s, yet clustered together--simple and bold
in their forms, and their surfaces of all characters and all
colours--some that looked as if scarified by fire, others green; and
there was one that might have been blasted by an eternal frost, its
summit and sides for a considerable way down being as white as hoar-frost
at eight o'clock on a winter's morning. No clouds were on the hills; the
sun shone bright, but the wind blew fresh and cold.

When we reached the blacksmith's shop, I left William to help to take
care of the horse, and went into the house. The mistress, with a child
in her arms and two or three running about, received me very kindly,
making many apologies for the dirty house, which she partly attributed to
its being Saturday; but I could plainly see that it was dirt of all days.
I sate in the midst of it with great delight, for the woman's benevolent,
happy countenance almost converted her slovenly and lazy way of leaving
all things to take care of themselves into a comfort and a blessing.

It was not a Highland hut, but a slated house built by the master of the
quarry for the accommodation of his blacksmith,--the shell of an English
cottage, as if left unfinished by the workmen, without plaster, and with
floor of mud. Two beds, with not over-clean bedclothes, were in the
room. Luckily for me, there was a good fire and a boiling kettle. The
woman was very sorry she had no butter; none was to be had in the
village: she gave me oaten and barley bread. We talked over the fire; I
answered her hundred questions, and in my turn put some to her. She
asked me, as usual, if I was married, how many brothers I had, etc. etc.
I told her that William was married, and had a fine boy; to which she
replied, 'And the man's a decent man too.' Her next-door neighbour came
in with a baby on her arm, to request that I would accept of some fish,
which I broiled in the ashes. She joined in our conversation, but with
more shyness than her neighbour, being a very young woman. She happened
to say that she was a stranger in that place, and had been bred and born
a long way off. On my asking her where, she replied, 'At Leadhills;' and
when I told her that I had been there, a joy lighted up her countenance
which I shall never forget, and when she heard that it was only a
fortnight before, her eyes filled with tears. I was exceedingly affected
with the simplicity of her manners; her tongue was now let loose, and she
would have t