122 Life and Times of " The Druid' 



stern father, who regarded inattention at 

 church as a moral offence, which seemed to 

 him as unpardonable as it would have done 

 to Sir Walter Scott's 4 Davie Deans.' " 



I have already stated that the first proposal 

 made by " The Druid " to Miss Caroline 

 Lynes was rejected. Her refusal affected 

 him so deeply that his health gave way, 

 and he was unable to put in his appear- 

 ance at the schools for the classical ex- 

 amination, in which he had such hopes 

 of distinguishing himself. A few months 

 later other opportunities of pressing his 

 suit presented themselves, and his quiet 

 determination and persistent constancy won 

 for him the fulfilment of his ardent desire. 

 An engagement was entered into, which 

 terminated eight months later in his union 

 with the young lady, to whom he was mar- 

 ried on May 12, 1847. The incidents of a 

 simple marriage in a small village church 

 seem hardly worthy of record, but two char- 

 acteristic touches illustrative of the bride- 

 groom's disposition have often been spoken 

 of in the Lynes family, and are still remem- 

 bered w T ith interest by some of its surviving 



