joy than the refined gaieties of society, and for such pleasures as the song and the dance could yield.  He himself regarded these as days of ungodliness—­days wherein he cherished a pure morality, but lived in heart a Pharisee.  I have heard him say that there was a correctness and propriety in his demeanor at times of devotion, and in public worship, which some, who knew not his heart, were ready to put to the account of real feeling.  And this experience of his own heart made him look with jealousy on the mere outward signs of devotion in dealing with souls.  He had learnt in his own case how much a soul, unawakened to a sense of guilt, may have satisfaction in performing from the proud consciousness of integrity towards man, and a sentimental devotedness of mind that chastens the feelings without changing the heart.

He had great delight in rural scenery.  Most of his summer vacations used to be spent in Dumfriesshire, and his friends in the parish of Ruthwell and its vicinity retain a vivid remembrance of his youthful days.  His poetic temperament led him to visit whatever scenes were fitted to stir the soul.  At all periods of his life, also, he had a love of enterprise.  During the summer months he occasionally made excursions with his brother, or some intimate friend, to visit the lakes and hills of our Highlands, cherishing thereby, unawares, a fondness for travel, that was most useful to him in after days.  In one of these excursions, a somewhat romantic occurrence befell the travellers, such as we might rather have expected to meet with in the records of his Eastern journey.  He and his friends had set out on foot to explore, at their leisure, Dunkeld, and the highlands in its vicinity.  They spent a day at Dunkeld, and about sunset set out again with the view of crossing the hills to Strathardle.  A dense mist spread over the hills soon after they began to climb.  They pressed on, but lost the track that might have guided them safely to the glen.  They knew not how to direct their steps to any dwelling.  Night came on, and they had no resource but to couch among the heath, with no other covering than the clothes they wore.  They felt hungry and cold; and, awaking at midnight, the awful stillness of the lonely mountains spread a strange fear over them.  But, drawing close together, they again lay down to rest, and slept soundly till the cry of some wild birds and the morning dawn aroused them.

Entering the Edinburgh University in November 1827, he gained some prize in all the various classes he attended.  In private he studied the modern languages; and gymnastic exercises at that time gave him unbounded delight.  He used his pencil with much success, and then it was that his hand was prepared for sketching the scenes of the Holy Land.  He had a very considerable knowledge of music, and himself sang correctly and beautifully.  This, too, was a gift which was used to the glory of the Lord in after days,—­wonderfully enlivening his secret devotions, and enabling him to lead the song of praise in the congregation wherever occasion required.  Poetry also was a never-failing recreation; and his taste in this department drew the attention of Professor Wilson, who adjudged him the prize in the Moral Philosophy class for a poem, “On the Covenanters.”