and woman—of not over strong mental power, are cruelly castnot into the flames of Hell, but into the precincts of a Madhouse by the extreme views, and anti-Godlike excitability of Revivalism! It is a disgrace to Humanity and a cruel mockery of the even-handed kind Benevolence of God-to instil into susceptible, anxious, and sincere-groping young minds,the unnatural and unworkable principles of such pure, Melancholy Christianity-in the present state and leaning of Mankind!-it is indeed making the sincere, an easy prey for cunning Selfishness-lurking Avarice, and Janus-faced Hypocrisy !under the guise of whining Poverty,-simulated Sufferingand painted Vice. Ah! God knows it does indeed make such Christians, "of all men most miserable,"—a taking up of the metaphorical Cross of Christ, with a vengeance-and following Him to Misery and Death!-for no practical good whatever,but a simple breaking of the laws of God and Nature. Let parents teach their children the principles of enlightened Truth, and the unerring laws of God-to love Virtue and Goodnessto shun Falsehood and Vice, and turn their attention to such dawning Sciences as Phrenology-endeavour to find out what their offspring are most fitted for by Nature, in their choice of a Trade or Profession,-instead of harping continually upon a melancholy-mentally jaundiced,—almost unnatural doctrine-teach them Goodness, Truth, and the immense simplicity and importance of every-day Life—which ought to flow as simple, but as true as the Tide, - then leave the spiritual instinct of the Human Soul to wing its unerring flight aloft to the Great Spirit of Truth-to which the kindred spirit of Man ever flies-silently and unknowingly in close spiritual union. The science (if it be so termed) of Phrenology, is one well worthy of study, for, after the lapse of thirtythree years' experience, the writer has found it true, and as it may be beneficial to some one,-he appends the estimate of his character got when he was an apprentice-and for which he paid half-a-crown-evidently impelled,-at that early age to try and find out what sort of a being he was-by himself-with none to advise (both parents having died several years before). Those who know the writer personally can form a pretty just conception of its accuracy,—and, as it may benefit some of them, at the risk of causing a smile-yet, as it may incline others to follow out the science, not only for the welfare of their families but for society-he gives it verbatim.

"Estimate of character of Mr. George Bruce, by J. Boyd, phrenologist, Nov. 13th 1843.-This young gentleman has a very active, excitable, sensitive-sanguine,-nervous temperament. His formation of Brain is large, and well developed, in their various divisions, but, he would be the better of a little more Combativeness to give energy to push forward, though he is very ambitious, aspiring-and desirous to excel, yet, his dislike to contention will be rather against him. He is partial to female society, very fond of children and pets,—will not like monotony, or confinement. He has a strong inclination to travel, but will settle down, after a time.

"Friendly and social. Is very dexterous, and will succeed in any employment in which mechanical talent is required. He must guard against the over activity of his self-esteem and love of approbation, as, unregulated, they lead to pride and vanity. Cautious, and when he meets with a disappointment, will suffer very much. A little too uplifted in Prosperity, and dejected in Adversity. His Benevolence is very well developed,--making him Humane, and good natured, -but, he is very touchy,-Independent. Very fond of Romance,-Poetry,- has a great deal of Enthusiasm about him, and often builds castles in the air. His Honesty is very good. His Intellect is very well developed,-both in the Perceptive and the Reflective regions. He must try to get some more elevated Employment, as he will be quite thrown away, in a Handicraft occupation. Would succeed in the study of Mathematics, Geometry, Moral Philosophy, and Languages.

"Has an excellent memory for places-will greatly delight in visiting new regions,-fond of motion and activity, will like variety, and novelty. Often Pensive and Meditative,— remembers facts and phenomena well. Enjoys a joke,-but, more inclined to see things through a serious, than a ludicrous medium. Has excellent Composition, and Casualty,enabling him to judge of one thing by reference to another, and to trace effects to their remotest causes. Careful, but, at the same time, fond of display. Has a great thirst for Glory, and Renown.

"He must regulate his Hope, and Caution,—cultivate Combativeness, and there will be no fear of his getting on well."

Many a struggle the writer has had with his failings-trying to buttress the weak points-and prune down the faultsmarking down-in a long diary-still preserved, the progress

When

he was making-with the blessing of God,-to Whom he ever turned, and prayerfully relied for Light and Support, and Whose unerring Rectitude has never failed him; the above estimate of character was given when apprenticed to the wright and glazing trade, in a wee shop about 12 feet square-placed there by two men who acted as trustees. (One thing he never forgot, partly because it shows the instability of human efforts, -was the sale of his Father's Museum-the spare hour labours of half a lifetime, to the United College. where they still are-for the paltry sum of £30,-the horse's skeleton—and two of the human skeletons alone, were worth far more.) impelled to "get his head read," he must have had a glimmering belief of being misplaced,—yet apparently powerless to rectify it, for he has still beside him remnants of Tales, and abortive Tragedies, written years before this early period. An inborn love of the Drama has been,--and even yet, is one of his most persistent and unwearied companions,-nor have such parts as Hamlet, Othello, Iago, Macbeth, Rob Roy, Don Cæsar de Bazan, Young Marlow, Young Norval, Glenal von, &c., &c., been altogether unsuccessfully assayed,-yet all the while running in the rut of a totally different sphere of Duty. As the proper study of a man ought to be himself-and as none can see the spirit of another-and as none can know so well of a man's true character as himself,-Truth impels him to state, that that early estimate of character has, in all its points, been singularly correct, so, the writer would earnestly advise others to try and read themselves—and, with sincere prayer to God,―endeavour to rectify their faults inwardly,-but never to mind mere outward Formality. The printed proofs of these effusions, the mere uncultivated welling up of an innate feeling have been corrected by himself-alone, and shown to none-but, he doubts very much if they had ever been published-trifling though they are, but for the encouragement received from her-who, for the last twenty-nine years, has been the kind, forbearing, and noble-minded partner of his life, he feels that, without this well-merited tribute to true, unostentatious Worth, this poor Introduction to as poor a work would have been incomplete and wanting in candour, to one so richly deserving it as the domestic sharer of the Weals and Woes of this Probative Existence.

ST. ANDREWs, 1876.

and

PREFACE

TO THE FIRST EDITION OF THE FIRST CANTO OF "DESTINY."

"There's a divinity that shapes our ends,

Rough hew them as we may."-SHAKSPERE.

IN venturing to publish the first part of a Poem on such an abstruse-not to say infinite-subject as "Destiny," the author does so with a just and becoming sense of the difficulties and liability to criticism attending the attempt. It is only part of what was, or is, intended to be a long literary effort of several Cantos, written in the spare hours snatched from the harassing cares of business-cares, which at all times are the bugbear, if not the natural enemy of poetry (or the semblance of it). The desultory manner in which it was composed, may, to a certain extent, in the mind of a charitable reader, account for any want of unity in the formation of the different stanzas. But, as Sir Walter Scott says, in the "Fair Maid of Perth," "I left no calling for this idle trade," and merely wrote them in by-hours, just because a pleasure was felt in doing so a way of spending spare time (by the bye), the author begs to tell his fellowtradesmen (with due diffidence) which he has found to be not only pleasant, but profitable; certainly not from any profit attending the sale of his poor literary productions, but because it diverted his mind from more questionable amusements. Besides, the very effort used in even attempting to write poetry, must of necessity create a depth of reflection at all times highly beneficial to the moral and religious training, so to speak, of the mind: at least, the author of these stanzas

A

has found it so. He has also found rhyming, like "virtue," to be "its own reward;" therefore, in this respect, he is the more indifferent to the praise or censure of the critic, if any such should think it worth their while to step out of their way to have a shot at him, for sport, in the passing: and, in case any one should be so uncharitable as to say, "But why publish?" in reply the question is simply asked, "Why does he spend his money or time on this, that, or the other amusement?" No doubt, like the author, just because it pleases him to do so. If kept within due bounds, the mere love of scribbling, when not allowed to interfere with the rugged necessities of life, cannot be detrimental to the human mind. It were quite a different thing if a bad poet were to run a-muck in the flowery paths of literature,-at every step, not only crushing the lovely petals in his way, but deserting his proper and legitimate field of labour, permitting nothing but weeds and ruin to spring up on his own homely, but native domain. I shall conclude by again quoting Sir Walter Scott, who said, "I am determined literature shall be the staff, not the crutch of my life." Having said thus much, the author humbly hopes his readers will bear in mind the words of Alexander Pope, when he

wrote

"Good nature and good sense must ever join;

To err is human, to forgive divine."

As the very copious notes are written for the sole purpose of explanation or information, they will doubtless be taken at their worth, and may be found not the least interesting feature in the following pages-the poem itself being like a string, as it were, on which to hang a number of truths.

ST. ANDREWS, May 1865.