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.

22.WAVERLEY NOVELS,
booth, to the aforesaid sharp-witted, active, able-bodied, and well-voiced
apprentices, namely, Jenkin Vincent and Frank Tunstall.
VinceirthIad been educated at the excellent foundation of Christ's-Church
Hospital, and wsI..bred, therefore, as well as born, a Londoner, with all the
acuteness, address, and audacity, which belong peculiarly to the youth of a
metropolis. He was now about twenty years old, short in stature, but remarkably strong made, eminent for his feats upon holidays at foot-ball, and
other gymnastic exercises; scarce rivalled in the broadsword play, though
hitherto only exercised in the form of single-stick. He knew every lane,
blind-alley, and sequestered court of the ward, better than his Catechism;
was alike active in his master's affairs, and in his own adventures of fun
and mischief; and so managed matters, that the credit he acquired by the
former bore him out, or at least served for his apology, when the latter propensity led him into scrapes; of which, however, it is but fair to state, that
they had hitherto inferred nothing mean or discreditable. Some aberrations
there were, which David Ramsay, his master, endeavoured to reduce to
regular order when he discovered them, and others which he winked atsupposing them to answer the purpose of the escapement of a watch, which
disposes of a certain quantity of the extra power of that mechanical impulse
which puts the whole in motion.
The physiognomy of Jin Vin-by which abbreviation he was familiarly
known through the ward-corresponded with the sketch we have given of
his character. His head, upon which his'prentice's flat cap was generally
flung in a careless and oblique fashion, was closely covered with thick hair
of raven black, which curled naturally and closely, and would have grown
to great length, but for the modest custom enjoined by his state of life, and
strictly enforced by his master, which compelled him to keep it short-cropped
-not unreluctantly, as he looked with envy on the flowing ringlets in which
the courtiers, and aristocratic students of the neighbouring Temple, began
to indulge themselves, as marks of superiority and of gentility. Vincent's
eyes were deep set in his head, of a strong vivid black, full of fire, roguery,
and intelligence, and conveying a humorous expression, even while he was
uttering the usual small-talk of his trade, as if he ridiculed those who were
disposed to give any weight to his commonplaces. lie had address enough,
however, to add little touches of his own, which gave a turn of drollery even
to this ordinary routine of the booth; and the alacrity of his manner-his
ready and obvious wish to oblige - his intelligence and civility, when he
thought civility necessary, made him a universal favourite with his master's
customers. His features were far from regular, for his nose was flattish, his
mouth tending to the larger size, and his complexion inclining to be more.dark than was then thought consistent with masculine beauty. But, in
despite of his having always breathed the air of a crowded city, his complexion had the ruddy and manly expression of redundant health; his
turned-up nose gave an air of spirit and raillery to what he said, and seconded the laugh of his eyes; and his wide mouth was garnished with a
pair of well-formed and well-coloured lips, which, when he laughed, disclosed a range of teeth strong and well set, and as white as the very pearl.
Such was the elder apprentice of David Ramsay, Memory's Monitor, watchmaker, and constructor of horologes, to his Most Sacred Majesty, James I.
Jenkin's companion was the younger apprentice, though, perhaps, he
might be the elder of the two in years. At any rate, he was of a much
more staid and composed temper. Francis Tunstall was of that ancient
and proud descent who claimed the style of the " unstained;" because, amid
the various chances of the long and bloody wars of the Roses, they had,
with undeviating faith, followed the House of Lancaster, to which they had
originally attached themselves. The meanest sprig of such a tree attached
importance to the root from which it derived itself; and Tunstall was supposed to nourish in secret a proportion of that family pride, which had