Not a breath was stirring, not a sound was heard save the rushing of a waterfall, the tinkling of some silver rivulet, or the calm rippling of the tranquil lake; now and then, at intervals, the fisherman’s Gaelic ditty chanted, as he lay stretched on the sand in some sunny nook; or the shrill distant sound of childish glee.  How delicious to the feeling heart to behold so fair a scene of unsophisticated Nature, and to listen to her voice alone, breathing the accents of innocence and joy!

But none of the party who now gazed on it had minds capable of being touched with the emotions it was calculated to inspire.

Henry, indeed, was rapturous in his expressions of admiration; but he concluded his panegyrics by wondering his brother did not keep a cutter, and resolving to pass a night on board one of the herring boats, that he might eat the fish in perfection.

Lady Juliana thought it might be very pretty, if, instead of those frightful rocks and shabby cottages, there could be villas, and gardens, and lawns, and conservatories, and summer-houses, and statues.

Miss Becky observed, if it was hers, she would cut down the woods, and level the hills, and have races.

The road wound along the sides of the lake, sometimes overhung with banks of natural wood, which, though scarcely budding, grew so thick as to exclude the prospect; in other places surmounted by large masses of rock, festooned with ivy, and embroidered by mosses of a thousand hues that glittered under the little mountain streamlets.  Two miles farther on stood the simple mansion of Mr. Douglas.  It was situated in a wild sequestered nook, formed by a little bay at the farther end of the lake.  On three sides it was surrounded by wooded hills that offered a complete shelter from every nipping blast.  To the south the lawn, sprinkled with trees and shrubs, sloped gradually down to the water.

At the door they were met by Mrs. Douglas, who welcomed them with the most affectionate cordiality, and conducted them into the house through a little circular hall, filled with flowering shrubs and foreign plants.

“How delightful!” exclaimed Lady Juliana, as she stopped to inhale the rich fragrance.  “Moss roses!  I do delight in them,” twisting off a rich cluster of flowers and buds in token of her affection; “and I quite doat upon heliotrope,” gathering a handful of flowers as she spoke.  Then extending her hand towards a most luxuriant Cape jessamine—­

“I must really petition you to spare this, my favourite child,” said her sister-in-law, as she gently withheld her arm; “and, to tell you the truth, dear Lady Juliana, you have already infringed the rules of my little conservatory, which admit only of the gratification of two senses—­seeing and smelling.”

“What! don’t you like your flowers to be gathered?” exclaimed Lady Juliana in a tone of surprise and disappointment; “I don’t know any other use they’re of.  What quantities I used to have from Papa’s hothouses!”