Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

THE professor's RESOLUTIONS. 297
with tears in the big blue eyes, and a tremulous com-
motion in the big Hercules frame, when his publisher
was angry with him ! There are so many of these
emotional protests and confessions that it is difficult
to choose from among them. Here is another of a
more practical tone. - It is dated from Elleray, the
cottage on Windermere, to which Wilson still escaped
when he could, in that delightful recess of the entire
summer which makes a chair in a Scottish university
the most heavenly of official situations :
I had wished and intended to write you a very long letter,
but shall not. Suffice it to say that it was more for my own
interest than yours that I should have written many articles
during the summer. When a man is not able to attend to his own
interests he is not able to attend to those of another. I would
not have come here had I not intended to write a good deaL
This being the case, no blame attaches to me, for mind and
body, the former through the latter, incapacitated me from
doing almost anything. I wish therefore not a word to he said
further letween us on any account on this matter. I am at this
moment scarcely able from nervousness to write these few lines.
I shall arrive at your house by coach or mail on Tuesday first,
if there is a place ; if not, on Wednesday. I hope that change
of scene and the journey may do me good. I have material
ready, and next day I will set to work on anything I can do, so
as to ensure a good number. I suppose that four or five days
will be at my service, and if I can get into good spirits, I will
work stoutly for these days. I will return with * Maga ' in my
pocket.
No doubt he was the soul of the family circle while
he was there, and filled the house with jest and laugh-
ter. The following note, without any name, refers to
some such visit :
—
Professor W. came to town on Monday last week, and stayed
at Newington till the Thursday, when he went back again to
—