ifgi' ' THE HARPER OF MULL, A TALE. 22$ 



^ They were both much afBifted at the feparation. No*- 

 that they thought qf marriage ; for he was too young ; and 

 befides, there was an unfurmountable bar to their lanion. 

 lie was born a Di/in-zuajpi/ or gentleman ; fhe a commoner 

 of an inferior tribe. And whillt ancient manners and cuf- 

 toms were religioully adhered to by a primitive people, the 

 two claffes kept as unmixed in their alliances, as the coalls 

 of Indortan. In thofe times, a gentleman of no fortune, or 

 in Dr. Johnfon's phrale, a beggar of high birth, was refpec- 

 ted by his countrymen, and addreffed in the /)/«r«/ number j 

 whereas, a conlmoner, though ten times more fubltantial, 

 was faluted with ibou and l/jee, and, with all his pelf, could 

 not pietend to the pooreft gentlewoman. 



But this had been no bar to their friendfliip. In every 

 age and country, boys and girls, left to themfelves, pay 

 little regard to rank, or external circumftances in the choice 

 of their companions. Spirit, generofity, and complacency 

 of manners, are the qualities that knit young hearts toge- 

 ther. Beiides, in every other a/ tide but marriage, the old 

 Highland gentry and commons lived together in habits of 

 kindnefs and familiarity, of which, at prefent, there are few 

 examples. 



It is not furprifing then, that the young woman fliould 

 in time get the better of a hopelefs paffion 5 at leaft, confi- 

 der it as no bar to an eltabliibment in life. Her marriage, 

 therefore, was what is called a prudential one : She had 

 no objection to the man ; only when (h,e confented to give 

 him her hand, her heart was not at her own difpofal. Her 

 firft love ftill lurked there, though reafon and virtue whif- 

 pered the impolFibility of his being ever her's. In the 

 courfe of a few months, her huiband's worth and tender-* 

 nefs, and the defire of ftanding \\\;il in the opinion of the 

 world, had greatly weakened thefe imprefhons ; fo that 

 Jiitherto fhe had aded her part in the marriage rtate w'itli 

 propriety and applaufe. A meeting however fo romantic 

 and unexpected as the prefent, was a temptation too Itrong 

 to be withllood. A thoufand tender incidents of childhood 

 and youth crowded into his mind, and too fuccefsfuUy fug- 

 gefted, that the comparifon of his happieft years was alone 

 worthy of her love. 



Vol. Hi. f Ff 



