r, I have a good conscience; then, my wife is an excellent
woman, and provided she sees me and her daughters happy, thinks nothing
about herself; and, further, I have made it a rule as I have been going
down hill, to find reasons why I should be thankful, and not
discontented. Depend upon it, Reynolds, it is not a loss of fortune
which will affect your happiness, as long as you have peace and love at
home."

I took my leave of Willemott and his wife, with respect as well as
regard; convinced that there was no pretended indifference to worldly
advantages; that it was not, that the grapes were sour, but that he had
learned the whole art of happiness, by being contented with what he had,
and by "cutting his coat according to his cloth."

The Legend of the Bell Rock

There was a grand procession through the streets of the two towns of
Perth and of Dundee. The holy abbots, in their robes, walked under
gilded canopies, the monks chanted, the censers were thrown, flags and
banners were carried by seamen, lighted tapers by penitents; St Antonio,
the patron of those who trust to the stormy ocean, was carried in all
pomp through the streets; and, as the procession passed, coins of
various value were thrown down by those who watched it from the windows,
and, as fast as thrown, were collected by little boys dressed as angels,
and holding silver vessels to receive the largesses. During the whole
day did the procession continue, and large was the treasure collected in
the two towns. Everyone gave freely, for there were few, indeed none,
who, if not in their own circle, at least among their acquaintances, had
not to deplore the loss of some one dear to them, or to those they
visited, from the dangerous rock which lay in the very track of all the
vessels entering the Frith of Tay.

These processions had been arranged, that a sufficient sum of money
might be collected to enable them to put in execution a plan proposed by
an adventurous and bold young seaman, in a council held for the purpose,
of fixing a bell on the rock, which could be so arranged that the
slightest breath of wind would cause the hammer of it to sound, and
thus, by its tolling, warn the mariner of his danger; and the sums given
were more than sufficient. A meeting was then held, and it was
unanimously agreed that Andrew M'Clise should be charged with the
commission to go over to Amsterdam, and purchase the bell of a merchant
residing there, whom Andrew stat