PREFACE 



TO THE SECOND EDITION. 



CONCEALMENT is rarely a right thing; and how 

 far, for reasons given, the Author's hiding of his name 

 in the first edition may be justified, it is needless 

 now to inquire, as the attempt so quickly proved an 

 entire failure. Whoever meditates the smallest 

 guile would need to provide more eyes and a good 

 memory. Some years ago, in contributing the Sta- 

 tistical Account of his parish, the writer took notice 

 of a moor blackbird, which he described as a thief. 

 The description, soon out of sight, was soon out of 

 mind; but not so the thief, who, continuing his visits, 

 kept alive the remembrance of his person and was 

 again, it seems, submitted in " The Manse Garden " 

 to the like advertisement of his stature, visage, and 

 the colour of his clothes. 



As in every case of human indictment, accusations, 

 failing of conviction, serve only to excite revenge, 

 and make the offender more inveterate ; so in this, 

 the thief, being neither hanged nor incarcerated, but 

 merely affronted, roused his spleen, and, chattering 

 all the way from Galashiels to Glasgow, told every 



