CHAP. vi. A DEVOURING READER. 53 



principally to botany, conchology, and geology, shortly 

 followed. Sometimes a phrenological cast from O'Neil 

 was imbedded in the flour. We find, from the com- 

 munications that passed between the correspondents, 

 that Dick paid his accounts promptly, usually within 

 a fortnight after the delivery of the flour. 



When the books arrived at Thurso, and were 

 unearthed from the flour, Dick set to work and devoured 

 them. For Dick was a great reader, almost a ferocious 

 reader. He read everything about air, earth, sea, and 

 heaven, as the multitude of books collected by him 

 sufficiently indicate. He had plenty of leisure. When 

 his bread was baked, and ready for sale, he had nothing 

 else to do for the day but read and wander. When the 

 weather was wet and stormy, as it often was, he read, 

 drew, and wrote letters to far-away friends. For he 

 had many correspondents, as the following pages will 

 show. 



When the weather was fine, he set out on his walks, 

 along the shore, or up the country, sometimes as far as 

 Morven. '"Many is the walk," says one of his old 

 acquaintances, " which I have enjoyed in his company on 

 the sea-beach near Thurso Castle. I was once with him, 

 when I found a new shell, and it was truly delightful to 

 hear him explain its history and habits, as if it had been 

 his next-door neighbour, and he had known the tiny 

 thing all his life long. How kindly and meekly he 

 spoke, and how ready he was for a joke; and what 

 a keen perception he had of the ridiculous in everything 

 ihat crossed his observation. The same night we also 

 4 



