LITERARY AND DOMESTIC LD7E. 365 



Borders ? You unconscionable monster, did you mean me ? Vicar 

 of the consolidated livings of Loxley and Bray! I console myself 

 with thinking it is something to be mentioned in the ' Noctes,' 

 though in no higher character than an ass. 



" Have you ever thought of making Hogg a metempsychosist ? 

 what a famous description he would give of his feelings when he 

 was a whale (the one that swallowed Jonah), or a tiger, or an ante- 

 diluvian aligautor near the Falls of Niagara, his disgust after being 

 shot as an eagle, to find himself a herd at the head of Ettrick !* 



" Do you think of coming to England next year ? Remember, 

 whenever you do, you have promised me a benefit. Has Blair 

 come up to college yet ? If he has, I wish you would for once 

 write me a letter with his address ; for, as I am only a day's drive 

 from Oxford, I shoidd be most happy to show him this part of the 

 country in the short vacation. My wife desires to be very kindly 

 remembered to you and Mrs. Wilson, not forgetting the young 

 ladies. And I remain, ever yours very truly, 



" James White." 



Attention to the ordinary course of duties, and the numerous 

 occupations which engrossed his daily life, never stood in the way 

 of my father's endeavors to be useful to his fellow-men. An ex- 

 ample of this may be seen in his correspondence with a mutual 

 friend, in order to pacify and to restore Mr. Hogg to his former 

 position with Mr. Blackwood. This labor, for such it was, ended 

 ultimately to the satisfaction of all parties, and the correspondence 

 which led to that result is truly honorable to the writers. 



" My dear Shepherd : — From the first blush of the business, I 

 greatly disliked your quarrel with the Blackwoods, and often 

 wished to be instrumental in putting an end to it, but I saw no 

 opening, and did not choose to be needlessly obtrusive. Hearing 

 that you would rather it was made up, and not doubting that Mr. 

 Blackwood would meet you for that purpose in an amicable spirit, 

 I volunteer my services — if you and he choose to accept of them — 

 as mediator. 



" I propose this — that all mere differences on this, and that, and 



* This hint appears to have been acted upon, as those who are interested may read the Shep- 

 herd's transmigrations fully detailed in the " Noctes" of February, 1835. 



