342 MAN OF SCIENCE. 



impassioned ardour of affection which marked his Cro- 

 marty friendships. One of the few, however, respecting 

 his regard for whom such language would hardly be 

 out of place, was Mr Maitland Macgill Crichton, of 

 Rankeillour. The rugged, simple-hearted country gen- 

 tleman, intrepid in thought and word, sincere beyond 

 the tolerance of guile, impatient of generalship and 

 suspicious of expediency, made his way at once to Hugh 

 Miller's heart. There was that difference and that agree- 

 ment between them which are said to go to the making 

 of the happiest friendships, Crichton all impulse and 

 impetuosity, Miller all calmness and reflection, both 

 intensely devoted to the cause of Scotland and her 

 Church, both averse to the sly prudences of party 

 leadership, both too strong to be capable of cunning. 

 They perfectly understood and perfectly trusted each 

 other. When Miller determined to leave the town of 

 Edinburgh and locate himself in the suburbs, his friend 

 accompanied him in long roamings for weeks together, 

 the main purpose of house-hunting being doubtless 

 combined with minute exploration of the environs of a 

 city which Miller dearly loved. The word used by him 

 in estimating Mr Macgill Crichton's services to the 

 Free Church was ' gigantic. 5 Crichton, for his part, 

 threw all the vehemence of his nature into his love for 

 his friend, and insisted, almost with petulance, on his 

 right to have at least an annual visit from Miller. The 

 stated time for the trip to Rankeillour was at Christmas. 

 Sir David Brewster was generally of the party. , In this 

 circle Hugh felt himself as much at home as at Cro- 

 marty. The completeness and tenderness of Crichton's 

 trust in Miller were evinced by his naming him in his 

 will, the sole addition to his own brothers, as tutor 

 and curator to his three youngest children. 



