of the adjoining chamber could easily have been the (“I see it well, take him with you !" and she resigned it cause of the unexpected occurrence. She had the with bitter feelings. bird taken in, she hastened down to her uncle, every The countess, however, refused; she had no wish body was surprised, no one could give any information. to deprive Luitgarde of what gave her pleasure, and Indeed, Frederick proved to her by all kinds of little besought her to receive the bird, which before had been circumstances, that he could not have been during this a stolen property, now honestly from the hand of a night in that wing of the castle. All the people of the friend. house were examined minutely, but nothing was dis- "Stolen property!" replied Luitgarde, deeply affected. covered. “Yes, yes, you are right, countess !" said she, after a In the meantime Luitgarde kept possession of the pause," and I thank you for your offer, but I cannot bird, and amused herself with its various kinds of talk; accept it; the bird is distasteful to me since I know she could not banish certain thoughts which gave it how I came by it." value to her, when she thought on the manner in which The countess wished to persuade her in a friendly the cage was placed at her window. She was seized tone; she represented to her, that probably he who with the utmost surprise, when, one day, in a soli- brought it to her with danger to his life, quite innotary hour, the bird suddenly cried out, “Victorin ! centlyah, Victorin !" This name made her start and tremble; No, no,” cried Luitgarde, hastily, “that cannot be !" she sprang up and asked the bird who had taught him “How do you know ?” that word, just as if he could comprehend her, but the “I know nothing, indeed nothing," replied Luitbird repeated his—"Ah, Victorin !” and Luitgarde, garde, quickly, “except that I can no more see the bird, who instantly thought of the son of the beloved of her and I beg of you to take him away with you when you mother, and of him to whom she had been first affianced, return, for I—I will let him fly out of the windowfelt an unspeakable alarm; it was to her as if she were What matters it to me? -0 Heavens! he is indeed surrounded by the spirits of the dead. But, shortly stolen.” after, her clear understanding came back again, and she The flow of tears which accompanied these words was ashamed of her fear; indeed, she petted the bird astonished the countess. She did not further atunceasingly, and allowed it to repeat the name, as tempt to explain them, and then decided to take her often as it liked. bird home with her. With various conversations, which, The bird, and the strange manner of its coming into in order to amuse her deeply affected friend, she brought the house, gave a lively interest to its inhabitants, most on the tapis, she at length calmed Luitgarde's agitation, of whom found much amusement in the well-instructed, and after awhile she became sufficiently tranquil to ask prattling little animal. The old count alone signifi- the countess, who in her house had the name of Vic! cantly shook his head, whilst he associated it with other torin: and why the parrot always repeated that name | mysterious events, with which an unseen power seemed with a sigh? ! to environ Luitgarde, and which could not fail to affect “ Victorin !" said the astonished countess, “in my the members of her family. Count Frederick was in a whole house there is no one of that name; he has never very disturbed state; he inquired every where, he sought known that word so long as I have had him, which was every where through the whole castle and its neighbour nearly three years.” hood ; he watched, but discovered nothing. Luitgarde became silent and thoughtful. So passed some days, when a very distant relation of "That is the name of your unknown knight, and he has the family, the Countess Bellheim, came to visit it. Her taught the bird to pronounce his name, in order to put property was a couple of days' journey distant, and only a you in mind of him. This might serve as an indicapressing affair, which she had to transact with the old tion---" count, could have induced her to make such an expedi. “Nothing, absolutely nothing !" Luitgarde, intertion in the winter, and in the insecure state of the roads. rupting her warmly, exclaimed; “I know no man who She was received by everybody with joy, and Luitgarde, bears that name !" who had been so long without any intercourse with her The countess did not press the matter farther, for she own sex, led her the next morning after her arrival, to saw well how all that had reference to the bird excited her apartment, where female occupations, dress, and a Luitgarde in the highest degree ; she kept her thoughts thousand such subjects, gave matter for an animated to herself, but could not avoid communicating a part of conversation, when suddenly the parrot raised its voice, them to Count Frederick, the same evening: and calling, “Victorin! ah, Victorin !” the eyes of He, who had been slightly informed of what had the countess were turned on it. taken place, and of the agitation under which his in“What is that!" cried she, amazed; “this parrot, here, tended bride laboured, had indeed no mistrust of any. in your chamber?" thing. Excited by the narration of the countess, he “Do you know him?" exclaimed Luitgarde, seized wandered into various trains of ideas, but could not with a frightful idea. bring together his thoughts into any sort of consistence; “It is my parrot,” said the other; "I have had him he thought at least he had not much to fear from a many years, and he was taken away from me in a quite rival who brought such equivocal presents, and which incomprehensible way.” were given up again with so much indifference. Luitgarde stood before her—“I solemnly declare, I The countess was soon to take her departure; she had know nothing heard here in the castle accounts of all the bloody "I am well persuaded of that,” replied the countess, stories that were in circulation, and she became ei. "but how did he come into your hands ?" tremely uneasy, so that the old count saw no possibility of Luitgarde related the history. The countess shook tranquillizing his relation, except by giving her a secure her head with astonishment" Let him comprehend escort. “Willingly,” said he would I myself perform ; that who can,” said she, “but, to convince ourselves the knightly service to my fair kinswoman, but my gout whether I am right, or a singular resemblance leads does not permit me in this weather to leave the house ; me astray, be so good as to open the cage a little." so, Frederick, you must go instead.” Luitgarde did so. "With much pleasure,” replied the latter, standing “Poli ! poll !” said the countess, in a caressing tone; up and bowing to the countess; but Luitgarde saw disthe parrot turned its neck towards the voice, shook its tinctly the unwillingness with which he undertook the wings, and flew out of the cage straight to the countess, charge. who held out her hand to him ; he perched instantly on However, there was nothing more to be done than to it, he fondled her, and thus recognised his former mis- keep a good countenance at a losing game. The journey tress, with every indication of attachment. was undertaken on the following day, and Count Fre“ The bird is yours," said Luitgarde, despondingly, I derick reached his paternal habitation on the third name. evening, fortunately, and in good health. Luitgarde voice of thunder, in the midst of the terror-struck ascame to meet him on the steps of the house ; she was not sembly; threw down his false hair, and stood terrific, entirely able to overcome some anxiety for the journey but handsome, in his black curled locks, while at the of her youthful friend, however kindly and seriously her same time he drew forth a pistol, and held it before him uncle had spoken to her, and had advanced various Let him approach me who dare,' cried he. The prereasonable grounds against this inquietude. The reason tended schoolmaster exhibited an enormous sabre, and which made her apprehensive, and which even for her covered his master's retreat. We all stood in amaze depended upon uncertain presumptions, she dared not ment, and the robbers disappeared.” “What the deuce !" cried the old count, “that is too Frederick was satisfied with this proof of sympathy; bad! Are you not ashamed? Was there not one of the he embraced her with true affection, and she soon dis- tellows willing to run the risk ?” covered by his deportment that something significant But, dear father, the smallest party was armed." must have taken place, which he had to communicate "And have you not followed him?" to her. 5 Only think, Luitgarde,” said he—“stop, wait ! “Yes, indeed, the dragoons instantly sprung up, but my father must hear it too--Come now in.” He drew her the girths of their saddles were cut away, and when into the old count's chamber, and, immediately after the they wanted to mount they tumbled over, with cloth, first salutations and informations, he was no longer able and saddle, from their horses, while the two robbers, to retain his great piece of news. with a jeering laugh, leaped on their horses, and flew "Father! Luitgarde !” said he, "think what has off swift as the wind.” happened to me, what I have lived to see,,I have seen "Now, this is too ridiculous !" said the father, "a Black Fritz!” whole chamber full of men, and soldiers among them, “ Black Fritz !" cried out both. and two robbers, who made themselves known in a de "Yes, yes! as large as life, and as near as I see you, riding manner, could not be taken !” and I have even talked to him !" Count Frederick endeavoured to explain and excuse "With the robber chief?” said the father_“he is the matter, but the father kept his own opinion, and then taken ?" asserted that it was an eternal shame, while Luitgarde “Oh, no! that he is not," answered Frederick. thirsted with desire to ask her cousin for a description of "Have you been attacked ?" inquired Luitgarde, with Black Fritz—at last she ventured to do so. an air of fear, “ Permit me, fair cousin, that this remain for the "God forbid !” replied Frederick_“I have spoken present my secret,” replied he; "in a few days thou to him, as I speak to you, tranquilly, peacefully.” shalt be fully and more than satisfied." Now, in God's name,” said the old count, impa- Luitgarde was obliged to yield, but she was now less tiently, "relate the aflair.” able than ever to banish a certain image from her mind, And Frederic began. “This morning I was delayed or keep off the unpleasant idea that her cousin had at the first stage from the countess' castle, for some played but a sorry part with the audacious robber. time, waiting for horses. I thought it right, for my own safety, to conceal my rank and my name; I asked for no private room, but took my place in the common one; all kinds of people were there; peasants, parish and public POPULAR YEAR BOOK. officers, and some of those dragoons, whose duty it is to patrol the country. They were boasting and laughing, and November 9.-Lord Mayor's Day. relating all kinds of wild anecdotes of the robbers, and Tuis day has received the above designation in alluhow, on two different occasions, they had been already sion to its being the period when the chief magistrate on the track of Bluck Fritz; how he keeps his habita- of the city of London annually enters upon his tion in that neighbourhood, and so on; all which was nayoralty. Prior to the alteration of style in 1752, not quite to my taste, when I reflected that the waiting this anniversary was held on the 29th of October. The for the horses might force me to travel by night. Just amphibious procession of the corporation to the city then the door opened, and there entered a priest, fol- of Westminster and back-the most remarkable of our lowed by his schoolmaster. He was a young man of civic displays-is too familiar to our readers to need a good figure; his exterior, his profession, even his look, description here. A high authority in medieval antiif I might so say, imposed silence on thé vulgar crowdiquities considers it a very interesting exhibition, inashe had some wine for himself and his schoolmaster, of much as it bears a close resemblance to the ancient which he drank moderately, and remained silent. By- pageants. It cannot vie, however, with the “ Lord and-by, the dragoons began to bravado ; they affirmed Mayor's Show" of former days, as described by a they knew Black Fritz well; they represented him with writer in 1575. “ The day of St. Simon and Jude," frightful features, and declared that if ever again they says Master William Smythe, “ citizen and haberdasher were to fall in with him, he should no longer escape of London,' “ the Lord Mayor enters into his state and them. office. The next day he goes by water to Westminster, " The priest now stood up, placed himself opposite in a most triumphant-like manner, his barge being garthem, and asked them, 'If they were so certain of their nished with the arms of the city; and near it a ship affair, why did they not put an end to the man's fright- boat of the Queen's Majesty being trimmed up and ful occupation long since ? The dragoons bravadoed, rigged like a ship-of-war, with divers pieces of ordnance, änd bullied, and talked away as raw soldiers are accus- standards, pennons, and targets of the proper arms tomed to do; the clergyman carried on his jest with of the said mayor, of his company, &c.; next before him them, which I was clearly able to see, and it seemed to goeth the barge of the livery of his own company, amuse him to hear how highly and valiantly the fellows decked with their own proper arms; then the bachelors estimated themselves, and what they meant to do with barge, and so all the companies in London, in order, Black Fritz, if they came in contact with him. every one having their own proper barge, with the arms And suppose he were here in the midst of you? of their company. And so passing along the Thames, said the priest, with a tone which frightened the dra- he landeth at Westminster, where he taketh his oath in goons, and which I confess made my blood for a moment the Exchequer, before the judge there ; which done, he curdle. We all looked at each other, each feared to returneth by water as aforesaid, and landeth at Paul's discover in his neighbour the dreaded robber. In the Wharf, where he, and the rest of the aldermen, take mean time, the schoolmaster had returned to the room, their horses, and in great poinp pass through Cheapside. from which he had absented himself, and gave a wink And first of all cometh two great standards, one having the arms of the city, and the other the arms of the "I AM BLACK Fritz l roared out the last, with a I mayor's company : next them two drums and a fute, to the priesto OLD AND POPULAR CUSTOMS. then an ensign of the city, and then about seventy or | For some time he followed his father's profession. It is eighty poor men marching two and two, in blue gowns related, that at the gate of Amiens he divided his cloak with red sleeves and caps, every one bearing a pike and with a poor mendicant, and that on the following night target, whereon is painted the arms of all them that our blessed Lord appeared to him wrapped in that half have been mayor's of the same company that this new of it which he had parted with, and said to his angelic mayor is of. Then two banners, one of the king's arms, retinue, Martin has given me this garinent." This vision the other of the mayor's own proper arms: then a set occasioned the saint to leave the army, and retire into of hautboys playing, and after them certain whifflers (or solitude, from which he was withdrawn by St. Hiliary, staff bearers], in velvet coats and chains of gold, with Bishop of Poictiers. He was elected Bishop of Tours white staves in their hands; then the Pageant of in 374. The zeal and piety which he displayed in this Triumph, richly decked, whereupon by certain figures office were most exemplary. le converted the whole and writings some matter touching justice and the of the diocese to the true faith, levelling the temples office of a magistrate is represented. Then sixteen of the heathens with the ground, and erecting, in their trumpeters, eight and eight, having banners of the stead, churches for the worship of the true God. The mayor's company: then certain whifflers as before : Emperor Valentinian, and even the tyrant Maximus, then the bachelors, two and two, in long gowns, with trea ied him with respect and honour; and he continued crimson hoods on their shoulders of satin ; which in his bishopric, universally beloved and esteemed, bachelors are chosen every year of the same company until A.D. 400, when he departed to glory, at the that the mayor is of, and serve as gentlemen on that advanced age of eighty-four years. St. Martin has been and other festival days, to wait on the mayor, being in styled THE APOSTLE OF Gaul. The French had formerly number according to the quantity of the company, such reverence for his memory, that they carried his sometimes sixty, or one hundred. After them, twelve helmet with them in their wars, as an incitement to trumpeters more, with banners of the mayor's company; courage. His festival was instituted A.D. 650, and is then the drum and flute of the city, and an ensign of one of the four cross quarter days. It is commemorated the mayor's company; and after, the waits of the city in the Anglican Church Kalendar, as is also that of 'l in blue gowns, red sleeves and caps, every one having a his translation on the 4th July. The former is still silver collar about his neck. Then they of the livery called in law, MartinMAS, from which it has been corin their long gowns, every one having his hood on his rupted to Martle, or Martlemas. “ Formerly,” says left shoulder, half black and half red, the number of Brady, “ the feast of this saint was denominated Marthem according to the greatness of the company of tinalia, and was held with much festivity, in close resemwhich they are. After them follow sheriff's officers, blance to the VENALIA of the Romans, which had been and then the mayor's officers, with other officers of the instituted in honour of Jupiter and Venus." St. Martin city, as the Common Serjeant and the Chamberlain; is the patron of the Vintners' Company, London. St. next before the mayor goeth the sword-bearer, having Vartin's little summer is a term for the fine days which on his head the cap of honour, and the sword of the sometimes occur about the beginning of November. I eity in his right hand, in a rich scabbard set with i pearls; and on his left hand goeth the common crier 1 of the city, with his great mace on his shoulder, all A usage anciently prevailed everywhere in England, gilt. The mayor hath on a long gown of scarlet, and on his left shoulder a hood of black velvet, and a rich though generally confined at present to country villages, In Tusser's “ Five collar of gold of ss. about his neck, and with him of killing oxen, &c. at this season. Hundred Points of Husbandry are the following rideth the old mayor also, in his scarlet gown, hood of lines :velvet, and a chain of gold about his neck. Then all the aldermen, two and two (among whom is the recorder), “When Easter comes, who knows not than all in scarlet gowns; those that have been mayors have That veal and bacon is the man ? chains of gold, the others have black velvet tippets. And Martilmas beef doth bear good tack The two sheriff's come last of all, in their black scarlet When country folk do dainties lack.” gowns and chains of gold. In this order they pass along Brand observes, that rustic families in Northumberthrough the eity to Guildhall, where they dine that land still club at Martinmas to buy a cow, or other day, to the number of one thousand persons, all at the animals, for slaughter, the entrails of which, after having charge of the mayor and the two sheriffs. Immediately been filled with a kind of pudding meat, consisting of after dinner they go to St. Paul's church, every one of blood, suet, groats, &c. are formed into “ little sausage the aforesaid poor men bearing staff, torches, and targets, links,” boiled, and sent about as presents, under the which torches are lighted when it is late, before they name of black puddings. A custom somewhat similar come from evening prayers." to this formerly prevailed in Germany, where there was The last Lord Mayor who rode on horseback on this at this time, a kind of entertainment called the “ Feast occasion, was Sir Gilbert Heathcote, in the reign of of Sausages, or Gut Puddings,” which was wont to be Queen Anne. The procession to and from Westminster celebrated with great joy and festivity. On the continent was by land, until the year 1435, in the reign of St. Martin's day is a great festival: new wines then Henry VI., when Sir John Norman built a sumptuous begin to be tasted, and the hours are spent in carousing; barge at his own expense, for the purpose of going by Dr. Stukeley remarks, that St. Martin's day is marked The twelve companies, emulating their chief, with a goose in the wooden almanacks of Norway : for have, from that period, “ graced the Thames” on Lord on that day they always feasted with a roasted goose. Mayor's day. They say,” he adds, St. Martin, being elected to a • All that remains,” says Hone,“ of the Lord Mayor's bishopric, hid himself, but was discovered by that Show, to remind the curiously informed of its ancient animal.” The same bird, we are informed, is one of character, is in the first part of the procession, wherein the delicacies in common use" at every table on the the poor men of the company to which the Lord Mayor continent at Martinmas: and that sucń was also forbelongs, or persons hired to represent them, are habited merly the case in England, appears from the following in long gowns and close caps of the company's colour, account in the “ Popish Kingdom,” of the fashion in and bear painted shields on their arms, but without which the Feast of St. Martin was celebrated by our javelins. So many of these head the show as there are ancestors : Fears in the Lord Mayor's age. November 11.-St. Martin's Day. “ To belly cheer yet once again doth Martin more incline, Whom all the people worshippeth with roasted geese and wine : St. Martin, the son of a Roman military tribune, was Both all the day long, and the night, now each man open makes born in Pannonia, now called Hungary, about A.D. 316. His vessels all, and of the most vittime the last he takes, Water. 66 Which holy Martin afterwards alloweth to be wine ; November 17 is the anniversary of QUEEN ELIZABETH'S Therefore they him unto the skies extol with praise divine, And drinking deep in tankards large, and bowls of compass Protestant Festival, with public prayers, processions, ACCESSION, and was long observed in this kingdom as a wide. Yea, by these fees , the schoolmasters have profit great beside : and illuminations. The figures of the Pope and the For with his scholars, every one about do singing go, Devil were usually burnt on this occasion. In the Not praising Martin much, but at the goose rejoicing tho', “Gentleman's Magazine" for November 1760 is an de Whereof they oftentimes have part, and money therewithal, count of the remarkable cavalcade on the evening of For which they celebrate this feast, with song and music all." this day, A.D. 1679, at the time the bill for excluding the Duke of York (afterwards James II.) from the throne of November 13.-On this day the Stamford bull-run. England was in agitation. We are informed in the above ning annually takes place. This custom is said to have narrative that the procession in question set forth at originated as follows :-William, Earl of Warren, in Moorgate, and passed first to Aldgate, thence through the time of King John, standing, it is said, upon his Leadenhall-street, by the Royal Exchange and Cheap castle wall, saw two bulls fighting for a cow in the fields side, to Temple Bar, in the ensuing order ; viz. Six below. A butcher of the town of Stamford, owner of whifflers to clear the way. A bellman ringing, and in one of the combatants, accidentally coming by with a loud and doleful tones crying out,“ Remember Justice huge mastiff, set the dog upon his own bull, who fled Godfrey.”. A figure of the justice, carried on horseback into the town, and no sooner entered it than all the before a Jesuit in black. A priest in a surplice, and a butchers' dogs in the place, great and small, followed cape embroidered with sculls, &c., distributing pardons. him in hot pursuit. By this time the enraged fugitive A priest in black, with a silver cross. Four Carmelites. had become stark mad, and ran over everything in his Four grey friars. Six Jesuits, with bloody daggers. A path. The town was soon in an uproar, and so great concert of wind music. Four bishops, in purple and was the noise, that the Earl of Warren rode with all lawn sleeves, with pastoral staves in their hands. Four speed to the scene of action, and was so delighted with other bishops, with surplices and rich embroidered the spectacle, that he gave all the meadows in which copes, and gilt mitres on their heads. Six cardinals in the bulls were first found fighting as a common to scarlet robes and caps. The Pope's doctor, with Jesuits the butchers of Stamford, upon the condition, that powder, &c. Two priests in surplices, with golden upon the anniversary of the day of the bull-chase, the crosses. Lastly," the Pope, in a lofty glorious pageant, butchers should from time to time, yearly for ever, find representing a chair of state, covered with scarlet, richly a representative of the original Taurus for the continu embroidered and fringed, and bedecked with golden ance of that amusement. balls and crosses. At his feet a cushion of state, and The manner in which the sport is now conducted is two boys in surplices, with white silk banners, and briefly this :—The bull is shut up during the night, bloody crosses, and daggers, with an incense pot before before the appointed day, in a place provided for the them, censing his holiness, who was arrayed in a splenpurpose. At eleven o'clock a.m. he is released from did scarlet gown, lined through with ermine, and richly his prison, generally into a street, stopped at each end, daubed with gold and silver lace; on his head a tripple which he parades "in majesty sublime.” At this junc-crown of gold, and a glorious collar of gold and precious ture every post, pump, and wall is in requisition. The stones, St. Peter's keys, &c.;" and at his back, not an carts and waggons which form the barrier at the ends effigy, but a person representing the devil, acting as his of the street are crowded with individuals, and, in a holiness's privy-counsellor, and "frequently caressing, word, every place tenable is occupied. Some years back hugging, and whispering him, and oftentimes instructit was usual to irritate the bull, by goading him with ing him aloud." The whole procession was attended pointed sticks, but this practice is now wholly abolished. with some thousands of individuals carrying flambeaux Frequently a hogshead, with both ends knocked out, and lights. The statue of the Queen on the inner or is brought, wherein a man places himself, and, by roll- eastern side of Temple Bar having been conspicuously ing it to the bull, provokes him to toss it. He tosses, ornamented, the figure of the Pope was brought before but tosses in vain; its inmate is trained too well to be it, when, after a song, partly alluding to the protection easily dislodged. By this and other means equally afforded by Elizabeth to Protestants, and partly to the harmless, he is rendered sufficiently infuriated for the existing circumstances of the times, " his holiness, after running.". The street is then“ unstopped,” when, all some compliments and reluctances, was decently toppled The Pope-burning processions, of which this is, perthe fun; it consists in driving him upon the bridge, haps, the most remarkable example, were promoted by (which is a great height above the water) and forcing the party in opposition, for the express purpose of inhim into the waves below. Crowds of persons press flaming the public against the Court, and they were upon him on three sides, and at length, in spite of his carried on under some common direction, which asamazing powers, he yields to the combined strength of signed the actors their parts, and prescribed the methods his opponents,—he plunges into the river. On rising by which they should arrange their spectacles. These to the surface his first care is to land, which, in most exhibitions were very properly put down by governcases, he does in the meadows, where the chase con ment in 1681. tinues until night puts a stop to the proceedings. The baited animal is then slaughtered, and his carcass sold at a reduced price to the lower classes, who regale themselves with a supper of bull beef. A frequent eye-witness BOOK OF HIGHLAND MINSTRELSY.' of the above singular custom affirms that it is not nearly so cruel as some represent it to be. “Fatigue,” he ob The title of this very pleasant book is rather apt to serves, “is the greatest pain the bull is subjected to ; mislead. It is not, as might be supposed, a collection and, on the other hand, the men who so courageously of the traditional poetry of the Highlands, as Scott's cope with him are in imminent danger of loss of life or 'Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border' is of that of the broken limbs, whilst they possess not the most distant southern part of Scotland, but a volume of poems by idea of doing anything more injurious to the animal Mrs. Ogilvy herself, founded upon a variety of historical than irritating him.”ı and traditional incidents, collected from an evidently 2 (1) Is it possible that this senseless and brutal custom is still in observance 1-EDITOR. (1) " A Book of Highland Minstrelsy." By Mrs. D. Ogilvy. With illustrations, by R. R. Mclan. London: Nickisson. 1846. familiar acquaintance with the character, habits, and paraded by those who take up admiration for antiquity as history, of our Highland countrymen. We cannot say a trade. But, if we will look more deeply into the matter, that we think Mrs. Ogilvy's choice of subjects has been, we shall find that it has something more and better in it in every instance, the happiest possible. She might, than a childish affectation of reviving exploded follies, or the mere cant of enthusiasm for reverend antiquity. we feel assured, have found, among the multitude of It speaks the clinging of the affections to the soil where Highland traditions, many better fitted for poetic their roots have been early planted—the unwillingness handling than some of those she has chosen. Such as of generous minds to part for ever with what is assothey are, however, she has made a good use of them; ciated, however remotely, with the objects of their love and her volume, if not ranking among the highest poeti- and veneration--and the natural tendency of men of cal achievements of the day, must be assigned an ardent benevolence to prefer, to the smooth level of honourable place at the head of those of the second the present day, a state of society in which, if the happi equal rights and general independence which marks class. The peculiar features of character by which the High-perfectly secured, and left more at the mercy of the indivi ness and comfort of the mass of the people were less landers of Scotland were long distinguished are rapidly dual characters of men of rank and power, there was, for becoming effaced, as the peculiarities of condition from that very reason, more scope for the exercise of a class which they sprung are disappearing before the inroads of virtues the most captivating in their aspect, as inof modern improvement and innovation. Let us not fusing into the social relation those feelings of recipro cal attachment and veneration, which, in their gentle be grudged the slight feeling of regret, founded, we admit, rather in sentiment than in reason, development, cast so exquisite a charm over the family with which circle. we contemplate this change. There is no tree, however But to return to the Highlanders. The peculiarities useless and unsightly, which, if we have been accus-of character by which they have been distinguished are tomed to look upon it all our lives, we can see at last easily referable for their origin to the circumstances in grubbed up, without some slight twinge of sorrow, in which they were placed. Inhabiting a mountainous spite of our full persuasion of the necessity for its de country, seldom approached by visitors from other parts of the world, their ideas necessarily circled within a struction. The conviction that what is removed can narrow round. The character of the country, of which never again return-that the torch which is extin. the habitable part consisted of valleys separated from guished can never again be lighted-that years, as they each other by nearly impassable ranges of mountain, roll, will bring many changes, but will never restore must have greatly contributed to, if it did not altothat from which we are now parting,—throws an involun-gether create, those peculiar feelings, so ardent in their tary shade of sadness over the general satisfaction with good and in their evil, which are connected with the which we contemplate changes in the character and system of clanship. The limits of their valley marked out at first the natural boundary of settlement for famihabits of a people, flowing from their advancement in lies issuing from a common stock. The affections, cencivilization, and from what is an undeniable improve-tred in this narrow spot, were not taught to expand by ment, in many respects, in their condition. freedom of intercourse with other families, who were too It must be admitted, perhaps, that those semi-barba- distant, and too difficult of access, for any easy interrous peculiarities, which constitute the poetical element change of friendly offices, though both distance and dif. in the character of a race, owe their interest mainly, of the more active feelings of hostility and revenge. ficulty could at any time be overcome at the instigation if not altogether, to the fact which their sentimental Thus the Highlander's affections were all thrown inward, admirers deplore--that they have disappeared, or are in with an intensity of glow greatly increased by their the act of disappearing. Many an eye “in a fine frenzy forcible compression, upon himself , his family, his kinrolling” looks with delight upon the mountain robed dred, and the head of his clan; his angry passions only by distance in its azure hue, whose owner would little had room to throw out their shoots into the outer world. relish being compelled to take up his abode among the home, he found only strangers or foemen-strangers When he ventured to overstep the limits of his narrow mists, and drifts, and roaring torrents, of the mountain made foemen by some of the numberless causes of quarside. A cateran is an infinitely more poetical person-rel, sure to arise at the casual meeting of men to each age after he is dead, and when his deeds are recounted of whom his own little community was the world, and by the side of a warm fire, under the shelter of con- who, therefore, went abroad bristling at every point with stables, and police, and magistrates, who, as Bailie feelings and jealousies which it was scarcely possible to Jarvie says, “ do not bear the sword in vain ”-than he avoid touching, and which could not be touched without would be deemed by a man wakened at midnight by the giving mortal offence. screams of his household to see his barn in flames, and The exclusive devotion of the Highlander's affections to hear the farewell lowing of his precious three-year- to his own clan, and his limited acquaintance with the olds as they trotted before the bare-legged ravisher up rest of the world, naturally gave birth to ideas of perthe glen. The common lament for the departure of sonal and family consequence, which, though they ap"the good old times” is most probably less the result of pear ludicrous enough when measured by the standard a specific admiration for any of the incidents of those usually applied to such things, were not without a very times in particular, than the expression of the general beneficial influence upon his own character. In his feeling with which we look upon that line in our eyes his chief was the greatest man in the world-his mental horizon which is just disappearing from view; clan the noblest race of living men. Not one of the clan a feeling which, let us be at what point of our progress but had the blood of the chief in his veins, and not one, we may, will always find wherewith to exercise itself, therefore, but had some degree of hereditary dignity to and of which our own times will be the object to our sustain. If this feeling led to some incongruous absurgrandchildren, just as are to us the times of our grand- dities in their rare intercourse with the rest of the world fathers, who in their turn looked back with similar —if it had the still worse effect of carrying down into the feelings of veneration and regret upon times which are lowest grade of society the gentlemanlike vices of quaraltogether hidden from our view. There is nothing relsomeness and revenge—it had no less the effect of easier than to ridicule the feeling of respect for the throwing over the character of the lowest Highlander a character and manners of " the olden time.” The ridi. feeling of self-respect, and of imparting a dignified culous points about it, which are numerous enough, are polish to his manners, of which corresponding examples obvious to the dullest, and are sure to be sufficiently I can scarcely be found among any other people in the 66 |