374 CRAVING FOR NATURE. CHAP. xvm. 



self to shoemaking, occasionally attending as cura- 

 tor at the museum. 



Yet he never could get rid of his love of Nature. 

 He continued to admire the works of the Creator as 

 much as ever. On recovering from one of his illnesses, 

 he went to Huntly for a change of air. His wife 

 accompanied him. When she proposed doing so, he 

 asked the reason. "0!" she replied, "just to keep 

 ye company, and to help ye." Accordingly she went 

 with him. While at Huntly, he felt his old craving 

 for Nature returning upon him. He wished to go 

 out and search the woods, the mosses, and the burns, 

 as before ; but his wife never left him. 



Whenever he indicated an intention of penetrating 

 a hedge or leaping a wall, she immediately interfered. 

 The hedge would tear his clothes, and she could not 

 accompany him in jumping dykes. He demurred, 

 and said, that if he went across, he would "come 

 back again." But that did not suit her purpose, and 

 she would not let him go. As evening approached, 

 she said, " We'll awa back noo." He protested that 

 he would rather stay out. " No, no," said she, " I'm 

 no gaun intill a hole like a wild beast ; and, besides, 

 the nicht air would kill me." In fact, as he after- 

 wards observed, "he had fallen into the hands of 

 the Philistines." 



Edward still took pleasure in wandering along the 

 coast, and surveying the scenes of his former exploits. 

 One day he took a friend round to Tarlair, to look at 



