1831 SIR WALTER SCOTT 1 (March 1831 continued) TO THE REV. ALEXANDER DYCE,1 LONDON [Extract] (12-1)ABBOTSFORD, March 31, 1831 (12-1)DEAR SIR,—I had the pleasure of receiving Greene's (12-1)Plays, with which, as works of great curiosity, I am highly (12-1)gratified. If the editor of the Quarterly consents, as he (12-1)probably will, I shall do my endeavour to be useful, (12-1)though I am not sure when I can get admission. I shall (12-1)be inclined to include Webster, who, I think, is one of the (12-1)best of our ancient dramatists ; if you will have the kindness (12-1)to tell the bookseller to send it to Whittaker, under cover (12-1)to me, care of Mr Cadell, Edinburgh, it will come safe, and (12-1)be thankfully received. Marlowe and others I have,—and (12-1)some acquaintance with the subject, though not much... .2 (12-1)I wish you had given us more of Greene's prose works.— (12-1)I am, with regard, dear sir, yours sincerely, (12-1)[Lockhart] WALTER SCOTT 2 LETTERS OF 1831 TO ROBERT CADELL (12-2)MY DEAR SIR,—I return Southennan 1 three volumes. (12-2)I should like much to have a reading of Waterwitch. (12-2)Some confusion in returning the Sheets between Ballantyne (12-2)& me have hankd the tail of the Tales. It is now (12-2)free. As I do not wish to fail in the Count I am determind (12-2)not to spare reading on Count Robert & am labouring (12-2)through the Byzantine historians. We must not miss (12-2)stays if labour will do us right. (12-2)Tis no[t] in mortals to command success (12-2)But we'll do more Sempron[i]us we'll deserve it— (12-2)that is to say we will do our best to do so. (12-2)I have not quite arranged my plan but there is certainly (12-2)some wind in this bag if I can bring it into a tune. I am (12-2)Yours truly W. S. (12-2)Tuesday [April 1831] (2) [Stevenson] TO JOHN WILSON CROKER, M.P., KENSINGTON, LONDON (12-2)MY DEAR CROKER,—Like most great architects you (12-2)have made a slight mistake in returning the scaffolding.3 (12-2)My only complaint is a very trifling one. Young's (12-2)imitation of Johnson's criticism on Gray is not on my (12-2)shelves, it is however a book long since printed and I will (12-2)pick it up one day. (12-2)What may be of more consequence the copy of Ascanius 4 1831 SIR WALTER SCOTT 3 (12-3)is not mine nor have I happened to see it so I suppose it (12-3)is scarce. MacNicols remarks I have received safe. I (12-3)knew him a little and rememr. his dining with my father (12-3)and rather regarded him with awe at the time as a live (12-3)author. Again a new volume of Boswell's book does not (12-3)call me master. (12-3)Lockhart tells me great things of your warfare. I would (12-3)not perhaps have been so quiet But the Doctors have taken (12-3)away my glass and reduced me to the state of the poor (12-3)madman who notwithstanding that in his imagination he (12-3)had the best of cooks and kept an excellent table every (12-3)thing he ate tasted of porridge and milk the poor man (12-3)getting nothing else. I am not quite so bad but am (12-3)earnestly preached to not to excite myself. I would not (12-3)stay from my own county meetings. (12-3)I doubt that it will last over my time which will not be (12-3)long. I have failed too generally and suddenly. (12-3)Let me know when or how I can send the books which (12-3)are not mine. It is hard that you who helped so many (12-3)friends with your illimitable franks should ever need one (12-3)yourself. (12-3)My kind respects attend Mrs. Croker and believe me (12-3)always yours affectionately, WALTER SCOTT (12-3)ABBOTSFORD, MELROSE, 1 April 1831. [Brotherton] TO CHARLES KIRKPATRICK SHARPE [Extract] (12-3)MY DEAR CHARLES,—I beg your acceptance of a (12-3)Bannatyne tract the evidence of a ghost on his own (12-3)murder, the only one I suppose ever given. Old Robert (12-3)McIntosh who had been in the case pointed it out to me 4 LETTERS OF 1831 (12-4)when I was a boy and I have had my eye upon it ever (12-4)since and there is something very affecting in the evidence (12-4)of the murderd man's wife concerning the affectionate manner (12-4)in which they part[e]d never to meet again.1 I have (12-4)been laying anchors to leeward to persuade Lord Stafford (12-4)to print Sir Gawain and the Green Knight supposed to (12-4)[be] written by Clerk of Tranent lamented in the poem of (12-4)the Makers by Dunbar. I have been woefully unwell— (12-4)no not woefully for I have had neither ache nor pain but (12-4)threatend with some uncanny kind of direction of blood to (12-4)the Head which threatend me with a reunion with the (12-4)auld makaris though unworthy. I have got off for the (12-4)present & on aperient pills & regiment as the young lady (12-4)said when she proposed to join the 42 having several (12-4)cousins in that gallant corps I am picking up however & (12-4)ride every day that is to say I am carried about on a pony (12-4)to which I do not climb like Spencer's champions but am (12-4)lifted & travelld for about two or three miles about. (12-4)I have all my life enjoyd luck. In the meanwhile by (12-4)way of passtime by way of amusement, (12-4)" Sedet aeternumque sedebit (12-4)Infelix Theseus," (12-4)I have been sitting to Francis Grant who has won my (12-4)applause by making a cabinet picture for your friend Lady (12-4)Ruthven with two fine likenesses of my gallant hounds (12-4)who are all that is worth painting in the subject. ,2 (12-4)So Jock Stevenson has gone to supply the Elysian shades 1831 SIR WALTER SCOTT 5 (12-5)with first editions. I suspect the latter used himself ill, (12-5)I hate a drunken knave.1 I am always yours with true (12-5)regard WALTER SCOTT (12-5)ABBOTSFORD 5 April [1831] (12-5)I have good hope in the increasing mildness of the (12-5)weather. [Hornet] TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE SIR SAMUEL SHEPHERD, BART. (12-5)MY DEAR AND MUCH RESPECTED SIR SAMUEL,—I have (12-5)long wished to place some trifle of mine of how little (12-5)consequence soever it may be under the wing of your kind (12-5)protection, to leave a specimen of legacy to my children (12-5)of the friendship which I have been proud of for the later (12-5)years of my life. I send you a law case but of such a nature (12-5)that it ought to be remitted to the court of Aeacus, Minos (12-5)and Rhadamanthus 2 rather than to those of the nether (12-5)world. I should like to hear what you think of it & (12-5)whether you will take the ghosts evidence for a thousand (12-5)pounds.3 6 LETTERS OF 1831 (12-6)I am now in a state of retirement but am too late, unless (12-6)I mend greatly, in taking to it, to expect to take a trip on (12-6)the continent which I meditated. I am not able to take (12-6)exercise on foot and scarcely on a pony though I humble (12-6)myself to be lifted on. (12-6)Anne begs her respectful compliments to Lady Shepherd (12-6)and Miss Runnington in which I have the honour to join. (12-6)I expect to have the honour of receiving the Chief (12-6)Commissioner in the beginning of next or end of this (12-6)month. (12-6)I am with the best wishes for the continuance of your (12-6)health yours with extreme respect and affection (12-6)meanwhile. WALTER SCOTT (12-6)ABBOTSFORD 5 April [1831] TO MAJOR DONALD MACGREGOR,1 BLAIRMAULD, BLAIRGOWRIE [Extract] (12-6)SIR,—I return the curious manuscript. I find that (12-6)Mr Gregorson of Ardtornish has vindicated the character (12-6)of Dugald Ciar Mohr by shewing that he died before (12-6)the contest of Glenfruin. Your manuscript mentioning (12-6)the fact of [the] death of the students as traditionary in the (12-6)highlands imputes it to the original Ciar Mohr though (12-6)certainly by mistake which was acknowledged so soon as (12-6)it was known. In fact the tradition that some such deed (12-6)was done by some one of the MacGregors if really true (12-6)may fairly [be] imputed to that oppression which drives 1831 SIR WALTER SCOTT 7 (12-7)a wise man [mad]1 and as for me I was the first literary (12-7)man of modern days who chose the oppressed Clan as (12-7)subjects of pity and sympathy.