"He is a prophet of the Lord," said one,
"sent to warn us, as Jonah was sent to the Ninevites." "Oh, he is
an angel sent from Heaven, to instruct this great city," said
another, "for no man ever uttered truths so sublime before." The
good people of Auchtermuchty were in perfect raptures with the
preacher, who had thus sent them to Hell by the slump, tag-rag,
and bobtail! Nothing in the world delights a truly religious people
so much as consigning them to eternal damnation. They
wandered after the preacher--they crowded together, and spoke of
his sermon with admiration, and still, as they conversed, the
wonder and the admiration increased; so that honest Robin
Ruthven's words would not be listened to. It was in vain that he
told them he heard a raven speaking, and another raven
answering him: the people laughed him to scorn, and kicked him
out of their assemblies, as a one who spoke evil of dignities; and
they called him a warlock, an' a daft body, to think to mak
language out o' the crouping o' craws.
"'The sublime preacher could not be heard of, although all the
country was sought for him, even to the minutest corner of St.
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