Waverley — Complete eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 733 pages of information about Waverley — Complete.

Waverley — Complete eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 733 pages of information about Waverley — Complete.
honourable actions in war, but bestowed by way of paranomasia, or pun, upon our family appellation,—­a sort of bearing which the French call armoires parlantes, the Latins arma cantantia, and your English authorities canting heraldry, [Footnote:  See Note 12] being indeed a species of emblazoning more befitting canters, gaberlunzies, and such like mendicants, whose gibberish is formed upon playing upon the word, than the noble, honourable, and useful science of heraldry, which assigns armorial bearings as the reward of noble and generous actions, and not to tickle the ear with vain quodlibets, such as are found in jestbooks.’  Of his quarrel with Sir Hew he said nothing more than that it was settled in a fitting manner.

Having been so minute with respect to the diversions of Tully-Veolan on the first days of Edward’s arrival, for the purpose of introducing its inmates to the reader’s acquaintance, it becomes less necessary to trace the progress of his intercourse with the same accuracy.  It is probable that a young man, accustomed to more cheerful society, would have tired of the conversation of so violent an assertor of the ‘boast of heraldry’ as the Baron; but Edward found an agreeable variety in that of Miss Bradwardine, who listened with eagerness to his remarks upon literature, and showed great justness of taste in her answers.  The sweetness of her disposition had made her submit with complacency, and even pleasure, to the course of reading prescribed by her father, although it not only comprehended several heavy folios of history, but certain gigantic tomes in high-church polemics.  In heraldry he was fortunately contented to give her only such a slight tincture as might be acquired by perusal of the two folio volumes of Nisbet.  Rose was indeed the very apple of her father’s eye.  Her constant liveliness, her attention to all those little observances most gratifying to those who would never think of exacting them, her beauty, in which he recalled the features of his beloved wife, her unfeigned piety, and the noble generosity of her disposition, would have justified the affection of the most doting father.

His anxiety on her behalf did not, however, seem to extend itself in that quarter where, according to the general opinion, it is most efficiently displayed, in labouring, namely, to establish her in life, either by a large dowry or a wealthy marriage.  By an old settlement, almost all the landed estates of the Baron went, after his death, to a distant relation; and it was supposed that Miss Bradwardine would remain but slenderly provided for, as the good gentleman’s cash matters had been too long under the exclusive charge of Bailie Macwheeble to admit of any great expectations from his personal succession.  It is true, the said Bailie loved his patron and his patron’s daughter next (though at an incomparable distance) to himself.  He thought it was possible to set aside the settlement on the male line, and had actually

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Waverley — Complete from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.