1 847 SECTION-RUNNING 113 



self. Thus, on one occasion, with the music of the 

 Spenserian stanza in his ear, he wrote : 



Or if mayhap, with radiance clear and bright, 



The morn give token of a goodlie day 

 To lure the luckless geologic wight 



Once more o er dale and breezy down to stray ; 

 Then let him walk and work, while work he may, 



Forthy eftsoons, though much against the grain, 

 He by and by, slow wending on his way, 



Ah, hapless wretch ! returneth home again 



Bemired above the knees, and drenched with pelting rain. 



At another time, after section-running in very bad 

 weather, and getting back drenched with pelting rain/ 

 he found consolation in making fun of the discomfort, 

 and with recollections of Marmion and the Lady of 

 the Lake, penned the following account of it : 



Dear Emily, two years ago 

 Methinks I promised to send 



Some sunny day a line or so 

 To you, my trusty friend. 



Loud howls the wind across the waste 



Sharp falls the pattering rain, 

 And yet I don my togs in haste, 



And take to the hills again. 

 With compass and clinometer, 



And hammer, stout ally, 

 I tramp away from Rhaiadr, 



Adown the winding Wye. 

 What reck my fellows of the rain, 



William and Thomas hight, 

 Who bear the lengthy legs, the chain, 



And the theodolite ? 

 Stout Thomas was a Builth man bold, 



William was reared to wait 

 On John ap John ; his sire doth hold 



His post beside the gate. 

 But when we came to Rhos-saith-maen 



And set to work, I wist, 

 Our merry toil we scarce began 



When the white and curling mist 

 Came downwards like a mighty shroud, 

 And wrapt the hills in one vast cloud, 

 I 



