 both his modesty and his
spirit. But I fear he has rushed upon his fate.«
    »And why? Hundreds of misguided gentlemen are now in arms against the
Government; many, doubtless, upon principles which education and early prejudice
have gilded with the names of patriotism and heroism; - Justice, when she
selects her victims from such a multitude (for surely all will not be
destroyed), must regard the moral motive. He whom ambition, or hope of personal
advantage, has led to disturb the peace of a well-ordered government, let him
fall a victim to the laws; but surely youth, misled by the wild visions of
chivalry and imaginary loyalty, may plead for pardon.«
    »If visionary chivalry and imaginary loyalty come within the predicament of
high treason,« replied the magistrate, »I know no court in Christendom, my dear
Mr. Morton, where they can sue out their Habeas Corpus.«
    »But I cannot see that this youth's guilt is at all established to my
satisfaction,« said the clergyman.
    »Because your good nature blinds your good sense,« replied Major Melville.
»Observe now: this young man, descended of a family of hereditary Jacobites, his
uncle the leader of the Tory interest in the county of --, his father a
disobliged and discontented courtier, his tutor a non-juror, and the author of
two treasonable volumes - this youth, I say, enters into Gardiner's dragoons,
bringing with him a body of young fellows from his uncle's estate, who have not
stickled at avowing, in their way, the high church principles they learned at
Waverley-Honour, in their disputes with their comrades. To these young men
Waverley is unusually attentive; they are supplied with money beyond a soldier's
wants, and inconsistent with his discipline; and are under the management of a
favourite sergeant, through whom they hold an unusually close communication with
their captain, and affect to consider themselves as independent of the other
officers, and superior to their comrades.«
    »All this, my dear Major, is the natural consequence of their attachment to
their young landlord, and of their finding themselves in a regiment levied
chiefly in the north of Ireland and the west of Scotland, and of course among
comrades disposed to quarrel with them, both as Englishmen, and as members of
the Church of England.«
    »Well said, parson!« replied the magistrate. - »I would some of your synod
heard you. - But let me go on. This young man obtains leave of absence
