CHAP. xv. DIVERSITY OF DIP^. 231 



the same beds, bed over bed ; what a pile ! The dis- 

 tance between the two lochs is about a mile on the map. 

 During half of that mile, you descend the strata, bed 

 upon bed, stair-like ; about 2625 feet. Then up above 

 Loch Stemster another hill overlies all this thickness of 

 rocks ! You are perfectly safe in estimating the thick- 

 ness of the Slate beds." 



After he had made his observations, he returned 

 home with all speed. The bread must be made and 

 baked, and the bread must be sold. His hard day's 

 work in the mountains was followed by a hard day's 

 work in the bakehouse. 



"A long period elapsed before Dick again corre- 

 sponded with Hugh Miller. The latter was editing the 

 Witness, and preparing his admirable book entitled 

 My Sctwols and Schoolmasters. Dick had again returned 

 to his study of botany. But the correspondence seems 

 to have been resumed towards the end of 1854. In a 

 letter written by Dick to Hugh Miller, he says, " When 

 Satan once appeared where he ought not to have been, 

 and was asked ' Whence comest thou ? ' his answer was, 

 ' From going to and fro in the earth, and walking up 

 and down in it.' Now, what could you expect from any 

 deil's bairns but only a reflex of their father's conduct ? 

 I too have been going to and fro in the earth, and 

 walking up and down in it ; with this difference, how- 

 ever, that I have had the very best intentions. And 

 though Satan's palace chambers are said to be paved 

 with such, I hope he shan't have any of mine for flag- 

 stones more particularly as my acts h^ve been of tlie 



