therefore，inafitofdesperation，pulleditonceortwice，andthenleftoff，naturallysupposingthatIhaddonequiteenough。
Theboyswhosatnextthedoornosoonerheardthebell，than，risingfromtheirseats，theymovedoutatthedoor。Thebell，however，hadnosoonerceasedtojingle，thantheystoppedshort，and，turninground，staredatthemaster，asmuchastosay，’Whatarewetodonow？’Thiswastoomuchforthepatienceofthemanofmethod，whichmypreviousstupidityhadalreadynearlyexhausted。Dashingforwardintothemiddleoftheroom，hestruckmeviolentlyontheshoulderswithhisferule，and，snatchingtheropeoutofmyhand，exclaimed，withastentorianvoice，andgenuineYorkshireaccent，’Prodigyofignorance!dostnotevenknowhowtoringabell？MustImyselfinstructthee？’Hethencommencedpullingatthebellwithsuchviolencethatlongbeforehalftheschoolwasdismissedtheropebroke，andtherestoftheboyshadtodepartwithouttheiraccustomedmusic。
ButImustnotlingerhere，thoughIcouldsaymuchabouttheschoolandthepedagoguehighlyamusinganddiverting，which，however，Isuppress，inordertomakewayformattersofyetgreaterinterest。Onwewent，northward，northward!and，asweadvanced，IsawthatthecountrywasbecomingwidelydifferentfromthosepartsofmerryEnglandinwhichwehadpreviouslytravelled。
Itwaswilder，andlesscultivated，andmorebrokenwithhillsandhillocks。Thepeople，too，oftheseregionsappearedtopartakeofsomethingofthecharacteroftheircountry。Theywerecoarselydressed；tallandsturdyofframe；theirvoicesweredeepandguttural；andthehalfofthedialectwhichtheyspokewasunintelligibletomyears。
Ioftenwonderedwherewecouldbegoing，forIwasatthistimeaboutasignorantofgeographyasIwasofmostotherthings。
However，Iheldmypeace，askednoquestions，andpatientlyawaitedtheissue。
Northward，northward，still!Anditcametopassthat，onemorning，Ifoundmyselfextendedonthebankofariver。Itwasabeautifulmorningofearlyspring；smallwhitecloudswerefloatingintheheaven，occasionallyveilingthecountenanceofthesun，whoselight，astheyretired，wouldagainburstforth，coursinglikearace-horseoverthescene-andagoodlysceneitwas!
Beforeme，acrossthewater，onaneminence，stoodawhiteoldcity，surroundedwithloftywalls，abovewhichrosethetopsoftallhouses，withhereandthereachurchorsteeple。Tomyrighthandwasalongandmassivebridge，withmanyarches，andofantiquearchitecture，whichtraversedtheriver。Theriverwasanobleone；thebroadestthatIhadhithertoseen。Itswaters，ofagreenishtinge，pouredwithimpetuositybeneaththenarrowarchestomeetthesea，closeathand，astheboomofthebillowsbreakingdistinctlyuponabeachdeclared。Thereweresongsupontheriverfromthefisher-barks；andoccasionallyachorus，plaintiveandwild，suchasIhadneverheardbefore，thewordsofwhichIdidnotunderstand，butwhich，atthepresenttime，downthelongavenueofyears，seeminmemory’seartosoundlike’Horam，coram，dago。’Severalrobustfellowswerenearme，someknee-deepinwater，employedinhaulingtheseineuponthestrand。Hugefishwerestrugglingamidstthemeshes-princelysalmon，-theirbrilliantmailofblueandsilverflashinginthemorningbeam；sogoodlyandgayascene，intruth，hadnevergreetedmyboyisheye。
And，asIgazedupontheprospect，mybosombegantoheave，andmytearstotrickle。Wasitthebeautyofthescenewhichgaverisetotheseemotions？Possibly；forthoughapoorignorantchild-ahalf-wildcreature-Iwasnotinsensibletothelovelinessofnature，andtookpleasureinthehappinessandhandiworksofmyfellow-creatures。Yet，perhaps，insomethingmoredeepandmysteriousthefeelingswhichthenpervadedmemightoriginate。
WhocanliedownonElvirHillwithoutexperiencingsomethingofthesorceryoftheplace？FleefromElvirHill，youngswain，orthemaidsofEllewillhavepoweroveryou，andyouwillgoelf-
wild!-sosaytheDanes。Ihadunconsciouslylaidmyselfdownuponhauntedground；andIamwillingtoimaginethatwhatIthenexperiencedwasratherconnectedwiththeworldofspiritsanddreamsthanwithwhatIactuallysawandheardaroundme。Surelytheelvesandgeniioftheplacewereconversing，bysomeinscrutablemeans，withtheprincipleofintelligencelurkingwithinthepooruncultivatedclod!Perhapstothatetherealprinciplethewondersofthepast，asconnectedwiththatstream，thegloriesofthepresent，andeventhehistoryofthefuture，wereatthatmomentbeingrevealed!Ofhowmanyfeatsofchivalryhadthoseoldwallsbeenwitness，whenhostilekingscontendedfortheirpossession!-howmanyanarmyfromthesouthandfromthenorthhadtrodthatoldbridge!-whatredandnoblebloodhadcrimsonedthoserushingwaters!-whatstrainshadbeensung，ay，wereyetbeingsung，onitsbanks!-somesoftasDoricreed；somefierceandsharpasthoseofNorwegianSkaldaglam；someasrepletewithwildandwizardforceasFinland’srunes，singingofKalevala’smoors，andthedeedsofWoinomoinen!Honourtothee，thouislandstream!Onwardmaythoueverroll，freshandgreen，rejoicinginthybrightpast，thygloriouspresent，andinvividhopeofatriumphantfuture!Flowon，beautifulone!-whichoftheworld’sstreamscanstthouenvy，withthybeautyandrenown？
StatelyistheDanube，rollinginitsmightthroughlandsromanticwiththewildexploitsofTurk，Polak，andMagyar!LovelyistheRhine!onitsshelvybanksgrowstheracygrape；andstrangeoldkeepsofrobber-knightsofyorearereflectedinitswaters，frompicturesquecragsandairyheadlands!-yetneitherthestatelyDanubenorthebeauteousRhine，withalltheirfame，thoughabundant，needstthouenvy，thoupureislandstream!-andfarlessyonturbidriverofold，notmodernrenown，gurglingbeneaththewallsofwhatwasonceproudRome，toweringRome，Jupiter’stown，butnowvileRome，crumblingRome，Batuscha’stown，farlessneedstthouenvytheturbidTiberofbygonefame，creepingsadlytothesea，surchargedwiththeabominationsofmodernRome-howunliketothee，thoupureislandstream!
And，asIlayonthebankandwept，theredrewnightomeamaninthehabilimentsofafisher。Hewasbare-legged，ofaweather-
beatencountenance，andofstatureapproachingtothegigantic。
’Whatisthecallantgreetingfor？’saidhe，ashestoppedandsurveyedme。’Hasonybodywroughtyeonyharm？’
’NotthatIknowof，’Ireplied，ratherguessingatthanunderstandinghisquestion；’IwascryingbecauseIcouldnothelpit!Isay，oldone，whatisthenameofthisriver？’
’Hout!Inowseewhatyouwasgreetingat-atyourainignorance，naedoubt-’tisverygreat!Weel，Iwillnafashyouwithreproaches，butevenenlightenye，sinceyouseemadecentman’sbairn，andyouspeiracivilquestion。YonriveriscalledtheTweed；andyonder，overthebrig，isScotland。DidyeneverhearoftheTweed，mybonnyman？’
’No，’saidI，asIrosefromthegrass，andproceededtocrossthebridgetothetownatwhichwehadarrivedtheprecedingnight；’I
neverheardofit；butnowIhaveseenit，Ishallnotsoonforgetit!’
CHAPTERVII
TheCastle-Afather’sinquiries-Scotchlanguage-A
determination-BuihinDigri-GoodScotchman-Differenceofraces-Ne’erahaggis-Pugnaciouspeople-Whaareye，man？-TheNorLoch-Gestureswild-Thebicker-NewTownchampion-Wild-
lookingfigure-Headlong。
ITwasnotlongbeforewefoundourselvesatEdinburgh，orratherintheCastle，intowhichtheregimentmarchedwithdrumsbeating，coloursflying，andalongtrainofbaggage-waggonsbehind。TheCastlewas，asIsupposeitisnow，agarrisonforsoldiers。Twootherregimentswerealreadythere；theoneanIrish，ifIrememberright，theotherasmallHighlandcorps。
ItishardlynecessarytosaymuchaboutthisCastle，whicheverybodyhasseen；onwhichaccount，doubtless，nobodyhaseveryetthoughtfittodescribeit-atleastthatIamaware。Bethisasitmay，Ihavenointentionofdescribingit，andshallcontentmyselfwithobservingthatwetookupourabodeinthatimmensebuilding，orcaserne，ofmodernerection，whichoccupiestheentireeasternsideoftheboldrockonwhichtheCastlestands。A
gallantcaserneitwas-thebestandroomiestthatIhadhithertoseen-rathercoldandwindy，itistrue，especiallyinthewinter，butcommandinganobleprospectofarangeofdistanthills，whichIwastoldwere’thehielandhills，’andofabroadarmofthesea，whichIheardsomebodysaywastheFirthofForth。
Mybrother，who，forsomeyearspast，hadbeenreceivinghiseducationinacertaincelebratedschoolinEngland，wasnowwithus；anditcametopass，thatonedaymyfather，ashesatattable，lookedsteadfastlyonmybrotherandmyself，andthenaddressedmymother：-’Duringmyjourneydownhither，Ihavelostnoopportunityofmakinginquiriesaboutthesepeople，theScotch，amongstwhomwenoware，andsinceIhavebeenhereIhaveobservedthemattentively。FromwhatIhaveheardandseen，Ishouldsaythatuponthewholetheyareaverydecentsetofpeople；theyseemacuteandintelligent，andIamtoldthattheirsystemofeducationissoexcellentthateverypersonislearned-moreorlessacquaintedwithGreekandLatin。Thereisonething，however，connectedwiththem，whichisagreatdrawback-thehorridjargonwhichtheyspeak。HoweverlearnedtheymaybeinGreekandLatin，theirEnglishisexecrable；andyetI’mtolditisnotsobadasitwas。Iwasincompany，theotherday，withanEnglishmanwhohasresidedheremanyyears。Weweretalkingaboutthecountryandthepeople。“Ishouldlikebothverywell，“saidI，“wereitnotforthelanguage。IwishsincerelyourParliament，whichispassingsomanyfoolishactseveryyear，wouldpassonetoforcetheseScotchtospeakEnglish。““Iwishso，too，“saidhe。“ThelanguageisadisgracetotheBritishGovernment；but，ifyouhadheardittwentyyearsago，captain!-ifyouhadhearditasitwasspokenwhenI
firstcametoEdinburgh!“’
’Onlycustom，’saidmymother。’Idaresaythelanguageisnowwhatitwasthen。’
’Idon’tknow，’saidmyfather；’thoughIdaresayyouareright；itcouldneverhavebeenworsethanitisatpresent。Butnowtothepoint。Wereitnotforthelanguage，which，iftheboysweretopickitup，mightruintheirprospectsinlife，-wereitnotforthat，Ishouldverymuchliketosendthemtoaschoolthereisinthisplace，whicheverybodytalksabout-theHighSchoolIthinktheycallit。’Tissaidtobethebestschoolinthewholeisland；
buttheideaofone’schildrenspeakingScotch-broadScotch!I
mustthinkthematterover。’
Andhedidthinkthematterover；andtheresultofhisdeliberationwasadeterminationtosendustotheschool。Letmecalltheeupbeforemymind’seye，HighSchool，towhich，everymorning，thetwoEnglishbrotherstooktheirwayfromtheproudoldCastlethroughtheloftystreetsoftheOldTown。HighSchool!-