THE TEOSSACHS. 289 



proser. It is equally certain, and more consolatory, that 

 he was likewise a great poet." 



Towards the end of autumn he took a little trip to the 

 Trossachs, having for his fellow-traveller his dear relative 

 and pastor, the Rev. John Sym. 



" Zlst October 1851. 

 " On leaving Stirling, and turning our faces towards 

 the mountains, our prospects were fearful in the extreme. 

 We found plenty of droskies at the station, and got into 

 one instanter, giving the word, ' To Callander/ The rain 

 soon came down like a deluge, and we could see nothing 

 before us but a miserable ' drookit ' driver, and a few 

 yards of miry road, and on either side disconsolate hedges 

 and damp rheumatic-looking turnips. We rubbed the 

 panes now and then with our handkerchiefs, tried to look 

 out at a pea-stack occasionally, and even got up a hollow, 

 horrid sort of laugh at times, as if rejoicing in our dread- 

 ful doom. At Callander we changed horse and carriage, 

 waiting only long enough for me to leave a hazel stick 

 (from Ambleside) in the parlour window. By four o'clock, 

 when we got to the Trossachs' Inn, although there were 

 violent gusts of cold sleety rain and wind, the air was 

 much clearer. Ben Venue looked very imposing, with 

 mists and showers passing rapidly along, and now and 



