, it
is the present practice of most of the Scottish clergymen to seize this
opportunity of offering a prayer, and exhortation, suitable to make an
impression upon the living, while they are yet in the very presence
of the relics of him whom they have but lately seen such as they
themselves, and who now is such as they must in their time become. But
this decent and praiseworthy practice was not adopted at the time of
which I am treating, or at least, Mr. Blattergowl did not act upon it,
and the ceremony proceeded without any devotional exercise.

The coffin, covered with a pall, and supported upon hand-spikes by the
nearest relatives, now only waited the father to support the head, as is
customary. Two or three of these privileged persons spoke to him, but he
only answered by shaking his hand and his head in token of refusal. With
better intention than judgment, the friends, who considered this as
an act of duty on the part of the living, and of decency towards the
deceased, would have proceeded to enforce their request, had not
Oldbuck interfered between the distressed father and his well-meaning
tormentors, and informed them, that he himself, as landlord and master
to the deceased, "would carry his head to the grave." In spite of the
sorrowful occasion, the hearts of the relatives swelled within them at
so marked a distinction on the part of the laird; and old Alison Breck,
who was present among other fish-women, swore almost aloud, "His honour
Monkbarns should never want sax warp of oysters in the season" (of
which fish he was understood to be fond), "if she should gang to sea and
dredge for them hersell, in the foulest wind that ever blew." And such
is the temper of the Scottish common people, that, by this instance
of compliance with their customs, and respect for their persons, Mr.
Oldbuck gained more popularity than by all the sums which he had yearly
distributed in the parish for purposes of private or general charity.

The sad procession now moved slowly forward, preceded by the beadles, or
saulies, with their batons,--miserable-looking old men, tottering as if
on the edge of that grave to which they were marshalling another, and
clad, according to Scottish guise, with threadbare black coats, and
hunting-caps decorated with rusty crape. Monkbarns would probably have
remonstrated against this superfluous expense, had he been consulted;
but, in doing so, he would have given more offence than he gained
popularity