The Ayrshire Legatees

Since the affair of the sermon, I have withdrawn myself from trafficking

so much as I did in the missionary and charitable ploys that are so in

vogue with the pious here, which will be all the better for my own

people, as I will keep for them what I was giving to the unknown; and it

is my design to write a book on almsgiving, to show in what manner that

Christian duty may be best fulfilled, which I doubt not will have the

effect of opening the eyes of many in London to the true nature of the

thing by which I was myself beguiled in this Vanity Fair, like a bird

ensnared by the fowler.

I was concerned to hear of poor Mr. Witherspoon's accident, in falling

from his horse in coming from the Dalmailing occasion. How thankful he

must be, that the Lord made his head of a durability to withstand the

shock, which might otherwise have fractured his skull. What you say

about the promise of the braird gives me pleasure on account of the poor;

but what will be done with the farmers and their high rents, if the

harvest turn out so abundant? Great reason have I to be thankful that

the legacy has put me out of the reverence of my stipend; for when the

meal was cheap, I own to you that I felt my carnality grudging the horn

of abundance that the Lord was then pouring into the lap of the earth.

In short, Mr. Micklewham, I doubt it is o'er true with us all, that the

less we are tempted, the better we are; so with my sincere prayers that

you may be delivered from all evil, and led out of the paths of

temptation, whether it is on the highway, or on the footpaths, or beneath

the hedges, I remain, dear sir, your friend and pastor, ZACHARIAH PRINGLE.

"The Doctor," said Mrs. Glibbans, as the schoolmaster concluded, "is

there like himself--a true orthodox Christian, standing up for the word,

and overflowing with charity even for the sinner. But, Mr. Snodgrass, I

did not ken before that the bishops had a hand in the making of the Acts

of the Parliament; I think, Mr. Snodgrass, if that be the case, there

should be some doubt in Scotland about obeying them. However that may

be, sure am I that the queen, though she was a perfect Deliah, has

nothing to fear from them; for have we not read in the Book of Martyrs,

and other church histories, of their concubines and indulgences, in the

papist times, to all manner of carnal iniquity? But if she be that

noghty woman that they say"--"Gude safe's," cried Mrs. Craig, "if she be

a noghty woman, awa' wi' her, awa' wi' her--wha kens the cantrips she may

play us?"