Occupations > Antiquary

ward to the place of rendez-vous. It is then
that, with worldly wisdom, the first comer
hastens to secure the best birth in the coach
for himself, and to make the most convenient
arrangement for his baggage before the arrival
of his competitor. Our youth, who was gifted
with little prudence of any sort, and who
was, moreover, by the absence of the coach,
deprived of the power of availing himself of
his priority of choice, amused himself, instead,
by speculating upon the occupation and cha¬
racter of the personage who was now come to
the coach - office.
He was a good-looking man of the age of
sixty, perhaps older; but his hale complexion
and firm step announced that years had not
impaired bis strength or health. His counte¬
nance was of the true Scottish cast, strongly
marked, and rather harsh in features, with a
shrewd and penetrating eye, and a countenance
in which habitual gravity was enlivened by a
cast of ironical humour. His dress was uni¬
form, and of a colour becoming his age and
gravity ; a wig , well dressed and powdered, sur¬
mounted by a slouched hat, had something
of a professional air. He might be a clergyman ,
yet his appearance was more that of a man of
the world than usually belongs to the kirk of
Scotland , and his first ejaculation put the mat¬
ter beyond question.