But they returned from the grotto to the house; and the day was spent in the usual style of Mr. Levingstone's remark, les hommes sont nés pour la société; and those who were going off, to wit, the dominie, St. Clyde, and the author, made every preparation to leave Kelvin next morning at an early hour.

The dominie returned a thousand thanks for the kindnesses he and St. Clyde had received from Mr. Levingstone; and the gratitude of the author was to be expressed in twenty stanzas of Alcæan or Melesigenean verse; but the dominie, at the mention of this method of being grateful for the hospitality they had enjoyed, exclaimed, "Je ne voudrois pas être roi, with such a bard for my laureat;" and all the company were so much pleased with the honesty of his observation,

that the name of Mr. Maclean passed.

at Kelvin for the name of a free and independent man.

CHAPTER X.

And then a soldier, full of strange oaths,
And bearded like the pard.

SHAKSPEARE.

COLIN left Kelvin much pleased with the reception he had received from Mr. Levingstone, and with the continued attentions of the old gentleman and his lady. As soon as he got home, his father announced to him, that there was a prospect of a commission being obtained for him in the Highland Watch, or 42nd regiment.

It was the earl of B

who had

offered the laird this for Colin. His lordship was a nobleman of the old school; nothing gave him greater pleasure than to bring forward the opening genius and abilities of the

མ་

youth in the island; and there was no young man of more promising talents than Colin.

Next day he waited on his lordship, who received him in the most handsome manner; and, having asked him into his library, desired him to be seated, and sat down beside him. This reception was that of a friend rather than a patron; and his lordship having laid before him the prospects there were of his succeeding in the army, lifted from the table a package, and taking him by the hand," Mr. St. Clyde, you will confer a pleasure on my interview with you, by allowing me to present you with this commission : you will now prepare yourself to raise your recruits; there will be a serjeant here in a few days; I will use my influence with the young fellows of the island; you shall have the finest of them in your company: Dunmorven,

your colonel, is my very particular friend; he will be yours also; may many blessings attend you."

Colin thanked his lordship, and felt the gratitude his tongue could but feebly express. His lordship kept him to dinner; and the brilliancy of his conversation in the evening served to convince Colin, that the title his patron bore was not misplaced; that great as the honours were, which from the high office he filled had been lavished on him, all the noble qualities which had shone through a long line of ancestry were not quenched, but retained their renowned and disinterested energy in its fullest strength. He was none of those

"With infamy too nauseous to be named;
Fops at all corners, lady-like in mien ;
Civetted fellows, smelt ere they are seen;

Else coarse and rude in manners, and their tongue
On fire with curses, and with nonsense hung;