6 INTRODUCTION. 
times shows an inclination to return to his former way of life, he 
lives tolerably steady, taking great delight at all idle times, in 
teaching my children to shoot fish or trap vermin—a kind of 
learning which the boys, young as they are, have become great 
proficients in, preferring Simon Donald to their Latin master ; 
and though they attend regularly and diligently to the latter, 
they make equally good use of the lessons of the former, and can 
dress a fly and catch a dish of trout for dinner, gallop on their 
Shetland ponies across the wildest country, or hit a mark with a 
rifle as well as most boys of double their age. And, after all, 
this kind of education does boys more good than harm (as long 
as they do not neglect their books at the same time, which I do 
not allow mine to do), as they acquire hardihood of constitution, 
free use of their limbs, and confidence in their own powers. But 
I have said enough of me and mine, and must refer those who 
may have any curiosity on the subject to the following sketches, 
as illustrating my doings and observations in my temporary 
home. 
It may be proper to mention that Chapters XX VI. and XXX. 
have already appeared in print; .some learned critic having 
deemed it expedient to publish them in the 153rd Number of the 
‘Quarterly Review.’ 
