38 
ABERDEEN UNIVERSITY LIFE [ CH . n. 
into tears. The monument was enclosed bv a 
stone wall on the top of which was an iron railing 
and the gate was locked ... I got over the 
railing, sat down on the steps, and again burst into 
tears. My ideas were not precisely defined, and 
passion does not vent itself in set speeches. The 
only words which broke forth at intervals between 
my sobs were ‘Poor unfortunate Burns/ ... I 
felt that his very memory was dearer to me than 
any living being of my own sex. I know not what 
attaches me so closely to this child of nature, but I 
think that a great deal of my attachment depends 
upon his misfortunes and his untimely fate. ” 
Next morning he continued his journey by 
Annan to a village named Springfield. While there 
he writes as follows :— 
“ I had wished to write my last report while in 
Scotland m the village of Gretna or Gretney 
celebrated, as Denholm remarks in his Tour to 
the Lakes, ‘ in the annals of clandestine marriage ’ 
When I reached this village I thought I had come 
to Gretney, and so entered an inn ; but on enquiry I 
found that Gretney is a quarter of a mile off. It is 
a matter of little consequence, however. I have 
just finished my breakfast, which consisted of 
twopence worth of bread and a gill of whisky. 
le reason for my not taking a regular meal was 
tfiat I had come to the end of one-half of the 
money which I had when leaving Aberdeen, and I 
wished to begin a new account on entering 
England. I have now travelled about 500 miles 
and I have been thirty days on my journey My 
expenses have been moderate, for I have seldom 
eaten oftener than twice a day, and I have just 
expended five pounds sterling. I have only an 
equal sum remaining, and with this I propose to go 
