Carnal men have assumed that triumphant appellation, following him whose
kingdom is of this world. Which of them would sit six hours on a wet
hill-side to hear a godly sermon? I trow an hour o't wad staw them. They
are ne'er a hair better than them that shamena to take upon themsells the
persecuting name of bludethirsty tories. Self-seekers all of them,
strivers after wealth, power, and worldly ambition, and forgetters alike
of what has been dree'd and done by the mighty men who stood in the gap
in the great day of wrath. Nae wonder they dread the accomplishment of
what was spoken by the mouth of the worthy Mr Peden, (that precious
servant of the Lord, none of whose words fell to the ground,) that the
French monzies [Note: Probably monsieurs. It would seem that this was
spoken during the apprehensions of invason from France.--Publishers.]
sall rise as fast in the glens of Ayr, and the kenns of Galloway, as ever
the Highlandmen did in 1677. And now they are gripping to the bow and to
the spear, when they suld be mourning for a sinfu' land and a broken
covenant.'

"Soothing the old man by letting his peculiar opinions pass without
contradiction, and anxious to prolong conversation with so singular a
character, I prevailed upon him to accept that hospitality, which Mr
Cleishbotham is always willing to extend to those who need it. In our way
to the schoolmaster's house, we called at the Wallace Inn, where I was
pretty certain I should find my patron about that hour of the evening.
After a courteous interchange of civilities, Old Mortality was, with
difficulty, prevailed upon to join his host in a single glass of liquor,
and that on condition that he should be permitted to name the pledge,
which he prefaced with a grace of about five minutes, and then, with
bonnet doffed and eyes uplifted, drank to the memory of those heroes of
the Kirk who had first uplifted her banner upon the mountains. As no
persuasion could prevail on him to extend his conviviality to a second