of property. The Hall itself, a large antiquated edifice, peeped out from a druidical grove of huge oaks, just rose in the distant prospect of the young visitor of the house of his forefathers, and occasioned a desire to reach it more speedily than was agreeable to his tired steed, when a vision passed, that interrupted his reflections. This was a young lady,* the loveliness of whose very striking features was enhanced by the animation of the chase and the glow of the exercise-mounted on a beautiful horse, jet black, unless where he was flecked by spots of the snow-white foam which embossed his bridle. She wore a coat, vest, and hat, resembling those of a man, which fashion has since called a riding-habit: her long black hair streamed in the breeze, having in the hurry of the chase escaped from the ribbon that bound it. Some broken ground, through which she guided her horse with the most admirable address and presence of mind, retarded her course, and served as an apology to Frank Osbaldistone for riding up to the fair Amazon, and making a tender of his assistance; a proposal acknowledged by a smile, that encouraged him to put his horse to the same pace, and keep in the immediate neighbourhood of the fair huntress, until she was able to recover her companions in the chase. They crossed the stream which divided the little valley, when the headmost hounds, followed by the rest of the pack in full cry, burst from the coppice, followed by the huntsman, and three or four riders. The dogs pursued the trace of reynard with unerring instinct; and the hunters followed with reckless haste, regardless of the broken and difficult nature of the ground. They were tall, stout young men, well-mounted, and dressed in green and red, the uniform of a sporting association formed under the auspices of old Sir Hildebrand Osbaldistone. My cousins, thought Frank, as they swept past. His next reflection was, what kind of recreation he was likely to find amongst these sons of Nimrod? and how improbable it was, that he, knowing nothing of rural sports, should find himself at ease, or happy in his uncle's family. These sombre reflections were interrupted by the appearance of Miss Vernon, whose conclusion as to the place in society to which his cousins were entitled, may be ascertained from her character of Thornie. "There he goes, the prince of grooms and cockfighters, and blackguard horse-coursers." The Miss Vernon of real life, whose animated portrait our author has painted in this novel, was a scion of the noble house of Cranstoun, and sister of one of the most eminent of the lords of the session. She married the Austrian Count Purgshall, and never revisited her native country after, though she seems up to the last moment of her existence to have been impressed with the strongest attachment for the land of her fathers, as well as for the circle of early friends she left behind. FRANK OSBALDISTONE'S UNEXPECTED VISIT TO SQUIRE INGLEWOOD. [Rob Roy, Vol. I. p. 114. "Tired of waiting for some one to announce me, and finding my situation as a listener rather awkward, I (Frank Osbaldistone) presented myself to the company just as my friend Mr. Morris, for such it seems was his name, was uplifting the fifth stave of his doleful ballad. The high tone, with which the tune started, died away in a quaver of consternation, on finding himself so near one whose character he supposed to be little less suspicious than that of the hero of his madrigal, and he remained silent, with a mouth gaping, as if I had brought the Gorgon's head in my hand. The justice, (Squire Inglewood,) whose eyes had closed under the influence of the somniferous lullaby of the song, started up in his chair as it suddenly ceased, and stared with wonder at the unexpected addition which the company had received while his organs of sight were in abeyance. Mr. Jobson was also commoved, for, sitting opposite to Mr. Morris, that honest gentleman's tenor communicated itself to him, though he wotted not why." FRAY IN JEANIE MAC ALPINE'S PUBLIC-HOUSE. [Rob Roy, Vol. II. p. 170. "I (Frank Osbaldistone) put myself in a posture of defence, and, aware of the superiority of my weapon, a rapier or small sword, was little afraid of the issue of the contest. The Bailie behaved with unexpected mettle: as he saw the gigantic Highlander about to confront him with his weapon drawn, he tugged for a second or two at the hilt of his shabble, as he called it; but finding it loth to quit the sheath, to which it had long been secured by rust and disuse, he seized, as a substitute, on the red-hot coulter of a plough, which had been employed in arranging the fire by way of a poker, and brandished it with such effect, that at the first pass he set the Highlander's plaid on fire, and compelled him to keep a respectful distance, till he could get it extinguished. Andrew Fairservice, who ought to have faced the Lowland champion, vanished at the very commencement of the fray; but his antagonist, crying fair play! seemed courteously disposed to take no share in the scuffle. Osbaldistone's aim was to possess himself of his antagonist's weapon, but he declined from closing with him through fear of a dirk which he held in his left hand. The Bailie, notwithstanding the success of his first onset, was sorely bested. The weight of his weapon, the corpulence of his person, the very effervescence of his own passion, were rapidly exhausting his strength and his breath, and he was almost at the mercy of his antagonist, when up started the sleeping Highlander, with his naked sword and target in his hand, and threw himself between the discomfited magistrate and his assailant, exclaiming, Her nainsell has eaten the town bread at the cross o' Glasgow, and by her troth sh'll fight for Bailie Sharvie at the clachan of Aberfoil."" 6 THE PASS OF ABERFOIL. ،، ، Woe to the vanquished !' was stern Brenno's word, "The attack which he (Captain Thornton) meditated, was pected apparition of a female upon the summit of the rock. THE GAULLIAD. [Rob Roy, Vol. II. p. 211. prevented by the unexStand!' she said, with She might a commanding tone, and tell me what ye seek in Mac Gregor's country?' "I have seldom seen a finer or more commanding form than this woman. be between the term of forty and fifty years, and had a countenance which must once have been of a masculine cast of beauty: though now imprinted with deep lines by exposure to rough weather, and perhaps by the wasting influence of grief and passion, its features were only strong, harsh, and expressive. She wore her plaid not drawn around her head and shoulders, as is the fashion of the women in Scotland, but disposed around her body as the Highland soldiers wear theirs. She had a man's bonnet, with a feather in it, an unsheathed sword in her hand, and a pair of pistols at her girdle. "It's Helen Campbell, Rob's wife,' said the Bailie, in a whisper of considerable alarm; and there will be broken heads amang us or its long.' ، ، What seek ye here ? she asked again of Captain Thornton, who had himself advanced to the reconnoitre. "We seek the outlaw, Rob Roy Mac Gregor Campbell,' answered the officer, and make no war on women; therefore offer no vain opposition to the king's troops, and assure yourself of civil treatment.' 66 6 Ay,' retorted the Amazon, 'I am no stranger to your tender mercies. Ye have left me neither name nor fame. My mother's bones will shrink aside in the grave when mine are laid beside them. Ye have left me and mine neither house nor hold, blanket nor bedding, cattle to feed us, or flocks to clothe us. Ye have taken from us all-all! The very name of our ancestors have ye taken away, and now ye come for our lives.' ، ، I seek no man's life,' replied the Captain; I only execute my orders. If you are alone, good woman, you have nought to fear: if there are any with you so rash as to offer useless resistance, their own blood be on their own heads,-move forward, serjeant.' 666 ، Forward,' said the non-commissioned officer, Huzza, my boys, for Rob Roy's head and a purse of gold!' He quickened his pace into a run, followed by six soldiers: |