LETTER: From the Baron Bradwardine to Edward Waverley, Esq., of
Waverley Honour.



The Baron explains the mysterious circumstances of his affair with
his third cousin, Sir Hew Halbert.--"Waverley," chap. xiv.


Tully Veolan, May 17, 1747.

Son Edward,--Touching my quarrel with Sir Hew Halbert, anent which
I told you no more than that it was "settled in a fitting manner,"
you have long teased me for an ampler explanation. This I have
withheld, as conceiving that it tended rather to vain quolibets and
jesting, than to that respect in which the duello, or single
combat, should be regarded by gentlemen of name and coat armour.
But Sir Hew being dead, and buried with his fathers, the matter may
be broached as among friends and persons of honour. The ground of
our dispute, as ye know, was an unthinking scoff of Sir Hew's, he
being my own third cousin by the mother's side, Anderson of Ettrick
Hall having intermarried, about the time of the Solemn League and
Covenant, with Anderson of Tushielaw, both of which houses are
connected with the Halberts of Dinniewuddie and with the
Bradwardines. But stemmata quid faciunt? Sir Hew, being a young
man, and the maut, as the vulgar say, above the meal, after a
funeral of one of our kin in the Cathedral Kirkyard of St. Andrews,