Untouch'd, the harp began to ring,

As softly, slowly, oped the door," &c.

Glenfinlas. Border Minstrelsy, Vol. III. Part 3.

or look at Cedric the Saxon, in his antique hall, attended by his grey-hounds and slow-hounds, and the terriers which 'waited with impatience the arrival of the supper; but 'with the sagacious knowledge of physiognomy peculiar to` 'their race, forbore to intrude upon the moody silence of 'their master. To complete the picture, One grisly old wolf-dog alone, with the liberty of an indulged favourite, had planted himself close by the chair of state, and occa⚫sionally ventured to solicit notice by putting his large hairy ❝ head upon his master's knee, or pushing his nose into his ' hand. Even he was repelled by the stern command, "Down, Balder, down! I am not in the humour for 'foolery *."',

Another animated sketch occurs in the way of simile.

"The interview between Ratcliffe and Sharpitlaw had an aspect different from all these. They sate for five minutes silent, on opposite sides of a small table, and looked fixedly at each other, with a sharp, knowing, and alert cast of ' countenance, not unmingled with an inclination to laugh, ❝ and resembled, more than any thing else, two dogs, who, 'preparing for a game at romps, are seen to couch down, ́ and remain in that posture for a little time, watching each 'other's movements, and waiting which shall begin the game+.'

Let me point out a still more amusing study of canine life: While the Antiquary was in full declamation, Juno, 'who held him in awe, according to the remarkable instinct

*Ivanhoe, vol. i. ch. 3.

+ Heart of Mid Lothian, vol. ii. ch. 4.

'by which dogs instantly discover those who like or dislike 'them, had peeped several times into the room, and, 'encountering nothing very forbidding in his aspect, had

at length presumed to introduce her full person, and 'finally, becoming bold by impunity, she actually ate up 'Mr. Oldbuck's toast, as, looking first at one, then at ' another of his audience, he repeated with self-compla

6

6

cence,

"Weave the warp, and weave the woof,-"

"You remember the passage in the Fatal Sisters, which, 'by the way, is not so fine as in the original-But, hey-day! my toast has vanished! I see which way-Ah, thou type ' of womankind, no wonder they take offence at thy generic 6 appellation!'-(So saying, he shook his fist at Juno, who ❝ scoured out of the parlour.)'—Antiquary, Vol. III. Ch. 1.

In short, throughout these works, wherever it is possible for a dog to contribute in any way to the effect of a scene, we find there the very dog that was required, in his proper place and attitude. In Branksome Hall, when the feast was over,

"The stag-hounds, weary with the chase,

Lay stretched upon the rushy floor,

And urged, in dreams, the forest race
From Teviot-stone to Eskdale-moor.

Lay of the last Minstrel, Canto I. St. 2.

The gentle Margaret, when she steals secretly from the

castle,

"Pats the shaggy blood-hound

As he rouses him up from his lair.”

Ibid. Canto II. St. 26.

When Waverley visits the Baron of Bradwardine, in his concealment at Janet Gellatley's, Ban and Buscar play their parts in every point with perfect discretion; and in the joyous company that assembles at Little Veolan, on the Baron's enlargement, these honest animals are found ‘stuffed 'to the throat with food, in the liberality of Macwheeble's 'joy,' and 'snoring on the floor*.' In the perilous adventure of Henry Bertram, at Portanferry gaol, the action would lose half its interest, without the by-play of little Waspt. At the funeral ceremony of Duncraggan (in the Lady of the Lake), a principal mourner is

"Stumah, who, the bier beside,
His master's corpse with wonder eyed;
Poor Stumah! whom his least halloo
Could send like lightning o'er the dew."

Lady of the Lake, Canto III. St. 17.

Ellen Douglas smiled (or did not smile)

to see the stately drake,

Lead forth his fleet upon the lake,

While her vexed spaniel, from the beach,
Bayed at the prize beyond his reach."

Ibid. Canto II. St. 5.

I will close this growing catalogue of examples with one of the most elegant descriptions that ever sprang from a poet's fancy :

The bashful maiden's cheek appeared,
For Douglas spoke, and Malcolm heard.
The flush of shame-faced joy to hide,

The hounds, the hawk, her cares divide;
The loved caresses of the maid
The dogs with crouch and whimper paid;
And, at her whistle, on her hand

The falcon took his favourite stand,
Closed his dark wing, relaxed his eye,
Nor, though unhooded, sought to fly."

Lady of the Lake, Canto II. St. 24.

To return from this digression, and resume the subject of manly exercises. The ancient pastime of archery is described in the novels and poems with great liveliness and precision. We are presented, in Ivanhoe, with a somewhat elaborate account of a match at quarter-staff*. The most difficult evolutions of horsemanship are treated of with familiarity, and often in the appropriate technical terms; and they every where furnish abundance of spirited and picturesque description. The admirable management of the single combats (it is enough to mention those of FitzJames with Roderic Dhu†, of Rashleigh with Francis Osbaldistone, and of Glendinning with sir Piercie Shafton §), implies more than a novice's acquaintance with the use of the sword. Neither the poet nor the novelist makes a frequent parade of nautical science; but when the sail is spread to the sea-breeze, or the oar dips lightly into a glassy

* Vol. i. ch. 11.

+ Lady of the Lake, Canto V. St. 14 to 16.

Rob Roy, vol. ii. ch. 12.

§ Monastery, vol. ii. ch. 7.

lake, both writers appear to enter on an old and well-known scene of hardy enjoyment. And for the land service,' let me refer you to one passage, apparently written with the warmth of pleasurable recollection. Dr. Johnson thought life had few things better than the excitation produced by 'being whirled rapidly along in a post-chaise; but he who 'has in youth experienced the confident and independent 'feeling of a stout pedestrian in an interesting country, and during fine weather, will hold the taste of the great moralist cheap in comparison.'-Guy Mannering, vol. II. ch. 1.

It is not to be inferred from passages of this.nature that their authors have actually engaged in all the sports and attained proficiency in all the exercises described; but on the other hand it cannot be believed that either the novels or the poems were composed by any person who had not in the course of his past life acquired some practical knowledge of sylvan and athletic sports, and entered into them with enthusiasm. The author of Marmion has given frequent intimations of his ardent and long-cherished attachment to these pursuits. In the introductory epistles annexed to that poem, he asks of one friend,

"Remember'st thou my grey-hounds true?
O'er holt, or hill, there never flew
From slip, or leash, there never sprang
More fleet of foot, or sure of fang."

Introduction to Canto II.

He reminds another of the time when

"Riding side by side, our hand

First drew the voluntary brand;"

('the days,' I presume, of the zealous volunteer service,'

E