Waverley; or, 'Tis sixty years since — CompleteScott, Walter
History
Waverley; or, 'Tis sixty years since — Complete
Scott, Walter
Historical fiction; Jacobite Rebellion, 1745-1746 -- Fiction; Scotland -- History -- 18th century -- Fiction
other men's concerns, though I hope what may serve my father's friend
at such a time as this cannot be termed improper interference.
Farewell, Captain Waverley! I shall probaby never see you more; for it
would be very improper to wish you to call at Tully-Veolan just now,
even if these men were gone; but I will always remember with gratitude
your kindness in assisting so poor a scholar as myself, and your
attentions to my dear, dear father.
I remain, your obliged servant,
ROSE COMYNE BRADWARDINE.
P.S.--I hope you will send me a line by David Gellatley, just to say
you have received this and that you will take care of yourself; and
forgive me if I entreat you, for your own sake, to join none of these
unhappy cabals, but escape, as fast as possible, to your own fortunate
country. My compliments to my dear Flora and to Glennaquoich. Is she
not as handsome and accomplished as I have described her?
Thus concluded the letter of Rose Bradwardine, the contents of which
both surprised and affected Waverley. That the Baron should fall under
the suspicions of government, in consequence of the present stir among
the partisans of the house of Stuart, seemed only the natural
consequence of his political predilections; but how HE himself should
have been involved in such suspicions, conscious that until yesterday
he had been free from harbouring a thought against the prosperity of
the reigning family, seemed inexplicable. Both at Tully-Veolan and
Glennaquoich his hosts had respected his engagements with the existing
government, and though enough passed by accidental innuendo that might
induce him to reckon the Baron and the Chief among those disaffected
gentlemen who were still numerous in Scotland, yet until his own
connection with the army had been broken off by the resumption of his
commission, he had no reason to suppose that they nourished any
immediate or hostile attempts against the present establishment. Still
he was aware that, unless he meant at once to embrace the proposal of
Fergus Mac-Ivor, it would deeply concern him to leave the suspicious
neighbourhood without delay, and repair where his conduct might undergo
a satisfactory examination. Upon this he the rather determined, as
Flora's advice favoured his doing so, and because he felt inexpressible
repugnance at the idea of being accessary to the plague of civil war.
Whatever were the original rights of the Stuarts, calm reflection told
him that, omitting the question how far James the Second could forfeit
those of his posterity, he had, according to the united voice of the
whole nation, justly forfeited his own. Since that period four monarchs
had reigned in peace and glory over Britain, sustaining and exalting
the character of the nation abroad and its liberties at home. Reason
asked, was it worth while to disturb a government so long settled and
established, and to plunge a kingdom into all the miseries of civil
war, for the purpose of replacing upon the throne the descendants of a
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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