I perceived his sisters mighty busy in fitting out Moses for the fair: trimming his hair, brushing his buckles, and cocking his hat with pins. The business of the toilet being over, we had at last the satisfaction of seeing him mounted upon the colt, with a deal box before him to bring home groceries in. 66 4. He had on a coat made of that cloth they call thunder-andlightning," which, though grown too short, was much too good to be thrown away. His waistcoat was of gosling green; and his sisters had tied his hair with a broad black ribbon. We all followed him several paces from the door, bawling after him, “Good luck! good luck!" till we could see him no longer. 5. He was scarce gone when Mr. Thornhill's butler came to congratulate us upon our good fortune, saying that he overheard his young master mention our names with great commendation. Then came a note from two ladies who were visiting the squire, holding out hopes of finding situations for Olivia and Sophia in London. 6. This was to be our visiting day. The next that came was Mr. Burchell, who had been at the fair. He brought my little ones a pennyworth of gingerbread each, which my wife undertook to keep for them, and give them by letters at a time. He brought my daughters also a couple of boxes, in which they might keep wafers, snuff, patches, or even money, when they got it. My wife was usually fond of a weasel-skin purse, as being the most lucky; but this by-the-bye. 7. We had still a regard for Mr. Burchell; nor could we now avoid communicating our happiness to him, and asking his advice: although we seldom followed advice, we were all ready enough to ask it. When he read the note from the two ladies, he shook his head, and observed that an affair of this sort demanded the utmost circumspection. This air of diffidence highly displeased my wife. "I never doubted, sir," cried she, "your readiness to be against my daughters and me. You have more circumspection than is wanted. However, I fancy, when we come to ask advice, we will apply to persons who seem to have made use of it themselves."- "Whatever my own conduct may have been, madam," replied he, "is not the present question, though, as I have made no use of advice myself, I should in conscience give it to those that will.” 8. As I was apprehensive this answer might draw on a repartee,2 making up by abuse what it wanted in wit, I changed the subject, 1 Demanded the utmost circumspec- all sides. tion, needed to be looked at carefully on 2 Repartee, sharp reply. by seeming to wonder what could keep our son so long at the fair, as it was now almost nightfall. 9. "Never mind our son," cried my wife; "depend upon it he knows what he is about. I'll warrant we'll never see him sell his hen of a rainy day.1 I have seen him buy such bargains as would amaze one. I'll tell you a good story about that, that will make you split your sides with laughing.—But as I live, yonder comes Moses, without a horse, and the box on his back." 10. As she spoke, Moses came slowly on foot, and sweating under the deal box, which he had strapped round his shoulders like a pedlar. "Welcome, welcome, Moses! Well, my boy, what have you brought us from the fair?"-"I have brought you myself," cried Moses, with a sly look, and resting the box on the dresser.“ Ay, Moses," cried my wife, "that we know; but where is the horse?" 11. "I have sold him," cried Moses, "for three pounds five shillings and twopence."_" Well done, my good boy," returned she. "I knew you would touch them off. Between ourselves, three pounds five shillings and twopence is no bad day's work. Come, let us have it then."—"I have brought back no money," cried Moses again; “I have laid it all out in a bargain, and here it is," pulling out a bundle from his breast; "here they are: a gross of green spectacles, with silver rims and shagreen2 cases." 12. "A gross of green spectacles!" repeated my wife in a faint voice. "And you have parted with the colt, and brought us back nothing but a gross of green paltry spectacles!"- "Dear mother," cried the boy, "why won't you listen to reason? I had them a dead bargain, or I should not have brought them. The silver rims alone will sell for double the money.”—“ A fig for the silver rims,” cried my wife in a passion; "I dare swear they won't sell for above half the money at the rate of broken silver, five shillings an ounce." 13. “You need be under no uneasiness," cried I, “about selling the rims, for they are not worth sixpence; for I perceive they are only copper varnished over."-" What!" cried my wife; "not silver! the rims not silver!"-"No," cried I; "no more silver than your saucepan." "And so," returned she, "we have parted with the colt, and have only got a gross of green spectacles, with copper rims and shagreen cases! A murrain take3 such trumpery! The block 1 Sell his hen of a rainy day, sell at a disadvantage, when the thing to be sold is in bad condition, as a hen is when her feathers are wet. 2 Shagreen, leather made from the skin of the shark or the sturgeon. 3 A murrain take, "plague take;" a mild oath. "Murrain" is a disease which attacks cattle. head has been imposed upon, and should have known his company better." 14. "There, my dear," cried I, "you are wrong; he should not have known them at all."-" Marry,1 hang the idiot!" returned she, "to bring me such stuff. If I had them, I would throw them in the fire." “There again you are wrong, my dear," cried I; "for though they be copper, we will keep them by us, as copper spectacles, you know, are better than nothing." [CHAPTER XXIII.] SAMUEL JOHNSON. Born 1709-Died 1784. LETTER TO MRS. THRALE. EDINBURGH, Aug. 17, 1773. 1. Dear Madam,—On the 13th I left Newcastle, and in the afternoon came to Alnwick, where we were treated with great civility by the duke. I went through the apartments, walked on the wall, and climbed the towers. That night we lay at Belford, and on the next night came to Edinburgh. On Sunday (15th) I went to the English chapel. After dinner, Dr. Robertson2 came in, and promised to show me the place. 2. On Monday I saw their public buildings: the Cathedral, which I told Robertson I wished to see because it had once been a church; the Courts of Justice, the Parliament House, the Advocates' Library, the Repository of Records, the College and its library, and the Palace, particularly the old tower where the King of Scotland seized David Rizzio in the Queen's presence. Most of their buildings are very mean, and the whole town bears some resemblance to the old part of Birmingham. 3. Boswell3 has very handsome and spacious rooms, level with the ground on one side of the house, and on the other four stories high. At dinner on Monday were the Duchess of Douglas, an old lady who talks broad Scotch with a paralytic voice, and is scarce understood by her own countrymen; the Lord Chief Baron, Sir Adolphus Crighton, and many more. At supper there was such a conflux of company that I could scarcely support the tumult. I have never been well on the whole journey, and am very easily disordered. 2 Dr. Robertson. William Robertson, 3 Boswell, James, an advocate; the the historian, was a minister in Edinburgh, friend of Dr Johnson, whose life he afterand was latterly Principal of its University wards wrote (1740-1795). 4. This morning I saw at breakfast Dr. Blacklock, the blind poet, who does not remember to have seen light, and is read to by a poor scholar in Latin, Greek, and French. He was originally a poor scholar himself. I looked on him with reverence. To-morrow our journey begins; I know not when I shall write again. I am but poorly.—I am, Madam, your most humble servant, etc. [CHAPTER XXIV.] JAMES THOMSON. Born 1700-Died 1748. A SUMMER EVENING SCENE. Is also shunned, whose mournful chambers hold- 10 The glowworm lights his gem; and through the dark 20 ALLAN RAMSAY. Born 1685-Died 1758. FROM "THE GENTLE SHEPHERD," Jenny. Come, Meg, let's fa' to wark upon this green; The water clear, the lift unclouded blue, Lsky. Peggy. Gae far'er up the burn to Habbie's Howe,1 A pool breast-deep, beneath as clear as glass, Jenny. I dinna like him, Peggy, there's an end; [birch-trees. [makes. [notice. [knew. [combs. 10 19 Whilk pensily he wears a thought a-jee,1 And spreads his 'gartens diced beneath his knee; [garters. [cravat. [smarter. For a' that, he can neither sing nor say, Except, "How d' ye?"—or, "There's a bonny day." 28 ROBERT BURNS. Born 1759-Died 1796. SPRING SONG. 1. As I was a-wandering ae morning in spring, I heard a merry ploughman sae sweetly to sing; “There's nae life like the ploughman's in the month o' sweet May. 1 Habbie's Howe, a dell on the Esk, you find with him? near Carlops. 4 Whilk pensily he wears a thought 2 Out ower a little linn, over a little a-jee, which affectedly he wears a little to waterfall. one side. 3 What ails re at him? what fault do |