Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-11-08
TIE SCOTTISH CHIEFS.

Miss Porter. III the introduction 10 q new cui-
ton Of this work, just published in London as
No. : of the series of Standard Novels, gives the
following delightful account OF the origin of this
romance:
.sIn seeking to go back, by the traces of recol
lection. to the period when the first impression
of the heroes which form the story OF the : Scot
fish Chiefs was made on my mind. ! an carried
50 completely into the SC enes of my infancy. that
| feel like one of the children old tales tell OF.
who. being lost in a wood, tries TO find her way
home again by the possibly preserved track Of a
few corn-sceds she had CHANGED to scatter OF the
ground AS she came. To wander in these me
mories, has, however, a pleasure Of its own; ma
nv pleasant places presenting themselves to stop
at, and thence to review, with a sweet sadness.
through the long vale of past days. some distant,
lovely scene, under the soul -haiIowed twilight OF
time. Such scenes are peopled with beloved
forms, living there before our hearts eye; but,
in reality, long removed from US into an eternal
paradise. Born on the border lands OF Scotland,
my mother, in an early widowhood, took her
children thither, then almost infants, to bring
them up in good air, and in the future advantage
of a good education at a moderate expense. But
in Scotland it is not the - pastors aud masters
only who educate the peop!e--there is a spirit OF
Wholesome knowledge iii the country, pervadIng
all ranks, which passes from one to the other hne
the atmosphere thew breathe; and | may truly
say, that | was hardly six years OF age when |
first heard the names OF William Wallace and
Robert Bruce-not from gentlemen and ladies,
readers Of history; but from the maids in the nur-
sery. aud the serving men in the kitchsn: the one
had their songs of Wallace-wisht. to lu!l my
baby sister to sleep; and the other, his tales of
: Banockburn' and Cambuskenneth' to enter
| tain my young brother, keeping his eager a,ten-
ton awake evening at er evening, often to a late
hour. aud sending him TO his bed, still asking tor
more. 10 see the heroes in his dreams. remem-
Der with delight even now how | was amused for
hours in the same way. BY a venerable old woman
| called Luckle Forbes, who lived in u humble but
comfortable occupation, near some beautiful
green banks, which rose in natura' terraces be-
hind my mothers house. and who. often meeting
me there, when playing about. would walk b. HE.
and talk to me, with her knitting in her hand;
or | used to run to her own little home, aud SIT
down on a stool by her side, while she tod me
of the wonderful deeds If William Wallace-of
his fighting for Scotland, against as many cruel
tyrants as those whom Abraham o.ercame when
he recovered Lot and all his herds and aocks
from the five robber kings in the vale thai was
afterwards called the Kings Dale because OF that
victory. My lowly Instructress never omitted
an opportunity Of ~minsiing a ploua ailuslon with
her narration.
"tn like manner, at many a cOttar's treslde
in Scotland, the seed of the bread for this life and
of that which Is to come are sown together. From
this custom Of hers, | often listened to her with
an awful reverence, as well as with delighted in
terest in the events Of her stories. She describ-
ed the person Of Wallace from head to foot, as if
she had seen him. telling me how comely he
was, and how lofty in spirit, and that no tempta-
ton from bonnie Teddy or powerful prince could
ever bride him from the cause OF Scotland. But
| she seemed TO have most satisfaction in taikingof
the friendship between Wallace and Bruce; and
she dwelt on it over and over again, comparing
it with that of David & Jonathan whose souls were
knit together. and whose love for each other was
wonderful. passing the love Of women! MY
bonnie BARN. said she. 'fhcre is a Friend that
aickeih closer than a broiher!r l never can for
get that dear old woman-so shrewd, yet simple
minded. and cheerfuIIy religious: she performed
her humble duties with activity and content; her
recreation, and exceeding great reward was
reading her Bible. which she did every day. |
do not recollect ever seeing any other book in
her house. though she knew the history OF Scot
land, and the biography Of its great families, as
accurately as if the top Of her muckk kist,
which her Bible lay, had been filled with histori-
cal chronicles. LuckIe Forbes was not singular