igh and prominent in such a
degree that one knew not whether to term them harsh or handsome. In
either case, the sparkling grey eye, aquiline nose, and well-formed
mouth, combined to render his physiognomy noble and expressive. An air
of sadness, or severity, or of both, seemed to indicate a melancholy,
and, at the same time, a haughty temper. I could not help running
mentally over the ancient heroes, to whom I might assimilate the noble
form and countenance before me. He was too young, and evinced too little
resignation to his fate, to resemble Belisarius. Coriolanus, standing by
the hearth of Tullus Aufidius, came nearer the mark; yet the gloomy and
haughty look of the stranger had, perhaps, still more of Marius, seated
among the ruins of Carthage.

While I was lost in these imaginations, my host stood by the fire,
gazing on me with the same attention which I paid to him, until,
embarrassed by his look, I was about to break silence at all hazards.
But the supper, now placed upon the table, reminded me, by its
appearance, of those wants which I had almost forgotten while I was
gazing on the fine form of my conductor. He spoke at length, and I
almost started at the deep rich tone of his voice, though what he said
was but to invite me to sit down to the table. He himself assumed the
seat of honour, beside which the silver flagon was placed, and beckoned
to me to sit down beside him.

Thou knowest thy father's strict and excellent domestic discipline has
trained me to bear the invocation of a blessing before we break the
daily bread, for which we are taught to pray--I paused a moment, and,
without designing to do so, I suppose my manner made him sensible of
what I expected. The two domestics or inferiors, as I should have before
observed, were already seated at the bottom of the table, when my
host shot a glance of a very peculiar expression towards the old man,
observing, with something approaching to a sneer, 'Cristal Nixon, say
grace--the gentleman expects one.'

'The foul fiend shall be clerk, and say amen, when I turn chaplain,'
growled out the party addressed, in tones which might have become the
condition of a dying bear; 'if the gentleman is a whig, he may please
himself with his own mummery. My faith is neither in word nor writ, but
in barley-bread and brown ale.'

'Mabel Moffat,' said my guide, looking at the old woman, and raising his
sonorous voice, probably because she was hard of hearing, 'canst thou
as