be
useful to a young gentleman whose fortune would seem to be vested in
England.'--I really thought my father would have beat me.

'D'ye mean to come round me, sir, PER AMBAGES, as Counsellor Pest says?
What is it to you where Darsie Latimer's fortune is vested, or whether
he hath any fortune, aye or no? And what ill would the Scottish law do
to him, though he had as much of it as either Stair or Bankton, sir? Is
not the foundation of our municipal law the ancient code of the Roman
Empire, devised at a time when it was so much renowned for its civil
polity, sir, and wisdom? Go to your bed, sir, after your expedition to
Noble House, and see that your lamp be burning and your book before you
ere the sun peeps. ARS LONGA, VITA BREVIS--were it not a sin to call the
divine science of the law by the inferior name of art.'

So my lamp did burn, dear Darsie, the next morning, though the owner
took the risk of a domiciliary visitation, and lay snug in bed, trusting
its glimmer might, without further inquiry, be received as sufficient
evidence of his vigilance. And now, upon this the third morning after
your departure, things are but little better; for though the lamp burns
in my den, and VOET ON THE PANDECTS hath his wisdom spread open before
me, yet as I only use him as a reading-desk on which to scribble this
sheet of nonsense to Darsie Latimer, it is probable the vicinity will be
of little furtherance to my studies.

And now, methinks, I hear thee call me an affected hypocritical varlet,
who, living under such a system of distrust and restraint as my father
chooses to govern by, nevertheless pretends not to envy you your freedom
and independence.

Latimer, I will tell you no lies. I wish my father would allow me a
little more exercise of my free will, were it but that I might feel the
pleasure of doing what would please him of my own accord. A little more
spare time, and a little more money to enjoy it, would, besides, neither
misbecome my age nor my condition; and it is, I own, provoking to see so
many in the same situation winging the air at freedom, while I sit here,
caged up like a cobbler's linnet, to chant the same unvaried lesson
from sunrise to sunset, not to mention the listening to so many lectures
against idleness, as if I enjoyed or was making use of the means of
amusement! But then I cannot at heart blame either the motive or the
object of this severity. For the motive, it is and can only be my
father's anxio