JAMES SHANKS 225 



cheeriest and most genial of men, full of 

 kindliness, and possesed of a quaint bright 

 humour ; fun twinkled in his eye, and even in 

 his more serious moods there was a sprightly 

 playfulness in his manner. 



He paid little atteution to mere conven- 

 tionalities, and of appearances he was utterly 

 regardless. He might be often seen driving 

 through the town with articles on the seat of 

 his open carriage that he had purchased at 

 his baker's or his grocer's. 



He was no worshipper of the Sartor ; the 

 importance or dignity which dress could 

 confer went for very little in his eyes ; he had 

 a supreme contempt for the dandy, his 

 estimate of men was akin to that of his 

 nation's bard : 



" The rank is but the guinea stamp, 

 The man's the gowd for a' that." 



James Shanks was intensely social, he 

 delighted in entertaining his numerous 

 friends. He had acquired the art of making 

 the gatherings at his house extremely in- 

 teresting ; he himself was a centre of vivacity 

 and good humour. He usually was en- 

 thusiastic over some new philosophical or 

 scientific apparatus or contrivance. The 



