THE ETTRICK SHEPHERD. 105 



else had Ettrick and Scotland been deprived of some 

 of the finest lyrics in all the world, and we had not 

 known how all-powerful Nature is in inspiring a 

 simple shepherd with a mental fire that the highest 

 intellectual culture is unable to kindle. 



The recollection of the fact that in Ettrick Kirk- 

 yard lies the Rev. Thomas Boston, umquhile minister 

 of the parish, and author of " The Fourfold State" — 

 a great work of village divinity — induces us to warn 

 our readers to take some readable books with them in 

 their angling excursions to remote districts. Josephus, 

 Boston, and such-like, are often the only books to be 

 found in these places ;-^nd the remembrance of a 

 Sunday's torments which we once experienced from the 

 aforesaid " Fourfold State'' are not to be efifaced.'^The 

 landlord of an inn, instigated by a thoughtless hint, 

 persisted for a whole forenoon in reading to us the 

 lucubrations of the famous minister of Ettrick ; and, 

 as he came to each orthodox proposition, he made 

 sure of our attention by demanding — " And hoo d' ye 

 think he pruves tJiis pint?" Nor would he proceed 

 until a few random guesses gave him the opportunity of 

 exhibiting the superior acumen of his favourite divine 

 on the " kittle points" of faith or grace. 



Below Tushilaw, the trout of Ettrick are larger, 

 and all kinds of angling may be successfully practised. 

 About eight miles below Tushilaw there is an inn at 

 Ettrick Bridge, from which the lower part of the river 

 may be conveniently fished. Many old stories and 

 traditions still cling to the locality — as witness the 

 names of Gilmanscleugh, Deloraine, Singlee, the Fair 

 Dodhead, whence Jamie Telfer's kye were stolen, Oak- 



