246 Four 'in-Hand in Britain. 



so far from the hotel where the coach was, that Perry 

 and Joe had to get a truck to bring the hampers. I 

 remember seeing them pushing it across the bridge and 

 up against the wall over which most of us had clambered. 

 When the Queen Dowager's turn came the wall was 

 found to be rather too much for her, but our managers 

 were versatile. The truck was brought into requisition, 

 and she was safely drawn from its platform over the 

 wall, I stood back and could do nothing for laughter, 

 but the Dowager, who was not to be daunted, went over 

 amid the cheers of the party. It was resolved, however, 

 to be a little more circumspect in future ; wall-climbing 

 at seventy-one has its limits. 



Here is the bridge built by that worthy man and 

 excellent representative of what is best in Scottish 

 character in lowly life, James Carlyle — an honest brig 

 destined to stand and never shame the builder. 1 re- 

 member how proudly Carlyle speaks of his father's 

 work. No sham about either the man or his work, as 

 little as there was in his more famous son. I wish I 

 could quote something from " Adam Bede " I think it is 

 — where Garth the stone-mason thinks good work in 

 his masonry the best prayer he had to stand upon. 



Many have expressed surprise at " Carlyle's Remi- 

 niscences," at the gnarled, twisted oak they show, preju- 

 diced here, ill-tempered there. What did such people 

 expect, I wonder? A poor, reserved, proud Scotch lad, 

 who had to fight his way against the grim devils of 



