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silk　or　woollen　as；　suited　the　weather；　a　bob…wig；　and　a　small　cocked　hat；　shoes　blacked　as　Warren　would　have　blacked　them；　silver　shoe…buckles；　and　a　gold　stock…buckle。　　A　nosegay　in　summer；　and　a　sprig　of　holly　in　winter；　completed　his　well…known　dress　and　appearance。　His　manners　corresponded　with　his　attire；　for　they　were　scrupulously　civil；　and　not　a　little　formal。　　He　was　an　elder　of　the　kirk；　and；　of　course；　zealous　for　King　George　and　the　Government　even　to　slaying；　as　he　had　showed　by　taking　up　arms　in　their　cause。　　But　then；　as　he　had　clients　and　connexions　of　business　among　families　of　opposite　political　tenets；　he　was　particularly　cautious　to　use　all　the　conventional　phrases　which　the　civility　of　the　time　had　devised；　as　an　admissible　mode　of　language　betwixt　the　two　parties。　　Thus　he　spoke　sometimes　of　the　Chevalier；　but　never　either　of　the　Prince；　which　would　have　been　sacrificing　his　own　principles；　or　of　the　Pretender；　which　would　have　been　offensive　to　those　of　others。　　Again；　he　usually　designated　the　Rebellion　as　the　AFFAIR　of　1745；　and　spoke　of　any　one　engaged　in　it　as　a　person　who　had　been　OUT　at　a　certain　period。　　＇OLD…FASHIONED　SCOTTISH　CIVILITY。Such　were　literally　the　points　of　politeness　observed　in　general　society　during　the　author's　youth；　where　it　was　by　no　means　unusual　in　a　company　assembled　by　chance；　to　find　individuals　who　had　borne　arms　on　one　side　or　other　in　the　civil　broils　of　1745。　　Nothing；　according　to　my　recollection；　could　be　more　gentle　and　decorous　than　the　respect　these　old　enemies　paid　to　each　other's　prejudices。　　But　in　this　I　speak　generally。　　I　have　witnessed　one　or　two　explosions。＇　　So　that；　on　the　whole；　Mr。　Fairford　was　a　man　much　liked　and　respected　on　all　sides；　though　his　friends　would　not　have　been　sorry　if　he　had　given　a　dinner　more　frequently；　as　his　little　cellar　contained　some　choice　old　wine；　of　which；　on　such　rare　occasions　he　was　no　niggard。

The　whole　pleasure　of　this　good　old…fashioned　man　of　method；　besides　that　which　he　really　felt　in　the　discharge　of　his　daily　business；　was　the　hope　to　see　his　son　Alan；　the　only　fruit　of　a　union　which　death　early　dissolved；　attain　what　in　the　father's　eyes　was　the　proudest　of　all　distinctionsthe　rank　and　fame　of　a　well…employed　lawyer。

Every　profession　has　its　peculiar　honours；　and　Mr。　Fairford's　mind　was　constructed　upon　so　limited　and　exclusive　a　plan；　that　he　valued　nothing　save　the　objects　of　ambition　which　his　own　presented。　　He　would　have　shuddered　at　Alan's　acquiring　the　renown　of　a　hero；　and　laughed　with　scorn　at　the　equally　barren　laurels　of　literature；　it　was　by　the　path　of　the　law　alone　that　he　was　desirous　to　see　him　rise　to　eminence；　and　the　probabilities　of　success　or　disappointment　were　the　thoughts　of　his　father　by　day；　and　his　dream　by　night。

The　disposition　of　Alan　Fairford；　as　well　as　his　talents；　were　such　as　to　encourage　his　father's　expectations。　　He　had　acuteness　of　intellect；　joined　to　habits　of　long　and　patient　study；　improved　no　doubt　by　the　discipline　of　his　father's　house；　to　which；　generally　speaking；　he　conformed　with　the　utmost　docility；　expressing　no　wish　for　greater　or　more　frequent　relaxation　than　consisted　with　his　father's　anxious　and　severe　restrictions。　When　he　did　indulge　in　any　juvenile　frolics；　his　father　had　the　candour　to　lay　the　whole　blame　upon　his　more　mercurial　companion；　Darsie　Latimer。

This　youth；　as　the　reader　must　be　aware；　had　been　received　as　an　inmate　into　the　family　of　Mr。　Fairford；　senior；　at　a　time　when　some　of　the　delicacy　of　constitution　which　had　abridged　the　life　of　his　consort　began　to　show　itself　in　the　son；　and　when　the　father　was；　of　course；　peculiarly　disposed　to　indulge　his　slightest　wish。　　That　the　young　Englishman　was　able　to　pay　a　considerable　board；　was　a　matter　of　no　importance　to　Mr。　Fairford；　it　was　enough　that　his　presence　seemed　to　make　his　son　cheerful　and　happy。　　He　was　compelled　to　allow　that　'Darsie　was　a　fine　lad；　though　unsettled；'　and　he　would　have　had　some　difficulty　in　getting　rid　of　him；　and　the　apprehensions　which　his　levities　excited；　had　it　not　been　for　the　voluntary　excursion　which　gave　rise　to　the　preceding　correspondence；　and　in　which　Mr。　Fairford　secretly　rejoiced；　as　affording　the　means　of　separating　Alan　from　his　gay　companion；　at　least　until　he　should　have　assumed；　and　become　accustomed　to；　the　duties　of　his　dry　and　laborious　profession。

But　the　absence　of　Darsie　was　far　from　promoting　the　end　which　the　elder　Mr。　Fairford　had　expected　and　desired。　　The　young　men　were　united　by　the　closest　bonds　of　intimacy；　and　the　more　so；　that　neither　of　them　sought　nor　desired　to　admit　any　others　into　their　society。　　Alan　Fairford　was　averse　to　general　company；　from　a　disposition　naturally　reserved；　and　Darsie　Latimer　from　a　painful　sense　of　his　own　unknown　origin；　peculiarly　afflicting　in　a　country　where　high　and　low　are　professed　genealogists。　　The　young　men　were　all　in　all　to　each　other；　it　is　no　wonder；　therefore；　that　their　separation　was　painful；　and　that　its　effects　upon　Alan　Fairford；　joined　to　the　anxiety　occasioned　by　the　tenor　of　his　friend's　letters；　greatly　exceeded　what　the　senior　had　anticipated。　　The　young　man　went　through　his　usual　duties；　his　studies；　and　the　examinations　to　which　he　was　subjected；　but　with　nothing　like　the　zeal　and　assiduity　which　he　had　formerly　displayed；　and　his　anxious　and　observant　father　saw　but　too　plainly　that　his　heart　was　with　his　absent　comrade。

A　philosopher　would　have　given　way　to　this　tide　of　feeling；　in　hopes　to　have　diminished　its　excess；　and　permitted　the　youths　to　have　been　some　time　together；　that　their　intimacy　might　have　been　broken　off　by　degrees；　but　Mr。　Fairford　only　saw　the　more　direct　mode　of　continued　restraint；　which；　however；　he　was　desirous　of　veiling　under　some　plausible　pretext。　　In　the　anxiety　which　he　felt　on　this　occasion；　he　had　held　communication　with　an　old　acquaintance；　Peter　Drudgeit；　with　whom　the　reader　is　partly　acquainted。　　'Alan；'　he　said；　'was　ance　wud；　and　ay　waur；　and　he　was　expecting　every　moment　when　he　would　start　off　in　a　wildgoose…chase　after　the　callant　Latimer；　Will　Sampson；　the　horse…hirer　in　Candlemaker　Row；　had　given　him　a　hint　that　Alan　had　been　looking　for　a　good　hack；　to　go　to　the　country　for　a　few　days。　　And　then　to　oppose　him　downrighthe　could　not　but　think　on　the　way　his　poor　mother　was　removed。　　Would　to　Heaven　he　was　yoked　to　some　tight　piece　of　business；　no　matter　whether　well　or　ill　paid；　but　some　job　that　would　hamshackle　him　at　least　until　the　courts　rose；　if　it　were　but　for　decency's　sake。'

Peter　Drudgeit　sympathized；　for　Peter　had　a　son；　who；　reason　or　none；　would　needs　exchange　the　torn　and　inky　fustian　sleeves　for　the　blue　jacket　and　white　lapelle；　and　he　suggested；　as　the　reader　knows；　the　engaging　our　friend　Alan　in　the　matter　of　Poor　Peter　Peebles；　just　opened　by　the　desertion　of　young　Dumtoustie；　whose　defection　would　be　at　the　same　time　concealed；　and　this；　Drudgeit　said；　'would　be　felling　two　dogs　with　one　stone。'

With　these　explanations；　the　reader　will　hold　a　man　of　the　elder　Fairford's　sense　and　experience　free　from　the　hazardous　and　impatient　curiosity　with　which　boys　fling　a　puppy　into　a　deep　pond；　merely　to　see　if　the　creature　can　swim。　　However　confident　in　his　son's　talents；　which　were　really　considerable；　he　would　have　been　very　sorry　to　have　involved　him　in　the　duty　of　pleading　a　complicated　and　difficult　case；　upon　his　very　first　appearance　at　the　bar；　had　he　not　resorted　to　it　as　an　effectual　way　to　prevent　the　young　man　from　taking　a　step　which　his　habits　of　thinking　represented　as　a　most　fatal　one　at　his　outset　of　life。

Betwixt　two　evils；　Mr。　Fairford　chose　that　which　was　in　his　own　apprehension　the　least；　and；　like　a　brave　officer　sending　forth　his　son　to　battle；　rather　chose　he　should　die　upon　the　breach；　than　desert　the　conflict　with　dishonour。　　Neither　did　he　leave　him　to　his　own　unassisted　energies。　　Like　Alpheus　preceding　Hercules；　he　himself　encountered　the　Augean　mass　of　Peter　Peebles'　law…matters。　　It　was　to　the　old　man　a　labour　of　love　to　place　in　a　clear　and　undistorted　view　the　real　merits　of　this　case；　which　the　carelessness　and　blunders　of　Peter's　former　solicitors　had　converted　into　a　huge　chaotic　mass　of　unintelligible　technicality；　and　such　was　his　skill　and　industry；　that　he　was　able；　after　the　severe　toil　of　two　or　three　days；　to　present　to　the　consideration　of　the　young　counsel　the　principal　facts　of　the　case；　in　a　light　equally　simple　and　comprehensible。　With　the　assistance　of　a　solicitor　so　affectionate　and　indefatigable；　Alan　Fairford　was　enabled；　then　the　day　of　trial　arrived；　to　walk　towards　the　court；　attended　by　his　anxious　yet　encouraging　parent；　with　some　degree　of　confidence　that　he　would　lose　no　reputation　upon　this　arduous　occasion。

They　were　met　at　the　door　of　the　court　by　Poor　Peter　Peebles　in　his　usual　plenitude　of　wig　and　celsitude　of　hat。　　He　seized　on　the　young　pleader　like　a　lion　on　his　prey。　　'How　is　a'　wi'　you；　Mr。　Alanhow　is　a'　wi'　you；　man？　　The　awfu'　day　is　come　at　last　a　day　that　will　be　lang　minded　in　this　house。　　Poor　Peter　Peebles　against　Plainstanesconjoined　proceasesHearing　in　presencestands　for　the　Short　Roll　for　this　dayI　have　not　been　able　to　sleep　for　a　week　for　thinking　of　it；　and；　I　dare　to　say；　neither　has　the　Lord　President　himsellfor　such　a　cause！！　　But　your　father　garr'd　me　tak　a　wee　drap　ower　muckle　of　his　pint　bottle　the　other　night；　it's　no　right　to　mix　brandy　wi'　business；　Mr。　Fairford。　　I　would　have　been　the　waur　o'　liquor　if　I　would　have　drank　as　muckle　as　you　twa　would　have　had　me。　　But　there's　a　time　for　a'　things；　and　if　ye　will　dine　with　me　after　the　case　is　heard；　or　whilk　is　the　same；　or　maybe　better；　I'LL　gang　my　ways　hame　wi'　YOU；　and　I　winna　object　to　a　cheerfu'　glass；　within　the　bounds　of　moderation。'

Old　Fairford　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　hurried　past　the　client；　saw　his　son　wrapped　in　the　sable　bombazine；　which；　in　his　eyes；　was　more　venerable　than　an　archbishop's　lawn；　and　could　not　help　fondly　patting　his　shoulder；　and　whispering　to　him　to　take　courage；　and　show　he　was　worthy　to　wear　it。　　The　party　entered　the　Outer　Hall　of　the　court；　（once　the　place　of　meeting　of　the　ancient　Scottish　Parliament）；　and　which　corresponds　to　th