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.

486 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
"Mr. Richard Middlemas," said Hartley, " I wish it were possible for me
to tell you, in the few words which I intend to bestow on you, whether I
pity you or despise you, the most. Heaven has placed happiness, competence, and content within your power, and you are willing to cast them away,
to gratify ambition and avarice.'Were I to give any advice on this subject
either to Dr. Gray or his daughter, it would be to break of all connexion
with a man, who, however clever by nature, may soon show himself a fool,
and however honestly brought up, may also, upon temptation, prove himself a villain.-You may lay aside the sneer, which is designed to be a sarcastic smile. I will not attempt to do this, because I am convinced that
my advice would be of no use, unless it could come unattended with suspicion of my motives. I will hasten my departure fiom this house, that we
may not meet again; and I will leave it to God Almighty to protect honesty
and innocence against the dangers which must attend vanity and folly."
So saying, he turned contemptuously from the youthful votary of ambition,
and left the garden.
" Stop," said Middlemas, struck with the picture which had been held up
to his conscience -" Stop, Adam Hartley, and I will confess to you"But his words were uttered in a faint and hesitating manner, and either
never reached Hartley's ear, or failed in changing his purpose of departure.
When he was out of the garden, Middlemas began to recall his usual
boldness of disposition -" Had he staid a moment longer," he said, " I
would have turned Papist, and made him my ghostly confessor. The yeomanly churl'!-I would give something to know how he has got such a
hank over me. What are Menie Gray's engagements to him? She has
given him his answer, and what right has he to come betwixt her and me?
If old Monqada had done a grandfather's duty, and made suitable settlements on me, this plan of marrying the sweet girl, and settling here in her
native place, might have done well enough. But to live the life of the poor
drudge her father-to be at the command and call of every boor for
twenty miles round! -why, the labours of a higgler, who travels scores of
miles to barter pins, ribbons, snuff and tobacco, against the housewife's
private stock of eggs, mort-skins, and tallow, is more profitable, less laborious, and faith I think, equally respectable. No, no, -unless I can find
wealth nearer home, I will seek it where every one can have it for the
gathering; and so I will down to the Swan Inn, and hold a final consultation with my friend."
~ laptr tltr iftl.
THE friend whom Middlemas expected to meet at the Swan, was a person
already mentioned in this history by the name of Tom HIillary, bred an
attorney's clerk in the ancient town of Novum Castrum - doctus utriusque
juris, as far as a few months in the service of Mr. Lawford, Town-clerk of
Middlemas, could render him so. The last mention that we made of this
gentleman, was when his gold-laced hat veiled its splendour before the
fresher mounted beavers of the'prentices of Dr. Gray. That was now about
five years since, and it was within six months that he had made his appearance in Middlemas, a very different sort of personage from that which he
seemed at his departure.
IHe was now called Captain; his dress was regimental, and his language
martial. IIe appeared to have plenty of cash, for he not only, to the great
surprise of the parties, paid certain old debts, which he had left unsettled