The Ayrshire Legatees

by John Galt
CHAPTER I--THE DEPARTURE

On New Year's day Dr. Pringle received a letter from India,
informing him that his cousin, Colonel Armour, had died at Hydrabad,

and left him his residuary legatee. The same post brought other
letters on the same subject from the agent of the deceased in

London, by which it was evident to the whole family that no time
should be lost in looking after their interests in the hands of such

brief and abrupt correspondents. "To say the least of it," as the
Doctor himself sedately remarked, "considering the greatness of the

forth-coming property, Messieurs Richard Argent and Company, of New
Broad Street, might have given a notion as to the particulars of the

residue." It was therefore determined that, as soon as the
requisite arrangements could be made, the Doctor and Mrs. Pringle

should set out for the metropolis, to obtain a speedy settlement
with the agents, and, as Rachel had now, to use an expression of her

mother's, "a prospect before her," that she also should accompany
them: Andrew, who had just been called to the Bar, and who had come

to the manse to spend a few days after attaining that distinction,
modestly suggested, that, considering the various professional

points which might be involved in the objects of his father's
journey, and considering also the retired life which his father had

led in the rural village of Garnock, it might be of importance to
have the advantage of legal advice.

Mrs. Pringle interrupted this harangue, by saying, "We see what you
would be at, Andrew; ye're just wanting to come with us, and on this

occasion I'm no for making step-bairns, so we'll a' gang thegither."
The Doctor had been for many years the incumbent of Garnock, which

is pleasantlysituated between Irvine and Kilwinning, and, on
account of the benevolence of his disposition, was much beloved by

his parishioners. Some of the pawkie among them used indeed to say,
in answer to the godly of Kilmarnock, and other admirers of the late

great John Russel, of that formerlyorthodox town, by whom Dr.
Pringle's powers as a preacher" target="_blank" title="n.讲道者，传教士">preacher were held in no particular

estimation,--"He kens our pu'pit's frail, and spar'st to save outlay
to the heritors." As for Mrs. Pringle, there is not such another

minister's wife, both for economy and management, within the
jurisdiction of the Synod of Glasgow and Ayr, and to this fact the

following letter to Miss Mally Glencairn, a maiden lady residing in
the Kirkgate of Irvine, a street that has been likened unto the

Kingdom of Heaven, where there is neither marriage nor giving in
marriage, will abundantly testify.

LETTER I
Mrs. Pringle to Miss Mally Glencairn--GARNOCK MANSE.

Dear Miss Mally--The Doctor has had extraordinar news from India and
London, where we are all going, as soon as me and Rachel can get

ourselves in order, so I beg you will go to Bailie Delap's shop, and
get swatches of his best black bombaseen, and crape, and muslin, and

bring them over to the manse the morn's morning. If you cannot come
yourself, and the day should be wat, send Nanny Eydent, the mantua-

maker, with them; you'll be sure to send Nanny, onyhow, and I
requeesht that, on this okasion, ye'll get the very best the Bailie

has, and I'll tell you all about it when you come. You will get,
likewise, swatches of mourning print, with the lowest prices. I'll

no be so particular about them, as they are for the servan lasses,
and there's no need, for all the greatness of God's gifts, that we

should be wasterful. Let Mrs. Glibbans know, that the Doctor's
second cousin, the colonel, that was in the East Indies, is no

more;--I am sure she will sympatheese with our loss on this
melancholy okasion. Tell her, as I'll no be out till our mournings

are made, I would take it kind if she would come over and eate a bit
of dinner on Sunday. The Doctor will no preach himself, but there's

to be an excellent young man, an acquaintance of Andrew's, that has
the repute of being both sound and hellaquaint. But no more at

present, and looking for you and Nanny Eydent, with the swatches,--I
am, dear Miss Mally, your sinsare friend,

JANET PRINGLE.
The Doctor being of opinion that, until they had something in hand

from the legacy, they should walk in the paths of moderation, it was
resolved to proceed by the coach from Irvine to Greenock, there

embark in a steam-boat for Glasgow, and, crossing the country to
Edinburgh, take their passage at Leith in one of the smacks for

London. But we must let the parties speak for themselves.
LETTER II

Miss Rachel Pringle to Miss Isabella Tod--GREENOCK.
My Dear Isabella--I know not why the dejection with which I parted

from you still hangs upon my heart, and grows heavier as I am drawn
farther and farther away. The uncertainty of the future--the

dangers of the sea--all combine to sadden my too sensitive spirit.
Still, however, I will exert myself, and try to give you some

account of our momentous journey.
The morning on which we bade farewell for a time--alas! it was to me

as if for ever, to my native shades of Garnock--the weather was
cold, bleak, and boisterous, and the waves came rolling in majestic

fury towards the shore, when we arrived at the Tontine Inn of
Ardrossan. What a monument has the late Earl of Eglinton left there

of his public spirit! It should embalm his memory in the hearts of
future ages, as I doubt not but in time Ardrossan will become a

grand emporium; but the people of Saltcoats, a sordid race, complain
that it will be their ruin; and the Paisley subscribers to his

lordship's canal grow pale when they think of profit.
The road, after leaving Ardrossan, lies along the shore. The blast

came dark from the waters, and the clouds lay piled in every form of
grandeur on the lofty peaks of Arran. The view on the right hand is

limited to the foot of a range of abrupt mean hills, and on the left
it meets the sea--as we were obliged to keep the glasses up, our

drive for several miles was objectless and dreary. When we had
ascended a hill, leaving Kilbride on the left, we passed under the

walls of an ancient tower. What delightful ideas are associated
with the sight of such venerable remains of antiquity!

Leaving that lofty relic of our warlike ancestors, we descended
again towards the shore. On the one side lay the Cumbra Islands,

and Bute, dear to departedroyalty. Afar beyond them, in the hoary
magnificence of nature, rise the mountains of Argyllshire; the

cairns, as my brother says, of a former world. On the other side of
the road, we saw the cloistered ruins of the religious house of

Southenan, a nunnery in those days of romantic adventure, when to
live was to enjoy a poetical element. In such a sweet sequestered

retreat, how much more pleasing to the soul it would have been, for
you and I, like two captive birds in one cage, to have sung away our

hours in innocence, than for me to be thus torn from you by fate,
and all on account of that mercenarylegacy, perchance the spoils of

some unfortunate Hindoo Rajah!
At Largs we halted to change horses, and saw the barrows of those

who fell in the great battle. We then continued our journey along
the foot of stupendous precipices; and high, sublime, and darkened

with the shadow of antiquity, we saw, upon its lofty station, the
ancient Castle of Skelmorlie, where the Montgomeries of other days

held their gorgeous banquets, and that brave knight who fell at
Chevy-Chace came pricking forth on his milk-white steed, as Sir

Walter Scott would have described him. But the age of chivalry is
past, and the glory of Europe departed for ever!

When we crossed the stream that divides the counties of Ayr and
Renfrew, we beheld, in all the apart and consequentiality of pride,

the house of Kelly overlooking the social villas of Wemyss Bay. My
brother compared it to a sugar hogshead, and them to cotton-bags;

for the lofty thane of Kelly is but a West India planter, and the
inhabitants of the villas on the shore are Glasgow manufacturers.

To this succeeded a dull drive of about two miles, and then at once
we entered the pretty village of Inverkip. A slight snow-shower had

given to the landscape a sort of copperplate effect, but still the
forms of things, though but sketched, as it were, with China ink,

were calculated to produce interesting impressions. After
ascending, by a gentle acclivity, into a picturesque and romantic