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The Biography of Robert Murray M'Cheyne by Andrew A. Bonar
page 6 of 243 (02%)
a sentimental devotedness of mind that chastens the feelings without
changing the heart.

He had great delight in rural scenery. Most of his summer vacations
used to be spent in Dumfriesshire, and his friends in the parish of
Ruthwell and its vicinity retain a vivid remembrance of his youthful
days. His poetic temperament led him to visit whatever scenes were
fitted to stir the soul. At all periods of his life, also, he had a
love of enterprise. During the summer months he occasionally made
excursions with his brother, or some intimate friend, to visit the
lakes and hills of our Highlands, cherishing thereby, unawares, a
fondness for travel, that was most useful to him in after days. In one
of these excursions, a somewhat romantic occurrence befell the
travellers, such as we might rather have expected to meet with in the
records of his Eastern journey. He and his friends had set out on foot
to explore, at their leisure, Dunkeld, and the highlands in its
vicinity. They spent a day at Dunkeld, and about sunset set out again
with the view of crossing the hills to Strathardle. A dense mist
spread over the hills soon after they began to climb. They pressed on,
but lost the track that might have guided them safely to the glen.
They knew not how to direct their steps to any dwelling. Night came
on, and they had no resource but to couch among the heath, with no
other covering than the clothes they wore. They felt hungry and cold;
and, awaking at midnight, the awful stillness of the lonely mountains
spread a strange fear over them. But, drawing close together, they
again lay down to rest, and slept soundly till the cry of some wild
birds and the morning dawn aroused them.

Entering the Edinburgh University in November 1827, he gained some
prize in all the various classes he attended. In private he studied
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