publication of his "Scenes and Legends," a branch of the
Commercial Bank was opened at Cromarty, and the accountantship was
offered to him by the agent. Entering on the duties, after a short
preliminary training in the Bank's offices at Edinburgh and Linlithgow,
he subsequently added to his domestic comfort by uniting himself in
marriage with Miss Lydia Fraser, a young lady of literary tastes, to
whom he had for some time borne an attachment. His official emoluments
amounted to nearly a hundred pounds a-year; these were considerably
augmented by his contributing legendary tales for _The Tales of the
Border_, and writing occasional articles to _Chambers' Edinburgh
Journal_. The _veto_ controversy was now extensively agitating the
Established Church, and, having long supported the popular view, he at
length resolved to come forward more conspicuously as the advocate of
what he strongly regarded as the rights of the people. He embodied his
sentiments in the shape of a letter to Lord Brougham, and, having
transmitted his MS. to Mr Robert Paul, the manager of the Commercial
Bank, it was by that gentleman submitted to Dr Candlish. Perceiving the
consummate ability of the writer, that able divine not only urged the
publication of his letter, but recommended his immediate nomination as
the editor of the _Witness_ newspaper, which had just been projected by
some of the Edinburgh clergy. The offer of the editorship was
accordingly made, and, being accepted, the first number of the newspaper
was, early in 1840, issued under his superintendence.

As a controversial writer, and the able exponent of his peculiar views
of ecclesiastical polity, Hugh Miller at once attained a first rank
among contemporary editors. Many persons who were unconcerned about the
Scottish Church question, or by whom his sentiments on that subject were
disapproved, could not withhold an expressed admiration of the singular
power with which his views were supported, and of the classic style in
which they were conveyed. For some years prior to undertaking the
editorship, he had devoted much of his spare time to the preparation of
a geological work; and he now, in the columns of his newspaper, in a
series of chapters, presented to the public that valuable contribution
to geological science, since so well known as his work on "The Old Red
Sandstone." To the scientific world, by opening up the fossil treasures
of a formation hitherto understood to be peculiarly des