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so much in need of, and enabling me to devote my attention to other necessary and useful purposes, the mere finishing of my literary labours would have been any thing but a matter of rejoicing.

It was, indeed, upon the whole, one of the most pleasant and delightful tasks in which I ever was engaged, and were it not for the painful conflicts I had to endure, and the severe struggles I had to encounter, during the whole time, I may say, I was engaged in it, I would still look back upon the time spent in bringing out that work, as perhaps the most happy, as well as the best employed, period of my life; as it is, I still look back with regret to the causes that conspired so soon to put an end to such delightful labours :where, I had an opportunity in the prosecution of my business, to walk daily with my GREAT CREATOR, in the garden of creation, and to hold converse with the bountiful source of all intellectual illumination, and intellectual enjoyment.*

There was one little debt of gratitude that I owed, and which I lost no time in repaying, after issuing my last, or concluding part, from the press; I had promised my young but excellent coadjutor, the TREAT, after the book was finished, of a walk along the Cove Shore, &c.—and accordingly, accompanied by the same intelligent friend, who had accompanied me both in my last visit to the Edinburgh Museum, and on both occasions, to the Botanic Garden, we set out on the morning of the 7th of November, and after an amusing, and I trust, somewhat instructive ramble, along that part of the coast, we arrived at Birnieknows, where, we were kindly

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Indeed, I cannot help thinking, that in taking leave of these labours, and of that task, I must have felt and thought somewhat similar to the pious Bishop Horn, on taking leave of his task, the Commentary on the Psalms, "He arose," says the author himself, "fresh as the morning to his task; the silence of the night invited him to pursue it; and he can truly say, that food and rest, were not preferred before it." Happier hours than those which have been spent in these meditations on the Songs of Sion, he never expects to see in this world. They are gone! but they have left a relish and a fragrance upon the mind, and the remembrance of them is sweet."

Such was the language of the Bishop, in allusion to the completion of the task of his Commentary on the Psalms; and similar, it may be supposed, were the sentiments of the author of Popular Philosophy, on the completion of his work.

and hospitably entertained at dinner, by my worthy namesake, Mr George Miller, who had been long a tenant on that spot, although he has now left it, for Oldhamstock's Mains. Thus ending, our sea side ramble at the conclusion of my task,—as we did, the fairy castle scramble at the beginning of it,-in partaking of the hospitality of another old and kind friend, associated with another very pleasant party, although not so numerous as the former.*

In the month of December, I observe, I was still troubled with certain disagreeables, and some of them were indeed so much so, as to make a friend who had had occasion to write me on the 21st of that month, and who had heard, or knew something of them, to remark, "You have indeed had much to try you, and indeed to view your case on the gloomy side, you may say that all these things are against you.'

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But it was only with a part of my trials that this friend had been made acquainted; there was now a new source of vexation opening up, or setting in, hard against me, that served to neutralize the exhilarating effects, which so many encouraging letters as I was now in the habit of receiving, were calculated to produce, and which, combined with other causes, to make the year 1826, notwithstanding all its pleasing toils, and these enchanting flowerets, set in clouds.†

* My young friend was much amused, and no doubt highly gratified on that little expedition-by a sight of what I have recently alluded to, as "the Geolo gical Alphabet," which is not to be met with in such perfection every where, and other curiosities on that interesting part of the coast, and I think he was particularly delighted with some thing, that our obliging friend the blacksmith at Bilsdean smithy, took an opportunity of exhibiting to him on our return, and previously to our arriving at Birnieknows.

In a few days afterwards, I accompanied the young man to Edinburgh, where his father had come to meet him on his way homewards,-but there was one thing that he seems to have been determined to see, before he was welcomed again by his mother's smiles to his own fire side,-for, having lost sight of him for some time, during our stay in Edinburgh,— -we afterwards learned, that he had found his way to, and had been amusing himself in-THE COLLEGE MUSEUM.

The more is the pity, that I should have, at such a time, been so situatedfor really, during the progress of my work, which, it will be seen, embraced almost the whole course of the year,—I had sufficient to vex me; and these little flowerets, as I called them, without such contrary operating causes, might have done something to restore my internal tranquillity.-Besides referring to the printed testimonials containing those I had received up to the 18th of October,and which I published in 8 pages, with an advertisement of my book, recommending it as " An appropriate Christmas, or New Years Gift," I must have derived much comfort and gratification from others, which I had not as yet, had an opportunity of displaying in print,-from two of which, that have never been published, I make the following short extracts.

CHAPTER XXXVI.-1827..

I am able to resume my long accustomed, but lately neglected, walk on the New Year's Day-Melancholy reminiscences, with which the recollection of it, is attended-A stranger on the beach.-Affecting extract from my new Retro. spect-Good news from a far country.-More flowers in the form of testimonials-Literary gems worth preserving.-Delightful remembrances and incentives to gratitude.-More, and new causes of disquiet.-Another flower of exquisite fragrance. My last series of country auctions.-A very appropriate question asked.—Print my full sheet of testimonials.—A brief enumeration of what I have designated, "a beautiful string of pearls."I am influenced by a very different motive, than that of vanity, in publishing these testimonials. "The Book of Nature," by Dr John Mason Good, noticed.-New canvassing experiment:-Once more out in my calculations.-My disappointment aggravated by the bad effects of the storm.-My son sets out, on his last journey on my account to the south.-Old Inn, pulling down, and sundry reminiscences connected with it -Our situation at that time, not one of the most pleasant. -Midnight alarm -More disappointments and disagreeables-But some of them of that description, which belongs to the veiled subjects.-A sister's sacrifice, to a brother's comfort.-Soothing and praise-worthy conduct of an examplary mother, which did not, even in this life, go without its reward.

It would appear, that on the New Year's Day of 1827, I had been able to indulge myself in my long established, but of late years, too much unaccustomed, walk, by the sea shore; for I perfectly remember, having on that day, seen a stranger on the beach, the recollection of which, calls up melancholy associations, which cannot possibly let me mistake in respect

From No. 1,-being from a very intelligent and learned clergyman, in our own neighbourhood,—I take-" I understand you have now brought your work to a conclusion, and I congratulate you on it,-for, though it is a work that reflects great honour on you, both as a philosopher and a christian, yet, it has been an effort of no small labour, on so many different subjects, and so ably and minutely handled in all of them."

And from the second, being from one of the professors in the Edinburgh University, of date the 2d Dec. I take the following::-"I feel assured with you, that if in the ordinary course of education, the mind were turned to observe na. ture and to reflect on its observations, the amount of human happiness would be increased, and society rendered much more rational. In attempting to effect this purpose by the publication of Popular Philosophy, you have offered an accept. able service to the public."

These are all I can here make room for, and there is the less matter, in regard to some of the others which might be received by the end of the year, but had not appeared by that time in print-as they so appeared afterwards, and must, in that shape have been seen by many of my present readers.

to the time, although these associations, and the recollections they call up, as belonging to the class, denominated "the veiled subjects," must be suppressed, or passed over at present; as also, for the same reason, the varied circumstances that contributed to render so unhappy my approaching BIRTH DAY, which fell on a Sunday, being the 14th of January, this year.

There can be no harm, however, in making a short extract, just to shew the exact nature of my situation—how in fact, I was affected-how I felt-and how I gave expression to my feelings on the occasion ;-and I think I cannot do this better, than by confining myself, (and which will also, not take up much of the time of my reader,) to the few words with which I commence my twenty-sixth retrospect, which, I see, was written on that day. "I again write in the bitterness of my soul-this is my birth-day, but such a birthday address, may I never again have occasion to make;”—these few words, few as they are, convey a true picture of my situation and feelings, at the time, I sat down to write that gloomy retrospect :-but as there is not a rose without its thorn, or the most cloudy weather without an occasional glimpse of sunshine, I see, that in the further prosecution of my task, I had occasion to notice, what, at the time, seemed to have been regarded by me as "a token for good," the receipt, on that day, of a piece of pleasing intelligence from a friend at a distance, from whom, I had not for some time heard, and which, on that account, I may call good news from a far country.

Indeed, without these occasional glimpses of sunshine, and fragrant flowerets, which were now, since the publication of my work, beginning to appear in so many directions, to cheer me on in my path, I do not see how, I could have much longer borne up-in midst of the numerous ills-the grievous disappointments-the harassing torments-which now began to beset, perplex, and to vex me.

*

* But, it is fortunate that the bane, in the adorable Frovidence of a merciful God is so often accompanied, by the antidote, and, I see that ere yet the evils of, this again eventful year, had time to be much felt, oneof those choice antidotes which soon afterwards came into my hands, must have been in preparation for me :-the letter to which I allude, and in which, I am told among other gratifying things,

These precious flowerets, or literary gems, as some of them may very appropriately be styled, are well worth the preserving, on two accounts-not only as memorials, or delightful remembrances, of the complexion of the antidotes which were sent to my relief, and of the kind of persons by whom they were prepared and administered-but as perpetual incentives of gratitude to that Great Being, who sent, through so many independent, and unconnected mediums, so many choice cordials, to cheer, and bear me up, in midst of that otherwise unhospitable—may I not say, unbearable-gloom— such as must have overspread my mind, at the time I commenced the Retrospect above alluded to, on the 14th.*

On the 1st of this month (February,) I see, what, I need not now call my Spring, but my last, series of country auctions commenced.†

But, having proceeded so far, I am almost inclined to ask myself the question, what has become of my bodily indisposition? For, if I had any remaining, I have no record of it before me, and yet, I do not think, that I have been wholly exempted from Winter or Spring complaints, for many years.

Perhaps, the Almighty, in compassion to the many causes of mental disquiet I was obliged to endure, and found it difficult enough to bear up under, at this particular period, was pleased, in mercy, to alleviate, or ease me altogether, of that part of my burden, for a season.

The little fragrant floweret, alluded to in my note, as being conveyed to me, in the letter from my friend, of date the 1st

by a most intelligent literary correspondent," the concluding part (meaning of my work) sustains the full value of its precursors," being dated on the first of January.

This letter, as well as some printed testimonials that had come to hand in the course of the last month of the year, is now before me, and from the manner in which they are secured, are not likely to fall aside.

In a letter from a friend dated the 1st of February, I have conveyed to me a pleasing flower of most fragrant smell, which, although of a complexion too delicate for further handling in this place, must have arrived very opportunely at the time it did; and so I merely record the circumstance, with sentiments of eternal gratitude to the Great Physician, who knew so well the consolations I stood in need of, at such a gloomy and depressing moment of my existence.

This short series was commenced and continued,-at Innerwick, on the Ist and 2d of February;-at East Barns, on the 3d ;-Whittingham, the 5th and 6th-Stenton, 7th and 8th ;-Tyningham, 9th and 10th;-and Linton, the 12th, 13th and 14th.

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