20 A GREA T READER. CHAP, m 



evening, and at the Aikmans' door she exchanged stock- 

 ings with him, promising to have his own well darned 

 and washed by the following Sunday. 



The day of rest was a day of pleasure to him. He 

 did not care to stay within doors. He had shoes now, 

 and could wander up the hills to the top of Dunmyat 

 or Bencleuch, and see the glorious prospect of the 

 country below ; the windings of the Devon, the wind- 

 ings of the Forth, and the country far away, from the 

 castle of Stirling on the one hand to the castle of 

 Edinburgh on the other. 



Dick continued to be a great reader. He read every 

 book that he could lay his hands on. Popular books 

 were not so common then as they are now. But he 

 contrived to borrow some volumes of the old Edinburgh 

 Encyclopedia, and this gave him an insight into science. 

 It helped him in his knowledge of botany. He could 

 now find out fo himself the names of the plants ; and he 

 even began to make a collection. It could only have 

 been a small one, for his time was principally occupied 

 by labour. Yet, with a thirst for knowledge, and a deter- 

 mination to obtain it, a great deal may be accomplished 

 in even the humblest station. 



In 1826, Mr. Dick was advanced to the office of 

 supervisor of excise, and removed to Thurso. Eobert 

 was then left to himself in Tullibody. He had still two 

 years more to serve. One day followed another in the 

 usual round of daily toil. The toil was, however, 

 mingled with pleasure, and he walked through the 

 country with his bread basket, and watched Nature 

 with ever-increasing delight. 



