LETTERS AND RECOLLECTIONS

IR WALTER SCOTT

MR H GH E O F FFI S . U S ( U N GTON )

ED ITED BY

HORACE G . HUTCHIN SON

WITH PO R TRA IT S A N D A FA C S IM I LE‘

LO N D O N

SMITH D 1 AT L P A E EL ER co . 5 W ER OO L C , ,

1 904

[ A l l r i g h t s r e s e r v e d]

P R E F A C E

ATELY FORTUN alike for myself and for the reader , all necessity for an elaborate introduction to these letters and diaries is taken o ff my hands by the vivid little

H Uffin ton memoir of Mrs . ughes , of g (to whom the letters , and by whom the diaries , were written) , which was contributed to the Century magazine when the letters were given to the public for the first time . F o r the reproduction of thi s memoir I am indebted to the courteous permission of its writer and of the editor ’ T of the Century . o the latter I am further indebted for leave to publish the letters in the present volume .

I have also to record my thanks to Mr . David Douglas for allowing me to complete the series of letters ,

ir H S S . written by Walter cott to Mrs ughes , by the insertion of several which have been previously ’ published in the Familiar Letters .

The diaries , which form the major part of the H volume , were written by Mrs . ughes herself on the A 1 824 1 occasion of two visits to bbotsford , in and 828 respectively, and have not before been given to the di rea ng world .

A r g eat many of the anecdotes cited by Mrs . T ETC OF SIR NVALTER SCOTT LET ERS .

’ H ughes from Sir Walter Scott s table - talk will be familiar to the reader , but perhaps it will not be any the less interesting on that account to find them here as drawn at first hand from the fountain head .

Atla I n To Mr . J . B . y owe especial tha ks for invaluable help in suggesting comments and references .

R ED ITO .

October 1904 . C O N T E N T S

PREFACE

I TR I BY MR. . H . N ODUCT ON , W HUGHES

CHAPTER

I MRS . I. S S R T S T S LETTER OF WAL ER COTT O HUGHE , UP T O APRIL 1824

’ II MRS . H UGHES S I RY THE R Y . D A OF JOU NE TO ABB O T SFORD IN 1824

’ III. R H HES S I Y I I S M S . UG D AR WH LE ON HER F R T VISIT TO ABB OTS FORD

I I Y J Y R M BB S V . D AR OF THE RETURN OURNE F O A OT FORD TO UFFINGTON W V S SIR S MRS . S . LETTER OF ALTER COTT TO HUGHE , UP TO SIR WALTER’ S VISIT TO LONDON IN OCTOBER 1826

MRS H GHES ’ S T S SIR R 'S V I. U . NO E OF WALTE CON VERSATION IN LONDON IN 1826

T RS IR S T MR S VII . S S . LE TE OF WALTER COTT O HUGHE , UP T O THE DATE OF HER SECOND VISIT TO AB BOT S FORD i LETTER SIR vi i S ETC . OF WALTER SCOTT

PAG E H H ES ’ I Y MRS . UG S D AR OF THE JOURNEY TO ABB O TS FORD IN 1828

’ I& . MR H GHES S I RY W I R S S . U D A H LE ON HE ECOND VISIT TO ABB OTS FORD

& I Y J Y M N 1828 . D AR OF THE OURNE HO E I

&I S AN D R I . LA T LETTERS ECOLLECT ONS

LIST OF ILLUSTRATION S

F r on tis iece PORTRAIT OF MRS . HUGHE S p

124 PORTRAIT O F SIR WALTER S CO TT to fac e 17 . o m he r z d Fr t por t a it by S r Ed wtn La n seer , R.A., m the N a tw na l

Por tr a z t Ga l l ery.

R I S PO TRA T OF DR . HUGHE t zt b ha w n From a por ra y t m O e , RA .

FAC SIMILE OF A LE TTE R FROM SIR WALTER

S TT TO MRS . S I B R CO HUGHE , DATED ED N U GH DECEMBER 15 [1807] LETTERS AND RECOLLECTIONS

SIR WALTER S COTT

IN TRODU TORY SKETCH OF MR HU HES C S. G

BY HER S URVIV IN G GRAN DSON

H W. . HUGHE S

D SIR -You I EAR , are about , as understand, to publish some le tters from Sir Walter Scott to my H grandmother ughes , and wish me to tell you some thing about her and the friendship between the N ’ Wizard of the orth , as he was called in those days

E . by his nglish admirers , and herself and family H er First as to my grandmother . maiden name n he 1 0 was Mary An Watts . S was born about 77 at Uffin ton g , a little village two miles north of King Al ’ H H ‘ fred s White orse ill , in the royal county of ’ Berks , the only child of the last of a line of clergymen who had , for several generations , succeeded one another in the cure of souls at that little place . One of these parsons , whose ministry fell in the I I . u time of George , m st have been well known as a preacher in his day , for he was appointed one of the B OF SIR W 2 LETTERS ETC . A LTER SCOTT

chaplains whose duty it was , from time to time , to H C R . e preach in the hapel oyal was not , however, called upon for a second sermon in that capacity ; for (the King attending the service in doubtful company) he took the seventh commandment as the subject of his ’ Thou 1 first discourse , and as his text , art the man .

With such forbears , it is perhaps natural that Mary Anne Watts was markedly independent and fearless ; also that , not being able to hold the family living in her own right , she should manage to attain to T H Rev D . D . it through the . homas ughes , , whom she marr ied when she was still quite young , and he verging h ffi . S e on middle age had no di culty , it may be sup in posed , inducing the clergyman who had now become vicar of her paternal parish to exchange that living for the much more valuable one which her husband held , ’

St . C in virtue of his canonry in Paul s athedral , the reward for his earnest endeavours to bring up the I I I. C younger sons of George as hristian gentlemen . An d so a great part of every year was spent at the Uffin ton C g parsonage by the anon and his wife , she continuing the benevolent despotism begu n by her T l there in the days of her father . here also their on y son John was born , grew up , settled , and brought up part of his family ; continuing to live there till the C ff death of the anon , and quite unconsciously a ording T S to his second son , homas , the model of the quire in ’ ’ Tom Brown s School Days .

S E . N My ister, Jane lizabeth , afterward Mrs assau S John enior , was the only granddaughter, and inherited not only the lovely voice of the subject of this memoir, her but a persistence which enabled , under our dear

1 ’ Thi W t s w M he T m e . Hu he s ut en Mr. l T o spok a t as aster o f t e p v . g s s M ir o B — emo s f a rother , p . ED . K MRS H UGHES 3 IN TRODUCTORY S ETCH OF .

mi ’ friend Manuel Garcia , to sub t to two years severe The . training , and thereby become a finished artist grandmother brought tears to the eyes of Sir Walter Scott and her other friends by her rendering of the Old English and Scotch ballads ; the granddaughter not

only did this for an equally distinguished private circle , but was so ught by Jenny Lind to sing classical music The with her in public . same inherited persistence , L brought to bear on the iberal Government of her day ,

led to her appointment as inspector of, and her reports t o on , workhouse schools , and her suggestions as to

boarding out , which are well known , on both sides of A the tlantic and elsewhere , to those interested in the

care and education of poor children . Six Uffin ton of us were born at g , in a house near

the vicarage occupied by my father . We all had the

utmost respect for our grandmother, in return for her numberless gifts to us and her untiring interest in our

welfare , but not so much love as might have been hers had she not been S O determined to run us (in common th the rest of the parishioners) without regard to our

wishes and tastes . For She r T om W instance , took from my b other hen i he was a small boy , without his consent , a gu nea

given him by one of her friends , and therewith bought ’ for him a duodecimo copy of Milton s poetry , in ’ u - r ddy binding and gilt edged , and on its first page T H wrote homas ughes , from declaring that he would value the book when he grew up ’ as a m ’ ‘ ’ me orial , whereas , had he kept the money , he would only have wasted it on marbles and tops and ’ ff & C to ee Perhaps ; but , referring to this xperience , Of E he writes , in a little book arly Memories for his children : I owe to my grandmother a dislike to

B 2 SIR 4 LETTERS ETC . OF WALTER SCOTT

’ I I Milton s poetry , which doubt if have ever quite ’ got over . I may mention in passing that on my own life this unfortunate masterfulness had a greater influence than ’ ’ merely causing a dislike to Milton s poetry . My three elder brothers had been destined to the learned pro ’ n fessions in my gra dmother s mind , and went accord ingly to Oxford ; my fourth had been destined to one of the two higher branches of the army , which (the I artillery) he entered in due time . When came into the world she decided that I ought to be brought up to Sir T H the navy , and got her friend homas astings , admiral of the port at Portsmouth , to be , with my I uncle William , one of my godfathers . was called I after my uncle till was seven years old or so , and Th ld . e O liked the name very much n the dear lady , in order to remind her friend the admiral of his coming I duties toward his godson , insisted on it that should I thenceforward be called H astings . go t to know the I reason of this ; and , though was not allowed to I protest against the change of name , made up my mind at once that nothing earthly should induce me to take to the sea as a profession , a decision which those con cerned had to put up with as best they might ; and so ir T u S homas , when he fo nd that he had not to be t Sponsor for me as a midshipman , gave me , af er the ’ Royal George had been blown up , a genuine chunk

- f of that ill fated vessel , which was made into snuf

- boxes and paper cutters , with a description on inlaid silver , and given away , in my name, to various relatives and friends . A more auspicious godfatherhood was that of Sir t Wal er Scott for my soldier brother , who was born 1 826 T I in December . his , however, believe to have IN K F HUGH TRODUCTORY S ETCH O MRS . ES 5

Sir been only indirectly due to my grandmother, for 1 823 Walter had already, in , in his famous preface to ’ Quentin Durward, shown his friendship for my father by a deadhead advertisement of his ‘ Itinerary of ’ I Provence and the Rhone . have found also two w letters of his to my father, the first of hich , dated 1 8 H Es re May , and addressed to John ughes q , A l ’ ’ A C St . men orner , Pau s , refers to a visit to bbots ford of a few days which my father and mother were A apparently contemplating for later in the year . fter A 1 Sir mentioning his own plans up to ugust , Walter continues S hould you think of visiting the highlands , July and the beginning of August is the best time as after the 1 2 Au gt the inns are crowded with sportsmen and So S the weather frequently broken . hould you make such a tour you might calculate to take Abbotsford on S I your return outhward , and will hope make us a comfortable visit measuring it by weeks rather than

days . My son Charles will then probably be at home and will be happy to assist me in showing due sense of

your great kindness to him . ff I H . L beg to o er my respects to Mrs . ughes ady Scott and I look forward with pleasure to the prospect ’ of making her acquaintance . Referring to his correspondence with my grand Sir mother , Walter continues ‘ I had a letter from your kind mother two days ’ he n r [ago] . S fi ds the Welch blood much sti d by the degradation of Sir Watkin Williams Wynne into the ’ — Duke of N orthumb erland s page he is a folio page to be sure . But something like precedent might be quoted in [the] assuming manner in which H o tspur 6 R LETTERS ETC . OF SI WALTER SCOTT

I conducts himself towards Glendower . must remind H ’ Mrs . ughes of this .

I Perhaps ought to explain , as to the stirring of the ‘ ’ Welch blood on this occasion , that we Welshmen regard the Sir Watkin Williams Wynne of the day as the real Prince of Wales ; so much so that , if our boys O go to Westminster, we see no bjection to their taking

St . kindly the guinea which he gives every year, on ’ David s day , to the boys of Welsh blood among the forty scholars of that public school which has always ’ been so intimately connected with the Principality . The E 9 other letter is dated dinburgh , December , It 1 829 . is so characteristic of its writer , and contains such references to the improvements of that day in printing and locomotion , as to make it , perhaps , worth giving at length

Jo hn H u hes Es r . g , q

M Y SIR —Y C DEAR , our hristmas Gift safely arrived I A one day that happened to be at bbotsford , so was inducted in safety into its honorable place in my grand standing cupboard , among

m u gs an d j ugs an d pitchers an d B ell arm in e s o f Sta te

as your old college song goes . We have agreed that it shall not get acquainted with mountain dew till the common festival of the & tian church shall render the I opportunity solemn . think you will find in the notes to Marmion some lines of a hundred years old , addressed to my great - grandfather by his kinsman H Walter of arden , beginning

“ h ’ With fla x en b eard and am b er air . I R K MR 7 NT ODUCTORY S ETCH OF S . HUGHES

The tone of them , though not remarkably poetical , has something in it so amical and cordial that I believe it is owing to these lines that I have always thought i C anyth ng good should be kept for hristmas day , and endeavour ed to draw a cheerful party round the blazing log to Sing carols and tell tales . I wish we had B assein ’ s tapestry to bring your kind mother and the excellent doctor, and we stretch and draw (for who can S tug like a souter of elkirk) till we made room for you , H and you might take Mrs . ughes and Baby Watt upon

. U your knee pon my word , when steam carriages go at ‘ the rate of 3 0 miles per hour nothing can be feared — except an overturn Betwixt London and Edin burgh will be [nothing] and we will go to John a Groat ’ s house with less premeditation than our l i The ancestors went [to] Ee p e island . n will aldermen

eat turbot fresh as taken , a dainty they never dreamed o ff sic A [ ] , and have slices of highland venison byssinian Off fashion the living buck . ‘ Leaving these applications of modern discoveries

to the operation of time , let me thank you for the drawing of Wayland Smith ’ s cromlech which will do ’ o b ec me yeoman s service . There was a mechanical j i tion to employing the engraving , w th the stereotype ,

but I have done away with that objection . Pray did not one Lambourne 1 of those parts commit a very cr uel murder some time Since and would there be any harm in putting it into the notes Of Kenilworth ? If so In perhaps you would give me the date . our country I should hesitate about this , for fear of getting a dirk

See note Ato Kenilwor th : The nam e o f Lamb ourne is still known in the vicinit and it is said some o f the c lan arta e the ha its a s w ell y, p k b ,

as nam e of the Michael Lam o urne of the romance . A man of this , b name l atel m rdered hi ife tdoin Michael in this res ect who y u s w , o u g p ,

’ - w as only concerned in the m urder of another m an s ED . T ETC OF SIR W TER T 8 LET ERS . AL SCOT

in my wame for tacking awa ’ the guid name of an I honest family , but you are not think so touchy in

Berkshire . ‘ I beg you will make my best respects acceptable H Gu altero to Mrs . ughes and the infant Don and believe me Your trul y obliged O T 1 WALTER SC T .

’ ’ ‘ G u altero Baby Watt and Don are , of course , I my brother Walter Scott . do not know in which of the editions of ‘ Kenilworth ’ my father ’ s drawing of ’ Th Wayland Smith s cromlech appears . e legend of . S ’ ’ Wayland mith s cave , as we used to call it , was Sir given to Walter by my grandmother , to whom , you will perhaps say, it is high time to return .

The - O f I country parish part her year, of which S m have poken , ust have contrasted strangely with that C spent as wife of a pillar of the hurch , whose brother canons were Sydney Smith and Barham (the author of I Am e C u the ngoldsby at n orner, nder the ’ H h C . u S St . adow of Paul s athedral ere , d ring the canonical part of the year, with such a good foundation She as her husband and his colleagues , came as near holding a ‘ salon as was possible in the smoky sur ’ C roundings of St . Paul s hurchyard in the early part h I . S e of the last century sang , as have said , very charmingly , told stories in such a way as to have them worked into his novels by Scott and into his Legends by Barham , and drew about her many other men

Bo th of these letters sho w signs of the high pressure under which Sir Wa lter lived during his l ater years ; fo r there is sc arcely a ny ’ ’ n f s are do tted o r cro ssed a nd there are f u p unc tu atio , ew 13 t s , o r w o rd s nece ssary to s ense (which I have ventured to suggest in brac ke ts) — o mitted W. H . H . KE H P IN TRODUCTORY S TC O MRS . HUGHES 9

distinguished in the world of letters , art , and music , h who valued sprightly talk and genial ways . S e also rendered herself agreeable to her intimates by the

attention which she paid to their creature comforts . This may be read between the lines Of the following

anecdote , which she used to tell with delight , as show

ing how , high and low , all loved and almost worshipped ‘ ’ S L the Wizard . cott was staying in ondon at the End On e time, somewhere in the West . evening he

admired some fish at her table, which she had, as was

usual with her, bought at a famous stall in Billingsgate Th Market and carried home herself . e next morning She included in her purchase some of this partic ular

- fish , and asked the stall keeper if he could deliver it nd T N O at the West E . aking a very decided for an Sir answer , she observed regretfully , Walter will be ’ ’ Sir & You much disappointed . Walter, mum don t ’

Sir S ? Yes I . mean Walter cott , indeed , do Why , I ’ d mum , send it to him free of charge if he was in ’ 1 H edinb oro A lso , between the lines of this fish story may be read the Strict economy and hatred of unnecessary W expense which , ith all her lavish giving , became , as

it seemed to her friends , almost a craze later in life . Only the other day I came across the envelope to one of her letters to me (written soon after the invention

of that useful article) , which had been carefully turned by her and redirected , after having made its first journey as cover to a letter from one of her London corre s o nden - -T p ts . Dear lady &how must her tru e blue ory soul be vexed if she is aware of her only surviving u R grandson having t rned out a adical , and citizenized

Sure the m r H u h ly sa e sto y as that given a t first hand by Mrs . g es in the l ast f hi v l m — p age o t s o u e. ED . 1 L SIR 0 ETTER S ETC . OF WALTER SCOTT in a country in which extravagance and waste are the ’ F f A - rule , from the palace on i th venue to the cow boy s shanty in Colorado

The - much beloved canon , my grandfather , who was the kindest and most genial of men , went to his rest in 1 The ffin ton 83 3 . U living of g passed into other hands , and two years afterward my father bought and moved to Donnington Priory , in the Vale of the Kennett , a livelier part of the county , to the south of the White H orse range of hills . My grandmother , however , could not persuade herself for many years to leave her - ff beloved country side, with its broad meadows and sti clay soil , and the simple peasants who had been cared She for by her family for so many scores of years . L moved to Kingston isle , a pretty village , nearer the ffin n H northern foot of the hills than U gto . ere she lived till she was nearly eighty , taking excellent care of successive Mustards and Peppers of the true Dandie Dinmont breed (the ancestors of whom had been given Sir her by Walter) , and exchanging, as her teeth grew scarce , with the little boys of the neighbourhood , marbles for the fresh eggs of small birds , which latter She treated in such a way as to make impossible for her grandchildren the presumptuous impertinence (to judge from the proverb) common among English children . When I revisited the Vale of the White H orse eight I years ago , found friends still living who remembered L T o . w her in her Kingston isle days of these , whose m She ho e was three miles from that place , told how would walk across to their house to early breakfast , u accompanied by M stard and Pepper , and knitting all the way there and all the way back , and start them on their day ’ s work refreshed by her gay talk and amusing stories .

1 2 C OP SIR W T R T LETTERS ET . AL E SCOT

CHAPTER I

OF SIR TO MRS . LETTERS WALTER SCOTT HUGHES , UP TO APRIL 1 824

Q UITE accidentally my notice was directed to these ’ Sir L letters of Walter s , of which ockhart does not

seem to have suspected the existence , although pro bably he was aware that at one time a considerable H correspondence was maintained between Mrs . ughes -in - T and his father law . hat this was so he implies ’ i 5 24 An b de L S . clearly ( ife of cott , page y quotation I make from this source comes from the edition pub lished by Black in 1 88 1) A S ’ mong cott s visitors of the next month , first in E T dinburgh , and afterwards on weedside , were the late H . C amiable and venerable Dr ughes , one of the anons ’ - St . . residentiary of Paul s , and his warm hearted lady The latter had been numbered among his friends from ff an early period of life , and a more zealously a ectionate On S friend he never possessed . her way to cotland S she had halted at Keswick to visit Mr . outhey , whom also she had long known well, and corresponded with ’ n freque tly .

One of the results of this visit was the reuniting of the bonds of friendship between these already dis tin uishe d h ad g men , which been interrupted for some MRS — TO . 1808 18 LETTERS HUGHES, 24 1 3 years by one of those miserable and petty misun der standin gs that not even the friendships of the greatest S ’ souls always escape . cott s conciliatory letter is quite

. Fo r charming, in his own manner the moment I would wish merely to point out that in the sentence l whom also she had long known we l , and corresponded ’ with frequently the al SO seems to imply on the writer ’ s part a knowledge of the fairly frequent corre spon den c e steadily maintained over a length of years i I S r S . L between her and Walter cott ndeed , ockhart

. H himself, in his preface, includes Mrs ughes of Uf fi ngto n in a list of those to whom he is indebted for ‘ the kind readiness with which whatever papers in their possession could be serviceable to my advantage ’

. H were supplied But in this recognition Mrs . ughes of Uffin gton appears only as one among very many I L others and cannot but think that ockhart , had he know n of the extent of the correspondence and its ex di cee ngly interesting character , would not have left it as he did , wholly untouched . The dates of the letters which have been com mi tte d to my hands to put before the public extend over a great period of years , but there is a big gap . T 1 The here is a letter or two of 1 808 or 809 or earlier . great man was careless in the dating of his letters , and often the contents are the only guide to the date if, as

- un . happens , the post marked date is decipherable After 1 81 8 there is no letter in the collection that 1 821 ’ has been handed to me till , an eight years An d i interval . it is noticeable that th s first letter of — 1 821 fir st of the series that has regularly been pre served— denies in pretty direct terms the authorship of N o w dl I i the novels . it is har y to be believed , th nk , that there was no correspondence between these two SIR 1 4 LETTERS ETC . OF WALTER SCOTT

very close and mutually appreciativ e friends between 1 821 T 1 81 3 and . here is no reasonable doubt that many ’ and — letters were exchanged destroyed more s the pity . 1821 I But then , in , will venture to surmise that it sud d H enly dawned on Mrs . ughes that this delightful correspondent and life -long friend of hers was an even She She greater man than had suspected him of being .

knew him , of course , as one of the most charming of

men , most delightful of companions , most perfect of i all gentlemen , and most g fted of whom she had met . There seems to have been a really marvellous consensus of Opinion on the part of all who knew him to this he effect . S knew him as the acknowledged author of ’ ‘ Th La e . the poems , y and the rest But only now , perhaps , did it dawn upon her with anything like ‘ U ’ conviction that he was indeed the Great nknown , the author of those delightful novels that were making the Anglo - Saxon nations young again only now did she begin to suspect him of being what we know him to be . But having realised (in spite of his unblushing denial of the authorship) or having at least possessed herself of a good working faith in his authorship of ’ the novels , and perceiving that her correspondent s letters would be of interest not only to the one to whom they were addressed , but to all the world that She was filled with his fame , from that time forward seems to have begun to keep the letters regularly and I m i s si n do not think that we have one ng u til the last , 1 831 written in , when the outlook of his great intellect was already clouded by the darkness that closed in on SO u 1 826 it premat rely . By it is quite certain that the interest of the correspondence had revealed itself, for She in that year began to make copies of the letters , prefacing the collection with a note to her grandson , R 1 8 — 1 TO M S . 08 1824 5 LETTERS HUGHES ,

She to whom bequeathed the originals , in which occurs : T I the following passage hese letters will , am ’ persuaded , be valuable in future as literary curiosities . She t also annotated them with many no es , throwing light on obscure allusions . Most of these notes I am quoting in their place , at t he foot of the letters to which they refer . O 1 821 1 831 ver these ten years , from to , the letters , between forty and fifty in number, extend and they are written in the main at fairly regular intervals , so as to cover the period without leaving gaps . By covering the period I mean that no very particular event is likely to have been omitted in consequence of any long lapse between one letter and the next and it is fortunate that the period which this correspondence thus embraces is perhaps the most interesting period ’ — of Sir Walter s life the period of the zenith of his powers and of his fame ; the period of the zenith and N also of the nadir of his financial fortunes . aturally A the letters are of very unequal length and interest . few are no more than mere notes . But the great majority are such letters as Sir Walter was likely to write to a friend who was in full appreciation of the literary and other tastes that appealed to him , with a considerable acquaintance among the most interesting o f — people the day the literary , artistic , musical world— and of the sex that can give man the most perfect sympathy and understanding . ’ Sir H Besides Walter s letters to Mrs . ughes , there ‘ H ’ is one from him to Miss ayman , there are one or L . H two from Mrs ockhart to Mrs . ughes , and there is

l . n an account , in form of a long etter, by Mr Joh H C H ughes (son of the anon and Mrs . ughes) of a visit Ab 1 825 T to botsford and of the life there in . here are IR 1 6 LETTERS ETC . OF S WALTER SCOTT

also journals by Mrs . Hughes herself descriptive of life A ff at bbotsford on the occasion of two di erent visits , 1824 I the first in , the second four years later . do not H ’ in the least know how it is that this Miss ayman , S ‘ H as cott writes of her , turns into Mrs . ayman in L ’ L ’ ockhart s ife , but it is not of much consequence 1 H I how it happens . owbeit , as find this letter here , I r so give it ; but fi st , in order to make things clear i and save the reader the trouble of referr ng elsewhere , I may as well give a very short chronological table of ’ Sir 1 2 Walter s literary productions up to the year 8 1 . At the date of this letter to Miss H ayman N 9 1806— he I ovember , was engaged , as gather , on ‘ ’ ‘ Th the third canto of Marmion . Previously to e ’ Lay of the Last Minstrel he had published things ’ : ‘ Biir er comparatively little known Ballads after g , ’ ’ Otz ‘ G of Berlichingen , Ballads , Minstrelsy of the ’ ’ ‘ Sir T o n— a Scottish Border, ristram , and so goodly

Show . But of course all were forgotten , consumed , in the blaze of fame which greeted the publication , in the 1805 The L a L very first days of , of y of the ast ’ Minstrel . After that he was no longer the lawyer with the law as his crutch and literature as his stick , but the

- writer with the strongest crutch , most gold weighted , that any writer has ever had in his writings , at liberty m to do a little law for his pleasure , as a way of eeting

Old friends and moving in the world , if he so pleased .

‘ ’ w a c ourtes tit e i en to s insters of a Probably the Mrs . as y l g v p ‘ ’ e a to Mrs . Honor in Tom Jones . In an undated letter c ertain ag , s , v l ut the ear 1 8 1 2 or later the Princess of Wale s in S ea in ob iou s y a bo y , , p k g ’ - a r w ri es U on he o ther Vir in s hea rt o f a certain Germ an flute pl ye , t : p t g , ’ m an he al so had m uch efi ect and Lad Charl otte Bur Miss H ay , ; y y

the Time o Geor e Fou r th ii. 2 76 a dd s a laudator note of (D ia ry o f f g , ) y man in which her character and her musical ro cienc are Mis s H ay , p fi y d — ED equa lly p raise . LETTER To MISS HAYMA N 1 7

But still he did not publish again till ‘ Marmion ’

came out in February 1 808 . Perhaps the interval is

not long, considering the character of the work, con siderin g, too , that the writer was still busy with law work of various kinds and had so many outlooks on the world ; but it is long in consideration of the rate of

production of his novels later . Perhaps , too , his breath ’ l Th La was a ittle taken away by the reception of e y . A lso he was at work all the while at his Dryden . In N ovember of 1807 he wrote this letter

M Y DEAR M ISS HAYMAN Whatever you admire will I am sur e add greatly to the value of the work in

which you are pleased to request a place for it . I am

just now finishing my romantic poem of Marmion , a N ’ tale of war and wonder with notes like oah s ark , an ample receptacle for every thing that savours of I romantic lore . will take care to distinguish the poem in all honourable fashion of type and introduction but I must beg the favour that you will forward it as soon I as possible , as am printing rapidly , must drive a peg somewhere into my own poem to hang your ’ friend s ballad upon . Yo u do me but justice in believing that I was quite

delighted with Mrs . H ughes I have achieved a doleful song to an ancient Gaelic air and intend as soon as I can get it arranged to the music to send it as a little tribute of gratitude for the pleasure I received from her I d melody . have destine a copy of Marmion for you ,

and the promised ballad will give it double interest . Shall it be sent to Berkley Street or how ? I have also one with some ornaments which I Should wish to

reach Blackheath some time before the work is public , SO which may I think be in February . Will you be 0 SIR 1 8 LETTERS ETC . OF WALTER SCOTT good as to inform me who will be in waiting on the I Princess about that time . should be happy if it happens to be your time of duty . I visited Bothwell Castle this summer and returned in the most dreadful storm that ever was raised by Charlotte Smyth or f R f . w Mrs . atcli e We narrowly escaped dro ning more I than once . sincerely hope that I may have leisure (which according to the best definitions includes time and money) to visit Wales this next summer ; it is a scheme I have long had at heart and the pleasure of your acquaintance . ‘ I have just abandoned my own hills and glens for this city to which Mr . Wynn (to whom present my compliments) will be so good as to address the com I m u nic atio n which expect with impatience . Believe m e Dear Miss H ughes with sincere respect and regard ‘ Y ours WALTER S COTT . Cas tle Street Edinbu rgh ’ l oth N o vb .

’ Miss ‘ H ughes here is evidently a slip for ‘ H ay ’

. H man . Miss or Mrs ayman was the friend who Sir introduced Mrs . H ughes to Walter Scott in the

1 06 . She Wa s year 8 , as described a little later one of the ladies attached to the establishment of the unhappy

C . The Queen aroline when Princess of Wales letter , though not dated as to the year , must have been 1 808 1 807 . written in , for Marmion was published in The poem to which Scott purposes to give honour able distinction is the ballad of the ‘ Spirit ’ s blasted ’ ’ the Tree , in the fifth canto of Marmion , and doleful ditty ’ the ballad Sung by Fitz -Eustace in the third

20 T OF SIR T LE TERS ETC . WALTER SCO T

I half starved creature , that always carried in my muff a parcel of bones in a newspaper for him , and as I H visited Mrs . ayman generally twice a week , the dog was by my gifts kept alive ; his gratitude was extreme ; I always found him watching for me , and his expression of delight on seeing me is not to be described ; but my H friend Mrs . ayman , whose only fault was a dislike to dogs , always quizzed me unmercifully, and told every body to whom she introduced me , of my folly and r a g e sgnes s as she called it . On the morning when I went to meet Sir Walter S cott he had arrived and was sitting with her, and — “ & immediately on my entrance , she cried out Well & have you been pampering your nasty , mangy cur — and when I answered in the a ffirm ative she turned to ’ ir I S . S Walter and said don t know , Mr cott, whether you will thank me for the introduction , unless she wins you over by her singing ; but I must tell you that this simpleton lives in the Cloisters of Westminster and comes here twice or thrice a week , bringing with her a parcel of dirty bones , with which she fills her ff - nice new mu , for a nasty half starved cur and feeds H e the creature with them . made no reply for a minute or two , but leaned back in his chair gazing S hard at me under his haggy brows , but with the most — n benevolent smile then thrusting out his ha d , he caught hold of mine with a gr ip which I can only ’ “ You compare to a blacksmith s vice, exclaiming and I mu s t & be friends which , during his remaining life, b e verified . ‘ In 1 824 A the year , when on a visit to bbotsford H we were walking through the untly Burn , he turned “ short round upon me and said , Do you know what made me take such a fancy to you ? ” to which ques MR 8 — To S . 1 08 1824 LETTERS HUGHES, 2 1

I I tion could only reply that had not an idea , but that , whatever it was , it was a most fortunate circum “ H e — stance . paused and said Why the d og and the ' mu -I fi , who had forgotten the circumstance , “ thought he was demented and then he said , the dog in Berkeley Square ; (which recalled it to my mind) “ from that moment I was sure that we were in per fec t sympathy for I Should have done just the same ” myself . ff T . H hat his request , pro ered through Mrs ayman , was well received by the Princess is shown by Lockhart 1 44 (p . )

‘ As 22 d F 1 807 I early as the ebruary , find Mrs H i ayman acknowledg ng , in the name of the Princess C I of Wales , the receipt of a opy of the ntroduction to C III hi O r H er R anto , in w ch ccu s the tribute to oyal H ’ ighness s heroic father , mortally wounded the year — a before at Jena tribute so grateful to her feelings , that She herself Shortly after sent the poet an elegant ’ silver vase as a memorial of her thankfulness . H In . the next letter, the first to Mrs ughes , of date 1 5 1 807 December , , he again makes reference to the ’ ballad which he purposes to introduce into Marmion . ’ The ‘ quizzing article is a pamphlet called H ints to ’ 1

C o l e ston e . Y R . oung eviewers , by Dr p

M RS S I MY DEAR . HUGHE was very much diverted with the quizzing article which you were so kind as to send me and particularly delighted as it was a mark I of my retaining a place in your memory . had the pleasure of shewin g the critique to our great Judge

Pr v s t f riel f w hi h C ll e e the then oun H u hes father o o o O , o c o g y g g ,

o f To m and Geor e H u hes wa s a m em er . D r. Co lestone wa s his g g , b p — tutor . ED . OF SIR 22 LETTERS ETC . WALTER SCOTT

Jeffrey who considering the strength sharpness

of his claws is the tamest lion you ever saw in your life . H e was extremely delighted with the imitations of his

style and proposes to write to the author, without of

course being supposed to know his name, inviting him to contribute to the Edinburgh Review as he seems so l well to understand the ru es of criticism . I heard from Miss H ayman some time ago with

an elegant Welsh tale , a contribution to Marmion , for so is called the new ditty about which you express such The flattering curiosity . said doughty knight (for a knight is he and of merry England) is to sally forth in anu ar — J y the printing is going on rapidly , but my time is so much occupied with the discharge Of my official duties that I have hardly time to keep up with its n exertio s . I My mo tions in spring are uncertain . am al w ays L easily dragged up to ondon , but the expense of the journey is an O bject to a poor bard with four small children but as this is only a prudential I am greatly I afraid it will as usual give way to inclination . need n ot add the charms of Amen Corner [where Canon H ughes then resided] will be a great additional temp tati n T 3 rd C o . here is in the anto of Marmion a certain doleful ditty adapted to a curious Gaelic air literally picked up from the Highlanders who have the same attachment to reaping in Scotland that the Irish have to making hay with you ; always descend to the low country (low comparatively speaking) in great bands to I i get down the harvest . w ll endeavour to get a noted copy of this same air which I think has some interest in itself and to which I am certain you could give a I great deal . t has much the character of the beautiful Welsh airs to which you give SO much interest but is

OF IR 24 LETTERS ETC . S WALTER SCOTT

f I informed , extremely di ficult to reduce it to notes . H fear it would puzzle any one except Mrs . ughes her

A GAELIC AIR

La mm tevo le .

self to write the words and music— they do sing how and I I ever, hope, though fear after more trouble than — To MRS . E 1808 1824 2 LETTERS HUGH S , 5

either words or tune are worth , you will at length be T able to find out how . his ditty should have been sent I in search of you long ago , but really thought I must have waited till the H ighlanders came down to get I in the harvest , which they do as the rish with you come over to the H ay making . Should you like the air I will endeavour to find you more Gaelic music for they have a tune and a song for almost everything that they set about . Marmion is much flattered by your appro t n H e b a io . has been very successful with the public , 5000 C Th opies being already disposed of . e critics (I mean the professional critics) have not I understand La I been so favourable as to the y, but with this laid my account for many causes . ‘ It would give me great pleasure could I hope to see Miss H ayman and you this summer but the chance which there was of this taking pl ace seems daily more I uncertain . believe now that my autumn will be E F I spent in ttrick orest . wish you could come there and make our hills vocal with your melody . Mrs . S S I cott would be delighted to see you , and so hould to H receive Dr . ughes at my farm . Make my kindest compliments to him and believe me Dear Madam Your obliged humble servant ‘ LTER S VVA COTT . Edin 1 st June

‘ I hear with regret that Miss H ayman has been ff ’ much a ected by the loss of a relation .

The 4 1 809 next is of date May , , or nearly a year Th later . e Glee that he speaks of here is In Peace L T ’ R ’ A S . ove unes the hepherd s eed , which Mr ttwood

set to music . OF SIR 2 6 LETTERS ETC . WALTER SCOTT

M Ten M Y DEAR RS . HUGHE S thousand thanks A ’ for Mr . twood s Glee and the kind expressions which I make your attention more valuable . do now perfectly remember that either one or two copies reached me ’ Lon m an s through Mr . g house , but as they reached us at our farm we had no means of ascertaining their I h merit which understand stands igh among all judges . They were borrowed of me by a musical friend and never return ed . Will you be so good as to make my A best Compliments to Mr . twood and at once thank him for the personal attention of sending me the copies and for thinking the poetry at all worthy of his beau tiful music . Believe me my dear Madam that the first time I return to London it will give me the greatest pleasure to avail myself of you r permission to visit Amen Corner and tire your goodness with my demands on I your musical powers . am with great respect and regard Your very faithful humble servant

Bury Street WALTER S COTT . 4th May After that there is a desert of silence for more than — a decade a silence that surely must mean the loss of the letters , not the cessation of the correspondence 1 81 3 with a solitary little oasis of a letter in , begging ’

H . Mrs . ughes to convey the writer s thanks to Mr Attwood for the music to some other glee of his ( Sir ’ F Walter s) writing . rom the tone of this letter it is evident that it was no picking up , after many years , of the dropped threads of intercourse , but was a part , the only part preserved , of a continued correspondence ; 1 821 and the same observation applies to the letter of , MR 1 80 —1 To S . 8 824 2 LETTERS HUGHES, 7 which is the beginning of such part of the corre n n e po de c as is preserved for us with any continuity . This is the letter of 1 81 3

M Y M RS S I DEAR . HUGHE am extremely sorry to hear you have been so very unwell , that your indisposition should have interfered with your delightful I musical talents is a general loss to your friends . assure you I feel the very idea of it severely though it may be a very long time if indeed I ever again have A the pleasure of hearing them exercised . number of little personal concerns which made an occasional journey to London necessary have been last year I arranged, and do not foresee any circumstance (unless my brother in law return from India) which is likely L to bring me far south of the Tweed . ondon for itself I do not like very much and the distance bustle discomfort of lodgings prevents me from seeing very much of the few friends whose society is its r S I g eatest charm . O that fear it will be long before I v You can profit by your kind in itation . will be interested to learn that the author of the note on ] Littlec ote H L S all is ord Webb eymour , brother of the Duke of Somerset ; it is certainly an admirable de H scription of the old mansion . Mr . awes is at the most perfect liberty to print any part of Rokeby which he chuses to set to music . My publishers have had large offers from musical composers to make a monopoly of these things by granting the privilege of publication C I to one omposer only , but have always set my face against such proposals as an unhandsome thing from Of the professors of one fine art to those of another . ’ . H aw es s I I Mr qualifications am no judge, but am — he n n ild D arrell in Ro keb ED . T ote o W , y OF IR W 2 8 LETTERS ETC . S ALTER SCOTT sure your voice and taste will make his music appear to an ad vantage which neither the notes or the words co uld have by themselves .

Mrs . Scott begs me to offer her best compliments ; we should be truly happy could we flatter ourselves with a prospect of meeting by your taking a N orthern In trip . the summer our country is pleasant I need S not say how happy we hould be to see you .

Believe me my dear Mrs . H ughes Your most respectful mu ch obliged humble servant

‘ Edinb 25 January WALTER SCOTT . ‘ 1 81 3 3 1 821 An d after this there is a blank till . In the desert interval relieved by this solitary oasis , the writer had grown out of a lion strong and vigorous n indeed , but still you g and of more promise than performance (though of the latter there had been more

than a little and of remarkable quality) , into so big a lion that he had only to get up and roar himself out as the au thor of the Waverley N ovels to become at once T the biggest lion in all the world . here were not

wanting , as is well known , those who suspected him of

this authorship long before the roar was given , and i among them , as is very ev dent from the first preserved

of the connected series of these letters , was his old H o friend Mrs . ughes . But before we g on to have a look at the series I will jot down a few brief notes O f Sir S the literary chronology of Walter cott , in order to d h give an idea of the growth of the lion uring t ese years . The La 1 805 1 808 There was y in , Marmion in , L 1 8 10 The The Lady of the ake in , Vision of R 1 81 1 R 1 81 2 The Don oderick in , okeby in , ’ Trierm ain 181 3 1 814 Bridal of in , Waverley in , To R 1808—1 24 2 M S . 8 9 LETTERS HUGHES ,

The L I 1 81 5 The A ord of the sles in , ntiquary in 1 81 6 Rob Ro 1 8 1 7 The H , y in , eart of Midlothian ’ 1 81 8 The L The L in , Bride of ammermoor, egend of I 1 819 The Montrose and vanhoe in , Monastery The A 1 820 The and bbot in , Kenilworth and Pirate in 1 821 which brings us pretty well up to the date of the beginning of the regular series of the letters to Mrs . H ughes that have been preserved . These dates are the dates of publication of the various works . Besides these there were of course an immense number of more or less interesting publica I tions that have not mentioned , notably the delightful ’ T L c ontrib u ales of my andlord , in three series , and tions to the Edinburgh Review and other magazines . Am ong the most noteworthy incidents of his life , other than literary publication , that occurred in this interval was his removal from Ashestiel to Abbotsford in 1 812 ; the o fler of the poet - laureateship (which he declined) by the Prince Regent in 1 81 3 his acceptance of a baronetcy in 1 81 8 and his election to the presidency of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1 820 . Such may be taken as the title -headings of a few of the more important chapters in his life from 1 807 to 1 82 H 1 . e had not yet revealed his authorship of the unrivalled novels to more than a select one or two , who kept the secret with a faithfulness that is not a little N remarkable . evertheless , the identity of the Great Unknown was very shr ewdly suspected in many

. b . H quarters Mrs ughes , indeed , took the li erty , on which perhaps only a very intimate friend , and one of the other sex , could venture without impertinence , of asking him in so many words whether he had in truth ’ a hand in the authorship of the Waverley N ovels . ’ In 1 821 A had already appeared Mr . dolphus s R 30 LETTERS ETC . OF SI WALTER SCOTT

L R H etters to ichard eber , being criticisms on the earlier novels of the Waverley series , with a very ir shrewd indictment of S Walter Scott as their author . Sir Walter, while slyly commending the ingenuity and ‘ The criticisms of the writer, in the introduction to Fortunes of N igel (published the following year) still ‘ preserves his incognito and wishes the wit , genius , and delicacy of the author engaged on a subject of ’ : I S more importance , and adds hall continue to be silent on a subject which , in my opinion , is very undeserving the noise that has been made about it , and still more unworthy of the serious employment of such real ingenuity as has been displayed by the young ’ - letter writer . Certainly the most interesting point in the follow ’ — ing letter is Sir Walter s distinct disavowal denial — even is not too strong a word for it oi the charge or suggestion that he had written the Waverley ’

N . ovels Whenever put to the question , he unblush in gly denied that he had anything whatever to do with the novels . There are many who express surprise that he should h act as he did . T e ethics of the case are between a man and his own conscience . More than one man has : I I said to me Well , suppose that if wanted to keep a secret I should do as Sir Walter Scott did ; b u t I should not have expected him , having the transparently u simple and perfectly veracio s character that he had , ’ to do it . H e probably said to himself It is absurd if a man Th I may not keep his own secret . e only way can keep this secret is to deny that I wrote the novels . T ’ herefore I am going to deny it . T his is a position that another great literary man ,

2 OF SIR 3 LETTERS ETC . WALTER SCOTT

dexterity of the good folks of Cumnor and its vicinity getting all their traditionary lore into such order as to I meet the taste O f the public . could have wished the author had chosen a more heroical death for his fair It S I victim . is some time ince received and acknow ’ I a m ledged your young student s very spirited verses . trul y glad that Oxford breeds such nightingales and I that you have an interest in them . sent my letter to my friend Longman and as it did not reach you can I only repeat my kindest and best thanks . would be most happy to know your son and hope you will con triv e ff to a ord me that pleasure . H With best compliments to Dr . ughes and sincere regret that I have so O ften found Amen Corner u n tenanted I am with sincerity H Dear Mrs . ughes Your much obliged humble servant ‘ VVALTER S CO TTR

’ It r is , of cou se , the novel of Kenilworth to which he refers in this letter . H o w far he was sincere in his wish that the author had chosen a more heroical ’ death for his fair victim it is not very easy to say . The Am R death of y obsart , falling through the trap t door left unfastened by the villains Fos er and Varney , as she rushes out Of the chamber in response to ’ L ’ Varney s imitation of eicester s summons , is dramatic ’ It enough , if not precisely heroical . is a more pathetic ending to the pathetic life , more touching and more terrible , than if the heroine had met her death struggling like an Amazon with her captors . Possibly ’ Sir Walter s critical speech is meant merely by way of maintaining his character as a member of the general public reading the work of the unknown author . MR — To S . E 1808 182 4 LETTERS HUGH S ,

As for his note about the good people of Cumnor getting their legendary lore into order to fit the book , ’ H u he s s this is in reference to Mrs . g telling him in her previous letter that the landlord of the Re d Lion in C The umnor had put up a new sign Black Bear, late ’ Giles Gosling . I ‘ ’ In Chapter & II . of Kenilworth the Wayland i Smith legend IS most explicitly referred to . S r Walter H in his letter to Mrs . ughes implies that the latter had spoken of a general clearing and polishing up of their old traditions by the people of Cumnor and its neigh b ourho o d , with a little dovetailing to fit the story of ‘ ’ We Kenilworth , as know that they had polished up S the Wayland mith monument . When ‘ Kenilworth ’ was ‘ on the stocks it had been the author ’ s intention to send it out under the C m H ’ name of u nor all , and it was only under per C suasion of onstable , the publisher, that he adopted the title under which it won its favour .

‘ M Y DEAR M RS . HUGHE S I heartily congratulate you on the rising reputation of your son , which has h The spread from Oxford to t is side of the Tweed . book you so kindly design for me will reach me safely F F Es if sent under cover to rancis reeling q , Post I Of f . fice , who will forward it under an o ficial frank have been busied all this season in finishing a sort Of a romance of a house here , built in imitation of an old S a I I cottish m nor house, and think have attained not unsuccessful ly the scrambling stile of these venerable i I H ed fices . beg my best respects to Dr . ughes , and am with a great sense of your kindness in thinking of me Dear Madam very much your obliged serv an t o t f rd 4 v Abb s o 1 th N o r.

W S . 1 822 . ALTER COTT D OF IR 34 LETTERS ETC . S WALTER SCOTT

My address becomes next week Edinburgh alas &

M R M H UGHES— A Y DEA RS . midst much less agreeable employment I have the great pleasure of perusing my young friend ’ s very entertaining account of his tour . It is not onl y written with talent but with the taste and feeling of an elegant scholar and the ideas and sentiments of a gentleman and greatly in creases the personal wish I feel to take him by the A hand especiall y in my own country . bbotsford is now a good deal more than doubled in point of [accommodation] and will I trust by next summer be ready for the occupation of all of you when you are disposed to venture to the land of cakes and you shall “ ” have an international treaty fo r song about in

Welch and Scotch . Your son should certainly visit our land of heath w and mountain , ith so fine an eye and talent for describing natural beauty . We cannot certainly com pare to Swit z erland yet I have heard people of taste say that the Scots scenery from being brought nearer to the eye was in some places fully as imposing though not in fact on the same enormous scale . But all this Mr .

H ughes must explain to me when he comes to see me .

In the meantime with kindest compliments to Dr . H ughes and the said tourist I am ever my dear Madam Your truly obliged humble servant ‘ VA ER S T V LT CO T . ‘ Edinh 1 1 D ec

In both these letters he speaks of the well - doing H at the university of Mr . John ughes , son of his — To MRS . 1808 1824 LETTERS HUGHES , 3 5

The correspondent . book referred to in the first letter ‘ I R ’ is the tinerary of Provence and the hone , honour ‘ ’ ably mentioned in the preface to Quentin Durward . H is A reference to his work in laying out bbotsford , as ’ finishing a sort of a romance of a house , well describes f it in a phrase . O course he was continually making In improvements and additions . his next letter he refers to Abbotsford in like manner as ‘ this whimsical I ’ place which have christened Conundrum Castle .

‘ M M I Y DEAR RS . HUGHE S have this moment your letter promising me the very great pleasur e of H S seeing Dr . ughes and you in cotland , and write in haste to say that I hope you will come to Abbotsford for a day or tw o at least before l oth May when I have to go to town to attend our courts officially for two R tow n Edin b months . emember in Scotland means . If you come the East road you should not go by Alnwick but by Wooler Cornhill and Kelso— the last town is about fifteen miles from me— the country beautiful . I sincerely hope you will make your visit I a little more early than you propose , for should like to show you the lions of our own country myself . H ad you come the west road by Carlisle you pass Selkirk which is only fo ur miles from Abbots ford . Should it be impossible for you to come in the beginning of May I would recommend that you post pone your journey till towards the middle of June . Yo u will then have the best weather for the H ighlands for which May is rather too early there being no leaves E on the oak . We would then do the honours of din bur gh and supposing you to return by Carlisle about 1 2 July we should form your first stage from Edinb as

D 2 F 3 6 LETTERS ETC . O SIR WALTER SCOTT

A we go to bbotsford for four months at that time . Yo u really must see this whimsical place which I have C christened onundrum Castle . I will sincerely be glad to see the young Oxonian when his leisure permits , but young folks travel lighter I than words . shall have hopes of showing you my eldest hope Six feet two inches high and bearded like the pard . ‘ At worst you will be sure Of us in Edinb after the l 1 th May but I hope in that case you will stay till we T go back to weedside in July . With best respects to H I Dr . ughes am always Yours with most sincere regard respect ‘ VVALTER S COTT . Abbo tsfo rd Melro se 1 3 April

1 82 3 . L ’ ady Scott joins in kind compliments .

The s proposed vi it , however , had to be deferred in ’ H u he . s s consequence of Dr g ill health , as the follow In ing letter shows . this letter he denies in the most h H e emphatic way that e wrote the novels . suggests an alternative line of travel to the east coast route t which he had advised in the previous le ter .

‘ I D EAR M RS . HUGHE S received with much con ’ H u hes s cern your melancholy account of Dr . g health which threatens to deprive Scotland of our promised pleasure in a visit from you ‘ I really assure you I am no t the author of the novels which the world ascribe to me so pertinaciously . If I I were , what good reason should have for con alin hack ne d b I c e g , being such a y scri bler as am

‘ Permit me to hope that your visit may proceed . — TO MRS . 1808 1824 37 LETTERS HUGHES ,

If L S I it does not , ady cott and will regret both the Yo u disappointment and the cause . are now in a r w delightful country , Wa wick and Kenil orth within reach and the north road free before you . But what is all this when indisposition makes us alike weary of I . H motion and of rest am always Dear Mrs . ughes H with best regards to Dr . ughes mos t truly you rs

‘ Edl nb i g 1 6 May WALTER S COTT . iggé

1 2 ’ We are stationary here till July .

r s H es A a o te b M u h . Le N y . g ddressed to me at m in ton g , where we were staying for the benefit of your grandfather ’ s health which was in a state too precarious to allow of our putting our design of visiting Scotland ’ in execution that year .

Sir By the next letter in the series by Walter , with its dissertation on the literary lion , it would seem that all hope had been given up that the H ughe ses would be able to make the Scotch tour that year .

‘ Abbotsford 2 6 July ‘ 1 823 .

’ R M R Y MY DEA S . HUGHE S our son s most obliging o present of two N s . of the Provence views have reached ’ Freelin s I me yesterday under Mr . g care and need not say are extremely acceptable . Make my best thanks acceptable to the ingenious young artist whose dex terity at illustratin g the agreeable n arrative which he has given us shows his skill as a draughtsman equals I his powers of composition . trust he will one day take a look of our Highland hills . ‘ We were much di sappointed in the interruption OF SIR 3 8 LETTERS ETC . WALTER SCOTT experienced by you in your proposed N orthern visit ’ H u he s s but in the state of Mr . g health you would not have reaped the expected pleasure and it is a sort of comfort that the weather has been infamous too ha d almost for Scotland— rain without ceasing and no possibility of seeing with any pleasure out of door Sights in a country where there is so little within doors . I was much entertained with your account of the L The Lions of eamington . learned Doctor Parr is I s certainly one of the first order . aw him to my astonishment in the streets of Edinburgh at a time when they are deserted by all but tradesfolks and tourists but when some accidental business obliged me I to come to town . heard a prodigious talking and looking out saw the Doctor much like a turtle erect on his hinder claws in full canonicals and surrounded by a sort of halo of satellites male and female to whom he was laying down the law as if the whole town was his town . After all it is very difficult to be a lion in good society if you happen to be at the same time a beast of The moderate bearing and of common sense . part played by the Lion in the Spectator who fought on the stage with N icolini is much easier . If you do not make some play you are set down either for a Sulky or a paltry animal— and if you do there is generally some in For thing absurd it . my part who am sometimes I called upon to be a lion , always form myself on the model of that noble animal who was so u nnecessarily n disturbed by the k ight of the woeful countenance . H e rose up turned himself round in his caravan shewed himself front and rear, then licked his mustachios with a yard of tongue , yawned most formidably and then

OF I 40 LETTERS ETC . S R WALTER SCOTT

which has lowered the credit of this prophet even in ’ his own country .

From the next letter it is evident that an improve ’ H u hes s ment in Dr . g health took place in the course of the winter of 1 823 —4 so that in the following S spring the journey to cotland was again mooted .

Abbo tsfo rd April l st 1 24 8 .

M M S G I Y DEAR R . HU HES write in haste to say I I have received your very acceptable letter . rejoice in ’ ’ H ren Dr . ughes recovered health and in the e w d

prospect of your northern journey . I would almost have advised the delay for a month or six weeks for our Scotch Springs are very chilly matters though our summers are like our neighbours ’ and our autumns u excellent . But we must be thankf l to take you when O ur duty and health permit . motions are regulated by my offi cial attendance at the court which carry me 1 2 1 2 I S to Edinburgh from May to July . hall be here 1 2 till May therefore , and beg you to come as soon as I d you can . would have been elighted to see the

young tourist and hope for that pleasure another day . Lady Scott joins in compliments to the Doctor and I H always am Dear Mrs . ughes Most truly yours ‘ V ALTER S T V COT .

All the world knows Abbotsford is fou r miles from S the capital city of elkirk , lying on the north west road C to arlisle . We hope you will make your visit a week ’ at the very least .

In the next he briefly notes for them some points of interest in the northern part of their route . — To MRS . 1 808 1 824 LETTERS HUGHES, 41

‘ I M Y DEAR M RS . HUGHE S write in haste merely to say that from Greta bridge you Should go over Stanmore to Brough which brings you into the great N orth western road by Appleby Penrith and Carlisle L L H and from thence by ongtown , angholm , awick Selkir k which last place is within four miles of the N o t house I am writing in . being sure at what rate ’ O f H h you venture to travel on account Dr . u g e s s health I cannot chalk out your route fur ther than to say that neither Brough Carlisle nor Langholm are very good sleeping places but may all be borne with in case The of necessity . horses are plenty but the stages H In between Penrith and awick are long and heavy . hopes of seeing you about the fifth I am very truly Your most respectful obliged ‘ V ALTER S V COTT . Abbo tsfo rd Melro se Sa turday

ril 1 82 4 . Ap , T here are fine old ruins at Bowes , Brough , Penrith , A C ff ppleby , memorials of the grandeur of the li ords . The A castle at ppleby is particularly well worth a visit . If you stay a little at Greta bridge pray see Rokeby If which is close by . you drop a line there apprizing us of your motions we shall know when to expect you ’ 85 the Dr .

The last letter brings us to the commencement of ’ H u hes s Mrs . g diary of their journey to Scotland and A A O first visit to bbotsford . lthough some portion f the journal treats of the travelling by post -chaise to and from the home of the great man , and even embraces a circuit and diversion by the way , it is hardly possible that this account of the country nearly a century ago ff and of a style of travel so di erent from our own , told F IR 42 LETTERS ETC . O S WALTER SCOTT

’ H u hes s as it all is in Mrs . g excellent and vivid manner, C can fail to interest the re ader . ertainly no apology need be made for its inclusion in the present volum e although its connection with Sir Walter Scott and A bbotsford is only indirect . HUGHES’ I I I MRS . S D ARY : T NERARY 43

CHAPTER II

’ M H U GHES S I Y O F THE J Y T RS . D AR OURNE O ABB OT S FORD IN 1 82 4

‘ A il 2 6th L ffin on hi n U t 7 . i or pr . eft g at C pp g N ton by B u rfor d 2 7 : the road pleasant from Burford : at Shipston good old house of Sir John Reade : to the B onc on A left, over a flat , open meadow bbey stand ing in a considerable wood : Stow Tower in the L ’ S arsd on . distance . (Mr angston s) to the right three C N To B a nbu r 1 miles from hipping orton . y 3 : rain great part of this stage , but it cleared when we were about three miles from Banbury , and we had a good A view across the country to Deddington , with ynho on The a hill in the distance . village of Bloxham neat , Old and the church and spire handsome , with a curious door, and grotesque figures above it . T u h o S o t a m 14 . country dull , but fertile To Ru gby 1 1 : the regular stage is D unchurch which we passed through , and by breaking the stage exposed ourselves to the very gross imposition of the R 9 innkeeper at ugby , who made us pay instead of the proper distance to Lu tter w or th 7 : Dunchurch stands pleasantly on a hill commanding an extensive view . l Aldred T R S hi We called on wining at ugby chool , w ch A is a beautiful specimen of modern Gothic . fter

o S el in the D i r Th re is n l r d inin in l S p t a y. e a A u e Tw g the scho o — lists o f the data ED . 44 E OF SIR E LETT RS ETC . WALT R SCOTT

passing Lutterworth about 3 miles extensive planta H tions of Mr . Grimes at Cosby all . Lei e r 4 The To c s te 1 . whole drive from Southam L : to eicester has the same character a habitable , : plentiful country rich pastures full of fine cattle , the

hedges full of fine timber, everything bespeaking peace

and plenty, but there are none of the striking features

which leave an impression on the recollection . Leicester has more the air of a thriving tow n than any I have seen many streets of small houses lately built ,

and building going on in every direction several large , - t handsome , stone fronted houses star ing up amongst their plain red brick neighbours , and shewing that their inhabitants had made fortunes which they chose to expend on the Spot in which they had been acquired . 1 The ballad Speaks of Leicester ‘ famed for maids so ’ I I — fair . was unlucky in the specimens saw the very ugliest woman I ever beheld shewed me the way O fi I to the Post f ce , and met several who gave the lye h T e C Inn . to the ballad . rown good and people civil

The Market Place spacious but irregularly built . ih To Lou hbor ou h 1 1 A L 2 . s 7 . g g we left eicester, large flat meadow to the left : country cheerful and F populous . rom a height three miles distant from 2 Leicester see to the right Syston and Q u eneb urg tower : and spire, and a great extent of country the road one of the best specimens of the M acAdam system : no where might he more properly invite a friend “ to come ” the up into his chariot and see great works he has done , for it is evidently a country where roads must naturally be deep and heavy . Pass through Mount[sorrel]

On rec o ll ec tio n I elie ve the all ad s a s Leinster if s o the Leicester b b y , r m a r d l a die s o u ght to ha ve rem ained un e k e . ’ n h een ueni r h The m ore u sual spelli g s eem s to av e b Q bo oug . ’ R H UGHES S I : I I M S . D ARY T NERARY 45

C (to the left the forest of hartley) , and Quorndon a very pleasant vill age : to appearance this is the last country where a great hunt would be established : small inclosures , high hedges ; a river , and a canal L intersecting it in every direction . oughborough is a mean town with large manufactures of lace and stock ings : we went into the church , which is very handsome on the outside , but vilely deformed within by clumsy galleries , and by the tops of the pillars , from which the

fine Gothic arches spring, being painted with a broad d band of bright blue e ged with gold . t in ha 1 At To N o t g m 5 . Bunney a handsome seat ’ of Lord Ranc liffe s : an old tower which is a part of the A Mansion hangs over it in a threatening manner . t the top of a hill three miles from N ottingham there is a fine view of the town which is Situated on the side of a steep bank , at the foot of which , winding through “ u broad , green meadows , r ns the smug and silver Trent the town seen as you approach it has a most en ma s se imposing appearance , and its lofty castle on a bold promontory of rock at the west end has a grand ff : t e ect but when you enter it , the stree s are narrow and the greater part of the houses mean : there is however a broad , handsome though not a very regularly ui b lt street leading to the castle , with porticoes pro j ec ting from the shops which allow tw o persons to S walk abreast heltered from the weather, and there is a spacious Market Place : the shops are remarkably handsome and the whole town looks wealthy and like the heart of a rich and thriving country : the Infirmary T H and own all are respectable buildings , and there is an excellent public library formed by subscription and receiving ann ually large additions : the broad paved terrace surrounding the castle commands a very OF IR 4 6 LETTERS ETC . S WALTER SCOTT

extensive view , particularly agreeable towards the vil lage of Clifton to the S W . we were told that Belvoir C astle could be seen , but our stupid guide knew nothing beyond the town , and could not point out a ’ S : ingle object the old church of St. Mary s is a very large and a very handsome Gothic edifice : we went to see it and were locked into the churchyard , from which we were liberated by a lady who had a private key and

H . took pity on our forlorn Situation . Dr . did not I pursue the enquiry for the sexton further, deterred believe by a sight of the new aisle lately added , and which presented three round windows with a large d evilr ies stone funeral urn at the top , and sundry in the I C same pur e taste . wish the rebuilder of the astle had not been seized with the same sort of mania : no vestige is left of the old castle which Colonel H utchin son (the only roundhead I co uld ever endure to think ’ of) , so gallantly defended , and with which his wife s delightful narrative had made one so well acquainted ca s tl e the present (if castle it be) is a large , square ,

- milk white house with high sash windows , a good deal ornamented with heavy carvings , and a strutting figure of the founder (one of the Cavendish family I believe) in a niche overlooking his great Babel . To M a nsfi eld 14 through Sherwood forest : the

first few miles ugly , as all newly inclosed countries are : the rest without any wood higher than Robin H ood ’ s knee not even the stump of an oak left under which one could imagine the bold Archer had ranged neither buck nor doe nor any animal bigger than a e S w rabbit to b seen , not one vestige of merry her ood 7 N A at about miles to the left ewstead bbey , which Lord Byron sold to Colonel Wildham the Colonel as W l ell as the Duke of Portland have p anted extensively,

OF SIR A 48 LETTERS ETC . W LTER SCOTT few pieces of wall : we breakfasted in company with two magistrates who were attending the Sessions from

: . S the clothing country one of them , a Mr tocks , an ample man of many words , talked to us of the value of long wool and asserted that it will not grow except in L N Y eicestershire , ottinghamshire and part of orkshire , a ’

I r . fact which do not presume to deny , tho it su prises me n To Yor k by Ta d ca s ter 24 . O leaving Pontefract there is a fine old ruined mansion with square towers at L H each end belonging to ord oward , and adjoining a noble fragment of gateway stands a pert , vile new I house with green doors and white stone front . admired the ferry bridge , the fine, rich , flat meadow to T the right , and at adcaster a handsome house to the left on a high bank overhanging the Wharfe ; it T ’ A . belongs to Mr . Brooksbank . rrived at Mr elford s 1 2 at 5 past . Walked to the noble Minster over the n ew O conv enien ce use bridge , which , as the is nothing I R to me , sorely grieved to find replacing the old ialto looking one so familiar to me from prints : in order to collect the heavy toll (of which the inhabitants complain as it is exacted ev er y time the bridge is crossed) a square brick box has been placed about half way , and S rather on one ide , which would mar the effect of

Waterloo itself . We also went to the fine ruins of ’ A the e St . Mary s bbey , and Manor house inhabit d by 1 s t S James on his first coming from cotland , and after wards by Charles 1 s t : the gate - ways are grotesquely : S R and richly carved at each ide of one is J . . and the Scot tish crown : over another the Royal arms and S C R. : . on a third the arms of the unfortunate traf ford , the putting up of which was one of the articles I it “ in his impeachment . thought foul scorn to see “ the Mickle Gate Bar outra ged by Placards of Buy ’ M S H UGHES S I : I I 4 9 R . D ARY T NERARY

’ the R U Sisson s blacking , Prince Blucher and oyal nion S ts b ea s ts coaches , ales of Beas and cattle , and they were who committed such profanation but there S eems to be a great neglect of the a n tiqu ities of York amongst : its present rulers all the Bars , as the gateways are called , are in a state of decay , the city walls in a very ff ruinous state , and what o ended me still more was a project I heard of to remove Clifford ’ s tower in order to build a prison for female convicts at the suggestion of Fr : Mrs . y if this is done the most striking feature of Y ork after the Minster will be destroyed , and with all ’ F I She my respect for Mrs . ry s intentions , shall wish N had confined her exertions to ewgate , or had other fish to f r y than meddling with this noble old remnant of the Olden time . York delighted me after the long w I succession of thriving , trading to ns that had seen I I rejoice that trade flourishes , but hate to see the p roces s I love sugar but I do not want to see it while ’ it is refining with lime and bullocks blood : I dislike e the rows of mean , red brick cottages , with flaming til d roofs , and dunghills in front worthy the pen of Mr C A ’ rabbe , the stone fronted Bank , or the great ttorney s house with its Veranda Balconies : the hundred- eyed : staring manufactory the odious population of bold , R ff dirty children , the lounging a s in ragged cossack tro llo in trousers and Belcher handkerchiefs , and the pp g unkempt wen ches sauntering from the workshops in t pairs , their heads covered with papillo es , and elbowing you into the Kennel : after all this the ancient dignity Y of such a city as ork , and the respectable appearance

of the inhabitants is doubly striking . 29 th . The Went to prayers at the Minster . extra ordinary magnificence o f this glorious structure grows : upon one , the more one gazes at it it seems as if the E OF SIR 5 0 LETTERS ETC . WALTER SCOTT

Giants had built it , and employed the fairies to finish it so ample are the proportions , and so exquisite and minute are the carvings of the ornaments the choir is C I far broader than in any athedral have seen , and the stalls SO ample that Daniel Lambert might have sat in them at his ease : nothin g can be finer than the filla gree work of the screen and of the pinnacles over the : stalls every window too glows with rich painted glass . ’ F C Cliflo rd s rom thence we went to the astle , saw I F ’ tower (which trust will not be moved by Mrs . ry s L A spirit) and proceeded to the Quaker unatic sylum , which is a most gratifying sight : no place can con tain better accommodation ; it stands on a rising hill about half a mile from the city , and has large and pleasant gardens , in which the patients pass a great : in du l portion of their time the system pursued is , g ence as far as it is possible consistent with the safety : of the patients we saw some of the women at work , for everything is done to induce them to employ themselves , and an old man was busy in the garden , and much gratified by our praises of his early lettuce he generally works in a hat trimmed with peacock A feathers . fter dinner we walked to the part of the

Old C . city wall called the Bail , and to the ity Gaol ‘ th T B o ou d At 6 30 . o r hbr i e 1 7 g g . the mile stone we passed over the spot on which the fatal battle of Marston Moor was fought ; it is now inclosed : at a Short distance to the left is the wood in which Crom well was stationed with his reserve , and from which he made the movement which turned the day in favour of To the Parliament army . the right an extensive vale bounded at 20 miles distant by the high range of hills

called Black H ambleton . o i l T R ppon 6 mi es : the prospect very delightful , ’ MR H UGHES S I : I I Y S. D ARY T NERAR 51 particularly at the first view of the fine Minster of R Y ippon in the vale watered by the ore , which is of a good breadth near the town : we passed close to a The R r canal . town of ippon is neat and a ther hand a some, with large , square Market Place . We pro c eede d S straight to tudley two miles further , and walked over the beautiful grounds and to Fountain Abbey : nothing can exceed the elegant neatness Of the walks , and we were much pleased with the style ld h O . T e of the whole, though fashioned and formal statues are so numerous that I was reminded of the groves of Blarney .

Bo ld N e tun e Plu tarch an d Al e an der p , , x a in n a ed in h en air All s t nd g k t e Op .

O u r Medicine H guide pointed out Venus de , and er L cules strangling Anthony . Miss awrence spares no expense to keep up the whole in the best manner last F 2 000l . year she laid out , in the repair of ountain A C : bbey , chiefly on the long range of loisters the old house called Fountain H all is a fine Specimen of the E ’ lizabeth or James age . To M a s ha m 10 n miles cross cou try road , but very N S T an fi eld good , through orth tanley and , where we Ure Y crossed the or ore , and saw a square ruined The tower adjoining the chur ch . vale into which you d escend to Masham is very lovely, and the little town is most agreeably situated on a bank above the Ure :

Swinton H all to the left with a high hill beyond it . To Leybourne 1 2 miles of beautiful country through Wensley Dale the vale much resembles that of Mold : — at 6 miles pass Jerv au lx Priory a very considerable A ruin carefully preserved as it appears . Prior ymer s l w a well lodged and his ot cast in a fruitful ground . E 2 5 2 LETTERS ETC . OF SIR WA LTER SCOTT

East Wilton , a large neat village with a handsome new church cross the river and leave Middleham , with a noble ruined castle above it about a mile and half to T the left . his town forms a beautiful object all the Le b urn e way to y , backed by wild steep hills , and h v in a g the river running at its foot . Pass through S pennithorne , a very pretty village on the hill opposite : Le b u rn e Middleham y lies high and bleak , and from the garden of the inn we saw Pennel , a very high S saddle haped mountain , one of the three highest in Y orkshire and a great landmark . To Richmon d 9 3 Astri at miles enter the gg road , and to the right command a view over the great vale Y R of orkshire bounded by Black H ambleton . oad good , hilly , and very ugly at five miles look over high ranges of barren hills , and at a blue distance see some ll The r ou nd R of the Westmoreland fe S . country ich u S mond much disappointed , but the town is handsome and the Situation romantic and beautiful : there is a fine open square of good houses : there are few things

finer than the massy ruins of the castle , the broad S walk which surrounds it , and the wale running wildly at the foot of the abrupt precipice on which the old towers stand . M a 1 s y t. Walked again round the castle and over the bridge : the walks on each side the river l o ok ' m ost temptingly : green paths winding thro ugh woods close to the romantic stream which in colour and wildness of course reminded us of Llangollen . ’ To Gr eta B ridge thr o Gilling 1 2 miles there is a H nearer, but a more hilly road by Kirby ill and R L . Ask avensworth Passed the seat of ord Dundas , which is well situated , but a heavy , ugly house , and a th the grounds kept in a very Slovenly m anner . S w e ’ HUGHES S I : I I R MRS . D ARY T NERA Y ruins of Ravensworth castle to the left country newly ur inclosed and bare Of trees . O usual good fortune a little deserted us at our fir st entrance to Rokeby : the bright rainbows which had embelli shed our view for Six the last miles as usual brought rain , and we were caught in a very heavy shower : it cleared however su flicie ntly to allow us to take the beau tiful walk by the Side of Greta under the precipitous rocks on which R the mansion of okeby stands , and to view the river

dashing over large rocky fragments , and forming cas S cades till it rushes under a high , ingle arched bridge to meet the Tees : we went into a b anqu e ttin g house

overhanging this scene , then to the junctions of the M o rtham rivers , to the tower of and the tomb , and were lucky enough to get to the house where the

carriage took us up , before another hard shower fell . We went round by Barnard Castle to B r o ugh 21 miles crossed a magnificent bridge which unites Durham Y m E l e ston e and ork , fro which we had a fine view of g A : i C bbey looked at the ru ns of Barnard astle , and R with our heads full of the poem of okeby , entered S upon tainmore , the finest of all dampers to enthusiasm

passed through Bowes , a very poor straggling village with an old ruined castle : nothing endurable at Stain more but the beautiful black - faced and black -legged : w lambs at five miles from Brough the vie expands , K S and becomes rather interesting . irby tephen to the ne I left and very high hills beyond . O took for Pennel : from its shape , yet it could hardly be the Ken cross stone is thrown down by the roadside and will probably M c Adam ise d ere long be , for it is wholly neglected to

appearance . Brough another poor place with a larger

castle than Bowes . ’ ‘ To Appleby 8 : tho there is better cultivation the F 54 LETTERS ETC . O SIR WALTER SCOTT

soil looks poor, and as if only half recovered from the

- . S S moor , though inclosed addle back and the hap fell At A to the West . ppleby we walked up to the Castle which is a handsome residence : the old square tower only used for lumber : it was market day and the town

full the only street leading to the castle is broad , but

the houses are poor , and some very wretched thatched The E A cottages . den very beautiful at ppleby , and

Often in sight for the first five or six miles to Penrith . t To Penri h 14 miles . Saddleback with a bit of S : kiddaw peeping over it , in sight all the way to the right very high hills towards Alston and the Maiden way : Cross fell had patches of snow near the top .

Duster fell , and Pike fell were pointed out to us by a A young man whom we met at ppleby castle , and we T had them on our right for the first 9 or 1 0 miles . he village of Temple Sowerby neat and pretty with a ’ n e cluster of small gentlemen s houses to the left . O of the new projected lines to Scotland through the fells and across Liddesdale will run in the direction of A At lston . three miles from Penrith , a fine view of L t C ow her astle (on which the sun shone brightly) , the O U hills above Pooley bridge , the gorge pening to lles H S water, elvellyn , addleback , and Brougham castle H close to the road on the left , and Brougham all some little distance : the grounds about it seem poorly Culti vated : cross the Eden which at Lowther bridge is : broad and handsome Penrith is a good town , with a fragment of an old castle : the situation beautiful from the views of the Cumberland mountains . To a rlis le 18 C very dull miles , the road straight and in no part interesting as you look for w a r d s : on the retu rn v to Penrith, the fells must gi e a great interest I I to the view . amused myself as looked to the right

T ET F IR 56 LE TERS C . O S WALTER SCOTT

no t is pleasant when wheat is green , and hawthorn ” buds appear, when you are cheered by bright sun S B shine, and fanned by the soft air of pring urn w ark N Criffell to the orth West and to the west , both fine O bjects : a view of the Solway Frith just before we L entered ongtown , which consists of one wide street of decent houses : a new road to Gretna green turns o ff 4 C L about miles from arlisle , avoiding ongtown . To La n ho lm 1 2 : g miles , beautiful every step about 2 miles and half N etherby H all to the right : an old brick to w er on the edge of the river just at the spot where young Lochinvar might be supposed to land with his fair prize the beautiful Eske is near the whole of C a nn ob ie this drive we crossed it at , where there is a pert new church on the high bank overlooking Ca n nobie Lee and a broad green meadow nearly encircled “ by the river , and admirably adapted for racing and ” chasing . After about a mile we crossed the stream again over a fine bridge of one arch , from which the view up and down is singularly wild and beautiful the old ruined square tower of Giln o ck ie to the right on a E green flat meadow , round which the ske winds and is lost for a quarter of a mile in a woody dell : the banks are richly fringed with forest trees interspersed with fir t and larch , the sombre colour of the one con rasting beautifully with the vivid green of the other . We passed a house situated so like N efan that I could have fancied myself there , and indeed the whole character of the Eske during this drive strongly resembles that of the D w y Vaur and the D w y Bach as they run through Gw nfr n N a y y and efan Woods , and as the former p pears about and below Llanystyn dw y bridge . Cross the river once more at a handsome bridge about a mile and half from Langholm . ’ HUGHES I Y : I I MRS . S D AR T NERARY 57

To H a w ic k 2 3 We miles , which went with the same L C . Of horses angholm astle , a seat the Duke of Buc ’ cleugh s , a handsome modern house of grey stone , E stands about a mile from the town , the ske dividing near it , and backed by a high green hill which closes r 1 l the prospect behind it . F o the first 0 miles a sma l the E branch of ske still attended us , and the road wound through beautiful soft green hills , sometimes very high , all of a conical shape and presenting to the eye the most perfect pic tur e of true pastoral scenery Of E e dal A part it is called w s e . mile and half before w e ul Inn came to Moss Pa , the road contracts into a deep and narrow defile leaving just room for itself and

the channel of a mountain rivulet . From Moss Paul The the country is ugly for about six miles . infant stream of the Teviot rises about 2 miles from M OSS Paul and gradually widening becomes considerable H under the walls of Branksome all , the old tower of

which joins to a respectable modern house , and stands

most pleasantly on a high bank above the road , and near enough to the stream to have enabled the Lady of Branksome to hear the dialogue of the Spirits of the At water and the fell , which rises opposite to it . a handsome bridge we crossed the Teviot for the 2 n d time under a high bank on which stands the old square o ldilan ds : H ruin of G the approach to awick handsome , the town neat and appears to be in great measur e new o n S built . We saw aturday for the first time near Carlisle decently dressed women walking barefoot ; to

day we met several respectable looking females , and S one woman in a purple ilk spencer , and a straw

bonnet with a profusion of ribbon , walking in the dusty road with neither shoe nor stocking : the plaid of a small brown and white check is universally worn : the 5 8 LETTERS ETC . OF SIR WALTER SCOTT

men throw it round them very gracefully , and it is a far more picturesque and I should think an equally good defence from weather than the heavy frieze coat of our The H shepherds . inn at awick is built on the site of the ancient castle : some of the rooms are a part of the old building that in which we slept had walls 8 or 9

feet thick . R 5 3 r d . ose at and walked about the town in

which there is nothing to remark , but that it is clean the and airy , a church on a rise above main street , a

town house with a little steeple , and two or three small bridges over a busy stream which comes from Liddes d the T As ff ale to join eviot . the present o ered little I interest contented myself with the past , and was amused in fa ncying the path over which William of

Deloraine dashed in his night journey to Melrose . To Jedbu r h 1 0 g to breakfast , the first six miles by the side of the Teviot and uninteresting at that distance turned o ff n ear Minto to the right from the Kelso road over a very high heath and passed close to the Dunyon : the descent to Jedburgh is very steep the first obj ect that strikes you in approaching the I town is a large handsome Gaol , so conclude they do not act as formerly on Je db ur gh law which hung people first and tried them after : the Abbey is a large ruin with one very beautiful round window frame ; it is ” not bo r der cla s sic worth coming ten miles to see , but it is 1 round : C B g Minto rags , the ilden hills rising behind & A c . them , the Dunyon we saw a pillar above ncrum , which the Marquis of Lothian was erecting in memory of Waterloo , but he has not lived to finish it at ’ Je db urgh I first saw over a Butcher s shop Flesher ’ ’ M onni lie and was reminded of Richard p s father .

’ Commonly Eildon . ’ HUGHES S I Y : AT FO 59 MRS . D AR ABBOTS RD

CHAPTER III

’ H GHES S I Y I ON HER I V I I MRS . U D AR WH LE F RST S T TO ABBOT S FORD

To Abbo tsfor d (thr ou gh M elrose) 1 6 . We passed An Sm a lho m e over crum Moor now inclosed, and left y tower and D ryb urgh Abbey to the right . Walked round Melrose Abbey : there are things which beggar common all description , and in the number Melrose may be included : I wish that the same Master hand which gave so faithful a picture of these matchless ru ins would A I describe his own creation at bbotsford , for know no one else who could do it justice : the plantations are o ld very extensive , and the house so admirably. (in appearance) , so finely finished in every part according to the Gothic style , so appropriately furnished , there are so many towers , and turrets , and pinnacles , and bartizans and all that one ever read of in ancient story , that it is hardly possible to conceive oneself in a modern residence the fitting up is copied from the ornaments A : of Melrose bbey ceilings , passages , all encrusted u with roses , leaves , fruit , groupes of fig res , imitated in plaister , and painted like oak with such exactness that it is impossible to detect it from the finest oak carving without scraping it an Operation in which Sir Walter S found a sceptical wiss Baron engaged one morning , when he came down earlier than his guest expected there is a fine hall with painted glass windows fitted up OF SIR 60 LETTERS ETC . WALTER SCOTT as an Armoury : all the coats of arms of the border families are round it on separate shields , the mottoes as Sir Walter explained them appearing to have a refer ence to their former pursuits there was an inscription “ in Latin Signifying these are the brave men who defended the border ” over one door are the horns of “ t the Mountain bull , which must have been a mos formidable animal over the other the enormous branch ing head of a Red Deer : two compleat suits of armour

fill niches on each side of one door, that on the left hand having been at Bosworth Field : the walls are c o mplea tly covered with every description of ancient weapon : a small armoury between the drawing and dining room is now compleating to contain the overflow of treasure which Sir Walter possesses : he showed us ’ ’ Rob R Cl av erhou se s oy s gun , pistol , and the Marquis ’ of Montrose s sword : round the great Court which is in front of the house runs a high wall in which are placed many pieces of sculpture , some of them relics of Edinburgh cross : the gateway which leads from T another court down to the weed , above which the T house stands , is the doorway of the ancient olbooth “ E SO H t of dinburgh , celebrated in the ear of Mid L Sir t othian when Walter ob ained a gift of it , on its H S being taken down to widen the igh treet , he had a every stone numbered , that it might be exactly repl ced there are marks of fire on many of the stones : the house is entirely lighted by gas and the effect is very brilliant : Sir Walter has just compleated a noble library entirely fitted up with cedar shelves for the books those however who go to Abbotsford will think little of the house —for all their faculties will be absorbed in attending to its Master : to hear him converse is like swallowing large draughts of champagne without being H UGHES’ S I AT BB F MRS . D ARY : A OTS ORD 61

x : into icated the brilliancy of his fancy , the perfect his good breeding , cordiality , and extreme simplicity of manners , his boundless store of anecdotes , grave and i gay , lud crous and pathetic , and his graceful manner of telling those anecdotes , would make any person delight ful , but when one considers him as the author to whom for so many years we have been in debted for such a store of information and interest , it really seems too s r l It much pleasure to be enjoyed obe y . is quite im

i ff poss ble to describe the e ect of his conversation . and a ll I can do is to minute down some of the anecdotes

an d which in this disjointed state lose half their value , are as di fferent as diamonds thr own loosely together in ’ R n . S a drawer of Mr u dell s dingy hop , are to the same stones brilliantly set and worn by a beautiful woman at ’ t : S . James s however they will serve as Memoranda to H myself and Dr . . and will enable us to live over again r H e hou s which passed so pleasantly . described to us the H ighland m anners at a public dinner : the shriek n with which they cheer, the snarl , and snort whe angry , f In S Sm a l ~ with the happiest comic ef ect . peaking of y home , close to which his father lived , he mentioned the story of a woman who came to Sandy Knowe as a pauper pretending to be deaf and dumb : She was ff She su ered to remain a day , during which excited so much compassion that She was fairly established in the She family , where made herself useful by taking care of the poultry and general assistance in the several house hold departments she remained there seven years , during which no one of the family had the slightest reason to suppose that she had the use of her tongue or her ears : at the end of that time she was left at home one Sun day in care of the dinner while the rest of the : S household went to church the hepherd boy, thinking 62 OF IR LETTERS ETC . S WALTER SCOTT it a good opportunity to pilfer some trifle from the pantry to which he had a mind , came in from the fold and was caught by her in the fact in her surprise she Oh & The exclaimed , you little villain boy terrified out of his senses ran to the church and distur bed the w congregation ith an account of the miracle after this , S Mr . cott and his family tried every means to make her S : 6 peak , but in vain after months , as if tired of the persecution , and finding herself detected , she suddenly ’ disappeared and never returned , tho she was afterwards E seen at dinburgh in the full use of her faculties . Who but could think of Fenella ? H e spoke a good ’ deal of the King s visit to Edinbur gh : of the trouble ’ i which Mr . Mash s impertinent conceit gave him : S r Walter was much referred to with regard to the cere monies with which the King was to be received : Mr . u M . interfered continually , till , nable to bear remarks which were constantly prefaced by examples of what I i S r . I was done on the royal visit to reland , W said I — I beg Mr . Mash to hear no more of reland reland is a Lordship : when his Majesty comes amongst us he e S comes to his anci nt kingdom of cotland , and must be received according to her ancient usages : if you persist E in bringing in nglish customs , we turn about one and — all and leave yo u z you take the responsibility upon — The . r yourself after this Mr . M . was quiet Ma quis of Lothian had a little boy about three years old who had a trick of calling everybody old fat goose it was resolved when the King came to N ewbattle that this child should be carefully kep t out of the way : but the King very graciously asking the nu mber of the family and desiring he might see them all , made it i necessary to bring him with the rest S r W . who did not know the child ’ s propensity was surprised to see

T IR W 64 LET ERS ETC . OF S ALTER SCOTT

h and a melody and depth of tone, which makes it t e most impressive thing I ever heard . Abbotsford is the paradise of dogs — they abound in it and have free quarters in every room : a venerable old H ighland Deer Greyhound of the breed of Ban and Buscar who in his prime of days could seize and m overco e the powerful red stag , three terriers of Dandy ’ “ Dinmont s breed , avowed Mustards and Peppers , with a black long haired pet of Lady Scott ’ s are con i S r . stant inmates , and W is seldom seen without a four footed follower : the manner in which he describes the habits of dogs is one of the many clues which lead to identify him as the author of the Scotch novels : b e diverted us with a scene which often takes place in the at Y kirk arrow , where the dogs always contrive if b possi le to follow their shepherd masters , and are sure to unite their voices in full chorus when the psalm : l begins also the suppressed grow s , the bustling , the

fiery glances with which they eye each other , and meditate the quarrels which are sure to b e fully i discussed in the K rkyard as soon as service is over . Sir Walter acquired his knowledge of the transactions l the 4 5 S Inverha l e of from tewart of y , an old Jacobite Chieftain who followed the fortunes of the ban ished family in every attempt made to restore them af ter the C battle of ulloden , he was concealed by his family in Bradw ardin e the manner of the Baron of , and met with similar proofs of attachment from his dependants he was , after undergoing many dangers and hardships , “ ” i pardoned : this man said S r W . was the delight — he I of my childhood was often at our house, and

o m e ac c o unt o f this entl e m a n Stew art o f Inverha l e o r Inve rna S g , y ’ h le is ive n in Loc hart s Li e a e 45 . H e is the ori ina l o f y , g k f , p g g

- n -Per in Red au n tle t Pate i il g . ’ MRS HUGHES S I : AT 65 . D ARY ABBOTSFORD was never out of his sight and never weary of the w anecdotes hich he was pleased to tell one who , young : as he was , had such real pleasure in listening to him he had fought with Rob Roy in his early youth and — merely as a trial of skill Rob who was then very old C S was not able to ope with tewart , who was a very powerful man and particularly adroit in the use of the broad sword : he had been in the battle of Sherriff I he Muir, and asked him how he felt before went into — ’ L action his answer was troth addie , when the o ff bonnets were taken to say a prayer, the guns fired w C and thro n away , the laymores drawn and the pipes blawing I’ d hae gien ony man a thousand merks who would have insur ed that I should na rin S peaking of the habits of drinking, which are much less prevalent now than they were formerly , he told us of a party of West country Lairds who met and drank together without stirring for three days and three nights : one of them at last looked across the “ table and said Mackinnon looks gash : (ghastly) another who was famed as a Pococurante , gravely “ — replied Gash & likely eneuch he has been dead All An d these five hours . started up in dismay what for did na ye tell it before ? An d what for disturb gude company for a bit body like him 4 th . Walked after breakfast all through the plantations with Sir Walter : his woodman and Jack of all trades Tom Purdie attending us part of the way m he is a re arkably shrewd , acute fellow who has been ’ Sir s many years in W . service and who as he says gene rally contrives to be his master : now and then I run restive and insist upon my own way : then comes the — tug of war To m retreats and re - appears in about two ‘ I’ m ’ or three hours , with , thinking whether ye re no F OF SIR 66 LETTERS ETC . WALTER SCOTT right in this matter and I’ m no sure I’ ll not take your ’ To m way . Purdie made the speech given to A F airservic e ndrew , during a continuance of rainy If weather in harvest time . there is one fair day in S seven , unday is sure to come and lick it up this H Sir Walter told us after tea yesterday , and Dr . . was so struck that he exclaimed involuntarily “ Oh that is — in Ro b Ro y & it was curious to see the arch smile ’ i s which lurked at the corner of S r W . eye and the beam from under his overhanging brow as he care lessly answered Oh &I daresay it has been often said w t C in a wet season . We alked to the spo where arr of Gessford was buried after the action recorded in The Lay of the Last Minstrel : it overlooks the spot “ ” called The Skirmish field : a large stone marks ’ the place and it is inclosed in Sir Walter s plantation T and commands a lovely view of the weed , the S opening to Gala hiels , Melrose and the beautiful

Eilden H ills . 1 H Murray (of Broughton) , the ancestor of Mrs . . S 45 Siddons , was a great partizan of the tuarts in the and trusted with their dearest secrets : when taken to London and examined by the Privy council his courage failed , he confessed all , and by so doing deeply 2 implicated his hitherto friend Sir John Douglas : a messenger was dispatched to convey Sir John to town that he might be confronted with Murray : this news greatly alarmed many of the Welch and Cheshire Jacobites who were pledged to assist the Pretender ’ s cause : a lady of the Wynnstay family was sent to Preston to meet Sir John and if possible find out how

’ He w a s the Princ e e r tar Hi a er h v latel n s s c e y . s p p s a e y bee li hed b h i h i ri l i pub s y t e Sc ott s H sto c a Soc ety . 2 ’ Of Kelhead . Vide for he whole stor Loc hart s Li e . 53 no te. , t y, k f , p , HUGHES’S IAR : AT 67 MRS . D Y ABBOTSFORD far he might be trusted : as soon as he saw her he requested permission to pass a few min utes with his sis ter this was granted on condition that the messen “ ger might be present : after a few words he said My t dear sis er , desire our friends to be perfectly easy on — my accoun t I am positive they have nothing to fear for me— I am perfectly innocent of the charges imputed to me and have no doubt that I shall make it appear : re - so this , with a pressure of the hand , so far assured r the lady , that from her conviction of his fi mness they ’ all remained quiet , tho many had intended to quit E ngland without delay, had there been any apparent want of firmness on the part of Sir John : when he was brought before the Privy counsel he denied all knowledge of what he was accused of , and on their producing Murray to confront him he positively declared he did not know the man M urray of — I Broughton is a noble , gallant gentleman always held — — him for such I knew him well o f tha t man I know ” In un nothing . short by his bold denials and his shaken firmness he succeeded in getting safely back to

Scotland . ’ ’ L Sir We called at Mr . aidlaw s , Walter s steward ’ H unfor he was ogg s first master, and has been tu n ate in farming, but fortunate in obtaining so kind and generous an employer who treats him as an equal and of whose goodness he spoke to me with tears in his eyes : he is the author of the admirable account of a snow storm , and the destruction it caused ’ S 1 794 amongst the heep in , published in Blackwood s : Magazine , to which he is a frequent contributor he is r a very superior man in mind and manners , a natu al : n gentleman his brother, a very intelligent looki g L : . person , was on a visit to him this Mr aidlaw with

F 2 8 OF SIR 6 LETTERS ETC . WALTER SCOTT

an elder brother has a large sheep farm in the High “ ” : M c Cra es lands he is settled near the wild , who have been committing great outrages in consequence of a quarrel with their London bred Laird : when he t came to the esta e , he renewed the leases of sundry R & & . c M c ra c . C e farms to Donald , oderic , Dougal , and duly entered the agreements in a calf - skin ledger cattle sold ill and the rents were not ready at quarter d L ay the aird took the unheard of step of distraining, and next day his cattle were killed and his barns burnt : in this splor e the Laidlaws who were also his tenants suffered ; a barn of theirs with its contents was burnt they are both powerful men above six feet high : they collected their six Shepherds and went ’ down to the M c Crae s village where the elder brother “ desired a conference with the heads . We come to know why you thus injure us if we have offended say : in what , and take your choice of three things either S ff refer it to the herri , or to the arbitration of a friend , a or if ye like the old fashion come out one, y two , of the & o u strongest of y , and fight it fairly out with me . T M c Crae s his made all easy , the were delighted , apologies were made and declarations of good will L given , and the aidlaws have been unmolested ever since : amongst the most outrageous of the riot ers was a scapegrace lad named Duncan ; when the business was made u p with the landlord and securities given for n future good behaviour , nobody cared to be bou d in a 10 L penalty of £ for Duncan : Mr . aidlaw stept for ff wards and o ered bail . Duncan said nothing but L ’ . In squeezed Mr aidlaw s hand hard and went away . a few weeks a heavy snow came on : the H ighlanders leave their sheep to die the Lowlanders often die for

‘ them : the Laidl aw s and their shepherds drove their ’ MR HU HES S I Y : AT F 69 S . G D AR ABBOTS ORD

flocks thir ty miles through fir woods and over hills and : saved them all in the midst , at the head , the most active of all , was seen the Duncan creature . ‘ We drove to Melrose and saw every part of the A “ S bbey , sat on a stone where a cottish monarch Sir t slept below with Walter , and felt convinced hat it was better to visit it w ith him by a ny light than by “ the pale moonlight ” with any b ody else drove round ’ L Eilden by Mrs . ockhart s cottage at the foot of the , and back throu gh Darnick and the Skirmish field ; at Darnick we saw one of the little border keep towers where the villagers sheltered when the raids were goin g on : saw a glen and cleft in the green hill s exactly answering the description of the road to Glen dinning : Sir W . pointed it out as the haunt of a bogle nothing can be clearer than that the Monastery describes Melrose and its vicinity : there are the remains of an old bridge corresponding with the scite It of that kept by the surly bridge ward . was pleasant — to see how everybody greeted Sir Walter every hat off , every eye beaming that looked at the benevolent face which his little blue Scotch bonnet left wholly An unshaded . impudent wench of fourteen must have had some dependance on his good nature , for she n actually , while we were stoppi g in Melrose , scrambled up at the back of the Sociable and fixed herself behind ; instead of rating her as most people woul d nl l “ have done , he o y said ca mly Get down my girl , ” get down : he made us laugh by an account of an overturn he witnessed of four old maiden ladies their little Messan dog go t upon the window which was uppermost and barked and bit so furiously at all who t came to their aid , that he a tracted the vengeance of a huge old Colley this great dog attacked the favourite 70 OF IR LETTERS ETC . S WALTER SCOTT our and they both fell into the coach amongst the party : when we came back he Showed us an Adder stone which was in the time of the Druids a powerful T engine of superstition , and a oad stone which belonged to his mother , and which he recollects she used to lend to her neighbours before childbirth in order as they b elieved to ensure a safe delivery : this was the ancient superstition of the Scotch relative to the Toad stone, but not the belief of the lender, whose picture t shows a coun enance of great sense and intelligence , and who was from her son ’ s account a very superior woman . We saw also a ring containing a small portion of the hair of Charles l st taken from the head when the f O Sir H co fin was pened at Windsor, and sent by enry H alford . Ro b Ro y turned Catholic because the Drummonds f had helped him out of many a di ficulty , and he did not know how he could Show his gratitude so well : when C he was spoken to on the points of the atholic faith , E U and xtreme nction was mentioned , he shook his ’ i ” Q O l . head , ich tis a sair wastrie o gude Dandie Dinmont was a real character— his name Jemmy Davison ; he lived in Liddesdale and strange to say was at first much offended at being universally recognised as the original of that delightful character he had a numerous collection of dogs besides “ the tribes of Mustards and Peppers : he never entered in his tax paper more than two : one day the little fat gauger whose Short legs hardly reached the saddle S kirts of the poney he was mounted on , rode up to the farm : out flew all the generations of Mustards and Peppers and attacked the heels of the poney— the d gauger held fast by the mane , and in the mi st of all was seen Dandy with a horse whip which he brandished

OF IR V E O T 72 LETTERS ETC . S ALT R SC T

— gradually assumed the appe aro c e of a naked boy I saw him step over the bar of he grate an d advance in z e towards the bed , increasing at every step till he I appeared like a youth of sixteen r seventeen . was not accustomed to fear anything—I said to myself— ‘ I ’ : I u m e a will not fear him j p out of bed , f ced him

and marched him back : he ru rea te d diminishin g as re he went till he reached the , into which he stept ” '

1 11 . ir over the bar and I saw 1 no more S W . had e n iv in ventured to ask if he be g freely as to wine ,

t th . but Lord C . assured him o contrary After tea he gave m e the l e tail of his sad illness five years ago : it was cram& n the stomach and so acute as to produce te mpmry delirium : he was

the : n conscious of it , and of p he gave his daughter hi s b e : by wild language , and g d them to leave him one morning he found his lu drawn into knots and holes which plainly shewed e had suffered violent t w hic l cramp in hem , but of the intense pain in his stomach had made him w ho & unconscious : he was

o o f a t s ho t relieved by the applicati n alt , so that his

S t l ‘ t ‘ n hirt and under waistcoa C e like tinder . ‘ The Duke of Gordon a m istress he had

s o r ] long lived with , very h t ; after the death of the bonny Dutchess ; she also die last winter : she never

e d I d took any state , or wish be acknowle ged , but continued to live in the s m l house she had before occupied in the village of H u tley : the old fish Wife came the day after the m ar i nge and tried to make a “ Ah & e e u c hard bargain , y r g Grace winna think of standing o u t w i a pure auld Sh w ife but gie her hit price for a w heen flu k e s and prtan s N one of yere

’

fle ec hin e. In n g , gude wife , Grac no Grace , but c e let e me hae the fish at the anl i l p e . U L “ U L Tu r n C A LIC O W UJU JJ . the m an h portion , ner w ich the great fat Priest 18 blessing the mea t wlnh he expe c ts wil l gree t his if e the upl t eyes wh n he trn e them to table , the

’ Vida Borde r M ins rel s Fea s t o f S urs b Re v . . t “ 3 75 p , y J OF IR W T T 72 LETTERS ETC . S AL ER SCOT

gradually assumed the appearance of a naked boy— I saw him step over the bar of the grate and advance S towards the bed , increasing in ize at every step till he I appeared like a youth of Sixteen or seventeen . was not accustomed to fear anything— I said to myself— ‘ I ’ : I will not fear him jumped out of bed , faced him and marched him back : he retreated dim inishin g as

he went till he reached the fire , into which he stept ” ir over the bar and I saw him no more . S W .

ventured to ask if he had been living freely as to wine, but Lord C . assured him to the contrary . After tea he gave me the detail of his sad illness fi ve years ago : it was cramp in the stomach and so acute as to produce temporary delirium : he was conscious of it , and of the pain he gave his daughter : by his wild language , and begged them to leave him one morning he found his legs drawn into knots and holes which plainly shewed he had suffered violent cramp in them , but of which the intense pain in his stomach had made him wholly unconscious : he was relieved by the application of hot salt , so hot that his shirt and under waistcoat became like tinder . ‘ The Duke of Gordon married a m istress he had long lived with , very shortly after the death of the bonny Dutchess ; She also died last winter she never d b u t took any state , or wished to be acknowle ged , continued to live in the small house She had before occupied in the village of H untley : the old fish w ife came the day after the marriage and tried to make a “ Ah & hard bargain , yere gude Grace winna think of i hit standing out w a pure auld fish wife , but gie her price for a wheen flu k e s and partans N one of yere ’ fle echin g, gude wife , Grace me no Grace , but e en let me hae the fish at the auld price . ’ H HES S I R : AT BB F 3 MRS . UG D A Y A OTS ORD 7

There is in the dr awing room an original portrait — of Will a noble grave - looking Cavalier with a ruff

of the most formidable dimensions , and in the dining room a very fine likeness of Mary Queen of Scots taken after her execution : it is merely the Severed : head the beauty of the features , the form of the closed

eyelids , the deep dark eyelashes resting on the blood

less cheek , and the fair open forehead are most beautiful : there is also amongst many others a small H C 1 st whole length of enrietta Maria , Queen of harles what I most coveted was three drawings by Kirkpatrick S harpe , which in design and execution are the most On e perfect things I ever saw . tells the story of Muckle - mouthed Meg admirably the obstinacy of the Elib ank r old , the sh ewd interposition of the cunning

- mother, the awkward , half pleased grin with which W L H Meg surveys the insome young aird of arden , who with one eye directed to the mouth which divides

her face in half, and the other on the gallows , to which the priest points while he evidently exhorts him to

comply , seems utterly unable to decide which is the ff The least evil of the pro ered alternative . other 1 describes a Border lady producing a pair of Spur s as

the only dish at table , in order to hint to her husband and sons the necessity of riding for a supply to the larder : the arch loo k of the Lady as she takes o ff the

cover, the disappointed gaze of the assembled party , the dismay of a little girl who seated on a high stool is brandishing her k nife and fork in expectation of her portion , the manner in which the great fat Priest is blessing the meat which he expects will greet his uplift eyes when he turns them to the table , the

’ ~ Vide r M f r b Rev . . Bo der instrels iv . 3 75 Feast o S u s y , p , y J Marr iott. 4 OF I 7 LETTERS ETC . S R WALTER SCOTT grievous disappointment which you are sure he will ff su er , the beauty and grace of the elder sons and daughters , the grave dignified deportment of the “ L S aird , who at the ight seems to be calling to Boot S and addle , all this is delineated in so masterly a manner , and executed with such perfect finish , that I would rather possess these drawings than the finest H I ogarth ever saw . Th T 1 e . clergyman of Melrose , Mr homson , is one of the most absent men living : he had just been to i Glasgow and amused S r W . much when he saw him in the churchyard at Melrose , by confessing that when L he saw Mrs . ockhart (a person he had known for ’ L years) at her father in law s Dr . ockhart , he totally forgot who she was and addressed her as the Doctor ’ s own daughter : the Dr . set him right by saying Mr .

T . you forget that this is only the daughter of my choi T ce : Mr . hompson went to a funeral in the hills ’ and borrowed General G ow die s Poney : he told every body who asked him where he was going that it was to ’ General Gow die s funeral : he rode to a house where he had attended a burial the week before and on enquiring if he was in time to attend the corpse was greeted with , H ech & Sirs & it has been in the grave these aught days he then trotted Off to the right house and learnt that the body had been interred two hours . ‘ M a y 4 th. Walked round the plantations to the w ill west on the bank of the river which are now , (and m os t Sir : be ) beautiful , with Walter we were out from six till half past 9 he told me much of his family b efel history , of a strange mortality which it some eight years ago , when , without epidemic disease, he lost in

H e w a s fa ther of the Rev . Geor e Thom son l ater at A otsford g , bb nd h ri in f ni m n a t e o g a l o D o mi c Sa p so . ’ H HES S IA : AT MRS. UG D RY ABBOTSFORD 7 5

one week his mother , uncle and six other near rela H is tions . Grandfather , a younger branch of the H his arden family, was left penniless in consequence of father being o ut in the 4 5 : he went to the Laird of H arden for adv ice and assistance who offered him the S Sm a lho m e farm of andy Knowe , on which y tower is S b ein ituated as a g, but told him he had so many demands on his purse that he was unable to assist him with money to stock it : Robert Scott departed full of heavy thought and as he was slowly proceeding was ’ “ ’ S H : I m overtaken by his father s old hepherd , a ogg R ’ S hearing Maister obbie, that ye ll be taking andy ’ ’ ’ n l enishin K owe tis a bonnie bit , but ye ll want the p I £3 5 ’ ’ hae a gat in yere gude father s service, and ye ’ sall hae the loan on t to put something on the farm , ’ and we ll awa to Wo o ller tryste to -morrow and buy a ” a ff flock . Master and m n set O next morn ing and while the old shepherd was anxiously examining every R bught and cheapening the contents , obbie was look ing at a noble young hunter : the old man in a few minutes saw him mounted in his Shirt sleeves and ’ trying the horse s paces , and in conclusion they left the fair with all their worldly goods resting on four legs : 1 ir n S . how the jour ey back passed , W knows not his grandfather Spent much time in teaching this noble animal all that horse could learn : the first day that ’ H o u t arden s hounds were turned he headed the field , exhibited in his horse the most perfect specimen of a S well broken hunter, and sold him on the pot for treble S the sum he had given , became a steady careful cotch

1 Lo c kh art w inds up this p art of the a nec do te by quo ting Sir Wa lter ’ m r a s s aying : Mo s es s b argain of gr een sp ecta c les did no t strik e o e ’ ’ dism a y into the Vicar o f Wak efi eld s family than my grandfa ther s ’ ra shness into the p oor old shepherd . OF IR 7 6 LETTERS ETC . S WALTER SCOTT

S farmer at andy Knowe , and accumulated a moderate fortune in a manner which reflected the highest honour

on his character as a gentleman , a title he never lost sight of he married a woman of some fortune and at all times kept his place in society w hen family meet ings took place he wore a handsome coat and well mounted sword and mixed with the gayest and best at

home he never disdained the habits of a Scotch farmer . On looking up a glen which opens to the west from the Tweed which lay sparklin g at our feet in all the

glories of a bright sunshiny Spring morning Sir W . told me the following legend which is firmly believed by the T o country people . w old men who lived in the neigh b o urho o d were in strict habits O f intimacy : one of Grin a le them , named pp , had been at the battle of Philiphau gh and loved to boast of his feats there the other whether from suspecting exaggeration or from r the love of mischief was su e to remark , as if to hint H ’ that his friend ran away , ech Gudeman but ye re ’ mighty souple , and this always brought on fierce ld Phili hau h resentment on the part of the O p g soldier . Grin a le Old pp died at a good age , and his friend attended the funeral : on his return as he was quietly pacing through the glen he heard someone behind — — him he turned it was Grin a ppl e : he mustered all “ In his courage to address the ghost , the name of God whar were you an hour ago ? the spirit in reply named a spot 200 miles o ff the old bone of contention “ ’ irresistibly occu rred : H ech & Gudeman but ye re mighty souple ”— no sooner was this uttered than he was kickt by the indignant ghost across the river and ere he could recover his legs conveyed back again in the same manner and was thus made a football till Tw o he heartily repented his joke . stories of presence

OF IR 7 8 LETTERS ETC . S WALTER SCOTT in the deepest he touched my arm and said Swim we — ’ Y w e . merrily called at Mr Pringle s of are , a lovely spot on the banks of the Tweed ; he was an old friend ’ hes s A h iel H u . s est of Dr . g brother is a wild and romantic sit uation on a high bank above the Tweed the house small and looking to the green hills which separate the Tweed from the Ettrick and Yarrow : there Sir Walter wrote Marm ion and he seemed to enjoy the recollection of past times with a Shade of melancholy which heightened the interest of the de s c ription s he gave us of the life he led there all at once he changed to a gayer mood and described the diffic u l ties they were sometimes involved in when visitors came from Edinburgh and the carrier disappointed them of their hamper of provisions : once when Lord and Lady Melville were their guests this mishap b efel : r : they killed a sheep , and sent round to their neighbou s everyone contributed a leg of mutton till with their own they had nine in the larder and no other sort of meat : then he described the day of their removal to — Abbotsford everything went wrong the horses re fused to go into the stables , the cows and the sheep ran out of the pasture as soon as they were put in the hens — fle w out of the chicken yard the kitchen fire would n o not burn , the oven would not bake , the jack would t

- go , the pump would give no water , the men swore , the maids wept and Lady Scott scolded : everybody came to my study into which I had taken refuge with com — plaints of each other at last not being able to endure I it any longer came forth , broke into a tremendous I I passion , am not sure that did not swear an oath or two , and in half an hour everything and everybody ” r T were in thei right places . We crossed the weed w Ashestiel just belo at a very deep ford , and returned ’ MRS HUGHES S I : AT BB F 9 . D ARY A OTS ORD 7

by the old tower high in a fine wood , and the modern square house of Torwoodlee : the family burial place is in the midst of a large H eronry : we saw the owner ’ Sir H another Mr . Pringle whom W . hailed with ow s ’ w i T a ye orwoodlee as he had before addressed Mr . Pringle of Yare with the title of “ Whitebank from the name of his oldest possession : this is the custom in order to distinguish the gentlemen of the same name The Tor who abound in this country . old tower of woodlee was pillaged in the 4 5 and all the family records of great value burnt by Colonel Drummond on O f a hill near it the heir fled , taking with him a letter 4th James addressed to his ancestor , calling him the G udeman of Torwoodlee and annou ncing his purpose d of hunting in his woods and ining with him . Passed B u cklivie where the last authenticated Ghost ’ 20 See . 0 abode . [ the notes of the Border Minstrelsy , i , where the laying this ghost by the Minister is related ] All the way Sir Walter illustrated the Spots he shewed n us by legends in verse and prose , and a ecdotes of the most amusing kind . Just as we had crossed the stream below Ashe stiel he mentioned a remarkable illusion of sight which b efel him at the bottom of the glen : he had sent a very careful servant with a horse and cart early one morning to Melrose expecting his retur n soon after breakfast : as the day wore away and the man did ir not appear S W . grew uneasy and began to fear some accident had befallen him : with this impression he walked out at the gloaming , and looking down the glen thought he saw distinctly the cart coming slowly along with a stranger leading the horse : he hastened for wards and in an instant saw no more of the Objects which appeared so perfectly in his view the man arrived late in the evening and accounted satisfactorily 8 F SIR 0 LETTERS ETC . O WALTER SCOTT

Sir for his absence , but W. remarked that had any thing befallen him there would have been an established case of second sight from the very odd deception of his senses . ‘ The original of Edie Ochiltree may be traced in Andrew Gamel an old beggar who was well known S R A all over elkirk , oxburgh and yrshire , and whose ir character as described by S W . was precisely similar he had free access to the houses of all ranks , stayed a night or more wherever he pleased and spoke his min d freely to everyone gentle and simple he has frequently L been seen at Gala , playing Brag with the aird at the L A open window , the aird within and ndrew without , : the window sill forming the card table after Mr . Pringle had built his new house at Torwoodlee and for A d saken the old tower , he met with n rew , and asked “ ’ ’ him how he liked the new place : It s a vara weel Torwoodlee but I’ d no hae thought to see yere father ’ s son sell twa bonnie farms to build a Gowk ’ s nest on the side of a hill : in his latter days he complained that the trade of begging was £50 a year less to him than it n 1 00 had bee , and declared that if he had a sons he it would not breed them to , for he had himself at one time serious thoughts that it was na the trade of a gentleman : he could always give change for a guinea . ’ A s Sir Walter thinks highly of Miss usten s novel , as r e l the very best as to perfect delineation of a life . Speaking of the great eagerness which the poor of Scotland have to secure a decent burial dress and of the preparation they always made of one if in their power , he related a scene which , when he was young , passed in his presence : his Aunt Miss Rutherford (of whom he always speaks with the greatest affection) had an old dependant named Tibb Hogg to whom she was S’ MRS . HUGHE S DIARY : AT ABBOTSFORD 81 remarkably kind one day when he was waiting in the T R. parlour, Miss sent for ibb , and producing a large roll of fine old linen they both began to shape and con triv e T it much to their mutual satisfaction , ibb curtsey ing every five minutes , and only expressing a fear that it was o ’ er gude for the like of her this was her shroud which Miss R . assisted her to put together and the whole transaction appeared perfectly natural to the giver as it was acceptable to the receiver . Came back by Gala Water and through the little thr iving town of S A - n Gala hields , crossing the bbots ford on our retur . Sir W . got out in the town on an errand of mercy to a i poor widow left destitute with six ch ldren , who seem by his activity and interest to be in a fair way of being provided for . ‘ L Sir ady Johnstone, widow of James J w as a Sir very witty and a very strange person when J . died she was a very sincere mourner, for they had lived most happily together more than thirty years : she took to She her bed in which sat weeping bitterly , rocking herself backwards and forwards and repeatin g N ever was sorrow li ke my sorrow a young relation present who was a widow with Six little children slenderly pro v ide d for , quietly consoled her by suggesting that others ha d suffered as much upon which she replied still see w “ Oh & & sa ing and crying , no never was sorrow like — ’ mine ye indeed & - ye re young and bonny and may On get another Gudeman , but wha will hae me her deathbed this hum our did not forsake her : it was a dreadful night of storm : a fierce north wester drove the rain in sheets against the window and Shook the house : the friends who were watching the parting spirit often walked shuddering to the window and spoke to each other of the tempest : all of a sudden Lady J . put back G OF SIR 82 LETTERS ETC . WALTER SCOTT

H S her curtain , and faintly said ech irs and is na this ’ an awful night for me to be b leez ing awa thro the lift ? The only verses David H ume was ever known to have written were on a Windowpane in the Bush inn at 1 ir . Carlisle where S W . saw them many years ago

H ere chic s in e s f r rea fa st s raw l k gg o b k p , ’ H ere go dl e s s b oy s Go d s glo ry s qu al l ’ H er e Scots m en s hea d s a dorn the w al l ,

’

Co rb s a l s atone for all . But. y w k

Methinks he did well to confine himself to prose .

The late Duke of Roxburgh had a Mr . Cole residing with him who acted as a sort of gentleman usher when he had company to shew the place one day when Sir F 2 W . was at leurs there were two Miss Paisleys (daughters to the Admiral) to whom the place was to be : exhibited they set out in a coach , and when they arrived at the famous thorn in the Park Mr . Cole H L S began , ere adies is the pot on which the battle Th & &c . e c . ladies instead of listening were

n . C . tittering and laughi g with each other . Mr stopped “ Sh T C ort and said urn about , oachman , these ladies care nothing for history no more than I do myself . ‘ A E fancy ball was given at dinburgh last winter, and Miss Scott was desired to come in character : Sir — ‘ A W . was asked how she would be dressed i s a ” F Scottish gentlewoman . rom his well known skill in antiquity great were the expectations formed of her : head tire , her wimple and curling pins to the great disappointment of the company she appeared in her

1 The a ne is reserved a t Cor Ca stle w ith the lines still le i l p p by , g b e . ir Wa lter in a letter to Morritt u o ted b Lo h S c art . 3 3 s u , , q y k , p 9 , ggests a ’ ’ c omic Advertisem ent to The Poetic a l Wor s of D avid H um — e . k ED . 2 ’ — w s e t F o rs . N o p l l o ED . ’ 0 H GHES S I : AT 8 3 MRS . U D ARY ABBOTSFORD

best gown only I have not the least Objection to my daughter disguising herself at a Christmas meeting in and my own house , playing the fool in a party of friends , but I hold it un like a real gentlewoman that she Should make an antic of herself in public my daughter will I

hope never wish to look otherwise than what she is , a ’ m plain gentleman s child . Miss Scott seems c o pl ea tly imbued with this Spirit : she is quite free from every ff etit b rin sort of pretence or a ectation , with a p ’ i fi n d d espiegler e which one does not out at first . On the night of the Porteus mob an aunt of Sir ’ Walter s was goin g to pay a visit in a Sedan chair on entering the H igh Street two men in leather aprons and their faces blackened as if to disguise them stopt the chair and told her She must go back she insisted

on proceeding , but they in terms of perfect good breed

ing told her it would not be safe , that a dangerous riot

was about to take place , and that they would protect : did her to her home they so , and one of them handed

her out of the chair and bowed so gracefully , that she 1 ir was convinced he was a gentleman . S Walter has a A very great dislike to the mericans , or rather says he has been unfortunate in the specimens he has seen : their intolerable curiosity and coarse manner of putting questions he particularly remarks on an American A came last year to bbotsford without introduction , and being civilly received set no bounds to his impertinent “ inquisitiveness : he asked me my own age and that — of my children : this I readily told him then he en quired how Old Lady Scott was : that (with an arch glance at her) I dared not tell him : then he proceeded To m to the same enquiry relative to Purdie , my horses

1 In h h i dlo thia n he is descri ed t e note to C apter VI. of Hea r t of M b ’ as a Ba ter or a er s b o — D x , b k y E . OF SIR W R 84 LETTERS ETC . ALTE SCOTT my cows and my dogs : I satisfied him as well as I could as to these points but when he asked me the age I of the cocks and hens lost all patience, told him he really went beyond me and that I must refer him to ” the henwife . a ih M y 5 . Walked again to the stone in memory of Kerr of Ce ssfo rd and looked at the large stone with a Runic inscription which is in the adjoining planta tion , and returned in time for a long ramble with ’ i A To m Pu rdie S r W . pointer bitch of s came running Sir to us , and Walter called her by the name of Di ; when She does anything to please To m he calls her The Di Vernon . carpenter followed by his little Ro b Ro terrier, called y , came up for orders , a very “ : Sir I intelligent looking young man W . said would ’ n o t be in the ran ge of that lad s gun at 60 yards for my life ; he is the best marksman I know As good as ” “ — Cuddy ? said I he laughed and replied Yes he gets ’ up in the morning at three o clock to shoot the hooded his crows , but he never neglects business , is an excel lent fellow and an ingenious workman he has another resemblance to Cuddy for he is the only son of a d ff widowed mother, who is however a very i erent person from M au s e : he is very kind and dutiful to her, and all her care is that his passion for shooting may not lead him into dissipation : last year I wen t to B u c c leu h the meet the Duke of g on hills to shoot , and I took this young man with me to hold the dogs , and had two or three more by way of a little tail the poor ’ Old woman begged me for God s sake not to encourage her son to Shoot D u k es for so ducks are pronounced here and She had mistaken our errand : last winter she was seized with a cancerous disorder and he took he r I most dutiful care of , but wished her to have the

F 86 LETTERS ETC . O SIR WALTER SCOTT

ir he wanted to convert into a dress and S W . had some

difficulty in rescuing it from him . We went up to ’ i s : S r W . apartments from his dressing room a wind ing staircase leads to a turret and a bartizan which I boldly told him I was sure was the exact pattern of ’ Rose B r adw ardine s ; he smiled and said I was right

he shewed us the portraits of his father and mother, two grandfathers (one the Robert Scott whose history I R have noted down , the other Dr . utherford) and E ff . : drawings of Je rey , Wilson and Mr rskine two L h S : small whole lengths of Mrs . ock art and Miss cott the former is caressing the favourite deerhound Maida : and an original and very handsome miniature of the Chevalier : it is a very fair and very handsome coun ten an c e with light hair ; at the back he drew out a sliding board on which was an original letter of the ’ A Chevalier s covered with glas s . S we were here he spoke of the simplicity in which he had endeavoured to

educate his children , and the active habits in which he

had trained his sons and quoted from the old ballad ,

An d I ha e l earnt m y gay G o sshaw k Ri ht w eel to reast a steed g b , And I ha e l earnt my turtl e duv

As w eel to write and r ead .

On the stair was a portrait of Claverhouse : he looks like a cavalier who would sigh to a lute all day “ ’ and make ballads to his mistress s eyebrow - very handsome and with a soft and even languishing expres

. In Sir sion the following anecdote , which W . says

is authentic , may be traced the germs of the character SO Old An finely drawn in Mortality . old and particular friend sent his son with a troop to join Clavers when he took arms in support of James 2 n d in a skirmish the young man ran away . Clavers ’ M HUGHES S I : AT B 8 RS. D ARY A BOTSFORD 7

screened him , by saying he had commanded him to the he rear , but sent for and reprimanded him , desiring that his w he would go home , for that he knew by eye he ould d never be a soldier the lad replie , he would never he return to his father, for he knew would not receive him r , and that he was quite su e of himself in the “ C Yo u event of another action . lavers replied , stand — I on a fearful precipice take my timely warning . have

a desperate purpose to accomplish , to restore my King

to his throne , and no minor consideration will stand in : S my way hould you falter again , your life would be of no more value in my sight than that of a fly : be advised in time ” the young man would not listen in

ff . C the next a air he failed again lavers rode up , and Y ’ said , our father s son must not meet his fate from the ” Provost Marshall , and drawing a pistol from his S holster, he hot him through the head . This anecdote led imperceptibly to one of the early life of the Duke of Wellington 1 when he was first employed under Lord Lake in India he conducted him ’ self s o little to his lordship s satisfaction that he spoke Of him to Sir David Baird as a young man for whom

1 A num er of curious error s are em ra ced in this short s tor b b y , whether the cu rit w ere ir Wa t r r Mr l S l e o s . Hu h l ir n p g es . st. Ba d a d La e w ere no t in India a t the sam e tim e or n o t m ore than a m onth o r k , tw o the n e er s er ed h v v to et er 2 nd . he m y g . W n La ke c am e out a s CO m ander -in - Chief in Octo er 1 800 Co lo nel elles le w as alread o ne o f b , W y y h t e leadin so ldiers in India . H e never s erv ed under La e b ut held a g k , — dis tinc t comm and of w hich As sa e n r w r fr i s y a d A gaum e e the u t .

3 rd. Baird and Well esle w ere not n v er d term he f rm er y o y go o s , t o ein ver ea lous an d no t w itho ut ro unds of the w a in which b g y j , g , y Wellesle w as u t fo rw ard b hi r h l n y p y s b o ther . Suc s e der founda tio n a s h ’ t e story has m ay b e fo und in Sir Herbert Ma xw ell s Life of the D u k e o Wellin ton i. 3 3 . Lo rd H arri i f g , s w a s n c om m a nd of the o p era tio n in hi h w c the incident oc curred tha t m ay have been the basis of this anecdote . OF SIR 88 LETTERS ETC . WALTER SCOTT

ir f he feared nothing could be done : S D . dif ered wholly in opinion and said that he only wished Lord L . to u make a further trial of him , and give the yo ng soldier the command of an expedition about to take place on which much depended , and that he was perfectly sure

: L L . he might be relied on ord , with great emotion Sir held out his hand to D . and assured him his interest in young Wellesley was so strong that it was the very

h Sir . thing he wis ed for, but dared not propose D then O ffered to attend the expedition at a small distance n f accompa ied by an orderly , and in case of any di ficulty to take charge of the whole everything fell out ’ according to Sir David s most sanguine expectation and this was the first step in the bright path of glory Of ir S . which has led to the field of Waterloo . D (or rather of his mother) another anecdote was mentioned : a false report was Spread that he with several other officers had been taken by Tippo o Saib and chained in pairs : when his mother was informed of it she only ” said I pity the man that is chained to Davie . Lord Mount Edgecumbe made the following u acrostic on Mrs . Damer it is cut on a stone put p at

Mount Edgecumbe and the letters are gilt .

’ ’ — a vid n e er la d the har li e thee D p y p k , — ’ A n s o n n e er fou n d thy lik e at s ea ; M —a ra ha d n o t a m el o d li e thin e y k , — E dgecu m b e w ho thin k s thee all divin e — rd s h r h in v r lin R e c o t y w o t e e y e .

‘ I could have wished to recollect and write down all a I I th t heard this most extraordinary man say , but find that with all my efforts I have but an imperfect record : much has escaped my memory and it is not possible to impress anyone with a proper idea of the

OF I 9 0 LETTERS ETC . S R WALTER SCOTT

down by the positive internal evidence given by his : conversation the brilliant imagination , the vivid de

scription , the quick perception and happy delineation of

character, the sterling good sense and acuteness of

remark , the magic power over the feelings while he

leads you from grave to gay , convulsing you with

laughter , thrilling you with horror , or melting you to n tears , and above all the sweet spirit of benevole ce ,

c andour , and charity in its fullest sense , which breathes in every word and action of this extraordinary man are all precisely what you would expect from the Author of It L the Scotch novels . is said that awyers are of all men the most likely to conceive an unfavorable im : Sir pression of human nature if it be so , W . is an I exception , for never met with any one so prone to see the actions of his fellow creatures in so kind a view : it seems as if b e judged all hearts by his own : his whole study seems to be to diffuse happiness on all around him : we leave him with the deepest impression of his : s excellence great and variou as his talents are , rich as he is in genius and imagination ; his excellent sound ff comm n judgment in all his a airs , his plain manly o : sense are equally striking he has no eccentricities , and is as punctual in all matters of business as the dullest man alive : we leave him also with true concern and gratitude for his extreme kindness which has led him during the whole of our visit to devote every moment In of his valuable time to us . the blaze of the sun , — who can see the stars and I forget to Speak of any I but the great Magician , yet ought to have mentioned L S the kind reception of ady cott , and the sensible pleasing manners of her daughter : the second son C harles , is a very handsome , and perfectly unspoilt youth : there was also for two days an agreeable young ’ HUGHES S I : MRS . D ARY SCOTCH TOUR 91

’ S D En de S axon nobleman Baron , who loves cotland , is S an enthusiast in landscape scenery , plays the panish

guitar beautifully , and talks of and loves his mother so in The well as to w the favour of all matrons . last day

there was a young artist named Bewick , a nephew of N the celebrated Bewick of ewcastle , who came to copy

the head of Mary Queen of Scots . th D r b u r h A To Kelso 1 8 M a 6 . : , y Visited y g bbey T L walked over the chain bridge across the weed . ord Buchan has several odious enormities there : a temple O to the muses , a gigantic figure of Wallace pposite to Eilden the , and sundry other fooleries in an enclosed Sir nook of the ruin . Walter had bade me look at his A I di d burial place , which is in the bbey , and so with tears in my eyes to think how many aching hearts will one day follow in that path this great and good man to i S r . his long home . When W was at the extremity of his danger Lord Buchan came over to Abbotsford and L made enquiries of Mrs . ockhart in a manner which

distressed her beyond measure and convinced her, he was only eager to increase the interest of D ryb urgh ’ Abbey by its becoming her father s grave : not even Lord Buchan ’ s madness could excuse the grossness of

his conduct on this occasion . Passed Merton (the S H M ak erstone residence of cott of arden) and , both “ good and comfortable houses , but the wild watch ” Sm a l fold , the bare simplicity of the ruined tower of y o f The home, the cradle the poet , pleased me more . tower of Little Deans is in a field seven miles from F R Kelso . leurs (the seat of the Duke of oxburgh) is a S plain , sturdy, handsome residence , beautifully ituated on the opposite side of the Tweed and looking to the ruins of Roxburgh Castle which are on high ground between that river and the Teviot the famous 92 ET LETTERS C . OF SIR WALTER SCOTT thorn is in the ground opposite the house : the junction tw o of the rivers is magnificently fine . We saw the Cheviot range with large patches of snow : the Eilde n was dark in tempest and a noble object : the new bridge at Kelso (an infant Waterloo) is fine , the ruin of the O ld Abbey good at some distance and there is a con sider ab le portion left , but it is coarse and mean in detail after seeing Melrose : we walked to the view command ing the river and the woods of Fleurs which we had from a walk behind the library . To Whitbu r n 1 2 6 after the first miles , very H C barren , ugly , black moor ume astle on a bold M ell erstain elevation to the right . to the left with miserable mopy plantations a back view of Sm aylhom e il en B l k E d . a c and the Whitburn is a Single r uin . 1 S hiels (another single ruin) 5 . Very ugly Open moor and black timbering all the way till about a mile from F it alla was then too dark to judge properly , but the aw Thirle n country seemed to open and improve . S sta e Castle soon after leaving Whitburn and the road to

Lauder which we left in a valley to the left . ’ To Edin u h 1 b r 6 M a 7 th. H g , y Mackay s otel At 4 o ff Princess Street . the Mile Stone we turned to Creichto n C see astle , a noble old ruin , and returned to the road at Pathhead well rewarded for our trouble . As we drove along the cross road we saw a good “ old house with a tower What is the name Creich L I ton H ouse my eddy . applied to my road book for Creic hto n the owner, both castle and house belong H s r H r &I to iggins E q . or ible amused myself with devising what I would do if I were an absolute monarch should I offer him a patent to alter his name — add a — F itz H i ins M a cH i ins syllable to the beginning , gg , gg — N o roses will not perfume dunghills : add one to the

94 LETTERS ETC . or SIR WALTER SCOTT

If I ha d been an absolute monarch and taken at my word like the Scottish King who said “ Sorrow ” 1 gin the Sherra were sodden and supt in broo and I found him boiled in consequence , might have thought the injur ed spirit of H iggins rode on the clouds and directed the envious fog which intercepted my view as I approached Aul d Reekie at three miles from the city I recognized Craig Millar castle from which the view must be magn ificent in a clear day : as we drew ’ - n Ar nearer, we saw the glorious lion looki g thur s seat , ’

C C St . Salisbury rags , the alton , Giles and at intervals through the dim cloud of smoke and vapour the noble castle and felt what a privilege it is to say mine o w n A romantic town . s soon as we had dressed and got C rid of the road dust we went to the astle , down the N e therb ow and the Grass Market (quoting the H eart of Mid Lothian at every step) and then by the Co w gate and back of the Cano ngate to H olyrood where we C E saw the hapel , the Guard room where the lection for S the Peers of cotland takes place , and poor Queen Mary ’ s gloomy apartments— the tattered furniture still remaining and her work box made by her own hands on the toilet table . We then walked to St . Andrew ’ s Square and looked at the monument of Lord

Melville , which reminded us of an anecdote told us by Sir Walter The expedition to Egypt was solely planned by Lord Melville and put in execution again st C the opinion of his abinet friends , and wholly against ’ the King s , who when he signed the necessary papers inserted that it was contrary to his inclination : after L ’ success had crowned ord Melville s hopes , the King

1 The heriff o f the Mearns oiled a nd eaten b the La ird o f Arb uth S , b y

f h ha st w o rds o f am es I. of c tla nd Vide not in c onsequence o t e y J S o . ’ — B ll d f L rd oulis in Border Minstrels iv . 2 65 . D . N o te B to a a o o S , y, E ’ H UGHES S I : I 9 5 MRS . D ARY ED NBURGH breakfasted with him at Wimbledon on being pressed to take another glass of wine the King assented , saying , “ he i meant to g ve a toast , the Minister who in defiance of the Opinion of his colleagues and the will of his Sovereign had the sagacity to plan and the firmness to L carry into execution the expedition to Egypt . ord Melville said that when he heard this he felt as if he were made amends for all the crosses he had experienced ir L in his life . S Walter who knew him well says ord Melville was one of the most disinterested and amiable of men and on all occasions seems eager to do his

H e . memory justice . died poor After dinner we walked on the Calton and met with two most civil cicerones in two old Burghers who were t ddle I taking their evening o on the hill . asked about ’ L C : St . eonard s raigs and one of them pointed them ’ I ’ Y . Y out . e ll hae read they tales assented e ll

see that house ower by the red tiled roof, that is ’ D u m b ie s b e on t Cov en an house , and up y is the auld ter ’ s— I canna mind the name — I said Douce Davie “ A A — ’ y, y, just sae , weel and there s a window whar the puir misguided lassie got out after she had the ” I S mischance . mention this to how what compleat possession the Scotch N ovels have taken of the minds of all ranks : in this case they have absolutely identi fi ed fiction wi th truth for no such persons as D umb ie dikes or Douce Davie and his family ever existed in i th real ty . We walked into one of e finest glass shops I ever saw and into alm ost all the new squares and

streets . h 8 t . C Walked before breakfast to the astle , Grass H ’ F C Market , eriot s hospital , the Grey riars hurchyard H S and Bristo Port , back through igh treet and over the N orth Bridge : I thanked a very intelligent man OF SIR 96 LETTERS ETC . WALTER SCOTT

in the lower ranks who went out of his way to direct ’ ’ l e : N ceev . me o thanks , tis a duty to be to strangers ’ — Walked up Arthur s seat the d ay most favourable D u din sto ne N saw g , Musselburgh , Porto Bello , orth La w i I — Berwick , the Bass , K nghorn , nch Keith the H h — Pentland and the Braid ills , everyt ing met an in telligent gentleman who pointed out all ; came down by ’ St . An thony s chapel and well and saw the scite of C Muskats airn , almost under the chapel and n o w close to the Side of the new road opened when the E A King was in dinburgh . fter dinner walked to the ’ College : the President s apartments looking south west are on the spot on which stood the kirk of field memorable from the murder of Darnley : to the H igh School ; along Black Wynd to H igh Street and up to C the astle , into which we walked and went to the top . I said I had walked up a Wynd— but what a thing it t t is to do , especially af er having brea hed the air on ’ Arthur s seat : what a lowering to enthusiasm —the effect of digitalis on a fevered pulse is not greater 1 30 4 5 : from to , and in less time how can one imagine the awful blackness , the grim , towering projections of — &c . little turrets , strangely shaped windows the flights of stone steps on the outside of the houses leading to porches which give admission to the upper Sk t he stories , the narrow stretch of blue y which stretched neck and upturned eye can with diffi culty — discover and yet nothin g so unsafe as to turn the ’ ’ eye upwards : it requires all one s eyes and all one s management to wind a way and to pilot oneself safely through the abominations of every description , over which the swarms of barefooted children were paddling as if they were treading on a Persian carpet . I never before could duly estimate the trials of Margaret

9 OF SIR R 8 LETTERS ETC . WA LTE SCOTT pleasure : the Wynds are to be sure a too highly seasoned indulgence of the passion for antiquities . There are things which must be felt seen and smelt to be fully understood : in the first may be placed the Sir S A society of Walter cott ; in the next bbotsford , ’ Edinburgh as a whole and Arthur s seat ; in the third a Wynd and the escape of Gas . ‘ I suspect that we have begun at the wrong end of our tour ; after Abbotsford and Edinburgh pleasure can go no further : a mountain and a lake may be I : imagined , and have seen many we have eaten the - Sir Pine apple and must be contented with the rind . w Walter gave us an introduction to Mr . Black ood , who is an agreeable , sensible , intelligent man whether he limb C N I is a of hristopher orth know not , but he has o ne a lively, shrewd manner which convinces he could write if he would : the tavern from which the N o c tes Am b ro sianae take their name , is a snug comfortable S looking house just behind Princes treet , close to the Register office and standing on Gabriel ’ s road of ghastly memory . ‘ M 9 ih T S a y . his happened to be the acrament S unday , and therefore a more than usual degree of solemnity was observed : the theatre was closed on ’ Wednesday : the Shops shut yesterday after two O clock and the churches were fully attended . When we ’ arrived at St. George s church there seemed very great difficulty in obtaining places ; but everybody tried to accommodate us : two of the Elders wearied them selves with efforts and the Pew Openers did their best and were such a contrast to our craving greedy Vergers that I coul d not but be struck with it : I made an apology to one of the gentlemen for occupying so “ much of his time : how can it be bet ter e mployed ’ HUGHES S I : I 99 MRS . D ARY ED NBURGH than in accommodating strangers We were placed in the gallery and I shall not easily forget the graceful courtesy of the H on . Mrs . Drummond (for such by the book She lent me I learnt to be her name) when she Th found us established in her pew . e Church is a very handsome Grecian building, admirably fitted up , and able to contain a very large congregation : it was not however so full as was expected , but people came T in at intervals all the time of service . Mr . hompson who is a celebrated preacher rather disappointed me ; n not in the earnest sincerity of his man er , not in the afi ec tatio n absence of all trick or , and that which John l H — Bu l calls umbug but his voice is harsh , and his manner awkward beyond all description : he stands in 1 the attitude of a mounted cannon , screws and writhes m himself incessantly , and see s as if his shoulders would alternately touch his desk : he uses notes and speaks with great fluency and devotional fervour but there is ever to me a fault in extempore sermons that the preacher never seems to know when to conclude : after an impressive and eloquent passage other sentences are added which weaken the effect just (if I may be allow ed the comparison) like adding water to good negus and lowering it to insipidity : besides in all extempore preaching that I have heard there is a degree of tautology and verbiage : for the same and for other reasons ’ I : T do not like extempore prayers Mr . hompson s I are the best ever heard, but far, far inferior in every L way to our beautiful iturgy , and the not being certain of what is to come makes a degree of attention hi s tr a in I necessary w ch is quite a on the mind . do S not question the devotion of the cottish church , nay ,

1 This is o win o s in n r- i hte g t hi be g ea s g d . 1 00 R OF S LETTE S ETC . IR WALTER SCOTT

I I - am fully impressed with the seriousness saw to day , but may not that very in tense listening be somewhat owing to this cause the custom of standing instead of kneeling at prayer I do not like : I expected a more general union of voices in singing— very few joined and ff the e ect was poor . When we entered the church we found the centre aisle occupied with two ranges of narrow tables from top to bottom covered with a white cloth and c o m ple atly filled on each side by about 4 50 : well dressed persons when the sermon was over , a long charge to the communicants , two extempore T prayers and three psalms followed : Mr . hompson and an assistant clergyman occupied a small round table under the pulpit and at the head of the long ranges ; this was also covered with a cloth and on it were placed two silver dishes heaped with large square piec es of bread and four very handsome silver cups with handles containing as it appeared from 3 to

4 quarts each . When the service of the sacrament began six very respectable looking gentlemen walked up to the table each carrying a large Silver flaygo n from which they filled the cups : they then collected money T from all at the tables , and while Mr . . exhorted the congregation in short and very impressive sentences the gentlemen distributed the bread : each person l broke OR a small piece and passed it on till al was gone and a fresh piece supplied : in the same manner the cups were passed from hand to hand all Sitting when all had communicated , a rather long exhortation to make a proper use of the blessing received was given , and ended by telling them to depart in peace . They rose and left the church and a regular file succeeded seating themselves when they reached the top till the tables w ere c ompleatly filled again : a

T 102 LETTERS E C . OF SIR WALTER SCOTT

L E n where ord rskine lately died to the right . Co ten tib u s L T C , the seat of ord orphichen , at alder . To hitbu rn 9 W . N o remark to be made but that the road is strait and that from hence to Glasgow they l 6 s . d made us pay . per mile because the price was S raised when the King was in cotland .

To H ol ton 1 1 . S y Posted over the Kirk of traths , as desolate a moor as Stainm oo r without the relief of a bold outline of hills . To Gla sgow 1 3 by Bothwell bridge where I got : out , and walked over it back again three quarters of a mile from the bridge to the right as we passed stands a very pretty small house which might very well pass for Fairy Knowe the banks of the Clyde both up and down as seen from the bridge are very lovely— their an d beauty is of the softest character , green fringed : H with trees , the stream is calm and broad amilton The w town and palace fine objects to the left . hole scene is so admirably described in Old Mortality that I I could trace every feature . scrambled over a high paling into the field where the Covenanters were sta tio n ed : I sadly missed the old gate in the middle of i the bridge , and to have had it there would will ngly have paid treble toll , even in this all exacting land of turn pikes in other respects the bridge is as it was when fi it was the principal scene of that memorable ght . — Glasgow is certainly a very fine city the streets wide , the houses handsome , particularly some ranges on the — left bank of the river the bridges handsome , and the quays superb : it is however very inferior in point of E interest , and beauty to dinburgh ; one might as well compare the stalled ox to the mountain deer - but it is ” the land of the Baillie and the Deacon , his father , ” s hi s heaven rest and bles memory , and my first visit ’ HUGHES S I : 1 MRS . D ARY GLASGOW 03 was to the bridge where Rob puir fellow waited for n Frank O sb aldisto e . We went in the evening to the play of Rob Roy and the H eart of Mid Lothian for the hi s benefit of Mr . Mackay , and Baillie Jarvie and i — D umb e Dykes were as perfect as possible no trick , no f buf oonery , the accent so true , the action so natural one might well say

This is the Jew that Shak s p ere drew .

“ H is Jeanie Woman was quite irresistible : in the drama of Mid Lothian the facts are somewhat

” ff D um b ie altered and with good comic e ect . Dykes is wandering on the craigs on the eventful night of the ’ meeting at Muskat s Cairn : Jeanie Deans has dropt her plaid , and Madge Wildfire , finding and wrapping Shar itl aw herself in it , is mistaken by p for Jeanie and given into the safe conduct of D um b ie Dykes : the exquisite acting of Mackay when he took the supposed

Jeanie under his arm cannot be described , or the S heepish , surprised delight which he assumed when Madge touched his cheek with her finger as he led her o ff : you saw that he was worked u p to make his rO o s al I p p , and regretted that the lateness of the hour prevented my seeing the whole of his performance : be in 7 but it did not g till half past , a very absurd ape in g of fashionable hours in this land of the shuttle I and treddle . was both surprised and sorry to see this admirable actor playing for his benefit (and as a take leave) to a nearly empty house : the Dugald creature , Davie Deans and Madge were well performed ff the rest indi erent . l t ’ 1 h. . F Walked before breakfast into Mr inlay s , a very obliging and intelligent person who has one of I the finest Print shops ever was in , near our inn the T OF SIR WA R TT 1 04 LETTERS E C . LTE SCO

’ Bull s H ead . We met in our walk a most civil person who went out of his way to Show us ours for more than The I cou ld an hour . only house have supposed to be ’ the Baillie s in the S a u t M a r ket fell down a month — ago the only o ld house it contained : waes me & ’ I : it s wherever come , the old walls fall before me “ — just a pa r teck l a r fatality that attends m e z how I C ever saw the ollege , a right handsome old building u with extinguisher towers at the corners of the co rt , Osb aldisto n e s or a ther ed and the garden where the f g , and the fine old Cathedral which is internally spoilt by i I being div ded into two places of worship , and went to the door which led to the church u nder the cathedral in the crypt where Frank and Andrew Fair - Service

heard the preaching . Returned by the upper part of

the town , which strongly reminded me of Bath about A Rivers Street and Burlington Street . fter breakfast went down to the Quay and the Broomie- law and u H sec red our passage in the ighlander , the largest C steam vessel navigating the lyde , and then crossed the old bridge and returned by the new : a broad foot

path has been pieced on to the side of the old bridge , I but scorned to tread it , and chose to pace the line

where Ro b and Frank encoun tered . ‘ To Ro ths a b s tea m 50 miles y y , which we per formed without the smallest incident to interrupt “ our 4 A perfect enjoyment in hours and a. large excellent

vessel fitted up in the most convenient manner , a library of entertaining books (if one could have looked at anything but the enchanting scenery) the society O f several well bred intelligent persons , the weather f perfect ; the sea only ru fled by a light breeze , the atmosphere just in that state which gives the finest variety o f lights and Shadows the old fortress of Dun L glas , the rock of Dumbarton , Ben omond perfectly

1 6 E F IR W 0 L TTERS ETC . O S ALTER SCOTT

Mr . Kirkman Finlay has a handsome modern gothic house near it which is also ca lled a castle and looks w scornfully do n , in all the pride of white stone , sash br a ss windows , and new battlements , on the grey d m ” is antled walls of the auld tower . Walked before dinner to the very large remains of Rothesay castle where (on dit) Robert the Bruce died : be that as it may it is a place large enough for any king to have lived in , and must have been a castle of great strength it stands in the heart of the town and so surrounded by mean houses that it is hardly possible to find a

spot from which a good view could be taken of it . H ere and at Glasgow we saw women washing in tubs , their petticoats drawn up far beyond the knee and without any of the bashfulness which is described in B ra dw ar din e Waverley , when the maidens are dis in cov ered the same situation . 1 2 th . Walked before breakfast to the ruined Chapel west of the town which commands a charming A view of the Bay and the Kyles of Bute . fter breakfast a Miss Marshall a very agreeable steam boat ac : She quaintance , called on us had with her a pretty wild Irish girl who had never been out of her native country before : She asked me numberless questions about London and finding it was a place that I did not S like to live in , she caught Miss M . by the leeve “ exclaiming Oh & the powers & she says She does not L I I like ondon , and would not die this very minute if could but go there & We walked to Barone H ill A which commands a view of the wh ole Island of rran , t re & Th A A Can c . e yrshire , y outline of rran is certainly the most broken of any I ever saw and the

most picturesque . A very intelligent farmer directed

us and told us the Situation of a house Mr . Kean is ’ HUGHES S I : GILPHEAD 1 07 MRS . D ARY LOCH

L l building on och Vade , a sma l lake on the east side of the island , and to which he intends to retire at the close of his public life . Mr . Mack , an agreeable man whom we met in the steam boat yesterday and left at n Du oon near which he had a house , told me the name of Meg Dods has a sense in Scottish phrase : when a child is sulky and perverse , they say he has taken the ” Dods . A steam boat arrived from Glasgow at three ’ O clock and carried us through the Kyle of Bute T Loch Gil hea d w passing arbet , to p here a few houses and two small inns are built at the entrance of the Creenan canal : the views were beautifully varied by showers which fell over B ute and rainbows which intervened between us and the dark islands which we A passed . rran in particular with the brightest rainbow I n ever saw springi g as it seemed from the sea , and the dense cloud of smoke from our vessel hovering ff F above it had a very singular e ect . rom time to time the vessel was stopped to land passengers , for whom small boats were put out from the little inlets and bays these people were of the very poorest description and chiefly women ; they were mostly smugglers of w H hiskey , which they manufacture in the ills and bring to Glasgow in bladders concealed under their c lo athe s : how this trade can answer one can hardly imagine three large boats full of passengers left us at Tarbet which has the most c o mple atly land locked bay I ever saw and a very picturesque ruined castle at the “ entrance : it is the spot mentioned in the Lord of the I sles where the boat of Bruce is dragged over land . Loch Gilphe ad is in fact only the head of a western Loch F ne arm of y , and we passed the end of the fine reach which runs up to Inverara . The little inn at F IR S 108 LETTERS ETC . O S WALTER COTT

Ardishaig (for that is the name of the cluster of houses built apparently since the canal was made) afforded but one decent sitting room and this was secured by two of our fellow passengers who kindly admitted us to a share and insisted on our taking the best Sleeping accommodation : we found them very intelligent and

: . sensible companions one , Mr Brown , agent to C A I . ampbell of lay , the other a Mr Gibbs from berdeen , E n an ngineer , who was concerned in the constructio C of the locks on the reenan canal , and had just made a contract for the stone to build London bridge as a proof of the facility with which travelling is now A 1 th . 1 accomplished , Mr Gibbs left berdeen on the in 5 E a steam boat , spent hours in dinburgh , and same day took the Glasgow Mail and arrived at the B ro o m ielaw at 4 in the morning of the 1 2th ; spent Six L Gil hea d hours in Glasgow , and reached och p in a steam boat by six in the evening : he must be an o ff active man in his habits , for he rose at two and set by the return of the steam boat to Tarbet : there he I T L was to walk across the sthmus to West arbet ake , I and take the sailing packet to lay , and there hire a boat for Londonderry where he hoped to be this

evening . ‘ t It is 1 3 h. melancholy to see what the Duke of Argyle 1 might do in this country and to hear from everyone that he does no thing : he seldom comes to Inv erara and when he does lives in absolute retire ment : his father who left the estate free of en Inv erara cumbrance , lived at many months every year , planted to an immense extent , built , improved the country in every possible way , and employed all the inhabitants : he kept open house and the remains of a

1 Geor e William Ca m ell 6th D u e obiit sine role Oct . 1 839 . g pb , k p ,

11 0 OF A LETTERS ETC . SIR W LTER SCOTT

: beyond the abrupt turn to the west we passed Mr . M c N iel s at Oak fi eld : a very fine eagle was kept in a large wooden cage close to the canal : we saw on the pier great quantities of fine salt fish brought from the Western isles to receive the bounty from Government : a woman was gathering excellent oysters on the rocky sands after the tide went out : they aboun d here at all seasons . ‘ th r 1 4 . We had expected the a rival of the Ben N evis a new vessel advertised to sail for Invern ess and therefore went to bed u ncertain whether we were to w proceed by her , or return to Glasgo by a steam vessel which arrived from Fort William late in the evening w e expected to be called at half past two , instead of which an officer who was going in the boat arr ived in a gig at half past 1 2 knocked for admittance an d : I announced it to be two therefore rose , and once up , ’ did not like to go to bed again : At last the pipe s “ ” loud wail summoned all on board : and as we found the cabins , where many of the passengers had passed the night , steaming still more than the boiler , we remained on deck where I seated myself very comfort ably and received great warmth from the chimney of

A u . the engine . very intelligent man who reg lated the Machinery gave us some water which was evaporated by steam and perfectly Sweet and fresh : he thinks. the method of thus rendering it fit for use might be adopted The on board ships . weather was cold but the scenery so beautiful and the cabins so close that except during breakfast we remained chiefly on deck : the party as

: . before were kind and friendly a Mrs Buchanan , a F S I Mr . and Mrs . raser and a Miss tewart should like I S I . to meet again , all kind cotch hearts am sure was much amused with a conversation I overheard ’ R HUGHES S I Y : V 1 1 1 M S . D AR FELLOW TRA ELLERS between a Glasgow Merchant who took care to let us know that he had not only “ argosies at sea but “ land I and beeves , and a simple quiet Minister from the sle L of ewis who with a raw , awkward lad his son were : E passengers the Glaswegian was describing ngland , and its inhabitants to the clergyman who had never been out of Scotland (or I Should think so far south as Glasgow before) and who swallowed all that was told ’ him with the most perfect Simplicity of belief . Ye ll Sir E en lish stu eedit see the g have great natural p y , they have no m echa u nica l turn ; I no deny they can ’ do any one thing weel eneuch that they ve been taught , but they canna turn their hand to anything they have not learnt from their Een fanc y like a Scotsman : but it a comes of their beer— ye ’ ll find them grow pro reesiv el g y heavier and duller, and fatter every step ye take from Carlisle whar ye ’ ll begin to find them taking ’ to the Beer : and it spoils their growth too : ye ll never E see a fine, clean made , well grown man in ngland ’ ’ Sir erfitl sur reesin but there s one thing , that s p y p g, for I canna but o w n that in one thing they have the ’ better of us : it is in mowing : ye d be astoneeshed to mark what a grip they hae of the scythe : I had twa C ’ of the hiels to work last simmer, and if ye ll credit 3 me they began at in the morning , and never quitted l 8 ” T til at night . o all this and much more the ” Minister did heedfully incline his ear, and gave him m for his nonsense a world of thanks and ad iration . I thought a little of Mr . Watt (which was natural enough while we were benefiting by steam) and of some of our bold Dragoons , but the remembrance of our dolts the Mecha w nics of Uffington kept my tongue t from good words . I is really a reflection on the

a . wealthy inhabit nts of Glasgow that Mr Bell, to 1 1 2 LETTERS ETC . OF SIR WALTER SCOTT whose exertions is owing the establishment of steam boats (which has so materially benefited their city and is such a mine of wealth to the H ighlands) is wholly ruined by the speculation , and living in absolute penury : everybody pities him and a subscription has been talked of, and a sum to be raised by a small tax d one on the steam boats , but nothing is , and while hundreds are daily enjoying the benefit of his public spirited exertions , he is pining in want and eating his ” H o w I heart with comfortless despair . often , as passed along the beautiful though rugged and barren Shores of the Kyles of Bute and Loch Fyn e did I recollect the ballad of Burns “ though cauld Caledonia lies bleak — w e to the wave saw the fine bold grey rocks , which advance so proudly into the waves and seem to defy the approach of man , under the influence of a bright sun which lessened their awful grandeur : I should like to once see them lashed by tempest , but it is not a country r eturn I should wish to to . We left the boat for an hour at Greenock and walked round the docks and every part of that most flourishing town : we learnt from a passenger who had been Clerk of the Customs there in 1 81 3 that it returned Port duties next in

L e H . amount to iv rpool , and more than Bristol or ull We went on board the fine steam packet which was going to Liverpool : the accommodations are o f p the first order : a noble room 40 feet long fitted up in the most elegant style serves for the general cabin : con c e al ed behind Mahogany panels are a range of most comfortable looking beds with snow white drapery curtains for the gentlemen : the ladies have cabins equally commodious and a respectable looking woman resides on board to attend them : the price of passage 3 As is rather more than 193 . we proceeded up the river

F SIR 1 1 4 LETTERS ETC . O WALTER SCOTT round the Salt Market to satisfy myself that no stone was left upon another which Baillie Jarvie could have seen , and even so it is , for all is now built or now ’

: St . hell I building even Mungo s did not hear, for the clock was repairing . There is no place in which one may be buried so gaily as at Glasgow : the good people seem anxious to lessen the gloom of the grave , by the : manner in which they convey a corpse to it a light , u ja nty car , very like those which convey fish from L Portsmouth to ondon , is mounted on bright yellow wheels picked out with black : the lower part of the body — painted in alternate compartments with a skull an urn flanked by cross bones and cherubims , and a large flying H our Glass with the scythe of time gracefully drooping over it like a plume : the upper part divided by bars of black and yellow , and the whole surmounted by a black canopy ending in a point and ornamented with a large bunch of feathers , and stuck all over with smaller plumes surmounted by gilt balls : to be sure the inventor of this vehicle must have read the pretty “ — ballad of My Phillida adieu b u t chiefly black and I S yellow , to her cold grave shall go hould have had a sair heart to have imagined either my favourite Baillie Jarvie or his decent father the Deacon jolted to n n their long homes in such a co cer as this . I am convinced that the brisk current of air which one passes throu gh in a steam boat could never have caused the excess of weariness which I felt this

I 8 5 . evenin g . went to bed at half past and slept till ‘ We hired horses at the Black Bull to pursue

the 1 5 th 6 . our tour , and left Glasgow on at half past Break fasted at Dumbarton 1 5 : the first 7 or 8 miles very inferior in beauty to the same line from the water . We came down to the shore at the very curious Old fort R H GHES’S I M S . U D ARY : LOCH LOMOND 1 1 5 of Dunglas where there is a building in the Shape of a large tun of which it is impossible to imagine the use A ln t er it is only known to be of great antiquity . t D a o t hill we had a very lovely view of the Firth of Clyde to n u : the poi t of Go rock the bold rock of Dumbarton , which was in deep shadow and thrown forwards by the strong lights behind it particularly struck us it was an effect which Glover would have delighted in . We overtook a girl with a large black plume of feathers on her head walking barefoot . Went to the top of Dum barton castle and rock and were shewn Wallace ’ s A S . word dirty looking man , who passed us , accounted for there being less snow on the top of Ben Lomond than on the other mountains because it was sur d rounded by water , which has a tendency to issolve Snow he also pointed out D umb u ck and repeated the ’ “ T R steward s legend , adding , homas the hymer was R ” an active instrument in the eformation , so that his language was better than his chronology . ’ Lu s 1 3 Sm o ll ett s To s . monument , a plain hand some pillar of stone , overlooks a beautiful reach of the Leven two miles from Dumbarton at the little village of Renton : the castles of Tillyqu ean and Ballock on opposite Sides of the river are handsome modern gothic houses : we walked down to the village of Luss on the edge of the lake and up a green hill behind the inn while the horses baited , for the inn looked dirty and R i . o xden S r uninviting , and the day was delightful , ’ James Co lqu hou n s beautiful place (to which he is buildin g a fine archway as an approach) we had passed

L . on coming to uss , and the woods lay full before us I must confess that as far as this place Loch Lomond has disappointed me : the boasted islands with their w scrubby vegetation have a mean , cro ded appearance

I 2 1 1 6 F LETTERS ETC . O SIR WALTER SCOTT

6“ and take 0 from the dignity of the lake . Ben Lomond C too , which seen from the lyde and Dumbarton has a scer ta in ed such a majestic appearance , and is to be so high , does not (from some unaccountable foreshorten ing) here look half its real height . To Ar roqu ha r 1 0 the first five miles and a half the road is very bad : it then i mproves in goodness and in beauty : at that distance the Lake widens into a fi ne bason at the foot of Ben Lomond and reflects the mountain on its dark bosom : the road winds close to the shore , through thickets of beech , limes , oak and : M e holly a pretty small house belonging to Mr . a Glasgow merchant particularly pleased us : the road turns Sharply to the left at Tarbet : Arro quhar inn at the head of Loch Long is one of the most beautiful and romantic spots I ever saw : the inn is remarkably clean and comfortable and the windows command a L charming view of the ake , the steep hills above it and ’ the very Singular mountain of B enno char or Arthur s C seat , or as some call it the obler , from a fancied resemblance one of its rude crags bears to a human u S A fig re . urely rthur had a singular passion for hard seats unless he carried a well stuffed cushion from C Sir . mountain to mountain . J olquhoun was at the inn receiving his rents : he had a beautiful pair of 2 9 coach horses , one of them years old who seemed as full of spirit and vigour as if he was in his prime : after the Baronet drove away an old woman belonging to the house told me he was a very decent man I took a walk of three miles and a half on the left bank of the lake to the turn which commands a view of the point where Loch Goyle runs up it seems the last place in at sho u ld t which a steam b o appear , so swee ly calm ‘ and sequestered as it is yet they come r a mpa ging there

8 OF SIR 1 1 LETTERS ETC . WALTER SCOTT

dwell were continually enumerated , two psalms and then a long exhortation in Gaelic which we were told related to the Sacrament which was to be administered the week following : the whole lasted above three hours and when over it was evident that the whole con gregation seemed relieved : the preacher who seemed most zealous and devout and had not spared himself a single moment must surely have been the most SO ' there was a seriousness in his manner which made one I d respect him , but the prayers coul understand were very poor and the sermon a continual repetition of the : I same words and ideas besides , he was so loud that coul d not help thinking of Cuddie ’ s critique upon “ Kettl edru mm le : he routed like a cow in a frem m it loaning however I had not the discomfort like poor Cuddie of sitting on a wat hill at the risk of catching I the Batts , tho was weary enough of the hard wooden

bench and narrow seat into which we were crammed , for the chur ch was as full as it could hold : the preacher ’ s countenance was precisely like that which H Ral ho udibras has given to p , and he had a band with as much cambric on it as would have made a moderate pocket handkerchief : we saw the first H ighlander in

the compleat dress of the country . r 1 0 The To Inv er a y . road runs entirely round the head of Loch Fyn e : the Situation of the castle the

grounds and the plantations are very fine, but in itself

the castle looks like a prison , and shut up as it was it

had a gloomy deserted look , as if it mourned its late : noble master desolate, indeed is the dwelling of — M a c all um ore silence is in the hall of his fathers - the t e i H family m o to wh ch Dr . . construed to me suits the C “ I present hief well , can claim no credit for the deeds u of my ancestors . Walked in the gro nds about the ’ HUGHES S I : I V R 9 MRS . D ARY N ERA Y 1 1

house : the windows of the great hall were out of

repair, the iron balconies and palissades eaten up with rust everything spoke neglect : our landlord bewailed “ ’ : c arefu it the last man was a man , but he had aye eneuch to spare for everybody : he spent £8000 every year in employing the poor : he left a year

clear , and yet was always doing good and the castle full of the best gentry in the land : the present man has — ’ ” A sold a year b u t I ll say na mair . bout five miles from Cairndow we passed in a jutting point above L u C the ake a very striking ruin called D nderrow astle . a m ll R : To D l a y 1 6 . oad excellent but hilly we drove through the Duke ’ s grounds for the first mile ’ and half, and the late Duke s plantations extend two miles further : these and a river to the right make the

road interesting , but for the next six miles it runs over : a t C a high , barren ugly country luny where the horses had oatmeal and water I bought plaid dresses h ’ for the c ildren at the Manufacturer s , a shrewd looking old man who carries on a great business in a very small space he complained much of the decrease H in demand for ighland garters , and seemed to think it a proof of the degeneracy of the age : formerly he sold £200 worth in the year now not more than half the quantity indeed all the men we met had trousers A and the boys nothing . lmost immediately on leaving C L Aw e luny , och comes in sight , backed by very high mountains of which Ben Cruachan is the superior : two or three small woody islands are in the mi dst of the L r ake, on one of which is a small ruin and a bu ial ground at the head of the lake is Kil churn Castle and C a at that point Ben ruachan ppears like a great crater , and there was much snow in the hollow and on the : B en o B enoich top but j y as the map calls it , or , as OF SIR 1 20 LETTERS ETC . WALTER SCOTT

B enlu ib they call it at Dalmally, or as the driver called : it , is a far finer mountain it rises abruptly in front of the inn and is much the most striking of the Scotch I mountains which have seen , always excepting those of Arran . Dalmally is a comfortless place and I should loth to sleep there . To Tyn dru m 1 2 : the road chiefly through Glen D o chart and at the foot of B enoich : a person whom we spoke to on the road said the hill took its name from having been formerly a great haunt of the wild mountain cattle , the breed mentioned in the notes to 1 C a dyo w Castle : if tran slated it would be the Moun N tain of the Calf . othing can be less agreeable than the whole stage which winds between high , lumpish hills deeply indented by the streams of water which in heavy rains have ploughed deep furrows on their rugged sides , the vegetation scanty and apparen tly insufficient to maintain the beautiful sheep and lambs which were feeding by the road side, and as at Stainm o o r were the only agreeable objects to be seen at last Ben More , a noble mountain , appears above Tyndrum and seems to bar all further progress T sm oak yndrum is some degrees more wretched , y and dirty than Dalmally , and the people were so much more civil that it was impossible to have the relief of I f “ finding fault am not di ficult to please in food , but t the tableclo h marked with many stains , the melted butter of a muddy grey colour, and the mutton chops as black as a coal on the outside and absolutely bleeding inside, with some nondescript pastry which from appearance and musty smell must have been made many weeks did not allow me to make a very ample repast : there was however some T ay salmon but the

1 d Mins r i 2 Bor er t elsy, v . 00.

OF SIR 1 22 LETTERS ETC . WALTER SCOTT improves a little about half way as the stream widens into the lake of D o chart the grey rocks above it are slightly fringed with small trees which relieve the barrenness of the view , and there is a small rocky islet with a little grey ruin that is approaching to pretty . ‘ illin To K 8 . We were much pleased with this S : D o chart L romantic pot the and the ochy meet , and the united streams fall into Loch Tay : the D o chart is crossed by two bridges and foaming over a very wild mass of rock divides and runs rou nd a burial ground M A of the c N ab s planted with firs . beautiful walk to the bridge over the Lochy conducts to the ruins of Castle Finl arig the ancien t seat and now the burial place of the Breadalbane family : Ben Lawers and the H ill h An H crags of a o c rise behind it. old ighlander took great pains to im press on our minds an awful — w e idea of one of the family did not make out , nor indeed did he seem certain of the Era in which he lived , but his deeds seemed duly impressed on the old ’ ’ man s memory ye ll has heard maybe of the late man : he was used to chain hi s pre eso n ers round the middle and hang them round the auld tower whar starv it hae b he them to death , and he would ai lins a hundert at a time : I only said they must have had ’ very little room in the space which the old man s memory assigned them , to which he gravely assented . — To Loch Er ne 8 the road for the last three miles descending through a very fine wild and gloomy pass , emerges into the smiling scenery of Loch Erne which I prefer to all the lakes I have seen ; the banks are ffi su ciently cultivated to give the idea of comfort , without diminishing the picturesque effect : the edge of the lake has fine walnut trees ; at the end seven ’ MRS HUGHES S I : N 1 23 . D ARY CALLE DER

I t miles distant is the little talian looking village of S . F the L illin , and whole scene is a sort of ago Maggiore in B env orlic h miniature . peeps over the west end with - The his sno w streaked crest . inn is clean and comfort T able and the exact contrast to poor, miserable yndrum . l n d 1 Th th To a le er 4 . e 1 9 C . . whole road beautiful Just before it reaches Loch Lu b n aig an opening to the west towards Balquhidder gives a view of part of Ben

More , which was thickly encrusted with snow the road follows the edge of Loch Lu b n aig for four miles and a half partly through little thickets which shade L the banks at the end of the lake is the Pass of enny , where the river is beautifully broken by rock, and - l L there is one considerable water fa l . Ben edi closes S ’ the pass on looking back . Dined at tuart s inn after L C 1 9 . seeing och atrine , miles there and back Walked up to a high bank above the island of the Lady of the L T ake and the rossachs , verifying at every step the ’ accuracy and beauty of Sir Walter s descriptions which t cer ainly , if anything can do , give an idea of the most romantic and extraordinary scene that has ever met L my eyes . While dinner was preparing the andlord brought the Album desiring us to enter our names as we ran an eye over it we saw in large letters assuming Es . a very unlimited range of paper B Warren q , — London o f this Space a wag had availed himself to ” A H add Buy his blacking . nother long list of ectors “ S occupied more than half a page Miss arah , Miss

S . . Jane , Miss Mary , Mr . amuel , Mr George, Mr James H & — & . ector c . c the same hand had scribbled opposite H ’ I ” R Vide omer s liad . ead in the papers when we returned to Callender the death of Lord Byron : the inn was full of drunken H ighland drovers who after a prosperous sale at the fair the day before , were keeping 1 24 OF SIR LETTERS ETC . WALTER SCOTT it up for the 2md night and seemed by their tones to ” fiercely drink and fiercely feed . ‘ 2 oth . Walked before breakfast to the bridge of B ra ckl n y , which exactly corresponds to that described in Waverley as the scene to which Flora takes her visitor the first evening of his arrival at the castle of Vich Ian V ohr : it is one of the most singular scenes in Britain ; and to make the passage more terrific over 50 the yawning chasm of more than feet , the miserable turf bridge is so out of repair that as you get upon it you see the destruction which awaits one false step over the perilous abyss . To Aberfoyle 1 2 after breakfast : about half way pass Lake Menteith a ruined abbey on a small woody L : C fell S island on the och the ampsie to the left , a long dark glowering range rou nd which snowstorms were gathering all day while we had it fair and pleasant A at berfoyle , so as to allow us to walk up to the romantic clachan , and the small and picturesque loch which forms the head of Loch Arid : the back of Ben Lomond closed the distance very grandly this is ’ the scene of Baillie Jarvie and Frank O sb aldisto ne s re r encounter with the haughty and cruel H elen M c G go . Retu r ned by Men teith 20 miles of wretched road to The hill S . Oc tirling hills , those soft and lovely green l The b i ls . , have a slight covering of snow tall tower (nearly all that remains of the ruined Abbey) of Cam b u sk enneth across the river Forth : it is seen from an S ’ H I upper window of the aracen s ead , the worst inn tow n Red L ever saw in any there is another the ion , b ett r a w or e m se . it y , it cannot be ‘ 2 l s t . Walked before breakfast to a nearer view The of Camb u sk enneth and to the castle afterwards .

Old house at the top of the street leading to the castle ,

HES’ I 1 25 MRS . HUG S D ARY : DOLLAR

which the notes in the border Minstrelsy speak of as E ’ the arl of Mar s , quite delighted me by the rich and grotesque carvings on it : of the castle and its mag n ifi c ent situation I forbear to speak : it is beyond a ll praise — took leave of the noble range of the H ighland u mo ntains , amongst which we had been wandering , and saw the remains of what appeared to me to have been once a flower garden but what o ur military Cicerone from the castle pointed out as the ancient

tournament field . To the Ya tts o Mu ckha r t 1 6 f , through Dollar , ms . Sa w at Dollar a very handsome new stone building which is an academy founded by a native of Dollar : it cost and is handsomely endowed the boys

of the town have their education free , but several gentlemen ’ s families have settled at Dollar for the

advantage of educating their sons , the Masters being men of high repute : there are endowments for Pro fess rs At w e o of the different sciences . Dollar also C C Ar saw astle ampbell the ancient seat of the gyles , and which was considered of so much importance formerly , that an act of parliament , which caused much opposition , was passed to change the name from Castle Gloom to that of Castle Campbell : yet this d n egenerate man has sold it , and as the gentlema who made the purchase is in want of funds to compleat it , it will very shortly be at the hammer again : the C C horrors of the old hostess , with whom astle ampbell

had been a favourite theme for ages , and to whom m u doubtless it had brought any a good c stomer, were great : it is wonderful how any man in possession of “ ” his senses could part with such a place , let alone The the family importance which he loses . road as u far as Dollar is exq isitely beautiful , at the foot of the F IR 1 26 LETTERS ETC . O S WALTER SCOTT

Oc hill hills : by changing a t Dollar you save a mile which the landlord of the hungry and ugly Yatts of M u ckhart : u put on nless Kinross is an object , it is best to return to Stirling from Dollar or go on to see the Rumbling brig and then strike o ff to Alloa : the d 2 9 6 . s . 5 turnpikes are . in miles ‘ Kin ro ss 1 0 Saw L L To . och even castle the mournful prison of the ill-fated Mary : the shores of d the lake ugly , desolate and wholly voi of interest . ll u To N or th F er ry 1 6 . A gly to Inverkeithing : after that fine views of the Firth both east and west : E H dinburgh , the woods of Dalmeny , Queensferry , ope H D ru m m elz ien - Ro s the town ouse , the sugar loaf hills , y & L c . castle , Ben omond , ‘ 2 n 2 d . Crossed the ferry by steam and arrived at Edinburgh by 1 0 o ’ clock 10 miles saw Dalmeny and B am b o u l e the top of the old castle of g to the left , and ’ f the : Craig Crook (Mr . Je frey s) to right the whole drive interesting : cross Cramond Bridge where great T alteration is making in the road to avoid a hill . his

approach to the city gives the best view of the castle . ’ M a ck er ul S y being f l , we went to haw s , a very inferior

house next door, but we were glad to obtain any A accommodation , for the General ssembly had filled Ou r every part of the town . first care was to call on Sir dear Walter , whom we found quite point device as if he had been going to sit for his picture his silver

locks carefully arranged , a full suit of black , and silver k S buc les in his hoes , and seated on an ebony high t backed chair in his comfortable study, wi h reams of papers and letters on the writing table and desks ff around him , very di erent from the gudeman at A bbotsford in his blue bonnet , old green jacket , gaiters , S : high hoes , and rough head of hair but always the

F S 1 28 LETTERS ETC . O IR WALTER SCOTT from which all the Scotch novels and poems have issued : we were announced as particular friends of Sir ’ Walter s , and at that name like the magic word Sesame every door flew open the foreman was the pink of courtesy, and the very devils looked com pl ac ently at us : they were printing small editions of Guy Mannering and the Pirate and the new novel of Red Gauntlet a proof sheet of which was given into

H . F . my hand . rom thence we went to call on Mrs Siddons and in the evening accompanied her daughters to a first representation of Waverley : the play was too I long , for it lasted till eleven , but so interesting that know not what I coul d have spared in fact in it was the novel put in action , all the principal scenes and

H . most striking speeches being given . Mrs . Siddons F played and looked lora charmingly , and sent her ” hearers weeping to their beds . Mackay was admirable

E . in the Baron , and van Dhu , Balmawhapple (by Mr C Murray) allum Beg , and the randy wife of Muckle wrath excellent Fergus and Waverley were well repre n Sir w hole . . S . sented , and the most i teresting Mrs says Walter seldom fails a first representation of the plays S taken from the cotch novels , but this evening he was with the 2n d Commissioner : the band played Scotch airs S between the acts most sweetly, the imple airs , with elt : t he out graces , and as if they f what they played Size of the theatre enables you to see and hear per f l Th ec t . e y , and it is splendidly lighted by gas town is very gay with the influx of strangers on account of the General Assembly and we see much of the hu stle as the Lord Commissioner Earl Merton is at the Royal H H . otel just above us . Mrs . Siddons showed us a beautifully enamelled miniature of the Chevalier which She wore in the scene at H olyrood Palace : it was E ’ IN B MRS . HUGH S S DIARY : ED URGH 1 2 9 painted at Rome and given by him to one of her ancestors : it strongly resembles that at Abbotsford : r he is represented in both as very fair , the featu es handsome and much more like the present family than

- the dark browed Stuarts . ‘ ’ f 23r d . Went to Ballantyne s o fice in the High Street to see the procession of the Lord Commissioner ’ — to St . Giles and after all it was no procession for he had a soupcon of gout , and fearing to walk , did not like to be carried like Guy Faux in a chair : after waiting for some time it became un derstood that Lord l L Morton wou d not appear and the ord Provost , the l Bail ies , a few Military , some clergy , five or six men in the Lord Commissioner ’ s livery and two or three h shambling, sheepish looking pages passed in detac ed “ It groups and the baseless fabric dissolved . was not however time lost , for the scene was very gay and : enlivening eight troops of horse lined the streets , amongst them some of the Scots Greys with “ ces superbes Chevaux gris who challenged the envious praise of Bonaparte at Waterloo : the beauty of the horses , the splendour of the uniforms and the glancing of the broad swords , added to the crowds assembled in the most picturesque of streets (the windows filled with well dressed persons) made it what the French tr es im o a n t I w a s call p s . much pleased to find myself next door to the only old balconied house near the — s cite of Edinburgh Cross and therefore on the very spot from which the Abbess and De Wilton are supposed to see the fiendish pageant . We afterwards went into the H igh Church and heard the service Th performed . e Lord Provost and his brother Baillies

(amongst whom we recognized our friend Mr . Black wood) sat in great state with sword and mace before K OF SIR 1 3 0 LETTERS ETC . WALTER SCOTT

them , and in gorgeous apparel the gowns remark o f ably handsome crimson cloth and black velvet . ’ en a mille Sir Dined f at Walter s , and met Mr . and

L . She Mrs . ockhart is very interesting and agreeable , a great deal of her father ’ s love of minstrelsy and she has a curious collection of old border airs which she S n : i gs very agreeably he is more reserved in manner , but pleasant when the first crust is broken : of his talents there can be no doubt , but he has not the freshness and bonhommie so conspicuous in the famil y of whi ch he makes a part : he has a particularly in te lli e n t g eye and countenance , and there is something so spir itu a liz ed in his whole appearance that it is ’ n impossible to identify him in one s mi d as Dr . Morris , ’ r the elderly , jolly gou mand author of Peter s letters . ’ Sir Walter s taste in music is wholly out of the present fashion he likes nothing but expression and simplicity good words set appositely , and to hear every word ballads of course are his favourites and amongst them ” Durandarte and Belerma and some of the O ldest airs in the Beggars opera : Lady Scott tells with some humour of his going to the great music meeting when S S Mrs . almon and Miss tephens and numberless London professors performed : he fell fast asleep : L a lady near (a stranger) said loud enough for ady S . to hear I would give the world to see Sir Walter Scott : — upon which She pointed to her husband who had profoundly dreamt through a long concerto and an Italian Bravura : the Lady looked extremely i S r . disappointed, having expected W says to see him ’ in the attitude of one of H o gar th s diletta n ti at the a morning concert in the prints of Marriage la mode . Sir E W . told us that an nglish party who wished to S see Bannockburn , and have the ite of the battle

E OF I 1 3 2 LETT RS ETC . S R WALTER SCOTT

performed , but elevated as they were they were so aware S of the fearful risk , that they insisted the wager hould be given up : however Sir Walter with a rashness which none but those who have seen the bridge can : estimate , led the poney over and back again he also rode his horse into the dark intricate vaults of Dunolly t castle , and many years af er was told of the wonderful — feat performed by a lame gentleman H e gave me an S interesting account of his voyage to hetland , and of lon in his g g to see the sun again , which he never saw d ff clearly uring his stay , and the singular e ect produced r e by the succession of g y weather , the sun always ’ : appearing as thro a thin gauze when he returned , a very decent respectable man , a schoolmaster, who had S never been out of the hetland isles , petitioned for a passage to Scotland in the yacht : as soon as they landed at Peterhead , this man asked one of the crew S to how him a tree , for he had never seen one in his i S r . life W merrily says , there is but one Gooseberry o r bush in the islands and an annual triennial pye , according to the produce , is made from it , for the : general use , as far as it will go the inhabitants formerly worked and fished entirely for the profit of L their airds , merely retaining enough of the produce : of their labour to keep life and soul together now , : a better, and more liberal system is adopted they are free to enjoy the fruits of their industry , paying small rents in acknowledgement , and the landlords already find the benefit of a plan which is gradually leading the poor to habits of industry and civilisation : several unite t : in the property of a fishing boa , and share the profits last year ten men the only male inhabitants of one of the small islands went out in a boat their common property : the vessel was wrecked close on shore in the M HUGHES’ S I Y I RS . D AR : ED NBURGH 1 3 3

sight of the unhappy wives , who stood listening to the h drowning shrieks of fathers , usbands , and brothers , n totally u able to give the least assistance . ‘ Lord Eldon finding three young men Shooting over his manor , went up and civilly desired them to : him desist they very insolently bade ask his master , L E ord ldon , whether it was not good law to follow game from another Manor : he told them that luckily he he had not far to go for the consultation , for was

Lord Eldon in great confusion they made o ff mutter : ing all sorts of apologies : he desired them to return s or t and pursue their p , but that they would remember their l a w was bad . ’ ‘ : Walked before dinner to St . Bernard s Well the walk is quite ruined by the new buildings ; we were forced to scramble over foundations of houses and heaps of soil to reach the Temple : afterwards we S B urn tsfi eld walked to George quare , the links , where we saw some parties playing at golf , and met our Arthur seat friend who was again a most civil and courteous guide ; home by the Glasgow canal , Portis burgh and the Grass Market . ‘ 2 h i 5 t . S r Went to the Parliament house , where Walter shewed us the cou rts of justice (which were L d sitting) the statues of ord Melville , Ju ge Blair and L F Ro ub illiac ord orbes the latter by , the two former by Chantrey and I thought very superior : if I might be allowed to remark it the statue of Forbes has a little French flutter about it : we went next to the A dvocates library , a most noble room , and containing i a noble collection of books : S r W . pointed out a St ’ . Jerome s Bible which belonged to France and was sold to Foucault the disgraced minister of Louis 14th and afterwards brought back to Scotland : there are OF 1 34 LETTERS ETC . SIR WA LTER SCOTT many other rooms filled with books ; in one of these I we found the librarian Dr . rvine , who showed us the F t aus Bible and many other curiosities , some of which were I fear to me as pearls before swine : in returning ff : through the courts we saw Mr . Je rey he was stand ing in a groupe of lawyers and Sir W . said Yo u should see Jeffrey— I will go and speak to him accordingly a few words were interchanged which enabled me to observe him without difficulty : he has I a mild , pleasant aspect , the very reverse of what Should have expected from the sour whigging of his review : methou ght the greetings between the great ’ - ir s men were cold I am sure S W . had none of the “ couthy ” cordiality with which I have seen him address everybody else : perhaps my own fancy might I assist my observation , for knew not how to think an honest true Tory can feel thoroughly cordial towards a

Radical Whig . We then proceeded down steep flights C of steps into the owgate , through Bristo Port and ’ S Brown s quare , to the charming meadow walk at the i bottom of George Square where S r W . pointed out his father’ s house and the room in which he used to — “ I study and where , when sometimes was believed to I be hard at work , was looking out into this walk for a ” 1 certain blue feather -and then he added with a deep “ sigh , this walk is after all a melancholy place to me ’ I tho love to come to it , for it is the scene of past

loves and friendships , and most of the actors are in ” B u rntsfi eld L their graves . We then went to inks

and to Warrender house , a fine specimen of the ancient ’ gentleman s residence : here we saw Lord H erm on d

’ 1 i s r e Mis s Wi he m ina Be ches r W. c ott st lo v l l l The w earer w a s S S fi , ,

f rw ards a rried to Sir William Fo r es . She die d in 1 8 10 a n d Sir a te m b , ’ — a lt r never for o t her . Loc ha rt s Li e . 64 89 . ED . W e g k f , pp ,

F 1 3 6 LETTERS ETC . O SIR WA LTER SCOTT last became of age and repeated the defiance : by this time so much interest was excited that the King of Scotland and more than a thousand nobles and men of note attended the duel , which instead of being fought L on the inks as on the former trials , was appointed to C I z— B urn tsfi eld l F take place in ramond sland fe l . rom this we went on to Merchiston tower the seat of Lord N : apier it commands a lovely view of the Pentland , B rr Braid and Blackstone hills , and of the o o w sto n e Muir (now a tract in the richest cul tivation) where the array of Scotland took place before the fatal battle of Flodden : we then saw the H are Stone in which the standard of James was fixed , and now built into the wall on the right hand (looking to Edinburgh) of the — a Dumfries road , and marked as the first mile stone strange neglect of such a curiosity : the hole in which f the staf of the standard was fixed is still to be seen . It would be difficult to describe the delight of such a walk , in such a country and with such a companion ; it was seeing everything under the most happy auspices : I would that my treacherous memory had allowed me to recall every word that passed , but alas n I can only retain scraps . O e striking thing as far as I relates to identifying him with the novels , could not but remark : I was Speaking to him of the very clever L work (Matthew Wald) which Mr . ockhart has j ust published and of the admirable manner in which he had introduced Pearling Jane , a story told me many r : I years ago by Si W . also asked if there was any foundation for the striking story of the murder at ir : S . Glasgow W said every circumstance was true , that he had witnessed the execution and told the whole

L . to Mr . word for word as in the book , and he added “ I L smiling , but shall tell ockhart no more of my ’ S HUGHES S I : I B MR . D ARY ED N URGH 1 3 7 stories : he robs me abominably H e gave me an account of the owner of Little Deans tower which I had seen as we went to Kelso : he was a man of deter mined spirit and had proved so dangerous an opponent to the English borderers that he was called by them H e the Devil of Deans . had a severe fit of gout , and was so ill that a report was spread of his death : a large body of Tyn edale men came to his parks and drove away all the Kye : the enraged Laird ordered his sons and the household to pursue , but the young men soon wearied and returned , with long faces and : without the cattle, to the tower the old man in a transport of indignation called them degenerate pol troons , and every other name of opprobrium which his anger dictated his gout vanished at the strong excite ment thus produced : he drew his boots over his flannel s , thrust his steel helmet over his nightcap , and in this array , ghastly and gaunt with long confinement , he sallied forth to the rescue , and reached the enemy as they got to the dyke of Ancrum : the marauders terrified at what they believed to be the ghost of Devil fle d of Deans , in all haste and he returned in triumph driving the Kye before him : he met his death by a ’ singular accident : he had a bull which tho perfectly tame with him , was savage and even dangerous to The L everybody else , females in particular . aird was much amused by exciting the fears of the women amongst whom he frequently introduced the bull : one morning he walked very early to the field to feed the r animal , d essed in a long plaid nightgown the instant the bull saw what appeared to him a petticoat approach , he made a furious attack and gored his master in so terrible a manner as to occasion his death : it is singular that immediately the animal appeared sensible 3 OF SIR 1 8 LETTERS ETC . WALTER SCOTT

of what he had done , for he became instantly quiet , stood still by the body with his head drooping , and suffered the Laird ’ s daughter to remove him without In molestation . mentioning the singular feudal tenures in Scotland he told us that by which the H o w iston s of Braehead hold their lands : it is by presenting a basin and ewer with water a n d a to w el for the King to wash whenever he comes to H olyrood house : the heiress of H o w is to n is an old lady who had resolved to perform o the ceremony herself, and had rdered a dress of black v : She vel et for the occasion but her heart failed her , a nd said she was too old appointed her son , who in an ’ old English dress and attended by the King s pages C S (one of whom was Mr . harles cott) performed the service the origin of this tenure is as follows . James 5th w a s , who known to be a prince of great gallantry and who did not always confine his devoirs to the high h e born ladies of his court , was one day at a aml t near Edinburgh in disguise : four or five common thieves set upon him as he w a s returning and maltreated him C n d the King made a gallant retreat to ramo d bri ge , where he rallied and attacked his enemies with great courage : a man who was threshing in an outhouse near, came to his assistance and dealing blows with his flail to right an d left soon extricated the King from his peril ; and not knowing who he was , invited him into his cottage to wash o ff the blood and dirt with which he was covered the King enquired his situation and found he had been many years a labourer on the farm of Braehead which was a part of the Crown : lands as they walked on , the King drew him into familiar talk , and enquiring what would be the thing he most wished for, were it possible to have his desire granted , the man replied , it was of little use to wish

OF SIR 1 40 LETTERS ETC . WALTER SCOTT

B allan iech nom de uerre Gudeman of g as his g , but what could I do with that in a poem : it was not H e chivalrous enough . spoke much of his eldest son Walter and with great delight he is a fine fellow I know you would like him - I wish you could see him — on horseback he really is a gallant figure : he can do all with a horse that man can do , and when he was a mere boy trained his pony to perform all the feats which A l ’ T you have seen at st ey s . hen he mentioned a proof of his son ’ s attachment with much pleasure after having A recovered from his severe illness at bbotsford , he had a relapse in the interval young Walter ha d gone on a visit of a few days beyond Edinburgh leaving his father convalescent : as he was retur ning to town he met a friend of whom he enquired if he knew anything of his father : the gentleman replied he was sorry to ir say an account had arrived that day of S W . having experienced a severe attack and that he was considered dangerously ill : the poor young man turned directly from his informer and never stop t till he reached home on foot a distance of forty miles when he came in , he had the reward of finding his father out of danger and the pleasure of receiving his first com his mission from hands , which had arrived by the post an hour before : that was a happy evening I need not i As S r . tell you , said W we passed through Ports burgh he gave us an account of the meal riots in 1 802 as a volunteer yeoman he was actively employed in preventing the pillage of a baker ’ s house which he pointed out and gave the most comic description of the behaviou r of the owner when the troop arrived at a hand gallop they found the Mob in full action conveying away the Sacks of Meal and destroying the windows while the baker with the most abject sub ’ HUGHES S IAR : IN MRS . D Y ED BURGH 1 41 mission intreated them to forbear and not ruin their puir townsman who wished them a ’ so weel — as soon as the yeomanry came up , the mob began to draw back and left the meal— the baker in a transport of delight threw himself on his kn ees to them exclaiming Ah &the gude Lord of heaven bless and preserve ye gentlemen volunteers— ye ’ ve saved my life and a ’ my ” T gear . hen growing bold under the shelter of the broad swords he clenched his fist at the enemy crying

—u Ah &ye fause thieves and limmers ye canna abide — ” these angels of heaven may a cur se light on ye . Then on his knees again Oh may the Al mighty take — ye under his guard ye that came in the time of — need then up and grinning defi anc e Oh & ye de ev il s and worse than deev il s may the gude swords do their office on ye — and with these alternations of blessing and cursing he worked himself into a state of ir compleat delirium . S W . had nearly been killed by a

- brick bat , which stunned him for a minute or two and made him reel in his saddle he marked the man and “ rode up to cut him down , but the fellow earnestly crying Upon my soul I did not mean it for you ’ I only gave him a stroke with the flat of the sword , and truth to say it was a dreadful feeling to use violence against a people in real and absolute want of food . O u r ro tub errant adjutant , an immense p man , was greeted with shouts of execrations on all sides and some exclaimed ‘ An d is na this a bonnie fallow to send out against a starving people We began to fear that we must have fatigued our kind guide by the length of way he had taken us , but he declared such a walk did him more good than any thing in the world and that it was a difficult matter to : fatigue him , lame as he was that his lameness had OE SIR 1 42 LETTERS ETC . WALTER SCOTT

never prevented his active habits , for that early in life he had resolved to do everything that other boys accomplished and had even a pride in outdoing his schoolfellows in feats of agility : he was a desperate climber and had been over every part of the town wall , and he Showed us a dizzy path up the eastern Side of the castle (near which Clavers climbed to hold converse with Argyle 1) which led to some crags called the Kittle nine stanes from the great danger attending nine steps to be taken directly under the wall , where there appears hardly footing for a goat “ These said “ I he have often achieved , and to pass the Kittle nine : n stanes , was considered as equal to three battles o ce , I and once only recollect losing my head , that is , being — giddy it was at the Spot called Wallaces cave near the falls of Clyde— and on the brink of a tremendous precipice : I had advanced to the edge and had placed my foot on a large stone as I pressed upon it to I S m steady myself , felt it hake under me and threw y self back just in time to catch the branch of a tree : from thence and for a moment suspended in mid air I saw the stone (more than a ton in weight) plunge into the roaring gulph below : for some minutes I quailed and sickened . Just as we were turning to Princes S treet we met i an elderly Quaker of good appearance whom S r W . greeted by the name of Friend Miller when the King visited Scotland this Quaker brought a Charade to Sir hi W . desiring him to present it to s Majesty after he “ ’ had shown it to Robert Peel : if thou cans t not guess

1 — This o bvio usly m u st b e a slip for the D u ke o f Gordo n the Ga y ’ ‘ ’ o rdon o f Bo nnie D ndee — who he ld the l G u Ca s t e fo r the King . Ar ll the rs t D u e c am e o ver fro m H o llan d with the Pri nc e o f gy , fi k , ra n e — ED O g .

4 F 1 4 LETTERS ETC . O SIR WALTER SCOTT

. H . . C Dr staid some hours , and heard Dr halmers and many others speak on the Poor law bill a subject which appeared to create very strong interest the day before there had been such a s ensa tion excited on a question 8 in respecting pluralities , that persons went in before I the morning and remained till 1 2 at n ight . took a farewell walk on the Calton : the la s t of a ny place is I I always mournful , but do not chuse to think have seen the last of Edinburgh and its inhabitants . We L O called on Mrs . ockhart who showed us the fine ctavo edition of the Scotch novels splendidly bound and illuminated with every print that has been executed to “ illustrate them : these She said were given me by — Mr . Constable and this is surely a strong link in At 4 ’ the chain of evidence . o clock we went by : appointment to call on Mr . Mackenzie he is a fine specimen of the old school a most venerable and agree able man in full possession of all his faculties at the 8 2 age of , and with a continual flow of lively conversa tion and anecdotes of his earlier days , a period he evidently delights to dwell on : he told us that he had shot every kind of game (grouse and red deer excepted) on the ground upon which every part of the new town : stands he came with Mr . White (a lawyer) who built N L the first house beyond the orth och , to survey the ground and they were up to their knees in corn . David H 2 n d ume built the house in what is now called St . David ’ s street and the common people fell into the mistake of believing the street was afterwards named in derision of his well - known principle : this led to his telling us a story at that time current in Edinburgh and which was generally believed : at any rate you I n t a t will allow it to be what the talians call be r ov o . The N orth Loch was the receptacle for the drainings ‘ R HU GHES S I Y : DI M S . D AR E NBURGH 1 45 and filth of the whole town and though filled with shallow water had at bottom a deep deposit of the blackest and most offensive mud : on his return from H inspecting the building of his house , ume slipt into this dainty slough , and was extricated by three old women but not till they had exorcised the Atheist as L ’ they thought him , by making him say the ord s prayer . ‘ A rich old banker who had lived a great deal in H 7 5 olland , was fond at the age of of skating on the N orth Loch which was a constant resort in frosty weather : one day he skated over a weak place which gave way and he was plunged in this odious mire up to his shoulders : he took very quietly the jeers an d shouts of the boys who followed him to the door, and A ’ only said , weel my lads , ye a see the truth of the ’ ”

: l . proverb there s no fule like the auld fu e Mr . M . says the gentry of Edinburgh have carried the passion for good ho uses farther than is consistent with prudence and sacrifice too much to the luxury of large and commodious habitations , which he attributes to the early impressions of the crowded and inconvenient residences in which the best families lived in the old town when we first began to find we had wings we ” felt as if we could never expand them too far . H e remembers the Lord President living in a large flat of a house now inhabited by a rouping wife (an old c lo aths woman) in a Short street which diverges south from that immediately leading to the castle : it was then the practice to keep up society by s u bs ta n tia l tea drinkings ; two tables covered with cloths were prepared— one for black , the other for green tea , at each of which a lady : presided a profusion of eatables were served round , and sometimes a social supper closed the night these L OF I 1 46 LETTERS ETC . S R WALTER SCOTT tea s 5 — began at everyone dined at two , or even earlier, and as no carriages were used , the ladies who were con v e e d y if the weather was unfavourable in chairs , l a ette d walked if it was fine in their pp heads , long ruffles and little hoops it was a sort of evening enter tainm ent to watch the parties of well dressed women d f : and men procee ing to their dif erent visits Mr . M . one day saw the Lord President hanging his head out of his window for this purpose , when an unlucky boy , who lived in the flat above , let down a large kitten by a rope upon his wig the kitten took fast hold an d was hoisted aloft bearing in her talons the Judge ’ s wig to the contriver of the jest . Mr . M . said that he wrote the Man of F eeling 1 when very young and sent it to his S friend Mr . Strahan to print or not as he hould think

fit : it was of so new a character that Mr . S . did not like to venture without the Opinion of a literary friend he confided the M S to a gentleman who took it to Bath E where for some time it was mislaid : a Mr . ccles a clergyman got sight of it , was at the pains to copy the M S in a blotted , interlined manner to give it a genuine air, added notes and actually printed it as his own he was soon afterwards drowned in attempting to save the A life of a boy in the von , and did not live to bear much of the shame of detection . Mr . M . said he knew a person who travelled in H olland and was one day seized with a temptation to say that he had been in Paris in order to keep up this Silly deception he bought every

Map , print and book that treated of Paris and in the end his white lie cost him more of time and money I than the real journey would have done . was sorry when our visit to this literary N estor closed : he seems

1 1 4 3 1 The Ma n o Feelin H enry Ma c kenz ie iv ed from 7 5 to 1 8 . f g l 1 1 —ED wa s p u b is hed in 77 . .

F SIR 1 48 LETTERS ETC . O WALTER SCOTT

d an d thronged with people , an altar richly decorate , Lady Primrose seen at the head of a long train of bride men and maids , her husband leading a very beautiful girl dressed in the Flemish style towards the Priest a s if to receive the nuptial benediction at this she uttered s himmer ed a faint exclamation , and the whole pageant

and wavered , assuming the appearance of water into which a stone had been thr ow n the Con juror looked at her with a dark frown She suppressed her feelings and continued to gaze : the forms again became distinct and to the spectators in the church were added three or four officers whose backs they only saw these after a minute drew their swords and advanced to the altar in a threatening posture : then all seemed con fusion and the glass ceased to exhibit any distinct forms : by the next mail Lady Primrose received a letter from her brother who was an officer in the S co tc h D u tch (as they were called) and quartered at “ H e I Dort . said , can give you strange news of your villain of a husband : we had heard of a grand wedding to take place between an English stranger ’ and one of our great Burgo Master s daughters : I wen t e with two or thre friends into the church , and guess my surprise at seeing in the bridegroom your worthless : far husband my friends also knew him , and we so forgot ourselves as to draw our Swords and rush to wards him mischief was prevented and of course the ” E marriage stopt . verybody exclaimed And how Sir

Walter could this be accounted for his answer was , Troth I tell it you as I always heard it from m y I b u t mother, and can no other way account for it It that my grandmother must have been just a liar . is not possible to describe the effect with which he tells : s o f anything supernatural the deep , impres ive tones ’ MRS H UGHES S I : I 1 . D ARY ED NBURGH 4 9

his voice , the overhanging brow , the intense expression of his eye which seems fixed beyond the sphere in which he Sits as if he were looking into the world of

s spirits , altogether produce a sort of creeping ensation ’ u which tho it does not last , is very powerf l while the 1 great magician is uttering the Spell . If Miss Stephens had heard the critiques at table to - day on her Singing Scotch ballads I think She would never attempt to do so again in Edinburgh where her S total ignorance of cottish pronunciation is so glaring , and where the gr a ces She chuses to add are so much disliked by those who really feel the beauty of their

fine old melodies . The late Lord Rosebery was quite crazy and his madness took the form of extreme avarice : he really L H did lock up his small beer as ady A. ervey told he did : he was one day imprisoned in the Canon Gate toll booth by way of keeping him out of mischief till something could be devised as to the manner Of taking care of him his conduct having been so outrageous as to render him amenable to the law : while he was there pacing about like a tyger in a den and looking ffi through the bars , a young o cer who had obtained

very quick promotion entirely from great interest , L passed and called to him Good heavens my ord , what brings you here ? ” Why just what has made : r you what you are Major the interest of my f iends , — i S r . and no merits of my own . W says there is a letter of Gray to Mason in which speaking of the L S I family of his friend ord trathmore he says , have seen Lady Strathmore : Oh Christ Speaking of Mackenzie he said that when authors

1 The s tor narrated here ha s een u lished w ith chan ed nam es y b p b , g , ’ Mirr — A n M a r a r t s or . ED in My u t g e . OF I 1 50 LETTERS ETC . S R WALTER SCOTT

Old were they liked to hear their works talked about , but when they were often publishing they did not wish : to speak of them , or hear them discussed does this

N - apply to the ovels The late Sir M . Riddel was very Singular in his habits and in warm weather very frequ ently took o ff his wig in the church and washed his head in the Christening font and dried it with his A pocket handkerchief . number of clergy were invited after a sacrament to sleep at his house : according to ancient custom a bible and a bottle of beer was pro v ide d for each and six were lodged together in a large dormitory : soon after they retired the butler was summoned by a whistle and one of the Ministers told him that the younger of their brethren would perform the exercise and that therefore one bible was sufficient that he might take away the other five and bring 1 instead five bottles of beer . AS a proof of the natural caution with which the Scotch give an answer to any question Sir Walter instances a little boy of five years old who lives at the ir Melrose turnpike gate : S W . asked what was the — toll of a cart Owre (too) little o f a carriage ? H e paused and not liking to commit himself said “ Father ” knows . ‘ It was with real pain that we parted from this gifted and excellent man whose kindness has b eeiI SO unremitting to us and to whom we owe the chief pleasure of our visit to Scotland : it is no light a dvan tage to have cultivated a regard so truly valuable ; and since (as he says) there is little prospect of his coming E I S hO e to ngland , incerely p we may again meet at

Abbotsford according to his most friendly invitation .

1 This stor is a l so iven in a n to the B a mmer moor y g ote r id e of L , ’ h d L c hart Li e — D a . xi Vi e o E . c v . s . 4 3 6. p k f , p

1 2 OF IR 5 LETTERS ETC . S WA LTER SCOTT race of shepherds in this country : I had the curiosity to ask the old man if his nephew H ogg showed any “ . N a particular indication of talent when young , na he was e ’ en like other laddies— but na ill chiel —and — gay ready at his bible the readiest ever I saw ; but I jalouse he has forgotten a muckle deal , for his book is full of lees ; what for did he talk of my fighting ? I w i never fought ony man wilfully in my life , least of all wad I hae fought w i a tinkler body We could not but observe the comfort and plenty of everything in the house : on the ingle blazed a bright peat fire : the old man sat near it in a high backed chair with his bible on his kn ees ; they were waiting the retur n of the shepherds to begin the evening exercise : two pretty children were playing round him and now and s tro a k e d then he their heads , or parted the bright curls round their faces with his finger : his daughter in law an active intelligent looking woman whose m anners were above her station sat nursing a fine infant opposite : the kitchen was hung with b a rns and dried beef : a large pot was over the fire and on a long table were preparations for the evening supper : on a very clean cloth were ranged a number of porringers , to each of which there was a plate and a horn spoon : a dish Ew e heaped high with oat cakes , a great milk cheese and two pi tchers of milk already were placed on the board and the contents of the pot were to compleat the meal . d 28 th. Walked early in the high woo above the house to a point commanding the plantations of Abbotsford and the Eilden hills came down by a path which divides the domain of Yair from Sunderland hall and returned by the Side of the Tweed which sparkled in the sun as if it ran over a bed of Cairngorm

A . pebbles . fter breakfast went with Mrs Pringle to ’ HUGHES S DI R : Bo w HILL MRS . A Y

Bowhill : we left the carriage and walked up the beautiful banks O f the Yarrow to a bridge from which the old tower of N ewark is seen looking out from its birchen bowers we then walked to the tower from when ce we saw the H angin shaw wood then called at the school founded by the late excellent Dutchess of B u c c leu gh whose memory seems endeared to everyone who knew her , and whose untimely death certainly produced by S low but certain steps that of her not less “ lamented husband : he never seemed to know joy after — - he made no display of grief he mixed in the society her of his friends , and loved to talk of to all who loved and valued her— who did not — but the charm of life S was over , and his low grief no doubt brought on the disorder which deprived the country of one of the best ’ — Sir men it ever knew this was Walter s account . We walked over the house of Bowhill the favou rite residence of the late Duke and Dutchess— it had been ’ their abode in his father s lifetime , all their children were born there , and having none of the cumbrous magnificence of Dalkeith it did not oblige them to a life of representation which neither of them loved & when Mrs . Pringle wrote to congratulate her on the great acquisition of fortune from the old Duke of Queensberry she answered do not think it affecta ’ tion , or want of gratitude for this addition to the Duke s : fortune , but indeed it does not gratify me now we a no ther I have house , and have no time in these con tinu al changes of residence to get acquainted with my roses and what roses were ever so sweet as those of dear ” I f Bowhill . never saw o fices so compleat as those of Bowhill - they were just finished and the plan of eu l ar in t g g the house begun when she died , and wi h her

1 — L o the La s t Mins r el . ED Vide introduction to The a y f t . F 1 54 LETTERS ETC . O SIR WALTER SCOTT

’ died all the Duke s desire of improvements . We C H O d S returned by the arter augh , akwoo , elkirk ,

- Philip haugh , and passed a charming morning in the classic scenery of the Border . ’ Mr . Pringle s history is very interesting : his father a staunch supporter of the Stuarts was out in the 4 5 he was descended from one of the most ancient of the b order families and distinguished by the name of White bank from the tower so called , the oldest possession of the family : to this was added Yair and a considerable property : in the reverse of the Stuarts Mr . Pringle was deeply involved : he had advanced sums to aid the cause , had raised soldiers , and gone far beyond his means in support of his principles : heavy forfeitures ensued and he was forced to part with the estate of Yair : the whole family took refuge in the old habitation of Whitebank where for man y years severe privations and great economy enabled him to support a numerous family and a large addition of uncles an d aun ts who were all dependent on him : Lord Elib ank ff who was his friend , o ered to interest himself in pro curing him some situation under government , which L might assist his scanty means , but the old aird could not bend his mind to take the oaths , and rejected the proposal : Lord E . then sent out his eldest son (the I : present Mr . P . ) to ndia by the steady line of conduct d he adopte , and by denying himself every indulgence , S he was hortly able to remit small sums to his father , which enabled him for some years to struggle with his f di ficulties , but at last an accumulation of untoward events obliged him to determine on selling Whitebank , the last remnant of his patrimony and the home which had SO long sheltered his misfortunes : before he took this desperate step he Wrote a letter to his son express

L R OF SIR 156 ETTE S ETC . WALTER SCOTT

I things that could be imagined . have been highly amused by an old man who has lived all his days on the ’ hiteb ank s Pringle family , and since W return (as he chuses to call his master) was promoted to the place of u 30 : butler , which he faithf lly filled for years he is now a gentleman at large , has saved money and has besides an annuity from his master and free liberty to Y m continue at air , where he is very fond of aking himself useful by weeding in the flower garden or attending on the young ladies , whom he always calls “ our children , or our bonnie bairns he never leaves the place but for two months in the winter ,

E . . which he spends at dinburgh , chiefly (Mrs P thinks) to be near his eldest daughter, who was his particular : favorite , and who is married and settled there as he has free admission to her house , he is usually found a part of the day in the nursery , rocking the cradle . This original has the most deadly jealousy of the ’ celebrity of Abbotsford : till it was built and Sir W . S Y S fame drew such a concourse to it , air was the how place of the country , and certainly in point of natural advantages it exceeds that and almost every other place I ever saw : he is never weary of enquiring what parties ’ come to Sir Walter s and the greater their rank and number , the more miserable he is during the summer

“ Mrs . P . says he is in a perfect fever of jealousy and as “ ” 1 he has too much integrity to abuse the Sherra whom everybody loves , and whom he cannot help liking himself, he eases his mind by finding fault with poor Lady Scott and her arrangements at Abbotsford and the place itself : one of his avocations is to walk ’ about with the visiting Ladies Maids and Show the — lions Mary was a great prize to him , for she had been

1 ir lter is Sheriff f Ettri r S Wa o c k fo est. ’ MR H UGHES S I Y : THE P I 1 7 S . D AR R NGLES 5

A her at bbotsford , and he could ask questions and he did not despair of converting her to a superior O pinion of Yair : he was therefore unwearied in trotting and waddling about with her : Se e ye here my bonnie — ’ lassie saw ye Sic a tree as this at the Sherra s — ’ naething there but a wheen larches and fi rs ye ll ’ maybe hae seen the new place he s bigged for his books — is it vera grand Mary replied it was beauti C ful , and lined with edar , on which he grunted and ’ thought Aik wood might serve the Sherra s tur n but when Mary descanted on the beauty of the Armoury he begun to puff and snort in an unmerciful manner ’ ’ — the world s a daft running and [illegible] and ’ sugging to see a wheen bits 0 coloured glass and auld rusted iron : whar will they see sic bonnie birchen braes as at Yair ? ”— and then sticking his weeding paddle b u ik s into the ground , and a this comes of writing not that I hae o nything to say against the Sherra ’ ’ tr o th he s a gude man , and a decent man and he s a L kind man , but as to my eddy and then he entered into a long critique of Lady Scott ’ s dress which has not the good fortune to please his taste , all the while feeding his gall by questions about the furniture and the gas , and sic like fule gauds as he chose to call : h T S them Mrs . P . Ope s to see old homas in a cotch ’ novel, before she dies . 1 58 OF SIR LETTERS ETC . WALTER SCOTT

CHAPTER IV

D IARY O F TH E RETURN JOURNE Y FROM AB B OTSFORD TO UFFINGTON

2 th To H a w ick 1 A 9 . 7 fter passing Selkirk which stands pleasantly on a hill above the Ettrick Y near its junction with the arrow , we pursued the track of William of Delora ine in his night expedition : A 1 the ill water which we crossed , instead of coming “ L ” “ raving from the akes , as when it wetted the ’ warrior s plume with its spray , would hardly have touched the fetlocks of his horse . To Ca r lis le 2 3 the same road by which we had entered Scotland the lovely green hills rising on each S ide of it were now more lovely because more green , and seen to much advantage by the subdued light of a sun partially covered with slight and hazy clouds . Carlisle castle looked so hideously heavy and lu mpy E S after those of dinburgh , tirling and Dumbarton that I had hardly patience to look at it . ‘ 3 t To to 1 1 0 h. Wig n country flat and not par ticu larl C H y interesting . rofton all with great planta G ff tions about half way . ri el in the distance which I liked to look at because it was Scottish ground : the haze prevented our seeing the outline of the Dumfries S A C hire coast as we could have wished . ryer went : round the town with a bell after ringing he said ,

’ 1 & - Or Ale . ED .

OF SIR 1 60 LETTERS ETC . WALTER SCOTT

Lord William Go rdon : his beautiful place (Derwent Bay) is now on sale : the green points called the C a t bells rise directly above it : the day was singularly calculated to Show the beauties of the lake : one or t two sof warm showers passed over it , and then the u sun broke thro gh and lighted up the dark peaks , or threw broad masses of bright hue on the velvet green sides of the lower hills : all the tops of the fells were clear in their turn except Skiddaw on which brooded a dense cloud casting a tint of dark blue , almost O amounting to blackness ver the whole mountain . S S . L Mr outhey told us a ingular story of Mr . ocker who publishes the Views of Spain : he went up in a Balloon and descended near the Kent Road the Balloon terrified a horse which was quietly trotting alon g with a whisky and made him run away : the whisky was overthrown in a ditch and the driver thrown to some L distance : as soon as Mr . ocker could extricate him self from the car he ran to the assistance of the gentleman who proved to be his own brother just E I returned from the ast ndies , and making his way to London . ‘ h T e very absurd Mr . Pocklington who formerly possessed the largest island in the lake had deformed : it in every way he built a small wooden church , a battery and a large fort which he n amed Fort Joseph in honour of himself : he purchased the finest oak on o ff the banks of the lake , cut its limb and head , barked it , and after reducing it to a huge post painted it white to form an O bject from his windows : he afterwards occupied a house near Loden and sold the island to General Peachey who speedily destroyed all these fooleries and by so doing incurred his bitterest hatred he called all his servants together, enumerated the ’ HUGHES S I R : THE U H Y MRS . D A Y SO T E S 1 61 injuries (as he styled them) and declared if they ever set foot in the island he would discharge them before he quitted the island he had a Regatta on the Lake : part of the amusement was a naval engagement ; in the character of Governor he defended the island from : an attack made by a fleet of boats Mr . Southey has C a opy of the printed Programme which Mr . Po ck ling ton circulated— this is the conclusion “ the Governor defends himself desperately till he receives a mortal ” u T wound , upon which the fort is s rrendered . his mor ta l wound was represented by ru nning a penknife into a bladder of red ink which Mr . P . wore between his waistcoat and shirt . We passed the rest of the ’ : day most agreeably at Mr . Southey s he had just n received a l etter from Mrs . Opie formally annou cing her reception into the Society of Friends I may well say form a lly for she had adopted the language of her ’ ’ thee d thou d new friends , and and her old friend most unmercifully . ‘ u n l J e s t. We went to Buttermere by the cir c u ito us road : for 6 miles on the Cockermouth turnpike and then turned to the left above Lorton ; drove by the Side of Crummock Water to Buttermere where we dined : afterwards being desirous to detect the impo sition of the landlord at the Roya l O ak who had declared it impossible for us to return by the Vale of N ewland , we walked back over the fell and through the Vale and m e t the carriage three miles from Keswick we found that the road was very practicable and in consequence removed to the Queen ’ s H ead a much cleaner and more comfortable place than the k O a .

‘ 2 . S nd . Went up Skiddaw with Mr outhey and — his two younger daughters it took us seven ho urs and M T F R R 162 LETTERS E C . O SI WALTE SCOTT amply repaid our toil : the very distant views were hazy but the near prospect enchanting and the air so pure and balmy that nothing could be more enjoyable . I cannot tell whether it is the state of the atmosphere , or the wide contemplation of the works of the Almighty which produces an effect so powerful as that which is felt in walking on the summit of such a mountain as Skiddaw : high and holy thoughts seemed alone worthy to occupy the mind— I felt what Addison so beautifully “ describes in his paper on Westmin ster Abbey every vil passion seemed to die within me - probably this ff I e ect would be lessened by frequent resort , and yet could not help thinking the beautiful Poem of Roderic must owe much to Skiddaw — could it have been such as it is if written in the turmoil of Gracechurch Street C S or heapside while this was in my head , outhey said “ this is not a place in which one thinks much of the — h H . three per cents e had been talking to Dr . as we set out on the reduction of interest in the funds : no man can have a better excuse for attending to his worldly interests than Southey for many depend upon

him : two sisters and a niece of Mrs . S . are added to his own family of fi v e children : I never met with a man more open hearted and disinterested : it is very gratifying to see in how much comfort his talents have enabled him to bring up the children he loves so fondly : he educates them rationally and rules ff I them by a ection . never saw children whose minds appeared better cultivated or whose manners were more Simply graceful : the youngest is as lovely in

person as fancy can paint so sweetly wild , so inno ” c entl y gay , that it is a pleasure to see her move and

hear her Speak .

Mr . S . told us he saw at Rokeby a plan of the late

4 OF SIR 1 6 LETTERS ETC . WALTER SCOTT

a o the Anote to the poem says Mr . an eminent p ” cary at H inkley . Southey found in some old papers a copy of verses from his grandfather to his grandmother before their marriage and under the influence of strong jealousy : he describes his sufferings at the favor she Shows to S tep hen and a note at the back says St ephen h Fe llenb er was t e young Justice . Southey visited g at H offw yl and thinks him one of the c om plea te st hum : bugs of the age : he gave S . a Sketch of his system

the abstract was , that in order to establish the future peace of the world all the heirs apparent to the King doms and Principalities of Europe Should be educated

together, that this , to avoid the general jealousy should S be done in poor little unobtrusive witzerland , and to bring things nearer to the business and bosom of — P . Mr . ellenberg no one so proper to do it as himself Story of two Irish gentlemen who fought a duel because the one cou ld not be made to believe that the other ha d seen Anchovies growing in a garden : the “ Oh & sceptic was killed , and his opponent exclaimed ” 1 — r what a pity I just recollect I meant Cape s . A Cumberland peasant who had borrowed a horse was called upon to make the owner recompence for the animal which fell down a crag and broke its neck he came to a magistrate near Keswick for advice he

IS . knocked at the door . Mr Justice at home ” N o : , was the reply the lady of the house was cross

ing the passage he called out Are ye Mrs . Justice She answered Yes he then angrily asked Sup ’ e To m I pose y were Jackson s auld horse , an was to

’ ’ 1 hat c a ers he s c uttin s a id This s to ry is no t very w e ll to ld . W p g,

ur eo n referrin to the o ne that w as w ounded . Then the o ther the s g , g — e c la im s Beda d it w as c a ers I w a s m eanin all the tim e a far etter x , , p g b — rea ding ED . ’ HUGHES S I : THE MRS. D ARY SOUTHEYS 1 65

S rick s c o w b an ds borrow ye to carry ma p , and ma and tu ils H onister ma necessary to market , and ye fell down Crag and brak yere neck— was I to pay for ye — was I ” be hanged . L S r t . 3 d . Went on the ake with the ou hey family

S . Mr . rowed us and the two little girls and Miss

Coleridge occasionally took an oar . Went to General ’ Pe a c he s y island , saw the house and then rowed round ' C C . all the islands . Walked afterwards to the astle rag

S . Mr . knew a family who gave a dinner and having few servants dressed up the plough boy in livery and ’ ordered him to wait behind his mistress chair b u t not to stir from it he obeyed literally b ut not having any employment amused himself with looking down his ’ n mistress back , which accordi g to the fashion of the day was much exposed : all of a sudden in the midst of a pause in conversation she felt a rough finger and “ E thumb down her back , heard the boy roar out cod ’ I e v catched u n and saw him produce a flea . ‘ I know no one who has a livelier taste for the comic than Southey : he enjoys any trait of humour with all his heart and is particularly fond of good non sense : he showed us a little book which he bought at Loch Erne containing a description of the scenery by ’ Lord B rea dalb an e s factor which is the very acme of absurdity and bad taste the author calls thieves

S . Men of incoherent habits . is very fond of making playful verses for the amusement of his children : that describing Lodore and published in a collection by Miss Baillie was written for that purpose : he has the loudest sneeze I ever heard and on making me start by doing so he replied

S iddaw retu rns a s w el l he m a the echo o f that sn ee e k y , z

An d fo l s at Porten s cal e m a s a Go d l es s him if the le a se . k y y , b y p OF IR 1 66 LETTERS ETC . S WALTER SCOTT

‘ I might also notice the ludicrous ballad on the Retreat from Moscow which he allowed me to copy : a mutilated edition got into the papers , but he would not print the whole for fear of giving offence to R Mr . oscoe , who , though he was silly enough to hold the h language ascribed to him , is too muc respected by

S . to allow him to publish what might vex so amiable a man .

4 th. M r . . S Went in a cart with , Mrs outhey and their two daughters to Lodore : walked up the steep ascent to Waten dl ath and down by a most rugged B ro dale C descent to o . rossed the river which was so low as to permit us to take our dinner on the large B ro dale stones in its bed . Walked down o till past the C C B ow der S : astle rag , the tone and the Grange then came back in the cart : we passed the whole day in this very pleasurable expedition which included a dis 1 3 A tance of miles . fter settling our account with our L H civil good old andlady at the Queens ead , whose her charges were as moderate as face was good , we walked to take an unwilling leave of the Southey family . h — mblesi e 1 The 5 t L to A d 6 . . eft Keswick Vale ’ of St . John s and the castle crag in it reminded us of Trierm ain T the Bridal of . By hirlmere and Grasmere which last is to me the loveliest of all the lovely lakes I have seen : there is more emerald verdure and better cultivation near it than in any part of Cumberland : it is however on the edge of Westmoreland for we passed the boundary at Dun Maill Raise about four miles before we reached Grasmere . Passed Rydale Lake with large Slate Quarries on its bank and a new church building by Lady Fleming in better taste than m ight be expected from a person who

OF SIR 1 68 LETTERS ETC . WALTER SCOTT

S are certainly very like , but the culptor has given an air of melancholy grandeur which is not apparent in — the . C 6 Poet ame in the afternoon to Bowness . F A Walked by the Parsonage to the erry point . fter dinner walked up to Professor Wilson ’ s very pretty ’ S Sir cottage , and by using the magic pell of Walter s n o t name were only allowed to see the place , but most : politely received by Mr . and Mrs . Wilson their house stands on a high shelf far above the Lake and com mands a fine view of the whole backed by the fell S ca e ell L towards the head of the water , f , and the ang dale Pikes ; the whole was lighted up by a glowing

evening sun . Mr . Wilson is a handsome man , with more expression of countenance than I ever saw in one w hose complexion is brilliantly fair : he has a bright I blue eye that has a wild , changeful , may say a very poetical expression I never saw any eye with such a F ’ beam except poor Mr . arhill s and the colour of his S ’ was hazel outhey s dark gaze is like that of a planet , ’ S Mr . Wilson s has the parkle of a fixed star on a frosty night : his five fine children were runn ing about the woods as free and as happy as the birds themselves :

Mrs . Wilson is soft and pleasing in manners ; she is hardly recovered from the alarm occasioned by their

fearful accident of which Mr . W . gave me an account they were taking an airing in a covered car with two of their children ; the eldest boy followed on his pony : the harness gave way in going up a steep pitch and the carriage separating from the horse fell back 4 0 yards and was overturned in a ditch not ten yards from a

: . very high precipice Mr W . (who was a good deal — bruised) dragged out Mrs . Wilson they then saw their the eldest boy struggling on ground with his pony , both the t tw o having been overturned by the car , and o her ’ RS HUGH ES S I : THE I M . D ARY W LSONS 1 69

senseless with the car (1 200 weight) lying upon them when by the exertion of fi v e men the car was set ’ u upright , the children tho st nned and for some time unable to Speak were foun d to be wholly uninjured

except bruises of a trifling kind . Mr . and Mrs . W . w a lk ed S some years ago through cotland , at least a — round of between 5 and 600 miles ; sometimes 20 o r 1 6 per day— sometimes resting a whole day they were

abou t five weeks in accomplishing it .

6th. Walked before breakfast to the high crag A H behind the inn . fter church we went on to ale , a Single inn two miles beyond M ilnthorp : the stage 1 6 ought to have been miles , but the driver knew not

an inch of the way , and went four times wrong , by 24 A which means we must have made it . fter quitting Windermere the country deserves no higher praise than that of being c he arfu l : a ba ck bon e of bare lime rock like Coed Marchan runs nearly from Kendal to Burton which we left on our left : we passed over a very flat peat moss till we came to the head of the Ken river : then turned direct east to Milnthorpe and at Levens L entered the Kendal road . evens is a fine old house and Dalham Tower which is just beyond Milnthorpe a beautiful place overlooking the sea : occasional vie w s of the sands all the way : to La n ca s ter 1 2 miles : from C I the astle saw ngleborough . To Pr s ton b r s t n 7 ih. e y Ga a g 22 m iles : a thick haze prevented our seeing the sea and also obscur ed the view from Lancaster Castle to which I ran before we set out I believe that in the heat of summer this often r occu s , and it confirms me in the idea that we could not have taken a better time than the spring for our expedition : the country we cou ld see was pleasant but with no marked feature except high moors to the east F 1 7 0 LETTERS ETC . O SIR WALTER SCOTT

for the first 1 6 miles . Preston once the residence of a numerous society of gentry is become a mere sordid manufacturing town swarming with a population C which we saw crowding the streets in lub processions , Whit Monday being their time of annual meeting : the town is very large and the suburbs vile low brick houses in rows the largest cotton mill in England is here . To Wiga n by Char ley 1 8 we made it 20 by going to see H aigh H all the seat of Sir Roger and Lady B r adshaigh in the days of Richardson : we saw their — pictures by Vandyke she most agreeable looking , he very handsome , a great contrast to the present very T ugly owners whose port raits hung parallel . here was u a good collection of pict res , a fine old drawing room

the length of the house with four bay windows , and a library which had a fine carved oak chimneypiece reaching to the top of the room and divided into square pann els each containing a coat of arms the observatory and an artificial ruin in the very worst taste are rather At C a disgrace to this very interesting old place . horley I saw on a sign the primitive Methodis t Spirits

- Al e Porter &c . there is nothing to remark in this drive but a high Tower called Rippen dal e at the edge of a moor : the old house at Wigan in which Lord Derby was concealed and afterwards discovered fell

down about five weeks ago . Wigan a very dirty ugly

place . ‘ in t n 1 2 To To Wa rr g o . the east the country has the appearance of a numerous population : it is literally studded with houses & and the smoke and smother of steam engines is to be seen in all directions : everything — bespeaks manufacture coal pits , savage , squalid look m an d ing men , dirty bold wo en , children black with

2 OF IR 1 7 LETTERS ETC . S WALTER SCOTT

w well timbered hedge ro s , fine cattle and neat cottages we saw the Trent in its infant state near Trentham : the seat of the Marquis of Stafford is handsome : a considerable stretch of wood with the river run ning at the foot of it must form the chief beauty of the view un from the house , for the country about it is very interesting : whatever it is I fear it has made the Marchioness forget the wild hills of Dunrobin and the “ land of the heath and the mountain ” and that the Countess of Sutherland is merged in the superior title I do not doubt her good intentions , but what was done in Sutherland does not seem to have been done judiciously : it is not possible to transform shepherds to fishermen (and least of all H ighland Shepherds) by ’ ou F a c p d e thea tr e like one of Mr . arley s magical ir mi ht S . changes at Covent Garden S W . said she g — have raised a 1 000 men in one day by a word n ow yet with all his spirit of Cla n he did not Speak with severity of the measure which it is believed will gr a du a lly be of service to the country : the M S O f Stafford had a great tail when the King came ” said

Mr . Blackwood , but what a tail she might have S f C taf ord astle , the bone of contention e in ham C Sir E . rn . between J g and Mr ooke , stands on a high brow above the town at about a mile distant . Teddesley in a fine wood to the left a mile from

Penkridge . To Wo lver ha mpton 1 0 : we made it 1 2 by deviating Vhi H Old . V t to see Mozley all , the house in which Mr greave sheltered Charles 2 n d after he quitted Boscobel and before he undertook his perilous journey across the L country with Mrs . ane ; it is a most curious old black and white wooden house exactly in the state in which it was when the King was there : we saw the ’ HU HES I : To MRS . G S D ARY WORCESTERSHIRE 1 73

’ 85 0 . hiding place , the Priest s chamber and wondered how the lineal descendant of the Whitgre a v e s could leave the old hall to moulder and decay , and fix him self in a great square yello w house on the hill above it : I do think if I had such a place with such a history I attached to it , should preserve it as the apple of my eye . The To S tou r br idge 1 0 . town much superior to most manufacturing towns broad and neat and airy

Dudley and H ales Owen in the distance . Pass H agley on the road to Bromsgrove .

Al e ter 1 3 . A To B r omsgr ov e 1 0 . To c s true Wor c ester shire drive : the country so green and fertile : small inclosures and high elms cut up to their tops : the soil deep new sand : after passing H avel Grange the prospect opens to Warwickshire and the trees are un shorn and luxuriant : the view very lovely on each

Side the ridge upon which the road runs . The Malvern h the and Breedon hills in t e distance to right . Pass

Coughton . R To Ev es ha m 10 . Pass agley and the pretty retired parsonage of Arvon the approach to Evesham very handsome . w To S tow 1 6 . There are fe more beautiful things H I than the view from Broadway ill , nor do know any little town or village so pretty and neat as Broadway : itself there it was rising amongst the high trees , with the clear little stream running through the broad — c he arful street the old fashioned gable ended houses with their stone slate roofs and mullion windows , and the high roofed , clean comfortable looking inn where I have passed so many pleasant hours— all unchanged and looking as if not a year had passed Since I saw it all in company with the dear friends so long gone and OF 1 74 LETTERS ETC . SIR WALTER SCOTT

— it so deeply regretted was all very mournful to me , and yet I liked it better than the total change which has taken place in the road to Stow : the broad c he ar ful open down was far more pleasant to my eye than the road formally inclosed w ith stone walls and edged with high plantations of sombre firs . We arrived at home early in the day happy to find all that was dear to us there well and prosperous and t rul y thankful for all the pleasures we had enjoyed ’ during o ur more than Six weeks absence in which every circumstance combined to render our tour de lightful at the time , and to furnish us with recollections of the most gratifying kind for the amusement of our ’ fireside .

F W 1 76 LETTERS ETC . O SIR ALTER SCOTT

u e of wine is now unknown in good society , yet the s of S the good creature is more than with you in the outh , for which climate manners are an apology . I am very happy you have made your pilgrimage well out seen those you must have been interested I in seeing . am particularly obliged for the hint you 1 I have given me about Southey . thought he had taken en u i non I I me g g , though could not guess why . n 18 18 k ow he has owed me a letter since , and when he made a tour through Scotland with Telford the Engi neer never looked near me although not far from my door . But it is of little consequence who is in fault when no unkindness is meant and so I will write to him very soon and I thank you kindly for having been I R the good natured friend who when , as think ichard son says , the parallel lines are in danger of running along side of each other for ever gives one of them a I chop out of its course and makes them meet again . am sorry Mrs . O . P . has passed into the next letter of I the Alphabet and turned Q . hate all conversions of mere form ; they are usually a change of garments , 2 not the heart . Wordsworth is a man and a gentleman every inch of him unless when he is mounted on his critical hobby horse and tells one Pope is no poet he might as well say Wellington is no soldier because he wears a blue greatcoat and n o t a coat of burnished mail . ‘ I owe you among many things the honour of a most obliging letter from the Duke of Buckingham about I u S . the M S . supposed of winton hope the D chess will make out her tour ; the best way of inducing

1 ’ ’ Sir W. Sco tt s letter to So uthe is iv en in Lo c har t s Li e w ith y g k f , ‘ the refere nc e Herc c o m es m c lever a c tive ustl in friend Mrs . y , , b g , ’ — u hes a nd tells m e tha t o u re ret it s ilenc e di e ED . H g , y g , — Vid e . 1 61 a o ve ED . p , b MR 8 — 6 ER To S . 1 24 182 1 77 LETT S HUGHES , her Grace to honour us by lookin g our way is to assure her that our hospitality , such as it is , is never osten i tat o u s and therefore no inconvenience to ourselves . ’ I H u he s s Charles will am sure be grateful for Mr . g patronage and I trust he will profit by the acquaint I ano es he may procure him at Oxford . know nothing so essential to give the proper tone to a young mind as C intercour se with the learned the worthy . harles In does not leave me till October . the mean time I ” hope to have a visit from my gay Goss - hawk Walter the only one of my family whom you do not know and who is a fine fellow in his own way and devoted to his profession . 1 ‘ Thank you for the verses on old Q ; they are both witty and se vere yet give him little more than his I due for he was a most ingeniously selfish animal . h S 2 ave given the music to ophia in the first place , who will impart it to her more idle sister . Besides , both Mama 3 and Anne have been at Abbotsford for three I weeks during which time I have not seen them . was never half the time separated from my wife since o ur I “ S marriage , saving when have been forth of cotland I as our law phrase goes . quite agree with you that Byron ’ s merits and the regrets due to his inimitable genius should supersede every thing else that envy

Our - may wish to dwell upon . lake friends were narrow - minded about his talents an d even about his

conduct , much of which might be indefensible but only attracted loud and virulent stricture because of the brilliancy of his powers .

1 s Mr H u hes — A s atirical o em m an ears efo re on the N o te by s . g p y y b

s upp o se d de ath o f the old D uke o f Q ueens b erry. 2 Mrs Lo c hart his e ldes t dau hter . . k , g 2 ‘ m ’ Sir Wa lter w as in the habit o f c alling Lady Sc o tt Ma a . F L 1 7 8 LETTERS ETo . O SIR WA TER SCOTT

To d swear no broa er upon paper to a lady , the “ d . H euce take your Mr Whitgreave . e may call himself H Mr . iggins now , if he will , without being challenged

H - N by him of iggins euch , who is gone to the shades H Perc ie s below , where the race of iggins as well as of H H is owards must descend . successor is called Mr . C I u I Burn alender which hope will satisfy yo r ear . would be qu ite d elighted to become proprietor at any s It reasonable rate of the old chimney piece . l would however be necessary that someone on the spot be em — ployed on my behalf an expert joiner who c om pl eatly understands his business—to take it down pack it with saw dust and shavings (or what do you call them En I lanin s in glish , mean p g of wood) in a proper case , and it might be sent by sea from Liverpool to Glasgow d L where there is aily communication , ockhart would cause someone there to send it through the canal to E dinburgh , for so old a material must be tender very A easily broken . few guineas will be no object to me to secure this point , so the packing is carefully attended to .

4 This alludes to an a ccoun t which I had s ent him o f a visit I had m ade o n o u r ro a d hom e to see Mo l e H all n e ar Wolverham ton o ne of z y p , the ho u ses o f refuge fo r Charl es 2 d a fter his e s cape fro m the ba ttle o f e s ter Mr hi r e ve h lin l n n f h l l w ners Wo rc . . W tg a , t e ea d esc e da t o t e oya o , h ril f his lif h l ered hi v r i n h n l ect d he who at t e pe o e s e t s So e e g , ad s o eg e t ol d m an sion that it w as fallen into u tter deca ha d uilt a lar e y , b g The a us ion o h n m Hi ins m o dern hou s e a t a m ile dis tant. ll t t e a e o f gg relates to Sir Walter ha ving b een m u ch am us ed at my indignatio n o n fi n ding tha t the p ro prieto r o f the ancient c astle o f Creighto n bore that i ti n m o s t pleb eia n d e s gna o . A ver curio us old chim ne ie ce at Sto es a Castle near Lu dl o w y y p k y ,

l n in t L rd Cra ven . The m an sio n is in utter deca I ha d b e o g g o o y , d en n ffered t i Cu nliffe I wa s heard the chim ney pie c e ha be o c e o o S r F . in ho es it c o uld ha ve een ro c ured fo r Sir Walter b ut Lo rd Crave n p b p , having refused it to La dy D enbigh w as w ith regret o bliged als o to deny the requ es t.

r I W LTER CCTT 1 80 LETTERS ETC . o S R A S

H ughes looked in , as we have seen , at Keswick upon N Southey . aturally their talk would turn and return

S S . to the great cotsman , and no doubt outhey told Mrs

H ughes , who was an o ld friend , that the bonds of friend ship that had once been woven close between himself S and Sir Walter ha d grown very slack . outhey appears S Sir to have deemed himself a little lighted by Walter , Sir who had omitted to answer a letter , and Walter , in n tur , as the above letter shows , was a little hurt that his old friend had made no effort to see him when he was It on tour in Scotland . was just one of those foolish drifts asunder , caused by none or purely fanciful reasons , h C that require a sympathetic and to lose it up , and The H . such a hand Mrs . ughes applied success of the application is fully proved by the letter to Southey L published in ockhart. To this gracious letter (which perhaps Sir Walter of intention rendered the more appealing by the refer ence in its postscript to the distressful state of illness through which he had passed in the long interval of silence in their correspondence) Southey in his way ff as agreeable as possible , although it is a di erent way ’ ’ ’ ir H u he s s — re S . from Walter s , says Mrs g journal

‘ ’ sponde d no less cordially ; and so the parallel lines were brought to meet again .

‘ Abbo tsford 1 182 4 0 Sep.

EA MRS H U GH ES M Y D R . Many thanks to you for I all your kindness . am not in the least disappointed about the chimney piece or surprised that Lord Craven Should (even without any apology) have declined a T request which a stranger had no title to make . hough a professed Pedlar in antiquarian [matters] I really feel none of the paltry spirit of appropriation which MRS H HE 1 24—1826 To . UG S 8 1 81 LETTERS , induces many of that class to disjoin curiosities from the place to which they are fitted by association for the The poor gratification of calling them their own . chimney piece at Stokesay is of ten times the value which it can be any where else and it was only the idea that it was neglected and going to decay (which I am happy to understand is erroneous) that could have induced me to accept your tempting offer to mediate for it in my favour . ‘ I had written thus far three weeks Since when I was involved in one of those currents of petty inter ru ption s and avocations in which it has been my frequent lot to make shipwreck of much valuable time and which particularly has occasioned frequent gaps in ll l my correspondence . A your valued drawings (that ’ i is your son s) came qu te safe, and will serve to do yeoman service in illustrating my favourite Clarendon . The A I view of bbotsford is , think , quite accurate except that perhaps the belfry tower has rather more than its S due hare of height importance, but this is a trifle . By the way I have discovered that the affecting 2 The ballad about the S tu ons is not quite original . great author has not disdained to borrow the verse “ ’ about my dog I from a song in D Urfeys c o ll e c “ I tion elegantly called Pills to purge melancholy . t Shows t hat as a Justice of Peace may be obliged to his S kinsman for a man , as lender vaunteth , so a great bard may sometimes be indebted for a thought or a stanza .

M N otes b rs . H M H u hes. Draw in s of Bo sc o e l o le a ll y g g b , z y White La dies which o f h l t r as e a y ur at er had m a d e for Sir Wa e , w ll s o ne of A otsford from r h fr m l a nd bb a oug s ke tch I had bro ught o Sco t . 2 ‘ ’ ’ The old ball ad of Geo rge Ridl er s o v en w hich begins w ith a ‘ chorus in which The Ston e s (call e d in the Glo uc es tershire dia lec t tuons is re eated thr h th l ir f lla d in S ) p oug e who e A b e ore the b a b eg s . Si r Wa lter ha d een artic u la rl am u ed wi h thi int di tt b p y s t s qua y. ETC OF SIR WALT R 1 82 LETTERS . E SCOTT

This letter has been written by instalments like a man in distressed circu mstances endeavouring to pay his debts honestly, while your goodness has so far over whelmed me with further obligations that I am in no So small danger of compleat bankruptcy . if you see my name in the Gazette as a defaulter in correspond The ence you must not be surprised . chief cause of this ungracious insolvency has been Woman— Woman that Th I seduces all mankind . e male animals can leave to A stray about bbotsford by themselves , but my tender ness of heart often leads me to wait on my lady visitors in their rambles and this is a sad consumption of time .

I am quite surprised at the dexterity with which Mr . H ughes has made out such a complicated mansion as A C C bbotsford , commonly called onundrum astle , with out any disproportions which can indicate his not I having seen the place, but think his Mama made a h The sketch much more full than S e allowed us to see . western tower where the bell hangs is perhaps a little the exalted in height above the rest of house , although I am by no means sure that this criticism is just . By I I the way see made it in the first page . I should feel in despair at the idea of robbing you l 3 H of your Pal as but that Dr . ughes can so well spare I Wisdom or its prototype , and that on the other hand would be much obliged to any one to improve the slender stock which nature has given me and Should therefore make Minerva the goddess of my private chapel .

I Sincerely hope this will find the Dr . con tinning in the enjoyment of tolerable good health and your son flourishing and prospering . Charles is

3 A hea d o f Pallas enam elled o n Co pp er w hich is now in the little

' n i u e Arm o u ry at Abbots fo rd is a c urio u s A t q .

T F IR 1 84 LETTERS E C . O S WALTER SCOTT

H remain under the least doubt as to Broster . e is so far an empiric that he has not been regularly educated C to medical practice , being bred a bookseller at hester .

But his powers of removing hesitation , or rather his Skill in instructing persons to avoid or subdue that ff I painful nervous a ection , are certainly wonderful . have not seen Lady Morton since he attended her but learn on all hands that She is not like the same person in H er She society . hesitation was of a peculiar kind , for ’ s topp d dead Short without any of those unpleasant attempts at pronouncing the Shibboleth which gene i An d rally accompanies hesitation o speech . there you stood or sate listening , not well knowing whether the I speech had come to a natural or violent conclusion . am informed She now speaks forward like any other person . ‘ A Major H isted of the Royal Dragoons who was inspecting our yeomanry here the other day told me he ’ B ro ster s had been under Mr . care for a very embarrass ing hesitation which interfered a good deal with his giving the word of command and making reports etc . in I the course of his profession . could scarce believe him , so absolutely had all appearance of the kind dis I appeared . Only watching him very closely saw when he was abo ut to address the Yeomanry a momentary embarrassment which instantly passed o ff and would have been totally undiscernible by any one So who was not watching very close . much for the I feats of Mr . Broster whom would certainly consult T if I had occasion . here can be no danger of harm to a the person , for his instructions are not ccompanied by k drugs or operations , or to the purse , for li e those who cure smoky chimnie s he proceeds on the principle of no cure no pay . M HU HE 1824—1 26 To RS . G S 8 1 85 LETTERS ,

I am ashamed to rob you of Lord Falkland who besides the very great value which every lover of ’ Clarendon s history m ust set upon his character talents has been happy in an Artist [probably Oliver] I to convey hi s features to posterity . t is absolutely a Sin to accept so valuable a present but then it would I be an act of the most severe self denial to decline , and fear we seldom long hesitate when the choice is between I Sinning and suffering . once published a very few C opies of poems written dur ing the civil war by Patrick Carey a Catholic priest whom I afterwards discovered L F I I to have been a brother of ord alkland . think have two copies left , and will beg your acceptance of one by the first safe opportunity . ‘ S ul ophia , poor so , has kept her bed for near a week , dangerously ill at first with an inflammable complaint which has of late been fearfully frequent . Luckily we had near timely aid and skilful medical She help , so that with bleeding and care is now better , cou cha n te H I t but still as a erald would say , but rust will soon be able to do honour to the Stones ” 2 which I think much improved by the additions which Mr . H T ughes has made to the ancient fabric . here is a

John Bullishness about the whole , a dogged honesty an d stubbornness of good sense, which make honest George Ridler out to be a pattern of old English Y eomanry . We laughed till we were like to die at the 3 primitive display of Mr . Mrs . Bull in the one horse

L rd Fa nd N o es b Mrs H u hes . An ori inal miniature of o l l a t y . g g k which I ha d sent Sir Wa lter . ’ 2 Your father had m ade l arge addition s to Sir Walter s favourite ’ all ad o f Geor e Ridler a nd I ha d s ent him a c o . b g , py 3 The b a llad of the Magic Lay o f the One horse Chay w ritt en by ’ 2 I yo ur father published in Bl ackw ood s Magazine for Octo b er 1 8 4 . t w a s founded o n a fact which took place at Brighton the precedi ng 1 86 ET OF IR W LETTERS C . S A LTER SCOTT

C I hay . give the bathers infinite credit for their address in contriving so effectual a punishment for ’ n i terlopers . Many a man has been stripp d for being ’ flo d C himself gg , but the situation of the honest itizen must have been superb while , reserving the nakedness S for his own part of the how , he transferred the fla ell a tio n b N L o fl g to the ack of old obbs . eaving the vagaries of this second Adam and Ev e in a Tim I I Whisky , must tell you that have had another disappointment in an expected visitor of eminence ; this was no less than Can ning who proposed rubbing A up an old acquaintance by a visit at bbotsford , when u L l o e e . S pop dies y old ouis desir , and Mr ecretary of state must go to his office to forward addresses of con dolence and congratulation and renew the bands of amity between John Bull Louis Baboon . ‘ 4 I I recollected the passage in Dr . Plott as read it — but upon what authority comes the explanation a S very natural and probable one , and a ign that old N oll ’ s saints were not quite so confident in their superiority to Satan as their gifted pretensions would I have made one suppose . think you mentioned there was some old pamphlet giving an account of the I stratagem . did not get the drawing of poor John L 5 I H eyden , but remember eber saying he had got it

it - for me , but somehow he forgot to send it me or was

’ Mr . Bu f r c h w r the nam es o f the u u t the l s s o f Mr . s ll s o su e e A g s , o ( p arties) c l oaths w as o wing to their being s to le n by a m anoeuvre o f the

Ba thers .

’ P o t s N a tura l His tor o Ox or ds hir e c o ntainin An extra ct fro m D r. l y f f g a n a c c o unt o f a s tratagem p ra ctised to intimidate the Com missio ners sent by the Long Parliam ent to va lue the Manor o f Wo odsto c k a fter the d eath o f Cha rles l st .

5 ’ Mr r s f i . Be en ha d ff r d m drawin o r l f r o e e e a g S Wa ter s riend D . Le den ha d f rm erl m a e n f r him hic h he ha d n iv y o y d o e o w o t rece ed .

E F IR 1 88 LETTERS TC. O S WA LTER SCOTT

In 1 820 Sir Walter , who had previously contributed an essay , with the hitherto unpublished poems of C ‘ E A R ’ Patrick arey , to the dinburgh nnual egister , published ‘ Trivial Poems and Triolets ’ by this Carey n whom he compares with Lovelace as a poet . O page ’ 2 80 of Lockhart s Life will be found a long extract ’ Th from Scott s introduction to this volume of poems . e F I name of the alkland family was , think , generally ’ e spelled without the Cary . The five following letters have been previously pub

lishe d F L . in the collection of amiliar etters , by Mr S Douglas , and are therefore given without pecial com ment here .

M H U GHES I M Y DEAR RS . owe you a thousand acknowledgements for Pallas who arrived as if secured by her own superior intelligence in the most perfect It safety . seems a very great curiosity , and has been admired as a piece of art by Wilkie and other good I judges who have seen it here . have hung it over the ur chimney in the little armo y , where surrounded by all manner of military implements Minerva has the appearance of being quite in character , and where also her metallic frame corresponds in great effect to the h The different weapons with which S e is associated . Cheese is most excellent and considering the Shape of it came in peculiar good time to a great coursing match followed by a dinner which I always give to my friends among the neighbouring yeomanry once a year, to promote kindness and good fellowship amongst neigh I S bours . What would give to be able to ing them — the Stu ons I am sure they would be extremely The delighted . cheese was allowed to be excellent and we eat up its very whiskers . M To RS . H UGHES 1 8244 826 1 89 LETTERS ,

I H am very much indebted to Mr . ughes for his C I hO e kindness to harles , of which p the youngster will deserve the continuance . Charles is clever enough but has alternations of indolence of which I am somewhat afraid , knowing from experience how fatal it is to the acquisition of knowledge even when associated with the power of working hard at particular times . S Pray when you see Dr . toddart recommend me to Yo u him very kindly . would see in Byr ons conversa tions that I was led to imitate the style of Coleridge ’ s

- Christabel in the Lay of the last M in stre l fi it is very S true , and Dr . toddart was the person who introduced to me that Singular composition by reciting some stanzas S La s a de of it many years ince in my cottage at w . Byron seems to have thought I had a hand in some ill -natured review of Coleridges wild and wondrous H e tale which was entirely a mistake . might have I remembered by the way , that it was who first intro du c ed his Lordship to the fragment with a view to ’ interest him in Coleridge s fate and in the play he was I then bringing forward . agree with you that Lord and Lady Byron were not well suited yet I am not much disposed to throw blame exclusively on either . Unhappily Byron ’ s distinguished talents and high imaginations were mixed with inequality of spirits increased by early habits of u n c ontroule d indulgence of ’ urr d every whim which o c c to him at such moments . T his is a bad ingredient for family happiness , where M tto e F after all Bear and Forbear must be the o . rom what I saw personally of Lord Byr on I was always of Opinion that if a great and worthy object capable and deserving to engross his attention Should ever occupy S u — in his mind , ho ld present itself to his pursuit other words if an ill - directed love of pleasure had been ETC OF S IR 1 90 LETTERS . WALTER SCOTT

he exchanged for a well directed love of action , would have made a figure as di stinguished in the page of H e history , as he must make in that of literature . pursued the freedom of Greece as I am well assured on the truest and most rational principles , desiring to unite the whole efforts of the country in the task of liberating them from the rod of their oppressor, instead of dividing them into factions by insisting upon all persons subscribing some fantastic political creed . It pleased God to cut O ff this wonderful man before he could accomplish anything very considerable in the task he had under taken : the night has come upon him in which no man can work and SO much to teach us to A I n improve our time . fter all have not yet see these I conversations but from what see in the papers , and I L I C . from what knew of ord Byron , conceive apt

Medwin to have been an accurate reporter . But all men talk loosely in their ordinary conversation and of course much will remain to be corrected and deducted both in matters of opinion matters of fact . I H ere is a long stupid letter . have been sitting to Sedet e t eternu m Wilkie these two days past . in ed i Ask E s eb t . the Doctor for the nglish . But this was a very particular occasion being by royal command H introduced as a personage at the reception of olyrood . C S arey hall attend you the instant I get to to wn . L ockhart , spouse and baby left us yesterday for d r E inburgh where we all go on Monday fi st . Believe H me with kind compliments to Dr . ughes in which L S A ady cott and nne cordially join , to be

very truly yours ,

‘ A o ts ford ALTER SCOTT . bb , W Thurs day ‘ 14 N ovb r. ,

ETC OF SIR SCOTT 1 92 LETTERS . WALTER of the death of Regent Murray which he was just fi n ish ’ B df rd H : ing for the Duke of e o s . James all brother H f C . S O of apt Basil all , made some ketches this extra litho ra hiz e d I ordinary scene which are to be g p , and w ill send you a copy though it can suggest but a faint The n idea of the horrible original . means used to bri g down the ruins , which continued to stand menacingly to fall every moment , was also a very striking scene . ’ Part were mined and blown up part pu ll d down by a combin ation of mechanical powers operations on which I attended with deep interest . Upon the whole I believe the c o nflagratio n will be followed by its own A advantages as such evils usually are . large space is ’ cleared which though in old houses it fo rm d the abode

O f the learned , the noble , and the gay has latterly I t . u become the cells of misery , and of en of vice tr st a good use will be made of the O pportunity and might say something about the phoenix , but the emblem has been rather worn out by the prologues to the Opening of Drury Lane . ‘ I owe you a thousand thanks for the transcript ’ — respecting poor Byron s conversation he was much of t m etim es 'told . e . so S a Crammer, his bottle holder a ort C I of romances for which he seriously laimed credit . always suspected the duel to be escapades of this kind ,

’ if Capt . Medwin rightly understood what he said , and if Lord Byron was not speaking Of boxing matches at school . We must have heard if he had fought twice , ff Th or been second in many a airs of honour . ey do not occur amongst men of note as to escape notice , and the world had been long anxious to learn all they could I of Byron . knew he was like to have fought at Malta , O ff but it went , as these things often do . H Mr . John ughes has shewn up Mr . Mrs . Bull E TO MRS. HUGHES 18244 826 1 9 L TTERS , 3

The La in fine stile . y of the one horse chay was certainly an event to be celebrated by the fine arts in C poetry and in painting . areys poems are with Black r wood to be forwarded by the fi st opportunity . I wish H L Mrs . John ughes could have seen ockhart on duty on the morning of the fire w et to the s kin and elega n t

with a naked broad sword in his hand , the very picture ’ H F o r of a distressed ero in a strolling party s tragedy . my part I felt rather sorry for myself when I heard R Y the ouse of the eomanry blown at dead of night , which I had so often obeyed on Similar occasions and

saw my old corps drawn up ,

’ an r fa s arr a d By torch d t um p et t y .

It is so when we find our selves unable to do our more

youthful feats , that we feel our better days are gone

by . A Mrs . Scott and nne join in kind compliments to I the excellent Doctor . have not heard from my H young Oxonian lately . My ussar is in great strength

and I hope to see him at Christmas . l H Be ieve me always Dear Mrs . ughes Your much obliged faithful servant ‘ WALTER S COTT . 2 6 N ovemb er 1 824 ’ ‘ r h Edinbu g .

M Y D EAR AN D GO OD FRIEN D I , have a hundred S apologies to make for my ungrateful ilence , but my

news may allow for it . My son is just about to be : the n married you g lady is a very considerable heiress , a Miss Jobson of Lochar worth at least £50000 in land and funded property which as Sir H ugh Evans says is ’ : She n good gifts has better gifts in sound se se , and c hearful temper and excellent principles , being brought 0 1 94 LETTERS ETC. OF SIR WALTER SCOTT up by her Mother who though rather straitly laced in her presbyterian stays , is a very worthy woman in excellent soun d old fashioned Scottish principles which like massive Old plate have as much bullion in them as f would su fice ten thousand modern plated trinkets . he SO little S is very pretty both in form and face , but as to make almost a ludicrous contrast w ith her H ussar h who rises Six foot two inches at least . S e is timid almost to awkwardness , and though she has walked the course as a wealthy heiress for two years , no one ever T heard of her having a flirtation . ruth is there had been some little kindness bet w een the young folks about two years ago , and though they had not met again till lately yet hearing much Of each other 1 as Lady Fergusson the wife of my old and facetious ir A friend S dam , they had neither of them it seems for S gotten their intercourse , but had in our cottish phrase I thou ht on u which think a good one g , ntill during our Christmas gambols out came little Cupid with his lin H st ock and forced the mine , and the ussar with his ’ m u stac hio es and S chnu r r ba r t was found to have n app d up the prize which lord and laird had been trying for . The poor lassie has agreed to follow the camp : the mother has on this sole account rather acquiesced than r ul I consented to the mar iage , and tr y cannot blame the good lady , considering that her only child is to din E b . exchange two good houses , one in and one at Lochar for the accommodation of a barrack ; since in Ireland they will be safe at least within their guarded walls however inconvenient ; while in lodgings they would have little more comfort , and in certain events , I which God avert , might be exposed to danger . can not but picture to myself poor little Jane , with her little innocent pensive face looking with surprise at her l — The gramm ar seem s a little diffi cu t ED .

1 96 LETT WALTER SCOTT ERS ETC. OF SIR

’ h n a S e had a gane a m il e or tw , in h ar When Og (2) s e w as w e y , She o ften l o o ed ac and s aid k b k ,

Farew ell to Ca stl e Carie .

H owever we must hope that these little recollections n Fo r will either be distressing or too frequent . myself I can safely say few things would have made me more happy than my sons establishment in life so early . Though acquainted both with camp and courts those I the licentious courts of Dresden and Berlin , know his n pri ciples to be steady and even severe , therefore am n assured he will love and cherish this poor thi g , who has behaved through the whole transaction with a v modesty, candour generosity that deserves e erything H n m on his part . ere is a lo g selfish letter all about y self and family . But you are a mother dear Madam , and know that joy as well as sorrow makes us selfish . H Believe me in either Dear Mrs . ughes very much your obedient servant ‘ VVALTER SCOTT .

My kindest compliments to the excellent Doctor and A 3d 4th F r H . M . ughes bout the or of ebruary there A L will be a young lady of bbotsford . uckily the original

etit titre . Dame has the p , and so escapes being Mrs S n Scott senior . What hall we do if Walter one mor ing gets the companionship of the Bath I never will be

T . o ld Sir Walter . hese are rare castles in the air

‘ Jan . 23 , 1825 ’ r h Edinbu g . 2 l 2 Abbo tsford 1 Ap ri 18 5 .

I S M EAR MRS . H U GH ES Y D , hould be worse than ungrateful did I not immediately communicate Mrs . Scott ’ s gratitude as well as my own for the kind MR 1 244 826 7 L TTERS To S . HUG 8 1 9 E HES,

i parental notice wh ch the good Doctor, your son , and above all yourself have so very obligingly bestowed on H is our young Oxonian . future welfare in life must depend so much upon the habits which he adopts during

r ee-w ill his present state of f , as it may be in some degree termed , that we cannot but account ourselves inexpressibly indebted to those who admit him into society , alike favourable to his manners and his morals . I am sure he has that kind affectionate disposition will remember with deep gratitude the kindness you I H er have shewn him . am afraid Grace of Bucking ham will think she has received a guest at your hand — of rather an uncommon description at Stowe a wild boy from the Scottish hills improved by an education ’ H o chiefly b e sto w d upon the mountains of Wales . w ever he would not I think make his deficiencies very obtrusive , unless he has got a little more of the metal from which his college takes its name , than . he used to he Ma n have before became a , as he calls himself of H e Brazen N ose . writes in the highest terms of S delight with what he has seen at towe , and especially ’ ff with the Duchess s kindness a ability , which he justly set down to the patronage under which he made his entree . Touching the clan tartan S I have always understood those distinctions to be of considerable antiquity though probably the distinction was not SO minute or SO in variably adhered to as it is in general the custom to I suppose . have myself known many old people that 1 71 5 I were out in , and have understood that generally speaking the clan tartans were Observed by the more numerous and powerful names . But many used a sort of brown and purple tartan , and there were more from remote causes that had no tartan at all , nor plaid , but LETT R or I LTE 1 98 E S ETC . S R WA R SCOTT

S a sort of dress worn by children in cotland , called a po lony (polonaise perhaps) which is just a j acket

petticoat all in one, buttoning down in front from the

throat to a palms breadth above the knee . Very many

had no bonnet , their shaggy hair being tied back with

a thong or a garter , and very many had neither hose or Th shoes . e custom of Clan tartans arose very na tu rall — y the weaver was , after the smith and the

carpenter , a man of consequence whose art was trans m itted from father to son , and when he lighted on what he thought a good Sett or mixture of the

colours , he was unwilling to change , and the clan ,

creatures of habit in most instances , gradually became d attache to it , and adopted it as a sort of uniform of the It 1 . 789 tribe is certain that in when the Black Watch , or independent companies of H ighlanders were formed 42nd R into the egiment , a doubt arose what tartan S I Com they hould wear, as hitherto the ndependent panie s had worn the colours of their officers who com m nde d a them . But none of these being entitled to a

preference which others would probably have resented , there was formed a new Sett composed out of different T 42 n d A artans , and still known as the colour . gain 1 4 5 C d in 7 when the hevalier lande , he chose a tartan ff for himself , of a colour di erent from any clan tartans

“ which existed , to avoid shewing a predilection for any I the particular tribe , and have heard repeatedly that Stewarts both of Athol and Appin grumble a little that I he did not take the colours of his own clan . ndeed a moments consideration will shew that if the distinction m 1 74 5 of clan tartans had not existed at the ti e of the , F r it could never have existed at all . o there was neither time or means to introduce it at the time Of the

rising when all came with such clothes as they had ,

ETTERS ET F WALTER S OTT 200 L C. O SIR C

On female . the other hand , as every period has its own Of m I Old fanciful limits decoru , remember people ’ being much S ho ck d at seeing the modern fashion of gentlemen affording the full protection of their arm

in leaving the drawing room with their fair partners , whereas old fashioned etiquette only permitted such a ’ S light junction Of the finger and thumb as was all o w d “ in the minuet . I canna bide to see them c a tering ” O the Men that gate, was the bservation of an old

Scotch lady of fashion to me scarce a dozen years since . ‘ I have been horribly ungrateful not to thank S Mr . Berens very particularly for the ketches especially t poor Leydens . I is as far as I know the only memorial of the features O f one who lived too short

a time for his friends , his country and general know d him le ge , recals to my recollection in the most I lively colours . beg my most particular thanks to

Mr . Berens , and am scarce able to believe that this is the first time I have expressed them for a favour so

deeply valued . ‘ I C ’ am much concerned about harles s deafness , especially as he must rise in the world by his own t t im exer ions , to which such an infirmi y is a great I pediment . have always thought that it was in some d measure nervous , and epended much on his state I of health and Spirits . t is combined with a tendency I to abstraction , and absence of mind , which have in Observed it increases , as on the other hand it is I creased by this sort o i mental deafness . wish him to see and correspon d with Charles Bell from whose prescriptions he had formerly received benefit . H ere is an unmerciful letter : but when I begin to write to a valued friend I never k now when to leave Off I o ff I , and when leave scarce know how to begin LETTERS To M ES 18244 826 0 R . HUGH S , 2 1

L S f again . ady cott of ers kindest most grateful I remembrances , beg to be most kindly remembered

. H : I to the Dr . Mrs ughes am flattered that he C I C thinks harles worth his notice , will write to harles In l in a day or tw o . the mean time you wil perhaps be so good as to say to him that his brothers direction h I T 1 5t H C . is ussars Barracks ork, reland hey expect soon to change for Dublin in the meanwhile Walters bride is like the maid of the mill in the Scots song

i n h il il The M ll Mil l 0 , a d t e k l , k l 0 , An h n f he heel 0 d t e c oggi g o t w , The s ac a n d the sie v e all thes e ou m u st l ea v e k y ,

And rou nd w ith a s odger ree l 0 .

As much of this valuable letter is intended to satisfy his Grace of Buckingham ’ s curiosity about the H ighland I hi Of s . dress , take the liberty putting it under covers There remains room amply for a most interesting and curious dissertation on the gradual alterations which were introduced into the H ighlands from the period of Montroses wars , when they first began to make some

r w . T figu e in history , do n to the present day his will H hl scarce be done however , for the ig anders contend for everything , and are under the great misapprehension O f supposing they derive honour from manifest fables , whereas there is another cold - blooded set of folks who will not allow them the merit which they certainly T hi deserve . hus far is certain , that t s is the only case in which it might be Shown how civilization broke in H C on patriarchal habits . Many of the ighland hiefs in the earlier part of 1 8th century had two distinct — characters that Of an accomplished gentleman in L H i Of C ondon , beyond the ighland l ne that a hief

N o . of an almost independent tribe . more room ‘ ’ . CO TT W S . F IR W 202 LETTERS ETC . O S ALTER SCOTT

2 Edinb urgh July 2 1 8 5 . ‘ M R I M Y D EAR S . H U GHES T , his will find you suppose returned from your rambles either into Am en I C . t orner , or your more pleasant country residence is high time I shoul d thank you for a hundred instances O f C l H e re kindness both to har es and myself . is turned full of his Obligations to you for your maternal attentions and I sincerely hope and believe they are H . e w not thrown away is gro n a good deal , and I H e think improved in manner . is at present in great embarrassment about his motions , and indeed it ’ l ernba r r a s d es r iches s es is , for he has more than one O ff H e tour of pleasure ered him . may go to the — H ighlands and shoot red deer with Glengary o r he L S S may go to the sea side with ady cott , and ophia ,

little Johnnie, and study the topography of the field Or m a L . L of args lastly , he y go with ockhart if he A I I likes it , and nne me to reland , where intend to be Walters guest for a fortnight , and see Killarney f H e a ta in and the scenery O Wicklow . is a real C p now— no travelling name— and it must be a fine thing to be one , judging from the pleasure it seems to give . H e breaks Off a letter to me written the very moment he was gazetted that he may go down to the barracks ’ to plead his privilege against mou nting a subalterns guard that evening . l ’ The anecdotes from Mrs . Bowd er s notebook are Th extremely curious . e letters between Grafton I Monmouth have been published , but never saw so curious and detailed an account of the villainy of Sunderland in cutting o ff the interest of the unfortunate Y u Sir Monmouth w ith the King . o will observe that n A Joh Dalrymple alludes to it in a note on his nnals , but in a manner which expresses doubt of the au then

W TER SCOTT 204 LETTERS ETC. OF SIR AL were few not slaters or sailors by profession who could have boasted more steadiness of brain where such feats were in question . — I am just setting o ff for Abbotsford to return on w ul Wednesday , which o d be a feeling much like pul ling a tooth only that I am goin g to see my young I folks in Ireland . do not intend to stay above a month in the Green Isle but I must see my friends at E I dgeworthstown , and must see Wicklow , and if I possible Killarney . am not so fond of seeing sights has as formerly , yet one heard so much of this scenery S that it would be sin and hame to omit seeing them ,

- SO . I being near But must bid you good bye , with kindest wishes to the excellent Doctor : I hope his t health continues well . My kindes remembrances to ur your son . O matters seem to be settling propitiously — for o ur various purpose of locomotion Believe me

. H ever, my dear Mrs ughes , your honoured and ff a ectionate friend , ‘ VVALTER SCOTT )

Edin ur h N ov . 2 3 rd 1 82 5 . b g , ,

E H GH E —I MY D AR M RS . U S , have owed both you H . I and Mr ughes a letter for a long time , but am , as you well know , terribly dilatory in matters of corre s o n denc e S e p , and particularly ince my eyes have b gun to make writing inconvenient to me , and more trouble some in necessary consequence to the reader than it I formerly used to be . have been besides under some anxiety at the thoughts of parting with Lockhart and I my daughter, whose good fortune ( hope at least it is to prove ultimately) brings me sore discomfort in the I outset . have not the slightest idea who or what determined Murray o n a change I only know that the H GHE T MRS . LETTERS O U S, 18244 826 205

Offer of the Situation was not made till the end of O O f ctober, when without a word previous intimation , ff L the situation was o ered to ockhart , who had not the most distant thought of it : the surprise was equal to me , who was at that very time engaged in soliciting a situation in this country on which Lockhart had some claims . We were then given to understand distinctly C that Mr . oleridge retired from the situation , though l . C why or wherefore we were not told . Mr o eridge has I behaved as handsomely as possible , and continues I hope his assistance to the Review . am sure nothing L ’ could be more agreeable to ockhart s feelings , for ’ altho b e neither had nor could have the least accession C ’ to Mr . oleridge s giving up the critical sceptre , yet if

C . Mr . had behaved otherwise under the circumstances , the good - natured world would have accused Lockhart of wrenching it out of his hands , whereas he only u succeeded to it when it was nswayed . I have little doubt that Lockhart will do the business well but he had in his own country and among his Old friends enough for all the comforts and most of the elegancies Of life , and sadly does my mind misgive me that he may one day repent the exchange of his quiet life at Chiefsw o o d for the feverish and ambitious occupation I n which he is about to assume . have been e tirely passive in the matter : I could not exert any influence to prevent my son -in -law from an honourable mode Of distinguishing himself in the eyes Of the worldly and which was offered to him in a manner so creditable to his character in literature and frankly I feel m ore and O f more , as the moment approaches separation , cir 1 cu m stan es c which make it peculiarly painful to me .

’ The p articula rs o f Lo ckhart s appo in tm en t to the Q ua r ter ly are ’ — iven in Lan s Li e o Lockha r t cha . ii. ED . g g f f , p 2 LETTERS ET F I WALT T 06 C . O S R ER SCO T

I ff L wish to bespeak your a ection for ockhart . him When you come to know , you will not want to be I solicited , for know you will love and understand him , but he is not easy to be known or appreciated as he so well deserves at first ; he shrinks at a first touch , but take a good hard hammer (it need not be a sledge one)

. U break the shell , and the kernel will repay you nder a cold exterior Lockhart conceals the warmest affec tions , and where he once professes regard he never : ou I changes at least he will not change with y , and will burn my books if you are not good friends very S I hortly . have not the leas t apprehension of Lock ’ hart s getting on very well , as he has passed the age when his superior talents for satire might have led him a little too far : but I am most anxious for the health S of ophia , and still more for the poor frail , little child : v er in whom they are so much wrapt he is very , y delicate and I fear the spine is affected in which case —but it is needless to write about it

My wife , who is rather better, is much obliged by your inquiries ; asthmatic complaints are Of a very l tedious kind , and her fits of breath essness return very Of often . We have had real northern weather late , the I snow lying deep on the mountains , and question L E whether the ockharts , who are coming to dinburgh

’ - thro u h the to day to bid their friends adieu , will get g

M o orfo ot H I . ills , and shall be glad to see them safe th — T ha v e 5 . December hey arrived, and have n parted too , this morni g , without any formal adieus , I T o ff for which thank them . hey were before day

An d . H break . now , dearest Mrs ughes, let me speak — She your love your m a terna l friendship for Sophia . I will have many young and gay associates , but wish L to secure her a faithful and experienced friend . ove

TT W LTE T 208 LE ERS ETC. OF SIR A R SCO T

L . L on Mr Mrs . ockhart ; then to Melrose where ady S I Miss cott had a little shopping , while looked at A In the bbey . the evening came Mr . Ballantyne , F two rench gentlemen with introductory letters , who L S . Of staid the day ady cott , being evidently mistress r a is d e conv er s a tion the language, took the first f ; and Sir guard was relieved soon by Walter, whose bon b ommie was remarkably conspicuous particularly when the Gauls (who are gentlemanlike speak E nglish pretty well) did not understand anything , required a French commentary he then dashed freely I at a language he does not much like, although could ff S see that the e ort tried him . Miss cott being some sh o i F I m on os sible what y rench , was forced to do p , ir to rest S W . occasionally the strangers were f You on the whole kept su ficiently employed . may imagine how I have been poring over the armoury f I the dif erent curiosities , which reconnoitred at a very n early hour yesterday morni g , not to be wasting time

i . there when S r W . was visible h I forgot to mention the Lockharts . S e I should think had most of her father of any of the family carries Him it in her manner countenance . I found very O attentive civil , as an old xonian ; but there is an i r e a g manner in speaking of people things in general , h which warns you to be on your guard , weigh w at N ow w Sir I fi n d you say . ith Walter that reserve is quite out of the question ; as he seems to understand H is laugh at all the minor tricks of society . manners seem in the same style of grand simplicity which dis tinguishes the higher style of painting and which was very much the characteristic of another man of no A N . small celebrity, Prince ugent llowing for the dif Of ference of a plain soldier a man genius , a man of MR H E 1 2 TER To S . UGH 8 4 26 LET S S, 4 8 209

f action a man of thought , as also for some dif erence r in yea s , they remind me strikingly of one another ; part icularly in the art of makin g you perfectly at home ; in the power of dispensing with what one may call the trash of human intercourse w ithout any detriment to their own real consequence ; in short appearing never to think about themselves . ‘ t 1 . I S ep . was summoned from my letter to accompany Sir Walter the French gentlemen in a ’ H - T R walk towards untly Burn , ( homas the hymer s) which strikes me struck them , as being the White ’ E S . Lady s hold . ome say lvin Water farther on ‘ You I will be glad to hear , am sure, that little Lockhart is in a state of health quite satisfactory to The his parents Lady S . sea has done him much good , they say ; the child appears to me as healthy

alert as other children , with a very fresh colour ; still rather slightly made , but what flesh he has is firm

L . . . She on him Mrs seems in very high spirits , as if had nothing on her mind now sung us some Gaelic

Border songs last night with much animation , delighted the French gents . though they frankly owned they did “ ’ not clearly make it out ; mais c est une espece ’ ” d in i a i sp r t on . Ever your affectionate ‘ ’ . H G E J U H S .

The interval between the dates of the last letter of Sir Walter and the next covered the sad tim e Of the ’ i f - O . C ru n Messrs onstable s publishing house , in which ’ by far the greater portion Of Sir Walter s fortune also The was involved . equanimity and courage with which he faced his loss are manifest enough from the tone in which he no w writes R T F IR WALTER S T 2 10 LETTE S E C . O S CO T

EA M RS H GH E AN D MY M Y D R . U S WORTH Y 1 OCTOR — I in D , write immediately to give you the o f formation which your kindness thinks importance , I Shall certainly lose a very large sum by the failure of my booksellers , whom all men considered as worth I n o t who fear will cut up , as they say , for r one fou th of the money . But looking at the thing at the worst point of view I cannot see that I am entitled to claim the commiseration of any one , since I have made an arrangement for settlin g these affairs to the satisfaction Of every party concerned so far as yet appears , which leaves an income with me ample for all the comforts and many of the elegancies of life , and does not in the slightest degree innovate on any of

H u h s . This w a s in a nsw er to a l etter o intl N o te by M rs . g e j y w ritten b y m e yo ur Gra ndfather o n hearing o f the s evere lo ss sustain ed b i hi u i h A few d y S r Wa lter on the failure o f Constable s p bl s er . ays in a fter I rec eiv ed a l etter from a m utual friend (Mrs . Pr gl e o f Yair) w hi c h c orro bora tes the no ble m anner in whic h this he avy blow w a s ‘ ’ rn i n She s a s his w o r s in he Pr s th b o e by th s exc ellent Ma . y k t es ( e ‘ life Of B on aparte (it the Tale o f Woo ds tock doub tl ess) a re valued a t he ha s o ther p rop er ty to c onvey o ver to his trustees who hav e it in their p o w er to m anage it in s uch a m anner as w ill p reserve ’ A otsford his so n s w ife is infeft u on the ro ert a s securit for bb ; p p p y , y her j o in ture under the se c ircu m stances his family m us t co ntrive to live

u on the incom e arisin from his u lic o f c es a out £1 3 00 r annum . p g p b fi , b p From the a b ove statem ent you will p erceiv e the c alam ity o f ruin app ears v ed I trust that i will nl e a matter f in nv ni n e to b e a ert , t o y b o co e e c for them to struggle aga in st until his pro lific pen (which he will no w ha ve time to employ w ith greater adva ntage) m ay reinstate the family in e as e

’ ou ha e ud ed ru f the effec f in h a nd a fiiu enc e . Y v j g t ly o t o dim is ed inc om e n ir Walter in restrainin the st le o f e ntertainin indiscrimin tel u p o S g y g a y , w hi h w as in s o m an c a ses a us ed even when sanctioned b ri ht c y b , y g l aim had ec om e suc h a tax u on his valua l e tim e and dom estic c , b p b ’ ha t he r w w ith lee at havin c o m m enc d a m t ri id c omfo rt, t c o s g g os g tem of econom sa s he will now ha ve an a olo fo r a do tin a sys y, y p gy p g style of living m uch m ore agr eea ble to his taste than that to which he “ ’ m t irresisti r The l ha s b een l ed o n by insensible al os ble deg ees . y l ” ’ l no t ill the Hen that la s the e s he oo d hum ouredl a dds sure y k y gg , g y .

LETTERS ETC R W LTER TT 2 1 2 . OF SI A SCO they are handsomely disposed to be indulgent to my adversity, and what can an honest man wish for more ? Many people will think that because I see company r easily my pleasu es depend on society . But this is not I the case ; am by nature a very lonely animal , and enjoy myself much at getting rid from a variety of I things connected with public business etc . , which did because they were fixed on me but I am particularly An d h happy to be rid Of. now let t e matter be at rest It for ever . is a bad business , but might have been much worse . I am my dear fri ends Most truly yours ‘ VVALTER SCOTT . Edinburgh 6 February N OTES ON SCOTT’S TABLE TALK 2 1 3

CHAPTER VI

’ ’ MRS . H U GH ES S N OTES OF SIR WALTER S

CON VERSATIO N IN LON D O N IN 1 82 6

THE October and N ovember of 1 82 6 Sir Walter was in L H ondon , where Mrs . ughes saw him frequently , and has left the following jottings of his talks with her at that time .

’ Reminiscences of Sir Wa lter S co tt s convers a tion in Oc tober a nd N ovember 1 82 6

The Laird of M acN ab (a class now extinct) had a burial ground close to Killin , a beautiful little island in the midst of the River Tay which at that place is very rapid ; it is inclosed and planted with trees : he made an Offer to a lady remarking that he could na say much for the family mansion which was auld and somewhat out of repair, but he hoped the burial ground might A prove an inducement to her to consent . nother H ighland chief very shortly after his marriage to a second wife was counting over to her the plate and napery by inventory : the inventory of twelve napkins L “ I was found wrong , and the aird said , now weel remember me there are but eleven : the twelfth was ’ ’ lost at my first wife s funeral : I ll behove to be more The L careful on the next occasion my Doo . aird of M cN ab being desirous to add the aid of sculpture to 2 14 LETTERS ETC OF SIR WALTER TT . SCO

the natural beauty of his burial ground , bespoke two statues of Time and Eternity of a stone mason in the : T neighbourhood the man after compleating ime , was puzzled how to represent Eternity and went to receive L ’ A the aird s instructions . weel , and what hae you “ T ? An w i made ime like auld man quite bald , a ” ’ n T big scythe in his ha d . hen ye ll just make E ternity twice as big , and put twa scythes in his hands . ‘ A very insolent ill bred gentlema n having heard that a neighbour had spoken of him as he deserved , : So Sir I called in a furious passion for satisfaction , hear you have had the impudence to assert that I am ” h — not fit to carry guts to a bear . O no I defended ” you I said you were . ’ ‘ A friend of Sir Walter s employed some stone masons by the day : quite weary of their dilatory pro c eedin s g , he made a bargain with them to work by the foot he said the difference in the sound of their saws

F . A reminded him of the towns in ife Day work , uch ” “ - - : C F Th ter aer der By the foot upar and ife . e ’ late Lord M eado w b ank s passion was Agricultural im provement and he made many useful discoveries in the art Of preparing Composts for land : b e mixed every sort of dung and carrion with Peat earth , and succeeded in producing great crops : but during his progress in l the art he had various dunghills , and not only dai y stirred and smelt but actually tasted them : Sir Walter dined with him one day and he appeared a little squeamish , which his wife accounted for by saying he n had tasted the whole set of dunghills that morni g . H L Mr . Scott of arden married ady Diana , daughter to Lord Marchmont : the first Sunday they appeared at church the clergyman d esirous to do honour to the

2 1 6 LETTERS ETC. OF SIR WALTER SCOTT

H landed on one of the ebrides , representing themselves as shipwr ecked Mariners : they were received with the most generous hospitality, and were about after the stay of a day or two to depart , when they were astounded by what appeared to them the Ghost of the ship , coming slowly round a headland and floating into the little bay in which their boat lay the quantity O f oil which ran out of the casks into the hold had kept her afloat the ship was visited and marks of blood and Signs O f murder being visible the crew were secured ; and from the confession Of two of them the guilt of all was proved and they suffered punishment accord l ing y . ‘ Lady H amilton was in the habit of exhibiting a ’ bunch of seals , each of which she said had cost a man s life : during the time of her connexion w ith the Queen of N aples these seals were used , and each was a sort of Cypher representing particular persons : when any of these individuals who were in prison was Obnoxious to L H mi the Queen and ady a lton , a letter was sent to the

Gaoler sealed with the head corresponding to his name , T and this was the Death warrant . his and the cata C 1 L H strophe of Prince in which ady . bore so dreadful a part was the cause of her obtaining no relief N ’ from government after Lord elson s death . ; i Of S r W . was present at a show wild beasts in Edinburgh when the Lion took offence at the appear Of H S ance a tall ighland erjeant near the cage, and sprang at him with a force which made every part of the cage shake , and a noise which scared almost all the

a d H ami t n ne er Princ e Caraccioli. L y l o v succeeded in su b stantia in h i f c ti n of the Governm ent the servi h h id t g, to t e s at s a o , ces whic s e sa h h r d in N a es a nd Profess r L u h i s e a d rende e pl , o a g ton d scredits them e h - altog t er. ED . N OTES ON SCOTT’S TABLE TALK 2 1 7

Sir spectators from the caravan . W . was one of those who remained and he looked at the Serjeant to O bserve how he was affected : he stood with a raised colour and an eye fixed on the beast , one foot in advance and his sword half draw n the very beau ideal of daring resolution . ‘ At Bishops Auckland there are portraits of the A : twelve postles , finely painted by Velasquez one of these has a dress not unlike that of a Laplander ; and C the orporation of Durham coming to visit the Bishop , an Al derman surprised him a little by saying SO my L I R C ord , see you have got obinson rusoe in your collection . ‘ L Last February a person named ake sent a M S . copy of a Comedy to Sir Walter desiring his opinion : it came at the time of his distresses and was thought n o more of : since he came to town he received a letter complaining of his not having restored the Comedy of which the Author had no copy : the horror of Sir Walter was not to be described : however he took heart of grace, and replied by every possible excuse , stating

M S . the unhappy time in which the arrived , and pro m ising a thorough search on his return to Scotland : he received to his great relief a reply , begging him to take no further trouble for the author had relinquished all commerce with the Muses , and having resumed his trade of a Taylor solicited his custom : Guess ye how I was relieved to find that an order for a pair of Panta M Of loons would make amends for the loss of a S . h d ” which the author a no copy . Sir C Walter had a lient to defend , a clergyman C S d of the hurch of cotlan , who was prosecuted for usin g improper language in his sermons : these are the R two specimens . Preaching on evelations he said R W 2 18 LETTERS ETC. o r SI ALTER SCOTT

And there S ea show s was a throne on a of glass , which , h t it & my bret ren , tha had a very slippery foundation . “ Speaking of Pontius Pilate he sai r I have always n looked upo P . P . as a much injured character : I have ever considered him as a greater benefactor to the C A ’ hristian religion than any other of the nine postles . T t a his man fortuna ely died before the trial c me on . ir N e E S V . remembers the const rnation of dinburgh when Pa ul Jo nes in a frigate wi th three small craft a u F t I w c me p the or h as high as nch Keith , and ould a a a t L b u t t d w h ve l nded eith for a strong wes win , hich oblige d him to give up his purpose at that time Edin w as w e n o t burgh holly d fenceless , and a gun in the town the gallan t Old Stuart of Invcrha ylo (the original Baron of B rml w a rdin e) offered the Provost to defend Le i th w ith a body of men who were re a dy to follow him armed w ith the good Cl aymore an d promised as soon as the Pirates had landed and w ere out of the a n O f protection of their guns , to give account every m an of them before they could leave the s tree ts of L ’ eith .

T 2 1 8 LETTERS E C. OF SIR WALTER SCOTT

An d Of there was a throne on a sea glass , which shews , h ” my bret ren , that it had a very slippery foundation . Speaking of Pontius Pilate he said “ I have always looked upon P . P . as a much injured character : I have ever considered him as a greater benefactor to the C A ’ hristian religion than any other of the nine postles . T his man fortunately died before the trial came on . ir E S W . remembers the consternation of dinburgh when Paul Jones in a frigate with three small craft u F I came p the orth as high as nch Keith , and would L have landed at eith but for a strong west wind , which obliged him to give up his purpose at that time Edin un burgh was wholly defenceless , and not a g in the town the gallant Old Stuart Of Inv erhayle (the original Baron of Bre dwardine) Offered the Provost to defend Leith with a body of men who were ready to follow him armed with the good Claymore and promised as soon as the Pirates had landed and were out of the an protection of their guns , to give account of every man of them before they could leave the streets Of L ’ eith . H U HES 1 21 9 TTERS TO MRS . G 8264 82 LE , 8

CHAPTER V II

F SIR WALTE SCO T T MRS GH E U P LETTERS O R T O . H U S, I T B TO THE D ATE OF H ER SECON D VIS T O AB OTSF ORD .

’ PROBABLY it is a safe inference that Sir Walter s visit to London and the warm sympa thy accorded him in

. H his financial trouble by Dr . and Mrs ughes resulted in The in draw g still closer the bonds Of friendship . next letter of any importance bears the date of Decem ber in the same year when he had returned to A T difi ere n e Of bbotsford . here is a c in the style address in this letter—the playful and familiar Mistress H ughes — as well as a warmer tone in the S . signature , that how an increasing friendliness ’ The ‘ flattering proposal Of which he speaks in the beginning of the letter refers to a request by Dr . H and Mrs . ughes that he should be godfather to their ‘ new grandson , who was accordingly named Walter

S . cott after him , and in whom he took much interest

‘ MY D EAR MISTRESS H U GHES Your letter ar rived between our leaving Edinburgh and our much it more happy arrival at this place , so is two days later I I in receiving an answer than would have wished, write immediately to express how much I shall feel honour ed in accepting the flattering proposal of my H friend Mr . ughes having one more link Of friend ship to unite me to a family to whom I owe so much 2 20 LETTER S ETC . OF SIR WALTER SCOTT

n I ki dness . am afraid I have little chance of dis charging any parts of the more immediate duties of a I Godfather, but then have the salve to my conscience that the natural friends of the young Christian are much better qualified to discharge that important task S I than his piritual kindred . trust the youn gster will live to be a happiness and honour to all concerned . I By some chance believe, excepting one intervening R obert , my grandfather , we are Walters for six

so n . H e descents , including my is now rampaging up O f S n down in hopes going to pai or Portugal , and his Sister provoking him by sin ging in his ear

Oh s et m e on a foreign l and With m y go od sw or d in m y han d ’ And the King s comm and to fi ght o r die

An d show m e the m an that w il l daunter m e .

But the noble Captain frowns considers this as R F or trifling with the honour of the egiment . my part unless the French are perfectly mad I think there will be no long fight of it though I would not spare ’ in old border phrase my ca lf s s kin in the service of the country yet when one counts chances you think otherwise when your childr en are concerned than you might have done had the case been your own . H Will you undertake dear Mrs . ughes to make my most respectful and Sincere acknowledgments accept able to the Duke Of Buckingham for the splendid donations of the Irish Chronicles with which his Grace It has been pleased to oblige me . is a work executed ’ in a stile of magnificence becoming his Grace s high rank , with attention to the great object of historical importance which renders its magnificence as useful as As I I it is imposing . am c onscious how little deserved

SIR WA TER T 2 22 LETTERS ETC. OF L SCOT

customers threaten his crockery instead of his noddle . It is quite at your service to keep or copy or do what you will with . When Lockhart Sophia leave I will send you some Similar attempts never published ; one I f I F O S . think is a fine subject , the iesco chiller remember I used to read it to sobbing 87. weeping audiences , no wonder ; for whatever may be thought

. T of the translation , the original is sublime hese were — the works of my nonage not quite literally , but when I was about twenty two or twenty three, and certainly had no hope of doing any thing out of my own head . Where are the people who then listened to them ? Dead or thrown separate by the course of time incidents which bear us asunder on the tide of time . ’ I have not forgotten the Duchess Of Buckingham s condescending promise to accept a Mustard or Pepper ; f S but it is di ficult to get the real breed , pice who is It the best I have seen has had no puppies this year . is singular that the race is very difficult to perpetuate or preserve . Your horrible story of the brother Sister is admirable as it stands but I think o ur litera ture does not willingly admit these odious involutions perversions of passion in which the Greek poets seem to have delighted ; so it is rather a tale for the chimney corner than a subject of anything for the public . ‘ I have been greatly delighted with Lockhart ’ s S ’ ophia s visit , and cannot express to you my sense of I S your kindness to them . hall always think it my particular happiness when I can express in any way my sense of the extreme Obligation I feel on that and ’ H e a every other account . Prince oussein t pestry it is vain to wish for but as the interval between London and Edinburgh has been contracted in my lifetime to ETTERS To MR S . H G 6 L U HES, 182 4 828 2 2 3 one Sixth part of the time which it formerly occupied , who knows how soon time space may be A ’ actually abolished and bbotsford be as near St . Paul s S as White Chapel . ophia will add news of u s ; the children are as well as possible . My kindest respects attend the kind and excellent Doctor Mr . Mrs . H I ughes , and my blessing on my little Godson . will send him a set of books one of these days to teach him S I cottish history . am in more than haste H Dear Mrs . ughes Most respectfully affectionately Yours ’ ‘ ALT W ER SC O TT .

T Of 1 827 owards the end the same year, , he writes H again to Mrs . ughes , with apologies for the interval n The of silence , a letter lo g enough to make amends . reference that it contains to a book he is sending for his godson Walter H ughes (though scarcely of an age to appreciate it) is the first series of Tales of a Grand ’

h l . T fat er, pub ished about this time hroughout all this hi s time, while putting out novels at the rate of more Of than one a year , he was at work at a variety other L ’ literary business , notably his ife of Buonaparte . The valuable present for which he returns thanks at the end of the letter was a lock of Bonaparte ’ s hair sent

H . him by a friend of Mrs . ughes

Edin ur h D ec 1 3 b g ,

1 82 7 .

‘ H GH ES I M Y D EAR M RS . U have been a great defaulter in not w riting to you and the excellent friend to whose kindness I am so much obliged nor have I The ld much to say in excuse for myself . O divine tells ’ us that the Devil s privy parlour is paved with good ETTERS ETC F I WALT 224 L . O S R ER SCOTT intentions ; in that case I am afraid a great many of H ’ mine go to his sable ighness s Share . ‘ I admire your patience in copying out old Goetz , I am sorry I have given away or lost a transl a F I tion of iesco , which is think a finer thing . Some I I others have , made at the same time was German If I mad . you would like to see them could easily send them up to town but I think they are in general sad trash and if you read ever so little German you would Th see how inferior they are to the original . e publi cation o f Goetz was a great era howev er in German S literature , and erved completely to free them from the French follies of unities decencies of the scene and gave an impulse to their dramas which was unique of its kind ; Since that they have been Often stark mad T but never I think stupid . hey either divert you by taking the most brilliant leaps through the hoop or else N by tumbling into the custard , as the ewspapers C L ’ averred the hampion did at the ord Mayor s dinner . ‘ I am afraid you will find from my hand writing that I am becoming blinder than is convenient for my correspondents ; my eyes , good servants in their day, I h fail me now sadly , not that ave any complaint in them , thank God , save that which arises from course Of H o w I years and hard working . regret the hours that H I wasted when a boy in reading by fire light . owever heaven bless the memory of the honest man who invented It spectacles and did more good than twenty besides . is a fine privilege to have , that one can buy a pair of new eyes for a guinea when the old ones go wrong . I have been writing of late for the benefit of those who need no spectacles , and the little book which accompanies this is designed for my Godson Walter S . I a Hughes, and hope if it does him no gre t good it will

2 L TTERS ET F W 2 6 E C. O SIR ALTER SCOTT

. A. very little in truth only thus far , Mrs is a wealthy lady of course no one has any motive to obtrude Opinions or interference but Miss Brown is otherwise S ituated , and the question occurs why this gifted lady should not profit by a talent which would speedily I realize a considerable independence . am sure any music dealer of character who could prevail on this lady to publish some of this music would make an immense profit even by affording the Composer a handsome I profit . do not know the lady and have no knowledge of the musical world ; but I am sorry that a person of n such original genius Sho uld not turn it to some accou t . N o w you know these good folk may not be displeased to communicate to any respectable person the fact that I such music exists and may , if am rightly informed , O f I be made the subject treaty , and presume it would H not be difficult through Mrs . emans to put such a ’ The treaty into Miss Brown s power . Mansfield family who are very musical and indeed all who have heard these melodies consider them as of the highest character . After all I am meddling in a matter [in] which I have not the least title to interfere excepting gratitude for the pleasure I have had in hearing the music of a lady I that I never saw and am totally unknown to . am vexed about Sophia but she is happy in having your ’

ff . T a ectionate care and Mrs erry s kindness , and for the rest we must comfort ourselves with the proverb

Wel l b etide s i H er w ho b des .

This was a proverb of my good mother ’ s who had them applicable to all occasions of life in which I emergencies were of course provided for . hope from yo ur diverting story of Johnnie that he also will be HUG HES DR.

b WILLIA OWEN R. A . Fr om a por tr a i t y M ,

R T W ER 2 28 LETTE S E C. OF SIR ALT SCOTT same indulgences for a Minion of the Moors which are B rderf lk proper to our o o s .

Ta ffy w a s a Welchm an — And Taffy w as a Cym ry the w ise it c all &

’ JOhnnie s letter has tokens of an admirable Amanu “ ensis ; his drawing seems much to resemble Old H ar ’ ” den s Crest supposed to represent the Spirit Threshie wat who used to appear to light him through the C heviot hills with a lanthorn in each hand , which for dignity sake has been Since converted into the sun It moon by the H eralds . indicates a hopeful dis position to the Old trade would entitle the little Walter to the old benediction of the border mother to her infant . Weel s m e on your b onny craigie ’ If ye liv e y e ll stea l a naigie Rid e the c ountry through thro ugh n i And b ring hom e m a y a Carl s l e c ou .

’ Throu gh the Lo w den s o er the b order Wee l m y b a by m ay you fur ther H arry the Ic ons o f the Lo w Countrie h h Syne to t e b order am e to m e .

H o w delightful to think the Duke of Buckingham I has been to the top of Etna on a mule . t encourages me in an idea I have [of] going to Sicily ; certain troublesome matters are taking a favourable turn with me whenever they will permit me I am resolved to C I I visit the ontinent . am sure am much more ac customed to endure any species of fatigue where my lameness does not impede me than most people , have slept on the heather as soundly as ever I did in my SO I I bed , have great hopes may get to the top of Etna ; Lockhart will tell you that even in my age I LE — TTER To MRS . HU S 826 8 S GHE , 1 1 28 229 can climb like a cat and in my boyhood was one of the

crai sm en H S C - boldest g in the igh chool , as the ats neck on Salisbury Crags the Kittle N ine -steps on the C u S S I astle rock co ld tell if they would peak . O may get to the top of Etna yet Always affectionately yours ‘

VVALTER SCOTT .

I will be at Abbotsford till 1 0 January after I wards return here . need hardly say that my kindest best wishes attend the excellent Doctor your son N ew Y with a blessing for the ear for little Walter . ‘ I am delighted you know Mrs . Barrington ; she Of is a delightful person indeed , having the instinct I a dog who knows he is welcome , so like the whole Ravensworth family much more Sincerely affection ately than most families whom I have been acquainted N k with of late date . obody nows better how to dis tin uish Lion g those who receive me as a , (on which I C occasions am however always ivil , ) and those who ’ are kind in my human capacity .

Spring of the following year (1 828) finds Sir Walter L again in ondon , engaged in business , but with leisure enough to take most kindly interest in the misfortunes ‘ T ’ of others , and notably in those of poor erry , the The S actor . letter below hows his devoted and anxious The affec attachment to his little grandson . mutual tion between these two friends of such unequal years seems to have been unusually and touchingly great .

H UGHES I MY DEAR MRS . have been ungratefully silent owing to the anxiety of the time which I have — passed here latterly now that our hopes begin to LETTER ETC R WALTER SCOTT 23 0 S . OF SI

I I assume a more cheerful prospect hasten to write . had not been here a week before poor dear Johnnie L [ ockhart] became very unwell , spit blood , with a fever and continual cough , and became so debilitated that the physicians thought him in the most instant H e danger . was posted down to Brighton without A delay , his father, mother and nne going with him and ff settling themselves there , with such e ect that thank

God the poor little fellow is much better, and we have fair hope of his weathering this bad turn . Whether the constant care Of his parents will keep alive the H im u feeble plant God only knows , and to we m st refer ourselves . Poor Terry ’ s misfortunes have arisen from im I prudence but nothing worse . apprehend he will be obliged to sell his Share in the Adelphi worth about £5000 which will pay twelve or fourteen shillings in I . t I the pound is sad work . lent him a sum of no great consequence intending that £200 should go to fit out his child when he could get an appointment ; this too is lost in the wreck —what I may lose myself is of no consideration and I would give it all freely to see the poor fellow on his legs again . I I C am trying what can do for Alan unningham , I — he and trust may succeed is a real good fellow, and a clever one if he knew when he had said enough . L ove to my excellent Doctor , your son , his lady and The the Godson . dogs for the Duchess are in health but have rather grown bigger than they Should ; I will send them by the next steamboat when I re

E . A turn to dinburgh dieu dear Madam . God bless you . ‘ VVALTER SCO TT . Su s s ex Pl ac e 2 4 Regents Park ’ ‘ 7th May 1 82 8

23 2 LETTERS ETC. OF SIR WALTER SCOTT

their great size . To m Purdie was afraid the distemper

would attack them when low in flesh , when it is

generally fatal . If the Duchess thinks proper to have

them vaccinated as in the case of human beings , it is 1 I think a preventive . I am glad you like the Gow H C . e hrom is rather a favourite of mine . But ’ H enry Wynd s Insou cia n ce always delighted me in the A story . man who played into such a mortal combat without knowing which side he was fighting on must All have been a queer fellow any how . this and much I more we will talk of when you come to the N orth . S hope we hall have fine weather to greet you . Think of my luck in getting for honest Alan Cunningham two appointments instead of one the last is for the institution at Addisc om b e where so ’ clever a lad is s ure to get on the Engineer s establish I I I ment , the best in ndia . protest scarce felt more pleasure than when first a fisher I caught two trouts

at once , one at the fly another with the bobber, and , A joy on joy, landed them both . dieu , my kind [friend] ,

most respectful compliments to the excellent Doctor . I hold it no mean honour that he Should undertake a H fatiguing journey , and am delighted Mr . ughes comes ’ with you to take trouble o ff the Doctor s hands on the

road , as well as to add to the pleasure of the visit . H Yours my dear Mrs . ughes most gratefully ‘ VVALTER SCO TT Shandw ick Plac e Edinburgh 2 6 Jun e

A otsford Frida ul 1 8 1 82 8 . bb y J y ,

H GH E I EA M RS . U S D R , have your kind letter and am sorry you had such a rough passage but Since — F M P h ha . v . ED . air a id o ert , c p a f xx ETTER TO MR fl L S S . H HE 64 2 UG S, 182 8 8 2 5 3

T there is no damage all is well . hough not afraid of a breeze in a good sea - boat I should not relish it much in a s tea mer for if any part of the machinery goes wrong there must be considerable difficulty in clea r ing ’ ofi as it is called especially where there are SO few

harbours as on our iron bound coast . H owever you are all well and we trust to see you Y u soon in the course of next week . o cannot possibly come amiss to us and will be joyfully received Always dear Madam with best love to the Doctor sin c erely yours ‘ VVALTER SCO TT &

On the occasion Of their second tour to Scotland H and visit to Abbotsford Dr . and Mrs . ughes travelled by steamer from London and experienced some dis ~ ’ H u hes s comforts on the way , as told in Mrs . g diary of their journeys to and from Abbotsford and of their stay

C . there , which occupies the next three hapters LETTER ET OF IR W TT 2 34 S C. S ALTER SCO

CHAPTER V III

’ M S H U GH ES S D IAR OF TH E OURN E To R . Y J Y ABBO TSFORD IN 1 828

‘ l 1 2 h E Ju y t . mbarked at Blackwall at 8 in the

S S C B e ato ur . evening on board the oho teamer, aptain Sir C nn i k Of Pe cu c . Passengers George lerk y , Mrs & Warren c . 1 3 th H . eavy gale and rain when morning broke and we were in the Swale : the wind favourable t Y S hrough armouth ands , and we had a good view of Y : armouth at three the wind adverse , and a very strong gale came on which lasted through the night : E a fearful night from the clanking of the ngine, the roaring of the sea , the raving of the blast and the sickness and alarm of most of our shipmates , the females I mean the foresail split , the dead lights were put up , the sea washed over the deck and all was hurry and annoyance , but when morning came the wind sank considerably . 1 4 th At e . seven we g t across the H umber mouth where we had remained tossing during the greater part n of the night maki g only twelve miles in eight hours , and passing Flamborough H ead careered merrily along the whole day which I spent on deck : we had a noble S O ld : view of carborough , and its fine castle landed one passenger and tOOk ' in four : the ruins Of Whitby

2 3 LETTERS ET W L 6 C. OF SIR A TER SCOTT

Kin g wud fyle his feet by going out of doors to the church when he had sic a bonny chapel as this for his ” h devotions . S e pointed out a very small turret apart ment at the top of one of the towers which she called ’ Y ’ Queen Margaret s Bower . e ll ken the Queen was sair grieved when the King wud tak the field for Fl d od en , and when he had taken his leave she went to her bower to greet : she could na s ee the field of F o l dden from where she sat , but muckle she thought and muckle she prayed— ye ’ ll hae read Pitscottie I I I was forced to say no , and fear lost all the ground had gained in her good will by the confession : It is — sair pity I hae a copy and I read Pitscottie an d the — I — bible prize him like the apple of my eye maybe , ’ ’ ye ll hae read the new work that I m tauld v eendec ates ’ — Oh & S Queen Mary Mem , but he s a very ill used leddy On our return we saw the fine range O f the Oc hill F hills far beyond the irth , and on a high bank b D u m ferlin e a ove the river , and its newly repaired Abbey : about half way and a short distance from the r om L road , on the right coming f inlithgow , is the fine N iddr C S ruin of y astle , where Mary lept the first night

L ide A . after her escape from ochleven . ( V bbot ) Under the fine range of the Pentland hills we saw Sir F ’ William orbes s seat , a large modern house, and the tower of Dreghorn Castle . 1 6th Saw Y . a colossal statue of the Duke of ork cut out of a single block Of Lanarkshire stone by a : common Mason , and wonderfully well executed it was at the new building belonging to the Royal

I C . nstitution at the foot of the Mound . alled on Mr N a e sm th y the Painter, a most interesting and agree able old man : he shewed us a painting of the Old

' Tolbooth which he took while it was pulling down . HU HES’ S DIARY FIFE 2 3 7 MRS . G :

’ Dined at Mr . Blackwood s with Professor and Mrs . & c . . Wilson , Mr . Ballantyne Mr Wilson is one of the most animated and delightful compani ons (certainly the most original and imaginative conversor) I have I I ever met with looked at Mr . Ballantyne own with a jaundiced eye, for he has certainly been in part the i ’ cause Of dear S r Walter s involvements . Mr . Miller sang two Scotch songs admirably : I wish Miss Stephens him could have heard , and had good sense enough to profit by it . ‘ Pett ear N 1 7 th. Crossed to y from ewhaven in — 1 2 C 2 . steam packet 1 . By coach to upar Passed thro ’ Kinghorn a very miserable fishing town with ’ detestable smells of stale fish : then thro Kirc aldie a 1 town not less than two miles long , the greater part very S mean , but in the middle some good houses and hops , and the new church the scene of the late horrible acci a : dent , very handsome building in appearance as the ’ Kirc aldie road winds up the hill thro , the old castle of Rav ensc raig (vide Lay of the Last Minstrel) to the I right the beach appeared good , and doubt not there is good bathing ; many persons resort to Ki rc aldie from Edin bur gh for that purpose : the country is not at all N e w Inn im picturesque , but a mile or two from it proves to the left ; a large tract of wood in a level

plain is bounded by high hills , and there are several

handsome seats , and a high pillar to the memory of

L H . ord opetown , which diversify the scene Cupar is

. To . a neat thriving town , cheerful and airy St . Andrews 1 0 miles thro ’ a well cultivated but newly planted country : everything in this part of Fife bears S ign of late and active cultivation , but it is not a

l ‘ ’ — Often known a s the l ang toun o f Kirka ldy the mo dern — sp elling ED . 2 38 LETTERS ET OE WA C . SIR LTER SCOTT

The d picturesque county . old ruine , dusky town o f t A S . ndrews looked respectable from its ancient dignity : C the extensive ruins of the athedral , and the still

St . R older chapel of ule with its high , square tower, are very imposing , and make you detest the fanatic bigotry m of John Knox , whose inte perate zeal destroyed this very fine cathedral : without the wall of the burial ground to the north are some ruins of Cardinal Beaton ’ s f house , and in the broad street are the remains O the F Monastery of the Black riars , with a small circular Old chapel , very handsome , and many other houses which it would be a joy to an Antiquary to explore ’ l R ar O f St . D ts e from the top ule s chapel , y Moor the A ’ N scene of rchbishop Sharp s murder is seen . To ew port 1 1 miles : recross the Eden and wind rou nd the 2 head of the bay : pass through Leuchars a large village with a very curious church tower , the east end of the church appears to be very Old ; it is circ ular and of most Singular construction : about four miles from N ewport the road joins the Mail road from Cupar : the descent to the Ferry is most beau tiful : the Firth Ta F of y, not less than two miles broad , divides ife from An ushire S g , the banks lope gently to the water and on the Fife side are several agreeable residences with plantations and gardens to the east , five miles distant ,

the T - in - and on edge of ents Moor point , is Port craig : a ferry , with a lighthouse opposite to it is a small town and bathing place called Broughty : there is a fine pier with two covered seats for passengers to wait in : the ferry boat is the most commodious possible 6 8 it plies every half hour from till , leaving Dundee

— u er Ma u s M ED . Q y , g oor ’ 2 I s ee in Bo swell s to ur that the c hurch of Le uchars a ttra c te d the

o hn n a ttentio n o f D r . J so

240 LETTERS T WA T E C . OF SIR LTER SCO T

: 1 E not dear we never paid less than s . near dinburgh , F . d 1 6 . and in ifeshire each gate was s by this means , (for the gates are frequent) you can hardly post under

4d . 2 s . d 1 . 6 . per mile , for they charge s per mile except at C I d A d S . 8 . upar , where we paid fter inner , we pro c eeded 2 7 : to Perth , in an excellent steam boat miles the Quays of Dundee are very extensive and commodious , and there is a considerable trade : we saw large piles Th of deals . e sail up the Firth of Tay is one of the finest things I have seen : nothing can exceed its variety and beauty : about a mile and half from

Dundee the water is five miles across , but it gradually N contracts till , just before you reach ewburgh , a very F S t pretty town on the ife ide , it is about the bread h T of the hames at Blackwall , and afterwards nearly the

L . width of that river at ambeth , till we reached Perth The An gus and Perth shores were diversified with C many handsome seats , amongst which Kinfauns astle

- claimed a proud pre eminence , not only on account of Sir the historical interest given it by Walter, but from its commanding site, and the beauty of the situation I I it is the best modern Gothic ever saw , but regretted the old castle : there were not ho w ever wanting some of these remains of former days on the Fife shore we B am b re ck E saw the castles of and lcho, both most A L : picturesque , and the ruins of the bbey of indores S I we landed on the outh nch , opposite to the hill of ’ Kinno ul ornes which is covered with small cottages ,

A a with hanging gardens and orchards . fter we p ssed

Kinfauns there was an island in the river, on which many fishermen were busy in casting and drawing their nets for salmon . Perth has a very imposing d I appearance , with its handsome stone bri ge , but have I the the vexation to find that all most wanted to see , H UGHES’S DIAR DUN K MRS . Y : ELD 241

C & H c . Gowrie ouse, the Dominican onvent are pulled down . h To D u nkeld 1 5 miles : h l gt . we drove over t e fine stone bridge before we left Perth merely that I might see it the N orth Inch with its fine walk round the ' handso m e by the river , and houses at the upper Th . e I end , is truly beautiful first name saw in the Co nn o char S town was , mith l we passed a hand some stone building erected to the memory Of the

Provost , Marshall by name , who made many improve I ments , but bear him an everlasting grudge , for he O f H & was the cause pulling down Gowrie ouse c . Saw Scone Palace to the right across the Tay : it looked gloomy , and inferior in beauty to Kinfauns ; from thence, till within three miles of Dunkeld the For es t road is really ugly . Birnam is a high range of r hills no longer cove ed with wood , and an army would find little more than a Whin bush or a Fern stalk to At Shadow them . about three miles from Dunkeld the road approaches the T ay which comes sweeping round h C M urthl to the rig t , the banks well wooded , and astle y , a handsome place with a tower at the end of the bu ild n The ing , is seen to great adva tage . river is broad and beautifully clear ; on each side are high hills planted to the top , but chiefly with firs , which give a gloom to the whole landscape : this seems to be a great defect ’ in the Duke of Athol s plantations ; extensive as they are for many miles , and certainly improving the appear ance of the barren hills they cover, the dark colour and formal shape of the firs considerably lessen the beauty of the scene . We crossed a handsome bridge built ’ ex en c e I chiefly at the Duke s p , but which conceive must pay him good interest , for his toll on the public

F ir M d o P r — D a a i f e th E . ETTERS ET WALTER S 242 L C . O F SIR COTT

: d is exorbitant you pay every time it is crosse , and

n 5 s . 4 merely going to cha ge horses cost us d . : the tolls 2d at the gates too are . each for a pair of horses : there seems a good deal Of Blenheim gr eed in the diffi culty oin to s of seeing the grounds , which are not worth g g ee, Ta since the beauty is from the y , which can be seen without the absurd form of writing your name in a book , indorsing your ticket , and other formal fooleries contrived to fill the pockets of the servants the situa tion of Dunkeld is beautiful but is surely overpraised D r C : A by . lark and other travellers the old bbey is u now connected with a spr ce end of the parish church , t ff R which very much hur s the e ect of the uin . To Ta mou th or r a ther Kenm or e 2 4 miles y , nearly every step is amusing and beautiful the Tay always in : sight , broad , rapid , and lovely sometimes the road runs directly above it on a high bank : after leaving A ’ the Duke of thol s woods , the view opens , and the mountain of F erro ga n is seen to the N orth : pass Logie R I ait , where there is a ferry conducting to the nverness road : a short distance further the Tay is joined by the T l umme , a wild stream which pours down from the N orth several handsome seats are seen at intervals on the opposite bank the road takes the bend of the river westerly : at about 1 3 miles from Dunkeld pass C - astle Grandtully , an old high tower , with pepper box turrets at the corners : an old neglected avenue leads to Of it , and as we passed through the small village Grand w Of C tully , a hole troop ollies came out and barked at us with great inveteracy and perseverance : I could not e lan A help thinking of Tully V o . fine view of Ben ’ Lawers Shehalion and Glenlyon is Obtained to the The h A N . orth and West orses were baited at berfeldy ,

H n . and Dr . . walked meantime to see the falls of Me zies

W 2 44 LETTERS ETC . OF SIR ALTER SCOTT of dress very striking : some modern belles ; grave elders in ample blue su its of homespun cloth : some Dandies in gay striped Manchester waistcoats and plaid the jackets, some with plaids over shoulder, and a few H u Th in the full ighland cost me . e caps worn by the I : old women , (the Mutch believe) are hideous over a mob with a plaited border and high cawl , they put a dowdy cap with a plain border tied under the chin and SO contrived that an An gel would look plain in it the r w hard featu ed , bro n faces which peeped out were really appalling : just at the head O f the lake is a small wooded island on which is the ruin of a chapel : ’

I in t Ev e . think it must be that described S . Valentine s ‘ We left Kenmore , about two , in a gig (for no chaise or horses were to be had) dr awn by a stout H ighland Poney and driven by an in telligent lad who had a seat between us : we fi dgetted along at a very good pace through the loveliest scenery imaginable 1 7 to Killin , a distance of nearly miles ; we kept generally close to the lake , on a broad shelf above m it , someti es winding through birch woods , some times overhanging miniature bays , where the little waves dashed on the rocky shore in imitation Of the sea ; every part fringed with woods and waterfalls, backed by the bold Ben Lawers brooding in sullen k majesty and blac ness , and darkening the lake by his awful shadow : twice he took Off hi s cap of clouds for us , when we left Kenmore , and when we entered Of Killin , but the rest the drive he folded his summit The f C in clouds . rugged and beautiful outline O raig H u allion which rises above Killin , was sing larly developed by a bright light behind it , which threw the whole into absolute blackness , and sharpened every ’ u L Glen orch s crag of this pict resque mountain . ord y R HUGHES’ S DIAR ILLIN M S . Y : K 245

Ancharne seat at , a mile and a half from Killin , is the sweetest place imaginable : it has all the variety of : rock , water, waterfall , mountain and wood it looks Old Finl a ri across to the ruin of y g, and the rich woods S in which it is bosomed . ometimes the Loch widened to an expanse of three or four miles , and often the view to the west was closed by the towering summit Of Ben More : about 6 miles from Kenmore we passed a large congregation assembled to hear an itinerant , who was vehemently exhorting them in Gaelic , using much violence of action , and routing like a cow in a ” frem mit loaning . We m et several parties returning I w from Killin , and was struck ith the bright colours ’ w of the omen s apparel ; scarlet and crimson shawls , and often scarlet petticoats . Killin is the most romantic of all villages to gain the inn you cross a succession of small bridges over the wild stream of the D o c hart which comes raging down the Glen to which it gives its

name , and foams over the great rocky stones which lay L Ta in its passage to och y from the north , down the fine Opening Of Glen Lochy which is closed by a sugar n L loaf mountai , the river ochy comes dark and deep

and flows at the foot of the pleasant inn , as it glides L Ta silently to join och y, as if it condemned its brawling neighbour while it Offers a larger tribute to the lovely lake : the singul ar and insular graveyard of the M oN ab s is in the centre of the D o c hart just in below the bridges . We could not but remark the creased length of the day : at nine I could see to read T and write perfectly . here is no question that the upper end of the lake is far more beautif ul than the lower and that Killin is in every respect superior to : Kenmore the contrast Offered by the two rivers , the L C H wild Glen of ochy , the bold outlines of raig allion 246 LETTERS ET F I WALTER S OT C. O S R C T

L and Ben awers , and the old woods and ruin of Finl arig all combine to render Killin one of the most The striking scenes that can be met with . inn is A very good . couple were asked in Kenmore Church in these terms by the person who acted as Clerk “ there is a report of a marriage between Roy Mc Grego r ” and Janet Walker . ‘ 2Is t To L . och Erne hea d 8 miles of the ugliest and most desolate road imaginable : at three miles from Killin it turns from the long hollow valley called D o chart Glen to the south , and runs through a wild gorge with not one object to interest : the head of Loch Erne is pretty enough but in order to do it justice one should not have seen Loch Tay : about m f d t L E . D o or hree miles from och rne , we met Mr on H a pedestrian tour, with a friend , and a ighlander carrying their baggage : the inn at Loch Erne is fi e . To Ca llender 1 4 miles v excellent , the first dreary Of a View to the west up the Braes Balquhidder , and in a wooded crag to the left is the grave of Ro b Ro y ‘ a chapel -like building is the burial place of the M r r The c G ego s . road winds to the south and skirts S L Lub n ai the hores of och g, a narrow lake on the L opposite side of which Ben edi rises abruptly , and overlooks and throws his broad shadow across the water : the Shore is partly fringed with young wood : at two miles from Callender the Lu b naig falls pre i i at l L c p t e y at the narrow pass of eny, and forms the Teith , a lovely , noisy stream which constitutes the whole beauty to be seen in the weary drive of 1 6 miles C S from allender to tirling , except about Doune, where the fine remains of the old castle are very beautiful, and seen from the Old bridge would make a charming L . We subject for a painter saw Ben edi , Ben Venne

ETTER E F SIR W 248 L S TC. O ALTER SCOTT

n : agreeable mor ing his Dog Brente is worthy of him .

. m E Mr de Quincy the author of the Opiu ater there . Walked slowly round the Calton and enjoyed the The H matchless view . igh School now building there is on a noble plan : the Pa r theno n will probably never be compleated for want of funds . We drank tea at ’ m th s . N aes Mr y , and passed a pleasant evening with him and his talented fam ily : his two sons have just compleated a steam carriage on a new construction to go without horses ; they tried it with full success on T 1 0 uesday, going at the rate of miles an hour on the L : a re eith road they have four small boilers , and pp hend the risk of accident will be much diminished by 1 this precaution . t A 24 h. Went in a coach with . Blackwood to the end of the Canon Gate : looked at Queensberry house (not worth looking at) which has the appearance of a R T decayed Manufactory , and egent Murrays . hen up H S S the igh treet , and saw the ite of the great fire , now — fast filling up with new buildings to the castle , but ’ the view was dim : looked down Blythe s close at Mary t u n of Guises palace , but filth of all sor s made it approachable . Walked down by the Mound and called In on Mrs . Wilson . the evening went to the Play S m A Mary tuart , a dra a taken from the bbot , in which 4 T 0 . Mackay played admirably, and the hieves ‘ C S ’ 2 th . 5 . C alled at Mr olvin mith s , and saw a most striking likeness of Sir Walter and another of : Of Mr . Mackenzie we called at the door this venerable man , but he was gone to the country . John arrived by 1 1 & Glasgow coach at 4 past , well thank God and L C A much pleased with och atrine and berfoil , which he seems to have seen most perfectly from Glasgow .

B Th r m t - r m ade —ED N . e fi st o or ca . ’ ‘ ’ MRS. H UGHES S DIARY : MEG DODS 2 49

Af ter dinner left Edinburgh : To Abbo tsford 5 7 miles we were forced to cross at Darnick bridge , for the T weed was full , and this made it two miles further than if we had gone through Gala Shiels and crossed at the A O Torso nee Inn bbotsford ; as the stler of remarked, T ye wad na may be like to ride in the water . here is nothing very amusing in the road after losing Sight of Edinburgh and its lovely environs . — To Fu shie bridge 11 miles then Borthwick Castle : Torso nee Inn comes in well to the left after this , to , the road is somewhat dreary—distance 14 miles from To rsonee , the Gala water accompanies and gives interest to this wild pastoral district , and when the S road turns from that leading to elkirk , and commands T A the weed , with a good view of bbotsford backed by

B . the ilden hills , it becomes beautiful and interesting : Darnick bridge is a noble , substantial structure the

old Gipsy looking landlady at Fu shie bridge (Mrs . She I Wilson ) was most amusing , and is am persuaded the original Meg Dods : there was great difli cu lty to

accommodate us with a chaise , but the instant she A She n found we were bound to bbotsford , was u wearied

in exertions to serve us ; scolding , entreating , and O energizing in every possible way with stlers , Post ’ ’ ir I m . On S boys , and guests y guests of Walter s ’ ’ r a te bound to oblige , for ye ken he s a g freend o — & ’ ’ mine oh but he s company for Kings , and yet he ll ’ a ab le mak himsel company for me , he s so ifi and ’ leesant — I A p to a rank s hae na seen bbotsford mysel , ’ but troth I whiles think I ll gae for ae day if I thocht the folk could gang on weel without me ” I could “ h Old O & . hardly help saying, Mrs Dods , order out the whisky and make the trial : she said to Sir Walter “ Oh & Sir last week when he changed horses there, W 250 LETTERS ETC. OF SIR ALTER SCOTT

I’ m I ff Walter blythe to tell you Mr . rvine has put o — the Millenium till twenty years I was greatly feared ’ I tw elv e I m when heard it was to be in years , but noo ” happy to say my tack will be oot before it comes . I Mr . rvine had the absurdity to preach everywhere on the approach of the Millenium and has altered the — term more than once n ow he fixes it at 20 years ir distance . Mrs . Wilson has seen S Walter at the new A church at rniston when he was visiting Mrs . Dundas , “ She Eh & and said to him , but it did my heart guid to b efitted see ye sitting as ye , in our bonny new kirk at Arniston but ye maun ken the parish are very angry w i A Ten Co m young rniston , for he has putten up the ’ m andm ents sae we a joined and made a remon — strance , and what think ye he said that if we gaed to the trouble him ony further in matter , he wad just gae the length of putting up the Creed and the Lord ’ s -A O ff Prayer . nything like ornament , or what takes

B am - from the like simplicity of their churches , the Sir A Fer lower Scotch cannot abide . We found dam guson and the Colonel his brother (very old friends and i ’ H l S r . near neighbours of Walter s) Mr a iburton , an S Sir old friend of the Pringles , and Miss cott niece to ’ Sir A l Walter . dam is so like the print from Wi kie s I w sketch that should have known him any here, he is very lively and handsome ; he and his brother went H away in an hour and Mr . aliburton on the following ’ morning .

252 LETTERS ETC. OF SIR WALTER SCOTT and the Grandfather of the present owner trusted so implicitly to it , that after the birth Of ten daughters in succession , he made a will leaving the property to M a le heirs : his faith was rewarded by the eleventh child proving a boy , and there is no prospect of Thomas ’ s prophetic wisdom being called in question . We then drove to the most beautiful I Old residence ever saw , Melrose , which was the original establishment of the Monks : they petitioned A for a removal to the spot where the bbey now stands , on the plea that their first residence was not healthy and that they were afflicted with constant pains in their bowels they had however the good taste to keep it as a cell : it stands on a high bank at a Spot where T the weed makes an abrupt turn to the south , and the house commands a long reach , dividing a deep valley ’ c l o athed S r on each ide with wood , thro which g ey crags and red rocks start out the B ilden towers above to the West : the walks through the wood near the house are enchanting , and lead to a flat narrow meadow on : ir the banks of the river S W . says nothing is so amus ing as a Fo x chace in the opposite w oods and steep I banks , and , according to his description , cannot doubt it gave him the scene of the same kind in Guy

Mannering . Mr . Douglas who inhabits this sweet spot C is of the avers branch of that family , descended from a natural son of the H ero of Otterbourne : his family E ’ possess the arl s banner which was borne on that day , and more than that the Percy pennon , which was then i S r . taken . W has often seen , and once helped to mend : L : it the ion is embroidered on it , in seed pearls so ’ dearly do the Douglas s prize this relic , that at a time ff when their fortunes were low , and they were o ered by the Grandmother of the present Duke of N orthumber ’ HUGHES S DIAR : THE DUKE OF BUCCLEU H 2 MRS. Y C 53

1 000 land a £ for it , they refused it , saying they had rather sell their last acre than part with it . We returned through Melrose and had a fine view of the A bbey . I am in despair that I shall never be able to enumerate all the interesting anecdotes our dear and I ha rv es t I honoured host relates , but will all can . Sir E C Speaking of wen ameron , the well known savage hit ’ who a piece from his enemy s throat , and literally w or r ied him , saying afterwards it was the sweetest he u S Sir morsel ever tasted , he told that when Ewen was on an expedition with a band of clansmen , they were arranging their Bivouac for the night in the snow : his grandson rolled up a ball of snow to put under his a head , and the indign nt old Grandsire kicked it down “ the hill , exclaiming, What , degenerate boy , do you dare to indulge in the luxury of a pillow This grim old Chieftain came to the court of James 2md (of En g The ff land) . King o ered him knighthood , and to make ’ Sir E the honour greater , asked for wen s own sword to confer the accolade : there had been much rain on the journey and his Sword was so rusted in the scab b ard that it could not be dr awn : the O ld man was so dis tressed that he burst into tears : the King relieved him N Sir E : I by saying , ever mind wen am well aware that had the service of my brother or myself required ul r it , your sword wo d have d awn of itself . We spoke of the young Duke of B u c cleu gh who promises to be all that can he wished from one whose power to do A good is so great when he was only fifteen , the bbey of Of Sir Melrose was in such a state dilapidation that W . represented to Lord Montague the absolute necessity 6 £ 00 L . of repair the estimate was , and ord M (a very liberal man of his own money) hesitated , as thinking 254 LETTERS ETC . OF SIR WALTER SCOTT he had no right to use his powers as guardian to that : U m a extent the young Duke said , ncle the money y be deducted from my pocket allowance if the Abbey —o f falls , the whole estate can never restore it course the repair took place without subjecting the Duke to any privation he was chosen last year a member Of the C rockford club , and on receiving a notification wrote an answer expressing his thanks for the unsolicited atten tion , which he begged to decline , as it did not suit his arrangements to become a Member : he has been very indignant at the reports of his Marriage , particularly S with the heridans , who have beset him in the most The daring way . eldest (now married) said to him

Duke , they say you mean to marry me or my : I & — he ir I sister hope it will be me said to S W . I I hope when do marry , shall not disgrace myself, and depend upon it my friends Shall not have the first intelligence from newspapers ; you shall know it from ” A r myself . vile vete an female gambler tried to induce him to play at un limited écarté : the stake was high when limited and the Duke refused : she said scorn “ fully , Be it known to all and sundry , that the poor Duke of Buc cleu gh with a a year refuses to ” H e Yo u play at unlimited Ecarté. replied are very liberal— but why not give and even then the h E ” B u c cleu é. D . of g would not play at unlimited cart ir and S . W now talks openly of his works, told us a very ridiculous situation in which he was placed at a Ark party this Spring : he heard a song set by Mrs . b e wright which pleased him much , and praised it “ — adding the words too are beautiful he sa w a general n smile , and the so g proved to be one of his own from n & the Pirate beginning Farewell to N orthm ave c . “ : I which he had totally forgotten he said , thought

WALTER S TT 256 LETTERS ETC. OF SIR CO

’ tho diminished , still inhabit in numbers some villages N in the wild parts of orthumberland , and the Border & Y c . In etholm , Gordon , the summer these places are Old nearly deserted , and only a few crones are to be b u t ul seen , but in winter every is full , and it wo d be still a dangerous thing to pass through them : the cri mes they commit amongst themselves are hideous Incest is familiar to them and murder frequent seven years ago a quarrel took place near Abbotsford and a Gypsy named Kennedy literally wrung round the neck r of his adversary , and tu ned the head hind before the ir S . Gypsies took no heed of this atrocity , but W as S ff m ur heri , took every possible means to detect the derer : a large reward was offered : one night a man “ desired to speak to him alone : he said : I hear you want Kennedy— what is the reward ? A hundred ” Yo u S — w pounds . hall have him in two days ill you ”

A . have him alive or dead live , certainly Well , f I be it so , it makes no dif erence to me , only had rather

: it were dead , for his father killed my father he

brought the Murderer at the appointed time , but owing to the shuffling evidence of a stupid surgeon who contended that the death might have been

caused by apoplexy , the wretch was only transported

for life . An old farmer whose wife had been dead only a month applied to his minister to proclaim his Banns in the — church the next day The clergyman remonstrated Ye ’ re banns John— it is no possible Man —ye ’ re wife has na been dead a month— she is na cauld in her — grave A weel Sir never heed ye that do ye put ’ u : p the banns , and she ll be aye cooling the while ’ this story Sir Walter s mother related to Lord H ope town who had had thr ee wives with small space ’ H UGHES S DIAR : A GH OST STOR MRS . Y Y 2 57

She between , and recollected it as came to the end , and saw the offended look of her auditor . A fter supper the door of the library was open , and the light from the Gas lamp fell strong upon the statue of Shakspere at the opposite end of the library , giving it the most awful and Spectral look imaginable : this led to a mos t singular story which occurred here five years ago , before the house was finished and while the present drawing room was furnishing . Bullock the Upholsterer had been here from London and taken the order under a faithful promise that it should be com : pleated by a certain time this was nearly , if not quite d — A elapse bout half past twelve one night , the whole household was awaked by a loud and extraordinary noise in the empty drawing room : it sounded as if half a dozen men were throwing about deals , and knocking ir : S . them together again W rose, called the servants , M S armed himself with a gun , ajor cott following with a Poker, and proceeded to the room from whence the sound came : on open ing the door nothing could be seen and the noise ceased : every possible search was made within and without , but no cause could be found ir for the disturbance : next day S W . had to write to T Mr . erry , and desired him to go instantly to Bullock , and remind him of his promise to send the furniture , u adding , one wo ld think that he and all his men had been at work here last night , from the uproar we had , — which nobody can account for he then gave the T detail , and strange to say when Mr . erry went to

Bullock with the message, it appeared that he had died on the very night , and at the very hour in which the i “ . S r . I noise had been heard W said very gravely , do not wish you to take this entirely on my statement - T when you go to town , ask erry to show you my S 2 58 LETTERS ETC. OF SIR WALTER SCOTT

r letter which he still has , and he will confi m what I ”

. S have told you Miss cott , who was one of the alarmed , described the noise , which she said must have wakened the soundest sleeper, and which she had believed was caused by a gang of thieves breaking in To m and throwing everything about . Purdie is in high preservation , as well as his half bred pointer Di Tom Vernon , of whose abilities is very fond of boast in g : he declares that if he stays longer than is wise at the Public house , the dog on seeing him prepare to mix another tumbler, will jump up , take him by the : sleeve and yell loudly if this remonstrance fails , she has more than once gone home , and brought Mrs . r r To m Pu die to the rescue, and to thei united forces submits . ’ i s H E S r W. shepherd is brother to ogg the ttrick S : hepherd he is a sensible, steady , unimaginative ’ person , rather ashamed of his brother s poetical fame , which he fears may interfere with his agricultural pursuits : the shepherds here are remunerated by S the feed of a certain number of heep , which are their own , and this secures the care of the flock in dangerous H weather and in snow . ogg , three years ago , had ten : Ewes , and each brought two thriving lambs in the f H course O the summer , poor ogg had a fit of sickness which brought him to death ’ s door during this all his L : . T twenty lambs died Mr aidlaw said to him , his is ’ H : I very strange, ogg fear ye ve been to blame in ’ something : none of Sir Walter s sheep are dead and yours are all gone he replied “ It is like it may be hm I for a punis ent , and weel deserved , for when was I as it seemed on my death bed , God forgive me had mair thought and care for the twenty lambs than for l ” the state Of my puir SOu .

R ET I W 260 LETTE S C. OF S R ALTER SCOTT

S ide and come in an hour before dinner , pretending S that she wanted piritual advice , and telling them she was wae to think of the errors and vanities of her life , and the wicked wastrie of her time ; that She hoped better thoughts were coming and did not doubt some good body would come in and gie a word of sound doctrine before dinner that might help her on the good The way she desired to tread in future . good old ladies were always ready to assist her conversion , and tho ’ she dined with them almost daily when the town was empty and as regularly returned to the pomps and vanities when the card playing set resumed their winter campaign , the good creatures hoped on , and every year One expected to wash the blackamoor white . night S ha d when oph had been out to a late card party, and retired to her bed and lodging at the head of one of the ’ d Wha s closes , a rapping was heard at the oor . that she cried peevishly — the knock was repeated ’ — In the deev il s name what want ye A feeble voice “ — Can replied , after another tap you help me to the Speech of John Brow n the taylor ? the poor Questioner S was annihilated by oph roaring out , May God eter d — n T T nally John Brown the aylor , and all the aylors that ever lived , and you too for breaking my rest . ’ Sir Walter s grandfather who lived at Sandy Knowe exercised great hospitality to all the wayfaring tribes , who then wandered about more than at present of course, he was in great repute amongst them once when crossing a wild tract on the border with a con siderab l e sum about him , he fell in with a large party of Gypsies who were merry making : they instantly crowded round him : Eh the Gudeman of Sandy Knowe ; never did the hun gry heart pass his door ’ ’ e — many s the time we v dined at yere cost no , ye maun ’ IARY A I Y 2 MRS. HUGHES S D : G PS FEAST 61

share our fare though much dislikin g and some

what dreading compliance , he thought it most prudent to appear satisfied : he alighted and was made very welcome to their repast : it was of a motley sort : every kind of game and poultry stewed down together H in kettles and cauldrons , and reduced to a kind of otch Potch : (the origin doubtless of the Mess with which Meg M errilie s fed the Dominie Brandy and Whisky ’ S seem d were not wanting, and hortly to produce the usual effects : then two or three of the elder Gypsies “ A whispered Mr . Scott ; n noo gude man tis time ’ — ’ ye were awa steal awa cannily , ye ll find yere horse ” S : ahint the bushes , and spare na peed he gladly off attended to the warning , and rode briskly , his pace quickened by the Sight O f three stout fellows who jumped

up from the feast and pursued him for a few minutes .

Mr . Martin of Galway was divorced from his wife , and the seducer married her : he was known to be a

: . great savage , capable , and likely , to use her ill Mr M . Sir I wrote to him as follows , scorn to remind you — of past events the law ha s settled that question ; b u t if ever I hear that you treat the lady who once had the honor to bear the name O f Martin with anything but S the strictest respect , you may be assured you hall

answer it to me . ’ Sir Adam Ferguson s father was visiting at a French C a : h teau being a great lover of field sports , and seeing

much game , he was much rejoiced to hear in the morning a flourish of horns , and a summons to a C : hasse out he went full primed , and saw his host and all his visitors armed with Cross bows and shootin g the C frogs in the astle ditch , the horns sounding all the time to inspirit the Chasse . ‘ i S r W . says no precipices he ever saw are like 262 ET W LETTERS C . OF SIR ALTER SCOTT

S C those of hetland , and the boldest ragsmen are to be found there : a father and tw o sons were engaged in the hazardous search for sea fowls eggs all tied to one : rope the old man was undermost , the younger son : next the elder found the rope failing , and called to “ ” : his brother to cut away , and let the father go the younger refused with many reproaches , and the elder

severed the rope instantly , and both his father and ir brother were dashed to pieces : S W . saw a woman who had been on a similar expedition with her husband

he also found the rope too weak , and she was under “ ” most : he cut away : the woman fell and he con

cluded her gone for ever, but to his infinite surprise when he came home she was the first to greet him at : how : the door , may be left to the imagination her

petticoats were ample and substantial , the wind was high and she floated down like a sea fowl and received

no hurt . A well known drunken Laird called B o nidal e was returning home on a dark night with his servant : E L behind as they crossed the ttrick , the aird unable : flo u n dere d to keep his balance fell in he about , and H I called to his servant ech Davie , Man , hear a great

splutter in the water, wha is it that has fallen in T L 1 roth aird , replied the man , canna give ony guess unless it be yers ell in the confusion the Laird

lost his wig , which Davie with much trouble fished d out of the stream , and restore it to him ; it was turned inside out : the Laird very an grily declared it was nae

wig of his and that he would not wear it , but the man “ I’ m coolly advised him to be satisfied , for thinking ” 1 L . aird , theres nae wale o wigs in yon water Some years ago an execution took place under the

i ld ver similarl De n R m a — D Thi s story s to y y, by a a s y E .

4 LETTERS ET WALTER SCOTT 2 6 C. OF SIR

N O , no , he does not move towards you , but see , see , — ou how he dogs my steps this the sailor, a rough , honest fellow answered “ I’ m thinking you ’ ve done ’ ”

. On something bad , e en make a clean breast and tell this the wretch in great agony related every particular of the Murder and telling his friend he knew a great ff reward had been o ered for his apprehension , desired he would deliver him up to the first Magistrate they ’ ’ : Tho could find the other refused , saying, you re I ’ ll bad enough, and deserve hanging , have nothing to do with the price of your blood do what you will with As your own life . soon as they reached Devizes the

Murderer delivered himself up to justice , and made a full confession : the Magistrate questioned the com

panion , but he could only repeat what passed on the Plain : in a few hours the impression O f conscience w e re o ff im , and he confidently denied all he had said , ’ puting it to delirium : the m agistrate tho inclined to

believe this to be the fact , told him it was necessary to detain him till he had written to the Colonel of the Regiment to which he had said he belonged : the answer was a full confirmation Of the confession : he was tried , condemned and executed ; the chain of evidence was compleat , and the waiter belonging to the little inn where he S lept the first night recollected that when he went to call him in the morning to go by the I ” coach he started and called out did not kill the boy . T f . O Mr hompson the son the clergyman of Melrose , S A and the original Dominie ampson , dined at bbotsford i A r F . Th as well as S dam and C ol . erguson e Dominie Sir vexes Walter to the heart , for owing to his excess of absence and oddity, he does things so strange that everybody has some ridiculous story to tell of him which has hitherto prevented Sir W . from obtaining a ’ ‘ ’ MR HUGHES S DIAR : DOMIN IE SAMPSON 2 65 S . Y

i : T l ving for him his , as he is one of the worthiest

ffl Sir W. : creatures breathing , really a icts yet he says

it would be impossible to appoint him to a town living, for he would be a constant butt to his parishioners he ’ i s taught for some time in S r W . family and often when L Mrs . . and her brothers and sister watched their o ff opportunity , they have stolen through the window and left him deeply engaged in reading aloud to them as he fancied ; sometimes he would not miss them L for an hour . When Mrs . ockhart was brought to

bed last year he came over in great haste , and bursting S “ I’m into the door ran up to Miss cott saying, come A Mis s S o hia n to congratulate ye Miss nne , on p havi g ir brought a little girl . S W . invited him to an Annual dinner he used to give to the Yeomanry with ’ a day s coursing , and was in great consternation to hear him give a long appropriate grace beginning Oh & Lord who hast given the beasts of the field and the Th & &c . c . fowls of the air for the use of y servants , and mingling so much piety and exquisite absurdity i S r . that W knew not whether to laugh or cry , and the company were choking with laughter : Prince Leopold paid a morning visit at Abbotsford and was entertained with a collation the Dominie was present and rather disappoint ed that Sir W . prevented his delivery of a very lon g Latin Grace which he had made for the occasion , he however rehearsed it at dinner when the Prince was gone : he is above Six feet high and powerfully made , has a very martial trim and woul d have been an able and excellent soldier had he Of not lost a leg in early life, by the wicked prank a school fellow whose name he has never been prevailed L on to tell he is a very deep and learned scholar . ast ’ B emb rid e s m l year he was tutor in Mr . g fa i y at Garton 2 66 LETTERS ETC. OF SIR WALTER SCOTT

Moor : a very strange man (whose nose is twisted at the end by a windmill) fell in love with one of the young ladies , and wrote her a letter proposing an elope ment : he applied to the Dominie to deliver it who carried it a week in his pocket , and then gave it by A n mistake to the Maiden u t . ‘ 2 th C 8 . Y alled at air, and returned in a thunder L ir storm . ord Melville assured S W . that it was quite true the poor late King could not be prevailed on H O f L the last time he addressed the ouse ords , to “ S L begin his peech but with , My ords and Peacocks , and whenever he was about to repeat it , those who were aware of what was coming made all the noise

ir . they cou ld to drown the sound . Once when S W L was with ord Melville in town , a deputation of the Scotch Clergy who came up with an Address to the Ld King waited on . M . to consult him how they d should be dressed to go to court . L . M . told them S they hould wear their usual black clothes , with gowns and bands as if going to preach this was apparently

a great relief to the party , and the spokesman said , L ’ My ord , we know ye re a great wellwisher to the ’ ’ ’ C hurch , and we re a glad we ve come to ye in our ’ ’ ’ T strait , for ye ll ken we ve been to the King s aylor, and he behoved to tell us we must have new garments

of a fashion we never saw before , and mair to that swords by our sides which we thocht a - the - gither in t w i consisten our profession , and also bags ahint our

heads , and whar the hair was to come fra to go intnl ”

I . One them am at a loss to think of them , a

. R C Mr itchie of ampsie, a most good and primitive

creature resolved to see the levee , having been pre vented going u p with his brethren he sallied from his inn in his gown and band and came as near as he could

2 ET F W 68 LETTERS C. O SIR ALTER SCOTT

from the centre : it was to be given to many who were likely to rise in revenge : the division was suspected to be very partial and unequal : an account was called for his answer was only this “ the Money is spent the H ighlands are quiet and no further account will

be given . Campbell of Glenlyon commanded the detachment who did the bloody deed and it would seem as if some of his blameless descendants had impressions in consequence which one can hardly wonder at though they excite S incere pity : in the A C l C o . merican war ampbell of Glenlyon , a brave and excellent man was President of a Court Martial at l S : Co . C which a deserter was ordered to be hot . who

was very humane obtained his pardon , but as it was

wished to make a deep impression on his mind , it was arranged that the man should not be acquainted with the reprieve till he had undergone the terror of a supposed execution : he was therefore led out with all C l o . C . the usual ceremony, but most unhappily by accident dropped his handkerchief and the men mis it d : taking for a signal fire , and killed the deserter

poor Co l . C . was wholly overcome and exclaimed in Oh & bitterness of anguish God , the curse of Glencoe i r . is upon me and mine . S W spoke much to us of the old Covenanters and related in the very words of old Peter Walker the pathetic story of the murder of Brown by Claverhouse : no recitation I ever heard so powerfully affected my feelings : after tea he read aloud d O ld a great eal from the scarce tracts of Peter Walker , “ respecting precious Mr . Peden there was much to interest and much which convulsed us with laughter, particularly the philippic of Mr . Peden against dancing h H of which Sir W . has made suc good use in the eart T a c u ets of Mid Lothian . WO great p q came by the ’ HUGHES S DIAR : SCOTCH FISHWIVES 2 69 MRS . Y post from perfect strangers with the most unreasonable requests one to present a petition to the King which Sir filled four Sheets of paper . W . says these applica tions are incessant and that postage of this description cost him near £1 00 a year : this and the continual impertinent intrusions of tourists (Often very slightly recommended) are part of the tax paid for his celebrity . 2 A u E 9 th. yo ng nglish gentleman was killed at Aberlady in consequence of being told as a jest by the friends he was visiting near the place , to call out as soon “ ’ l S u S A as he came to the vi lage , tick a at berlady

he did so , and the women rose and stoned him so

severely that he died in consequence six weeks after . Many years ago a man of Aberlady detected his wife r as an adulteress , and d ove her out of the house pursuing her with a dirk : her neighbour s interp osed “ enquiring , What gars ye gae to stick your wife he related the provocation “ H oot — then ye may ’ — stick us a at Aberlady and this is now a b y-word ff not to be spoken without mortal o ence there . The F M u s selb ur E ish wives of g, and dinburgh are S a ingular race , they have customs of their own , and a custom to which they rigidly adhere : the husbands bring the fish to the water edge and go to their homes : to refresh the wives take the fish out of the boats , E wash , sort it , and convey it to dinburgh in great loads

which they carry at their backs in creels , (baskets T Shaped like the French H ottes) . hey sell it and take

the disposal of the money, the husband never having a

penny but what his wife allows him . During the last war on an alarm of a French fleet being off the coast (which proved to be a Russian squadron) the fishermen

went out gallantly in armed boats , and it was thought LE TER WAL 270 T S ETC. OF SIR TER SCOTT

fit to reward them : the city presented the fraternity with a large Silver Punch bowl at this the wives w ere much Ofi en ded and waited on the Lord Provost in a : body , their Queen at their head she harangued him “ As our M en and said , did the service , we ought at s om h least to have had e of the reward . T e Provost L saluted the ady , and a large gold brooch set with coloured stones value £40 was ordered and has ever since been worn by the Queen of the Fish wives on all festive occasions . ’ Dwyer the Irish rebel was c o n c e al e d in Sir Kevin s ffi bed , a cave of most di cult access near the lake of : Killarney some soldiers suspecting it , climbed up in

file , their bayonets between their teeth he could have killed every one , but he sprung out and jumped over ’ tho them into the lake , and fired at repeatedly escaped . ‘ We talked of the catastrophe of the Master of Ravenswood : Major Scott saw three poor Irishmen di and their horses ingulphed in a moment and sappear . When Sir Walter was once at the H oly Island and going to ride across with the gentleman he was visiting

ul . his caref old servant called him aside Mr . Walter, mind ye let the Saxon ride first . ‘ A Eilden H fter breakfast we went to all , saw the Sm a lholm e Bogle Burn , y at distance , and an extensive C C F Ru b erslaw view over the heviots , the arter ell , ,

b 85 Sir . the Liddesdale ills 6 . W showed us a sheltered nook in the B ilden (which we nearly drove round) where the Covenanters used to meet for the prohibited preachings and prayings : the women sat on their side saddles , the horses being first unsaddled and bridled , and tethered : the men piled their arms in heaps in front to be ready for attack and sat behind : often they

2 72 LETTERS ETC. OF SIR WALTER SCOTT

’ : L F lady instantly ord ife s men collected , and a fierce encounter seemed inevitable : the Sheriff however harangued both sides , went with the Grants to the house of the supposed missing Miss Grant, brought her out to convince them of her safety , and with great pains succeeded in procuring a sur ly peace : but then f : a new di ficulty arose neither party would move , because they would not be the first to turn their backs after a long n ego ciation it was agreed that the Sherifi should throw up his hat , as a signal at which both S parties hould begin their retreat . Glengary fractured his skull in leaping from a steam boat : some accident had occurred to the machinery , and he used every exertion to land the passengers , and then in jumping out fell on a Sharp rock : he walked half a mile afterw ards with his daughter and on reaching home and examining the “ It wound said , is wide enough , but not deep enough to kill a Highland man before any assistance could be had, and indeed in half an hour, he died , the skull being broken and pressed on the brain : his funeral 1 500 was attended by more than persons , and he was carried to his last wild home, on the shoulders of his : u clansmen it was winter, and they freq ently went through torrents and streams up to their shoulders in C C water . When the aledonian anal was made , a part ’ — a of Glengary s estate was in the way black , useless moor not very extensive : a Jury was appointed to : estimate the value as soon as they were assembled , they saw Glengary approaching on horseback with w a ssels four of his Dunne and about twenty Gillies , followed by a dozen of his fierce Deerhounds they did not much like the Array : Glengary warmly insisted on the value of the property, but in order to make it HE ’ DIARY RV 45 2 MRS. HUG S S : SU IV ORS OF THE 73 more apparent told them they must cross a little Loch before they had time to refuse he whistled loudly and 1 B erlin s three or four g with stout rowers , dashed round a headland : the Jury were bundled in s a ns cer emonie S very much like heep , and Glengary in great haste cut the girth of his saddle , tossed it into one of the boats : and sprang after it , the horse swimming by as soon as he was seated he began very coolly to mend hi s girth with some packthread : he rowed all round the L och , expatiating on the great value of the property and the remuneration which he expected , and then took them to a little cove where good cheer and plenty of wine and spirits were provided : in Short by these various means he obtained a valuation of for what was to him worth n othing : it was objected to in H L L the ouse of ords , but ord Melville remarked that Glengary would bring fifteen hundred witnesses to S wear to the truth , and it passed . An old H ighlander aged 1 00 was presented to the “ ’ E i : I I m King when at d nburgh he said, winna say ’ I I ’ m yuer Grace s auldest subject , but think yuer ” auldest enemy : (he had been active in the rebellion The of King was much pleased with him , and gave him a pension which he enjoyed two years , and which is now continued to his daughter . ‘ Lord Melville had an old Gatekeeper who had also been out in 45 : when asked if he had been in E A — a ngland , he replied, y, just as far as Derby fule business it was— I neither knew nor thocht about it he C — I till called , (meaning his hief) had just finished ’ the barley and I was on the stack : sae I e en slid Off down , cast my lang coat , took to the short coat and

- A Berlin w a s a ha lf dec ed alle or rowin oat. Vide Gu k g y , g b y Ma n rin h — ne ED . g, c apter xl . TTE F IR WALT OT 2 74 LE RS ETC . O S ER SC T

’ a nd I n the Gun and awa , for many a lang month ever saw home nor wife nor bairns I’ ll never gae out again unless he calls (pointing to Lord Melville . ) ‘ When Sir Walter first knew Liddesdale there were no roads except in the channel of the streams : Pl e dell the same application which Dandy makes to y , Law respecting the Plea , was literally and in the same Sir L r words made to Walter by a iddesdale fa mer, and he offended his client beyond reconciliation by refusing to engage in it . While he was collecting the Border O 30 Ballads he ften rode miles after one verse ; now , he says it would be impossible to find anyone that could repeat these Old songs and legends . ‘ There is a road made to the top of Ru b erslaw C by a Dr . Douglas of the avers family which a coach and Six may ascend : the Dr . was a Prebendary of Durham , and delighted , when he came to this b e : country , in the drive , which frequently took

. S a Mr cott lived with him as a sort of companion , and the Dr . had a passion for reading his sermons “ ’ aloud to him : there w a s a sort of paction tween ” : them two , in the business when the Dr . was in Of the mood for reciting , he ordered in a bottle very Al n e . S fine and produced the discourse , Mr cott duri g the progress of the discourse frequently turning the bottle before the fire while he listened as soon as the Ale artic u sermon was ended , the was drank , and if p t Ah & ’ l arl . S y good , Mr cot would say , Doctor you re — in a happy vein to - day that was the best discourse ’ I v e ever yet heard of yours maybe you have another at hand , and the Doctor was ever ready to edify his friend , and ring for another bottle at the same time . ‘ There is a watchmaker at J edb urgh who has a very extraordinary genius for Mechanics : his tele

E O W ER 2 7 6 LETTERS TC. F SIR ALT SCOTT

i Pulteney , ) was present at an exh bition of rope dancing : the principal performer was singularly hand some and excited much interest in the ladies present . — — Oh dear Lady Johnston e he will be killed he must — be dashed in pieces oh & how can you sit SO un ? I ” moved Ken ye , Jo , care na , was her reply . ‘ C C . Drove to hiefs Wood , now inhabited by apt H : and Mrs . amilton it is a sweet cot tage surroun ded H by a garden and wild shrubbery , the untly Burn running through the small domain , and a path cut in the wood which clothes the sides of its steep banks : it L Sir . was built by W for the ockharts , and it makes him sad to see others occupy it . We walked through the wood to the house called H untly Burn belonging i F also to S r W . and tenanted by the erguson family : it is a good house commanding a fine view of the B S ilden (under whose helter it seems to stand) , T C &c . Melrose , the weed , and owden Knowe We walked back through the plantations , visited the lake of Cauld Shields the bank of which is planted and Y E : ir looked across to arrow and to ttrick S W . pointed out Deloraine and much of the track of the Borderer who took his name from the property as L described in the ay . The R Ashe stiel two Miss ussels of , very agreeable i S r . women , and first cousins to W came to dinner their father was a distin guished officer and stormed a fort in the Manillas with only a little drummer follow ing, till he had made good his entry . ‘ The last Witch was b u rnt in Scotland on the Sunderland estate (owing to the folly and superstition of the Agent) as late as in the reign of George the 1 st : she was quite superannuated and delighted with the crowd and the sight of the fire, and when tied to the ’ S HUGHES S DIAR : CLERICAL TACTICS 2 7 MR . Y 7

H ’ stake called out , ech sirs , here s a bonny grand fire n eeb o urs i to warm by , and sae many gude to crack w — the while & her daughter who witnessed the e xec u tion brought a s on into the world whose limbs were shrivelled and contracted as if they had been exposed T to fire ill his death which took place very lately , this L S ff poor object was supported by ady ta ord . At the Scottish yearly assembly O f divines there is On e often much violence of disputation . Minister after being opposed by a very angry opponent got up and ’ said , My reverend brother s answer reminds me of my ’ — wife s last dish of tea very warm , and very weak . A Clergyman of the name of Ramsay was C hosen Moderator at one of the Assemblies : he had a neigh T Of A bour Mr . urnbull , a man weight with the ssembly , R who was in constant opposition to Mr . amsay on : R every occasion there was a question which Mr . . r particularly wished to carry , but which he was su e

T . : Mr . and his party would defeat it happened that the Lord Commissioner was prevented attending one

: . R. morning from slight indisposition Mr rose , and proposed that a deputation should be sent with a com lim en t p of enquiry, and as a mark of respect he named T . : Mr . and a party of his friends they swallowed the bait and set out for H oly Rood : the moment they left the assembly the crafty Moderator proposed the : T question , and carried it but one of the urnbull faction seeing how matters were going set o ff for H oly R T . ood and brought back Mr . at the head of his detachment , foaming with rage and heated by the : b e haste they had made rushed in , and striding up to R I amsay called out , understand that an unfair use has been made of our absence , a measure has been proposed & — h C . e was cut short by the Moderator replying , 2 8 TTER ET OF IR WALTER S OTT 7 LE S C. S C

T taittie T T — utti , ommy urnbull , let us pray and

T . the prayer began and Mr . . of course was silenced There was a Minister of the name of Lan die who had four sons bred to the church who had all been fortunate enough to procur e livings : they were re

markable for the dullness of their sermons and prayers ,

but the father was vain beyond description , and con c eive d that the good success of all the set was owing : A to their merit on their way to the ssembly , Mr . Landie u and his fo r sons dined at Greenlaw , in the Old house of a very shrewd , independant woman well L : known by the name of uckie Buchan after dinner, D Mr . andie swelling with importance at some careless L l ’ ness in his and ady s deportment , called to her, Ken ye Luckie wha ye hae the good fortune to entertain ; I here am a placed Minister, and here are my four sons , ilk ane a placed Minister— did the like ever before — b efal ye The old woman without ceasing from her i H I employment in the house repl ed carelessly, oot ken — I I w i na mind ha ance a Piper here , his four sons ,

a of them Pipers , and deel a spring could ane of them i play . Some years ago S r W . asked her if she had L “ made this keen retort . ike eneuch , she said, he ” i b l z in mm in S c ee hu . was a blithering , g, g bodie In Scotland there used to be only two professions to which the Gentry brought up their sons the law A and the army . lady who had five sons was asked Oh & ’ their destination . they ll all be put to the

sword . A Scotch gentleman went to Mass during a visit to the Continent but remained standing when everybody else knelt : the Officiating priest happened to be a S cotchman , and without altering his tone he said as if l et La it was part of the service , Joak , and the w gae

8 LETTER ET 2 0 S C. OF SIR WALTER SCOTT

Lamm erm uir is strictly true her name was Dalrymple 1 2 the husband Dunbar of Dunbar : the lover H amilton of B urganey : she died in three days after the cata “ strophe and never spoke word after saying Tak up ” your bonny bridegroom . ‘ The n Y father of the late Mr . Pri gle of air was proud beyond all belief, and at all times much dis tressed for money : he lived in the old Tower of White u bank keeping p as much state as he could , and making up for his privations by his extravagant Opinion : of his own consequence when ladies came to call , he “ C used to seat himself and call out gravely , ome L assies , come and kiss old Whitebank he was f always under the necessity O borrowing , and his A ne o ciate d £800 ttorney having g a sum of , sent his Clerk to get the bond signed : the old Laird received him with much state : Sit ye down man ye may sit — — in my presence read Man , dinna be feared read , as if ye were only before yer ain Master—tak courage — T Man his last injunction proved not out of place , for when the Bond rehearsed the o b ligation of Alex L T ander Pringle, aird of Whitebank to repay homas £300 Brown taylor of Melrose on demand , the old man started up in an agony of passion , and bellowed “ Sir & — — out , What borrow of a taylor never tak it i ” & Of S r & c . away , out my sight and it was not till A the ttorney came over , himself , and assured him the money could not be had elsewhere , that he submitted ’ u some time after, the taylor s wife died , and pon the strength of the Bond , and because the Pringles had

— ED . This should b e D unbar of Baldon . 2 But w as no t Lord Ru therfo rd the lo v er ? A Sir William Ham ilto n o f Whitelaw is m entioned in the introduction to the B ri d e of La mmer — i D lr m le w as dau hter of Lord Stain ED . muir . M ss a y p a g ’ HUGHES S DIAR : BOSWELL 1 MRS . Y 28

their burial vault elsewhere Mr . Brown ventured to deposit her in a vault in Melrose Abbey which had : been formerly appropriated to that family poor Mrs . Brown was not long permitted to enjoy her honourable grave, for in about a fortnight the news of this sacrilege reached old Whitebank and he speedily had her b oukit up and removed to an humbler place of repose . C T Mr . Bruce of lackmannan ower , descended from Sir Robert the Bruce , had a constant feud with John n H Shaw his neighbour who was a stau ch anoverian , while Bruce was equally zealous in the Stuart cause . A Falcon belonging to Sir John was Shot in his absence

from home, and his lady a proud , foolish woman , u suspected Mr . Br ce to be the person who had destroyed it : him she wrote a very rude letter of accusation ,

concluding it with dictating an apology , which she said S ul r if Mr . Bruce would copy and ign , she wo d endeavou ff i H er to conceal the o ence from S r John . messenger To returned with a note inscribed , the honoured L S u hands of my ady haw , these h mbly present on I F Opening it she read , Madam , never shot the alcon , but rather than make the apology your Ladyship has I u had the condescension to dictate, wo ld shoot the

F Sir L . alcon , John , and your adyship also Old L A ’ ord uchinleck , Boswell s father, was very ’ ’ angry at his son s passion for strangers ; Jamie s gane — clean daft fi rst he was demented about an Old Land louper called Paoli— and noo he has taken up w i an auld Dominie who keppit a schule whilk he called an ” A Ak eddemy . fter the visit paid him by Johnson he “ : T tendered his son a shilling , saying here , Jamie tak — ’ ” awa yere bear I v e had eneuch o him . Dr . Johnson ’ seems not to have consulted the old Judge s prejudices ,

for, knowing his politics , he began almost as soon as he ETTERS ET W T 2 82 L C . OF SIR AL ER SCOTT

C L entered a famous attack on romwell , which the aird : W repelled the Doctor angrily asked , hat good could ’ be said of the U surper Ane good ye ll na deny ;

he taught Kings they had a lith in their necks , as well

as their subjects . (a lith means a joint . ) The Duke of Wellington was some years ago

reported to have lost large sums at play, and he ff received applications from several rich Jews , o ering to

advance any money he might want , and stating the The terms of accommodation which were exorbitant .

Duke replied in a note , assuring them with many t thanks for their cour esy , that he had the pleasure to Off say he was in no want of the ered supply , but should be glad to fur nish them with 60 or £70000 at the same The rate O f interest they had proposed to him . Duke i (S r W . says) is a most agreeable companion and never says anything but what is to the p urpose : has no waste

and . words , no prosing , has a strong taste for humour If properly drawn out he will recount long anecdotes of his campaigns and with a clearness and precision Th which gives a perfec t idea of the subject . e Duchess is too anxious to Show her love and does not manage n him well , her head bei g more in fault than her heart . (Ye t should not the one excuse the other ?) ‘ A Rob Ro Sir fter tea we talked of y , and Walter I was amused with my sort of feeling for him , while in i R ’ my tu rn accused S r W . of having veiled poor ob s faults SO as to create a stronger interest for him than perhaps he deserved it seems that Rob was not always disposed to fight , and has been known to decline it : once when Buchanan of Cam b usm ore picked a quarrel with him and Challenged him . ir S W . intends next year to publish a new edition a of the N ovels with expl natory notes , yet he fears the

2 4 LETTERS ET OF IR W LTER T 8 C . S A SCO T pretty farm on the Ettrick beyond Sunderland H all and near Selkirk . ’ ‘ Lady Morgan s Sister has a knack of giving ’ c : S haracters in verse she was asked for her ister s , and replied , She is thou h I sa it an e c ell ent Artist , g y , x ,

A ra dic al a d e an d a reat B on a artis t. J , g p

‘ ir When S W . was at Paris he received a deputa H tion from the Dames des alles , who presented him w : ith a huge nosegay , and were splendidly attired he luckily heard of the purpose of six ladies who had in

tended to crown him with flowers , at one of the Paris S cene theatres , and had just time to avoid the which

was preparing , by staying at home . In the year 1818 the Radical system shewed itself S fearfully in cotland , particularly at Glasgow where the disaffection was strongest : 1 200 Yeomanry marched at an hour ’ s notice and not a soldier was left in Edin burgh Castle : by these prompt measures the mischief was quelled : but there was a considerable skirmish at S 1 2 H Bonny Muir near tirling , between about ussars 30 Y C and of the eoman avalry , and a body of the Rebels well armed and amounting to a hundred in C number , who were marching to raise the anon work

men . When the troops came up the insurgents were

posted as those of old were at the battle of Drumclog ,

with a bog in front , and defended by a stone wall . The Officer who commanded the party stopped to

consider how they were best to be dislodged , and a ’ Yeoman undertook to show the way thro the bog : S over the wall they went , and hortly dispersed the R : ebels , killing several , and wounding more one man Y begged for quarter, which was refused by the eoman , who only three days before relieved him with three ’ H UGHES S DIARY : THE GLASGOW RIOTS 2 85 MRS .

L forpets of meal at his door . Buchanan the andlord of the Crown Inn at Penrith refused post horses to two London Delegates who were Speeding to Glasgow to aid the work : they stormed and raved but he very “ I r r quietly said , know you pu pose and neither like that or your principles you shall have no horses here - I have not stood by the Crown SO long to desert ” it now , and they were forced to return for no other horses were to be had . During the worst of the alarm , the Magistracy of Glasgow sat up in parties in order to receive reports and give orders : they took care to be well supplied with creature comforts to which they were not averse : one night a constable came to announce that seven Pikes had been found in the C mi anal , and one of the Baillies desired that they ght be instantly stuffed and dressed for supper they were R the ebels pikes , of which immense numbers were made by Smiths who worked all night to compleat these dangerous weapons . ‘ i R his M orr t . Mr . of okeby, two nieces , Mr and ff L Mrs . H amilton (he was Sheri for anarkshire during

C . A the troubles above mentioned) and apt nderson , ’

H . A Mrs . amilton s brother arrived s might be sup posed the conversation became more general and I almost grudged to hear an ybody but Sir Walter : yet it was interesting to observe the manner in which he attended to every one , drawing out those who were disposed to be silent , and making everyone agreeable to his neighbour : he seemed the connecting band which united all aroun d him in good will and cor dialit : H y he is unrivalled as a ost , as in every other light . A C . A apt nderson was at the siege of cre , and has since been often in the Mediterranean station : he 2 ER ET W L TT 86 LETT S C . OF SIR A TER SCO speaks highly of the courage of the Turks o n that occasion , and the gratitude which they expressed for the support of the English when he was stationed near them two years ago : it would be well if the Spanish Of and Portugese had some of this good feeling , which the Turks gave the crews of our ships many proofs of the Greeks , amongst whom he has lived five years , he un spoke with abhorrence , as the most faithless and grateful people in the world . M rrit Mr . o described a fete lately given by that A St . most absurd of women , the Duchess of lbans the company were invited to assemble at nine : no one was present to receive them , and after walking about in the drawing room for a short time , the folding doors

were thrown open , and at the end of a large apartment

a green curtain appeared , which upon being drawn up discovered the Duke in the character of H amlet : he spoke the Soliloquy and was then relieved by the

Duchess who recited an address written for her by Mr .

Roscoe thirty years ago when she was Miss Mellon . The Duke then reappeared without his black cloak and spoke the Soliloquy in Cato : the whole closed by the H Closet scene in amlet , performed by the Duke and H Duchess , as amlet and the Queen , Miss Goddard the

companion enacting the ghost , wrapt in a tablecloth W and with a hunting hip in her hand , to indicate the masculine sex of the spirit : a very young man played

Polonius and was killed by the Duke in due form . When the King desired Princess Charlotte not to L She invite ady Jersey to a party gave , and declared L he would not meet her , ord Jersey asked an audience , and requested an explanation of a restriction which ’ reflected so strongly on Lady Jersey s character : the L King professed his regard for ord J . and his conviction

T W T 2 88 LETTERS E C. OF SIR AL ER SCOTT

. A or the bowstring , which last he chose garrison of : C A Greeks were taken apt . . who some time after came into the Turkish harbour (I think N avarino) where the capture had been made , enquired what had become of the Garrison : he was answered that they were on a small island in the harbour : this was

C . A merely a bare rock without fresh water, and apt . S found only the keletons of the wretched victims , mostly in the attitude of having crept down to drink the salt water : he was lucky enough to rescue five r Greeks who were to have been strangled in an hou , by literally bullying the Pacha : he says the Greeks fully equal their neighbours in barbarity to their ene

: . mies he had a young friend , Mr Miller , son to one L S of the ords of ession , on board his frigate , for his health they put into a Greek harbour and were told a 0 Turkish lady of some rank was to be sold for 3 dollars .

Mr . Miller saw the Greek whose prisoner she was , and SO agreed to ransom her next day , not having much

A. . money about him : Capt . and Mr Miller accordingly F ’ returned in the rigate s boat with the money , but on going to the Greek and asking for the poor woman , he “ I very coolly answered , did not expect you would ” — She return there she is . was beheaded and they saw the body and the severed head in the court : at T L the earnest request of an old urkish ady Mr . Miller ransomed her daughter with the sum he had destined

ir . i I S . M o rr t for the victim . walked with W and Mr R to Chiefs Wood, and back by the hymers Glen which we explored to the end : it is hardly possible to see a more picturesque scene in miniature than this glen : r the narrow path is close at the edge of the little bu n , with high wooded cliffs on each side ; it leads to a waterfall from which we climbed by rough steps up H UGHES’ DIAR MRS . S Y : THE SUMMUM BORUM 2 89 the side of the Cliff to the woods above : two or three rude bridges and stepping stones enable you to cross the stream from time to time it was some time before i S r . ul W co d attain the purchase of this lovely spot , which belonged to a cross grained half crazy miser l u h ir the Duke of Buc c e g told S W . he would never be able to deal with a rogue and a madman : but he ’ — he —I replied We ll see is a rogue, am a lawyer I ” L l he is a madman , am a poet . ord Dud ey who was ’ one of the guests at Mr . Sotheby s condemn ed to hear ’ C - T Mr . oleridge s oration on the Samo hracian mys “ teries I I exclaimed, am glad have discovered the

Sum mum Borum . We were caught in heavy rain which continued for three miles : Mr . M . left us to get home at a quicker pace but Sir W . and I were forced to proceed at a slower pace , walking through the paths of the t plan ation in file , very much like a duck and a drake , off o ur with the water running backs , till about half a A d mile from bbotsfor , when the clouds dispersed , and i we had a lovely view o the valley each way . ‘ H . . L We found Mr ogg and Mr . aidlaw arrived H - ogg is a very simple mannered , pleasant person , I much less rough in exterior than expected , and has an open , good humoured face which must prepossess every one in his favour : he and Sir W . talked and laughed over the character of a Laird who they re Phili hau h membered living near p g , and was known by the name Of the daft Laird : he was riding through the Ettrick with his man behind him on a Poney all “ I O of a sudden he called out , Jock , saw an tter in In yon Pool . spite of a heavy fall of rain , Jock i guided his poney to the spot , but after splash ng , and plunging about some time while the Laird sat quietly U 2 90 LETTERS ETC. OF SIR WALTER SCOTT

’ he I L on his horse , said , fear aird we ll hae nae sport ’ the day : I canna find trace 0 the creature The L “ T I’ m aird replied , roth Jock , thinking its na that I likely, for it is twa and thirty years sin saw him ” ’ o u L stravaging in y pool . When the aird s heir was d hourly expected to be born , some gid y girls who were in the house , dressed a cat in the baby things and brought it down to the expecting father : he looked at ’ The b ut it and said bairn is well faur d eneuch , his ” mouth is unco near his nose . ‘ A few years ago Glengary was in great danger C : i from a vicious o w S r W . being in company with C one of his lansmen , remarked that the story would ” : Oich tell better if the beast had been a bull , said “ ’ ’ i’ the man , it s a Bull nae doot , only she s just a calf w her . Sir O u John gilvie had a quarrel with a neighbo r , and called on him to demand satisfaction ; dinner was the coming on the table when he arrived , and master of the house unsuspicious of his errand invited him to T : Sir partake of a roasted urkey John, dined heartily , and drank in proportion , and then declared his business : the prOpo s al was indignantly refused by his host “ H oot mon what are ye after ye come and eat my

- Bubbly Jock , and drink my Punch and then expect to ca ’ me into my orchard and spit me through like a — I ’ ll f ” O . Puddock na , na , hear no sic havers S A Mrs . Johnson is author of the axon and Gael i H S r . C A (of which W and ogg spoke well) lan lbin , m 85 0 . . S Meg Dods cookery book Mrs ith , a natural L ’ T daughter of ord Keith s , wrote the ales of the Moors . ‘ H In the evening while Mr . ogg was conversing d very eagerly in the rawing room , one of the Miss M o rrits began to sing Venetian ballads in the library

WALTER S TT 2 92 LETTERS ETC . OF SIR CO

H out of breath , and paused for a reply , ogg very ’ ’ Y w quietly adjusted his plaid and quietly said , e re o re — ’ ’ (too) Ob leeging Sir and I m m uckle yere debtor for a ’ ’ c v eelities I m yere e , but wae to think ye ll be sorry to — ken I hae na manner of right to receive them for if it a Po o etr I is for the sake of matter of y, must inform ye I never wrote a verse in my born days and I jalouse ye ’ ” tak me for my brither for he s gayan at the verses . ‘ Moffat is chiefly inhabited by persons of the name of Johnston and Jardine : a poor woman came to the town late at night and asked relief from door to door : IS there na good Christian that will tak compassion on a puir benighted bodie —is there na good Christian that will open their doors ? ” —A person put out her ’ N a C ff head , guid wife , we ve na hristians in Mo at ’ ’ ” ohnst n s we re a Jardines and J o . Sir Walter received a well written note sealed with black wax , respectfully asking his presence to attend Of Ann Of the fun eral Davidson , daughter to one his labourers from the house to the church , (distant three I miles) he intended going , and was to have gone with him , but on referring to the note it was found that the hour was so far advanced we could not be in time : I should like to have seen him like M o nkb arn s laying the head in the grave 1 he told us an anecdote which reminded me of the Witch women in the Bride of T w o f Lam m erm uir . old w omen whose o fice it was to lay out the dead were in the Churchyard when their ’ L : : H aird s son passed he heard them say ech , lass — ’ look to Winsome Mr . Peter he ll be a bonny corpse to ff streck it so a ected him , that he fell ill and died soon after .

‘ ee The An i r cha . x . the hr i h he S t q ua y, p ; p ase s carry t e ad to ’ — D . the grave. E ’ HUGHES S DIARY : THE STOLEN PUPPETS 2 3 MRS . 9

‘ A H ighl and Laird ordered one of his people to be hanged : he was shy of mounting the Ladder : his wife ’ ” H L r called , oot Mon , make haste or ye ll anger the ai d . ‘ Some time ago a Puppet Show was exhibited at Selkirk some lads of Gala Shiels broke into the place

where the puppets were kept and stole them , more

from curiosity than the love of theft , but about two miles out of Selkirk they grew alarmed at what they : u had done , and left the puppets in the road poor P nch , King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba with other worthies were seen in the grey of the morning by the Gudeman of Brig H augh who was going to fold his : F sheep he took them for the airies , and too much terrified to return (for he had passed them) he raised ” the water , as it is called , that is disturbed all the inhabitants of the Ettrick banks : the culprits were Sir soon found out , brought before Walter and made to pay for the frolic and the damage done to the robes : ir of the puppets in the course of their Bivouac S W . knowing that the country people are afraid to name F i ff i the air es for fear of o end ng them , questioned the farmer for some time Without obtaining a direct reply . What did you take them for I canna pre c ees ely C say what my thoughts were ome , come, did you F ? ” I’ ll think they were airies Why, na deny that I did just gie a thought that they might be the gude N t eighbours , but troth they were very grand li tle ” people . ‘ Old C Cat Sir W . often saw hisholm one of the terans who protected the poor Chevalier during his concealment in the Cave and when at his utmost need : four of these men provided for his sustenance and concealed him when the great reward was offered for hi s apprehension : Chisholm was a model of manly 294 LETTERS ETC. OF SIR WALTER SCOTT

: beauty , six feet three inches high in one of his excursions to forage for Charles he shot the servant of an English Officer who was on the hunt for the wan derer : someone asked him if he did not sometimes t hink of the poor laddie whom he had shot— “ Do I ever think of the bluid of the black cock I hae shot ? was his fierce reply . ‘ N o t n h long after Marmio was publis ed , a man wrote to Sir Walter saying he was about to Open a public house near Sybil Gray ’ s fountain and desired he would give him an appropriate Motto for his sign :

Sir . W replied , it was already done by only altering one

letter, D rin ear v ll r drin a k w y tra e e , k and p y .

ir S W . was in town during the latter part of the Queen ’ s trial one morning he was awaked early by a messenger who desired him to attend a Privy council which was sitting : when he arrived he was consulted on the Question how far the Duke of H amilton ’ s right as Keeper of H olyrood Palace extended ; intelligence had been received of the Queen ’ s intention instantly to go to Scotland and take up her abode in H olyrood house and the connexion with Lady Anne H amilton left little doubt that the Duke would give every

facility to a plan fraught with so much mischief . O Sir W . said he did not think it could be safely pposed

by force , but recommended sending an express with instant orders to put in fifty or Sixty workmen to

repair the palace , to paint some rooms and take up the floors of others and in short unfit it for the Queen ’ s : occupation this was done, and the scheme was given

up by the Queen . ‘ h S S 4 t . tuart of tanton was one of the most active

2 L T ER ET F WA T R T 96 E T S C. O SIR L E SCO T

’ A bitch replied , iblins , ye re an auld for taking the

word of the Lord out of the mouth of his servants . At a diplomatic entertainment at Vienna given by L C ord astlereagh , by some unaccountable mistake C il C C ' astor O was handed round instead of hasse afe . L ady C . observing the wry faces made by some of the Plenipo ’ s expressed a fear that the Liquor was not to Of their taste , upon which those the second grade ex ’ ’ & c . claimed , Mais , c est charmant , d un gout exquis and many asked for a second glass to prove their

sincerity . ‘ ir At C C S . a meeting of the eltic lub , W saw so C much lan feeling excited , and so many hot spirits present that he resolved to stay to the end : it was well he did so : as soon as the Campbells left the room M c D ou al L N ow g of orn cried out , these d d ’ C S Inv erlo ch ampbells are gone we ll ing the Battle of y,

on which a tall young man leapt up , clapt his bonnet ’ I ’ m on his head , drew his sword , and called out , tho C I ’ m C not a ampbell , a friend to the ampbells , and the Inv erl c h S Battle of o y hall no be sang this night . Instantly Lorn cried out Dougal & and his younger

brother leapt directly over the table at one bound , drew r his di k and attacked the friend of the Campbells . ir S W . rose and by dint of strong remonstrance stopt the fray which threatened to renew the scenes of the olden time . When Miss Scott was in town last Spring She went to see two Chinese Ladies who were exhibited ; some She w a s body told them who , and they instantly said , the greatest desire they had in the world, was to see Sir Walter Scott he went and they would not let him pay at the door : this seems to me the greatest proof of his celebrity I have heard of . ’ M HU HES S DIARY : THE SEAFORTH PROPHEC 29 RS . G Y 7

‘ C S At a trial at arlisle Mr . Corbet a cotch Barrister r f in m was in cou t , and some di ficulty arising the exa ina S E C tion of a cotch Pedlar, one of the nglish ounsel r add essed the Judge, and told him they had the great advantage of the presence of a Scotch Barrister who coul d interpret : the Judge gladly availed himself of ch this and asked Mr . Corbet what a Sw a t meant : (it

C . u means a pattern of anything Mr . dreadf lly con L fused , replied , My ord a swatch means just a swatch , ” An d S . . C . that is , a haping what is a shaping , Mr ” h L a sh in O o . An d a shaping my ord, is just pp g

the Judge gave up the enquiry . H At L . Mr . ogg and Mr . aidlaw went early break fast Sir Walter mentioned having visited a spot in ’ R - L S oss shire , not far from the late ord eaforth s (whose C clan name is apper Kay, ) the scene of a dreadful battle between the M cKenz ies and the M cD onalds in which The all the former who were engaged perished . day M c Ken z ie before the fight , a party of the Brodies (of Thi : blood) came down to g that is , when a wedding

has taken place , the parties visit their kindred and

friends , and expect , and do receive considerable presents . Kapper Kay bestowed a considerable number of cattle on his cousins b u t seemed not anxious to detain them : f so , rather of ended by what they deemed a slight , than m unifi c ent propitiated by his gift , they departed early in the morning , and soon met large bodies of the M c Ken z ie hi : clan , marc ng fully armed on enquiry they learnt that a battle was to take place between that clan and the M cD on alds : the Brodies were still more incensed at not having been invited to join the : fray, but they turned back with the rest as soon as L S I’ m ord eaforth saw them he said, sorry to see you I i here again , did not wish to br ng you into the fight ETTER F W 2 98 L S ETC . O SIR ALTER SCOTT and therefore wou ld not have you told of it but since ” Th i . e ye are come , ye must take the fare prov ded M cKenz ie s all were cut down but a few, and these escaped to a precipice hanging over the river Dream , and took refuge in a large Birch tree : their merciless foes followed hard , killed all they could reach , and then cutting down the tree, precipitated the poor remains

ir . M rri into the gulph below . S W . and Mr o t have often heard the singular prophecy in the Seaforth family , (so singularly fulfilled) years before it happened L and have heard the old ord say , pointing to his two “ - L he ar noble looking sons , these addies will me out l i : sti l , and g ve the lie to the prophecy but in a few “ L months of each other they died , and the assie from ” Th over the seas possesses the estates . e prophecy was as follows made by an old man named John who 1 00 “ lived about years ago on the estate . When the Chief of the Frazers and the Chief of the Chisholms are born half witted and Mackenzie of G arlo c h will have a back tooth ; the Chief of the Mackenzies will his be born deaf , sell gifted lands to strangers and bury all his sons : a Lassie from over the seas will have possession of all . ‘ Lord Seaforth was stone deaf and when he : imagined he was whispering , often spoke loudly once M rrit . o at a party he stood near Mr by a card table , and s h putting on an air of my tery , and olding his hand ’ “ ’ l M . s I l close to his mouth he roared in Mr . ear , tell you a d— m — d good story of that ugly old crone in the ” w an d he blue go n , as believed he spoke in a whisper , was much surprised to see Mr . M . dart away into the T next room for fear of hearing the remainder . his want of ear might have proved fatal to him during the riots of 1 7 89 : he walked about with a military friend

300 LETTERS ETC. OF SIR WALTER SCOTT

Breadalbane is called Bo du chan Brecham (the man with the breeches that air having been played when the clan were giving way in a fight , it encouraged them 1 to rally again : when Sir Samuel Shepherd joins the C C eltic lub , he is the only man allowed to appear out Of H l the igh and costume , and the band always plays B d h n o uc a Brecham . ‘ At St . F a meeting of sports at illan , a great Chieftain appeared in an English dress : his health “ was drank with this addition , May we soon see his

Posteriors . ‘ ir u ld S Walter attended the f neral of an O Mrs . Scott of Gala : he said it w a s interesting to see her 9 1 foster brother , an old man upwards of and the 90 Gardener stone blind and more than , following to the Grave . I walked through the western plantation

T . C . H on the banks of the weed apt and Mrs . amilton , O Miss tley and her brother came to dinner, and about R an hour before, a ussian of rank (we could not catch his name) arrived he had preceded his letters of intro ir S . duction , but W perceiving him to be a perfect gentleman , and well known to some of his friends , : invited him to stay he proved remarkably agreeable , i ’ and spoke English well : he told us all S r W. s works are translated into Russian and rival editions printed H e S at Moscow and Petersburg . had been under ecre tary of State during many years of the Emperor ’ Al Saimk a exander s life , and had estates near on the Wolga he was with the poor Queen of Prussia when N E T apoleon met the mperor at ilsit , and witnessed her suffering when obliged to go there : he spoke of : her with great feeling and enthusiasm he said , that almost every evening she sang and played on the

1 i he ED . Chief Baron Of the Scott sh Exc quer. ’ HUGHES S DIAR : THE HETMAN PLAT FF MRS . Y O 301

u : Guitar, but the airs were always mo rnful the present E R ’ mpress of ussia tho very lovely , does not resemble un her mother, her co tenance wanting the pecul iar sweetness which he says he never saw in any other face . When Sir Walter was in London in 1814 he was introduced to Platofi : they had some conversation if S so it may be called , in dumb how, for they had no common language , but they contrived to be pleased Af i i . w th each other terwards when S r W . was in

Paris , and walking on the Boulevards , he heard a n H galloping of horses , and turni g round saw the etman dashing along , with his long spear in rest , and followed by six or seven wild looking Cossacks : as soon as he came near , he reined his horse up so tight that he hi o ff stood on his hind feet , threw mself , gave his i hi s S r . bridle to one of attendants , ran to W embraced d Of and kisse him on both sides his face, and almost ff ’ O . instantly remounting , rode like a whirlwind 2 LETTER ETC F R WALTER OTT 3 0 S . O SI SC

CHAPTER &

D IARY OF TH E J OURN EY H O ME IN 1 82 8

L A . i 5 th. S r eft bbotsford to our infinite regret W . T . o 1 would see us take our early breakfast Kelso 8 . I had taken this drive when last in Scotland but a second View confirmed me in my opinion of its extreme D r b u r h L D e an sto w er m . S a l beauty y g , Merton , ittle , y C M ak e sto n F holme rags , , leurs , the old ruined walls of R C : oxburgh astle , all attracted us the junction of the T T eviot and weed at Kelso is magnificent , and the two d bri ges very handsome . Kelso itself with its open

Market place , its thriving appearance and the fine ruins A : of the old bbey, is a very interesting place we found it in all the throng and bustle of an immense fair, to which hundreds of people were crowding from every direction : a large meadow on the banks of the river was crowded with tents , and everything wore an appearance of gaiety and pleasure : but to us it had nearly proved otherwise , for not a post horse was to be had : luckily the coach to N ewcastle came in with vacant places , which we insured without loss of time N 70 and arrived at ewcastle a little before ten , miles : C Wo o ll er the stages , ornhill , , Whittingham , Welland bridge and Morpeth : as far as Coldstream the road n T ru s by the side of the weed , and there are fine views C of the heviots to the south , and to the north the bold ruins of H om e Castle : at Cornhill we entered England :

304 LETTERS ETC F W . O SIR ALTER SCOTT

: houses it has a look of Birmingham , from its smoky T atmosphere and dingy brick buildings . here is a handsome church of which the tower was repairing . A new Gothic Gaol was seen at the end of the street .

We were much deceived respecting horses , and after waiting two hours , and hearing a succession of lies L dl O from an ady, Waiters , stlers , and Boots , we dis covered that neither chaise nor horses could be had :

A - the ssizes were to begin to day, and every conveyance was in requisition : we therefore availed ourselves of a h r 1 0 . T e good coach to Durham , and set out at d ive 1 4 mi Af T n of les is pleasant . ter crossing the y e, we climbed a very steep ascent through the dirty, mean town of Gateshead : the part of N ewcastle which we dr ove thr ough before we reached the bridge was very S like hrewsbury , and many of the houses were very old . When we gained the hill beyond Gateshead , the view to the west was very good . We saw a long T reach of the yne to the north , and drove on the edge Of a rich valley interspersed with woods and handsome seats Gib side and Ravensworth Castle the most con spicu ous : the latter is large and modern gothic far as we could judge at the distance from whi ch we t saw it , not in the best tas e , at least it had none of the r ea l L C massy , grandeur of umley astle which we saw four miles farther on the left : this gives the reality of ancient Baronial splendour, but it is less ornamented than d The its turrette and battlemented neighbour . descent to Durham answered the expectations which the many I views have seen , all taken from the same spot , had raised : here fresh difficulties beset us : the departur es r om A f the ssizes here, were as fatal to us as the Arrivals at N ewcastle : neither chaise nor post horse fer ette d : H . r was to be had at last Dr . out a sort ’ MRS . H UGHES S DIARY : DURHAM 305

Of Car , and while it was preparing we visited the Cathedral and the College in which the Deanery and the Prebendal houses are si tuated : they form a long : square , and some are very handsome the Cathedral is undergoing a large repair both within and without . The Choir is finely carved and the great Aisle has S l immense axon pi lars , scored in a very singular manner : I do not know that the effect is so good as if the stone was plain , but altogether it is a noble ’ Y edifice, tho far inferior to Winchester , ork , and some others which I have seen : at the east end there is a C A large and very curious hapel , divided by rches running across and all scored like the great pillars in Our the chu rch . vehicle was none of the most com m o diou s and in pity to the poor, but willing horse, who I suspect had seldom known the luxury of corn , John H ar erl H walked nearly all the way to p y all , and as we 1 2 u were three hours in going the miles he kept p, The and at last distanced us . drive was however ex trem el y pleasant , and being hilly , gave us good views of the Valley of We arsdal e : we passed Brancepeth C d astle , a noble place , recently enlarge , but so ff judiciously , that but for the slight di erence in the : colour of the stone, it can hardly be perceived about a mile from Durham we went over the ground of the A battle of N evilles Cross . Bishops uckland was visible at about seven miles distance from Durham , H ar erl H and many handsome seats . p y all is very well Situated on a bank above the Wear the woods on the S opposite ide , the pleasant cultivated country which it overlooks , the fine garden , the thriving plantations and

r . sh ubberies make it a very desirable residence Mr . Wilkinson has a coal pit of his own very near the house, but not seen from it the whole country is full x 3 06 LETTERS ETC. OF SIR WALTER SCOTT of pits between N ewcastle and Durham and to the east of the city , and the distant views are deformed by the clouds of dense smoke which I think must affect the purity of the air . ‘ t . h 7 h We walked in the Gardens . T e Dean of

Chester (the celebrated Dr . Phillpotts) and his daughter called : he is one of the most agreeable persons I have met with ; his conversation lively and spirited , and his manners kind and courteous : he read a passage in the last book of Marmion so very beautifully that I wish Sir Walter could have shared the gratification we received . ‘ t 8 h. Prevented by bad weather from walking beyond the West Lodge which opens to the turnpike C Old H ar erl H road to Wolsingham . alled at p y all , n A O ow inhabited as a farm . pretty vale pens round W to the West , down which the ear comes sweeping , but after passing Wolsingham which is seen at about three miles distance the country appears very wild and dreary . ‘ t Th C 9 h. e Dean of hester dined here , and con u s firmed in our opinion of his agreeable manners , and extraordinary talents : he met the old Bishop of

N orwich last May , who had for some time been very Shy of him on account of his writings on the Catholic Question : the Bishop was then in great elation at the and I proceedings in the house said , have but one wish in the world and this is to see the Pope tria m ” ” Ye s phant , and it is likely to be accomplished , replied the Dean , you would then have another wish , ” and that would be , to be the Pope yourself . t A l 0 h. We went to Bishops uckland in time for the service at the castle and called on the Bishop and anmildert : 6 Mrs . V the distance is miles and the road

30 LETTER ET OF IR WALTER SCOTT 8 S C . S

and about a fortnight ago , carried this away , and another bridge : it is however a beautiful featur e in the

Park , and runs under a high broken scar , partly planted, with frequent falls and windings , till it joins the Wear soon after quitting the Castle grounds : the deer house is a very picturesque building in the form

of a tower with a range of open Cloisters . ‘ 1 1 th L l e . eft H arperly : at Witton Wear cross the Wear : Witton Castle to the left 3 miles from H arperly : at Leghs Cross on the top of the hill three T miles further a fine View of ees Dale , at this spot it is said James l st stopped to contemplate his kingdom of England when he came from Scotland : fi n e view of Raby Castle to the West : to Piercebridge where we 1 To crossed the Tees and entered Yorkshire 1 miles . Catterick bridge over the Swale 1 1 miles : fine view of country towards the East?; the Cleveland hills in distance : the view also fine towards Barnard Castle . TO L L 1 1 — oaming ane . the views still rich and fine on each side : we saw Roxberry Topping at great To R 1 0— Y N id distance . ipon cross the are and the , To H and the view at each bridge agreeable . arrogate 1 1 L ’ — . ord Grantham s seat N ewby to the left pass ir through Ripley a small town nearly rebuilt by S W . In ilb : g y , and the best possible specimen of good taste the cottages stand in groupes , all in the gothic style , and built of the fine stone of the country the Studley : woods to the right the country less interesting , and really ugly near H arrogate which is situated on a L 1 6 : . To bleak , staring common eeds miles seven miles from H arrogate cross the Wharf over a beautiful bridge , the river fine with a fall the old ruined castle of H arewood and fine woods on the opposite bank : a Of H H mile farther a noble view arewood ouse , and ’ HUGHES S D IAR : YORKSHIRE 3 09 MRS . Y

L sm o ak Park to the right . eeds is an immense , dirty, y town . ‘ 1 2 th A . fter breakfast proceeded to Wakefield 9 miles : crossed the Air at Leeds : for the first two r miles or rather more all is dirty suburb , manufactu e and coal pits yet the coun try seen through the cloudy atmosphere is fine : Temple N ew s c am (Lady H ar ’ A court s) to the right . bout Wakefield the views are very good : a high ridge of b ill s to the south west (probably those of the Derbyshire Peak the town of Wakefield is old and the church spire very handsome : a beautiful little Gothic Chapel on the bridge over the C E 4th alder as we left the town , built by dward in Th memory of his father Richard Duke of York . e ruins of Sandal Castle very small and half hid by T woods on the right two miles from Wakefield . o 10— c hearful Barnsley the same style of country , , habitable full of good seats , well wooded and watered , but not sufficiently marked to leave distinct im pres ’ ir sions on the memory : passed S W . Pilkington s on the left with a fine artificial piece of water , and Mr . ’ en h h W tw ort s (t e great bankrupt) to the left . Barns ley is situated on a very high hill , and is a large m anu f t ie thriving town with great linen ac ur s . We saw To Rav en sfi eld 1 much out bleaching . Park 3 : we went through Wombwell and Wast two large and plea u sant villages , and had beautif l views all the way this is by far the fin est part of Yorkshire : the coun try is : broken by small hills , and it is well wooded we crossed the Don at about two miles and a half from Doncaster to Sheffield : saw the Woods of Wentworth (Lord F ’ itzwilliam s) and a pillar in the Park , and more dis

C . T tant Wentworth astle, both to the right hrybergh , a very handsome seat , surrounded by fine woods , is a 3 1 LETTERS ET OF W L 0 C . SIR A TER SCOTT

Ravensfi eld Rav en l beautiful object from Park , but sfi e d is in all respects one of the most delightful places imaginable : the scenery of the Park is singul arly S varied there is a deep dell, partly wooded on one ide, Of with a high crag above it , and a chain fish ponds at the bottom so managed as to give the idea of a con siderab l e Lake : the other side of the dell is a green S F lope w ith ern , and ornamented by large trees at intervals : from the higher ground the views over the

country are very fine . C 1 3 th. Walked three miles to onisborough Castle : ui the r ns are very considerable , and stand on an emi n en c e above the Don , which winds through a lovely ,

narrow valley , the banks clothed with woods and broken by rou gh ground covered with fern and low shrubs : the keep of the castle is perfect except the m . A roof , and is a massy tower of im ense strength steep and giddy flight of stone steps leads from the outside to an arched door way on the second story

from it you look down on the first floor , and beneath it is the dungeon which is so deep that the bottom is not : visible as the floors are all gone, the only means of

gaining the stair cases in the towers , is by creeping along a sort of cornice which runs rou nd the whole at

the division of each floor, and by the same means the top may be reached where the walk is broad and the : View extensive the castle ditch is full of trees , above which this noble keep rises high : the village of Conis

borough is neat , and has some houses of a better description in it : a lovely view of the most extensive kind is obtained from a hill about half a mile further on the road to Doncaster : to the east the Yorkshire Wolds stretch to great distance : the town and tower of Doncaster : several fine seats rising out of deep

3 1 2 LETT R E S ETC. OF SIR WALTER SCOTT

CH APTER & I

LAST LETTERS AN D REC OLLECTION S

H TH E second visit of Dr . and Mrs . ughes gave no less of mutual satisfaction than the previous one to host u Sir and g ests , and during the few remaining years of Walter ’ s life the correspondence continued between H himself and Mrs . ughes with breaks only caused by

- his increasing ill health . The translation spoken of at the beginning of the next letter was a translation into French of The Fair ’ Sir H Maid of Perth . Walter had given Mrs . ughes copies of translations into French of many of the novels when She was at Abbotsford .

H U GH ES I to M Y D EAR M RS . add [ ] your collection another translation as you seemed to like those which I I you cleared my hands of . cannot tell how kind felt your visit and how much I am obliged for your A patience with wet days and slow movements . las & with every wish to make my weather pace agreeable to my friends I have now as little power of mending the last as of improving the first . My

n n the reen sw ard a Jog o , j og o g w y is degenerated into a sad hobble ; but while I can get good friends to keep me company I will not greatly regret it . LAST LETTERS To MR H U E S . GH S 3 1 3

‘ — All are well here ; dogs women and men only To m his I Purdie has cut foot with an axe, so want for re a time his p p and stay . We have had a very pleasant Visit from the Miss Ardens who filled the blank of evening melody which you left behind

you . Believe me always

My dear Mrs . Hughes yours most faithfully WALTER SCOTT Sept 4th Abbotsfo rd 1 82 8

‘ The mention of Trulls at the beginning of the next l letter refers to some sma l , thick Berkshire cheeses , so H called in the local tongue, which Mrs . ughes had

sent the year before . By this time the authorship

of the famous novels was public property , and it is

interesting to note the quaint , unapologetic attitude in

which he refers to the truth , which he had denied , The being forced out of him . best news of the letter , un as he says , consists in the wonderfully better acco t ’ of his grandson s health .

H GHE I h MY D EAR M RS . U S sent to t e residence in Amen Corner not one book as big as all dis cheese but some score or two Of books as big as a score of Trulls ; they form the continuation of the translations of which you were kind enough to accept the first A series . bout these novels you know my feelings are something like those of Macbeth

’ I am afraid to think on w hat I ve done n ’ Lo o k o t again I dare n ot .

’ As however the cour se of things have return d them to I r ea t be my property , have thoughts (though it is a g R ETC F W 31 4 LETTE S . O SIR ALTER SCOTT

s ecr et) of making a revised edition with some illustra A I tions . mongst them think of inserting the account of the affair of Cumnor H all from Ashmole ’ s antiquities of Berkshire ; but to this I would like to add some Of notice of their present state , any traditions which

may be still current about them , for this material I H ’ addition must trust to Mr . John ughes and your

kindness , as also for some thing , no great matter what , ’ about Wayland Smith s stone ; there is no hurry about I this , and in the mean time beg the favour of you to say nothing about the plan as I do not wish to lower the value of such copies as may be still in the Book ’ an sellers hands , which annunciation of my intention T might perhaps do . hey are now getting very low in

number , though the market was inundated by the sale ’ of the roguy bookseller s great stock . We must try to make the new edition superior by illustrations and

embellishments , as a faded beauty dresses and lays on a prudent touch of rouge to compensate for want of Y r her juvenile graces . ou kind assistance in this matter will oblige much your indebted friend the

thing is really of very considerable importance , and if it succeeds will do much to rub off old scores incurred

by the bankruptcy of my publishers . Poor Alan Cunningham was like to lose one of his ’ C L a A adetships by ord Melville s remov l to the dmiralty , but Lord Ellenborough has most handsomely engaged to make it good . I E dined with the ttrick Shepherd , and an excellent rural feast we had ; he had not forgotten your kindness . On I that occasion visited my old acquaintance , the ’ T Grey Mare s ail , in a tremendous storm of wind and The rain . path was a perilous one but the sight of the torrent tumbling from an immense height into a

OF SIR WALT OTT 3 1 6 LETTERS ETC . ER SC

London theatre perhaps for ten years except the ill A I I fated delphi . cannot say have room for thinking T H is that erry had hard usage from his partner . mis u s o I fort nes were solely , far as could see , originated in his undertaking an enterprize requiring a free capital while he was under the necessity of meeting hourly a quantity of secret debt which was becoming daily more heavy by the addition of interest to principal . But the public always like to relish their benevolence towards an individual by making his misfortunes the medium of blaming some other person , so that their charitable feeling may have the flavour of a little scandal to take All Off its insipidity . I could [do] would [b e] to send my mite , and to try to scribble some doggrel by the f way of prologue or epilogue . Good pu fing might cer tainly be commanded and with the assistance of such I m think a good thing ight be made out for him . We E i w I £100 might then try d nburgh , here think or two might be [obtained] . I fear sadly his playing days are done . Th I e notes upon Wayland etc . are exactly what F o r want and make my task an easy one . once you have told me of

a w oo d

Where a w ood should not b e .

I know few positions which trees do not ornament but to plant out the curiosities whether of nature or ertaml I antiquity is c y a great mistake . remember old L A n ord bercorn , the u cle of the late Marquis excluding with great care from his walks points of view , Old C Gazebos so forth, the fine ruin of raig Millar C astle which he termed a common prostitute , the beauties of which were seen all over the country . LAST LETTERS T MR 3 1 o S . HUGHES 7

The T cheeses are arrived , and are excellent . hey are some comfort to us in coming from the country , which we left with great reluctance on Tuesday last . ’ So Os sian s , like , my dogs are howling in my empty C hall . hristmas comes however with its blazing logs, fat beef and brown beer, and we look forward to

Abbotsford Once more . I forget if I had begun my manufacture of flakes (not flakes of wood) which H Le al s E I ighlanders call gg and nglish hurdles . made up about five or six hundred of them out of the n I you g larches , weedings of my plantations , and am happy to say they are selling very bobbis hly ; the amount is a trifle but seems to promise future sales which will be every year more important .

Pray remember me most kindly to the Dr . Mr . H Th An ughes . e brace of nes send kind remem

b ranc es . H , to which pray dear Mrs ughes add my kind compliments . Always most truly

yours , ‘ VVALTER SCOTT Edinburgh 15 N ov 1828

In Sir the letter that follows , and again later,

Walter refers a good deal , and in a way that shows how much the horror and the human interest of their inhuman crime attracted him , to the murders com It m itted by Burke and H are . was not merely as a student of human nature that he took a peculiar interest in them , but rather that the whole of Great E Britain , and more especially dinburgh , was at that time full of the case, with a sort of astoundment that such unsuspected possibilities cou ld exist in our human nature, even in its most brutal degradation . 3 1 8 LETTER ET F SIR W R OTT S C . O ALTE SC

H E I DEAR M RS . U GH S am delighted that you It the good Doctor approve of the picture . has one great advantage over the original that such as it is it will remain while I myself feel strongly increase of I infirmity with increase of time . hope it is only this I cold weather which benumbs me but feel my lameness , which used to be little more than unsightly , is gradually S increasing , and my walks have been much hortened I I ul Since saw you . But should rather be thankf for ’ the strength which I have enj o y d under such adverse circumstances than surprised at its not being continued C T to the end of the hapter . hat my hands may not laugh at my feet I have turned child again and taken chilblains which almost prevent me from holding the pen . S o much for grumbling ; for the rest we are all as well as possible amid a scene of sickness ; a typhus fever is almost universal here chiefly amongst children of the higher ranks who one would think secure from the disease by good living and healthy habitations but — so it is and the disease does not afi ect the lower ranks whose dwellings and diet one would think expose them to such a scourge . In the mean time we have the horrors of the West port to amuse us , and that we may appear wiser than our neighbours , we drive in our carriages filled with ’ well dres s d females to see the wretched cellars in which these atrocities were perpetrated , and any one that can get a pair of Shoes cobbled by Burke would preserve them with as much devotion as a Catholic would do the sandals of a saint which had pressed the holy soil I of Palestine . suspect Justice has done her best or ’ worst to avenge these enormities , and one s natural feelings revolt to think that so many of the perpetrators B u t must escape punishment . you must recollect that

W L R TT 3 2 0 LETTERS ETC. OF SIR A TE SCO

H G M Y D EAR M RS . U HES I received yesterday your valuable much valued token of regard looked over the engravings with pride pleasure they are a great monument of modern ar t console me for the little chance there is now left that I will ever see the places I they represent . have not looked over them save

once , determined to have them immediately secured by Y the binder to save risque of accidents . our wishes have been nearly accomplished the She -hare has been well nigh hunted to death she was recognised on the C and bridge , with a blind sickly hild in her arms , instantly assailed by the mob with snow balls stones

even personal violence . I am told she was at one moment suspended over the banisters of the highest l c l aths arch , only he d by the o ; it was well for her At that her supporters had no chilblains . length the I Police rescued her , but think it a chance that she

loses her life if she ventures into the country , in E H er H dinburgh she cannot remain . usband remains in Gaol till a deliverance is Obtained from the court of u i T J st c iary ; the trial comes on on Monday . his H I are is a most hideous wretch , so much so that was induced to remark him from having Observed his ex trem el y odious countenance once or twice in the street , where in general I am no Observer of faces but his is I one which there is no passing without starting , On e recognized him easily by the prints . was apt to say , I indeed did say to myself, that if he was not some

N . depraved Villain , ature did not write a legible hand ‘ Burke was executed yes terday morning ; he died with firmness though overwhelmed with the hooting , cursing execrations of an immense mob , which they hardly suspended during the prayers psalm which

“ in all other instances in my memory have passed nu T LETTER 3 LAS S To MRS . HUGHES 21

undisturbed, Governor Wall being a solitary exception . 1 The wretch was diseased with a cancer which the change of diet the cold of his cell made cruelly H e painful . was rather educated above the common C The class, which makes his ase extraordinary . deaths amongst us are fearful ly frequent and all the mirth and festivity of the season are silent As for my old bones they continue pretty consider ff ably tarnation sti , as the transatlantic friends express I it . We grow old as a garment never heard of C O immortal suits except in hancery . ur snow is o ff I cleared with immense rain , the weather hope will be more temperate . ‘ S ’ ophia s levee of masons , smiths , joiners , so forth must be teazing , she may reckon on at least d ecor a tor 2 5 pr . cent additional for the very name of a . S But then they do their business well , whereas in cot land , although our masons are most admirable eke l aisterers o ur our p , joiners , smiths , Jacks of all trade N t are atrociously bad . o a door Opens or shuts with r in accu acy , even our best houses, for we do not or a ctor cannot get any thing but what are called f y locks , 85 i keys , hinges so forth which , w th want of exact r uiterin g as it is called , makes our rooms , however ’ showy, rather uncomfortable .

N o r date or signatu e is given , but the letter must 2 182 9 9 . have been written January , All through these letters there are continued Signs o of anxiety , ups and downs of alternate hope and deje L ’ tion , in regard to little Johnnie ockhart s health , all revealing the charming tenderness and afle ction of Sir

I i i Said to hav e originated from a bite given him b y one of h s v ctim s . 2 LETTER T F W L 3 2 S E C . O SIR A TER SCOTT

’ O ’ Walter s heart . nly a month after Terry s death Sir t Sh rt d . o ree Walter los another very valued friend , Mr ,

ff- R ir sheri substitute of oxburghshire , to whom S Walter had not long before sent a set of his works with an inscription .

‘ EA M H GH E A a M Y D R RS . U S thous nd thanks for S all your kindness about Kenilworth , Wayland mith , A C H I bingdon , umnor all , other particulars . am

not sure how far they may be all useful , for perhaps ’ there may be no great policy in making holes in one s Of own work for the pleasure of darning them . course I know nothing more than Camden and his commenta

tors told me about those places, and the rest so far as s localities are concerned would be hit or mi s work . I But am interested much in knowing the reality , as it I L ’ really exists . have got a list of eicester s furniture at Kenilworth which seems to have been of the most I splendid description . will get some good hints from

it . ‘ — SO poor Terry is gone in a situation where life I was not to be wished . t is a cruel view of human life to consider what small obstacles impede our

voyage . A little more nerve and courage to face ff his own a airs , and he might have been wealthy and

prosperous . But there is a better way of thinking on

this subject . I am H Dear Mrs . ughes sincerely affectionately yours

‘ Edinburgh WALTER SCOTT ‘ l s t July 1 830

In the following letter where Sir Walter refers to ’ Sir H L enry ee s picture , the reference is to an account

W 324 LETTERS ETC. OF SIR ALTER SCOTT

The next letter records the making of yet another ’ gap in the thinning ranks of Sir Walter s surviving his Tom friends of youth , by the death of Purdie , his ff A very faithful factotum and baili at bbotsford , between whom and his master the bond was very much one of friendship rather than of servitude .

H U GHES M Y D EAR MRS . Were you ever engaged in a fair bout of setting to rights ? but I need not ask ; I know how little you would mind what annoys my ’ I ponderous person so much , and in my mind s eye see you riding on the whirlwind and directing the storm hi i W t S . H like the fairy pp y tourie herself Dr . ughes will comprehend the excess of my annoyance in the task of turning all my books over each other to gi ve a half yearly review of the lost , stolen and strayed , which disturbs my temper as much as the gallery stairs do my person . ‘ I have had a very severe loss in my old faithful Chriah T Gillian a , that is Man of the belt , homas I E Purdie , and though am on most occasions like dward

Bruce who used not to make moan for others , loved ” not that others should lament for him , yet on this I occasion I have felt very acute sorro w . was so much accustomed to the poor fellow that I feel as if I had

lost feet hands , so ready was he always to supply the I I want of either . Do wish a tree to be cut down , To m i Axe — I miss w th the Do meet a bad step , and

there are such things in my walks as you well know , ’ Tom s powerful arm is no more at my command . I Besides all this , there is another grievance . am I naturally rather shy , you laugh when say this but it I a m is very true ; naturally shy, though bronzed over

' by the practice of the law and a good deal of commerce LAST LETTER HUGHE S To MRS . S 325

with the world . But it is inexpressibly disagreeable to me to have all the gradations of familiarity to go through with another familiar till we are sufficiently intimate to be at ease with him . A o ts f rd bb o . I S ’ am sorry , but not surprised , at ophia s illness ; She I l is a most established coddler , and think wou d be better if she would think so . But every one can bear i I an ll save the person that has it . have Walter with

l I - me as large as ife . hope this cough and cough like ff I weather will not a ect him . do not know what his F fi ft I youth has to do with it . rom fifteen to y cannot boldly say that I had any complaint worse than a head ache of my own procuring . Edin ur h b g . My unfinished letter has skipped to fro with me I and has been written by fits snatches . sincerely hope this will find the excellent Doctor in good health . H I will not forget to thank Mr . John ughes for his I extreme kindness . have no news to send , unless I could suppose you would like to hear the quintessence of a debate between tw o gentlemen of the long robe about an An nuity of five pounds a year which is going I on at my ear, for am sitting at the receipt of custom . H I am dear Mrs . ughes most truly yours ‘ VVALTER SCO TT li m n Pa r a e t H ouse , ’ 1 st D ec .

In the spring of 1 830 Sir Walter was in London for a while , but seems to have been very quiet there . In F E ebruary , while in dinburgh , he had been taken with a paralytic or apoplectic seizure , and although he wrote as copiously as ever during the remainder of the 32 6 LETTERS ETC. or SIR WALTER SCOTT

Off year , struggling to pay liabilities incurred through ow n no manner of fault of his , it is certain that he was n ever again quite the man he had been before the

The . H attack . following letter to Mrs ughes shows ffl that he accepted this a iction , like every other , in a H most brave and cheerful spirit of resignation . e was r quite glad , however, when changes in the a rangements seemed likely to make it acceptable to the government that he should give up his position as clerk of session in E In the dinburgh courts . the reference in this letter to Of his ficial duties , that connected me with the world as far as they went , prescribed a certain number of duties i ’ which required attendance w thout demanding exertion , I hi we see , t nk , both his motive in keeping this com parativ ely humble office during all the days of his splendid fame , and also its real value to him .

M Y D EAR MISTRESS H U GH ES I denied myself the pleasure of seeing my children friends in London this spring in order to gather my health together a little more firmly , for a town life is not very favourable to stomach complaints , especially to one who is on a L I short visit like to be much about in ondon . think I have been the better of my self denial , for two months of Abbotsford with daily walks have made me as stout as an old lion can well expect . We cannot be young ul I again if we wo d , feel disposed to say, what per ’ Of I haps is like the fox s judgment the grapes , that I would not if could . My domestic establishment is ’ N r increased by a dog of im od s kin , as large , but in make rather like to the greyhound , a most beautiful dog well entitled to the Celtic name of Bran he was bred on purpose for me by Cluny Macpherson the chief C V onri h H of the lan g , of c ourse a high ighland chief ;

T R ET F IR W TE 3 28 LE TE S C. O S AL R SCOTT

I exertion . have seen other men miserable from laying down a routine of this kind and I cannot help thinking I shall regret even

The drow sy b en ch the b abb ling ha ll

Of S and the whole employment of the day ession , the attendance of my Brownie who prepared my papers mended my pens and like the Brownie of Old time did every thing for me in the world without his principal — having to reimburse him a duty which fell on the nu Th o f . e fortunate litigants society my brethren , excel lent friendly men whom I prefer for general society to

what they call a literary set , as Gil Blas preferred his C F ommis to the poets of abrice , will leave a blank to I I be filled up , sometimes doubt if shall love the country so much when I am at liberty constantly to reside there . But every thing yet is in dubio so do not The say anything about it . bill may not pass , or, pass ing , they are not unlikely to drive a bargain with me l I which wou d be too sore to submit to , for am firmly resolved I will retain a sum large enough to keep me in Of n o t case illness or incapacity , and if they will grant Old it me , the story goes on , for thank heaven my place is under the great seal of Scotland and cannot be an d I diminished unless with my consent , so am pro vided with philosophical reasons to be contented, wag the world as it may . Yours always my dear Madam

with great sincerity , WAL TER SCO TT ‘ Edinburgh a 2 2 1 3 M y . 8 0

The S Sir next is a very interesting letter, as howing ’ Walter s probable views on what we should call to - day T HUGHES 2 LAST LE TERS To MRS . 3 9

It t problems of psychical research . is a model let er in its manner of telling a lady and a friend that you do not believe her statement .

H GH E I DEAR MRS . U S have just got Boscobel was just about to write my thanks express the plea sure I had in the perusal when I beheld your kind I letter to which , contrary to my rule , dispatch an early Y u I answer . o r recollection is very vivid , doubt not sufficiently correct ; still it falls Short of legal testi mony ; the recollection of our childhood on such a topic as that of ghosts goblins is apt to be strangely mixed with exaggerations , a sort of embroidery which your fancy is so apt to lend such strong colouring as r I misleads even its owners . Ou law has wisely think introduced a prescription of crimes , from the idea that human testimony becomes unsettled by the lapse of time would be directed more by the imagination than

. I the absolute recollection therefore , my dearest lady , 1 the paying utmost credit to your testimony , yet the occurrence of so old a date must not alter my doubts I it winna believe for me . t would be very curious to see the Ghost diary properly certified , but on my word I cannot believe it ever to have had an existence ; the story is never told the same way , though there is a kind of general resemblance . My ghost was that of wicked Lord (name forgot) who appeared peeped into candles . Something there ’ w as n I too of a child s bones bei g discovered , but never, I think , heard of the hoarse Butler , which is a well In imagined circumstance . short , the facts are all ff n i di ere t , yet the same, hence my d sbelief in appa rition I evidence . do not believe my own experience

Can this use of a ind of n mina iv l — D k o t e ab so ute b e defended E . R WA R T 3 30 LETTERS ETC. OF SI LTE SCO T would convert me ; though I might tremble I would reverse the part played by the devils certainly no t I R believe . wish you would write down Mrs . icketts E story as well as you remember it . very such story on respectable foundation is a chapter in the history of the I human mind . Still think the balance of evidence preponderates so heavily upon the side of imputing all such appearances to natural causes that the mysterious “ ” stories winna believe for me I am sorry for it ; I liked the thrill that attended the influence of these I tales , wish were able to wander back through the ’ I R ff . & mazes of Mrs . adcli s romances But alas have been so long both a reader and a wr iter of such goodly matters that

D ourness familiar to my s laughterou s thou ghts ’ Cannot e en startle m e .

‘ Let me be thankful that better more valuable hi feelings remain uninjured , amid t s apathy and in I difference to things beyond our mental sphere . was delighted with your account of the babyhood , and no I less with the nursing , of my Godson . suppose you

- are already quite Mistress of all the Chief Wood annals , N 1 o the crimes of imrod , and the hist ry of the half ’ strangled cur , not forgetting how Wat s Poney pinched his master robbed him of his loathed bread on the King ’ s highway with high overpowering force and mastery . ‘ Our halls chambers are now emptied of their autumn guests and Anne I are drawing our chairs near to the fire with the View O f a long solitary

One of the crim es o f the deerhound N im ro d is m entioned in Lo c k ’ Li . d h rm t The incident hart s fe of Sir W. S cott He m angle a a less c a . ‘ ’ ’ ’ f Wa t s one I c nn i Wat is ro a l ir W. Sco tt s o p y a ot dentify. p b b y S — eldes t SOIL ED .

3 32 LETTERS ETC . OF SIR WALTER SCOTT

I k with pleasure . do not now of any person in London

- who trades in low country plaids , but they are very L ’ cheap , easily come at . ady Barrington s brother , Liddel Mr . , is here just now (in this house) and is to be here again before he leaves Scotland with his lady , H e who is just recovering from confinement . could I take care of any such number that you want , if know I the precise purpose . am upon a regimen , con v inc e d the of necessity of it , though it is less genial I I I S than could wish ; but hope hall finely recover , I as am not yet at the conclusion of my sixtieth year, n u H so my old age as Othello says is o t m ch. arry Liddel leaves me this morning but returns again With his Lady supposing the plaid to be one of our ’ S I Of di hepherd s Plaids , will have the pleasure sen ng a pretty one to my fair friend . I Should have been well long ago but for the worry of the times the apprehensions they naturally T I [excited] . hey will be worse fear before they are I better . Meantime excuse a short letter . generally L dictate my lamentations to Mr . aidlaw even now lessen the practice of writing with my own hand more H I than usual My excellent friend Dr . ughes is It hope well . is very true I had almost no audible R voice at the oxburghshire meeting , though they heard I me pretty well, nor can walk half a mile nor ride T above two or three . hank God what mental faculties I h I ave are unimpaired , and am without pain of any kind , eat well , drink well , sleep well but that is all , I as the man in the play says . am however , Always sincerely affectionately ‘ Yours

‘ LTER SCOTT . Abbotsford WA 4 April T LETTERS TO MRS HU HE 3 LAS . G S 3 3

The last words are not long to tell , the short clew of the remaining years of his life all too soon woun d H T . up . his last letter to Mrs ughes was written in In the spring of 1 83 1 . course of that year he finished ’ ‘ C n R and published ou t obert of Paris , and wrote , F even after his seizure in ebruary , the whole of Castle ’ Dangerous . But his health constantly became more troublesome , and in the summer he set out on the I I voyage to taly which had long , think , been in his H e N mind . spent the winter at aples in much content , n with rather tentative schemes of literary compositio . Perhaps the brain to plan was more at command than T the energy to execute . here are records of various di expe tions to interesting places , in which he took great delight ; but his health made no real improve ment , and on the homeward journey he was taken with a second and more alarming seizure . With much L difficulty he was conveyed home , first to ondon , and A S 21 at length to bbotsford , where he died eptember , 1 82 8 .

I do not think I can conclude these pages better Sir than by reproducing the last recollections of Walter, n wr itten by Mrs H ughes at the end of her jour al .

in K ston Li l 4 . g s e , 18 0

I HAVE often thought of noting down my last re c olle c Sir S tions of my dear and valued friend Walter cott , but whenever I addressed myself to the task it gave me so much pain that I desisted from want of resolution to conquer the bitter feelings which on many accounts arose in my mind now , the minuter circumstances have passed from me , or rather , perhaps the same cowardly desire of sparin g myself pain deters me from 3 LETTER ET W LTER SCOT 3 4 S C . OF SIR A T taxing my memory ; yet all that concerns such a man t must interes all who may ever read his works , and my grandchildren may like to know my last intercourse with him whose friendship honoured their dear grand ’

. S father and myself We were in residence at t . Paul s in October 1 83 1— and arrived there at the close of S : Sir S eptember Walter and Miss cott were at Mr . Lockhart ’ s in Sussex Place preparing for the voyage to Malta and Italy : I saw him almost every day till the 1 7 th , frequently accompanying him in his drives round the Regent ’ s Park and to different parts of the town . Words cannot describe the fearful change which had taken place since our last meeting : heavy and helpless he seemed hardl y able to drag his limbs along -a sort of imbecility at times overspread his coun te nanc e u : , a fixed look of sorrow h ng upon his brow alas &he was quite sensible of the alteration : during our airings b e frequently told me the same stories twice or thrice , and then would after a pause say T I I 9 ell me , beg you , did tell you this before — I “ I sometimes would reply , believe you did say something of it before, and then he would strike his forehead and exclaim Oh &my poor head & — With me he w as always kind and gentle but I remarked that often to his daughters and his servants he had a fierce impatience so wholly different from his nature that it struck me more than any other alteration he did not dine out anywhere but kindly said he would make the ff us 8 O e ort of breakfasting with , and on the th of cto ber he came with his daughters , and the Bishop of l l an daff : l L met him when he entered the ha l , which he seemed hardly able to crawl across , he held out his hand to my husband exclaiming Yo u see a broken

’ — l ne H s al o Dean f t. Paul s ED . Cop esto . e wa s o S

LETTER ET F I WA R 336 S C. O S R LTE SCOTT

T o ur d Tw at unbridge Wells with good frien s the inings , and making sure of finding Sir Walter when we returned we left town on the 1 9th and returned on the — 2 2nd Alas &on the morning of the 23rd at 7 in the morning he departed for Portsmouth , and when I arrived in Sussex Place in pursuance of a note I found I I on my return , learnt that had seen him for the last time : that last time was On the 1 7 th when I had passed the morning in Sussex Place and he had taken I me home in his carriage left him at his publishers , S C b ad Whitaker in tationers ourt , where he business to transact : on entering Amen Co rner I found a pres ent

- of a black cock , and knowing how capacious was the appetite of an invalid and how much the circumstance of the bird coming from Scotland would make it I ’ welcome, ran with all speed to Whitaker s and luckily foun d Sir Walter in the Counting house upstairs : he seemed extremely pleased and when I gave the bird mi E into his hand , he pressed ne strongly and said ver i ” & T the same , the best and the k ndest to me hese r I treasu ed words were the last ever heard him speak , though little did I imagine it when he spoke them : they were very dear to me at the moment : ever since they have been invaluable . ‘ I add a trifling circum stance but it Shews that neither infirmity of mind or body coul d change the kind nature and consideration for the feelings of others which formed so marked a part of this adm irable man ’ s 1 In 830 . character . the course of the Winter of Mr Tilt the prints eller in Fleet Street had requested me to send Sir Walter a print representing the ancient Manor house of Woodstock as it stood at the period of the Great Rebellion : he was much pleased and wrote a T : most kind and obliging letter of thanks to Mr . ilt LAST RECOLLECTION S

. T almost overpowered by such a return , Mr ilt , not con tent with shewing this letter to everyone who entered

his shop , had it lithographed and distributed copies to all his friends Sir Walter was much amu sed with this exuberant gratitude ; as we Were passing through Fleet S I “ treet , said there is the shop of your devoted ser T —H e vant Mr . ilt . said , Do you think he would be gratified by my calling and telling him how much I — liked the print ? Of course I assented : We stopt at T the door and I got out and prepared Mr . ilt for the u I ff hono r , and if may judge from the e ect it produced I did well to apprize him of what seemed to produce : Sir positive intoxication Walter could not get out , but T ’ Mr . ilt had five minutes conference at the carriage door and was treated with the kindest consideration and gratified by the value Sir Walter expressed for his I present , and doubt not will consider it as an event in his H ’ C . . life . In the copy of apt B all s last reminiscences which I gave to Donnington I have rectified an error in a story he gives relative to a fi shm o nger which he says he heard from Sir Walter : I do not doubt the H accuracy of Capt . all and that he tells it exactly as he ’ i s h S r W. heard it , but memory was at t at period so defective that it is probable he did not narrate fa ith fully : the circumstance pleased him particularly and

he referred to it continually after it happened , and it is not likely one so similar should have occurred : the i S r . fact is as follows . W was so much pleased with 8 h the Yarmouth Bloaters on the day (Oc t. t ) on which A C L he breakfasted in men orner, that Mrs . ockhart desired me to procure her half a hundred : as soon as they drove away I went to Mr . Bateman a great S I alesman in Billingsgate, and gave the order : he replied that such a number would not suit a private z LETTER ET OF SIR WAL R S 338 S C. TE COTT

i family , for owing to the manner in wh ch these fish are cur ed they will only keep good a short time : I then desired half the quantity to be sent to Sussex : Place he answered decidedly but civilly , that it was not their custom to send so far : I do not know what I “ I prompted me , but said almost involuntarily, am — it very sorry , the order cannot be complied with was — for Sir Walter Scott The rough fi shm on ger started back and pushing forward to me through his piles of — fish cried out most loudly Sir Walter Scott did — you say Madam & Sir Walter Scott God bless my — soul he shall have them dir ectly if I carry them — myself Sir Walter Scott they shall be with him - - N 0 - — t o to night then pausing , not to night for 7 ’ morrow morning at o clock a fresh cargo comes in , — and he shall have them for his breakfast Sir Walter Scott then with a very grave look and in as soft a tone as his loud voice could be lowered to , he said , — how they say he has been ill , and is not well now ir is he Mr . Bateman kept his word and S Walter was more pleased than I can describe when I related the words I have been writing : he laughed and said I do not think my works ever produced an effect so ” much to my taste before .

- e L Printer s N ew street S ua r e London. Spottu wood &f : Co. td , q ,

’ The m a num o us of our ener - H g p g ation. TRU T . ‘ ' Aw ork a b so utely ind is pensa b l e to ever w e l-furnis d ib —T HE I l y l he l rary . T M ES DICTIONARY OF NATIONAL BIOGRAPHY and SUPP M LE ENT. In 66 V o lumes Ro al 8vo . P e ac y ric e 1 5s . h ne t in c lo th o r in half-m o ro c c o m b l , ar ed ed es z o s . n , g , et . And a CON CLUDIN G VOLUME c o ntainin n , g a IN DE& and EPITOME

o f the w ho e ric e I . 5 net in - l , p . c o th o r 1 . ne t in ha 5 5 l £ lf mo ro cc o . Edited b Sir LESLIE STEPHEN y , a nd SIDN EY LEE. o u me s I to 2 1 e dite d b Sir LES LIE S E H EN (V l T P . Vo l u m e s 2 2 to 2 6 e d ite d b y Si r LESLIE E nd S I N E S HEN a D EE. o u m es 2 t o 6 w ith T P Y l 7 3 . t he three Su le m e ntary o l u me s V pp V , and the IN D E& AN D EPITO M E e d te d b ID N E LE , i y S Y E. )

A FEW REPRES EN TAT IVE O PIN IO N S O F T HE PRES S .

TIM ES . O N E O F T H E O S EN DO T R A TH EN /E UM . IN N E M FU L SS , IN N D N E O F T H R IN G A O E M O S T IMPO TA N T H O O GH N ESS A N D IN GEN E A L ACC C T R U , R URA Y LI E A O N EN S O F T H T R RY M UM T E T IM E IN IT LEAV ES LITTLE O R N O TH IN G T O B E

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