OAKST. HDSF FATHER PHILIP AND ELSPETH. " ' Now, by mine order, it is as I suspected My mule, my mule ! I will abid no longer here well hast thou done, dame, in placing in my hands this perilous volume." PAGE 419. V /YY\ INTRODUCTION (1830.) tages, even tne church which once existed there, have sunk into vestiges hardly to be traced without IT would be difficult to assign any good reason visiting the spot, the inhabitants having gradually why the author of Ivanhoe, after using, in tliat withdrawn to the more prosperous town of Gala- vvork, all the art he possessed to remove the per- shiels, which has risen into consideration, within two sonages, action, and manners of the tale, to a dis- miles of their neighbourhood. Superstitious eld, ance from his own country, should choose for the however, lias tenanted the deserted groves with cene of his next attempt the celebrated ruins of aerial beings, to supply the want of the mortal Melrose, in the immediate neighbourhood of his tenants who have deserted it. The ruined and own residence. But the reason, or caprice, which abandoned churchyard of Boldside has been long dictated his change of system, has entirely escaped believed to be haunted by the Fairies, and the deep his recollection, nor is it worth while to attempt broad current of the Tweed, wheeling in moonlight recalling wkit must be a matter of very little con- round the foot of the steep bank, with the number sequence. of trees originally planted for shelter round the fields e 'rhe general plan of die story was, to conjoin two of the cottagers, but now presenting the effect of characters in that bustling and contentious age, who, scattered and detached groves, fill up the idea thrown into situations which gave them different winch one would form in imagination for a scene .iews on the subject of the Reformation, should, that Oberon and Queen Mab might love to revel in. 'vith the same sincerity and purity of intention, There are evenings when the spectator might be- iedicate themselves, the one to the support of the lieve, with Father Chaucer, that the fabric of the Catholic the other to ' ' sinking Church, Queen of Faerj , the establishment of the Reformed doctrines. It With harp, and pipe, and symphony, Were dwelling in the place." was supposed that some interesting subjects for nar- rative might be derived from opposing two such Another, and even a more familiar refuge of the to :ithusiasts each other in the path of life, and elfin race, (if tradition is to be trusted,) is the glen contrasting the real worth of both with their pas- of the river, or rather brook, named the Allen, which Vsions and prejudices. The localities of Melrose falls into the Tweed from the northward, about a suited well the of the the of a mile above the As scenery proposed story ; quarter present bridge. ruins themselves form a splendid theatre for any the streamlet finds its way behind Lord Somraer- incident which be forward ville's called the its !'agic might brought ; banting-seat, Pavilion, valley pined to the vicinity of the fine river, with all its lias been popularly termed the Fairy Dean, or rather L-ibutary streams, flowing through a country which the Nameless Dean, because of the supposed ill lias been the scene of so much fierce fighting, and luck attached by the popular faith of ancient times, is rich with so many recollections of former times, to any one who might name or allude to the race, ;ind lying almost under the immediate eye of the whom our fathers distinguished as the Good Neigh- author, by whom they were to be used in com- bours, and the Highlanders called Daoine Sliie, or i\j>osition. rather than Men of Peace ; by way of compliment, The situation possessed farther recommendations. on account of any particular idea of friendship or On the opposite bank of the Tweed be seen relation which either or Borderer j might pacific Highlander :he remains of ancient enclosures, surrounded by entertained towards the irritable beings whom they and ash-trees of considerable size. These thus distinguished, or supposed them to bear to iiad once formed the crofts or arable of a ' Sycamores ground humanity. village, now reduced to a single hut, the abode of -Jierman, who also manages a ferry. The coi- ' See Rob Key, Note G. vain Sunerttitum. ;94 WAVERLEY NOVELS. snpport. But, as for that overboiling valour, which paper of pins, the Sermons of Mr Peflen, or the [ have heard many of ours talk of, though I seldom Life of Jack the Giant-Queller, (not Killer, as usu- observed that it influenced them in the actual ally erroneously written and pronounced. See ray affair that exuberant zeal, which courts Danger essay on the true history of this worthy, where as a bride, truly my courage was of a complexion real facts have in a peculiar degree been obscured much less ecstatical. by fable.) In short, all in the village were under Again, the love of a red coat, which, in default the necessity of doing something which they would of all other aptitudes to the profession, has made rather have left undone, excepting Captain Doolittle. many a bad soldier and some good ones, was an who walked every morning hi the open street. utter in blue stranger to my disposition. I cared not a which formed the high mall of our village, a " bodle" for the company of the misses : Nay, coat with a red neck, and played at whist the whole a though there was boarding-school in the village, evening, when he could make up a party. Thi^ and though we used to meet with its fair inmates happy vacuity of all employment appeared to me at Simon Lightfoot's weekly Practising, I cannot so delicious, that it became the primary hint, which, recollect any strong emotions being excited on according to the system of Helvetius, as the minister these occasions, excepting the infinite regret with says, determined my infant talents towards the pro- fession I was destined to which I went through the polite ceremonial of illustrate. presenting my partner with an orange, thrust into But who, alas ! can form a just estimate of their 2 future in this world . I was my pocket by my aunt for this special purpose, but prospects deceitful in I which, had I dared, I certainly would have secreted not long engaged my new profession, before for my own personal use. As for vanity, or love discovered, that if the independent indolence of of for I was a the officer must finery itself, was such a stranger to it, that half-pay paradise, pass the of and service in order the difficulty was great to make me brush my coat, through purgatory duty and appear in proper trim upon parade. I shall to gain admission to it. Captain Doolittle might the red or leave never forget the rebuke of my old Colonel on a brush his blue coat with neck, the reviewed a it at his but Clutter- morning when King brigade of which unbrushed, pleasure ; Ensign " ours made part. I am no friend to extravagance, buck had no such option. Captain Doolittle might said " to bed at ten if he had a mind but the Ensign Clutterbuck," he ; but, on the day go o'clock, ; when we are to pass before the Sovereign of the Ensign must make the rounds in his turn. What kingdom, in the name of God I would have at was worse, the Captain might repose under the least shewn him an inch of clean linen." tester of his tent-bed until noon, if he was so a to but the God had to Thus, stranger the ordinary motives which pleased ; Ensign, help him, lead young men to make the army their choice, and appear upon parade at peep of day. As for duty, without the least desire to become either a hero or I made that as easy as I could, had the sergeant a dandy, I really do not know what determined to whisper to me the words of command and my thoughts that way, unless it were the happy bustled through as other folks did. Of service, T state of half-pay indolence, enjoyed by Captain saw enough for an indolent man was buffeted up Doolittle, who had set up his staff of rest in my and down the world, and visited both the East and other distant native village. Every other person had, or seemed West Indies, Egypt, and places, which to have, something to do, less or more. They did my youth had scarce dreamed of. The French I and felt too witness two on not, indeed, precisely go to school and learn tasks, saw, ; fingers my that last of evils in estimation but it did which one of their cursed hussars took my ; not right hand, escape my boyish observation, that they were all off with his sabre as neatly as an hospital surgeon At the of old bothered with something or other like duty or length death an aunt, who left me labour all but the happy Captaiu Doolittle. The some fifteen hundred pounds, snugly vested in the minister three the had his parish to visit, and his preaching per cents, gave me long-wished-for oppor- to prepare, though perhaps he made more fuss than tunity of retiring, with the prospect of enjoying a clean shirt a four times he needed about both. The laird had his fairning and guinea a-week at <tnd to be- least.