pipes, fiddles, and promiscuous
dancing, to the great wrath of the Captain of Knockdunder, who said, if he »had
guessed it was to be sic a tamn'd Quakers' meeting, he wad hae seen them peyont
the cairn before he wad hae darkened their doors.«
    And so much rancour remained on the spirits of the gracious Duncan upon this
occasion, that various »picqueerings,« as David called them, took place upon the
same and similar topics; and it was only in consequence of an accidental visit
of the Duke to his Lodge at Roseneath, that they were put a stop to. But upon
that occasion his Grace showed such particular respect to Mr. and Mrs. Butler,
and such favour even to old David, that Knockdunder held it prudent to change
his course towards the latter. He, in future, used to express himself among
friends, concerning the minister and his wife, as »very worthy decent folk, just
a little over strict in their notions; put it was pest for thae plack cattle to
err on the safe side.« And respecting David, he allowed that »he was an
excellent judge of nowte and sheep, and a sensible eneugh carle, an it werena
for his tamn'd Cameronian nonsense, whilk it is not worth while of a shentleman
to knock out of an auld silly head, either by force of reason or otherwise.« So
that, by avoiding topics of dispute, the personages of our tale lived in great
good habits with the gracious Duncan, only that he still grieved David's soul,
and set a perilous example to the congregation, by sometimes bringing his pipe
to the church during a cold winter day, and almost always sleeping during sermon
in the summer time.
    Mrs. Butler, whom we must no longer, if we can help it, term by the familiar
name of Jeanie, brought into the married state the same firm mind and
affectionate disposition - the same natural and homely good sense, and spirit of
useful exertion - in a word, all the domestic good qualities of which she had
given proof during her maiden life. She did not indeed rival Butler in learning;
but then no woman more devoutly venerated the extent of her husband's erudition.
She did not pretend to understand his expositions of divinity; but no minister
of the Presbytery had his humble dinner so well arranged, his clothes and linen
in equal good order, his fireside so neatly swept, his parlour so clean, and his
books so well dusted.
    If he talked to Jeanie of what she did not understand - and