed for the   
service of the church4 ,in this view1 as
 well as with reference to the          
cultivation of his fine poetical        
talents1 his death may be deemed a      
calamity4 ,and yet1 such a view of the  
case may fairly be questioned4 ,for     
himself1 is he not happier1 in the bosom
 of his ,god2 and for us1 does he not1  
by means of his ,christian life1 his    
heroic death1 his ethereal strains1     

embalmed in blessed memories of the     
past1 preach more effectually than he   
could have done1 even had he lived to   
occupy a material pulpit4 ,being dead he
 yet speaketh1 and speaketh with a power
 and pathos which can be reached only by
 the dead4  ,had we room we might give  
many pleasant extracts from his poetry2 
but we must content ourselves with his  
,ode to the ,cuckoo1 in our judgment one
 of the most beautiful and perfect      
little poems in any language4           
,,to ,,the ,,cuckoo4      ,hail1        
beauteous stranger of the grove6        
,thou messenger of ,spring6     ,now    
heaven repairs thy rural seat1          
,and woods thy welcome sing4      ,what 
time the daisy decks the green1         
,thy certain voice we hear2     ,hast   
thou a star to guide thy path1       ,or
 mark the rolling year8      ,delightful
 visitant6 with thee1       ,i hail the 
time of flowers1     ,and hear the sound
 of music sweet1       ,from birds among
 the bowers4      ,the schoolboy        

wandering through the wood1       ,to   
pull the primrose gay1     ,starts the  
new voice of spring to hear1#aei        
,and imitates thy lay4      ,what time  
the pea puts on the bloom1       ,thou  
fliest thy local vale1     ,another     
guest in other lands1       ,another    
spring to hail4      ,sweet bird6 thy   
bower is ever green1       ,thy sky is  
ever clear2     ,thou hast no sorrow in 
thy song1       ,no winter in thy year6 
,o could ,i fly1 ,i'd fly with thee6    
,we'd make1 with joyful wing1     ,our  
annual visit o'er the globe1            
,companions of the spring4  ,footnote   
#aei3 ,in his own copy ,bruce had       
written1 ,starts thy curious voice to   
hear2 curious is a ,scotticism1 being   
equivalent to strange4 ,this ,logan     
probably altered to save the quantity4  
,but the original expression is         
preferred by good judges1 as more       
natural and poetical4 ,it marks the     
unusual resemblance of the note of the  
cuckoo to the human voice the cause of  

the start and imitation which follow4   
,,chapter ,,xviii4                      
,dunfermline--,ruins of the             
,abbey--,grave of ,robert               
,bruce--,malcolm      ,canmore's        
,palace--,william ,henryson1 the        
poet--,william      ,dunbar--,stirling  
,castle--,views from its ,summit--,city 
of      ,stirling--,george ,buchanan and
 ,dr4 ,arthur                           
,johnston--,falkirk--,linlithgow--,story
 of the ,capture of ,linlithgow         
,castle--,spirit of ,war--,arrival in   
,edinburgh4   ,bidding adieu to         
,lochleven1 we journey slowly through a 
pleasant and highly cultivated region1  
till we reach the ancient town of       
,dunfermline1 in which some of the old  
,scottish kings formerly held court1 and
 which is yet adorned with the remains  
of a magnificent abbey4 ,robert ,bruce  
was interred here1 in complete armor1   
and much interest was excited1 a few    
years ago1 by the discovery of his      
skeleton4 ,in the vicinity are the ruins

 of ,malcolm ,canmore's palace and      
stronghold1 standing on the edge of a   
deep romantic glen1 in which1 more than 
three hundred years ago1 the poet       
,henryson1 a schoolmaster in            
,dunfermline1 was wont to wander1       
singing his beautiful lays1 in the      
quaint and difficult dialect of former  
times4      ,in myddis of ,june1 that   
jolly sweet sessoun1       ,quhen that  
fair ,phoebus1 with his beamis brycht1  
,had dryit up the clew fra daill and    
doun1       ,and all the land made with 
his lemys lycht2       ,in a morning    
betwene mid-day and nycht1     ,i raiss 
and put all sluith and sleep on syde2   
,ontill a wod ,i went allone1 but gyd4  
7glad87      ,sueit was the smell of    
flowris quhyt and reid1       ,the noyis
 of birdis rycht delitious2     ,the    
bewis brod blumyt abune my heid2        
,the grund gowand with grassis gratious 
,of all pleasans that place was         
plenteous1     ,with sueit odours and   
birdis armonie2     ,the mornyng mild my

 mirth was mair forthy4  ,henryson was  
contemporary with ,william ,dunbar1 a   
poet1 says ,sir ,walter ,scott1         
unrivalled by any that ,scotland has    
ever produced4 ,he flourished at the    
court of ,james ,,iv4 ,his poems are of 
all sorts1 allegorical1 moral and comic4
 ,the following lines on the brevity of 
human existence are a fair specimen of  
his style4      ,this wavering warld's  
wretchedness1     ,the failing and      
fruitless business1     ,the misspent   
time1 the service vain1           ,for  
to consider is ane pain4      ,the      
sliding joy1 the gladness short1        
,the perjured love1 the false comfort1  
,the seveir abade 7delay71 the slightful
 train 7snare71           ,for to       
consider is ane pain4      ,the sugared 
mouths1 with minds therefra1     ,the   
figured speech1 with faces tway2        
,the pleasing tongues1 with hearts      
unplain1           ,for to consider is  
ane pain4  ,in another poem he takes a  
more cheerful view of life4      ,be    

merry1 man1 and tak' not sair in mind   
,the wavering of this wretched world of 
sorrow2     ,to ,god be humble1 to thy  
friend be kind1       ,and with thy     
neighbors gladly lend and borrow1       
,his chance to-night1 it may be thine   
to-morrow1 c4  ,from ,dunfermline1 we   
cross the country in the direction of   
,stirling1 and of course linger to view 
the famous battle-ground of             
,bannockburn1 immortalized by the       
prowess of ,scotland1 and the poetry of 
,burns4  ,but we approach ,stirling     
,castle1 one of the oldest and most     
imposing strongholds in the country4    
,how often have these old rocks rung    
again1 with blast of bugle free2 and how
 frequently has the ground at its base  
been soaked with human blood6 ,the      
castle stands on a huge ledge of        
basaltic rock1 rising rapidly from the  
plain1 and overlooking the country far  
and near1 and backed by the rising      
ground on which the city is built4      
,ascending to the summit we pass round  

it1 by a narrow pathway cut in the sides
 of the mountain1 and thence enjoy the  
most extensive and delightful views4    
,how charmingly the ,links of the       
,forth1 as the serpentine windings of   
the river are called1 adorn the rich    
vale1 in which they love to linger1 as  
if loth to depart4 ,to the north and    
east are the ,ochil hills1 vestured in  
blue1 and looking down upon fertile     
fields1 umbrageous woods1 and stately   
mansions4 ,on the west lies the vale of 
,menteith1 and far off the ,highland    
mountains1 lost in the mist4 ,on another
 side are the pastoral hills of         
,campsie1 and underneath our eye the    
town of ,stirling1 the ,abbey ,craig1   
and the ruins of ,cambuskenneth ,abbey4 
,the ,forth1 with isles of emerald1 and 
white sails skimming its glassy surface1
 expands into the ,german ,ocean2 and   
,edinburgh ,castle1 just descried amid  
the haze1 crowns the distant landscape4 
,stirling was a favorite residence of   
the ,stuarts2 but the castle is now     

employed only as a barracks for         
soldiery4  ,leaving the castle we pass  
into the city1 by ,high ,street1 adorned
 with several palaces of the old        
nobility1 antique-looking edifices1 of a
 solid structure4 ,here was the palace  
of the ,regent1 ,earl of ,mar1 whose    
descendants were the keepers of         
,stirling ,castle4 ,here too was the    
palace of ,sir ,william ,alexander1 the 
philosophical poet of the court of      
,james the ,sixth1 and tutor to ,charles
 the ,first1 who created him ,earl of   
,stirling4 ,but an object of still      
greater interest is the tower where     
,george ,buchanan1 the historian of     
,scotland1 and one of the first scholars
 of his age1 lived and wrote4 ,he was   
tutor to ,james the ,sixth of ,scotland1
 and ,first of ,england4 ,he wrote a    
paraphrase of the ,psalms in elegant    
,latin verse1 of which he was a perfect 
master4 ,most of this work was composed 
in a monastery in ,portugal1 to which he
 had been confined by the ,inquisition  

about the year #aeej4 ,it was continued 
in ,france1 and finished in ,scotland4  
,his prose works1 particularly his      
history of ,scotland1 are characterized 
by clearness and research4 ,his         
celebrated contemporary1 ,dr4 ,arthur   
,johnston1 was equally distinguished for
 the variety of his attainments1 and his
 perfect command of the ,latin tongue2  
so that the one has been called the     
,scottish ,virgil1 and the other the    
,scottish ,ovid4 ,the ,latin version of 
the ,psalms by ,buchanan is still used  
in some of the ,scottish schools4 ,it is
 elegant and faithful1 but somewhat     
formal and paraphrastic4  ,there are    
many objects of interest in ,stirling1  
and the scenery around is rich and      
beautiful1 and1 moreover1 associated in 
every part1 with recollections of the   
olden time2 but we cannot linger here4  
,the stage-coach is waiting to take us  
to ,falkirk1 a town of great antiquity1 
having been the site of one of those    
military stations on the wall made by   

the ,romans at their invasion of the    
country1 known by the name of the ,forts
 of ,agricola4 ,it was also the scene of
 one or two famous battles in the days  
of ,wallace and ,bruce4 ,being the      
principal town in the midst of a rich   
agricultural country1 it is now the     
scene of immense fairs or trysts1 as    
they are called1 to which large droves  
of ,highland cattle are brought annually
 for sale1 and where an immense amount  
of business is transacted4 ,but there is
 nothing here of sufficient interest to 
detain us2 so we proceed in the         
rail-cars to ,edinburgh4 ,in passing1 we
 get a glimpse of the castle and palace 
of ,linlithgow2 in the twefth century   
one of the most important burghs in     
,scotland1 the residence of several of  
the kings of ,scotland1 and the         
birth-place of ,queen ,mary4      ,of   
all the palaces so fair       ,built for
 the royal dwelling     ,in ,scotland1  
far beyond compare       ,linlithgow is 
excelling4     ,and in its park1 in     

genial ,june1     ,how sweet the merry  
linnet's tune1       ,how blythe the    
blackbird's lay1     ,the wild buck     
bells from thorny brake     ,the coot   
dives merry on the lake1     ,the       
saddest heart might pleasure take       
,to see a scene so gay4--,marmion4      
,when ,robert ,bruce was lying in       
,torwood ,castle1 not far from ,falkirk1
 a man by the name of ,binnoch1 a farmer
 in the neighborhood1 who supplied the  
garrison at ,linlithgow1 then in        
possession of the ,english king1        
proposed to ,bruce to take possession of
 the garrison by a stratagem1 which he  
accomplished4 ,this incident has been   
wrought into a lively form by ,wilson1  
not ,professor ,wilson1 but ,john       
,mackie ,wilson1 author of the ,border  
,tales1 of whom ,i shall have something 
to say by and by4 ,the following is his 
account of the matter1 somewhat         
condensed4  ,having been introduced to  
,bruce at ,torwood1 ,binnoch intimated  
that he had something of great          

importance to communicate1 and inquired 
whether he might speak with confidence4 
,being assured that he might1 he        
proceeded thus3  ,aweel sir1 the        
business ,i cam' upon is just this4 ,i  
supply the garrison1 ye see sir1 o'     
,lithgow wi' hay2 now ,i've observed    
that they're a' wheen idle1 careless    
fellows1 mair ta'en up wi' their play   
than their duty4  ,bruce's eye here     
kindled with a sudden fire1 and his     
whole countenance became animated with  
an expression of fierce eagerness that  
strongly contrasted with its former     
placidity4 ,he was now all attention to 
the communication of his humble visitor4
  ,what6 the castle of ,linlithgow1     
friend6 exclaimed ,bruce1 with a slight 
smile of mingled surprise and           
incredulity4 ,you take the castle of    
,linlithgow6 ,pray1 my good fellow1 how 
would you propose to do that8  ,why sir1
 by a very simple process1 replied      
,binnoch1 undauntedly1 ,i wad put a     
dizen or fifteen stout weel armed1      

resolute fellows1 in my cart1 cover them
 owre wi' hay1 and introduce them into  
the garrison as a load o' provender4 ,if
 they were ance in1 an' the cheils were 
themselves of the richt stuff1 ,i'll wad
 my head to a pease bannock that the    
castle's ours in fifteen minutes4  ,and 
would you undertake to do this1 my good 
friend8 said ,bruce1 gravely1 struck    
with the idea1 and impressed with its   
practicability4  ,readily1 and wi' a    
richt guid will1 sir1 replied ,binnoch1 
provided ye fin' me the men2 but they   
maun be the very wale o' your flock2 its
 no a job for faint hearts or nerveless 
arms4  ,the men ye shall have1 my brave 
fellow2 and if ye succeed your country  
will be indebted to you4 ,but it is a   
perilous undertaking2 there will be hard
 fighting1 and ye may lose your head by 
it4 ,have you thought of that8  ,i have1
 sir1 replied ,binnoch1 firmly4 ,as to  
the fechtin'1 we are like to gie them as
 guid as we get4 ,and for the hangin'1  
the ,scotsman is no deservin' o' the    

name that's no ready to brave death1 in 
any form1 for his country4  ,bruce      
caught the enthusiasm of the speaker2 a 
tear started into his eye1 and seizing  
the hand of the humble patriot--  ,my   
noble fellow1 he said1 would to ,god all
 ,scotsmen were like thee4 ,beneath that
 homely plaid of thine there beats a    
heart of which any knight in            
,christendom might be proud4 ,lose or   
win1 this shall not be forgotten4       
,having made the necessary arrangements1
 and agreed upon a sign1 for            
communicating with each other1 ,binnoch 
took his departure from the castle of   
,torwood4  ,the next day the men        
selected by ,bruce were at ,binnoch's   
house1 having been admitted through the 
preconcerted signal4 ,they repaired to  
the barn1 and were snugly packed away in
 the hay cart1 armed with steel caps and
 short swords4 ,everything being in     
readiness1 ,binnoch hid a sword amongst 
the hay1 for his own use1 and in such a 
situation that he could easily seize it 

when wanted4 ,he also provided himself  
with a poniard1 which he concealed      
beneath his waistcoat4 ,thus prepared at
 all points1 the intrepid peasant set   
forward with his load of daring hearts1 
and having arrived at the castle1 he and
 his cart were immediately admitted4    
,they proceeded onwards till they came  
to the centre of the court-yard1 when   
,binnoch gave the preconcerted signal to
 his associates1 which was conveyed in  
the words1 spoken in a loud             
voice--,forward1 ,greystail1 forward6 as
 if addressing his horse1 which he at   
the same time struck with his whip to   
complete the deception4  ,these words   
were no sooner uttered than the hay1    
with which the daring adventurers were  
covered1 was seen to move1 and the next 
instant it was thrown over upon the     
pavement1 to the inexpressible amazement
 of the idlers who were looking on2 and1
 to their still greater surprise1       
fifteen armed men leapt1 with fearful   
shouts1 into the court-yard1 when1 being

 instantly headed by ,binnoch1 the work 
of death began4 ,every man within their 
reach at the moment was cut down4 ,the  
guard-room was assailed1 and all in it  
put to death1 and passing from apartment
 to apartment1 they swept the garrison1 
and took possession of it4 ,the attack  
had been so sudden1 so unexpected1 and  
so vigorous1 that its unfortunate       
occupants1 six times their number1 had  
no time to rally or defend themselves1  
and thus fell an easy prey to the bold  
adventurers4  ,we have only to add that 
,binnoch was rewarded by ,bruce1 for    
this important service1 with some       
valuable lands in the parish of         
,linlithgow2 and that his descendants   
had for their arms a hay-wain1 with the 
motto1 virtute doloque4#afj  ,footnote  
#afj3 ,the following is a different1 and
 probably a more correct version of     
,binnoch's adventure1 from ,sir ,w4     
,scott's ,tales of a ,grandfather4      
,binnoch had been ordered by the        
,english governor to furnish some       

cart-loads of hay1 of which they were in
 want4 ,he promised to bring it         
accordingly2 but the night before he    
drove the hay to the castle1 he         
stationed a party of his friends1 as    
well armed as possible1 near the        
entrance1 where they could not be seen  
by the garrison1 and gave them          
directions that they should come to his 
assistance as soon as they should hear  
him cry a signal1 which was to be1      
',call all1 call all6' ,then he loaded a
 great waggon with hay4 ,but in the     
waggon he placed eight strong men1 well 
armed1 lying flat on their breasts1 and 
covered over with hay1 so that they     
could not be seen4 ,he himself walked   
carelessly beside the waggon2 and he    
chose the stoutest and bravest of his   
servants to be the driver1 who carried  
at his belt a strong axe or hatchet4 ,in
 this way ,binnoch approached the       
castle1 early in the morning2 and the   
watchmen1 who only saw two men1 ,binnoch
 being one of them1 with a cart of hay1 

which they expected1 opened the gates1  
and raised up the portcullis1 to permit 
them to enter the castle4 ,but as soon  
as the cart had gotten under the        
gateway1 ,binnoch made a sign to his    
servant1 who1 with his axe1 suddenly cut
 asunder the soam1 that is1 the yoke    
which fastens the horses to the cart1   
and the horses finding themselves free1 
naturally started forward1 the cart     
remaining behind under the arch of the  
gate4 ,at the same time ,binnoch cried1 
as loud as he could1 ',call all1 call   
all6' and drawing his sword1 which he   
had under his country habit1 he killed  
the porter4 ,the armed men then jumped  
up from under the hay where they lay    
concealed1 and rushed on the ,english   
guard4 ,the ,englishmen tried to shut   
the gates1 but they could not1 because  
the cart of hay remained in the gateway1
 and prevented the folding doors from   
being closed4 ,the portcullis was also  
let fall1 but the grating was caught in 
the cart1 and so could not drop to the  

ground4 ,the men who were in ambush near
 the gate hearing the cry1 ',call all1  
call all6' ran to assist those who had  
leaped out from among the hay2 the      
castle was taken1 and all the           
,englishmen killed or made prisoners4   
,king ,robert rewarded ,binnoch by      
bestowing on him an estate1 which his   
posterity long afterward enjoyed4 ,the  
,binnings of ,wallyford1 descended from 
that person1 still bear in their coat   
armorial a wain loaded with hay1 with   
the motto1 'virtute doloque4'  ,by the  
way1 these two words1 courage and       
stratagem1 express the very spirit and  
essence of ancient war1 and indeed of   
all war1 a relic of barbarism1 the most 
foul and horrible the world has ever    
seen4 ,defensible1 perhaps1 in cases of 
extremity1 when it is the last and only 
means of protecting our homes and       
altars1 but in all other cases a fearful
 atrocity1 fit only for cannibals and   
demons6  ,but yonder are the peaceful   
towers of ,edinburgh1 bathed in the     

sombre light of evening4 ,the very      
castle looks like an image of repose1 as
 it silently looms up amid the smoke and
 hum of the busy city4 ,signs of peace  
and prosperity are every where around   
us1 indicating1 if we have not yet      
reached1 that at least we are           
approaching that happy time when men    
shall beat their swords into            
plough-shares1 and their spears into    
pruning hooks4      ,o scenes surpassing
 fable1 and yet true1     ,scenes of    
accomplished bliss6 which who can see1  
,though but in distant prospect1 and not
 feel     ,his soul refreshed with      
foretaste of the joy8     ,,chapter     
,,xix4       ,journey to                
,peebles--,characters--,conversation on 
,politics--,scottish                    
,peasantry--,peebles--,christ's ,kirk on
 the ,green--,a ,legend--,an old        
,church--,the ,banks of the ,tweed--,its
 ancient ,castles--,the ,alarm          
,fire--,excursion to the ,vales of      
,ettrick and ,yarrow--,stream of        

,yarrow--,st4 ,mary's ,lake and ,dryhope
 ,tower--,the ,dowie ,dens of           
,yarrow--,growth of ,poetry--,ballads   
and ,poems on ,yarrow by ,hamilton1     
,logan and ,wordsworth4   ,on a cold1   
drizzly morning we start1 in a          
substantial stage-coach1 well lined with
 cushions inside1 for the ancient town  
of ,peebles1 which lies to the south of 
,edinburgh1 some twenty-five miles or   
more4 ,the 'outsides' are wrapped in    
cloaks and overcoats1 and literally     
covered in with umbrellas2 and from     
their earnest talking seem to be        
tolerably comfortable4 ,the ,scottish   
mist1 cold and penetrating1 would soon  
reach the skin of an unsheltered back2  
all hands1 therefore1 and especially the
 driver in front1 and the guard behind1 
are muffled to the neck with cravats and
 other appliances4 ,eyes and mouth only 
are visible1 not indeed to the passers  
by1 but to the denizens of the          
stage-coach1 who cling together for     
warmth and sociability4 ,our travelling 

companions inside are a ,dominie from   
,auchingray1 fat as a capon1 with face  
round1 sleek and shiny1 little gray eyes
 glancing beneath a placid forehead1 and
 indicating intelligence and good       
nature2 and a south-country laird1 a    
large1 brawny man1 with a huge face and 
huger hat1 corduroy breeches and top    
boots1 a coat that nearly covers the    
whole of his body1 and a vest of        
corresponding dimensions4 ,a mighty     
cravat is tied neatly around his        
capacious throat1 and a couple of large 
gold seals dangle from beneath his vest4
 ,in addition to these two1 a little    
man1 thin and wrinkled1 but with a      
clear1 quick1 restless eye1 is sitting  
in the corner1 squeezed into a rather   
straight place by the laird and the     
dominie4 ,from his appearance and       
conversation1 we should take him to be a
 lawyer4 ,with some little difficulty we
 get into conversation1 but once set    
agoing1 it jogs on at a pretty fair     
pace4 ,insensibly it glides into        

politics1 and becomes rather lively4    
,the lawyer is evidently a whig1 the    
laird a tory of the old stamp1 and the  
dominie neither the one nor the other1  
but rather more of a tory than anything 
else1 as he is dependent1 in some sense1
 upon 'the powers that be4'  ,for my    
part1 says the laird1 taking hold of his
 watch-seals1 and twirling them         
energetically1 ,i do not believe in your
 two-faced radicals1 who have more      
impudence in their noddles than money in
 their pockets1 and who go routing about
 the country1 crying up democracy and   
all that sort of stuff1 to the great    
injury of her majesty's subjects4  ,but1
 my dear sir1 replies the lawyer1 you   
forget that money is not the summum     
bonum of human life1 and that the       
gentlemen to whom you refer are not     
impudent radicals1 but clear-headed and 
patriotic whigs4  ,all gammon1 sir6 all 
gammon6 is the rejoinder of the laird1  
,i wouldn't give a fig for the whole    
pack4 ,one or two of them1 ,i admit1 are

 tolerably respectable men4 ,lord ,john 
,russel belongs to the old nobility1 and
 is a man of some sense1 but sadly      
deceived1 full of nonsensical plans and 
dangerous reforms4 ,as to ,dan4         
,o',connel1 he is an old fox1 a regular 
,irish blackguard1 who has not heart    
enough to make a living by honest means1
 but fleeces it out of the starving     
,irish1 in the shape of repeal rent6    
,hang the rascal1 ,i should be glad to  
see him gibbeted6 ,hume is a mean1      
beggarly adventurer4 ,and even ,sir     
,robert ,peel1 with all his excellences1
 has made sad mistakes on the subject of
 reform and the corn laws4 ,he's not the
 thing1 after all6 ,sadly out of joint1 
sir1 sadly out of joint6  ,all this is  
said with such terrible energy1 and such
 a menacing frown1 that even the lawyer 
cowers a little1 and the dominie is     
almost frightened4 ,we think it best1   
upon the whole1 to say little4 ,but1    
plucking up courage1 the lawyer replies3
  ,sir1 you come to conclusions that are

 too sweeping4 ,that ,lord ,john ,russel
 is a man of clear intellect and        
admirable forethought no one will think 
of denying4 ,his plans are well matured1
 and1 moreover1 aim at the good of his  
country4 ,hume is a great political     
economist3 ,sir ,r4 ,peel is a man of   
the highest order of mind2 and ,daniel  
,o',connel1 with all his faults1        
possesses uncommon powers of eloquence1 
and1 doubtless1 seeks the good of his   
country4  ,the good of his country6 ,all
 humbug1 sir6 ,if you had said his own  
good1 you would have come nearer the    
mark4 ,he's a rascal1 sir1 rely on it1 a
 mean cowardly rascal1 who1 pretending  
to benefit the poor ,irish1 fills his   
own pockets with their hard earnings4 ,i
 appeal to ,mr4 ,cooper here1 my        
respected friend1 the parish            
schoolmaster of ,auchingray4  ,to which 
the dominie replies demurely3  ,as to my
 opinion1 gentlemen1 it is not of much  
consequence1 but such as it is ,i give  
with all candor4 ,in the first place ,i 

opine that we are liable somewhat to    
yield to our prejudices in estimating   
the characters of public men2 for1 as my
 old friend1 the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,twist1 used
 to say1 they have 'twa maisters to     
serve1 the government and the public1   
and it's unco difficult sometimes to    
sail between ,scylla and ,charybdis4'   
,moreover1 these are trying times1 and  
much of primitive integrity and         
patriotism are lost4 ,for myself1 ,i do 
not approve altogether of the course of 
the whigs1 and especially of the        
radicals4 ,daniel ,o',connel is a       
devoted ,catholic1 with no generous     
aspirations1 or enlarged conceptions of 
the public weal4 ,a great man1          
certainly1 a wonderful orator1 no doubt1
 but much tinctured with selfishness1   
and carried away by wild and prurient   
schemes4 ,lord ,john ,russel is a man of
 decided talent and fine character1 but 
,i have not much confidence1 after all1 
in his practical wisdom1 and good common
 sense4 ,sir ,robert ,peel1 however is1 

with some slight exceptions1 a model    
statesman1 a man of a wonderfully clear1
 well balanced mind1 and a deep insight 
into men and things4 ,still1 as my      
friend on the left says1 he's somewhat  
out of joint just now1 and1 for my own  
part1 ,i could never altogether approve 
his schemes4  ,there sir1 quickly       
interposed the laird1 ,there sir6 didn't
 ,i tell you1 sir8 ,all humbug1 sir6    
,nothing safe--nothing useful about the 
whigs6 ,give me the good old days of my 
grandfather1 when the rascals dared not 
peep or mutter6  ,but you forget1 sir1  
is the answer of the lawyer1 that your  
friend1 the schoolmaster here1 has      
admitted nearly all for which ,i        
contend4  ,admitted nothing1 sir6 ,comes
 to nothing1 sir6 ,and to tell you the  
plain honest truth1 ,i believe the whole
 pack of them are a set of humbugs6 ,all
 sham1 sir6 nothing but hypocrisy and   
humbug6  ,but a modification of the corn
 laws is certainly desirable for the    
sake of the poorer classes1 many of whom

 are living upon the merest trifle3--we 
venture to remark4  ,all a mistake1 sir6
 all a mistake6 ,an honest1 sensible man
 can always make his way1 and secure    
bread for his family6  ,well1 but surely
 you consider a shilling or eighteen    
pence a day rather miserable support6   
,not at all1 sir6 not at all6 ,they're  
used to it1 and thousands of them are   
happier than you or ,i6  ,upon this     
point we beg leave to doubt1 and hope   
the time is not far distant when the    
common people will have cheap bread3--we
 quietly rejoin4  ,amen6 responds the   
dominie4 ,that ,i am confident would be 
an improvement2 but how it is to be     
brought about is a question of great    
difficulty4 ,the common people of       
,scotland are not so poorly off as      
foreigners represent them4 ,their habits
 are primitive and simple1 and ,i       
certainly have known many families1     
particularly in the country1 make       
themselves very comfortable on eighteen 
pence or a couple of shillings a day4   

,give us an example1 if you please6     
,why1 there is ,james ,thomson1 a       
working man1 who makes1 upon an average1
 say eighteen pence or a couple of      
shillings sterling 7fifty cents7 daily1 
through the year4 ,he has a wife and    
four children4 ,he built himself a kind 
of stone and turf cottage on the edge of
 one of ,lord ,b4's plantations1 with a 
but and a ben1#afa and a little         
out-house4 ,one day ,i called in to see 
him about one of his children1 and1 in  
the course of conversation1 asked him   
how he got along4  ,footnote #afa3 ,two 
apartments4  ,brawly2#afb was the reply4
  ,footnote #afb3 ,finely4  ,can you    
make 'the twa ends meet' at the close of
 the year8  ,yes1 said he1 and something
 mair than that4 ,last ,candlemas ,i    
laid up nae less than ten and saxpence4 
,but how can you do it4 ,have you any   
land to cultivate8  ,a wee bittock1 was 
the answer1 but it's graund for taties  
and turnips4  ,have you a cow8  ,o aye1 
we have a coo1 and a gude coo she is4   

,well1 what have you for victuals8  ,the
 best o' parritch and milk in the       
morning1 and at nicht4 ,and as for      
denner1 we ha' nae great variety1 but   
what's wholesome eneuch4 ,and ye ken1   
,dominie ,c41 that hunger's the best    
sauce4  ,true enough1 but excuse me1 ,i 
should like to know what you generally  
have for dinner4  ,ou1 said he1         
laughing1 the graundest kail i' the     
world1 made o' barley1 butter and       
vegetables1 wi' a bit o' beef1 or a     
marrow bane in't once in a while1 and   
mealy tatties1 scones and cakes1 the    
very best in the kintra6  ,well1 you're 
content6  ,to be sure we are6 and       
gratefu'1 besides1 to the ,giver o' a'  
gude4  ,but you have a little pinch     
occasionally--in the cold and stormy    
winter weather8  ,why ye-s--but it's nae
 mair than a body may expeck1 and it's a
 great deal less than we deserve4 ,for  
mysel' ,i ha' nae great reason to       
complain1 but ,sandy ,wilson1 ower the  
way1 has had a sair time on't4  ,what's 

the matter8  ,why1 ye see1 ,sandy is no 
very able-bodied1 and maybe a little    
shiftless1 and he fell sick about the   
middle o' winter4 ,his wife is a proud  
kind o' body1 and she said naething to  
the neebors1 and ,i jalouse they had a  
sair pinching time on't4 ,the wee bit   
lassie seemed to be dwining awa'1 and   
,sandy1 puir fellow1 was just at death's
 door4 ,but the minister o' the parish  
found it out1 and ,sandy was soon       
provided for4 ,hech sir6 we ought to be 
thankfu' that we hae our health4 ,it's a
 great blessing4 ,for if a man only has 
health and a clear conscience he needna 
fear famine or the deevil4  ,sandy then 
got over his troubles1 did he8  ,in a   
measure1 was the cautious reply1 but the
 puir wee lassie grew paler and paler2  
and noo her bonny brown hair is covered 
wi' the yird4 ,she was a sweet bit      
lassie1 but she was frail in the        
constitootion1 ye see1 and the hard     
famishing winter was ower muckle for her
 feeble frame4 ,but she was weel cared  

for on her sick bed4 ,and when she died1
 the hail kintra side turned out to     
attend the funeral1 and mony tears were 
shed upon her wee bit grave4 ,my ,mary1 
who gaed to school wi' her1 canna get   
ower it to this day4 ,she was an unco   
bonny thing--sweet as the mornin' wat   
wi' dew1 and gentle as a pet lamb4 ,but 
her grave is green by this time1 and    
,sandy is better off than he used to be4
  ,the burly laird listened attentively 
to this narrative1 and at the close of  
it1 a tear dimmed his eye4 ,he gave a   
slight cough1 as if to repress and to   
hide his rising emotion1 and looking out
 the coach window1 exclaimed1 ,there's  
,peebles1 at last1 and yonder's the sign
 of the ,black ,bull1 as if he were     
prodigiously relieved4  ,the day is     
brightening1 and this ancient city on   
the ,tweed1 looks quite agreeable1      
reminding us of the days of old1 when   
the kings and nobles of ,scotland used  
to witness1 on its beautiful green1     
games of archery1 golf1 and so forth4   

,it is supposed to be the scene referred
 to in the opening stanza of ,christ's  
,kirk on the ,green1 by ,james the      
,first1 the royal poet of ,scotland4    
,was never in ,scotland hard nor sene1  
,sic dansing nor deray1     ,nouther at 
,falkland on the green1       ,nor      
,pebllis in the play2     ,as wes of    
wowarris as ,i wene1       ,at ,christ's
 ,kirk on ane day2     ,thair came our  
kittles washen clene1       ,in thair   
new kirtillis of gray                   
,full gay1     ,at ,christ's ,kirk o'   
the ,grene that day4  ,this old town was
 burnt and laid waste more than once    
during the invasions of the ,english4   
,still1 from its sequestered situation1 
it never figured largely in any great   
event4 ,an antique bridge1 consisting of
 five arches1 connects the old and new  
towns1 which lie on either bank of the  
river4 ,rambling through the place1 we  
come to a large massive building1 in a  
castellated form1 known to have belonged
 to the ,queensberry family1 and        

believed to be the scene of a romantic  
incident1 thus related by ,sir ,walter  
,scott3--,there is a tradition in       
,tweedale1 that when ,nidpath castle1   
near ,peebles1 was inhabited by the     
,earls of ,march1 a mutual passion      
subsisted between a daughter of that    
noble family and the son of the ,laird  
of ,tushielaw1 in ,ettrick ,forest4 ,as 
the alliance was thought unsuitable by  
her parents1 the young man went abroad4 
,during his absence1 the young lady fell
 into a consumption1 and at length1 as  
the only means of saving her life1 her  
father consented that her lover should  
be recalled4 ,on the day when he was    
expected to pass through ,peebles1 on   
the road to ,tushielaw1 the young lady1 
though much exhausted1 caused herself to
 be carried to the balcony of a house in
 ,peebles1 belonging to the family1 that
 she might see him when he rode past4   
,her anxiety and eagerness gave such    
force to her organs that she is said to 
have distinguished his horses' footsteps

 at an incredible distance4 ,but        
,tushielaw1 unprepared for the change in
 her appearance1 and not expecting to   
see her in that place1 rode on1 without 
recognizing her1 or even slackening his 
pace4 ,the lady was unable to support   
the shock1 and after a short struggle   
died in the arms of her attendants4     
,here are the ruins of some very old    
churches1 one in particular1 at the     
western extremity of the old town4 ,this
 was the original parish church of      
,peebles1 and was built upon the site of
 one still more ancient1 occupied by the
 ,culdees1 7probably from ,cultores     
,dei1 worshipers of ,god17 an ancient   
class of monks1 whose forms of worship  
and doctrinal belief were extremely     
simple1 and1 as some suppose1           
evangelical4 ,they had monasteries at   
,jona1 and in various parts of          
,scotland1 before the ,anglo-,saxon     
period1 and preserved for many years1   
the pure worship of ,god4 ,an altar in  
,st4 ,andrew's church1 was dedicated to 

,st4 ,michael1 with a special endowment 
for the services of a chapellane1 there 
perpetually to say mes1 efter the valow 
of the rents and possessions gevin      
thereto1 in honor of ,almighty ,god1    
,mary his ,modyr1 and ,saint ,michael1  
for the hele of the body and the sawl of
 ,jamys1 ,king of ,scotts1 for the      
balyheis1 ye burges1 and ye communite of
 the burgh of ,peebles1 and for the hele
 of their awn sawlis1 thair fadyris     
sawlis1 thair modyris sawlis1 thair     
kinnis sawlis1 and al ,chrystyn sawlis4 
,part of the tithes of this church are  
now used to support a ,grammar school1  
and while the people still worship      
,almighty ,god1 they have but little    
reverence for ,mary his modyr1 and ,st4 
,michael4  ,let us wander along the     
banks of this far-famed and beautiful   
river1 gliding sweetly through one of   
the most beautiful vales in ,scotland1  
and once adorned with numerous castles  
and monasteries1 whose mouldering       
remains yet diversify the landscape4    

,the whole vale of the ,tweed1 both     
above and below ,peebles1 was studded   
with a chain of castles1 built in the   
shape of square towers1 and ordinarily  
consisting of three stories1 to serve as
 a defence against the invasion of the  
,english freebooters4 ,they were built  
alternately on each side of the river1  
and at such distances that one could be 
seen from the other4 ,a fire kindled on 
the top of one of these1 to give warning
 of a hostile incursion1 could thus be  
perpetuated through the whole1 till a   
tract of country seventy miles long1    
from ,berwick to the ,bield1 and fifty  
broad1 was alarmed in a few hours4 ,what
 objects of terror and sublimity these  
blazing summits1 lighting1 in a dark    
night1 the whole valley of the ,tweed1  
and flashing their ruddy gleam upon     
copsewood and river1 hill-top and castle
 turret6                    ,a score of 
fires1 ,i ween1     ,from height1 and   
hill1 and cliff were seen1     ,each    
with warlike tidings fraught1     ,each 

from each the signal caught2     ,each  
after each they glanced in sight1       
,as stars arise upon the night3         
,they gleamed on many a dusky tarn      
,haunted by the lonely earn1#afc     ,on
 many a cairn's grey pyramid1     ,where
 urns of mighty chiefs lie hid4         
,lay of the ,last ,minstrel4  ,footnote 
#afc3 ,the ,scottish eagle4  ,but the   
grey mist of evening is beginning to    
settle upon the vale of the ,tweed1 and 
the quaint old town of ,peebles1 with   
its three old bridges1 and three old    
steeples1 by three old churches borne4  
,with fair weather1 and in admirable    
spirits1 we set off next morning1 after 
breakfast1 and travel at an easy pace   
down the fair banks of the silver       
,tweed1 till we reach the pretty village
 of ,innerleithen1 at the bottom of a   
sequestered dell1 encircled on one side 
by high and partially wooded hills1 and 
enlivened by the clear waters of the    
,tweed1 rolling in front4 ,passing a    
handsome wooden bridge which crosses the

 river1 we reach the hamlet of ,traquair
 and ,traquair house1 and naturally     
enquire for the far-famed ,bush aboon   
,traquair4 ,it is pointed out at the    
bottom of the hill which overlooks the  
lawn1 where a few birch trees may be    
seen1 the only remains of that dear old 
spot1 made sacred by melody and song4   
,continuing our journey across the      
country1 we get among the hills1 and    
after travelling some time through a    
deep glen1 we see before us the haunted 
stream of ,yarrow1 the very name of     
which has become a synonym for all that 
is tender in sentiment and beautiful in 
poetry4      ,and is this ,yarrow8 ,this
 the stream1       ,of which my fancy   
cherished     ,so faithfully a waking   
dream1       ,an image that hath        
perished8  ,following in somewhat       
pensive mood1 its beautiful meanderings 
through this hill-guarded valley1 we    
come to ,st4 ,mary's ,lake1 lying in    
solemn but beautiful serenity among the 
mountains1 whose heathy sides and bare  

cliffs are mirrored in her pellucid     
depths4                        ,nor fen 
nor sedge     ,pollute the pure lake's  
crystal edge2     ,abrupt and sheer the 
mountains sink     ,at once upon the    
level brink2     ,and just a trace of   
silver sand     ,marks where the water  
meets the land4     ,far1 in the mirror 
bright and blue1     ,each hill's huge  
outline you may view2     ,shaggy with  
heath1 but lonely bare1     ,nor tree1  
nor bush1 nor brake is there1     ,save 
where of land1 yon slender line         
,bears thwart the lake the scattered    
pine4     ,nor thicket1 dell1 nor copse 
you spy1     ,where living thing        
concealed might lie2     ,nor point     
retiring hides a dell     ,where swain  
or woodman lone might dwell2            
,there's nothing left to fancy's guess1 
,you see that all is loneliness2        
,and silence adds1--though the steep    
hills     ,send to the lake a thousand  
rills1     ,in summer tide so soft they 
weep1     ,the sound but lulls the ear  

asleep2     ,your horse's hoof-tread    
sounds too rude1     ,so stilly is the  
solitude4      ,marmion4  ,passing to   
the eastern extremity of the ,lake1 we  
come to ,dryhope ,tower1 the birth-place
 of ,mary ,scott1 the famous ,flower of 
,yarrow4 ,her lover1 or husband1 was    
slain by ,scott of ,tushielaw1 from     
jealousy1 or from a desire to secure her
 fortune1 her father having promised to 
endow her with half his property4       
,seized by the imagination of the       
ancient ,minnesingers1 this incident    
became the subject of a ballad1 or      
ballads of great beauty and pathos1 well
 known through ,scotland1 and frequently
 sung amang her green braes4 ,this has  
invested ,yarrow with a deep poetical   
charm1 and given rise to a great variety
 of sweet and pathetic strains1         
affording a fine exemplification of the 
manner in which poetry grows1 as by a   
natural law of progress4 ,a single      
incident gathers around itself all      
beautiful images1 all tender thoughts1  

feelings and passions1 till the region  
in which it occurred becomes instinct   
with fantasy1 and absolutely glows with 
a sort of conscious beauty4 ,the very   
air is burdened with a melancholy charm4
 ,the stream meandering through the     
vale1 and the winds whispering through  
the mountain glens or rippling the      
surface of ,st4 ,mary's lake1 murmur a  
music not their own4 ,in a word1 we have
 come from the real1 everyday world1    
into one that is ideal1 where1 in the   
deep stillness of nature1 the voices of 
the past reveal themselves to the       
listening soul4 ,in this view we know   
not a more interesting or instructive   
series of poems than those relating to  
,yarrow4 ,the first is the ballad of the
 ,dowie ,dens1 or rather1 ,downs of     
,yarrow4 ,this is variously printed1 but
 we give the version of ,motherwell4    
,there were three lords birling at the  
wine1       ,on the ,dowie ,dens of     
,yarrow2     ,they made a compact them  
between1       ,they would go fecht     

to-morrow4      ,thou took our sister to
 be thy wife1       ,and thou ne'er     
thocht her thy marrow1     ,thou stealed
 her frae her daddy's back1       ,when 
she was the ,rose of ,yarrow4      ,yes1
 ,i took your sister to be my wife1     
,and ,i made her my marrow2     ,i      
stealed her frae her daddy's back1      
,and she's still the ,rose of ,yarrow4  
,he is hame to his lady gane1       ,as 
he had done before1 ,o2     ,says1      
,madam ,i must go and fecht1       ,on  
the ,dowie ,downs o' ,yarrow4      ,stay
 at hame1 my ,lord1 she said1       ,for
 that will breed much sorrow2     ,for  
my three brethren will slay thee1       
,on the ,dowie ,downs o' ,yarrow4       
,hold your tongue1 my lady fair2        
,for what needs a' this sorrow8     ,for
 ,i'll be hame gin' the clock strikes   
nine1       ,from the ,dowie ,downs o'  
,yarrow4      ,he wush his face1 and she
 combed his hair1       ,as she had done
 before1 ,o2     ,she dressed him up in 
his armour clear1       ,sent him forth 

to fecht on ,yarrow4      ,come ye here 
to hawk or hound1       ,or drink the   
wine that's sae clear1 ,o2     ,or come 
ye here to eat in your words1           
,that you're not the ,rose o' ,yarrow8  
,i came not here to hawk or hound1      
,nor to drink the wine that's sae clear1
 ,o2     ,nor came ,i here to eat in my 
words1       ,for ,i'm still the ,rose  
o' ,yarrow4      ,then they all begud to
 fecht1       ,i wad they focht richt   
sore1 ,o2     ,till a cowardly man cam' 
behind his back1       ,and pierced his 
body thorough4      ,gae hame1 gae hame1
 its my man ,john1       ,as ye have    
done before1 ,o3     ,an tell it to my  
gaye ladye       ,that ,i soundly sleep 
on ,yarrow4      ,his man ,john he has  
gane hame1       ,as he had done before1
 ,o2     ,and told it to his gay ladye4 
,that he soundly slept on ,yarrow4      
,i dreamed a dream1 now since the       
'streen1#afd       ,god keep us a' frae 
sorrow6     ,that my lord and ,i was    
pu'ing the heather green1       ,from   

the ,dowie ,downs o' ,yarrow4           
,sometimes she rode1 sometimes she      
gade1#afe       ,as she had done before1
 ,o2     ,and aye between she fell in a 
swoon1       ,lang or she cam' to       
,yarrow4      ,her hair it was five     
quarters lang1       ',twas like the    
gold for yellow2     ,she twisted it    
round his milk white hand1       ,and   
she's drawn him hame frae ,yarrow4      
,out and spak her father dear1          
,says1 ,what needs a' this sorrow8      
,for ,i'll get you a far better lord    
,than ever died on ,yarrow4      ,o hold
 your tongue1 father1 she said1         
,for you've bred a' my sorrow2     ,for 
that rose'll ne'er spring so sweet in   
,may1       ,as that ,rose ,i lost on   
,yarrow6  ,footnote #afd3 ,yesternight4 
,footnote #afe3 ,walked4  ,more than a  
century ago1 ,william ,hamilton1 of     
,bangor1 a gentleman of rank1 education1
 and poetical talents1 wrote the        
following exquisite ballad3#aff         
,footnote #aff3 ,we quote only a portion

 of ,hamilton's ballad4                 
,,the ,,braes ,,of ,,yarrow4      ,busk 
ye1 busk ye1 my bonny1 bonny bride1     
,busk ye1 busk ye1 my winsome marrow6   
,busk ye1 busk ye1 my bonny1 bonny      
bride1       ,and think nae mair o' the 
,braes o' ,yarrow4      ,whare gat ye   
that bonny1 bonny bride8       ,whare   
gat ye that winsome marrow8     ,i gat  
her where ,i darena weil be seen        
,pouing the birks on the ,braes o'      
,yarrow4      ,weep not1 weep not1 my   
bonny1 bonny bride1       ,weep not1 my 
winsome marrow6     ,nor let thy heart  
lament to leave       ,pouing the birks 
on the ,braes o' ,yarrow4      ,lang    
maun she weep1 lang maun she weep1      
,lang maun she weep with dule and       
sorrow1     ,and lang maun ,i nae mair  
weil be seen1       ,pouing the birks on
 the ,braes o' ,yarrow4      ,why runs  
thy stream1 ,o ,yarrow1 ,yarrow1 red8   
,why on thy braes heard the voice o'    
sorrow8     ,and why yon melancholious  
weeds1       ,hung on the bonny birks o'

 ,yarrow8      ,what's yonder floats on 
the rueful flude8       ,what's yonder  
floats1 ,o dule and sorrow6     ',tis   
he1 the comely swain ,i slew1           
,upon the duleful braes o' ,yarrow4     
,wash1 ,o wash his wounds in tears1     
,his wounds in tears with dule and      
sorrow1     ,and wrap his limbs in      
mourning weeds1       ,and lay him on   
the ,braes o' ,yarrow4      ,sweet      
smells the birk1 green grows the grass1 
,yellow on ,yarrow bank the gowan1      
,fair hangs the apple frae the rock1    
,sweet the wave of ,yarrow flowan4      
,flows ,yarrow sweet1 as sweet flows    
,tweed1       ,as green its grass1 its  
gowan as yellow1     ,as sweet smells on
 its braes the birk1       ,the apple   
frae the rock as mellow4      ,busk ye1 
then busk1 my bonny1 bonny bride1       
,busk ye1 busk ye1 my winsome marrow1   
,busk ye and lue me on the banks o'     
,tweed1       ,and think nae mair on the
 ,braes o' ,yarrow4      ,how can ,i    
busk a bonny1 bonny bride1       ,how   

can ,i busk a winsome marrow1     ,how  
lue him on the banks o' ,tweed          
,that slew my love on the braes o'      
,yarrow8      ,o ,yarrow fields1 may    
never1 never rain1       ,nor dew thy   
tender blossoms cover1     ,for there   
was basely slain my love1       ,my     
love1 as he had not been a lover4       
,the boy put on his robes o' green1     
,his purple vest1 'twas my ain sewing   
,ah6 wretched me6 ,i little kenned      
,he was in these to meet his ruin4      
,the boy took out his milk-white steed1 
,unheedful of my dule and sorrow1       
,but ere the to-fall of the night       
,he lay a corpse on the ,braes o'       
,yarrow4      ,much ,i rejoiced that    
waeful day2       ,i sang1 my voice the 
woods returning1     ,but lang ere night
 the spear was flown1       ,that slew  
my love1 and left me mourning4          
99       99       99       99       99  
,yes1 yes1 prepare the bed of love1     
,with bridal sheets my body cover1      
,unbar1 ye bridal maids1 the door1      

,let in the expected husband lover      
,but who the expected husband is8       
,his hands1 methinks1 are bathed in     
slaughter4     ,ah me6 what ghastly     
spectre's yon1       ,comes in his pale 
shroud1 bleeding after8      ,pale as he
 is1 here lay him down1       ,o lay his
 cold head on my pillow2     ,take off1 
take off these bridal weeds1       ,and 
crown my careful head with willow4      
99       99       99       99       99  
,return1 return1 ,o mournful bride1     
,return and dry thy useless sorrow2     
,thy lover heeds naught of thy sighs1   
,he lies a corpse on the ,braes o'      
,yarrow4  ,somewhat more than half a    
century later1 ,logan wrote a song with 
the same title1 of which the following  
are the concluding stanzas4      ,sweet 
were his words when last we met2        
,my passion ,i as freely told him2      
,clasped in his arms ,i little thought  
,that ,i should never more behold him6  
,scarce was ,i gone1 ,i saw his ghost2  
,it vanished with a shriek of sorrow2   

,thrice did the water wraith ascend     
,and gave a doleful groan through       
,yarrow4      ,his mother from the      
window look'd       ,with all the       
longing of a mother2     ,his little    
sister weeping walk'd       ,the green  
wood path to meet her brother4     ,they
 sought him ,east1 they sought him      
,west1       ,they sought him all the   
forest thorough2     ,they only saw the 
cloud of night1       ,they only heard  
the roar of ,yarrow6      ,no longer    
from thy window look1       ,thou hast  
no son1 ,o tender mother6     ,no longer
 walk1 thou lovely maid6       ,alas6   
thou hast no more a brother6     ,no    
longer seek him ,east or ,west1         
,and search no more the forest thoro'2  
,for wandering in the night so dark1    
,he fell a lifeless corpse in ,yarrow4  
,the tear shall never leave my cheek1   
,no other youth shall be my marrow2     
,i'll seek thy body in the stream1      
,and then with thee ,i'll sleep in      
,yarrow4     ,the tear did never leave  

her cheek1       ,no other youth became 
her marrow2     ,she found his body in  
the stream1       ,and now with him she 
sleeps in ,yarrow4  ,we are now prepared
 to read ,wordsworths' two exquisite    
poems1 ,yarrow ,unvisited1 and ,yarrow  
,visited1 the splendid flowering1 so to 
speak1 of this poetical growth4         
,from ,stirling ,castle we had seen     
,the mazy ,forth unravelled2     ,had   
trod the banks of ,clyde and ,tay1      
,and with the ,tweed had travelled2     
,and when we came to ,clovenford1       
,then said 'my winsome ,marrow1'        
,whate'er betide1 we'll turn aside1     
,and see the braes o' ,yarrow4      ,let
 ,yarrow folk frae ,selkirk ,town1      
,who have been buying1 selling1     ,go 
back to ,yarrow1 'tis their own2        
,each maiden to her dwelling6     ,on   
,yarrow's banks let herons feed1        
,hares couch and rabbits burrow6        
,but we will downward with the ,tweed1  
,nor turn aside to ,yarrow4             
,there's ,galla ,water1 ,leader ,haughs1

       ,both lying right before us2     
,and ,dryborough where with chiming     
,tweed       ,the ,lintwhites sing in   
chorus2     ,there's pleasant           
,tivoitdale1 a land       ,made blithe  
with plough and harrow1     ,why throw  
away a needful day       ,to go in      
search of ,yarrow8      ,what's ,yarrow 
but a river bare1       ,that glides the
 dark hills under8     ,there are a     
thousand such elsewhere       ,as worthy
 of your wonder4     --,strange words   
they seemed of slight and scorn2        
,my true love sigh'd for sorrow2        
,and looked me in the face to think     
,i thus could speak of ,yarrow6      ,oh
 green1 said ,i1 are ,yarrow ,holms     
,and sweet is ',yarrow flowing6'        
,fair hangs the apple frae the rock1    
,but we will leave it growing4     ,o'er
 hilly path and open ,strath1           
,we'll wander ,scotland thorough2       
,but though so near we will not turn    
,into the ,dale of ,yarrow4      ,let   
beeves and home-bred kine partake       

,the sweets of ,burnmill meadow2        
,the swan1 on still ,st4 ,mary's ,lake1 
,float double1 swan and shadow6     ,we 
will not see them2 will not go1         
,to-day1 nor yet to-morrow2     ,enough 
if in our hearts we know       ,there's 
such a place as ,yarrow4      ,be       
,yarrow stream unseen1 unknown6         
,it must1 or we shall rue it2     ,we   
have a vision of our own2       ,ah6 why
 should we undo it8     ,the treasured  
dreams of times long past1       ,we'll 
keep them 'winsome ,marrow6'     ,for   
when we're there1 although tis fair1    
',twill be another ,yarrow6      ,if    
care with freezing years should come1   
,and wandering seem but folly1--        
,should we be loth to stir from home1   
,and yet be melancholy2     ,should life
 be dull1 and spirits low1       ',twill
 soothe us in our sorrow1     ,that     
earth has something yet to show1        
,the bonny ,holms of ,yarrow4  ,this is 
beautiful1 but the following is more so4
 ,indeed it is the very perfection of   

descriptive poetry4                     
,,yarrow ,,visited4      ,and is        
this--,yarrow8--,this the stream        
,of which my fancy cherished     ,so    
faithfully a waking dream8       ,an    
image that has perished6     ,o that    
some minstrel's harp were near1         
,to utter notes of gladness1     ,and   
chase this silence from the air1        
,that fills my heart with sadness6      
,yet why8--a silvery current flows      
,with uncontrolled meanderings2     ,nor
 have these eyes by greener hills       
,been soothed in all my wanderings4     
,and1 through her depths1 ,st4 ,mary's  
,lake       ,is visibly delighted2      
,for not a feature of those hills       
,is in the mirror slighted4      ,a blue
 sky bends o'er ,yarrow ,vale1          
,save where that pearly whiteness       
,is round the rising sun diffused1      
,a tender hazy brightness2     ,mild    
dawn of promise6 that excludes          
,all profitless dejection2     ,though  
not unwilling here to admit       ,a    

pensive recollection4      ,where was it
 that the famous ,flower       ,of      
,yarrow ,vale lay bleeding8     ,his bed
 perchance was yon smooth mound         
,on which the herd is feeding3     ,and 
haply from this crystal pool1       ,now
 peaceful as the morning1     ,the      
,water ,wraith ascended thrice1         
,and gave his doleful warning4          
,delicious is the lay that sings        
,the haunts of happy lovers1     ,the   
path that leads them to the grove1      
,the leafy grove that covers2     ,and  
,pity sanctifies the verse       ,that  
points1 by strength of sorrow1     ,the 
unconquerable strength of love2         
,bear witness rueful ,yarrow6      ,but 
thou1 that didst appear so fair         
,to fond imagination1     ,dost rival in
 the light of day       ,her delicate   
creation3     ,meek loveliness is round 
thee spread1       ,a softness still and
 holy2     ,the grace of forest charms  
decayed       ,and pastoral melancholy4 
,that region left1 the ,vale unfolds    

,rich groves of lofty stature1     ,with
 ,yarrow winding through the pomp       
,of cultivated nature2     ,and rising  
from those lofty groves1       ,behold a
 ruin hoary6     ,the shattered front of
 ,newark's towers       ,renowned in    
,border story4      ,fair scenes for    
childhood's opening bloom1       ,for   
sportive youth to stray in1     ,for    
manhood to enjoy his strength2          
,and age to wear away in6     ,yon      
cottage seems a bower of bliss1       ,a
 covert for protection     ,of tender   
thoughts that nestle there1       ,the  
brood of chaste affection4      ,how    
sweet on this autumnal day1       ,the  
wild wood fruits to gather1     ,and on 
my ,true-love's forehead plant       ,a 
crest of blooming heather6     ,and what
 if ,i enwreathed my own6       ',twere 
no offence to reason2     ,the sober    
hills thus deck their brows       ,to   
meet the wintry season4      ,i see1 but
 not by sight alone1       ,loved       
,yarrow1 have ,i won thee2     ,a ray of

 ,fancy still survives--       ,her     
sunshine plays upon thee6     ,thy ever 
youthful waters keep       ,a course of 
lively pleasure2     ,and gladsome notes
 my lips can breathe1       ,accordant  
to the measure4      ,the vapors linger 
round the ,heights1       ,they         
melt1--and soon must vanish2     ,one   
hour is their's1 nor more is mine--     
,sad thought1 which ,i would banish1    
,but that ,i know1 where'er ,i go1      
,thy genuine image1 ,yarrow6     ,will  
dwell with me1 to heighten joy1         
,and cheer my mind in sorrow4           
,,chapter ,,xx4       ,hamlet and       
,church-yard of ,ettrick--,monument to  
,thomas      ,boston--,birth-place of   
the ,ettrick ,shepherd--,altrieve       
,cottage--,biographical ,sketch of the  
,ettrick ,shepherd--,the ,town of       
,selkirk--,monument to ,sir ,walter     
,scott--,battle-field of ,philiphaugh4  
,proceeding westward from ,st4 ,mary's  
,lake about half a mile1 we come to the 
hill of ,merecleughhead1 where ,king    

,james the ,fifth entered the district  
to inflict summary vengeance upon the   
outlaws who frequented the ,ettrick     
,forest in the days of old1 a           
circumstance which gave rise to many of 
the old ,scottish ballads4 ,at the      
centre of the parish lie the hamlet and 
church-yard of ,ettrick1 on the stream  
of that name4 ,entering the             
burying-ground we behold the recently   
erected tomb of ,thomas ,boston1 author 
of the well known work called ,the      
,fourfold ,state1 one of the best and   
holiest men that ever hallowed the bushy
 dells of ,ettrick4 ,with apostolic     
fervor did he preach the ,gospel among  
these hills and vales1 and his work1 for
 more than three generations1 has       
instructed the ,scottish peasantry in   
the high doctrines of the ,christian    
faith4 ,his memory will ever be fragrant
 among the churches of ,scotland4 ,not  
far from the burying-ground a house is  
pointed out in which the celebrated     
,ettrick ,shepherd was born4 ,passing to

 the east end of the lake we see before 
us ,altrieve ,cottage1 bosomed low mid  
tufted trees1 and nearly encircled by   
the sweet burnie1 in whose limpid waters
 the green foliage is mirrored4 ,here   
the poet lived1 in the latter period of 
his life1 and here also he died4 ,the   
scenes around1 moor1 mountain and glen1 
lake1 river and ruin1 are hallowed by   
the genius of the shepherd bard1 who1 to
 quote his own words1      ,found in    
youth a harp among the hills1     ,dropt
 by the ,elfin people2 and whilst the   
moon     ,entranced1 hung o'er still    
,saint ,mary's loch1     ,harped by that
 charmed water1 so that the swan        
,came floating onwards through the water
 blue1--     ,a dream-like creature1    
listening to a dream2     ,and the queen
 of the fairies rising silently         
,through the pure mist1 stood at the    
shepherd's feet1     ,and half forgot   
her own green paradise1     ,far in the 
bosom of the hill--so wild6     ,so     
sweet6 so sad6 flowed forth that        

shepherd's lay4  ,james ,hogg1 born in  
#aggb1 was descended from a family of   
shepherds1 and spent his boyhood and    
youth herding his flocks among the      
hills4 ,far from the bustle of the      
world1 in the deep solitudes of nature1 
his young and vigorous imagination      
became familiar with all wild and       
beautiful sights1 all sweet and solemn  
sounds4 ,alone with nature during the   
day1 he spent his evening hours in      
listening to ancient ballads and        
legends1 of which his mother was a great
 reciter4 ,this fed his imagination1 and
 supplied it with an infinite variety of
 strange and beautiful imagery4 ,to this
 fact he has himself thus strikingly    
referred4      ,o list the mystic lore  
sublime1     ,of fairy tales of ancient 
time6     ,i learned them in the lonely 
glen1     ,the last abodes of living    
men2     ,where never stranger came our 
way1     ,by summer night or winter day2
     ,where neighboring hind or cot was 
none--     ,our converse was with heaven

 alone--     ,with voices through the   
cloud that sung     ,and brooding storms
 that round us hung4     ,o lady judge1 
if judge ye may1     ,how stern and     
ample was the sway     ,of themes like  
these1 when darkness fell     ,and      
gray-haired sires the tales would tell6 
,when doors were barred and elder dame  
,plied at her task beside the flame1    
,that through the smoke and gloom alone 
,on dim and cumbered faces shone--      
,the bleat of mountain goat on high1    
,that from the cliff came quavering by2 
,the echoing rock1 the rushing flood1   
,the cataract's swell1 the moaning wood2
     ,the undefined and mingled hum--   
,voice of the desert never dumb6        
,all these have left within this heart  
,a feeling tongue can ne'er impart      
,a wildered and unearthly flame1     ,a 
something that's without a name4        
,another circumstance in the early life 
of ,hogg tended to nurse his fancy4 ,he 
had1 in all1 something like six months' 
schooling1 and having entered the       

service of ,mr4 ,laidlaw1 another great 
lover of legends1 songs and stories of  
the olden time1 he subscribed to a      
circulating library at ,peebles1 whose  
diversified contents he devoured within 
a short time4 ,he read poetry1 romances 
and tales with avidity1 and stored his  
mind with traditionary ballads1 songs   
and stories4 ,this circumstance will    
account for his wayward1 changeable     
life1 as well as for the wildness and   
strength of his imagination4 ,in the    
field of reality he was nothing1 in that
 of fancy everything4  ,he is said to   
have been a remarkably fine-looking     
young man1 having a florid complexion1  
and a profusion of light brown hair1    
which he wore1 coiled up1 beneath his   
blithe blue bonnet4 ,an attack of       
illness induced by over-exertion1 on a  
hot summer's day1 so completely altered 
his appearance1 that his friends        
scarcely recognized him as the same     
person4 ,of a jovial and merry          
disposition1 he was a great favorite in 

all companies1 and at times partook too 
freely of the mountain dew4  ,being     
introduced by the son of his employer to
 ,sir ,walter ,scott1 the ,ettrick      
,shepherd assisted him in the collection
 of old ballads for the ,border         
,minstrelsy4 ,he soon began to try his  
own hand in imitation of these          
traditionary poems1 and published a     
volume of ballads1 which attracted some 
attention1 but never became very        
popular4 ,having embarked in sheep      
farming1 and attempted one or two       
speculations in which he failed utterly1
 he resolved to repair to the city of   
,edinburgh1 and support himself by his  
pen4 ,the ,forest ,minstrel1 a          
collection of songs1 was his first      
publication here2 his second1 ,the ,spy1
 a light periodical1 which enjoyed a    
brief and precarious existence4 ,it was 
not till the publication1 in #ahac1 of  
his principal poetical production1 ,the 
,queen's ,wake1 that his reputation as a
 poet was firmly established4 ,the plan 

was so simple and striking1 and the     
execution so vigorous and delightful1   
that it took at once1 and became        
universally popular4 ,the old ,wake or  
festival in ,scotland was ordinarily    
celebrated with various kinds of        
diversions1 among which music and song  
held the principal place4 ,the ,queen's 
,wake consists of a collection of tales 
and ballads supposed to be sung by      
different bards to the young ,queen of  
,scotland1--      ,when royal ,mary1    
blithe of mood1     ,kept holyday at    
,holyrood4  ,the various productions of 
the minstrels are strung together by a  
thread of light and graceful narrative4 
,the ,wake lasts three successive       
nights1 and a richly ornamented harp is 
the victor's reward4 ,rizzio is among   
the number of the competitors2 but      
,gardyne1 a native bard1 obtains the    
prize4 ,the plan supplies the ,ettrick  
,shepherd with an opportunity of        
displaying the extreme facility with    
which he could adapt himself to all     

kinds of style1 a facility so great that
 he subsequently published1 under the   
title of ,the ,mirror of the ,poets1 a  
collection of poems ascribed by him to  
,byron1 ,campbell1 ,scott1 ,southey1    
,crabbe1 ,wordsworth and others1 in     
which the deception is so admirable1    
that multitudes actually supposed them  
genuine productions4 ,conscious of his  
strength1 he breaks forth in the        
,queen's ,wake1 in the following        
exulting strains4      ,the land was    
charmed to list his lays2     ,it knew  
the harp of ancient days4     ,the      
border chiefs that long had been     ,in
 sepulchres unhearsed and green1        
,passed from their mouldy vaults away   
,in armor red1 and stern array1     ,and
 by their moonlight halls were seen     
,in visor1 helm1 and habergeon4         
,even fairies sought our land again1    
,so powerful was the magic strain4      
,scott had advised him to abandon       
poetry1 as a bootless task1 a           
circumstance to which he thus refers3   

,blest be his generous heart for aye6   
,he told me where the relic lay2        
,pointed my way with ready will1        
,afar on ,ettrick's wildest hill2       
,watched my first notes with curious    
eye2     ,and wondered at my minstrelsy3
     ,he little weened a parent's tongue
     ,such strains had o'er my cradle   
sung4      ,but when to native feelings 
true     ,i struck upon a chord was new2
     ,when by myself ,i 'gan to play1   
,he tried to wile my harp away4         
,just when her notes began with skill   
,to sound beneath the southern hill1    
,and twine around my bosom's core1      
,how could we part forevermore8         
',twas kindness all--,i cannot blame--  
,for bootless is the minstrel's flame3  
,but sure a bard might well have known  
,another's feelings by his own6  ,scott1
 it is said1 was grieved at this        
reference to his friendly counsel1 given
 at a time when he knew not the powers  
of ,hogg4 ,this1 however1 illustrates a 
fact often occurring in the history of  

genius1 which often struggles hard to   
develop itself1 alone conscious of its  
native powers4 ,when ,sheridan first    
spoke in the house of commons he made an
 utter failure4 ,but instead of being   
discouraged1 he remarked with energy1 ,i
 know that it is in me1 and ,i must have
 it out6 ,campbell offered his          
,pleasures of ,hope to nearly all the   
book publishers in ,scotland1 who       
refused it4 ,not one of them could be   
prevailed upon even to risk paper and   
ink upon the chance of its success2 and 
at last1 it was only with considerable  
reluctance that ,mundell  ,son1 printers
 to the ,university1 undertook its      
publication1 with the liberal condition 
that the author should be allowed fifty 
copies at the trade price1 and in the   
event of its reaching a second edition1 
a thing hardly anticipated1 that he     
should receive the immense sum of fifty 
dollars6  ,the ,ettrick ,shepherd       
continued for a number of years to      
publish sketches1 stories1 and so forth1

 in prose and verse4 ,he describes well1
 and in his prose compositions often    
breaks out into flashes of keen broad   
humor1 but he is not particularly       
successful in the construction of plots1
 or in the arrangement of incidents4 ,he
 is most at home in the regions of pure 
fancy4 ,the moment he sets foot in      
fairyland he becomes inspired1 and pours
 out in delightful profusion his        
beautiful imaginings4 ,inferior to      
,burns in depth of passion1 in keen     
perception of the beautiful1 and in the 
description of actual scenes1 he is     
perhaps superior to him in the wild     
delicacy of his inventions and in the   
rich coloring of his imaginative        
pictures4 ,burns was the poet of nature1
 and went far beyond his ,scottish      
contemporaries and successors1 in       
strength of conception1 beauty of       
imagery1 intensity of feeling1 and      
melody of verse4 ,but ,hogg excelled in 
imaginative musing1 and became1 by      
natural right1 the acknowledged bard of 

fairyland4 ,his legend of ,bonny        
,kilmeny has been universally admired4  
,bonny ,kilmeny gaed up the glen1       
,but it was na to meet ,duneira's men2  
,nor the rosy monk of the isle to see1  
,for ,kilmeny was pure as pure could be4
     ,it was only to hear the yorlin    
sing1     ,and pu' the cress flower     
round the spring2     ,the scarlet hypp 
and the hind berrye1     ,and the nut   
that hung frae the hazel tree2     ,but 
,kilmeny was pure as pure could be4     
,but lang may her minny#afg look o'er   
the wa'1     ,and lang may she seek i'  
the greenwood shaw2     ,lang the laird 
of ,duneira blame1     ,and lang1 lang  
greet or ,kilmeny come hame6      ,when 
many a day had come and fled1     ,when 
grief grew calm1 and hope was dead1     
,when mass for ,kilmeny's soul had been 
sung1     ,when the beads-man had       
prayed1 and the dead-bell rung1         
,late1 late in a gloamin1 when all was  
still1     ,when the fringe was red on  
the western hill1     ,the wood was     

sere1 the moon i' the wane1     ,the    
reek o' the cot hung over the plain1    
,like a little wee cloud in the world   
its lane2#afh     ,when the ingle       
lowed#afi with an eiry#agj leme1        
,late1 late in the gloamin1 ,kilmeny    
came hame6      ,kilmeny1 ,kilmeny1     
where have you been8     ,lang hae we   
sought baith holt and dean1#aga     ,by 
linn1 by ford and greenwood tree1       
,yet you are halesome and fair to see4  
,where gat you that joup#agb o' the lily
 scheen8     ,that bonny snook#agc o'   
the birk sae green8     ,and these      
roses1 the fairest that ever were seen8 
,kilmeny1 ,kilmeny1 where have you been8
      ,kilmeny looked up wi' a lovely   
grace1     ,but nae smile was seen on   
,kilmeny's face2     ,as still was her  
look1 and as still was her ee1     ,as  
the stillness that lay on the emerant   
lea1     ,or the mist that sleeps on a  
waveless sea4      ,for ,kilmeny had    
been she knew not where1     ,and       
,kilmeny had seen what she could not    

declare2     ,kilmeny had been where the
 cock never crew1     ,where the rain   
never fell1 and the wind never blew1    
,but it seemed as the harp of the sky   
had rung1     ,and the airs of heaven   
played round her tongue1     ,when she  
spake of the lovely forms she had seen1 
,and a land where sin had never been1   
,a land of love and a land of light1    
,withouten sun1 or moon1 or night2      
,where the river swa'd#agd a living     
stream1     ,and the light a pure       
celestial beam3     ,the land of vision 
it would seem1     ,a still1 an         
everlasting dream4      ,in yon         
greenwood there is a waik1     ,and in  
that waik there is a wene1     ,and in  
that wene there is a maike1#age         
,that neither hath flesh1 blood nor     
bane1     ,and down in yon greenwood he 
walks his lane6     ,in that grene wene 
,kilmeny lay     ,her bosom happed wi'  
the flowrets gay2     ,and the air was  
soft1 and the silence deep1     ,and    
bonny ,kilmeny fell sound asleep2       

,she kenn'd nae mair1 nor opened her ee1
     ,till waked by the hymns of a far  
countrye1     ,she wakened on couch of  
the silk sae slim1     ,all striped wi' 
the bars of the rainbow's rim2     ,and 
lovely beings around her were rife1     
,who erst had travelled mortal life4    
,they clasped her waist and her hands   
sae fair1     ,they kissed her cheek1   
and they kamed her hair1     ,and round 
came many a blooming fere1     ,saying1 
,bonny ,kilmeny1 ye're welcome here4    
99       99       99       99       99  
,they lifted ,kilmeny1 they led her     
away1     ,and she walked in the light  
of a sunless day1     ,the sky was a    
dome of crystal bright1     ,the        
fountain of vision1 and fountain of     
light2     ,the emerant fields were of  
dazzling glow1     ,and the flowers of  
everlasting blow4     ,then deep in the 
stream her body they laid1     ,that her
 youth and beauty might never fade2     
,and they smiled on heaven1 when they   
saw her lie     ,in the stream of life  

that wandered by2     ,and she heard a  
song1 she heard it sung1     ,she kenn'd
 not where1 but so sweetly it rung1     
,it fell on her ears like a dream of the
 morn3     ,o1 blest be the day ,kilmeny
 was born6     ,now shall the land of   
spirits see1     ,now shall it ken what 
a woman may be6     ,the sun that shines
 on the world so bright1     ,a borrowed
 gleam from the fountain of light3      
,and the moon that sleeks the sky sae   
dun1     ,like a gowden bow1 or a       
beamless sun1     ,shall skulk away1 and
 be seen nae mair1     ,and the angels  
shall miss them travelling the air4     
,but lang1 lang after both night and    
day1     ,when the sun and the world    
have 'eelged#agf away1     ,when the    
sinner has gane to his waesome doom1    
,kilmeny shall smile in eternal bloom6  
,they sooft#agg her away to a mountain  
green1     ,to see what mortal had never
 seen2     ,and they seated her high on 
a purple sward1     ,and bade her heed  
what she saw and heard2     ,and note   

the changes the spirits wrought1        
,for now she lived in the land of       
thought4     ,she looked and she saw no 
sun nor skies1     ,but a crystal dome  
of a thousand dyes4     ,she looked and 
she saw no lang aright1     ,but an     
endless whirl of glory and light4       
,and radiant beings went and came1      
,far swifter than wind1 or the linked   
flame2     ,she hid her een from the    
dazzling view1     ,she looked again1   
and the scene was new4     ,she saw a   
sun on a simmer sky1     ,and clouds of 
amber sailing by2     ,a lovely land    
aneath her lay1     ,and that land had  
lakes and mountains gray2     ,and that 
land had valleys and hoary piles1       
,and merlit seas1 and a thousand isles2 
,she saw the corn wave on the vale2     
,she saw the deer run down the dale2    
,and many a mortal toiling sore1        
,and she thought she had seen the land  
afore4             99       99       99 
99       99      ,to sing of the sights 
,kilmeny saw1     ,so far surpassing    

nature's law1     ,the singer's voice   
would sink away1     ,and the string of 
his harp would cease to play1     ,but  
she saw while the sorrows of man were   
by1     ,and all was love and harmony2  
,while the sterns of heaven fell lonely 
away1     ,like the flakes of snow on a 
winter's day4      ,then ,kilmeny begged
 again to see     ,the friends she had  
left in her ain countrye1     ,to tell  
of the place where she had been1        
,and the glories that lay in the land   
unseen4     ,with distant music soft and
 deep1     ,they lulled ,kilmeny sound  
asleep2     ,and when she awakened1 she 
lay her lane1     ,all happed with      
flowers in the greenwood wene     ,when 
seven lang years had come and fled1     
,when grief was calm and hope was dead1 
,when scarce was remembered ,kilmeny's  
name4     ,late1 late in the gloamin    
,kilmeny came hame6     ,and oh6 her    
beauty was fair to see1     ,but still  
and steadfast was her ee2     ,such     
beauty bard may never declare1     ,for 

there was no pride nor passion there2   
,and the soft desire of maiden's een1   
,in that mild face could never be seen4 
,her seyman was the lily flower1        
,and her cheek the moss-rose in the     
shower2     ,and her voice like the     
distant melodye1     ,that floats along 
the twilight sea4     ,but she loved to 
range the lanely glen1     ,and keeped  
afar frae the haunts of men1     ,her   
holy hymns unheard to sing1     ,to suck
 the flowers and drink the spring2      
,but wherever her peaceful form         
appeared1     ,the wild beasts of the   
hill were cheered2     ,the wolf played 
blithely round the field1     ,the      
lordly bison lowed and kneeled1     ,the
 dun deer wooed with manner bland1      
,and cowered aneath her lily hand4      
,and when at eve the woodlands rung1    
,when hymns of other worlds she sung1   
,in ecstacy of sweet devotion1     ,oh1 
then the glen was all in motion2        
,the wild beasts of the forest came1    
,broke from their bughts and faulds the 

tame1     ,and gooed around1 charmed and
 amazed2     ,even the dull cattle      
crooned and gazed1     ,and murmured and
 looked with anxious pain     ,for      
something the mystery to explain4       
,the buzzard came with the throstle     
cock2     ,the corby left her houf in   
the rock2     ,the blackbird along with 
the eagle flew2     ,the hind came      
tripping o'er the dew2     ,the wolf and
 the kid their raike began1     ,and the
 tod1 and the lamb1 and the leveret ran2
     ,the hawk and the hern attour them 
hung1     ,and the merl and the mavis   
forhooyed#agh their young2     ,and all 
in a peaceful ring were hurled3     ,it 
was like an eve in a sinless world6     
,when a month and a day had come and    
gane1     ,kilmeny sought the greenwood 
wene1     ,there laid her down on the   
leaves so green1     ,and ,kilmeny1 on  
earth was never mair seen6  ,footnote   
#afg3 ,mother  ,footnote #afh3 ,alone4  
,footnote #afi3 ,blazed4  ,footnote     
#agj3 ,lonesome flame4  ,footnote #aga3 

,hollow and den4  ,footnote #agb3       
,ornament4  ,footnote #agc3 ,snood or   
headband4  ,footnote #agd3 ,swelled or  
swept4  ,footnote #age3 ,briefly the    
meaning is1 that in the greenwood there 
is a sweet lonely place where a         
spiritual being wanders alone4          
,footnote #agf3 ,vanished4  ,footnote   
#agg3 ,swept or spirited away1 with a   
rapid motion4  ,footnote #agh3 ,forsook4
  ,the close of ,the ,queen's ,wake is  
graceful and touching4      ,now my     
loved harp a while farewell2       ,i   
leave thee on the old gray thorn2       
,the evening dews will mar thy swell    
,that waked to joy the cheerful morn4   
,farewell1 sweet soother of my woe1     
,chill blows the blast around my head2  
,and louder yet that blast may blow1    
,when down this weary vale ,i've sped4  
,the wreath lies on ,st4 ,mary's shore2 
,the mountain sounds are harsh and loud2
     ,the lofty brows of stern ,clokmore
       ,are visored with the moving     
cloud4      ,but winter's deadly hues   

shall fade       ,on moorland bald and  
mountain shaw1     ,and soon the        
rainbow's lovely shade       ,sleep on  
the breast of ,bowerhope ,law2          
,then will the glowing suns of spring1  
,the genial shower and stealing dew1    
,wake every forest bird to sing1        
,and every mountain flower renew4       
,but not the rainbow's ample ring1      
,that spans the glen and mountain gray  
,though fanned by western breeze's wing1
       ,and sunned by summer's glowing  
ray1      ,to man decayed can ever more 
,renew the age of love and glee6        
,can ever second spring restore         
,to my old mountain harp and me4        
,but when the hue of softened spring    
,spreads over hill and lonely lea1      
,and lowly primrose opes unseen1        
,her virgin bosom to the bee2      ,when
 hawthorns breathe their odors far1     
,and carols hail the year's return1     
,and daisy spreads her silver star      
,unheeded1 by the mountain burn1        
,then will ,i seek the aged thorn1      

,the haunted wild and fairy ring1       
,where oft thy erring numbers borne1    
,have taught the wandering winds to     
sing4  ,hogg was unfortunate in all     
business transactions4 ,but the ,duchess
 of ,buccleugh made him a present of    
some seventy acres of moorland1 on which
 he built a pretty cottage4 ,here he    
lived during the latter years of his    
life1 engaged in literary labors1 which 
he relieved by angling and field sports1
 for which he had quite a passion4 ,when
 he could no longer fish and hunt1 he   
avowed his belief that his death was    
near4 ,he was seized with a dropsical   
complaint in the autumn of #ahce1 and   
died1 after some days of insensibility1 
with as little pain as he ever fell     
asleep in his gray plaid upon the       
hillside4 ,with many imperfections1 he  
possessed a leal ,scottish heart1 and   
has left behind him memorials of genius1
 which posterity will not let die4  ,but
 we have arrived at the ancient town of 
,selkirk1 on the ,ettrick1 famous for   

its 'sutors' or shoemakers1 from time   
immemorial burgesses of the town1 and   
distinguished for their loyalty4 ,in the
 market-square are a public well1       
ornamented with the arms of the city1   
and a handsome monument erected by the  
county1 in #ahci1 in memory of ,sir     
,walter ,scott1 who was sheriff of the  
county from #ahjj to #ahcb4 ,on one of  
its sides are the following lines from  
one of his poems3      ,by ,yarrow's    
stream still let me stray1     ,though  
none should guide my feeble way1        
,still feel the breeze down ,ettrick    
break1     ,although it chill my        
withered cheek4  ,in the immediate      
neighborhood of ,selkirk is             
,philiphaugh1 the celebrated            
battle-field1 where ,general ,leslie1   
fighting for freedom and the ,covenant1 
routed the fierce ,montrose1 who cut his
 way through the enemy and fled for his 
life4 ,this defeat destroyed the fruit  
of ,montrose's six splendid victories1  
and ruined the royal cause in ,scotland4

     ,,chapter ,,xxi4       ,return to  
the banks of the                        
,tweed--,abbotsford--,the               
,study--,biographical ,sketch of ,sir   
,walter ,scott--,his ,early             
life--,residence in the                 
,country--,spirit of                    
,romance--,education--,first            
,efforts as an ,author--,success of     
',marmion'--,character of his           
,poetry--,literary ,change--,his        
,novels--,pecuniary                     
,difficulties--,astonishing             
,efforts--,last ,sickness--,death and   
,funeral4   ,leaving the ,ettrick1 we   
proceed once more in the direction of   
the ,tweed1 which we soon reach4 ,how   
sweetly the river winds through this    
wooded region--quick and even impetuous 
in its flow1 but so translucent that the
 white pebbles at the bottom are        
distinctly visible4 ,what a picture of  
peaceful enjoyment is presented by that 
shepherd boy1 leaning against the rock1 
and basking himself in the sun1 while   

his sheep are nibbling the short grass  
on the edge of the water4 ,but yonder is
 ,abbotsford1 with its castellated walls
 and pointed gables1 shooting up from a 
sylvan declivity on the banks of the    
river1 which almost encircles the place 
with a graceful sweep1 and contrasts    
beautifully with the deep-green foliage 
of the straggling clumps of trees4 ,but 
every traveller in ,scotland visits     
,abbotsford1 and therefore we say       
nothing about its singular construction1
 its curious ornaments1 its ancient     
relics1 its broad-swords and            
battle-axes1 its coats armorial1 oak    
carvings and blazoned windows1 its old  
portraits and fine library4 ,we will not
 describe the door taken from the old   
,tolbooth in ,edinburgh1 nor the pulpit 
from which ,ralph ,erskine preached2 nay
 more1 we shall not even moralize on the
 broad-skirted blue coat1 with metal    
buttons1 the plaid trowsers1 heavy      
shoes1 broad-brimmed hat and stout      
walking stick1 the last worn by the     

,great ,magician of the north1 when he  
took to his bed in his last illness4 ,we
 will pass1 however1 into his study1 a  
room about twenty-five feet square1     
containing a small writing table in the 
centre1 on which ,sir ,walter was       
accustomed to write1 and a plain        
arm-chair1 covered with black leather1  
on which he sat4 ,a subdued light enters
 from a single window1 and a few books  
lie on the shelves1 used chiefly for    
reference4 ,by the permission of the    
good lady who has charge of the house1  
we are permitted to seat ourselves1 and 
linger here for an hour1 calling up the 
memory of the most wonderful genius that
 ,scotland has ever produced4  ,the     
father of ,sir ,walter ,scott was a     
writer to the ,signet in ,edinburgh1 an 
excellent and highly respectable man4   
,his mother1 ,anne ,rutherford1 a noble 
and gentle-hearted woman1 was the       
daughter of a physician1 in extensive   
practice1 and ,professor of ,medicine in
 the ,university of ,edinburgh4 ,by both

 parents he was remotely connected with 
some ancient and respectable ,scottish  
families1 a circumstance to which he    
frequently referred with satisfaction4  
,he was born on the #aeth of ,august1 in
 the year #agga4 ,in consequence of     
lameness and a delicate state of health1
 produced by a fall1 he was sent1 in    
early life to ,sandyknowe1 a romantic   
situation near ,kelso1 and placed under 
the care of his grandfather4 ,here he   
fortified his constitution by long      
rambles on foot and on horseback among  
the picturesque scenery and old ruins of
 the neighborhood4 ,smallholm1 a ruined 
tower1 and the scene of ,scott's ballad1
 ,the ,eve of ,st4 ,john's1 was close to
 the farm1 and beside it were the       
,eildon ,hills1 the ruins of            
,ercildoune1 the residence1 in ancient  
times1 of ,thomas the ,rhymer1 ,dryburgh
 ,abbey1 the silver ,tweed1 with its    
storied banks1 and other localities     
renowned in song and story4 ,it was here
 also that he delighted in supplying his

 memory with the tales of his nurse1 and
 some old grandames1 deeply versed in   
the traditions of the country4 ,all     
these left indelible impressions on his 
young imagination1 and nursed the latent
 germ of poetry and romance1 so late1   
but so beautiful in its flowering4      
,subsequently he resided with another   
relation at ,kelso4 ,here1 under the    
shadow of a great platanus or oriental  
palm tree1 in an old garden1 he devoured
 ,percy's ,reliques of ,ancient ,poetry1
 and permitted his fancy to wander at   
will amid the scenes of ,border romance4
 ,this explains1 in some degree1 the    
peculiar characteristics of his first   
poems1 and that fine strain of romantic 
feeling which runs through his tales4   
,speaking of this matter1 he says       
himself3 ,in early youth ,i had been an 
eager student of ballad poetry1 and the 
tree is still in my recollection beneath
 which ,i lay and first entered upon the
 enchanting perusal of ',percy's        
,reliques of ,ancient ,poetry1' although

 it has long perished in the general    
blight which affected the whole race of 
oriental platanus1 to which it belonged4
 ,the taste of another person had       
strongly encouraged my own researches   
into this species of legendary lore4    
,but ,i had never dreamed of an attempt 
to imitate what gave me so much         
pleasure4 ,excepting the usual tribute  
to a mistress's eyebrow1 which is the   
language of passion rather than poetry1 
,i had not for ten years indulged the   
wish to couple so much as love and dove1
 when finding ,lewis in possession of so
 much reputation1 and conceiving that1  
if ,i fell behind him in poetical       
powers1 ,i considerably exceeded him in 
general information1 ,i suddenly took it
 into my head to attempt the style by   
which he had raised himself to fame4 ,he
 refers to the same thing in the        
following lines3      ,thus1 while ,i   
ape the measure wild1     ,of tales that
 charmed me--yet a child1     ,rude     
though they be1 still with the chime    

,return the thoughts of early time2     
,and feelings roused in life's first    
day1     ,glow in the line1 and prompt  
the lay2     ,then rise those crags1    
that mountain tower1     ,which charmed 
my fancy's wakening hour4     ,though no
 broad river swept along1     ,to claim 
perchance heroic song2     ,though sigh 
no groves in summer gale1     ,to prompt
 of love a softer tale1     ,yet was    
poetic impulse given     ,by the green  
hill and clear blue heaven4     ,it was 
a barren scene1 and wild1     ,where    
naked cliffs were rudely piled1     ,but
 ever and anon between     ,lay velvet  
tufts of loveliest green2     ,and well 
the lovely infant knew     ,recesses    
where the wall-flower grew4     ,and    
honeysuckle loved to crawl     ,up the  
low crag and ruined wall4     ,i deemed 
such nooks the sweetest shade     ,the  
sun in all its round surveyed2     ,and 
still ,i thought that shattered tower   
,the mightiest work of human power2     
,and marvelled as the aged hind1        

,with some strange tale bewitched my    
mind1     ,of foragers who1 with        
headlong force     ,down from that      
strength had spurred their horse1       
,their southern rapine to renew     ,far
 in the distant ,cheviot's blue1        
,and home returning filled the hall1    
,with revel1 wassail-route and brawl4-- 
,methought that still with tramp and    
clang     ,the gateway's broken arches  
rang2     ,methought grim features      
seamed with scars1     ,glared through  
the window's rusty bars4     ,and even  
by the winter hearth2     ,old tales ,i 
heard of woe or mirth1     ,of lovers'  
sleights1 of ladies' charms1     ,of    
witches' spells1 of warriors' arms2     
,of patriot battles won of old     ,by  
,wallace wight and ,bruce the bold2     
,of later fields of feud and fight1     
,when pouring from their ,highland      
height1     ,the ,scottish clans in     
headlong sway1     ,had swept the       
scarlet ranks away4     ,while stretched
 at length upon the floor1     ,again ,i

 fought each combat e'er1     ,pebbles  
and shells in order laid     ,the mimic 
ranks of war displayed2     ,and onward 
still the ,scottish lion bore1     ,and 
still the scattered ,southron fled      
before4  ,in addition to this1 young    
,scott was a perfect helluo librorum4   
,he had access to a large library filled
 with romances1 histories1 biographies1 
and so forth1 which he indiscriminately 
devoured4 ,his memory was quick and     
tenacious1 and his mind became stored   
with all sorts of facts1 fables and     
fancies4 ,still1 even in youth1 he      
possessed a sound judgment1 a clear1    
well balanced mind1 and separated the   
chaff from the wheat with tolerable     
discrimination4 ,his father was a good  
,presbyterian1 and did what he could to 
imbue his mind with religious           
principles1 which never deserted him4   
,among the first lines he is known to   
have written are the following4 ,they   
were found wrapped up in a paper        
inscribed by ,dr4 ,adam of the          

,edinburgh ,high ,school1 ',walter      
,scott1 ,july1 #aghc4'                  
,,on ,,the ,,setting ,,sun4      ,those 
evening clouds1 that setting ray1       
,and beauteous tints1 serve to display  
,their great ,creator's praise2         
,then let the short-lived thing called  
man     ,whose life's comprised within a
 span1       ,to ,him his homage raise4 
,we often praise the evening clouds1    
,and tints so gay and bold1     ,but    
seldom think upon our ,god1       ,who  
tinged these clouds with gold4  ,scott  
was educated at the ,edinburgh ,high    
,school1 and ,university4 ,he had an    
aversion to ,greek1 a singular fact1 but
 made some proficiency in ,latin1 moral 
philosophy and history4 ,he also made   
himself tolerably familiar with the     
,french1 ,german and ,italian tongues4  
,being much at home1 he indulged in     
reading romances and poetry4 ,from early
 life1 he was an industrious collector  
of old ballads1 many of which he        
committed to memory4 ,apprenticed to his

 father1 as a writer1 he commenced the  
study of law1 and began to practice in  
his twenty-first year4 ,as his health   
was now vigorous1 he made long          
excursions into the country1 which he   
facetiously denominated raids1 rambling 
over scenes of external beauty or of    
historic interest1 making acquaintance  
with the country people1 and picking up 
information about men and things4 ,by   
this means he amassed an immense store  
of everyday facts1 and an intimate      
knowledge of character1 which were of   
immense service to him in the           
construction of his novels4  ,scott's   
first appearance as an author was in the
 translation from the ,german of        
,burger's ,leonore1 and ,der ,wilde     
,jaeger1 or the ,wild ,huntsman1 ballads
 of singular wildness and power4 ,these1
 however1 made little impression on the 
public mind4 ,of this he says1 ,the     
failure of my first publication did not 
operate1 in any unpleasant degree1      
either on my feelings or spirits4 ,to   

speak candidly1 ,i found pleasure in the
 literary labor in which ,i had1 almost 
by accident1 become engaged1 and labored
 less in the hope of pleasing others1   
though certainly without despair of     
doing so1 than in the pursuit of a new  
and agreeable amusement to myself4 ,he  
continued to read the ,german1 and to   
make translations from it1 and became   
more and more interested in the ballad  
poetry4 ,he was delighted to find the   
affinity of the old ,english1 and       
especially of the ,scottish language to 
the ,german1 not in sound merely1 but in
 the turn of phrase1 so that they were  
capable of being rendered line for line1
 with very little variation4  ,by       
degrees he acquired sufficient          
confidence to attempt the imitation of  
what he so much admired4 ,his first     
original poem was ,glenfinlas4 ,next    
followed ,the ,eve of ,st4 ,john4 ,owing
 to unfortunate circumstances these had 
no great success4 ,nothing daunted1     
however1 he again appeared before the   

public with his ,minstrelsy of the      
,scottish ,border1 which immediately    
became popular4 ,the success of this    
last work1 not only established his     
reputation as an author1 but encouraged 
him to devote himself to literary       
pursuits4 ,under appointment as ,sheriff
 of ,selkirkshire1 he enjoyed the kind  
of associations and employments         
favorable to the cultivation of his     
poetical powers4 ,among other things1 he
 edited the metrical romance of ,sir    
,tristrem1 supposed to be written by    
,thomas the ,rhymer1 or ,thomas of      
,ercildoune1 laird1 poet and prophet1   
who flourished about the year #abhj4    
,the dissertations which accompanied    
this work1 and the imitation of the     
original to complete the romance1       
evinced his antiquarian attainments and 
fine poetical taste4 ,at length appeared
 ,the ,lay of the ,last ,minstrel1 a    
higher1 purer strain1 which was received
 with universal enthusiasm1 and stamped 
him a great and original poet4 ,his fine

 conception of the minstrel1 his easy   
versification1 his admirable narrative1 
his glowing pictures1 his wild ballad   
enthusiasm1 his legendary lore1 and his 
exquisite touches of the marvellous and 
supernatural1 combined to render the    
poem popular beyond all precedent4      
,thirty thousand copies were speedily   
sold by the trade4 ,then1 in quick      
succession1 followed that splendid      
series of poems1 so popular in their    
day1 and still so interesting and       
delightful4 ,intrinsically1 they are    
inferior to some of the higher strains  
of ,english poetry1 but they possess    
certain qualities which gained the      
public ear1 and found a place in the    
national heart4 ,these doubtless were   
the novelty of their style1 their       
natural and simple versification1 their 
easy1 dramatic narrative1 and their     
lively descriptions of national scenes  
and manners1 in contrast with the formal
 hexameters1 with all their buckram and 
binding1 of which the public had become 

tired4  ,being in easy1 and almost in   
affluent circumstances1 ,scott became   
ambitious of founding a family4 ,for    
this purpose he bought land on the banks
 of the ,tweed1 and built ,abbotsford1  
at a very considerable expense4 ,he     
received the order of knighthood1 and   
looked forward to days of ease and      
prosperity4 ,devoting himself almost    
entirely to literary pursuits1 he formed
 connections in business with ,james    
,ballantyne1 then rising into extensive 
business in the city of ,edinburgh4     
,this involved the necessity of large   
advances1 and ,scott became involved in 
large pecuniary responsibilities4 ,he   
received an appointment as one of the   
principal ,clerks of the ,court of      
,session1 with perhaps six thousand     
dollars per annum4 ,this1 with the gains
 of the printing establishment1 and     
other sources of revenue1 would have    
secured to him and his family an ample  
provision4  ,with his customary         
sagacity1 ,sir ,walter perceived that   

his peculiar style of poetry would not  
continue popular1 and therefore he      
betook himself to a new field of        
literary enterprise1 which proved still 
richer1 and1 by far1 more congenial4    
,then appeared his historical novels1   
which became so popular1 that his fame  
as a poet was almost forgotten4 ,volume 
after volume came from the press1 and   
spread like wildfire over the land4     
,translated into ,french1 ,german1 and  
,italian1 they reached every part of    
,europe1 and completely superseded the  
old run of novels1 with their unnatural 
plots and extravagant nonsense4 ,it was 
,scott's ambition to elevate this       
species of literature1 and whatever     
objections may be made against it1 on   
the score of moral influence1 this much 
must be conceded to him4 ,in his hands  
novel writing became comparatively pure 
and dignified1 nay1 as some1 with       
considerable show of reason1 contend1   
beneficial4 ,the moral tone of all ,sir 
,walter's productions is pre-eminently  

pure4 ,they are characterized by shrewd 
sense1 a profound insight into men and  
things1 a keen perception of the        
beautiful and brave1 the generous and   
leal1 a fine sense of honor1 reverence  
for ,god1 and a deep sympathy with all  
the wants and woes1 the hopes and joys  
of our common humanity4 ,sir ,walter is 
the ,shakspeare of novel writing1 and if
 he falls below the great dramatic poet1
 in the quickness and universality of   
his genius1 he approaches him in the    
soundness of his intellect1 the breadth 
of his imagination1 and the versatility 
of his powers4 ,from his ,tory and ,high
 ,church predilections he has done some 
injustice to the old ,covenanters and   
,puritans of ,scotland2 but he possessed
 a noble and generous heart1 a spirit of
 faith and reverence1 a love for ,god   
and all his creatures4 ,his soul was    
naturally blithe and joyous1 hopeful and
 strong4 ,he loved ,scotland with       
intense affection1 and has spread the   
light of his genius over all her hills  

and vales4 ,under the magic influence of
 his pen the hoary mountains1 the dark  
tarns and trosachs of the ,highlands    
gleam with supernal beauty4 ,tweed      
murmurs his name1 while the ,firth and  
,tay repeat it through all their        
windings4 ,his own romantic town glories
 in his memory2 every city1 village and 
hamlet of the ,lowlands1 with strath1   
meadow and moorland1 echo his praise4   
,the ,genius of his country has crowned 
him with the same wild wreath which erst
 she hung upon the head of ,burns1 and  
the world has acknowledged the          
consecration4  ,it was in the year #ahbf
 that ,ballantyne and ,company became   
insolvent1 and ,sir ,walter ,scott1 in  
the very midst of his splendid career1  
found himself involved to the amount of 
#fjj1jjj4 ,but he nobly refused to      
become a bankrupt1 considering1 says    
,allan ,cunningham1 like the elder      
,osbaldistone of his own immortal pages1
 commercial honor as dear as any other  
honor4 ,all he asked for was time2 and  

in seven years he paid off more than the
 half of this sum by the labors of his  
pen4 ,his efforts to accomplish this    
sublime purpose were gigantic1 but they 
broke down his constitution4 ,sometime  
in the beginning of the year #ahca1 says
 his friend ,cunningham1 a sore illness 
came upon him2 his astonishing efforts  
to satisfy his creditors1 began to      
exhaust a mind apparently exhaustless2  
and the world heard with concern that a 
paralytic stroke had affected his speech
 and his right hand1 so much as to      
render writing a matter of difficulty4  
,one of his letters to me at this       
period1 is not written with his own     
hand3 the signature is his1 and looks   
cramped and weak4 ,i visited him at     
,abbotsford1 about the end of ,july1    
#ahca3 he was a degree more feeble than 
,i had ever seen him1 and his voice     
seemed affected2 not so his activity of 
fancy1 and surprising resources of      
conversation4 ,he told anecdotes and    
recited scraps of verse1 old and new1   

always tending to illustrate something  
passing4 ,he showed me his armory1 in   
which he took visible pleasure2 and was 
glad to hear me commend the design of   
his house1 as well as the skill with    
which it was built4 99 99 99 ,in a small
 room1 half library and half armory1 he 
usually sat and wrote3 here he had some 
remarkable weapons1 curious pieces of   
old ,scottish furniture1 such as chairs 
and cabinets1 and an antique sort of a  
table1 on which lay his writing         
materials4 ,a crooked headed staff of   
,abbotsford oak or hazel usually lay    
beside him to support his steps as he   
went and came4  ,when it was known1     
continues ,cunningham1 that ,sir ,walter
 ,scott's health declined1 the deep     
solicitude of all ranks became manifest2
 strangers came from far lands to look  
on the house which contained the great  
genius of our times2 inquirers flocked  
around1 of humble and of high degree1   
and the amount of letters of inquiry or 
condolence was1 ,i have heard1 enormous4

 ,amongst the visitors1 not the least   
welcome was ,wordsworth1 the poet1 who  
arrived when the air of the northern    
hills was growing too sharp for the     
enfeebled frame of ,scott1 and he had   
resolved to try if the fine air and     
climate of ,italy would restore him to  
health and strength4  ,when ,government 
heard of ,sir ,walter's wishes1 they    
offered him a ship2 he left ,abbotsford 
as many thought forever1 and arrived in 
,london1 where he was welcomed as never 
mortal was welcomed before4 ,he visited 
several friends1 nor did he refuse to   
mingle in company1 and having written   
something almost approaching to a       
farewell to the world1 which was        
published with ',castle ,dangerous1' the
 last of his works1 he set sail for     
,italy1 with the purpose of touching at 
,malta4 ,he seemed revived1 but it was  
only for a while3 he visited ,naples1   
but could not enjoy the high honors paid
 to him3 he visited ,rome1 and sighed   
amid its splendid temples and glorious  

works of art1 for gray ,melrose and the 
pleasant banks of ,tweed1 and passing   
out of ,italy1 proceeded homewards down 
the ,rhine4 ,word came to ,london1 that 
a dreadful attack of paralysis had      
nearly deprived him of life1 and that   
but for the presence of mind of a       
faithful servant he must have perished4 
,this alarming news was followed by his 
arrival in ,london3 a strong desire of  
home had come upon him2 he travelled    
with rapidity1 night and day1 and was   
all but worn out1 when carried into ,st4
 ,james's ,hotel1 ,jermyn street1 by his
 servants4  ,as soon as he recovered a  
little1 he resumed his journey to       
,scotland1 reached ,abbotsford1 and     
seemed revived1 smiled when he was borne
 into his library1 and enjoyed the      
society of his children4 ,when he was   
leaving ,london the people1 wherever he 
was recognized1 took off their hats1    
saying1 ,god bless you1 ,sir ,walter6   
,his arrival in ,scotland was hailed    
with equal enthusiasm and sympathy2 and 

so much was he revived that hopes were  
entertained of his recovery4 ,but he    
gradually declined1 listening           
occasionally to passages from the       
,bible1 and from the poems of ,crabbe   
and ,wordsworth4 ,once he tried to      
write1 but failed in the attempt4 ,he   
never spoke of his literary labors or   
success4 ,occasionally his mind         
wandered1 and then he was preparing for 
the reception of the ,duke of           
,wellington at ,abbotsford1 or          
exercising the functions of a judge1 as 
if presiding at the trial of members of 
his own family4 ,it may be regarded as a
 singular fact1 that in his delirium1   
his mind never wandered toward those    
works which had filled the world with   
his fame4 ,but the flame of life now    
flickered feebly in its socket1 and gave
 unerring indications of its speedy     
extinction4 ,about half past one1 ,p4   
,m41 says ,mr4 ,lockhart1 his son-in-law
 and biographer1 on the #bast of        
,september1 #ahcb1 ,sir ,walter breathed

 his last1 in the presence of all his   
children4 ,it was a beautiful day--so   
warm that every window was open--and so 
perfectly still that the sound1 of all  
others most delicious to his ear1 the   
gentle ripple of the ,tweed over its    
pebbles1 was distinctly audible1 as we  
knelt around his bed1 and his eldest son
 kissed and closed his eyes4  ,the      
remains of ,sir ,walter were buried in  
,dryburgh ,abbey4 ,as we advanced1 says 
one who was present at the funeral1     
which was conducted with the greatest   
simplicity and solemnity1 the ruined    
abbey disclosed itself through the      
trees2 and we approached its western    
extremity1 where a considerable portion 
of vaulted roof still remains to protect
 the poet's family place of interment1  
which opens to the sides in lofty       
,gothic arches1 and is defended by a low
 rail of enclosure4 ,at one extremity of
 it1 a tall thriving young cypress rears
 its spiral form4 ,creeping plants of   
different kinds1 'with ivy never sere1' 

have spread themselves very luxuriantly 
over every part of the ,abbey4 ,these   
perhaps were in many instances the      
children of art2 but however this may   
have been1 nature had herself undertaken
 their education4 ,in this spot         
especially1 she seems to have been most 
industriously busy in twining her       
richest wreaths around those walls which
 more immediately form her poet's tomb4 
,amongst her other decorations1 we      
observed a plum tree1 which was perhaps 
at one period a prisoner1 chained to the
 solid masonry1 but which having long   
since been emancipated1 now threw out   
its wild pendent branches1 laden with   
purple fruit1 ready to drop1 as if      
emblematical of the ripening and decay  
of human life4  ,in such a scene as     
this1 then1 it was that the coffin of   
,sir ,walter ,scott was set down on     
trestles placed outside the iron        
railing2 and here that solemn service1  
beginning with those words1 so cheering 
to the souls of ,christians1 ',i am the 

resurrection and the life1' was solemnly
 read4 ,the manly soldier-like features 
of the chief mourner1 on whom the eyes  
of sympathy were most naturally turned1 
betrayed at intervals the powerful      
efforts which he had made to master his 
emotions1 as well as the inefficiency of
 his exertions to do so4 ,the other     
relatives who surrounded the bier were  
deeply moved2 and amid the crowd of     
weeping friends1 no eye1 and no heart   
could be discovered that was not        
altogether occupied in that sad and     
impressive ceremonial1 which was so soon
 to shut from them forever1 him who had 
been so long the common idol of their   
admiration1 and of their best           
affections4 ,here and there1 indeed1 we 
might have fancied that we detected some
 early and long tried friends of him who
 lay cold before us1 who1 whilst tears  
dimmed their eyes1 and whilst their lips
 quivered1 were yet partly engaged in   
mixing up and contrasting the happier   
scenes of days long gone by1 with that  

which they were now witnessing1 until   
they became lost in dreamy reverie1 so  
that even the movement made when the    
coffin was carried under the lofty      
arches of the ruin1 and when dust was   
committed to dust1 did not entirely snap
 the thread of their visions4 ,it was   
not until the harsh sound of the hammers
 of the workmen who were employed to    
rivet those iron bars covering the      
grave1 to secure it from violation1 had 
begun to echo from the vaulted roof1    
that some of us were called to the full 
conviction of the fact1 that the earth  
had forever closed over that form which 
we were wont to love and reverence2 that
 eye which we had so often seen beaming 
with benevolence1 sparkling with wit1 or
 lighted up with a poet's frenzy2 those 
lips which we had so often seen         
monopolizing the attention of all       
listeners1 or heard rolling out1 with   
nervous accentuation1 those powerful    
verses with which his head was          
continually teeming2 and that brow1 the 

perpetual throne of generous expression1
 and liberal intelligence4 ,overwhelmed 
by the conviction of this afflicting    
truth1 men moved away without parting   
salutation1 singly1 slowly1 and         
silently4 ,the day began to stoop down  
into twilight2 and we1 too1 after giving
 a last parting survey to the spot where
 now repose the remains of our ,scottish
 ,shakspeare1 a spot lovely enough to   
induce his sainted spirit to haunt and  
sanctify its shades1 hastily tore       
ourselves away4     ,,chapter ,,xxii4   
,melrose ,abbey--,the ,eildon           
,hills--,thomas the                     
,rhymer--,dryburgh--,monuments to the   
,author of ',the ,seasons' and ,sir     
,william ,wallace--,kelso--,beautiful   
scenery--,a ,pleasant                   
,evening--,biographical ,sketch of      
,leyden1 ,poet1 ,antiquary1 ,scholar    
and ,traveller--,the ,duncan            
,family--,journey ,resumed--,twisel     
,bridge--,battle of ,flodden--,norham   
,castle--,berwick upon                  

,tweed--,biographical ,sketch of ,thomas
 ,mackay ,wilson1 author of ',the       
,border ,tales'--,conclusion--',auld    
,lang ,syne4'   ,after visiting fair    
,melrose1 whose rains1 rising in the    
centre of a rich landscape1 and rendered
 immortal by the exquisite descriptions 
of ,sir ,walter ,scott1 are the most    
interesting and beautiful of any in     
,scotland2--wandering over the ,eildon  
,hills1 the ,trimontium of the ,romans1 
from the summits of which some thirty   
miles of wild and varied scenery can be 
surveyed2 gazing on the ruins of        
,ercildoune1 the manor-house of ,thomas 
the ,rhymer1 whose real name was ,thomas
 ,learmont1 author of ,the ,romance of  
,tristan1 a poem of the thirteenth      
century1 in the language of antique     
,chaucer2 lingering in ,dryburgh ,abbey1
 embosomed in a richly wooded haugh on  
the banks of the ,tweed2 and especially 
gazing1 in reverent homage1 on the grave
 of the ,great ,magician of the ,north1 
in ,st4 ,mary's ,aisle1 so sad and yet  

so fair2 crossing the ,tweed1 and       
pausing a few moments1 to examine a     
circular temple on the banks of the     
river1 dedicated to the ,muses1 and     
surmounted by a bust of ,thomson1 author
 of ,the ,seasons1 and a little further 
on the colossal statue of ,sir ,william 
,wallace1 the hero of ,scotland1 which  
stands upon a rocky eminence and        
overlooks the river1 and a fine prospect
 of wood and water1 mountain and rock   
scenery1 we pass along the banks of the 
,tweed1 till we come to the handsome    
town of ,kelso1 on the margin of the    
river1 with its ancient ,abbey and      
delightful environs4  ,as the day is far
 spent1 we will stay here for the night4
 ,but1 before the sun goes down1 let us 
wander over the neighborhood1 which is  
singularly beautiful1 and redolent with 
the genius of ,scott and of ,leyden1 who
 has described it in his ,scenes of     
,infancy4      ,bosom'd in woods where  
mighty rivers run1     ,kelso's fair    
vale expands before the sun2     ,its   

rising downs in vernal beauty swell1    
,and fringed with hazel1 winds each     
flowery dell1     ,green spangled plains
 to dimpled lawns succeed1     ,and     
,tempe rises on the banks of ,tweed3    
,blue o'er the river ,kelso's shadow    
lies1     ,and copse-clad isles amid the
 water rise4  ,as the view from the     
bridge which spans the river is said to 
be one of the richest in ,scotland1 we  
linger there till the sun goes down4    
',tis a soft1 still1 summer afternoon1  
beginning to glide into the long and    
beautiful twilight4 ,the rays of the sun
 are yet upon the mountains1 and tinge  
the summits of the woods1 the rocks1 and
 the castellated edifices1 which adorn  
the landscape4 ,the ,tweed is gliding1  
in shadow1 through the wooded vale1 and 
the songs of the mavis and blackbird are
 echoing among the trees4 ,a little     
above the bridge the clear waters of the
 ,teviot and the ,tweed flow together1  
as if attracted by each other's beauty4 
,beyond are the picturesque ruins of    

,roxburgh ,castle1 and somewhat nearer  
the ducal palace of ,fleurs1 rising amid
 a rich expanse of wooded decorations1  
sloping down to the very margin of the  
river2 in front are gleaming two green  
islets of the ,tweed1 and between that  
river and the ,teviot reposes the       
beautiful peninsula of ,friar's ,green1 
with the soft meadow in its foreground4 
,on the south bank of the river are the 
mansion and woods of ,springwood ,park1 
and the bridge across the ,teviot1 on   
which are reposing the mellow rays of   
the setting sun4 ,on the right the town 
lies along the bank of the river1 with  
its elegant mansions and venerable      
abbey4 ,there too is ,ednam ,house1 near
 which the poet ,thomson had his birth4 
,far beyond these1 the eye rests        
pleasantly on the triple summits of the 
,eildon ,hills1 looking down            
protectingly upon the vale of ,tweed1   
the hills of ,stitchell and             
,mellerstain1 and the striking ruin of  
,home ,castle1 still arrayed in the     

purple and gold of departing day4       
,intermingled with all these are the    
windings and rippling currents of the   
river1 clumps of rich green foliage1    
orchards laden with fruit1 tufted rocks1
 verdant slopes1 single trees of lofty  
stature1 standing out from the rest1 in 
the pride and pomp of their leafy       
umbrage1 cattle browsing peacefully on  
the banks of the stream1 here and there 
a sylvan cottage1 and an infinite       
variety of light and shade1 of blending 
colors and changing forms1 hallowed1    
moreover1 by the hoary memories and     
poetical associations of by-gone days4  
,no wonder that ,leyden loved to wander 
in such scenes1 or that ,scott1 a more  
transcendent genius1 should have        
ascribed to this influence the awakening
 in his soul of that insatiable love of 
natural scenery1 more especially when   
combined with ancient ruins1 or remains 
of our fathers' piety and splendor1     
which gave a charm to his life1 and     
imparted to the productions of his      

genius a warmth and richness of coloring
 unequalled in the history of           
literature4  ,but it is time to return  
to our comfortable hotel in ,kelso1     
where mine host1 who is an honest1      
round-faced1 rosy-cheeked1 good-natured 
,scot1 will give us good cheer for      
supper1 and a bed soft as down upon     
which to repose our weary limbs4  ,well 
now1 this is pleasant6 ,here in this    
snug room1 with a cheerful cup of tea1  
and such toast1 broiled chicken1 and    
other edibles1 as mine host only can    
produce1 we feel as easy and independent
 as kings1 aye1 and a great deal more   
so2 for who so satisfied and happy as   
the man1 whatever his estate1 who has a 
clear conscience1 a mind brimful of     
sweet memories1 a heart grateful to ,god
 and attached to those he loves8 ,let   
any person only do what is right1 trust 
in ,god1 enjoy nature1 cultivate his    
mind1 exercise his body1 and he may     
secure as much happiness as falls to the
 lot of mortals4 ,trials may come1 but  

joys will come also4 ,all things shall  
work together for good4  ,but it is easy
 moralizing over a good cup of tea1 with
 a cheerful fire blazing in the grate1  
and a soft bed in prospect for weary    
limbs4 ,moreover1 ,i promised to give   
you some account of ,leyden1 poet and   
antiquary1 scholar and traveler4  ,john 
,leyden was born in #agge1 in ,denholm1 
,roxburghshire1 not far from ,kelso1 of 
poor but honest parents4 ,he displayed  
in early life the most eager desire for 
learning1 but possessed few             
opportunities for gratifying it1 as he  
had to spend much of his time in manual 
toil4 ,his parents1 however1 seeing his 
thirst for knowledge1 resolved to send  
him to ,edinburgh ,university4 ,he      
entered this institution in his         
fifteenth year1 and made unusual        
progress in his studies4 ,he            
distinguished himself in the ,latin and 
,greek languages1 acquired the ,french1 
,spanish1 ,italian and ,german1 besides 
forming some acquaintance with the      

,hebrew1 ,arabic and ,persian4 ,during  
his college vacations he returned to the
 humble roof of his parents1 and as the 
accommodations of the house were scanty1
 he looked for a place of study         
elsewhere4 ,in a wild recess1 says ,sir 
,walter ,scott1 who has furnished an    
animated biography of ,leyden1 in the   
den or glen which gives name to the     
village of ,denholm1 he contrived a sort
 of furnace for the purpose of such     
chemical experiments as he was adequate 
to performing4 ,but his chief place of  
retirement was the small parish church1 
a gloomy and ancient building1 generally
 believed in the neighborhood to be     
haunted4 ,to this chosen place of study1
 usually locked during week days1       
,leyden made entrance by means of a     
window1 read there for many hours in the
 day1 and deposited his books and       
specimens in a retired pew4 ,it was a   
well chosen spot for seclusion1 for the 
kirk1 7excepting during divine service17
 is rather a place of terror to the     

,scottish rustic1 and that of ,cavers   
was rendered more so by many a tale of  
ghosts and witchcraft1 of which it was  
the supposed scene1 and to which        
,leyden1 partly to indulge his humor1   
and partly to secure his retirement1    
contrived to make some modern additions4
 ,the nature of his abstruse studies1   
some specimens of natural history1 as   
toads and adders1 left exposed in their 
spirit vials1 and one or two practical  
jests played off upon the more curious  
of the peasantry1 rendered his gloomy   
haunt1 not only venerated by the wise1  
but feared by the simple of the parish4 
,leyden was originally intended for the 
clerical profession1 but abandoned it   
for more secular employments4 ,his      
spirit was intense1 restless and        
ambitious1 and he longed for foreign    
travel and literary distinction4 ,after 
spending five years at college1 he      
became tutor to a highly respectable    
family1 with whose sons he repaired to  
the ,university of ,st4 ,andrews1 where 

he pursued his ,oriental studies1 and in
 #agii published a ,history of ,african 
,discoveries4 ,he was the author1 also1 
of various translations and poems1 which
 attracted considerable attention and   
introduced him to the best society4 ,in 
#ahjj he was ordained as a minister1 and
 his discourses were highly popular2 but
 he was dissatisfied with them1 and felt
 that he was called to a different      
sphere4 ,he continued to write and      
compose1 contributed to ,lewis's ,tales 
of ,wonder1 and ,scott's ,border        
,minstrelsy4 ,he was an enthusiastic    
admirer of the old ballads1 and on one  
occasion actually walked between forty  
and fifty miles for the sole purpose of 
visiting an old person who possessed an 
ancient historical ballad4 ,he edited   
the ,scot's ,magazine1 for a year1 and  
published ,the ,complaynt of ,scotland1 
an old work written about #aedh1 which  
he accompanied with a learned           
dissertation1 notes and a glossary4 ,his
 strong desire to visit foreign lands   

induced his friends to procure for him  
an appointment in ,india1 where he might
 study the oriental languages and       
literature4 ,the only situation which   
they found available was that of        
assistant surgeon1 for which it was     
necessary to have a medical diploma4    
,but such was the energy1 decision and  
perseverance of ,leyden's character1    
that he qualified himself in six months2
 and not long after set out for ,madras4
 ,before taking his departure he        
finished his ,scenes of ,infancy1 as it 
were1 the last token of his love for    
,scotland1 which he never again beheld4 
,he was resolved to distinguish himself 
or die in the attempt4 ,indeed a        
premonition of such an issue seems to   
have haunted his mind1 and was          
expressed1 with touching beauty1 in his 
,scenes of ,infancy4      ,the silver   
moon at midnight cold and still1        
,looks sad and silent o'er yon western  
hill2     ,while large and pale the     
ghostly structures grow1     ,reared on 

the confines of the world below4     ,is
 that dull sound the hum of ,teviot's   
stream8     ,is that blue light the     
moon's or tomb-fire's gleam8     ,by    
which a mouldering pile is faintly seen1
     ,the old deserted church of        
,hazeldean1     ,where slept my fathers 
in their natal clay1     ,till ,teviot's
 waters rolled their bones away8        
,their feeble voices from their stream  
they raise--     ',rash youth6 unmindful
 of thy early days1     ,why didst thou 
quit the simple peasant's lot8     ,why 
didst thou leave the peasant's          
turf-built cot1     ,the ancient graves 
where all thy fathers lie1     ,and     
,teviot's stream that long has murmur'd 
by8     ,and we1 when death so long has 
clos'd our eyes1     ,how wilt thou bid 
us from the dust arise1     ,and bear   
our mouldering bones across the main4   
,from vales that knew our lives devoid  
of stain8     ,rash youth6 beware1 thy  
home-bred virtues save1     ,and sweetly
 sleep in thy paternal grave4'  ,after  

his arrival in ,madras1 his health      
became impaired1 and he removed to      
,prince of ,wales ,island4 ,he resided  
there some time1 visiting the           
neighboring countries1 and amassing     
curious information on the literature   
and history of the ,indo-,chinese1 which
 he embodied in an elaborate            
dissertation read before the ,asiatic   
,society at ,calcutta4 ,quitting ,prince
 of ,wales ,island1 ,leyden was         
appointed a professor in the ,bengal    
,college1 which he soon exchanged for   
the office of judge1 a more lucrative   
employment4 ,his spare time was devoted 
to the prosecution of his oriental      
studies4 ,i may die in the attempt1 he  
wrote to a friend1 but if ,i die without
 surpassing ,sir ,william ,jones a      
hundredfold in oriental learning1 let   
never a tear for me profane the eye of a
 borderer4 ,in #ahaa he accompanied the 
governor general to ,java4 ,his spirit  
of bold adventure led him literally to  
rush upon death4 ,he threw himself into 

the surf in order to be the first       
,briton who should set foot upon ,java4 
,when the invaders had taken possession 
of ,batavia1 the same reckless eagerness
 took him into a cold damp library1 in  
which were many books and manuscripts4  
,affected perhaps by the disease of the 
climate he had a fit of shivering on    
leaving the library1 and declared that  
the atmosphere was enough to give any   
one a mortal fever4 ,in three days after
 he died1 ,august #bh1 #ahaa1 on the eve
 of the battle which secured ,java to   
the ,british ,empire4  ,leyden's        
,poetical ,remains were published in    
#ahai1 with a memoir4 ,in addition to   
the ,scenes of ,infancy1 it contains    
some vigorous ballads4 ,to one of these1
 ,the ,mermaid1 as well as to the       
untimely death of its author1 ,sir      
,walter ,scott has referred in his ,lord
 of the ,isles4      ,scarba's ,isle1   
whose tortured shore     ,still rings to
 ,corrievreckin's roar1       ,and      
lovely ,colonsay2     ,scenes sung by   

him who sings no more3     ,his bright  
and brief career is o'er1       ,and    
mute his tuneful strains2     ,quenched 
is his lamp of varied lore1     ,that   
loved the light of song to pour3     ,a 
distant and a deadly shore       ,has   
,leyden's cold remains4  ,his ,scenes of
 ,infancy is distinguished for the      
sweetness of its versification1 and its 
pleasant pictures of the vale of        
,teviot4 ,in strength and enthusiasm1 it
 is much inferior to his ballads4 ,the  
opening of ,the ,mermaid1 has been      
praised by ,sir ,walter ,scott as       
exhibiting a power of numbers1 which for
 mere melody of sound has rarely been   
excelled4      ,on ,jura's heath how    
sweetly swell       ,the murmurs of the 
mountain bee6     ,how softly1 mourns   
the writh'd shell1       ,of ,jura's    
shore1 its parent sea4      ,but softer1
 floating o'er the deep1       ,the     
mermaid's sweet1 sea-soothing lay1      
,that charmed the dancing waves to      
sleep1       ,before the bark of        

,colonsay4  ,but better known1 and far  
more affecting1 is ,leyden's ,ode to an 
,indian ,gold ,coin1 written in         
,cherical1 ,malabar1 which in addition  
to its vigor and beauty1 has a fine     
moral which it is not necessary to point
 out4      ,slave of the dark and dirty 
mine6       ,what vanity has brought    
thee here8     ,how can ,i love to see  
thee shine       ,so bright1 whom ,i    
have bought so dear8       ,the         
tent-ropes flapping lone ,i hear1       
,for twilight converse arm in arm2      
,the jackal's shriek bursts on my ear1  
,when mirth and music wont to cheer4    
,by ,cherical's dark wandering streams1 
,where cane-tufts shadow all the wild1  
,sweet visions haunt my waking dreams   
,of ,teviot loved while still a child2  
,of castled rocks stupendous piled      
,by ,esk or ,eden's classic wave1       
,where loves of youth and friendship    
smiled     ,uncursed by thee1 vile      
yellow slave6      ,fade1 day-dreams    
sweet1 from memory fade6       ,the     

perished bliss of youth's first prime1  
,that once so bright on fancy played1   
,revives no more in after time4         
,far from my sacred natal clime     ,i  
haste to an untimely grave2       ,the  
daring thoughts that soared sublime     
,are sunk in ocean's southern wave4     
,slave of the mine1 thy yellow light    
,gleams baleful as the tomb-fire drear4 
,a gentle vision comes by night         
,my lonely widowed heart to cheer4      
,her eyes are dim with many a tear1     
,that once were guiding-stars to mine2  
,her fond heart throbs with many a fear6
     ,i cannot bear to see thee shine4  
,for thee1 for thee1 vile yellow slave1 
,i left a heart that loved me true6     
,i crossed the tedious ocean wave1      
,to roam in climes unkind and new4      
,the cold wind of the stranger blew     
,chill on my withered heart2 the grave  
,dark and untimely met my view--        
,and all for thee1 vile yellow slave6   
,ha6 com'st thou now so late to mock    
,a wanderer's banished heart forlorn1   

,now that his frame1 the lightning shock
       ,of sun-rays tipt with death has 
borne8       ,from love1 from           
friendship1 country1 torn1     ,to      
memory's fond regrets the prey3         
,vile slave1 thy yellow dross ,i scorn6 
,go mix thee with thy kindred clay6     
,while conversing about ,leyden1 we must
 not forget a gentler1 purer spirit1    
,mary ,lundie ,duncan1 who first saw the
 light amid the blossoms of ,kelso1 and 
whose young heart first warbled its     
poetic strains on the banks of the      
,tweed4 ,her ,memoir1 by her gifted     
mother1 is one of the most beautiful and
 touching biographies in the ,english   
language4 ,possessed of genius and      
piety1 at once pure and tender1 her     
brief life was the fair but changeful   
spring-time which preceded the long     
summer of eternity4      ,sweet bird of 
,scotia's tuneful clime1       ,so      
beautiful and dear1     ,whose music    
gushed as genius taught1     ,with      
,heaven's own quenchless spirit fraught1

       ,i list--thy strain to hear4     
,bright flower on ,kelso's bosom born1  
,when spring her glories shed1          
,where ,tweed flows on in silver sheen1 
,and ,tiviot feeds her valleys green1   
,i cannot think thee dead4      ,fair   
child--whose rich unfoldings gave       
,a promise rare and true1     ,the      
parent's proudest thoughts to cheer1    
,and soothe of widowed woe the tear1--  
,why hid'st thou from our view8         
,young bride1 whose wildest thrill of   
hope       ,bowed the pure brow in      
prayer1     ,whose ardent zeal and      
saintly grace1     ,did make the manse a
 holy place1       ,we search--thou art 
not there4      ,fond mother1 they who  
taught thy joys       ,to sparkle up so 
high2     ,thy first born1 and her      
brother dear     ,catch charms from     
every fleeting year3--       ,where is  
thy glistening eye8      ,meek          
,christian1 it is well with thee1       
,that where thy heart so long     ,was  
garnered up1 thy home should be2--      

,thy path with ,him who made thee       
free2--       ,thy lay--an angel's song4
      ,lydia ,h4 ,sigourney4  ,some of  
,mary ,lundie ,duncan's poems are       
characterized not merely by purity and  
elevation of sentiment1 but by sweetness
 and melody of versification4 ,the      
following written at ,callander1 though 
not without defects1 indicates the      
possession of true poetical genius4     
,how pure the light on yonder hills1    
,how soft the shadows lie2     ,how     
blythe each morning sound that fills    
,the air with melody6      ,those hills1
 that rest in solemn calm       ,above  
the strife of men1     ,are bathed in   
breezy gales of balm       ,from knoll  
and heathy glen4      ,in converse with 
the silent sky1       ,they mock the    
flight of years2     ,while man and all 
his labors die       ,low in this vale  
of tears4      ,meet emblem of eternal  
rest1       ,they point their summits   
grey     ,to the fair regions of the    
blest1       ,where tends our pilgrim   

way4      ,the everlasting mountains    
there       ,reflect undying light2     
,the ray which gilds that ambient air1  
,nor fades1 nor sets in night4          
,then summer sun more piercing bright4  
,that beam is milder too2     ,for love 
is in the sacred light       ,that      
softens every hue4      ,the gale that  
fans the peaceful clime       ,is life's
 immortal breath1     ,its freshness    
makes the sons of time       ,forget    
disease and death4      ,and shall we   
tread that holy ground1       ,and      
breathe that fragrant air2     ,and view
 the fields with glory crowned       ,in
 cloudless beauty fair8             99  
99       99       99       99      ,look
 up6 look up1 to yonder light1          
,that cheers the desert grey3     ,it   
marks the close of toil and night1      
,the dawn of endless day4      ,how     
sweet your choral hymns will blend      
,with harps of heavenly tone2     ,when 
glad you sing your journey's end        
,around your ,father's throne4  ,mary's 

contributions to ,the ,philosophy of the
 ,seasons1 over the signature of ,m4 ,l4
 ,d41 such as ,the ,rose1 ,the ,bat1    
,sabbath ,morning1 an ,autumnal ,sabbath
 ,evening1 are simple and elegant1      
indicating the possession of good sense 
and a refined imagination4 ,like her    
brother ,archibald ,lundie1 who went to 
the ,south ,sea ,islands in order to    
benefit his health1 and to labor in the 
sublime work of ,christian missions1    
,mary passed away in the morning of her 
days1 but not without leaving a blessed 
fragrance behind her1 which yet lingers1
 not over ,scotland alone1 but over the 
whole ,christian world4 ,and well might 
her stricken yet resigned and hopeful   
mother say1 in the words quoted at the  
close of her daughter's ,memoir3      ,i
 know thou art gone where thy forehead  
is starred       ,with the beauty that  
dwelt in thy soul2     ,where the light 
of thy loveliness cannot be marred1     
,nor thy heart be flung back from its   
gaol3     ,i know thou hast drank of the

 ,lethe that flows       ,through a land
 where they do not forget2     ,that    
sheds over memory only repose2          
,and takes from it only regret4         
,and though like a mourner that sits by 
a tomb1       ,i am wrapt in a mantle of
 care2     ,yet the grief of my         
bosom--oh6 call it not gloom--       ,is
 not the black grief of despair4     ,by
 sorrow revealed1 as the stars are by   
night1       ,far off thy bright vision 
appears2     ,and hope like the rainbow1
 a creature of light1       ,is born    
like the rainbow--in tears4      ,j4 ,k4
 ,hervey4  ,the ,duncan family to which 
,mary ,lundie1 by her marriage with one 
of the sons1 belonged1 is one of the    
most interesting in ,scotland4 ,all of  
its members seem possessed of fine      
talents1 devoted piety1 and generous    
affections4 ,two of the sons1 with the  
father1 were ministers of the           
established church of ,scotland at the  
time of the secession of the ,free      
,church from that body1 and made a      

sacrifice1 for conscience' sake1 of     
agreeable situations and handsome       
incomes4 ,without the slightest         
hesitation1 and without a murmur even1  
they abandoned their beautiful manses1  
their churches and people1 and threw    
themselves1 with their brethren of the  
,free ,church1 upon the providence of   
,god1 not knowing what might be the     
issues of that sublime movement4 ,the   
,philosophy of the ,seasons1#agi though 
written mainly by the father1 the ,rev4 
,dr4 ,duncan of ,ruthwell1 received     
contributions from all the members of   
the family1 and remains a splendid      
monument of their talents1 piety and    
mutual affection4 ,it is fast becoming a
 classic4 ,filled with information1 and 
imbued with a spirit of fervid piety1   
and1 moreover1 written in a lucid1      
flowing style1 it is well fitted at once
 to instruct and please4  ,footnote     
#agi3 ,published by ,r4 ,carter1 in four
 handsome octavos4  ,as ,dr4 ,duncan has
 recently deceased1 a brief sketch of   

his life may not be uninteresting in    
this connection4  ,dr4 ,henry ,duncan   
was a son of the ,manse4 ,he was born in
 #aggd1 at ,lochrutton1 in the stewartry
 of ,kirkcudbright1 of which his father 
and his grandfather were ministers      
successively1 during a period of eighty 
years1 a striking instance of pastoral  
permanence4 ,if wealth consists in the  
number of things we love1 then those    
good men must have been rich beyond the 
common lot of ministers2 and young      
,henry must have received from them a   
rich heritage of blessings4 ,he was     
educated at the ,universities of ,st4   
,andrews1 ,glasgow1 and ,edinburgh4     
,while attending the latter he was a    
member of the ,speculative ,society1 to 
which many of the most distinguished    
literary characters belonged1 and       
associated freely with ,lord ,brougham1 
the ,marquis of ,landsdowne1 ,dr4       
,andrew ,thomson and others4 ,he became 
the pastor of the ,established church in
 ,ruthwell1 ,dumfriesshire1 where he    

labored with great success for many     
years4 ,he died in the forty-seventh    
year of his ministry4  ,dr4 ,duncan was 
imbued with a spirit of enlarged        
,christian benevolence1 and felt a      
peculiar interest in the amelioration of
 the condition of the poorer classes4   
,hence he formed the scheme of the      
,cheap ,repository ,tracts1 addressed to
 the working classes1 and designed to   
enforce the most useful lessons suited  
to their condition4 ,it was in this     
collection that his ,cottage ,fireside  
was first published1 a production which 
became exceedingly popular1 and passed  
through many editions4 ,the book abounds
 in happy delineations of ,scottish     
manners1 fine strokes of humor1 and     
admirable lessons of practical wisdom4  
,the ,south ,country ,weaver1 possesses 
the same qualities and aims2 and1 in a  
time of excessive political excitement1 
did much to allay the discontent and    
revolutionary tendency of the people4   
,he is also said to be the author of    

another work of a higher grade1 written 
in the same style of fictitious         
narrative1 and intended to vindicate the
 principles and proceedings of the      
,scottish ,covenanters1 from the        
aspersions cast upon them by the author 
of ,waverley4 ,this production has been 
highly esteemed by good judges of       
literary merit1 but it never became     
popular4  ,it may well be supposed that 
,dr4 ,duncan felt a peculiar interest1  
not only in the spiritual but also in   
the temporal condition of his own       
parish1 and hence he was ever devising  
plans for its benefit4 ,in this respect 
he much resembled the benevolent        
,oberlin1 whose well directed schemes   
turned the barren parish of ,waldbach   
into a little paradise4 ,entering upon  
the duties of his charge at a time of   
national scarcity and distress1 he      
imported from ,liverpool1 at            
considerable expense1 and with great    
personal inconvenience1 large quantities
 of food which he distributed among his 

poor parishioners ,he also devised new  
modes and sources of employment1 and    
cheered them amid their privations by   
his counsel and sympathy4 ,he instituted
 among them two admirable ,friendly     
,societies1 one for males and another   
for females1 the advantages of which are
 enjoyed to this day4 ,but perhaps his  
highest claim to distinction as a       
philanthropist was the establishment of 
,the ,ruthwell ,parish ,bank1 the first 
,savings ,bank in ,europe1 which1 it is 
said1 was suggested to him partly by the
 beneficial results and partly by the   
admitted defects of the ,friendly       
,societies4 ,his undoubted title to be  
regarded as the originator of ,savings  
,banks1 has been acknowledged by the    
highest authorities2 but it is not so   
generally known at what an immense      
expenditure of time1 talent1 energy and 
pecuniary means he succeeded in         
accomplishing this good object4  ,dr4   
,duncan's learning and talents were of a
 high order1 and these were devoted     

exclusively to the benefit of his fellow
 men4 ,his principal literary work1 ,the
 ,sacred ,philosophy of the ,seasons1   
was planned and written in a single     
year1 an astonishing instance of mental 
energy1 industry and talent4 ,never were
 the different kingdoms and varying     
aspects of nature1 the characteristics  
of the seasons1 and all the grand and   
beautiful phenomena of the year1 more   
philosophically and more eloquently     
described than in this charming book4   
,the comprehensive views of the         
philosopher1 the poetic feeling of the  
lover of nature1 and the pious          
reflection of the ,christian divine1 are
 all combined in its pages1 and win at  
once the admiration and affection of the
 reader4 ,here genius and piety1 the    
love of nature and the love of ,god     
spread their sunlight over the face of  
creation1 and make visible to all       
reverent and thoughtful minds      ,the 
,gospel of the stars--great ,nature's   
,holy ,writ4  ,as a preacher ,dr4       

,duncan was interesting and instructive1
 but not particularly striking and      
popular4 ,in #ahci he was elected       
,moderator of the ,general ,assembly1   
the highest honor the church could      
confer4 ,warmly attached to evangelical 
religion1 and deeply interested in the  
purity and progress of the church of    
,christ throughout the world1 he        
earnestly promoted the cause of         
,christian missions1 and kindred schemes
 of benevolence4 ,he was intimately     
associated with ,dr4 ,chalmers and      
others1 in sustaining the great         
principles of vital ,christianity1 the  
supremacy of ,christ in his own church1 
and particularly the freedom and        
independence of his ministers4 ,true1   
therefore1 to the principles he had     
espoused1 and ever warmly defended--true
 to what he considered the genuine      
constitution of the ,scottish church1   
this venerable and amiable father left1 
in the ever memorable year #ahdc1 that  
manse1 which he had inhabited for four  

and forty long and happy years1 and     
which his own fine taste had so greatly 
beautified and adorned--that hallowed   
home in which his dutiful and attached  
children had been reared--in which his  
first beloved wife had died1 and which  
was associated with many delightful     
recollections of joy and kindness1 and  
prayer1 indelibly engraven on many      
hearts--for there was many a young idea 
fostered1 and many a guest and many a   
stranger hospitably entertained4 ,but   
with a cloud of many eminent witnesses1 
whose names will be embalmed in the     
records of their country1 ,dr4 ,duncan  
lifted up his testimony for the glorious
 prerogative of ,zion's ,king1 and      
counted the reproach of ,christ greater 
riches than all the treasures of earth4 
,and actuated by the same spirit of     
faith as the martyrs and confessors of  
other days--the men of whom the world   
was not worthy--he abandoned1 at an     
advanced age1 all the comforts of his   
lovely and endeared home1 and all the   

emoluments and delights connected with  
it1 and meekly took up his lowly        
dwelling in an humble cottage by the    
way-side1 willingly enduring hardship1  
and submitting to ingratitude from man1 
that he might honor his ,god and hold   
fast his integrity1 dearer to him than  
life4 ,he was one of seven moderators of
 the old ,general ,assembly1 men like   
himself of high name and holy deeds1 who
 sacrificed all their honors and        
emoluments1 and cast in their lot with  
the ,free ,church of ,scotland1 that    
they might display a banner for the     
truth1 and who1 when driven by a cruel  
and miserable policy from those altars  
which they sanctified1 went forth1 a    
veteran band of ,christian heroes1 and  
preached the ,gospel of peace and       
salvation under the broad canopy of     
heaven1 with gray hairs streaming in the
 breeze4  ,during the summer of #ahdc   
,dr4 ,duncan preached in the open air1  
but finally succeeded by great efforts1 
in securing a site1 and erecting upon it

 a church and a manse1 a school and a   
schoolmaster's house4 ,a suitable       
successor was appointed to this charge1 
and ,dr4 ,duncan removed his residence  
to the city of ,edinburgh4 ,but his     
affections lingered around his beloved  
,ruthwell1 and he undertook a journey to
 ,england to secure funds to pay off the
 debt upon the new buildings and bring  
them to a state of completion4 ,having  
accomplished his object1 he returned to 
,scotland in excellent spirits1 and     
reached ,comlogan ,castle1 the residence
 of his brother-in-law4 ,on that and the
 succeeding day he occupied himself in  
laying out the grounds about the manse  
and giving directions respecting the    
buildings4 ,on the following ,sabbath he
 preached to an overflowing audience4   
,monday and ,tuesday were devoted to    
visiting his old parishioners4 ,he was  
invited to address a prayer meeting at  
the house of an elder of the            
,established church1 and it was while   
engaged in the performance of that duty 

that the messenger of ,death met him4   
,he had not spoken ten minutes1 when his
 voice trembled1 his body shuddered1 and
 it was evident to all that he was      
struck with a sudden paralysis4 ,he was 
immediately conveyed to ,comlogan       
,castle4 ,on his way1 though his speech 
was much affected1 his consciousness was
 entire1 and he repeatedly lifted up his
 hand1 in devout admiration of ,god's   
beautiful works1 for the moon1          
surrounded by thousands of stars1 was   
shedding its calm and chastened lustre  
over the face of ,nature1 and presented 
a meet emblem of the inward peace of the
 dying saint1 whose characteristic taste
 and love of ,nature's beauties were    
still manifested even in this trying    
hour4#ahj ,after two days1 in which he  
suffered little pain1 he gently fell    
asleep in ,jesus1 on ,thursday evening1 
#abth of ,february1 #ahdf4  ,footnote   
#ahj3 ,dumfries ,advertiser and         
,galloway ,standard1 from which we      
quoted a preceding extract4      ,behold

 the western evening light1       ,it   
melts in deepening gloom2     ,so calmly
 ,christians sink away1                 
,descending to the tomb4      ,the winds
 breathe low2 the yellow leaf           
,scarce whispers from the tree2     ,so 
gently flows the parting breath1        
,when good men cease to be4      ,how   
beautiful on all the hills1       ,the  
crimson light is shed6     ',tis like   
the peace the ,christian gives       ,to
 mourners round his bed4      ,how      
mildly on the wandering cloud       ,the
 sunset beam is cast6     ,so sweet the 
memory left behind1       ,where loved  
ones breathe their last      ,and lo6   
above the dews of night       ,the      
vesper star appears2     ,so faith      
lights up the mourner's heart1          
,whose eyes are dim with tears4         
,night falls1 but soon the morning light
       ,its glories shall restore2      
,and thus the eyes that sleep in death  
,shall wake to close no more4           
,peabody4  ,daylight is on the hills1   

and we are off once more down the       
,tweed1 which gathers volume by         
accessions from tributary streams1 and  
mirrors in its clear bosom many a happy 
home1 nestling among the trees on its   
banks4 ,we pass ,coldstream1 on the     
north bank of the ,tweed1 from its      
proximity to ,england a sort of ,gretna 
,green in former times1 where ,lord     
,brougham was married at one of the     
hotels2 whence we journey to ,tillmouth2
 at which place the ,till1 a narrow1    
deep1 sullen stream1 flows into the     
,tweed4 ,beneath ,twisel ,castle1 which 
stands upon its banks1 you see the      
ancient bridge by which the ,english    
crossed the ,till before the battle of  
,flodden4                    --,they    
cross'd     ,the ,till1 by ,twisel      
,bridge4     ,high sight it is1 and     
haughty1 while     ,they drew into the  
deep defile2     ,beneath the cavern'd  
cliff they fall1     ,beneath the       
castle's airy wall4       ,by rock1 by  
oak1 by hawthorn-tree1     ,troop after 

troop are disappearing2     ,troop after
 troop their banners rearing1           
,upon the eastern bank you see1         
,still pouring down the rocky den       
,where flows the sullen ,till1     ,and 
rising from the dim wood glen           
,standards on standards1 men on men     
,in slow succession still1     ,and     
sweeping o'er the ,gothic arch1     ,and
 passing on1 in ceaseless march         
,to gain the opposing hill4             
,marmion4  ,flodden ,field1 on which the
 flowers of the forest1 were cut down so
 mercilessly1 is not far from here1 and 
the whole region seems invested with an 
air of dule and wae4      ,dule and wae 
for the order sent our lads to the      
,border6       ,the ,english1 for once  
by guile won the day2     ,the ,flowers 
of the ,forest1 that focht aye the      
foremost4       ,the prime o' our land  
are cauld in the clay4      ,we hear nae
 mair lilting at our yowe-milking1      
,women and bairns are heartless and wae2
     ,sighing and moaning on ilka green 

loaning--       ,the ,flowers of the    
,forest are a' wede away4#aha  ,footnote
 #aha3 ,the ,flowers of the ,forest1 by 
,miss ,jane ,elliot1 one of the sweetest
 and most affecting ballads of          
,scotland4 ,by the ',flowers of the     
,forest' are meant the young men of     
,ettrick ,forest1 slain at ,flodden     
,field4  ,pursuing our way1 we come to  
,norham ,castle1 so magnificently       
described in ,marmion4      ,day set on 
,norham's castle steep1     ,and        
,tweed's fair river broad and deep1     
,and ,cheviot's mountains lone2     ,the
 battled towers1 the donjon keep1       
,the loop-hole grates where captives    
weep1     ,the flanking walls that round
 it sweep1       ,in yellow lustre      
shone4  ,nine miles further on1 we      
arrive at ,berwick upon ,tweed1 where   
the river falls into the ,german ,ocean1
 and where our wanderings in ,scotland  
cease1--the scene of fierce struggles   
between the ,scots and ,english4 ,north 
,berwick was sometimes in the hands of  

the one1 sometimes in the hands of the  
other4 ,its streets often ran blood2 its
 walls echoed the tramp of armies1 the  
shrieks of the wounded and the groans of
 the dying4 ,its old ramparts are yet   
standing2 but all is quiet and          
passionless now4 ,a sort of stillness   
pervades the place1 in striking contrast
 with the havoc and turmoil of the      
ancient ,border wars4 ,the environs are 
full of historic recollections1 which   
have been well illustrated in the       
,border ,tales1 by ,john ,mackie        
,wilson1 who was a native of ,berwick1  
and resided here till his death4 ,this  
event took place1 suddenly and          
unexpectedly1 on the #b;d of ,september1
 #ahce1 when he was only thirty-one     
years of age4 ,his early days were      
spent1 in peace and happiness1 under the
 parental roof4 ,at school he was       
distinguished for his love of knowledge1
 and the rapidity with which he executed
 all his tasks4 ,at a suitable age he   
was apprenticed to a printer1 and found 

the employment congenial1 as it brought 
him into contact with books4 ,eagerly   
thirsting for knowledge1 he soon        
exhausted his scanty means of gratifying
 his taste in ,berwick on ,tweed1 and   
leaving the place of his nativity1      
repaired to ,london1 where he           
encountered the greatest difficulties   
and hardships4 ,it is said that some of 
the most touching descriptions of the   
sufferings endured by the aspirant for  
fame were actually endured by himself1  
and that the sobs and tears which       
involuntarily burst from the family     
circle when these tales were read1 were 
poured forth for him whose pen had      
described them4 ,often amid the splendor
 of ,london1 did he wander homeless and 
friendless4 ,but nothing could repress  
the native ardor and buoyancy of his    
mind4 ,and amid all the darkness of the 
night which enveloped his pathway1 he   
was ever looking for sunrise4 ,despair  
and poverty1 however1 drove him from the
 ,british metropolis1 and he was forced 

to seek in the provinces what he could  
not find in ,london1 nor did he seek in 
vain4 ,he reaped a golden harvest of    
opinions2 but poverty continued to be   
his companion for years4 ,during a      
sojourn in the city of ,edinburgh1 he   
published several dramas and other      
poems1 which had a share of success4 ,he
 wrote a series of ,lectures and        
,biographical ,sketches1 which he       
delivered with considerable eclat in    
different towns of ,scotland and        
,england4 ,three years before his death 
he rested from his wanderings1 in his   
native village1 among his friends and   
early associates1 having been invited to
 become editor of ,the ,berwick         
,advertiser1 which he conducted with    
great spirit4 ,amid his labors as an    
editor1 he found time to indulge his    
taste for literature1 and the matter of 
his journal was often enlivened by his  
own literary and poetical effusions4    
,but it was ,the ,border ,tales1 which  
made him a decided favorite with the    

public1 and gave him a warm place in the
 ,scottish heart4 ,they were published  
in a fugitive form1 and commanded a     
circulation far beyond the author's most
 sanguine hopes4 ,it was from these that
 he and his friends saw a prospect of   
reward for his toils4 ,but the scene    
which was thus opening upon him was     
blighted1--and from the high place which
 he had gained in the estimation of his 
townsmen1 from the caresses of his      
friends1 and from the reproaches of his 
foes1 he now lies where the wicked cease
 from troubling and the weary are at    
rest4  ,we do not admire ,wilson's      
poetry as a whole2 and yet some         
beautiful strains might be culled from  
it4 ,he wrote rapidly and diffusely2    
throwing off everything at a first      
draft1 without much correction or       
polish4 ,his ,border ,tales are quite   
miscellaneous in their character1 and   
contain much that he would doubtless    
have thrown out1 had he lived to place  
them in a permanent form4 ,they are     

written diffusely and carelessly4 ,but  
with all their faults1 they give        
indications of genius1 humor and pathos1
 a keen insight into character1 great   
descriptive powers1 and a fine          
conception of the beautiful and true4   
,some of them are told with great pith  
and raciness2 and though inferior in    
some respects1 to ,professor ,wilson's  
,lights and ,shadows of ,scottish ,life1
 are more natural and easy1 more        
characteristic and amusing4 ,upon the   
whole1 they give a better idea of the   
,scottish character than the            
,professor's splendid1 but exaggerated  
pictures4 ,james ,mackay ,wilson died   
too young for his fame2 but his simple  
tales will be read1 for many a day1 in  
the homes of bonny ,scotland4 ,among    
other things1 they give a just          
representation of the religious         
character of the ,scottish peasantry4   
,while their faults and foibles are     
depicted with graphic power1 their      
solemn faith1 their profound enthusiasm1

 and their leal-hearted piety are       
exhibited in beautiful relief4 ,justice 
is done to the old ,covenanters1 whose  
rough patriotism and burning zeal were  
the salvation of their native land4     
,long may their martyr spirit1 softened 
by charity1 prevail in ,scotland2 and   
generations yet unborn shall rise up and
 call her blessed4  ,in this series of  
sketches1 now brought to a close1 it has
 been the author's aim to make a        
contribution to literature1 which1 while
 it might prove attractive1 would yet   
exert a pure moral influence4 ,such an  
excursion beyond the peculiar limits of 
his profession1 he thinks1 was permitted
 him1 and may tend in some slight degree
 to promote the great object for which  
he desires to live4 ,at all events1 if  
he has accomplished nothing more1 he has
 yet succeeded in calling up a gentle   
vision of ,auld ,lang ,syne1 by which   
his own heart has been solaced and      
cheered4      ,lang ,syne6 how doth the 
word come back1       ,with magic       

meaning to the heart1     ,as memory    
roams the sunny track1       ,from which
 hope's dreams were loath to part6      
,no joy like by-past joy appears2       
,for what is gone we fret and pine2     
,were life spun out a thousand years1   
,it could not match ,lang ,syne6        
,lang ,syne6--ah1 where are they who    
shared       ,with us its pleasures     
bright and blithe8     ,kindly with some
 hath fortune fared2       ,and some    
have bowed beneath the scythe     ,of   
death2 while others scattered far       
,o'er foreign lands1 at fate repine1    
,oft wandering forth 'neath twilight's  
star1       ,to muse on dear ,lang      
,syne6      ,lang ,syne6--the heart can 
never be       ,again so full of        
guileless truth2     ,lang ,syne6--the  
eyes no more shall see       ,ah1 no6   
the rainbow hopes of youth4     ,lang   
,syne6--with thee resides a spell       
,to raise the spirit1 and refine4       
,farewell6--there can be no farewell    
,to thee1 loved1 lost ,lang ,syne6      

,dr4 ,moir4