The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-02-16

e by our Messiah. Biologists believe tina
r creation was progressive, and that the fin
things of Earth are of Pleiocene origin. Oul
. Scottish Kirk reached Pleiocene state, bu
e the Moderates took it back to the AzOic pc
riod. But Chalmers, Cunningham, Thomp
son, Buchanan, and Arnot, were men of &
different stripe from the Moderates. The
Virginisns are taking deep interest in the
operations of the American EVangelists.-
The lay element of this Southern Church il
kept in too dormant state. Cannot the
eldership be employed in dark corners Oul
Scottish Divines, who have been trained in
Universities, and in schools of Theology, had
probably prepared the way for the advent Of
these remarkable men. May the good work
extend from Wigton Bay to the Orkneys,
and from the GheviOts to tie Butt of Lewis.
Your letter created no small measure of
surprise. Of course We supposed that the
time was drawing near, when LOssie BT@
would add Leslie to her name. May you be
happy pair But we had not heard till
your last advices, that Roberta Edenkillie
was to be led to the altar by Cumming, who
is connected with the great African Lion
Hunter. You remember what noise he
made in his day. But there is no danger
that her afianced will roar at such spirited
lady. She will tame him into docility so
sure as he was born. She will have things
her own way at Altyre Castle. And then
Roderick Tay is to be joined to GoWanOna
Fern, Septimus Loeb to jimmie Logic, and
Aleck Fridge to Edna Dunbar. The ladies
have given themselves away, and therefore
are willing to go anywhere in the world, even
among the Turks and Copts of Rosetta
This, indeed, is marrying at a great rate.
Where are you going to settle Perhaps at
Kilbride in Lsnark, Bridekirk over in Cum
berland, or at the foot of Ben Wives in Ros-
shire. Hope none of you will get into
Bridewell Hospital, or the one at Ashley
Down, near Bristol. If you want to pros
per, We advise every one of you to set out
for Virginia. Don't suggest this to Lady
Cumming. We don't want her in that little
imperium an impsriO, which it is my wish
to found. You remember how strenously !
opposed that railway from Elgin to the sea.
Therefore Elgin shall have no more of Cal
der's company. You recollect that Southey,
| Coleridge, and Wordsworth were once in the
notion of settling at Silver Spring in Penn
sylVania; but as they were poets the Sheriff
would have been after them in a hurry
You are aware of the practical nature of all
my aims In hfe, and under such leader we
shall all fare in our little colony better than
in Scotland. Great views are in my dimi-
mute head. So all of you sell off and out,
and pull up stakes. l will find in Shenan-
doah Valley better Pierian Spring than
Southey would have found in Pennsylvania.
The gold fish was introduced into England
in 1891, and we have fallen in with gentle
man whose name is GhOol. He has lived at
the Cape of Good Hope, and will help me to
put silver fish so common at the Cape into
the Shenandoah river. Their silvery hue
will be increased in its lucid waters. Tur-
kies, carp, and hops, were first seen in EGG
land in 1914. My plans are great. Come
all of you and help. Our Frank Jeffrey
found wife among the GothamiteS, ALIAS
New Workers. Perhaps we may find one
among Yrginians who are not given to
blunders like the Knickerbockers. There
are no Yanwinkles here, for every man, like
Balaam, has got his eyes open. We will hew
down and build Kirk before living in our
ceied houses. My attention has been drawn
to a daughter of Eve who lives in the low
lands of Virginia, but accustomed to spend
her summers in the uplands. She has become
fond of the azure, preferring it to the tout
ensemble of all the colOrs. Mention her if
you please to Lady Cumming, and just hint
that in genealOgy she is quite equal to the
Edenkilhes.
1t is likely that you may be tired of these
rambling letters. They were written to pro-
mote Scotch emigration to Virginia. To
this end they should have been more logical.
Nothing short of arguments drawn from in
terest will induce the Caledonians to remove,
unless it be a suggestion that we may build
up Kirk and Manse This will carry them
to China or Peru. In reading day or two
since, the correspondence of Schiller, we fell
on a sentence which has pleased beyond
measure, though we never liked him, because,
like the Sage of Monticello, he admired Os-
sian. We will transcribe the sentence
"We met in our youth, and in the harmony
of our earlier years planted the kernel of
friendship, and we 6nd repose at present in
the shade of the trees When we become
old may we think of this sentence. But
Schiller died at an age rather early. Life
is uncertain. We pass away. Time has
eVinced its power over Scotland. Old Edna
is suppanted BY the New; its learned men
have disappeared, its illustriOus divines are
falling into their graves, its FerguSons and
Ramsays have ceased to sing, its quadrangle
lar palace stands among the craga of lonely
vale, eloquence is transferred from its Par
liamentary Halls to Westminster. But why
should we descant The pensive moon glides
.,,,,. A., b,ol,o, oroLos IS Nolroso D,nf farro-