The Journal of Sir Walter Scott Part 43

_May_ 20.--Wrote a good deal at Appendix [to Bonaparte], or perhaps I should say tried to write. Got myself into a fever when I had finished four pages, and went out at eight o'clock at night to cool myself if possible. Walked with difficulty as far as Skene's,[520] and there sat and got out of my fidgety feeling. Learned that the Princes Street people intend to present me with the key of their gardens, which will be a great treat, as I am too tender-hoofed for the stones. We must now get to work in earnest.

_May_ 21.--Accordingly this day I wrought tightly, and though not in my very best mood I got on in a very businesslike manner. Was at the Gas Council, where I found things getting poorly on. The Treasury have remitted us to the Exchequer. The Committee want me to make private interest with the L.C. Baron. That I won't do, but I will state their cause publicly any way they like.

_May_ 22.--At Court--home by two, walking through the Princes Street Gardens for the first time. Called on Mrs. Jobson. Worked two hours.

Must dress to dine at Mr. John Borthwick's, with the _young folk_, now Mr. and Mrs. Dempster.[521] Kindly and affectionately received by my good young friends, who seem to have succeeded to their parents' regard for me.

_May_ 23.--Got some books, etc., which I wanted to make up the Saint Helena affair. Set about making up the Appendix, but found I had mislaid a number of the said postliminary affair. Had Hogg's nephew here as a transcriber, a modest and well-behaved young man--clever, too, I think.[522] Being Teind Wednesday I was not obliged to go to the Court, and am now _bang up_, and shall soon finish Mr. Nappy. And how then? Ay, marry, sir, that's the question.

"Lord, what will all the people say, Mr. Mayor, Mr. Mayor!"

"The fires i' the lowest h.e.l.l fold in the people!"[523] as Coriola.n.u.s says. I live not in their report, I hope.

_May_ 24.--Mr. Gibson paid me 70 more of my London journey. A good thought came into my head: to write stories for little Johnnie Lockhart from the History of Scotland, like those taken from the History of England. I will not write mine quite so simply as Croker has done. I am persuaded both children and the lower cla.s.s of readers hate books which are written _down_ to their capacity, and love those that are more composed for their elders and betters. I will make, if possible, a book that a child will understand, yet a man will feel some temptation to peruse should he chance to take it up. It will require, however, a simplicity of style not quite my own. The grand and interesting consists in ideas, not in words. A clever thing of this kind will have a run--

"Little to say, But wrought away, And went out to dine with the Skenes to-day."

Rather too many dinner engagements on my list. Must be hard-hearted. I cannot say I like my solitary days the worst by any means. I dine, when I like, on soup or broth, and drink a gla.s.s of porter or ginger-beer; a single tumbler of whisky and water concludes the _debauch_. This agrees with me charmingly. At ten o'clock bread and cheese, a single draught of small beer, porter, or ginger-beer, and to bed.

_May_ 26.--I went the same dull and weary round out to the Parliament House, which bothers one's brains for the day. Nevertheless, I get on.

Pages vanish from under my hand, and find their way to J. Ballantyne, who is grinding away with his presses. I think I may say, now I begin to get rid of the dust raised about me by so many puzzling little facts, that it is plain sailing to the end.

Dined at Skene's with George Forbes and lady. But that was yesterday.

_May_ 27.--I got ducked in coming home from the Court. Naboclis.h.!.+--I thank thee, Pat, for teaching me the word. Made a hard day of it. Scarce stirred from one room to another, but at bed-time finished a handsome handful of copy. I have quoted Gourgaud's evidence; I suppose he will be in a rare pa.s.sion, and may be addicted to vengeance, like a long-moustached son of a French b.i.t.c.h as he is. Naboclis.h.!.+ again for that.

"Frenchman, Devil, or Don, d.a.m.n him, let him come on, He shan't scare a son of the Island."[524]

_May_ 28.--Another day of uninterrupted study; two such would finish the work with a murrain. I have several engagements next week; I wonder how I was such a fool as to take them. I think I shall be done, however, before Sat.u.r.day. What shall I have to think of when I lie down at night and awake in the morning? What will be my plague and my pastime, my curse and my blessing, as ideas come and the pulse rises, or as they flag and something like a snow haze covers my whole imagination? I have my _Highland Tales_--and then--never mind, sufficient for the day is the evil thereof.

_May_ 29.--Detained at the House till near three. Made a call on Mrs.

Jobson and others; also went down to the printing-office. I hope James Ballantyne will do well. I think and believe he will. Wrought in the evening.

_May_ 30.--Having but a trifle on the roll to-day, I set hard to work, and brought myself in for a holiday, or rather played truant. At two o'clock went to a Mr. Mackenzie in my old house at Castle Street, to have some touches given to Walker's print.[525] Afterwards, having young Hogg with me as an amanuensis, I took to the oar till near ten o'clock.[526]

_May_ 31.--Being a Court day I was engaged very late. Then I called at the printing-house, but got no exact calculation how we come on. Met Mr.

Cadell, who bids, as the author's copy [money] 1s. profit on each book of _Hugh Little-john_. I thought this too little. My general calculation is on such profits, that, supposing the book to sell to the public for 7s. 6d., the price ought to go in three shares--one to the trade, one to the expense of print and paper, and one to the author and publisher between them, which of course would be 1s. 3d., not 1s. to the author.

But in stating this rule I omitted to observe that books for young persons are half bound before they go out into the trade. This comes to about 9d. for two volumes. The allowance to the trade is also heavy, so that 1s. a book is very well on great numbers. There may besides be a third volume.

Dined at James Ballantyne's, and heard his brother Sandy sing and play on the violin, beautifully as usual. James himself sang the Reel of Tullochgorum, with hearty cheer and uplifted voice. When I came home I learned that we had beat the Coal Gas Company, which is a sort of triumph.

FOOTNOTES:

[511] The rude inscription on the stone placed over the grave of this Border amazon, slain at Ancrum Moor, A.D. 1545, ran thus--

"Fair maiden Lilliard lies under this stane, Little was her stature but great was her fame, Upon the English louns she laid many thumps, And when her legs were cuttet off she fought upon her stumps."

_See New Stat. Account Scot._, "Roxburgh," p. 244.

[512] _Tempest_, Act I. Sc. 2.

[513] An article for the _Foreign Quarterly Review_, regarding which Mr.

Lockhart says:--"It had then been newly started under the Editors.h.i.+p of Mr. R.P. Gillies. This article, it is proper to observe, was a benefaction to Mr. Gillies, whose pecuniary affairs rendered such a.s.sistance very desirable. Scott's generosity in this matter--for it was exactly giving a poor brother author 100 at the expense of considerable time and drudgery to himself--I think it necessary to mention; the date of the exertion requires it of me."--_Life_, vol. ix. pp. 72-3; see _Misc. Prose Works_, vol. xviii. p. 270.

[514] See note 1, p. 387.

[515] _Merry Wives_, Act I. Sc. 1.

[516] _The Youth and Manhood of Cyril Thornton_, by Captain Thomas Hamilton, had just been published anonymously.

[517] Mr. Lockhart adds the following lines:--

"The shade of youthful hope is there, That lingered long, and latest died; Ambitions all dissolved to air, With phantom honours by his side.

"What empty shadows glimmer nigh?

They once were friends.h.i.+p, truth, and love!

Oh, die to thought, to memory die, Since lifeless to my heart ye prove."

(Poems by the Hon. W.R. Spencer, London, 1811, p. 68.) "The best writer of _vers de societe_ in our time, and one of the most charming of companions, was exactly Sir Walter's contemporary, and, like him, first attracted notice by a version of Burger's _Lenore_. Like him, too, this remarkable man fell into pecuniary distress in the disastrous year 1825, and he was now (1826) an involuntary resident in Paris, where he died in October 1834, _anno aetat_. 65."--J.G.L.

[518] The following note to Mr. and Mrs. Skene belongs to this day:--

My dear Friends,--I am just returned from Court dreeping like the Water Kelpy when he had finished the Laird of Morphey's Bridge, and am, like that ill-used drudge, disposed to sing--

Sair back and sair banes.[D]

In fact I have the rheumatism in head and shoulders, and am obliged to deprive myself of the pleasure of waiting upon you to-day to dinner, to my great mortification.--Always yours, WALTER SCOTT.

WALKER STREET,

_Friday, 18th May, 1827_.

--_Skene's Reminiscences_.

[D]

Sair back and sair banes Carrying the Lord of Morphey's stanes.

_Border Minstrelsy_, vol. iii. pp. 360, 365.

[519] Afterwards (in 1840) eighth Karl of Stair.

[520] 126 Princes Street.

[521] George Dempster of Skibo had just married a daughter of the House of Arniston. This lady has had the singular gratification of listening to these pleasant impressions of a dinner party given in her honour sixty-two years ago, and which she never forgot, nor Sir Walter's talk as he sat next her at table, and with unfeigned kindness devoted himself to her entertainment.

[522] See _Life_, vol. ix. p. 114.

[523] _Coriola.n.u.s_, Act III. Sc. 3.