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.

70 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
become the saviour of the state, by convoking a free Parliament, and by
their aid placing himself at the head of some form of liberal and established
government, which might supersede the state of anarchy, in which the
nation was otherwise likely to be merged. Taking a general view of the
totally broken condition of the Royalists, and of the various factions which
now convulsed the state, he showed how this might be done without bloodshed or violence. From this topic he descended to the propriety of keeping
up the becoming state of the Executive Government, in whose hands soever
it should be lodged, and thus showed Cromwell, as the future Stadtholder,
or Consul, or Lieutenant-General of Great Britain and Ireland, a prospect
of demesne and residence becoming his dignity. Then he naturally passed
to the disparking and destroying of the royal residences of England, made
a woful picture of the demolition which impended over Woodstock, and
interceded for the preservation of that beautiful seat, as a matter of personal
favour, in which he found himself deeply interested.
Colonel Everard, when he had finished his letter, did not find himself
greatly risen in his own opinion. In the course of his political conduct, he
had till this hour avoided mixing up personal motives with his public
grounds of action, and yet he now felt himself making such a composition.
But he comforted himself, or at least silenced this unpleasing recollection,
with the consideration, that the weal of Britain, studied under the aspect
of the times, absolutely required that Cromwell should be at the head of the
government; and that the interest of Sir Henry Lee, or rather his safety
and his existence, no less emphatically demanded the preservation of Woodstock, and his residence there. Was it a fault of his, that the same road
should lead to both these ends, or that his private interest, and that of the
country, should happen to mix in the same letter? He hardened himself,
therefore, to the act, made up and addressed his packet to the Lord-General,
and then sealed it with his seal of arms. This done, he lay back in the
chair; and, in spite of his expectations to the contrary, fell asleep in the
course of his reflections, anxious and harassing as they were, and did not
awaken until the cold grey light.of dawn was peeping through the eastern
oriel.
He started at first, rousing himself with the sensation of one who awakes
in a place unknown to him; but the localities instantly forced themselves
on his recollection. The lamp burning dimly in the socket, the wood fire
almost extinguished in its own white embers, the gloomy picture over the
chimfney-piece, the sealed packet on the table - all reminded him of the
events of yesterday, and his deliberations of the succeeding night.
" There is no help for it," he said; "it must be Cromwell or anarchy.
And probably the sense that his title, as head of the Executive Government,
is derived merely from popular consent, may check the too natural proneness of power to render itself arbitrary. If he govern by Parliaments, and
with regard to the privileges of the subject, wherefore not Oliver as well as
Charles? But I must take measures for having this conveyed safely to the
hands of this future sovereign prince. It will be well to take the first word
of influence with him, since there must be many who will not hesitate to
recommend counsels more violent and precipitate."
Ile determined to intrust the important packet to the charge of Wildrake,
whose rashness was never so distinguished, as when by any chance he was
left idle and unemployed; besides, even if his faith had not been otherwise
unimpeachable, the obligations which he owed to his friend Everard must
have rendered it'such.
These conclusions passed through Colonel Everard's mind, as, collecting
the remains of wood in the chimney, he gathered them into a hearty blaze,
to remove the uncomfortable feeling of chillness which pervaded his limbs;
and by the time he was a little more warm, again sunk into a slumber,
which was only dispelled by the beams of morning peeping into his apartment,