Wilson's early years in Scotland 47 



carrying on his back a packfull of ladies' goods 

 and in his hand a versified "proposal" for the pub- 

 lication of his poems. He was equally ready to turn 

 aside for a prospective purchaser or to see an old 

 ruin of historic interest, or some majestic sight of 

 nature. His letters to his friend David Brodie, who 

 had worked beside him at the loom, breathe a spirit 

 of deep melancholy, and he writes mysteriously of 

 unavoidable misfortunes that gather around his 

 head, which make him doubt "what a day may bring 

 forth." 



Everywhere he goes, his ej'-es are wide open and 

 he sees something to interest him. At Musselburgh 

 he is amused by the gentlemen who devote their time 

 to "the game of golph," and in a little "aside" he 

 whispers to us his opinion that it is "a more healthy 

 than entertaining amusement." His interest is ex- 

 cited by the Solon geese of the Bass, — a great rock 

 in Comley Bay, — while at Dunbar he recalls "the ef- 

 fects of Paul Jones's appearance in the Frith last 

 war," who came "so near the place with some of his 

 ships as to demolish some of the chimney tops and 

 put the inhabitants in terrible consternation." He 

 examined the half-moon battery of stone "whereon 

 have been mounted seventeen twelve-pounders as a 

 result of the citizens' fright," and he explores the 

 ruins of the old Dunbar castle with its gloomy caves 

 and foundations of rock jutting into the sea. 

 King's-Horn recalls to him the melancholy death of 

 Alexander HI, and the castle of Craig Miller brings 

 him memories of Mary Queen of Scots. His travels 

 throw him among fishermen, butchers, and stock- 

 raisers chiefly, and his one experience with a lady of 



