Three generations

HOLIDAYS 239
that whatever the nature of the illness, it " flies," in
colloquial phrase, "to the brain," and frequently
proves fatal. Whether or not the theory has a
foundation of truth, it sounds not without prob-
ability.
As long as my father and mother lived, and while
my mother stayed with my brother, who left the ranks
of his profession to assist my father, and to take up
for a time the coal-seam which he had worked, we
spent the greater part of our holidays with them near
the old home. We missed the house in which the
younger of us had grown up, but we still stood on
familiar ground to which we were attached.
When our connection with Elie ended, our holidays
were spent for the most part in the Highlands of
Perthshire, or by the Clyde, to be near my brother
after his headquarters were in Glasgow.
But while we stood by Elie, we profited by its many
advantages. The fine coast-line, the rocky, picturesque
beach formed scenes where we passed many hours
working and reading in convenient niches by the sea.
It was during that time that Charles Kingsley's little
book " Glaucus " took hold of the English reading
world, and sent crowds of amateur naturalists to study
the wonders of the shore, and to form those private
aquariums which were at once charming toys and
interesting fields of observation. We were all to be
naturalists thenceforth, and to find our amusements in
such studies. My brother was then at home assisting
my father, and Robert and I were enthusiastic in the
novel pursuit. We accomplished a really creditable
and beautiful aquarium in a large glass jar well
furnished with growing weed and pieces of rock skil-
fully arranged. This was our home for the lovely