22 JOHN DUNCAN, WEAVER AND BOTANIST. 



small domestic comfort, it was in a very backward condition, 

 In truth, John had even then gathered a poor opinion of 

 their intellectual and moral status, which, as things then 

 were, was probably not unjust ; and subsequent intercourse 

 with the class, especially in his scientific studies, only served 

 to strengthen these early impressions, for which we shall find 

 more than sufficient grounds as we proceed. On the other 

 hand, their strong physique and high health were matters 

 of which they had reason to be justly proud, and made 

 them despise the members of other occupations in which 

 these good elements were lower than with them. This is 

 well illustrated by a speech made on one occasion, about 

 the time we speak of, by the farmer of Boggatyhead, which 

 overlooks Dunnottar Castle, when his stocks of corn were 

 being blown over the cliffs into the sea by a heavy storm. 

 " Rin," says he, " to Stanehyve, and get as mony men as you 

 can, to help here ; and if ye canna get men, get weivers or 

 onything ! " 



One of the commonest of sounds heard then all over 

 the land, and not less in Stonehaven, was the merry 

 click-clack of the weaver's shuttle. John had listened to it 

 from his earliest years. He had often watched the busy 

 weaver, always an attractive sight to children, and gathered 

 the refuse beneath the looms in kindly workshops. His 

 father had been a weaver, his mother's people were all 

 weavers, she herself had assisted them in her younger days, 

 and he had heard the loom talked of since he could re- 

 member anything. Several of our greater countrymen had 

 also followed the same trade, which at that time held much 

 higher rank than now ; so that its lowliness was no bar to 

 greatness or study. John, therefore, determinately fixed 



