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meanour　and　sagacity　which　it　behoved　a　magistrate　to　possess。　　But　I　cannily　replied；　though　I　was　right　contented　to　hear　this；　that　I　had　no　time　for　governing；　and　it　would　be　more　for　the　advantage　of　the　commonwealth　to　look　for　the　counselling　of　an　older　head　than　mine；　happen　when　a　vacancy　might　in　the　town…council。

In　this　conjuncture　of　our　discoursing；　Mrs　Pawkie；　my　wife；　who　was　sitting　by　the　fireside　in　her　easy　chair；　with　a　cod　at　her　head；　for　she　had　what　was　called　a　sore　time　o't；　said：…

〃Na；　na；　gudeman；　ye　need　na　be　sae　mim；　every　body　kens；　and　I　ken　too；　that　ye're　ettling　at　the　magistracy。　　It's　as　plain　as　a　pikestaff；　gudeman；　and　I'll　no　let　ye　rest　if　ye　dinna　mak　me　a　bailie's　wife　or　a'　be　done〃　…

I　was　not　ill　pleased　to　hear　Mrs　Pawkie　so　spiritful；　but　I　replied；

〃Dinna　try　to　stretch　your　arm；　gude…wife；　further　than　your　sleeve　will　let　you；　we　maun　ca'canny　mony　a　day　yet　before　we　think　of　dignities。〃

The　which　speech；　in　a　way　of　implication；　made　Deacon　Clues　to　understand　that　I　would　not　absolutely　refuse　an　honour　thrust　upon　me；　while　it　maintained　an　outward　show　of　humility　and　moderation。

There　was；　however；　a　gleg　old　carlin　among　the　gossips　then　present；　one　Mrs　Sprowl；　the　widow　of　a　deceased　magistrate；　and　she　cried　out　aloud：…

〃Deacon　Clues；　Deacon　Clues；　I　redd　you　no　to　believe　a　word　that　Mr　Pawkie's　saying；　for　that　was　the　very　way　my　friend　that's　no　more　laid　himself　out　to　be　fleeched　to　tak　what　he　was　greenan　for；　so　get　him　intill　the　council　when　ye　can：　　we　a'　ken　he'll　be　a　credit　to　the　place；〃　and　〃so　here's　to　the　health　of　Bailie　Pawkie　that　is　to　be；〃　cried　Mrs　Sprowl。　　All　present　pledged　her　in　the　toast；　by　which　we　had　a　wonderful　share　of　diversion。　　Nothing；　however；　immediately　rose　out　of　this；　but　it　set　men's　minds　a…barming　and　working；　so　that；　before　there　was　any　vacancy　in　the　council；　I　was　considered　in　a　manner　as　the　natural　successor　to　the　first　of　the　counsellors　that　might　happen　to　depart　this　life。



CHAPTER　IIIA　DIRGIE



In　the　course　of　the　summer　following　the　baptism；　of　which　I　have　rehearsed　the　particulars　in　the　foregoing　chapter；　Bailie　Mucklehose　happened　to　die；　and　as　he　was　a　man　long　and　well　respected；　he　had　a　great　funeral。　　All　the　rooms　in　his　house　were　filled　with　company；　and　it　so　fell　out　that；　in　the　confusion；　there　was　neither　minister　nor　elder　to　give　the　blessing　sent　into　that　wherein　I　was；　by　which；　when　Mr　Shavings　the　wright；　with　his　men；　came　in　with　the　service　of　bread　and　wine　as　usual；　there　was　a　demur；　and　one　after　another　of　those　present　was　asked　to　say　grace；　but　none　of　them　being　exercised　in　public　prayer；　all　declined；　when　Mr　Shavings　said　to　me；　〃Mr　Pawkie；　I　hope　ye'll　no　refuse。〃

I　had　seen　in　the　process；　that　not　a　few　of　the　declinations　were　more　out　of　the　awkward　shame　of　blateness；　than　any　inherent　modesty　of　nature；　or　diffidence　of　talent；　so；　without　making　a　phrase　about　the　matter；　I　said　the　grace；　and　in　such　a　manner　that　I　could　see　it　made　an　impression。　　Mr　Shavings　was　at　that　time　deacon　of　the　wrights；　and　being　well　pleased　with　my　conduct　on　this　occasion；　when　he；　the　same　night；　met　the　craft；　he　spoke　of　it　in　a　commendable　manner；　and　as　I　understood　thereafter；　it　was　thought　by　them　that　the　council　could　not　do　better　than　make　choice　of　me　to　the　vacancy。　　In　short；　not　to　spin　out　the　thread　of　my　narration　beyond　necessity；　let　it　here　suffice　to　be　known；　that　I　was　chosen　into　the　council；　partly　by　the　strong　handling　of　Deacon　Shavings；　and　the　instrumentality　of　other　friends　and　well…　wishers；　and　not　a　little　by　the　moderation　and　prudence　with　which　I　had　been　secretly　ettling　at　the　honour。

Having　thus　reached　to　a　seat　in　the　council；　I　discerned　that　it　behoved　me　to　act　with　circumspection；　in　order　to　gain　a　discreet　dominion　over　the　same；　and　to　rule　without　being　felt；　which　is　the　great　mystery　of　policy。　　With　this　intent；　I；　for　some　time；　took　no　active　part　in　the　deliberations；　but　listened；　with　the　doors　of　my　understanding　set　wide　to　the　wall；　and　the　windows　of　my　foresight　all　open；　so　that；　in　process　of　time；　I　became　acquainted　with　the　inner　man　of　the　counsellors；　and　could　make　a　guess；　no　far　short　of　the　probability；　as　to　what　they　would　be　at；　when　they　were　jooking　and　wising　in　a　round…about　manner　to　accomplish　their　own　several　wills　and　purposes。　　I　soon　thereby　discovered；　that　although　it　was　the　custom　to　deduce　reasons　from　out　the　interests　of　the　community；　for　the　divers　means　and　measures　that　they　wanted　to　bring　to　a　bearing　for　their　own　particular　behoof；　yet　this　was　not　often　very　cleverly　done；　and　the　cloven　foot　of　self…interest　was　now　and　then　to　be　seen　aneath　the　robe　of　public　principle。　　I　had；　therefore；　but　a　straightforward　course　to　pursue；　in　order　to　overcome　all　their　wiles　and　devices；　the　which　was　to　make　the　interests　of　the　community；　in　truth　and　sincerity；　the　end　and　object　of　my　study；　and　never　to　step　aside　from　it　for　any　immediate　speciality　of　profit　to　myself。　　Upon　this；　I　have　endeavoured　to　walk　with　a　constancy　of　sobriety；　and　although　I　have；　to　a　certainty；　reaped　advantage　both　in　my　own　person　and　that　of　my　family；　no　man　living　can　accuse　me　of　having　bent　any　single　thing　pertaining　to　the　town　and　public；　from　the　natural　uprightness　of　its　integrity；　in　order　to　serve　my　own　private　ends。

It　was；　however；　sometime　before　an　occasion　came　to　pass；　wherein　I　could　bring　my　knowledge　and　observations　to　operate　in　any　effectual　manner　towards　a　reformation　in　the　management　of　the　burgh；　indeed；　I　saw　that　no　good　could　be　done　until　I　had　subdued　the　two　great　factions；　into　which　it　may　be　said　the　council　was　then　divided；　the　one　party　being　strong　for　those　of　the　king's　government　of　ministers；　and　the　other　no　less　vehement　on　the　side　of　their　adversaries。　　I；　therefore；　without　saying　a　syllable　to　any　body　anent　the　same；　girded　myself　for　the　undertaking；　and　with　an　earnest　spirit　put　my　shoulder　to　the　wheel；　and　never　desisted　in　my　endeavours；　till　I　had　got　the　cart　up　the　brae；　and　the　whole　council　reduced　into　a　proper　state　of　subjection　to　the　will　and　pleasure　of　his　majesty；　whose　deputies　and　agents　I　have　ever　considered　all　inferior　magistrates　to　be；　administering　and　exercising；　as　they　do；　their　power　and　authority　in　his　royal　name。

The　ways　and　means；　however；　by　which　this　was　brought　to　pass；　supply　matter　for　another　chapter；　and　after　this；　it　is　not　my　intent　to　say　any　thing　more　concerning　my　principles　and　opinions；　but　only　to　show　forth　the　course　and　current　of　things　proceeding　out　of　the　affairs；　in　which　I　was　so　called　to　form　a　part　requiring　no　small　endeavour　and　diligence。



CHAPTER　IVTHE　GUILDRY



When；　as　is　related　in　the　foregoing　chapter；　I　had　nourished　my　knowledge　of　the　council　into　maturity；　I　began　to　cast　about　for　the　means　of　exercising　the　same　towards　a　satisfactory　issue。　　But　in　this　I　found　a　great　difficulty；　arising　from　the　policy　and　conduct　of　Mr　Andrew　M'Lucre；　who　had　a　sort　of　infeftment；　as　may　be　said；　of　the　office　of　dean　of　guild；　having　for　many　years　been　allowed　to　intromit　and　manage　the　same；　by　which；　as　was　insinuated　by　his　adversaries；　no　little　grist　came　to　his　mill。　　For　it　had　happened　from　a　very　ancient　date；　as　far　back；　I　have　heard；　as　the　time　of　Queen　Anne；　when　the　union　of　the　kingdoms　was　brought　to　a　bearing；　that　the　dean　of　guild　among　us；　for　some　reason　or　another；　had　the　upper　hand　in　the　setting　and　granting　of　tacks　of　the　town　lands；　in　the　doing　of　which　it　was　jealoused　that　the　predecessors　of　Mr　M'Lucre；　no　to　say　an　ill　word　of　him；　honest　man；　got　their　loofs　creeshed　with　something　that　might　be　called　agrassum；　or　rather；　a　gratis　gift。　　It　therefore　seemed　to　me　that　there　was　a　necessity　for　some　reformation　in　the　office；　and　I　foresaw　that　the　same　would　never　be　accomplished；　unless　I　could　get　Mr　M'Lucre　wised　out　of　it；　and　myself　appointed　his　successor。　But　in　this　lay　the　obstacle；　for　every　thing　anent　the　office　was；　as　it　were；　in　his　custody；　and　it　was　well　known　that　he　had　an　interest　in　keeping　by　that　which；　in　vulgar　parlance；　is　called　nine　points　of　the　law。　　However；　both　for　the　public　good　and　a　convenience　to　myself；　I　was　resolved　to　get　a　finger　in　the　dean　of　guild's　fat　pie；　especially　as　I　foresaw　that；　in　the　course　of　three　or　four　years；　some　of　the　best　tacks　would　run　out；　and　it　would　be　a　great　thing　to　the　magistrate　that　might　have　the　disposal　of　the　new　ones。　　Therefore；　without　seeming　to　have　any　foresight　concerning　the　lands　that　were　coming　on　to　be　out　of　lease；　I　set　myself　to　constrain　Mr　M'Lucre　to　give　up　the　guildry；　as　it　were；　of　his　own　free…will；　and　what　helped　me　well　to　this；　was　a　rumour　that　came　down　from　London；　that　there　was　to　be　a　dissolution　of　the　parliament。

The　same　day　that　this　news　reached　the　town；　I　was　standing　at　my　shop…door；　between　dinner　and　tea…time。　　It　was　a　fine　sunny　summer　afternoon。　　Standing　under　the　blessed　influence　of　the　time　by　myself　at　my　shop…door；　who　should　I　see　passing　along　the　crown　of　the　causey；　but　Mr　M'Lucre　himself　and　with　a　countenance　knotted　with　care；　little　in　unison　with　the　sultry　indolence　of　that　sunny　day。

〃Whar　awa　sae　fast；　dean　o'　guild？〃　quo'　I　to　him；　and　he　stopped　his　wide　stepping；　for　he　was　a　long　spare　man；　and　looting　in　his　gait。

〃I'm　just；〃　said　he；　〃taking　a　step　to　the　provost's；　to　learn　the　particulars　of　thir　great　newsfor；　as　we　are　to　hae　the　casting　vote　in　the　next　election；　there's　no　saying　the　good　it　may　bring　to　us　all　gin　we　manage　it　wi'　discretion。〃

I　reflected　the　while　of　a　minute　before　I　made　any　reply；　and　then　I　said　…

〃It　would　hae　nae　doubt　of　the　matter；　Mr　M'Lucre；　could　it　be　brought　about　to　get　you　chosen　for　the　delegate；　but　I　fear；　as　ye　are　only　dean　of　guild　this　year；　that's　no　to　be　accomplished；　and　really；　without　the　like　of　you；　our　borough；　in　the　contest；　may　be　driven　to　the　wall。〃

〃Contest！〃　cried　the　dean　of　guild；　with　great　eagerness；　〃wha　told　you　that　we　are　to　be　contested？〃

Nobo