went in, and was much amused by old Macnab, who came up scratching his head to say that as they only received bread once a week from Stirling, and did not have visitors very often, they had no bread in the house, but they had plenty of oat cakes. Having a good appetite, I managed to make a hearty meal of boiled eggs and fresh milk. When I proposed to Macnab that he should be my guide up Ben Lomond at five o'clock next morning, he said, as he had no watch perhaps I would lend him mine. I must confess I looked narrowly at the man when he made the request, but I could see nothing but downright honesty in his countenance, and willingly handed my watch over to him. He left me with the understanding that he should have some light refreshment ready for me at the time named, and at an early hour I retired to rest; but when I woke at half-past four on the morning of Wednesday, July 15th, I found it raining hard, and, of course, turned myself round and had another snooze. . . . At half-past ten, the rain had quite ceased, but the mountains were so completely enveloped in mist, and so much rain had fallen in the night, which would render walking bad, that it was judged quite unadvisable to attempt the intended ascent. Having, therefore, laid in some provisions, we started on our way. . . . In consequence of the swollen state of the mountain streams, I found it advisable to be carried across three of them on the back of old Macnab, for he said, 'I am sure to be wet, and it will not be any better for me that you should be wet too.' After putting me on the road from Loch Katrine to Inversnaid, Macnab bade me good-bye, and I cordially shook hands with one who had proved himself a very agreeable companion.

The journey was continued by Inverary to Oban, Fort Augustus, and the Falls of Foyers, where he picked up the following anecdote:

Before the present bridge at the upper cataract was built, the only passage over the torrent was by an old crazy bridge, made of loose sticks, covered with turf. A story is told of a neighbouring farmer, who, having spent the evening with some friends at the 'General's Hut' (a small inn, so called from its having been the abode of General Wade, when he was superintending the making of the military road from Fort Augustus to Fort George), during a heavy fall of snow determined on

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NATURE AND ART.

47

returning home before the storm had subsided. He had frequently passed the bridge on foot, and he now actually spurred his horse across it. Having some faint recollection next morning of his daring adventure, but suspecting it to be a dream, he went to the spot to convince himself, and when he perceived the tracks of his horse's feet in the snow, he suddenly fell ill from fright, and died in consequence.

The narrative runs pleasantly on, with descriptions of Inverness, Blair Athole, Killiecrankie, and the Falls of the Braan, as seen through the mirrors in Ossian's Hall, concerning which our traveller says: "The fall is very good, but I do not think that the beauties of Nature ever owe much additional beauty to the assistance of art." At the inn at Aberfeldy, he was "much amused with the landlord, a good Whig and a staunch supporter of Fox Maule* at the last election." At Stirling he makes the following entry in his note-book :

July 23rd, Thursday. This was the day appointed by the General Assembly for a fast, and I was much amused at the answers I received from several of whom I asked the reason why the fast was appointed. The only reason I could get from the majority was, 'that they did not rightly ken, but it was ordered by the General Assembly.' Thus are they priest-ridden even in Scotland, where it was clear, after a little investigation, that the cause was the spread of Dissent, or, as they (i.e., the General Assembly) chose to express it, the prevalence of infidelity and disaffection to the Church.' I can only say that, so far from its being a fast day to me, or what I suppose is meant by the term, a day of penance, this was one of the brightest days I enjoyed in Scotland. . . .'

Proceeding by way of Dundee, where he parted with Mr. Langton, his travelling companion, he journeyed on to Melrose and Dryburgh Abbey, where,

*Afterwards Lord Panmure.

three years before (September 21, 1832), Sir Walter Scott had been buried.

...

July 26th, Sunday.-Arrived at Melrose in time to have my breakfast and hear a sermon at the Secession Chapel, with which I cannot say I was much pleased. On leaving the chapel, after service, I proceeded to the kirk, and found a very great number assembled,' it being the day for the sacrament, which is only administered here twice a year. I must confess I was much struck with the mode of conducting the service. There were two very long tables, from the pulpit to the door, each capable of seating about eighty persons. To this number the sacrament was administered, and when it was concluded they moved out at one end, and their seats were taken by the same number, who entered at the other end. The greatest inconvenience would arise from the clergyman having to repeat the service so many times. I was told he would be so occupied till four o'clock. The town was quite in a bustle, and there were a great many carriages at the inn, many persons having come a great distance. . . . In the evening I walked over to Abbotsford, the residence of the late Sir Walter Scott. It is beautifully situated in the midst of most extensive plantations, the walks through which are very pleasing. . . . The entrance hall is filled with armour of all descriptions, and there is another room also filled with firearms, to each of which a ticket is attached conveying some anecdote or information of interest. The library is a fine large room, containing 20,000 volumes, some of them very rare and valuable. Beyond is the Sanctum Sanctorum,' filled with relics of all sorts, some of his choicest books, &c. In this room were written most of those works which command the admiration of mankind. I sat on the old easy-chair in which he sat, and lingered through the rooms, in which everything is left precisely as he left them, with feelings I shall never forget. In a small closet or room in this inner apartment, there were hung the clothes he last wore before he died. Every article of his dress was there, and I was surprised to observe how very much thicker the heel of one shoe was than the other, owing to the greater length of one leg than the other. In the kitchen I was struck by observing the words, 'Waste not, want not,' carved in large letters on the stone, just over the fire. I was delightfully engaged in wandering through this interesting house more than three hours, and could have remained much longer, but I was reminded by the closing of the evening that I had four miles to walk. I called to mind the anecdote I once

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SIR WALTER SCOTT.

49

heard of Sir Walter, and could not help wishing that I had been so favoured. A gentleman and his lady having reached Melrose, were anxious to visit Abbotsford, and to have an interview with its illustrious owner. He accordingly wrote a note to the following purport: Mr. and Mrs. present their compliments to Sir Walter Scott, and being anxious to see the great Lion of the North, request the honour of an interview. To which Sir Walter returned the following answer :-'Sir Walter Scott presents his compliments to Mr. and Mrs. ——, and as the Lion is seen to most advantage at feeding hours, requests the pleasure of their company at dinner.'

July 27th, Monday.-I left Melrose with a sigh, not, however, before I had taken a farewell of the splendid Abbey, and had purchased some correct engravings from the old man who has the keys of the Abbey, and who was a great favourite with Sir Walter Scott.

CHAPTER IV.

RELIGIOUS STATE OF THE TIMES.

1800-1835.

Hackney, a Centre of Nonconformity-The First Quarter of the Century—The Toleration Act-Church and Dissent-Evangelicals-A Transition Period --Dawn of the Oxford Movement-Independency-Church Rates-The King's Weigh House-The Rev. Thomas Binney.

SAMUEL MORLEY'S early manhood was passed in times. which were full of incident, and it was his delight to take a part, however humble, in public movements. He was born and bred a Liberal, and his convictions and sympathies lay entirely in that direction. Of his own choice, too, he had cast in his lot with the Nonconformists, and his first public labours were in Liberal and Nonconformist fields. At a comparatively early age, he was in the habit of attending public meetings on political, social, and religious subjects, and not unfrequently he would be called upon to take the chair, or to address the meeting. In those days he was not a remarkably good speaker; he had a pleasant, gentlemanly manner, his name was a "tower of strength," but his utterances were not