Waverley; or, 'Tis sixty years since — Volume 1Scott, Walter
History
Waverley; or, 'Tis sixty years since — Volume 1
Scott, Walter
Historical fiction; Jacobite Rebellion, 1745-1746 -- Fiction; Scotland -- History -- 18th century -- Fiction
As the public were thus likely to be deprived of the benefit
arising from his lucubrations by the selfish cowardice of the
trade, Mr. Pembroke resolved to make two copies of these
tremendous manuscripts for the use of his pupil. He felt that he
had been indolent as a tutor, and, besides, his conscience checked
him for complying with the request of Mr. Richard Waverley, that
he would impress no sentiments upon Edward's mind inconsistent
with the present settlement in church and state. But now, thought
he, I may, without breach of my word, since he is no longer under
my tuition, afford the youth the means of judging for himself, and
have only to dread his reproaches for so long concealing the light
which the perusal will flash upon his mind. While he thus indulged
the reveries of an author and a politician, his darling proselyte,
seeing nothing very inviting in the title of the tracts, and
appalled by the bulk and compact lines of the manuscript, quietly
consigned them to a corner of his travelling trunk.
Aunt Rachel's farewell was brief and affectionate. She only
cautioned her dear Edward, whom she probably deemed somewhat
susceptible, against the fascination of Scottish beauty. She
allowed that the northern part of the island contained some
ancient families, but they were all Whigs and Presbyterians except
the Highlanders; and respecting them she must needs say, there
could be no great delicacy among the ladies, where the gentlemen's
usual attire was, as she had been assured, to say the least, very
singular, and not at all decorous. She concluded her farewell with
a kind and moving benediction, and gave the young officer, as a
pledge of her regard, a valuable diamond ring (often worn by the
male sex at that time), and a purse of broad gold-pieces, which
also were more common Sixty Years Since than they have been of
late.
CHAPTER VII
A HORSE-QUARTER IN SCOTLAND
The next morning, amid varied feelings, the chief of which was a
predominant, anxious, and even solemn impression, that he was now
in a great measure abandoned to his own guidance and direction,
Edward Waverley departed from the Hall amid the blessings and
tears of all the old domestics and the inhabitants of the village,
mingled with some sly petitions for sergeantcies and
corporalships, and so forth, on the part of those who professed
that 'they never thoft to ha' seen Jacob, and Giles, and Jonathan
go off for soldiers, save to attend his honour, as in duty bound.'
Edward, as in duty bound, extricated himself from the supplicants
with the pledge of fewer promises than might have been expected
from a young man so little accustomed to the world. After a short
visit to London, he proceeded on horseback, then the general mode
of travelling, to Edinburgh, and from thence to Dundee, a seaport
on the eastern coast of Angus-shire, where his regiment was then
quartered.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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