ly made
excursions with his brother, or some intimate friend, to visit the
lakes and hills of our Highlands, cherishing thereby, unawares, a
fondness for travel, that was most useful to him in after days. In one
of these excursions, a somewhat romantic occurrence befell the
travellers, such as we might rather have expected to meet with in the
records of his Eastern journey. He and his friends had set out on foot
to explore, at their leisure, Dunkeld, and the highlands in its
vicinity. They spent a day at Dunkeld, and about sunset set out again
with the view of crossing the hills to Strathardle. A dense mist
spread over the hills soon after they began to climb. They pressed on,
but lost the track that might have guided them safely to the glen.
They knew not how to direct their steps to any dwelling. Night came
on, and they had no resource but to couch among the heath, with no
other covering than the clothes they wore. They felt hungry and cold;
and, awaking at midnight, the awful stillness of the lonely mountains
spread a strange fear over them. But, drawing close together, they
again lay down to rest, and slept soundly till the cry of some wild
birds and the morning dawn aroused them.

Entering the Edinburgh University in November 1827, he gained some
prize in all the various classes he attended. In private he studied
the modern languages; and gymnastic exercises at that time gave him
unbounded delight. He used his pencil with much success, and then it
was that his hand was prepared for sketching the scenes of the Holy
Land. He had a very considerable knowledge of music, and himself sang
correctly and beautifully. This, too, was a gift which was used to the
glory of the Lord in after days,--wonderfully enlivening his secret
devotions, and enabling him to lead the song of praise in the
congregation wherever occasion required. Poetry also was a
never-failing recreation; and his taste in this department drew the
attention of Professor Wilson, who adjudged him the prize in the Moral
Philosophy class for a poem, "On the Covenanters."

In the winter of 1831 he commenced his studies in the Divinity Hall
under Dr. Chalmers, and the study of Church History under Dr. Welsh.
It may be naturally asked, What led him to wish to preach salvation to
his fellow-sinners? Could he say, like Robert Bruce, "_I was first
called to my grace, before I obeyed my calling to the ministry?_" Few
questions are more interesting than this; and our