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.

94 WVAV ER L E Y NOVELS.
hotel which he inhabited, the messenger was despatched without loss of
time.
Nigel, who had sat almost stupified while these zealous friends volunteered
for him in arranging the measures by which his fortune was to be disembarrassed, now made another eager attempt to force upon them his broken
expressions of thanks and gratitude. But he was again silenced by Lord
HIuntinglen, who declared he would not hear a word on that topic, and proposed instead, that they should take a turn in the pleached alley, or sit upon
the stone bench which overlooked the Thames, until his son's arrival should
give the signal for dinnel.
"I desire to introduce Dalgarno and Lord Glenvarloch to each other," he
said, "as two who will be near neighbours, and I trust will be more kind
ones than their fathers were formerly. There is but three Scots miles betwixt the castles, and the turrets of the one are visible from the battlements
of the other."
The old Earl was silent for a moment, and appeared to muse upon the
recollections which the vicinity of the castles had summoned up.
" Does Lord Dalgarno follow the Court to Newmarket next week?" said
Herlot, by way of removing the conversation.
" Ile proposes so, I think," answered Lord Huntinglen, relapsed into his
reverie for a minute or two, and then addressed Nigel somewhat abruptly"My young friend, when you attain possession of your inheritance, as I
hope you soon will, I trust you will not add one to the idle followers of the
Court, but reside on your patrimonial estate, cherish your ancient tenants,
relieve and assist your poor kinsmen, protect the poor against subaltern
oppression, and do what our fathers used to do, with fewer lights and with
less means than we have."
" And yet the advice to keep the country," said IIeriot, " comes from an
ancient and constant ornament of the Court."
"From an old courtier, indeed," said the Earl, "and the first of my family
that could so write himself — my gray beard falls on a cambric ruff, and a
silken doublet -my father's descended upon a buff coat and a breastplate.
I would not that these days of battle returned; but I should love well to
make the oaks of Imy old forest of Dalgarno ring once more with halloo,
and horn, and hound, and to have the old stone-arched hall return the hearty
shout of my vassals and tenants, as the bicker and the quaigh walked their
rounds amongst them. I should like to see the broad Tay once more before
I die - not even the Thames can match it in my mind."
" Surely, my lord," said the citizen, " all this might be easily done -it
costs but a moment's resolution, and the journey of some brief days, and
you will be where you desire to be-what is there to prevent you?"
" Habits, Master Geoorge, habits," replied the Earl, " which to young men
are like threads of silk, so lightly are they worn, so soon broken; but which
hang on our old limbs as if time had stiffened them into gyves of iron. To
go to Scotland for a brief space were but labour in vain; and when I think
of abiding there, I cannot bring myself to leave my old Master, to whom I
fancy myself sometimes useful, and whose weal and wo I have shared for
so many years. But Dalgarno shall be a Scottish noble."
" Has he visited the North?" said Heriot.
"He was there last year, and made such a report of the country, that
the Prince has expressed a longing to see it."
"Lord Dalbgarno is in high grace with his Highness, and the Duke of
Bluckingham?" observed the goldsmith.
"Ie is so," answered the Earl,-" I pray it may be for the advantage of
themr all. The Prince is just and equitable in his sentiments, though cold
and stately in his manners, and very obstinate in his most trifling purposes;
and the Duke, noble and gallant, and generous and open, is fiery, ambitious,
and impetuous. Dalgarno has none of these faults, and such as he may