254 REPEATED VISITS. CHAP. xvi. 



busts of Sir Walter Scott and Lord Byron, and a large 

 plaster figure of the Venus of Milo, which the apartment 

 contained. Dick then showed his collection of fossils, 

 plants, ferns, and entomological specimens. Mr. Peach, 

 in an entry in his diary, written the same evening, 

 says " He is a very diffident man, but an enthusiast in 

 natural history pursuits. He is unmarried, and lives 

 most retired. In fact, he is very little known in Thurso. 

 He has a nice collection of Caithness ferns, beetles, and 

 insects. He is deeply interested in botany. His 

 researches in geology have been great, especially in the 

 Old Eed Sandstone; and some of his specimens have 

 added new links to the history of these ancient rocks." 



Mr. Peach soon repeated his visit. He called again 

 at the beginning of the following May, and again found 

 Dick very busy in his bakehouse. The fire was not 

 again lighted in the parlour. Peach was now regarded 

 as a friend. All the subsequent interviews between the 

 two occurred at the mouth of the oven, or in the kitchen, 

 or in the fields, or among the rocks. All ceremony and 

 formality were laid aside ; and although they had many 

 differences of opinion and stout debates, these were, like 

 lovers' quarrels, soon made up. 



Mr. Peach entered the following passage in his diary, 

 descriptive of his second visit to Dick : " 2d May 1854. 

 Rose early; called upon Mr. Dick; found him at his 

 oven, and very busy ; had a nice chat with him. ... In 

 the evening I saw him in his bedroom. What an 

 industrious man he is. He is through nineteen volumes 

 of plants, and hopes soon to finish his herbarium. He 



