18 MEMOIR OF GEORGE WILSON. CHAP. I. 



" After we entered the High School," his brother proceeds, 

 " our long vacation holidays were spent, on several occasions, at 

 the manse of Cumbernauld, 1 in Dumbartonshire, where the Eev. 

 John Watson, who had been our father's tutor in his youth, 

 made us hospitably welcome, and introduced us to all the no- 

 velties which country life presents in so charming an aspect to 

 the town-bred boy. The hay-making was over before our holi- 

 days arrived ; but the reaping, the carting and stacking, and 

 the harvest-home, were all within our happy holiday weeks ; 

 diversified by an occasional ramble when the minister's paro- 

 chial duties called him off to visit some outlying farm or cot- 

 tage, and by visits to Cumbernauld House, where Mrs. Aitken, 

 the old housekeeper of Admiral Fleming, made us welcome, 

 and we occasionally enjoyed the luxury of a ride through the 

 park on a frisky little Shetland pony which was at our service 

 when we could catch it. It would seem, however, that in 

 1830, John and I alone went to Cumbernauld, and to this, 

 accordingly, is due the earliest fragment of George's corre- 

 spondence which I have preserved. Here are some of the con- 

 tents of it, suggestive of many other pleasant memories : ' John 

 mentioned in his letter that Mr. Watson had promised him a 

 cat in place of the grey one. But I am sure you will be glad 

 when I tell you, your old friend, Mr. Grey Cat, came back on 

 Sabbath morning.' Then, after news of other kinds, occurs this 

 important passage relative to some coveted treasure for the 

 museum : ' Mother would have bought the sturgeon's head, but 

 they asked half a guinea for it I have had several de- 

 lightful walks since we parted. The mice are lively, and get 

 a run on the table every night. They are very impudent, and 

 bite whoever touches them. The cat gives several side looks at 

 them, but never dares to touch them.' 



" The concluding reference here is to one great triumph 

 achieved in the course of our Natural History pursuits. Our do- 

 mestic menagerie never wanted some favourite pet, though these 



1 In the quiet little village of Cumbernauld, a sensation seems to have been pro- 

 duced by the appearance of the boys. John writes to his twin-brother in 1830, 

 " All the people in the village know us, but when we go through it, we generally 

 get a good stare, and a good many boys and girls run after us crying, ' Look, there's 

 the braw callants.' " 



