esterday describing to Lord M--the riding of the
last Scottish Parliament, with as much minuteness as if I had seen it,
as my mother did, from the balcony in front of Lord Moray's Lodging in
the Canongate."

"I am sure you must have given Lord M-- a high treat."

"I treated him to a hearty laugh, I believe," she replied; "but it is
you, you vile seducer of youth, who lead me into such follies. But I
will be on my guard against my own weakness. I do not well know if the
Wandering Jew is supposed to have a wife, but I should be sorry a decent
middle-aged Scottish gentlewoman should be suspected of identity with
such a supernatural person."

"For all that, I must torture you a little more, MA BELLE COUSINE,
with my interrogatories; for how shall I ever turn author unless on the
strength of the information which you have so often procured me on the
ancient state of manners?"

"Stay, I cannot allow you to give your points of enquiry a name so
very venerable, if I am expected to answer them. Ancient is a term for
antediluvians. You may catechise me about the battle of Flodden, or ask
particulars about Bruce and Wallace, under pretext of curiosity after
ancient manners; and that last subject would wake my Baliol blood, you
know."

"Well, but, Mrs. Baliol, suppose we settle our era: you do not call the
accession of James the Sixth to the kingdom of Britain very ancient?"

"Umph! no, cousin; I think I could tell you more of that than folk
nowadays remember. For instance, that as James was trooping towards
England, bag and baggage, his journey was stopped near Cockenzie by
meeting the funeral of the Earl of Winton, the old and faithful servant
and follower of his ill-fated mother, poor Mary! It was an ill omen
for the INFARE, and so was seen of it, cousin." [See Note 5.--Earl of
Winton.]

I did not choose to prosecute this subject, well knowing Mrs. Bethune
Baliol did not like to be much pressed on the subject of the Stewarts,
whose misfortunes she pitied, the rather that her father had espoused
their cause. And yet her attachment to the present dynasty being very
sincere, and even ardent, more especially as her family had served
his late Majesty both in peace and war, she experienced a little
embarrassment in reconciling her opinions respecting the exiled family
with those she entertained for the present. In fact, like many an old
Jacobite, she was contented to be somewhat inconsistent on the subject,
comforting herself