on the use and abuse of two parts of of "yes," passing with the utterer for a speech the adjective and the abverb! sign of attention, but telling either of Plain nouns and verbs serve the purposes incapacity or recoil from forced unwelof dulness and strict common sense; come information ? Unlike "really," but, with these exceptions, to all beneath "indeed," "surely," "never," and their or above these levels they are the tests. cognate forms of assent, which are tokens In the first place, no man can show him- of simple indifference, "yes" may mean self completely a fool without the lavish more active boredom, a repulsion against use of one or both of them. Stupidity what calls for some exercise of thought. can impart a sense of its quality at a less It more imperiously bids you to have expense; but it is they that give the as- done. In the same category may be surance of actual folly. They give the classed that comprehensive form of asartist touch, and stamp the man on the sent, "quite so," which agrees with memory: with a difference, however. everything rather than think about it. People may convey a keen sense of im- If it belongs to the man so that he is becility to their hearers by the use of known by it, how very few things, we certain epithets, either through the per- may be sure, does he care for beyond his petual application of one to every subject own little personal interests! though we and every object-calling everything have known it used in stronger hands "peculiar," for example-or by a misap- with most snubbing effect, as a silencer; plication of many; but nothing that an a convenient and severely effectual form adjective can dono senseless repeti- of repression. But all these forms have tion, no absurdity of application-im- their legitimate, if still conventional, use. presses us so convincingly with the How often are we obliged to talk where presence of vacuity, as does the adverb our interests are excusably not engaged, single and unassisted. We are speaking when we have reason to be thankful for of habits of speech; it need not in any a class of courteous symbols conveying particular instance be a permanent vacu- this fact not too broadly! It is only ity, only such to us at the moment; but when they are characteristics of the man there is no thought at work when abverbs that they argue a narrow self-occupation. are the instinctive resource. The re- Our needs are so various that we would spective value as a measure of capacity, not attempt to taboo any creditable word. of these two parts of speech, is shown in Often adverbs show an eager temperathe dialogue between a male and female ment in a hurry to deliver itself, while exquisite recorded lately in Punch thought halts behind: "so very," for ex"Quite a nice ball at Mrs. Millefleur's, ample, does duty unassisted for many a wasn't it?" she remarks; to which he strong sentiment; and all weakness replies, "Very quite. Indeed, really trusts to adverbs as a bolster. "Uttermost quite." The lady has an idea, ly" is a word much in favour with excit though but a vague one-it required able ladies. "Utterly grand," for inthought to start it; but the gentleman's response reminds us too forcibly of a class of conversers incapable of embracing a thought in any definite form, whom We enjoyed ourselves" conveys, at civility drives into acquiescence; the least to our ears, a far cheerfuler impresmore civil, the more emphatic in acquies- sion than the feminine form, "We cence; but who can pursue the subject thoroughly enjoyed ourselves ;" and in no other way, because they do not "Thank you" is really more gracious take it in. What depth of emptiness than the modern improvement upon does the word "indeed" reveal to us in the acknowledgment of trivial services, some intonations interjectionally applied" Thank you so much." The lady who at stated intervals! What sprightly in- advertises to her lover that she is as unanity expresses itself through certain in- changed as ever, does not improve the flections, what calm irreceptiveness in quality of her constancy by thus clenchothers, what quenching-power in every ing its endurance. To tell a lady she is case, where, that is, it is a habit of looking quite handsome, diminishes speech! For "indeed" may mean the rather than adds grace to the compliment. liveliest interest, the most awakened curi- Miss Squeers's pretty friend was fully osity. But who can talk with a man who aware of the force of her reservation answers "indeed" to every communica- when, reproving young Nickleby for his tion alike? And again, who can con- deadness to that young lady's attractions, tend against the running accompaniment' she pleads -"So beautifully dressed,

stance; not considering how many epithets, as well as statements, there are that will not admit of intensifying. Thus,

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may be misunderstood to require from everybody a choice of happy epithets, which is farthest possible from our thoughts. Nothing ordinarily is more tiresome than a string of adjectives - in fact, to have them effectively at command is eloquence. We have to go to masters of language in search of them, and they in their best moments, stimulated by some congenial theme, quickened by zeal, stirred by sympathy, fired by indignation, moved by tenderness, admiration, won

too! really almost handsome." A brick-paucity of ideas of discrimination, comlayer arguing against anything but a brick parison, estimation, definition, generally wall, modestly pronounced "sleepers" betrayed in modern familiar easy talk, we rather beastly. There are words that are strongest when let alone, and indeed won't endure any other treatment. The last days of Pompeii wake a tragic sentiment. The very last days of Pompeii accentuate to little serious purpose. On the other hand, the whole force, whether grave or humorous, often lies in the intensifying. Late suggests ideas of inconvenience only; but too late sounds the depths of sadness. In the same way, what an intensity of determination is expressed in Augustus Moddle's valedic-der. What we complain of is too many tion to his expectant bride-" Unalterably never yours"! Often the wit rests singly upon the qualification. Thus, on first sight of a vivacious ugly child, to have called him a frog would have been simply an ill name; but the judgment on his quitting the room "I have seen many frogs handsomer," told on the bystanders as good-natured humour. Discrimination is brought in where the quality finds no obvious exercise.

66

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epithets, not too few; the use of mere
expletives for thought, the habit of dis-
pensing with the labour of reflection and
speculation in those who ought to think
to purpose. Empty heads must use
empty language if they open their lips at
all; it is a choice of evils whether they
use fine and vapid terms to express bor-
rowed opinions, or do the same through
the medium of a popular jargon
taste is annoyed, our patience tried,
either way. But it is a matter of deeper
concern to hear young men who should
talk clearly and connectedly, who have
reasoning powers, intelligence, cultiva-
tion, idly shuffling off the labour of ap-
plying these gifts, and lowering their dic-
tion to the level of vacancy and imbe-
cility.

our

From The Cornhill Magazine. THE MARRIAGE OF MOIRA FERGUS. CHAPTER I.

MOIRA SEEKS THE MINISTER.

Every generation has its prevalent adverbs. Mightily" was at one time in vogue, and "vastly." The reader will remember that when Olivia summarily accounted for the Primrose family's absence from church by "We were thrown from our horses," the fine ladies were "vastly sorry." Another writer of the same period records his experience -"I had lately the pleasure to hear a fine lady pronounce, by a happy metonymy, a very small gold snuff-box to be vastly pretty because it was vastly little." Society has always contented itself with one or so at a time of the forms by which we express more than we mean. Such come and go, each in its turn a good riddance; but in the standard liter- IT was a grey day; the skies were ature of our tongue we are constantly clouded over; the Atlantic was seastruck with small felicities which have green and rough; the rocky islands slipped out of use, we do not know why. along the coast looked black in the drivTake, for instance, the word ill in one ing sea. A young girl, with her shawl of its uses, for which we now substi-wrapped round her head and shoulders, tute bad, as, "I am a bad hand at so-had come all the way across the island of and-so." In the comparative scale of Darroch to the Free Church manse on Bishop Hall's excellencies, we read, - the western side, and now she timidly "Not ill at controversies; more happy in tapped at the door. She was a quiet comments; very good in his characters; little Highland girl, not very pretty, better in his sermons; best of all in his perhaps; she was fair, freckled, and meditations," where the harmony of wistful of face; but she had a certhe sentence takes its tone from the low-tain innocence and " strangeness" in est degree, which it would be an affecta- her blue eyes that pleased people. Her tion of quaintness to use now, and which name Moira Fergus Moireach no other single word could replace. Fearghus some would have spelt it; and she was the eldest of a family of five,

In reviewing what we have said on the

was

who all lived on the eastern shores of he was himself given to the use of strong Darroch with their father, John Fergus. She tapped at the door, and a stalwart middle-aged woman answered.

"Ay, iss it you, Moira, that I see here this day? and what will you be wanting to say to the minister?"

The girl seemed frightened; but at last she managed to say that she wanted to see the minister alone. The Highland woman regarded her with some suspicion; but at length asked her to come in and sit down in the small parlour while she would go for Mr. MacDonald. The girl went into the room; and somewhat nervously sat down on one of the chairs. For several minutes she remained there alone, looking in an absent way at the big shells on the mantelpiece, and listening vaguely to the roar of the sea outside.

language and a little strong drink. He was none the less respected by his flocki that occasionally he worked himself into a passion and uttered phrases that would have driven the Free Church synod into fits. On the Sundays, however, he always had a clean shirt, would touch no whiskey, and made use of no vehement language-unless that vehemence appeared in his Gaelic sermons, which were of the best of their kind.

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"Oh, Mr. Mac Donald," the girl suddenly cried out, with a strange pleading in her eyes, you will be a frient to me, and I will tell you why I hef come all the way from Ardtilleach. It wass Angus M'Eachran and me - you know Angus M'Eachran, Mr. MacDonald? — it wass Angus M'Eachran and me-well, we were thinking of getting married-ay, it Then Mr. MacDonald appeared -aiss many a day since he hass talked of small, thin, red-faced Celt, not very care-thatful as to dress, and obviously partial to snuff.

"Kott pless me- and you, too, Moira Fergus," said he. "And it wass no thought of seeing you that I had this tay. And wass there anything wrong now with your father, that you hef come all the way from Ardtilleach ?"

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"Well, well, Moira, and what more? Is there any harm in it that a young man. and a young lass should think of getting married?"

The girl still kept nervously twitching the corner of her shawl.

"And there iss many a time I hef said to him, 'Angus, we will get married some No, Mr. MacDonald, there iss not day; but what for should we get married anything the matter with my father," now, and the fishing not very good whatsaid the girl, nervously working with the effer?' And there iss many a time he corner of her shawl. "There iss not any-hass said to me, 'Moira, you hef done thing the matter with my father, but enough for your father and your father's but you know, Mr. MacDonald, that it children, and if he will not let you marry, iss not every one that can get a smooth do you think, then, that you will neffer word from my father." marry?'"

"A smooth word?" said the minister. "And indeed it iss your father, Moira, that iss the angriest man in all the islands, and there iss no sort of holding of his tongue. There are other men ay, there are other men - who will be loose of their tongues on the week-days, and they will speak of the teffle without much heed of it - and what iss the harm, too, if you will tam the teffle when you speak of him? and it will come to him all in good time; but to tam other people, and on the Sabbath, too, that iss a ferry tifferent matter. The teffle-well, he is tammed whateffer; but how can you know that Mr. Ross of Styornoway, or Mr. Macleod of Harris, iss in the black books? But I will say no harm of your father, Moira Fergus."

"Your younger sisters must be growing up, Moira," the minister said.

"And the days went by," the girl continued, sadly, "and the weeks went by, and Angus M'Eachran he wass ferry angry with me many a time, and many a time I hef said to him, 'Angus, you will be doing petter if you will go away and get some other young lass to be your wife, for it will be a bad tay the tay that I quarrel with my own people to come to you and be your wife.' And it iss many the night I hef cried about it—from the night to the morning; and it wass many a time I will wish that I had neffer seen him, and that he had neffer come down. from the Lewis, the year that the herring came round about Darroch and Killeena. And now and now

And, indeed, Mr. MacDonald had some Well, the girl burst into tears at this cause to be silent; for- always except- point; and the minister, not knowing ing on Sundays, when he proved himself, very well what to do, brought out a bottle a most earnest and faithful shepherd of whiskey, and said

"Now, Moira, be a good lass, and do not cry ass if you wass without friends in the world. What iss it now that iss the matter?”

"Well, Mr. MacDonald," the girl said, between her sobs, "it wass five days or four days ago that Angus came to me, and he said to me, 'Moira, it iss no more any use trying to get married in Darroch, for your father he iss a violent man, and he will not hear of it; and what we hef to do is to go away from Darroch, you and me together, and when the wedding iss all over, then you can come back and tell your people.'

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"That wass not well spoken," said the minister. It iss a bad day for a young lass when she hass to run away from her own people."

He was beginning to see the cause of the trouble that was visible on the fair young face.

"And I said to him," continued the girl, struggling to restrain her tears, "I said to him, 'It iss a hard thing that you ask, Angus M'Eachran, but it iss many a long day and many a long month you hef waited for me to marry you, as I said I would marry you; and if it iss so that there will be no chance of our getting married in Darroch, I will go away with you.' Then he said, ‘Moira, I will find out about a poat going up to the Lewis, and if they will put us ashore at Borvabost, or Barvas, or Callernish, we will walk across the island to Styornoway, and there we will get the poat to tek us to Glassgow.'"

night-time, it would be the Lord's own mercy if they did not burn every person in his bed. Indeed, indeed, Moira Fergus, you must not go to Glassgow!"

"And I do not want to go to Glassgow!" Moira said, excitedly," that iss what I hef come to you about this tay, Mr. Mac Donald. I hef a great fear of going to Glassgow, and I wass saying to myself that it wass you, Mr. Mac Donald, that maybe could help me- and if you wass to see Angus M'Eachran

"But if I wass to see your father, Moira Fergus - there iss no man so mad ass not to know that a young lass will be thinking of getting married."

"That will be of no use whateffer, Mr. MacDonald. It iss a ferry angry man he is, and if there iss any more word of the marriage I will be afraid to go back to Ardtilleach."

"Then the teffle- and tam him!— hass got into his head!" said the minister, with a furious blow on the table. “It iss no patience I hef with a foolish man!" Moira was rather frightened, but she said in a low voice —

"Ay, ay, it iss a ferry angry man he is; and there iss no use going to him, Mr. Mac Donald; but this iss what I wass thinking, Mr. MacDonald, if you wass being so kind ass to go to Angus M⚫Eachran, and tell him that it iss not a good thing for us to go away to Glassgow. I hef given my word to him- yes, and I will not draw back from that but now I hef a great fear of going to Glassgow

-

"To Glassgow!" cried the minister. The minister was during this time "Wass you thinking of going to Glass-shifting rather uneasily from the table to gow, Moira Fergus?"

the window and from the window to the table. He was evidently much excited: he seemed scarcely to hear what the girl was saying. At last he suddenly interrupted her.

The girl looked rather abashed. "And you do not know what an ahfu' place is Glassgow-ay, indeed, an ahfu' place," said the minister, earnestly. 66 No, you do not know-but I hef been "Listen to me, Moira Fergus. It iss more ass three times or two times in no business of mine - no, it iss not any Glassgow and for a young lass to go business of mine -as a minister, to inthere! You do not know, Moira Fergus, terfere in the family affairs of any one that it iss filled, every street of it, with whateffer; and you had no right to come wild men that hef no more care for the to the minister and ask him to go and Sabbath-day ass if it wass Tuesday, ay, speak to Angus M'Eachran. No, you or even Monday- and the sodgers there had no right; and yet I will say this, -and the Roman Catholics - and no Moira Fergus, that you had a ferry good like the Catholics that you will see, one right-ay, the teffle is in it if you had of them, or two of them, about Lochaber, not a ferry good right. For I am a natif where they are ferry like good, plain of this island—well, it wass in Harris I other people but it iss the Roman Câth-wass born, but what iss the use of being olics, Moira - it iss the real Roman Catholics, Moira - you will find in Glassgow, and they are ferry wild men, and if they were to rise against the town in the

ferry particular?—and I am a natif of this island as well as a minister, and I hef known your family for a great many years, and I hef known you to be a good