Lavengro: The Scholar, the Gypsy, the Priest

ble edge-David Haggart-Fine materials-The greates

t sight, appear impossible. Indeed, what is there above man's exertions? Unwearied determination will enable him to run with the horse, to swim with the fish, and assuredly to compete with the chamois and the goat in agility and sureness of foot. To scale the rock was merely child's play for the Edinbro' callants. It was my own favourite diversion. I soon found that the rock contained all manner of strange crypts, crannies, and recesses, where owls nestled, and the weasel brought forth her young; here and there were small natural platforms, overgrown with long grass and various kinds of plants, where the climber, if so disposed, could stretch himself, and either give his

edly upon it, perceived that it was a human being in a kind of red jacket, seated on the extreme verge of the precipice which I have already made a faint attempt to describe. Wondering who it could be, I shouted; but it took not the slightest notice, remaining as immovable as the rock on which it sat. 'I should never have thought of going near that edge,' said I to myself; 'however, as you have done it, why should not I? And I should like to know who you are.' So I commenced the descent of the rock, but with great care, for I had as yet never been in a situation so dang

aid I, as I sat behind him and tremb

was thinking of

yourself, man. A strange place this to

o? Is not his tower

Loch-the ugly stane bulk, from the foot of which flows

rt. Just sa

of him? The English hanged him

thinking that I shoul

n that ye would w

ch from that, Geordie, if I

Are ye not in the high road of preferment? Are ye not a bauld drummer alr

im; and, troth, he has nae his name for naething. But I should have nae objection to be a general, and to fight the French and Ameri

Wallace, indeed! the wuddie rebel! I have heard my father say

n Willie Wallace, Geordie, for, if ye do, De'

have made what is generally termed a great man, a patriot, or a conqueror. As it was, the very qualities which might then have pushed him on to fortune and renown were

eve is over himself, by which is meant those unruly passions which are not convenient to the time and place. David did not do this; he gave the reins to his wild heart, instead of curbing it, and became a robber, and, alas! alas! he shed bloo

great indeed; the one acted according to his lights and his country, not so the other. Tamerlane was a heathen, and acted according to his lights; he was a robber where all around were robbers, but he became the avenger of God-God's scourge on unjust kings, on the cruel Bajazet, who had pluck

lso didst thou achieve when, fleeing from justice, thou didst find thyself in the Sister Isle; busy wast thou there in town and on curragh, at fair and race-course, and also in the solitary place. Ireland thought thee her child, for who spoke her brogue better than thyself?-she felt proud of thee, and said, 'Sure, O'Hanlon is come again.' What might not have been thy fate in the far west in America, whither thou hadst turned thine eye, saying, 'I will go there, and become an honest man!' But thou wast not to go there, David-the blood which thou hadst shed in Scotland was to be required of thee; the avenger w