The night was damp, raw, and uncommonly foggy; the mist rose upon the sea, in the coast-phrase, as thick as buttermilk; and, on the land, answered exactly to the well-known description of rain called a drizzle; better understood by English travellers under the denomination of a Scotch Mist; it hung dark upon--or still, to take advantage of the Edinmouth dialect, 'it hoodit the braes'

M'Bean then proceeded -- "Are they no the words o' a man that kent what he was sayin' ; of a man that could speak English, ay, an' write it too; but thae --they can do neither the tane nor the tither . An' then he says, just a wee bit farer down in the same manifesto; -- he's speakin' o' the time whan he came out o' exile to get back his ain -- 'My expedition was undertaken, unsupported by any foreign power. But, indeed, when I see a foreign force brought by my enemies against me, when I see Dutch, Danes, Hessians, and Swiss, the elector of Hanover's allies, being called over to protect his government against the native subjects, is it not high time for the king, my father, to accept the assistance of those who are able to support him? But will the world, or any man of sense in it, infer from thence, that he inclines to be a tributary Prince, rather than an independent Monarch? Who has the better chance to be independent of foreign powers? He, who, with the aid of his own subjects, can wrest the government out of the hands of an intruder? or he who cannot, without assistance from abroad, support his government? Let him, if he pleases, try the experiment, let him send off his foreign hirelings, and put the whole upon the issue of a battle?' There's sentiments worthy of one who ought to rule an independent, unconquered kingdom. He promises there too, freedom frae the Excise, frae the curst Excise! -- I'll just read yon that, an' nae mair the now. This is speakin' to the English, though they didna deserve muckle at his hand -- 'And as we are desirous to reign chiefly over the affections of our people, we shall be utterly averse to the suspending the Habeas Corpus act, as well as to the loading our subjects with unnecessary taxes, or raising any in a manner burthen some to them, especially to the introducing of foreign Excise; and to all such matters as may have hither to been devised and pursued, to acquire arbitrary power, at the expense of the liberty and property of the subject.' Now, Mr Martin, can you tell me, if ever ony o' the---- ye ken what I mean -- wad they ever trust native subjects did'n they aye bring owre your German robbers to support their---- an' did'n they send a' the siller out o' the land; I'm sure, I never see a gold coin in a manner to what we use to see; an' then they maun dress out their soldiers like Germans an' no a bare hough to be seen amang them, but daft-like fligmagaries , that that Duke o' their's brought owre frae Germany.

"what have we gained by the Revolution you brag so muckle about, tell me that? or by thae upstarts!" --then sinking his voice an octave, and taking advantage of his opponent's silence, who had paused for a moment to draw breath and collect an answer; "I'll tell you,--a German kail yard, and a parcel o' hungery Hanovarians to feed, and a load o' taxes to pay which will bankrupt the nation--when our ain King left us he left a fu' treasury, an' look at it now."
"That was no fault of the revolution," Duncan replied, "but the just punishment of the land for a broken covenant, and a curse upon it for that damnable toleration given to prelacy; for the people have a right to change their rulers whan they find themselves oppressed. Reason tells us that, an' the word o' God says naething against it; and for thae new folks, that need a been nae mot i' the marriage,--their being upstarts, --if they had held to the Lord and the covenants."
"An' whare did the wean that couldna gang its lane break the covenants, Mr M'Groul? if the father was sent awa , whare was the justice in sendin' awa the son? by what law o' God or man was the poor innocent bairn 's right taen frae him, and the throne puttin' by him--a lineal descendant o' the auldest family i' Europe!-- an gi'en to a----"
"He was nae lineal descendant, but a papist brat brought, in in a silver warmin' pan."
"Brought in in a silver-- gin I maun say sae ," cried Mrs M'Bain, who could no longer remain neutral, "how could they bring in a wean in a silver warmin' pan, an sae mony men stanin i' the room."
" I the room next till't , let me set you right there, Mrs M'Bain," said M'Groul.
"Weel a weel I care na whare it was, but it was whare they couldna be mista'en, it was whare they could see weel enough whether a woman was brought the bed o' a wean or no; will ye tell me whan I lay in o' our Leesy, poor thing, that's dead an' gane , an a' the folk gaun backward an' forward, that I could hae palmed anither body's get upon Enaeas there for his ain ?"
" Ye ken best, mistress," said Duncan.
"Whether I ken or no , every body i' the room wad seen whether the wean came frae me or frae a siller warmin' pan--and there was the Lord Chancellor, an' the Arch Bishop o' Canterbury, and gude kens a wha stan'in' ready to see what was gaun on; na , na , Mr M'Groul-- ye may tell that to your ain wife, it'll no gang down wi' Enaeas M'Bain's. --King James the VIII was as lawfully begotten, an' came as fairly into the world as his father before him, an' had as gude a right to his ain as ye hae , --was he a papist i the womb? an how could ony body ken what he would be before he could speak-- before he could tell them? --its just the like o you that hates a kings thegither that speaks that way."
"Say Papist kings, Mrs M'Bain, I'm nae enemy to kings wha bear nae the sword in vain, whan they use it as they suld do, as a terror to evil doers an' a praise to them that do weel ; but whan they mak' it a praise to evil doers, an' a terror to them that do weel , I say it's weel dune to tak' it out o' their hands an' giet to them that can use't better."

"what have we gained by the Revolution you brag so muckle about, tell me that? or by thae upstarts!" --then sinking his voice an octave, and taking advantage of his opponent's silence, who had paused for a moment to draw breath and collect an answer; "I'll tell you,--a German kail yard, and a parcel o' hungery Hanovarians to feed, and a load o' taxes to pay which will bankrupt the nation--when our ain King left us he left a fu' treasury, an' look at it now."
"That was no fault of the revolution," Duncan replied, "but the just punishment of the land for a broken covenant, and a curse upon it for that damnable toleration given to prelacy; for the people have a right to change their rulers whan they find themselves oppressed. Reason tells us that, an' the word o' God says naething against it; and for thae new folks, that need a been nae mot i' the marriage,--their being upstarts, --if they had held to the Lord and the covenants."
"An' whare did the wean that couldna gang its lane break the covenants, Mr M'Groul? if the father was sent awa , whare was the justice in sendin' awa the son? by what law o' God or man was the poor innocent bairn 's right taen frae him, and the throne puttin' by him--a lineal descendant o' the auldest family i' Europe!-- an gi'en to a----"
"He was nae lineal descendant, but a papist brat brought, in in a silver warmin' pan."
"Brought in in a silver-- gin I maun say sae ," cried Mrs M'Bain, who could no longer remain neutral, "how could they bring in a wean in a silver warmin' pan, an sae mony men stanin i' the room."
" I the room next till't , let me set you right there, Mrs M'Bain," said M'Groul.
"Weel a weel I care na whare it was, but it was whare they couldna be mista'en, it was whare they could see weel enough whether a woman was brought the bed o' a wean or no; will ye tell me whan I lay in o' our Leesy, poor thing, that's dead an' gane , an a' the folk gaun backward an' forward, that I could hae palmed anither body's get upon Enaeas there for his ain ?"
" Ye ken best, mistress," said Duncan.
"Whether I ken or no , every body i' the room wad seen whether the wean came frae me or frae a siller warmin' pan--and there was the Lord Chancellor, an' the Arch Bishop o' Canterbury, and gude kens a wha stan'in' ready to see what was gaun on; na , na , Mr M'Groul-- ye may tell that to your ain wife, it'll no gang down wi' Enaeas M'Bain's. --King James the VIII was as lawfully begotten, an' came as fairly into the world as his father before him, an' had as gude a right to his ain as ye hae , --was he a papist i the womb? an how could ony body ken what he would be before he could speak-- before he could tell them? --its just the like o you that hates a kings thegither that speaks that way."
"Say Papist kings, Mrs M'Bain, I'm nae enemy to kings wha bear nae the sword in vain, whan they use it as they suld do, as a terror to evil doers an' a praise to them that do weel ; but whan they mak' it a praise to evil doers, an' a terror to them that do weel , I say it's weel dune to tak' it out o' their hands an' giet to them that can use't better."

"what have we gained by the Revolution you brag so muckle about, tell me that? or by thae upstarts!" --then sinking his voice an octave, and taking advantage of his opponent's silence, who had paused for a moment to draw breath and collect an answer; "I'll tell you,--a German kail yard, and a parcel o' hungery Hanovarians to feed, and a load o' taxes to pay which will bankrupt the nation--when our ain King left us he left a fu' treasury, an' look at it now."
"That was no fault of the revolution," Duncan replied, "but the just punishment of the land for a broken covenant, and a curse upon it for that damnable toleration given to prelacy; for the people have a right to change their rulers whan they find themselves oppressed. Reason tells us that, an' the word o' God says naething against it; and for thae new folks, that need a been nae mot i' the marriage,--their being upstarts, --if they had held to the Lord and the covenants."
"An' whare did the wean that couldna gang its lane break the covenants, Mr M'Groul? if the father was sent awa , whare was the justice in sendin' awa the son? by what law o' God or man was the poor innocent bairn 's right taen frae him, and the throne puttin' by him--a lineal descendant o' the auldest family i' Europe!-- an gi'en to a----"
"He was nae lineal descendant, but a papist brat brought, in in a silver warmin' pan."
"Brought in in a silver-- gin I maun say sae ," cried Mrs M'Bain, who could no longer remain neutral, "how could they bring in a wean in a silver warmin' pan, an sae mony men stanin i' the room."
" I the room next till't , let me set you right there, Mrs M'Bain," said M'Groul.
"Weel a weel I care na whare it was, but it was whare they couldna be mista'en, it was whare they could see weel enough whether a woman was brought the bed o' a wean or no; will ye tell me whan I lay in o' our Leesy, poor thing, that's dead an' gane , an a' the folk gaun backward an' forward, that I could hae palmed anither body's get upon Enaeas there for his ain ?"
" Ye ken best, mistress," said Duncan.
"Whether I ken or no , every body i' the room wad seen whether the wean came frae me or frae a siller warmin' pan--and there was the Lord Chancellor, an' the Arch Bishop o' Canterbury, and gude kens a wha stan'in' ready to see what was gaun on; na , na , Mr M'Groul-- ye may tell that to your ain wife, it'll no gang down wi' Enaeas M'Bain's. --King James the VIII was as lawfully begotten, an' came as fairly into the world as his father before him, an' had as gude a right to his ain as ye hae , --was he a papist i the womb? an how could ony body ken what he would be before he could speak-- before he could tell them? --its just the like o you that hates a kings thegither that speaks that way."
"Say Papist kings, Mrs M'Bain, I'm nae enemy to kings wha bear nae the sword in vain, whan they use it as they suld do, as a terror to evil doers an' a praise to them that do weel ; but whan they mak' it a praise to evil doers, an' a terror to them that do weel , I say it's weel dune to tak' it out o' their hands an' giet to them that can use't better."

"I'm sheer I wad na be uncivil to ony gentleman. -- Fye Phullie, far are ye ; fute man!" then stopping a little, he proceeded with vehemence-- " Fan I get a phup o' ye , there's na wasp bike stick i' the runcle o' your hurdles , I'se warrant." Again he turned in Norlin anger to the gentleman, who had unhooked some of the salted fish from the rowels of his spurs.
" I'm sae vext I canna get awa wi ye --that blastit wonner , I ken na far he's gain tee ; but he's fin the saftest ply o' a rape-yarn fan he comes back; but that macks na , I canna get him the now; -- far the deel can he hae gaen ; --I canna mak it out ava ; -- I'm sorry I canna lat you see the road; -- no that I care for the drink, but ye see I canna leave the boatie --stop a weeock , ye wad na be the war o a bunch o speldrins to chew by the road --see, there's a fine ane ; I'se no tak nae mair frae you than aught -pence for the haill --I got a shillin' for three, I'm sure a hantle war , nae lang sin sine -- de'el tak that callan ! far can he ha'e gaen ? --its a braw sappy fush -- ye'll be gawn to M'Bain's nae doubt -- I'll maybe come to you; -- Fute aye! fute aye! here comes Phul Tingle, I'll can gae wi' you yet -- O man! Phul, did na ye see our Phullie; or wad ye wait a minute till I gae the length o' the Scots Thustle wi' this man here; he's lost the wye ."
" Ye needna mind leaving your boat" said Tangle, the sailor who had come along with Captain Bruce and Colonel Muiravon, but who had 'bore a-head' like a thirty -six cruizing as the satellite of two seventy four's --"I'll pilot him to the inn."
"That's true, I ken fine ye could do't but ye see we've a wee bit o' buzziness tul sattle atween's , sae I wad need ging mysel ."

"I'm sheer I wad na be uncivil to ony gentleman. -- Fye Phullie, far are ye ; fute man!" then stopping a little, he proceeded with vehemence-- " Fan I get a phup o' ye , there's na wasp bike stick i' the runcle o' your hurdles , I'se warrant." Again he turned in Norlin anger to the gentleman, who had unhooked some of the salted fish from the rowels of his spurs.
" I'm sae vext I canna get awa wi ye --that blastit wonner , I ken na far he's gain tee ; but he's fin the saftest ply o' a rape-yarn fan he comes back; but that macks na , I canna get him the now; -- far the deel can he hae gaen ; --I canna mak it out ava ; -- I'm sorry I canna lat you see the road; -- no that I care for the drink, but ye see I canna leave the boatie --stop a weeock , ye wad na be the war o a bunch o speldrins to chew by the road --see, there's a fine ane ; I'se no tak nae mair frae you than aught -pence for the haill --I got a shillin' for three, I'm sure a hantle war , nae lang sin sine -- de'el tak that callan ! far can he ha'e gaen ? --its a braw sappy fush -- ye'll be gawn to M'Bain's nae doubt -- I'll maybe come to you; -- Fute aye! fute aye! here comes Phul Tingle, I'll can gae wi' you yet -- O man! Phul, did na ye see our Phullie; or wad ye wait a minute till I gae the length o' the Scots Thustle wi' this man here; he's lost the wye ."
" Ye needna mind leaving your boat" said Tangle, the sailor who had come along with Captain Bruce and Colonel Muiravon, but who had 'bore a-head' like a thirty -six cruizing as the satellite of two seventy four's --"I'll pilot him to the inn."
"That's true, I ken fine ye could do't but ye see we've a wee bit o' buzziness tul sattle atween's , sae I wad need ging mysel ."

"You have been at the wars last night, I see, Boots," said Captain Bruce to the unfortunate youth. "How came you by these eyes?"
"The lang foreign gentleman," replied Boots, "like a Highlander, an' no like a Highlander neither, that came in wi' Will Tangle, the sailor, an' the North Country boatman, was a wee unruly; --we had enough ado to get him to gang to his bed. --he was aye for se'in our master whither we would or no; and, because I wadna let him, he turned uncivil wi' his hands." The waiter, who had also been roused by the serenade, came at length, with a great appearance of activity

"My dear," said Mrs Thomson to her husband, "you must not attempt any such thing, it wad be just throwin awa your life to nae purpose. What's the value o' a wee pickle goods? we can get mair . Na , na , Stent, I never liket this kind o' business, you're far owre regardless; but mind your uncle has a wife, though ye hae nane ."
"I can't leave the men there a second night," answered Stent; "and then Struan's carts, what's to be done with them? besides, this is the best night possible, there'll be no cruisers afloat in such a night as this. My uncle and Mr Martin may go round by the land side, I don't ask them to go with me; but I bet one to a dozen I am there before them."
"May be, may be," added the affectionate woman; "I'm no keen about the land side neither, it's but slippery fittin at best; an if ye wad tak my advice, ye wad a' stay at hame thegither , an' no risk yoursels ony way."
I must go," said Tiller firmly; "there's no more words need be said about that; as to my uncle, and his friend there, they may do as they like."