Page images
PDF
EPUB

deal at his ease,-I could not help observing, on taking hold of his hand, (although I said nothing of it at the time to his sister, who, in her anxiety to pay him every attention, was dutifully sitting at her post in the room,) that it felt cold, and was beside, all over in a clammy sweet.

I do not know if I had even an opportunity of mentioning the circumstance to my wife, for she had felt a good deal indisposed in course of the morning, and had been obliged to retire from the shop, the moment I had entered it, in order to take some medicine. But the truth soon came out, and we were not long suffered to remain in suspense, as to what that FATAL HARBINGER above alluded to, meant; for, we had just sat down to our usual meal at that period, in the little room off the shop, when my daughter, who had left her charge for the moment, to the care of the nurse, came down in breathless haste for her mother;-a message soon followed their arrival, requesting me to come up :-I did sojust in time, to be recognized through the half-glazed eyes of the dear departing youth,-who eagerly seized my hand, and before he quitted it, his soul had fled, I trust, to another and a better world, where the inhabitant, indeed, shall be no. more sick, and where, which is a still more comfortable reflection, THERE SHALL BE NO MORE DEATH !

It was on the Sunday after the funeral, that my worthy and much esteemed friend, the Rev. Mr- preached the sermon I formerly alluded to; and I think, that I cannot insert a better eulogium to my departed son's memory, than the following short extract, from the letter of condolence written, by that feeling and kind-hearted gentleman, on the mournful occasion.

“I respected your son.-Nay, I loved him, as many others did ;—and I may say, of him, that a heart more resigned to heaven I never saw. He has gone to his reward, and his works will follow him."

In that letter also, this kind friend, had an opportunity of stating, in answer to some inquiries I had been making at him as to how far, that sermon was selected for the occasion, and was meant to apply to the particular situation in which our family was placed at the time ;-which he did in the following words:

"I esteemed it as a favour granted me by heaven, in having it in my power to administer consolation to a family, whom I have so long, and so sincerely respected ;-for, most assuredly, I meant the discourse to your family in particular, and I must say, that I felt much comfort, and much satisfaction in my own mind, in having done so; and if any thing I said afforded consolation or hope (divine consolation and heavenly hope) to Mrs Miller or you, or any of the family, I will ever consider it, as one of the happiest events of my life, never to be forgotten,—and I am also glad that both your were present to shew them in what estimation I held you all.”

What immediately followed, has been already quoted, at page 341 in my last chapter, and needs not here to be repeated. I trust, my readers will excuse my having dwelt a little on this very affecting and feeling letter. It is a pleasing flower, of sweet fragrance,—although of rather a sable hue,—and referring to a subject of such melancholy interest.

Towards the end of August, I seem to have suffered a good deal of anxiety from one source, and, by the beginning of September, from another; and both combined, would have no doubt, soon brought to my recollection, had it been possible that I could have forgotten it otherwise, that my troubles were not yet to be at an end.

But these things again, and other disagreeables which followed rapidly in their train, I must necessarily pass over; just remarking, that, at this time, the very flattering testimonial which appeared in the Imperial Magazine for the month of August, would come very opportunely to hand, to administer to me some drops of comfort,—as the recent one, in the Inverness Courier, of the 11th of June,-must have done, on a former occasion.

"Death's shafts" now soon began to "fly thick" around us; for, on the 7th of October, at the very time when I, and other members of the family, were under the necessity of being

Among the circumstances that rendered my son Robert's sick bed the more deplorable, was that, of his having come home to take possession of it, in the progress of his disease, (as must be seen from what has been already stated ;) just in time, to witness the preparations for, the unfortunate meeting of the preceding December. I believe, poor man! that he was met, when just on the eve of coming out to take up his last abode on earth with us, by a few of my circulars (sent to his care,) calling the above meeting, being put into his hand ;—and it was no doubt in reference to, the unfortunate situation in which we were again placed, at such an advanced stage of our pilgrimage, and to our decaying powers and ability to help ourselves, that he expressed, as his greatest, or indeed only regret in dying, that he was not to live," to do some thing for, or to make some amends to his mother," which of course must have included us both, as he well knew that we never had separate purses, or separate interests.

engaged, upon a particular occasion, at Haddington, another friend, (the same I alluded to, as having seen, for the last time, when passing through Edinburgh, in the month of July,) and who, then well and hearty, promised to come east and see my son Robert soon,-was deposited in the earth,— and thus, rather, soon followed him to his long home;-and, before that day month, another death, in which we were still more interested, lessened the number of our connexions.

There is one thing, which, on account of certain mournful associations attending it, I cannot easily forget, and that was the melancholy walk I had, on the afternoon of the 14th of October, when I left Haddington, to go round by the Abbey, in order to make some enquiries respecting a certain matter, in regard to which I felt, at this time, a good deal of anxiety.

On that afternoon, and in course of that walk, the thought that there were, as I had been told, some things worse than death, came more than once across my mind, and I have reason to believe, from the effect which this recollection has on me, at this distance of time, that, that thought, in a great degree, diverted my attention from, what I intended should have been the principal purport of my walk.*

But, in midst of all the afflictions of time, it becomes necessary, with those situated in dependent circumstances, that the affairs of business be not neglected; and here again, assuredly, I have not to tax myself with any remissness in this respect; for, I find, that while a very heavy cloud yet hung

* I have often thought since, that it was fortunate for me, that my thoughts were still farther diverted, and carried from that subject also, by the meeting with some friends so unexpectedly on the top of the coach that evening, at what was formerly called the Abbey toll bar,-when,-indeed, the great depression that hung over my spirits, and must have given, of course, some marked cast, to that index of internal feeling, the countenance, could scarcely fail to be observed by my two friends; one of whom had never before seen me, and might therefore, have been the more surprised, at the thoughtful and absent appearance, I must have assumed; until our cogitations were all diverted to another matter, viz. the danger to which we were all, suddenly exposed, by a disgraceful racing which took place on that evening, by the three coaches, then, at one time, on the road.

I trust, my friends will now be disposed more than ever, to excuse my first It must be a dreadful appearance on that occasion, on reading these pages. prospect to have A THING "WORSE THAN DEATH, "before one's eyes; and such, indeed, was the awful prospect, that lay before me, on that never to-be-forgotten, or, may I not rather call it, fatal evening.

over us, I published, of date November 3, the advertisement which I sent out, with the additional testimonials to Popular Philosophy, alluded to in my chapter previous to the last.*

Of the same date, November 3, I see, I issued another advertisement, relating more exclusively to matters connected with the other department of my business, which shews, that notwithstanding all the afflictions I had endured, or were still enduring, in this afflictive period, (as must appear, by comparing the date with what happened about that time,) I had not been neglecting the needful exertion in regard to temporals, while the other advertisement went to evidence my anxiety of being useful to the mental, as well as to the bodily wants of my customers.

Of date the 12th of December, I had the pleasure of hearing from Captain Basil Hall, in which, that gentleman is pleased, in his laconic way, to say, in allusion to my Popular Philosophy,—“ I have looked into your work, at about a dozen different places, and have always found something to interest and instruct me," which, short and laconic as it is, is certainly, not a little, from a traveller, who had seen so much to "interest and instruct" him otherwise ;-in quarters, both of the old and of the new world, to which, the author never had, nor can now ever have, access. And this, it will be seen,

Although that advertisement, is addressed also, to "MEMBERS OF MECHANIC'S INSTITUTIONS, for whom," it is remarked, "the work is most suitable, as a friendly remembrancer, and convenient text book,”—and to "THE MANAGERS AND CONDUCTORS OF ITINERATING PARISH, VILLAGE, AND GARDEN LIBRARIES, for the use of which, it is so admirably adapted;"—it would appear, that the principal cause of the advertisement being issued at this particular period, was, in consequence of its being intended to meet the eyes, in good time, of those parents, guardians, masters, and relatives, who might be disposed to make presents at the approaching seasons, but wished, to select something of that description, which "The Edinburgh Observer," in speaking of the work recommended to their notice, immediately after it had made its appearance in a complete form, was pleased to designate, "AN EXTREMELY APPROPRIATE CHRISTMAS, or NEW YEAR'S GIFT, possessing, it is true, less tinsel ornament and useless embellishment than the Annuals, with which we are inundated at this season, but infinitely surpassing them in the utility of its contents, and its power of producing lasting and beneficial impressions on the mind."

And surely, even had not such a respectable authority said it,—and the Rev. Ebenezer Brown, had not so early, as the first of January, as formerly noticed, recommended the book for such a purpose, by his example,-it may be difficult, to point out a work more suitable, and better adapted, for the purposes of A NEW YEAR'S, or CHRISTMAS GIFT, than the one now under consideration,—although I had had nothing to do with it, or to say in the matter.

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!

[ocr errors]

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 willing, 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

« PreviousContinue »