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.

80 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
ignorance at least, with mnore assurance than knowledge - was very arbitarry in laying down and asserting his opinions, and mixed the terms of
science with a strange jargon of mysticism. A simple youth whispered
me that he was an illuZinin, and carried on an intercourse with the invisible
world."
"0, the same - the same. He has enough of practical knowledge to
speak scholarly and wisely to those of whose intelligence he stands in awe;
and, to say the truth, this faculty, joined to his matchless impudence, illm
posed upon me for some time when I first knew him. But I have since
understood, that when he is among fools and womankind, he exhibits himself as a perfect charlatan -talks of the magisteriurn- of sympathies and
antipathies - of the cabala - of the divining rod - and all the trumpery
with which the Rosycrucians cheated a darker age, and which, to our
eternal disgrace, has in some degree revived in our own. My friend
Heavysterne knew this fellow abroad, and unintentionally (for he, you
must know, is, God bless the mark!' a sort of believer) let me into a good
deal of his real character. Ah! were I caliph for a day, as Honest Abon
Hassan wished to be, I would scourge me these jugglers out of the commonwealth with rods of scorpions. They debauch the spirit of the
ignorant'and credulous with mystical trash, as effectually as if they had
besotted their brains with gin, and then pick their pockets with the same
facility. And now has this strolling blackguard and mountebank put the
finishing blow to the ruin of an ancient and honourable family i"
"But how could he impose upon Sir Arthur to any ruinous extent?"
"'Why, I don't know. Sir Arthur is a good, honourable gentleman;
but, as you may see from his loose ideas concerning the Pikish language,
he is by no means very strong in the understanding. His estate is strictly
entailed, and he has been always an embarrassed man. This rapparee
promised him mountains of wealth, and an English company was found to
advance large sums of money — I fear on Sir Arthur's guarantee. Some
gentlemen-I was ass enough to be one-took small shares in the concern,
and Sir Arthur himself made great outlay; we were trained on by specious
appearances and more specious lies; and now, like John Bunyan, we
awake, and behold it is a dream!"
"I am surprised that you, Mr. Oldbuck, should have encouraged Sir
Arthur by your example."
"Why," said Oldbuck, dropping his large grizzled eyebrow, "I nam
something surprised and ashamed at it myself;' it was not the lucre of
gain-nobody cares less for money (to be a prudent man) than I do-but I
thought I might risk this small sum. It will be expected (though I am
sure I cannot see why) that I should give something to any one who will
be kind enough to rid me of that slip of womankind, my niece, Mary
M'Intyre; and perhaps it may be thought I should do something to get
that jackanupes, her brother, on in the army. In either case, to treble my
venture, would have helped. me out. And besides, I had some idea that
the Phcenicians had in former times wrought copper in that very spot.
That cunning scoundrel, Dousterswivel, found out my blunt side, and
brought strange tales (d —n him) of appearances of old shafts, and vestiges
of mining operations, conducted in a manner quite different from those of
modern times; and I-in short, I was a fool, and there is an end. My loss
is not much worth speaking about; but Sir Arthur's engagements are, I
understand, very deep, and my heart aches for him,- and the poor young
lady who must share his distress."
Here the conversation paused, until renewed in the next chapter.