332 JOHN DUNCAN, WEAVER AND BOTANIST. 



over the country in his young days. This man, who 

 dressed like an officer in the army, was most mannerly and 

 unusually smart and intelligent, rewarding his entertainers 

 with exhibitions of his dramatic powers, when he cleverly 

 delineated several characters, amongst others " Mr. Polite," 

 and " Mr. Rompish," not sparing his bucolic friends, the 

 " Johnnie Raws." They often tried their dull wit on John 

 in various ways, but seldom got the best of it, asking him 

 the names of the plants when they met him on the road, 

 or called at his workshop as they sometimes did, and then 

 laughing and ogling to each other when the sequipedalian 

 syllables fell from his lips, but leaving him, not seldom, 

 "wi' a flee i' their lug." * 



When John called one day on James Black long after 

 he had left Tough, he was asked if he continued to be 

 annoyed by the small witlings of the country as he used to 

 be. John replied that he was still a little troubled, but not 

 nearly so much as before, and told some stories of how 

 he had played them out. One of these is worth relating, 

 both for itself and as a proof that there was much more 

 acuteness and humour in the quiet, meek-looking man than, 

 to the very last, many would credit him with ; and this 

 he also told to myself with dramatic power and circum- 

 stance. 



While collecting plants one evening on the braes above 

 Tough, John was met by a number of farm servants, who 

 thought they would get some fun out of the weaver about 

 the " weyds " he was carrying in his hat and in his hand. 

 He showed them amongst other things a sprig of juniper. 



* That is, with a sharp retort that stuck to them, a good example 

 of the striking metaphors in common use amongst the people. 



