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.

OLD MORTALITY, 491
Burley's blood rushed to his face, giving a ruddy and dark glow to his
swarthy brow.
" You mean," he said, in a voice which he designed should not betray any
emotion-" You mean the death of James Sharpe?"
"Frankly," answered Morton, " such is my meaning."
"You imagine, then," said Burley, "that the Almighty, in times of difficulty, does not raise up instruments to deliver his church from her oppressors? You are of opinion that the justice of an execution consists, not in
the extent of the sufferer's crime, or in his having merited punishment, ox
in the wholesome and salutary effect which that example is likely to produce upon other evil-doers, but hold that it rests solely in the robe of the
judge, the height of the bench, and the voice of the doomster? Is not just
punishment justly inflicted, whether on the scaffold or the moor? And
where constituted judges, from cowardice, or from having cast in their lot
with transgressors, suffer them not only to pass at liberty through the land,
but to sit in the high places, and dye their garments in.the blood of the
saints, —is it not well done in any brave spirits who shall draw their private
swords in the public cause?"
" I have no wish to judge this individual action," replied Morton, "further
than is necessary to make you fully aware of my principles. I therefore
repeat, that the case you have supposed does not satisfy my judgment. That
the Almighty, in his mysterious providence, may bring a bloody man to an
end deservedly bloody, does not vindicate those who, without authority of
any kind, take upon themselves to be the instruments of execution, and presume to call them the executors of divine vengeance."
"And were we not so?" said Burley, in a tone of fierce enthusiasm.
"W ere not we -was not every one who owned the interests of the Covenanted Church of Scotland, bound by that covenant to cut off the Judas who
had sold the cause of God for fifty thousand merks a-year? Had we met
him by the way as he came down from London, and there smitten him with
the edge of the sword, we had done but the duty of men faithful to our cause,
and to our oaths recorded in heaven. Was not the execution itself a proof
of our warrant? Did not the Lord deliver him into our hands when we
looked out but for one or his inferior tools of persecution? Did we not pray
to be resolved how we should act, and was it not borne in on our hearts as
if it had been written on them with the point of a, diamond,' Ye shall surely
take him and slay him?' —Was not the tragedy full half an hour in acting
ere the sacrifice nwas completed, and that in an open heath, and within the
patrols of their garrisons-and yet who interrupted the great work?-What
dog so much as bayed us during the pursuit, the taking, the slaying, and the
dispersing? Then, who will say-who dare say, that a mightier arm than
ours was not herein revealed?"
"You deceive yourself, Mr. Balfour," said Morton; " such circumstances
of facility of execution and escape have often attended the commission of
the most enormous crimes. —But it is not mine to judge you. I have not
forgotten that the way was opened to the former liberation of Scotland by
an act of violence which no man can justify-the slaughter of Cumming by
the hand of Robert Bruce; and, therefore, condemning this action, as I do
and must, I am not unwilling to suppose that you may have motives vindicating it in your own eyes, though not in mine, or in those of sober reason.
I only now mention it, because I desire you to understand that I join a cause
supported by men engaged in open war, which it is proposed to carry on
according to the rules of civilized nations, without in any respect approving
of the act of violence which gave immediate rise to it."
Balfour bit his lip, and with difficulty suppressed a violent answer. I-e
perceived, with disappointment, that, upon points of principle, his young
brother-in-arms possessed a. clearness of judgment, and a firmness of mind,
which afforded but little hope of his being able to exert that degree of