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.

THE FORTUNES OF NIGEL. 105
any topic which appeared particularly to jar with his habits, or principles;
and he blended his mirth and his earnest so dexterously, that it was impossible for Nigel to discover how far he was serious in his propositions, or how
far they flowed from a wild and extravagant spirit of raillery. And, ever
and anon, those flashes of spirit and honour crossed his conversation, which
seemed to intimate, that, when stirred to action by some adequate motive,
Lord Dalgarno would prove something very different from the court-haunting
and ease-loving voluptuary, which he was pleased to represent as his chosen
character.
As they returned down the river, Lord Glenvarloch remarked, that the
boat passed the mansion of Lord H-untinglen, and noticed the circumstance
to Lord Dalgarno, observing, that he thought they were to have dined there.
" Surely no," said the young nobleman, " I have more mercy on you than
to gorge you a second time with raw beef and canary wine. I propose something better for you, I promise you, than such a second Scythian festivity.
And as for my father, he proposes to dine to-day with my grave, ancient
Earl of Northampton, whilome that celebrated putter-down of pretended
prophecies, Lord Htenry Howard."*
" And do you not go with him?" said his companion.
"To what purpose?" said Lord Dalgarno. " To hear his wise lordship
speak musty politics in false Latin, which the old fox always uses, that he
may give the learned Majesty of England an opportunity of correcting his
slips of grammar? That were a rare employment!"
"Nay," said Lord Nigel, "but out of respect, to wait on my lord, your
father."
" My lord my father," replied Lord Dalgarno, "has blue-bottles enough
to wait on him, and can well dispense with such a butterfly as myself. He
can lift the cup of sack to his head without my assistance; and, should the
said paternal head turn somewhat giddy, there be men enough to guide his
right honourable lordship to his lordship's right honourable couch. -Now,
do not stare at me, Nigel, as if my words were to sink the boat with us. I
love my father- I love him dearly - and I respect him, too, though I
respect not many things; a trustier old Trojan never belted a broadsword
by a loop of leather. But what then? He belongs to the old world, I to
the new. He has his follies, I have mine; and the less either of us sees of
the other's peccadilloes, the greater will be the honour and respect- that,
I think, is the proper phrase —I say, the respect in which we shall hold
each other. Being apart, each of us is himself, such as nature and circumstances have made him; but, couple us up too closely together, you will be
sure to have in your leash either an old hypocrite or a young one, or perhaps both the one and t' other."
As he spoke thus, the boat put into the landing-place at Blackfriars.
Lord Dalgarno sprung ashore, and, flinging his cloak and rapier to his page,
recommended to his companion to do the like. "lWe are coming among
press of gallants," he said; " and, if we walk thus muffled, we shall look
like your tawney-visaged Don, who wraps him close in his cloak, to conceal
the defects of his doublet."
" I have known many an honest man do that, if it please your lordship,"
said Richie Moniplies, who had been watching for an- opportunity to intrude
himself on the conversation, and probably remembered what had been his
own condition, in respect to cloak and doublet, at a very recent period.
Lord Dalgarno stared at him, as if surprised at his assurance; but imma
* Lord Henry Howard was the second son of the poetical Earl of Surrey, and possessed considerable parte
and learning. He wrote. in the year 1583, a book called," A Defensative against the Poison of supposed Prophecies." He gained the fatvour of Queen Elizabeth, by having, he says, directed his battery against a sect
of prophets and pretended soothsayers, whoml he accounted isfesti 7-egibtus, as tle expresses it. In the last
years of the Queen. he lecamre Janles's most ardent partisan, and conducted with great pedantry, but much
intrigrue, the correspondence betwixt the Scottish King and the younger Cecil. Upon Janes's accession, he
was created Farl of Northbampton, and Lord Privy Seal. According to De Beaumont the French Ambassador,
Lord Henry Hsoward woas one of the greatest flatterers and calumniators that ever lived.