conferring its citizenship on that patriot. Murray was actually
told off `to stand at a given point of the line on which the hero
marched,' and to write some lines of `picturesque description.'
This kind of thing could not go on. It was at Nelson's Monument
that he stood: his enthusiasm was more for Nelson than for Mr.
Parnell; and he caught a severe cold on this noble occasion.
Murray's opinions clashed with those of the Scottish Leader, and he
withdrew from its service.

Just a week passed between the Parnellian triumph and Murray's
retreat from daily journalism. `On a newspaper one must have no
opinions except those which are favourable to the sale of the paper
and the filling of its advertisement columns.' That is not
precisely an accurate theory. Without knowing anything of the
circumstances, one may imagine that Murray was rather impracticable.
Of course he could not write against his own opinions, but it is
unusual to expect any one to do that, or to find any one who will do
it. `Incompatibility of temper' probably caused this secession from
the newspaper.

After various attempts to find occupation, he did some proof-reading
for Messrs. Constable. Among other things he `read' the journal of
Lady Mary Coke, privately printed for Lord Home. Lady Mary, who
appears as a lively child in The Heart of Midlothian, `had a taste
for loo, gossip, and gardening, but the greatest of these is
gossip.' The best part of the book is Lady Louisa Stuart's
inimitable introduction. Early in October he decided to give up
proof-reading: the confinement had already told on his health. In
the letter which announces this determination he describes a sermon
of Principal Caird: `Voice, gesture, language, thought--all in the