IN LITERATURE 21 



one chuckles over the match he rode on Colonsay, 

 when he cleared the impossible leap, or got jammed up 

 among the north-country nowt ; or over the coursing 

 of the old hare that is the pet and playmate of the 

 cottar's family, although she is more than suspected 

 of being a witch a suspicion that gains additional 

 confirmation each time she shakes her fud at " the lang 

 dogs," as she sets herself to breast the braes in earnest ! 

 Scotland is far excellence the land of sport and 

 scenery, in spite of a rough climate and treacherous 

 temperature. Yet we can understand that there must 

 be many who may prefer for a permanence the softer 

 and richer beauties of the landscapes of merry England. 

 It is the southern part of our islands we would 

 naturally contrast with the half-inhabited aspect of 

 continental Europe, as we have attempted to describe 

 it. Go where you will in countries that are most 

 essentially English in their character, there is the same 

 sense of home-like enjoyment in a wide variety of easy 

 existences among classes that shade insensibly into each 

 other ; nor does the enjoyment appear to be diminished 

 very perceptibly even when united to great wealth and 

 to grandeur, It may possibly be sour grapes, but we 

 believe it on searching self-examination to be our 

 sincere persuasion that we are grateful for not having 

 been destined to dwell in mansions so magnificent as 

 Chatsworth or Blenheim. Yet to say nothing of the 

 enchanting country that generally surrounds them, the 

 lords of such princely seats are not altogether to be 

 pitied. Country gentlemen like their neighbours, in 



