VISITS PRINCIPAL BAIRD. 25 



ten minutes, and overpowered me with, a multitude of 

 questions, particularly regarding my new profession 

 and what had led to it. " Ah," said he, when I had 

 given him what he requested, the history of my con- 

 nection with the Bank, "the choice of your townsman, 

 Mr Ross, shows that you still retain your character for 

 steadiness and probity." After sitting by his bed-side 

 for a short time, I took my leave, afraid that he might 

 injure himself by his efforts to entertain me ; for they 

 were evidently above his strength. It struck me, too, 

 that there was a tone of despondency about him which 

 mere indisposition could not have occasioned. Bene- 

 volent old man ! from what I have since heard, I have 

 too much reason to conclude that his sickness is of the 

 heart/ 



Miller proceeds to mention his having formed the 

 acquaintance of a Mr Turpie, at whose house he was 

 introduced to a Dr Waldie, both unknown to fame. ' Mr 

 Turpie/ he goes on, describing an evening passed in the 

 company of these gentlemen, l took up a book, and 

 showed me what lie deemed a very old poem. I read a 

 few verses, and pronounced it to be a modern imitation. 

 The decision led to a few queries, and the queries to a 

 sort of colloquial dissertation on old Scottish poetry, a 

 subject with which, you know, I am pretty well acquaint- 

 ed. I quoted Barbour, Dunbar, Gavin Douglas, Lind- 

 say, and a great many others. The obsolete literature 

 of our country was quite a terra incognita, to all the 

 party, but they seemed interested by the glimpse I gave 

 them of it ; and Mr Turpie, when the conversation once 

 more became general, asked me, half in simple earnest, 

 half in the style of compliment (a question which by-the- 

 by Mr Paterson had put to me a few days before), 

 " Pray, Mr Miller, are there any books which you have 



