412 MEMOIR OF GEORGE WILSON. CHAP. X. 



derful, wonderful, such a country as even Adam and Eve, when 

 the fiery-sworded angel drove them forth, might have wandered 

 into with delight. Luckily for you my paper is done, or you 

 would have had a rhapsody." Again he says, "You would 

 admire the Abbey garden. The old grey towers look over the 

 walls, with the ghosts of departed monks sitting sorrowfully on 

 the broken pinnacles, and gazing on the desolation and usurpa- 

 tion below. A flock of merry swallows wheel about the battle- 

 ments, darting out and in between the poor ghosts without 

 touching them. 



" The garden is open to all genteel people, so that / walk 

 through it boldly. A genteel cat paid me a visit in the place, 

 and after salutations with its wreathed tail, passed on. Of 

 another visitor, a large tame rabbit, I am a little doubtful that he 

 had a right of entrance. He looked at me somewhat suspi- 

 ciously with his great bright eyes, but I suppose he intended 

 only to eat the weeds. He was well dressed, better than myself, 

 a handsome fur cloak, and other things, as the old writers say, 

 ' conform/ My greatness was acknowledged yesterday in a 

 highly satisfactory way. A clown walked into the garden 

 straight up to me, and begged to know 'if I selled any berries?'" 



A daily drive in the beautiful neighbourhood diversified such 

 pleasures. One day, finding that no newspapers could be 

 obtained in the little town, he drove to Galashiels, about five 

 miles distant, and after purchasing a copy of the ' Scotsman/ 

 proceeded to read it on the way home. ' This is decidedly 

 worth a penny/ he said to his sister ; ' read that.' What she 

 read was a notice of his appointment as Professor to the 

 newly-founded chair of Technology. The official document 

 apprising him of it reached by a later post. Though it took 

 him by surprise at the time, he had been aware such a step 

 was in contemplation. It was suggested first by the profes- 

 sors in the Edinburgh University, to whom it seemed more 

 advisable to have the director of the New Museum amenable to 

 their laws, than to have in him one who might set up rival 

 claims as a public teacher, with a salary from Government, 

 and valuable museums at his disposal. This recommendation 

 was approved by the Edinburgh Town- Council, and the pro- 



