122 REMINISCENCES. 



was a stimulant, and was taken during working hours. He 

 took snuff for many years of his life, having learnt the habit 

 at Edinburgh as a student. He had a nice silver snuff-box 

 given him by Mrs. Wedgwood of Maer, which he valued much 

 but he rarely carried it, because it tempted him to take too 

 many pinches. In one of his early letters he speaks of having 

 given up snuff for a month, and describes himself as feeling 

 " most lethargic, stupid and melancholy." Our former neigh- 

 bour and clergyman, Mr. Brodie Innes, tells me that at one 

 time my father made a resolve not to take snuff except away 

 from home, " a most satisfactory arrangement for me," he adds, 

 " as I kept a box in my study to which there was access from 

 the garden without summoning servants, and I had more 

 frequently, than might have been otherwise the case, the 

 privilege of a few minutes' conversation with my dear friend." 

 He generally took snuff from a jar on the hall table, because 

 having to go this distance for a pinch was a slight check ; the 

 clink of the lid of the snuff jar was a very familiar sound. 

 Sometimes when he was in the drawing-room, it would occur 

 to him that the study fire must be burning low, -and when 

 some of us offered to see after it, it would turn out that he also 

 wished to get a pinch of snuff. 



Smoking he only took to permanently of late years, though 

 on his Pampas rides he learned to smoke with the Gauchos, 

 and I have heard him speak of the great comfort of a cup of 

 mate and a cigarette when he halted after a long ride and 

 was unable to get food for some time. 



The reading aloud often sent him to sleep, and he used to 

 regret losing parts of a novel, for my mother went steadily on 

 lest the cessation of the sound might wake him. He came 

 down at four o'clock to dress for his walk, and he was so regular 

 that one might be quite certain it was within a few minutes 

 of four when his descending steps were heard. 



From about half-past four to half-past five he worked ; then 

 he came to the drawing-room, and was idle till it was time 



