Excerpt from Noctes Ambrosianae, Vol. 4 When James Hogg was seven years old, he was compelled to go to service. His occupation was to herd a few cows for a neighboring farmer. His wages for the half year 'were a ewe lamb and a pair of new Shoes. In the first winter he returned home, and had three months' schooling. He got into a. Class so far advanced that they could read the Bible. He tried writing, but each letter was nearly an inch in length. Nor, to his dying day, did he write well. His whole course of education was obtained in six months at this time. After this, he says, I was never another day at any school whatever. When the severity of the season abated, when gentle Spring felt the kiss of Summer on her roseate lips, James Hogg again became a cow-herd. So he continued for some years, under various masters, until he finally arrived at the dignity of Shepherd's assistant. The care of large flocks of sheep requires probity, skill, and self-reliance. The character which Hogg Obtained from his successive masters, (he had a dozen before he was fifteen, ) placed him in this rank, where the wages and other pecuniary advantages are comparatively good, and the opportunities for those who wish to acquire knowledge are great. A man, who is in the open air by himself, for twelve hours a-day during many months, able to read, (as nearly every Scottish peasant is, ) can scarcely help becoming contemplative, and more or less imaginative. But, during the whole of Hogg's novitiate as a herdsman, he had no book to read except the Bible, and the version of the Psalms Of David which is used by the Scottish Church. He had purchased an old violin out of his small earnings, and determinedly taught himself to play some favorite Scotch tunes. Afterwards, as we Shall see, he became a very passable player. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.