forms the last, in that series of abridged testimonials, which I have annexed to the end of my volume,—in the hopes—that, short as the extracts are, (being all which I can possibly make room for,) they may be the means of drawing the attention of such of my readers, as may not have previously seen it, to a work, so generally eulogized and approved of, while it is yet in my power, to supply them with it, on the very favourable

terms there stated.

By a letter from a friend, towards the end of the year, I observe that I am reminded, that, at that time, I had been labouring again under bodily indisposition, which, added to other considerations, connected with my situation, too plainly evince that, by the 31st, or concluding day of the year 1828, I had not yet arrived at, that "comfortable and successful period," which my kind friend so confidently anticipated and predicted, as being " at hand" for me, oN THAT

DAY TWELVEMONTH!

CHAPTER XLI.-1829.

I seem at last to have arrived at the successful period predicted by my friend.A stirring time with us.-Short New Year's Day excursion.-Not suffered to remain long in the shop -Kind advice of one friendly gentleman, backed by, that of another.-A third monitor reminds me, that, although the spirit may be will. ing, the flesh is still weak Retire again to my close quarters.—An old adage verified. The weather is again tempered to the shorn lamb-Business still continues to prosper-My reasons for giving a preference in my dealings to old friends.-Get once more into good spirits.-Another "rejoices in my joy." -A visit from an old acquaintance, but a young friend. Sup with Mr Ellis, the South Sea Missionary.—Interesting conversation.-Specimens of Australian manufactures.-Timely discovery of a severe accident, experienced by a friend. My conduct in consequence, and its happy results-Reasons for my recording the several circumstances -An afternoon's excursion to Pinkerton Hill, and the adjoining heights.-Not every day that I am gratified with such a change of scenery, &c-Appropriate lines from Cowper.-A poor man's companions in solitude.—Peep into the contents of, a library among the hills.— Early indications of indisposition this season-But am able to resume, a good old custom, by the last night of the year.

BUT if, by the last day of 1828, I had not arrived at, that comfortable state, predicted by my friend exactly a twelve

month previous to that date, I certainly had, some reason to think, when I was so far able, on the first day of the new year, as, to take my short excursion from my bed-chamber to the shop, and found things, in such a stirring state there, that, I was now in a fair way, to have the more "successful” part of the prediction verified; for, our retail business, which had not sensibly fallen off, at any time-thanks to my good friends-was now, to all appearance, in rather a flourishing state, and indeed, it most assuredly was so.

I was not, however, suffered to remain long at my post at the desk; for, now that I recollect, I had been more seriously indisposed than had immediately come to my recollection, and my cough being rather troublesome, at the time that worthy and excellent country gentleman, Mr HAY, of Sport, now of LAWFIELD, came into the shop, he joined at once with my wife in insisting, that I should retire to the back premises, where there was a fire,—and ceased not his kind importunities until he had accomplished his purpose.

It was in this situation, that my good friend, the writer of the letter above alluded to, found me, when, being in town on that day, he looked in shortly after, to enquire for me; and so far was he from disapproving of my having taken that good gentleman's advice, that he urged the propriety of it in still stronger language, if possible, than the other had done,— and did all, that he could also, to induce me, in the situation in which I then was, to take care of myself.

There was a third monitor, however, that now began to speak, in a language stronger and more forcible than either, and that was necessity, which soon convinced me, that I must again retire, or return, to my close quarters; and for this good reason, that, although "the spirit was willing," and much inclined to remain where I was, "the flesh was weak," and needed repose as well as warmth;-and it was long, very long, I believe, before I dared to venture so far again.*

.

Perhaps I was nothing the better of venturing so prematurely out on the new year's day, but I make no reflections on that account, as I did it from the best of motives, and returned to the house, so soon as I found myself, getting too much indisposed to continue:-the exertion, like that which was the more proximate cause of the beginning of my trouble, (a walk in the country so far back as the 28th of

It is a pleasing consideration, however, that my faithful partner kept her health, rather if any thing, unusually well, at the time, and, in consequence, was able to keep the wheels in motion, of what a gentleman, who knew something of the matter, was pleased to style our "excellent retail business," and which he would not be disposed to think the less of, upon my having to order, on the 9th of January, a fresh supply of the particular article he dealt in, the sale of which, it appears, had far exceeded, my calculations, at the time I had previously laid in, what I then considered, a sufficient stock for my winter consumpt.

As the spring and summer advanced, business, it appears, still continued to prosper. So early as the 3d of February, I had to write again to my friend, who, I must do here the justice to say, had fully acted up to his profession, in his kind disposition to serve me, for a further supply of his article; and I must also, in justice to myself, here notice, that one of the happiest reflections I now derived from our flourishing business, was, the consideration that, it put it the more in my power, to be useful to those who had suffered by me,—and to make them some amends,—in the only manner I could now do so, viz., in the way of business.*

November preceding, in a state of rather too much bodily debility for even so short an excursion, and brought on, I need not say how, after these afflicting details) had however, been too much for me, and gave me a very apt illustration, of the old wise saying, that "he who wishes to be soon well, must be long ill." Be this, as it may, it was a considerable time afterward, till I was able to return to my post in the shop; and, I think it was, at least, the month of May, before I got quit of the ruff shaped comforter, which for such a length of time, I had been obliged to wear round my neck ;-so much for the effects of sitting down colds::- I was in a profound state of perspiration, in the fore part of the day of Friday the 28th November, in consequence of my walk, short as it was, I felt cold and chilly, in returning on a cold and frosty evening,-this I conceive, was the beginning of my complaint, it was a long time, as will be seen by the above, before we saw the end of it :-indeed, my winter and spring complaints have been so constant and frequent since, even up to the date on which I now write, that I may be said, not to have seen the end of it yet!

* My exertions, indeed, in this respect, had become so evident, that a gentleman, told my son, that I deserved a premium to a considerable amount from the very friend now alluded to, for the pains I had taken, to introduce and recom. mend so extensively, the particular article in which he dealt. I needed not, however, any bribery of the kind, to induce me to do, that, which I did from principle, and for which, and every other good I could do to promote the interest of that gentleman, I considered myself more than sufficiently repaid, in the repeated losses he had suffered by me, and the great kindness I had experienced, and was still experiencing, at his hands.

But, in this disposition to be of service to my kind friends, I trust I was not singular; for I hold, that every person possessing any claim to a sense of gratitude, should undoubtedly act on the same principle; and where they can be served, on the same terms as by others-by old friends—it is no doubt their bounden duty, uniformly, to give them a preference. It is, in fact, no more than an act of justice done to them, and, from the satisfaction I would feel myself, and have felt, in like circumstances, I cannot help saying, "Happy is the man, that having fallen short in his payments of 20s. per pound, is able to compensate, or make up, to the creditor, the difference, or part of the difference, or more happily still, more than the difference,-in his future dealings ;-if, in want of the means, to do so otherwise!"

While things were thus moving on prosperously, I could not fail to get into spirits; and I appear to have made no secret of the circumstance, otherwise one kind friend, with whom I had been corresponding, could not have written me in answer, to the following purport :-" It indeed has afforded me much pleasure to receive intelligence from you, of such a happy complexion; for it is long since you have been able to communicate so much good tidings, and I do rejoice in your joy."

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This is the true Christian way of going to work, to joice with those that do rejoice, and weep with those that weep." This kind, and long endeared friend, had put his religion to the practical test,-and done both. Before now, he had, more than once, in his communications, mingled his tears with mine, and he now rejoices-in my joy!

In the month of July, I see that I had a visit from my young friend, whose assistance was so serviceable to me, at the time my Popular Philosophy was in the act of passing through the press, and who, on this occasion, I think, had the pleasure of supping with me, in a friend's house, in company with the Rev. Mr ELLIS, the late missionary to the South Seas, or, to those interesting groupes of recently discovered islands, which diversify and adorn the great expanse of the Pacific Ocean.

The conversation of Mr ELLIS, who, I think, said he had stood upon the very spot, where the much celebrated, in my younger days, Captain Cook was killed, in the island of Owhyhee, the largest of the Sandwich groupe—was very interesting, and listened to, on our parts, with great eagerness; and, I recollect that next morning, (for we also breakfasted with him,) that gentleman presented us with some specimens of Australian manufactures, my proportion of which, as should always be the case, if possible with presents, is still carefully preserved.

Saturday, the 1st of August, in this year, is rendered memorable in my annals, on another account, viz.; my having, on that day, had an opportunity of doing a good turn to an old and much esteemed friend, the circumstances attending which, I annex, not as taking the smallest merit in the performance of, what can only be considered in the light of an act of common humanity, or kindness, of one person to another, but in order to shew, the promptitude with which I acted on the occasion, with its happy results ;-that I may induce others, on such pressing occasions, to follow my example, and go and do so likewise.*

* I had been just asked by a respected friend, who was about setting out on an autumnal excursion, to take a little dinner with him in company with a friend, whom, he left me for the purpose of inviting in from the country. During the conversation I had with that gentleman, my newspaper, the Courant, had lain on the table in the cover, unopened, and the time approached for its going into other hands.

That short time, however, was big with the comfort, if not with the fate, of a most worthy man, and Frovidence was kind to him in that respect, for I pulled the paper hastily from the cover the moment my friend left me, merely to have a slight glance, before it was called for; when lo! and behold! the article that caught my immediate attention, was an account of a coach accident, which had happened on the day before, at Kirkcaldy, by which, it too plainly appeared, that my good friend, Mr had been seriously injured.

No time was to be lost-the residence of this worthy gentleman was some miles into the country, and the Union Coach, the only opportunity for that day, would be in, on her way to the westward, in a few hours; and what made the business with me the more pressing, was, my ascertaining, by looking into an almanack, that one of the passage boats, crossed from Leith on the Sunday morning at an early hour. I immediately, therefore, despatched a messenger, with a card to the good gentleman's family, very pressing, no doubt, but written in a style so as to cause the least possible alarm.-I left Providence and my wife to manage the rest went off to my dinner-and when I returned after tea, found that the worthy gentleman's daughter, had reached Dunbar some little time before the coach had arrived, and after taking a cup of tea with Mrs M. had proceeded with that conveyance to Edinburgh,-and was, I believe, at her father's bed side, next morning before breakfast; before, in fact, his fellow traveller had reached Dun