The Heart of Mid-Lothian - Penn State University

shentleman to knock out of an auld silly head, either by
force of reason or otherwise.” So that, by avoiding topics
of dispute, the personages of our tale lived in great
good habits with the gracious Duncan, only that he still
grieved David’s soul, and set a perilous example to the
congregation, by sometimes bringing his pipe to the
church during a cold winter day, and almost always sleeping
during sermon in the summer time.
Mrs. Butler, whom we must no longer, if we can help it,
term by the familiar name of Jeanie, brought into the
married state the same firm mind and affectionate disposition—the
same natural and homely good sense, and
spirit of useful exertion—in a word, all the domestic good
qualities of which she had given proof during her maiden
life. She did not indeed rival Butler in learning; but then
no woman more devoutly venerated the extent of her
husband’s erudition. She did not pretend to understand
his expositions of divinity; but no minister of the
Presbytery had his humble dinner so well arranged, his
clothes and linen in equal good order, his fireside so neatly
swept, his parlour so clean, and his books so well dusted.
The Heart of Mid-Lothian
550
If he talked to Jeanie of what she did not understand—and
(for the man was mortal, and had been a
schoolmaster) he sometimes did harangue more scholarly
and wisely than was necessary—she listened in
placid silence; and whenever the point referred to common
life, and was such as came under the grasp of a
strong natural understanding, her views were more forcible,
and her observations more acute, than his own. In
acquired politeness of manners, when it happened that
she mingled a little in society, Mrs. Butler was, of course,
judged deficient. But then she had that obvious wish to
oblige, and that real and natural good-breeding depending
on, good sense and good humour, which, joined to a
considerable degree of archness and liveliness of manner,
rendered her behaviour acceptable to all with whom
she was called upon to associate. Notwithstanding her
strict attention to all domestic affairs, she always appeared
the clean well-dressed mistress of the house, never
the sordid household drudge. When complimented on
this occasion by Duncan Knock, who swore “that he
thought the fairies must help her, since her house was