The Ayrshire Legatees; Or, The Pringle FamilyGalt, John
General
The Ayrshire Legatees; Or, The Pringle Family
Galt, John
Scotland -- Social life and customs -- Fiction
could not be civil enough, he thought--but conducted us in, and showed us
the marble monuments, and the French colours that were taken in the war,
till the time of worship--nothing could surpass his discretion.
At last the organ began to sound, and we went into the place of worship;
but oh, Mr. Micklewham, yon is a thin kirk. There was not a hearer forby
Mrs. Pringle and me, saving and excepting the relics of popery that
assisted at the service. What was said, I must, however, in verity
confess, was not far from the point. But it's still a comfort to see
that prelatical usurpations are on the downfall; no wonder that there is
no broad at the door to receive the collection for the poor, when no
congregation entereth in. You may, therefore, tell Mr. Craig, and it
will gladden his heart to hear the tidings, that the great Babylonian
madam is now, indeed, but a very little cutty.
On our return home to our lodgings, we found Andrew Pringle, my son, and
Rachel, in great consternation about our absence. When we told them that
we had been at worship, I saw they were both deeply affected; and I was
pleased with my children, the more so, as you know I have had my doubts
that Andrew Pringle's principles have not been strengthened by the
reading of the _Edinburgh Review_. Nothing more passed at that time, for
we were disturbed by a Captain Sabre that came up with us in the smack,
calling to see how we were after our journey; and as he was a civil
well-bred young man, which I marvel at, considering he's a Hussar
dragoon, we took a coach, and went to see the lions, as he said; but,
instead of taking us to the Tower of London, as I expected, he ordered
the man to drive us round the town. In our way through the city he
showed us the Temple Bar, where Lord Kilmarnock's head was placed after
the Rebellion, and pointed out the Bank of England and Royal Exchange.
He said the steeple of the Exchange was taken down shortly ago--and that
the late improvements at the Bank were very grand. I remembered having
read in the _Edinburgh Advertiser_, some years past, that there was a
great deal said in Parliament about the state of the Exchange, and the
condition of the Bank, which I could never thoroughly understand. And,
no doubt, the taking own of an old building, and the building up of a new
one so near together, must, in such a crowded city as this, be not only a
great detriment to business, but dangerous to the community at large.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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