ird o' Tamlowrie and Sir Gilbert
Grizzlecleuch, and Auld Rossballoh, and the Bailie, were just setting in
to make an afternoon o't, and you, wi' some o' your auld-warld stories,
that the mind o' man canna resist, whirl'd them to the back o' beyont to
look at the auld Roman camp--Ah, sir!" turning to Lovel, "he wad wile the
bird aff the tree wi' the tales he tells about folk lang syne--and did
not I lose the drinking o' sax pints o' gude claret, for the deil ane
wad hae stirred till he had seen that out at the least?"

"D'ye hear the impudent scoundrel!" said Monkbarns, but laughing at
the same time; for the worthy landlord, as he used to boast, know the
measure of a guest's foot as well as e'er a souter on this side Solway;
"well, well, you may send us in a bottle of port."

"Port! na, na! ye maun leave port and punch to the like o' us, it's
claret that's fit for you lairds; and, I dare say, nane of the folk ye
speak so much o' ever drank either of the twa."

"Do you hear how absolute the knave is? Well, my young friend, we must
for once prefer the Falernian to the vile Sabinum."

The ready landlord had the cork instantly extracted, decanted the wine
into a vessel of suitable capaciousness, and, declaring it parfumed the
very room, left his guests to make the most of it.

Mackitchinson's wine was really good, and had its effect upon the
spirits of the elder guest, who told some good stories, cut some sly
jokes, and at length entered into a learned discussion concerning the
ancient dramatists; a ground on which he found his new acquaintance
so strong, that at length he began to suspect he had made them his
professional study. "A traveller partly for business and partly for
pleasure?--why, the stage partakes of both; it is a labour to the
performers, and affords, or is meant to afford, pleasure to the
spectators. He seems, in manner and rank, above the class of young men
who take that turn; but I remember hearing them say, that the little
theatre at Fairport was to open with the performance of a young
gentleman, being his first appearance on any stage.--If this should be
thee, Lovel!--Lovel? yes, Lovel or Belville are just the names which
youngsters are apt to assume on such occasions--on my life, I am sorry
for the lad."

Mr. Oldbuck was habitually parsimonious, but in no respects mean; his
first thought was to save his fellow-traveller any part of the expense
of the entertainment, which he supposed must be in his