"He knew the importance of his own writings to mankind, and lest he might, by a roughness and barbarity of style too frequent among men of great learning, disappoint his own intentions, and make his labours less useful, he did not neglect the politer arts of eloquence and poetry. Thus was his learning at once various and exact, profound and agreeable. "But his knowledge, however uncommon, holds in his character but the second place; his virtue was yet much more uncommon than his learning. "Being once asked by a friend, who had often admired his patience under great provocations, whether he knew what it was to be angry, and by what means he had so entirely suppressed that impetuous and ungovernable passion, he answered, with the utmost frankness and sincerity, that he was naturally quick of resentment, but that he had, by daily prayer and meditation, at length attained to this mastery over himself." [64] See terminal notes. [65] Autobiography, p. 15. [66] His own words to Mr. Skene of Rubislaw, vol. i., p. 83, spoken while Turner was sketching Smailholm Tower, vol. vii., p. 302. [67] The Ballad of Hardiknute is only a fragment--but one consisting of forty-two stanzas of eight lines each. It is the only heroic poem in the Miscellany; of which--and of the poem itself--more hereafter. The first four lines are ominous of Scott's own life:-- "Stately stept he East the wa', And stately stept he West; Full seventy years he now had seen, With scarce seven years of rest." [68] Lockhart, in the extract just below, calls them "milk-white." This is exactly right of the pale bluish translucent quartz, in which the agatescent veins are just traceable, and no more, out of the trap rocks; but the gneissitic hills give also exquisitely brilliant pure white and cream-coloured quartz, rolled out of their vein stones. [69] With your pardon, Mr. Lockhart, neither ducks nor duckweed are in the least derogatory to the purity of a pool. [70] Vol. ii., p. 358; compare ii., 70. "If it seemed possible to scramble through, he scorned to go ten yards about, and in fact preferred the ford," etc. [71] 8vo, 1806, p. 119. [72] Vol. vii., pp. 164, 166, 196. [73] Vol. vii., p. 9. [74] Fourth Report of Rivers Pollution Commission, p. 52. [75] See Analysis of Water of Leith, the Foul Burn, and Pow Burn, same Report, p. 21. [76] Same Report; so also the River Almond, pp. 22-45. [77] See terminal Notes. [78] Blood-hound, from 'lym,' Saxon for leash. [79] Introduction to Border Minstrelsy, p. 86. [80] "The Capacity and Extent of the Human Understanding; exemplified in the extraordinary case of Automathes, a young nobleman who was accidentally left in his infancy upon a desolate island, and continued nineteen years in that solitary state, separate from all human society." By John Kirkby. 1745. Small 8vo.