Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 182?-183?, 1831-10-07
Cte Wtsceua1rp.
SIR WALTER SCOTT.

The mystery which hung so long o.
yer the authorship of the Waverly no.
wells, was cleared up by a misfortune
which all the world deplores, and which
would have crushed any other spirit
save that of Scott. This stroke of evil
fortune did not perhaps come quite I'M
expected it was, however, unavoida-
bic, and it rose from no Encouragement
or miscalculation of his own, unless ]
may consider,-which l do not,-his
embarking ill the hazards ola printing
house, piece of miscalculation. 1t is
said that he received warnings-the
paper of Constable, the bookseller, or,
to speak palmer, long money bills were
much in circulation one of them, for a
large sum, made its appearance in the
bank of Scotland, with SCOTS name up
on it, and secretary sent for Sir Wal
ter. DO you know said he, that
Constable has many such bills abroad
Sir Walter, warn you well, an
swered Sir Walter, it is perhaps as you
say, and thank you; but, raising his
voice, Archie Constable was good
friend TO me when friends were rarer
than now, and will not see him baked
for the sake of a few thousand pounds
The amount ofmoney for which Scott,
ON the failure of Constable, became re-
sponsible, l have heard differently esti-
mated-varying from fifty to seventy
thousand pounds. Some wealthy and
generous person sent him u blank check,
properly signed, upon the bank, desir-
60 fhn
himself; but he returned it with proper
Acknowledgements. He took. as it were,
the debt upon himself, as loan, the
whole payable with interest in ten
years and to work he went, with head
and heart, and hand to amend his broken
fortunes. had several letters from him
In these disastrous days-the language
was cheerful, and there were no allu-
sions to what had happened. It's true,
there was no occasion for him to men-
ton these occurrences to me all that he
said about them was-I miss my daugh-
ter, Mrs. Leckhart, who used to sing to
mel have some need of her now
No general, after a bloody and disas-
trous battle, ever set about preparing
himself for u more successful contest
than this distinguished man. Work
succeeded work with unhehrd-of rapid
ty; the chiefof which was, The life
OF Napoleon Bonapartc, in nine vo-
lumes-a production of singular pow
or, and an almost perfect work, with the
exception of the parts which treat ofthe
French Revolution, and the captiyitv
of the great prisoner. had the curios-
ity, OH seeing one of the reviews prais-
ing Habits description of the battle of
the Pyramids to turn to the account Of
Scott. | need not say which was the
best SCOTS was like the sounding of
trumpet. The present cheap and truly
elegant edition of the works of the au-
thor of 'Waverly has, with its deserved
ly unriyaled sale, relieved the poet from
his difficulties, and the cloud which so
long hung over the towers of Abbotslofd
has given place TO sunshine
OF Abbotslord itself, the best descrip-
ton eyer given, or at least, the bricfest,
was "A Romance in Stone and Lime. -
II would require a volume to describe
all the curioSities, ancient and modern
living and dead, which are here gathered
together IL say living, because me-
nagere might BE formed out of the birds
and beasts, sent as presents from distant
lands. A friend told INC hc was at Alb
botslord one evening, when servant ain
nOuuced, "A present from, / forget
what cheiftain i'm tie north. Bring il
in, said the poet. The sound olstrangc
feet were soon heard, and in came two
beautiful Shetland ponies, with long
. names and uncut tails, and so small that
they might have been sent to Elfand, to
the queen offairies herself One poor
Scotsman, to show his gratitude fer
some kindness Scott, as sheriff, had