inet crisis, and who would go away and search for birds' nests in
the woods, for the mere pleasure of looking at them, when the whole
civilised world, from the Cloch Lighthouse all the way to Largs, was
convulsed with the news that minister in a parish adjacent had been
heard to say something disrespectful about Calvin?

The three books, one or other of which John Douglas usually carried
with him on his rambles by sea-shore or through some country lanes,
were the New Testament, Marcus Aurelius, and Tannahill's Poems; but
perhaps it was the wise Emperor with whom he most closely communed as
the waves rippled along the sand, and the shifting lights crossed the
clear blue of the Arran hills. He had so entered into the spirit of
that proud and patient stoicism, that he considered himself proof
against anything that might happen to him in life or in death. It was
a voice from far away, it is true--muffled, as if from the tomb; but it
was human, sympathetic, kindly in the main.

'Every moment think steadily as a Roman and a man to do what thou hast
in hand with perfect and simple dignity, and feeling of affection, and
freedom, and justice; and to give thyself relief from all other
thoughts. And thou wilt give thyself relief, if thou doest every act
of thy life as if it were the last, laying aside all carelessness and
passionate aversion from the commands of reason, and all hypocrisy, and
self-love, and discontent with the portion which has been given to
thee. Thou seest how few the things are, the which if a man lays hold
of, he is able to live a life which flows in quiet, and is like the
existence of the gods; for the gods, on their part, will require
nothing more from him who observes these things.'

And again:

'If thou workest at that which is before thee, following right reason
seriously, vigorously, calmly, without allowing anything else to
distract thee, but keeping thy divine part pure, as if thou shouldst be
bound to give it back immediately; if thou holdest to this, expecting
nothing, fearing nothing, but satisfied with thy present activity
according to nature, and with heroic truth in every word and sound
which thou utterest, thou wilt live happy. And there is no man who is
able to prevent this.'

Or if one should not find any great work in the world to tackle?--

'Always bear this in mind, that very little indeed is necessary for
living a happy life. And because thou hast despaired of becoming a
diale