text:  As my father's retiring habits prevented me from knowing a human being in the neighbourhood I made up to my heart's content for the want of living friends by forming the most enthusiastic attachments to Dandie Dinmont and Henry Morton and Jonathan Oldbuck; not forgetting the excessive love I entertained for Rose Bradwardine Di Vernon and a few others; so that altogether I think I may say that no young man of my age was ever blessed with such a large and enchanting circle of "friends and sweethearts