relating old examples of his character, smiling at them with a good

conscience; and when the day of the funeral came round, doing the

honours with exact propriety. I could perceive, besides, that he

found a solid gratification in his accession to the title; the

which he was punctilious in exacting.

And now there came upon the scene a new character, and one that

played his part, too, in the story; I mean the present lord,

Alexander, whose birth (17th July, 1757) filled the cup of my poor

master's happiness. There was nothing then left him to wish for;

nor yet leisure to wish for it. Indeed, there never was a parent

so fond and doting as he showed himself. He was continually uneasy

in his son's absence. Was the child abroad? the father would be

watching the clouds in case it rained. Was it night? he would rise

out of his bed to observe its slumbers. His conversation grew even

wearyful to strangers, since he talked of little but his son. In

matters relating to the estate, all was designed with a particular

eye to Alexander; and it would be:- "Let us put it in hand at once,

that the wood may be grown against Alexander's majority;" or, "This

will fall in again handsomely for Alexander's marriage." Every day

this absorption of the man's nature became more observable, with

many touching and some very blameworthy particulars. Soon the

child could walk abroad with him, at first on the terrace, hand in

hand, and afterward at large about the policies; and this grew to

be my lord's chief occupation. The sound of their two voices

(audible a great way off, for they spoke loud) became familiar in

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