on one side of the head and then on the other. Still, one sympathises a good deal with him who always felt much surer how to think when he had heard the arguments only on one side. And an eminent friend of mine once told me that he was very sorry he had such a fair mind. He had no bias at all. My mind,' he said, 'is just like a pair of scales. Drop an argument or reason on either side, and it is sure to have its weight. It makes me very uncomfortable; and sometimes I don't feel quite sure of anything.' I suppose we should not allow anybody to ply our children with reasons for thinking as we wish them not to think.

All that mass of snow had quite disappeared as we drove home. I do not know whether Caird received any criticism of his great discourse. But in a few days an anonymous letter came to me, from one who had not heard my sermon, but read it at length in a Glasgow newspaper, where it was indeed printed from the manuscript. That letter informed me that I was a child of the Devil.' After which it was an anticlimax to add, 'likewise a Pharisee and a hypocrite.' I could but hope the writer was mistaken. In one respect the writer was assuredly so. For the views expressed, whether right or wrong, were certainly sincere.

That Easter week St. Andrews had a little visit, only from Wednesday till Saturday, of Dr. Potts, Head-Master of Fettes College, and his wife. What he did for Fettes has already been recorded. What she did was just as valuable in making the wonderful success of the School.

But what struck us much, having them in the house, and walking about with Dr. Potts, was, How anxious is the place of a Head-Master: notably, of one who has to begin a School. Not Sir William Fettes' half-million could assure success. Dr. Vaughan has published a statement that an ordinary human being can scarcely bear the strain for more than fifteen years. Yet Bishop Moberly throve in the charge of Winchester College for thirty years. But that seems to have been a divided empire and burden; and under his share the great scholar and athlete Bishop Wordsworth broke down. Talking with one of whose sympathy he was sure, Dr. Potts could not long keep away from the subject of Fettes. The humble writer rejoices when a clever man will talk' shop' with him. For it means that you get a clever man's thoughts of what he thoroughly understands, and really cares for. The beautiful chapel of Fettes is a lay chapel. The prayers are read and the sermons preached by the masters: all laymen in those days. Dr. Potts was one of the best of preachers to boys. He ought to have been a clergyman. His heart was in such work. And he often told me he would take Anglican orders when he came to leave Fettes. One thing struck me as peculiar in one who was himself a preacher: the interest with which he heard others preach. Our eminent preachers for the most part listen impatiently to any one but themselves. To themselves they can listen, without weariness, for a long time. On the Thursday that Dr. Potts was with us, I had gone by an early train to Dundee to preach for Dr. Watson on the morning of his Fast-day. Just as I gave

out my text, I beheld with wonder the stately form and bright face of Dr. Potts come into the fine parish church of Dundee. He had followed by a later train, that he might be present at public worship. It seemed strange. On another day, a number of people came to dine with Dr. and Mrs. Potts; and were charmed with both. But the thing which mainly pleased our honoured guests was, that not a man or woman was present who had not at least one boy at Fettes. One used to count eighteen boys going from this little place by the same train, on the day the holidays came to an end. And Fettes could then take in only two hundred. Dr. Potts was Second Classic at Cambridge. He maintained that the Second Classics, as a rule, had come to more than the Seniors. He came to Fettes from Rugby. And much as one had ever venerated the name of Arnold, it was even more when one saw how, from his rest, that great and good man inspired every Fettes master. The Fettes masters used to be all Cambridge men. And it was singular how, without anything unfair, they managed to turn the thoughts of the boys to Cambridge rather than to Oxford. When one of our boys went to Cambridge, sixteen Fettes boys went there together. To Oxford, at that term, not one.

That Spring went on, at St. Andrews, in cold and darkness. On May 13, a characteristic duty. With a great canvas bag, filled with half-crowns, I met a faithful helper at the parish church, and went round a long array of pensioners. A kind soul, many years before, had left certain acres of land, the rent to be dispensed to the

deserving poor by the parish-ministers. Sad to say, land is worth little now and what we have to bestow is sorrowfully lessened. Following the example of my beloved predecessor Dr. Park (a great preacher in his day, just about as impressive as I ever heard) I gave my share in half-yearly pensions: as near as possible to November II and May 15. At these terms the rent of houses is paid in Fife and generally over Scotland. The heartiness of the welcome one received, making these visits, was pleasing. Five shillings, and seven and sixpence, was the usual dole. We were accountable to no one but ourselves for the use we made of this money. But let me offer a suggestion to my young brothers; who may be charged to act as the almoners of kind people departed. Keep a strict account of every shilling you spend. I have mine for more than six and twenty years. Indeed, for many years, I got a valued Elder, who was manager of a Bank, to audit my book once a year. When he died, some years since, I ceased this. It appeared just a little fussy. other incumbent had ever done it. All the same, it is impossible to be too particular in dealing with money not your own. An extremely-clever business man lately said to me, 'Every man who deals with public funds should have his accounts audited.' And he added a very terrible story. For ten years, he had sent five guineas yearly to one of the chief officials of a great city for a certain charity. When the official died, it was found that no part of that fifty guineas ever reached the charity. Which is a very awful thing to think of.

And no

CHAPTER XVII

SELSDON PARK

THURSDAY May 15, 1879, was 'the blackest and most horrible day of the year: would be a very bad December day.' There was the very bitterest North wind. And coming down Castle Street to the Scores, I can hear yet how the furious waves dashed themselves on the rocks below the Castle. I had fought on, wearily, since that dreary coming back from Liverpool at the end of March, in the hope of a little holiday away far South. Now two Sundays were undertaken by two bright youths who had just been licensed': that is, received something like Deacons' Orders. Yet not very like. A licenciate can preach, and do the church service of an ordinary day. But he cannot baptize, nor take any part in celebrating the Communion, nor minister at a wedding. And as our assistants (we never say curates save as a mild joke) are always licenciates, you see a great deal remains which only the parish-minister can do. My holiday was to be a visit to Bishop Thorold, now of Winchester, but then of Rochester, at beautiful Selsdon Park in Surrey. And that yearly May meeting (it was sometimes in June) became a great thing in the writer's little life. No year has passed