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difference； or； perhaps； his solitary and pleasant labour among
fruits and flowers had taught him a more sunshiny creed than those
whose work is among the tares of fallen humanity； and the soft
influences of the garden had entered deep into his spirit；
〃Annihilating all that's made
To a green thought in a green shade。〃
But I could go on for ever chronicling his golden sayings or
telling of his innocent and living piety。 I had meant to tell of
his cottage； with the German pipe hung reverently above the fire；
and the shell box that he had made for his son； and of which he
would say pathetically： 〃HE WAS REAL PLEASED WI' IT AT FIRST； BUT
I THINK HE'S GOT A KIND O' TIRED O' IT NOW〃 … the son being then a
man of about forty。 But I will let all these pass。 〃'Tis more
significant： he's dead。〃 The earth； that he had digged so much in
his life； was dug out by another for himself； and the flowers that
he had tended drew their life still from him； but in a new and
nearer way。 A bird flew about the open grave； as if it too wished
to honour the obsequies of one who had so often quoted Scripture in
favour of its kind。 〃Are not two sparrows sold for one farthing；
and yet not one of them falleth to the ground。〃
Yes； he is dead。 But the kings did not rise in the place of death
to greet him 〃with taunting proverbs〃 as they rose to greet the
haughty Babylonian； for in his life he was lowly； and a peacemaker
and a servant of God。
CHAPTER VI。 PASTORAL
TO leave home in early life is to be stunned and quickened with
novelties； but when years have come； it only casts a more endearing
light upon the past。 As in those composite photographs of Mr。
Galton's； the image of each new sitter brings out but the more
clearly the central features of the race； when once youth has
flown； each new impression only deepens the sense of nationality
and the desire of native places。 So may some cadet of Royal
Ecossais or the Albany Regiment； as he mounted guard about French
citadels； so may some officer marching his company of the Scots…
Dutch among the polders； have felt the soft rains of the Hebrides
upon his brow； or started in the ranks at the remembered aroma of
peat…smoke。 And the rivers of home are dear in particular to all
men。 This is as old as Naaman； who was jealous for Abana and
Pharpar； it is confined to no race nor country； for I know one of
Scottish blood but a child of Suffolk； whose fancy still lingers
about the lilied lowland waters of that shire。 But the streams of
Scotland are incomparable in themselves … or I am only the more
Scottish to suppose so … and their sound and colour dwell for ever
in the memory。 How often and willingly do I not look again in
fancy on Tummel； or Manor； or the talking Airdle； or Dee swirling
in its Lynn； on the bright burn of Kinnaird； or the golden burn
that pours and sulks in the den behind Kingussie！ I think shame to
leave out one of these enchantresses； but the list would grow too
long if I remembered all； only I may not forget Allan Water； nor
birch…wetting Rogie； nor yet Almond； nor； for all its pollutions；
that Water of Leith of the many and well…named mills … Bell's
Mills； and Canon Mills； and Silver Mills； nor Redford Burn of
pleasant memories； nor yet； for all its smallness； that nameless
trickle that springs in the green bosom of Allermuir； and is fed
from Halkerside with a perennial teacupful； and threads the moss
under the Shearer's Knowe； and makes one pool there； overhung by a
rock； where I loved to sit and make bad verses； and is then
kidnapped in its infancy by subterranean pipes for the service of
the sea…beholding city in the plain。 From many points in the moss
you may see at one glance its whole course and that of all its
tributaries； the geographer of this Lilliput may visit all its
corners without sitting down； and not yet begin to be breathed；
Shearer's Knowe and Halkerside are but names of adjacent cantons on
a single shoulder of a hill； as names are squandered （it would seem
to the in…expert； in superfluity） upon these upland sheepwalks； a
bucket would receive the whole discharge of the toy river； it would
take it an appreciable time to fill your morning bath； for the most
part； besides； it soaks unseen through the moss； and yet for the
sake of auld lang syne； and the figure of a certain GENIUS LOCI； I
am condemned to linger awhile in fancy by its shores； and if the
nymph （who cannot be above a span in stature） will but inspire my
pen； I would gladly carry the reader along with me。
John Todd； when I knew him； was already 〃the oldest herd on the
Pentlands；〃 and had been all his days faithful to that curlew…
scattering； sheep…collecting life。 He remembered the droving days；
when the drove roads； that now lie green and solitary through the
heather； were thronged thoroughfares。 He had himself often marched
flocks into England； sleeping on the hillsides with his caravan；
and by his account it was a rough business not without danger。 The
drove roads lay apart from habitation； the drovers met in the
wilderness； as to…day the deep…sea fishers meet off the banks in
the solitude of the Atlantic； and in the one as in the other case
rough habits and fist…law were the rule。 Crimes were committed；
sheep filched； and drovers robbed and beaten； most of which
offences had a moorland burial and were never heard of in the
courts of justice。 John； in those days； was at least once
attacked； … by two men after his watch； … and at least once；
betrayed by his habitual anger； fell under the danger of the law
and was clapped into some rustic prison…house； the doors of which
he burst in the night and was no more heard of in that quarter。
When I knew him； his life had fallen in quieter places； and he had
no cares beyond the dulness of his dogs and the inroads of
pedestrians from town。 But for a man of his propensity to wrath
these were enough； he knew neither rest nor peace； except by
snatches； in the gray of the summer morning； and already from far
up the hill； he would wake the 〃toun〃 with the sound of his
shoutings； and in the lambing time； his cries were not yet silenced
late at night。 This wrathful voice of a man unseen might be said
to haunt that quarter of the Pentlands； an audible bogie； and no
doubt it added to the fear in which men stood of John a touch of
something legendary。 For my own part； he was at first my enemy；
and I； in my character of a rambling boy； his natural abhorrence。
It was long before I saw him near at hand； knowing him only by some
sudden blast of bellowing from far above； bidding me 〃c'way oot
amang the sheep。〃 The quietest recesses of the hill harboured this
ogre； I skulked in my favourite wilderness like a Cameronian of the
Killing Time； and John Todd was my Claverhouse； and his dogs my
questing dragoons。 Little by little we dropped into civilities；
his hail at sight of me began to have less of the ring of a war…
slogan； soon； we never met but he produced his snuff…box； which was
with him； like the calumet with the Red Indian； a part of the
heraldry of peace； and at length； in the ripeness of time； we grew
to be a pair of friends； and when I lived alone in these parts in
the winter； it was a settled thing for John to 〃give me a cry〃 over
the garden wall as he set forth upon his evening round； and for me
to overtake and bear him company。
That dread voice of his that shook the hills when he was angry；
fell in ordinary talk very pleasantly upon the ear； with a kind of
honied； friendly whine； not far off singing； that was eminently
Scottish。 He laughed not very often； and when he did； with a
sudden； loud haw…haw； hearty but somehow joyless； like an echo from
a rock。 His face was permanently set and coloured； ruddy and stiff
with weathering； more like a picture than a face； yet with a
certain strain and a threat of latent anger in the expression； like
that of a man trained too fine and harassed with perpetual
vigilance。 He spoke in the richest dialect of Scotch I ever heard；
the words in themselves were a pleasure and often a surprise to me；
so that I often came back from one of our patrols with new
acquisitions； and this vocabulary he would handle like a master；
stalking a little before me； 〃beard on shoulder；〃 the plaid hanging
loosely about him； the yellow staff clapped under his arm； and
guiding me uphill by that devious； tactical ascent which seems
peculiar to men of his trade。 I might count him with the best
talkers； only that talking Scotch and talking English seem
incomparable acts。 He touched on nothing at least； but he adorned
it； when he narrated； the scene was before you； when he spoke （as
he did mostly） of his own antique business； the thing took on a
colour of romance and curiosity that was sur