And now, after those days have so long passed away, I must candidly confess, that instead of saying any thing of an ungrateful or repining nature, on account of the time devoted to my favourite task, (with whatever regret I may reflect on the necessity that led to the other) I look back upon the happy moments spent in pursuits so pleasing, because so congenial to my feelings, with a composure, and inward serenity of mind, of which nothing earthly, has to this day, nor do I think ever will, be capable of robbing me.* In consequence of these unremitting endeavours, which I was so well enabled to carry into effect during the leisure afforded by my protracted convalescence, I was so far advanc ed in my preparations, by the end of summer, as to have begun to look seriously about me, as to the most proper time for issuing my prospectus to the public.+ Previously, however, to issuing my prospectus, there was one thing that seemed to demand my more immediate attention, and that for two reasons,-in the first place, our auction license would expire early in October,-and, I wished to avail myself of it, in getting over, before it expired, our few sales for the season ;-and secondly, in order to get my hands clear of one business, before I got involved with another, after the issuing of my prospectus, I deemed it proper, at any rate, that these sales should be gone about immediately.‡ • There was attendant upon that employment, one advantage which I must not omit to mention, and for which, I shall never cease to be grateful, viz. that it seems at the time, to have drawn off my attention from those grievous reflections and harrowing considerations, which, without such diversion in their favour, might have prostrated my mind as well as my body, and been, indeed, in both these respects, TOO MUCH FOR ME. + I had indeed, owing to a combination of untoward and unfortunate circum. stances, connected with various subjects, which cannot even now be slightly touched on, much to do much to engage at once my attention and anxiety during that summer and autumn, but it has often been remarked, that in the most trying cases, "the back is usually made meet for the burden," and I certainly, to a great degree, experienced the truth of this saying, during the rotation of these few months. Indeed, my strength seemed, at this period, to increase with my difficulties and my health to enable me to push about, and spirits to support me under what many would have considered as most ungrateful tasks, had not, perhaps, for a length of time, been in such excellent condition as they were, during the latter months of this busy summer, and I may add, during the whole of the still more, to me, busy, autumnal portion of the year. We accordingly find that my son, who had done nothing in that way from his finishing his course at Dunfermline, on the 12th February, as noticed towards the conclusion of my last chapter, commenced his few remaining operations The coast being cleared, by the completion of these sales, and the times having assumed a much more promising appearance, than they had done for some time before, (I suppose I may say, since the sad calamity that befel our county in the spring of 1822,) I proceeded to put into execution my long formed, but often necessarily postponed, intention, in regard to issuing my prospectus, for what I now designated, " POPULAR PHILOSOPHY; or, THE BOOK OF NATURE LAID OPEN, UPON CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES, and AGREEABLY TO THE LIGHTS OF MODERN SCIENCE, and THE PROGRESS OF NEW DISCOVERY," &c.* 66 So early as the 3d of November, I observe, I had been making some inquiries, preparatory to a contemplated visit to the Edinburgh College Museum, previously to going to press with my work,—and, up to the 6th, was going on pretty comfortably with my other preparations and arrangements; but, on that day, I received such a piece of appalling, and I may well say, enervating intelligence, as drove, for the time, all other thoughts out of my head, and which, had it reached me a month sooner, or, before I had issued my prospectus, might have sealed up for ever, ere its publication had commenced, the fate of my book. for the year (as we had resolved to discontinue the license for the present) at Dunbar, on the evening of Monday, the 12th September, which he continued for that and the following week, and afterwards, in some of the adjoining villages, until the licence expired on the 8th of October, when they terminated at East Barns,-after which, it was likely we had no more sales that way, till nearly the time when, my "Popular Philosophy" was finished at press, on the follow ing year. This short series, I see, consisted of the sales at Dunbar, on the two weeks ending the 17th and the 22d September,-Linton, 26th, 27th, 28th, do. -Whitekirk, 29th,-Tyningham, 30th and 1st October,Whittingham, 3d, 4th,-Stenton, 5th,-Innerwick, 6th, 7th,-East Barns, 8th. * This I commenced doing, on Monday the 24th October, and by the morn ing of the 28th, the day on which my circular to the trade, is dated, I see, we had 80 names on our subscription papers-and of such a description, as might make any person proud of such a compliment, and such an acquisition,although, the numbers were afterwards much increased in course of the winter; indeed, so much so, as to make it become indeed, a matter of profit, as well as of pleasure, if things could be economically gone about, to proceed with the work. The matter I think, was at first broached, after dinner, to an intelligent young gentleman, one of the happy party, at a certain launching feast, which took place on the previous week; the recollection of which, while it calls up the remembrance of those more prosperous times to, the shipping interest, at same time, is accompanied by the most melancholy reminiscences,-as going to shew, or fix the time, when the funeral knell of that interest, at least in this quarter, may be said to have been sounded; as it does not appear, to have done much good, ever since. I, however, must have, in some degree, recovered my spirits by the end of that month, in consequence of the number of orders, and some of them of a very flattering description, that continued to pour in from all quarters-more especially, as two of them, now before me, dated the 23d, was the commencement of, the reviving of a correspondence with, some of those excellent worthies of the earth, which it must be ever the pride of human nature, properly endowed, and rightly constituted, to correspond with. The following kind letter, which arrived, among a number of others, from that much respected individual, whom I have before had occasion to mention, and whose signature it bears, I have deemed it proper to preserve in these pages, as a specimen, of the style of the writer, as well as of his readiness to serve me, on the present occasion : "ESTEEMED FRIEND, "NEAR-LONDON, 23d of 11th Month, 1825. "I am glad to find, that it is thy intention to publish, the Book of Nature Laid Open, upon Christian principles.-Our plans for teaching the poor to read, are making rapid progress, and it is of vast consequence to provide reading for them, which, while it conveys instruction, with respect to the things which are seen, and which are temporal, should give their minds a bias, towards the things which are not seen (by the natural eye,) but which are eternal, and of infinite importance -Pray, send me up a few of the printed prospectuses, and, in the meantime, put down the following subscribers : [Here follows a list of a few names, taking among them, to the extent -I remain, with best wishes for the success of thy work, thy sincere friend, (Signed) Addressed, "George Miller, Editor of the Book of "WM. ALLen. On the of December, I paid my long contemplated, and often wished for, visit to the Museum,* in which I was met by my much esteemed friend, Mr, who may possibly recollect, upon these pages meeting his eye, something of my prediction about meteorics, which I had an opportunity of explaining to him, as I have done several of my mysterious subjects, upon natural, not supernatural principles, in the afternoon, when we met again at Newington to dinner. On the following week, I think, on the Tuesday, I had the See, "A peep into the Edinburgh Museum," or, the Edinburgh College Museum described, page 35 to 62, volume first, of my Popular Philosophy. walk along by the Cove shore, as described in the 84th page of the first volume of my book; and, on the 16th, being the day on which I met some friends, on the occasion of their annual dinner at Linkheads, I observe I had, in course of the forenoon, paid a visit to the Siccar Point, as described, page 85, &c.* My preparatory visits, however, did not end with those I have already mentioned; for my good friend, Mr being here during his Christmas holidays, I accepted his offer to treat me with a part of a chaise, so far as the road was practicable by such a conveyance, on the condition, which was readily granted on my part, that I would treat him with the pleasure of accompanying me, on my exploratory visit to the Fairy Castles, situated in the mountainous regions to the westward of Oldhamstocks, and which I have also described at pages 92 and 173 vol. first, of my Popular Philosophy. We set out accordingly, for that, to me, at the time, very interesting district, on the morning of Wednesday the 28th December, and, taking Oldhamstocks in our way, were there joined by my much esteemed friend, the Rev. Mr Moore, at the manse, to which we returned, after our toils for the day were over, and spent a most agreeable afternoon, in a most agreeable party, which our kind and hospitable friends had invited to meet, and to dine with us, on our return. Our worthy host will possibly recollect, that we were not A DAY TOO SOON for the purport of our journey, for the snow had begun to fall, before we left the village in the evening; and had we been but a day later, I am afraid, the Fairy Castles would have remained under snow, although they were not now under ground, until it had been too late to discover them, for our present purpose. It has been sometimes remarked, that a person in doing so and so, has "killed two dogs with one stone," but in this day's transactions, it will be seen that, in that sense, I killed no less than three.-My visit to the Siccar point, was, no doubt the most important, in respect to the pursuit in which I was now so seriously engaged, but the circumstance of the dinner, with such excellent friends, and in conformity to an old established practice, would most likely have called me eastward, on that day at any rate,—and, 1 had besides, an assignation with a person to meet me there, on very particular business, from Cockburnspath, before the coach came up; and he was just, I think in time, to get all over, before the coach did come up to bear me home, from my day's labours, and the pleasant meeting, whose company, I need not say, I could have with pleasure enjoyed much longer, had circumstances permitted. CHAPTER XXXV.-1826. It is well for us that we cannot see into futurity, or the fate of my Popular Philosophy, might have been sealed, while in embryo-Discouraging obstacles I met with in the commencement -Inducements, to go forward.-The great engrossing subject with me in the beginning of 1826-A specimen of “my night thoughts."-Just in time to be useful.Dedication of my work to THE GREAT UNSEEN WITHIN THE VEIL.-Proceed with it to press.-I am soon after assailed by a combination of distressing circumstances.-Deplorable reaction in the affairs of the country.-Great change in the short period of four months.-Summoned to Edinburgh, on a jury trial.-Embrace the opportunity to visit the Botanic Gardens.-Rather strange anomalies in a Court of Justice. Part first of Popular Philosophy makes its appearance-Encouraging and flattering testimonials very opportunely arrive.-Part second of my work comes out.-More flowers in my path, in the form of favourable notices. Visit a friend in the west.-Embrace the opportunity of paying a second visit to the Botanic Garden on my return -Great heat and forwardness of the season." ANIMATED FLOWERS," attending Professor Graham's noonday lectures.-My walk in the Botanic Garden, where described.-Visit. ed by a young friend, who turns out in the end to be very useful.-I have a call from Dr Chalmers on his journey to the eastward.-Part third of P. P. appears, accompanied by a series of testimonials down to July.-Friendly advice of a friend, which, however, I am still unable to attend to.-No time for me yet to think of rest.-Part IV. of my publication makes its appearance.― Short series of sales for the winter.-Not tired of my employment during, although well pleased with the completion of, my task.-Quotation from Bishop Horne. A small debt of gratitude paid to my young friend.-Pleasant party at Birnieknows on our return from the Cove-Shore, accompany my little coadju tor to Edinburgh.-Deliver him over to his father.We afterwards lose sight of him, but learn that he had found his way to the College Museum.-More disagreeables.-Letter of condolence.-New trials, which, notwithstanding all its pleasing toils, contribute to make the year 1826, set in clouds.-Advertise my book as an appropriate Christmas, or New Years Gift.-Congratula tory and friendly communications received after the completion of the work. I I TOOK occasion to remark in my last chapter, that if a certain piece of appalling intelligence had reached me, a very short time before it did, the fate of my book might have been sealed, ere it had commenced-or, in other words, the prospectus, might never have been published, and now, may safely say, that could I have foreseen the consequences of those disastrous storms, which were already giving some indications of their approach, when I went to press, early in January, 1826-I might have still hesitated to advance, or trem |