ry few exceptions, every forenoon he called at my
lodgings, leaving a note requesting me to meet him at some specified
time and place. I sometimes sent apologies, and at other times went
personally to apologise; but neither of these methods answered well.
Through his persevering attentions towards me, I met with much agreeable
society, and saw much above as well as somewhat below the earth, which I
might never otherwise have seen. In illustration of the latter fact, I
may state that, having gone to London, he returned with two Englishmen,
when he invited me to assist them in exploring the battle-field of
Pinkie. We terminated our excursion by descending one of Sir John Hope's
coal-pits. These humorous and frank English associates amused themselves
by bantering my friend and myself about the chastisement which Scotland
received from the sister kingdom at Pinkie. As did the young rustic
countryman--or, at least, was admonished to do--so did I. When going
away to reside in England, he asked his father if he had any advice to
give him. 'Nane, Jock, nane but this,' he said; 'dinna forget to avenge
the battle o' Pinkie on them.' Ere I slept I wrote, in support of our
native land, the song--'Ours is the land of gallant hearts;' and thus,
in my own way, 'avenged the battle of Pinkie.'

"One of two other friends with whom I delighted to associate was R. B.,
an early school companion, who, having left the mountains earlier than I
did, had now been a number of years in Edinburgh. Of excellent head and
generous heart, he loved the wild, green, and deep solitudes of nature.
The other--G. M'D.--was of powerful and bold intellect, and remarkable
for a retentive memory. Each of us, partial to those regions where
nature strives to maintain her own undisturbed dominion, on all holidays
hied away from the city, to the woodland and mountainous haunts, or the
loneliness of the least frequented shores of the sea. The spirit of our
philosophy varied much--sometimes profound and solemn, and sometimes
humorous; but still we philosophised, wandering on. They were members of
a literary society which met once a week, and which I joined. My
propensity to study character and note its varieties was here afforded a
field opening close upon me; but I was also much profited by performing
my part in carrying forward the business of the institution. During all
the sessions that I attended the University, but especially as these
advanced toward their termin