'152 THE BORDERERS. Their chiefdifficulty arises when they happen to meet the inhabitants of both territories together ; yet so ingenious are they in the art of trimming, that they contrive not to lose much ground with either. When alone with one party, they take care never to speak warmly of the absent. With the worldly they smile, and per- haps good-naturedly shake their head at some little scruples, and some excess of strictness in the absent party, though they do not go the length of actual cen- sure. When with the religious colony, they tenderly lament the necessity imposed on them of being obliged to associate so much with neighbours from whom, they confess, there is not much to be learned, while they own there is something to be feared ; but as they are quite sure their inclination is not of the party, they trust there is no great danger. They regret that as they must live on terms with the world, they cannot, without a singularity 15%
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