288 MEMOIR OF GEORGE WILSON. CHAR VI. 



brought about, I find my life so eventless that I can record for 

 your edification nothing more wonderful than my removal from 

 the bed to the sofa, and back from the sofa to the bed again, 

 like the worthy Vicar of Wakefield, who chronicled the removals 

 from the blue bedroom to the yellow, and from the yellow to 

 the blue. 



" The monotony of my daily life is somewhat broken in upon 

 by the swarms of children who play about the door. They are, 

 for the most part, the ordinary set of sinful imps to be met 

 with here below, alternately kissing and fondling each other 

 like so many angels without wings, and then, when the devil or 

 ' original sin' gets into their hearts, kicking and cuffing like 

 reprobates. There is one exception, however, to the foregoing 

 description, in the person of a neat little lassie, with a sunburnt 

 pretty face, and long fair ringlets. I have learned this little 

 lady's first name, Aggy ; a lady's last name does not matter 

 much, being only intended for temporary employment, till a 

 better name can be found for its proprietor. I of course exclude 

 from such remarks those exalted members of the sex, whom, as 

 patterns to mankind, Providence, for wise purposes, permits to 

 husband their names, instead of getting husbanded themselves. 



"My attention was first attracted to this young lady by a 

 highly original observation I heard her make one day. She was 

 lying all her length on the grassplot, kicking up her heels in the 

 air, and proclaiming that 'Johnnie Eitchie's name was not Johnnie 

 Eitchie.' Who Johnnie Eitchie is, I don't know, perhaps some 

 relation of your friend Daniel, who may be able to say what his 

 name is, though I fear nobody born out of Ireland is likely to 

 throw much light on the matter. I have inquired at Aggy 

 herself concerning Johnnie, but she preserves the profoundest 

 silence, and looks indignant ; so that what Johnnie Eitchie's 

 name is I see no hope of discovering. 



" Yesterday, had I had any Samaritan to carry me out on his 

 back, I might have seen something out of the way. It appears 

 that an unchristian man and woman, instead of going to church 

 and hearing sermon, made a pilgrimage out to the Black Eocks, 

 and seated themselves thereon, whether to meditate or gather 

 mussels I do not know. The tide, however, came in, and sur- 



