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 HEART OF MID-LOTHIAN. 569
cure of souls at Knocktarlitie, with stipend, manse, glebe, and all thereunto
appertaining.
The best and most upright-minded men are so strongly influenced by
existing circumstances, that it would be somewhat cruel to inquire too
nearly what weight paternal affection gave to these ingenious trains of
reasoning. Let David Deans's situation be considered. He was just deprived of one daughter, and his eldest, to whom he owed so much, was cut
off, by the sudden resolution of Dumbiedikes, from the high hope which
David had entertained, that she might one day be mistress of that fair lordship. Just while this disappointment was bearing heavy on his spirits,
Butler comes before his imagination-no longer the half-starved threadbare
usher, but fat and sleek and fair, the beneficed minister of Knocktarlitie,
beloved by his congregation - exemplary in his life - powerful in his doctrine-doing the duty of the kirk as never Highland minister did beforeturning sinners as a colley dog turns sheep - a favourite of the Duke of
Argyle, and drawing a stipend of eight hundred punds Scots, and four chalders of victual. Here was a match, making up, in David's mind, in a tenfold degree, the disappointment in the case of Dumbiedikes, in so far as the
Goodman of St. Leonard's held a powerful minister in much greater admiration than a mere landed proprietor. It did not occur to him, as an additiotnal reason in favour of the match, that Jeanie might herself have some
choice in the matter; for the idea of consulting her feelings never once
entered into the honest man's head, any more than the possibility that her
inclination might perhaps differ from his own.
The result of his meditations was, that he was called upon to take the
management of the whole affair into his own hand, and give, if it should be
found possible without sinful compliance, or backsliding,, or defection of
any kind, a worthy pastor to the kirk of Knocktarlitie. Accordingly, by the
intervention of the honest dealer in butter-milk who dwelt in Libberton,
David summoned to his presence Reuben Butler. Even from this worthy
messenger he was unable to conceal certain swelling emotions of dignity,
insomuch, that, when the carter had communicated his message to the usher,
he added, that " Certainly the Gudeman of St. Leonard's had some grand
news to tell him, for he was as uplifted as a midden-cock upon pattens."
Butler, it may readily be conceived, immediately obeyed the summons.
He was a plain character, in which worth and good sense and simplicity
were the principal ingredients; but love, on this occasion, gave him a certain degree of address. He had received an intimation of the favour designed him by the Duke of Argyle, with what feelings those only can
conceive, who have experienced a sudden prospect of being raised to independence and respect, from penury and toil. He resolved, however, that
the old man should retain all the consequences of being, in his own opinion,
the first to communicate the important intelligence. At the same time, he
also'determined that in the expected conference he would permit David
Deans to expatiate at length upon the proposal, in all its bearings, without
irritating him either by interruption or contradiction. This last was the:
most prudent plan he could have adopted; because, although there were
many doubts which David Deans could himself clear up to his own satisfaction, yet he might have been by no means disposed to accept the solution
of any other person; and to engage him in an argument would have been
certain to confirm him at once and for ever in the opinion which Butler
chanced to impugn.
He received his friend with an appearance of important gravity, which
real misfortune had long compelled him to lay aside, and which belonged
to, those days of awful authority in which he predominated over Widow Butler, and dictated the mode of cultivating the crofts of Beersheba. He made
known to Reuben, with great prolixity, the prospect of his changing his
present residence for the charge of the Duke of Argyle's stock-farm in Dum.
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