His intimates in the school were few, and those of the most serious cast." Of Burns, his schoolmaster, Mr.Murdoch, says--"Robert's countenance was generally grave, and expressive of a serious, contemplative, and thoughtful mind:"-- Ed.] It is remarkable that this love of repose and musing is retained throughout life.

A man of fine genius is rarely enamoured of common amusements or of robust exercises; and he is usually unadroit where dexterity of hand or eye, or trivial elegances, are required.

This characteristic of genius was discovered by HORACE in that Ode which schoolboys often versify.

BEATTIE has expressly told us of his Minstrel, The exploit of strength, dexterity or speed To him nor vanity nor joy could bring.
ALFIERI said he could never be taught by a French dancing-master, whose art made him at once shudder and laugh.

HORACE, by his own confession, was a very awkward rider, and the poet could not always secure a seat on his mule: METASTASIO humorously complains of his gun; the poetical sportsman could only frighten the hares and partridges; the, truth was, as an elder poet sings, Instead of hounds that make the wooded hills Talk in a hundred voices to the rills, I, like the pleasing cadence of a line, Struck by the concert of the sacred Nine.
And we discover the true "humour" of the indolent contemplative race in their great representatives VIRGIL and HORACE.