THOMAS A* THING. 357 



No. 1, while his uncompromising conduct to Nos. 2, 3, 

 and 4, gained him many enemies, as well as my father's 

 protection. But, after a few threats from his neighbours 

 of " pittin' the bodie i' the loch," he was left to take 

 his own course. Thomas's face is no bad index of his 

 temper a long drooping nose and peaked chin, small 

 fixed eyes, and thick heavy eyelids. In stature he is 

 much below the middle height, and his very walk, like 

 Venus's, makes known the man. It is neither fast nor 

 slow, and seems to say, " I'll no neglec' my business, 

 but for a' that there's nae thrift in a hurry.' 1 



The avocations of Thomas a' Thing, as his title imports, 

 are manifold. He can turn his hand to most things, 

 without being very skilful in any. Mason, plumber, 

 painter, glazier, rat and mole catcher, vermin-killer, with 

 many other etceteras, are all alike to Thomas ; but, from 

 his love of natural history, the latter pursuits are more 

 congenial to his taste. A chat with Thomas on these 

 subjects was a sure specific against the ,spleen, and, if 

 his conclusions were often wrong, he sometimes related 

 from his own observation facts both curious and interest- 

 ing. In winter he was always employed as one of the 

 game-watchers, and, although he used openly to admit 

 he was " nae great soger," yet he often showed more 

 pluck than those who pretended they were. 



Thomas returned one morning from the islands with a 

 prisoner in the stern of his boat, and his quaint grave rela- 

 tion of the particulars, in presence of his captive, was truly 

 comical. He had with his enormous telescope discovered 



