278 AMYGDALOID. CHAP. xvn. 



Dick was amazed to find himself in print for the first 

 time. In writing to his friend Mr. John Miller, then 

 "esiding in London, he said : " If there be Amygdaloid 

 u mong the fossiliferous rocks of Thurso, or in your 

 native county, your humble servant has hitherto failed 

 to detect it. Charles Peach has a wonderful talent 

 that way, and I remember his bringing me some pieces 

 of supposed trap from the neighbourhood of Wick. But 

 when I sent him these scribblings he thought for certain 

 that he had found an eruptive rock at last. He clapped 

 them into the paper and stuck Amygdaloid at the end. 

 Charlie had found trap again. If the matter had 

 depended upon me, the printers in Wick would have 

 been saved the trouble of setting the verses up in print." 

 To Peach he wrote : " The rhyme was merely meant 

 to make you laugh, and, that purpose served, to burn it. 

 Time was when I used to scribble songs by the dozen, 

 though I dare say no one would give a bawbee for a 

 bagful of them. ... I never was free enough of care 

 and trouble to cultivate the gift. . . . Sentimental folk 

 want fine feeling and fine language, and I canna be 

 fashed. And you laughed, did you ? So much laughter, 

 so much life enjoyed. You are very dowie, you say. 

 Well, Charles, if you gain by that, you'll lose by 

 nothing. 



So, you sit by the fireplace, 



And moping away, 



and the eminent band of geologists belonging to the " Ed Lion Club," 

 that they were inserted in their records and sung at their annual 

 meetings. John o' Groat's Journal. 



