The Waverley novels, by Sir Walter Scott, complete in 12 vol., printed from the latest English ed., embracing the author's last corrections, prefaces & notes.

THlE ANTIQUAItY. 113
It would be doing injustice to Miss Wardour's savoir faire, to suppose
she was not aware that such a question would lead to an answer of no
limited length. The Antiquary, starting like a war-horse at the trumpet
sound, plunged at once into the various arguments for and against the date
of 1273, which had been assigned to the priory of St. Ruth by a late publication on Scottish architectural antiquities. He raked up the names of
all the priors who had ruled the institution, of the nobles who had bestowed
lands upon it, and of the monarchs who had slept their last sleep among
its roofless courts. As a train which takes fire is sure to light another, if
there be such in the vicinity, the Baronet, catching at the name of one of
his ancestors which occurred in Oldbuck's disquisition, entered upon an
account of his wars, his conquests, and his trophies; and worthy Dr. Blattergowl was induced, from the mention of a grant of lands, curn dectitis
inclusis ta??c vicariis quam garbalibus, et nzuquacm arntea separatis, to enter
into a long explanation concerning the interpretation given by the Teind.
Court in the consideration of such a clause, which had occurred in a
process for localling his last augmentation of stipend. The orators, like
three racers, each pressed forward to the gaol, without much regarding
how each crossed and jostled his competitors. Mr. Oldbuck harangued,
the Baronet declaimed, Mr. Blattergowl prosed and laid down the law,
while the Latin forms of feudal grants were mingled with the jargon of
blazonry, and the yet more barbarous phraseology of the Teind Court of
Scotland. " He was," exclaimed Oldbuck, speaking of the Prior Adhemar,
"indeed an exemplary prelate; and, from his strictness of morals, rigid
execution of penance, joined to the charitable disposition of his mind, and
the infirmities endured by his great age and ascetic habits"
Here he chanced to cough, and Sir Arthur burst in, or rather continued"w4as called popularly Hell-in-Harness; he carried a shield, gules with a
sable fess, which we have since disused, and was slain at the battle of
Vernoil, in France, after killing six of the English with his own"
" Decreet of certification," proceeded the clergyman, in that prolonged,
steady, prosing tone, which, however overpowered at first by the vehemence
of competition, promised, in the long run, to obtain the ascendancy in this
strife of narrators; —" Decreet of certification having gone out, and parties
being held as confessed, the proof seemed to be held as concluded, when
their lawyer moved to have it opened up, on the allegation that they had
witnesses to bring forward, that they had been in the habit of carrying the
ewes to lamb on the teilcl-free land; which was a mere evasion, for"But here the Baronet and Mr. Oldbuck having recovered their wind, and
continued their respective harangues, the three strandcs of the conversation,
to speak the language of a rope-work, were again twined together into one
undistinguishable string of confusion.
Yet howsoever uninteresting this piebald jargon might seem, it was
obviously Miss W5ardour's purpose to give it her attention, in preference to
yielding Captain M'Intyre an opportunity of renewing their private con
versation. So that after waiting for a little time with displeasure, ill concealed by his haughty features, he left her to enjoy her bad taste, and taking
his sister by the arm, detained her a little behind the rest of the party.
"So I find, Mary, that your neighbour has neither become more lively
nor less learned during my absence."
" We lacked your patience and wisdom to instruct us, Hector."
" Thank you, my dear sister. But you have got a wiser, if not so lively
an addition to your society, than your unworthy brother-Pray, who is this
Mr. Lovel, whom our old uncle has at once placed so high in his good
graces? —,he does not use to be so accessible to strangers."
" Mr. Lovel, Hector, is a very gentleman-like young man."
"Ay, -that is to say, he bows when he comes into a room, and wears a
coat that is whole at the elbows.
Von. II -8 K 2