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 FORTUNES OF NIGEL. 57
hle was a fighting fule, man, —a mere fighting fule,-got himsell ta'en at
Pavia, like our ain David at Durham lang syne; —if they could hae sent
him Solomon's wit, and love of peace, and godliness, they wad hae dune
him a better turn. But Solomon should sit in other gate company thaa
Francis of France."
" I trust that such will be his good fortune," said Heriot.
"It is a curious and vera artificial sculpture," said the King, in continuation; "but yet, methinks, the carnifex, or executioner there, is brandishing his gulley ower near the King's face, seeing he is within reach of his
weapon. I think less wisdom than Solomon's wad have taught him that
there was danger in edge-tools, and that he wad have bidden the smlaik
either sheath his shabble, or stand farther back."
George IHeriot endeavoured to alleviate this objection, by assuring the
King that the vicinity betwixt Solomon and the executioner was nearer in
appearance than in reality, and that the perspective should be allowed for.
"'Gang to the deil wi' your prospective, man," said the King; "there
canna be a waur prospective for a lawfu' king, wha wishes to reign in luve,
and die in peace and honour, than to have naked swords flashing in his
een. I am accounted as brave as maist folks; and yet I profess to ye I
could never look on a bare blade without blinking and winking. But a'thegither it is a brave piece;-and what is the price of it, man?"
The gohismith replied by observing, that it was not his own property, but
that of a distressed countryman.
" Whilk you mean to mak your excuse for asking the double of its worth,
I warrant?" answered the King. "I ken the tricks of you burrows-town
merchants, man."
"I have no hopes of baffling your Majesty's sagacity," said Heriot; " the
piece is really what I say, and the price a hundred and fifty pounds sterling,
if it pleases your Majesty to make present payment."
" A hundred and fifty punds, man! and as mony witches and warlocks
to raise them i" said the irritated Monarch. " My saul, Jingling Geordie,
ye are minded that your purse shall jingle to a bonny tune!-H-1ow am I to
tell you down a hundred and fifty punds for what will not weigh as many
merks? and ye ken that my very household servitors, and the officers of my
mouth, are sax months in arrear!"
The goldsmith stood his ground against all this objurgation, being what
he was well accustomed to, and only answered, that, if his Majesty liked
the piece, and desired to possess it, the price could be easily settled. It was
true that the party required the money, but he, George ]ileriot, would advance it on his Majesty's account, if such were his pleasure, and wait his
royal conveniency for payment, for that and other matters; the money,
meanwhile, lying at the ordinary usage.
"By my honour," said James, " and that is speaking like an honest and
reasonable tradesman. We maun get another subsidy frae the Commons,
and that will make ae compting of it. Awa wi' it, Maxwell — awa wi' it,
and let it be set where Steenie and Babie Charles shall see it as they return
from Richmond.-And now that we are secret, my good auld friend Geordie,
I do truly opine, that speaking of Solomon and ourselves, the haill wisdom
in the country left Scotland, when we took our travels to the Southland
here."
George Iferiot was courtier enough to say, that "the wise naturally follow
the wisest, as stags follow their leader."
"Troth, I think there is something in what thou sayest," said James;
"for we ourselves, and those of our court and household, as thou thyself,
for example, are allowed by the English, for as self-opinioned as they are,
to pass for reasonable good wits; but the brains of those we have left behind are all astir, and run clean hirdie-girdie, like sace mony warlocks arnd
witch'es on the Devil's Sabbath-e'en."