ed in rescuing himself from the obscurity of the shepherd life, and asserting his right to be considered a legitimate scion of the house of Douglas.

A youth of the spouting kidney once left his mother's house in Glasgow, for the purpose of playing Norval in the Paisley theatre-the theatre being then, no other place than the Tontine Ball-room. His poor mother having learned his intentions, set off, instantly, in the same direction, with the view of preventing this supposed degradation of himself and connections, and of weaning him back to shop and trade. It happened that she arrived too late to obtain a private interview with him; for the play had commenced, and no person was allowed to pass behind the scenes. She was therefore left to the alternative of remaining without, until the end of the performance, or of paying her money, in the usual way, and going into the audience part of the house. Her impatience to see her son, would not admit of further delay-she therefore embraced the latter expedient, and, paying her 6d. was sent up stairs, with a ticket for the gallery. She soon recognized her runaway, under the fictitious garb of kilt, bonnet and plaid, with which they had disguised him, and now waited only a proper opportunity of making herself known. Presently, the scene came on, in which Lady Randolph acquaints Norval with the circumstances of his mysterious birth and parentage. She had just pronounced the words, "my son, my son, I am your mother, and the wife of Douglas." When the incensed parent, no longer able to stem the tide of grief and indignation that was swelling in her breast, broke out into an uncontroulable sally of passion and imprecation, which she delivered, by snatches, as she cleared her way forward to the stage, through the opposition of pit and boxes.

"What's that you say, ye brazen-faced slut that ye are? He's son to an honester woman, let me tell you, than you, or ony o' your play-acting ne'er-do-weels. You his mither? My certes, that's impudence, indeed! haud awa wi' you! let me at her, the painted-faced limmer, that she is, to ca' ony callant o' mine, her son. Let me get but a grip o' her. Ye're no gaun to turn your back on your mither in this fashion, Jamie! An' they hae put a kilt upon you, too, as if had nae breeks o' your ane? Throw aff thae duds o' claesas sure as death, they have a brimstone smell, that they have-an' ne'er let me see you in such a nest o' profligate vagabonds."

you

Another spouter, a Paisley bird, took it in his head once, that he would like to play Norval in the Greenock theatre. He, accordingly, corresponded with Bromby, the Greenock manager, and, every thing being arranged, took his departure from the Snedden, one morning, early, accompanied by a batch of neighbour lads, weavers, who were anxious to see how Jock would acquit himself in his new capacity of player. He attended rehearsal, but his friends could not be admitted to it, on account of the very limited extent of the stage. This was a great disappointment; for they had anticipated a very marked attention from the manager, as friends of the debutant who was, that night, to astonish the play-goers of the town of Greenock. In the evening, too, instead of being presented with a free admission to the boxes, as they had expected, they were only sent up to the front of the gallery, where they now sat, ready-primed for applause at every successive beauty of the performance. It would be madness to attempt a description of the amateur's acting. It had no parallel in the annals of the profession, at least, so said they who witnessed it, and it was from an eye-witness that we received it. He got on, however, amid the laugh of the stage, and the hiss of the house, till he arrived at the quarrel scene with Glenalvon. It happened in this, that the latter, in crossing the stage from the right, while Norval crossed, at the same time, from the left, uttered the words, "a nobler foe had not been questioned thus, but such as thee!"

and in doing so, had given Norval a slight stroke on the shoulder, with the back of his hand, with the view, no doubt, of bringing out the spirit of the passage, upon which the party in the gallery, mistaking this action for an intended personal insult to their townsman, cried out, lustily, "Jock, ye sowl, would ye tak that aff him? Seesto, Jock, smite him in the face, man, and we'll come down an' help ya." Jock, it seems, took the hint, and instantly assuming a fighting attitude, was about to strike out, right and left, when he was collared by Glenalvon, and literally kicked into the pit, to the no small amusement of both actors and audience.

LITERARY CRITICISM.

Remarks on DR. ABERCROMBIE'S Suggestions on the Character and Treatment of Malignant Cholera, by a Young Physician. Edinburgh, 1832.

THIS is an amusing enough quiz, on that species of small criticism which exerts its acumen on the arrangement of sentences, and the slight imperfections of style, that the best writers occasionally fall into, whilst the important portions of their works are overlooked and neglected. We think the joke carried a little too far, however, in the dedication to the "Medical Men of the Hotel-Dieu, Paris," the progress of disease should awe the most laughter-loving of mortals. Hear the Young Physician

"To the Medical Men of the Hotel-Dieu, Paris.Gentlemen,-Your labours have enriched our science; your knowledge has added dignity to our profession; your liberal conduct has held out an example to all. You have never persecuted a professional brother for publishing his investigations.

"You have, by banishing the demon Contagion, preserved the commerce of your country; and, what is still more grateful to your feelings, you have ensured the uninterrupted exercise of those private sympathies, charities, and good offices, which soothe calamity, and strengthen the bonds of society.

"To you, therefore, as a small tribute of esteem and respect, are dedicated the following pages, by your admirer and former pupil,-THE AUTHOR."

We agree with Dr. Abercrombie on the importance of an extensive and confidential system of mutual intelligence and aid amongst medical men, during the continuance of the present disease, and we recommend his plan as worthy of attention wherever it can be adopted.

"For this purpose, a plan of returns has been arranged by the medical members of the Board of Health, which will be speedily communicated to the gentlemen of the profession. Relying on the knowledge which I have of their zeal, and their talents, ! anticipate, from such a system, the most important consequences, both to the cause of humanity and of science. To give it the greater efficiency, I would propose that two or three individuals shall be appointed to receive communications of a practical nature, and that these should publish occasional reports of such information as may seem to be of immediate and practical importance. By such means, I trust we shall be enabled, under Divine Providence, to discharge more efficiently our duty to the public, in the period of intense anxiety to which we are approaching, and to contribute something to the pathology and the treatment of this most obscure and formidable disease."

kind sincerity of manner, repeating convivial poems and ballads, and always between hands breaking jokes on his nephew, young Coleridge, in whom he seemed to take great delight. He gave me, with the utmost readiness, a poem and ballad of his own, for a work which I then projected. I objected to his going with Coleridge and me, for fear of encroaching on his literary labours; and, as I had previously resided a month at Keswick, I knew every scene almost in Cumberland; but he said he was an early riser, and never suffered any task to interfere with his social enjoyments and recreations; and along with us he went both days. Southey certainly is as elegant a writer as any in the kingdom. But those who would love Southey as well as admire him, must see him, as I did, in the bosom, not only of one lovely family, but of three, all attached to him as a father, and all elegantly maintained and educated, it is generally said, by his indefatigable pen.. The whole of Southey's conversation and economy, both at home and afield, left an impression of veneration on my mind which no future contingency shall ever either extinguish or injure. Both his figure and countenance are imposing, and deep thought is strongly marked in his dark eye, but there is a defect in his eye-lids, for these he has no power of raising; so that when he looks up he turns up his face, being unable to raise his eyes; and when he looks towards the top of one of his romantic mountains, one would think he I was looking at the zenith. This peculiarity is what will most strike every stranger in the appearance of the accomplished laureate. He does not at all see well at a distance, which made me several times disposed to get into a passion with him, because he did not admire the scenes which I was pointing out. We have only exchanged a few casual letters since that period, and I have never seen this great and good man again."

Wordsworth :

"It chanced one night, when I was there, that there was a resplendent arch across the zenith, from the one horizon to the other, of something like the aurora borealis, but much brighter. It was a scene that is well remembered, for it struck the country with admiration, as such a phenomenon had never before been witnessed in such perfection; and, as far as I could learn, it had been more brilliant over the mountains and pure waters of Westmoreland than any where else. Well, when word came into the room of the splendid meteor, we all went out to view it; and, on the beautiful platform of Mount Ryedale, we were all walking, in twos and threes, arm-in-arm, talking of the phenomenon, and admiring it. Now, be it remembered, that Wordsworth, Professor Wilson, Lloyd, De Quincey, and myself, were present, besides several other literary gentlemen, whose names I am not certain that I remember aright. Miss Wordsworth's arm was in mine, and she was expressing some fears that the splendid stranger might prove ominous, when I, by ill-luck, blundered out the following remark, thinking that I was saying a good thing ::-"Hout, ma'm! it is neither mair nor less than joost a treeumphal airch, raised in honour of the meeting of the poets.'

"That's not amiss.-Eh? Eh?-that's very good,' said the Professor, laughing. But Wordsworth, who had De Quincey's arm, gave a grunt, and turned on his heel, and leading the little opium-chewer aside, he addressed him in these disdainful and venomous words :-- Poets? Poets?-What does the fellow mean? Where are they?"

"Who could forgive this? For my part, I never can, and never will! I admire Wordsworth; as who does not, whatever they may pretend? but for that short sentence I have a lingering illwill at him which I cannot get rid of. It is surely presumption in any man to circumscribe all human excellence within the narrow sphere of his own capacity. The Where are they?' was too bad! I have always some hopes that De Quincey was leeing, for I did not myself hear Wordsworth utter the words."

TAIT'S MAGAZINE.-No. II.

We have only bad time to glance at Tait's Magazine for this month-the contents, so far as politics are concerned, appear less objectionable than the last.

In our next number we will, probably, give our opinions on the merits and demerits of the literary portion of this interesting periodical. In the meantime, suffice it to say, that, in the poetical department, we are happy to find the pen of our friend Mr. Motherwell, with some of whose poetical gems the readers of "The Day" are well acquainted. We give the ballad entire. It is, certainly, a string of pearls. It is the only redeeming article in the department of this Magazine dedicated to the Muses.

I'VE wandered east, I've wandered west,

Thro' mony a weary way;

But never, never, can forget

The luve o' life's young day.

The fire that's blawn on Beltane e'en

May weel be black gin Yule;

But blacker fa' awaits the heart

Where first fond luve grows cule.

O dear, dear, Jeanie Morrison,
"The thochts o' bygane years
Still fling their shadows ower my path,
And blind my een wi' tears.
They blind my een wi' saut, saut tears,
And sair and sick I pine,

As memory idly summons up
The blithe blinks o' langsyne.
'Twas then we luvit ilk ither weel,
'Twas then we twa did part;
Sweet time-sad time! twa bairns at scule,
Twa bairns, and but ae heart!
'Twas then we sat on ae laigh bink,
To leir ilk ither lear;

And tones, and looks, and smiles were shed,
Remembered ever mair.

I wonder, Jeanie, aften yet,
When sitting on that bink,
Cheek touchin' cheek, loof lock't in loof,
What our wee heads could think?
When baith bent doun ower ae braid page,
Wi' ae buik on our knee,
Thy lips were on thy lesson, but
My lesson was in thee.

O mind ye how we hung our heads,
How cheeks brent red wi shame,
Whene'er the scule weans, laughin', said,
We cleek't thegither hame?
And mind ye o' the Saturdays,

(The scule then skail't at noon),
When we ran aff to speel the braes-
The broomy braes o' June?

My heid rins round and round about,
My heart flows like a sea,
As ane by ane the thochts rush back
O' scule time, and o' thee.
Oh, mornin' life! Oh, mornin' luve !
Oh lichtsome days and lang,
When binnied hopes around our hearts

Like Simmer blossoms sprang!

O, mind ye, luve, how aft we left
The deavin' dinsome toun,
To wander by the green burnside,

And hear its waters croon.
The Simmer leaves hung ower our heids,
The flowers burst round our feet;
And in the gloamin o' the wud,

The throssil whusslit sweet.

The throssil whusslit in the wud,

The burn sung to the trees,
And we, with Nature's heart in tune,
Concerted harmonies;

And on the knowe abune the burne,
For hours thegither sat

In the silentness o' joy, till baith
Wi' very gladness grat.

Aye, aye, dear Jeanie Morrison,

Tears trinklit doun your cheek
Like dew-beads on a rose, yet nane
Had ony power to speak.
That was a time, a blessed time,

When hearts were fresh and young,
When freely gushed all feelings forth
Unsyllabled-unsung!

I marvel, Jeanie Morrison,
Gin I hae been to thee,

As closely twined wi' earliest thochts
As ye ha'e been to me?
Oh! tell me gin their music fills

Thine ear as it does mine;
Oh! say gin e'er your heart grows grit
Wi' dreamings o' Langsyne?

I've wander'd east, I've wandered west,
I've borne a weary lot;
But in my wanderings far or near,
Ye never were forgot.

The fount that first burst frae this heart,
Still travels on its way;
And channels deeper, as it rins,
The luve o' life's young day.

O dear, dear Jeanie Morrison,
Since we were sinder'd young,

I've never seen your face, nor heard
The music o' your tongue.

But I could hug all wretchedness,
And happy could I die,

But did I ken your heart still dream't
O' bygane days and me.

GLASGOW GOSSIP.

We are happy to see the observations we offered to our readers, regarding the injurious effect an iron railing would have in front of the New Exchange, so completely verified by the temporary iron railing which is now placed there. At a very short distance it has precisely the same effect on the lower portion of the shafts of the columns, as if it were a solid stone wall, destroying their proportions, and communicating a dull and heavy feeling to the façade of the building. The proposal of introducing chains and posts in front of such a noble portico, we cannot too much deprecate, an Exchange hung in chains would indeed be a novelty. Sweep away all such incumbrances, and let the approach to our great commercial mart be as free as the commerce of our country and the liberality of her merchants.

TO OUR READERS.

HAVING now completed the first volume of "The Day," we beg leave to return our sincere thanks to our numerous readers, for the support and patronage which they have awarded our literary undertaking. In opposition to many old prejudices and many envious foes, its conductors have proved, what we believe was never before done in this city, that there is talent and taste sufficient among ourselves to carry on even a purely original literary paper, beyond One Hundred Numbers, and that too without the aid, either of politics, personalities, falsehood or blackguardism. It has been our endeavour, in so far as we have yet gone, to realize the principles and the opinions which we set forth in our first number, and as long as we are able to wield a pen, it will certainly be our study to act in the same honest, fair and gentlemanlike manner. In accordance, however, with the wishes of some

of our most influential subscribers and best friends, who are desirous that we should make our Journal even more varied and more select, than it is possible to do, compatible with its present size and its daily appearance, we have resolved, that henceforth

THE DAY" shall be increased from four to eight pages, and that it shall only appear on Saturday Morning. From this arrangement, we calculate, that we will be able to give our readers better papers, while we will have limits sufficient to unite in one number, such a variety as will make our Miscellany acceptable to all sorts of readers. Number 104, being the first of Vol. II. will be as usual, on the breakfast table of our Subscribers, on Saturday first. A Title Page and Index, for our First Volume, are in preparation, and will be ready soon.

JOHN REID & CO.

FOREIGN AND ENGLISH BOOKSELLERS, 58, HUTCHERON STREET, AVE just received a package of NEW GERMAN

H BOOKS, consisting of an assortment of the

portant New Publications, among which will be found, ARCHIV fur die Geschichte der KIRCHLICHEN REFORMATION in ihrem gesammten Umfange Von K. E. FÖRSTEMANN, Part 1, 8vo. 5s. Halle.

BEITRAGE ZUR ANATOMIE, ZOOTOMIE und Physiologie, Von A. A. BERTHOLD, mit IX. Steindruktafeln, 8vo. 7s. Gottingen.

JETZT! Taschenbuch der ZEITGESCHICHTE, für 1832, Von Dr. J. F. SNELLER, 2 vols. 8vo. 4s. 6d. Dresden.

Die Funktionen des weischen GAMMENS beim ATHMEN, SPRECHEN, SINGEN, SCHLINGEN, Erbrechen U. S. W. Von K. H. DzoNDI, mit XI. Abbildungen in Steindruck, 4to. 7s. 6d. Halle.

This is a very curious work and deserves particular attention. SAMMTLICHE WERKE der KIRCHEN VATERS, aus dem Urtexte in das Teutsche übersetzt, vol. 1 to 5, 6s. each, 8vo. Kempten.

KURZE ENCYCLOPADIE DER PHILOSOPHIE aus pracktischen Gesichtspuncten entworfen, Von Herbart, 8vo. 7s. 6d. Halle.

BEKLINER Astronomisches JAHRBUCH, für 1823, Von ENCKE, 8vo. 15s. Berlin.

To Astronomers, this is, decidedly, the most important Almanac published in Europe.

ENCYKLOPADIE DER THEOLOGISCHEN Wissenschaften, Von ROZENKRANZ, 8vo. 7s. 6d. Halle.

ARNOLD DER KOPFTHEIL des Vegetativen Nervensystems beim Menschen, 4to. Plates, boards, £1, 16s. Heidel berg.

LEHRBUCH DER SPECIELLEN PATHOLOGIE UND THERAPIE DES MENSCHEN. Ein Grundriss der praktischen Medicin für Akademische Vorlesungen von D. LUDWIG CHOULANT, 8vo. 18s. 6d. Leipzig.

GALLERIE DER VORZUGLICHSTEN AERZTE U. NATURFORSCHER DEUTSCHLAND'S nach neuen Original-zeichnungen gestochen und herausgegeben von RosMAELER. Each Number contains 6 Plates, 4to. 5s. Heidelberg. Nos, 1, 2, published.

THEORETISCH PRAKTISCHES Handbuch der Chirurgie mit Einschluss der Syphilitischen und Augen-krankheiten; in Alphabetesicher Ordnung. Von DR. J. N. Rust. Vols. 1 and 2, published: 8vo. £1, 10s. Berlin.

SCHILLER'S SAEMMTLICHE WERKE IN EIN AM BANDE, German character vell. paper imperial, 8vo. £2, 28. Stuttgart.

SCHILLER'S SAEMMTLICHE WERKE, Vollstaendige Ausgabe in einem Bande, Roman character, imperial 8vo. £1, 10s. Haag.

SCHILLER'S SAEMMTLICHE WERKE, 18 vols. 18mo. £1, 16s. Stuttgart.

MUELLNER'S DRAMATISCHE WERKE, 8 vols. 8vo. well. pap. £1, 8s. Braunschweig. MASSBESTIMMUNGEN UBER DIE GALVANISCHE KETTE, Von GUSTAV THEODOR FECHNER, 4to. 15s. Leipzig.

P. MAURI DE SCHENKL Institutiones juris Ecclesiastici communis. Editio emendata et valde adaucta a JOSEPHO SCHEILL, 2 vols. 8vo. £1, 2s. 6d. Landishuti in Bavaria.

ABULFEDE HISTORIA ANTEISLAMICA Arabice e duobus codicibus Bibliothecae Regiae Pariediensis, 101 et 615 edidit Versione Latine, Notis et Indicibus auxit Hen. Orith. Fleischer, 4to. 15s. Lipsiae.

CATALOGUS CODICUM MANUSCRIPTORUM Orientalium Bibliothecae Regiae Dresdensis scripsit Fleischer ed. Ebert, 4to. 7s. 6d. Lipsiae.

CONSPECTUS CHOROGRAPHICUS Insigniorum Locorum e Geographia Veterum Populorum delineatus; composuit Dr. A Schroeder, 8vo. 9s. 6d. Sundiae. ENUMERATIO ET DESCRIPTIO Hygrometiorum quae inde a Saussarii Temporibus proposita sunt Auctore RoBERTO GULIELMO BEINSEN, 4to. 5s. Gottingae.

SYNOPSIS METHODICA MOLLUSCORUM ene-g rum omnium et specierum earum quae in Museo Menkeano adservantur, auctore CAROLO THEODERO MENKE, M.D. 8vo. 7s. Pyrmouti.

DE HILDEBRANDO ANTIQUISSIMI Carminis Tuetonici fragmentum edidit GULIELMUS GRIMM, folio, boards, 5s. Gottingae.

The following GERMAN JOURNALS are to be disposed of at Half-price :

RUSTS MAGAZINE, für die gesammte heilkunde, 1830

und 1831.

No. 104.]

PRICE TWOPENCE.

[TWORK

THE POLITICAL METAMORPHOSIS-A SAIR MISCHANTER AT A REFORM MEETING.

A MAN of rummilgumption like me, mair especially after he has retired from official duties and the concernments of active life, is no often in the way of burning his finger nebs in the lowe of party politics; however, it sometimes occurs with the maist prudent and discreet, that they occasionally get themsells scoutherit in that way when they least expeck it, as was my ain case nae farrer gane than last year. As an impartial historian I sall make it a point of duty to give the hail outs and ins of my case, just as they happened, neither concealing nor colouring, in a flichty fashion, any particular, that either made for or against my exemplar character for sagacity, prudence or political consistency.

When my freend, Mr. Andrew Touchy, was out painting the grand family piece of mysell, my wife and the bairns that is hung ower the mantel piece of our chimley in the dining room, and is finished aff in a very grand gilt frame by Mr. Finlay, carver and gilder in Glasgow, that cost me mair sillar than I would like to mention, for fear the world would set doun the ransom I paid to the score of personal vanity and pridefu' upsetting, a thing no possible in my case, he was accustomed to observe, that the great art baith in painting and writing, was, to copy nature faithfully, and then a body had a chance of getting on either as an artist or an author, before the morn-comenever. No having any far-fetched principles in either painting or writing mysell, I have tried to keep my e'e, in the course of this book, pretty sickarly on the advice of my freend. However, I'll be candid eneuch to say, that I think Mr. Touchy, when he painted me, might, without departing unco far frae nature, have given me a wee hue mair red in the cheek to mak' me look youthier like, as weel as brocht out a link or twa mair of my gowd chain, than he has done in my picture. The fack is, I thought he might have drawn the gowd medal, that hings at the end of the chain instead of hiding it from the public a'thegither, as if I was ashamed to wear the insignia of civic rule. However, he argued me out of this conceit; for he is "no to be done," I find, in argument, alleging, that it was modester to hide the badge of authority, and hinting, that the chrome yellow might nae stand unco weel the test of time, and might grew blackish, in whilk case it would be viewed by a censorious and undiscerning public as naething but a ticket porter's pewter badge, which, in a historic piece, that was to tell a true bill till all posterity, was not to be thocht of for a minute.

My object in thir few introductory observes, is, to forewarn the reader, that that whilk is set furth in the ensuing pages is a perfect picture from nature, and as true as any thing that ever was acted or written on this side of time. I daursay it winna be quite sae entertaining as some of the chapters; but a man cannot be aye brichter and brichter the langer he writes and endytes, ony mair than it can be perpetual sunshine.

Being needcessitated to gang intil Glasgow for a day or twa at the time mentioned in the first paragraph, upon some particular business about ane of my wife's far awa freends that was jaloused to have died in foreign lands, and to have willed to her or her bairns a gay bit scartle o' sillar, as weel as some blackamoors VOL. II.-No. I.

run.

in the woods, I thocht I might as weel kill twa dogs wi' a'e stane, and lift my dividends in the Canal Company, the Gas Company, the Water Company and ither concerns where I had invested some property, like a thrifty man that has an e'e till profit in the lang Weel, I booked mysell, without delay, in the nine o'clock coach, taking an inside, as I had a bit snifter of cauld upon me at the time, and, preceesely as the clock chappit ten, I was landed at the Tron Steeple of Glasgow. As good luck ordained it, there was the laddie of my Glasgow man of business waiting at the steps of the coach to tell me, that his maister was last night obligated to bang off in the Mail for London, in full hue and cry after my wife's sillar, and that he was determined to houk out the truth, or as he expressed it, till expiscate the hail facks of the case, and wishing me to keep mysell in readiness to follow him gif that circumstances rendered that step necessar. Seeing that better couldna be, in the middle of the meantime, I thocht I might trintle up the length of Port-Dundas, to draw my dividends at the Canal Office, as money would be serviceable at any rate, aud was pleasant to receive at all times. But first and foremost, I slipt a brent new saxpence intill the laddie's hand, telling him to put it by, in a pinner pig, and it might grow a shilling ere he kent what was what. However, my present might hae been as weel cast in the strand, for the proud bit elf turned up his neb as gif he had been affronted, and marched aff like a feathery shankit bantam cock, without even offering me thanks. My lad, thinks I, when I was like you, they Lucifer-like notions were nae sae rife. A saxpence was a saxpence then and is still, and ye may come to ken the want of ane when its ower late, as your betters hae done afore ye. Really it's no to be borne to see 'prentices acting the pairt of maisters, and looking as big as grey-bairded men as soon as they have cuisten aff their wyliecoats.

But let me on with my story. To Port-Dundas I walked, and there got my business toshed up, finished and perfected, in a particular handsome manner, and then just stepped down till the edge of the canal, to see a new passage boat that was on the point of starting for Lock Number Sixteen. Weel, I was standing making my observes in my ain mind, upon the leddies and gentlémen that were pouring intill the boat, as weel as the puirer bodies with bundles in their hands, that had to put up with the cheap end, thinking that I might foregather with some kent face or anither; but no, every ane was a greater stranger to me than his neebour. Seeing me stand hinging on, as it were, till the last minute, the man that blaws the horn asked me if I was gaun to tak a trip in the Volcano (or Worrikow, I forget the name, but that's of nae consequence), and indeed the man had some reason to think I was bent upon a journey, as I was very genteelly dressed, from top to boddum, in a stand of new superfine claes, namely, a beautiful blue coat, with velvet neck and treble gilt buttons, silk vest, light drab trowsers, with straps under my boots, a thing I never had before, and ne'er will have again, as to a man of my years they are rather an impediment to cleverness of motion, and create some misgivings lest the pantaloons screed up at the knee or some gate else when a body loots doun to pick up needles or prins, or ony other thing that lies at

their foot. My wife, however, approved highly of the shape of my coat when it came frae Glasgow, it being the first I ever had made in that town, and said it fitted my shape as nicely as a pea hool did a pea, which I'll no deny was the fact. Howbeit it was a wee thocht ower tight about the sleeves, and when buttoned I couldna say but I felt mysell like a leddy screwed up in corsets. But as weel out of the world as out of the fashion at times; and sae it was my bounden duty as a good christian to submit to the law as it is laid down by Cæsar or the Pope, providing a body is landbiding in their dominions.

Being in a sort of swither whether or no I would not gang as far as Kirkintilloch, to look after a dubious debt that was owing to me in that place, five shillings, or even 2s. 6d. in the pound no being to be sneezed at in these fearful times of commercial distress, I didna just answer the man at the moment; and in fack the answer was tane out of my mouth by a sprush young gentleman, that quite familiarly thrust his arm intil mine-and pushing the horn-blower out of the way says, "to be sure, you fool, the Baillie unquestionably will honour your boat with the transportation of his learned corporation as far as Auchinsterry, where he dines with our friend the laird of Auchinvole, and returns in the evening." On saying this, my new friend and familiar lilts up this verse of an auld sang :

Hame again e'en,
Hame again e'en,
And can ilka bodie

Come hame again e'en.

:

And before I weel kent where I was, I found mysell oxtered forward upon the deck by this impudent birkie. I was on the point of asking him what was the meaning of this manœuvre, but coudna get the words out of my mouth before he set up a blyth skirl again to this effeck:

Oh, as the haggis glowred,
Oh, as the haggis glowred,
Oh, as the haggis glowred,
Out amang the bree!
For I suppit a' my ain kail,
I suppit a' my ain kail,
I suppit a' my ain kail,

And my neebour's too.

Such foolery was intolerable; so putting on a stern face, I plainly told my young man that I was not accustomed to any such liberties or insolence, and it was quite unbecoming any gentleman to behave in siccan a fashion to a perfect stranger. "Bless me, Baillie," said he, "with a face of brass, do you really not know me--I thought you were as well acquainted with Rob the Ranter as ye were with Gordon's Loan or Prussia Street. The truth is, your man of business turned you over upon hands for dinner, and as I was to dine abroad, I my determined to make you a partner of my fare, whatever that may be. Depend upon it old nunks hath good victuals; and then we shall go to a Reform Meeting in the evening, and have a little fun making patriotic speeches to the intelligent population of the burgh of Kilsyth, situated in the northern division of the island called Scotland, in the shire of Stirling, bounded on the east by the Barwood and Dullater Bog, on the west by the Strone, on the north by the hills of Tamtane and Tackme-down, and on the south by the great canal and the Kelvin, or both, it does not signify much in either case. Baillie, you shall hear my speech, written and composed by myself, and a more elaborated specimen of dulcet eloquence never stormed the stony fortresses of the human heart."

"Blethers, Sir," retorted I, "ye aiblins are not aware that I am none of the sort to be trifled with in this manner;" and with that I was in the act of bidding the captain stop the horses, for the boat had gone off, without me observing it, whenever I got on board; but seeing that I was really in a desperate passion, Mr. Robert, as he called himself, apologeesed in the most humble manner, and pulled out a letter addressed to him, wherein I saw that my man of business had positively requested him to invite me to dinner, as weel as

to give me some inkling anent the discoveries that had been made about the sillar, that was likely to come like a windfall into my wife's lap. Of course this reconciled matters atween us, and, after all, I fund that he could crack sensible eneuch when he was brocht till his marrow-bones, though, as it may be surmised from the foregoing scene, that he was a thocht ower flichty and forward in his manner for his years. About twal hours we adjourned till the Steward's room, and there he would insist that I should take a draught of good London porter, a cauld chack of meat, or a hair of brandy, to keep my stamach; for that we wudna, in all likelihood, be enabled to get our denner before four or five in the afternoon at the soonest. There being naething morally wrang in the proposition, we of course sat down, and had a very comfortable meridian, as weel as an edifying, twa-handed crack, and a particular good sang anent whale-fishing, a copy of which he was to give me. This refreshment was, of course, afore the Temperance regulations were passed, forbidding the use of spirits on board, and this I think necessar to state, in order to exonerate the Captain, a very civil and obliging gentleman as needs to be.

It's unnecessar to tell all the uncos that occurred in this voyage on the Great Canal. In due course of time we arrived at Auchinsterry, where we landed, and in a few minutes found oursells in his friend's house; a nice, auld-fashioned place it was, with four wee tourocks at ilka corner, like pepper-boxes, for nae earthly purpose that I could mak out, except to accommodate the rookety-coo-doos. Looking at the thickness of the walls I couldna help remarking to the Laird, a very sensible man, and, like mysell, on the ither side of forty, that his house hadna been biggit by contrack, for there was as muckle stane and lime in his auld tenement as might bigg a hail street of modern weavers' shops and their dwellings. "Aye, aye," quo' the laird, "houses in auld times, if they were not showy, they at least were substantial, and that is more than can be said for modern mansions." After this he favoured me with a lang history of the antiquity of his tower, and its curiosities, and how a grand room in it was haunted at one time with a ghaist; and I, in return, gave to him a full, true, and circumstantial account how I purchased my ain self-contained house, and the improvements I made upon it, and what I meant to make; as weel as gave him a hearty invitation to make my house his hame whenever he came to the west country. "As for the matter of ghaists," quo' I, "I never seed ony waur than my ain shadow on a wall;" but the laird shook his head very grimly and said naething, and sae I drappit the ghaist argument no wantin' to tramp on ony body's sair taes.

In this way time wore away, and my young friend, Mr. Robert, keeped a reasonable quiet tongue in his head, nae doubt sooking in a fund of information from our converse, on a great variety of interesting subjects. Happening to look at my watch, I fund it was, before I kent it, on the chap of eight, and up I banged, observing, really this was dreadfu' that the time had slipped awa like a knotless thread-and that if we didna mak a clever pair of heels we might lose our passage.

"Passage," said the laird, "ye'll not budge from this mansion to-night-besides, the boat passed two hours ago, so if you will condescend to accept a bed for the night, the best in the house is at your service, and, in the meanwhile, I will send a note to the Manse and invite the Minister to supper, and another friend or two a literary gentleman, as my nephew informs me you are is a sicht good for sair e'en' in these parts.” With some reluctance I complied, and still more unluckily I consented to gang up to see the toun of Kilsyth with my young neibour, to pass the time till the laird's freends could be colleckit, or the errocks for supper could be dressed.

About eight o'clock then I buttoned my coat, and, taking the youngster by the arm, daikered up to the toun. It is an ancient say and a true ane, that auld men