Antiquary Author:Sir Walter Scott General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1901 Original Publisher: Macmillan Subjects: English fiction Fiction / Classics Fiction / Historical Fiction / Literary Fiction / Family Life Literary Criticism / European / English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the origin... more »al. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. Excerpt: They retreated by the same passage which had admitted them to the prior's secret seat of observation ; and when they issued from the grotto into the wood, the birds, which began to chirp, and even to sing, announced that the dawn was advanced. This was confirmed by the light and amber clouds that appeared over the sea as soon as their exit from the copse permitted them to view the horizon. Morning, said to be friendly to the Muses, has probably obtained this character from its effect upon the fancy and feelings of mankind. Even to those who, like Lovel, have spent a sleepless and anxious night, the breeze of the dawn brings strength and quickening both of mind and body. It was therefore with renewed health and vigour that Lovel, guided by the trusty mendicant, brushed away the dew as he traversed the downs which divided the Den of St. Ruth, as the woods surrounding the ruins were popularly called, from the sea-shore. The first level beam of the sun, as his brilliant disk began to emerge from the ocean, shot full upon the little gun-brig which was lying-to in the offing; close to the shore the boat was already waiting, Taffril himself, with his naval cloak wrapped about him, seated in the stern. He jumped ashore when he saw the mendicant and Lovel approach, and", shaking the latter heartily by the hand, begged him not to be cast down. " M'Intyre's wound," he said, " was doubtful, but far from despera...« less