played to view. "That's weel mindit," said John; "I promised to tak a ballant out to Peggy Morison. Hae you Sir James the Rose, honest man?" -" I think you'll find it here," answered he, presenting a parcel of alluring histories. "Jamie of Yarmouth's Garland?" said John, as he put on his spectacles to assist him in his choice; "that's no it. Loudon Tam-That's no it either. George Buchanan; ay, he was the king's fule; what tak ye for this?"-" Threepence."-" I wadna grudge ye the siller, wad ye mak it bigger print," continued John. "Barbara Allan, The Babes o' the Wood, Sir James the Rose; -ay, here it's now;" and he treated for an addition to his library to the amount of sixpence.

While John was thus engaged, Sandy, attracted by the cry of "Fine ripe berries, twa dips and a wallop," remarked, they "wadna be the waur o' a wee pickle groserts," and received the stipulated measure of this commodity into his hat, to share them with his friend. The coaches were now rattling down the road in every variety of colour and livery. "See," said Sandy, as a well-known equipage was passing; "See to that, Johnny! there's a braw coach for you." John turned his head towards the road, and answered, "Ay, ay, that's very grand, indeed-a yearl, or a duke, aiblins; sax horses, and twa flunkies on the back o' the coach, and twa callants bobbing on the horses, to the bargain! sic luxury! The folk there, I'se warrant, dinna ken what it's to want ony thing, and never do a hand's turn, nor need to set their foot to the ground unless they like. That's the way o' the gentry, God help us!" -"Na, na, ye're wrang there, Johnny; the folk there are nae mair gentle than you or me, man. That's the magistrates and provost; just bits o' trading bodies in the town. It's lang since the gentry hae gi'en up being “ a terror to evil doers, and a praise to them that do weel," as it is said in the Scriptures. The provost o' our ain burgh o' Clayknows is a better gentleman than ony o' them. The provost, ma lord, as they ca' him, is just a stockin'-weaver; and ane o' the baillies sells ingans; and that's just ane o' the street coaches they're in."*" Weel, that's very strange,

and gay and comical! But they may be very gude and worthy men, for a' that they the haena been born to titles. We're a' o' ae stock, ye ken, Sandy, and I wad never despise a fellow-creature that "But see," again interrupted Sandy, "see that coach, and the flunkies in green livery-that's the Duke of Buccleuch's, a real nobleman, and a blessing to a' the country round, for he stays at hame, and spends his siller amang ourselves."-"Ay! and is that the Duke's carriage? If he saw me, he wad speak to me, I'm sure; for I never met his Grace (God bless him) in our country-side, but he says to me, 'John,' says he, 'how are you? and how's the gudewife and family?" and bid me, in his hamely way, if ever I cam to Dalkeith, to gang and take my dinner in his hall. I wish a' the nobles o' the land were like him."

At the bottom of Leith-Walk there were congregated, during the time of the races, a number of caravans of wild beasts, horses of knowledge, tumblers and harlequins. My friends had reached this spot, when John's attention was strongly attracted by a woman twisting melodious sounds out of an organ, and a clown making grimaces to the crowd.-" Walk in, walk in, ladies and gentlemen, the performance is just going to begin-only twopence -walk in, walk in."-" He's a comical fallow that fule, I'se warrant him, Sandy; it takes a wise man to be a fule," remarked John; "but those madams that gang wi' them, and dance on wires, wi' trowsers on, it's no very becoming in a Christian land. They canna be gude, though they look weel; and I'm inclined to think, though we shouldna judge harshly, that they're just painted Jezebels." "But see that wee body sittin' on the man's shouther," his attention being attracted by a pipe and tabor in an opposite direction," how auld he looks-puir wee fallow, he's dressed like a sodger, too."-"That's a puggy, man," said Sandy; " and it can gang through the exercise, and shoot a pistol, for as wee as it is, as weel's ony o' them. But come awa'-we'll be ower late to see the race."

Mr John reluctantly left sights so new to him, and followed in the stream of horse and foot, chariot and cart,

In the front of the tents, at a little distance, were stationed those who isold gooseberries, gingerbread, speldins (dried haddocks,) and all the little eatables which custom had taught them were in demand when a promiscuous multitude were gathered together; and, at intervals, among these were placed wheels of fortune, puppetshows, tables with dice, a wooden dish with an octagonal brass ball, lotteries for sleeve-buttons and trinkets, and numberless other temptations to those who wished to adventure in vulgar gambling; while, on the sands, and occupying a larger space, the players at rowley-powley cleared an avenue for the path of the stick, thrown at pegs topped with penny-cakes of gingerbread. The sight of three or four of these said cakes, which might be all knocked off at one lucky throw, and at the trifling expence of a single penny, was too much for the philosophy of Mr John, who already devoured the sandy morsels by anticipation. "Let me try a throw, for ance," said John, handing his penny to the master of ceremonies; "I'm sure I canna miss the haill sax." John threw, but the end of the stick, striking the ground, went off at a tangent, without displacing a single cake. A loud laugh from the bye-standers, at John's expence, provoked him to a second attempt. "See the clodhopper again," said one, as John, with teeth set, and eyes fixed upon the regimented pegs, balanced the stick in his hand for another throw. John threw, and knocked off one."Weel dune!-ye're getting the gate o't now," said Sandy; "let me tryde'il be in't, gif I dinna gar them coup, or the shins will pay for't."

A crowdata little distance, and thereport of a gentleman having been thrown from his horse, attracted my attention, and I left the friends playing at rowleypowley, to see if the accident was a serious one. On going up to the crowd, I asked a boy what had happened,"Ou! naething at a', sir, but Abraham fa'en into the Prawn Dub." Abraham in the Prawn Dub, thought I; this must be some poor Jew pedlar, whom his beard, country, or language, have incited the boys to abuse, and I pressed forward, with the intention of rendering him assistance. But what was my astonishment to find that it was Mr Abraham Gooseiron, the stay-maker, who, in enacting the dandy on horseback, had tumbled from his elevation into the said Prawn Dub. Abraham was quite well known to all the boys, from his dressing in a more gay and fantastic manner than his compeers, and he met with little commiseration, from having filled his new boots, and destroyed his new coat, by a soaking in salt water. To an inquiry as to the manner of the accident, I received for answer that "the horse funkit him aff into the dub, as a doggie was rinnin' across."-" But he can easily cabbage as muckle claith as mak' him anither pair o' breeks," said a second. "The horse has mair sense than him, he had nae business there, he might hae been on his feet, as weel as his betters," remarked a third. "Pride aye gets a downcome, some time or ither," was very solemnly repeated by a a fourth. I never saw a horse smile, though there are such things as horse-laughs; but the expression of Abraham's hackney's face, at this moment, seemed to me it not for the dread of whip and spurs, it could have laughed heartily. Abraham, however, dirty as he was, was soon reinstated in his seat, though the attempts to help him, and the compliments of condolence, were given in that wicked spirit, which seemed rather to enjoy than pity the misfortune of the unlucky horseman. A shout from the boys, and the application of a switch from some of the spectators, as Abraham rode off, made the animal once more restive; and I was much of the opinion expressed by a person at my side, who exclaimed, "That man kens naething about managing a horse. Dod, he'll get anither clyty afore he taks hame the beast."

I now returned to my friends, who were still at the rowley-powley, not playing, however, but eating the gin gerbread which they had acquired. The approach of the hour for starting drew the crowd to the places which commanded a view of the course; and the two countrymen, remarking "that it was na every day that they were there," paid their penny, and mounted the scaffolding on the top of the tents. That part of the course from the starting to the distance-post was roped in, and a guard attended at this place, (ye Town-Guard veterans, it was hard and trying duty for you!) to prevent the crowd from bursting over the cord, and narrowing the space. The more distant part of the round was marked by poles and red flags, stuck in at intervals along the wet sands. The stewards of the race, and magistrates, occupied a platform, or stand, erected at the starting-post, and covered in by an awning, and in the front of this was affixed the pole and purse, bedizened with ribbons. A roll of the drum in attendance warned the riders to prepare; a second announced that the horses were ready; and a third was the signal for their starting with arrow-speed for the three-mile-heat. The coaches and crowd were at this time chiefly ranged along the line which inclosed the course; and when any unlucky dogs ventured to enter the protected space, in spite of the proclamation of the stewards to the contrary, the halloos, and repulses, and kicks on every side, as they sought an exit, gave them often a very good excuse for running mad in revenge.

"There! they're off now!" said Sandy to John, as they stood on the

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front of a crowded scaffold;-" the blue jacket has it!-weel done the blue!"-and he slapped his thigh in sympathy with the motion of the rider;-"I'll wager a bottle o' porter that ane gains the race!" John's attention was directed in silence to the horses and riders, as they swam before his eye in the distance, and were seen passing the red flags which margined the sea. "There!-they're turned now!" resounded from a thousand voices, as they came down the course from its eastern extremity. The crowd pushed closer to the ropes; and the clattering of the noble animals, as they passed at full speed round the starting-post, announced that one third of the heat was over. Three rounds of the course formed the heat, and three of these heats generally decided the race, though there were sometimes more. The sands being very soft, the horses sank much, and the strength of the animals was generally reserved for the last round. "Od safe us, how fast they rin!" said John, while his eye lost them in the distance at the third round; -" it's, by a' the warld, like swallows fleeing!-The callant in the pink jacket's first now! -weel done, ma wee man!-skelp it up!-Sandy, I'd wad the price o' the brown cow he gains it!-that's it!-whip him up!" How natural it is to bet on occasions like these, thought I, as Mr Knotgrass held out his brown cow on the issue; there must be something more in the prac tice than the warped ideas and confirmed gambling of a man of fashion, when the same passion even agitates the bosom of a rustic. The horses now came thundering on to finish the first heat; all eyes were directed in eager anxiety to the termination of the race at the wooden stand; and those who were deficient in the necessary height, added to their elevation by standing on tip-toe, and stretching their necks to their utmost length.

At this moment the press from behind forwards on the scaffolding, where John and his companion stood, was so great, that those in the front only kept their places by holding together for mutual support. It was the misfortune of John, however, in his eagerness to project his head beyond those on each side of him, to lose his balance, and tumble over. An honest fish-woman, who stood immediately