The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

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The Highland Monthly.
ti'.e growing sense of mystery, the ever dangling prospect
of making a revolutionary discovery, renders it impossible
for you to leave it until you meet that grandest mystery of
all— Death ! But, I fear, these reflections are not of much
interest to you, sir.
"Horses are more in my line, Professor; however
"
would ha\e the
" Ah, everyone has his speciality ; you
advantage of me there, you know, except perhaps when it
came to a question of anatomy."
"All my learning, and it is blessed little, was got at
Inverness Academy," added Richard, glad to get some
reliable ground under his feet, and beginning to feel a little
more at home under the Professor's abnormal geniality.
" I was in the neighbourhood of Inverness the other
day," resumed the Professor, determined not to permit the
conversation to drift, " and made a wonderful discovery,
though, unfortunately, too late to be of practical use—of
practical use. There lived about Culloden an old woman,
said to be a recluse, who by means of a concoction of
native herbs, could cure that terrible malady, diabetes.
She rarely worked the cure, and then only in the strictest
privacy, but it was always effectual. So I am informed. I
would have paid ^^"30,000 down for the secret, but she
carried it with her to the grave six years ago. Think of
Some
that : of what humanity has lost through the stupidity of
an old woman !
of these Highland cures, descended
from remote centuries, as they must be, are worth having,
and yet they are fast dying out, through the closeness with
which the secrets are kept.''
" A lot of them may have been burned with the
witches," Richard carelessly suggested, " at any rate, I
don't care a rap for that sort of nonsense. An honest
doctor's worth twenty cart loads of witch's clap trap. Can
I smoke here. Professor."
" Certainly, and I will join you, to shew that the liberty
is not a host's concession," said the Professor graciously, at
the same time going in search of his pipe ;
" must get the