48 The Natiiralist of Cumbrae. 



wishing to say, " I remember an American book," he 

 will say with perfect fluency, " I remember of an 

 American also book." While still a lad, he felt that 

 his stammering would always be a great obstacle in 

 the way of his going into any business for himself. 

 He therefore resolved to learn to write, thinking that 

 in many cases he might be able with advantage to 

 make his pen a substitute for his tongue. Had his 

 stammering not induced him to acquire the art of 

 writing, he is disposed to think that he might have 

 remained a labouring man all his life. However that 

 might have been, he gratefully acknowledges his 

 indebtedness to the impediment in his speech for its 

 leading him on to seek another power of expression. 

 One may be excused for drawing the obvious moral, 

 that half, or haply far more than half, of the hindrances 

 and drawbacks over which men repine as spoiling 

 their prospects in life, might, with a little courage and 

 discretion, be made stepping-stones to success. Even 

 where they are of such a nature as to cripple all 

 energy and enterprise, in regard to these the captive 

 cavalier, softly singing to himself in his bondage, has 

 taught us that 



" Stone walls do not a prison make, 



Nor iron bars a cage ; 

 Minds innocent and quiet take 

 That for a hermitage." 



Taking his mother's advice, David, who was now 

 about seventeen years of age, arranged to learn 

 weaving. His elder brother, James Robertson, took 

 him on easy terms, and he made good progress. 



The new arrangement enabled him to go to an 



