May; vol. I

EACH VOLUME SOLD SEPARATELY. COLLECTION OF BRITISH AUTHORS TAUCHNITZ EDITION. VOL. 1323. MAY BY MRS. OLIPHANT IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. I. LEIPZIG: BERNHARD TAUCHNITZ. PARIS: C. REINWALD, 15, RUE DES SAINTS PÈRES. PARIS: THE GALIGNANI LIBRARY, 224, RUE DE RIVOLI, AND AT NICE, 15, QUAI MASSENA.
This Collection is published with copyright for Continental circulation, but all purchasers are earnestly requested not to introduce the volumes into England or into any British Colony.

“ Maggio Non ha paraggio. ” ITALIAN PROVERB.
BY M R S. O L I P H A N T, AUTHOR OF “THE MINISTER’S WIFE,” ETC. COPYRIGHT EDITION. I N T W O V O L U M E S. VOL. I. LEIPZIG BERNHARD TAUCHNITZ 1873. The Right of Translation is reserved.


TO THE HONOURABLE CAPTAIN AND MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL AND ANCIENT GOLF CLUB OF ST. ANDREWS (Especially to those among that noble Company whom the Author ventures to call Friends) THIS BOOK IS REVERENTIALLY, AND ADMIRINGLY INSCRIBED.


The house of Hay-Heriot had been established at Pitcomlie for more centuries than could easily be reckoned. It was neither very rich nor very great, but it was well connected, and had held itself sturdily above the waves of fate like one of the rocks along its wild coast line, often threatened by rising tides, but never submerged. There had never been any great personages in the family to raise it above its natural level, but neither had there been any distinguished profligates or spendthrifts to pull it down. Most of the lairds had been respectable, and those who were not had never been more than moderately wicked, keeping clear of ruinous vices. The history of the house had been very monotonous, without ups or downs to speak of. In the vicissitudes of the rebellions they had kept clear, being too far south to be seriously compromised; and though a younger son was out in the ’45, that did not affect either the character or the circumstances of the family. In short, this was the Hay-Heriot way of sowing its wild oats. Its younger sons were its safety-valve; all that was eccentric in the race ran into those stray branches, leaving the elder son always steady and respectable, a most wise arrangement of nature.