Here Don Rodrigo having intelligence that the fox-hunter had spent his estate, which was to be exposed to sale by public auction, he determined to make a purchase of the spot where he was born, and actually bought all the land that belonged to his father. Strap, with two men in livery, on horseback. | about twenty miles from this place; and As we made easy stages, my charmer held when we came within half a league of the it out very well till we arrived at Edinburgh, house, were met by a prodigious number of where we proposed to rest ourselves some poor tenants, men, women and children, weeks. who testified their joy by loud acclamations, and accompanied our coach to the gate. As there is no part of the world in which the peasants are more attached to their lords than in Scotland, we were almost devoured by their affection. My father had always been their favourite, and now that he appeared their master, after having been thought dead so long, their joy broke out into a thousand extravagancies: when we entered the court-yard, we were surrounded by a vast number, who crowded together so closely to see us, that several were in danger of being squeezed to death; those who were near Don Rodrigo fell upon their knees and kissed his hand, or the hem of his garment, praying aloud for long life and prosperity to him; others approached Narcissa and me in the same manner; while the rest clapped their hands at a distance, and invoked heaven to shower its choicest blessings on our heads. In short, the whole scene, though rude, was so affecting, that the gentle partner of my heart wept over it, and my father himself could not refrain from dropping a tear. In a few days after this bargain was made, we left Edinburgh, in order to go and take possession; and, by the way, halted one night in that town where I was educated. Upon inquiry, I found that Mr Crab was dead; whereupon I sent for his executor, paid the sum I owed, with interest, and took up my bond. Mr Potion and his wife hearing of our arrival, had the assurance to come to the inn where we lodged, and sent up their names, with a desire of being permitted to pay their respects to my father and me; but their sordid behaviour towards me, when I was an orphan, had made too deep an impression on my mind, to be effaced by this mean mercenary piece of condescension; I therefore rejected their message with disdain, and bade Strap tell them, that my father and I desired to have no communication with such low-minded wretches as they were. 66 They had not been gone half an hour, when a woman, without any ceremony, opened the door of the room where we sat, and, making towards my father, accosted him with, "Uncle, your servant-I am glad to see you." This was no other than one of my female cousins, mentioned in the first part of my memoirs, to whom Don Rodrigo replied," Pray, who are you, madam?" "O" cried she, "my cousin Rory there knows me very well. Don't you remember me, Rory?" Yes, madam," said I, "for my own part, I shall never forget you. Sir, this is one of the young ladies who (as I formerly told you) treated me so humanely in my childhood." When I pronounced these words, my father's resentment glowed in his visage, and he ordered her to be gone, with such a commanding aspect, that she retired in a fright, muttering curses as she went down stairs. We afterwards learned that she was married to an ensign, who had already spent all her fortune; and that her sister had bore a child to her mother's footman, who is now her husband, and keeps a petty ale-house in the country. The fame of our flourishing condition having arrived at this place before us, we got notice that the magistrates intended next day to compliment us with the freedom of their town; upon which my father, considering their complaisance in the right point of view, ordered the horses to the coach early in the morning. We proceeded to our estate, which lay Having welcomed his daughter and me to his house, he ordered some bullocks to be killed, and some hogsheads of ale to be brought from the neighbouring village, to regale these honest people, who had not enjoyed such a holiday for many years before. Next day we were visited by the gentlemen in the neighbourhood, most of them our relations, one of whom brought along with him my cousin the fox-hunter, who had stayed at his house since he was obliged to leave his own. My father was generous enough to receive him kindly, and even promised to purchase for him a commission in the army, for which he expressed great thankfulness and joy. My charming Narcissa was universally admired and loved, for her beauty, affability and good sense; and so well pleased with the situation of the place, and the company round, that she has not, as yet, discovered the least desire of changing her habitation. We had not been many days settled, when I prevailed upon my father to pay a visit to the village where I had been at school. Here we were received by the principal inhabitants, who entertained us in the church, where Mr Syntax the schoolmaster (my tyrant being dead) pronounced a Latin oration in honour of our family. And none exerted themselves more than Strap's father and relations, who looked upon the honest valet as the first gentleman of their race, and honoured his benefactors accordingly. Having received the homage of this place, we retired, leaving forty pounds for the 210 same sum; so that they lived in great peace and plenty within half a mile of us, and daily put up prayers for our preservation. benefit of the poor of the parish; and that very night, Strap being a little elevated with the regard that had been shown to him, and If there be such a thing as true happiness to me on his account, ventured to tell me, that he had a sneaking kindness for Miss on earth, I enjoy it. The impetuous transWilliams, and that, if his lady and I would ports of my passion are now settled and use our interest in his behalf, he did not mellowed into endearing fondness and trandoubt that she would listen to his addresses. quillity of love, rooted by that intimate conSurprised at this proposal, I asked if he nexion and interchange of hearts, which knew the story of that unfortunate young nought but virtuous wedlock can produce. Fortune seems determined to make ample gentlewoman: upon which he replied "Yes, yes, I know what you mean-she has amends for her former cruelty; for my procbeen unhappy, I grant you-but what of that? tor writes, that notwithstanding the clause I am convinced of her reformation, or else in my father-in-law's will, on which the you and my good lady would not treat her squire founds his claim, I shall certainly rewith such respect-as for the censure of the cover my wife's fortune, in consequence of world, I value it not a fig's. end-besides, a codicil annexed, which explains that clause, the world knows nothing of the matter." I and limits her restriction to the age of ninecommended his philosophy, and interested teen, after which she was at her own dispoNarcissa in his cause; who interceded so sal. I would have set out for London immeeffectually, that in a little time Miss Williams yielded her consent, and they were married with the approbation of Don Rodrigo, who gave him five hundred pounds to stock a farm, and made him overseer of his estate. My generous bed-fellow gave her maid the diately after receiving this piece of intelligence, but my dear angel has been qualmish of late, and begins to grow remarkably round in the waist; so that I cannot leave her in such an interesting situation, which I hope will produce something to crown my felicity. END OF RODERICK RANDOM. THE ADVENTURES OF SIR LAUNCELOT GREAVES. CHAPTER I. In which certain personages of this delightful history are introduced to the reader's acquaintance. It was on the great northern road from York to London, about the beginning of the month of October, and the hour of eight in the evening, that four travellers were, by a violent shower of rain, driven for shelter into a little | public house on the side of the highway, distinguished by a sign which was said to exhibit the figure of a black lion. The kitchen, in which they assembled, was the only room for entertainment in the house, paved with red bricks, remarkably clean, furnished with three or four Windsor chairs, adorned with shining plates of pewter, and copper saucepans nicely scoured, that even dazzled the eyes of the beholder; while a cheerful fire of sea-coal blazed in the chimney. Three of the travellers, who arrived on horseback, having seen their cattle properly accommoda- | ted in the stable, agreed to pass the time, until the weather should clear up, over a bowl of rumbo, which was accordingly prepared; but the fourth, refusing to join their company, took his station at the opposite side of the chimney, and called for a pint of twopenny, with which he indulged himself apart. At a little distance, on his left hand, there was another group, consisting of the landlady, a decent widow, her two daughters, the elder of whom seemed to be about the age of fifteen, and a country lad, who served both as waiter and ostler. The social triumvirate was composed of Mr Fillet, a country practitioner in surgery and midwifery, Captain Crowe, and his nephew Mr Thomas Clarke, an attorney. Fillet was a man of some education, and a great deal of experience, shrewd, sly, and sensible. Captain Crowe had commanded a merchant ship in the Mediterranean trade for many years, and saved some money by dint of frugality and traffic. He was an excellent seamen, brave, active, friendly in his way, and scrupulously honest; but as little acquainted with the world as a sucking child: whimsical, impatient, and so impetuous, that he could not help breaking in upon the conversation, whatever it might be, with repeated interruptions, that seemed to burst from him by involuntary impulse. When he himself attempted to speak, he never finished his period, but made such a number of abrupt transitions, that his discourse seemed to be an unconnected series of unfinished sentences, the meaning of which it was not easy to decypher. His nephew, Tom Clark, was a young fellow, whose goodness of heart even the exercise of his profession had not been able to corrupt. Before strangers he never owned himself an attorney without blushing, though he had no reason to blush for his own practice; for he constantly refused to engage in the cause of any client whose character was equivocal, and was never known to act with such industry as when concerned for the widow and orphan, or any other object that sued in forma pauperis. Indeed he was so replete with human kindness, that as often as an affecting story or circumstance was told in his hearing, it overflowed at his eyes. Being of a warm complexion, he was very susceptible of passion, and somewhat libertine in his amours. In other respects, he piqued himself on understanding the practice of the courts, and in private company he took pleasure in laying down the law; but he was an indifferent orator, and tediously circumstantial in his explanations. His stature was rather diminutive; but, upon the whole, he had some title to the character of a pretty dapper little fellow. The solitary guest had something very |