A recent paragraph in the newspapers about Provost Robertson of Dingwall, whose daughter was Mr. Gladstone's mother, reminds us of an anecdote which was told us some years ago by the late Mrs. Morrison of Salachan, in Ardgour, an old lady whose reminiscences of the people of the Hebrides and mainland of Ross-shire, about the beginning of the present century, were extremely interesting. Provost Robertson of Dingwall--Mr. Gladstone's grandfather by the mother's side--on one occasion paid a visit to London, for the first, and, we believe, the only time in his life. His friends in the metropolis put him under the charge of a gentleman, a far-away cousin of his own, who undertook to show him all the wonders of the great city, and look after him generally. The worthy Provost was thoroughly Scotch, and dressed after a somewhat outré fashion, à la Dingwall of the period. Walking one day along one of the streets of London, a little in advance of his guide, the worshipful Provost's appearance and tout ensemble attracted the attention of some half-dozen street arab boys, who, always ready for a "lark," desired no better pastime for the present than to chaff and poke their fun at the Chief Magistrate of one of Scotland's most distinguished northern burghs. The Provost, indignant at the impudence and rudeness of the young rascals, at last turned round, and, shaking his silver-headed cane at the offending gamins, exclaimed, in tones loud enough to be heard by his guide, who was almost choked with laughter at the scene, "Ah, you young vagabonds; if I had you in Dingwall, wouldn't I make you pay for your davayrshon!" The term "diversion" was then used, both in English and Gaelic, all over the Highlands, as indeed it still is to some extent, in the sense of fun with a backbone of mischief to it; rough horse-play, in fact, accompanied by what is now-a-days commonly called chaff. CHAPTER LV. Spring--Hood's Parody of Thomson's Invocation--The excellence of Nettle-Top Soup--Cock-crowing--Birds'-nesting--Professor Geikie--Curious Story of an old Pipe-Tune.