Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1851-06-02
Literary GOssip.-No. =.
SIR WALTER SCOTT.


SIR WALTER SCOTT.
You will naturally suppose that cannot say any
thing about the grand PRIMER novelist, that has not al
ready been said in &" Lockharl's Life of Sir Walter
Scott and in those nunberless brief Biographies,
sketches "reminiscences, aud recoections which have
either been extracted from. suggested by this volonl-
inou< aad elaborate productiou but ean and this is
nv apology for fixing upon subject which has
already lttened long lean host oitaatsg. but which
is vet used up
a venerable ancestor of mine, whose native place
was the town of Kelso in the famous shire o,
RoNburgh, in the redoubtabe little realm Of Scotland
was first enlightened in the mysteries of the A, B, c,
by Mr.. Whale professor of letters, who at the same
time counted amongst his pupils Walter Scott, and
" Jamie Balenyne," who, in manhood years, became
intimately associated in the relations Of author aud pub
Usher. This Mr.. Whale, according to the traditions
received and believed by me, minus eye, but
the remaining as potential in producing palp
atlon in the hea,s of his pupils is that green one
which scaers the teros of its rays into the night Of
Greek superstition. The glare of this eye some
times of extraordinary force, derived it reported,
from passions that stirred their depths
count of Mrs. Whales extensive use or rather abuse,
of the disgusting narcotic laudauum.
When attending Mr.. Whales school, Walter Scott
usually wore eathem cap, close buttoned cloth jack
ct, woolen pants Of coarse maeral and he lealt up
on crutch and stick, to assist him in his painful loco.
motions Youth is period of selfshness; it is only
when benevolent emancipates from its essen
tial egotism that learn to respect the rights feel
ngs and misortnes of others. Walter Scott, the lame
how tI
that Waiter Scott the poet did from the world; lis
awkward, painful movements, amused them and pro-
voked their ridcuIe and day by day would they fol-
low him on his " homeward ways pointing the finger
of mockery at him, and shouting " cripple Waite
Spirited and stout, though lame the insuled boy would
often hur his crutch his tomentors and woe to him
who felt its ward force. Without his timber friend
however, he became immovabe, and on this account he
became double tobec of ridcule; bat the Kind little
girls always restored it to him; and his gentle madel
aunts, with whom he resided, generally rescued hin
from his rude assaiants.
What strange thing is life! This dull, lame boy
that MIR. Whale used to look down upon with his sing
eye, and whom the little pumpkins used to be for hi
ungainly step, became in tme the man whose fame III
world was scarcely large enough TO compass, who's
footstep was music to his friends, whose kindly word
and smiles were his dependents daily blessings
Was it not proud tribute to SCOTS goodness tina
after 1926, when bankruptcy had overwhelmed him
and when fortune orsook him, that Dagliesh, his bul
Ter, refused quit his service! No arguments address
ed to his self interest," could induce the faithful soul
leave his old master. 'sIf have but bread to eat,
shall be enough;' was his reply; 81 will not, cann
leave you Poor Dagliesh! he was true to his honore
master to the last. But alack day, l know th
scarcely more than year ago, this same Dalses
old, Feeble and poor, earned hard subsistence in Ed
inburgh. by turning the polishing wheel for worker
silver. Great men, and rich men, admirers and ado,
ers of Scott, have ecked in thousands to gaze upo
the quaint mansion he built, upon the ruins of Melros
which he restored in romance and s'Dryburgh's Able
grey, where his dust reposes; they have shed baol
of sentimental tears, amongst the scenes he loved an
sung, and they have lavished rich gifts on those VIII
led them through Abbottsord's deserted halls; but tb
poor man who refused to be separated from Scott an
who mnistered 10 his comfort with afectonate solici
tude, when all was dark despair around him, was ney
er enquired for, but left sweat and feeby toll, earn
ing twelve Yankee shillings week. on which his age
wife and he sustained life. We kneel at stones. b
turn away from 1t cheap to be enrapured will
+, marbIe but to keep the hearts of obscure br
heroic worthy men, SITS dimes, and so we let the
''peek and pine." s.