12 MEMOIRS OP PERIOD II, from bidding force friends in the country to her burial, I met on the fireet one whom I afked concerning my father, that told me, in all probabililty he would never recover. This fo pierced me, that getting home, I went to the foot of the garden, and cart my- felf down on the ground, where, according to the vehemency of my paffion, I lay, grovelling and bemoaning my heavy firoke in the lofs of my parents, looking on myfelf as an abfolute orphan, and all hopes of obtaining my purpofe now gone. Thus I. lay, I think, till my eldeft brother, ajudicious man, came and fpoke to me, and raifed me up. But it pleafed the Lord that I was com- forted in the recovery of my father force time after. About this time, I fuppofe; I myfelf was fick about eight days. Some time after, nay father, in purfuance of what had paffed betwixt him and the town-clerk, fent me, at his delire, to write with him. But whatever way they had concerted their bufinefs, he drewback, took no trial ofme, in the matter, and I returned. And that projeót was blown up. But being, it would Teem, put in hopes by my father of pro- ceeding in learning, towards the middle of June I betook myfelf to my books again,: which I had almoft given over ; and I applied myfelf to the reading of Juftin at that time, the malt-loft being my clofet : but beginning thus to get up my head, my corruption began to fet up its head too ; fo neceffary was it for me to bear the yoke. Mean while I was, that year, frequently employed to write with Mr Alexander Cockburn; a notary. The favourable defìgn ofProvidence therein, then unknown to me; I now fee, fnce it could not be but of fumeufe to help meto the ftyle of papers; the which, fnce that time, I have had confiderabie ufe for. And thus kind Providence early laid in for it. But here I was led into a fnare by Satan and my own corrup- tion. Mr Cockburn being in debt to me on the forefaid account, I faw Dickfon on Matthew lying negleóted in his chamber; and finding I could not get the money due to meout of his hand, I pre- fumed to take away the book without his knowledge, thinking I might verywell do it on the'forefaid account. I kept it for a time ; but confcience being better informed, I fawmy'fin in that matter, and could no more peaceably enjoy it, thoughhe never paid me ; fo I reftored it fecretly, none knowing how it was taken away, nor how returned ; and hereby the fcandal was prevented. This, I think, contributed to imprefs me with a fpecial care of exaétju- itice, and the neceffity of reftitution in the cafe of things unjuftly taken away, being like a burnt child dreading fire. My father being fully refolved to put me to the college on his own charges, I began, on the 15th of Oétober, to expound the Greek New Teftament; which, I think, I completed betwixt that and Dec. 1. ; at which time he took me to Edinburgh, where being tried in theGreek New Teftament by Mr Herbert Kennedy regent, I was entered into his femi clafs, my father having given
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