412 THE JOURNEYMAN. 



or technical fine writing of any kind, Miller had learned 

 to depend for effect. 



FROM MR JOHN STRAHAN. 



' Forres, Dec. 24, 1829. 



' DEAR SIR, 



' It is with much pleasure I sit down to avail 

 myself of my good fortune in getting on the list of your 

 friends. Until a few days back I was but partially ac- 

 quainted with you as an author, and yet, from the little 

 knowledge I had of your great literary acquirements, I 

 certainly envied the few who shared most of your esteem, 

 and ranked highest in your regard. And when told 

 lately by Miss Dunbar (who, I rejoice to say, is our com- 

 mon friend) that it was probable you might soon visit 

 this quarter, I requested her, should you come to Torres, 

 to introduce me to you. She kindly agreed to do so ; 

 and from that moment I began to anticipate the pleasure 

 I should derive from having the honour of pointing 

 out to you the numerous scenes and antiquities about 

 Torres, which are, I imagine, not unworthy of the eye of 

 the poet. Were you to trace the scenes in our neigh- 

 bourhood now rendered classic by the author of the 

 Wolf of Badenoch, you would confess that some of 

 them are themselves poems, produced by the great poet 

 Nature in her holiest and happiest moods. But it is to 

 myself, and not to rural scenery, that I wish to refer 

 now. Prom what I have said you can conceive some- 

 thing of the happy response my heart gave to the wish 

 you expressed, that we might become friends : with my 

 whole soul I subscribe to your proposition. Friend- 

 ship with me is not merely a name ; I hold it to be a 

 sacred, and, as I have often found it, a joy-giving reality. 



