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playing the part which is common to the higher classes of the law at
Edinburgh； and which nearly resembles that of the young Templars
in the days of Steele and Addison。 An air of giddy gaiety mingled
with the good sense； taste； and information which their conversation
exhibited； and it seemed to be their object to unite the character of
men of fashion and lovers of the polite arts。 A fine gentleman； bred
up in the thorough idleness and inanity of pursuit； which I understand
is absolutely necessary to the character in perfection； might in
all probability have traced a tinge of professional pedantry which
marked the barrister in spite of his efforts； and something of active
bustle in his companion； and would certainly have detected more than
a fashionable mixture of information and animated interest in the
language of both。 But to me； who had no pretensions to be so
critical； my companions seemed to form a very happy mixture of
good…breeding and liberal information； with a disposition to lively
rattle； pun； and jest； amusing to a grave man； because it is what he
himself can least easily command。
The thin pale…faced man； whom their good…nature had brought into
their society； looked out of place as well as out of spirits； sate on the
edge of his seat； and kept the chair at two feet distance from the table；
thus incommoding himself considerably in conveying the victuals to
his mouth； as if by way of penance for partaking of them in the
company of his superiors。 A short time after dinner； declining all
entreaty to partake of the wine； which circulated freely round； he
informed himself of the hour when the chaise had been ordered to
attend； and saying he would be in readiness； modestly withdrew from
the apartment。
‘‘Jack；'' said the barrister to his companion； ‘‘I remember that
poor fellow's face； you spoke more truly than you were aware of； he
really is one of my clients； poor man。''
‘‘Poor man！'' echoed Halkit…‘‘I suppose you mean he is your
one and only client？''
‘‘That's not my fault； Jack；'' replied the other； whose name I discovered
was Hardie。 ‘‘You are to give me all your business； you
know； and if you have none； the learned gentleman here knows
nothing can come of nothing。''
‘‘You seem to have brought something to nothing though； in the
case of that honest man。 He looks as if he were just about to honour
with his residence the =Heart of Mid…Lothian。=''
‘‘You are mistaken…he is just delivered from it。…Our friend
here looks for an explanation。 Pray； Mr。 Pattieson； have you been
in Edinburgh？''
I answered in the affirmative。
‘‘Then you must have passed； occasionally at least； though probably
not so faithfully as I am doomed to do； through a narrow intricate
passage； leading out of the north…west corner of the Parliament Square；
and passing by a high and antique building with turrets and iron
grates；
Making good the saying odd；
‘‘Near the church and far from God''…
Mr。 Halkit broke in upon his learned counsel； to contribute his
moiety to the riddle…‘‘Having at the door the sign of the Red
man''
‘‘And being on the whole；'' resumed the counsellor interrupting
his friend in his turn； ‘‘a sort of place where misfortune is happily
confounded with guilt； where all who are in wish to get out''
‘‘And where none who have the good luck to be out； wish to get in；''
added his companion。
‘‘I conceive you； gentlemen；'' replied I； ‘‘you mean the prison。''
‘‘The prison；'' added the young lawyer…‘‘You have hit it…the
very reverend Tolbooth itself； and let me tell you； you are obliged to
us for describing it with so much modesty and brevity； for with
whatever amplifications we might have chosen to decorate the subject；
you lay entirely at our mercy； since the Fathers Conscript of our city
have decreed that the venerable edifice itself shall not remain in
existence to confirm or to confute its。''
‘‘Then the Tolbooth of Edinburgh is called the Heart of Mid…Lothian？''
said I。
‘‘So termed and reputed； I assure you。''
‘‘I think；'' said I； with the bashful diffidence with which a man
lets slip a pun in presence of his superiors； ‘‘the metropolitan county
may； in that case； be said to have a sad heart。''
‘‘Right as my glove； Mr。 Pattieson；'' added Mr。 Hardie； ‘‘and
a close heart； and a hard heart…Keep it up； Jack。''
‘‘And a wicked heart； and a poor heart；'' answered Halkit； doing
his best。
‘‘And yet it may be called in some sort a strong heart； and a high
heart；'' rejoined the advocate。 ‘‘You see I can put you both out of
heart。''
‘‘I have played all my hearts；'' said the younger gentleman。
‘‘Then we'll have another lead；'' answered his companion。…‘‘And
as to the old and condemned Tolbooth； what pity the same honour
cannot be done to it as has been done to many of its inmates。 Why
should not the Tolbooth have its ‘Last Speech； Confession； and Dying
Words？' The old stones would be just as conscious of the honour as
many a poor devil who has dangled like a tassel at the west end of it；
while the hawkers were shouting a confession the culprit had never
heard of。''
‘‘I am afraid；'' said I； ‘‘if I might presume to give my opinion；
it would be a tale of unvaried sorrow and guilt。''
‘‘Not entirely； my friend；'' said Hardie； ‘‘a prison is a world
within itself； and has its own business； griefs； and joys； peculiar to
its circle。 Its inmates are sometimes short…lived； but so are soldiers
on service； they are poor relatively to the world without； but there are
degrees of wealth and poverty among them； and so some are relatively
rich also。 They cannot stir abroad； but neither can the garrison of
a besieged fort； or the crew of a ship at sea； and they are not under
a dispensation quite so desperate as either； for they may have as much
food as they have money to buy； and are not obliged to work； whether
they have food or not。''
‘‘But what variety of incident；'' said I （not without a secret view
to my present task）； ‘‘could possibly be derived from such a work as
you are pleased to talk of？''
‘‘Infinite；'' replied the young advocate。 ‘‘Whatever of guilt；
crime； imposture； folly； unheard…of misfortunes； and unlooked…for
change of fortune； can be found to chequer life； my Last Speech of
the Tolbooth should illustrate with examples sufficient to gorge even
the public's all…devouring appetite for the wonderful and horrible。
The inventor of fictitious narratives has to rack his brains for means
to diversify his tale； and after all can hardly hit upon characters or
incidents which have not been used again and again； until they are
familiar to the eye of the reader； so that the development； _enlvement；_
the desperate wound of which the hero never dies； the burning fever
from which the heroine is sure to recover； become a mere matter of
course。 I join with my honest friend Crabbe； and have an unlucky
propensity to hope； when hope is lost； and to rely upon the cork…jacket；
which carries the heroes of romance safe through all the billows of
affliction。'' He then declaimed the following passage； rather with too
much than too little emphasis：…
Much have I fe