"GOOD literature is as necessary to the growth of the soul as good air to the growth of the body, and it is just as bad to put weak thought into a child's mind as to shut it up in an unventilated room." - Charles Dudley Warner.

CHOICE LITERATURE

Book F

FOR GRAMMAR GRADES

SIR WALTER SCOTT

1771-1832

SIR WALTER SCOTT, justly called the Wizard of the North, was born in Edinburgh, in 1771. He was lame and in delicate health, and, in consequence of this, spent much of his youth in various parts of the country with friends. This made him familiar with Scottish character and habits, as well as Scottish anecdotes, tradition, and history, more especially the Scottish border history. He was exceedingly fond of out of door life, and his reading was mostly romances. He was a great reader, and in this way as well as by conversation acquired that mine of information upon which he drew so freely in after life. As a boy he was not scholarly in his tastes and did not apply himself well. He knew some Latin, but no Greek. He could read German, French, Italian, and Spanish. He had great fondness for inventing and telling stories and did it remarkably well, thus early showing his bent of mind. His poems were written before his novels. The more noted ones are "Lay of the Last Minstrel," “Marmion,” “Lady of the Lake,” “Rokeby," and "Lord of the Isles.” His first novel was published anonymously. The long list that followed cannot be given here. Among the most famous are "Kenilworth," "Ivanhoe," "Heart of Midlothian," "Old Mortality," "The Talisman," "The Antiquary," "The Bride of Lammermoor," "Quentin Durward," and "Waverley."

Scott was ambitious, not only to make a name but to establish a great estate. In 1811 he bought the first of what afterwards became Abbotsford. In the course of years he expended great sums of money here, altogether not less than $300,000. He became connected with a

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publishing house, and its failure in 1826 involved him in a debt of $600,000. He attempted to pay this great sum by his pen and before his death six years later he had paid the great sum of $330,000, a task never before equaled. The amount of work done in this period by Scott is marvelous, but he broke down under the strain.

A

RALEIGH

From "Kenilworth"

SIR WALTER SCOTT

T this moment the gates opened, and ushers began to issue forth in array, preceded and flanked by the band of gentlemen pensioners. After these came the

queen, amid a crowd of lords and ladies.

The young cavalier we have so often mentioned had probably never yet approached so near the person of his sovereign, and he pressed forward as far as the line of warders permitted, in order to avail himself of the present opportunity. Unbonneting, he fixed his eager gaze on the queen's approach, with a mixture of respectful curiosity, and modest yet ardent admiration, which suited so well with his fine features, that the warders, struck with his rich attire and noble countenance, suffered him to approach the ground over, which the queen was to pass somewhat closer than was permitted to ordinary spectators. The night had been rainy, and just where the young gentleman stood, a little pool of muddy water interrupted the queen's passage. As she hesitated to pass on, the gallant, throwing his cloak from his shoulders, laid it on the miry spot, so as to ensure her stepping over it dryshod. Elizabeth looked at the young man, who accom

panied this act of devoted courtesy with a profound reverence, and a blush that overspread his whole countenance. The queen was confused, and blushed in her turn, nodded her head, hastily passed on, and embarked in her barge without saying a word.

"Come along, Sir Coxcomb," said Blount; "your gay cloak will need the brush to-day, I wot."

"This cloak," said the youth, taking it up and folding it, "shall never be brushed while in my possession."

Their discourse was here interrupted by one of the band of pensioners.

"I was sent, said he," after looking at them attentively, "to a gentleman who hath no cloak, or a muddy one. You, sir, I think," addressing the younger cavalier, “are the man; you will please follow me."

So saying, he walked away followed by Walter, leaving the others behind. The young cavalier was guided to the waterside by the pensioner, who showed him considerable respect. He ushered him into one of the wherries which lay ready to attend the queen's barge, which was already proceeding up the river.

The two rowers used their oars with such expedition at the signal of the gentleman pensioner, that they very soon brought their little skiff under the stern of the queen's boat, where she sat beneath an awning, attended by two or three ladies, and the nobles of her household. At length one of the attendants, by the queen's order apparently, made a sign for the wherry to come alongside, and the young man was desired to step from his own skiff into the queen's barge, which he performed with graceful agility at the fore part of the boat, and was brought aft to

the queen's presence, the wherry at the same time dropping to the rear. The youth underwent the gaze of majesty not the less gracefully that his self-possession was mingled with embarrassment. The mud-dyed cloak still hung upon his arm, and formed the natural topic with which the queen introduced the conversation.

"You have this day spoiled a gay mantle in our behalf, though the manner of offering it was unusual, and somewhat bold."

"In a sovereign's need," answered the youth, "it is each liegeman's duty to be bold."

"Well, young man," said the queen, "your gallantry shall not go unrewarded. Go to the wardrobe keeper, and he shall have orders to replace the suit which you cast away in our service. Thou shalt have a suit, and that of the newest cut, I promise thee, on the word of a princess."

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May it please your grace," said Walter, hesitating, "it is not for so humble a servant of your majesty to measure out your bounties; but if it became me to choose

"Thou wouldst have gold, I warrant me," said the queen, interrupting him. "I take shame to say that, in our capital, such and so various are the means of thriftless folly, that to give gold to youth is giving fuel to fire, and furnishing them with the means of self-destruction."

Walter waited patiently until the queen had done, and then modestly assured her that gold was still less his wish than the raiment her majesty had before offered.

"How, boy!" rejoined the queen, "neither gold nor garment? What is't thou wouldst have of me, then?"