supplying his place by one of his cousins in Northumberland. Young Osbaldistone, accordingly, in about a month after his arrival from Bourdeaux, sets out from his father's house in London, mounted on horseback, with fifty guineas in his purse, to proceed to Osbaldistone-Hall, in the north of England, the ancient seat of the family, and the actual residence of Sir Hildebrand Osbaldistone, younger brother to the London merchant, and in whose favour, for some breach of filial duty, the father of our hero had himself been disinherited. On his journey he falls in with a traveller, like himself, on horse-back, going into Scotland, and who has on his saddle a portmanteau apparently containing something very valuable, as he constantly manifests the utmost anxiety, not only not to lose sight of it, but not even to permit the servants nor any one else at the various inns on the road so much as to touch it. The ludicrous fears of this man, whose name is Morris, and the skittish manner in which he regards his fellow-traveller, who, in order to beguile the tediousness of the journey, plays up on his timorous nature, are related with much animation, and are also connected with subsequent events of great importance. They continue their ride together a day and a half, and then put up at the sign of the Black Bear, in the town of Darlington, and Bishopric of Durham. Here another person is introduced, by the name of Campbell, known as an extensive dealer in cattle, and who afterwards plays a distinguished part in the story. The manner in which he is introduced, and the description given of his appearance and character, are calculated at once to awaken the curiosity of the reader, and make him anxious to meet with him again. It will be recollected that the Osbaldistone family belonged to Northumberland. Their proximity to the confines of England had exposed their persons and possessions to the predato ry inroads of the Scottish borderers, and they shared in the hostility that always existed, previous to the union, among the Northumbrians, towards their northern neighbours, and which was abundantly reciprocated on their part. The style in which the father of young Osbaldistone always spoke of the Scotch,was calculated to inspire his son with a strong dislike of their character, which was in no way mitigated by the tales he had heard in his infancy from his old Northumbrian nurse; and between them, they had impressed his youthful mind with "a sincere aversion to the northern inhabitants of Britain, as a people blood-thirsty in time of war, treacherous during truce, interested, selfish, avaricious, and tricky in the business of peaceful life, and having few good qualities, unless there should be accounted such, a ferocity which resembled courage in martial affairs, and in commerce, a sort of wily craft which sup plied the place of wisdom in the ordinary commerce of mankind." It was, then, with strong prejudices against his countrymen generally, that young Osbaldistone first saw Campbell, of whom he gives the following description: "There was much about him that coineid. ed with my previous conceptions. He had the hard features and athletic form, said to be peculiar to his country, together with the national intonation and slow pedantic mode of expression, arising from the desire to avoid peculiarities of idiom or dialect. I could al so observe the caution and shrewdness of his country in many of the observations which he made, and the answers which he returned. But I was not prepared for an air of easy selfpossession and superiority, with which he seemed to predominate over the company into which he was thrown, as it were by accident. His dress was as coarse as it could be, being still decent; and, at a time when great expense was lavished upon the wardrobe, even of the lowest who pretended to the cha racter of gentlemen, this indicated mediocri ty of circumstances, if not poverty. His conversation intimated, that he was engaged in the cattle-trade, no very dignified profession al pursuit. And yet, under these disadvan tages, he seemed, as a matter of course, to treat the rest of the company with the cool and condescending politeness, which implies a real, or imagined superiority over those to wards whom it is used. When he gave his opinion on any point, it was with that easy tone of confidence used by those superior to their society in rank or information, as if what he said could not be doubted, and was not to be questioned. Mine host and his Sunday guests, after an effort or two to support their consequence by noise and bold averment, sunk gradually under the authority of self of the lead in the conversation. I was Mr. Campbell, who thus fairly possessed him. tempted, from curiosity, to dispute the ground with him myself, confiding in my knowledge of the world, extended, as it was, by my residence abroad, and in the stores with which a tolerable education had possessed my mind. In the latter respect, he offered no competi tion, and it was easy to see that his natural powers had never been cultivated by educa tion. But I found him much better acquaintof France, the character of the duke of Or ed than I was myself with the present state leans, who had just succeeded to the regency of that kingdom, and that of the statesmen by whom he was surrounded; and his shrewd, caustic, and somewhat satirical remarks, were those of a man who had been a close observ. er of the affairs of that country." The occasion, on which Osbaldistone first became acquainted with Campbell, was a Sunday dinner at the inn, given by the host, in compliance with the custom then prevalent in that part of the country, to such guests as happened to be with him on the Sabbath, and for which they made no recompense, except that of paying for a bottle of wine to drink his health when the meal was over. The next morning after the dinner, the banished son of the rich London merchant, parting with his timid companion, Morris, started alone on his journey for Osbaldistone Manor, the seat of his uncle. About noon he approached the residence of his ancestors. It was situated in a romantic valley running far up among surrounding hills, and as he was descending an eminence, from which he caught a distant view of the home of his fathers, but the place of his exile, his horse was roused by the sound of a horn, and soon a party of huntsmen at a little distance swept by him. He halted his horse to let the chase pass on; and as he sat, conjecturing what sort of reception he was like to meet with in the family of his uncle, to which, he presumed the wellmounted, hale-looking young men he had just seen, belonged," a vision that passed him interrupted his reflections." This vision was "a young lady, the loveliness of whose very striking features was enhanced by the animation of the chase and the glow of the exercise, mounted on a beautiful horse, jet black, unless where he was flecked by spots of the snowwhite foam which embossed his bridle." As she brought her horse out from some broken gound, which had retarded her course, and was again putting him to his speed, he made an irregular movement, which served as an apology for the traveller to ride up to her. Though there was no cause of alarm, she rewarded the good intentions of the stranger with a smile, which encouraged him to put his horse to the same pace with hers, and keep near her. Soon, however, the shout of "whoop, dead, dead!" proclaimed that the chase was ended; and immediately after, one of the huntsmen drew near, triumphantly waving the brush of the fox, which had been the object of pursuit. To this vaunting gesture of the sportsman, the young lady replied, "I see, I see; but make no noise about it; if Phoebe," patting the neck of the beautiful animal on which she rode, "had not got among the cliffs, you would have had little cause for boasting." She met the huntsman as she spoke, and conversing apart with him, she seemed to be urging him to do something, which he very ungraciously refused. "Well, well, Thornie," said she, "if you wont, I must, that's all-Sir," she continued, addressing the traveller, "I have been endeavouring to persuade this cultivated young gentleman to make inquiries at you, whether, in the course of your travels in these parts, you have heard any thing of a friend of ours, one Mr. Francis Osbaldistone, who has been for some days expected at Osbaldistone Hall?" The stranger, thanking her for her kind inquiries, informed her that he was the person after whom she asked. "In that case, sir," rejoined the lady, "as my kinsman's politeness seems to be still slumbering, you will permit me (though I suppose it is highly improper) to stand mistress of ceremonies, and to present to you young Squire Thorncliff Osbaldistone, your cousin, and Die Ver. non, who has also the honour to be your accomplished cousin's poor kinswoman." After this pleasant introduction to the fair huntress and the accomplished Thornie, the latter departed to assist in coupling the hounds, while Frank and Diana proceeded together to the Hall. The conversation, which takes place between them, on the way, is animated and interesting, serving to give the young visitor some idea of his north-country cousins, and to exhibit, in a very engaging manner, the eccentric character of Miss Vernon. When arrived in the court, in front of the antiquated edifice, which had been for so many ages the dwelling-place of the race of Osbaldistone, Diana, jumping from her horse, throwing the rein to her new acquaintance, and bidding him "hold her palfrey like a duteous knight until she could send some more humble squire to relieve him of the charge, left him in admiration of her beauty, and astonishment at the over-frankness of her manners." The description of the great dining-hall, decked as it was with the various trophies of sylvan war, is so strikingly animated and picturesque, as, likewise, is the account of the tumultuous preparation for dinner, among the servants, that we cannot resist the temptation to copy them. "We did, however, at length reach a long vaulted room, floored with stone, where a range of oaken tables, of a weight and size too massive ever to be moved aside, were already covered for dinner. This venerable apartral generations of the Osbaldistone family, ment, which had witnessed the feasts of sevebore also evidence of their success in fieldsports. Huge antlers of deer, which might have been the trophies of the hunting of Che vy Chace, were ranged around the walls, in terspersed with the stuffed skins of badgers, otters, martins, and other animals of chace. Amidst some remnants of old armour, which had, perhaps, served against the Scotch, hung the more valued weapons of Sylvan war, crossbows, guns of various device and construction, nets, fishing-rods, otter spears, hunting poles, with many other singular devices and engines for taking or killing game. A few old pictures, dimmed with smoke, and stained with March beer, hung on the walls, representing knights and ladies, honoured, doubtless, and renowned in their day: these frowning fearfully from huge bushes of wig and of beard; and those looking delightfully with all their might at the roses which they brandished in their hands. "I had just time to give a glance at these matters, when about twelve blue-coated servants burst into the hall with much tumult and talk, each rather employed in directing his comrades than in discharging his own duty. Some brought blocks and billets to the fire, which roared, blazed, and ascended, half in smoke, half in flame, up a huge tunnel, with an opening wide enough to accommodate a stone-seat within its ample vault, and which was fronted, by way of chimneypiece, with a huge piece of heavy architecture, where the monsters of heraldry, embodied by the art of some Northumbrian chisel, grinned and ramped in red free-stone, now japanned by the smoke of centuries. Others of these old-fashioned serving-men bore huge smoaking dishes, loaded with substantial fare; others brought in cups, flaggons, bottles, yea barrels of liquor. All tramped, kicked, plung ed, shouldered, and jostled, doing as little service with as much tumult as could well be imagined. At length, while the dinner was, after various efforts, in the act of being arranged upon the board, the "clamour much of men and dogs," the cracking of whips, cal culated for the intimidation of the latter, voices loud and high, steps which, impressed by the heavy-heeled boots of the period, clattered like those in the statue of the Festin de pierre, announced the arrival of those for whose benefit the preparations were made. The hubbub among the servants rather increased than diminished as this crisis approach ed-some called to make haste, others to take time-some exhorted to stand out of the way, and make room for sir Hildebrand and the young squires-some to close round the table, and be in the way-some to open, some to shut a pair of folding-doors, which divided the hall from a sort of gallery, as I afterwards learned, or withdrawing room, fitted up with black wainscot. Opened the doors were at length, and in rushed curs and men-eight dogs, the domestic chaplain, the village doctor, my six cousins, and my uncle." Frank had not yet seen his uncle, though it was some time since he had arrived; but the old knight soon made *Now called Don Juan. amends for his apparent neglect. The account of Sir Hilde rand and his sons, the Nimrods of Northumberland, and of the style in which he introduces his ne phew to his family, are in fine keeping with the description of the dining-hall and the serving up of the enormous meal, "If sir Hildebrand Osbaldistone was in no hurry to greet his nephew, of whose arrival he must have been informed for some time, he had important avocations to allege in excuse. Had seen thee sooner, lad," he exclaimed, after a rough shake of the hand, and a hearty welcome to Osbaldistone-Hall, but had to see the hounds kennelled first. Thou art welcome to the hall, lad-here is thy cou sin Percie, thy cousin Thornie, and thy cou sin John-your cousin Dick, your cousin Wilfred, and stay, where's Rashleigh-ay, here's Rashleigh-take thy long body aside, Thornie, and let's see thy brother a bit-your cousin Rashleigh-So thy father has thought on the old hall, and old sir Hildebrand at last-better late than never-Thou art wekcome, lad, and there's enough-Where's my little Die-ay, here she comes-this is my niece Die, my wife's brother's daughter-the prettiest girl in our dales, be the other who she may-and so now let's to the sirloin.' "To gain some idea of the person who held this language, you must suppose, my hunting suit which had once been richly dear Tresham, a man aged about sixty, in a laced, but whose splendour had been tarnished by many a November and December storm. Sir Hildebrand, notwithstanding the abrupt ness of his present manner, bad, at one peri od of his life, known courts and camps; bad held a commission in the army which had en camped on Hounslow Heath previous to the Revolution, and, recommended perhaps by his religion, had been knighted about the ed James II. But his dreams of further pre same period by the unfortunate and ill-advis ferment, if he ever entertained any, had died away at the crisis which drove his atron from the throne, and since that period he had spent a sequestered life upon his native do ever, sir Hildebrand retained much of the mains. Notwithstanding his rusticity, how his sons as the remains of a Corinthian pillar, exterior of a gentleman, and appeared among defaced and overgrown with moss and lichrough, unhewn masses of upright stones in en, might have looked, if contrasted with the Stonehenge, or any other druidical temple, The sons were, indeed, heavy unadorned blocks as the eye would desire to look upon. Tall, stout, and comely, all and each of the five eldest seemed to want alike the Promethean fire of intellect, and the exterior grace and manner, which, in the polished world, most valuable moral quality seemed to be sometimes supplies mental deficiency. Their the good-humour and content which was expressed in their heavy features, and their only pretence to accomplishment was their dex terity in the field-sports, for which alone they lived. The strong Gyas, and the strong Cloanthus, are not less distinguished by the poet, than the strong Percival, the strong Thorncliff, the strong John, Richard, Wilfred Osbaldistones, were by outward appearance.” Rashleigh Obaldistone, however, the youngest son of Sir Hildebrand, and Diana Vernon, formed a strong contrast to the rest of the family as well as to each other. The personal appearance of Rashleigh is thus described: : "His appearance was not in itself prepossessing. He was of low stature, whereas all his brethren seemed to be the descendants of Anak; and, while they were handsomely formed, Rashleigh, though strong in person, was bull-necked and cross-made, and, from some early injury in his youth, had an imperfection in his gait, so much resembling an absolute halt, that many alleged that it formed the obstacle to his taking orders, the church of Rome, as is well known, admitting none to the clerical profession who labours under any personal deformity. Others, however, ascribed this unsightly defect to a mere awkward habit, and contended, that it did not amount to a personal disqualification from holy orders. The features of Rashleigh were such, as, having looked upon, we in vain wish to banish from our memory, to which they recur as objects of painful curiosity, although we dwell upon them with a feeling of dislike, and even of disgust. It was not the actual plainness of his face, taken separately from the meaning, which made this strong impression. His features were, indeed, irregular, but they were by no means vulgar; and his keen dark eyes, and shaggy eyebrows, redeemed his face from the charge of commonplace ugliness. But there was in these eyes an expression of art and design, and, on provocation, a ferocity tempered by caution, which nature had made obvious to the most ordinary physiognomist, perhaps with the same intention that she has given the rattle to the poisonous snake. As if to compensate him for these disadvantages of exterior, Rashleigh Osbaldistone was possessed of a voice the most soft, mellow, and rich in its tones that I ever heard, and was at no loss for language of every sort suited to so fine an organ. His first sentence of welcome was hardly ended, ere I internally agreed with Miss Vernon, that my new kinsman would make an instant conquest of a mistress whose ears alone were to judge his cause." The character of Rashleigh, as afterwards given by Miss Vernon, and unfolded in the course of the narrative, was in perfect conformity to his personal appearance. Like hump-backed Richard he could "smile, and smile, and be a villain;" he could "turn, and turn, and still go on," and had "a tongue that could wheedle with the devil." Of Miss Vernon it is impossible to form an adequate idea, without witnessing, not mere ly her actions, but her manner of doing things, and listening to her conversation, logues she has with Frank. She was enas represented in the many charming diadowed with a vigorous intellect--was her disposition almost to bluntness-frank high-spirited and energetic-candid in in her manners almost to rudeness, and yet she never offended against true modesty, nor departed from enlightened discretion. She counterbalanced her want of experience in life and of intercourse with polished society, by her native good sense and the quickness of her perceptions; her heart was large, her fortitude unyielding, her principles pure, and her beauty captivating. Into a family thus composed, had Francis Osbaldistone come to pass the first part of his exile at least, and wait the further orders of his father. The most friendly intimacy soon grew up between Miss Vernon and himself, and it was not long before he began to suspect his heart of a warmer feeling toward her than mere friendship. Assisted by the admonitions of Diana, and his own observation, he put himself on his guard against Rashleigh. He had not been long at the Hall, him that a charge of highway robbery and when one morning Miss Vernon informed treason had been lodged against him at a neighbouring magistrate's, and advised him to flee into Scotland. He soon, however, convinced her that he was innocent, and by her aid and that of Rashleigh, who, by her influence, was made to exert himself in his behalf, he was, upon the testimony of the Mr. Campbell, formerly mentioned, acquitted. Not long after this affair Rashleigh left Northumberland for London, to supply the place which his cousin Francis was to have filled in the counting-house of Osbaldistone and Tresham. While Francis was enjoying the luxuing his attachment to her constantly inry of Miss Vernon's society, and feelcrease, he was not a little puzzled with the air of mystery that surrounded her, and which cost him many a painful moment. In the midst of his hopes and fears on the subject of his love for Diana, she one day handed him a letter from Mr. Tresham, the partner of his father, which informed him that Rashleigh, having taken the full management of the affairs of the house, during the absence of his father in Holland, had some time since left London for Scotland, with a large amount of property to take up bills of his father's in that country, and that he had not been heard of since. The letter also informed that Mr. Owen, the head-clerk formerly mentioned, had been despatched to Glasgow to seek out Rashleigh, and exhorted him to repair thither himself immediately, to assist Owen in his researches. He instantly resolved to depart for Glasgow. Before he went, however, Miss Vernon put into his hand a packet, sealed, but without any direction, enjoining it upon him not to open the packet, unless every other resource failed, but in that event, permitting him to break the seal and make the best use he could of the contents. Upon the arrival of young Osbaldistone in Glasgow he inquired for the mercantile house of Mac Vittie, Mac Fin and Company, agents and correspondents of his father, and was told that he would find them at church, as there was a service that morning, although it was Thursday, and they were very pious people. He accordingly determined on going to church as being the most likely place to find Mac Vittie. The meeting which he attended was held in the extensive vaults beneath the cathedral church of Glasgow. Here, while looking round in vain to discover the face of Owen, or ascertain if either of the firm of Mac Vittie, Mac Fin and Company were present, his attention was drawn by the voice of some one whispering in his ear that he was in danger in Glagsow. "And so am I," the voice continued, “Meet me to-night on the Brigg, at twelve precisely-keep at home till the gloaming, and avoid observation." His attempts to discover the the whisperer were vain, and he left the place of worship without being able to conjecture who it might be. He however determined to go to the Brigg, as requested, and abide the event. He was met according to appointment, by a man "rather beneath than above the middle size, but apparently strong, thick-set, and muscular, dressed in a horseman's wrapping coat." After a short dialogue, not at all calculated to remove the apprehensions occasioned by the appearance of the stranger, young Osbaldistone follows him from the Bridge back into Glasgow, the mystery heightening at every step and with every word, until they both arrive at the doors of the prison of Glasgow. At a watchword given by the stranger, the turnkey opened the door, with many uncouth demonstrations of joy at seeing the person who ushered Osbaldistone into the prison. The mysterious stranger gave some directions to the turnkey, in Gælic, who immediately conducted Osbaldistone through a passage of considerable intricacy, till he brought him to a small apartment, where, lying asleep on a pallet of straw, he found his old friend Owen. Upon his arrival at Glasgow, Owen had gone directly to Mac Vittie, Mac Fin and Company, and explaining to them, with the utmost confidence in their friendly disposition, the object of his visit to Scotland, and the nature of his difficulties, had requested of them their counsel and assistance. Instead of acting the part of honourable men, they took advantage of the occasion to press Owen for the discharge of a balance due to them, according to their books, from the house of Osbaldistone and Tresham, which he was unable to pay, and being in a small degree concerned in the London house, they arrested him and threw him into jail. While Francis and his unfortunate friend were engaged in their sorrowful conference, a loud knocking was heard at the gate, and immediately after, the mysterious stranger sprang into Owen's apartment, and with signs of alarm sought a place of concealment. But finding none, he asked Osbaldistone for his pistols. "Yet, 'tis no matter," said he, “I can do without them. Whatever you see take no heed, and dinna mix your hand in another man's feud; this geer's mine, and I maun manage it as I dow-I have been as hard bested, and worse, than I am even now" So saying, He stripped from his person the cumbrous upper coat in which he was wrapt, confronted the door of the apartment, on which he fixed a keen and determined glance, drawing his person a little back, to concentrate his force, like a fine horse brought up to the leaping bar. I had not a moment's doubt that be meant to extricate himself from his embarrassment whatever might be the cause of it, by springing full upon those who should appear when the doors opened, and forcing his way through all opposition into the street; and such was the appearance of strength and agility displayed in his frame, and of determination in his look and manner, that I did not doubt a moment but that he would get clear through his opponents, unless they employed fatal means to stop his progress." No harm resulted, however, to any of the parties from this interruption. The principal person who entered was Mr. Nicol Jarvie, Baillie of Glasgow, an eminent weaver, and a correspondent of the house of Osbaldistone and Tresham. Having a prejudice against Mr. Jarvie, Owen had not thought fit to call upon him for assistance upon his arrival in Glasgow; but after being so sadly disap pointed by Mac Vittie, he had in his confinement addressed a note to the Baillie, who now made his appearance though at a very unexpected hour. The |