Maumee express. [volume] (Maumee City, Ohio) 1837-1838, 1837-09-09
AN INCIDENT I'm SC0TT's LIFE.
From Lockbart's Life Of Scott.

have TO open the year 1874 with n
melancholy story. Mention has been
made more.than once Of Henry Weber,
poor German scholar, who escaping
to this country, in 1904, from nisior-
times in his own, excited SCOTS com
passion, and was thenceforth furnished,
through his means withliterary employ
ment of various sorts. Weber was
man Of considerable learning but Scott;
as was his custom, appears to have form
ed an exaggerated notion Of Ibis capaci-
ty, and certainly countenanced him to
his own severe cost, in several moe. un-
fortunate undertakings. When not en-.
gagged on things Of a more ambitious
character, he had acted, for fen years
as his protectors amanuensis and when
the family was in Edinburg, he very Of
ten dined with them. There was somc-
thing very interesting in his appearance
and manners; he had fair, open coun-
tenance, in which honesty and enthusi-
asm Of his nation were alike visible: his
demeanor was gentle and modest
and he had not only stock Of antiquari-
an knowledge, but the "reminiscences,
which he detailed with amusing simpli-
city, OF an early life chequered with
many enough strange adventures. He
was in short, much favorite with
Scott and all his household and was in
vited to dine with them so frequently,
chiefly because his friend was aware
that he had an unhappy propensity Of
drinking, and was anxious to keep him
away from those places where he might
have been more likely to indulge in it.
This vice, however, had been growing
upon him and of late Scott had found
it necessary to make some rather severe
remonstrances about habits witch were
at once injuring his health and interrupt
ing his literary industry. ' ''
They had, however, parted kindly
when Scott left Edinburg, at Christmas,
lsl3-and the day after his return We
Der attended him as usual in his library,
being employed in transcribing extracts
during several hours, while his friend
seated over against him, continued wor-
king at the life of Swift. The light be-
ginning to fail, Scott threw himself back
in his chair, and was about to ring for
candles, when he observed the Germans
eyes fixed upon him with an unusual So
lemnity of expression. Weber," said
he, what's the matter with you? "Mr.
Scott" said Weber, rising you have
long insulted me, and | can bear it no
longer. have brought pair of pistols
with me, and must insist on your taking
one Of them instantly and with that he
prodnced the weapons, which had been
deposited under his chair, and laid one of
them on SCOTS manuscript.-"You ou are
mistaken, Think" said Scott, Gin your
way of setting about this affair--but no
matter. 1t can be no part of your OBJ
ject to annoy Mrs. Scott and the chill
dren; therefore, ifyou please, we will put
the pistols into the drawer till after din
ner. and then arrange to go out together
like gentlemen" Weber replied with
equal GOODNESS, believe that will be bet
ter" and laid the second pistol on the
table. Scott locked them both ia the
desk and said, 81 am glad you have felt
the propriety of what have suggested
only let me request further that moth
ing may occur while at dinner, to give
my wife any suspicion Of what has been
passing" Weber again assented, and
Scott withdrew to his dressing-room,
from which he Immediately despatched
a message to one of Weber's intimate
companions and then the dinner was
served, and Weber joined the family cir
Gle as usual. He conducted himself with
perfect composure, and every thing
seemed to 60 on in the ordinary way,
until whiskey and hot water being pro-
duced, Scott, instead ofinviting his guest
to help himself, mixed two moderate
tumblers of toddy, and handed one of
them to Weber,who upon thai, t,started up
with furious countenance, but instant
ly sat down again, and when Mrs. Scott
expressed her fear that he was i'll, an
swered placidly that he was subject to
spasms, but the pain was gone.-He )
then took the glass, eagerly gulped
down its contents, and pushed it back 10
Scott. AT this moment the friend who
had been sent for made his appearance,
and Weber, on seeing him enter the
room rushed past him out Of the house
without stopping to put on his hat. The
friend who pursued instantly, Come up
with him at the end of the street, and
did all he could to soothe his agitation,
but allin vain. The same evening he was
obliged to be put in strait waist-coat,