CHAPTER XIX.
Which sloping hills around inclose, Where many a beech and brown oak grows Beneath whose dark and branching bowers Its tides a far-fam'd river pours, By natures beauties taught to please, Sweet Tusculan of rural easel WARTON.
Woodbourne, the habitation which Mannering, by Mr.Mac-Morlan's mediation, had hired for a season, was a large comfortable mansion, snugly situated beneath a hill covered with wood, which shrouded the house upon the north and east; the front looked upon a little lawn bordered by a grove of old trees; beyond were some arable fields, extending down to the river, which was seen from the windows of the house.

A tolerable, though old-fashioned garden, a well-stocked dove-cot, and the possession of any quantity of ground which the convenience of the family might require, rendered the place in every respect suitable, as the advertisements have it, 'for the accommodation of a genteel family.' Here, then, Mannering resolved, for some time at least, to set up the staff of his rest.

Though an East-Indian, he was not partial to an ostentatious display of wealth.

In fact, he was too proud a man to be a vain one.

He resolved, therefore, to place himself upon the footing of a country gentleman of easy fortune, without assuming, or permitting his household to assume, any of the faste which then was considered as characteristic of a nabob.
He had still his eye upon the purchase of Ellangowan, which Mac-Morlan conceived Mr.Glossin would be compelled to part with, as some of the creditors disputed his title to retain so large a part of the purchase-money in his own hands, and his power to pay it was much questioned.