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.

334 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
was precisely the point which he would have given worlds to arrive at, but
which he saw no chance of at-taining.
It is too well known, that those whose families arxe long pursued by such
a fatal disease as existed in his, become, it may be said, superstitious respecting its fatal effects, and ascribe to place, circumstance, and individual care,
much more perhaps than these can in any case contribute to avert the
fatality of constitutional distemper. Lady Peveril was aware that this was
peculiarly the impression of her neighbour; that the depression of his
spirits, the excess of his care, the feverishness of his apprehensions, the
restraint and gloom of the solitude in which he dwelt, were really calculated
to produce the evil which most of all he dreaded. She pitied him, she felt
for him, she was grateful for former protection received at his hands -she
had become interested in the child itself. What female fails to feel such
interest in the helpless creature she has tended? And to sum the whole up,
the dame had a share of human vanity; and being a sort of Lady Bountiful
in her way, (for the character was not then confined to the old and the foolish,) she was proud of the skill by which she had averted the probable
attacks of hereditary malady, so inveterate in the fanmily of Bridgenorth.
It needed not, perhaps, in other cases, that so many reasons should be
assigned for an act of neighbourly humanity; but civil war had so lately
torn the country asunder, and broken all the usual ties of vicinage and good
neighbourhood, that it was unusual to see them preserved among persons of
different political opinions.
Major Bridgenorth himself felt this; and while the tear of joy in his eye
showed how gladly he would accept Lady Peveril's proposal, he could not
help stating the obvious inconveniences attendant upon her scheme, though
it was in the tone of one who would gladly hear them overruled. " Madam,"
he said, "your kindness makes me the happiest and most-thankful of men;
but can it be consistent with your, own convenience? Sir Geoffrey has
his opinions on many points, which have differed, and probably do still
differ, from mine. He is high-born, and I of middling parentage only.
He uses the Church Service, and I the Catechism of the Assembly of Divines at Westminster — "
"I hope you will find prescribed in neither of them," said the Lady
Peveril, "that I may not be a mother to your motherless child. I trust,
Master Bridgenorth, the joyful Restoration of his Majesty, a work wrought
by the direct hand of Providence, may be the means of closing and healing
all civil and religious dissensions among us, and that, instead of showing
the superior purity of our faith, by persecuting those who think otherwise
fiom ourselves on doctrinal points, we shall endeavour to show its real
Christian tendency, by emulating each other in actions of good-will towards
man, as the best way of showing our love to God."
"Your ladyship speaks what your own kind heart dictates," answered
Bridgenorth, who had his own share of the narrow-mindedness of the time;
"and sure am I, that if all who call themselves loyalists and cavaliers,
thought like you - and like my friend Sir Geoffrey," -(this he added after
a moment's pause, being perhaps rather complimentary than sincere) —" we,
who thought it our duty in time past to take arms for freedom of conscience, and against arbitrary power, might now sit down in peace and contentment. But I wot not how it may fall. You have sharp and hot spirits
amongst you; I will not say our power was always moderately used, and
revenge is sweet to the race of fallen Adam."
"Come, Master Bridgenorth," said the Lady Peveril, gaily, "these evil
omenings do but point out conclusions, which, unless they were so anticipated, are most unlikely to come to pass. You know what Shakspeare'To fly the boar before the boar pursues,
Were to ilcense the bhoar to follow us,
And make pursuit when he did mean no chase.'