THE OLD ROCK. 273 



their own destruction, in which particular they differ 

 from the " wise men " who haunt the Isles betimes. 



If you want a thoroughly enjoyable two months' 

 holiday, in pursuit of health, science, art, sport, or to 

 combine them all, which is best of all, go and visit the 

 Old Eock, and you will find it — as many a great man has 

 done, and as we Shetlanders devoutly believe it to be 

 — the very best place in the world for living a life of 

 dream-like freedom and peace and simple pleasures. 



It is true we Hialtlanders leave our rocky cradle 

 in the North Sea, and make homes for ourselves in 

 far lands. The cradle becomes too small for the child 

 when its baby-time is over. Yet the full-grown man's 

 thoughts go yearningly back to the love-bound nest of 

 infancy. So do our hearts cling to memories of the 

 Old Eock which was our cradle, and is the resting- 

 place of our fathers. Its spell is ever upon us, keep- 

 ing warm the recollections of happy youth, and that 

 spell is a God-given one. It is the love of Home ! 



