mother had been a
musician's daughter, and you had inherited her talent, that you would be
ashamed of it.'

'Indeed, Laura,' said Philip, with a smile, 'I am equally far from
guessing what I should do if my mother had been anything but what she
was, as from guessing what I should do if I had a talent for music.'

Mrs. Edmonstone here called her daughters to get ready for their walk,
as she intended to go to East-hill, and they might as well walk with
Philip as far as their roads lay together.

Philip and Laura walked on by themselves, a little in advance of the
others. Laura was very anxious to arrive at a right understanding of her
cousin's opinion of Guy.

'I am sure there is much to like in him,' she said.

'There is; but is it the highest praise to say there is much to like?
People are not so cautious when they accept a man in toto.'

'Then, do you not?'

Philip's answer was--

'He who the lion's whelp has nurst,
At home with fostering hand,
Finds it a gentle thing at first,
Obedient to command,'

'Do you think him a lion's whelp?'

'I am afraid I saw the lion just now in his flashing eyes and contracted
brow. There is an impatience of advice, a vehemence of manner that I
can hardly deem satisfactory. I do not speak from prejudice, for I think
highly of his candour, warmth of heart, and desire to do right; but from
all I have seen, I should not venture as yet to place much dependence on
his steadiness of character or command of temper.'

'He seems to have been very fond of his grandfather, in spite of his
severity. He is but just beginning to brighten up a little.'

'Yes; his disposition is very affectionate,--almost a misfortune to one
so isolated from family ties. He showed remarkably well at Redclyffe,
the other day; boyish of course, and without much self-command, but very
amiably. It is very well for him that he is removed from thence, for
all the people idolize him to such a degree that they could not fail to
spoil him.'

'It would be a great pity if he went wrong.'

'Great, for he has many admirable qualities, but still they are just
what persons are too apt to fancy compensation for faults. I never
heard that any of his family, except perhaps that unhappy old Hugh,
were deficient in frankness and generosity, and therefore these do not
satisfy me. Observe, I am not condemning him; I wish to be perfectly
just; all