Vol. 7 P. 1 l821 {August 1821 continued) TO HIS SON WALTER (7-1)MY DEAR WALTER,-I have but little time to write to (7-1)you but I wish to inclose the quarterly remittance of 50,, (7-1)which I suppose will be by this time sufficiently wellcome. (7-1)Your next remittance will be as usual in November. Your (7-1)last letter was so vilely written that what betwixt pale ink (7-1)and bad manuscript it was almost illegible. I wish you (7-1)would take some pains with your hand. Mine is not a (7-1)good one but then it looks well and was once a good one (7-1)whereas yours is from the beginning most calamitously bad. (7-1)Your letter found me in London where I witnessd the (7-1)Coronation certainly one of the most brilliant spectacles (7-1)which the british 1 eye could witness-the splendour was (7-1)far beyond any thing I could have conceived. I went to (7-1)the subsequent levy and there met Mr Lesly one of your (7-1)officers who seems a genteel looking young man. I made (7-1)up to him without introduction whenever I was sure of the (7-1)uniform and had all my enquiries after you satisfactorily (7-1)answerd. I missd Col: Murray but wrote to thank him (7-1)for all his civilities to you. (7-1)William Rose is now our guest also Mrs. Carpenter and (7-1)her freind Miss Hooke. We get on very well together and (7-1)Mama is very attentive to them. She is not quite the (7-1)person to live in a hill country yet she seems to be amused. (7-1)Sophia is in her new Cottage and delighted with all the (7-1)importance of her new situation, ordering old Cock a 2 LETTERS OF l82I (7-2)pistol to change this and replace that turning wash-houses (7-2)into dairies and dairies into pigsties with all the solemn (7-2)fuss of an old managing dowager like Mrs. Plummer (7-2)herself. (7-2)Charles is here with his freind Mr Surtees for the (7-2)holidays. He is rather conceited (like some other folks) (7-2)but much improved in the power of applying to his (7-2)lessons and his young freind who also has his share of (7-2)conceit is a well informd and well bred youth with [a] (7-2)great turn to learning. (7-2)Is there any chance of your getting leave. You know (7-2)you are always most wellcome here and there will be (7-2)plenty of game for you-partridges in particular are in (7-2)great numbers. Anne Mama and Charles send kind love. (7-2)I am always your affectionate father WALTER SCOTT (7-2)ABBOTSFORD 7 August [l82l] (7-2)I wish you would take care of my letters-one which (7-2)I wrote you has fallen into the hands of a lady and copies (7-2)are given about as of a fine thing. There is nothing in it (7-2)that I care about being publishd in the Phoenix park but (7-2)that might not have been the case and I would be glad (7-2)to know how such a thing got out of your own possession. (7-2)I should not be surprized to see it get into some Magazine.1 [Law] TO JAMES BALLANTYNE, PRINTER, HERRIOT ROW (7-2)DEAR JAMES,-I am much obliged by your attention to (7-2)my puppy commission which I have no doubt will insure (7-2)the safe delivery of the dogs. (7-2)About Johns share of the publications the case stands (7-2)thus. Before you had an interest in these matters John & (7-2)I halved the profits of the reserved share except I think (7-2)in one instance when I gave the whole to him. When (7-2)you wishd to be put on a level with John which I thought 1821 SIR WALTER SCOTT 3 (7-3)very reasonable I gave you my interest in that moiety. (7-3)As Johns share has since reverted to me I wish in the next (7-3)instance at least to secure a fund for fitting out my (7-3)brothers son for India. The share reserved will therefore (7-3)be in the usual form but no advance will be required on (7-3)the half share which you will hold in trust for me-And (7-3)I think on the whole you will have enough to do in (7-3)keeping up your advances on your present share the share (7-3)which was Johns you will hold as my trustee. (7-3)You were quite right about the bill-I should be glad (7-3)[if] we had a meeting any time next week to settle our (7-3)matters. The Blucher could bring you out on Saturday (7-3)& return you on Monday unless Mrs. Ballantyne came (7-3)with you whom Lady Scott & myself would be very (7-3)happy to see. (7-3)I send the end of Vol I 1 and address to Mr. Kerr (7-3)although I fear he is not yet recoverd. Yours truly (7-3)WALTER SCOTT [PM. 9 August 1821] [Glen] TO LORD MONTAGU, DALKEITH HOUSE (7-3)MY DEAR LORD,-I hasten to say that though Reaburn (7-3)writes like a blockhead he behaves himself well sensibly (7-3)and discreetly and I cannot conceive what has set him (7-3)out on a false gallop. There is no fear of his either making (7-3)or finding anything unpleasant at Bothwell where everyone (7-3)else is so happy. (7-3)" Venison" says Doctor Redgill 2 in the novel of 4 LETTERS OF l82I (7-4)Marriage which if you have not read pray do at the first (7-4)odd come shortly which business allows you-" Venison " (7-4)says this great authority " is always acceptable " & I may (7-4)add particularly so at Abbotsford where we remain till (7-4)November & are often in the way of seeing freinds mor[e] (7-4)indeed by much than at Edinburgh. And so [no] more at (7-4)present from My dear Lord most truly yours (7-4)WALTER SCOTT (7-4)ABBOTSFORD 17 August [PM. l82l] (7-4)This letter reminds me of one which the Man from the (7-4)Sandwich islands wrote on his return to his own country (7-4)which consisted in a long list of the promises he alleged his (7-4)fair correspondent had made him as thus " You promise (7-4)me two pair of stockings-thank ye good madam-You (7-4)promise me a gun-thank ye good madam "-& so " You (7-4)promise me venison thank you my good Lord." [Buccleuch] TO CORNET WALTER SCOTT, BARRACKS, KILKENNY (7-4)MY DEAR WALTER,-I heard of your general reduction (7-4)long since. I believe you would have got off for a troop (7-4)or two but for your having been bad boys. You know (7-4)the old proverb give a dog a bad name and hang him. (7-4)The loss will in a pecuniary point of view be a pretty (7-4)serious one for there is the whole expence of outfit besides (7-4)the difference when you go into another corps. Yet I (7-4)have nothing to regret for if I had got you exchanged you (7-4)must have been within the break of the reduced troop or (7-4)company of the regiment you exchanged into. Colonel (7-4)Stanhope has been with me for some days and thinks that (7-4)as there is little chance of your getting speedily into service (7-4)again you might improve your military education & (7-4)acquire the French and German languages. William Rose (7-4)who is now with us will write to his Brother Sir George 1821 SIR WALTER SCOTT 5 (7-5)Rose 1 who is our Resident at Berlin and enquire whether (7-5)that place or Hanover will suit best. (7-5)As you are so near Dublin you will probably go to see (7-5)some of the gaieties in which case I send you a letter to (7-5)Lord Sidmouth who is my very good friend. He will lend (7-5)you a lift if you want to see anything or get to any parties. (7-5)Your own good sense will induce you to call on Lord (7-5)Mellville. (7-5)If you want a few pounds you may draw on me for 20 (7-5)or so payable at Coutts & advise me of having done so make (7-5)your bill at a months date. If this is not necessary it will (7-5)be so much the better. We are all here well and the (7-5)unsatisfactory news of your reduction 2 is much alleviated (7-5)by the hope of a long and pleasant visit. There will be a (7-5)great number of partridges pray come as soon as you (7-5)can. 6 LETTERS OF l82I (7-6)One thing I must caution you of-You will probably (7-6)have some dinners & so forth at your breaking up and I (7-6)think it not altogether unlikely among young and hot (7-6)heads that things may be done & said in the circumstances (7-6)which may be repeated to the disadvantage of those (7-6)concernd.