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.

ROB ROY. 161
and a naked Craig, wi' a burn jawing ower't, is unto him as a garden garnisht with flowering knots and choice pot-herbs. Then he wad rather
claver wi' a-daft quean they ca' Diana Vernon (weel I wot they might ca'
her Diana of the Ephesians, for she's little better than: a heathen - better?
she's waur - a Roman, a mere Roman) - he'll claver wi' her, or any ither
idle slut, rather than hear what might do him gude a' the days of his life,
frae you or me, Mr. Hammorgaw, or ony ither sober and sponsible person.
Reason, sir, is what he canna endure -he's a' for your vanities and volubilities; and he ance tell'd me (puir blinded creature!) that the Psalms of
David were excellent poetry! as if the holy Psalmist thought o' rattling
rhymes in a blether, like his ain silly clinkum-clankum things that he ca's
verse. Gude help him! - twa lines o' Davie Lindsay would ding a' he ever
clerkit."
While listening to this perverted account of my temper and studies, you
will not be surprised if I meditated for Mr. Fairservice the unpleasant
surprise of' a broken pate on the first decent opportunity. His friend only
intimated his attention by "Ay, ay!" and " Is't e'en sae?" and suchlike
expressions of interest, at the proper breaks in Mr. Fairservice's haraingue,
until at length, in answer to some observation of greater length, the import
of which I only collected from my trusty guide's reply, honest Andrew answered, " Tell him a bit o' my mind, quoth ye? Wha wad be fule then but
Andrew? Ile's a red-wud deevil, ma - He's like Giles Heathertap's auld
boar;- ye need but shake a clout at him to make him turn and gore. Bide
wi' him, say ye?- Troth, I kenna what for I bide wi' him mysell. But the
lad's no a bad lad after a'; and he needs some carefu' body to look after
him. Ie hasna the right grip o' his hand — the gowd slips through't like
water, man; and it's no that ill a thing to be near him when his purse is
in his hand, and it's seldom out o't. And then he's come o' guid kith and
kin - My heart warnis to the poor thoughtless callant, Mr. Hammorgaw -
and then the penny fee"
In the latter part of this instructive communication, Mr. Fairservice
lowered his voice to a tone better beseeming the conversation in a place of
public resort on a Sabbath evening, and his companion and he were soon
beyond my hearing. My feelings of hasty resentment soon subsided, under
the conviction that, as Andrew himself might have said, "A hearkener
always hears a bad tale of himself," and that whoever should happen to
overhear their character discussed in their own servants'-hall, must prepare
to undergo the scalpel of some such anatomist as Mr. Fairservice. The
incident was so far useful, as, including the feelings to which it gave rise,
it sped away a part of the time which hung so heavily on my hand.
Evening had now closed, and the growing darkness gave to the broad,
still, and deep expanse of the brimful river, first a hue sombre and uniform
— then a dismal and turbid appearance, partially lighted by a waning and
pallid moon. The massive and ancient bridge which stretches across the
Clyde, was now but dimly visible, and resembled that which Mirza, in his
unequalled vision, has described as traversing the valley of Bagdad. The
low-browed arches, seen as imperfectly as the dusky current which they
bestrode, seemed rather caverns which swallowed up the gloomy waters of
the river, than apertures contrived for their passage. With the advancing
night the stillness of the scene increased. There was yet a twinkling light
occasionally seen to glide along by the stream, which conducted home one
or two of the small parties, who, after the abstinence and religious duties
of the day, had partaken of a social supper -the only meal at which the
rigid Presbyterians made some advance to sociality on the Sabbath. Occasionally, also, the hoofs of a horse were heard, whose rider, after spending
the Sunday in Glasgow, was directing his steps towards his residence in the
country. These sounds and sights became gradually of more rare occur,
rence; at length they altogether ceased, and I was left to enjoy my solitary
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