the arms which Waverley had borne in the unfortunate civil war. The whole piece was generally admired.

Men must however eat, in spite both of sentiment and vertu; and the Baron, while he assumed the lower end of the table, insisted that Lady Emily should do the honours of the head, that they might, he said, set a meet example to the young folk. After a pause of deliberation, employed in adjusting in his own brain the precedence between the presbyterian kirk and episcopal church of Scotland, he requested Mr Morton, as the stranger, would crave a blessing, observing, Mr Rubrick, who was at home, would return *thanks for the distinguished mercies it had been his lot to experience. The dinner was excellent. Sanderson attended in full costume, with all the former inferior servants, who had been collected, excepting one or two, who had not been heard of since the affair of Culloden. The cellars were stocked with wine which was pronounced to be superb, and it had been contrived that the Bear of the Fountain, in the court-yard, should (for that night only) play excellent brandy punch, for the benefit of the lower orders.

When the dinner was over, the Baron, about to propose a toast, cast somewhat a sorrowful look upon the side-board, which, however, exhibited much of his plate that had either been secreted, or purchased by neighbouring gentlemen from the soldiery, and by them gladly restored to the original owner.

<< In the late times," he said, « those must be thankful who have saved life and land; yet when

I am about to pronounce this toast, I cannot but regret an old heir-loom, Lady Emily—a poculum potatorium, Colonel Talbot»--

Here the Baron's elbow was gently touched by his Major Domo, and, turning round, he beheld, in the hands of Alexander ab Alexandro, the celebrated cup of Saint Duthac, the Blessed Bear of Bradwardine! I question if the recovery of his estate afforded him more rapture. « By my honour," he said, « one might almost believe in brownies and fairies, Lady Emily, when your ladyship is in presence.»

<< I am truly happy," said Colonel Talbot, « that, by the recovery of this piece of family antiquity, it has fallen within my power to give you some token of my deep interest in all that concerns my young friend Edward. But, that you may not suspect Lady Emily for a sorceress, or me for a conjuror, which is no joke in Scotland, I must tell you that Frank Stanley, your friend, who has been seized with a tartan fever ever since he heard Edward's tales of old Scottish manners, happened to describe to us at second hand this remarkable cup. My servant, Spontoon, who, like a true old soldier, observes every thing and says little, gave me afterwards to understand, that he thought he had seen the piece of plate Mr Stanley mentioned in the possession of a certain Mrs Nosebag, who, having been originally the helpmate of a pawnbroker, had found opportunity, during the

late unpleasant scenes in Scotland, to trade a little in her old line, and so became the depositary of the more valuable part of the spoil of half the army. You may believe the cup was speedily recovered, and it will give me very great pleasure you allow me to suppose that its value is not diminished by having been restored through my

if

means. »

A tear mingled with the wine which the Baron filled, as he proposed a cup of gratitude to Colonel Talbot, and « The Prosperity of the united houses of Waverley - Honour and Bradwardine! »

It only remains for me to say, that as no wish was ever uttered with more affectionate sincerity, there are few which, allowing for the necessary mutability of human events, have been, upon the whole, more happily fulfilled.

CHAPTER XXV.

A Postscript, which should have been a Prefucé.

OUR journey is now finished, gentle reader; and your patience has accompanied me through. these sheets, the contract is, on your part, strictly fulfilled. Yet, like the driver who has received his full hire, I still linger near you, and make, with becoming diffidence, a trifling“ additional claim upon your bounty and good nature. You are as free, however, to shut the volume of the one petitioner, as to close your door in the face of the other.

This should have been a prefatory chapter, but for two reasons: First, that most novel readers, as my own conscience reminds me, are apt to be guilty of the sin of omission respecting that same matter of prefaces. Secondly, that it is a general custom with that class of students, to begin with the last chapter of a work; so that, after all these remarks, being introduced last in order, have still the best chance to be read in their proper place.

There is no European nation, which, within the course of half a century, or little more, has undergone so complete a change as this kingdom of Scotland. The effects of the insurrection of 1745,—the destruction of the patriarchal power of the Highland chiefs,—the abolition of the heritable jurisdictions of the Lowland nobility and barons, -the total eradication of the Jacobite party, which, averse to intermingle with the English, or adopt their customs, long continued to pride themselves upon maintaining ancient Scottish manners and customs,-commenced this innovation. The gradual influx of wealth, and extension of cominerce, have since united to render the present people of Scotland a class of beings as different from their grandfathers, as the existing English are from those of Queen Elizabeth's time. The political and economical effects of these changes have been traced by Lord Selkirk with great precision and accuracy. But the change, though steadily and rapidly progressive, has, nevertheless, been gradual; and, like those who drift down the stream of a deep and smooth river, we are not aware of the progress we have made until we fix our eye on the now-distant point from which we have been drifted. Such of the present generation as can recollect the last twenty or twenty-five years of the eighteenth century, will be fully sensible of the truth of this statement; especially if their acquaintance and connexions lay among those, who, in my younger