The Journal of Sir Walter Scott by Walter Scott

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_January_ 20.--Wrought all morning; a monstrous packet of letters at
mid-day. Borrow honest Laidlaw's fingers in the evening. I hope his pay
will recompense him: it is better than "grieve-ing" or playing
Triptolemus.[422] Should be, if I am hard-working, 100 guineas, which,
with his house, cow, and free rent, would save, I believe, some painful
thoughts to him and his amiable wife and children. We will see how the
matter fudges. Almost finished the first volume.

_January_ 21.--James Ballantyne in ecstasies at our plan of an
amanuensis. I myself am sensible that my fingers begin to stammer--that
is, to write one word instead of another very often. I impute this to
fancy, the terrible agency of which is too visible in my illness, and it
encourages me to hope the fatal warning is yet deferred. I feel lighter
by a million ton since I made this discovery. If I can dictate freely,
and without hesitation, my fear to speak at the meeting about the road
was vain terror, and so _Andiamo Caracci._ Wrote some letters this
afternoon.

_January_ 22.--Mr. Laidlaw rather late of coming. One of his daughters
has been ill, and he is an approved physician. Pity when one so gifted
employs his skill on himself and family for all patients. We got on,
however, to page 46.

_January_ 23.--I wrought a little to-day. Walked to Chiefswood, or
rather from it, as far only as Habbie's Howe. Came home, cold indeed,
but hearty. Slept after dinner. I think the peep, real or imaginary, at
the gates of death has given me firmness not to mind little afflictions.
I have jumbled this and the preceding day strangely, when I went to
Chiefswood and Huntly Burn. I thought this a week-day.

_January_ 24.--Worked with Mr. Laidlaw, and, as the snow was on the
ground, did so without intermission, which must be sinking to the
spirits. Held on, however.

_January_ 25.--Same drizzling waste, rendering my footing insecure, and
leaving me no refuge but in sitting at home and working till one
o'clock. Then retired upon the Sheriff Court processes. Bran,[423] poor
fellow, lies yawning at my feet, and cannot think what is become of the
daily scamper, which is all his master's inability affords him. This
grieves me, by calling back the days of old. But I may call them as I
may,

"Youth winna return, nor the days of lang syne."

_January_ 26.--I have Skene and Mr. M'Culloch of Ardwell, to the relief
of my spirits and the diminishing of my time. Mr. Laidlaw joined us at
dinner.

Bitter cold.

_January_ 27.--So fagged with my frozen vigils that I slept till after
ten. When I lose the first two hours in the morning I can seldom catch
them again during the whole day.

A friendly visit from Ebenezer Clarkson of Selkirk, a medical gentleman
in whose experience and ingenuity I have much confidence, as well as his
personal regard for myself. He is quite sensible of the hesitation of
speech of which I complain, and thinks it arises from the stomach.
Recommends the wild mustard as an aperient. But the brightest ray of
hope is the chance that I may get some mechanical aid made by Fortune at
Broughton Street, which may enable me to mount a pony with ease, and to
walk without torture. This would, indeed, be almost a restoration of my
youth, at least of a green old age full of enjoyment. The shutting one
out from the face of living nature is almost worse than sudden death.

_January_ 28.--I wrote with Laidlaw. It does not work clear; I do not
know why. The plot is, nevertheless, a good plot, and full of
expectation.[424] But there is a cloud over me, I think, and
interruptions are frequent. I creep on, however.

_January_ 29.--Much in the same way as yesterday, rather feeling than
making way. Mr. Williams and his brother came in after dinner. Welcome
both; yet the day was not happy. It consumed me an afternoon, which,
though well employed, and pleasantly, had the disagreeable effect of my
being kept from useful work.

_January_ 30.--Snow deep, which makes me alter my purpose of going to
town to-morrow. For to-day, my friends must amuse themselves as they
can.

_January_ 31 _[to February_ 9, _Edinburgh_].--Retain my purpose,
however, and set out for Edinburgh alone--that is, no one but my
servant. The snow became impassable, and in Edinburgh I remain immovably
fixed for ten days--that is, till Wednesday--never once getting out of
doors, save to dinner, when I went and returned in a sedan chair. I
commenced my quarantine in Mackenzie's Hotel,[425] where I was deadly
cold, and it was tolerably noisy. The second day Mr. Cadell made a point
of my coming to his excellent house, where I had no less excellent an
apartment and the most kind treatment--- that is, not making a show of
me, for which I was in but bad tune.[426] The physical folks,
Abercrombie and Ross, bled me with cupping-glasses, purged me
confoundedly, and restricted me of all creature comforts. But they did
me good, as I am sure they meant to do sincerely; and I got rid of a
giddy feeling, which I have been plagued with, and have certainly
returned much better. I did not neglect my testamentary affairs. I
executed my last will, leaving Walter burdened, by his own choice, with
L1000 to Sophia, and another received at her marriage, and L2000 to
Anne, and the same to Charles. He is to advance them money if they want
it; if not, to pay them interest, which is his own choice, otherwise I
would have sold the books and rattletraps. I have made provisions for
clearing my estate by my publications, should it be possible; and should
that prove possible, from the time of such clearance being effected, to
be a fund available to all my children who shall be alive or leave
representatives. My bequests must, many of them, seem hypothetical; but
the thing, being uncertain, must be so stated.

Besides, during the unexpected stay in town, I employed Mr. Fortune, an
ingenious artist,[427] to make a machine to assist my lame leg,--an odd
enough purchase to be made at this time of day, yet who would not
purchase ease? I dined with the Lord Chief Commissioner, with the Skenes
twice, with Lord Medwyn, and was as happy as anxiety about my daughter
would permit me.

The appearance of the streets was most desolate: the hackney-coaches,
with four horses, strolling about like ghosts, the foot-passengers few
but the lowest of the people.

I wrote a good deal of _Count Robert_, yet I cannot tell why my pen
stammers egregiously, and I write horridly incorrect. I long to have
friend Laidlaw's assistance.

FOOTNOTES:

[410] _Hudibras_.

[411] John Swanston, a forester at Abbotsford, who did all he could to
replace Tom Purdie.--_Life_, vol. x. p. 66.

[412] Dr. Ferguson, Sir Adam's father, died in 1816.--See _Misc. Prose
Works_, vol. xix. pp. 331-33.

[413] See _Measure for Measure_, Act II. Sc. 1.

[414] _AEneid_ v. 194-7: thus rendered in English by Professor
Conington:--

'Tis not the palm that Mnestheus seeks: No hope of Victory fires his
cheeks: Yet, O that thought!--but conquer they To whom great Neptune
wills the day: Not to be last make that your aim, And triumph by
averting shame.

[415] _King Richard the Third_, Act IV. Sc. 2.

[416] Mr. G.P.R. James, author of _Richelieu_, etc. He afterwards took
Maxpopple for the season.

[417] Mr. Skene tells us that when No. 39 Castle Street was
"displenished" in 1826, Scott sent him the full-length portrait of
himself by Raeburn, now at Abbotsford, saying that he did not hesitate
to claim his protection for the picture, which was threatened to be
paraded under the hammer of the auctioneer, and he felt that his
interposition to turn aside that buffet might admit of being justified.
"As a piece of successful art, many might fancy the acquisition, but for
the sake of the original he knew no refuge where it was likely to find a
truer welcome. The picture accordingly remained many years in my
possession, but when his health had begun to break, and the plan of his
going abroad was proposed, I thought it would be proper to return the
picture, for which purpose I had a most successful copy made of it, an
absolute facsimile, for when the two were placed beside each, other it
was almost impossible to determine which was the original and which the
copy."--_Reminiscences_. Thus forestalling the wish expressed in the
affecting letter now given, which belongs to this day. See _ante_, vol.
i. p. 136 _n_.

"MY DEAR SKENE,--I have had no very pleasant news to send you, as I know
it will give Mrs. Skene and you pain to know that I am suffering under a
hundred little ailments which have greatly encroached upon the custom of
the season which I used to take. On this I could say much, but it is
better to leave alone what must be said with painful feeling, and you
would be vexed with reading.

"One thing I will put to rights with all others respecting my little
personal affairs. I am putting [in order] this house with what it
contains, and as Walter will probably be anxious to have a memorial of
my better days, I intend to beg you and my dear Mrs. Skene ... to have
it [the picture] copied by such an artist as you should approve of, to
supply the blank which must then be made on your hospitable walls with
the shadow of a shade. If the opportunity should occur of copying the
picture to your mind, I will be happy to have the copy as soon as
possible. You must not think that I am nervous or foolishly apprehensive
that I take these precautions. They are necessary and right, and if one
puts off too long, we sometimes are unfit for the task when we desire to
take it up....

"When the weather becomes milder, I hope Mrs. Skene and you, and some of
the children, will come out to brighten the chain of friendship with
your truly faithful,

WALTER SCOTT.

"ABBOTSFORD, 16 _January_ 1831."

[418] Sir W. alludes to Mrs. Piozzi's Tale of _The Three
Warnings_.--J.G.L.

[419] _Macbeth_, Act I. Sc. 3.

[420] Eccles. xii. 3.

[421] Crabbe's _Borough_, Letter xiii.--J.G.L.

[422] See _Pirate_.

[423] The deer-hound Bran which was presented by Macpherson of Cluny;
Nimrod was Glengarry's gift.--See letter to Miss Edgeworth, printed in
_Life_, vol. ix. p. 345.

[424] I _Henry IV_., Act II. Sc. 3.

[425] No. 1 Castle Street.

[426] "His host perceived that he was unfit for any company but the
quietest, and had sometimes one old friend, Mr. Thomson, Mr. Clerk, or
Mr. Skene to dinner, but no more. He seemed glad to see them, but they
all observed him with pain. He never took the lead in conversation, and
often remained altogether silent. In the mornings he wrote usually for
several hours at _Count Robert_; and Mr. Cadell remembers in particular,
that on Ballantyne's reminding him that a motto was wanted for one of
the chapters already finished, he looked out for a moment at the gloomy
weather, and penned these lines--

'The storm increases--'tis no sunny shower,
Foster'd in the moist breast of March or April,
Or such as parched summer cools his lips with.
Heaven's windows are flung wide; the inmost deeps
Call in hoarse greeting one upon another;
On comes the flood in all its foaming horrors,
And where's the dyke shall stop it?'"--_The Deluge--a Poem_.

--_Life_, vol. x. p. 37.

[427] A skilful mechanist, who, by a clever piece of handiwork, gave Sir
Walter great relief, but only for a brief period.--_Life_, vol. x, p.
38.

FEBRUARY.

_February_ 9,_[Abbotsford]._--A heavy and most effective thaw coming on
I got home about five at night, and found the haugh covered with water,
dogs, pigs, cows, to say nothing of human beings, all who slept at the
offices in danger of being drowned. They came up to the mansion-house
about midnight, with such various clamour, that Anne thought the house
was attacked by Captain Swing and all the Radicals.

_February_ 10.--I set to work with Mr. Laidlaw, and had after that a
capital ride; my pony, little used, was somewhat frisky, but I rode on
to Huntly Burn. Began my diet on my new regime, and like it well,
especially porridge to supper. It is wonderful how old tastes rise.

_February_ 11.--Wrought again to-day, and John Swanston walked with me.
Wrote many letters, and sent copy to Ballantyne. Rode as usual. It is
well enough to ride every day, but confoundedly tiresome to write it
down.

_February_ 13.--I did not ask down Mr. Laidlaw, thinking it fair to
spare his Sunday. I had a day of putting to rights, a disagreeable work
which must be done. I took the occasion to tell Mr. Cadell that
_Malachi_ will break forth again; but I will not make a point of it with
him. I do not fear there will be as many to strike up as to strike down,
and I have a strong notion we may gain the day. I have a letter from the
Duchess of Wellington, asking a copy of Melville's Memoirs. She shall
have it if it were my last.

_February_ 14.--I had hardly begun my letter to Mr. Cadell than I began
also to "pull in resolution."[428] I considered that I had no means of
retreat; and that in all my sober moments, meaning my unpassionate ones,
for the doctors have taken from me the means of producing Dutch courage,
I have looked on political writing as a false step, and especially now
when I have a good deal at stake. So, upon the whole, I cancelled the
letter announcing the publication. If this was actually meanness it is a
foible nobody knows of. Anne set off for Edinburgh after breakfast. Poor
girl, she is very nervous. I wrote with Mr. L. till one--then had a walk
till three--then wrote this diary till four. Must try to get something
for Mr. Laidlaw, for I am afraid I am twaddling. I do not think my head
is weakened, but a strange vacillation makes me suspect. Is it not thus
that men begin to fail, becoming, as it were, infirm of purpose,

"... that way madness lies; let me shun that:
No more of that ..."[429]

Yet, why be a child about it? what must be, will be.

_February_ 15.--I wrote and corrected through the long day till one
o'clock; then rode out as far as Dr. Scott's, and called on him. Got a
fresh dose of proofs at Mathieson's, and returned home. At nine o'clock
at night had a card from Miss Bell [Maclachlan], wishing to speak to me
about some Highland music. Wrote for answer I knew nothing of the
matter, but would be happy to see Mrs. and Miss Bell to breakfast. I had
a letter of introduction by Robert Chambers, which I declined, being
then unwell. But as Trotter of Braid said, "The ladies maun come."

_February_ 16.--Mrs. and Miss Bell Maclachlan of the West Highlands,
mother and daughter, made their way to me to breakfast. I did not wish
to see them, being strangers; but she is very pretty--that is, the
daughter--and enthusiastic, and that is always flattering to an old
gentleman. She wishes to have words to Celtic melodies, and I have
promised her some, to the air of Crochallan, and incline to do her good,
perhaps, to the extent of getting her words from Lord Francis Leveson
Gower, Lockhart, and one or two others. We parted, she pleased with my
willing patronage, and I with an uncommon handsome countenance she
showed me.

This detained Mr. Laidlaw _re infecta_, and before I had written a page
the pony came to the door; but wrote something after dinner.

_February_ 17 and 18.--We had the usual course of food, study, and
exercise in the forenoon. Was extremely sleepy in the afternoon, which
made, I fear, but bad work. We progress, however. In riding met Sir Adam
Ferguson, and asked him and his brother the Colonel to dinner to-morrow.
Wrote in the meantime as usual.

_February_ 19.--Plagued by the stay for leg starting a screw bolt, which
is very inconvenient. Sent off, this morning, proofs as far as end of
first volume, and 20 manuscript pages, equal to about a quarter of the
second. Is it good or not? I cannot say. I think it better as it goes
on; and so far so good. I am certain I have written worse abomination,
as John Ballantyne, poor fellow, used to say.

_February_ 20.--Wrote five pages this morning; then rode out to the hill
and looked at some newly planted, rather transplanted, trees. Mr.
Laidlaw gone for the day. I trust I shall have proofs to correct. In the
meantime I may suck my paws and prepare some copy, or rather assemble
the raw material.

_February_ 21.--I made up parcels by mail-coach and Blucher to go
to-morrow--second volume _Redgauntlet_. At one fetched a walk through
wet and dry, looking at the ravages of the late flood. After I came in,
till two hours after tea-time, busied with the Sheriff Court processes,
which I have nearly finished. After this I will lounge over my
annotating. The _Tales of the Crusades_ come next.

_February_ 22.--Wrought with Mr. L. from ten to three, then took the
pony carriage, with the purpose of going to Chiefswood, but a heavy
squall came on with snow, so we put about-ship and returned. Read
Lyttelton's _History of England_ to get some notes for _Crusaders_, vol.
i. After dinner Mr. Laidlaw from six to eight. Sent off six pages.

_February_ 23, 24, 25.--These three days I can hardly be said to have
varied from my ordinary.

Rose at seven, dressed before eight, wrote letters, or did any little
business till a quarter past nine. Then breakfast. Mr. Laidlaw comes
from ten till one. Then take the pony, and ride _quantum mutatus_ two or
three miles, John Swanston walking by my bridle-rein lest I fall off.
Come home about three or four. Then to dinner on a single plain dish and
half a tumbler, or by'r lady three-fourths of a tumbler, of whisky and
water. Then sit till six o'clock, when enter Mr. Laidlaw again, and work
commonly till eight. After this, work usually alone till half-past nine,
then sup on porridge and milk, and so to bed. The work is half done. If
any [one] asks what time I take to think on the composition, I might
say, in one point of view, it was seldom five minutes out of my head the
whole day. In another light, it was never the serious subject of
consideration at all, for it never occupied my thoughts entirely for
five minutes together, except when I was dictating to Mr. Laidlaw.

_February_ 26.--Went through the same routine, only, being Saturday, Mr.
Laidlaw does not come in the evening. I think there is truth in the
well-known phrase, _Aurora musis amica_. I always have a visit of
invention between six and seven--that is, if anything has been plaguing
me, in the way of explanation, I find it in my head when I wake. I have
need of it to-night.

_February_ 27.--Being Saturday, no Mr. Laidlaw came yesterday evening,
nor to-day, being Sunday. Truth is, I begin to fear I was working too
hard, and gave myself to putting things in order, and working at the
_Magnum_, and reading stupid German novels in hopes a thought will
strike me when I am half occupied with other things. In fact, I am like
the servant in the _Clandestine Marriage,_[430] who assures his mistress
he always watches best with his eyes shut.

_February_ 28.--Past ten, and Mr. Laidlaw, the model of a clerk in other
respects, is not come yet. He has never known the value of time, so is
not quite accurate in punctuality; but that, I hope, will come if I can
drill him to it without hurting him. I think I hear him coming. I am
like the poor wizard who is first puzzled how to raise the devil and
then how to employ him. But _vogue la galere_. Worked till one, then
walked with great difficulty and pain till half-past two. I think I can
hardly stir without my pony, which is a sad pity. Mr. Laidlaw dines
here.

FOOTNOTES:

[428] _Macbeth_, Act V. Sc. 5.

[429] _Lear_, Act III. Sc. 4.

[430] Colman the elder.

MARCH.

_March_ 1, 2, 3.--All these three days I wrote forenoon and fagged
afternoon. Kept up the ball indifferent well, but began to tire on the
third, and suspected that I was flat--a dreary suspicion, not easily
chased away when once it takes root.

_March_ 4.--Laid aside the novel, and began with vigour a review of
Robson's Essay on Heraldry;[431] but I missed some quotations which I
could not get on without. I gave up, and took such a rash ride nowadays.
Returned home, and found Colonel Russell there on a visit. Then we had
dinner, and afterwards the making up this miserable Journal.

_March_ 5.--I have a letter from our member, Whytbank, adjuring me to
assist the gentlemen of the county with an address against the Reform
Bill, which menaces them with being blended with Peeblesshire, and
losing of consequence one half of their franchise. Mr. Pringle conjures
me not to be very nice in choosing my epithets. Mr. Pringle, Torwoodlee,
comes over and speaks to the same purpose, adding, it will be the
greatest service I can do the county, etc. This, in a manner, drives me
out of a resolution to keep myself clear of politics, and "let them
fight dog, fight bear." But I am too easy to be persuaded to bear a
hand. The young Duke of Buccleuch comes to visit me also; so I promised
to shake my duds and give them a cast of my calling, fall back, fall
edge.

_March_ 7-10.--In these four days I drew up, with much anxiety, an
address reprobatory of the Bill, both with respect to Selkirkshire, and
in its general purport. I was not mealy-mouthed, and those who heard the
beginning could hardly avoid listening to the end. It was certainly in
my best style, and would have made a deal of noise. From the
uncompromising style it would have attracted attention. Mr. Laidlaw,
though he is on t'other side on the subject, thinks it the best thing I
ever wrote; and I myself am happy to find that it cannot be said to
smell of the apoplexy. The pointed passages were, on the contrary,
clever and well put. But it was too declamatory, too much like a
pamphlet, and went far too generally into opposition to please the
country gentlemen, who are timidly inclined to dwell on their own
grievances rather than the public wrongs.

_March_ 11.--This day we had our meeting at Selkirk. I found
Borthwickbrae (late member) had sent the form of an address, which was
finished by Mr. Andrew Lang.[432] It was the reverse of mine in every
respect. It was short, and to the point. It only contained a
remonstrance against the incorporation with [Peebles]shire, and left it
to be inferred that they approved the Bill in other respects.[433] As I
saw that it met the ideas of the meeting (six in number) better by far
than such an address as mine, I instantly put it in my pocket. But I
endeavoured to add to their complaint of a private wrong a general
clause, stating their sense of the hazard of passing a Bill full of such
violent innovations at once on the public. But though Harden, Alva, and
Torwoodlee voted for this measure, it was refused by the rest of the
meeting, to my disappointment; since in its present state it will not be
attended to, and is in fact too milk-and-water to attract notice. I am,
however, personally out of the scrape; I was a fool to stir such a mess
of skimmed milk with so honourable an action.[434] If some of the
gentlemen of the press get hold of this story, what would they make of
it, and how little would I care! One thing is clear: it gives me a right
to decline future interference, and let the world wag, _Sessa_.[435]

_March_ 12.--Wrote the history of my four days' labour in vain to Sandy
Pringle, Whytbank, and so _transeat_ with _caeteris erroribus_. I only
gave way to one jest. A ratcatcher was desirous to come and complete his
labours in my house, and I, who thought he only talked and laughed with
the servants, recommended him to go to the head courts and meetings of
freeholders, where he would find rats in plenty.

_March_ 13.--I have finally arranged a thorny transaction. Mr. Cadell
has an interest in some of the Novels, amounting to one-half; but the
following are entirely my own, viz.:--

St. Ronan's Well, 3 vols.
Tales of Crusaders, 4 "
First Chronicles, 2 "
Anne of Geierstein, 3 "
Redgauntlet, 3 "
Woodstock, 3 "
Second Chronicles, 3 "
Count Robert, 3 "

In all, twenty-four volumes, which will begin printing after _Quentin
Durward_, and concludes the year 1831. For half the property he proposes
to pay 6000 guineas on 2d February 1831 [1832?]. I think that with this
sum, and others coming in, I may reduce the debt to L45,000.

But I do not see clearly enough through this affair to accept this
offer. _First_, I cannot see that there is wisdom in engaging Mr. Cadell
in deep speculations, unless they served him very much. I am, in this
respect, a burnt child: I have not forgotten the fire, or rather the
furnace. _Second_, I think the property worth more, if publicly sold.
_Third_, I cannot see any reasons which should render it advantageous
for me to sell one half of this property, it being admittedly at the
same [time] highly judicious to keep the other half. This does not
fadge. _Fourth_, As to the immediate command of the money, I am not
pressed for it, not having any advantage by paying it a year or two
sooner or later. The actual proceeds of the sales will come in about
1834, and I daresay will not be far behind in amount the sum of L6000.

In short, I will not sell on a rainy day, as our proverb says. I have
communicated my resolution to Cadell, to whom, no doubt, it will be a
disappointment, for which I am sorry, but cannot help it.