and Bertha refused to
acknowledge her former lover, in the torn doublet, skin cap, clouted
shoes, and leathern apron, of a travelling handicraftsman or mechanic.
He claimed his privilege, however, of being admitted to a trial; and
when the rest of the suitors had either declined the contest, or made
such work as the devil could not read if his pardon depended on it, all
eyes were bent on the stranger. Aldobrand stepped gracefully forward,
arranged the types without omission of a single letter, hyphen, or
comma, imposed them without deranging a single space, and pulled off the
first proof as clear and free from errors, as if it had been a triple
revise! All applauded the worthy successor of the immortal Faustus--the
blushing maiden acknowledged her error in trusting to the eye more than
the intellect--and the elected bridegroom thenceforward chose for his
impress or device the appropriate words, Skill wins favour.'--But what is
the matter with you?--you are in a brown study! Come, I told you this was
but trumpery conversation for thinking people--and now I have my hand on
the Ossianic Controversy."

"I beg your pardon," said Lovel; "I am going to appear very silly and
changeable in your eyes, Mr. Oldbuck--but you seemed to think Sir Arthur
might in civility expect a call from me?"

"Psha! psha! I can make your apology; and if you must leave us so soon
as you say, what signifies how you stand in his honours good graces?--And
I warn you that the Essay on Castrametation is something prolix, and
will occupy the time we can spare after dinner, so you may lose the
Ossianic Controversy if we do not dedicate this morning to it. We will
go out to my ever-green bower, my sacred holly-tree yonder, and have it
_fronde super viridi_.

Sing heigh-ho! heigh-ho! for the green holly,
Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly.

But, egad," continued the old gentleman, "when I look closer at you,
I begin to think you may be of a different opinion. Amen with all
my heart--I quarrel with no man's hobby, if he does not run it a tilt
against mine, and if he does--let him beware his eyes. What say you?--in
the language of the world and worldlings base, if you can condescend to
so mean a sphere, shall we stay or go?"

"In the language of selfishness, then, which is of course the language
of the world--let us go by all means."

"Amen, amen, quo' the Earl Marshall," answered Oldbuck, as he exchanged
his sli