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.

TIE ANTIQUARY. 32
but from his substitute, his clerk, his wife, and his two daughters, who
formed his privy council on all questions of official duty.
All these particulars being faithfully reported by Mr. Caxon to his patron
at Maonkbarns, tended much to raise Lovel in the opinion of his former
fellow-traveller. "A decent sensible lad," said he to himself, "who scorns
to enter into the fooleries and nonsense of these idiot people at Fairport.I must do something for him-I must give him a dinner; —and I will write
Sir Arthur to come to Monkbarns to meet him. I must consult my womankind."
Accordingly, such consultation having been previously held, a special
messenger, being no other than Caxon himself, was ordered to prepare for
a walk to Knockwinnock Castle with a letter, " For the honoured Sir Arthur
Wardour, of Knockwinnock, Bart." The contents ran thus:
"DEAR SIR ARTHUR,
"On Tuesday the 17th curt. stilo rovo, I hold a cenobitical symposion at
Monkbarns, and pray you to assist thereat, at four o'clock precisely. If
my fair enemy, Miss Isabel, can and will honour us by accompanying you,
my womankind will be but too proud to have the aid of such an auxiliary
in the cause of awful rule and right supremacy. If not, I will send the
womankind to the manse for the day. I have a young acquaintance to
make known to you, who is touched with some strain of a better spirit than
belongs to these giddy-paced times - reveres his elders, and has a pretty
notion of the classics-and, as such a youth must have a natural contempt
for the people about Fairport, I wish to show him some rational as well as
worshipful society.-I am, Dear Sir Arthur, &c. &c. &c."
"Fly -with this letter, Caxon," said the senior, holding out his missive,
signatlum aique sigillatum, "fly to Knockwinnock, and bring me back an
answer. Go as fast as if the town-council were met and waiting for the
provost, and the provost was waiting for his new-powdered wig."
"Ah sir," answered the messenger, with a deep sigh, "thae days hae
lang gane by. Deil a wig has a provost of Fairport worn sin' auld Provost
Jervie's time-and he had a quean of a servant-lass who dressed it hersell,
wi' the doup o' a candle and a drudging-box. But I hae seen the day,
Monkbarns, when the town-council of Fairport wad hae as soon wanted
their town-clerk, or their gill of brandy ower-head after the haddies, as they
wad hae wanted ilk ane a weel-fiavoured, sonsy, decent periwig on his pow.
Hegh, sir i nae wonder the commons will be discontent and rise against the
law, when they see magistrates and bailies, and deacons, and the provost
himsell, wi' heads as bald and as bare as ane o' my blocks!"
"And as well furnished within, Caxon. But away with you i-you have
an excellent view of public affairs, and, I dare say, have touched the cause
of our popular discontent as closely as the provost could have done himself.
But away with you, Caxon!"
And off went Caxon upon his walk of three miles -
He hobbled - but his heart was good
Could he go faster than he could --
While he is engaged in his journey and return, it may not be impertinent
to inform the reader to whose mansion he was bearing his embassy.
We have said that Mr. Oldbuck kept little company with the surrounding
gentlemen, excepting with one person only. This was Sir Arthur Wardour,.a baronet of ancient descent, and of a large but embarrassed fortune. His
father, Sir Anthony, had been a Jacobite, and had displayed all the enthusiasm of that party, while it could be served with words only. No man
squeezed the orange with more significant gesture; no one could more dexterously intimate a dangerous health without coming under the penal
statutes; and, above all, none drank success to the cause more deeply and
devoutly. But, on the approach of the Highland army in 1745, it would
YOL. II.-3