thou；　my　best　of　friends；　hast　the　highest　knack　at　making　histories　out　of　nothing。　　Wert　thou　to　plant　the　bean　in　the　nursery…tale；　thou　wouldst　make　out；　so　soon　as　it　began　to　germinate；　that　the　castle　of　the　giant　was　about　to　elevate　its　battlements　on　the　top　of　it。　　All　that　happens　to　thee　gets　a　touch　of　the　wonderful　and　the　sublime　from　thy　own　rich　imagination。　　Didst　ever　see　what　artists　call　a　Claude　Lorraine　glass；　which　spreads　its　own　particular　hue　over　the　whole　landscape　which　you　see　through　it？thou　beholdest　ordinary　events　just　through　such　a　medium。
  I　have　looked　carefully　at　the　facts　of　thy　last　long　letter；　and　they　are　just　such　as　might　have　befallen　any　little　truant　of　the　High　School；　who　had　got　down　to　Leith　Sands；　gone　beyond　the　PRAWN…DUB；　wet　his　hose　and　shoon；　and；　finally；　had　been　carried　home；　in　compassion；　by　some　high…kilted　fishwife；　cursing　all　the　while　the　trouble　which　the　brat　occasioned　her。
  I　admire　the　figure　which　thou　must　have　made；　clinging　for　dear　life　behind　the　old　fellow's　backthy　jaws　chattering　with　fear；　thy　muscles　cramped　with　anxiety。　　Thy　execrable　supper　of　broiled　salmon；　which　was　enough　to　ensure　the　nightmare's　regular　visits　for　a　twelvemonth；　may　be　termed　a　real　affliction；　but　as　for　the　storm　of　Thursday　last　（such；　I　observe；　was　the　date）；　it　roared；　whistled；　howled；　and　bellowed；　as　fearfully　amongst　the　old　chimney…heads　in　the　Candlemaker　Row；　as　it　could　on　the　Solway　shore；　for　the　very　wind　of　itTESTE　ME　PER　TOTAM　NOCTEM　VIGILANTE。　　And　then　in　the　morning　again；　whenLord　help　youin　your　sentimental　delicacy　you　bid　the　poor　man　adieu；　without　even　tendering　him　half　a　crown　for　supper　and　lodging！
  You　laugh　at　me　for　giving　a　penny　（to　be　accurate；　though；　thou　shouldst　have　said　sixpence）　to　an　old　fellow；　whom　thou；　in　thy　high　flight；　wouldst　have　sent　home　supperless；　because　he　was　like　Solon　or　Belisarius。　　But　you　forget　that　the　affront　descended　like　a　benediction　into　the　pouch　of　the　old　gaberlunzie；　who　overflowed　in　blessings　upon　the　generous　donor　long　ere　he　would　have　thanked　thee；　Darsie；　for　thy　barren　veneration　of　his　beard　and　his　bearing。　　Then　you　laugh　at　my　good　father's　retreat　from　Falkirk；　just　as　if　it　were　not　time　for　a　man　to　trudge　when　three　or　four　mountain　knaves；　with　naked　claymores；　and　heels　as　light　as　their　fingers；　were　scampering　after　him；　crying　FURINISH。　　You　remember　what　he　said　himself　when　the　Laird　of　Bucklivat　told　him　that　FURINISH　signified　'stay　a　while'。　　'What　the　devil；'　he　said；　surprised　out　of　his　Presbyterian　correctness　by　the　unreasonableness　of　such　a　request　under　the　circumstances；　'would　the；　scoundrels　have　had　me　stop　to　have　my　head　cut　off？'
  Imagine　such　a　train　at　your　own　heels；　Darsie；　and　ask　yourself　whether　you　would　not　exert　your　legs　as　fast　as　you　did　in　flying　from　the　Solway　tide。　　And　yet　you　impeach　my　father's　courage。　　I　tell　you　he　has　courage　enough　to　do　what　is　right；　and　to　spurn　what　is　wrongcourage　enough　to　defend　a　righteous　cause　with　hand　and　purse；　and　to　take　the　part　of　the　poor　man　against　his　oppressor；　without　fear　of　the　consequences　to　himself。　　This　is　civil　courage；　Darsie；　and　it　is　of　little　consequence　to　most　men　in　this　age　and　country　whether　they　ever　possess　military　courage　or　no。
  Do　not　think　I　am　angry　with　you；　though　I　thus　attempt　to　rectify　your　opinions　on　my　father's　account。　　I　am　well　aware　that；　upon　the　whole；　he　is　scarce　regarded　with　more　respect　by　me　than　by　thee。　　And；　while　I　am　in　a　serious　humour；　which　it　is　difficult　to　preserve　with　one　who　is　perpetually　tempting　me　to　laugh　at　him；　pray；　dearest　Darsie；　let　not　thy　ardour　for　adventure　carry　thee　into　more　such　scrapes　as　that　of　the　Solway　Sands。　　The　rest　of　the　story　is　a　mere　imagination；　but　that　stormy　evening　might　have　proved；　as　the　clown　says　to　Lear；　'a　naughty　night　to　swim　in。'
  As　for　the　rest；　if　you　can　work　mysterious　and　romantic　heroes　out　of　old　cross…grained　fishermen；　why；　I　for　one　will　reap　some　amusement　by　the　metamorphosis。　　Yet　hold！　　even　there；　there　is　some　need　of　caution。　　This　same　female　chaplainthou　sayest　so　little　of　her；　and　so　much　of　every　one　else；　that　it　excites　some　doubt　in　my　mind。　　VERY　PRETTY　she　is；　it　seemsand　that　is　all　thy　discretion　informs　me　of。　　There　are　cases　in　which　silence　implies　other　things　than　consent。　　Wert　thou　ashamed　or　afraid；　Darsie；　to　trust　thyself　with　the　praises　of　the　very　pretty　grace…sayer？As　I　live；　thou　blushest！　　Why；　do　I　not　know　thee　an　inveterate　squire　of　dames？　　and　have　I　not　been　in　thy　confidence？　　An　elegant　elbow；　displayed　when　the　rest　of　the　figure　was　muffled　in　a　cardinal；　or　a　neat　well…turned　ankle　and　instep；　seen　by　chance　as　its　owner　tripped　up　the　Old　Assembly　Close；　＇Of　old　this　almost　deserted　alley　formed　the　most　common　access　betwixt　the　High　Street　and　the　southern　suburbs。＇　　turned　thy　brain　for　eight　days。　　Thou　　wert　once　caught　if　I　remember　rightly；　with　a　single　glance　of　a　single　matchless　eye；　which；　when　the　fair　owner　withdrew　her　veil；　proved　to　be　single　in　the　literal　sense　of　the　word。　　And；　besides；　were　you　not　another　time　enamoured　of　a　voicea　mere　voice；　that　mingled　in　the　psalmody　at　the　Old　Greyfriars'　Churchuntil　you　discovered　the　proprietor　of　that　dulcet　organ　to　be　Miss　Dolly　MacIzzard；　who　is　both　'back　and　breast'；　as　our　saying　goes？
  All　these　things　considered；　and　contrasted　with　thy　artful　silence　on　the　subject　of　this　grace…saying　Nereid　of　thine；　I　must　beg　thee　to　be　more　explicit　upon　that　subject　in　thy　next；　unless　thou　wouldst　have　me　form　the　conclusion　that　thou　thinkest　more　of　her　than　thou　carest　to　talk　of。
  You　will　not　expect　much　news　from　this　quarter；　as　you　know　the　monotony　of　my　life；　and　are　aware　it　must　at　present　be　devoted　to　uninterrupted　study。　　You　have　said　a　thousand　times　that　I　am　only　qualified　to　make　my　way　by　dint　of　plodding；　and　therefore　plod　I　must。
  My　father　seems　to　be　more　impatient　of　your　absence　than　he　was　after　your　first　departure。　　He　is　sensible；　I　believe；　that　our　solitary　meals　want　the　light　which　your　gay　humour　was　wont　to　throw　over　them；　and　feels　melancholy　as　men　do　when　the　light　of　the　sun　is　no　longer　upon　the　landscape。　　If　it　is　thus　with　him；　thou　mayst　imagine　it　is　much　more　so　with　me；　and　canst　conceive　how　heartily　I　wish　that　thy　frolic　were　ended；　and　thou　once　more　our　inmate。
  I　resume　my　pen；　after　a　few　hours'　interval；　to　say　that　an　incident　has　occurred　on　which　you　will　yourself　be　building　a　hundred　castles　in　the　air；　and　which　even　I；　jealous　as　I　am　of　such　baseless　fabrics；　cannot　but　own　affords　ground　for　singular　conjecture。
  My　father　has　of　late　taken　me　frequently　along　with　him　when　he　attends　the　courts；　in　his　anxiety　to　see　me　properly　initiated　into　the　practical　forms　of　business。　　I　own　I　feel　something　on　his　account　and　my　own　from　this　over…anxiety；　which；　I　dare　say；　renders　us　both　ridiculous。　　But　what　signifies　my　repugnance？　my　father　drags　me　up　to　his　counsel　learned　in　the　law；'Are　you　quite　ready　to　come　on　to…day；　Mr。　Crossbite？This　is　my　son；　designed　for　the　barI　take　the　liberty　to　bring　him　with　me　to…day　to　the　consultation；　merely　that　he　may　see　how　these　things　are　managed。'
  Mr。　Crossbite　smiles　and　bows；　as　a　lawyer　smiles　on　the　solicitor　who　employs　him；　and　I　dare　say；　thrusts　his　tongue　into　his　cheek；　and　whispers　into　the　first　great　wig　that　passes　him；　'What　the　dl　does　old　Fairford　mean　by　letting　loose　his　whelp　on　me？'
  As　I　stood　beside　them；　too　much　vexed　at　the　childish　part　I　was　made　to　play　to　derive　much　information　from　the　valuable　arguments　of　Mr。　Crossbite；　I　observed　a　rather　elderly　man；　who　stood　with　his　eyes　firmly　bent　on　my　father；　as　if　he　only　waited　an　end　of　the　business　in　which　he　was　engaged；　to　address　him。　　There　was　something；　I　thought；　in　the　gentleman's　appearance　which　commanded　attention。　　Yet　his　dress　was　not　in　the　present　taste；　and　though　it　had　once　been　magnificent；　was　now　antiquated　and　unfashionable。　　His　coat　was　of　branched　velvet；　with　a　satin　lining；　a　waistcoat　of　violet…coloured　silk；　much　embroidered；　his　breeches　the　same　stuff　as　the　coat。　　He　wore　square…toed　shoes；　with　foretops；　as　they　are　called；　and　his　silk　stockings　were　rolled　up　over　his　knee；　as　you　may　have　seen　in　pictures；　and　here　and　there　on　some　of　those　originals　who　seem　to　pique　themselves　on　dressing　after　the　mode　of　Methuselah。　　A　CHAPEAU　BRAS　and　sword　necessarily　completed　his　equipment；　which；　though　out　of　date；　showed　that　it　belonged　to　a　man　of　distinction。
  The　instant　Mr。　Crossbite　had　ended　what　he　had　to　say；　this　gentleman　walked　up　to　my　father；　with；　'Your　servant；　Mr。　Fairfordit　is　long　since　you　and　I　met。'
  My　father；　whose　politeness；　you　know；　is　exact　and　formal；　bowed；　and　hemmed；　and　was　confused；　and　at　length　professed　that　the　distance　since　they　had　met　was　so　great；　that　though　he　remembered　the　face　perfectly；　the　name；　he　was　sorry　to　any；　hadreallysomehowescaped　his　memory。
  'Have　you　forgot　Herries　of　Birrenswork？'　　said　the　gentleman；　and　my　father　bowed　even　more　profoundly　t