304 MEMOIR OF GEORGE WILSON. CHAP. X. 



" (b) The same, but judiciously critical. 

 " (c) The same, but grumphy, and injudiciously critical. . . 

 " I read them all with interest, most with pleasure, none 

 with pain." 



The following letter, written before leaving Melrose, is 

 not offered as a specimen of his official, or even semi-official 

 correspondence ; the style is peculiarly his own, and not a 

 few such did good service in securing specimens for the 

 Museum. It is addressed to his friend, Miss Abernethy : 



" Private and Confidential \ not to be shown in Court. 



" DEAR JANET, I am in a mood so lazy and languid, that 

 it costs me an effort to write even to you, especially when I 

 read in the newspapers such appalling accounts of damages 

 for breach of promise, and remember how many letters you 

 have of mine, and what dreadful damages juries give. If 

 this letter appears stiff and stupid, you will understand why 

 it is so. It is, indeed, a business letter, as you will imme- 

 diately perceive, and I trust, dear madam (I dare not venture 

 on anything stronger), you will reply to it. 



" A message was brought to me that there lay at the shop 

 of our grocer here, a pair of wonderful Curling Stones, made 

 of black granite (whatever that may he), mounted in silver, 

 beautifully polished, and to be had (cheap) for .3. 



"The Director of the Industrial Museum, having money 

 to spend, went to<lay to see the wondrous stones ; found 

 the granite turned into whinstone, the silver into electro- 

 plate, and. the 3 into =3 ios. Further, the worthy grocer 

 informed the Director that the stones were sent to him by 

 Mr. W. . . . and that he was not to take a farthing less 

 than the said 3 icxr. for the stones, which indeed are very 

 beautiful. Now, dear madam (oh, how tempted I feel to 



