nt directions, the good woman said, 'Oh, sir, if
ye wad but ask Willie to tell ye ane of his tales to shorten the gate!
He can speak like ony minister frae the pu'pit, and he might have been a
minister himsell, but'--

'Haud your tongue, ye fule!' said Willie,--'But stay, Meg--gie me
a kiss, ne maunna part in anger, neither.'--And thus our society
separated.

[It is certain that in many cases the blind have, by constant exercise
of their other organs, learned to overcome a defect which one would
think incapable of being supplied. Every reader must remember the
celebrated Blind Jack of Knaresborough, who lived by laying out roads.]

LETTER XI

THE SAME TO THE SAME

You are now to conceive us proceeding in our different directions across
the bare downs. Yonder flies little Benjie to the northward with Hemp
scampering at his heels, both running as if for dear life so long as the
rogue is within sight of his employer, and certain to take the walk very
easy so soon as he is out of ken. Stepping westward, you see Maggie's
tall form and high-crowned hat, relieved by the fluttering of her plaid
upon the left shoulder, darkening as the distance diminishes her size
and as the level sunbeams begin to sink upon the sea. She is taking her
quiet journey to the Shepherd's Bush.

Then, stoutly striding over the lea, you have a full view of Darsie
Latimer, with his new acquaintance, Wandering Willie, who, bating that
he touched the ground now and then with his staff, not in a doubtful
groping manner, but with the confident air of an experienced pilot,
heaving the lead when he has the soundings by heart, walks as firmly and
boldly as if he possessed the eyes of Argus. There they go, each with
his violin slung at his back, but one of them at least totally ignorant
whither their course is directed.

And wherefore did you enter so keenly into such a mad frolic? says
my wise counsellor.--Why, I think, upon the whole, that as a sense of
loneliness, and a longing for that kindness which is interchanged in
society, led me to take up my temporary residence at Mount Sharon, the
monotony of my life there, the quiet simplicity of the conversation of
the Geddeses, and the uniformity of their amusements and employments,
wearied out my impatient temper, and prepared me for the first escapade
which chance might throw in my way.

What would I have given that I could have procured that solemn grave
visage of thine, to dignify this joke, a