absurd　reason　for　choosing　a　residence；　was　entirely　satisfactory　to　Janet　MacEvoy。
  〃Och；　nae　doubt！　　if　it　was　the　land　of　her　fathers；　there　was　nae　mair　to　be　said。　　Put　it　was　queer　that　her　family　estate　should　just　lie　at　the　town　tail；　and　covered　with　houses；　where　the　King's　cowsCot　bless　them；　hide　and　hornused　to　craze　upon。　It　was　strange　changes。〃　　She　mused　a　little；　and　then　added：　　〃Put　it　is　something　better　wi'　Croftangry　when　the　changes　is　frae　the　field　to　the　habited　place；　and　not　from　the　place　of　habitation　to　the　desert；　for　Shanet；　her　nainsell；　kent　a　glen　where　there　were　men　as　weel　as　there　may　be　in　Croftangry；　and　if　there　werena　altogether　sae　mony　of　them；　they　were　as　good　men　in　their　tartan　as　the　others　in　their　broadcloth。　　And　there　were　houses；　too；　and　if　they　were　not　biggit　with　stane　and　lime；　and　lofted　like　the　houses　at　Croftangry；　yet　they　served　the　purpose　of　them　that　lived　there；　and　mony　a　braw　bonnet；　and　mony　a　silk　snood　and　comely　white　curch；　would　come　out　to　gang　to　kirk　or　chapel　on　the　Lord's　day；　and　little　bairns　toddling　after。　　And　nowOch；　Och；　Ohellany；　Ohonari！　　the　glen　is　desolate；　and　the　braw　snoods　and　bonnets　are　gane；　and　the　Saxon's　house　stands　dull　and　lonely；　like　the　single　bare…breasted　rock　that　the　falcon　builds　onthe　falcon　that　drives　the　heath…bird　frae　the　glen。〃
  Janet；　like　many　Highlanders；　was　full　of　imagination；　and；　when　melancholy　themes　came　upon　her；　expressed　herself　almost　poetically；　owing　to　the　genius　of　the　Celtic　language　in　which　she　thought；　and　in　which；　doubtless；　she　would　have　spoken；　had　I　understood　Gaelic。　　In　two　minutes　the　shade　of　gloom　and　regret　had　passed　from　her　good…humoured　features；　and　she　was　again　the　little；　busy；　prating；　important　old　woman；　undisputed　owner　of　one　flat　of　a　small　tenement　in　the　Abbey　Yard；　and　about　to　be　promoted　to　be　housekeeper　to　an　elderly　bachelor　gentleman；　Chrystal　Croftangry；　Esq。
  It　was　not　long　before　Janet's　local　researches　found　out　exactly　the　sort　of　place　I　wanted；　and　there　we　settled。　　Janet　was　afraid　I　would　not　be　satisfied；　because　it　is　not　exactly　part　of　Croftangry；　but　I　stopped　her　doubts　by　assuring　her　it　had　been　part　and　pendicle　thereof　in　my　forefather'　time；　which　passed　very　well。
  I　do　not　intend　to　possess　any　one　with　an　exact　knowledge　of　my　lodging；　though；　as　Bobadil　says；　〃I　care　not　who　knows　it；　since　the　cabin　is　convenient。〃　　But　I　may　state　in　general；　that　it　is　a　house　〃within　itself；〃　or；　according　to　a　newer　phraseology　in　advertisements；　SELF…CONTAINED；　has　a　garden　of　near　half　an　acre；　and　a　patch　of　ground　with　trees　in　front。　　It　boasts　five　rooms　and　servants'　apartmentslooks　in　front　upon　the　palace；　and　from　behind　towards　the　hill　and　crags　of　the　King's　Park。　Fortunately；　the　place　had　a　name；　which；　with　a　little　improvement；　served　to　countenance　the　legend　which　I　had　imposed　on　Janet；　and　would　not；　perhaps　have　been　sorry　if　I　had　been　able　to　impose　on　myself。　　It　was　called　Littlecroft；　we　have　dubbed　it　Little　Croftangry；　and　the　men　of　letters　belonging　to　the　Post　Office　have　sanctioned　the　change；　and　deliver　letters　so　addressed。　　Thus　I　am　to　all　intents　and　purposes　Chrystal　Croftangry　of　that　Ilk。
  My　establishment　consists　of　Janet；　an　under　maid…servant；　and　a　Highland　wench　for　Janet　to　exercise　her　Gaelic　upon；　with　a　handy　lad　who　can　lay　the　cloth；　and　take　care；　besides；　of　a　pony；　on　which　I　find　my　way　to　Portobello　sands；　especially　when　the　cavalry　have　a　drill；　for；　like　an　old　fool　as　I　am；　I　have　not　altogether　become　indifferent　to　the　tramp　of　horses　and　the　flash　of　weapons；　of　which；　though　no　professional　soldier；　it　has　been　my　fate　to　see　something　in　my　youth。　　For　wet　mornings　I　have　my　book；　is　it　fine　weather？　　I　visit；　or　I　wander　on　the　Crags；　as　the　humour　dictates。　　My　dinner　is　indeed　solitary；　yet　not　quite　so　neither；　for　though　Andrew　waits；　Janetor；　as　she　is　to　all　the　world　but　her　master　and　certain　old　Highland　gossips；　Mrs。　MacEvoyattends；　bustles　about；　and　desires　to　see　everything　is　in　first…rate　order；　and　to　tell　me；　Cot　pless　us；　the　wonderful　news　of　the　palace　for　the　day。　　When　the　cloth　is　removed；　and　I　light　my　cigar；　and　begin　to　husband　a　pint　of　port；　or　a　glass　of　old　whisky　and　water；　it　is　the　rule　of　the　house　that　Janet　takes　a　chair　at　some　distance；　and　nods　or　works　her　stocking；　as　she　may　be　disposedready　to　speak；　if　I　am　in　the　talking　humour；　and　sitting　quiet　as　a　mouse　if　I　am　rather　inclined　to　study　a　book　or　the　newspaper。　　At　six　precisely　she　makes　my　tea；　and　leaves　me　to　drink　it；　and　then　occurs　an　interval　of　time　which　most　old　bachelors　find　heavy　on　their　hands。　　The　theatre　is　a　good　occasional　resource；　especially　if　Will　Murray　acts；　or　a　bright　star　of　eminence　shines　forth；　but　it　is　distant；　and　so　are　one　or　two　public　societies　to　which　I　belong。　　Besides；　these　evening　walks　are　all　incompatible　with　the　elbow…chair　feeling；　which　desires　some　employment　that　may　divert　the　mind　without　fatiguing　the　body。
  Under　the　influence　of　these　impressions；　I　have　sometimes　thought　of　this　literary　undertaking。　　I　must　have　been　the　Bonassus　himself　to　have　mistaken　myself　for　a　genius；　yet　I　have　leisure　and　reflections　like　my　neighbours。　　I　am　a　borderer；　also；　between　two　generations；　and　can　point　out　more；　perhaps；　than　others　of　those　fading　traces　of　antiquity　which　are　daily　vanishing；　and　I　know　many　a　modern　instance　and　many　an　old　tradition；　and　therefore　I　ask
  〃What　ails　me；　I　may　not　as　well　as　they　　　　Rake　up　some　threadbare　tales；　that　mouldering　lay　　　　In　chimney　corners；　wont　by　Christmas　fires　　　　To　read　and　rock　to　sleep　our　ancient　sires？　　　　No　man　his　threshold　better　knows；　than　I　　　　Brute's　first　arrival　and　first　victory；　　　　Saint　George's　sorrel　and　his　cross　of　blood；　　　　Arthur's　round　board　and　Caledonian　wood。〃
  No　shop　is　so　easily　set　up　as　an　antiquary's。　　Like　those　of　the　lowest　order　of　pawnbrokers；　a　commodity　of　rusty　iron；　a　bay　or　two　of　hobnails；　a　few　odd　shoe…buckles；　cashiered　kail…pots；　and　fire…irons　declared　incapable　of　service；　are　quite　sufficient　to　set　him　up。　　If　he　add　a　sheaf　or　two　of　penny　ballads　and　broadsides；　he　is　a　great　manan　extensive　trader。　　And　then；　like　the　pawnbrokers　aforesaid；　if　the　author　understands　a　little　legerdemain；　he　may；　by　dint　of　a　little　picking　and　stealing；　make　the　inside　of　his　shop　a　great　deal　richer　than　the　out；　and　be　able　to　show　you　things　which　cause　those　who　do　not　understand　the　antiquarian　trick　of　clean　conveyance　to　wonder　how　the　devil　he　came　by　them。
  It　may　be　said　that　antiquarian　articles　interest　but　few　customers；　and　that　we　may　bawl　ourselves　as　rusty　as　the　wares　we　deal　in　without　any　one　asking；　the　price　of　our　merchandise。　But　I　do　not　rest　my　hopes　upon　this　department　of　my　labours　only。　　I　propose　also　to　have　a　corresponding　shop　for　Sentiment；　and　Dialogues；　and　Disquisition；　which　may　captivate　the　fancy　of　those　who　have　no　relish；　as　the　established　phrase　goes；　for　pure　antiquitya　sort　of　greengrocer's　stall　erected　in　front　of　my　ironmongery　wares；　garlanding　the　rusty　memorials　of　ancient　times　with　cresses；　cabbages；　leeks；　and　water　purpy。
  As　I　have　some　idea　that　I　am　writing　too　well　to　be　understood；　I　humble　myself　to　ordinary　language；　and　aver；　with　becoming　modesty；　that　I　do　think　myself　capable　of　sustaining　a　publication　of　a　miscellaneous　nature；　as　like　to　the　Spectator　or　the　Guardian；　the　Mirror　or　the　Lounger；　as　my　poor　abilities　may　be　able　to　accomplish。　　Not　that　I　have　any　purpose　of　imitating　Johnson；　whose　general　learning　and　power　of　expression　I　do　not　deny；　but　many　of　whose　Ramblers　are　little　better　than　a　sort　of　pageant；　where　trite　and　obvious　maxims　are　made　to　swagger　in　lofty　and　mystic　language；　and　get　some　credit　only　because　they　are　not　easily　understood。　　There　are　some　of　the　great　moralist's　papers　which　I　cannot　peruse　without　thinking　on　a　second…rate　masquerade；　where　the　best…known　and　least…esteemed　characters　in　town　march　in　as　heroes；　and　sultans；　and　so　forth；　and；　by　dint　of　tawdry　dresses；　get　some　consideration　until　they　are　found　out。　　It　is　not；　however；　prudent　to　commence　with　throwing　stones；　just　when　I　am　striking　out　windows　of　my　own。
  I　think　even　the　local　situation　of　Little　Croftangry　may　be　considered　as　favourable　to　my　undertaking。　　A　nobler　contrast　there　can　hardly　exist　than　that　of　the　huge　city；　dark　with　the　smoke　of　ages；　and　groaning　with　the　various　sounds　of　active　industry　or　idle　revel；　and　the　lofty　and　craggy　hill；　silent　and　solitary　as　the　graveone　exhibiting　the　full　tide　of　existence；　pressing　and　precipitating　itself　forward　with　the　force　of　an　inundation；　the　other　resembling　some　time…worn　anchorite；　whose　life　passes　as　silent　and　unobserved　as　the　slender　rill　which　escapes　unheard；　and　scarce　seen；　from　　the　fountain　of　his　patron　saint。　　The　city　resembles　the　busy　temple；　where　the　modern　Comus　and　Mammon　hold　their　court；　and　thousands　sacrifice　ease；　independence；　and　virtue　itself　at　their　shrine；　the　misty　and　lonely　mountain　seems　as　a　throne　to　the　majestic　but　terrible　Ge