NIM ROD'S NORTHERN TOUR. 77 



human mind in which fancy and strength of imagination are 

 predominant it is more beautiful than useful. When the dif- 

 ferent rills or torrents join, and descend into the plain, it becomes 

 slow and stately in its motions ; it is applied to move machinery, 

 to irrigate meadows, and to bear upon its bosom the stately 

 barge ; in this mature state, it is deep, strong, and useful. As 

 it flows on towards the sea, it loses its force and its motion, and 

 at last, as it were, becomes lost and mingled with the mighty 

 abyss of waters." 



One might pursue the metaphor still further, and say, that in 

 its origin its thundering and foam, when it carries down clay 

 from the bank, and becomes impure, it resembles the youthful 

 mind, affected by dangerous passions. And the influence of a 

 lake, in calming and clearing the turbid water, may be compared 

 to the effect of reason in more mature life, when the calm, deep, 

 cool, and unimpassioned mind is freed from its fever, its troubles, 

 bubbles, noise, and foam. And above all, the sources of a river 

 which may be considered as belonging to the atmosphere 

 and its termination in the ocean, may be regarded as imaging 

 the divine origin of the human mind, and its being ultimately 

 returned to, and lost in, the infinite and eternal intelligence from 

 whence it originally sprung. 



Sunday, 23rd. That a bad excuse is better than none, is a 

 truism which cannot be doubted, inasmuch as it is, at all events, 

 an acknowledgment of a fault. I must then offer two apologies 

 for going to my work on the Sabbath first, not being of the 

 Kirk ; next, by an arrangement made between the three neigh- 

 bouring packs to meet on certain days, hounds were to be 

 reached from Dunse and Kelso on every day in the week, and 

 therefore, as my route was marked out for me, this was the only 

 day on which it appeared probable that I could ride over to St. 

 Bos well's, to inspect the Duke of Buccleuch's hunting establish- 

 menta treat I had not the " moral courage," as Dan O'Connell 

 says, to resist. u Peter," said I to him, as I was going to bed on 

 Saturday night, " order me a hack in the morning to take me to 

 St. Boswell's." " Never fear," replied Peter ; " a hack shall be 

 at your stables for you, and a good one too." 



Oaths, they say, are but words words but wind ; and that 

 such they proved, here, will be illustrated by the following 

 dialogue on the morrow. 



NintrodCm a hurry). " Now, Mr. Dickinson, the hack." 



Mr. Dickinson. " The hack, sir ! ;; 



Nim. " Yes, the hack Peter ordered for me, last night." 



Mr. D. " Peter ordered no hack." 



Nim. " Then d n Peter." 



