iv.] CHOICE OF A PROFESSION, 1831. 67 



heavily has this event pressed upon me ever since I 

 saw its necessity, that I am almost ashamed to confess 

 the weakness of my feelings connected with inanimate 

 objects/ 



I Quitting Colinton he removed with his two sisters and 

 his brothers,* Sir John and Charles, to Greenhill House, 

 on the south side of Bruntsfield Links, a pleasant abode, 

 belonging to his family, in which he lived until Sir John's 

 marriage. Here are the thoughts with which he closed 

 the year 1830 and entered on 1831 : 



* GREENHILL, Sunday, January 2nd, 1831. 



' Farewell to the past year ! momentous in its results. 

 How my views have changed since this time in 1830 ! 

 How kind were the friends who have left this world of 

 care and trial since I then wrote. "With what utter 

 blindness can I look towards the characterless scroll of 

 time stretched out anew before me, and soon to be im- 

 printed with records to me I know not how important. 

 .Much, much has there been in 1830 to call forth my 

 warmest thanks to God ; much to accuse myself of in 

 the neglect of my plighted adherence to resolutions of 

 amendment. I this day received the Sacrament. I 

 (1 my resolutions in August, and more particularly 



(adopted the following as being least fulfilled. 1st, Ke- 

 solution for self-examination and religious thought. 2nd, 

 For dependence in God. 3rd, For social love and confi- 

 dence in my own family. 4th, For humility/ 



winter seems to have been an eminently happy 



one, in the enjoyment of newly-won liberty and unim- 



<>d devotion to his favourite pursuits. It is thus he 



speaks of himself at this time in a letter to his uncle, 



Lord Medwyn : 



' COLINTON, November 28f/t, 1830. 



* . . . Every day has convinced me more strongly 



.Irrtinn TOM ii'T.-ssa rv ; and cadi day has 



wise convinced me that it was properly made. . . . 



A summer of steady, and I hope not unprofitable, labour 



F 2 



