As James approached his fourteenth year, his uncle, still with a
view to a union with Robina, proposed, that, when Mr. Eadie thought
his education sufficient for the mercantile profession, he should be
sent to his counting-house. But the early habits and the tenor of the
lessons he had received were not calculated to ensure success to James
as a merchant. He was robust, handsome, and adventurous, fond of active
pursuits, and had imbibed, from the Highland spirit of Mrs. Eadie,
a tinge of romance and enthusiasm. The bias of his character, the
visions of his reveries, and the cast of his figure and physiognomy,
were decidedly military. But the field of heroic enterprise was then
vacant,--the American war was over, and all Europe slumbered in repose,
unconscious of the hurricane that was then gathering; and thus, without
any consideration of his own inclinations and instincts, James, like
many of those who afterwards distinguished themselves in the great
conflict, acceded to the proposal.
He had not, however, been above three or four years settled in Glasgow
when his natural distaste for sedentary and regular business began to
make him dislike the place; and his repugnance was heightened almost to
disgust by the discovery of his uncle’s sordid views with respect to
him; nor, on the part of his cousin, was the design better relished;
for, independent of an early and ungracious antipathy, she had placed
her affections on another object; and more than once complained to the
old Leddy of her father’s tyranny in so openly urging on a union that
would render her miserable, especially, as she said, when her cousin’s
attachment to Ellen Frazer was so unequivocal. But Leddy Grippy had
set her mind on the match as strongly as her son; and, in consequence,
neither felt nor showed any sympathy for Robina.
‘Never fash your head,’ she said to her one day, when the young lady
was soliciting her mediation,--‘Never fash your head, Beenie, my dear,
about Jamie’s calf-love of yon daffodil; but be an obedient child, and
walk in the paths of pleasantness that ye’re ordain’t to, both by me
and your father; for we hae had oure lang a divided family; and it’s
full time we were brought to a cordial understanding with one another.’
‘But,’ replied the disconsolate damsel, ‘even though he had no precious
attachment, I’ll ne’er consent to marry him, for really I can never
fancy him.’
‘And what for can ye no fancy him?’ cried the Leddy--‘I would like to
ken that? But, to be plain wi’ you, Beenie, it’s a shame to hear a weel
educated miss like you, brought up wi’ a Christian principle, speaking
about fancying young men. Sic a thing was never alloo’t nor heard tell
o’ in my day and generation. But that comes o’ your ganging to see
Douglas tragedy, at that kirk o’ Satan in Dunlop Street; where, as I am
most creditably informed, the play-actors court ane another afore a’
the folk.’
‘I am sure you have yourself experienced,’ replied Robina, ‘what it
is to entertain a true affection, and to know that our wishes and
inclinations are not under our own control.--How would you have liked
had your father forced you to marry a man against your will?’
‘Lassie, lassie!’ exclaimed the Leddy, ‘if ye live to be a grandmother
like me, ye’ll ken the right sense o’ a lawful and tender affection.
But there’s no sincerity noo like the auld sincerity, when me and your
honest grandfather, that was in mine, and is noo in Abraham’s bosom,
came thegither--we had no foistring and parleyvooing, like your novelle
turtle-doves--but discoursed in a sober and wise-like manner anent the
cost and charge o’ a family; and the upshot was a visibility of solid
cordiality and kindness, very different, Beenie, my dear, frae the
puff-paste love o’ your Clarissy Harlots.’
‘Ah! but your affection was mutual from the beginning--you were not
perhaps devoted to another?’
‘Gude guide us, Beenie Walkinshaw! are ye devoted to another?--Damon
and Phillis, pastorauling at hide and seek wi’ their sheep, was the
height o’ discretion, compared wi’ sic curdooing. My lass, I’ll let no
grass grow beneath my feet, till I hae gi’en your father notice o’ this
loup-the-window, and hey cockalorum-like love.’
‘Impossible!’ exclaimed the young lady; ‘you will never surely be so
rash as to betray me?’
‘Wha is’t wi’--But I need na speer; for I’ll be none surprised to hear
that it’s a play-actor, or a soldier officer, or some other clandestine
poetical.’
Miss possessed more shrewdness than her grandmother gave her credit
for, and perceiving the turn and tendency of their conversation, she
exerted all her address to remove the impression which she had thus
produced, by affecting to laugh, saying,--
‘What has made you suppose that I have formed any improper attachment?
I was only anxious that you should speak to my father, and try to
persuade him that I can never be happy with my cousin.’
‘How can I persuade him o’ ony sic havers? or how can ye hope that
I would if it was in my power--when ye know what a comfort it will
be to us a’, to see such a prudent purpose o’ marriage brought to
perfection?--Na, na, Beenie, ye’re an instrument in the hands o’
Providence to bring aboot a great blessing to your family; and I would
be as daft as your uncle Watty, when he gaed out to shoot the flees,
were I to set mysel an adversary to such a righteous ordinance--so you
maun just mak up your mind to conform. My word, but ye’re weel an to be
married in your teens--I was past thirty before man speer’t my price.’
‘But,’ said Robina, ‘you forget that James himself has not yet
consented--I am sure he is devoted to Ellen Frazer--and that he will
never consent.’
‘Weel, I declare if e’er I heard the like of sic upsetting.--I
won’er what business either you or him hae to consenting or
non-consenting.--Is’t no the pleasure o’ your parentage that ye’re to
be married, and will ye dare to commit the sin of disobedient children?
Beenie Walkinshaw, had I said sic a word to my father, who was a man
o’ past-ordinar sense, weel do I ken what I would hae gotten--I only
just ance in a’ my life, in a mistak, gied him a contradiction, and
he declared that, had I been a son as I was but a dochter, he would
hae grippit me by the cuff o’ the neck and the back o’ the breeks,
and shuttled me through the window. But the end o’ the world is
drawing near, and corruption’s working daily to a head; a’ modesty
and maidenhood has departed frae womankind, and the sons of men are
workers of iniquity--priests o’ Baal, and transgressors every one--a’,
therefore, my leddy, that I hae to say to you is a word o’ wisdom, and
they ca’t conform--Beenie, conform--and obey the fifth commandment.’
Robina was, however, in no degree changed by her grandmother’s
exhortations and animadversions; on the contrary, she was determined
to take her own way, which is a rule that we would recommend to all
young ladies, as productive of the happiest consequences in cases of
the tender passion. But scarcely had she left the house, till Leddy
Grippy, reflecting on what had passed, was not quite at ease in her
mind, with respect to the sentimental insinuation of being devoted to
another. For, although, in the subsequent conversation, the dexterity
and address of the young lady considerably weakened the impression
which it had at first made, still enough remained to make her suspect
it really contained more than was intended to have been conveyed.
But, to avoid unnecessary disturbance, she resolved to give her son
a hint to observe the motions of his daughter, while, at the same
time, she also determined to ascertain how far there was any ground to
suppose that from the attachment of James to Ellen Frazer, there was
reason to apprehend that he might likewise be as much averse to the
projected marriage as Robina. And with this view she sent for him that
evening--but what passed will furnish matter for another chapter.