cause it is not the way to introduce an individual to the favourable notice of those in power, by exhibiting him as wishing to occupy a place to which he ought not to aspire, and I am satisfied, that upon reflection, you will arrive at the same conclusion."

He had now been more than twenty years in Flisk, and, though he was firmly persuaded that a change would be of advantage to himself, to his parish, and to his family, he says in the same letter that he ought to be contented, because "he had been detained there by the decision of a good and wise Providence." The desire, however, at this time for another position had become so strong, that he once entertained the thought of emigrating. But, while these desires were filling his mind, he was made far more clearly aware than he had ever been, how truly his times were in the hand of a covenant God, and his lot ordered by Him. The providence which he acknowledged in his continuance at Flisk, came to stand out in his convictions, not so much as the expression of a controlling sovereign Will, as a scheme of paternal discipline. One of those strokes fell on the quiet, cheerful, joyous circle in the Flisk manse, which ever direct the children of God from their loss up to Him. Never seems the unseen world so near and real-the blood of Christ so precious-and the hope of eternal life, and of the resurrection from the dead so full of strength to the spiritual nature of man, as when death enters the Christian household, and quenches some light of the dwelling. So it was proved And as to his desire for a change of residence, he was made to feel how ways could be opened up to him. The following letter to Neill will illustrate and explain these remarks :—

now.

Again and again have I wished to write to you, since our awful bereavement, but I have not had courage. I desired Robert Christie to call and give you the particulars of an event, which will leave its record on our minds while we live. The boy was our pride and pleasure, and we have since been convinced, that he was esteemed by others as well as his parents. In our secluded spot and small family circle, he occupied a prominent place. Healthy and active, he seemed to have fair prospects of life. Unreservedly we loved the gift, considering this nothing more than thankfulness for its value. He was our friend and companion. Conceive our anguish, when an awfully desolate blank occupies the place which he possessed-within or without his memory is linked with every object. Yet the very worth which

makes him remembered, soothes us a little. During his distress, he displayed so much that was amiable, as to lead his mother and I to say that if he got better, we would love him more than ever. We saw that our exertions to improve him had been blessed. We believe him with the Redeemer. This conviction enables us to temper the feelings of the parent with the faith of the Christian, to a certain extent. But, alas, the wound is in flesh and blood, and when it may heal, I know not. During his illness, I was in some measure stupified, now I feel a changed state, and when disposed to read the lesson, I smart under the discipline.

"We feel for your state with cholera at your door-yet is it worse than typhus? In our quarter, no appearance of the disease has broken out.

"I have read Chalmers's blow up of the Commission. It is a masterly production, done equally in the style of business and good taste. But it places the College of St Andrews in a very awkward predicament. I trust our friend Prof. Jameson will come forward and vindicate himself from the aspersions which have been cast upon him by these Royal visitants. I really felt indignant, when I read the account of all that could be said against the museum, without a redeeming statement.

"You may probably have heard, that immediately after the death of the minister of Auchtermuchty, the parishioners obtained from the patron, Bruce of Falkland, a promise that he would meet the people 'half way' in the choice of a minister. I was looked to, and after a deputation came privately to hear me preach in my own pulpit, and heard me in Auchtermuchty in my Presbyterial course, a petition was got up in two days, embracing magistrates, resident heritors, feuars, tenants, weavers, &c., male adults above twenty years of age, hearers or members of the church, to the amount of nearly 400 (every one but the town-clerk who had a candidate of his own), being a unanimous call from the parish. The most complete, even a worshipper of popularity could desire. I feel that a very handsome compliment has been paid to me, a public testimony to my character, on my part unsolicited and unexpected, on theirs perfectly spontaneous. It can do me no harm."

The irritation which Dr Fleming's papers on the Deluge had caused in the minds of several of his English fellow-labourers in the field of natural science, had passed away. Men had begun to look beyond the sarcastic remark, biting allusion, and somewhat contemptuous manner with which their theories had been met; and had discovered a warm, generous heart beneath all. They saw, too, that no man was more ready than he to accept with gratitude every addition to man's knowledge of "Even Buckland and I," he writes to Neill, "are now sworn friends." "I am much pleased with Lyell's Geo

nature.

'I

logy-though, strange to say, he makes no mention of Moses and of Jameson. The former he omits through prudence. I fear that the Edinburgh school has sunk to rise no more. Wernerianism is being universally admitted to be a humbug, and harmony and co-operation in Auld Reekie unknown." have just received another letter from Mr Murray of London, beseeching more contributions for the Quarterly, and a series of vols. for the Family Library. I intend to send soon another antiquinarian broadside." His intimacy with his friend Mantell was becoming closer. In August 1832, Dr Mantell

wrote:

"My Dear Sir,-. . . How I wished for you at Oxford! It would have been glorious to have had you there. Had you and Lyell been there my happiness would have been complete, for there were almost all the naturalists and sçavans of Great Britain besides. I spent a week there, and afterwards went to Bristol, crossed through Somersetshire to Lynn Regis, sailed to Isle of Portland, and returned home by Weymouth and Southampton, after one of the most delightful trips I ever had. I brought home a good Plesiosaurus with me, and lots of silicified woods, from Portland. But I have since made a grand discovery in my own territory, a considerable part of the skeleton of a reptile (I hope Iguanodon) in Tilgate Forest. In a block of stone, 4 feet by 2, and weighing nearly 3 cwt., are imbedded ten or twelve vertibræ, with ribs, coracoid bones, chevron bones, &c., and what I have never observed before, lenticular bones of so peculiar a structure that even fragments may be easily detected. I think they must be dermal bones to support the scales. But as I shall draw up an account of this wonderful fossil, you will then see the details, and I need not trouble you with farther observations now.

"For your admirable remarks on the shells of the Wealdon I am indeed most deeply indebted, and can never make an adequate return for your kindness. The greywacke specimens were of great interest to me, and filled up a drawer in my geological suite that had long been empty. I am still in want of good specimens (for my rocks) of Transition Limestone, Trap, Basalt, and a good suite of the beds of the Coal Measures. Although I am unworthy of your prompt attention, yet I would beg a few lines as early as possible to tell me how I shall send the box; and I would beg to know what fossils you are most desirous of having from the south. I have no list, and but a very imperfect recollection of what I have already sent you, and therefore must entreat you will oblige me with a few hints of your desiderata.

"I have lately received a fine suite of American recent shells, principally

the Naiades of their glorious rivers; there are a few duplicates of their Uniones, &c.—would you like any? This is our assize time as you will perceive by Lord Tenterden's frank, and I am hurried with company, and must write very desultory. I have discovered a species of Hippurite in the Lewes Chalk-the first found in England, is it not? so they allowed at Oxford. Of my reptiles, I have found some very splendid detached bones; but in one block of stone I have four bones of the toes, the longest, 7 or 8 inches long. But the greatest puzzle is a bone which even Cuvier could not guess at. It must be a clavicle I think from what I have lately found; and yet so odd is it, that Clift said the only bone at all approaching it, and that at an immense distance, is the first rib of the ostrich.

"I am vexed to conclude so abruptly, but I cannot avoid it, for judges, barristers, clients, jurymen, and all are determined to call me away.

"Do shew me, my dear Sir, that you have not forgotten me; and let me have the pleasure of knowing that I can send you something that will interest you.

"With the highest esteem and respect, and sincerest wishes for your health and happiness, I am, my dear Sir, most sincerely yours,

"GIDEON MANTELL."

The last communication from Dr Mantell is full of melancholy interest. He had left Brighton and taken a house at Clapham Common, and here the "shadows of life" began to creep over his frank, manly, generous nature. Many of his dearest hopes blighted-stricken by a severe paralytic affection in his lower limbs-obliged to part with his magnificent collection of fossils for £4000, not half of the sum it had cost him,—the loveable old man writes to his sympathising friend in Scotland, tells him of these and of other ills to which flesh is heir, and adds, "So much for the shadows of life, yet the brightness has not been inconsiderable."

Much came of the movement in Dr Fleming's behalf at Auchtermuchty. The patron did not, indeed, grant the petition of the whole parish, but the thought that so many people, who were well acquainted with his manner of life as a minister of Christ, had earnestly sought to put themselves under his care, had greatly cheered and encouraged him. Fresh impulses were given to pastoral work, and the very excitement of the circumstances gave new and vigorous direction to his energies. Yet the desired change was at hand. In August of the

same year (1832) he was presented by Lord Dundas to the parish of Clackmannan. Lord Dundas's father, the first Earl of Zetland, had kept Dr Fleming in mind from the time he was appointed to Bressay. When he had been several years in Flisk, his Lordship wrote, informing him that he had applied to Lord Lauderdale (1818) to present him to the living of Colinton, near Edinburgh. "I am extremely sorry," he said, "to think that there is a chance of losing you from Flisk, and I must tell you in confidence that I had in view the appointing you to Clackmannan in the event of a vacancy there." On the death of Dr Moodie, Lord Dundas before hearing from Dr Fleming, took immediate steps to have him settled in Clackmannan. To his friend Neill he hastened to intimate the appointment:

"How painful is change! For twenty-one years have I been minister at Flisk. At first, I was anxious to get away, because I courted a more active life. More lately, my anxiety for removal was influenced in a great measure by paternal feelings. Now the change has come, but he is asleep for whose sake it was chiefly waited for; and for the last five months have I witnessed the turf and thought of the change. As far as matters have gone, the circumstances connected with Clackmannan are agreeable. I have found the parish in a perfectly comfortable state and willing to receive me. I have much of this to refer to our good friend Mr Bald, who has acted a kind part, just as I expected of him. The Presbytery of Cupar has acted equally friendly, and I leave Fife with good grounds for being gratified for a public testimony in my favour. Before me is a field of labour which, ten years ago, I would have been better able to cultivate. However, the events of providence do not obey our direction; and I enter, in the course of the month, on the scene with an honest desire to do my duty. I have enjoyed some proof of popularity in Fife! This has not been gained by courting the prejudices of the day, but by a straightforward mode of acting-consistent I hope. The same course I intend to follow at C.; and although I cannot hope for so long a lease there, according to my will, as I have had at Flisk against my will, yet I trust to live long enough to do some good." Again,-" My good friend, your scold was gratifying to me, because I know your perfect sincerity, and also, that it was of a prospective I may, however, state, that we are at one in reference to the clerical duties of Clackmannan. A parish of less than 300 souls requires attention from a minister very different in quantity, and perhaps in kind, than a parish with more than 3000 souls. In the one case, there may be much spare time, in the other there must be continued labour. This increase of

nature.