On a bright winter evening in February, A.D. 1678, a solitary student was pacing, with hurried step, the stone pavement of the inner court of the College of Glasgow. He had lingered behind his jocund associates, after the close of the serious business of the day, and the amusements of the evening. He was a tall and manly figure, wrapt in the ample foldings of the scarlet cloak, the badge of the studious youth of that ancient and famous University. His yellow hair fell in a rich profusion of curls on his shoulders; and his slouched hat shaded a face, on whose features the hand of nature had stamped the noble image of greatness, lighted up by manly beauty, and softened, withal, by a gentle and pensive melancholy, which quenched something of its original and natural vivacity, but added greatly to its interest in the eyes of the beholder.

"I keep tryst," said he, starting from his profound reverie, and raising his eyes to the lofty spire, as the deep-toned bell tolled the hour of nine. And with struggling emotions, he glanced over the venerable pile which surrounded him, as if taking his final leave of them. The moon's clear beams illumined the ancient steep roofs, whose grey-coloured slates had resisted the storms of more than eleven score

years. The high narrow windows reflected back the gleam of the moon's cold rays: and the turreted stair-cases, slated to the summit of their circular peaks, cast their gloomy shadows on the dark wall and pavement below.

Not a step was heard in the inner, or outer court, but his own. The deep silence was interrupted partially, by the night winds moaning through the ancient turrets; and the fitful booming of the kettle drum of some stray party of the Life guards, returning from some bloody forray, to their tents which lay stretched forth beyond the College garden.

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Here," continued he,- -"I must wait my trusty comrades our arrangement with the leaders of the Whigs shall be consummated: and then adieu to these academic shades, -and, perchance, for ever!—Dear and venerated spot! How my fond heart delights to linger nigh thee !—These walls, these windows, these turrets, have looked down on the busy crowds of youth of seven generations! These courts, and academic groves have re-echoed to the voices of thousands of Caledonia's choicest sons! Within these spacious halls many a notable spirit has panted in holy rivalship in the career of science! Many a scholar has drunk in the classic lore at this fountain! Many a young nobleman, and chivalrous knight have gone hence, to light up the glory of Caledonia's crown: and many a deep theologian to break a spear with the foes of God; and build up the solid fame, and purity o' the gude auld KIRK O' SCOTLAND; and many a scholar to pour the hallowed rays of truth and science over the breadth and length of our native land! Venerated seat of science! may heaven's holy benedictions rest on thee; and light up in thee a brilliant constellation of new stars, to throw their sparkling light in future generations,—like thy Boyds and thy Dicksons;-thy Baileys, and thy Gillespies; thy Loudons, thy Fletchers, thy Argyles, and thy Stewarts! The din of arms,"-continued our youth, after a deep pause, and gathering up the ample foldings of his cloak,-"The din of arms, I had fondly hoped, would not have reached us, in our retreat, within these academic shades. I trusted that we should have been permitted of heaven, to finish, in quietness, like our gude forbears, our academic career; and thence have entered, in a manner befitting our fathers' sons, on the

* In A.D. 1678. The University of Glasgow was founded in A.D.

1450.

arena of Scotland's politics. But-the demons of discord are abroad in the land. My country! My king! house of the living God! dear to my soul as the kirk of my father's God, you are hurled headlong against each other, in the horrid broils of civil discord! The war shout of tyranny from its bloody car,-the wailing of the oppressed,-the clanking of chains, the clashing of arms, are heard over the land: and men's ears are filled with direful rumours.The day of Heaven's inquisition for blood will come-it will reveal where the guilt lies,—whether with the bigot Clarendon, or king Charles,-sit fas loqui,-or with his minions, Archbishop Sharp, and Lauderdale,-or with the bold and uncompromising Covenanter.-The gude auld knight declares that none can be neutral in this, the day of our country's visitation, and I begin to feel it,—though the charms of literature, absorbing my attention, have hitherto denied the opportunity of settling this point for myself. But, now, I am driven to the crisis,—the gude knight has sent his paternal injunctions "to throw aside, as the fishermen their nets, of old, this trumpery of classical and metaphysical laer, and hasten to the assistance o' the gallant spirits wha hae sworn the great aith, to redress their kintry's wrangs." -My certie! the demons o' madness must hae scathed the heads o' the nations, they must be red wud mad,-when they venture, thus wantonly, to trample, under their feet, the constitution and fundamental laws o' auld Scotland!-and to throw themselves in the shock of arms, upon the best and maist patriotic men in the land!"

As our young knight was uttering these words in a tone of despondency,a loud and unearthly scream issued from the narrow passage, which conducts from the inner court into the College garden: and a little, corpulent, roundfaced man, bustling and panting in great agitation, and uttering half broken sentences, ran headlong against him:-"The principal and haile faculty!-Na, na! That thing wunna du: run, call the beadles and the bailies, and e'en the Lord Provost himsel.-They'll hae the puir lad a' whanged up intil callops! Saf us a'!-And you too, Sir,"-continued he, staring into the muffled face of our student,"Wha may ye be, sir, at this untimeous hoor within this my ain precincts? You too transgressing the gude laws o' the College,-instead o' being in yer bed, or study-room, lik a douce, sober student;

-you too, to run over my puir body, when I'm, at this instant, in the King's service, trying to keep the peace, if I can get the Bailies and Toon Cooncil to du it!"

"And I pray thee, Archy! wilt thou condescend to inform me, as soon as thy feckless brains hae recovered their senses, on what fool's errand thou art careering at this gaite? Or what may hae scattered a' the puir wits thou aince hadst? In thy vocation as Janitor and key bearer, Archy! thou hast usually displayed as meikle gravity, as micht du honour— saving his presence,-to the archbishop Sharp himsel.

"Archbishop Sharp! Humph!"-cried Archy.-" But run, Sir, I hae nae time to tak up archbishop Sharp wi' ye -Weel, as I was telling you".

"You have not told me a word yet, Archy," said the young Knight.

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'Howsomever, as I was telling you,"-continued the persevering Archy, who had, like many of his betters, conceived his preceding cogitations to be addressed, by way of conversation, to the present party ;— As I was gangin', ye see, my usual rounds, as in duty bound, before I turned the key o' the front gate,-I heard a fearfu' clashing o' swords, and yelloching doon bye in the College garden. It souched up frae the burnie which runs through the lower parts, ye ken; and the fearfu' bruit increased waur, and mair waur, than the leather-lunged caterwauling o' a score o' cats, in full blast! I ran with a' my micht toward the spot; and after at least a dozen o' upsets, and wi' nae sma' scaith to my frontispiece, -I gat near enough to discern ane o' oor students, frae his gown, engaged in a stoot match at lang rapier.-Noo, for Gude's sake, run, Sir, and save the puir lad; till I shall alarm the haille High Street; and bring a dozen beadles, and bailies at the head o' them."

Our youth ran instantly to the spot pointed out by Archy, and found two persons engaged in single combat. The moon shone clearly and each was manoeuvering to get his antagonist round to face the moon. It was no play of idle gillies, or of awkward students at foils. It was a fierce and deadly combat. A tall young man was sustaining an unequal fight with a a strong built man, who seemed to be in military undress. The youth was evidently wounded, and was beginning to stagger. And his more skilful antagonist was watching his time to give the closing thrust. He was in the act of

giving a flourish with his long rapier; for he had thrown his antagonist off his guard,—and was aiming a murderous blow at his head, when our young knight dashed his cloak into the cavalier's face, and entangled his sword. The unfortunate student, at this moment reeled, and fell on the brown swaird, and fainted.

"My certie! young man !"-cried the soldier,—" ye hae saved a bonny callan's life. That scarlet rag o' yours has delayed his journey, a bittoc, to the ither warld. I was just drawing oot a steel passport to enable him to visit the canting Whigs, by Sathan's fireside,-whase wrangs, as he ca's them, he was seeking to redress at my expense. Wattie Hepburn, my bonny lad! is not to be trifled with. God save King Charles II. oor glorious King: and a bas all canting, whining, psalm-singing whigamores!"

Our young knight forgot for a moment, his situation and danger. He threw his cloak over his shoulders, and snatching the sword from the hand of his bleeding companion, he took the lifeguard's man by the hand, and led him down towards the garden wall, while he whispered to him;-"Measure we swords here, my gallant! The son of a Whig, albeit himself be nae Whig as yet, wunna permit with impunity, the gude auld cause o' his father to be insulted: and his comrade slauchtered afore his een. Nemo me impune lacessit, ilka Scotchman, be he gentleman or simpleman, can read that,-Eh! If ye be the same I tak ye to be, ye'll need nae midsman to interpret. And the blude o' the Hamilton, I flatter myself, needs nae advantage of length of sword with even a lifeguard's man!"

A's he uttered these words with rapidity, he dashed the astonished soldier from him, and struck him on the cheek: and then with a flourish of his sword, he threw himself into an attitude of defence. He parried his antagonist's thrusts with coolness, and even with ease. And in the vigour of freshness and youthful excitement, he soon began to gain on the exhausted soldier: and succeeded in bringing him round, more and more, so as to make the moonlight fall fully into his face. He had already given and received several wounds. But by a masterly blow, he had weakened his antagonist's sword arm, very materially.-Wattie Hepburn's passion rose, as he felt himself baffled. But as his passion chafed him, he