20 MEMOIR OP 



During the term of his indenture, he paid every 

 attention to his master's interest, though he lost no 

 opportunity of indulging in the perusal of such 

 books as he could procure. To his short tuition 

 under Mr. Barlas may in part be traced the bent 

 which his young mind acquired for literature, and 

 which laid the foundation of his future fame as a 

 Naturalist and a Poet ; while, to the same cause, 

 the distaste and reluctance with which he com- 

 pleted his apprenticeship may, in some measure, be 

 ascribed. On the expiry of his apprenticeship he 

 wrote upon his indenture * the following lines, 

 which at once betray that distaste, and show that 

 at the age of sixteen he had attempted the composi- 

 tion of verses : 



" Be't kent to a' the world in rhyme, 



That wi' right mickle wark an' toil, 



For three lang years IVe ser't my time, 



Whiles feasted wi 1 the hazel oil." August, 1782. 



He now commenced the laborious and mono- 

 tonous task of journeyman weaver, which he pro- 

 secuted for about four years, partly in Paisley and 

 partly in the neighbouring parish of Lochwinnoch, 

 to which his father had removed. But higher feel- 

 ings often bore the mastery over his anxiety to 

 perform his allotted labour, and led him to indulge 

 his romantic fancy in rambling among the fine rural 

 scenery with which the district abounds. 



* This document is still preserved, being in the possession 

 of Mr. James Clark, thread-manufacturer, Paisley. 



