My grandfather, as will appear from the following extracts, was much a martinet, and had a habit of expressing himself on paper with an almost startling emphasis.  Personally, with his powerful voice, sanguine countenance, and eccentric and original locutions, he was well qualified to inspire a salutary terror in the service.

’I find that the keepers have, by some means or another, got into the way of cleaning too much with rotten-stone and oil.  I take the principal keeper to task on this subject, and make him bring a clean towel and clean one of the brazen frames, which leaves the towel in an odious state.  This towel I put up in a sheet of paper, seal, and take with me to confront Mr. Murdoch, who has just left the station.’  ’This letter’—­a stern enumeration of complaints—­ ’to lie a week on the light-room book-place, and to be put in the Inspector’s hands when he comes round.’  ’It is the most painful thing that can occur for me to have a correspondence of this kind with any of the keepers; and when I come to the Lighthouse, instead of having the satisfaction to meet them with approbation, it is distressing when one is obliged to put on a most angry countenance and demeanour; but from such culpable negligence as you have shown there is no avoiding it.  I hold it as a fixed maxim that, when a man or a family put on a slovenly appearance in their houses, stairs, and lanterns, I always find their reflectors, burners, windows, and light in general, ill attended to; and, therefore, I must insist on cleanliness throughout.’  ’I find you very deficient in the duty of the high tower.  You thus place your appointment as Principal Keeper in jeopardy; and I think it necessary, as an old servant of the Board, to put you upon your guard once for all at this time.  I call upon you to recollect what was formerly and is now said to you.  The state of the backs of the reflectors at the high tower was disgraceful, as I pointed out to you on the spot.  They were as if spitten upon, and greasy finger-marks upon the back straps.  I demand an explanation of this state of things.’  ’The cause of the Commissioners dismissing you is expressed in the minute; and it must be a matter of regret to you that you have been so much engaged in smuggling, and also that the Reports relative to the cleanliness of the Lighthouse, upon being referred to, rather added to their unfavourable opinion.’  ’I do not go into the dwelling-house, but severely chide the lightkeepers for the disagreement that seems to subsist among them.’  ’The families of the two lightkeepers here agree very ill.  I have effected a reconciliation for the present.’  ’Things are in a very humdrum state here.  There is no painting, and in and out of doors no taste or tidiness displayed.  Robert’s wife greets and M’Gregor’s scolds; and Robert is so down-hearted that he says he is unfit for duty.  I told him that if he was to mind wives’ quarrels, and to take them up, the only way was for him and