Hereitwasthatmyfirsttourofinspectionbegan，earlyonableakeasterlymorning。Therewasacrashingrunofseaupontheshore，Irecollect，andmyfatherandthemanoftheharbourlightmustsometimesraisetheirvoicestobeaudible。Perhapsitisfromthiscircumstance，thatIalwaysimagineSt。Andrewstobeanineffectualseatoflearning，andthesoundoftheeastwindandtheburstingsurftolingerinitsdrowsyclassroomsandconfoundtheutteranceoftheprofessor，untilteacherandtaughtarealikedrownedinoblivion，andonlythesea-gullbeatsonthewindowsandthedraughtofthesea-airrustlesinthepagesoftheopenlecture。Butuponallthis，andtheromanceofSt。Andrewsingeneral，thereadermustconsulttheworksofMr。AndrewLang；whohaswrittenofitbuttheotherdayinhisdaintyproseandwithhisincommunicablehumour，andlongagoinoneofhisbestpoems，withgrace，andlocaltruth，andanoteofunaffectedpathos。Mr。
Langknowsallabouttheromance，Isay，andtheeducationaladvantages，butIdoubtifhehadturnedhisattentiontotheharbourlights；anditmaybenewseventohim，thatintheyear1863theircasewaspitiable。Hangingaboutwiththeeastwindhumminginmyteeth，andmyhandsImakenodoubtinmypockets，Ilookedforthefirsttimeuponthattragi-comedyofthevisitingengineerwhichIhaveseensooftenre-enactedonamoreimportantstage。Eightyyearsago，Ifindmygrandfatherwriting:\"Itisthemostpainfulthingthatcanoccurtometohaveacorrespondenceofthiskindwithanyofthekeepers，andwhenI
cometotheLightHouse，insteadofhavingthesatisfactiontomeetthemwithapprobationandwelcometheirFamily，itisdistressingwhenone-isobligedtoputonamostangrycountenanceanddemeanour。\"Thispainfulobligationhasbeenhereditaryinmyrace。Ihavemyself，onaperfectlyamateurandunauthorisedinspectionofTurnberryPoint，bentmybrowsuponthekeeperonthequestionofstorm-panes；andfeltakeenpangofself-reproach，whenwewentdownstairsagainandIfoundhewasmakingacoffinforhisinfantchild；andthenregainedmyequanimitywiththethoughtthatIhaddonethemanaservice，andwhentheproperinspectorcame，hewouldbereadierwithhispanes。Thehumanraceisperhapscreditedwithmoreduplicitythanitdeserves。Thevisitationofalighthouseatleastisabusinessofthemosttransparentnature。Assoonastheboatgratesontheshore，andthekeepersstepforwardintheiruniformedcoats，theveryslouchofthefellows\'shoulderstellstheirstory，andtheengineermaybeginatoncetoassumehis\"angrycountenance。\"Certainlythebrassofthehandrailwillbeclouded；andifthebrassbenotimmaculate，certainlyallwillbetomatch-thereflectorsscratched，thesparelampunready，thestorm-panesinthestorehouse。Ifalightisnotrathermorethanmiddlinggood，itwillberadicallybad。Mediocrityexceptinliteratureappearstobeunattainablebyman。ButofcoursetheunfortunateofSt。
Andrewswasonlyanamateur，hewasnotintheService，hehadnouniformcoat，hewasIbelieveaplumberbyhistradeandstoodinthemediaevalphrasequiteoutofthedangerofmyfather；buthehadapainfulinterviewforallthat，andperspiredextremely。
FromSt。Andrews，wedroveoverMagusMuir。Myfatherhadannouncedwewere\"topost，\"andthephrasecalledupinmyhopefulmindvisionsoftop-bootsandthepicturesinRowlandson\'sDANCEOF