Dinbur Castle, its Gardens and Gardeners. 445 



glory. In the study of God's works there is no end to their 

 variety, although they were sought after by minds enlightened 

 as the sun when he spreadeth his light upon a thousand hills. 

 But we are lingering by the way, and must hasten from viewing 

 the meadows and the woods, and the low valleys, and the musical 

 warblers singing by silver fountains, and the pleasing combina- 

 tions of classic architecture, and go to a place where we intend 

 remaining for a little time, although it is seldom visited by those 

 who delight in admiring the wonders of nature and art; the place 

 I mean is the gardener's bothy. 



T^he bothy is commonly a little lonely shed placed on the 

 north side of the north wall of the kitchen-garden ; that small 

 apartment has often to be kitchen, breakfast-room, dining-room, 

 parlour, bed-room, dressing-room, and study, for men that de- 

 serve better accommodation. If a little of the money that is 

 spent upon dog-kennels were employed in erecting decent habi- 

 tations for journeymen gardeners, gentlemen would receive a 

 higher rate of interest for money laid out in such a way, than 

 they do from much of their wealth that is sent out in other 

 directions. 



But some young men will not be hindered from pursuing after 

 knowledge, though difficulties should attend it. In the bothy at 

 Dinbur Castle gardens, some time ago, there were four young 

 lads, whose exertions to obtain useful knowledge may be worth 

 recording, and perhaps their example may be worthy of imitation 

 by others placed in similar circumstances. 



Sandy Mac Alpine, the foreman of the gardens, was at one time 

 intended to be something else than a gardener, and was kept 

 longer at school than boys are generally kept; but, like many a 

 novice, he forgot to strengthen his muscles when he was endea- 

 vouring to inform his mind. Close application in the study of 

 Latin and Greek, and one season at college, gave him every 

 appearance of a blanched student. He found his health under- 

 mining rapidly; he was advised to try something else; he chose 

 the occupation of a gardener, and his health recovered; but, in- 

 stead of leaving it when he got better, he continued to love his 

 employment. 



Colin Forbes was another inmate of the bothy at the time we 

 refer to. He was a stout active young man ; the spade appeared as 

 light in his hands as if it had been a child's toy, and he could 

 use it to good purpose: he did not, however, forget the educa- 

 tion he received in his early days ; he was fond of mathematical 

 studies, and liked well to talk about square roots and cube roots, 

 equations, involution of quantities, circles, angles, pyramids, 

 cylinders, cones, polygons, &c. 



Walter Glenesk, another of the four, when alone, occupied 

 his time differently from any of the rest : he was in love with ihe 



