a friend of his father's, a minister of Lilliesleaf, who reigned for two generations the most popular preacher in Tiviotdale; but I forget the orator's name. When the original of Saunders Fairford congratulated him in his latter days on the undiminished authority he still maintained-every kirk in the neighbourhood being left empty when it was known he was to mount the tent at any country sacrament-the shrewd divine answered, "Indeed, Mr Walter, I sometimes think it's vera surprising. There's aye a talk of this or that wonderfully gifted young man frae the college; but whenever I'm to be at the same occasion with ony o' them, I e'en mount the white horse in the Revelations, and he dings them a'." Thus Scott amused himself and us as we jogged homewards and it was the same the following day, when (no election matters pressing) he rode with us to the western peak of the Eildon hills, that he might show me the whole panorama of his Teviotdale, and expound the direction of the various passes by which the ancient forayers made their way into England, as brethren, the youngest minister reads aloud a portion of Scripture to the rest; - only one Bible, therefore, is necessary; take away the other six, and in their place bring six more bottles of ale.' "This synod would have suited the hermit sage' of Johnson, who answered a pupil who enquired for the real road to happiness, with the celebrated line, 'Come, my lad, and drink some beer! See Waverley Novels, Edit. 1834, vol. xiv. P. 91. and tell the names and the histories of many a mo- And Drygrange, wi' the milk-white ewes, The bird that flees through Redpath trees May chaunt and sing-sweet Leader's haughs And Bonny howms of Yarrow. But Minstrel Burn cannot assuage His grief while life endureth, To see the changes of this age That night he had again an attack of his cramp, but not so serious as the former. Next morning he was again at work with Ballantyne at an early hour; and when I parted from him after breakfast, he spoke cheerfully of being soon in Edinburgh for the usual business of his Court. I left him, however, with dark prognostications; and the circumstances of this little visit to Abbotsford have no doubt dwelt on my mind the more distinctly, from my having observed and listened to him throughout under the painful feeling that it might very probably be my last. On the 5th of May, he received the intelligence of the death of the Duke of Buccleuch, which had occurred at Lisbon on the 20th April; and next morning he wrote as follows to his Grace's brother: "To the Lord Montagu, Ditton Park. "My Dear Lord, "Abbotsford, 6th May 1819. "I heard from Lord Melville, by yesterday's post, the calamitous news which your Lordship's very kind letter this moment confirmed, had it required confirmation. For this fortnight past, my hopes have been very faint indeed, and on Wednesday, when I had occasion to go to Yarrow, and my horse turned from habit to go up the avenue at Bowhill, I felt deeply impressed that it was a road I should seldom travel for a long time at least. To your Lordship let me add, to myself-this is an irreparable loss; for such a fund of excellent sense, high principle, and perfect honour, have been rarely combined in the same individual. To the country the inestimable loss will be soon felt, even by those who were insensible to his merits, or wished to detract from them, when he was amongst us. In my opinion he never recovered his domestic calamity. He wrote to me, a few days after that cruel event, a most affectionate and remarkable letter, explaining his own feelings, and while he begged that I would come to him, assuring me that I should find him the same he would be for the future years of his life. He kept his word; but I could see a grief of that calm and concentrated kind which claims the hours of solitude and of night for its empire, and gradually wastes the springs of life. "Among the thousand painful feelings which this melancholy event had excited, I have sometimes thought of his distance from home. Yet this was done with the best intention, and upon the best advice, and was perhaps the sole chance which remained for re-establishment. It has pleased God that it has failed; but the best means were used under the best direction, and mere mortality can do no more. I am very anxious about the dear young ladies, whose lives were so much devoted to their father, and shall be extremely desirous of knowing how they are. The Duchess has so much firmness of mind, and Lady M. so much affectionate prudence, that they will want no support that example and kindness can afford. To me the world seems a sort of waste without him. We had many joint objects, constant intercourse, and unreserved communication, so that through him and by him I took interest in many things altogether out of my own sphere, and it seems to me as if the horizon were narrowed and lowered around me. But God's will be done: it is all that brother or friend can or dare say.—I have reluctance to mention the trash which is going on here. Indeed, I think little is altered since I wrote to your Lordship fully, excepting that last night late, Chisholm arrived at Abbotsford from Lithgow, recalled by the news which had somehow reached Edinburgh-as I suspect by some officiousness of He left Lithgow in such a state that there is no doubt he will carry that burgh, unless Pringlet gets Selkirk. He is gone off this morning to try the possible and impossible to get the single vote which he wants, or to prevail on one person to stand neuter. It is possible he may succeed, though this event, when it becomes generally known, will be greatly against his efforts. I should care little more about the matter, were it not for young Walter, and for the despite I feel at the suc * Mr Chisholm was the Tory candidate for the Selkirk burghs. + Mr Pringle of Clifton, the Whig candidate. Walter Francis, the present Duke of Buccleuch. |