MOKE JAMES WILSONS. 105 



in the next world remember something that I had done 

 in this." 



Our next extract is in a sprightlier vein. It is from a 

 letter headed, " Scene — At sea. Time — Nisrht. Motto — 

 ' My home is on the ocean.' Air — Very cold." 



" I have a thousand thanks, good cousin, for your letter, 

 which was a great treat in my present sojourn in the land 

 of strangers. It was sent up to me from Inverness. 

 There is, however, in that northern metropolis, another 

 James Wilson, who opened my letter, and, after no doubt 

 reading it through to his infinite edification, closed it 

 again, adding on the outside the gratifying intelligence, 

 ' Opened by, but not for, James Wilson, Inverness.' You 

 need not, hoAvever, jump at this, and hold up the palms 

 of your hands ; for it was Jane's letter that was examined, 

 as it came one or two days before, and by the time yours 

 arrived, the post-office people were aware of my existence 

 in their neighbourhood. 



" You tell me to tell you how I am. I am happy to 

 inform you that I sleep by night and thrive by day. I 

 am, however, shocked to add that I have been severely 

 afflicted by the loss of my customary glass of ale, which 

 does not seem to abound either in the west or the north 

 countries. There is, to be sure, plenty of porter, spruce 

 beer, ginger beer, your common beer, all kinds of wines 

 and spirituous liquors, and, to make use of a Brussels 



