and,
at the last meeting of the games, he had been first at the running
hop-step-and-jump; had beat all competitors in running; and, though but
slightly formed, had gained the second prize for throwing the hammer--a
favourite old Scottish exercise, but almost unknown in England. Athletic
sports were, indeed, his favourite pursuit, and he cultivated them with
an ardour which very few of our readers will be able to imagine. But
among the shepherds, and, indeed, all inhabitants of pastoral districts,
he who excels in these sports possesses a superiority over his
contemporaries, which cannot but be gratifying in the highest degree to
its possessor. His name is known far and wide; his friendship is courted
by the men; and his hand, either as a partner in a country dance, or in
a longer "minuet of the heart," marriage, is coquetted for by the
maidens: he, in fact, possesses all the power which superiority of
intellect bestows in more populous and polished societies. But it is by
no means the case, as is often said, that ardour in the pursuit of
violent sports is connected with ignorance or mediocrity of intellect.
On the contrary, by far the greater number of victors at games of
agility and strength, will be found to possess a degree of mental
energy, which is, in fact, the power that impels them to corporeal
excitement, and is often the secret of their success over more muscular
antagonists. Philips Grey, in particular, was a striking instance of
this fact. Notwithstanding his passion for athletic sports, he had found
time, while on the hillside tending his flock, or in the long winter
nights, to make himself well acquainted with the Latin classics. This
is by no means uncommon among the Scottish peasantry. Smith, and Black,
and Murray, are not singular instances of self-taught scholars; for
there is scarce a valley in Scotland in which you will not hear of one
or more young men of this stamp. Philips also played exquisitely on the
violin, and had that true taste for the simple Scottish melody which
can, perhaps, be nowhere cultivated so well as among the mountains and
streams which have frequently inspired them. Many a time, when you ask
the name of the author of some sweet ballad which the country girl is
breathing amongst these hills, the tear will start into her eye as she
answers--"Poor Philips Grey, that met a dreadful death at the Grey
Mare's Tail." With these admirable qualities, Philips unfortunately
possessed a mood