FOOTNOTES:
[198] The full-length picture of Sir Walter (with, the two dogs, Camp and the deerhound) by Raeburn, painted in 1809, was at this time given to Mr. Skene, and remained in his possession till 1831, when it was sent to Abbotsford, where it now hangs.--See Letter, Scott to Skene, under January 16th, 1831.
[199] Spean a wean, _i.e._ wean a child.
[200] Archibald Skirving (1749-1819), well known as a portrait-painter in chalk and crayons in Edinburgh in the early part of this century.
[201] H.W. Williams, a native of Wales, who settled in Edinburgh at the beginning of this century. His _Travels in Italy and Greece_ were published in 1820, and the _Views in Greece_ in 1827. This work was completed in 1829, the year in which he died.
[202] Vols. i. and ii. were published in 1802.
[203] _Kain_ in Scotch law means payment in _kind. Carriages_ in the same phraseology stands for services in driving with horse and cart.
[204] Ballad of _Hardyknute_, slightly altered.--J.G.L.
[205] Sir W. Knighton was Physician and Private Secretary to George IV. Rogers (_Table-Talk_, p. 289) says no one had more influence with the King. Sir William died in 1836; his _Memoirs_ were published in 1838, edited by his widow.
[206] Ossian.--J.G.L.
[207] Pastoret: _Le Duc de Guise à Naples, etc., en_ 1647 _et_ 1648. 8vo, 1825; also _Memoires relating his passage to Naples and heading the Second Revolt of that people_. Englished, sm. 8vo, 1669.
"The Reviewal then meditated was afterwards published in _Foreign Quarterly Review_, vol. iv. p 355, but not included in the _Misc. Prose Works."_--_Abbotsford Library Catalogue_, p. 36.
[208] W. Shenstone's _Essays_ (1765), p. 115, or _Works_ (1764-69), vol. iii. p. 49.
I am indebted to Dr. J.A.H. Murray for this reference, which he kindly supplied from the materials for his great English Dictionary on Historical Principles.
[209] _King Henry VIII._, Act v. Sc. 2, slightly altered.--J.G.L.
[210] "Watch the sign to hate."--Johnson's _Vanity of Human Wishes_.
[211] See _Arniston Memoirs_, 8vo, Edin. 1888, for text of Lord Melville's letter and Sir Walter's reply, pp. 315-326.
[212] "Seldom has any political measure called forth so strong and so universal an expression of public opinion. In every city and in every county public meetings were held to deprecate the destruction of the one pound and guinea notes."--_Annual Register_ (1826), p. 24.
[213] Alex. Young of Harburn, a steady Whig of the old school, and a steady and esteemed friend of Sir Walter's.--J.G.L.
[214] See _Life_, vol. iv. pp. 146-148.
[215] Henry Weber died in 1818.
[216] See Life of Bonaparte. _Miscellaneous Prose Works_, vol. xi. pp. 346-351.--J.G.L.
[217] _Plays on the Passions_, 2 vols. 8vo, Lond. 1802, vol. ii. pp. 211-215.
[218] He had, however, snatched a moment to write the following playful note to Mr. Sharpe, little dreaming that the sportive allusion to his return in May would be so sadly realised:--
"MY DEAR CHARLES,--You promised when I _displenished_ this house that you would accept of the prints of Roman antiquities, which I now send. I believe they were once in some esteem, though now so detestably smoked that they will only suit your suburban villa in the Cowgate when you remove to that classical residence. I also send a print which is an old favourite of mine, from the humorous correspondence between Mr. Mountebank's face and the monkey's. I leave town to-day or to-morrow at furthest. When I return in May I shall be
Bachelor Bluff, bachelor Bluff, Hey for a heart that's rugged and tough.
I shall have a beefsteak and a bottle of wine of a Sunday, which I hope you will often take share of,--Being with warm regard always yours, WALTER SCOTT."--Sharpe's _Correspondence_, vol. ii. pp. 359-60.
[219] Apropos of the old Scotch lady who had surreptitiously pocketed a silver spoon, one of a set of a dozen which were being passed round for examination in an auction room. Suspicion resting on her, she was asked to allow her person to be searched, but she indignantly produced the article, with "Touch my honour," etc.
[220] The _Attorneys_ of Aberdeen are styled _advocates_. This valuable privilege is said to have been bestowed at an early period by some (sportive) monarch.--J.G.L.
[221] This clever book was published in 1814: at the same time as _Waverley_. Had it contained nothing else than the sketch of Bran, the great Irish wolf-hound, it would have commended itself to Scott. The authoress died in 1859.
[222] It is worth noting that a quarter of a century after Sir Walter had written these lines, we find Macaulay stating that, in his opinion, "there are in the world no compositions which approach nearer perfection." Scott had already criticised Miss Austen in the 27th No. of the _Quarterly_. She died in 1817.
[223] "I return no more,"--see _Mackrimmon's Lament_ by Scott.--_Poetical Works_, vol. xi. p. 332.
[224] Published as far back as 1792. An appreciative criticism on Mrs. Smith's works will be found in Scott's _Miscellaneous Prose Works_, vol. iv. pp. 58-70.
[225] See this Journal, 2 December last.
[226] The letters of _Malachi_ were treated by some members of the House of Commons as incentives to rebellion, and senators gravely averred that not many years ago they would have subjected the author to condign punishment.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, however, declared that he did not dread "the flashing of that Highland claymore though evoked from its scabbard by the incantations of the mightiest magician of the age."--Speech of Rt. Hon. F.J. Robinson.
[227] Both letters are quoted in Lockhart's _Life_, vol. viii. pp. 299-305. See also _Croker's Correspondence and Diaries_, edited by Louis J. Jennings, 3 vols. 8vo, Lond. 1884, vol. i. pp. 315-319.
[228] W. Scott, Esq., afterwards of Raeburn, Sir Walter's Sheriff-substitute.
[229] Hudibras.--J.G.L.
[230] One of Sir Walter's kindly "_weird sisters_" and neighbours, daughters of Professor Ferguson. They had occupied the house at Toftfield (on which Scott at the ladies' request bestowed the name of Huntly Burn) from the spring of 1818. Miss Margaret has been described as extremely like her brother Sir Adam in the turn of thought and of humour.--See _Life_, vol. vi. p. 322.
[231] _Fortune in her Wits, and the Hour of all Men_, Quevedo's Works, Edin. 1798, vol. iii. p. 107.
[232] _Don Quixote_, Pt. II. cap. 47.
[233] _Granby_ was written by a young man, Thos. H. Lister, some years afterwards known as the author of _The Life and Administration of the First Earl of Clarendon_, 3 vols. 8vo, 1837-38. Mr. Lister died in his 41st year in 1842.
APRIL.
_April_ 1.--_Ex uno die disce omnes._ Rose at seven or sooner, studied, and wrote till breakfast with Anne, about a quarter before ten. Lady Scott seldom able to rise till twelve or one. Then I write or study again till one. At that hour to-day I drove to Huntly Burn, and walked home by one of the hundred and one pleasing paths which I have made through the woods I have planted--now chatting with Tom Purdie, who carries my plaid, and speaks when he pleases, telling long stories of hits and misses in shooting twenty years back--sometimes chewing the cud of sweet and bitter fancy--and sometimes attending to the humours of two curious little terriers of the Dandie Dinmont breed, together with a noble wolf-hound puppy which Glengarry has given me to replace Maida. This brings me down to the very moment I do tell--the rest is prophetic. I will feel sleepy when this book is locked, and perhaps sleep until Dalgleish brings the dinner summons. Then I will have a chat with Lady S. and Anne; some broth or soup, a slice of plain meat--and man's chief business, in Dr. Johnson's estimation, is briefly despatched. Half an hour with my family, and half an hour's coquetting with a cigar, a tumbler of weak whisky and water, and a novel perhaps, lead on to tea, which sometimes consumes another half hour of chat; then write and read in my own room till ten o'clock at night; a little bread and then a glass of porter, and to bed.
And this, very rarely varied by a visit from some one, is the tenor of my daily life--and a very pleasant one indeed, were it not for apprehensions about Lady S. and poor Johnnie Hugh. The former will, I think, do well--for the latter--I fear--I fear--
_April_ 2.--I am in a wayward mood this morning. I received yesterday the last proof-sheets of _Woodstock_, and I ought to correct them. Now, this _ought_ sounds as like as possible to _must_, and _must_ I cannot abide. I would go to Prester John's country of free good-will, sooner than I would _must_ it to Edinburgh. Yet this is all folly, and silly folly too; and so _must_ shall be for once obeyed after I have thus written myself out of my aversion to its peremptory sound. Corrected the said proofs till twelve o'clock--when I think I will treat resolution, not to a dram, as the drunken fellow said after he had passed the dram-shop, but to a walk, the rather that my eyesight is somewhat uncertain and wavering. I think it must be from the stomach. The whole page waltzes before my eyes. J.B. writes gloomily about _Woodstock_; but commends the conclusion. I think he is right. Besides, my manner is nearly caught, and, like Captain Bobadil[234], I have taught nearly a hundred gentlemen to fence very nearly, if not altogether, as well as myself. I will strike out something new.