chitecture。　　But　there　was　far　more　room　than　my　old　friend　required；　even　when　she　had；　as　was　often　the　case；　four　or　five　young　cousins　under　her　protection；　and　I　believe　much　of　the　house　was　unoccupied。　　Mrs。　Bethune　Baliol　never；　in　my　presence；　showed　herself　so　much　offended　as　once　with　a　meddling　person　who　advised　her　to　have　the　windows　of　these　supernumerary　apartments　built　up　to　save　the　tax。　　She　said　in　ire　that；　while　she　lived；　the　light　of　God　should　visit　the　house　of　her　fathers；　and　while　she　had　a　penny；　king　and　country　should　have　their　due。　　Indeed；　she　was　punctiliously　loyal；　even　in　that　most　staggering　test　of　loyalty；　the　payment　of　imposts。　　Mr。　Beauffet　told　me　he　was　ordered　to　offer　a　glass　of　wine　to　the　person　who　collected　the　income　tax；　and　that　the　poor　man　was　so　overcome　by　a　reception　so　unwontedly　generous；　that　he　had　well…　nigh　fainted　on　the　spot。
  You　entered　by　a　matted　anteroom　into　the　eating…parlour；　filled　with　old…fashioned　furniture；　and　hung　with　family　portraits；　which；　excepting　one　of　Sir　Bernard　Bethune；　in　James　the　Sixth's　time；　said　to　be　by　Jameson；　were　exceedingly　frightful。　　A　saloon；　as　it　was　called；　a　long；　narrow　chamber；　led　out　of　the　dining…parlour；　and　served　for　a　drawing…room。　　It　was　a　pleasant　apartment；　looking　out　upon　the　south　flank　of　Holyrood　House；　the　gigantic　slope　of　Arthur's　Seat；　and　the　girdle　of　lofty　rocks　called　Salisbury　Crags；　objects　so　rudely　wild；　that　the　mind　can　hardly　conceive　them　to　exist　in　the　vicinage　of　a　populous　metropolis。　　＇The　Rev。　Mr。　Bowles　derives　the　name　of　these　crags；　as　of　the　Episcopal　city　in　the　west　of　England；　from　the　same　root；　both；　in　his　opinion；　which　he　very　ably　defends　and　illustrates；　having　been　the　sites　of　Druidical　temples。＇　　The　paintings　of　the　saloon　came　from　abroad；　and　had　some　of　them　much　merit。　　To　see　the　best　of　them；　however；　you　must　be　admitted　into　the　very　PENETRALIA　of　the　temple；　and　allowed　to　draw　the　tapestry　at　the　upper　end　of　the　saloon；　and　enter　Mrs。　Martha's　own　special　dressing…room。　　This　was　a　charming　apartment；　of　which　it　would　be　difficult　to　describe　the　form；　it　had　so　many　recesses　which　were　filled　up　with　shelves　of　ebony　and　cabinets　of　japan　and　ormolusome　for　holding　books；　of　which　Mrs。　Martha　had　an　admirable　collection；　some　for　a　display　of　ornamental　china；　others　for　shells　and　similar　curiosities。　　In　a　little　niche；　half　screened　by　a　curtain　of　crimson　silk；　was　disposed　a　suit　of　tilting　armour　of　bright　steel　inlaid　with　silver；　which　had　been　worn　on　some　memorable　occasion　by　Sir　Bernard　Bethune；　already　mentioned；　while　over　the　canopy　of　the　niche　hung　the　broadsword　with　which　her　father　had　attempted　to　change　the　fortunes　of　Britain　in　1715；　and　the　spontoon　which　her　elder　brother　bore　when　he　was　leading　on　a　company　of　the　Black　Watch　at　Fontenoy。　　＇The　well…　known　original　designation　of　the　gallant　42nd　Regiment。　　Being　the　first　corps　raised　for　the　royal　service　in　the　Highlands；　and　allowed　to　retain　their　national　garb；　they　were　thus　named　from　the　contrast　which　their　dark　tartans　furnished　to　the　scarlet　and　white　of　the　other　regiments。＇
  There　were　some　Italian　and　Flemish　pictures　of　admitted　authenticity；　a　few　genuine　bronzes；　and　other　objects　of　curiosity；　which　her　brothers　or　herself　had　picked　up　while　abroad。　　In　short；　it　was　a　place　where　the　idle　were　tempted　to　become　studious；　the　studious　to　grow　idle　where　the　grave　might　find　matter　to　make　them　gay；　and　the　gay　subjects　for　gravity。
  That　it　might　maintain　some　title　to　its　name；　I　must　not　forget　to　say　that　the　lady's　dressing…room　exhibited　a　superb　mirror；　framed　in　silver　filigree　work；　a　beautiful　toilette；　the　cover　of　which　was　of　Flanders　lace；　and　a　set　of　boxes　corresponding　in　materials　and　work　to　the　frame　of　the　mirror。
  This　dressing　apparatus；　however；　was　mere　matter　of　parade。　Mrs。　Martha　Bethune　Baliol　always　went　through　the　actual　duties　of　the　toilette　in　an　inner　apartment；　which　corresponded　with　her　sleeping…room　by　a　small　detached　staircase。　　There　were；　I　believe；　more　than　one　of　those　TURNPIKE　STAIRS；　as　they　were　called；　about　the　house；　by　which　the　public　rooms；　all　of　which　entered　through　each　other；　were　accommodated　with　separate　and　independent　modes　of　access。　　In　the　little　boudoir　we　have　described；　Mrs。　Martha　Baliol　had　her　choicest　meetings。　　She　kept　early　hours；　and　if　you　went　in　the　morning；　you　must　not　reckon　that　space　of　day　as　extending　beyond　three　o'clock；　or　four　at　the　utmost。　　These　vigilant　habits　were　attended　with　some　restraint　on　her　visitors；　but　they　were　indemnified　by　your　always　finding　the　best　society　and　the　best　information　which　were　to　be　had　for　the　day　in　the　Scottish　capital。　　Without　at　all　affecting　the　blue　stocking；　she　liked　books。　　They　amused　her；　and　if　the　authors　were　persons　of　character；　she　thought　she　owed　them　a　debt　of　civility；　which　she　loved　to　discharge　by　personal　kindness。　　When　she　gave　a　dinner　to　a　small　party；　which　she　did　now　and　then；　she　had　the　good　nature　to　look　for；　and　the　good　luck　to　discover；　what　sort　of　people　suited　each　other　best；　and　chose　her　company　as　Duke　Theseus　did　his　hounds；
  〃Matched　in　mouth　like　bells；　　　　Each　under　each；〃　　　　　　　　　　＇Shakespeare's　Midsummer　Night's　Dream；　Act　IV。　Sc。　I。＇
  so　that　every　guest　could　take　his　part　in　the　cry；　instead　of　one　mighty　Tom　of　a　fellow；　like　Dr。　Johnson；　silencing　all　besides　by　the　tremendous　depth　of　his　diapason。　　On　such　occasions　she　afforded　CHERE　EXQUISE；　and　every　now　and　then　there　was　some　dish　of　French；　or　even　Scottish　derivation；　which；　as　well　as　the　numerous　assortment　of　VINS　EXTRAORDINAIRES　produced　by　Mr。　Beauffet；　gave　a　sort　of　antique　and　foreign　air　to　the　entertainment；　which　rendered　it　more　interesting。
  It　was　a　great　thing　to　be　asked　to　such　parties；　and　not　less　so　to　be　invited　to　the　early　CONVERSAZIONE；　which；　in　spite　of　fashion；　by　dint　of　the　best　coffee；　the　finest　tea；　and　CHASSE　CAFE　that　would　have　called　the　dead　to　life；　she　contrived　now　and　then　to　assemble　in　her　saloon　already　mentioned；　at　the　unnatural　hour　of　eight　in　the　evening。　　At　such　time　the　cheerful　old　lady　seemed　to　enjoy　herself　so　much　in　the　happiness　of　her　guests　that　they　exerted　themselves　in　turn　to　prolong　her　amusement　and　their　own；　and　a　certain　charm　was　excited　around；　seldom　to　be　met　with　in　parties　of　pleasure；　and　which　was　founded　on　the　general　desire　of　every　one　present　to　contribute　something　to　the　common　amusement。
  But　although　it　was　a　great　privilege　to　be　admitted　to　wait　on　my　excellent　friend　in　the　morning；　or　be　invited　to　her　dinner　or　evening　parties；　I　prized　still　higher　the　right　which　I　had　acquired；　by　old　acquaintance；　of　visiting　Baliol's　Lodging　upon　the　chance　of　finding　its　venerable　inhabitant　preparing　for　tea；　just　about　six　o'clock　in　the　evening。　　It　was　only　to　two　or　three　old　friends　that　she　permitted　this　freedom；　nor　was　this　sort　of　chance…party　ever　allowed　to　extend　itself　beyond　five　in　number。　　The　answer　to　those　who　came　later　announced　that　the　company　was　filled　up　for　the　evening；　which　had　the　double　effect　of　making　those　who　waited　on　Mrs。　Bethune　Baliol　in　this　unceremonious　manner　punctual　in　observing　her　hour；　and　of　adding　the　zest　of　a　little　difficulty　to　the　enjoyment　of　the　party。
  It　more　frequently　happened　that　only　one　or　two　persons　partook　of　this　refreshment　on　the　same　evening；　or；　supposing　the　case　of　a　single　gentleman；　Mrs。　Martha；　though　she　did　not　hesitate　to　admit　him　to　her　boudoir；　after　the　privilege　of　the　French　and　the　old　Scottish　school；　took　care；　as　she　used　to　say；　to　prescribe　all　possible　propriety；　by　commanding　the　attendance　of　her　principal　female　attendant；　Mrs。　Alice　Lambskin；　who　might；　from　the　gravity　and　dignity　of　her　appearance；　have　sufficed　to　matronize　a　whole　boarding…school；　instead　of　one　maiden　lady　of　eighty　and　upwards。　　As　the　weather　permitted；　Mrs。　Alice　sat　duly　remote　from　the　company　in　a　FAUTEUIL　behind　the　projecting　chimney…piece；　or　in　the　embrasure　of　a　window；　and　prosecuted　in　Carthusian　silence；　with　indefatigable　zeal；　a　piece　of　embroidery；　which　seemed　no　bad　emblem　of　eternity。
  But　I　have　neglected　all　this　while　to　introduce　my　friend　herself　to　the　readerat　least　so　far　as　words　can　convey　the　peculiarities　by　which　her　appearance　and　conversation　were　distinguished。
  A　little　woman；　with　ordinary　features　and　an　ordinary　form；　and　hair　which　in　youth　had　no　decided　colour；　we　may　believe　Mrs。　Martha　when　she　said　of　herself　that　she　was　never　remarkable　for　personal　charms；　a　modest　admission；　which　was　readily　confirmed　by　certain　old　ladies；　her　contemporaries；　who；　whatever　might　have　been　the　youthful　advantages　which　they　more　than　hinted　had　been　formerly　their　own　share；　were　now　in　personal　appearance；　as　well　as　in　everything　else；　far　inferior　to　my　accomplished　friend。　　Mrs。　Martha's　features　had　been　of　a　kind　which　might　be　said　to　wear　well；　their　irregularity　was　now　of　little　consequence；　animated；　as　they　were；　by　the　vivacity　of　her　conversation。　　Her　teeth　were　excellent；　and　her　eyes；　al