 - irretrievably frantic - far beyond dipping in the
sea, shaving the crown, or drinking hellebore. The worst sort of frenzy, a
military frenzy, hath possessed man, woman, and child.«
    »And high time, I think,« said Miss Wardour, »when we are threatened with
invasion from abroad and insurrection at home.«
    »O, I did not doubt you would join the scarlet host against me - women, like
turkeys, are always subdued by a red rag - But what says Sir Arthur, whose
dreams are of standing armies and German oppression?«
    »Why, I say, Mr. Oldbuck,« replied the knight, »that so far as I am capable
of judging, we ought to resist cum toto corpore regni - as the phrase is, unless
I have altogether forgotten my Latin - an enemy who comes to propose to us a
Whiggish sort of government, a republican system, and who is aided and abetted
by a sort of fanatics of the worst kind in our own bowels. I have taken some
measures, I assure you, such as become my rank in the community; for I have
directed the constables to take up that old scoundrelly beggar, Edie Ochiltree,
for spreading disaffection against church and state through the whole parish. He
said plainly to old Caxon, that Willie Howie's Kilmarnock cowl covered more
sense than all the three wigs in the parish - I think it is easy to make out
that innuendo - But the rogue shall be taught better manners.«
    »O no, my dear sir,« exclaimed Miss Wardour, »not old Edie, that we have
known so long; - I assure you no constable shall have my good graces that
executes such a warrant.«
    »Ay, there it goes,« said the Antiquary; »you, to be a staunch Tory, Sir
Arthur, have nourished a fine sprig of Whiggery in your bosom - Why, Miss
Wardour is alone sufficient to control a whole quarter-session - a
quarter-session? ay, a general assembly or convocation to boot - a Boadicea she
- an Amazon, a Zenobia.«
    »And yet, with all my courage, Mr. Oldbuck, I am glad to hear our people are
getting under arms.«
    »Under arms, Lord love thee! didst thou ever read the history of Sister
Margaret, which flowed from a head, that, though now old and somewhat grey, has
more sense and political intelligence than you find now-a-days in the whole
synod? Dost thou remember the Nurse's dream in
