CHAP. III.] HOLIDAYS AT GLENLAIR. 65 



Blackburn's drawings of the previous year, he is seen 

 laying out the ground for the new offices, with James 

 beside him intently contemplating his father's work. 

 We may be sure that Mr. Maxwell had explained 

 every step in the whole procedure, and equally sure 

 that his son laid the lesson well to heart. 



Soon after this he was provided with a new source 

 of endless amusement in the " devil-on-two-sticks," 

 which thenceforth became inseparable from the home 

 life at Glenlair, and the companion of his holidays at 

 Glasgow and elsewhere, even in the Cambridge time. 

 In the family dialect it was humorously referred to 

 sotto-voce as " the deil." There was nothing he could 



not do with that d 1. No performer on the slack 



or tight rope ever made such intricate evolutions 

 and gyrations. His delight in it was like that which 

 afterwards he used to take in the dynamical top. 



The boy now came to know his own neighbourhood 1343-44. 



JJ?t 1 2-1 S 



more widely. There were expeditions, visits, rides. 

 The Covenanter's pool in the burn above Upper 

 Corsock, New Abbey, Caerlaverock, and other places 

 of traditional interest, were explored. And in the 

 summer of 1844 there was a sort of driving excursion 

 into the Cairnsmuir country, which is described in 

 detail in the Diary. 



It may be mentioned here in a general way, that 

 the Christmas holidays were spent either at Penicuik 

 (with skating, etc.) or Killearn, and afterwards some- 

 times at Glasgow with Professor and Mrs. Blackburn 

 or Professor (now Sir William) Thomson. 



