Non-Fiction > Books > London, 1887 - Virginibus Puerisque, and other papers

2 1 6 Some Portraits by Raeburn
Braxfield reflected on the number of what he
called Gritmbletonians in Edinburgh, and of
how many of them must bear special malice
against so upright and inflexible a judge,
nay, and might at that very moment be
lurking in the mouth of a dark close with
hostile intent — I can fancy that he indulged
in a sour smile, as he reflected that he also
was not especially afraid of men's faces or
men's fists, and had hitherto found no occa-
sion to embody this insensibility in heroic
words. For if he was an inhumane old
gentleman (and I am afraid it is a fact that
he was inhumane), he was also perfectly
intrepid. You may look into the queer face
of that portrait for as long as you will, but
you will not see any hole or corner for
timidity to enter in.
Indeed, there would be no end to this
paper if I were even to name half of the
portraits that were remarkable for their exe-
cution, or interesting by association. There
was one picture of Mr. Wardrop, of Torbane
Hill, which you might palm off upon most