Waverley; Or, 'Tis Sixty Years Since - Volume 2

was no bad representative of the old school. His light-coloured embroidered coat, and superbly barred waistcoat, his brigadier wig, surmounted by a s

and bare-headed boys, who, to procure the chosen distinction of attending on the chase, had not failed to tickle his ears with the dulcet appellation of Maister Gellatley, though probably all and each had booted him on former occasions in the character of daft Davie. But this is no uncomm

horse, like Earl Percy of yore, and magnanimously flaying and embowelling the slain animal (which, he observed, was called by the French chasseurs FAIRE LA CUREE) with his own baronial COUTEAU DE CHASSE. After this ceremony he conducted his guest homeward by a pleasant and circuitous route, commanding an extensive prospect of differ

we have informed the reader, was warm in his feelings, wild and romantic in his ideas and in his taste of reading, with a strong disposition towards poetry. Mr. Bradwardine was the reverse of all this, and piqued

epped he e

ly steppe

TLE SHEPHERD, and the CHERRY AND THE SLAE. But though he thus far sacrificed his time to the Muses, he would if the truth must be spoken, have been much better pleased had the pious or sapient apothegms, as well as the historical narratives, which these various works co

e joyous Allan literally drew his blood fro

of an ol

y pride, my

the actors and speakers in the drama of past ages. Yet with tastes so opposite, they contributed greatly to each other's amusement. Mr. Bradwardine's minute narratives and powerful memory supplied to Waverley fresh subjects of the kind upon which his fancy loved to labour, and opened to him a new mine of incident and of character. And he repaid the pleasure thus communicated, by an earnest attention, valuable to all story-tellers, more especial

d modern anecdotes; and Bradwardine disposed to regard Edward as PUER (or rather JUVENIS) BONAE SPEI ET MAGNAE INDOLIS, a youth devoid of that petulant volatility, which is impatient of, or vilipends, the conversation and advice of his seniors, fr

ngly conducted through one or two of those long awkward passages with which ancient architects studied to puzzle the inhabitants of the houses which they planned, at the end of which Mr. Bradwardin

the Baron, in his tenth year, in a blue coat, embroidered waistcoat, laced hat, and bag-wig, with a bow in his hand. Edward could not help smiling at the costume, and at the odd resemblance between the round, smooth, red-checked, staring visage in the portrait, and the gaunt, bearded, hollow-eyed, swarthy features, which travelling, fatigues of war, and advanced age, had bestowed on the original. The Baron joined in the laugh.

ring the memorable campaign of 1709, and his having there defended himself with his half-pike for nearly ten minutes before any support reached him. To do the Baron justice, although sufficiently

nd was not perhaps master of them himself, she had made no proficiency further than to be able to accompany her voice with the harpsichord; but even this was not very common in Scotland at that period. To make amends, she sang with great taste and feeling, and with a respect to the sense of what she uttered that might be proposed in example to ladies of much superior musical talent. Her natural good sense taught her, that if, as we are assured by high authori

n a wooded glen, where the small river was sometimes visible, sometimes hidden in copse. The eye might be delayed by a desire to rest on the rocks, which here and there rose from the dell with massive or spiry fronts, or it might dwell on the noble, though ruined tower, which was here beheld in all its dignity, frowning from a promontory over the river. To the left were seen two or three cottages, a part of the village; the brow of the hill concealed the others

impending crag which rose near it, had acquired the name of St. Swithin's Chair. it was the scene of a peculiar superstition, of which Mr. Rubrick mentioned some curious partic

s the race from

ames, but left

which his poetry so much wanted. I almost doubt if it can be read with patience, destitute of these advantages; although I conject

ITHIN'

Eve, ere ye b

hat your couc

ross, and sain

ve, and sa

ass Eve the Nig

e-fold sweeping

wind sing lo

moonshine or swa

sat in St. Sw

e night has d

pale-but res

her lip and the

the spell of

foot traced the

the Hag as she

scend, and her

sit on St. Sw

-Hag wings the

e, when he spe

, and she

een with King R

ng years in ba

none of his w

Lady his fa

stops as the ch

oody owl th

und, betwixt lau

e Demon who hau

he wind sunk

ng torrent ce

re dreadful tha

ey mist brought

.

ble gravity; it is but a fragment, although I think there are other verses, describing the retu

uperstition; as that of Rome, and other ancient nations, had their prodigies, sir, the which you may read in ancient histories, or in the littl

observed Rose, 'and once stood firm when a whole synod of Presbyterian

d as if desiro

in this lucid and happy state of mind was brought forth to make a clean breast, that is, to make open confession of her sorceries, before all the Whig gentry and ministers in the vicinity, who were no conjurers themselves. My father went to see fair play between the witch and the clergy; for the witch had been born on his estate. 'And while the witch was confessing that the Enemy appeared, and made his addresses to her as a handsome black man,-which, if you could have seen poor old blear-eyed Janet, reflected little honour on Apollyon's taste,-and while the auditors listened with astonishe

o have happened in the south of Scotland; but-CEDANT ARMA TOGAE-and let the gown have its dues. It was an old clergyman, who had wisdom and firmness enough to resist the panic which seized his brethren, who wa

led to a lon

le thoughts

eams, opini

, soothsays, a

ed is, as leasings

gends which it produced, closed our hero's