in　which　you　are　considerably　interested。
  Adieu！　　and　although　I　have　given　thee　a　subject　for　waking　dreams；　beware　of　building　a　castle　too　heavy　for　the　foundation；　which；　in　the　present　instance；　is　barely　the　word　Latimer　occurring　in　a　conversation　betwixt　a　gentleman　of　Dumfriesshire　and　a　W。S。　of　EdinburghCAETERA　PRORSUS　IGNORO。
  LETTER　VI
  DARSIE　LATIMER　TO　ALAN　FAIRFORD
  （In　continuation　of　Letters　III　and　IV。）
  I　told　thee　I　walked　out　into　the　open　air　with　my　grave　and　stern　landlord。　　I　could　now　see　more　perfectly　than　on　the　preceding　night　the　secluded　glen　in　which　stood　the　two　or　three　cottages　which　appeared　to　be　the　abode　of　him　and　his　family。
  It　was　so　narrow；　in　proportion　to　its　depth；　that　no　ray　of　the　morning　sun　was　likely　to　reach　it　till　it　should　rise　high　in　the　horizon。　　Looking　up　the　dell；　you　saw　a　brawling　brook　issuing　in　foamy　haste　from　a　covert　of　underwood；　like　a　race…　horse　impatient　to　arrive　at　the　goal；　and；　if　you　gazed　yet；　more　earnestly；　you　might　observe　part　of　a　high　waterfall　glimmering　through　the　foliage；　and　giving　occasion；　doubtless；　to　the　precipitate　speed　of　the　brook。　　Lower　down；　the　stream　became　more　placid；　and　opened　into　a　quiet　piece　of　water　which　afforded　a　rude　haven　to　two　or　three　fishermen's　boats；　then　lying　high　and　dry　on　the　sand；　the　tide　being　out。　　Two　or　three　miserable　huts　could　be　seen　beside　this　little　haven；　inhabited　probably　by　the　owners　of　the　boats；　but　inferior　in　every　respect　to　the　establishment　of　mine　host；　though　that　was　miserable　enough。
  I　had　but　a　minute　or　two　to　make　these　observations；　yet　during　that　space　my　companion　showed　symptoms　of　impatience；　and　more　than　once　shouted；　'CristalCristal　Nixon；'　until　the　old　man　of　the　preceding　evening　appeared　at　the　door　of　one　of　the　neighbouring　cottages　or　outhouses；　leading　the　strong　black　horse　which　I　before　commemorated；　ready　bridled　and　saddled。　　My　conductor　made　Cristal　a　sign　with　his　finger；　and；　turning　from　the　cottage　door；　led　the　way　up　the　steep　path　or　ravine　which　connected　the　sequestered　dell　with　the　open　country。
  Had　I　been　perfectly　aware　of　the　character　of　the　road　down　which　I　had　been　hurried　with　so　much　impetuosity　on　the　preceding　evening；　I　greatly　question　if　I　should　have　ventured　the　descent；　for　it　deserved　no　better　name　than　the　channel　of　a　torrent；　now　in　a　good　measure　filled　with　water；　that　dashed　in　foam　and　fury　into　the　dell；　being　swelled　with　the　rains　of　the　preceding　night。　　I　ascended　this　ugly　path　with　some　difficulty　although　on　foot；　and　felt　dizzy　when　I　observed；　from　such　traces　as　the　rains　had　not　obliterated；　that　the　horse　seemed　almost　to　have　slid　down　it　upon　his　haunches　the　evening　before。
  My　host　threw　himself　on　his　horse's　back；　without　placing　a　foot　in　the　stirruppassed　me　in　the　perilous　ascent；　against　which　he　pressed　his　steed　as　if　the　animal　had　had　the　footing　of　a　wild　cat。　　The　water　and　mud　splashed　from　his　heels　in　his　reckless　course；　and　a　few　bounds　placed　him　on　the　top　of　the　bank；　where　I　presently　joined　him；　and　found　the　horse　and　rider　standing　still　as　a　statue；　the　former　panting　and　expanding　his　broad　nostrils　to　the　morning　wind；　the　latter　motionless；　with　his　eye　fixed　on　the　first　beams　of　the　rising　sun；　which　already　began　to　peer　above　the　eastern　horizon　and　gild　the　distant　mountains　of　Cumberland　and　Liddesdale。
  He　seemed　in　a　reverie；　from　which　he　started　at　my　approach；　and；　putting　his　horse　in　motion；　led　the　way　at　a　leisurely　pace　through　a　broken　and　sandy　road；　which　traversed　a　waste；　level；　and　uncultivated　tract　of　downs；　intermixed　with　morass；　much　like　that　in　the　neighbourhood　of　my　quarters　at　Shepherd's　Bush。　Indeed；　the　whole　open　ground　of　this　district；　where　it　approaches　the　sea；　has；　except　in　a　few　favoured　spots；　the　same　uniform　and　dreary　character。
  Advancing　about　a　hundred　yards　from　the　brink　of　the　glen；　we　gained　a　still　more　extensive　command　of　this　desolate　prospect；　which　seemed　even　more　dreary；　as　contrasted　with　the　opposite　shores　of　Cumberland；　crossed　and　intersected　by　ten　thousand　lines　of　trees　growing　in　hedgerows；　shaded　with　groves　and　woods　of　considerable　extent；　animated　by　hamlets　and　villas；　from　which　thin　clouds　of　smoke　already　gave　sign　of　human　life　and　human　industry。
  My　conductor　had　extended　his　arm；　and　was　pointing　the　road　to　Shepherd's　Bush；　when　the　step　of　a　horse　was　heard　approaching　us。　　He　looked　sharply　round；　and　having　observed　who　was　approaching；　proceeded　in　his　instructions　to　me；　planting　himself　at　the　same　time　in　the　very　middle　of　the　path；　which；　at　the　place　where　we　halted；　had　a　slough　on　the　one　side　and　a　sandbank　on　the　other。
  I　observed　that　the　rider　who　approached　us　slackened　his　horse's　pace　from　a　slow　trot　to　a　walk；　as　if　desirous　to　suffer　us　to　proceed；　or　at　least　to　avoid　passing　us　at　a　spot　where　the　difficulty　of　doing　so　must　have　brought　us　very　close　to　each　other。　　You　know　my　old　failing；　Alan；　and　that　I　am　always　willing　to　attend　to　anything　in　preference　to　the　individual　who　has　for　the　time　possession　of　the　conversation。
  Agreeably　to　this　amiable　propensity；　I　was　internally　speculating　concerning　the　cause　of　the　rider　keeping　aloof　from　us；　when　my　companion；　elevating　his　deep　voice　so　suddenly　and　so　sternly　as　at　once　to　recall　my　wandering　thoughts；　exclaimed；　'In　the　name　of　the　devil；　young　man；　do　you　think　that　others　have　no　better　use　for　their　time　than　you　have；　that　you　oblige　me　to　repeat　the　same　thing　to　you　three　times　over？　　Do　you　see；　I　say；　yonder　thing　at　a　mile's　distance；　that　looks　like　a　finger…post；　or　rather　like　a　gallows？　　I　would　it　had　a　dreaming　fool　hanging　upon　it；　as　an　example　to　all　meditative　moon…　calves！Yon　gibbet…looking　pole　will　guide　you　to　the　bridge；　where　you　must　pass　the　large　brook；　then　proceed　straight　forwards；　till　several　roads　divide　at　a　cairn。　　Plague　on　thee；　thou　art　wandering　again！
  It　is　indeed　quite　true　that　at　this　moment　the　horseman　approached　us；　and　my　attention　was　again　called　to　him　as　I　made　way　to　let　him　pass。　　His　whole　exterior　at　once　showed　that　he　belonged　to　the　Society　of　Friends；　or；　as　the　world　and　the　world's　law　calls　them；　Quakers。　　A　strong　and　useful　iron…grey　galloway　showed；　by　its　sleek　and　good　condition；　that　the　merciful　man　was　merciful　to　his　beast。　　His　accoutrements　were　in　the　usual　unostentatious　but　clean　and　servicable　order　which　characterizes　these　sectaries。　　His　long　surtout　of　dark…grey　superfine　cloth　descended　down　to　the　middle　of　his　leg；　and　was　buttoned　up　to　his　chin；　to　defend　him　against　the　morning　air。　As　usual；　his　ample　beaver　hung　down　without　button　or　loop；　and　shaded　a　comely　and　placid　countenance；　the　gravity　of　which　appeared　to　contain　some　seasoning　of　humour；　and　had　nothing　in　common　with　the　pinched　puritanical　air　affected　by　devotees　in　general。　　The　brow　was　open　and　free　from　wrinkles；　whether　of　age　or　hypocrisy。　　The　eye　was　clear；　calm；　and　considerate；　yet　appeared　to　be　disturbed　by　apprehension；　not　to　say　fear；　as；　pronouncing　the　usual　salutation　of；　'I　wish　thee　a　good　morrow；　friend；'　he　indicated；　by　turning　his　palfrey　close　to　one　side　of　the　path；　a　wish　to　glide　past　us　with　as　little　trouble　as　possiblejust　as　a　traveller　would　choose　to　pass　a　mastiff　of　whose　peaceable　intentions　he　is　by　no　means　confident。
  But　my　friend；　not　meaning；　perhaps；　that　he　should　get　off　so　easily；　put　his　horse　quite　across　the　path；　so　that；　without　plunging　into　the　slough；　or　scrambling　up　the　bank；　the　Quaker　could　not　have　passed　him。　　Neither　of　these　was　an　experiment　without　hazard　greater　than　the　passenger　seemed　willing　to　incur。　　He　halted；　therefore；　as　if　waiting　till　my　companion　should　make　way　for　him；　and；　as　they　sat　fronting　each　other；　I　could　not　help　thinking　that　they　might　have　formed　no　bad　emblem　of　Peace　and　War；　for　although　my　conductor　was　unarmed；　yet　the　whole　of　his　manner；　his　stern　look；　and　his　upright　seat　on　horseback；　were　entirely　those　of　a　soldier　in　undress；　He　accosted　the　Quaker　in　these　words；　'So　ho！　　friend　Joshua；　thou　art　early　to　the　road　this　morning。　　Has　the　spirit　moved　thee　and　thy　righteous　brethren　to　act　with　some　honesty；　and　pull　down　yonder　tide…nets　that　keep　the　fish　from　coming　up　the　river？'
  'Surely；　friend；　not　so；'　answered　Joshua；　firmly；　but　good…　humouredly　at　the　same　time；　'thou　canst　not　expect　that　our　own　hands　should　pull　down　what　our　purses　established。　　Thou　killest　the　fish　with　spear；　line；　and　coble…net；　and　we；　with　snares　and　with　nets；　which　work　by　the　ebb　and　the　flow　of　the　tide。　　Each　doth　what　seems　best　in　his　eyes　to　secure　a　share　of　the　blessing　which　Providence　hath　bestowed　on　the　river；　and　that　within　his　own　bounds。　　I　prithee　seek　no　quarrel　against　us；　for　thou　shalt　have　no　wrong　at　our　hand。'
  'Be　assured　I　will　take　none　at　the　hand　of　any　man；　whether　his　hat　be　cocked　or　broad…brimmed；'　answered　the　fisherman。　　'I　tell　you　in　fair　terms；　Joshua　Geddes；　that　you　and　your　partners　are　using　unlawful　craft　to　destroy　the　fish　in　the　Solway　by　stake…　nets　and　wears；　a