belong to a style where ornaments are not required.  They contain, besides, the very words which were spoken and sung by the fathers of the Reformation, sometimes in the wilderness, sometimes in fetters, sometimes at the stake.  If a Church possessed the vessels out of which the original Reformers partook of the Eucharist, it would be surely bad taste to melt them down and exchange them for more modern.  No, no.  Let them write hymns and paraphrases if they will, but let us have still

    “All people that on earth do dwell."[325]

Law and devotion must lose some of their dignity as often as they adopt new fashions.

May 30.—­The Skenes came in to supper last night.  Dr. Scott of Haslar Hospital came to breakfast.  He is a nephew of Scott of Scalloway, who is one of the largest proprietors in Shetland.  I have an agreeable recollection of the kindness and hospitality of these remote isles, and of this gentleman’s connections in particular, who welcomed me both as a stranger and a Scott, being duly tenacious of their clan.  This young gentleman is high in the medical department of the navy.  He tells me that the Ultima Thule is improving rapidly.  The old clumsy plough is laid aside.  They have built several stout sloops to go to the deep-sea fishing, instead of going thither in open boats, which consumed so much time between the shore and the haaf or fishing spot.  Pity but they would use a steam-boat to tow them out!  I have a real wish to hear of Zetland’s advantage.  I often think of its long isles, its towering precipices, its capes covered with sea-fowl of every class and description that ornithology can find names for, its deep caves, its smoked geese, and its sour sillocks.  I would like to see it again.  After the Court I came round by Cadell, who is like Jemmy Taylor,

    “Full of mirth and full of glee,”

for which he has good reason, having raised the impression of the Magnum to 12,000 copies, and yet the end is not, for the only puzzle now is how to satisfy the delivery fast enough.[326]

May 31.—­We dined at Craigcrook with Jeffrey.  It is a most beautiful place, tastefully planted with shrubs and trees, and so sequestered, that after turning into the little avenue, all symptoms of the town are left behind you.  He positively gives up the Edinburgh Review.[327] A very pleasant evening.  Rather a glass of wine too much, for I was heated during the night.  Very good news of Walter.

FOOTNOTES: 

[307] See Foreign Quarterly Review, vol. iv. p. 355.

[308] This short History of Scotland, it was found, could not be comprised in a single volume, and the publishers handsomely agreed to give the author L1500 for two volumes, forming the first and fourth issues of their own Cabinet Cyclopaedia, the publication of which was commenced before the end of the year.