A RIDE TO THE GREAT LOCH. 55 



every one would say, how proper ! I don't want my 

 own fancies, mayhap delusions, to be disturbed." 



" Nor I," said Ward. " I wish to believe my 

 friends to be friendly ; my tastes and whims good 

 taste; and don't seek others' views thereon to dis- 

 perse all my fancy blossoms. Time may quietly 

 pick them off one by one soon enough." 



"Ah! Hope, is this not pleasure versus dry 

 wisdom ? " said Major Duncan. 



" Not entirely ; no sane man will deny that in 

 matters of real moment truth is best, however 

 bitter; but Lord Bacon, a safer philosopher than 

 your Burns, says that, ' If you take from men vain 

 opinions, flattering hopes, and the like, it would 

 leave the minds of most of us poor shrunken things.' 

 Nor do I want people to be poking pins through my 

 wind-bags : they float me nicely down the stream." 



" So, so, Hope, and you admire the great chan- 

 cellor ? Not a bad sign of your taste." 



"Who does not? the finest of philosophical intel- 

 lects, and the most intensely sensible of men of the 

 world; yet he made some sad mulls, moral and 

 mental. Not you, Fred," Ward said, as the young- 

 ster came in, and was staring at his cousin being 

 so earnest ; " you never make mulls." 



