paper,
seal, and take with me to confront Mr. Murdoch, who has just left the
station." "This letter"--a stern enumeration of complaints--"to lie a
week on the lightroom book-place, and to be put in the Inspector's
hands when he comes round." "It is the most painful thing that can
occur for me to have a correspondence of this kind with any of the
keepers; and when I come to the Lighthouse, instead of having the
satisfaction to meet them with approbation, it is distressing when
one is obliged to put on a most angry countenance and demeanour; but
from such culpable negligence as you have shown there is no avoiding
it. I hold it as a fixed maxim that, when a man or a family put on a
slovenly appearance in their houses, stairs, and lanterns, I always
find their reflectors, burners, windows, and light in general, ill
attended to; and, therefore, I must insist on cleanliness
throughout." "I find you very deficient in the duty of the high
tower. You thus place your appointment as Principal Keeper in
jeopardy; and I think it necessary, as an old servant of the Board,
to put you upon your guard once for all at this time. I call upon you
to recollect what was formerly and is now said to you. The state of
the backs of the reflectors at the high tower was disgraceful, as I
pointed out to you on the spot. They were as if spitten upon, and
greasy finger-marks upon the back straps. I demand an explanation of
this state of things." "The cause of the Commissioners dismissing you
is expressed in the minute; and it must be a matter of regret to you
that you have been so much engaged in smuggling, and also that the
Reports relative to the cleanliness of the Lighthouse, upon being
referred to, rather added to their unfavourable opinion." "I do not
go into the dwelling-house, but severely chide the lightkeepers for
the disagreement that seems to subsist among them." "The families of
the two lightkeepers here agree very ill. I have effected a
reconciliation for the present." "Things are in a very _humdrum_
state here. There is no painting, and in and out of doors no taste or
tidiness displayed. Robert's wife _greets_ and M'Gregor's scolds; and
Robert is so down-hearted that he says he is unfit for duty. I told
him that if he was to mind wives' quarrels, and to take them up, the
only way was for him and M'Gregor to go down to the point like Si