 topiarian artist,2 and presented curious arm-chairs,
towers, and the figures of Saint George and the Dragon. The taste of Mr. Oldbuck
did not disturb these monuments of an art now unknown, and he was the less
tempted so to do, as it must necessarily have broken the heart of the old
gardener. One tall embowering holly was, however, sacred from the shears; and,
on a garden seat beneath its shade, Lovel beheld his old friend with spectacles
on nose, and pouch on side, busily employed in perusing the London Chronicle,
soothed by the summer breeze through the rustling leaves, and the distant dash
of the waves as they rippled upon the sand.
    Mr. Oldbuck immediately rose, and advanced to greet his travelling
acquaintance with a hearty shake of the hand. »By my faith,« said he, »I began
to think you had changed your mind, and found the stupid people of Fairport so
tiresome, that you judged them unworthy of your talents, and had taken French
leave, as my old friend and brother-antiquary Mac-Cribb did, when he went off
with one of my Syrian medals.«
    »I hope, my good sir, I should have fallen under no such imputation.«
    »Quite as bad, let me tell you, if you had stolen yourself away without
giving me the pleasure of seeing you again. I had rather you had taken my copper
Otho himself. - But come, let me show you the way into my sanctum sanctorum - my
cell I may call it, for, except two idle hussies of womankind,« (by this
contemptuous phrase, borrowed from his brother-antiquary, the cynic Anthony
a-Wood, Mr. Oldbuck was used to denote the fair sex in general, and his sister
and niece in particular), »that, on some idle pretext of relationship, have
established themselves in my premises, I live here as much a Coenobite as my
predecessor, John o' the Girnell, whose grave I will show you by and by.«
    Thus speaking, the old gentleman led the way through a low door; but before
entrance, suddenly stopped short to point out some vestiges of what he called an
inscription, and, shaking his head as he pronounced it totally illegible, »Ah!
if you but knew, Mr. Lovel, the time and trouble that these mouldering traces of
letters have cost me! No mother ever travailed so for a child - and all to no
purpose - although I am almost positive that these two last marks imply the
figures, or letters
