determination　will　enable　him　to　run　with　the　horse；　to　swim　with
  the　fish；　and　assuredly　to　compete　with　the　chamois　and　the　goat　in
  agility　and　sureness　of　foot。　　To　scale　the　rock　was　merely　child's
  play　for　the　Edinbro'　callants。　　It　was　my　own　favourite　diversion。
  I　soon　found　that　the　rock　contained　all　manner　of　strange　crypts；
  crannies；　and　recesses；　where　owls　nestled；　and　the　weasel　brought
  forth　her　young；　here　and　there　were　small　natural　platforms；
  overgrown　with　long　grass　and　various　kinds　of　plants；　where　the
  climber；　if　so　disposed；　could　stretch　himself；　and　either　give　his
  eyes　to　sleep　or　his　mind　to　thought；　for　capital　places　were　these
  same　platforms　either　for　repose　or　meditation。　　The　boldest
  features　of　the　rock　are　descried　on　the　northern　side；　where；
  after　shelving　down　gently　from　the　wall　for　some　distance；　it
  terminates　abruptly　in　a　precipice；　black　and　horrible；　of　some
  three　hundred　feet　at　least；　as　if　the　axe　of　nature　had　been　here
  employed　cutting　sheer　down；　and　leaving　behind　neither　excrescence
  nor　spur　…　a　dizzy　precipice　it　is；　assimilating　much　to　those　so
  frequent　in　the　flinty　hills　of　Northern　Africa；　and　exhibiting
  some　distant　resemblance　to　that　of　Gibraltar；　towering　in　its
  horridness　above　the　Neutral　Ground。
  It　was　now　holiday　time；　and　having　nothing　particular　wherewith　to
  occupy　myself；　I　not　unfrequently　passed　the　greater　part　of　the
  day　upon　the　rocks。　　Once；　after　scaling　the　western　crags；　and
  creeping　round　a　sharp　angle　of　the　wall；　overhung　by　a　kind　of
  watch…tower；　I　found　myself　on　the　northern　side。　　Still　keeping
  close　to　the　wall；　I　was　proceeding　onward；　for　I　was　bent　upon　a
  long　excursion　which　should　embrace　half　the　circuit　of　the　Castle；
  when　suddenly　my　eye　was　attracted　by　the　appearance　of　something
  red；　far　below　me；　I　stopped　short；　and；　looking　fixedly　upon　it；
  perceived　that　it　was　a　human　being　in　a　kind　of　red　jacket；　seated
  on　the　extreme　verge　of　the　precipice　which　I　have　already　made　a
  faint　attempt　to　describe。　　Wondering　who　it　could　be；　I　shouted；
  but　it　took　not　the　slightest　notice；　remaining　as　immovable　as　the
  rock　on　which　it　sat。　　'I　should　never　have　thought　of　going　near
  that　edge；'　said　I　to　myself；　'however；　as　you　have　done　it；　why
  should　not　I？　　And　I　should　like　to　know　who　you　are。'　　So　I
  commenced　the　descent　of　the　rock；　but　with　great　care；　for　I　had
  as　yet　never　been　in　a　situation　so　dangerous；　a　slight　moisture
  exuded　from　the　palms　of　my　hands；　my　nerves　were　tingling；　and　my
  brain　was　somewhat　dizzy　…　and　now　I　had　arrived　within　a　few　yards
  of　the　figure；　and　had　recognised　it：　　it　was　the　wild　drummer　who
  had　turned　the　tide　of　battle　in　the　bicker　on　the　Castle　Brae。　　A
  small　stone　which　I　dislodged　now　rolled　down　the　rock；　and　tumbled
  into　the　abyss　close　beside　him。　　He　turned　his　head；　and　after
  looking　at　me　for　a　moment　somewhat　vacantly；　he　resumed　his　former
  attitude。　　I　drew　yet　nearer　to　the　horrible　edge　not　close；
  however；　for　fear　was　on　me。
  'What　are　you　thinking　of；　David？'　said　I；　as　I　sat　behind　him　and
  trembled；　for　I　repeat　that　I　was　afraid。
  DAVID　HAGGART。　　I　was　thinking　of　Willie　Wallace。
  MYSELF。　　You　had　better　be　thinking　of　yourself；　man。　　A　strange
  place　this　to　come　to　and　think　of　William　Wallace。
  DAVID　HAGGART。　　Why　so？　　Is　not　his　tower　just　beneath　our　feet？
  MYSELF。　　You　mean　the　auld　ruin　by　the　side　of　the　Nor　Loch　…　the
  ugly　stane　bulk；　from　the　foot　of　which　flows　the　spring　into　the
  dyke　where　the　watercresses　grow？
  DAVID　HAGGART。　　Just　sae；　Geordie。
  MYSELF。　　And　why　were　ye　thinking　of　him？　　The　English　hanged　him
  long　since；　as　I　have　heard　say。
  DAVID　HAGGART。　　I　was　thinking　that　I　should　wish　to　be　like　him。
  MYSELF。　　Do　ye　mean　that　ye　would　wish　to　be　hanged？
  DAVID　HAGGART。　　I　wadna　flinch　from　that；　Geordie；　if　I　might　be　a
  great　man　first。
  MYSELF。　　And　wha　kens；　Davie；　how　great　you　may　be；　even　without
  hanging？　　Are　ye　not　in　the　high　road　of　preferment？　　Are　ye　not　a
  bauld　drummer　already？　　Wha　kens　how　high　ye　may　rise？　perhaps　to
  be　general；　or　drum…major。
  DAVID　HAGGART。　　I　hae　nae　wish　to　be　drum…major；　it　were　nae　great
  things　to　be　like　the　doited　carle；　Else…than…gude；　as　they　call
  him；　and；　troth；　he　has　nae　his　name　for　naething。　　But　I　should
  have　nae　objection　to　be　a　general；　and　to　fight　the　French　and
  Americans；　and　win　myself　a　name　and　a　fame　like　Willie　Wallace；
  and　do　brave　deeds；　such　as　I　have　been　reading　about　in　his　story
  book。
  MYSELF。　　Ye　are　a　fule；　Davie；　the　story　book　is　full　of　lies。
  Wallace；　indeed！　the　wuddie　rebel！　　I　have　heard　my　father　say　that
  the　Duke　of　Cumberland　was　worth　twenty　of　Willie　Wallace。
  DAVID　HAGGART。　　Ye　had　better　sae　naething　agin　Willie　Wallace；
  Geordie；　for；　if　ye　do；　De'il　hae　me；　if　I　dinna　tumble　ye　doon　the
  craig。
  Fine　materials　in　that　lad　for　a　hero；　you　will　say。　　Yes；　indeed；
  for　a　hero；　or　for　what　he　afterwards　became。　　In　other　times；　and
  under　other　circumstances；　he　might　have　made　what　is　generally
  termed　a　great　man；　a　patriot；　or　a　conqueror。　　As　it　was；　the　very
  qualities　which　might　then　have　pushed　him　on　to　fortune　and　renown
  were　the　cause　of　his　ruin。　　The　war　over；　he　fell　into　evil
  courses；　for　his　wild　heart　and　ambitious　spirit　could　not　brook
  the　sober　and　quiet　pursuits　of　honest　industry。
  'Can　an　Arabian　steed　submit　to　be　a　vile　drudge？'　I　cries　the
  fatalist。　　Nonsense！　　A　man　is　not　an　irrational　creature；　but　a
  reasoning　being；　and　has　something　within　him　beyond　mere　brutal
  instinct。　　The　greatest　victory　which　a　man　can　achieve　is　over
  himself；　by　which　is　meant　those　unruly　passions　which　are　not
  convenient　to　the　time　and　place。　　David　did　not　do　this；　he　gave
  the　reins　to　his　wild　heart；　instead　of　curbing　it；　and　became　a
  robber；　and；　alas！　alas！　he　shed　blood　…　under　peculiar
  circumstances；　it　is　true；　and　without　MALICE　PREPENSE　…　and　for
  that　blood　he　eventually　died；　and　justly；　for　it　was　that　of　the
  warden　of　a　prison　from　which　he　was　escaping；　and　whom　he　slew
  with　one　blow　of　his　stalwart　arm。
  Tamerlane　and　Haggart！　　Haggart　and　Tamerlane！　　Both　these　men　were
  robbers；　and　of　low　birth；　yet　one　perished　on　an　ignoble　scaffold；
  and　the　other　died　emperor　of　the　world。　　Is　this　justice？　　The
  ends　of　the　two　men　were　widely　dissimilar　…　yet　what　is　the
  intrinsic　difference　between　them？　　Very　great　indeed；　the　one
  acted　according　to　his　lights　and　his　country；　not　so　the　other。
  Tamerlane　was　a　heathen；　and　acted　according　to　his　lights；　he　was
  a　robber　where　all　around　were　robbers；　but　he　became　the　avenger
  of　God　…　God's　scourge　on　unjust　kings；　on　the　cruel　Bajazet；　who
  had　plucked　out　his　own　brothers'　eyes；　he　became　to　a　certain
  extent　the　purifier　of　the　East；　its　regenerator；　his　equal　never
  was　before；　nor　has　it　since　been　seen。　　Here　the　wild　heart　was
  profitably　employed；　the　wild　strength；　the　teeming　brain。　　Onward；
  Lame　one！　　Onward；　Tamur　…　lank！　　Haggart　。　。　。　。
  But　peace　to　thee；　poor　David！　why　should　a　mortal　worm　be　sitting
  in　judgment　over　thee？　　The　Mighty　and　Just　One　has　already　judged
  thee；　and　perhaps　above　thou　hast　received　pardon　for　thy　crimes；
  which　could　not　be　pardoned　here　below；　and　now　that　thy　feverish
  existence　has　closed；　and　thy　once　active　form　become　inanimate
  dust；　thy　very　memory　all　but　forgotten；　I　will　say　a　few　words
  about　thee；　a　few　words　soon　also　to　be　forgotten。　　Thou　wast　the
  most　extraordinary　robber　that　ever　lived　within　the　belt　of
  Britain；　Scotland　rang　with　thy　exploits；　and　England；　too；　north
  of　the　Humber；　strange　deeds　also　didst　thou　achieve　when；　fleeing
  from　justice；　thou　didst　find　thyself　in　the　Sister　Isle；　busy　wast
  thou　there　in　town　and　on　curragh；　at　fair　and　race…course；　and
  also　in　the　solitary　place。　　Ireland　thought　thee　her　child；　for
  who　spoke　her　brogue　better　than　thyself？　…　she　felt　proud　of　thee；
  and　said；　'Sure；　O'Hanlon　is　come　again。'　　What　might　not　have　been
  thy　fate　in　the　far　west　in　America；　whither　thou　hadst　turned
  thine　eye；　saying；　'I　will　go　there；　and　become　an　honest　man！'
  But　thou　wast　not　to　go　there；　David　…　the　blood　which　thou　hadst
  shed　in　Scotland　was　to　be　required　of　thee；　the　avenger　was　at
  hand；　the　avenger　of　blood。　　Seized；　manacled；　brought　back　to　thy
  native　land；　condemned　to　die；　thou　wast　left　in　thy　narrow　cell；
  and　told　to　make　the　most　of　thy　time；　for　it　was　short：　　and
  there；　in　thy　narrow　cell；　and　thy　time　so　short；　thou　didst　put
  the　crowning　stone　to　thy　strange　deeds；　by　that　strange　history　of
  thyself；　penned　by　thy　own　hand　in　the　robber　tongue。　　Thou
  mightest　have　been　better　employed；　David！　…　but　the　ruling　passion
  was　strong　with　thee；　eve