_Moth._ By Woden, God of Saxons, From whence comes Wensday, that is, Wednesday, Truth is a thing that I will ever keep Unto thylke day in which I creep into My sepulcre--Cartwright's _Ordinary._Our young friend Lovel, who had received a corresponding invitation, punctual to the hour of appointment, arrived at Monkbarns about five minutes before four o'clock on the 17th of July.The day had been remarkably sultry, and large drops of rain had occasionally fallen, though the threatened showers had as yet passed away.
Mr.Oldbuck received him at the Palmer's-port in his complete brown suit, grey silk stockings, and wig powdered with all the skill of the veteran Caxon, who having smelt out the dinner, had taken care not to finish his job till the hour of eating approached.
``You are welcome to my symposion, Mr.Lovel.And now let me introduce you to my Clogdogdo's, as Tom Otter calls them--my unlucky and good-for-nothing womankind--_mal
besti
,_ Mr.Lovel.''
``I shall be disappointed, sir, if I do not find the ladies very undeserving of your satire.''
``Tilley-valley, Mr.Lovel,--which, by the way, one commentator derives from _tittivillitium,_ and another from _talley-ho_--but tilley-valley, I say--a truce with your politeness.You will find them but samples of womankind--But here they be, Mr.
Lovel.I present to you in due order, my most discreet sister Griselda, who disdains the simplicity, as well as patience annexed to the poor old name of Grizzel; and my most exquisite niece Maria, whose mother was called Mary, and sometimes Molly.
The elderly lady rustled in silks and satins, and bore upon her head a structure resembling the fashion in the ladies'
memorandum-book for the year 1770--a superb piece of architecture, not much less than a modern Gothic castle, of which the curls might represent the turrets, the black pins the _chevaux de frise,_ and the lappets the banners.
The face, which, like that of the ancient statues of Vesta, was thus crowned with towers, was large and long, and peaked at nose and chin, and bore, in other respects, such a ludicrous resemblance to the physiognomy of Mr.Jonathan Oldbuck, that Lovel, had they not appeared at once, like Sebastian and Viola in the last scene of the ``Twelfth Night,'' might have supposed that the figure before him was his old friend masquerading in female attire.An antique flowered silk gown graced the extraordinary person to whom belonged this unparalleled _tte,_which her brother was wont to say was fitter for a turban for Mahound or Termagant, than a head-gear for a reasonable creature, or Christian gentlewoman.Two long and bony arms were terminated at the elbows by triple blond ruffles, and being, folded saltire-ways in front of her person, and decorated with long gloves of a bright vermilion colour, presented no bad resemblance to a pair of gigantic lobsters.High-heeled shoes, and a short silk cloak, thrown in easy negligence over her shoulders, completed the exterior of Miss Griselda Oldbuck.
Her niece, the same whom Lovel had seen transiently during his first visit, was a pretty young woman, genteelly dressed according to the fashion of the day, with an air of _espiglerie_which became her very well, and which was perhaps derived from the caustic humour peculiar to her uncle's family, though softened by transmission.
Mr.Lovel paid his respects to both ladies, and was answered by the elder with the prolonged courtesy of 1760, drawn from the righteous period, When folks conceived a grace Of half an hour's space, And rejoiced in a Friday's capon, and by the younger with a modern reverence, which, like the festive benediction of a modern divine, was of much shorter duration.
While this salutation was exchanging, Sir Arthur, with his fair daughter hanging upon his arm, having dismissed his chariot, appeared at the garden door, and in all due form paid his respects to the ladies.
``Sir Arthur,'' said the Antiquary, ``and you, my fair foe, let me make known to you my young friend Mr.Lovel, a gentleman who, during the scarlet-fever which is epidemic at present in this our island, has the virtue and decency to appear in a coat of a civil complexion.You see, however, that the fashionable colour has mustered in his cheeks which appears not in his garments.Sir Arthur, let me present to you a young gentleman, whom your farther knowledge will find grave, wise, courtly, and scholar-like, well seen, deeply read, and thoroughly grounded in all the hidden mysteries of the green-room and stage, from the days of Davie Lindsay down to those of Dibdin --he blushes again, which is a sign of grace.''
``My brother,'' said Miss Griselda, addressing Lovel, ``has a humorous way of expressing himself, sir; nobody thinks anything of what Monkbarns says--so I beg you will not be so confused for the matter of his nonsense; but you must have had a warm walk beneath this broiling sun--would you take anything?--a glass of balm-wine?''
Ere Lovel could answer, the Antiquary interposed.``Aroint thee, witch! wouldst thou poison my guests with thy infernal decoctions? Dost thou not remember how it fared with the clergyman whom you seduced to partake of that deceitful beverage?''
``O fy, fy, brother!--Sir Arthur, did you ever hear the like?
--he must have everything his ain way, or he will invent such stories--But there goes Jenny to ring the old bell to tell us that the dinner is ready.''
Rigid in his economy, Mr.Oldbuck kept no male servant.
This he disguised under the pretext that the masculine sex was too noble to be employed in those acts of personal servitude, which, in all early periods of society, were uniformly imposed on the female.``Why,'' would he say, ``did the boy, Tam Rintherout, whom, at my wise sister's instigation, I, with equal wisdom, took upon trial--why did he pilfer apples, take birds'
