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ise；　being　desirous　to　know　how　far　he　was　orthodox；　so　I　thought　fit；　on　the　suggestion　of　one　of　the　elders；　to　ask　him　to　preach　one　day　for　me；　which；　after　some　fleeching；　he　consented　to　do。　　I　think；　however；　there　was　a　true　modesty　in　his　diffidence；　although　his　reason　was　a　weak　one；　being　lest　he　might　not　satisfy　his　mother；　who　had　as　yet　never　heard　him。　　Accordingly；　on　the　Sabbath　after；　he　did　preach；　and　the　kirk　was　well　packed；　and　I　was　not　one　of　the　least　attentive　of　the　congregation。　　His　sermon　assuredly　was　well　put　together　and　there　was　nothing　to　object　to　in　his　doctrine；　but　the　elderly　people　thought　his　language　rather　too　Englified；　which　I　thought　likewise；　for　I　never　could　abide　that　the　plain　auld　Kirk　of　Scotland；　with　her　sober　presbyterian　simplicity；　should　borrow；　either　in　word　or　in　deed；　from　the　language　of　the　prelatic　hierarchy　of　England。　　Nevertheless；　the　younger　part　of　the　congregation　were　loud　in　his　praise；　saying；　there　had　not　been　heard　before　such　a　style　of　language　in　our　side　of　the　country。　As　for　Mrs　Malcolm；　his　mother；　when　I　spoke　to　her　anent　the　same；　she　said　but　little；　expressing　only　her　hope　that　his　example　would　be　worthy　of　his　precepts；　so　that；　upon　the　whole；　it　was　a　satisfaction　to　us　all；　that　he　was　likely　to　prove　a　stoop　and　upholding　pillar　to　the　Kirk　of　Scotland。　　And　his　mother　had　the　satisfaction；　before　she　died；　to　see　him　a　placed　minister；　and　his　name　among　the　authors　of　his　country；　for　he　published　at　Edinburgh　a　volume　of　Moral　Essays；　of　which　he　sent　me　a　pretty　bound　copy；　and　they　were　greatly　creditable　to　his　pen；　though　lacking　somewhat　of　that　birr　and　smeddum　that　is　the　juice　and　flavour　of　books　of　that　sort。



CHAPTER　XXXI　　YEAR　1790



The　features　of　this　Ann。　Dom。　partook　of　the　character　of　its　predecessor。　　Several　new　houses　were　added　to　the　clachan；　Cayenneville　was　spreading　out　with　weavers'　shops；　and　growing　up　fast　into　a　town。　　In　some　respects　it　got　the　start　of　ours；　for　one　day；　when　I　was　going　to　dine　with　Mr　Cayenne　at　Wheatrig　House；　not　a　little　to　my　amazement；　did　I　behold　a　bookseller's　shop　opened　there；　with　sticks　of　red　and　black　wax；　pouncet…boxes；　pens；　pocket…books；　and　new　publications；　in　the　window；　such　as　the　like　of　was　only　to　be　seen　in　cities　and　borough　towns。　　And　it　was　lighted　at　night　by　a　patent　lamp；　which　shed　a　wonderful　beam；　burning　oil；　and　having　no　smoke。　　The　man　sold　likewise　perfumery；　powder…puffs；　trinkets；　and　Dublin　dolls；　besides　penknives；　Castile　soap；　and　walking…sticks；　together　with　a　prodigy　of　other　luxuries　too　tedious　to　mention。

Upon　conversing　with　the　man；　for　I　was　enchanted　to　go　into　this　phenomenon；　for　as　no　less　could　I　regard　it；　he　told　me　that　he　had　a　correspondence　with　London；　and　could　get　me　down　any　book　published　there　within　the　same　month　in　which　it　came　out；　and　he　showed　me　divers　of　the　newest　come　out；　of　which　I　did　not　read　even　in　the　Scots　Magazine　till　more　than　three　months　after；　although　I　had　till　then　always　considered　that　work　as　most　interesting　for　its　early　intelligence。　　But　what　I　was　most　surprised　to　hear；　was；　that　he　took　in　a　daily　London　newspaper　for　the　spinners　and　weavers；　who　paid　him　a　penny　a…week　a…piece　for　the　same；　they　being　all　greatly　taken　up　with　what；　at　the　time；　was　going　on　in　France。

This　bookseller　in　the　end；　however；　proved　a　whawp　in　our　nest；　for　he　was　in　league　with　some　of　the　English　reformers；　and　when　the　story　took　wind　three　years　after；　concerning　the　plots　and　treasons　of　the　corresponding　societies　and　democrats；　he　was　fain　to　make　a　moonlight　flitting；　leaving　his　wife　for　a　time　to　manage　his　affairs。　　I　could　not；　however；　think　any　ill　of　the　man　notwithstanding；　for　he　had　very　correct　notions　of　right　and　justice；　in　a　political　sense；　and　when　he　came　into　the　parish　he　was　as　orderly　and　well…behaved　as　any　other　body；　and　conduct　is　a　test　that　I　have　always　found　as　good　for　a　man's　principles　as　professions。　　Nor；　at　the　time　of　which　I　am　speaking；　was　there　any　of　that　dread　or　fear　of　reforming　the　government　that　has　since　been　occasioned　by　the　wild　and　wasteful　hand　which　the　French　employed　in　their　revolution。

But；　among　other　improvements；　I　should　mention　that　a　Doctor　Marigold　came　and　settled　in　Cayenneville；　a　small；　round；　happy…　tempered　man；　whose　funny　stories　were　far　better　liked　than　his　drugs。　　There　was　a　doubt　among　some　of　the　weavers　if　he　was　a　skilful　Esculapian；　and　this　doubt　led　to　their　holding　out　an　inducement　to　another　medical　man；　Dr。　Tanzey；　to　settle　there　likewise；　by　which　it　grew　into　a　saying；　that　at　Cayenneville　there　was　a　doctor　for　health　as　well　as　sickness；　for　Dr。　Marigold　was　one　of　the　best　hands　in　the　country　at　a　pleasant　punch…bowl；　while　Dr。　Tanzey　had　all　the　requisite　knowledge　for　the　faculty　for　the　bedside。

It　was　in　this　year　that　the　hour…plate　and　hand　on　the　kirk　steeple　were　renewed；　as　indeed；　may　yet　be　seen　by　the　date；　though　it　be　again　greatly　in　want　of　fresh　gilding；　for　it　was　by　my　advice　that　the　figures　of　the　Ann。　Dom。　were　placed　one　in　each　corner。　　In　this　year；　likewise；　the　bridge　over　the　Brawl　burn　was　builta　great　convenience；　in　the　winter　time；　to　the　parishioners　that　lived　on　the　north　side；　for　when　there　happened　to　be　a　spait　on　the　Sunday；　it　kept　them　from　the　kirk；　but　I　did　not　find　that　the　bridge　mended　the　matter；　till　after　the　conclusion　of　the　war　against　the　democrats；　and　the　beginning　of　that　which　we　are　now　waging　with　Boney；　their　child　and　champion。　　It　is；　indeed；　wonderful　to　think　of　the　occultation　of　grace　that　was　taking　place　about　this　time；　throughout　the　whole　bound　of　Christendom；　for　I　could　mark　a　visible　darkness　of　infidelity　spreading　in　the　corner　of　the　vineyard　committed　to　my　keeping；　and　a　falling　away　of　the　vines　from　their　wonted　props　and　confidence　in　the　truths　of　Revelation。　　But　I　said　nothing。　　I　knew　that　the　faith　could　not　be　lost；　and　that　it　would　be　found　purer　and　purer　the　more　it　was　tried；　and　this　I　have　lived　to　see；　many　now　being　zealous　members　of　the　church；　that　were　abundantly　lukewarm　at　the　period　of　which　I　am　now　speaking。



CHAPTER　XXXII　　YEAR　1791



In　the　spring　of　this　year；　I　took　my　son　Gilbert　into　Glasgow；　to　place　him　in　a　counting…house。　　As　he　had　no　inclination　for　any　of　the　learned　professions；　and　not　having　been　there　from　the　time　when　I　was　sent　to　the　General　Assembly；　I　cannot　express　my　astonishment　at　the　great　improvements；　surpassing　far　all　that　was　done　in　our　part　of　the　country；　which　I　thought　was　not　to　be　paralleled。　　When　I　came　afterwards　to　reflect　on　my　simplicity　in　this；　it　was　clear　to　me　that　we　should　not　judge　of　the　rest　of　the　world　by　what　we　see　going　on　around　ourselves；　but　walk　abroad　into　other　parts；　and　thereby　enlarge　our　sphere　of　observation；　as　well　as　ripen　our　judgment　of　things。

But　although　there　was　no　doubt　a　great　and　visible　increase　of　the　city；　loftier　buildings　on　all　sides；　and　streets　that　spread　their　arms　far　into　the　embraces　of　the　country；　I　thought　the　looks　of　the　population　were　impaired；　and　that　there　was　a　greater　proportion　of　long　white　faces　in　the　Trongate；　than　when　I　attended　the　Divinity　class。　　These；　I　was　told；　were　the　weavers　and　others　concerned　in　the　cotton　trade；　which　I　could　well　believe；　for　they　were　very　like　in　their　looks　to　the　men　of　Cayenneville；　but　from　living　in　a　crowded　town；　and　not　breathing　a　wholesome　country　air　between　their　tasks；　they　had　a　stronger　cast　of　unhealthy　melancholy。　　I　was　therefore　very　glad　that　Providence　had　placed　in　my　hand　the　pastoral　staff　of　a　country　parish；　for　it　cut　me　to　the　heart　to　see　so　many　young　men；　in　the　rising　prime　of　life；　already　in　the　arms　of　a　pale　consumption。　　〃If；　therefore；〃　said　I　to　Mrs　Balwhidder；　when　I　returned　home　to　the　manse；　〃we　live；　as　it　were；　within　the　narrow　circle　of　ignorance；　we　are　spared　from　the　pain　of　knowing　many　an　evil；　and；　surely；　in　much　knowledge　there　is　sadness　of　heart。〃

But　the　main　effect　of　this　was　to　make　me　do　all　in　my　power　to　keep　my　people　contented　with　their　lowly　estate；　for　in　that　same　spirit　of　improvement；　which　was　so　busy　every　where；　I　could　discern　something　like　a　shadow；　that　showed　it　was　not　altogether　of　that　pure　advantage　which　avarice　led　all　so　eagerly　to　believe。　Accordingly；　I　began　a　series　of　sermons　on　the　evil　and　vanity　of　riches；　and；　for　the　most　part　of　the　year；　pointed　out　in　what　manner　they　led　the　possessor　to　indulge　in　sinful　luxuries；　and　how　indulgence　begat　desire；　and　desire　betrayed　integrity　and　corrupted　the　heart；　making　it　evident　that　the　rich　man　was　liable　to　forget　his　unmerited　obligations　to　God；　and　to　oppress　the　laborious　and　the　needful　when　he　required　their　services。

Little　did　I　imagine；　in　thus　striving　to　keep　aloof　the　ravenous　wolf　Ambition　from　my　guileless　flock；　that　I　was　giving　cause　for　many　to　think　me　an　enemy　to　the　king　and　government；　and　a　perverter　of　Christianity；　to　suit　levelling　doctrines。　　But　so　it　was。　　Many　of　the　heritors　considered　me　a　blackneb；　though　I　knew　it　no