218 MEMOIR OF GEORGE WILSON. CHAP. V. 



famed for his awkward simplicity, chanced to walk up one side 

 of the College quadrangle as the Master crossed the court 

 obliquely. The Yorkshireman, with unbent head and unlifted 

 cap, walked on, whereupon the ceremonious Master addressed 

 him, ' Sir, have you no salutation to give me ? Are you not 

 aware that such is required from every student to his college 

 superior when he meets him ?' ' Oh, yes/ said the Yorkshire- 

 man ; ' but I did not meet you ; you were coming diagonally ! ! ! ' 

 The Master added, by way of comment, the declaration, ' You 

 know that I don't care particularly for these things, but College 

 rules must be attended to.' ' Awell, my Lord, I think very little 

 o' them mysel/ an answer which fairly overset the Master's 

 gravity, and he laughed outright." The next letter to Daniel is 

 given almost entire : - 



" October 7, 1839. 



. " I was most unexpectedly summoned away to Penicuik 1 as 

 soon as I reached Edinburgh, so that I could not write you 

 before this time, when Dr. Williamson's departure for London 

 gives me a welcome opportunity. 



" I did not intend to have gone to the country after coming 

 home from London, being unwilling to devote more time to 

 leisure. But John [Niven] was just waiting with an earnest 

 repetition of the previously-made invitation to go to Penicuik ; 

 and when he met my attempted refusal with the declaration 

 that it was a long-made promise, I, who have been to go out 

 every season for the last four years, could not refuse, and so I 

 went. I stayed till last night (Sunday), when John and I walked 

 in together; and I should very shamefully repay the great 

 kindness shown me, if I did not heartily confess that I enjoyed 

 myself very much. 



" As it is, moreover, you must make the most of this preface ; 

 for as it is declared that dealers in oxen, when they dream, 

 dream of oxen, so must I, lately of Penicuik, write Penicuikly, 

 and be content to dilate on things ' unattempted yet in prose or 

 rhyme,' which, whatever else they may want, will yet be rife in 

 hearty, life-like reality, and the description of marked indivi- 



1 Penicuik is a small country town, about nine miles from Edinburgh. 



