d　for　there；　Master　Darsie；　by　more　than　him；　which　I　regret　to　think　is　impossible　to　have；　as　well　by　your　engagements；　as　that　our　cousin；　Peter　Fairford；　comes　from　the　West　on　purpose；　and　we　have　no　place　to　offer　him　but　your　chamber　in　the　wall。　　And；　to　be　plain　with　you；　after　my　use　and　wont；　Master　Darsie；　it　may　be　as　well　that　Alan　and　you　do　not　meet　till　he　is　hefted　as　it　were　to　his　new　calling。　　You　are　a　pleasant　gentleman；　and　full　of　daffing；　which　may　well　become　you；　as　you　have　enough　（as　I　understand）　to　uphold　your　merry　humour。　　If　you　regard　the　matter　wisely；　you　would　perchance　consider　that　a　man　of　substance　should　have　a　douce　and　staid　demeanour；　yet　you　are　so　far　from　growing　grave　and　considerate　with　the　increase　of　your　annual　income；　that　the　richer　you　become；　the　merrier　I　think　you　grow。　　But　this　must　be　at　your　own　pleasure；　so　far　as　you　are　concerned。　Alan；　however　（overpassing　my　small　savings）；　has　the　world　to　win；　and　louping　and　laughing；　as　you　and　he　were　wont　to　do；　would　soon　make　the　powder　flee　out　of　his　wig；　and　the　pence　out　of　his　pocket。　　Nevertheless；　I　trust　you　will　meet　when　you　return　from　your　rambles；　for　there　is　a　time；　as　the　wise　man　sayeth；　for　gathering；　and　a　time　for　casting　away；　it　is　always　the　part　of　a　man　of　sense　to　take　the　gathering　time　first。　　I　remain；　dear　sir；　your　well…wishing　friend；　and　obedient　to　command；　ALEXANDER　FAIRFORD。
  PS。Alan's　Thesis　is　upon　the　title　DE　PERICULO　ET　COMMODO　REI　VENDITAE；　and　is　a　very　pretty　piece　of　Latinity。Ross　House；　in　our　neighbourhood；　is　nearly　finished；　and　is　thought　to　excel　Duff　House　in　ornature。
  LETTER　X
  DARSIE　LATIMER　TO　ALAN　FAIRFORD
  The　plot　thickens；　Alan。　　I　have　your　letter；　and　also　one　from　your　father。　　The　last　makes　it　impossible　for　me　to　comply　with　the　kind　request　which　the　former　urges。　　NoI　cannot　be　with　you；　Alan；　and　that；　for　the　best　of　all　reasonsI　cannot　and　ought　not　to　counteract　your　father's　anxious　wishes。　　I　do　not　take　it　unkind　of　him　that　he　desires　my　absence。　　It　is　natural　that　he　should　wish　for　his　son　what　his　son　so　well　deserves　the　advantage　of　a　wiser　and　steadier　companion　than　I　seem　to　him。　　And　yet　I　am　sure　I　have　often　laboured　hard　enough　to　acquire　that　decency　of　demeanour　which　can　no　more　be　suspected　of　breaking　bounds；　than　an　owl　of　catching　a　butterfly。
  But　it　was　in　vain　that　I　have　knitted　my　brows　till　I　had　the　headache；　in　order　to　acquire　the　reputation　of　a　grave；　solid；　and　well…judging　youth。　　Your　father　always　has　discovered；　or　thought　that　he　discovered；　a　hare…brained　eccentricity　lying　folded　among　the　wrinkles　of　my　forehead；　which　rendered　me　a　perilous　associate　for　the　future　counsellor　and　ultimate　judge。　Well；　Corporal　Nym's　philosophy　must　be　my　comfort'Things　must　be　as　they　may。'I　cannot　come　to　your　father's　house；　where　he　wishes　not　to　see　me；　and　as　to　your　coming　hither；by　all　that　is　dear　to　me；　I　vow　that　if　you　are　guilty　of　such　a　piece　of　reckless　follynot　to　say　undutiful　cruelty；　considering　your　father's　thoughts　and　wishesI　will　never　speak　to　you　again　as　long　as　I　live！　　I　am　perfectly　serious。　　And　besides；　your　father；　while　he　in　a　manner　prohibits　me　from　returning　to　Edinburgh；　gives　me　the　strongest　reasons　for　continuing　a　little　while　longer　in　this　country；　by　holding　out　the　hope　that　I　may　receive　from　your　old　friend；　Mr。　Herries　of　Birrenswork；　some　particulars　concerning　my　origin；　with　which　that　ancient　recusant　seems　to　be　acquainted。
  That　gentleman　mentioned　the　name　of　a　family　in　Westmoreland；　with　which　he　supposes　me　connected。　　My　inquiries　here　after　such　a　family　have　been　ineffectual；　for　the　borderers；　on　either　side；　know　little　of　each　other。　　But　I　shall　doubtless　find　some　English　person　of　whom　to　make　inquiries；　since　the　confounded　fetterlock　clapped　on　my　movements　by　old　Griffiths；　prevents　me　repairing　to　England　in　person。　　At　least；　the　prospect　of　obtaining　some　information　is　greater　here　than　elsewhere；　it　will　be　an　apology　for　my　making　a　longer　stay　in　this　neighbourhood；　a　line　of　conduct　which　seems　to　have　your　father's　sanction；　whose　opinion　must　be　sounder　than　that　of　your　wandering　damoselle。
  If　the　road　were　paved　with　dangers　which　leads　to　such　a　discovery；　I　cannot　for　a　moment　hesitate　to　tread　it。　　But　in　fact　there　is　no　peril　in　the　case。　　If　the　Tritons　of　the　Solway　shall　proceed　to　pull　down　honest　Joshua's　tide…nets；　I　am　neither　Quixote　enough　in　disposition；　nor　Goliath　enough　in　person；　to　attempt　their　protection。　　I　have　no　idea　of　attempting　to　prop　a　falling　house　by　putting　my　shoulders　against　it。　　And　indeed；　Joshua　gave　me　a　hint　that　the　company　which　he　belongs　to；　injured　in　the　way　threatened　（some　of　them　being　men　who　thought　after　the　fashion　of　the　world）；　would　pursue　the　rioters　at　law；　and　recover　damages；　in　which　probably　his　own　ideas　of　non…resistance　will　not　prevent　his　participating。　　Therefore　the　whole　affair　will　take　its　course　as　law　will；　as　I　only　mean　to　interfere　when　it　may　be　necessary　to　direct　the　course　of　the　plaintiffs　to　thy　chambers；　and　I　request　they　may　find　thee　intimate　with　all　the　Scottish　statutes　concerning　salmon　fisheries；　from　the　LEX　AQUARUM；　downward。
  As　for　the　Lady　of　the　Mantle；　I　will　lay　a　wager　that　the　sun　so　bedazzled　thine　eyes　on　that　memorable　morning；　that　everything　thou　didst　look　upon　seemed　green；　and　notwithstanding　James　Wilkinson's　experience　in　the　Fusileers；　as　well　as　his　negative　whistle；　I　will　venture　to　hold　a　crown　that　she　is　but　a　what…　shall…call…'um　after　all。　　Let　not　even　the　gold　persuade　you　to　the　contrary。　　She　may　make　a　shift　to　cause　you　to　disgorge　that；　and　（immense　spoil！）　a　session's　fees　to　boot；　if　you　look　not　all　the　sharper　about　you。　　Or　if　it　should　be　otherwise；　and　if　indeed　there　lurk　some　mystery　under　this　visitation；　credit　me；　it　is　one　which　thou　canst　not　penetrate；　nor　can　I　as　yet　even　attempt　to　explain　it；　since；　if　I　prove　mistaken；　and　mistaken　I　may　easily　be；　I　would　be　fain　to　creep　into　Phalaris's　bull；　were　it　standing　before　me　ready　heated；　rather　than　be　roasted　with　thy　raillery。　　Do　not　tax　me　with　want　of　confidence；　for　the　instant　I　can　throw　any　light　on　the　matter　thou　shalt　have　it；　but　while　I　am　only　blundering　about　in　the　dark；　I　do　not　choose　to　call　wise　folks　to　see　me；　perchance；　break　my　nose　against　a　post。　　So　if　you　marvel　at　this；
  E'en　marvel　on　till　time　makes　all　things　plain。
  In　the　meantime；　kind　Alan；　let　me　proceed　in　my　diurnal。
  On　the　third　or　fourth　day　after　my　arrival　at　Mount　Sharon；　Time；　that　bald　sexton　to　whom　I　have　just　referred　you；　did　certainly　limp　more　heavily　along　with　me　than　he　had　done　at　first。　　The　quaint　morality　of　Joshua；　and　Huguenot　simplicity　of　his　sister；　began　to　lose　much　of　their　raciness　with　their　novelty；　and　my　mode　of　life；　by　dint　of　being　very　quiet；　began　to　feel　abominably　dull。　　It　was；　as　thou　say'st；　as　if　the　Quakers　had　put　the　sun　in　their　pocketsall　around　was　soft　and　mild；　and　even　pleasant；　but　there　was；　in　the　whole　routine；　a　uniformity；　a　want　of　interest；　a　helpless　and　hopeless　languor；　which　rendered　life　insipid。　　No　doubt；　my　worthy　host　and　hostess　felt　none　of　this　void；　this　want　of　excitation；　which　was　becoming　oppressive　to　their　guest。　　They　had　their　little　round　of　occupations；　charities；　and　pleasures；　Rachel　had　her　poultry…yard　and　conservatory；　and　Joshua　his　garden。　　Besides　this；　they　enjoyed；　doubtless；　their　devotional　meditations；　and；　on　the　whole；　time　glided　softly　and　imperceptibly　on　with　them；　though　to　me；　who　long　for　stream　and　cataract；　it　seemed　absolutely　to　stand　still。　　I　meditated　returning　to　Shepherd's　Bush；　and　began　to　think；　with　some　hankering；　after　little　Benjie　and　the　rod。　　The　imp　has　ventured　hither；　and　hovers　about　to　catch　a　peep　of　me　now　and　then；　I　suppose　the　little　sharper　is　angling　for　a　few　more　sixpences。　　But　this　would　have　been；　in　Joshua's　eyes；　a　return　of　the　washed　sow　to　wallowing　in　the　mire；　and　I　resolved；　while　I　remained　his　guest；　to　spare　him　so　violent　a　shock　to　his　prejudices。　　The　next　point　was；　to　shorten　the　time　of　my　proposed　stay；　but；　alas！　　that　I　felt　to　be　equally　impossible。　　I　had　named　a　week；　and　however　rashly　my　promise　had　been　pledged；　it　must　be　held　sacred；　even　according　to　the　letter；　from　which　the　Friends　permit　no　deviation。
  All　these　considerations　wrought　me　up　to　a　kind　of　impatience　yesterday　evening；　so　that　I　snatched　up　my　hat；　and　prepared　for　a　sally　beyond　the　cultivated　farm　and　ornamented　grounds　of　Mount　Sharon；　just　as　if　I　were　desirous　to　escape　from　the　realms　of　art；　into　those　of　free　and　unconstrained　nature。
  I　was　scarcely　more　delighted　when　I　first　entered　this　peaceful　demesne；　than　I　now　wassuch　is　the　instability　and　inconsistency　of　human　nature！when　I　escaped　from　it　to　the　open　downs；　which　had　formerly　seemed　so　waste　and　dreary；　The　air　I　breathed　felt　purer　and　more　bracing。　　The　clouds；　riding　high　upon　a　summer　breeze；　drove；　in　gay　succession；　over　my　head；　now　obscuring　the　sun；　now　letting　its　rays　stream　in　transient　flashes　upon　various　par