It is not for me to put my finger on the sore; but, alack! we all know that young maidens are what I call fugitive essences.

Suppose now, an honest maiden--I mean in all innocence--leaves her window unlatched on St.Valentine's morn, that some gallant cavalier may--in all honesty, I mean--become her Valentine for the season, and suppose the gallant be discovered, may she not scream out as if the visit were unexpected, and--and--bray all this in a mortar, and then consider, will it be a matter to place the town in feud for ?" The pottingar delivered his opinion in a most insinuating manner; but he seemed to shrink into something less than his natural tenuity when he saw the blood rise in the old cheek of Simon Glover, and inflame to the temples the complexion of the redoubted smith.
The last, stepping forward, and turning a stern look on the alarmed pottingar, broke out as follows: "Thou walking skeleton! thou asthmatic gallipot! thou poisoner by profession! if I thought that the puff of vile breath thou hast left could blight for the tenth part of a minute the fair fame of Catharine Glover, I would pound thee, quacksalver! in thine own mortar, and beat up thy wretched carrion with flower of brimstone, the only real medicine in thy booth, to make a salve to rub mangy hounds with!" "Hold, son Henry--hold!" cried the glover, in a tone of authority, "no man has title to speak of this matter but me.

Worshipful Bailie Craigdallie, since such is the construction that is put upon my patience, I am willing to pursue this riot to the uttermost; and though the issue may prove that we had better have been patient, you will all see that my Catharine hath not by any lightness or folly of hers afforded grounds for this great scandal." The bailie also interposed.

"Neighbour Henry," said he, "we came here to consult, and not to quarrel.

As one of the fathers of the Fair City, I command thee to forego all evil will and maltalent you may have against Master Pottingar Dwining." "He is too poor a creature, bailie," said Henry Gow, "for me to harbour feud with--I that could destroy him and his booth with one blow of my forehammer." "Peace, then, and hear me," said the official.